Three-year-old summary: Ole Kirk's first Group 1 winner in Guineas

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Ole Kirk’s first Group 1 winner in G1 Thousand Guineas

When Ole Kirk was crowned Champion First Season Sire in 2024/25, many pedigree enthusiasts knew it was merely the beginning for the young stallion who had been much better at three than at two in his own racing career. And in the spring of 2025, Ole Kirk achieved his first Group 1 winner when Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained 3-year-old filly Ole Dancer bounced off her last start second in the G2 Guineas Prelude to win the G1 Thousand Guineas.

Ole Kirk had been a Listed winner on debut at two, then as a spring 3-year-old he won the G1 Golden Rose and G1 Caulfield Guineas.

His daughter Ole Dancer was unbeaten in two starts at two, and this time in at three, she’s been on an improving pathway. First up for fifth in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes, before the aforementioned last start second, and now she’s emulated her sire with a Guineas victory.

“She’s a lovely filly. We knew we were in for a very light spring because we'd lost most of our big guns, and this filly we weren’t disappointed in her last two runs, barriers had just brought around her demise,” Moody said.

“But (we had) great respect for the Sydney filly. She just rose to the occasion and out toughed her. The other one might have had one too many, and maybe we had one not enough too, because I thought it was going to out tough us halfway down the straight.

“But she's a good quality filly, and thanks to Neil Werrett, what a day for him, he owns the stallion, he owns the mare, and he owns the racehorse with his great friends and family, Max Whitby and the Madden family.

“And obviously, a big part of the Black Caviar connection there as well, so it's all so special.” Co-owner Neil Werrett also co-owned Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) who was an unbeaten champion for Moody.

Raced by Werrett Bloodstock, Whitby Bloodstock, and Madden Bloodstock, Ole Dancer has three wins from five starts with earnings over $1.1 million. G1 Flight Stakes winner Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice) was second for trainer Michael Freedman, only one third of a length behind the winner, with Danny O’Brien’s G2 Guineas Prelude winner Getta Good Feeling (So You Think {NZ}) in third.

“Tremendous, really tremendous, and great for Catherine, great for the staff, all the team. Big Will Holmes, our right-hand man here, and all the team that have been a part of it all the way through. It's been a wonderful ride, all our pre-trainers, spelling fans—it's good,” continued Moody.

“For what looked a light spring, we've got a Group One at home, and at home for me, Caulfield. Big thanks to the team at Pakenham, tremendous job there, Cam Miller and his team. They give us every opportunity to train our horses.”

Sale info: Sold by North Bloodstock at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Moody Racing had to stretch to $350,000 to buy Ole Dancer.

Pedigree Notes: Ole Dancer is the third foal and third winner for Dancers (Husson {Arg}) who has since been to Ole Kirk three more times, slipping in 2023, sadly had a still born foal to him in 2024 and missed heading into 2025.

Dancers, the winner of two minor races, is from the family of Snitzel, Hinchinbrook, and Group 1 winner Private Eye (Al Maher). Closer up, Dancers is a half-sister to Listed Cinderella Stakes-placed Invincible Star (I Am Invincible), and her dam Viennese Lass (Redoute’s Choice) is an unraced full sister to Group 1 winner Rediener, and a half-sister to Listed winner Rathlin (Fastnet Rock).

Victoria Derby is the dream for Autumn Mystery

To win a stakes race on Caulfield Cup day is a massive achievement for any trainer, but when that trainer has just ten horses in work, it’s a little overwhelming. Rory Hunter’s 3-year-old gelding Autumn Mystery (The Autumn Sun) did just that in winning the G3 Caulfield Classic on Saturday.

“It’s massive, this horse is a star. He's still six months away from being the best of him, it's just incredible. To do it with such a supportive family. They've been so loyal to me along the way and stuck with me. I can't thank them enough,” Hunter said.

“We've got ten in work, but we've got the capacity to have 20 if we want, the more horses the merrier, keep them coming.”

Autumn Mystery had always shown promise, placing on debut at two, and running in Devil Night (Extreme Choice)’s G1 Blue Diamond. It’s been at three that he’s figured it out, with two seconds in his first two starts this campaign, followed by a last start win in the Victoria Derby Preview.

Sent out as third favourite by punters, Autumn Mystery, ridden by Blake Shinn, had to work hard for the victory, getting out from behind traffic to thread through on the rail and burst to the lead and win by three-quarters of a length. Five horses fanned across the track to fill the minor placings with only half a length covering them, and it was Maurice (Jpn) who sired the two minor placegetters; Nick Ryan-trained gelding Meiwa in second with Ciaron Maher-trained gelding Amazake in third.

