Saturday summary: Caballus defies long odds to clinch Newmarket

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Caballus snatches Newmarket to make history for Newitt

A shock finish in the G1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on Saturday saw the race claimed by rank outside Bjorn Baker’s Caballus (I Am Invincible) to put on the performance of his life to claim a maiden Group 1.

A wall of horses rose in front of the favourite - and topweight - Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) with Craig Newitt finding the rail for the 5-year-old gelding, where they were able to prevail over Gallant Son (Written Tycoon) by a neck, with Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}) in third.

It was a particularly special victory for Newitt, who now holds the record for most wins of the Newmarket with a total of four. He last prevailed a decade ago with the Robbie Griffiths-trained The Quarterback (Street Boss {USA}).

"It's been a while, but I've been sitting equal leader on the most amount of Newmarket wins, probably the most historic races in Australia at the moment, apart from the Melbourne Cup, especially for sprinting," Newitt said. "To be the most winningest rider, I'm very honoured.”

Baker’s racing manager Luke Hilton credited much of Caballus’s improved performance to the choice to geld him once purchased by Darby Racing.

"Bjorn has done an amazing job with him and Darby (Racing) who picked him up as an online purchase," Hilton said. "He did a good job as a colt, but he wasn't performing to his level, so we gelded him, gave him time and he's gone from strength to strength with each preparation.

"The more Bjorn has been able to work with him, the better he's got and he's really improved over the last six months and he's a Group 1 winner now. It's a great achievement by the team."

Sales: Originally a $1 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate from Bhima Thoroughbreds to the bid of Tom Magnier, Caballus was purchased by his present connections for $315,000 in an Inglis Digital sale in late 2023.

Pedigree: Caballus is one of six winners for Group-performed five-time winner Calming Influence (Commands), a daughter of Listed Liz Davenport Classic winner Calming (Zeditave). Her Ole Kirk filly will be offered as Lot 244 in the upcoming Inglis Easter sale by Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, and she has a filly foal by Zoustar on the ground, after which she revisited Ole Kirk.

Tom Kitten reigns supreme in All Star Mile

Godolphin stalwart Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) has now been a Group 1 winner for the last three seasons of racing thanks to his historic back to back victories in the G1 All Star Mile, cemented at Flemington on Saturday. The pack didn’t let Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) make her customary huge lead over them, and the closing gap came fast in the home straight as Tom Kitten and Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) loomed over her shoulder.

Once the pair got their head in front of her, it was Tom Kitten who managed to stride forward first and win by a neck over Evaporate, scoring his first Group 1 for new trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman.

“He takes a bit to get through his gears and he did that at Caulfield as well,” said Sam Freedman of the way the gelding grinded through the line. “I was even a bit more shocked. I know he's a horse that doesn't sprint off the mark and build away and that is why Willo (Craig Williams) had him in a more positive position than what we planned.

"We were dictated to by Jenni, what she was going to do and when we were in touch with her at the point of the turn, I was thinking we were right in it.

"He's a remarkable horse. He's been at the top for a long time. We've been blessed to get him into the stable in the last eight or nine months. We were disappointed with the spring we had with him. We felt he was going well, but we were chasing our tail, but this prep, I don't know what it is. I rang Dad this morning and said he's a different horse. He looks amazing, he's holding more condition, he's racing heavier than he was in the spring.”

Freedman indicated that the G1 Doncaster Mile was likely on the agenda next, while the gelding has also been nominated to run in Hong Kong and Dubai.

“He might grind away late like he wants the 2000 metres, but he likes a strong tempo where he can sit back and stalk them,” he said. “He's also entered in Dubai and Hong Kong, so there's plenty of options for him. The beauty of him is he's an easy horse to work with and I'm just rapt for the whole crew."

Sales: Tom Kitten is a homebred for the Godolphin operation.

Pedigree: Tom Kitten is the best performed of three stakes winners for winning Street Cry (Ire) mare Transfers, a descendant of grand matriarch Twyla (Danehill {USA}). Transfers died in 2025, leaving behind a full brother to Tom Kitten.

Joliestar reels them in to add fourth Group 1

Joliestar (Zoustar) proved once again that she can sprint at the top of the sport in the G1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, justifying her favouritism to run away with a fourth Group 1 victory. The Chris Waller-trained mare reeled in her stablemate Beiwacht (Bivouac) to land victory by a half-length, with another stablemate in Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) running home well for third to produce a Waller trifecta.

“It was a beautiful ride,” said Waller. “She had a nice draw, so everything set up well. She's just come back really well, she's a more mature horse. She knows her job and just does it well."

