Introducing The Inevitable Stakes
Racing Tasmania announced on Tuesday that the Listed Tasmania Stakes would be renamed The Inevitable Stakes to honour The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}). “The Inevitable, a $90,000 purchase at the 2017 Adelaide Magic Millions Sales, became a Tasmanian Cult hero from his 48-start career, amassing $2.17m in prize money and winning feature races in three states,” said a press release on tasracing.com.au.
“Trained by Scott Brunton, Tegan Keys and John Keys, “Veggie”, as he was known, was crowned dual Ladbrokes Tasmanian Horse of the Year in 2020 with Mystic Journey and outright in 2023 after arguably the most successful season of his career. The horse tragically passed away following an injury sustained during the running of the 2025 Hellova Street Stakes in Launceston.”
The Inevitable | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The Inevitable won the Listed Tasmania Stakes twice, in 2023 and 2024. “We greatly appreciate the Tasmanian Stakes being named after Veggie,” managing part-Owner Adam Upton said.
“Looking back on his career, he gave us all so much joy, mainly as being such a small horse with a massive will to win. We took great pride in how everyone felt part of his journey and how racing fans around Australia loved him.” Winner of 18 of his 44 starts and over $2 million, The Inevitable was from Dundeel’s first crop.
“He was a great racehorse and it’s important to honour Tasmania’s best, so we’re really pleased to be a part of this change. The race always attracts some of Tasmania’s best horses, and we already have a great sponsor associated with it, so it’ll be known as the Kevin Sharkie The Inevitable Stakes,” said Tasmanian Racing Club Chairman Andrew Scanlon. The race is scheduled for December 28, 2025 at Hobart.
Racing Victoria sells RSN
Majority owner Racing Victoria have agreed to sell RSN to Sports Entertainment Group, owner of radio station SEN and its digital subsidiaries, for $3.25 million in an agreement that prioritises Victorian coverage on the station. The deal is set to be completed on September 1. RSN was owned 73.25 per cent by Racing Victoria, 18.75 per cent by Harness Racing Victoria and 8 per cent by Greyhound Racing Victoria.
“We welcome the opportunity to partner with SEN who see a strong future for the three codes of racing in Victoria and are investing to help us realise that,” RV CEO Aaron Morrison told racenet.com.au.
Aaron Morrison | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
“SEN stood out for the VRI as an ongoing commercial partner and appropriate next owner of RSN because of their expertise, capabilities, distribution network and their desire to grow audiences for racing. This long-term agreement preserves the rich heritage of RSN and the audio broadcast of VRI races that RSN listeners value, while providing opportunities for new and innovative content on the station.
“It is essential that the three codes of Victorian racing remain easily accessible and are showcased to people across Victoria and beyond, which RSN will continue to do for years to come. The sale of RSN provides the three codes with an opportunity to redirect our annual operating costs back into our codes to help support core initiatives around prizemoney, infrastructure, integrity and welfare.”
Stuart Boman joins Hong Kong team
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has appointed Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock as the contracted agent in the Northern Hemisphere. He will take over from Michael Kinane, who held the role for six years.
A statement released on Tuesday read, “The HKJC extends its gratitude to Mr Michael Kinane for his six years of service as the contracted agent in the Northern Hemisphere for the HKIS. Mr Kinane's expertise saw the retired champion jockey identify, select and purchase Hong Kong global champion Romantic Warrior, winner of 10 Group 1s across four different jurisdictions and holder of the world record with prizemoney of HK$214.7 million. Romantic Warrior, who was sold at the 2021 HKIS, is the sale's most decorated graduate.”
It added, “The Hong Kong International Sale is an annual event which provides the opportunity for HKJC Permit Holders to purchase high quality horses sourced from the world's premier yearling sales. Apart from reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior, other notable top graduates include Pakistan Star, The Duke, Good Ba Ba, Scintillation and, more recently, Patch Of Theta who have cemented the sale as a trusted source of success.”
The Volta to be tested ahead of spring
Trainer John Moloney will send debutant winning 2-year-old filly The Volta (Tassort) to Caulfield to test her in city company ahead of the spring. “She had shown me promise but, obviously, I wasn't sure what she could deliver in her first race start. I thought she probably exceeded my expectations, the way she went about it. She was quite impressive and did a good job,” Moloney told racing.com.
The Volta | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“Once I got through that race I just sat down and thought that I'd like to have a look at her again, try another race and see whether she's got something that might show her up in the spring. I'm not saying she has to go early spring, but late spring. We'll give her this run and assess her from there.”
Bryant on song for Wednesday
Trainer Ron Quinton thinks 2-year-old gelding Bryant (Brutal {NZ}) is ready to break through at Canterbury on Wednesday. “His run was very good the other day, he was beaten easily but he beat the others just as easily as the winner beat us,” Quinton told racingnsw.com.au.
