Will Asfoora be Europe’s Champion Sprinter
On Wednesday night, the annual Cartier Racing Awards will be announced with Asfoora (Flying Artie) nominated for European Champion Sprinter. “I think she's the only sprinter over there to win two Group 1s this season,” trainer Henry Dwyer told racenet.com.au.
Asfoora | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It is exciting, it's a bit different, obviously the excitement of a race is over and done within 60 seconds, but we've got to wait and find out on Wednesday if she's going to win or not. I think we are a pretty good show of taking it home, hopefully. She's obviously stayed over there so I haven't seen her for a couple of months. It will be good to have a look at her in the paddock and make sure everything's good with her.” Asfoora is currently spelling at Fittocks Stud in Newmarket.
“She'll have 3-4 runs over there (in 2026) and we'll decide whether she goes to stud or not. I'd say at this stage she'll go to stud after Royal Ascot.”
Pike to ride Watch Me Rock in Railway
Jockey William Pike has elected to ride Grant and Alana Williams-trained Watch Me Rock (Awesome Rock) in Saturday’s G1 Railway Stakes in Perth. “I’ve elected to go with Watch Me Rock for the Railway,” Pike told SEN WA Breakfast.
“It’s by no means an easy decision. There’s a lot of competition out there, Western Empire was one of my other main choices. I’m not certain I’ve made the right choice but that’s the choice I’ve made and I’m going to make it work. I do think he’s good enough to win it and good enough to hold any (eastern state) raiders at bay.
“I just like a young horse, pretty much, and it’s a lighter weight. Historically, at least in the last 10 years, the lighter weight horses have done better. That’s about it really, I can’t split the two horses on ability. It’s the flip of a coin and honestly I was just trying to find something that worked in my favour. If I picked Western Empire I could probably flip the story in his favour as well.”
William Pike | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Pike has won the Railway on five occasions on Elite Belle (Canny Lad) in 2014, Galaxy Star (Redoute’s Choice) in 2018, Regal Power (Pierro) in 2019, Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) in 2020 and Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) in 2021.
Kersley to ride Storyville in Railway
Victorian jockey Fred Kersley Jr, grandson of WA trainer Fred Kersley, will ride Grant and Alana Williams-trained Storyville (Overshare) in the G1 Railway Stakes on Saturday. She won the G3 RJ Peters Stakes on Saturday, so will be on the seven-day back up. “This will be my first ride in the Railway Stakes, which is special in itself,” Fred Jr told racingwa.com.au.
Fred Kersley Jr | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“This race was also one of my grandfather’s first thoroughbred Group 1 wins, so it would be great if I could emulate that. I’m under no illusion though, these are hard races to win. But it’s a special feat to get the opportunity to run in a race my grandfather won.” Kersley Snr trained Northerly (Serheed {USA}) to win the Railway 25 years ago.
Archer Racing selects Sunlight slot runner
Archer Racing have selected Peter Snowden-trained 3-year-old filly Akaysha (Capitalist) for their slot in the Sunlight Stakes at the Gold Coast on January 3. “Archer Racing approached Peter and he thought it was a good idea and is happy to head towards the race,” the filly's owner and breeder David Baxter told racenet.com.au.
“So I did a deal with a fellow named Jim Clark, a bloodstock agent from Queensland, who acted on behalf of Archer Racing. It didn't take us long to come to a deal. I can't give you the details but it was easily struck.”
Dundeel mare heads five for Messara and Gavranich
Trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich are taking a team of five to Scone on Tuesday, led by Deel Me A Queen (Dundeel {NZ}) who steps up to 2000 metres for the first time. “She’s only lightly raced with four starts to her name and she’s won two of them so she’s heading in the right direction,” said Messara.
Paul Messara | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“She resumed from a decent spell with a first-up win at Scone this campaign over 1400 metres and then ran fourth at Muswellbrook over 1450 metres. We stepped her up to the 1750 metres at Muswellbrook a couple of weeks ago and she was strong to the line to score a good win. She is shaping as though the extra distance will suit, so we are looking forward to seeing her go around again on Tuesday.”
Stevenson aiming for fifth Newmarket
Tasmanian trainer Glenn Stevenson is aiming to win the Listed Newmarket Handicap on Friday night for a fifth time with 2023 winner First Accused (Turffontein). “I know I’ll be pushing it uphill if we’re to win the Newmarket this year. The horse is well, but you’d think a few of them might be a bit nippy for him,” Stevenson told tasracing.com.au.
First Accused | Image courtesy of Taracing
“If he can draw a soft gate and get the right run though, he can still be in the finish. At the end of the day, the Newmarket is nearly like a 1400 metres because if you don’t draw a gate, you need to make a decision, and sometimes people pull the trigger, and it’s a pressure type of race. He’ll run a nice race on Friday, and probably do the same in the Conquering, but now I think he’s really that mile horse.”
Stevenson is also looking after Cannonball (Capitalist) for trainer Patrick Kearney. “He arrived late last week, and he’s settled in well; he’s licking his bowl out. Pat has trained him to be spot on for a couple of interstate assignments. He’s here for the Newmarket and then I think there is a Magic Millions race for him somewhere that he’s looking at after this.”
Missen retires with collection of country cups
Queensland jockey Jason Missen is retiring after this weekend, and he’s put together an impressive list of wins in country cups. “Every Country Cup is special; I love winning those – they are great. They are always good because they are the feature races on the day for that town and track,” Missen told racingqueensland.com.au.
This year he won Cups at Betoota, Muttaburra, Ilfracombe and Quilpie, while previous wins include Tambo, Isisford, Blackall, Cloncurry, Longreach, Nanango, Bundaberg, Burrandowan and Jandowae.
