Saturday summary: Four-way thriller goes Desert Lightning's way in Goodwood

Cover image courtesy of Coolmore

Four-way Goodwood sizzler falls in Desert Lightning’s favour

The G1 Goodwood Handicap always promised to be a thriller, and Saturday’s headline act delivered the goods, with a four-way photo finish eventually declaring Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s reliable galloper Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) the winner.

As the pack entered the home straight, it was Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon) out in front, battling to hold off his opposition before Desert Lightning and Extragalactic (Deep Field) came flying down the outside to nab the top two spots, with Grand Larceny (Zoustar) managing to lunge forward and claim third.

"He's such a tough horse,” said Coleman. “He's such a character. He's a genuine stable favourite. You know, we just all adore him and his owners, Chris and Sarah Green, they've travelled from New Zealand all the way to Adelaide today to be here for this. He's a part of their family and it's just so special.

"We thought he was going to be a horse that would stretch out over ground as well, but he just seems his best when he's fresh and happy and bouncing, and that's how he is today, so it's great and a fantastic ride from Luke Nolen as well."

The victory was a second Group 1 for Desert Lightning - having previously won the G1 Captain Cook Stakes in his native New Zealand - and also cemented a stakes double for his sire Pride Of Dubai, who was also represented on the day by Pride Of Jenni.

"He's been flying at home,” said Nolen. “He had a tough run with 60 kilos on his back first up in the Hareeba. The camp and myself had genuine hopes that he could win the race here today.

"The horse has been going really well, so I think the next port of call is Queensland for another go at the Stradbroke. He sprinted well then on soft ground, there's a lot of options for him, so I'll leave it in the camp's capable hands the way he goes off the back of it, but I'll be joining him wherever he goes."

Sales: Bred by the Mahoenui Partnership, Desert Lightning was bought by PJ & DM Williams for NZ$150,000 from Little Avondale Stud at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: One of his sire’s 24 stakes winners, Desert Lightning is out of the unraced Isstoora (High Chaparral {Ire}), who is a daughter of the G3 SAJC Breeders Plate winner Murjana (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) whose grandam is the prolific matriarch Dancing Show (USA) (Nijinsky {Can}), dam of Hurricane Sky and Umatilla (NZ) and grandam of Redoute’s Choice.

Isstoora has a Per Incanto (USA) filly on the ground and visited the stallion again last spring.

Pride Of Jenni back to her best in Hollindale

The 8-year-old Pride Of Jenni showed she still has what it takes in a dominant victory in the G2 AD Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast on Saturday. The great mare used her customary frontrunning tactics to draw away by nearly 15 lengths in the 1800-metre contest, and while Birdman (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) and She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High) chased hard, she was still able to hold on to the lead by three quarters of a length to notch a 13th career victory.

"I really just work with her,” said jockey Declan Bates, who has partnered the mare through the heights of her powers. “It's all about her terms especially when she's really loving it and nice and on song - and I knew very early today. It was like, ‘we're in business'."

Trainer Ciaron Maher has been mindful of the mare’s age and has been particularly utilising the rehabilitation and recovery resources at Bong Bong Farm to keep her in top form.

“We were mindful that she has had three very tough runs and given how well she went first-up, I just thought the only thing you can do is overtrain her,” he said. “So she's been to Bong Bong Farm and some pretty nice establishments. We just kept her fresh and it was a great win.

"It was great for (owner) Tony (Ottobre). He's got friends and family up here so it was fantastic."

Where Maher plots to take Pride Of Jenni next will be determined by her recovery, but retirement is not forefront of mind.

"We'll just have a look at her, but she's just a beautiful mare and she is looking better and better,” he said.

Sales: Sold by Segenhoe Stud at the 2019 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Pride Of Jenni was purchased by Cape Schnack Stud for $100,000.

Pedigree: Pride Of Jenni is the first foal of four-time winner Sancerre (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) who has been spectacularly unlucky at stud with three dead foals from six seasons.

Her only other runner is a winner, Awaterre (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), and she has unraced 3-year-old filly Pouilly Fume (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}). She most recently was covered by Hello Youmzain (Fr) and Sword Of State in 2025.

Beadman builds resume further with Guineas win

One year ago, Beadman (Snitzel) announced himself with an eight and a half-length demolition job in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic - a race won again in 2026 by a son of Snitzel - and the flashy colt returned to the scene on Saturday to claim the G3 Gold Coast Guineas with similar panache.

The Peter Snowden-trained colt was wide coming into the home straight and had to wind himself up quickly at the 200-metre mark to get to the front, where he just kept finding more to win by a length over Nepo Baby (Lucky Vega {Ire}), with Motorsports (Street Boss {USA}) in third.

The victory bumped his stakes record to three wins, having taken out the Listed Fireball Stakes earlier in the autumn.

“It was certainly a quality win,” said Snowden. “It was good to see him relax because when you get that far back in the last couple of starts, it's going to be hard. He's been over-racing, but today he was really good. He has built into a strong horse. I think that we can keep going as he has shown he has got a great nature."

