Saturday Summary: Doncaster for Yorkshire

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Yorkshire is in the form of his life

John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained 5-year-old gelding Yorkshire (Snitzel) is in the form of his career with five wins this calendar year from six starts. He came into the G2 Ingham Stakes off a last start victory in the G3 Festival Stakes, and punters installed him as the $3.90 favourite.

And why not? His only miss this year was in The Hunter when last after pulling up with cardiac arrhythmia when last.

“I remember we had one-two a few years ago with Kirwan's Lane and Lion's Roar so very special,” Charlton said. Back then, he was the stable foreman, and now he’s the co-trainer.

Ridden by Zac Lloyd, he surged to the front and aside from a bump from last year’s winner Robusto (Churchill {Ire}) in the straight, Yorkshire was untroubled in winning for the eighth time from 11 career starts. He took his earnings over $1.6 million, while Bjorn Baker-trained Robusto held on for third, and second went to fast finishing Joe Pride-trained Estadio Mestalla (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}).

“We were in a spot of bother after his first-up run and full credit to everyone and the processes that took place,” Charlton said.

“We were confident we were going to bounce back, but whether we were going to get to a grand final four weeks later able to produce a performance like that was up for debate. His record sums him up as a horse. Up the running there, he was having a look around. I think he's not the finished article yet, which is exciting.”

Winning The Ingham gives Yorkshire a ballot-free entry to the G1 Doncaster Handicap. “He will have to keep improving but it's the type of race we will look towards, for sure.”

Sales: Sold by Newgate Farm at the 2022 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $575,000 to PR Funds.

Pedigree notes: One of 163 stakes winners for the late Snitzel, Yorkshire is the first foal of G3 Keeneland Franklin County Stakes winner Chanteline (USA) (Majesticperfection {USA}) who had an Extreme Choice filly this season. She also has an I Am Invincible yearling colt and 2-year-old filly Lady Of The Castle (Exceed And Excel). She was a US$425,000 (AU$650,000) purchase by SF Bloodstock at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale of 2018.

Chanteline, who won nine races, is a half-sister to dual Listed winner Kell Paso (USA) (Divine Park {USA}). G1 Saratoga Hopeful Stakes winner and sire Currency Swap (USA) is part of this family.

Gold Rush won by Rey Magnerio

The richest race on the card for Saturday was Perth’s $1.5 million G3 Gold Rush, and the field was hot with last year’s winner Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), last start G1 Northerly Stakes winner Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice {Jpn}) and $12 million earner Overpass (Vancouver) all taking their place.

Overpass, coming off a tight second in the G1 Winterbottom Stakes last start, led the way and looked like he might hold on, but Robbie Griffiths-trained Rey Magnerio (Magnus) had been handy in fourth and came charging home for jockey William Pike. Cosmic Crusader just nabbed second on the line with Overpass clinging on for third.

“I’ve lost my voice a bit. What a horse. What fun he’s been for all of us. Willy thought he was stiff not to win the Winterbottom (when third) and this was like Winterbottom number two,” said Griffiths. It was Rey Magnerio's first attempt at 1400 metres.

“Congratulations to Perth Racing for putting on such a great event. Overpass is such a great horse and when he kicked, to think you could get passed him would take something special and he did. Very proud.

“First trip away, I thought there’d only be one run in him. He had fresh legs and was only third up in the Winterbottom. On the day, we thought, nah don’t make decisions on race day, but it was a very easy decision Sunday morning. We took him down the beach and he came back bouncing and his eye was bright, so it was an easy decision to wait two weeks and have another crack.

“He’s just loved the West Australian climate, he hasn’t missed a beat in the weather and it was evident in the way he’s run today at his first crack at 1400 metres.”

Winner of the G2 Caulfield Sprint when resuming this spring, Rey Magnerio ran third in the Listed Century Stakes, before heading to Perth. The win, his tenth, was his fourth stakes win and he took his earnings over $2 million.

Pedigree notes: Rey Magnerio was bred by A & J Nitschke and sold privately, via bloodstock agent John Ford, to trainers Robbie Griffiths and Matt de Kock as a late 2-year-old.

A three-quarter brother to the G3 Naturalism Stakes winner Magnapal (Magnus), Rey Magnerio is the best of two winners from three to race for the Testa Rossa mare Luchardo, a half-sister to stakes-placed Red For Lou (Magnus), who is the dam of R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Le Chef (Exceed and Excel). Luchardo had a Zousain colt this spring.

Warnie caps brilliant day for Maher at Pakenham

Ciaron Maher’s team won the first three races on the card at Pakenham, waiting until race eight to make it four. In the $1 million Supernova slot race, Maher pulled out a brilliant victory with Warnie (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}).

All the action in the Supernova was on the rail with Group 1 winner Private Eye (Al Maher) leading the field and Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}) chasing hard. But out in the centre of the track, from almost last, Warnie came flying for jockey Thomas Stockdale to just nab Private Eye on the line. Lindsay Park’s Arkansaw Kid stuck on for third, half a length behind the quinella.

“It was an exciting race. If you had of asked the team that we would have been second-last in running, I would have said no way. They went solid and Tom just took his time, similar to how Zahra rode him which is new for this horse who has been keen and hard hard going. Back in trip slightly, a lot of speed, it worked out really well,” assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said.

