Artistic Venture to continue Trapeze Artist’s storming season
Tom Charlton-trained 3-year-old filly Artistic Venture (Trapeze Artist) will resume in Saturday’s G3 Hawkesbury Crown. “Artistic Venture is a bit of a quirky mare but if she puts it all together but she's got some form references last spring that have her in the mix in a race like this,” jockey Dylan Gibbons told racenet.com.au.
“She closed off well in her latest trial against a few smart ones so she looks on track.” Last seen in the G2 Light Fingers Stakes in the spring, she placed in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes three starts ago.
Artistic Venture | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Regal Award to stand up in Guineas
Trainer Phillip Stokes wants Regal Award (Ole Kirk) to show his best in Saturday’s G3 Hawkesbury Guineas. “It’s time to stand up and be counted now. We thought he might have got there by now, let’s hope he gets it right because it looks a nice race for him,” Stokes told racingnsw.com.au.
“I went up and watched him work on Tuesday and I was very happy for him. He worked on the course proper at Rosehill and you’ve got to go across four different tracks and wait for horses to go past you. A month ago he would have flipped out and you wouldn’t be able to get him out there but he coped with it really well. I’m starting to think the penny is starting to drop.”
Third winner for Barbaric
First season sire Barbaric added his third winner on Wednesday when 2-year-old filly Star Of The Bar won the first at Ipswich for trainer Desleigh Forster. Barbaric has had only six runners for his trio of winners to date. Star Of The Bar carries a nomination for Saturday’s Listed Dalrello Stakes, which seems unlikely after Wednesday’s win.
She was bought by her trainer for $52,500 from Lyndhurst Stud’s Magic Millions March Yearling Sale draft, and is the second winner for Kolstar (Star Witness). Kolstar is a winning half-sister to stakes placed Zoulah (Zoustar).
Derby Day path to Empire Rose
On Wednesday, the Victoria Racing Club announced that the winner of the G2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Day (May 2) will gain automatic entry into the $1 million Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington on Howden Victoria Derby Day.
“The Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile is a prestigious race, and providing its winner with a guaranteed start in the Empire Rose creates a strong reason for international competitors to target Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival,” VRC CEO Kylie Rogers told racing.com.
“We’ve already seen the appetite from the United States to compete on the biggest stage, most notably with Parchment Party becoming the first American-trained horse to contest the Lexus Melbourne Cup last year. By creating this international pathway into the Empire Rose Stakes, we’re inviting the world’s best fillies and mares to take their place alongside some of Australia’s best.”
Transatlantic to follow in Antino’s footsteps
Group 1 winner Transatlantic (Snitzel) has been tasked with following the career of recently retired Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) by trainer Tony Gollan. “He's been sort of following Antino's progression all the way along. He won the Toorak the year after Antino won it,” Gollan told racenet.com.au.
Transatlantic | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We sent him on a Stradbroke path (in 2025), I did the same thing with Antino the year before at the same age. He's always been the heir apparent (to Antino). I can tailor his preparation perfectly for the Stradbroke. It's a hard race to win, I'm well aware of how tough it is, but for me he's a Group 1 miler, a tough horse and he's got a good racing pattern so why can't he be a part of it?”
Trans-Tasman quartet for Ardrossan
Across two meetings, Waikato Stud sire Ardrossan celebrated two doubles. At Caulfield, Ciaron Maher-trained 4-year-old mare Cardi Bee (NZ) added her third career victory, while Grahame Begg-trained 3-year-old filly Parvenu (NZ) took her record to two wins from four starts.
Kurtis Pertab-trained 2-year-old filly O’Baby (NZ) (Ardrossan) lead a double for her sire at Woodville in New Zealand on Wednesday. The debutant was an NZ$80,000 purchase by R Carter from Elsdon Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft. She is the ninth winner for Baby Shacks (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), who is an unraced half-sister to three stakes winners.
Sindee (NZ) made it a double in taking her record to five wins from 16 starts for trainer Allan Sharrock.
Cummings gets Hong Kong keys in June
Trainer James Cummings is almost at the end of his one year sabbatical before he heads to Hong Kong. “I just enjoy training horses, so wherever it was going to be, I was pretty open minded, but when Hong Kong made the offer last year, I flew over and had a bit of a look at the facilities, met a few people,” Cummings told racing.com.
“September is the beginning of the season, so that’ll be the soonest I have runners, but I’ll be in no rush. The stable opens in June, so we can start taking horses from the shipments coming in from June onwards.
“I’ve met a lot of owners, and I’ve been enjoying going to the races a couple of times a week, in between going to the owners’ boxes and getting down into the paddock and seeing just how the trainers go about getting their horses ready for the various handicaps they’ve been running in.
