Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Tentyris delights Lane ahead of big autumn
Damien Lane was pleased with the jump-out performance from star colt Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) at Mornington on Thursday morning, when the 3-year-old was having his second hit-out of the preparation. The colt surged late in the heat to finish third home behind Midnight Charm (Charm Spirit {Ire}) and Tropicus (Too Darn Hot {GB}), the latter of whom will head to the G1 Oakleigh Plate on February 21 in the hopes of securing a Group 1 before a stud career beckons.
“Physically, he’s a much stronger horse now,” Lane told The Verdict podcast on Thursday. “He’s really furnished into himself, and you can see he’s a colt turning into a stallion.
“He’s (Tentyris) really furnished into himself, and you can see he’s a colt turning into a stallion.” - Damien lane
“He was a little slow to move, early in the trial, but picked up nicely mid-trial. I think he’s shown he’s going to be right up there. He’s a talented horse. He was one who kept stepping up, every time they kept raising the bar with him.
“He’s an exciting young horse who can, hopefully, stick it to the best of ‘em.”
Damien Lane | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
No concrete plan is in place for Tentyris yet, but he leads the market for the G1 Black Caviar Lightning on February 14, and Godolphin and Chris Waller are currently eyeing a trip to Dubai for fellow Blue Army Group 1 winner Beiwacht (Bivouac) - there may be a spare seat on the plane for the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner.
Tentyris's dam Deity (Exceed And Excel) delivered a three-quarter-sister by Anamoe in the spring, before making the cut for the highly curated book of Too Darn Hot (GB).
Stefi Magnetica takes out star-studded opening heat
Dual Group 1 victress Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) was the first horse home in the first heat of the day at Warwick Farm on Thursday morning. The Bjorn Baker-trained mare jumped well to sit behind early leader Coal Crusher (Turffontein), before turning on the head in the home straight to win by a neck, with Verona Rose (Castelvecchio) in second.
Given a quiet ride, Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}) resumed with a third-placed finish a length and three quarters behind, followed by Gerringong (Blue Point {Ire}), Coal Crusher, and G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Attica (Lonhro), with Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) and G1 Melbourne Cup fourth River Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) rounding out the field.
A $140,000 Gold Coast graduate who has earned over $7.3 million on the track, Stefi Magnetica is the daughter of G1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force), whose final foal - a full brother to Stefi Magnetica - was bought at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last week by Richard & Will Freedman and Burger Bloodstock for $400,000.
Quiet trials for Waller brigade while Willaidow sprints home
Marc and Mitchell Conners’ Group 3 winner Willaidow (Shamus Award) went one better than his first trial of the preparation a fortnight ago to win his Warwick Farm heat on Thursday morning. The 7-year-old gelding jumped sharply and put a large margin on the pack, with only Oh Diamond Lil (So You Think {NZ}) matching his pace, eventually running second to him by a nose.
The margin back to third was a touch over eight lengths, where Joliestar (Zoustar) led home a team of four Chris Waller gallopers having soft hit-outs to kick off their autumn campaigns. Almost two lengths behind her was G1 Caulfield Guineas victor Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun), followed by high class imports Wootton Verni (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Soul Of Spain (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}).
An eight-time winner for the Conners, Willaidow is a descendant of 12-time winner and multiple Group winner Excited Angel (Don’t Say Halo {USA}), making him closely related to G2 Sunline Stakes winner Text’n Hurley (Hard Spun {USA}). Willaidow’s dam Stimulated (Casino) delivered a full sister in 2025.
Waller has tipped that Joliestar will head for Royal Ascot this campaign.
“She'll (Willaidow) head to the Canterbury Stakes and then the TJ (Smith), and all being well would then be aimed at Ascot.” - Chris Waller
“She'll head to the Canterbury Stakes and then the TJ (Smith), and all being well would then be aimed at Ascot,” Waller told News Corp on Thursday. “Her owners Brendan and Jo Linsday (of Cambridge Stud) are very supportive of taking her over as it would be great for her resume. She's at the right age and is a proven Group 1 winner down the straight.”
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Meanwhile, more Guineas beckon for Autumn Boy.
"Autumn Boy has come back really well," Waller said. James (McDonald) rode him on Monday morning and was really impressed with how he has come back. The Hobartville (Stakes), Randwick Guineas, and then we see whether we go George Ryder or if we need to go down the 3-year-old path."
