Double state stakes wins for Pride stable
After winning the Listed Bribie Handicap at Eagle Farm with The Black Cloud (Shamus Award), trainer Joe Pride enjoyed the quinella of the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap in Sydney, and ran second in the $1 million Supernova in Victoria with Private Eye (Al Maher). Weeping Woman (Lonhro) took advantage of her 53kg to beat stablemate Coal Crusher (Turffontein) who had to lump 61kg. Team Hawkes-trained Brave One (Exceedance) was third.
“It's been a good day. It would have been better if Private Eye won the Supernova but second is better than third,” Pride said.
“It's great for the two mares, Weeping Woman and The Black Cloud, and their owners. Those wins make those mares. And old Coal Crusher ran great again. He won his race in The Hunter anyway so he's done his job.”
It was the first black type win for the 5-year-old mare, who becomes stakes winner number 99 for her Champion Sire Lonhro. She has won her past three runs in succession. She is the second foal of Cries And Whiskers (Street Cry {Ire}) whose first foal is stakes placed Magnatear (Written Tycoon). Cries And Whiskers has two other winners, and her yearling filly by Pinatubo (Ire) will be offered by Widden Stud at the 2026 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale as Lot 571.
Tuned has a Stradbroke berth
Winning The Gateway at Eagle Farm is a ‘win and you’re in’ race for the G1 Stradbroke Handicap over the Queensland winter carnival. Trainers Annabelle and Rob Archibald deliberately set Tuned (Zoustar) for the race with that aim, and they achieved it with victory on Saturday.
The 4-year-old gelding has won six of his 13 starts and over $500,000.
Listed Pakenham Cup goes to Stokes import
Phillip Stokes-trained imported galloper Taramansour (Ire) (Dansili {}) won Saturday’s Listed Pakenham Cup. It was the first black type win for the 9-year-old gelding who took his record to eight wins from 55 starts. When he arrived in Australia, he’d been a seven-start maiden winner and had been bought for €105,000 (AU$) at the 2020 Goffs Horses In Training Sale by JS Bloodstock and Matt Cumani Racing.
“We were happy with the horse but he had just been getting out of his ground, but Luke gave him a peach of a ride. He got going early and he was very fit into this,” Stokes said.
“After his last run, a few of the owners said let's retire him, let's tip him out, but I said 'no, he's going OK'. We changed things up a bit and I have to give a big thank-you to the team behind us, especially Ross Elliot, he's been schooling him out the back, and I think that's really helped him.”
It was his first win since January this year but he did place in the G3 Colin Stephen Handicap earlier this spring. It was an all Irish-bred trifecta with Star Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in second and third going to Etna Rosso (Ire) (Decorated Knight {GB}).
Future History wins Listed Christmas Cup
Ciaron Maher’s good Saturday continued in Sydney with Listed Christmas Cup winner Future History (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) who only just beat home Chris Waller-trained Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}). John Sargent-trained Palmetto (NZ) (Ghibellines) was third. It was Future History’s first win since the 2024 G3 JRA Cup. He’s now won four races in France and four in Australia.
Listed Just Now Stakes won by Midnight In Tokyo
Last start Listed Tattersalls Classic victrix Midnight In Tokyo (Kobayashi) backed up that performance with a three-quarter-length win in Saturday’s Listed Just Now Stakes at Eagle Farm. She is trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, who also won the Gateway the race prior with Tuned. Midnight in Tokyo won from Tony Gollan’s Sunset Dreaming (Impending) and Ciaron Maher-trained Zaszou (Zoustar).
Midnight In Tokyo has now won seven of her 31 starts with earnings over $700,000. A half-sister to Listed winner Generosity (Divine Prophet), she is out of Group 1 winner Bel Mer (Bel Esprit)’s winning daughter Orabelle (Casino Prince).
Storyville wins Listed Starstruck Classic
Grant and Alana Williams-trained 4-year-old mare Storyville (Overshare) won her fourth black type race in Saturday’s Listed Starstruck Classic. She was coming off a poor run last start in the G1 Railway Stakes, but had won the G3 RJ Peters Stakes the start prior.
At three, she won the G2 West Australian Guineas and G3 Champion Fillies Stakes. She was also a winner on debut at two and has six wins from 16 starts with earnings over $720,000. She is one of two stakes winners for Overshare, whose other is Group 1 winner Lady Laguna.
Storyville is a half-sister to stakes placed Crescent City (Fiorente {Ire}) and Axeman’s Jazz (Dundeel {NZ}).
