Christmas presents and happy doubles

Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Bedggood’s big Boxing Day double

Trainer Gavin Bedggood put together a bold plan to take his imported entire Kingswood (GB) (Roaring Lion {USA}) to New Zealand for the G1 Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day, and an equally bold ride from Rory Hutchings rewarded the risk. “Listening to the radio and watching the TV, there were plenty of knockers,” Bedggood told Loveracing.nz.

“Fair play to Rory, what a ride. It was a ballsy ride to take off like he did. I just said the horse needed to be in a spot where he needs to build his revs. He is not a sit and sprint horse, and it was well executed.

“He had to do something because where he was, riding for luck wasn’t an option. It wasn’t going to suit the horse the way the race was panning out. Full credit to him, it was the difference between winning and getting beaten.”

Kingswood won the Listed Furphy Plate over 1800 metres two starts prior. He was a maiden winner in Ireland and Group 3 placed before being purchased privately by his Australian connections. Kingswood also won the 2024 G3 Coongy Cup and has five wins from 18 starts and earnings over $700,000.

“I am a realist, he is not top echelon in Melbourne, but he is a bloody good B-grader and I think on his day in Melbourne he would be competitive in an Australian Cup. It is good to be vindicated, and it makes the decision worthwhile coming over.

“He can have a week in the paddock and can probably hang around for the Herbie Dyke and Bonecrusher now.” Both are Group 1 races over 2000 metres. Kingswood is out of Sea The Stars (Ire) mare All At Sea (GB) who is a triple Listed winner in France. She is also the dam of Champion 3YO Stayer in Europe Eldar Eldarov (GB), a son of Dubawi (Ire) who stood his first season at Chapel Stud in the UK in 2025. Eldar Eldarov won both the English and Irish G1 St Leger Stakes.

This is a massive family with All At Sea being a half-sister to three other stakes winners including Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}), dam of six-time Group 1 winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Their dam is triple Group 1 winner Albanova (GB) (Alzao {USA}). Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Group 2 winning import Alalcance (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is also from this family.

An hour later, stablemate Hedged (Capitalist) won the Listed Christmas Stakes at Sandown for jockey Harry Coffey. “He’s a very good horse; he always has been. That was a very good win today. He actually hasn’t won for 18 months, but he always tries,” Roll The Dice’s Rob Norton said.

On the double stakes victory and the Group 1 win in New Zealand, Norton said, “Hats off to Gav – gee he’s a good trainer, I think that’s his second Group 1. He’s got some great winning percentages, he’s going to win a lot more Group 1s, and I think a few people here took the double.”

It was the first stakes win for Hedged who became Capitalist’s 28th stakes winner. He now has five wins from 22 starts and earnings over $850,000. Hedged was a $140,000 purchase by Mick Price Racing and Roll The Dice Racing from Yulong’s 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. His dam, Acing Shamrock (Fastnet Rock) had an Alabama Express filly this spring, and is an unraced half-sister to South African dual Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Nafaayes (Exceed And Excel) and G3 Hong Kong National Day Cup winner Stoltz (More Than Ready).

Yulong will present Hedged’s three-quarter brother by Written Tycoon as Lot 20 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Hellbent juvenile secures G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes

Over the period between Christmas and New Year's, there were seven juvenile winners across Australia and New Zealand. The G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes was won by Chris and Corey Munce-trained 2-year-old colt Zip Lock (Hellbent) who earned enough to guarantee him a spot in the upcoming R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. He is unbeaten in two starts.

“He’s got that little bit of class about him, I think,” Chris Munce said post-race.

“He’s had that freshen-up, he went in soft into that trial and improved enormous from it. Obviously now we probably head to the Millions. I never really put emphasis on the Magic Millions because I just had a lot of time for him, as a 3-year-old and a winter 2-year-old. But on the way he went there, and he’s thriving in the stable, I think we’ll head there.”

This race has a strong record heading into the R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic with two of the last five winners achieving the double, being Storm Boy in 2023/24, and Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) in 2021/22.

Zip Lock was sold by Yarraman Park Stud for $160,000 to Munce Racing and Arthur Hoyeau at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. His dam, Honolulu Lass (Hinchinbrook) won twice and is a half-sister to G3 WATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Debellatio (Smart Missile) and Listed winner Devoirs (Dehere {USA}).

Yarraman Park Stud will present Zip Lock’s half-brother by Brave Smash (Jpn) at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale as Lot 69.

