No ‘Winx’ pressure for Waller over Autumn Glow
Unbeaten mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) looks to extend her record in Saturday’s G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but trainer Chris Waller isn’t too stressed. “She’s a rising star and everybody is talking about her and everybody can see how dominant she is when she races,” Waller told racingnsw.com.au.
“She’s got the following of racing, she’s getting the following of the sportspeople and then we see it transcend through to the general public. We do embrace it, it was a privilege to be involved with Winx and we only learned that in the twilight of her racing. I don’t feel the Winx pressure at all. Autumn Glow has got a long way to go but we can see the importance of it.
Autumn Glow | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“The stronger the test the better, she’s ready for it, and it’s the perfect opportunity to try. We expect a really strong run 2000m race so we’ve factored that in to make sure she’s the fittest she’s been. Surprisingly with the extra work she’s done she’s been just as sharp. Once those barriers open it’s all in his hands and the beauty of having James McDonald on board is he’s world class and he’ll adapt to every situation.”
Grafterburners to rebound in Arrowfield 3YO Sprint
Trainer Kelly Schweida took a few days to recover from having his star 3-year-old colt Grafterburners (Graff) scratched at the barriers for the G1 Galaxy Handicap. “It’s a long way to go as favourite for no result. I had a long bottom lip for several days afterwards,” Schweida told racingqueensland.com.au.
Grafterburners | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“The Galaxy was his race as he only had 50.5kg but now he’s got to carry 56.5kg and he’s up against Tempted who ran second in The Everest. But, it was always the plan to run in the Galaxy and then the Arrowfield on Saturday. It all depends how he goes in the Arrowfield where we head next with him.”
Geblizt could make history with Litzdeel
Broodmare Geblitzt (Testa Rossa) could become just the fifth broodmare in Australian history to produce a G1 Melbourne Cup winner and a G1 Sydney Cup winner when Litzdeel (Dundeel {NZ}) runs on Saturday. Geblitzt won the Melbourne Cup with Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) in 2019. “I came from a family of bookmakers and saddlers and was always horses and I was probably more keen on breeding than I was racing,” Litzdeel's breeder Paul Lanskey told racenet.com.aui.
“I'd had a cheap mare here and there back in the day and then probably mid 90s, I decided to look to upgrade where I was at. Geblitzt won her first start pretty impressively over 1100m and back in those days there was no genetic testing done so she raced throughout her career not going beyond 1400m.
“I started off with relatively low service fee but when the mare (Geblitzt) showed a bit, I had upgraded a bit to better stallions. Litzdeel is by Dundeel and following her I've got a Too Darn Hot filly (Kissattack) having its first start at Cranbourne on Friday night.” Geblitzt died in September 2025 due to pneumonia aged 19. Her first foal is Listed winner Lycurgus (Star Witness), and her final foal is yearling filly Champawat (Tiger Of Malay).
Melham’s chance for Cups double
The last jockey to win both the G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Sydney Cup in the same season was Glen Boss in 2003/04, winning both races on Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {Ire}). Jamie Melham won the G1 Melbourne Cup on Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) and rides Ciaron Maher-trained Mr Monaco (GB) (Territories {Ire}) in the G1 Sydney Cup. “I didn’t think there was a whole lot between (the stable runners) and I thought with the run Juja Kibo would have had his measure (in the Manion Cup) but he really showed his staying ability,” Maher told racingnsw.com.au.
Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He covered ground and was the strongest on the line. You can see why he’s the price he is, he’s got no weight and Jamie’s in form. You’d think looking at him and the rest of the field two miles is going suit him as much as anything else.”
Caulfield Cup campaign starts on Saturday
Trainer Grahame Begg will kick off the G1 Caulfield Cup campaign of She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High) in Saturday’s G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes. “This is the start off point of her preparation but she's in very, very good order,” Begg told racenet.com.au.
“We isolated this race to start the preparation as we wanted to run her the Sydney way before she goes to Brisbane. She's had two jumpouts and a trial to fit her up and we're really happy with how she's come up.
Grahame Begg | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She's drawn nicely so I can see her coming back behind them and running her own race just back off those horses up on the speed. If she's hitting the line well and running in the money, we'll be over the moon.”
Regal Award to bounce back on Saturday
After a poor run in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes last start, Phillip Stokes-trained Regal Award (Ole Kirk) has another crack in Saturday’s Listed South Pacific Classic. “It was the first time the Sydney way of going and he did a lot wrong,” Stokes told racingnsw.com.au.
Regal Award | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“We feel he’s made good progress in the three weeks he’s been there and hopefully he doesn’t come unstuck on race day. He got on his wrong leg, he hung off, and then he closed late. It was all very new to him. He was doing things wrong in Melbourne too so he’s a horse that is still very raw. The 1400m I think is his ideal trip so let’s hope he can stand up on race day and run a nice race.”
Jenkins to strap own horse
UFC featherweight fighter Jack Jenkins will be at Caulfield on Saturday to strap Epimeles (Dundeel {NZ}), a horse he has a share in. “I've been working at Malua Racing because I want to train racehorses when I retire,” Jenkins told racenet.com.au.
“About six months ago I made a deal with Trent (Busuttin) that if I got my stablehand licence I could get on the strap for Epimeles' return. He's gone through the trials really good since and I just love the horse. He's my pride and joy and it's so good to be on the lead.”
