Two Classics in a row for Mindarie
Jockey Chris Parnham made it four consecutive victories in the R.Listed Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic when Sean & Jake Casey-trained 2-year-old filly Maria Lucia (Rommel) won on Saturday by 0.84 lengths over They’reallsisters (Splintex) with Yamanex (Splintex) in third.
“She’s going to have longevity, I think she can clearly rise,” said Sean Casey. The stable won this race last year with Do I Feel Lucky (Dirty Work), who is a half-brother to Maria Lucia.
The pair are the first two foals for Mindarie (Safeguard) whose third foal, a colt by A Lot (USA) will be offered at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale as Lot 32.
Mindarie was a winner at two and is a full sister to Listed winner Castle Road, stakes placed Specialism and stakes placed More Special, and a half-sister to stakes placed Royal Strata (Stratum). Maria Lucia becomes the third stakes winner for Rommel who will be represented by four yearlings at the upcoming Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
Stakes double for Rommel
Western Australian sire Rommel, a son of Commands, celebrated a stakes double on Saturday night when Maria Lucia won the R.Listed Magic Millions Perth 2YO Classic and one race later, Twisted Steel (Rommel) won the 3-year-old version to become his fourth stakes winner.
Trained by Simon Miller, 3-year-old gelding Twisted Steel won the R.Listed Magic Millions Perth 3YO Classic by two lengths from Hubble’s Dragon (Deep Field) and Country God (Playing God). He took his record to four wins from eight starts with earnings over $360,000. He was sold by Ruby Racing and Breeding for $100,000 to his trainer at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
His dam, Real Beauty (I Am Invincible) is a full sister to dual Listed winner Real Danger. Twisted Steel becomes the 12th stakes winner for I Am Invincible as a damsire.
Real Beauty's yearling filly by Maschino will be offered by Ruby Racing and Breeding as Lot 60 at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
Century for Lonhro with Weeping Woman
Joe Pride-trained Weeping Woman (Lonhro) made it four in succession with victory in Saturday’s G3 Triscay Stakes to become her sire’s 100th stakes winner. "I had planned to take her to the Wenona Girl. She will probably sneak in one more race at this level and then probably will have to go into something better,” said Pride.
Weeping Woman has won eight of her 17 starts and has earnings over $580,000. A half-sister to stakes placed Magnatear (Written Tycoon), she is out of unraced mare Cries And Whiskers (Street Cry {Ire}). Her half-sister by Pinatubo (Ire) will be offered by Widden Stud as Lot 571 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Weeping Woman's high profile stablemate Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) pulled up with blood in his nostrils after a poor showing in the G2 Apollo Stakes and will be vetted.
G3 Frances Tressady Stakes won by Paradise City
Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Paradise City (Deep Field) won Saturday’s G3 Frances Tressady Stakes at Flemington for owners Trilogy Racing. The 5-year-old mare took her earnings over $425,000 with her seventh win, and she becomes Deep Field’s 43rd stakes winner.
“She's a lovely type of mare and is owned by a breeding operation in Trilogy Racing and Blue Gum Farm. It's important to get that stakes win on board and strike while the iron's hot with mares in form and it was a lovely ride, well executed, from Zac Spain,” said Moody.
Purchased by Trilogy for $300,000 from Tyreel Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, she is a half-sister to Group 3-placed Notation (Fastnet Rock). Her dam is G1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Chocolicious (Saf) (Kahal {GB}).
Desirable winner to skip Guineas
Trainer Danny O’Brien will likely skip the G1 Australian Guineas with impressive Listed Desirable Stakes winner 3-year-old filly Sass Appeal (So You Think {NZ}) in favour of next spring. “I think we’ll go to the Kewney. It’s a big step to take on those horses that are seasoned up over the spring and the colts are a decent division with Observer looking top class,” O’Brien said.
“I would expect the Kewney to be her last run and then we can hopefully get her to a really good race in the spring, something like the Myer on Derby Day.” She’s now won three of her four starts and becomes stakes winner number 67 for her sire.
Sass Appeal was purchased by her trainer from Vinery Stud’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft for $120,000. She is out of Cristal Eyes (All Too Hard) who had an Ole Kirk colt this spring.