Waller confirmed that the mare would head to the G1 TJ Smith Stakes next, then she would fly out to race at Royal Ascot during the European summer.

“We know the date she's leaving and everything like that, so that's how far we've gone into the program,” he said. “Every race you've got to come back safe and do the little things right and keep her good form."

It was also the fifth win of the day for James McDonald, who went on to win the following event, the G3 Wenona Girl Quality, on Hawkes Racing-trained Gangsta Granny (Written Tycoon) to equal the record set in 1987 by Jim Cassidy for winners on a Randwick race card. Three of the wins were on Waller horses.

"Great horses, and working with a fantastic trainer in Chris (Waller),” said McDonald. “It's just a lovely working relationship, the horses are performing. He's a champion and I'm just hanging onto the coat tails really."

Sales: Cambridge Stud purchased Joliestar for $950,000 from Segenhoe Thoroughbreds’ Inglis Easter draft, and they have been well rewarded with over $7 million in prizemoney to date.

Pedigree: Joliestar is out of G2 Roman Consul Stakes winner Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock), a full sister to Merchant Navy from the family of Paulele. Cambridge Stud bought a half-sister to Joliestar by Anamoe for $470,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Jolie Bay has a full brother to Joliestar on the ground and subsequently visited Too Darn Hot (GB).

Generosity takes up the Challenge in final preparation

B2B Thoroughbreds acquired Divine Prophet mare Generosity last year to add to their broodmare band and sent her to Chris Waller with the hopes of lifting her to Group 1 level. This autumn has been announced as her swan song - and the mare has kicked it off with a bang by scoring the G2 Challenge Stakes at Randwick in a high calibre field.

Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) took up the front running but couldn’t sustain it against a home straight offensive by Marhoona (Snitzel) and Generosity, with the latter swooping in the shadows of the post to win by a whisker.

The win was a fourth for the day for James McDonald, who said that all three placegetters "fought it out really well".

"Take nothing away from the second horse (Marhoona), I didn't think I was going to get there, she's a very good filly in her own right,'' he said. "Generosity looked great in the parade ring and although I wasn't intending to be there early, she jumped so well.

"Then she presented like the winner and jogged up to them. She's a bonny little mare.”

"Generosity needed to be fit and fresh to win this race,'' Waller said. "I didn't lose faith in this mare, she's got very good form in Perth and she's a talented mare.”

Waller indicated that the G1 Galaxy Handicap would be next on the mare’s agenda.

Sales: Generosity was originally a $9000 weanling purchase for Simon Miller Racing at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, where she was offered by Glastonbury Farms. She was a private purchase for her current connections.

Pedigree: Generosity is a half-sister to dual Listed winner Midnight In Tokyo (Kobayashi), out of a winning half-sister to G3 Gimcrack Stakes winner Bel Merci (Extreme Choice) and Listed-winning All Too Royal (All Too Hard). Dam Orabelle’s (Casino Prince) most recent foal is a yearling colt by Capitalist, who was bought for $130,000 by Stable 88 from Newgate Farm’s Gold Coast draft this year.

Legarto collars opposition late in Bonecrusher clincher

In what may well be the swan song to her career, tough Kiwi mare Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) denied Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) in the G1 Bonecrusher Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday. The latter looked to have the race in the bag with 150 metres left to run, but Ken and Bev Kelso’s mare mowed him down to capture victory by a head.

It was a happy change of fortune for the Kelsos, who had had to watch their smart 3-year-old Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) crash through the running rail two races prior in the G3 King’s Plate - although they were relieved to report that she seemed to have come through the incident with no major injuries.

“It is really what they call the ups and downs of racing after what happened in the sprint,” Ken Kelso said. “I’m very proud of this mare as she is one out of the box and a horse you only get once in a lifetime. Bev and I have been very fortunate to have had her.

“It’s quite an emotional win as it is probably the last time you will see her on a New Zealand race track.”

Kelso said that the mare may head to Australia to complete her career with a run in the G1 Australian Cup high on the cards. The discussions still had to be had with managing owner Phillip Brown.

“I think people may have forgotten how good she is, but she now has five Group 1 wins,” he said.

Sales: Bred by Warwick Jeffries and was offered by Highline Thoroughbreds during Book 2 of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale in 2021, Legarto was purchased by Brown under his Ancroft Stud banner for $90,000.

Pedigree: Legarto is the best offspring of winning Towkay mare Geordie Girl (NZ), who has also produced the 11-time winner Emanon (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) and the 10-time winner Locally Sauced (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}). Her most recent foal is a 2-year-old.