Cover image courtesy of Sportpixx1
Race-day recap
The $61 outsider Thrill Hunter (Ole Kirk) stunned Randwick in the opening event, winning the $160,000 Kirkham Plate while holding off his more fancied rivals who had every chance.
Blandford Baron (Extreme Warrior) showed real grit to hold off a late challenge from Rebel Tuesday and secure his first win in the 2YO Plate at Morphettville.
Remembrall (Spirit Of Boom) swooped late to claim a stunning debut victory in the 2YO Plate at Doomben, charging over the tiring leaders and odds on favourite Lady of Five (Hanseatic) in the final stages.
All On Red (Doubtland) confirmed his early-season promise with a dominant all-the-way win in the 2YO Plate at Ascot to remain undefeated.
Home Affairs notched his first winner as Harvey Wallbanger (NZ) impressed on debut at Ellerslie, powering clear to a dominant three-length victory.
Thrill Hunter springs Kirkham Plate upset for Croft
All the pre-race talk surrounded the bluebloods in the opening 2-year-old event at Randwick, but it was Thrill Hunter (Ole Kirk), the despised outsider, who stunned punters with a tough and determined victory in the Kirkham Plate.
Sent out at $61, the Ole Kirk filly defied her odds and a wide run to out-tough the highly regarded Wootton Bassett (GB) filly Pearl Of Dubai, scoring by a long neck under a strong ride from Ash Morgan. The result delivered a memorable success for Hawkesbury trainer Terry Croft, who registered his first metropolitan winner of the season.
Thrill Hunter began cleanly and was prominent throughout, travelling wide on the speed but always comfortable in her action. She was strong to the line, finding plenty under pressure to hold off her more fancied rivals in the closing stages.
Race favourite Defensemen, the $1.4 million Wootton Bassett (GB) colt from the Chris Waller stable, had every opportunity tracking the leaders but lacked the finishing touch, finishing a length and a third off the winner to place
Croft was understandably delighted with the performance and reflected on how the filly came to join his stable.
“That was very good,” Croft said.
Thrill Hunter winning the Kirkham Plate | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“We were at the sales and we picked her out. We bought another Zoustar filly and I said, 'that will do us', and Thrill Hunter was passed in. Anyway, Peter Green rang me up and said, 'I bought that other one, you know'. I said, 'fair enough'. She was very nice. She had a nice pedigree, she is out of a bit of an older mare which is why we probably got her a bit cheaper - I said, 'don't worry. Secretariat was out of an older mare'!”
"She (Thrill Hunter) had a nice pedigree, she is out of a bit of an older mare which is why we probably got her a bit cheaper - I said, 'don't worry. Secretariat was out of an older mare'!" - Terry Croft
The victory continued a promising start for Ole Kirk as a young sire, with Thrill Hunter becoming the 14th 2-year-old winner to his name.
While Pearl Of Dubai lost no admirers with a professional debut for Peter and Paul Snowden, and Defensemen is likely to improve with race experience, it was Thrill Hunter who lived up to her name producing the first boilover of Spring Champion Stakes Day.
Terry Croft | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Sales: Offered by Sledmere Stud at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Thrill Hunter was purchased by the Wynne Pastoral Partnership for $280,000.
Pedigree: Thrill Hunter is the 11th named foal from multiple stakes-placed Exceed and Excel mare Seeking Attention, a half-sister to Stryker, and was bred by Mrs J. S. Mackay. This makes Thrill Hunter a half-sister to South African juvenile stakes winner Buckinghampshire (Lonhro).
Seeking Attention has a yearling filly by Ole Kirk but was not served last season.
Thrill Hunter as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Blandford Baron holds on in Morphettville thriller
The opening event at Morphettville produced a stirring finish as Blandford Baron (Extreme Warrior) showed real grit to cling on for a brave victory in the 2YO Plate on Saturday.
The Extreme Warrior colt bounced quickly from the gates and was soon part of a furious tempo, with debutante Got Tickets (I Am Immortal) scorching along in front and opening up a margin of at least six lengths mid-race. The pair had the rest of the field off the bit chasing, with both leaders clearly feeling the pinch in the final furlong after their early exertions.
Despite being under pressure late, Blandford Baron dug deep to fend off the fast-finishing Rebel Tuesday (Rebel Dane), who produced her best work over the closing stages and was closing with every stride, just missing at the post.
It was a deserving win for Blandford Baron, who had shown ability when beaten less than a length on debut at Murray Bridge. The addition of blinkers and a positive ride helped him find the improvement needed to break through at his second start.
Got Tickets, on debut for Emma-Lee and David Brown, lost no admirers after setting that strong early gallop and sticking on bravely late, while Rebel Tuesday confirmed she will be winning races soon with another encouraging effort.
Blandford Baron as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Sales: Blandford Baron was sold by Pepper Tree Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale for $80,000 to Riverstone Lodge and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA). He was offered in Riverstone's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale the following year, where he was secured by Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and Travis Doudle Racing for $100,000.
