Bianco Vilano wins Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup
For only the fourth time in history the Listed Albury Cup and Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup double been completed, and it was achieved on Friday by Ron Stubbs-trained 7-year-old gelding Bianco Vilano (Foxwedge). He took his record to nine wins from 43 starts and over $710,000. The other three to win the double are Fawkner Park (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in 2024, Abstraction (NZ) (Grosvenor {NZ}) in 1989, and Dan Patch (Ornamentation {GB}) in 1945.
“This is a huge thrill,” Stubbs said. “To be able to win both of them (Albury Cup, Wagga Wagga Gold Cup) is amazing. He has gone to another level. It was unfortunate Tyler (Schiller) could not be here today but I'm pleased for Jason (Lyon). He does a lot of work for our stable, he is our stable jockey.”
Magic Millions Digital open for bidding
A 5% share in G2 Roman Consul Stakes winning 3-year-old colt Hidden Motive (Capitalist) headlines the latest offerings at Magic Millions Digital. The current sale of 56 lots is open for bidding and closes on Wednesday May 6.
The Broodmare section features significant drafts from leading breeders such as Mill Park Stud (six lots), Greenfields Lodge (six lots) and Yarradale Stud (three lots). Miss Neyland (Pierro), a two-time winning half-sister to recent Group winner Gangsta Granny (Written Tycoon) also features in the broodmare section.
Cumani hunting first Group 1
Trainer Matt Cumani hopes Single Choice (Anders) can give him his first Group 1 win in Saturday’s G1 South Australian Derby. “He's got the form on the board, but what he hasn't had is a true test at 2400 or 2500 metres,” Cumani told racingandsports.com.au.
Matt Cumani | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“The Galilee Series Final was meant to be that, but he got pretty easy sectionals up front. It was a beautiful ride by Jamie Mott, and we thought that might happen. So, technically it was a win, and we were happy to take the win at the time, but we didn't get that true test at a mile-and-a-half.”
History on the line for Silvasista
The last horse to win the St Leger South Australian Derby double was Lazer Sharp (Zariz) in 2027. Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained 3-year-old filly Silvasista (Toronado {Ire}) will attempt the same on Saturday having won the St Leger last start. “She hasn't missed a beat,” Tony McEvoy told racenet.com.au.
“We can only go on what we see – I pulled a blood (test) – it was perfect. She's lovely and sound, and she's just got to prove to us that she can travel back to Adelaide and run well. If she does that, she will probably head to Queensland for the Oaks.”
Guineas favourite faces wide draw
Co-trainer Gerald Ryan knows G3 Hawkesbury Guineas favourite Skyhook (Written Tycoon) has to overcome a wide draw on Saturday. “We will go there and hope for the best,” Ryan, who trains with Sterling Alexiou, told racenet.com.au.
Skyhook | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I would think he will roll forward and be in the first four. He won't be going back. Going back from that start there, he will be three or four wide all the way and you can't get in. There is plenty of races in Brisbane for him too but we will get Saturday out of the way first and see what he's like after 1400m.”
Filly thriving ahead of Guineas
Ahead of Saturday’s Listed Bendigo Guineas, Danny O’Brien-trained last start winning filly Gold Coast Belle (So You Think {NZ}) is thriving. “She's in good shape, so it looks like a race she'll be really competitive in,” O'Brien told racenet.com.au.
“She's one of those fillies that's continued to thrive as she's got deeper into the preparation, each time she's gone to the races she's looked a better horse. She was dominant (at Caulfield) the other day, certainly hasn't gone backwards.”
Half Yours back to Queensland
G1 Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) is headed back to Queensland as he sets up for another Cup campaign with the Hollindale in a fortnight as his next target. “It was a terrific run in the All Aged over an unsuitable trip of 1400 metres. He travelled really strongly; he was obviously left a little bit flat footed and then actually got held up from the 600 to the 400 metre mark before flying through the line,” co-trainer Calvin McEvoy told racingqueensland.com.au.
“We believe that (coming to Queensland last year) was the making of the horse. Travelling toughens up horses, it's no different to people. Young people that go for a trip overseas, they come back a little bit more street smart. He's now just a professional racehorse and we saw that in the spring, which was springboarded off the winter campaign up here.
Calvin McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We've got a small but select team which hopefully will grow with some more results down in Victoria. We might have up to 10 horses, 10 to 12 horses here when the carnivals in full swing. We took a barn there at Caloundra which we were at last year and it works great. The facilities are terrific; they really look after us. Tony, he bases himself up here basically for the winter, so he's very smart. He escapes the Melbourne winter and comes up to Queensland and he'll be overseeing the small team up here.”
Racing SA extend fuel package
On Friday, Racing SA announced its temporary Fuel Relief Package will be extended through May, continuing targeted support for industry participants and clubs. “Racing SA recognise that although fuel supply pressures and prices have eased to some extent, the temporary measures will remain in place until 31 May 2026 to support industry participants,” said the press release.