“These moments don't come along very often, and to be here and share with my family and such a loyal bunch of owners and the staff around us, it's just amazing,” Hunter said.

“I was sweating there for a minute, but I think once he saw daylight, I was pretty positive he was going to get the win. He’s (Shinn) tasted success of a Group 1 50 times or more, so you can't doubt his experience.”

On the Derby. “At this stage, but we'll just see how he pulls off over the next couple of days, the horse is more important than anything but it’s sensational. It’d be a boyhood dream, that’s for sure.”

Sale info: A bargain from excellent producers Gilgai Farm who sold him for $15,000 at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale to N Thompson.

Pedigree Notes: He becomes the tenth stakes winner for The Autumn Sun. Autumn Mystery’s dam, Stop Making Sense (Sebring), was a winner at two and placed in the G3 Champagne Stakes at Moonee Valley. She has two winners before Autumn Mystery, and followed him with 2-year-old colt by Brazen Beau, a yearling colt by Yes Yes Yes, and a colt foal by Flying Artie this season. This is the family of Group 1 winners I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), Savy Yong Blonk (NZ) (Savabeel) as well as group winner Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) who ran in Saturday’s The Everest.

Tiny tough Tagaloa filly leads all the way in Ethereal

In a race named after an incredibly tough mare, dual Cup winner Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm {USA}), it was fitting that the winner was another tough filly with a big future. Nick Olive-trained Spicy Lu (Tagaloa) was the first stakes winner for her sire back in April last year when she won the Listed Fernhill Stakes, and she stepped it up with a big front running effort to win the G3 Ethereal Stakes over 2000 metres at Caulfield.

Unbeaten in her first three starts at two, Spicy Lu trained off in the G1 Champagne Stakes. Back at three, she’s mixed her form but came here to dominate and hold on under a strong ride from Nash Rawiller. She won by three-quarters of a length from the favourite Michael Freedman-trained Just A Journey (Justify {USA}) with Dominic Sutton-trained After Summer (The Autumn Sun), who was having her fourth start, in third.

“Running second in the Caulfield Cup with Single Gaze was probably the biggest thrill of my career, but it’s great to get a win down here, she's just had no luck in her runs down here, it’s been so frustrating. Great to get the job done today,” Olive said.

“I haven't got big money to spend, but she's a Magic Millions buy, paid $30,000. So she’s been a great little filly, and the team at home has done a great job with that. Tony's here, Tony Blackshaw. He's been a big supporter of mine. He lives in Melbourne, so it's great that he can share this.”

When asked if the G1 Victoria Oaks was the long term goal, Olive said, “I have had it at the back of my mind, for sure. I just wanted to come and sort of aim for some of these races down in Melbourne. As I said, we've had no luck, but you know everything's worth it today after winning this. I'll sum that up over the next week I think, there's not much of her, but she is a really tough horse, so we'll make a decision on (the future) next week.”

The last filly to win both the G3 Ethereal Stakes and the G1 Victoria Oaks was Pinot (Pierro) in 2017.

Jockey Nash Rawiller felt she would see out the distance in the Oaks. “I must say, she had more control of me for the first three-or-four hundred. I really had to bring her back there halfway up the hill and to her credit she kept that lovely momentum and rhythm and she was tough as nails. I’m really proud of her, first up at 2000 (metres), she’s shown what she’s really made of. She’s shown us before at Randwick and it’s great to see her bounce back to form in the Spring Carnival.

“She’ll definitely run an Oaks trip, she’s tough as nails.” Spicy Lu took her record to four wins from eight starts with earnings over $312,000. She is raced by her trainer and partners.

TTR covered Spicy Lu as our Buy Of The Weekend when she won the Listed Fernhill Stakes.

Sale info: Sold by Vinery Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale of 2024 for $30,000 to Nick Olive Racing.

Pedigree Notes: Spicy Lu is one of three winners for her dam All Salsa (Charge Forward) who passed away in 2023. Her final foal is 2-year-old filly Added Spice (Victor Ludorum {GB}). All Salsa won twice and was fourth in the Listed Wyong RC Mona Lisa Stakes.

All Salsa’s second dam is G3 Milano Premio Bagutta winner Alabaq (USA) (Riverman {USA}) who is a daughter of four-time Group 1 winner Salsabil (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).