Ron Quinton | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We thought he’d run well for sure and he did, we have a little bit of an opinion of him. He’s going to keep getting a bit better each time, he’s a nice enough horse. He’s drawn a reasonably good alley, and I wanted to see him draw well because you need to ride him a bit patiently and you don’t want to fire him up. That should work in his favour and he should be sharp enough for 1200 metres. He will get a bit further for sure.”
Brisbourne pair set for Caulfield
Trainer Ben Brisbourne took his season tally to a career best 75 with a double at Wagga on Monday, and he has 3-year-old filly Runlikenencryption (Encryption) and 3-year-old gelding Torn (Toronado {Ire}) likely to run at Caulfield on Saturday. “The whole team has done an amazing job, we've been able to place the horses we've got really well,” Brisbourne told racing.com.a
“To get to 75 for the season after a couple of seasons where we were knocking on the door for 50, I'm really pleased for everyone involved. (Runlikenencryption) seems to have trained on well. We've got her in over a little bit further this weekend, which shouldn't pose a problem and hopefully she gets a good barrier and it's all systems go.
Ben Brisbourne | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“(Torn) has shown us that he's been finishing races off well enough around that mile mark and it might be worth testing him over a bit further while he's a 3-year-old. He's nominated for the 2000-metre race this Saturday, we're just weighing up whether we go there or whether we go to 1700m with him next week at Flemington.”
McMurray keen to extend Sydney stay
Apprentice jockey Jace McMurray rides at Canterbury on Wednesday, Gosford Thursday and Randwick on Saturday before starting a two week suspension and is keen to stay in Sydney after that. “The loan ends toward the end of the month and if everything stays the same with Michael (Freedman) I’ll have a little freshen up and get back into it,” McMurray told racingnsw.com.au.
Jace McMurray | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“I really like it here and I feel like I’ve fit in well with the stable so I’d love to stay. I had a talk with Michael before he went on holiday and hopefully things can pick up again when I come back from suspension. A freshen up going into the new season, as much as I’d love to get momentum over the next few weeks, wouldn’t hurt.”
Cassiel set for Canterbury
Last start winner Cassiel (Harry Angel {Ire}) will run at Canterbury on Wednesday for trainer Peter Snowden and the 4-year-old gelding is finally figuring out how to race. “He just wanted to go too hard and too quick in his races,” Snowden told racenet.com.au.
“He is racing a lot more tractably and it is showing in his performances on race day. He's probably one of the best trackworkers I've ever had but come race day he just wanted to overdo it and was beating himself. Now, he is starting to learn to relax a lot better. He's not perfect but because he's relaxing more, he's able to find more at the end of his races. He will win a lot more races yet if he keeps going the way he is going.”
Maher hoping for first winner
Trainer Declan Maher is hoping 4-year-old mare Perhaps Perhaps (Written Tycoon) can become his first winner as a trainer when she runs at Ipswich on Wednesday. Since gaining his trainer’s licence and moving to the Gold Coast six weeks ago, he’s had three runners. “I worked for (brother) Ciaron at Ballarat for seven years but all-up I worked for him for 15 years. We had 200 horses in work at Ballarat at any one time,” Maher told racingqueensland.com.au.
Declan Maher | Image courtesy of Ciaron Maher Racing
“I always knew it would be steady as she goes to start off with until I get to know the lay of the land. Perhaps Perhaps was also entered for the Maiden over 1350 metres but I thought she was more suited over the mile.”
New winner for Lucky Vega
At Goulburn on Tuesday, first season sire Lucky Vega (Ire) added his sixth Southern Hemisphere winner when Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 2-year-old colt Graphic Sight bolted in by 3.3l over 1100 metres. His first crop in the Northern Hemisphere are 2-year-olds and he has four winners to date there.
Graphic Sight, who ran third on debut back at Christmas time, is a homebred for Yulong, and is a half-brother to Group 2-winning 3-year-old gelding Pocketing (Grunt {NZ}). Their dam unraced Pickpocket (High Chaparral {Ire}) has a weanling colt by Grunt (NZ).
Too Darn Hot debutant wins at Ballarat
Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy unveiled an exciting juvenile on Tuesday at Ballarat when 2-year-old gelding Volkano (Too Darn Hot {GB}) won on debut by 4.5l. Purchased by MyRacehorse, McEvoy Mitchell Racing, and Belmont Bloodstock for $425,000 from Bell River Thoroughbreds Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, Volkano is the first foal of Volks Lightning (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) who has a Snitzel yearling filly and an Extreme Choice weanling filly.
Volks Lightning won eight races including the G3 Arawa Stakes, and was placed in the G1 (New Zealand) Railway Stakes. She is a half-sister to stakes placed New Millennium (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}).
