Big day for Zousain
Zousain was the leading sire by gross on the first day of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale on Sunday, and also enjoyed a juvenile winner at the Sunshine Coast with 2-year-old gelding Doubtwilly. He was on debut for trainer Stuart Kendrick and won by 1.4 lengths.
Kendrick Racing purchased him for $20,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from Torryburn Stud. He is the first foal of Written Doubt (Written Tycoon) who is a winning full sister to Listed winner Tycoonist.
Second season sires Anders and Lucky Vega (Ire) also celebrated winners at the Sunshine Coast meeting with Casino Bay and Point Vega respectively.
First stakes winner for Anders
Second season sire Anders celebrated his first stakes winner when Daytona Diva won Sunday’s Listed Stutt Stakes in Hobart for trainer John Blacker. The 3-year-old filly was ridden by apprentice Jabez Johnstone in a 1.75-length victory over Aurora Rise (The Autumn Sun) with Missy Aggravation (Kermadec {NZ}) in third.
Daytona Diva took her record to four wins from eight starts with earnings over $160,000. She was a $40,000 purchase by Tanya Hanson from Armidale Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale. Her dam, Step The Pedal (Elvstroem), has three winners from as many to race, and had a colt by Nicconi this spring.
Sanniya stamps her class
Brilliant Tassie filly Sanniya (Stratosphere) made it four in succession, and six from seven starts, with a two-length romp in Sunday’s G3 Mystic Journey Stakes. Trained by Barry Campbell for Star Thoroughbreds, it was her second black type win following the Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes at two.
Star Thoroughbreds, along with Randwick Bloodstock (FBAA), purchased her for $67,500 at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale from Grenville Stud. She took her earnings over $390,000. Stratosphere had a double at the meeting, with his other winner being Prince Khatun for trainer Adam Trinder.
Miller enjoys first Group win in Hobart Cup
Trainer Imogen Miller celebrated her first Group win when outsider Blonde Star (Starcraft {NZ}) won Sunday’s G3 Hobart Cup. In what was a major upset, Blonde Star repelled the interstate raiders to win the Cup for Erica Byrne Burke. The Ciaron Maher-trained Ziryab (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was a nose behind in second, while Distrustful Award (Shamus Award) was close-up in third in a blanket finish.
"I thought her run was good last start, but maybe she wasn't at her best, and she pulled up and had a few little niggling issues in between runs, so really very happy obviously with her today,” Miller said.
"She's a ripping little horse and she's a beautiful horse to have around. She tries hard, she's consistent. I mean, can't really fault her. We all love her."
That was the eighth win for Blonde Star, who is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Blond Mafia. She is well-related being a full sister to the dual Listed and Group 3 winner Strawberry Boy and a half-sister to the Group 3 winner and stallion Danroad. Danroad is the damsire of Horse of the Year Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).
Steparty too classy in the Thomas Lyons Cup
The Paul Pruesker-trained Steparty (Artie Schiller {USA}) picked up his sixth win and this third stakes win when claiming the Listed $150,000 Thomas Lyons Cup as a well-backed favourite when defeating the local hero Durazzo (Needs Further) and fellow Victorian Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}).
He has now won just over $1.8 million in prizemoney, and is one of two winners, with the other being the six-time winner and Group-placed Scissor Step (Toronado {Ire}) for his unraced dam Watch Your Step (Sepoy).
He comes from the same extended family as the classy Group-winning sprinters Taikun (Anabaa {USA}), Big Party (Exceed And Excel) and Right To Party (Zoustar).
Autumn Glow and Aeliana to go head to head
Chris Waller-trained pair of Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) and Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) will both resume in Saturday’s G2 Apollo Stakes. “(Autumn Glow) has come back well, basically where she left off (in the spring),” Waller told racenet.com.au.
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Everything has gone to plan so far. Two trials, an easy gallop (Saturday). James (McDonald) was very happy with her. He said, ‘She was never out of second gear'.”
“(Aeliana) is carrying more weight and she looks a lot better than last prep. She's about 15 kilos heavier. She's looks much better coming into this campaign and she'll be hard to beat next Saturday as we saw first-up in the Winx last spring. She almost beat Via (Sistina).”
Tentyris ready after Saturday hit-out
G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) prepared for his autumn debut with a hit out at Caulfield on Saturday. “The hit-out wasn't as significant as what the day brings on,” co-trainer Sam Freedman told racenet.com.au on Sunday.
Tentyris | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He's been on the truck … he had a good sweat out the back, he had a bit of a play around and he's been stimulated out here. He's a colt that knows he's a colt so when you get to those big (race) days, there's people everywhere, you'd rather have him simmering away, ready to go.
“The Lightning and the Newmarket (Handicap) have been his plan. Should he win the Lightning we'd have to see what weight he'd get in a Newmarket, not an easy feat to carry a whole heap of weight as a 3-year-old so we'll wait and see.