“I have really enjoyed it. If I was 20 years of age, I would stay a lot longer, but I am getting a bit older now and it is time for a change. It is just time to make a change for myself and my wife.”
A quiet Monday in Australia
Monday was a rare day with only one race meeting held across Australia, at Nowra in NSW. Matthew Smith-trained 3-year-old gelding Beauty Swift (Pierro) won his maiden at his second start. He is the first winner for Beauty Option (Redoute’s Choice) who is a winning full sister to stakes-placed Beauty Bolt.
Natalie Jarvis-trained 4-year-old gelding Caravanserai (Blue Point {Ire}) took his record to 3 wins and five placings from 14 starts. The beautifully bred gelding was sold in a Godolphin dispersal to his trainer via Inglis Digital in April this year for $20,000. At the time he was a four-start maiden with one placing under his belt. He has earned just under $70,000 for his new connections.
Caravanserai is one of 10 winners for Essaouira (Exceed And Excel), and he’s a half-brother to Group 1 winners Astern and Alizee (Sepoy), Group 2-placed winner and sire Tassort, Group 3-placed Mogador (Lonhro), and stakes-placed 3-year-old gelding Chergui (Frosted {USA}). Essaouira has 2-year-old filly Promenade (Pinatubo {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) still to come. Essaouira won at Moonee Valley on debut at two and was retired after running sixth in the Listed Chairman’s Stakes at her second start.
Jockey update: Bailey Rogerson
New Zealand apprentice jockey Bailey Rogerson is in an induced coma following a fall at Rotorua on Sunday. “They flew her up last night from Rotorua and she is in the ICU,” Rogerson’s grandfather, Group 1-winning trainer Graeme Rogerson, told Loveracing.nz on Monday.
“She has got fractures to her skull and neck, and she is an induced coma. They (doctors) are looking at her all the time. She has got feeling in her arms and legs, which is good news.”
My Wish steps towards G1 Hong Kong Mile
Unbeaten in two starts this season, My Wish (Flying Artie) will run in Sunday’s G2 Jockey Club Mile before he runs in the G1 Hong Kong Mile on December 14. “He’s put on weight – you can feel it in the mornings and in his races. He’s a lot stronger, which is what we were hoping for after the off-season, and he’s calming down too,” jockey Luke Ferraris told hkjc.com.
My Wish | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“So, he’s turned into a really professional racehorse and it’s showing in his results. You need horses like this in your career, they can put your name up in lights. It’ll be a dream come true if he can do something at the International Races, and as well, the race leading up to it.”
Who was Europe's best in 2025?
Four horses have been nominated for the European Cartier Horse Of The Year being Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who won three Group 1 races this season, both Ombudsman (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) won two top level races, while Minnie Hauk (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) won three Oaks contests. Delacroix and Minnie Hauk also are nominated for Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly respectively.
Asfoora (Flying Artie) is nominated for Champion Sprinter. Starspangledbanner pair of Gstaad (GB), a half-brother to Arrowfield shuttle sire Vandeek, and Precise (Ire) are among the nominations for Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and Champion 2-Year-Old Filly respectively.
Record time for Regaleria in G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup
Last year's Arima Kinen heroine Regaleira (Jpn) returned to winning ways in Sunday's Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto, justifying short odds with the minimum of fuss to register the third top-level success of her career.
Trained by Tetsuya Kimura for owners Sunday Racing, Regaleira and jockey Keita Tosaki travelled wide in mid-division through the early stages of this 2200-metre contest and still had plenty of ground to make up on long-time leader Erika Express (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) as the 16 runners entered the home straight.
Paradis Reine (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who finished one place behind Erika Express when third in last month's G1 Shuka Sho, was the first to collar her old foe inside the final two furlongs, but Regaleira soon emerged as a big danger out wide on the track. Produced to lead with 50 metres to run, the daughter of Suave Richard (Jpn) quickly asserted from there to win by a length and three-quarters in a new record time for the Group 1 first run over this distance back in 1996.
Paradis Reine fared best of the 3-year-old challengers in filling the runner-up spot, with another length back to Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), who edged out Lynx Tip (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) by a head in claiming the final podium position.
“I'm truly delighted to have won with Regaleira again,” said Tosaki. “I'm both happy and relieved that we were able to live up to everyone's expectations as the race favourite.
“The stable staff told me how good her condition was and I could feel it too when I rode her. She was calm during the post parade and jumped out of the gate on her own. The condition of the inner track wasn't very good, so I made sure that we didn't get stuck there. She responded well in the stretch. I'm confident that she'll do even better from here.”
The Arima Kinen, which takes place at Nakayama on Sunday, December 28, is likely to be next port of call for Regaleira as she tries to become the first horse to win consecutive editions of that Group 1 since Symboli Kris S (2002 and 2003). Last year, she earned a slice of history as the first 3-year-old filly to win the Arima Kinen for 64 years.
Second stakes winner for Lexitonian
With bad weather postponing the major racing across America and Canada, it was 2-year-old filly Revera (USA) (Lexitonian {USA})), second behind Himika (Curlin) in the October 19 Anoakia Stakes, who got the better of that more-fancied rival with a determined victory in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar Sunday.
Revera is the second stakes winner for her freshman sire, a son of Speightstown. She opened her career with a runner-up effort behind subsequent Graded winner and G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Explora (Blame) sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on August 17 before graduating with a 5.5-length victory over the same on September 6. She contested the pace in the six-furlong Anoakia Stakes before being overtaken and finishing 4.25 lengths adrift of Himika.
Her dam, Decoder (USA) (War Front {USA}), a full sister to Grade 1 winner Data Link, has a yearling colt by Vino Rosso and was bred to Charge It this year.
