Daily News Wrap

The Invitation next for G3 Nivison Stakes winner Gangsta Granny

It was tight on the line with only a 0.06 length margin, but Team Hawkes-trained 4-year-old mare Gangsta Granny (Written Tycoon) stuck on well to become the 79th stakes winner for Written Tycoon when winning Saturday’s G3 Nivison Stakes at Rosehill. Zac Lloyd was aboard to cement four wins on the card.

In second, flying home late was Bjorn Baker-trained 5-year-old mare Monte Supreme (I Am Invincible). Third went to John O'Shea and Tom Charlton-trained More Territories (Territories {Ire}).

“She's had four weeks between runs, which is a pretty hard thing to do,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said.

“We obviously missed going to the 1400 metres last start and we wanted to keep her fresh for this race at the 1200 metres. We just gave her a little bit of a freshen up in between but The Invitation is the race we've always looked at. It's 1300 metres at Randwick and it's going to be a lovely race for her.”

Gangsta Granny has won four of her eight starts and over $320,000. She is raced by Mr and Mrs Koundouris who purchased her for $240,000 from Lime Country Thoroughbreds’ Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft. Gangsta Granny is the third foal, and second winner, of Miss Hawaii (Manhattan Rain) who has a Paulele yearling colt and was left empty for this year. Miss Hawaii is an unraced half-sister to Group 1 winner Eremein (Timber Country {USA}), Group 3 winner Peace Force (Bernardini {USA}) and Listed winner Gliding (Flying Spur).

Littlefield’s Bulletproof adds G3 Northwood Plume

Trainer Charlotte Littlefield’s stable star She’s Bulletproof (Shooting To Win) added the G3 Northwood Plume Stakes to her consistent record with an 0.4 length victory on Saturday. Winner of five of her 15 starts and placed on another seven occasions, she has earnings over $700,000.

It was the second Group 3 win for the mare who also ran second in this year’s G1 Oakleigh Plate. Her dam Offshore Sham (Shamardal {USA}) has a colt foal by Cylinder.

G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes target for Point Barrow

A scintillating victory from an impossible position in the second at Caulfield by 3-year-old filly Point Barrow (Blue Point {Ire}) has trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman thinking about the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. “She's not a stakes winner (but) she's stakes-placed. We might've showed our hand a bit, we might have to try something a little bit better,” Sam Freedman said.

“Whether we have a look at the Coolmore in a few weeks' time, she's got great straight-line speed, she's got a real motor and you can see her in amongst them and sneaking through. Either that or The Roses on Oaks Day, probably one or the other."

Point Barrow ran third in the G3 Scarborough Stakes last start and has won three of her five starts.

Oh Too Good lives up to name in Ladies Vase

It was 6-year-old All Too Hard mare Oh Too Good’s opportunity to shine in the G3 Ladies Vase at Caulfield on Saturday, where she held off Jennilala (Shalaa {Ire}) by a length and a quarter to claim the mile contest for trainer Kevin Daffy. Majority owned by the Daffy family, the mare was posting her first win at stakes level, having finished second in the G2 Let’s Elope Stakes two starts ago.

"She really deserved it,” Daffy said about his only horse in work. “I'm so proud of her. So much goes into it, it's a really hard industry as we all know. I've come to it fairly late and dedicated my whole life to this horse and every minute of every day is thought about this horse. If I'm not with her, I'm watching her and looking after her and making sure she's happy so she can come out and do her best and you saw the best today."

Bred by Gilgai Farm, Oh Too Good was not offered at public auction. She becomes stakes winner number 31 for All Too Hard. Oh Too Good is the first foal and first winner for Good Oh (Duporth), a city-winning daughter of Listed winner Zelsnitz (Snitzel), from the family of Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). Good Oh delivered a full sister to Oh Too Good in August.

Zou Sensation bounces back in Weekend Hussler

Consistent 6-year-old gelding Zou Sensation (Zoustar) snapped up an eighth career victory on Saturday when taking out the Listed Weekend Hussler at Caulfield. Trained by the Malua Racing team for syndicator Bennett Racing, the gelding found the 58kg impost no issue, giving 4kg to runner-up King Zephyr (Hallowed Crown) and still coming away with a one-length margin on the line.