Emotional win for Zocketman at Muswellbrook
Richard and Will Freedman-trained 2-year-old colt Zocketman (Zousain) won on debut at Muswellbrook on Tuesday by 1.8l for jockey Braith Nock. Sold by Widden Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $80,000, he was purchased by Sam Kavanagh Racing and Still Point Equine.
Kavanagh died of throat cancer in December 2024, and the colt was transferred to the Freedman stable having not yet trialled. Zocketman is the fourth winner for Group 3 winner Thurlow (Sebring) who is a full sister to Listed winner Three Kings.
Two in a row for Destiny’s Summit
Juvenile gelding Destiny’s Summit (Gold Standard) made it two in succession with a win at Beaudesert on Tuesday. He took his record to two wins from seven starts for trainer Brian Gentle. Raced by his trainer and partners, he didn’t go through a sale, and he is the first foal of Destiny’s Revolt (Reward For Effort).
So You Think (NZ) sired a double at the meeting with Monastery and Pungo (NZ).
Belardo Boy hoping for a wet spring
Lisa Latta-trained Belardo Boy (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) carried top weight to win for the 11th time at Otaki on Tuesday, but he’s unlikely to defend his 2023 G3 Winter Cup crown. “We’d left him in work because it’s just too wet to put him out in the paddock, so we ticked him over quietly and he’s had a good blow today. We’ll put a nom in for the Opunake Cup, then just see how many points they give him and the weight he’ll get there before deciding whether we go or not,” Latta said.
Belardo Boy (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
“He’s definitely not going south (to the Winter Cup). We’ll be looking at the weight-for-age races, hopefully we’ll get a wet spring and it should be a help that they’re not in Hastings. We might strike a wet track somewhere.”
Belardo (Ire) sired a double at the meeting with Peppery (NZ), while Time Test (GB) also sired a double with Jaeger (NZ) and Testing (NZ).
Bowman on edge of breaking own Hong Kong record
Jockey Hugh Bowman is one win short of equalling his best season in Hong Kong, currently on 68 wins with three meetings to go. “I’m delighted – it’s been a pretty consistent year for me. It’s been a good, consistent flow of winners with the exception of being a little bit quiet through the November-December period and a little bit quiet through June,” Bowman told scmp.com.
Hugh Bowman | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“It’s been an improvement on last year, but bearing in mind that last year I was injured for a period of time and I did struggle with careless riding suspensions. I’ve had a few this year but it hasn’t been quite to the same extent as last year.
“That’s an area I’d like to improve on again next season. I set a goal to ride 100 winners. I think that might have been a little bit ambitious, actually – I won’t do that again – but I do think I can do better than I’ve done this year.”
Chadwick hopes to close gap on Wednesday
Jockey Matthew Chadwick sits on 34 wins for the season, two behind Tony Cruz Award leader Matthew Poon, and one ahead of Derek Leung. His pick of his Wednesday Happy Valley rides is Bravehearts (Arg) (Cityscape {GB}). “Matthew Poon is not on Bravehearts because he was meant to pick up another ride I think, but that didn’t happen so it’s frustrating for him,” Chadwick told scmp.com.
Matthew Chadwick | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“But it’s a nice ride to pick up, he’s not drawn very well, like many of my rides so I’ll have to work it out from there. The pace looks to be even so I’ll hope to get a smooth run into it and see what he can do late.
“He’s been racing consistently so the switch in tracks should be fine. I haven’t ridden him before so I’m just going to go in with hopes high and give him the best ride that I can.”
Sackville appointed Juddmonte Head of Sales
Bloodstock agent Ed Sackville has been appointed by Juddmonte in the new position of head of European sales. Sackville, a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start programme and Highclere Stud, will be responsible for commercial aspects of the European business, including overall responsibility for the sale of European stallion nominations, working closely and directly with Juddmonte's nominations manager Shane Horan and the nominations team.
In a press release issued by Juddmonte, it was also confirmed that Sackville will continue to work with clients of SackvilleDonald as an independent breeding adviser. “Juddmonte has a long history of racing top class horses which go on to become world class stallions. Frankel and Kingman are the epitome of this success, which has been carefully nurtured and developed over 40 years. With Frankel's Classic-winning son Chaldean already in the stallion roster and Kingman's Classic-winning son Field Of Gold to follow, Juddmonte's history of standing successful sires looks set to continue,” Sackville said.
“I am hugely excited to be a part of this journey and look forward to working with Shane, his team at Juddmonte, and with breeders throughout Europe.”
Goffs launches GoffsGo
GoffsGo, a new online sales platform that allows vendors to sell when they're ready, has been introduced by Goffs, with the first horses expected to be on the market and selling in the coming week.
In a press release issued by Goffs on Monday, GoffsGo is described as “an easy to use, always on sales facility, that takes the waiting out of selling horses online.” Horses will be available for bidding as soon as they are published on the website, with bidding remaining open for around three to five days before closing.
