Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Race-day Recap
Corrumbene’s Loera (Capitalist) heads to stakes class after Wednesday’s win for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Her sire and dam both won the G1 Golden Slipper.
Extreme Choice juvenile colt Berzelius debuted with victory at Doomben for trainer Michael Freedman, despite some greenness.
Stakes placed Marsept (Written Tycoon) won her maiden in spectacular style at Geelong for Team Hawkes.
All Too Hard juvenile filly She’s Buoyant has plenty of upside after winning on debut at Geelong for trainer Archie Alexander.
Loera wins at Canterbury
The question of whether precocity is inheritable was put to the test on Wednesday when 3-year-old filly Loera (Capitalist) won her maiden. Both her parents won the G1 Golden Slipper, and yet she has taken nearly a year longer to get to the races. Class is inheritable, and the future looks bright now that the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly has her first win on the board at her second start.
“It's very satisfying to get that important victory for her. She is a very well bred filly, and I'm delighted to be able to have the opportunity to train her from the Altomontes,” Bott said.
“We had Overreach, and she was obviously very talented. This filly has got so much upside herself. She has come through two very strong races and I'm sure she can go on with it. Physically, they are very similar types. Loera is obviously a filly who didn't go as early as her mother did, but I'm sure there is still plenty of talent there to progress with.”
“It's very satisfying to get that important victory for her... I'm delighted to be able to have the opportunity to train her from the Altomontes.” - Adrian Bott
The Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes at Scone on May 16 could be an option for her.
“I don't want to push her too far this preparation. This is her first racing campaign. But I'd love to be able to get some black type along the way for the family. If we can do that this preparation, if she comes through it well, we potentially could look at something through Scone or Queensland.”
Sale: A homebred for Corumbene Stud.
Pedigree: The fifth live foal for G1 Golden Slipper winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel), Loera is a half-sister to G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (c&g) and G2 Rubiton Stakes winner Lofty Strike who now stands at Swettenham Stud for $22,000 including GST in 2026. Overreach had a Zoustar filly in 2025 and was covered by Extreme Choice.
Loera winning at Canterbury | Image courtesy of Georgia young Photography
Overreach is a full sister to Group 2 winner and sire Standout, who stands at Corumbene Stud, as well as stakes placed Outreach. Another half-sister Coralina (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) is the dam of exciting 3-year-old Grafterburners (Graff) who has earnings over $2 million.
Overreach is out of winning Snippets mare Bahia, a daughter of triple Listed winner Miss Prospect (Rory’s Jester), dam of G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner and sire Reward For Effort, as well as four-time Listed winner Consular (Royal Academy {USA}).
Berzelius burns to debut victory
Sent north to Doomben by trainer Michael Freedman, 2-year-old colt Berzelius (Extreme Choice) was ridden in his debut by Angela Jones. She settled mid-field on the colt taking to the outside for a clear run. He was quite green down the straight, but managed to sprint clear and win by one and three-quarter lengths from favourite Tony Gollan-trained filly Dolly Boom (Spirit Of Boom). Henry Dwyer-trained colt Home Tomurra (Home Affairs) was third, also on debut.
With so many options coming up in the Queensland carnival, Freedman has much to contemplate for the youngster.
Sales: Sold by Newgate Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $340,000, it was Michael Freedman, Michael Wallace and Kia Ora Stud who placed the final bid.
Pedigree: A half-brother to G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy-placed Styling City (Starspangledbanner), Berzelius is one of six winners for dual Listed winner Secret Liaisons (Artie Schiller {USA}) who won six times and also placed in the G3 Adrian Knox Stakes.
Berzelius as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
This is the family of Yulong’s new acquisition Autumn Glory (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) who won the G2 Waikato Guineas this season and placed in the G1 New Zealand Derby and G1 New Zealand Oaks.
Just trackwork for stakes placed Marsept
Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes had plenty of praise for 3-year-old filly Marsept (Written Tycoon) after she dominated a Geelong maiden by over three lengths on Wednesday. Placed in the Listed VRC TAB 2YO Plate on debut, Marsept has had three starts at three leading into this outing. She placed at Caulfield last start. Given an easy ride by jockey Jye McNeil, Marsept lived up to her hot favourite tag for punters.
“She’s a Saturday class filly, not a maidener, but you know what, it’s always good to get the maiden out of the way,” Hawkes said.
“She’s a Saturday class filly, not a maidener, but you know what, it’s always good to get the maiden out of the way.” - Wayne Hawkes
“Nothing really went wrong (last prep), she just didn’t seem to come up. This time she’s just been going gangbusters. Caulfield the other day, you’ve got a maiden trying to take on the more experience horses, and it took a smart one to actually beat her.
“That’s how you want $1.30 pops to win… it was trackwork, to be honest.”
Sales: Marsept was sold by Yulong at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $300,000 to Vinery Stud.
Marsept as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Pedigree: Marsept is the third runner and first winner for Motown Lil (Sebring) who has two Tagaloa colts and a Diatonic (Jpn) weanling filly to come. Placed in the Listed Dequetteville Stakes, Motown Lil won four times and is a full sister to Group 2 winner Daises.
She’s also a half-sister to Listed winner and G1 Golden Rose and G1 Randwick Guineas-placed Zou Tiger (Zoustar), and stakes placed Soft Love (Pierata). This is the family of triple Group 1 winner and Horse of the Year Tycoon Lil (NZ) (Last Tycoon {Ire}).
She’s Buoyant has more upside
With a pedigree that doesn’t scream juvenile success, the win of 2-year-old filly She’s Buoyant (All Too Hard) on debut at Geelong speaks to a promising future for the Archie Alexander trainee.
Jockey Declan Bates sat just behind the leader Ciaron Maher-trained colt Pursuit (Pierro) coming into the turn, with the two going head to head down the straight. Pursuit dug deep but She’s Buoyant kicked again to pull away in the closing stages and win by a length.
“She’s a horse we’ve always had a really good opinion of. She trialled up well before Christmas and we put her away. She’s had two quiet trials recently, and our only concern was that we’ve never seen her stretch out in her trials,” Alexander said.
“It was a super win. It’s a great bunch of owners and that makes it even more special.
“It was a super win. It’s a great bunch of owners and that makes it even more special.” - Archie Alexander
“She’s going to be an even better 3-year-old and we’ll see how she pulls up before we make a plan. We might give her one more before we tip her out.”
Sale: She’s Buoyant was sold by Cornerstone Stud for $100,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale to Alexander Racing and Rogers Bloodstock.
She's Buoyant as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Pedigree: She’s Buoyant is the first foal of Grounded (So You Think {NZ}) who has a yearling colt by Ole Kirk, and no mare returns since then.
Grounded is an unplaced half-sister to Listed Talindert Stakes victor Prairie Fire (Snitzel) who was fourth in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes. This is the family of G1 Lightning Stakes winner Snitzerland (Snitzel), the dam of G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Hard Landing (All Too Hard) and Listed winner Himalaism (I Am Invincible).