“One broad goal I’ve got is to keep a balanced stable. If I can start with a good balanced book of horses and my owners understand that, they actually all helped to advise that, I think that’s going to be a good step as far as a first step in the process goes. I’m looking forward to building a team of staff, I’m looking forward to building up a stable of horses.”
Taken to take chance in Gold Cup
Mike Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Taken (NZ) (Ardrossan) is after a Big Dance ticket in Saturday’s G3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup. “The Big Dance ticket is the real reason we’re there, so fingers crossed we can nail it,” Kent Jnr told racingnsw.com.au.
Taken (NZ) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“When choiced with a $200,000 Bendigo Mile or put him on the bus to Sydney and have a go at a $250,000 Group 3 with a Big Dance ticket it was a pretty easy option so here we are. You need a very good horse to win a race like the Big Dance, we’ve got to get into the race first but you need a horse that’s upwardly mobile, that’s talented, and runs a strong mile.
“If he gets the job done he can go for a break and be aimed at the spring. There’s so many options for him. If we don’t win on Saturday we can try again in the Scone Cup."
NAR victory gives opportunity to Johnstone
Fresh off being part of the team who won the 2026 National Apprentice Race Series for Tasmania, leading apprentice Jabez Johnstone has been granted a visiting licence to the Ciaron Maher stable. On Wednesday, he rode Cardi Bee (NZ) (Ardrossan) to victory in race two at Caulfield. “I honestly can’t thank everyone enough for the support – everyone back home, and Ciaron and the whole team here,” he said post-race.
“They’ve put a lot of trust in me to come here today… when I first started, I never would have thought I’d be here riding for Ciaron Maher. The genuine speed really helped me, she just settled beautifully. She got a little bit unbalanced around the corner but as soon as she balanced up, she really powered home.”
And on the NARS victory. “We had a very strong team this time, and even though I didn’t get one over the line, I tallied up a few points,” Johnstone told tasracing.com.au. The other team members were Kirra-Lee Lane, Lauryn Bingley and Jackson Radley.
Schiller stood down after fall
In the second at Kembla Grange, jockey Tyler Schiller fell from Team Hawkes-trained Winters Kiss (Frosted {USA}) when she went amiss. He escaped serious injury but was stood down for the rest of the day pending medical clearance. “It was a heavy fall, and his head did make significant contact with the ground,” Racing NSW chief steward Tom Moxon said.
“He was assessed by the ambulance officers, and he was cleared of any injury, including concussion. He wasn't showing any signs of concussion. But he will need to provide a medical clearance before he can ride again.”
Brazen Beau juvenile wins in Perth
At Ascot on Wednesday, Steve Wolfe-trained 2-year-old gelding Anaconda Jones (Brazen Beau) came off a debut third to record his first win. Sold by Westbury Park to Commercial Bloodstock Services (FBAA) for $60,000, Anaconda Jones is a graduate of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
His dam, Vivaro (Exceed And Excel) has produced one other winner. She won twice including a juvenile race at Hawkesbury.
Forever Young surprise entry to Royal Ascot
Forever Young (Real Steel) was a surprise name among a star-studded list of 24 entries for the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
The GI Breeders' Cup Classic and dual G1 Saudi Cup hero would be having his first start on turf if lining up at Ascot for trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who is now a regular presence on the world stage with victories in Dubai, America, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong.
Whilst Yahagi is still waiting for his first success in Britain and Ireland, he did saddle Shin Emperor (Siyouni) to finish a close third in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in 2024.
Forever Young | Image courtesy of Dubai Racing Club
“I have been thinking – and saying in public – that I should send Forever Young to a turf race in the future,” said Yahagi. “His owner Susumu Fujita shares this feeling and the Prince Of Wales's Stakes is one of the turf race options I should consider.
“It is very prestigious for a trainer to have a runner at Royal Ascot. I think it is a very attractive idea to send Forever Young for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes, although he has had an easy time since he returned from Middle East.”
Joliestar headlines Australian contingent to Royal Ascot
Five-time Group 1 winner Joliestar (Zoustar) heads a formidable team of Australian sprinters targeting Royal Ascot, with the Chris Waller-trained mare expected to make an appearance in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the final day of the meeting.
Henry Plumptre, CEO of Cambridge Stud, the owners of Joliestar, said, “Joliestar returned to Chris Waller Racing last Wednesday, following a two-week break at Hermitage Farm just outside Sydney. She had a week of paddock rest, then a week of steady cantering work up their hill, before finishing with a half-pace gallop.