Epimeles hasn’t raced since October 2024 after sustaining a tendon injury. “It's exactly the same with how I had to go about everything with the rehab and even the training process. He can't have too much time under the saddle so just getting the work in when he can is similar.
“All of the ownership and Busuttin racing team are holding our breath for Saturday because we just want to see the horse healthy and running well.”
Power juvenile wins at Cairns
On Thursday, Trevor and Peter Rowe-trained 2-year-old filly Red Light Power (Power {GB}) won at Cairns. She was having her third start, all at this track. She is the fourth named foal and third winner for Red Handle (Not A Single Doubt) who produced a full sister to Red Light Power in 2025.
Red Handle won a juvenile race in July of her first season of racing, and added two city wins as an older horse.
Battle of Aussie jockeys in Champions Mile
Hugh Bowman has had to make a call between two of his regular horses for the G1 Champions Mile on April 26, electing to ride My Wish (Flying Artie). He will be replaced on Listed Hong Kong Derby winner Invincible Ibis (Hellbent) by James McDonald. “It was a tough call. I had to choose one and I just thought My Wish might be a little bit more seasoned for this task at this point in time – that’s the bottom line,” Bowman told scmp.com.
Hugh Bowman | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Bearing in mind, Invincible Ibis only showed that he’s up to that level three weeks ago. Prior to that, realistically you wouldn’t have had him in the conversation. He’s come and run a peak performance and he’s going 2000m back to 1600m. I’m not trying to downplay him, I just had to make a call and my gut tells me that at this stage, My Wish is a better ride.”
The pair are trained by Mark Newnham. “They pretty much organised it among themselves. If you’ve got two of the world’s best, you can’t complain,” Newnham said.
Three-quarter sister to Ohope Wins in Online Sale
The New Zealand Bloodstock Online National Yearling Sale closes on next Tuesday, and Lot 87 is closely related to Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) who runs in Saturday’s G1 Australian Oaks. “She’s a three-quarter-sister to Ohope Wins and a lovely filly that’s going to be a very nice prospect for somebody,” Haunui’s managing director Mark Chitty told Loveracing.nz.
“She’s a very nice-moving filly. She was a late foal, born on the 23rd of November, so she’s just needed that little bit of extra time to mature, and this online sale has given her that opportunity. She’s from a great family and is already a half-sister to a Melbourne Group 3 winner in Fancify, and the sire Ocean Park is having an outstanding season.”
Gewan suffers fatal injury
European Champion 2-year-old Gewan (Night Of Thunder), winner of last year's G1 Dewhurst Stakes and a leading contender for next month's 2,000 Guineas, has been fatally injured in a racecourse gallop at Kempton on Thursday morning.
The colt, trained by Andrew Balding for Forz Europe Ltd, won three of his four starts last year, including the G3 Acomb Stakes at York.
A post on social media from Balding's Park House Stables confirmed the news. It read, “It is with extreme sadness that we report that Gewan, champion 2-year-old of 2025, has suffered a fatal accident whilst having a racecourse gallop at Kempton this morning. The vets were on site and attended to the horse immediately but sadly he could not be saved.”
Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In series announced
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In returns for its 20th year in 2026 and the free entry fees total a record US$6.5 million (AU$9.2 million) for the top contenders who will earn automatic berths into the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the organization said in a release on Wednesday.
The North American portion of the series will again deliver a robust schedule of races throughout the United States and Canada leading into the 43rd Breeders' Cup World Championships on October 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.
Winners of 95 qualifying races across 14 countries will receive a guaranteed starting position into a corresponding race at the World Championships. There are 50 Challenge Series races scheduled to take place in North America.
“North American racing provides the essential framework for the Challenge Series, presenting horsemen with a consistent and competitive path to the Breeders' Cup World Championships,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders' Cup Limited. “The ongoing support of racing officials and track partners nationwide has been key to our success with the series, and we look forward to strong fields of global contenders at Keeneland this fall.”
Breeders' Cup will offer a US$10,000 (AU$14,200) travel allowance for all World Championships starters within North America that are located outside of Kentucky, and a US$40,000 (AU$57,000) travel allowance to the connections of World Championships starters that are based outside of North America.
First winner for Life Is Good
Giving her connections no anxious moments, Waggley (Life Is Good) kicked off her young career with a splash, running off to post a 3.5 length score in her 4 1/2-furlong unveiling at Keeneland on Wednesday afternoon.
The victory marked the first winner, and runner, for Freshman sire Life Is Good, who stands at WinStar Farm. A half to stakes winner Henry Q (Blame), the filly is out of Malibu Moon's Lunar Empress. The family includes Grade I winner Noted and Quoted (The Factor).
Canada announces new Hall Of Fame inductees
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame has named its inductees for the class of 2026, and includes graded winner One for Rose (Tejano Run) and Grade 1 winner Rahy's Attorney (Crown Attorney), according to press release from the organisation on Wednesday.
Three-time Canadian champion One For Rose was bred by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm, owned by the Tucci Stables of Toronto and trained by Hall of Fame Inductee Sid Attard.
Rahy's Attorney, the result of a C$3000 (AU$3080) mating by a small Canadian breeder, defied all expectations and became one of the Canada's most enduring fan favourites, all while earning C$2,120,208 (AU$2.18 million).
