Juvenile summary: Warwoven throws hat in ring for Magics assault after Randwick victory

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Warwoven puts rivals to sword at Randwick

Debutante Sword Of State colt Warwoven proved himself a force to be reckoned with when taking out the opener on the Randwick card on Saturday. The Bjorn Baker-trained colt was given a patient ride midpack by Rachel King until straightening, at which point he started to reel in the distant leader - and hot favourite - Shiki (Too Darn Hot {GB}).

He had to stretch for it, but once Warwoven hit the final furlong, he was flying home to capture victory by 2.15 lengths, with Norman’s Cay (Too Darn Hot {GB}) thundering home for second and Hardanger (Pinatubo {Ire}) on her heels in third.

Baker hopes that Warwoven can head to the Gold Coast next month alongside talented Paradoxium (Extreme Choice), last start winner of the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic, for the lucrative Magic Millions raceday.

"Things are shaping pretty well a month out," Baker said after Warwoven's victory. "Hopefully we'll be on the Gold Coast with these two and we might get another one or two up there yet.

"I honestly think these are possibly the two best colts I've trained, Paradoxium and Warwoven. They have so much natural talent. We're also trying to qualify Masvingo here next week. She wasn't disgraced behind Paradoxium at Wyong and she's come on since that run."

Sales: Ridgmont, Bjorn Baker Racing, S & J Gosling, and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) teamed up to purchase the colt for $380,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Kia Ora Stud.

Pedigree: Warwoven is the first foal out of G2 Royal Stakes winner Needle And Thread (Makfi {GB}), a full sister to Listed Newmarket Handicap winner Savile Row, who was three times second at Group 1 level before retiring to stud. Needle And Thread descends from European blue hen Brooklyn's Dance (Fr) (Shirley Heights {GB}), whose other descendants include G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victress Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) and dual Group 1-winning sire The Gurkha (Ire).

Blue Gum Farm will offer Needle And Thread’s Farnan colt at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling sale next year, while the mare delivered a filly by Farnan this spring and returned to the second season sire in November.

First season sire Sword Of State keeps his perfect record with runners down under, recording two winners from two to the track - his first was Listed Debutante Stakes winner Torture (NZ).

Lara Antipova delivers on Bergerson’s belief in Wakefield Challenge

Co-trainer Sam Bergerson had been keen on his Russian Revolution filly Lara Antipova since before her maiden victory on debut earlier in the month, and the filly delivered on her promise for a second time when romping to victory in the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Manawatu on Saturday.

Quick out of the gates under the steerage of Craig Grylls, the filly was challenged early by Lassified (Stay Inside) but regained control in the home straight, rocketing home to a four and a half-length victory over Butler Cabin (NZ) (Ardrossan).

“She is a very exciting filly,” Bergerson said of the Fortuna Syndicate-owned filly. “She has just kept on giving the more we have asked of her. It’s not an easy feat to turn around in 13 days and travel down here, but she seems to really enjoy the racing, which is going to hold her in fantastic stead.

“It was good to see her get outside the leader. The one outside her (Lassified) showed some really good gate speed and it took a while to get across. Once she got outside the leader, she settled really nicely and it was great to see her show that turn of foot again.

“She just relaxes so well, which is so key, and I think if he had ridden her back, she would drop the bridle and still show it (turn of foot).”

The logical next step is the G2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes in the autumn before a tilt at New Zealand’s juvenile Group 1s, but Bergerson and co-trainer Mark Walker are ready to be patient.

“I am stoked for John Galvin (Fortuna principal), who has always been a massive supporter, and it is really exciting for him to have another 2-year-old like this,” Bergerson said. “Hopefully she can go on with it now and target some really nice races.”

Sales: GTS Bloodstock paid $100,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to secure Lara Antipova from the draft of Vinery Stud.

Pedigree: Lara Antipova is the first stakes winner, and fourth winner, out of multiple metropolitan winner Artistic Lass (Myboycharlie {Ire}), who is a half-sister to G2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner Sistine Angel (Testa Rossa) and G3 Victoria Handicap winner Sistine Demon (Excites). Vinery Stud will offer her In The Congo colt at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2026 as Lot 641, and Artistic Lass delivered a Stay Inside colt this spring.

