Saturday Preview: Better Than Ready has plenty of chances

Cover image courtesy of Lyndhurst Stud

Can Maher do it again in Northerly Stakes?

In 2024, Ciaron Maher took his imported galloper Light Infantry Man (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) to Perth for the G1 Northerly Stakes and he surprised everyone with his first Group 1 victory, and second win on Australian soil. Five times Group 1-placed in Europe at two and three, Light Infantry Man came here with big credentials, but he didn’t live up to them initially.

It took his seven races and 12 months before he scored his first victory here, in the Listed Chester Manifold Stakes, and two starts later he headed west. The form later stacked up when he added the G1 Australian Cup in the following autumn.

This year, he hasn’t travelled to defend his title. Instead the stable have sent 5-year-old mare Vivy Air (Hellbent) who is in arguably better form, having won $2 million The Five Diamonds last start. She was second to Group 1 winner Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) in the Big Dance the start prior. However, she is a non-stakes winner, so the step up in grade is theoretically much harder.

“She came here two weeks ago and settled in great. She’s absolutely thrived, she’s eating all her food, she hasn’t missed a day and she’s happy and healthy. I’m very happy,” travelling track rider Fergus Gregory told racingwa.com.au.

“She’s had a faultless spring. She’d been three from three if she hadn’t bumped into Gringotts (in the Big Dance), she’s progressive and upwardly mobile, and hopefully we can get a Group 1 this Saturday.”

Vivy Air didn’t go to auction, and she’s won over $2.8 million for her connections. She is a half-sister to Group 2 winner New Predator (New Approach {Ire}) and is out of winning mare Head Over Heels (Fastnet Rock).

Comparing her to last year’s winner Light Infantry Man, Gregory said, “I used to ride him a bit. They are similar at this stage. Light Infantry Man went on to win another Group 1, but they were both progressive at the same stage and we hope she’s at Group 1 level now.”

It’s Better Than Ready everywhere

Won last year by $1.2 million yearling Hi Barbie (I Am Invincible), the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes has a strong graduate record. The previous winner, Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan), won the G3 Grand Prix Stakes at three and placed in the G2 Queensland Guineas. Hi Barbie runs in Saturday’s Listed Mode Stakes, so the record of recent graduates could be about to get even better.

Queensland sire Better Than Ready has two recent winners of this race who are now at stud in the Sunshine State.

Alpine Edge, 2020’s winner, won the G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes and was a close second in the R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic to Shaquero (Shalaa {Ire}). He stood his first season at Clear Mountain View in 2024.

Another young sire to emerge from this race is 2018 winner The Odyssey, who stands at Telemon Thoroughbreds. He went on to win nine more races after the Phelan Ready Stakes. His first season at stud was in 2022, so his oldest crop have just turned two. So far, he’s had one to the trials, Fast Orbit, who ran second.

The sire of both Alpine Edge and The Odyssey, Lyndhurst Stud’s Better Than Ready, has two runners in this year’s edition of the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes. Desleigh Foster-trained gelding Kickup Rocky is on debut, while Stephen Kirkwood-trained Magritte is one of the more experienced horses in the field. She’s had two starts, and run third in both.

Gallery: Two young sires that were victorious in the race.

Magritte was sold by Figtree Thoroughbreds to her trainer along with Steve Morley Bloodstock for $65,000.

“Steven’s wife Katherine and I have been friends for a long time, back when I owned a gymnasium. She asked for a hand to buy a nice QTIS horse from that sale. I had a bit of exposure with the female family, having owned (second dam) Princess Margaret, and having bred some nice horses from her,” Morley told TTR on Friday.

Princess Margaret (Spectrum {Ire}) produced four winners including stakes placed city winner Show A Prince (Show A Heart).

“It’s a great running family. The better performing Better Than Readys have historically been the ones who are the bigger rangier ones, and this filly doesn’t fit that bracket."

"She’s a smaller slighter filly, but that’s very typical of the family. We had confidence to go forward with her from that perspective. I could see plenty of her family in her.