Tentyris wins a thrilling Listed Gothic Stakes

Utilising his competitive spirit is the key to getting the right result for 3-year-old colt Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) according to co-trainer Anthony Freedman, and on Saturday in the Listed Gothic Stakes, the colt demonstrated that with a huge run from near-last to win by half a length for jockey Mark Zahra.

“We've had a lot of chats about this horse, Mark (Zahra) and I. He's best when he is coiled up. He dead-headed in the race before the Blue Diamond up on the speed, but you get a decent field, genuine tempo and he’s a very good horse. He’s got a very good turn of foot to get out of trouble,” Freedman said.

“There’s a bit of Hanseatic in the way he rattles home, same stallion, Street Boss is doing an amazing job.”

Third when resuming this campaign in the G2 Danehill Stakes, Tentyris will be set for the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in two weeks. “It was looking like we were obviously going to be in a little bit of trouble early, but this is still a prep run for two weeks, so we had a chat during the week. We didn't want him to have a gut buster, we had a couple of leaders there, so just stalk them and hope for a bit of luck, which he got.

“But credit to all the team at home and Godolphin who have shown a lot of faith in us.” Peter Snowden-trained gelding Raging Force (Cosmic Force) was second with Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained filly Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) in third. Tentyris, who won the G2 Todman Stakes at two, has won three of his six starts and over $760,000.

“That was the reason I got him to the Danehill, and he had a trial before that, so he's seen plenty of the straight now. We'll just keep him at home, probably take him in the morning for a piece of work. You know the MRC's been really accommodating with this horse to get him in here in great shape.

“As I said, it's been a slow build up. He's had a lot of work put into him. He came in last start, I think 30 kilos heavier than he did last time when he was in Victoria. So it's been a real project for everyone to get the weight off him and get him in here today. He still hasn't improvement in him, he looks like he might have blown up a little bit over the back, so we're excited for two weeks.

“The feedback has been, get him in amongst them, get some action. It's a bit of a game for him when he's just idling out in front, and so when they're all around him, he really pins his ears back and has a crack, which is an attribute that he's shown throughout his career.”

Sale info: A homebred for Godolphin, who stand his sire Street Boss (USA) who has 83 stakes winners.

Pedigree Notes: Tentyris is the second foal of Exceed And Excel mare Deity, who won three times, and whose first foal Dios (Lonhro) has won twice. Deity has 2-year-old filly Parcae (Blue Point {Ire}) and had a filly by Anamoe this spring.

Deity is a half-sister to Listed winner Maternal (Street Cry {Ire}) and stakes placed La Pieta (Redoute’s Choice). Four-time Group 1 winner Divine Madonna (Hurricane Sky) is the dam of Deity and this is also the family of Group 1 winners Baraqiel (Snitzel) and Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun).

Panova adds Listed Reginald Allen Stakes at fourth outing

That’s one way to win a maiden. Chris Waller-trained 3-year-old filly Panova (Trapeze Artist) placed in maiden company last start, and for her fourth career start, her trainer pushed her into stakes class for the Listed Reginald Allen Stakes at Randwick.

Panova had plenty to do on the turn but she was travelling well for jockey Tommy Berry and flew home with grand acceleration to win by 0.63 lengths from John O'Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Samarelle (NZ) (Savabeel) while the winner’s stablemate Chatterley (Snitzel) ran on for third.

“I think Aeliana won this race last year and she went on to great things and is still getting better and she's running in the Cox Plate next week,” Waller said.

“This is a lovely filly and I think she'll get better over further, maybe not Derby distance but she'll certainly get out to a mile. It's good to see Panova coming from the back of the field, that's just going to show it's going to be an even day of racing. They've done a fantastic job with the track. If it stays like this we'll be having a lot of fun.”

Raced by B2B Thoughbreds, Panova took her record to one win from four starts with earnings over $163,000. This race has been given unofficial Group 3 status by Racing NSW but this is yet to be ratified by the Asian Pattern Committee who have it as a Listed race for the International blue book.

Sale info: Presented by Kenmore Lodge at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Panova was purchased by Ciaron Maher for $325,000.

Pedigree Notes: Panova is the first foal of Love Me Quietly (Trusting) who has a 2-year-old colt by Castelvecchio and a yearling filly by The Autumn Sun, and is due to foal to Ozzmosis this spring.

Love Me Quietly won three races, one at two, and is a half-sister to G3 Red Anchor Stakes winner Charge (Zoustar). This is the family of Group 3 winner Niagara Falls (Danehill {USA}), dam of G2 Reisling Stakes winner and G1 Golden Slipper-placed Elite Falls (More Than Ready {USA}).