It was a first stakes victory for the 6-year-old, who won on debut as a juvenile and was sixth by less than two and a half lengths last start in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. He becomes stakes winner 72 for his sire.

Bred by Qatar Bloodstock, Zou Sensation was a $150,000 yearling purchase for Bennett Racing from Widden Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. Two shares were offered via an Inglis Digital auction last October, and were purchased for $1250 and $1500 respectively.

Zou Sensation is one of four winners for dual Listed winner Dame Claire (NZ) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who is out of a half-sister to G1 The One Thousand Guineas winner Cape Verdi (Ire) (Caerleon {USA}). Dame Claire is due to foal to Brutal (NZ) this spring.

Second successive Listed wins for Tavs

Dundeel (NZ) gelding Tavs made it two Listed wins in a row when the Mark Currie-trained 5-year-old won Saturday’s Listed Members Cup at Eagle Farm. He won the Listed Weetwood Handicap last start, and now has eight wins from 28 starts for Kratzie Racing and partners.

Listed Queensland Cup won by Walsh Bay

Winner of four in succession and five of her last six starts heading into Saturday’s Listed Queensland Cup, Peter McGauran and Mary Capuano-owned 4-year-old mare Walsh Bay (Deep Field) made it five in a row with a strong victory. The Chris and Corey trained mare now has eight wins from 15 starts with earnings over $370,000.

She becomes stakes winner number 42 for retired sire Deep Field. Gaining black type in second was So You Are (So You Think {NZ}), who is 56th in the order for the G1 Melbourne Cup, and Tapildoodledo (NZ) (Proisir) ran third. Munce Racing purchased Walsh Bay for $85,000 at the Magic Millions Horses In Training Sale from Nolan Racing, and prior to that she was a $55,000 purchase by Mitchell Williams Bloodstock from Newgate Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

The fourth foal and third winner for Invading Humor (USA) (Invasor {Arg}), Walsh Bay’s two older full brothers are both winners. Invading Humor was not served last season, and has a yearling colt by Extreme Choice, 2-year-old filly La Folle (Wild Ruler) and 3-year-old filly Alnair (North Pacific).

Ohope dominates in Tapp-Craig

Godolphin-owned colt Ohope (I Am Invincible) has blossomed in the care of Michael Freedman this spring, knocking off his maiden at start number one, and the 3-year-old took it to the next level on Saturday when winning the $500,000 Tapp-Craig at Rosehill Gardens.

He let down impressively to beat ante-post favourite and eventual second placegetter Farnicle (Farnan) by one and three quarter lengths. Godolphin's Ohope is the first winner for G3 Kembla Grange Classic winner Pohutukawa (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), whose dam is a full or half-sister to four stakes winners, including Group 3-winning Leone Chiara (Lion Hunter {USA}), the dam of Star Witness and Nostradamus. Pohutukawa has a yearling colt by Street Boss (USA), before missing last season, and was served by Cylinder in September.

Big Dance next for Alan Brown winner Hedley Grange

The Big Dance is the next target for Joe Pride-trained Hedley Grange (Exosphere) after he won Saturday’s $1.5 million Alan Brown by 0.62 lengths from Ciaron Maher’s Group 1 winner Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) with General Salute (Russian Revolution) in third for trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou.

“The Big Dance is next on the agenda,” Pride said.

“He's obviously starting to creep up there in the weights, but it didn't seem to worry him today and nor did the barrier. I don't think (the mile) is a problem for him, I think his best distance is around the mile.”

A last start Group 3 winner, Hedley Grange has won 11 of his 22 starts with earnings over $1.6 million for owner R Manwaring and partners. HDB Bloodstock bought him for $120,000 at an Inglis Digital sale in 2023.

