Cover image courtesy of Widden Stud
It’s a new season. A blank slate. Hope is in the air. The youngest runners on track have arrived at the start of their Classic season, where racing will discover who has trained on, who has real class, and we’ll uncover some new up and coming stars. The older horses are returning to the track, preparing for the big races over spring, and in a sport where the horse is the hero of the story, a new season means new stories, new stars, and the continuing shine of the biggest stars of them all.
Can history point to the next Aurie’s Star winner?
Won last year by Right To Party (Zoustar) who came off a win in the Listed AR Creswick Stakes, and went on to win the G2 Gilgai Stakes in October that spring, the G3 Aurie’s Star has been a good hunting ground for newly crowned Champion Sire Zoustar, who also won this race in 2021 with The Astrologist.
Recently retired The Astrologist came into the race with strong form having won the Listed Victorian Sprint Final then was third in the G3 Bletchingly Stakes before winning here. He went on to place at Group 1 level several times, and campaign internationally with a second in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan and a Group 2 second at Haydock in the UK.
Miss Aria | Image courtesy of Danny O'Brien Racing
Zoustar is represented this year by Danny O’Brien-trained 5-year-old mare Miss Aria who is resuming, having last raced in April. This time last year, she ran second in the G3 Winx Guineas, and was twice group placed in the spring. Two starts ago, in April, she was second in the G3 Victoria Handicap.
"She's a really well-bred mare. She's been unlucky in black-type racing in the past. She's trialled up very well (on July 18) in a pretty good heat (behind Arkansaw Kid and Baraqiel). Hopefully she will be right in the finish and get that elusive black-type win," stable representative Jack Howard said.
The Astrologist’s trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin are represented by two runners, Lady In Pink (Pariah) who is resuming and being set for a Caulfield Cup. “Leon was with Bart for a very long time, and he always used to kick off his Cups horses in this race,” Larkin told justhorseracing.com.au.
“We’re going down the old-school route. I know everything is different, programming is different and things like that, but she improves as she gets deeper into her campaign. Whatever she does first-up, it’s possibly the worst run of her prep. We were thinking of going into the P B Lawrence first-up with her, but then we thought we would like to get a run into her before that, so hopefully she will be peaking to run a really good race second-up.”
Lady In Pink | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The in-form Marble Nine (Kobayashi) who has won his last three in succession including a last start win in the Listed Santa Ana Lane Final will try to make it four in a row. “After his last run he came out of it really well. There were no signs of a tired horse,” Larkin said.
“He’s had a tick over jump-out in between which was good, and he seems to be holding his form at home which is really good. He’s adapted to the straight really well. He puts himself close to the speed and because he can run a strong 1200 at a good clip, it means he keeps going.”
Marble Nine | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
There are two other last start winners in the race being 4-year-old gelding King Of Roseau (Capitalist) and 5-year-old mare Splash Back (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). Trainer Peter Snowden elected to take King Of Roseau to Melbourne to seek a better track than rain-soaked Rosehill. “He's always been a nice horse,” Snowden said earlier in the week.
“Just the decision to bring him back to his grade has certainly given him a lot of confidence now. Now he's learned how to win and he's just holding that good form. I think a step back in class has helped him get a bit of confidence.”
Exit stage left for Bivouac filly
Second season sire Bivouac had a strong start with three stakes winners, and his 3-year-old filly Exit will use Flemington to build towards the G1 MRC Thousand Guineas. “Hopefully she builds off how she ran first time out and we can look to a (Thousand Guineas) Prelude, or something like that after,” Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull told racingandsports.com.au.
“We threw her in the deep end when we ran her in the Prelude on debut. She was very green that day, and just the pressure caught her out, but we've always liked her. She's got a big frame and plenty of growing still to do, but she has taken the right steps to head towards better races.
“She's (Exit) got a big frame and plenty of growing still to do, but she has taken the right steps to head towards better races.” - Jack Turnbull
“Three weeks between run is ideal and hopefully we can draw a gate. The big track is a plus.”
The last start winner ran ninth on debut in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (f) on debut. Sold by Mill Park Stud for $675,000 to Ciaron Maher at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Exit is the second foal and second city winner for Secretly Discreet (Lonhro), a half-sister to Group 2 winner Too Darn Discreet (Too Darn Hot {GB}).
Exit as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The first at Flemington over 1410 metres also features last start winner Our Chief who is a gelded son of second season sire Tagaloa, who also has Australasia running at Eagle Farm. The only other second season sire with a city runner on Saturday is Anders who is represented by Stylish Joker at Eagle Farm.
