Sunset Park wins G2 Matriarch Stakes in tough battle
Owner Adrian Whittingham of Cross Park Stud imported 5-year-old mare Sunset Park (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and sent her to trainer Brad Widdup. She relished the wet conditions at Flemington on Saturday to slog out a tough win in the 2000 metre G2 Matriarch Stakes, eventually beating Grahame Begg-trained She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High) by 1.3 lengths. Alalcance (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) was third.
“Did I think she could do this so early? No, but you never know if you don’t have a go and have a crack,” Widdup said, referring to the win coming at Sunset Park’s 11th start.
“Full credit to her owner Adrian Whittingham. He found her in the UK and she’s really starting to get a good record. I think she’s going to get a lot further than this. I thought it was a bit early for her in her career, but she’s really lapped it up since coming down here.”
She’s done all her racing in Australia and this was her first black-type victory. She has four wins from 11 starts with earnings over $317,000, and was bought at the 2024 Tattersalls December Mare Sale as an unraced filly for 60,000gns (AU$127,700) by Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock.
Super Smink adds to super record in G2 Lee Steere Stakes
Dan Morton-trained 5-year-old mare Super Smink (Super One) resumed with a third in the Listed Crawford Stakes, and went two placings better on Saturday to win the G2 Lee Steere Stakes. Morton provided the quinella with second-placed In Good Order (American Pharoah {USA}).
She was a brilliant juvenile who won the G2 Karrakatta Plate, G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes and R.Listed Magic Millions Perth 2YO Classic at that age. She added a Listed win at three, and the G3 Asian Beau Stakes at four and was second in the G1 Railway Stakes.
Super Smink took her earnings over $1.5 million. She was a $45,000 purchase by her trainer from Forest View Farm’s 2022 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale draft. She is the first foal of Sminky Shorts (Snitzel) who has a Playing God yearling filly.
G3 Queen Elizabeth winner gets Cup consolation bonus
Six of the 12 runners in Saturday’s G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington were eligible for a $200,000 bonus, for horses nominated for the G1 Melbourne Cup but who missed a start in the big one. Glen Thompson-trained Whisky On The Hill (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) was the one who came out on top of the 2600 metre contest. “Very satisfying to get this result. He hasn't had a lot go his way all prep,” Thompson said.
“He's been racing really well and I was very concerned when the rain came. It means a lot for the owners. They've been really good supporters … they stuck by me when everything went awry a few months ago and it is very pleasing to get the result for them.” Whisky On The Hill won the Listed RM Ansett Classic four starts ago and took his record to seven wins from 23 starts.
He was purchased by Paul Moroney and Armando Duarte at the 2023 Tattersalls Horses-In-Training Sale for 135,000gns (AU$287,000).
Brave back up for Vivy Air claims Five Diamonds
Hellbent enjoyed a double at Randwick, winning the Golden Gift with 2-year-old colt Revengeance for the Waterhouse/Bott team, and then Ciaron Maher made a big call to back up 5-year-old mare Vivy Air (Hellbent) into Saturday’s Five Diamonds only four days after she ran third in The Big Dance. The decision paid off with a 0.18 length victory to give Hellbent the double. Vivy Air took her earnings over $2.8 million.
She won from Tony Gollan-trained Group 1 winner Transatlantic (Snitzel). Chris Waller-trained Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) was third. “I think that win in the (Big Dance) Wild Card two starts gave her a bit of confidence and the extra 200 metres of today's race suited her, too,” said Maher's stable representative, Johann Gerard-Dubord.
“The plan was to be a bit further forward but she got a long way back. Reece (Jones) stuck to the fence which worked out perfectly well, it was the right move. There was a big gap up the inside so it was a great ride. It's a great result, a great prizemoney race and backing up from Tuesday into today, it's not easy to do, but she is very tough.”
Winner of four of her 27 starts with 12 placings, Vivy Air placed twice at Group 2 level at three but is yet to break through for a stakes win. Racing NSW has applied for Listed status for this race, but it is yet to be ratified by the Asian Pattern Committee.