Unbeaten Smooth Chino wins Listed Black Heart Bart Stakes
It takes a special horse to win six races in succession, especially from six starts. Indianna Weinert-trained 4-year-old gelding Smooth Chino (Maschino) did just that in winning Saturday’s Listed Black Heart Bart Stakes to take his earnings over $320,000.
Winner of the R.Listed Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy at his third start at three, Smooth Chino was a $40,000 purchase by his trainer from Mogumber Park’s 2023 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. He is the only winner for unraced Amorei (Gingerbread Man) who had a Bondi filly this spring.
King’s Legacy adds winner at Newcastle
Second season sire King’s Legacy added his 25th winner when Nathan Doyle-trained 3-year-old filly Satin’s Legacy won her maiden at Newcastle on Saturday. She ran fifth behind Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) on debut at two.
Satin’s Legacy is the third foal for Listed winner Satin Slipper (Pierro) whose first two foals are Listed winner I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) and stakes placed Satin Stiletto (Written Tycoon). She had an I Am Invincible filly this spring.
Farnan adds new winner at Canterbury
At Canterbury’s Friday night meeting, second season sire Farnan added his 25th winner when Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 3-year-old colt Airworthy won at his second start. Owned by Yulong and Pauline Racing Club, Airworthy was initially sold by Waylon J Stud at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $190,000 to Jim Carey. He went through Newgate Farm’s 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft where Highway Farm purchased him for $330,000.
His year-older half-sister Next Pay Run (Pride Of Dubai) won on the same day at Tweed River to take her record to four wins. They are out of I Am Invincible mare Bella Success who had a Stay Inside filly this spring.
Yes Yes Yes had a double at Canterbury with 4-year-olds Columbia Blue and Happiness.
First runner is a winner for Last Kingdom
G3 Prix Daphnis winner Last Kingdom (USA) (Frankel {GB}) had just ten foals in his first crop of 3-year-olds and a further nine 2-year-olds before being exported to Indonesia to continue his career in 2023. His first runner Donna Grisedale-trained 3-year-old gelding Winter Storm won on debut at Coffs Harbour on Saturday by 1.5 lengths.
Winter Storm is a half-brother to Listed winner Resolute (Dissident) and is out of Sonata Queen (NZ) (Commands).
Group 1 target for First Five after G3 J Swap Sprint win
Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor (Fr) enjoyed his 28th stakes winner when the David Greene-trained 5-year-old gelding First Five (NZ) won Saturday’s G3 J Swap Sprint at Te Rapa by just under two lengths. In second was Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) and third went to Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High).
“There are a few conversations to be had now about whether we are wanting to drop back to 1200m for something like the Telegraph, which is a very hard run 1200 metres,” said Greene.
“He is just so good at this distance (1400m), I think back here for the sprint (G1 BCD Group Sprint) is the big one, but how we get there is the conversation to be had. This guy is up with the best horses we have had and it is a pleasure to watch him at trackwork each morning, with the way he goes through his gears.”
First Five has won six of his 22 starts with earnings just over NZ$200,000. A homebred for Jenna McLeod and her grandfather Gerald Shand, he is one of two winners for Payette (Volksraad {GB}), who has also left the Andrew Forsman-trained Rambling On (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) to win this season, Payette won six races on the track and ran fourth in the Listed Newmarket Handicap.
G2 Cal Isuzu Stakes won by Savabeel mare
New Zealand Champion Sire Savabeel enjoyed another success on Saturday when consistent 4-year-old mare Hinekaha (NZ) won the G2 Cal Isuzu Sprint at Te Rapa. The victory took her to three wins in succession this campaign, and five from nine for her career tally. In second was Queen Zou (Zoustar) with Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) in third.
Winner of the Listed Oaks Prelude last autumn, Hinekaha is a homebred for the Grace family, and is trained by Andrew Forsman. She’s the first foal of Fastnet Rock mare Hinerangi who won the Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup.
“Christopher and Susanna (Grace, owners) are just so patient to let us do that and it has worked for her. We will just enjoy today now and then start looking at where to next,” said Forsman.
Emotional win for Rogerson in G3 Waikato Cup
On Friday, Rogerson Racing announced that jockey Bailey Rogerson would be coming home from hospital for the weekend. She fractured her skull in a fall in mid-November and was initially placed in an induced coma.
Saturday gave the team more good news when their stayer Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) returned to the winner’s circle in the G3 Waikato Cup, his first win since the 2023 G1 New Zealand Derby. As a 3-year-old, the now 6-year-old gelding also won the G1 Spring Champion Stakes and G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes. “I’m so proud of this horse and the team behind this horse as it has been a great journey,” co-trainer Debbie Rogerson said.