“Designed to offer a point of difference in the online sale market, GoffsGo allows people to sell when they are ready, so when people ask us, 'When is your next sale?', we can say, 'Now', as we always have a sale in action,” said Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby.
Henry Beeby | Image courtesy of Goffs
“We have built this service with flexibility in mind and part of that point of difference that GoffsGo offers is the option of discretion. So for those who wish to utilise all the benefits of selling with Goffs, and all our renowned service and integrity, but want to do so in a controlled, confidential manner, GoffsGo can provide that.
“The other feature we are introducing with GoffsGo is our new preferences tool. So if you login and submit your preferences, the platform will send you an email when a horse that matches your preferences comes to market, so you never miss a horse but equally are not inundated with information irrelevant to you.”
Notable Speech supplemented for G1 July Cup
Last year's 2,000 Guineas winner Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) heads a list of 16 contenders for Saturday's G1 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup at Newmarket, after being supplemented on Monday at a cost of £36,000 (AU$75,000).
Trained by Charlie Appleby, Notable Speech has raced exclusively over a mile in his 10 career starts to date, with last year's G1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood featuring among his other significant victories. Last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, he faces a two-furlong drop in distance, having impressed his connections in a recent piece of work.
Charlie Appleby | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Racing Welfare walk raises funds
Trainers Andrew Balding, Eve Johnson Houghton and Warren Greatrex were among those to take part in Racing Welfare's Castle to Abbey Challenge on Sunday, raising over £100,000 (AU$208,000) in the process.
A total of 80 participants from across the racing industry completed the North Yorkshire coastline walk, from the historic Scarborough Castle to the iconic Whitby Abbey. Dawn Goodfellow, chief executive of Racing Welfare, said, “I wanted to say such a heartfelt thank you from Racing Welfare to every single person who has taken part, from the first past the post to the last, for all of the miles they've covered and the fundraising and the promotion they've done.
Racing Welfare's Castle to Abbey Challenge | Image courtesy of Racing Welfare
“It has been probably our biggest challenge event to date, and probably the most money raised from any challenge event we've ever done from individual sponsors, so I can't thank everybody enough. The support has been truly humbling.
“The funds raised will make a real difference to those in our industry facing difficult times, whether that's through mental health support, housing advice or financial assistance.”
Vancouver gelding makes history in USA
There are many reasons that Kelso (USA) is considered one of the best horses of the 20th century, but the ones that stand out are his class, consistency and durability. Back when the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup was still considered one of the most important races on the calendar, Kelso won it five years in a row, from 1960 through 1964. It's considered one of the greatest feats in racing history.
It would seem that accomplishment–winning the same stakes race five years in a row–would be beyond the reach of the modern thoroughbred. How many horses today even last five years? Not many. It's not what horses do anymore.
The Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey have reported that New Jersey-bred He'spuregold (USA) (Vancouver), a 7-year-old gelding, who is owned and was bred by John Bowers's Roseland Farm Stable, celebrated the holiday weekend in style by winning his fifth straight Irish War Cry Handicap, a grass race restricted to New Jersey breds.
“John stopped by the barn this morning and said you seemed really excited about the race yesterday,” trainer Kelly Breen said. “I said, 'Do you realise what your horse just did? He won the same race five years in a row.' It's unheard of. It's incredible.”
The 2025 Irish War Cry win upped his career earnings to US$687,170 (AU$1.05 million). He's won 10 races, five of them being the Irish War Cry. “We don't plan on running him next year,” Bowers said. “I don't want to see him running in claiming races. By the end of this year, he will have done everything we had hoped for and more. I appreciate it when people recognise him and his accomplishments.”
Road to King’s Cup announced by Bahrain Turf Club
The King's Cup, which was run as a Group 3 for the first time this year, will be worth US$400,000 (AU$612,000) in 2026, after the Bahrain Turf Club announced a doubling of the prize fund for the most prestigious contest in the Kingdom's racing calendar.
In conjunction with the boost in value to The King's Cup, the international race programme has also been strengthened, creating a clearly signposted 'Road to the King's Cup' for highly-rated horses over both a mile and middle-distances.
Yusuf Buheji, CEO of the Bahrain Turf Club, said, “As the quality of international horse attracted to compete in Bahrain improves, we want to ensure there are attractive and valuable options available to owners and trainers outside of the now established Bahrain Turf Series races. This has led to a strengthening of the international programme and the developing of a 'Road to the King's Cup', which takes in the Crown Prince's Cup and other premier races.
“The King's Cup, run in honour of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, is the most prestigious prize in the Kingdom's racing calendar. The introduction of floodlights last year enabled us to create The King's Cup Festival, with consecutive nights of high-class racing and international competition.”