“It's exciting to get him back… he's done everything pretty right, had an uncomplicated prep. He'll improve for a run but he's definitely forward enough. There's been no chat about a premature retirement (stud) or anything like that, if the horse is racing well he'll potentially race into his 4-year-old year, there's opportunities to travel if he's going well then (next year), which is great.”
New winner for North Pacific
Second season sire North Pacific added winner number 19 when Henry Dwyer-trained 3-year-old filly Zulieka won at Ararat on Sunday. She was sold by Twin Hills Stud at the 2023 Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale for $20,000 and purchased by World Wide Bloodstock and Wahha.
A half-sister to Group 3-placed Divine Comedy (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), she is the third winner for Epic Emirates (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) whose 2-year-old filly has been named Emirate Star (Bivouac).
Maurice son wins inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup
Japan continued its dominance of lucrative Middle Eastern races with a one-length score by Strauss (Jpn) in the inaugural $1 million Listed Abu Dhabi Gold Cup over a mile on Saturday. Brazilian Joao “Magic Man” Moreira gave the son of Maurice (Jpn) a textbook perfect ride, and the 5-year-old entire responded, becoming the first Japanese horse to win in Abu Dhabi.
“He's such a nice horse, he wasn't able to give the best of himself a month ago but today he could,” said Moreira. “In Australia he didn't jump out of the gate very quickly but today he did. He was always travelling strongly and when I pulled him out he went whoosh. He was in such great form today. I can't believe this was going to happen in a place I've never ridden before, it's made me extremely happy.”
In his native land, Strauss won the G2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes at two. At three, he was second in the Listed Oro Cup, and in 2025 he won the Listed Shirafuji Stakes in February. After an unplaced run, he added a third in the G3 CBC Sho in August and was a last-out sixth in the Russell Balding Stakes at Randwick in November. A half-brother to Japanese Listed winner Voller Blute (Epiphaneia), Strauss is out of the G1 Mile Championship heroine Blumenblatt (Admire Vega).
Playing God quinella in Cyril Flower Stakes
Saturday night’s Listed Cyril Flower Stakes at Ascot in Perth was won by Trevor Andrews-trained 5-year-old gelding Almighty Class (Playing God) by 1.64 lengths from Neville Parnham-trained Sky Duke (Playing God). Donna Riordan-trained London’s Image (Headwater) was third.
The winner hadn’t raced since April 2025 and took his record to four wins from 14 starts with earnings over $420,000. He becomes the 25th stakes winner for Playing God who enjoyed the quinella in the race.
Almighty Class is the first stakes winner in four generations of his family, and is one of only two foals for unraced My Classy Lady (Oratorio). Her other foal, Soldiers Camp (A Lot {USA}) is a winner of three races.
Inaugural D. Wayne Lukas Stakes won by Splendora
It was hard not to lament the loss when asked about D. Wayne Lukas in the paddock, but trainer Bob Baffert was given an emotional win in the race named after his longtime friend when Splendora (Audible) kicked home to claim the inaugural running of the G2 D. Wayne Lukas Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
“She is such a good filly,” said Baffert after the race. “(Splendora) just gives me chills. When I saw that this race was renamed for D. Wayne Lukas, I wanted to win this one. I miss him. I miss talking to him. He would have loved this.”
Eight consecutive G3 Robert Lewis Stakes for Baffert
Mrs John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael B. Tabor's 3-year-old colt Plutarch (Into Mischief) was bred to be a star - he is out of 2015's champion 3-year-old filly turned US$6 million (AU$8.55 million) Keeneland-topping mare Stellar Wind - and he made good on that promise Saturday in the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. The race was worth 20-10-6-4-2 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert won his eighth consecutive Bob Lewis and 14th overall, going back to 1999. In 2007, the race, which was formerly known as the Santa Catalina Stakes, was renamed in honor of one of Baffert's biggest early clients, Robert B. Lewis, for whom Baffert won his first G1 Kentucky Derby in 1997 with Silver Charm.
Expensive yearling wins on debut
Victorious Racing's €1 million (AU$1.68 million) Arqana August graduate Warriors Whisper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) repaid some of that investment with a narrow debut victory in Saturday's Prix du Nice Havrais at Deauville.
Warriors Whisper is the third of five foals and second scorer produced by G3 Park Express Stakes victrix Normandel (Le Havre), who is a half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Mont Ormel (Air Chief Marshal).
Asian Racing Conference starts tomorrow
The Asian Racing Conference (ARC) will meet in Riyadh from February 9-14 in conjunction with the Saudi Cup meeting. The theme is “Honouring Tradition, Shaping the Future” and consists of a three-day business programme designed to provoke meaningful dialogue, strategic insights and key learnings to address the challenges and opportunities facing the horseracing industry.
Prince Bandar and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and chairman of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) will welcome delegates to the opening ceremony of ARC that evening. Australia will be represented by Stud Book Keeper Jacqueline Stewart.
Three days of discussion covering topics from the role of equestrianism and sport in Saudi's Vision 2030 ambitions, the impact and role of the Gulf Horseracing Council, as well as AI impacts on the future of sport in terms of integrity and attracting new audiences will take place at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Convention Centre.
