Accredited heads to Festival Stakes
Second last start in The Hunter, Joe Pride-trained Accredited (All Too Hard) will run in Saturday’s Listed Festival Stakes at Rosehill. “Coal Crusher is a hard horse to beat at Newcastle and (Accredited) did a really good job, he never gave up,” Pride told racingandsports.com.au.
Accredited | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“He will be thereabouts and the 1500 metres will suit him. He will start in the market as he always does. He is an honest, consistent horse and he is never far away.”
Snowden chasing better weather
Trainer Peter Snowden scratched Zealously (Harry Angel {Ire}) on Saturday due to the wet weather, so he hopes it will be better for this Saturday’s Listed Starlight Stakes at Rosehill. “I was disappointed to miss last week but he just doesn't want anything worse than a soft five,” Snowden told racenet.com.au.
Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“When the track was downgraded (to a heavy 8) it really forced our hand because he's just not the same horse on that ground. I chose to save him for Rosehill this week and at the 1100 metres and with a better weather forecast it looks like a nice race for him.”
Craig to resume on Saturday after throat operation
Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Craig (GB) (Territories {Ire}) will resume in Saturday’s Listed Testa Rossa Stakes at Caulfield. He hasn’t raced since finishing 15th of 20 in the 2024 Golden Eagle over 12 months ago and has since had throat surgery. “You never know with wind operations,” Busuttin told racing.com.
Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Most of them don't work so it's a bit glass half empty, but he is showing some good signs. You have a fair few of them (throat operations) when you are a trainer and you can tell the ones that have not worked straight away.
“I would say, he's breathing well and it all leads to that I think it's worked but you just don't know until they hit that race day pressure at around the 200-metre mark on Saturday. He's had a couple of trials and trialled up well last Monday so basically, we wait and see on Saturday. He's galloping up well and trialling up well, but the proof will be in the pudding under race day pressure.”
John Jeffs funeral to be live streamed by Inglis
A service, celebrating the life of industry icon, John Jeffs, will be conducted at Sydney’s Rosehill Racecourse on Monday, December 1, at 2pm AEDT. For those unable to attend, there is also a livestream available. www.funeralvideo.com.au/JohnJeffs
For Victorians, Inglis has kindly offered to put the livestream up on the big screen in its Oaklands Junction auditorium as a gesture to JJ and his many, many fans in Victoria. The Inglis’ Oaklands Junction complex was ground zero for a multitude of JJ’s admirers and doors will be open from 1.30pm AEDT for those wishing to celebrate and reminisce.
Biggest Mooloolaba Cup crowd on record
The Sunshine Coast Turf Club was thrilled with a record 4500-plus crowd at the Mooloolaba Cup meeting on Saturday with a 30% increase in the crowd size on last year. Over $30 million was wagered on the meeting. “It's clearly the biggest Mooloolaba Cup day we've had,” Sunshine Coast Turf Club boss John Miller told racenet.com.au.
“Numbers through the gates are 30 per cent up on last year which is a huge increase. All our hospitality was sold out leading into the day. When you walk around and feel the vibe, we're seeing all these young people here on-course which is sort of what we got at Caloundra Cup (in July) as well. It's a great start to the Queensland summer racing carnival.”
Potential Devonport Cup for Sh’bourne Midnight
Trainer Shaun Nichols has only one horse in his stable, last start winner Sh’bourne Midnight (Alpine Eagle) who might be set for the Devonport Cup next. “We’re considering the Devonport Cup, but he was a grade four roarer, so I’ll need to talk to some of the senior trainers about running at home on the track with that kickback,” Nichols told tasracing.com.au.
“But there’s a bit of a dream there, he’s had a trial there previously and he coped.” The 6-year-old gelding has won seven of his 15 starts and over $173,000.
Century of wins for Tootell
Jockey Caitlin Tootell rode a double on Saturday at Morphettville to bring up 100 career wins. “It’s great to hit the 100, especially on Finals Day,” Tootell told racingsa.com.au. One of the wins was on Paula Trenwith-trained Ginger Sinner (Castelvecchio).
“I’ve got a great ownership group, this horse is high-energy, he hasn’t got a mean bone in his body, but he’s like a kid on red cordial,” Trenwith said. “He’s a special little horse.”
Artorius' half-brother wins at Wellington
On a quiet day of racing on Monday, Brett and Georgie Cavanough-trained 4-year-old gelding Naftali (Deep Field) won his maiden at Wellington. He was having his 10th start. He is a half-brother to dual Group 1 winner and sire Artorius and this season’s G3 Ming Dynasty Stakes winner Sixties (Flying Artie).
Artorius has his first yearlings at the sales in 2026. He will be represented by 18 yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, two at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale and 12 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Jantar Mantar wins Group 1
The Tomokazu Takano-trained Jantar Mantar cemented his status as Japan's outstanding performer over 1600 metres with victory in the G1 Mile Championship at Kyoto on Sunday, beating old rival Gaia Force (Kitasan Black) by a length and three-quarters in a near carbon copy of the result from June's G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo.
Becoming just the ninth horse to win both the Yasuda Kinen and Mile Championship in the same year, Jantar Mantar stamped his authority on the contest, proving himself much the best as Gaia Force ran on from the chasing pack to edge out longshot Water Licht (Drefong) for the runner-up spot.
OTI-owned Docklands (Massaat), the winner of the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, ran an honourable race, passing the post five lengths behind the winner in ninth. “I'm glad we were able to prove that the colt is a true champion,” said the successful jockey, Yuga Kawada.
“Although we lost our recent race, it was a good prep for today and enabled the colt to run in good rhythm with a good feeling. He responded smoothly and, in the home stretch, with the sun setting behind us, I was able to check by the shadows that no one was sneaking up on us. Owing to his outstanding talent and to the hard work of everyone involved, the colt has won all Group 1 mile events open for colts/horses, which I think is absolutely incredible.”
New Zealand’s Racing Annual released
The 52nd version of New Zealand’s Racing Annual has been released, and was edited for the fifth straight year by respected turf writer Aidan Rodley for Gold Plated Publishing. “We're delighted with the way the 2025 Annual has come together,” Rodley said.
52nd version of New Zealand’s Racing Annual | Image courtesy of Aidan Rodley
“Champions Day was such a colourful, vibrant occasion, an amazing success story for New Zealand racing, so it's fabulous to celebrate that as a focal point of this year's Annual.
“The beauty of the Annual is we're able to honour racing's highest achievers as a reference for future years - and this year we're able to honour champion trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, champion jockey Craig Grylls, celebrate the life of Michael Moroney among other notable identities who died through the season, as well as lauding some of the greats of our sport with the Hall of Fame inductions of the likes of David Ellis, Imperatriz and Savabeel.”
Fast Market wins G3 Pebbles Stakes
Hit the Bid Racing Stable's 3-year-old filly Fast Market (Volatile) came flying late to win the G3 Pebbles Stakes at Aqueduct Sunday. The bay filly took nine tries to break her maiden over the Aqueduct lawn in September, but came right back to just miss in Graded company when runner-up in the October 18 G2 Sands Points Stakes and was favoured at 3-2 to make the grade on Sunday.
“She's just a very nice filly,” said winning trainer John Terranova. “She finally put it all together in her last few starts and it's more of the same. She's just getting better and better. She's a later foal, so she took a little while for us to figure out, but we finally got it all right and she's been real consistent and we can't wait for next season.”
Fast Market is the third Graded winner for her second season sire Volatile (Violence), who has also been represented by Tip Top Thomas and Speed King.