Blinkers for West Star in Northam Sprint
Simon Miller-trained West Star (Playing God) will try to put a lacklustre run in The Quokka behind him for Sunday’s G3 Northam Sprint with the addition of blinkers. “Last year, he was out wide and working and won for fun … I was tickled pink because he was a 3-year-old taking on the older horses and blew them away,” Miller told racingwa.com.au.
West Star | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“When he’s on song, he’s a ripper, but he was just a bit plain the other day (in the Quokka) and I couldn’t find anything wrong. Everything was perfect and it just didn’t work out, so I’ve applied the blinkers to help him over the short course. He worked brilliant with them on during the week and they’ll have a positive effect on him on Sunday.”
I Am Invincible double at Wagga
I Am Invincible sired the first two winners on the card at the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup meeting on Friday. Beautifully bred Eton returned after an 18-month injury layoff to win by 3.75 lengths to record his first victory. He placed on debut back in September 2024. Originally sold by Newhaven Park at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $1.55 million, Eton was onsold via Inglis Digital in June 2025 and bought by co-trainer Adrian Bott for $65,000.
The 4-year-old gelding is the first foal of Group 1 winner English (Encosta De Lago) whose 3-year-old colt King’s English (Snitzel) has won twice in New Zealand.
I Am Invincible’s double came with Danielle Seib-trained 3-year-old filly Wear The Crown who took her record to three wins from four starts. She was a $260,000 purchase at Inglis Easter from Yarraman Park’s draft and bought by Seib and Champion Thoroughbreds. She’s the first foal of Group 3 winner Macroura (Snitzel) who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Sunshine In Paris (Invader).
Global Goal wins Inglis Challenge on debut
Friday’s $200,000 Inglis Challenge on Wagga Gold Cup Day was won by John Sargent-trained debutant 2-year-old filly Global Goal (Pinatubo {Ire}). “I think she’s a stakes filly in the making and I’ve thought that for a while now,” Sargent told inglis.com.
“I told that to Jonathan (Munz) and Dean (Hawthorne) when they asked me recently what I thought of this filly so they went and bought the Maurice half-sister at Easter a few weeks ago and that’s looking like a good decision now.
“Global Goal will go to the paddock and I’ll set her for that Princess Series for the 3-year-old fillies in the spring which leads into the Flight Stakes. I think she’ll get a mile so we’ll aim for that series and see how she measures up.”
Raced by Pinecliff Racing, Global Goal was bought by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock from Arrowfield Stud’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft for $250,000. She is the third winner for Tides (Fastnet Rock), who is a winning full sister to Group 1 winner Shoals and Listed winner Groundswell from the Redoute’s Choice family.
Fourth winner for Wild Ruler
Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained 2-year-old colt Priory Park became the fourth winner for first season sire Wild Ruler when winning at Muswellbrook on Friday. He was having his second start having been fourth on debut. Wild Ruler’s four winners are led by Group winner Stretan Ruler.
Archibald Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock purchased Priory Park for $220,000 from Riverstone Lodge’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. He is the first foal of Incredulous Dream (Press Statement) who is a Listed winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Global Exchange (Dundeel {NZ}).
At the same meeting, 2-year-old filly Hulaland (Headwater) won her maiden for trainer Jan Bowen. She is the second winner for Life’s Lottery (Tickets). In Queensland, at Mackay Tom Smith-trained 2-year-old filly Blessed Boom (Spirit Of Boom) made it two wins in succession.
Snitzel colt to debut in Listed company
Te Akau Racing’s 2-year-old colt Zafar (Snitzel) will debut in Saturday’s Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes at Riccarton. “He got off the truck looking in great order and he has settled in really well,” assistant trainer Hunter Durrant told Loveracing.nz.
“I rode him myself every day and he feels outstanding. He is a lovely colt by Snitzel and his trials look really appealing. If he can bring his trial form to the races I think he will be hard to beat. There is the question mark of raceday experience, especially being his first time down the Riccarton chute, which can sometimes slip them up, but he seems to know what he is doing and I think that will take him a long way.”
Ocean Park filly tops Windsor Park charity auction
Windsor Park’s Rugby Racing and Beer lunch and charity auction raised NZ$45,525, split equally between Hato Hone St John and NZ Horse Ambulance. “We thank everyone who supported the event, and we look forward to next year as we continue to build on its success,” said Windsor Park in a press release.
The sale topping yearling was Lot 1 who sold for NZ$62,500 to Pike Racing. By Ocean Park (NZ) she is from unraced mare Steps (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) who has produced 2-year-old winner Pink Gin (NZ) (Time Test {GB}), and is a half-sister to dual Group 2 winner Lady Kipling (NZ) (Savabeel).
Metrics down at Tattersalls Guineas sale
Royal Ascot is on the agenda for Eddie Linehan's Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale-topping Minzaal colt, who went the way of Phil Cunningham and Tim Gredley for a cool 240,000gns (AU$476,000) on Thursday.