Group double for Written Tycoon in New Zealand
Group 1 winner 4-year-old mare Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) gave her sire a group double at Riccarton when winning the G3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes. Well Written won the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas later on the same card. Captured By Love won the Guineas last year. “It’s fantastic to see her back like that,” said Sam Bergerson, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker.
“She was obviously a 1000 Guineas winner here last spring. She’s had a bit of a rough time since then and hasn’t always had the rub of the green. We took a bit of a risk deciding to bring her back down here again, but she’s an experienced traveller now and she just handled it so well. The change of scenery has done her good.” Captured By Love has now won six of her 16 starts and over NZ$730,000.
On the same card, the Listed Pegasus Stakes was won by Platinum Attack (Santos) and the Listed Metropolitan Handicap was won by Just Charlie (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).
Chautaqua’s half-brother wins Listed Fisher Stakes
Peter Snowden-trained Need Some Luck (Rubick) became the third stakes winner for Group 1-winning mare Lovely Jubly (Lion Hunter) when he won Saturday’s Listed Fisher Stakes at Flemington. His half-brothers are Group 1 winner Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago) and Group 3 winner London Lolly (Charge Forward). “He might not be quite as good, but he does come out of the gates,” Snowden quipped.
“He (Chautauqua) was a great horse, but you shouldn’t underestimate this fellow as he’s doing a really good job. Look at his record, he’s hardly ever missed a place and is just getting better with each prep. He’s probably not up to the level of Chautauqua but few horses are, and I think he’s got a really good career ahead of him.”
Need Some Luck has won six of his 15 starts and placed on seven occasions with earnings over $520,000 for owner Throsby Racing. London Lolly’s gelded son All England (I Am Invincible) won at Longreach on Saturday, making it three in succession, and taking his record to six wins from 40 starts.
New stakes winner for Brutal at Hawkesbury
Hawkesbury’s Listed Ladies Day Cup was won by Nathan Doyle-trained 4-year-old mare Harlem Queen (Brutal {NZ}). She became the third stakes winner for her sire, whose best to date is the Group 1 winning juvenile Nepotism. Harlem Queen showed promise early when placed on debut at two, then at three she won twice, ran second to Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) in the G1 Flight Stakes and was fourth in both the G1 Spring Champion Stakes and G1 Victoria Oaks.
Sold by Newgate Farm to Calibre Racing Group for $180,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, she took her earnings just under $500,000.
Force Of Nature becomes stakes winner 153 for Savabeel
New Zealand’s Champion Sire Savabeel added stakes winner number 153 when Force Of Nature (NZ) won the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint at Pukekohe on Saturday. “It was a very game effort and he is a talented horse, so hopefully he can come through this well and we can press on,” trainer Andrew Forsman told Loveracing.nz.
“We haven’t plotted out a path beyond today as this was the race we wanted to have him spot on for. He is now a stakes winner which is important for Tony (Rider) as he is breeding from the family, so it’s a massive result.” The 5-year-old gelding has won six of his 11 starts and over NZ$182,000.
Force Of Nature’s dam Elusive Nature (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) has also produced Listed winner Shezzacatch (NZ) (Savabeel).
Captain Pluto wins Listed Luckygray Stakes
Grant and Alana Williams-trained 5-year-old gelding Captain Pluto (NZ) (Savabeel) won Saturday’s Listed Luckygray Stakes at Ascot in WA. It was his second Listed win and gave his sire a trans-Tasman stakes double for the day.
He won by a length from Sean and Jake Casey-trained Memory Parade (War Chant {USA}) with Susan Olive-trained Red Sun Sensation (Awesome Rock) in third. Captain Pluto’s seven wins have netted his connections over $440,000.
Passed in as a yearling, Captain Pluto is out of Miss Bernardini (Bernardini {USA}) who had a King Colorado colt this spring.
Yes Yes Yes juvenile wins in New Zealand
Cambridge-based trainer Nick Kneebone enjoyed the first win of his training career when 2-year-old gelding Speed Demon (NZ) (Yes Yes Yes) won at his second start on Saturday at Pukekohe. “That was really good and I’m just stoked he won like that,” Kneebone said. He is the son of New Zealand Bloodstock auctioneer and bloodstock agent Mike Kneebone, whose Patella Bloodstock owns Speed Demon.