Pricey untapped colt readies for debut
God Save The King (King’s Legacy) has made connections - who paid $755,000 for the colt as a yearling - be patient ahead of his debut, but he shapes to be something exciting after a five-length trial win at Warwick Farm on Thursday. Having his third career trial, the Tulloch Lodge trainee was swift out of the gates to lead, but only put the heat on his rivals in the home straight, tearing away from Amplify (Microphone) to win by an impressive margin.
Video: Watch God Save The King at Warwick Farm trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
The James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership signed for the colt at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds, and have waited two years for the son of King’s Legacy to make his mark on the track.
God Save The King is the third and final live foal from Serenade (Star Witness), a Group-performed half-sister to stallions Prague and Stratum Star. She died in 2023 while in foal to Snitzel.
Calamari Ring resumes with easy win
R. Listed Inglis 2YO Banner victress Calamari Ring (Street Boss {USA}) had a quiet return to the trials at Warwick Farm on Thursday, and the filly put in an easy victory ahead of her autumn campaign. Trained by Ciaron Maher, she hit the line comfortably with a three-quarter-length margin on Scintillation (I Am Invincible), with $160,000 Kirkham Plate runner-up Pearl of Dubai (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in third.
Video: Watch Calamari Ring at Warwick Farm trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Hall Of Fame and Shane McGrath Bloodstock paid $140,000 to purchase Calamari Ring from Two Bays Farm’s Inglis Great Southern Sale draft as a weanling in 2024. She is a daughter of Excelsior Island (Exceed And Excel), a winning half-sister to Warhorse (NZ) who went back to Street Boss (USA) in 2025 after foaling a colt by Dirty Work. A half-sister by Rubick will be offered as Lot 45 in Two Bays Farm’s Inglis Melbourne Premier draft this year.
Essay steals spotlight in Agrarian Girl’s trial
Richard Collett’s Essay (Zousain) was the most impressive runner home in a juvenile heat at Warwick Farm won by Agrarian Girl (Tassort). The Tassort filly led the pack home to win her second career trial by a nose for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, but it was Essay accelerating past her at the line who profiles as one to keep an eye on.
Video: Watch Essay and Agrarian Girl at Warwick Farm trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Collet purchased Essay for $100,000 from Vinery Stud’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft and withdrew her from the Inglis Ready2Race Sale later last year. She is the first foal from Written Star (Written Tycoon), who hails from the close family of Zoustar. Vinery Stud will offer her All Too Hard colt as Lot 587 at this year’s Classic Sale, and she visited Growing Empire last spring.
Plagiarism bounces back in strong trial
$1 million Golden Gift placegetter Plagiarism (Written By) had a strong hit-out for Tulloch Lodge on Thursday morning at Warwick Farm ahead of his return to the races this autumn. The juvenile leaped straight to the front from the gates and turned on the heat in the home straight, with only second-placed Threads (Snitzel) and third placegetter Confederation (Wootton Bassett {GB}) able to keep pace. He posted a winning margin of a long neck.
Video: Watch Plagiarism at Warwick Farm trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
$1.4 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate Defensemen (Wootton Bassett {GB}) finished fourth.
A $120,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Redfox Racing from Widden Stud, Plagiarism is the first named foal from Profiterole (Snitzel), a winning full sister to dual Listed winner Nomothaj. Profiterole delivered a Jacquinot colt in 2025 before revisiting Written By.
Written By juvenile double cemented by Iommi
Well-related Iommi (Written By) picked up a trial win at his second career trial at Warwick Farm on Thursday morning. The Chris Waller-trained colt hit the front early, and maintained his lead when drawing away from the pack in the home straight. Only stablemate Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) could keep pace, finishing second by a long neck, with three lengths back to Zensen (Exceed And Excel) in third.
Video: Watch Iommi at Warwick Farm trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
A homebred for Woppitt Bloodstock, Iommi is a half-brother to multiple Group winner Lindermann (Lonhro) from the family of Reset and Group 3 winner Aitch Two Oh (Headwater). Dam Self Esteem (Stratum) has a yearling filly by Pierro to come, and visited St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) in 2025.
