No Royal Ascot for My Gladiola but a Group 1 would be nice
John McArdle-trained My Gladiola (I Am Invincible) has been so close to a Group 1 victory this season and has another chance in Saturday’s G1 Robert Sangster Stakes. Her connections turned down an invitation to Royal Ascot with the 3-year-old filly. “We said thanks but no thanks, she's a bit young yet, but quite possibly next year if she's still in good form,” McArdle told racenet.com.au.
My Gladiola | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I'd need a specially made top hat, I've got a reasonable bonce … I don't know how many heavily tattooed ex boxers have raced at Royal Ascot but we'll give it a go.
On Saturday’s run. “She's never travelled before, so she has to tick that box. She does have a very good temperament so hopefully she'll take that in her stride. If she does, I think she'll run competitively … she'll do a lot more travelling and a lot further travelling in the future, this is a test to see whether she handles it.”
Tough Salty Pearl to take on Oaks
Ciaron Maher has two runners in the G1 Australasian Oaks on Saturday and it is Salty Pearl (Tagaloa) who is looking to bounce off a last start third in the G1 Vinery Stakes. “It is hard to travel and maintain form, but she did it for Sydney and the question mark is whether she can back up in Adelaide,” assistant trainer Jack Turnbull told racingandsports.com.au.
Salty Pearl | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We can break the trip up by stopping over in Ballarat and then it's only five hours from there, so it's not a huge ask. She's just a wonderful horse to train. She's incredibly consistent. She doesn't take any extra work to manage. She's hardy to train, which is fantastic. She had a jump-out last week and ran a really good race in the Vinery, so she will head to the Oaks.”
She is joined by stablemate Paltrow Miss (NZ) (Circus Maximus {Ire}). “She's obviously a lot less experienced, but profiles as a horse that warrants going over there. She still has a bit to learn, but she's showing good ability.”
Howley excited for first Group 1 runner
Trainer Liam Howley will present his first Group 1 runner under his own name when Naraghi (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) lines up in the G1 Australasian Oaks on Saturday. “To win a Group 1 with a horse you purchased, and then you have educated from the outset and is raced by a really good group. That would be my ultimate racing experience,” Howley told racing.com.
“I picked out the Auraria Stakes as a race early doors as having the potential for her to get black type provided the track was softish and that’s how it worked out.
“The track didn’t play to our advantage with the rail being off though and barrier two didn’t play to our advantage. I still thought she gave a good account of herself and kicked off the bend. She goes to the races in good order.”
Profligate heads to stakes class
Grahame Begg-trained 2-year-old filly Profligate (Xtravagant {NZ}) will have her second start in Saturday’s Listed Anzac Day Stakes at Flemington. She won on debut. “I wanted to give her another run before I turn her out and there really wasn't another race to run her in,” Begg told racingandsports.com.au.
“It's not easy to win first-up at 1200 metres, let alone being your first start in a race, and to be truthful she wasn't wound right up for it. She had jumped out well and showed us she was ready to go to the races and anything she did there was going to be a bonus.
“She was pretty raw but got the job done, so I thought 'let's roll the dice' and run her over 1400 metres on Saturday on the big track, which will suit her, and there's the added bonus of some black type.”
Lipp’s filly set for Calaway Gal
Toowoomba trainer Rex Lipp will run 2-year-old filly Esperanza (Spirit Of Boom) in Saturday’s Listed Calaway Gal Stakes and declares her to be, maybe, the best juvenile he’s trained. “She ran a nice race in the QTIS Jewel, but things just didn’t go her way,” Lipp told racingqueensland.com.au.
Rex Lipp | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“She had 10 days out in the paddock after the QTIS Jewel and I’m very pleased with the way she’s going. Star Shiraz won the Sires' Produce when it was a Group 1, so he has to be the best 2-year-old I’ve trained so far. But, she’s up there with all of them and is potentially the best 2-year-old I’ve trained.”
Lady Catalina to make steps towards black type
Ciaron Maher-trained 2-year-old filly Lady Catalina (Written Tycoon) will run on Saturday in Sydney ahead of the Listed Woodlands Stakes at Scone on May 16. “Being well bred the next step is to get some black type,” assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord told racingnsw.com.au.
“We thought the Woodlands might be a nice race for her. She’s very push-button, she has a very good brain on her. She has good speed but she will switch off if you need her to.” A daughter of Group 2 winner Away Game (Snitzel), Lady Catalina was a $1.8 million purchase by Maher and Resolute Racing from Yulong’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
“Resolute have a few horses with us, they sent us two the first year and we’ve got a couple more this year. She’s the first runner and first winner which is good. They spent a lot of money in America and have spent a lot of money in Australia so it’s good to have a nice filly for them.”
Unbeaten Extremely Tempted to go again
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 2-year-old colt Extremely Tempted (Extreme Choice) has his second start on Saturday with jockey Regan Bayliss keen on him. “He’s a lovely colt and he’s always shown plenty. I’ve done plenty of work on him,” Bayliss told racingnsw.com.au.
“I did his jump outs was able to trial him and go from there. I’m a believer of whatever you see this prep you’ll see a much better horse in the spring, once he fills out and strengthens up and grows into his frame.” He won on debut at the start of April.
