Autumn v Autumn possible in George Ryder
Trainer Chris Waller could end up running his star mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) against exciting 3-year-old colt Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) in the G1 George Ryder Stakes. “He’ll be tested through the autumn, there’s some good races on offer and he might get a sniff of racing against the older horses as well,” Waller told racingnsw.com.au.
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He has developed, I’m not sure how much, he’s just learnt to be a racehorse. He’s ticked the box that he’s a Group 1 horse and runs a strong mile. He’ll go to the Randwick Guineas then we’ll decide if it’s the George Ryder or where we are going. If he got 50kg he’ll be running in the Doncaster but he won’t have 50kg.”
Ceolwulf cleared of EIPH
Racing NSW announced on Tuesday that Group 1 winner Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) has been cleared of EPIH after presenting with blood in both nostrils following last Saturday’s G2 Apollo Stakes. “On Monday (17 February) Ceolwulf was subjected to further diagnostic investigation at a Specialist Veterinary Hospital with the results of those tests having now been provided to Racing NSW Stewards,” said Racing NSW in a press release.
Ceolwulf | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Acting on the report provided by a Specialist Equine Veterinarian, and the subsequent recommendation provided to Stewards by Dr Garling, Stewards are satisfied that the presence of blood in the nostrils of Ceolwulf following the race in question was as a result of external trauma.
“Accordingly, Ceolwulf will not be subject to the embargoes imposed under AR79 which deals with horses that have suffered from EIPH.”
Canonbury quinella have another go in Silver Slipper
Hidrix (Extreme Choice) and Confederation (Wootton Bassett {GB}), first and second in the G3 Canonbury Stakes, will have round two in the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes on Saturday. “Hidrix has come on nicely, the other horse we have to harness the early speed he had,” trainer Chris Waller told racingnsw.com.au.
“He could turn the tables if he does things right.” Both 2-year-old colts have had just the one start to date.
Outside barrier for Attica
Last start G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Attica (Lonhro) will have to contend with an outside barrier in Saturday’s G2 Hobartville Stakes. “It’s always a little bit unknown when they come out of the Spring Champion Stakes but the win he had in that race and prior they probably came from positions where he was a victim of circumstances and we had to take our medicine,” jockey Adam Hyeronimus said on Sky Sports Radio.
Attica | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He was still able to overcome that and loop the fields and win dominantly. It’s the strongest race he’s contested and it’ll be good to see where he’s at with the other colts going forward. “He’s such a beautiful colt, he’s so big but he’s so relaxed and light on his feet. Once you give him a good message to go it’s game on and he can sustain a good gallop.”
Exciting debutant to take on Aristopolos
Unbeaten stakes-winning 2-year-old colt Aristopolos (St Mark’s Basilica {Fr}) could have an interesting challenger in Friday’s Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes. Trainers Shane Nichols and Hayden Black are bringing debutant filly Woosh (Wootton Bassett {GB}) across from the mainland. “We’re not bringing her down there because we don’t think much of her. She’s got a big pedigree, and we’d like to get a bit of black type on the board straight away,” Black told tasracing.com.au.
“She wasn’t quite ready for those early 2-year-old series; we brought her up slowly, and we thought the Gold Sovereign might be light on numbers.” She was a $380,000 purchase by her trainers from Two Bays Farm’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft, and prior to that was sold as a weanling for $70,000 by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds.
Woosh is the fourth foal of Group 1 winner Oohood (I Am Invincible) who is a half-sister to stakes placed Breakfast In Bed (Hussonet {USA}), dam of King’s Legacy.
Sire doubles on Wednesday
Snitzel celebrated a double at Warwick Farm with Satirically and Decorum.
At Eagle Farm, Almanzor (Fr) had a double with Tony Gollan-trained 3-year-old filly Lady Tangalooma (NZ) and her stablemate Sexy Time (NZ) who took his record to two wins from five starts. Better Than Ready had a double at Kilcoy with Betterindanude and Go Maro.
New winner for Tagaloa
An impressive 4.3 length victory gave second season sire Tagaloa winner number 24 when 3-year-old gelding Uptown Monk won at Strathalbyn for trainer Will Clarken on Wednesday. He was having his second start, having run fourth on debut in the city.
Passed in as a yearling, Uptown Monk is a half-brother to Listed winner Second To Run (Akeed Mofeed {GB}). His dam, stakes placed Tidy Prophet (Keep The Faith), had a full brother to Uptown Monk in 2025.
Winners of Own The Dream announced
Three ownership teams — known respectively as The Hay Team, First Time At The Turf and The Flying Lead — have won Racing WA’s Own The Dream competition with $10,000 each to spend at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. “It’s super, super exciting … we were on cloud nine all night after winning and my wife couldn’t even sleep,” Andrew Ward of The Hay Team told racingwa.com.au.
“It’s been an absolutely amazing process and experience and we’re all pumped and looking forward to Thursday. To win the $10,000 has been the icing on the cake and we’re looking forward to after spending it.”
They have been advised to spend it two smaller shares in two horses to spread the risk. “We’ve told them it can be a good idea not to put all your eggs in one basket and to share the love around. If you buy two horses, you’ve got more of a chance of one of them racing while another is in the paddock,” Own The Dream ambassador Brittany Taylor said.
“But in the end, there is nothing quite like owning a winner. We try our best to showcase what it’s like to be an owner, but until you’ve actually experienced that thrill of winning, it’s a really hard thing to adequately explain.”