Pedigree: Blandford Baron is the only named foal from Yangarra Rose (Zoustar), who is a half-sister to G1 Australasian Oaks winner Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) and granddaughter of Group 3 winner Vibrant Rouge (Written Tycoon). Yangarra Rose has a yearling colt by Home Affairs and visited Toronado (Ire) last spring.
Remembrall flies home for brilliant Doomben debut win
The 2-year-olds opened proceedings at Doomben on Saturday, and it was Remembrall, a daughter of Spirit Of Boom, who produced a powerful finishing burst to score an impressive debut victory in the 2YO Plate.
While much of the pre-race attention focused on the speedy unbeaten Lady Of Five (Hanseatic), it was the newcomer Remembrall who stole the spotlight with a commanding display under Ben Thompson.
The race was set up for a swooper when debutante I Am That Girl (I Am Invincible) flew the gates and charged across from out wide to lead, setting an unsustainable tempo in the early stages. Lady Of Five, who had been expected to dictate, was unable to find the front and instead settled just off the speed, with Remembrall camping perfectly behind the hot pace.
As the leaders began to feel the pinch approaching the home turn, Thompson eased the filly into clear air, and Remembrall quickly reeled in the tiring frontrunners before sprinting away to an authoritative victory.
Lady Of Five stuck on gamely to finish three lengths away in second, while the Better Than Ready filly Magritte found the line nicely for third.
Remembrall handled race pressure like a seasoned performer and looks a filly with a bright future. Her strength through the line suggests she will only improve as the distances increase.
Remembrall as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Sales: Remembrall was offered by Raheen Stud, but passed in for $130,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Pedigree: Remembrall is the first winner of two named foals for stakes placed mare I Remember You (Written Tycoon). It’s the extended family of Group 1 performers Pane In The Glass (Testa Rossa) and Xilong (Deep Field). I Remember You has a yearling colt by Jacquinot and she visited Anamoe last Spring.
Doubtland colt All On Red extends unbeaten run at Ascot
Exciting Doubtland colt All On Red confirmed his early-season promise with another dominant all the way victory in the 2-year-old Plate at Ascot, making it two wins from as many starts.
Trained by Tiarnna Noske and ridden by Luke Campbell, the colt flew the gates from a wide draw, quickly found the front and never looked back. Showing professionalism, All On Red travelled comfortably throughout after jumping from an outside gate before drawing clear to score by two and a half lengths over London Rose (Splintex).
Noske was thrilled with the performance, praising both horse and rider for executing the plan perfectly.
All On Red winning the 2-year-old Plate | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“I wasn’t particularly worried about the gate. We just said keep him happy, keep him balanced. He rode him perfectly. He read the race and got the result,” she said.
The trainer also noted how well the colt has thrived since his debut win.
“He just pulled up great from his debut run,” Noske said. “He took absolutely no harm. I haven't seen a horse pull up as good as he did, but we won’t make any decisions on race day as to what we do next.”
Campbell, who has partnered the colt in both victories, echoed the sentiment and believes there’s more improvement to come.
"I've had an opinion of him from the get-go, when I got on him for the first time." - Luke Campbell
“He's probably improved a little bit off his first-up run as well just maturity wise. Jeez he got out good today and just put himself there. I've had an opinion of him from the get-go, when I got on him for the first time. Jared and Tiarnna do a fabulous job,” he said.
All On Red as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Sales: All On Red was a $62,500 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale purchase for Tiarnna Noske from the draft of Scenic Lodge.
Pedigree: He is the first foal out of the city-winning mare Poker Face (Snippetson). Poker Face is a half-sister to $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Karuta Queen and descends from G3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner Card Queen.
Poker Face has a yearling colt by Aysar and foaled another colt by Universal Ruler this spring.
Home Affairs's first winner Harvey Wallbanger impresses on debut
Exciting Coolmore stallion Home Affairs is off the mark as a sire, with his son Harvey Wallbanger (NZ) producing a dominant performance to score on debut in the Eagle Technology 1100 at Ellerslie.
Trained by Tony Pike for breeders and owners Wentwood Grange, the colt travelled wide early before jockey Jasmine Fawcett allowed him to stride forward to sit outside the leader. Once balanced in the straight, he quickened smartly to surge clear and score by more than three lengths.
The win marks the first success for Home Affairs, who has made a promising start to his stud career after his son I’m Ya Huckleberry ran an excellent second in the G3 Breeders’ Plate at Randwick earlier this month.
Pike was delighted with the performance, noting that Harvey Wallbanger “did it very comfortably” and has “plenty of upside,” describing him as a compact but athletic colt with a big action.
Sales: A homebred for Wentwood Grange, Harvey Wallbanger races in the Hawkins family’s Llanhennock Trust colours and was not offered at public auction.
Pedigree: Harvey Wallbanger is the first foal out of stakes winning mare Mai Tai (Atlante). Mai Tai has a yearling colt by Almanzor (FR) and was served by Shinzo last spring.