Time for Bradman to show his class in New Zealand’s G3 Winter Cup
Beautifully bred 8-year-old gelding Bradman (NZ) (Pins) comes into Saturday’s G3 Winter Cup as a last start winner, and the son of New Zealand Champion Broodmare Baggy Green (Galileo {Ire}) is a quirky character who has taken time to show his true ability. “He was mentally insecure, you go back through his history and in about 90 percent of his races, he was in the stipes report for doing something silly,” trainer Roydon Bergerson told Loveracing.nz.
“He would get his head up and try to run off, one day he actually tried to duck off in the birdcage when he had a race there one day. He’s a real character.”
“He (Bradman) would get his head up and try to run off, one day he actually tried to duck off in the birdcage when he had a race there one day. He’s a real character.” - Roydon Bergerson
Winner of the 2024 Listed Flying Handicap, he’s been consistent this winter heading into the Cup. “He came and galloped him on the course proper on Tuesday morning here (at Awapuni), and he said he was really strong, and he’s pulled up super. He has travelled really well. All systems go now I hope.”
Roydon Bergerson | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images)
Baggy Green was crowned New Zealand Champion Broodmare in 2022, an award she shared with Opulence (NZ) (Danroad), the dam of Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}). The same year, Yulong purchased Baggy Green for NZ$1.75 million at the Valachi Downs dispersal sale held through New Zealand Bloodstock’s Gavelhouse Plus platform.
A winning half-sister to Group 1 winners Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) and Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}), dam of Japan’s Group 3 winner Eri King (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Baggy Green is the dam of four stakes winners from five foals to race. Her first foal, Little Dove (NZ) (Pierro) was unraced, and is the dam of Group 2-placed Sign Of Peace (NZ) (Preferment {NZ}), and then followed in birth order, four-time Group 1 winner Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), No Compromise (NZ) (Pins) who won the G1 Metropolitan Handicap, Bradman and Listed winner Benaud (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) who was a Listed winner and placed in the G1 Australian Derby.
Bradman (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
Baggy Green’s next foal was 5-year-old mare First Appearance (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) who is a winner, then she missed a few times, and her next foal is unraced 3-year-old filly Girt By Sea (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}). She has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Ocean Park (NZ) and a filly by Written Tycoon who became a yearling this week.
Extreme rainfall no drama for Ryan’s Lady
Trainer Blake Ryan would love more random moments like Lady Extreme (Extreme Choice) who ended up in his stable on a whim and has put together a strong record, having won or placed in all but two of her 12 starts. Ryan ended up with her after he gave her a box for a few days while she was travelling south to Victoria for owner-breeder Luke Wilkinson. “He was going to retire her and breed from her unraced,” Ryan said earlier in the week.
“She got to mine on the Friday morning and she was booked to go to Melbourne on the Monday night. Luke rang me at ten o'clock on Monday morning and said, 'do you want to have a crack with that mare? No expectations'.”
Blake Ryan | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Lady Extreme had her first crack at Listed company last start in the Ramornie Handicap, running sixth, and runs on Saturday at Rosehill where the sodden track is likely to be no issue. “It all depends on how the race is run but one thing you know with her is she goes out there and gives 110% every time.
“It all depends on how the race is run but one thing you know with her (Lady Extreme) is she goes out there and gives 110% every time.” - Blake Ryan
“I think she will run it and we definitely know she appreciates wet tracks but the combination of a big weight at her first time over 1400 on a heavy, what that will lead to is a different question. But she seems like she is in good order. She's had a good prep anyway so we'll see what happens on Saturday and whether we pull up stumps and give her a break or press on with her.”
Purchased by FED Bloodstock at the 2023 Inglis Digital March Sale as an unraced 3-year-old for $27,500, she won on debut for Ryan in December 2023 as a spring 4-year-old. Luke Wilkinson bred her and sold her as a yearling for $250,000, via Attunga Stud’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft where she was purchased by Ciaron Maher. Having not raced by nearly the end of her 3-year-old season, Maher put her on Inglis Digital where Wilkinson ended up back as her owner.
Lreme | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Her dam, Wanted Lady (Wanted), has produced two winners, the other being Lady Extreme’s full brother Abseiler, while another full brother 3-year-old colt Guardsman, a $1.6 million yearling, ran eighth at his only start at two and holds dual nominations for this weekend. Wanted Lady is a half-sister to Listed winner Missy Cummings (Magnus), dam of Group 1 winner Mizzy (Zoustar) and Group 3 winner She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar).