Zarak sidelined from covering season in Europe
Zarak, who has quickly established himself as one of the leading Flat stallions in France, has been temporarily sidelined from covering duties due to injury, with the Aga Khan Studs reporting that the son of Dubawi “will require several weeks to recuperate”.
“Leading sire Zarak will unfortunately miss the start of the 2026 covering season following an accident in his stable,” read a statement issued by the Aga Khan Studs. “He will require several weeks to recuperate, and his condition will be reassessed in two months' time.”
Based at Haras de Bonneval, Zarak is due to stand for the unchanged fee of €80,000 (AU$134,000) this season, having enjoyed notable success with his first five crops. He is the sire of 34 individual black-type winners, including the Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Metropolitan, one of three individual Group 1 winners for the stallion alongside Haya Zark (Prix Ganay) and Zagrey (Grosser Preis von Baden).
Kheir backs Asakura for slot The Kiwi
Australian owner Ozzie Kheir has done a deal for Mitch Freedman-trained Asakura (Churchill {Ire}) to run in his slot in the NZ$4 million The Kiwi, taking on boom filly Well Written (Written Tycoon). “I have watched Asakura with great interest over the last month, particularly knowing he is a highly talented 3-year-old qualified for the NZB Kiwi,” Kheir told racenet.com.au.
“We didn't have the right 3-year-old ourselves to take over this year, so we have been searching for the best available horse to take on the rising star of New Zealand racing, Well Written. In Asakura, we believe we have a horse capable of giving her a serious challenge.
Ozzie Kheir | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“He brings top-class Australian 3-year-old form to the race. Mitch Freedman had the option of staying home to contest the Australian Guineas, but he was keen to head across and take her on and that was good enough for me.” He was second in the G3 CS Hayes Stakes last start. While Australian-born, he qualifies as a graduate of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale where his trainer purchased him for NZ$140,000 from Hallmark Stud.
Camelot mare tops day 1 at Arqana
Charles Briere's Fairway Consignment was responsible for two of the top three lots during Tuesday's opening session of the Arqana February Mixed Sale, including the Listed-winning hurdler Elektrix (Gemix), who was knocked down to Hubert Barbe of Horse Racing Advisory – bidding on behalf of Haras de Couëly – for €80,000 (AU$134,000).
Along with Elektrix, Secret Sky (Camelot) also achieved the session-topping price of €80,000 (AU$134,000) when going under the hammer as lot 180. Sébastien Desmontils, acting on behalf of Colin and Melba Bryce's Laundry Cottage Stud, emerged on top in the battle to secure the three-race maiden who was third in the Listed Prix de Thiberville as a 3-year-old.
Early in the session, Haras d'Etreham signed for the other headline lot from Fairway Consignment when the Toronado mare Chiaraniya (lot 9) fetched €67,000 (AU$112,000). From the extended family of the top-level winners Maranoa Charlie and Tiggy Wiggy, the 5-year-old Chiaraniya was placed in a pair of Listed races on the Flat in a career spanning 16 starts for trainer Mickael Seror.
Of the 173 lots offered, 108 sold at a clearance rate of 62%. With 108 fewer lots being offered compared to this day 12 months ago, the aggregate was down by 53% at €1,257,250 (AU$2.1 million), whereas the average held up well at €11,641 (AU$19,400) down 3% and the median was €4500 (AU$7500) down 10%.
Two European races gain upgrades to Group 2
The European Pattern Committee (EPC) has approved the upgrade of two Group 3 races to Group 2 status for 2026, including the Prix Paul de Moussac at ParisLongchamp (1400m, 3yo, early-June). Won last year by the subsequent Group 1 winner Maranoa Charlie, the race is intended to act as the main stepping stone to the G1 Prix Jean Prat over the same distance approximately one month later.
Meanwhile, Germany successfully applied to upgrade the Bavarian Classic at Munich (2000m, 3yo, early-May) to Group 2 status. The Bavarian Classic has a strong record of producing Deutsches Derby contenders in recent years, with Isfahan the last horse to complete the double in 2016. The EPC has also sanctioned five new Listed races across Europe.
It is also worth noting that, in 2025, the EPC approved the upgrade of Leopardstown's Golden Fleece Stakes to Group 1 status. Held on Irish Champions Weekend in mid-September, the two-year-old contest will also be run over the increased distance of 1800m (from 1600m) when this change takes effect in 2026.
In total, the EPC ratified 811 black-type races at its primary 2026 meeting held on Thursday, February 5 – down from 814 in 2025 – comprising 409 Group races (411 in 2025) and 402 Listed races (403 in 2025).
The EPC has removed the threat of sanctions from Italian racing in recognition of the significant progress made by the Ministry of Agriculture (MASAF) in Italy, in terms of the regularisation of their prize-money payments and improvements to their administrative procedures in line with the standards expected. However, six races were downgraded in status.
A total of 22 Pattern and Listed races will be at risk of potential downgrade in 2027, depending on their performance in 2026.
Jason Morris, chair of the EPC, said, “The EPC has reduced the number of scheduled black-type races for a fifth year in a row, with the total falling from 853 races in 2021 to 811 races in 2026. This reflects the collective responsibility that the EPC member countries share towards enforcing quality control.
“The EPC also recognises the challenges being faced with falling foal populations and a diminishing supply of high-quality horses throughout Europe, and it will continue to work collaboratively to keep this critical issue under review.”