First season sire Home Affairs enjoyed his first Australian winner with Guest House who won at Cranbourne on December 27. Raced by Roll The Dice Racing and partners, who also won with Bedggood-trained Hedged on Boxing Day, Guest House was on debut for Mick Price and Michael Kent-Jnr. The half-brother to stakes placed Nitrous (Deep Field) was a $270,000 purchase by his trainers and Roll The Dice Racing at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Newgate Farm.

Home Affairs had also had two winners in New Zealand and has three stakes placed runners from his first crop.

The remaining juvenile winners over this week were by proven sires. Te Encuentro (Frankel {GB}) and Vanzadee (NZ) (Vanbrugh) won on Boxing Day, while the other juvenile winners were By Choice (Written By), Bar Jester (Sandbar), and Coal Seam (Santos).

Stakes double for broodmare Arenzano

Tasmanian broodmare Arenzano (Not A Single Doubt) enjoyed a unique feat on Sunday December 28 producing two Listed winners with full brothers on the same card at Hobart.

Arenzano was a tough mare, winning eight times in Tasmania and was fourth in Listed company twice. That toughness is coming through in her progeny as her durable 5-year-old gelding Durazzo (Needs Further) won the Listed The Inevitable Stakes to make it three Listed wins in succession. The Barry Campbell-trained galloper has won 11 of his 15 starts for Star Thoroughbreds.

“He was terrific, wasn’t he? He worked hard early. I thought he might’ve been vulnerable first run at the mile (this prep); he’s only had one start over the mile in his life, and he won that. He was good,” Campbell told tasracing.com.au.

His full brother, 3-year-old gelding Mazzini, won his first stakes race in the Listed Tasmanian Guineas. A member of the same stable, and also raced by Star Thoroughbreds and partners, Mazzini has won five of his six starts and over $210,000. “He’s still learning, the penny hasn’t dropped, and to be fair to him, he’s probably a prep away. Kelvin (Sanderson) galloped him the other morning and said I reckon this will be the next Durazzo.”

Mazzini became the tenth stakes winner for Needs Further. Star Thoroughbreds’ Denise Martin raced Arenzano before selling her as a broodmare to Armidale Stud, and has bought back into her progeny. Durazzo was a $97,500 purchase from the farm via the Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale, while Star Thoroughbreds had to splash out a sale topping $145,000 for Mazzini in 2024. This is the family of Super Seth.

Arenzano’s Brutal filly will be sold at this year’s Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale by Armidale Stud as Lot 70.

Sorrow and joy for White Robe Lodge

New Zealand’s White Robe Lodge ran the gambit of emotions in racing on Boxing Day with their Group 1 sire Ghibellines dying on the same day that their young sire Ancient Spirit (Ger) sired his first stakes winner. “It was a sad day what happened before that but there are plenty of good things to look forward to,” said White Robe Lodge Stud Manager Wayne Stewart.

Winner of the G2 Todman Stakes, Ghibellines was a son of Shamardal (USA) who sired nine stakes winners led by Ciaron Maher-trained Group 1 winner Smokin’ Romans (NZ). “He consistently left reasonable horses right from the start,” Stewart said.

“He left that Dunedin Guineas winner (El Gladiador) in his first crop and most seasons he had multiple winners. As time went on, they did take a wee bit of time to develop and mature, and today’s market is hard, people want those two and 3-year-old winners. He did a good job, he was a good bread and butter sire.”

The farm now looks to the future with Ancient Spirit, whose first stakes winner came with Terry Kennedy-trained 3-year-old filly Bobby McGee (NZ) who won the Listed Otago Breeders’ Stakes and took her record to two wins from five starts. “She is a really nice filly and her work since the run at Invercargill has been top class,” Kennedy said.

“She probably has three more runs left in her before we put her aside for a break. She can chase the 3-year-old series and I think her last run is likely to be in the Dunedin Guineas here in late February.” Bred and raced by Craig and Jim Hunter, Bobby McGee is out of Lucille (NZ) (Remind {USA}) who has a yearling colt by Ghibellines. Lucille won six races in the South Island.

Ancient Spirit is a son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) won twice at Group 2 level in Europe. “He has had quite a few 3-year-old runners and we always thought his best would be in the autumn, so it is always really nice to get spring horses,” Stewart said.

“He has never covered big books of mares, but he has had good quality books of mares. He has got a good chance. He has had quite a few placegetters lately that have been a bit unlucky so hopefully they turn into winners now.”

Table: Stakes winners over the Christmas break