“We gave him a good spell and we knew this time in he was getting back to his best, so it might be back to the Melbourne Cup next year. We might look at the Queen Elizabeth next and then the Auckland Cup.” That’s the NZ G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
All four Group 1 winners return for Sunday
Hong Kong is the December place to be for world-class horseracing and Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races–offering some HK$130 million (AU$25 million) across four races–has once again attracted a veritable who's who from a variety of racing jurisdictions.
In a real racing rarity, each of the four Group 1 winners from last year's meeting returns to Sha Tin and each has realistic chances to repeat the dose. Indeed, it would be a complete shock if two of the four–Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) and Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress)–fail to deliver in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup and G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, respectively. Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) and Giavellotto (Mastercraftsman) are bigger queries, respectively, in what appear to be more wide-open renewals of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile and G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase.
Epsom Derby prizemoney gets another rise
The Betfred Derby will be run for prize-money of £2 million (AU$4 million) in 2026, making it the joint-richest race in Britain alongside the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. This £500,000 (AU$1 million) boost in purse from last year is just one of a raft of “significant changes” announced by the Jockey Club for Epsom's Betfred Derby Festival next June.
The programme of reinvigoration, with investment of £6 million (AU$12 million), includes Coolmore being announced as sponsor of the Coronation Cup, which will be run for £1 million (AU$2 million) – more than double its previous prize-money of £450,000 (AU$903,000) – and will switch from the Friday card to join the Derby on Saturday. There will be an overall increase of £1.375 million (AU$2.76 million) in prize-money across the two days of racing, making Betfred Derby Day the second-most valuable race day to be run next year in the UK after Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot.
Jim Allen | Image courtesy of The Jockey Club
“Epsom Downs Racecourse is the home of the 'Original Derby', a race which is widely regarded as the most important two and a half minutes in the racing and breeding industry, shaping pedigrees, stallion careers and bloodstock markets for generations,” said Epsom's general manager Jim Allen.
“Since the first running in 1780, the Betfred Derby has not only established itself as the definitive test of the Thoroughbred, but as a race so prestigious that its name has been adopted worldwide, inspiring hundreds of races from the Kentucky Derby to races in Japan, Australia and Hong Kong.”
In a bid to attract young racegoers, under-18s will be given free entry both days to general admission enclosures when accompanied by an adult, with complimentary hospitality and dining area experiences for anyone under the age of 12, and discounts for 12 to 17-year-olds.
Aga Khan Stud retires Zarigana
High-class filly Zarigana, who was awarded this year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in the stewards' room after suffering interference from the first past the post, Shes Perfect (Sioux Nation), has been retired from racing.
Speaking from Hong Kong, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard told Sky Sports Racing, “She (Zarigana) is retired now. She has been a complicated filly and she has been very frustrating this season. I think she was so talented, but difficult and tricky. She could have won four Group 1s and only managed to win one in the stewards' room. She has been a frustrating filly this year and we've had hard days with her.”
The Aga Khan Studs homebred heads to the paddocks as the winner of four of her seven starts for the Graffard stable. In addition to her controversial success at ParisLongchamp in May, the daughter of Siyouni filled the runner-up spot at the top level on three other occasions. Beaten just a nose by stablemate Vertical Blue (Mehmas) in last year's Prix Marcel Boussac, she later followed her Classic victory with near-misses in both the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and Prix de la Foret back at ParisLongchamp.
International Jockeys Conference held in Hong Kong
The 2025 International Conference for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys (ICHSWJ) was held in Hong Kong on December 11-12. Themed Performance Medicine in Racing – Developing and Protecting the Jockey, the conference took an applied, evidence-based approach, featuring presentations and panel discussions with leading experts in the field.
“This conference represents one of the most important conversations taking place within the racing industry today,” said Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). “For too long, jockey safety and wellbeing have been discussed with admiration for the resilience of the athlete rather than with the structured, systematic, and scientifically informed approach required of a modern, high-performance sport.
“This conference marks another step in changing that and ensuring that our riders receive nothing less than the highest standards of care, the strongest protections available, and the most rigorous pursuit of knowledge that cHontemporary sports science and medicine can offer.”
Rice breaks NYRA trainer record
Trainer Linda Rice captured a record 165th training win on the NYRA circuit for 2025 when owned/trained Snide (Tonalist) won race 4 at Aqueduct Friday. Rice is also the leading owner on the NYRA circuit this year with 58 wins, and the conditioner credited her entire team, including assistant Marsha Barrs, for the successes.
“My team has done a tremendous job all year. We get this done because of them. My office staff, the exercise riders, grooms and hotwalkers–they're all working hard every day,” Rice said. “We're always trying to continue to improve our stable and our results. Over the past 5-to-10 years, I've really concentrated on New York racing, and the stable has certainly improved along the way.”