Joliestar | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“While Joliestar won the Thousand Guineas over a mile, she is probably at her best around six or seven furlongs. Her current preparation in Sydney would be her best form to date and, barring a travel issue, she should arrive in the UK in great order to tackle the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.”
He added, “It is always a challenge to fly a horse halfway around the world for a race, but international travel is very advanced now. We are hoping all goes well and she arrives safely at Charlie Hills' yard in Lambourn on June 4. We are all looking forward to it immensely.”
The Australian challenge could also feature Joliestar's stablemate Generosity (Divine Prophet), who won a Randwick Group 2 in March, plus Bjorn Baker's dual Group 1 scorer Overpass (Vancouver) and Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), the winner of the G1 Golden Slipper in 2024 for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
The Henry Dwyer-trained Asfoora (Flying Artie) is also in line to contest the G1 King Charles III Stakes for the third consecutive year, having won the race in 2024 and finished fifth in 2025.
Avantaggia clocked up 1500 for Walker
Trainer Mark Walker clocked up 1500 wins in New Zealand with the victory of pricey filly Avantaggia (Wootton Basset {GB}) on Saturday. He has 2269 career victories across New Zealand, Singapore and Australia. “It can’t be achieved without the support of so many great owners over the years, and obviously with Dave (Ellis, Te Akau principal) buying the best yearlings every year and having Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) syndicating them, it’s certainly not lost on me the quality of horses we get to work with and train at Te Akau,” Walker told Loveracing.nz on Wednesday.
“We’ve also had great support over the years from breeders and a lot of individual owners that continue sending horses our way to train. I’m very thankful to have had the opportunities that I’ve had over the years and started with Te Akau straight out of school. I’m still quite young (55) and plenty of life left in me, and I’m looking forward to training more winners for the owners.
Avantaggia | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“We’re very fortunate at Te Akau to have so many great people working for us. Sam (Bergerson, New Zealand co-trainer) and I have a great relationship and when I’m at the stables in Melbourne I know that he and Reece (Trumper, assistant trainer) are running the ship really well.
“At Riccarton, in Christchurch, our assistant trainer Hunter (Durrant) is doing a fantastic job for us, and in Melbourne we’ve got Ben Gleeson, our assistant trainer, who brings a wealth of experience and does an outstanding job.”
Listed win for the Aga Khan Studs' Dolmalan
The Aga Khan Studs are replete with top-class middle-distance runners at present and Tuesday's Listed Prix de Suresnes could have played host to another as 3-year-old colt Dolmalan (Zarak) showed an impressive late surge to extend his unbeaten sequence.
“He's still a little immature, but it was pleasing that he was able to accelerate like that,” trainer Mikel Delzangles said. “If he was a good horse, he was going to be able to make up a few lengths and he did. The Prix du Jockey Club is a strong possibility.”
France to host ITBF conference
The International Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation will host the biennial conference in France from May 5 to 10.
The event will bring together key stakeholders from the industry across 27 countries, along with international organisations such as the FIAH, American Racing Channel, and the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations.
The main conference will provide an opportunity to exchange views on the practices, current situation and projects of the participating countries. As for the veterinary conference, it will bring together numerous specialised practitioners who will discuss selected topics.
Prior to that, the delegations will be invited to visit stud farms and exceptional venues in Normandy, where they will have the opportunity to discover first-hand the full extent of French expertise and the quality of the breeding industry in that country. The ITBF General Meeting concludes with the Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary and Emirates Poules d'Essai race meetings at ParisLongchamp.
Tattersalls Online support charity with sculpture auction
Tattersalls Online will host a special online auction in support of the DoItForBrodie Community Interest Company (C.I.C.) with bidding opening on Tuesday 28 April and closing on Friday 1 May.
The sale will feature Spirit Horse, a sculpture created by artist Penny Hardy, with all proceeds to be donated to DoItForBrodie C.I.C. The DoItForBrodie C.I.C. was established by Emma Webb to support young people's mental health and wellbeing through compassionate, non-clinical approaches rooted in lived experience, therapeutic animal interaction and community connection.
Founded in memory of her daughter, Brodie, who sadly took her own life in 2020, the organisation seeks to complement existing services by providing accessible support and helping young people feel less isolated.
Tattersalls Online Sales Manager Katherine Sheridan commented, “Tattersalls is delighted to support this very worthwhile initiative and to host the auction of Spirit Horse on Tattersalls Online. Emma Webb's extraordinary fundraising efforts and the important work of DoItForBrodie deserve the widest possible support, and we are pleased to play a small part in raising funds for such a meaningful cause.”