Listed Elms Handicap goes to Café Millennium
One of 37 foals from the final crop of Not A Single Doubt, 5-year-old gelding Café Millennium enhanced his claim for the G1 All-Star Mile with a strong victory in the Listed Elms Handicap. He formed a treble on the Flemington card for the Hayes brothers, who also won with Hard Kick (All Too Hard) in the Listed Talindert Stakes and Ndola (Justify {USA}).
Owned by Finemore Thoroughbreds and Planette Thoroughbreds, Café Millennium took his record to five wins from 27 starts with earnings over $650,000. He’s out of 2-year-old winner Veloce Forte (High Chaparral {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 2 winners Miraval Rose (Grunt {NZ}) and Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt).
First stakes winner for Banquo
Waikato Stud stallion Banquo celebrated his first stakes winner when 2-year-old gelding Justin Case (NZ) won the G3 Matamata Slipper Stakes for trainer Kris Shailer. Part-owned by Waikato Stud, Justin Case has won two of his three starts and was also his sire’s first winner when he won last start.
“I am so stoked for the whole Waikato Stud team – Garry and Mark (Chittick) – and Jamie Beatson who owns half of him. This was the plan back in November, after he ran second at Counties we said we would put him away for a couple of weeks and give him a bit of a reset and target him for this race,” Shailer said.
Banquo is a son of Written Tycoon who won the Listed Springtime Handicap at three over 1400 metres, and is a full brother to Group 1 winner Booker. Justin Case is out of G2 Kewney Stakes winner Do Ra Mi (NZ) (Savabeel) and is a half-brother to Group 3-placed Hanger (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
Pair of juvenile winners for Prague
Second season sire Prague celebrated a juvenile winner at Friday night’s Sunshine Coast meeting with Liam Birchley-trained 2-year-old gelding Gold Czech. He ran mid-field in the Magic Million Victoria 2YO Classic behind future R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic victor Unit Five (Supido) on debut and this was his second start.
A $60,000 purchase by Bloodstock Solutions from Robyn Wise at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Gold Czech is out of five-race winner Round Mountain Gal (Delzao). Gold Czech became Prague’s eighth winner and he added number nine on Saturday with 2-year-old filly Pembrey.
Juvenile winner for Exceedance
At Newcastle, Kris Lees-trained 2-year-old filly She’s Extra (Exceedance) won on debut by over four lengths for apprentice jockey William Stanley. She was sold by Kooringal Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $60,000 to Lees Racing and Bahen Bloodstock.
A half-sister to stakes placed Panzdown (Panzer Division) and last season’s exciting juvenile Shaggy (Sandbar), she is out of winning mare Moonrush (Encosta De Lago).
Alabama Express juvenile winner
At Ballarat, Mark Walker-trained 2-year-old filly Tolaga Bay (Alabama Express) won on debut by half a length. She was sold by Yulong for $100,000 to David Ellis and Fortuna Racing at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Tolaga Bay is the third winner from three to race for Camila Lucinda (Lope De Vega {Ire}) who won four times including once at Moonee Valley.
New winner for Anders
At Dalby in Queensland, 3-year-old filly Taylor’s Rage became the 26th winner for Anders, who recently enjoyed his first stakes winner with Daytona Diva in Tasmania. Purchased by Stuart Kirk for $3750 via Inglis Digital in March 2024, she is out of Group 3-placed Sagatona (Real Saga).
Sire doubles around the nation
Overshare had a double at Morphettville on Saturday with High On Sugar and Over Yonder. Divine Prophet had a double at Orange with Divine Sinner and Astrogazer.
Playing God had a double at Pinjarra with True Player and Rissoles.
Double for Hello Youmzain in South Island
Second season sire Hello Youmzain (Fr) enjoyed a double in Otago on Saturday led by Listed Southland Guineas winning 3-year-old filly Hello Hayley (NZ), trained by Sophie Price. “That was very impressive, even though I did think she was a little underdone,” Price said.
“She’s a good wee girl. I thought we might have won the Gore Guineas and maybe this field might have been a bit too tough for her. Blinkers on and she has got the job done and they have definitely improved her.” She has now won two of her six starts and over NZ$97,000, and becomes the eighth stakes winner for her sire who has three stakes winners in the Southern Hemisphere. Hello Youmzain’s other winner on the card was Ebony Turner-trained 3-year-old filly Taffeta (NZ).
Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes won by My Lips Are Sealed
A bold front running ride by jockey Rory Hutchings was the key to victory in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes by My Lips Are Sealed (NZ) (Ace High) for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson. “She was the one of our team in on the day that I felt would really handle the underfoot conditions,” Bergerson said.
“She put in a sparkling effort 12 months ago when running third behind Legarto in this race and I just thought if she was back to somewhere near her best she would be a good chance.” Previously a Group 3 winner, My Lips Are Sealed took her record to five wins from 22 starts and over NZ$260,000. She was a NZ$160,000 purchased by David Ellis from Rich Hill Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft.
Diamond Jak wins Listed Kaimai Stakes
Inconsistent 7-year-old gelding Diamond Jak (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) slogged through the mud at Matamata on Saturday to win the Listed Kaimai Stakes over 2000 metres for trainer Mark Brosnan. “That was very satisfying as once the rain came I knew he was a good chance,” Brosnan said.
“He needed the run the other day and although I wasn’t going to come here, once it rained I decided to run him. I told Rory to be positive out of the gates and although he was a little more positive than I thought he would be, it worked for him.”
Winner of eight of his 40 starts and over NZ$349,000, the homebred becomes the seventh stakes winner for his sire.
Asian Racing Conference closing address
Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges closed the Asian Racing Conference with a message to engage with younger fans. “If there is one message that cuts across all our discussions, it is this: the future of horse racing is under threat and can only be secured by working together to address the key challenges we face,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said at Thursday night’s closing ceremony.
“I firmly believe we now have a mandate for change. We must act now. We must think and cooperate globally and implement nationally. At the outset, I highlighted that we are in a critical phase for racing and breeding, and yet fragmentation within our sport is preventing us from tackling the challenges that confront us.
“I called for global collaboration and the need to make fundamental changes to the way we position, promote and operate our sport. We must create heroes, create global competitions where the best meet the best, and create platforms with holistic storytelling to increase our fan base and promote our sport globally.
"We must use technology to create new digital on-site and online experiences. We must be more agile and embrace global initiatives like the World Pool to better compete against sports betting, iGaming and other entertainment offerings.”
The next conference will be in New Zealand in 2028.
US Jockey Club annual report shows initiative spend
The Jockey Club published its 2026 Industry Impact Report Friday, which includes a consolidated statement of income for 2025 listing total investment in industry initiatives as US$6.3 million (AU$8.9 million), with nearly US$1.7 million (AU$2.4 million) going to Thoroughbred aftercare, the organization said in a press release on Friday.
“The Jockey Club remains steadfast in its mission to improve Thoroughbred breeding and racing,” said James L. Gagliano, president and COO, The Jockey Club. “Each year we continue to expand on that mission by assisting Thoroughbreds throughout their lives and marketing and growing the sport and its fanbase.”
Barzalona wins International Jockeys’ Challenge
Mickael Barzalona landed a hat-trick of victories at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on the eve of the Saudi Cup to clinch not just the International Jockeys' Challenge but also the valuable Saudi International Handicap.
With the first two legs of the four-race jockeys' contest having been won by Britain's Saffie Osborne and German Derby-winning rider Nina Baltromei, the Frenchman ensured the spoils would be his by taking the final two heats on the turf.
Camelot group winner tops inaugural AKTEM Online
Multiple group winner Sevenna's Knight (Camelot) topped the inaugural AKTEM February Online Sale when selling for €305,000 (AU$512,000) to the Sevenna's Knight Syndicate. Consigned by trainer Andre Fabre as lot 3B, the 6-year-old entire won the G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier as well as two other group stakes. He also placed in the 2024/2025 editions of the Prix Royal-Oak and was runner-up in last year's Vicomtesse Vigier after it was promoted to Group 1 level.
Breaking the six-figure mark was a stallion share in undefeated G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Ace Impact which sold to Barry Lynch for €155,000 (AU$260,000). Overall, five horses made six figures with 22 horses sold from 35 offered (63%) for a gross of €1,381,000 (AU$2.3 million). The average was €69,050 (AU$115,000) and the median was €29,500 (AU$49,500).