Too Darn Hot juvenile wins
On the day that Darley announced Too Darn Hot (GB) would headline their 2026 roster at $275,000 including GST, the proven sire added a juvenile winner when his filly Found The Gold won on debut at Newcastle for trainer Ron Quinton.
Originally sold by Amarina Farm at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $130,000 (off a $44,000 fee), Found The Gold was bought by Charlton Bloodstock. She was pinhooked through Bhima Thoroughbreds’ Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where Peter Morgan, Pedrille Bloodstock and her trainer bought her for $210,000.
Lucky Vega 2-year-old stays unbeaten
Lucky Pat (Lucky Vega {Ire}) took his record to two from two at Thursday’s Ipswich meeting. Trained by Pat Webster, the 2-year-old gelding's two victories have come at the same track. He was sold by Yulong at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $30,000 to Luke Berger and Danny Bourke. Lucky Pat is the third foal and second winner for Pattle Reef (Ire) (Fastnet Rock).
Invader had a double at the meeting with Our Mate Locky and 3-year-old gelding Inquicktime who made it two wins in succession.
Curlin to miss remainder of season
Curlin, at 22 is one of the most influential stallions in modern history, will not cover any more mares during the 2026 breeding season after a brief illness, announced Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa owner John Sikura on Wednesday afternoon.
“Curlin, about 10 days ago, exhibited some discomfort,” said Sikura. “Dr. (Nathan) Slovis from Hagyard examined him and found an ulcer which was outside of his stomach,” said Sikura. “This is highly unusual. He exhibited symptoms of pain, we treated him, and he had three days off breeding mares. He had a mild temperature, but nothing significant. When he was off all medication, he returned to the breeding shed, and had great libido covering mares, but his dismount samples did not look great.”
Curlin | Standing at Hill 'n' Dale Farm
Sikura said that when his most recent mares were not checked in foal, Dr. Dickson Varner, a renowned stallion reproductive expert from Texas A&M, came to see him. “Dr. Varner came today, examined his dismount sample, and found it subnormal in motility and the number of live semen. Based on the science of how the body produces a sperm cell to a viable ejaculate, we thought it was only fair to give the horse a chance to regenerate on his own, and not to cover mares, which wouldn't be fair to outside breeders or to syndicate members.”
Sikura said the farm is hopeful that Curlin will be able to return to service in 2027.
“Obviously, that's not guaranteed,” Sikura said. “How close he will come to normalcy, time will tell, but it's still April, and everybody has a chance to regroup. Once we knew that it was unlikely for him to continue to get mares in foal, it was determined at the advice of veterinary experts to have the rest of the year off. This is a huge loss for us, but we respect the horse, are treating him with dignity and treating our customers fairly.”
Curlin, known for siring classic, two-turn dirt horses, stood for $225,000 in 2026. He was the first sire to have three winners on a single Breeders' Cup card, which he achieved in 2022 with Malathaat, Elite Power, and Cody's Wish. He has twice sired three champions in a single year, which he did back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.
Brown gets first Hong Kong win
Jockey Ethan Brown notched his first win in Hong Kong at just his third ride on Wednesday night at Happy Valley aboard Shooting To Top (Shooting To Win). “It was great, it’s obviously something we all strive to do – to get the opportunity is one thing, but to get a winner straight away is another thing,” Brown told scmp.com.
“It’s a very quick and tight track, you have to be on your A game, but I’m picking it up as I go and it was certainly a track I wanted to conquer. The atmosphere is great – it’s a good atmosphere and good feeling; hopefully we’ll make plenty more.”
New Zealand to honour ANZAC day
At both New Zealand meetings on ANZAC Day, ne horse in each race at both Te Rapa and Riccarton Park will carry the Anzac Poppy colours, with NZTR pledging to donate NZ$1000 to the RSA for each winner carrying the silks, which will be matched by the TAB.
“Racing for Remembrance is about honouring service, connecting with our community, and giving back through the power of thoroughbred racing, with the Poppy colours proudly carried across every race,” NZTR’s General Manager of Brand Experience, Communications and Industry Promotion Zac Reynolds said.
New technology targets cardio events
Arioneo, a French company which specializes in the development and marketing of analysis solutions for the performance and health of equine athletes, has created a new study aimed at the deployment of a new generation of automated ECG-analysis algorithms capable of detecting cardiac rhythm abnormalities, including atrial fibrillation (AFib), across training, racing and resting conditions.
In a press release on Tuesday, the company states that the study is “powered by an artificial intelligence engine trained on one of the largest exercise ECG datasets in the racing industry, [which] enables, for the first time, large-scale cardiac screening in racehorses under real-world conditions.”
“Exercise-related cardiac events remain underdiagnosed,” said Dr Guillaume Dubois, Scientific Director, Arioneo/LIM Group. “Automation now makes systematic screening feasible at scale, improving both horse welfare and race safety.”
The release also mentions new equipment in the works, stating, “Arioneo is also finalising a new ultra-thin race-day girth integrating ECG electrodes and locomotion sensors that sits under the saddle cloth. This solution enables seamless cardiac and stride patterns monitoring without additional equipment, opening the door to pre-race screening protocols.”