“My first thought is that he will come back here in two weeks for the Counties Challenge Stakes. He just improved so much off that first-up run and he has put away quite a good field today.” Speed Demon was a NZ$20,000 purchase from Blandford Lodge’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft.
Bohemian Rhapsody wins Inglis Pink Bonus
In Saturday’s R. Listed Inglis Banner Stakes, 2-year-old colt Bohemian Rhapsody (Prague) was the first Inglis Pink Bonus-eligible runner home, earning a $100,000 bonus for his connections on top of the third-place prizemoney.
Racing Blogger Stephen Power, naming him the Best Turned Out horse in the mounting yard, meaning that his strapper, James Rayner, was rewarded with a $500 cash card. He also becomes the first stakes horse for his second season sire Prague.
Cool Aza Beel adds new winner
Second season sire Cool Aza Beel (NZ) added winner number nine when 3-year-old filly Cool As Popeye won at Goulburn on Saturday for trainer Pat Murphy. She was sold through Inglis Digital as a weanling for $4750 to Penfolds Bloodstock, and later went through Newhaven Park Stud’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale where her trainer bought her for $36,000.
I Am Invincible double at Eagle Farm
Champion Sire I Am Invincible enjoyed a double at Eagle Farm on Saturday with Tony Gollan-trained 4-year-old gelding Now Is The Hour who has won two of his three starts in Queensland. He was previously placed in Sydney as a 3-year-old.
Ciaron Maher-trained Negotiations took his record to four wins from 16 starts. He is out of Group 1 winner Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt), making him the older half-brother to this spring’s G2 Roman Consul winner Hidden Agenda (Capitalist).
Intriguing G3 Ladies Purse field for Sunday
Sunday’s G3 Ladies Purse field for Hong Kong includes two former winners of the race and two Hong Kong Derby winners. Last year’s winner Ensued (USA) (Lemon Drop Kid {USA}) and 2023 winner Encountered (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) face off against Derby winners Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) and Cap Ferrat (Snitzel).
“Cap Ferrat is currently in fine form. He ran well last time in the Group Two (Sha Tin Trophy), just held up for clear running and could not be ridden out to the finish of the race. However, he was beaten not far and hopefully with Zac on board this time, he will run close,” trainer Francis Lui told scmp.com.
Frankel leads Juddmonte roster at £350,000
Frankel will once again lead the Juddmonte roster at £350,000 (AU$709,000) while new addition Lead Artist, a Group 1 winner in the Lockinge Stakes, will stand for £12,500 (AU$25,300) in 2026.
Frankel added 24 individual stakes winners to his record in 2025, 13 of them at Group level. He has now sired an extraordinary 40 individual Group 1 winners and stands as the most successful active sire of Northern Hemisphere Classic winners, with 12 to his name, including 2025 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Lake Victoria and dual-Classic winner Minnie Hauk.
Frankel | Standing at Juddmonte
His success also continues in the sales ring, where for the third year in a row he topped the Tattersalls October Book 1 sires list both by aggregate and by average.
Kingman continued to assert his status among the elite, siring 20 individual stakes winners in 2025, including nine Group winners. He became the second-fastest stallion ever to reach 100 individual Northern Hemisphere-bred stakes winners, behind only Frankel, and ahead of Deep Impact, Dubawi and Galileo.
Kingman's fee is unchanged at £125,000 (AU$253,000). Oasis Dream, a stalwart of the Juddmonte roster, will stand for £15,000 (AU$30,400).
Sea The Stars increased to €300,000
Sea The Stars, who has headed the Aga Khan Studs roster for 16 years and is the sire of this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Daryz, has had his fee for 2026 raised to a career high of €300,000 (AU$535,000), from €250,000 (AU$446,000).
Sea The Stars | Standing at Aga Khan Studs
Top of the list of the remaining four Aga Khan Studs stallions, all standing at Haras de Bonneval in Normandy, is Siyouni, whose runners in 2025 included Zarigana, winner of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Having stood at €200,000 (AU$356,000) in 2025, Siyouni's fee has been reduced to €150,000 (AU$267,000) for the forthcoming season.