Dirty Work’s Voodoo Lass gets hat trick

Surprisingly, Danny Bougoure-trained 3-year-old filly Voodoo Lass (Dirty Work) was not sent out favourite despite winning two in succession, but she informed punters of her class in running on strongly to down the favourite Ha’penny Hatch (NZ) (Circus Maximus {Ire}) on the line to achieve a hat trick of victories. She is one of six individual winners for second season sire Dirty Work.

Unplaced in two starts at two, Voodoo Lass has been consistent at three with three placings before her trio of wins this time in. She took her earnings to $134,000 and was a $46,000 purchase by her trainer from Alexis Fraser Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

King’s Legacy’s Royal Mover stays unbeaten

Tony Gollan-trained 3-year-old gelding Royal Mover (King’s Legacy) made it two from two at Eagle Farm on Saturday with a 1.14 length over 1000 metres. Initially sold by Millbrook for $115,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale to Tasman Bloodstock, he went through Coolmore Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where Australian Bloodstock and Gollan Racing bought him for $160,000.

Zousain’s Virtual Illusion stays unbeaten

The opening race at Murray Bridge was won by Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained 3-year-old gelding Virtual Illusion (Zousain) who stayed unbeaten with his second victory. Bought by his trainers for $20,000 from Riverstone Lodge’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale draft, Virtual Illusion’s pair of wins has netted his connections $78,000.

At the same meeting, the Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup was won by Will Clarken-trained 6-year-old gelding Cartoon Graveyard (Turffontein) with his first win on the mainland, having won six in Tasmania. He became stakes winner number ten for his sire.

Tagaloa enjoys winner number 14

At Cranbourne on Friday night, second season sire Tagaloa added his 14th individual winner when Julius Sandhu-trained Island Boy stormed to the 2.75 length victory. Sold twice through Inglis Digital for $17,000 and $27,500, Island Boy is the second foal and second winner for winning mare Sinzara (Snitzel).

Second winner for Prince Fawaz

Second season sire Prince Fawaz added winner number two when 3-year-old filly Norty Forty romped home to win by 3.7 lengths at Warwick at her fourth start. Trained by Kevin Kemp, she placed on debut. Sold by Oaklands Stud to her trainer for $25,000 at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, Norty Forty is the second-last foal of Forty Winks (Iglesia) whose first foal is Group 3-placed Lucky Morna (Ferocity).

Prince Fawaz is a son of Fastnet Rock who won the G1 JJ Atkins Plate.

Kembla Grange abandoned

Kembla Grange was abandoned on Saturday after a sprinkler was accidentally left on, leaving part of the track softer than the rest. “Racing NSW wish to advise the postponed Kembla Grange meeting from today has been rescheduled and will now be conducted on Monday, 13th October 2025,” posted racingnsw.com.au.

Hayes update on Ka Ying Rising

Trainer David Hayes updated Hong Kong fans on Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) on Saturday. “I don’t have any concerns because I know his nature and I knew he’d be a bit upset getting to a new place for the first time,” Hayes told scmp.com.

“He’s never seen Randwick so the idea of trialling was to get him to have a good look at Randwick and he stargazed a little bit out from the rail. He sat six wide outside of everyone because Zac (Purton) wanted him to relax and he just got a bit lost in the straight.

“He was probably 10lb heavier than when he won [at Sha Tin on September 7] and probably by the time of the race he’ll be just below his winning weight, which is what I wanted because he was racing a bit heavier than last year anyway.

“So his weight is already back in check, as I predicted, and it will be just a matter of marking time and a little sharp gallop on Monday and he’ll be spot on. No excuses.”

The ATC and Racing NSW are hosting breakfast at Canterbury Racecourse on Monday to watch Ka Ying Rising work.

Cool Aza Rene wins G3 Barnswood Sprint

Newhaven Park Stud’s Cool Aza Beel (NZ) added his second stakes winner when 3-year-old filly Cool Aza Rene won Saturday’s G3 Barnswood Sprint at Ashburton by 0.8 lengths. The 1400 metre event for 3-year-olds was quinelled by Australian-breds with Alottago (Tagaloa) in second, with Australian-sired Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau) in third.