Snowden indicated he had a “plan” to get the colt that lucrative Group 1 to further pump up his resume - particularly pertinent given he runs in the silks of the China Horse Club and Newgate Farm-headed colts syndicate.

“There will be discussions and decisions made next week about the Doomben 10,000, but it's on the table,” he said. “Ultimately the horse is going well enough and the Stradbroke could be the race."

Sales: China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock, and Trilogy purchased Beadman for $900,000 from Arrowfield Stud’s 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.

Pedigree: Beadman is the fourth foal out of nine-time winner and Listed Prix de Bonneval victress Iffranesia (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}), from the immediate family of G3 Prix de Fontainebleau winner The Summit (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and G2 King’s Stand Stakes winner Chineur (Fr) (Fasliyev {USA}). Tom Magnier bought a full brother to Beadman at this year’s Gold Coast sale for $1.5 million.

Iffranesia has a Dundeel (NZ) colt on the ground and subsequently visited The Autumn Sun.

Fringes rewards Hickmott's patience in Fillies Classic

It was finally time to shine for Michael Hickmott’s Fringes (NZ) (Niagara) at Morphettville, where the 3-year-old filly claimed her third career victory and first at stakes level in the G3 South Australia Fillies Classic. A homebred for renowned New Zealand racing photographer Trish Dunell, Fringes snagged her first win on Australian soil at her last start and the 2200-metre victory gave her the confidence boost to be a strong contender in the 2546 metres of the Group 3 event.

Despite being severely checked midway down the straight, the filly found clear air again and was able to run down Certainly Quiet (Dundeel {NZ}) to win by a head, with over a length back to Panda’s Spectrum (Fiorente {Ire}) in third.

“It wasn’t pretty, but we got the job done,” jockey Ben Melham said. “It was a really good, tough effort by the filly. She’s obviously only lightly raced and still feels quite raw to ride, but a good staying talent.

“We just had to bide our time there, and then she had to let rip off a standstill, so it adds merit to her win. Good, tough performance by a filly that’s still on the way up.”

“It's always hard to get really confident and bullish about horses that are on the rise like her and are still very much untested,” said Josh Hickmott Hickmott’s nephew and bloodstock manager. “That's a terrific performance, that was super tenacious today. Like I said previously, she was always going to be the horse that stays. She's shown that right the way through.

“I just can’t emphasise enough how much we appreciate the support of her owner Trish Dunell and her family. Trish hasn't had the best of luck these last few years. I'm sure she's cheering this at home in New Zealand and it’s going to put a big smile on her face.

“She’s supported the sire for a very long time, Niagara. We've been the benefactors of a stallion that's so underrated, and I've really sung his praises for a long time. He just produces tough horses, and for the Dunells and their family, it's a huge, huge thrill. It's hard to put into words how proud I am of this girl.

“And Michael's just done so well, training this horse to a tee.”

The temptation had been there to take the filly to an Oaks, and Hickmott praised his uncle’s patience in giving her the right preparation to knock off her maiden stakes win.

“I won’t put words in his mouth, but I'll say it, I think this is his best training performance,” he said. “Michael just knew what he had right the way through.”

Sales: Fringes is a homebred for Trish Dunell.

Pedigree: Fringes is the ninth stakes winner for her sire, G2 Ajax Stakes winner Niagara. She is the best of three winners for Miss Jaydeejay (NZ) (Golan {Ire}), a full sister to G1 Victoria Derby winner Kibbutz (NZ). Miss Jaydeejay has a 2-year-old by Ocean Park (NZ) to follow.

Naifah makes connections Proud in stakes company strike

The terrifically well-bred Naifah (I Am Invincible) produced her best performance to date on Saturday to secure a huge victory in Morphettville’s G3 Proud Miss Stakes, which was her first win at stakes level.

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr sent the filly off second favourite to Aviatress (Smart Missile) and the 3-year-old put it all together in Saturday’s event and let rip at the top of the straight to win by two and three quarter lengths over her opposition, with Lingani (America) in second.

“She did a great job today and Zac (Lloyd) rode her really well, got her in front,” said part-owner Neil Werrett. “So that was a great result for her and her page. Steve Grant from Silverdale Farm bought her and I took a little bit of her and I was pretty happy.

"She controlled that the whole way. I mean, her form was a lot better than the other horses today. And (Mick) Price and (Michael Kent) Junior have done a great job to bring her over here and place her, and the whole aim was to get black type and to win this race.

“So she's worth a fair bit for the breeding barn now."

Sales: Offered at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale by her breeder Emirates Park, Naifah was a $400,000 purchase for Silverdale Farm and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA).

Pedigree: Naifah is a three-quarter-sister to Group 1-winning Charm Stone (I Am Invincible), being a daughter of Charm Stone’s metropolitan-winning half-sister Najmah (Snitzel). Another half-sister to Najmah is dual Listed winner Najmaty (I Am Invincible), and dam Najoom (Northern Meteor) is a dual Group 3 winner from the family of Criterion and Group 2 winner Bittercreek (Snitzel).

Najmah has a Harry Angel (Ire) yearling filly and Tassort weanling filly to come through, and is currently in foal to Ole Kirk. Naifah is the 125th individual stakes winner for her sire.