His stud-mate Zarak, out of the great Zarkava and who, along with Erevann, is one of two sons of Dubawi on the roster, will remain at €80,000 (AU$143,000).
Keeneland November hits US$189,542,500
The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale continued Friday into Book 3 with young mares and weanlings by young, exciting stallions bringing a premium.
“Today's session exceeded expectations, and it felt more like a continuation of Book 2 than the start of Book 3,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “The energy here has been tremendous, and we continue to see an incredible diversity of buyers eager to reinvest after such a strong year. There's a real sense of optimism and momentum that's carrying through every session and I think that's reflective of the buyers' confidence in the market.”
On the first day of a two-day Book 3, 270 horses sold for US$25,416,500 (AU$39.1 million), a 39.69% increase from the same session one year ago where 244 horses brought US$18,195,500 (AU$27.8 million). In keeping with current strong sales trends, the median and average were both up by double digits with the average rising 26.23% to US$94,135 (AU$144,000) and the median up 25% to US$75,000 (AU$115,500). 72 horses failed to meet their reserve Friday, just a tick up from the 70 that RNA'd last year.
Tony Lacy | Image courtesy of Keeneland
So far through the 2025 Keeneland November Sale, 866 horses (up 8.52% from 800 last year) have sold for a gross of US$189,542,500 (AU$291.9 million), a marked 31.81% year over year increase. To date, the average sits at US$218,871 (AU$337,000) and the median is at US$150,000 (AU$231,000). Last year's average through the same point in the sale was US$179,753 (AU$276,800) and the median was US$115,000 (AU$177,000). Nine horses sold Friday for over US$300,000 (AU$462,000), easily eclipsing the two that sold in the Book 3 opener in 2024.
Unchained Elaine (hip 1049), a 3-year-old American Pharoah filly who placed in the Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream earlier this year for owner/breeder/trainer Patrick Biancone, co-topped the session bringing US$375,000 (AU$577,700) from CF Farms. Joining Unchained Elaine at the top of the session was a US$375,000 (AU$577,700) weanling filly (hip 1423) by leading first-crop sire Yaupon who provided some last-session fireworks as one of the last horses through the ring Friday. Out of a Belmont course record-setter in Southern Gem, the filly is a half to graded winner Ole Crazy Bone (Ghostzapper).
Arizona Blaze retires to Irish National Stud
Group 1-winning sprinter Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev) has been retired by Amo Racing and will stand at the Irish National Stud next year. His fee has been set at €12,500 (AU$22,300).
Amo boss Kia Joorabchian commented, “Arizona Blaze has always demonstrated exceptional strength, speed and mental toughness and we have complete confidence in his ability to pass on his class, power and temperament.
“We are delighted to partner with the Irish National Stud for this next chapter which we believe is the perfect home for him. Amo Racing is committed to fully supporting Arizona Blaze throughout his stud career.”
Arizona Blaze will stand alongside Phoenix Of Spain and Lucky Vega, who will command the same fee of €12,500 (AU$22,300).
Pons wins Book Of The Year award
Racing journalist and horseman Josh Pons has been named the recipient of the 2024 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, presented by the Ryan family's Castleton Lyons, for excellence in thoroughbred racing literature published in 2024. He received the winner's $10,000 check during a Nov. 6 reception at the Lexington, Ky., farm.
Pons won for 'Letters from Country Life: Adolphe Pons, Man o' War, and the Founding of Maryland's Oldest Thoroughbred Farm', a retrospective of the Golden Age of racing as viewed through a remarkable trove of correspondence to his grandfather, Adolphe Pons. Early in the 20th century, the senior Pons had served as private secretary to Racing Hall of Fame breeder August Belmont, a role in which he played an integral part in the breeding and eventual sale of Man o' War.
“Josh Pons already had established his writing talent, but Letters from Country Life is another level of literary achievement,” said lead judge Kay Coyte. “In it, you discover historic gems just as Josh does, and worry along with him about the future of Maryland racing and his beloved farm.”