“Cool Aza Rene might have been a query at the 1400m, but she’s so tough and so game. She has a good, positive racing style and knows where the winning post is, and that’s always a good attribute to have,” co-trainer Sam Bergerson told Loveracing.co.nz.

Cool Aza Rene won four of her five starts at two and now has five wins from eight starts with earnings over NZ$170,000. She was purchased by David Ellis for $55,000 from Newhaven Park’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. The first foal of Irene (Xtravagant {NZ}) who has two full brothers to Cool Aza Rene, a yearling and a foal, as well as Irenova, a 2-year-old filly by Russian Revolution.

The G3 Otaki Spring Sprint meeting at Otaki was abandoned and will run on Sunday.

Archer Hinkle joins Keeneland board

Keeneland has appointed Anne Archer Hinkle, owner and director of operations of her family's Hinkle Farms in Paris, Kentucky, to its advisory board of directors, the organization said in a press release on Friday morning.

Hinkle Farms is a longtime successful consignor to Keeneland's September Yearling sale. Hinkle herself specializes in bloodstock research and acquisition, stallion matings and sales coordination.

“We are delighted to welcome Anne Archer to the advisory board,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Her deep roots in the Thoroughbred industry paired with her leadership at Hinkle Farms bring valuable perspective and insight. Her experience will be a tremendous asset to Keeneland and help us strengthen our mission for years to come.”

Goffs November Foal catalogue released

The catalogue for the Goffs November Foal Sale, which has 998 lots, was released on Friday. Recent past graduates include the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas/G1 St James's Palace Stakes hero Field Of Gold (Kingman), G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Power Blue (Space Blues) and G1 Prix du Cadran winner Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain).

Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “'The cream of the Irish foal crop' is no idle statement as the overwhelming majority of Irish vendors have made the November Sale their first choice for foals of quality once again.

“Foal buyers will find strength, depth and diversity at every level of the market at this Goffs market leader, whether they are seeking to race or to resell. Field Of Gold exemplifies the quality that end users can expect from Goffs November foals, while it was heartwarming to see so many spectacular pinhooking touches achieved at the recent yearling sales with November Foal purchases, not least at our own Orby and Premier Sales.”

Equinox foals for sale in Japan

Four weanlings from the first crop of Equinox are bound to attract attention when sales action returns to the Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido on Tuesday, October 21. The single-session Mixed Sale features a selection of 135 weanlings, fillies out of training and broodmares.

“This is a great opportunity for owners and breeders to buy some Japanese bloodstock,” said Northern Farm's representative Shingo Hashimoto at Tattersalls this week.

“International breeders have bought at this sale in the past and sometimes they keep the mares in the country for a while to be covered with a Japanese stallion and then export them afterwards.”

Resolute Racing purchases Ridari

G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein hero Ridari (Churchill) has been purchased privately by John Stewart's Resolute Racing, Arqana announced. Set to be trained by Miguel Clement, the former Aga Khan Studs' runner's sale was facilitated by Clement's uncle, Nicolas Clement.

Previously marked as a €950,000 (AU$1.7 million) buy-back during the October 4 Arc Sale, the 3-year-old colt sold for that amount to Stewart's operation. From eight starts, the son of G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Ridasiyna (Motivator) has won three, with a tally in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau joining his Wildenstein score. He was also third in the G3 Prix Messidor.

Fourth annual womens conference

The fourth annual Horse Racing Women's Association (HRWA) Conference, presented by Del Mar and FanDuel TV, made its debut in Lexington, Kentucky this year. Held Oct. 8-9 at Limestone Hall, the expansive event, consisting of panel discussions and networking activities, hosted nearly 200 women representing a variety of careers and experience levels throughout the Thoroughbred racing industry.

The day's discussion culminated with an inspiring talk, along with an interactive discussion and Q & A session, led by renowned keynote speaker, Molly Fletcher. Making a name for herself as one of the first female sports agents, Fletcher pursued a nearly two-decade career that consisted of negotiating over US$500 million (AU$762 million) in contracts and representing over 300 of sports' biggest names.