It was very much the late-late show at Tattersalls with that result coming deep into a patchy sale that brought a 75% clearance rate and a marked drop in all of the key figures.
“He has been purchased on behalf of a new partnership within Rebel Racing – Phil Cunningham and Tim Gredley to be trained by Richard Spencer,” Georgia King said.
“We're delighted to get him and the aim will be for him to run at Royal Ascot. Richard and I came and looked at him this morning but he went to Kempton to see Wild Thoughts win again so I was left to do the bidding. It's the first horse I have ever bought – it was quite nerve-wracking! Richard and Phil were on the other end of the phone.”
Lot 355 - Minzaal (Ire) x Distinctive (GB) colt | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Of the 157 horses offered in the breeze-up section, only 117 were sold. The 3,832,000gns (AU$7.5 million) turnover represented a slide of 24% while the average dropped by 17% to 32,752gns (AU$65,000). The median fell a massive 33% to 20,000gns (AU$39,000).
While Tattersalls Managing Director Matthew Prior acknowledged the war in the Middle East has had a huge impact on the market, he also highlighted the contraction of the domestic market.
He said, “The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale has historically attracted a broad cross-section of both domestic and international buyers, drawn by the mix of proven horses and commercial 'breezers', from a sale that consistently produces a significant number of Group and Listed performers.
Matthew Prior | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
“While demand for horses in training remains resilient, prevailing economic conditions and uncertainty surrounding the conflict in the Middle East have had a marked impact on the breeze up sector. In particular, domestic demand continues to contract, reflecting ongoing pressure on UK businesses, with the impact of current government's fiscal policy increasingly evident.
“Consequently, results at the Guineas Breeze Up Sale followed the trend of earlier sales, with a lower clearance rate, while turnover fell to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, it was pleasing to welcome a strong international buying bench to Park Paddocks, with Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and the Middle East all represented, and good competition for the standout 2-year-olds on the day.”
Who wins the 1000 & 2000 Guineas at Newmarket?
Saturday's 2,000 Guineas and Sunday's 1,000 Guineas are at the centre of a storm of activity which will require further analysis when calm is briefly restored next week.
Once the draw had been made for Saturday's G1 Betfred 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Thursday morning, there was a significant market move for Ballydoyle's sole runner Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) and within minutes he had supplanted the long-time ante-post favourite Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) in what could be the start of a major gamble.
It has become the perceived wisdom over the past fortnight that the Dewhurst is the form to concentrate on and Gstaad is the poster boy for the October juvenile feature, having chased home the ill-fated Gewan. For a while it seemed that Puerto Rico would be the one for the stable here, but something has clearly shifted in the build-up and we are now once again dealing with a red-hot Ballydoyle runner in the season's first Classic.
Sunday's 1,000 Guineas hinges on the readiness of Precise, who if Gstaad completes his task 24 hours earlier could be in line to provide Starspangledbanner with an unlikely Guineas double. Aidan O'Brien has made no secret of where he expects the Moyglare and Fillies' Mile heroine to end up in the stable's pantheon of top-class fillies down the years.
First she will have to master the Prix Morny heroine Venetian Sun (Starman) as she did at The Curragh, as well as her Cheveley Park Stakes-winning stablemate True Love (No Nay Never), who has already exceeded stamina expectations in the G3 Priory Belle. This renewal looks top-heavy, with Godolphin's My Highness (Ghaiyyath) making up a quartet of class acts it is hard to look beyond.
Grade 3 for Breeders’ Cup winner
Cy Fair (Not This Time) is a big fan of showing her best during the sport's biggest weeks. Following a scintillating win in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over the boys, the bay filly signalled her return as a headliner with a commanding win on Thursday of Derby Week at Churchill Downs in the G3 Mamzelle Stakes.
Going into the Kentucky Derby and Oaks weekend, Taylor Made's Not This Time holds a significant lead–strengthened by Magnitude's G1 Dubai World Cup score–atop the current list of leading North American sires by earnings. Much could change over the next few days of racing, as his two biggest rivals on the sires list have major players over the weekend, but so does Not This Time. The son of Giant's Causeway, who sends his seventh crop of 2-year-olds to the races this year, has 39 graded winners and 73 black-type winners.
Swinbank Stables picked up Cy Fair for US$185,000 (AU$257,000) at last year's OBS Spring sale. She has won four of her six starts with earnings over US$890,000 (AU$1.23 million).
Marc Keller bought Remarqued, Cy Fair's dam, at the 2015 OBS yearling sale for US$320,000 (AU$444,000). When Cy Fair was a freshly minted 2-year-old, he sold the mare at the 2025 Keeneland January sale for US$225,000 (AU$313,000) to Hickory Grove Farm, who capitalized on Cy Fair's success later in the year by selling the mare again 10 months later at Keeneland's November sale. Steven W. Young bought her for US$1.2 million (AU$1.7 million).