Unit Five books Magic Millions ticket at Caulfield

Supido colt Unit Five burst onto the scene with a two and a half-length victory at Caulfield Heath on Saturday in the $250,000 Magic Millions VIC 2YO Classic, and now all roads lead to the Gold Coast for the Ciaron Maher trainee.

Hitting the front at the head of the straight, Unit Five proved just too good under the steerage of Thomas Stockdale and dashed away from his rivals, with Ko Phangan (Ole Kirk) running home well for second, and Invincible Son (Farnan) in third, a length and a quarter further back.

"I'm just rapt in the horse's progression," Maher said. "We normally wouldn't trial them that close, but he seems to find things easy. I can't thank my team enough. I think that's our fourth pre-Christmas 2-year-old winner for the year, so the system is working very well and I'm very thankful for them as at this time of year, the 2-year-olds are what it's all about."

Named for David Merricks, who worked for Widden Stud for over 30 years prior to his passing in 2024, it is hoped that Unit Five can travel north alongside exciting colt Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}), who comfortably won a Hawkesbury trial last week after a freshen-up.

"This bloke, timing wise, we thought we could then send him to Sydney and then he would be on the right leg for the Millions, but we'll see how he comes through," Maher said. "He's just so professional, and I loved the way he presented and behaved himself in the yard.

"He was very calm behind the gates. He bounced and made Tom's job pretty easy. Tom had a good winner for us the other day and he's starting to make a habit of it, so it's good to be associated with him."

Sales: $80,000 was the price tag at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when Ciaron Maher Bloodstock bought Unit Five from Widden Stud’s Gold Coast draft.

Pedigree: Unit Five’s dual winning dam En Aval (Toorak Toff), is well related, being a half-sister to the dam of last season’s Listed Lonhro Plate winner Bellazaine (Zousain) and out of a half-sister to Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt), whose talented daughter My Gladiola (I Am Invincible) was second in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes this spring.

Unit Five is her first runner and now first winner, and En Aval has an Anders colt heading to Inglis Premier in Widden Victoria’s draft as Lot 34. She delivered an Exceedance filly this spring before visiting Schwarz.

He’s A Machino powers home on debut at Ascot

Two strong trial wins booked He’s A Machino (Maschino) a ticket to his debut in the $125,000 Westspeed Platinum Plate at Ascot on Saturday, and the colt delivered on his potential with a storming victory under William Pike.

Sent out by Sean and Jake Casey, the colt bounded home from a wide barrier to post victory by just shy of a length over fellow debutante Wolf Whistle Zel (Rommel), with Sovereign Rock (Awesome Rock) a further three lengths back in third.

The colt is the seventh foal from eight-time winner There’snonesosassy (Due Sasso), and is subsequently the seventh winner out of the mare, all trained by the Casey stable.

“She (the dam) has definitely looked after us,” said co-trainer Jake Casey. “She was my first winner as a rider and she just continues to throw these darts, and they don’t miss.”

Casey shared that it had been somewhat of a surprise that the colt had made it to the races before Christmas; “You can see in the yard that he’s still very raw, still learning. I’m surprised he got to the races, especially with six weeks since he trialed, as we were trying to dodge the other ones (forward 2-year-olds in the stable). We didn’t want to butt them up against eachother. But he was too good.

“He ambled across and had to do a little bit of work, but got across quite nicely. It looked a bit like the one to his outside might get the measure of him, but once he really knuckled to the task, he let down really well.”

The paddock beckons for the colt, but Casey suggested that the G2 Karrakatta Plate could be in his future in the autumn.

Sales: He’s A Machino is a homebred for the Caseys’ long-term owner HW Daly.

Pedigree: There’snonesosassy's dam is a three-quarter-sister in blood to Listed Burgess Queen Stakes victress and Group 1-performed Achtung Baby (Sarab {Ire}). There’snonesosassy’s dam is also a half-sister to 13-time winner and dual Listed victor Scenic Assault (Scenic {Ire}).

The extended family via matriarch Bibiana (Todwana) contains young stallions Acrobat and Splintex, as well as Ozzmosis, whose first foals arrived this spring.

After missing for the past two seasons, There’snonesosassy visited Gingerbread Man in October, repeating a mating that has already produced six-time city winner Ain't No Other Man.