Fifth last start in the Listed Cranbourne Cup over a mile, Warnie returned to the 1400 metre journey that had given him success two starts ago in the G2 Damien Oliver Stakes. He took his record to five wins from 19 starts. He’d been a Listed at his third start in Ireland as a 2-year-old.

“He was good there (at Cranbourne), but we had to change things up and we were mindful of how deep we are in the campaign and having to come back to the seven (furlongs). Credit to the team. It's very rewarding and it's a huge day for the team.”

Sales: Warnie was purchased from the 2023 Tattersalls 2yo Horses In Training Sale by Bennett Racing and Blandford Bloodstock for 65,000gns (AU$136,960).

Pedigree notes: Warnie is from winning dam Cumbfree (Ire), a daughter of English 2000 Guineas winner and successful sire Footstepinthesand (GB). She is a half-sister to French Listed winner On Call Now (GB) (Acclamation {GB}). Warnie’s sire, Highland Reel, has eight stakes winners and was an international Group 1 winner by Galileo from an Australian family. His dam, Group 1-placed Hveger (Danehill {USA}), produced four stakes winner, all by Galileo, and is a full sister to Elvstroem and a half-sister to Haradasun.

Miss Joelene on track for The Wave defence

Last year’s The Wave victor Miss Joelene (Russian Revolution) is on track to defend her title with a storming win in Saturday’s Listed Tails Stakes at Eagle Farm. The Kelly Schweida-trained 5-year-old mare was last on the turn and flew down the centre of the track as the whole field swamped the front running Sibaaq (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

“This mare ran right through the line. To be fair, I think she has been absolutely flying. The 1500 metres today is probably a bit on the short side for her, but that's probably why she was the odds she was in betting,” Schweida said. Miss Joelene ran fifth, then fourth, in her two starts this campaign leading into this victory.

Miss Joelene won by a length from Ciaron Maher-trained mare Snitznova (Snitzel) with Tony Gollan-trained gelding Warby (Hellbent) in third.

“She is likely to head towards The Wave, which she won last year, and then a week later she will back-up in the Subzero. She is one of those horses who just thrives the more work she has.” Miss Joelene has won seven of her 32 starts and over $1 million. This was her second Listed victory after the Listed Gold Crown Stakes in the winter of 2025.

Sales: Owned by Wilrace, Miss Joelene was purchased by her trainer for $20,000 from the Kenmore Lodge draft at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.

Pedigree notes: Miss Joelene’s dam Listed Bill Carter Stakes winner Cellargirl (More Than Ready {USA}) sadly died in 2023 after foaling a Snitzel colt who also died. Cellargirl has just the two live foals, Miss Joelene and her year younger half-sister Autumngirl (The Autumn Sun) who is a maiden winner.

Cellargirl, who was also placed in the G1 Flight Stakes, is a half-sister to G3 Doncaster Prelude Handicap winner Cellarman (Mossman) and stakes placed Cellarmaid (Husson {Arg}). This is the family of Group 1 winners Astern, Alizee (Sepoy), La Baraka (Euclase) and Demerger (Saithor {USA}).

The Black Cloud bursts through for Bribie victory

The Black Cloud (Shamus Award) burst onto the scene as a 3-year-old winning four of her first six starts that summer, and she looked destined for bigger things. But the next spring, she only managed two starts. Back that autumn, she mixed her form with several placings but couldn’t find the winner’s circle again.

That all changed on Saturday when a trip north to Queensland helped remind her of her quality. It took a clever ride from Daniel Moor to weave through the field, and The Black Cloud swamped them to win her first black type in the Listed Bribie Handicap, and greet the judge for the first time since June 2024.

She was explosive, covering the 1000 metre dash in 0:56.89, winning by 0.2 lengths from Matthew Smith-trained Way To The Stars (Reward For Effort) with Kelly Schweida-trained Metalart (Better Than Ready) in third. She has now won five of her 16 starts with earnings over $530,000.

“It was a busy race, but it always shaped up like it was going to be a busy race,” Moor said. Only two and a half lengths separated the top 11 horses across the line.

“The pressure just intensified and kept coming. I was really worried about that, I said that to the owners before the race that I wanted to be positive because if we got too negative from the barrier we would be out the back.

“It nearly sort of happened. … It wasn't ideal but my horse is a nice horse, she is very progressive and once she got the split it was all over.”

Sales: Purchased by Proven Thoroughbreds and Joe Pride for $100,000 from Golden Grove’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft.

Pedigree notes: The Black Cloud becomes stakes winner number 30 for Shamus Award. She’s the first foal of four-time winner Containment (Krupt) who has 3-year-old filly Expanding Power (Doubtland), 2-year-old gelding Spokesperson (Impending), and a yearling filly by Impending still to come. Containment foaled a full sister to The Black Cloud this spring.

The Black Cloud is the first stakes winner in five generations for this family. Containment’s half-brother Military Road (Shamus Award) was a city winner in South Australia.

Containment’s fourth dam Susan Maree (NZ) (Ocean Spray {NZ}) is the granddam of Listed Dunedin Guineas winner Janet Quill (NZ) (Fan Letter {USA}), and Susan Maree is a unraced half-sister to Mitchelson Cup winner Reklaw (NZ) (Head Hunter {GB}).