“She’s had two starts so far and been superb from bad barriers both times, and she’s drawn badly again. She has the early tactical speed to sit closer, but unfortunately she’ll likely have to go back again and find a rump to follow and take her into the race. She’s got the ability to go top three.”

Two first season sires have representatives and they are barn mates at Coolmore Stud. Acrobat’s debutant winner Acrodance, who is trained by Paul Shailer, will jump from barrier twelve as he attempts to become his sire’s first stakes winner.

Fair Shake (Home Affairs) out of Group 1 winner Srikandi (Dubawi {Ire}) is the other representative for a first season sire, and he’s on debut for Kelly Schweida. Home Affairs has had two winners already, Harvey Wallbanger (NZ), who is also stakes placed, and Kinnaird and both are winners in New Zealand.

I’m Ya Huckleberry is stakes placed in Australia. If Fair Shake wins, he’ll be Home Affairs first winner on home soil, and his first stakes winner. No pressure!

Stay Inside filly has lofty goals

South Australia trainer Michael Hickmott has big goals for 2-year-old filly Inhabit (Stay Inside) if she can win on Saturday at Morphettville. She’s Magic Millions eligible so the big target of the R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast on January 17 sits as the ultimate goal for her.

A winner on debut, she’s already shown the same precocity as her first season sire Stay Inside who won the G1 Golden Slipper, and already has stakes winner Incognito on the board.

“If she wins on Saturday, she should get enough prize money to qualify for the two-year-old race up there,” Hickmott told racingandsports.com.au.

“The plan would be for her to go up there the week before and run in the 1100 metre fillies' race and then back up into the Magic Millions the following week.

“We're getting a little bit ahead of ourselves as she needs to win on Saturday first to get the prize money on the board and then she's probably earned her way to go up there.”

Hickmott purchased her from Segenhoe Stud’s 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for $200,000. Inhabit is the second foal of Jenga (All Too Hard) whose first foal is Group 3-placed 3-year-old filly Kujenga (King’s Legacy). Jenga doesn’t have a yearling and had a Capitalist filly this spring.

Jenga, who won on debut in Sydney at three, is a half-sister to Listed winner Granny Red Shoes (Not A Single Doubt).

“She's a female owned horse, so she will be running for the Lady bonuses as well up there,” Hickmott said.

“There are some good owners in this filly, and it would be good to get them all up there. There would be a rather large party up there regardless of whether she wins or not, and we just now need to get her up there qualified.”

Magic Millions plans are afoot

Named for one of Australia’s greatest jockeys, the G3 George Moore Stakes was won by Hidden Wealth (Better Than Ready) last year, and the Tony Gollan-trained galloper is back for another crack in 2025. This year, he rises in the weights, having carried 54 kg to victory in 2024 and this year is equal top weight at 60 kg.

Two starts after winning this race last year, Hidden Wealth attacked the Magic Millions carnival winning the $1.5 million Magic Millions Handicap. A couple of other runners are headed that way this year.

The connections of Tavs (Dundeel {NZ})) will be hoping for a strong performance to set him up for the Magic Millions carnival. He’s coming off a last start win in the Listed BRC Members Cup. “His main aim is The Buffering and if he can win that he’ll win a wildcard into the Magic Millions Cup,” trainer Mark Currie told racingqueensland.com.au.

“Tavs is very good, but he’s got a bit to go yet to be as good as Soxagon who has been the best horse I’ve trained so far. He had a let up after his Eagle Farm win and had about 10 days out in the paddock. He’s had a trial and is coming along well so he should be competitive.”

Matthew Dunn-trained Lubrication (I Am Invincible) heads to defend his The Archer crown eventually, but first there is black type on the horizon. “He really stepped-up last prep and I think he's come back a bit better,” Dunn told racingqueensland.com.au.

“He has never run as well as that first-up in his life. He'd had five first-up goes and run third once. He had to go all the way back from a crumby gate and he finished his race off really well. He just missed the bob. He's going great and I think he'll be very competitive on Saturday.”

Last start Listed Keith Noud Handicap winner Epic Proportions (Better Than Ready) also runs in the George Moore to give his sire another chance at a black type double for the card.