Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography
James and Wellwood hoping to strike Solid Gold in Derby raid
Three years ago, Roger James and Robert Wellwood made a hut and run mission across the Tasman with Pinarello (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) landing the G1 Queensland Derby, and they will attempt the same feat on Saturday - with a twist. Their hopeful Solid Gold (NZ) (Savabeel) will bid to be the first filly to win the race since Dariana (Redoute’s Choice) in 2010.
"I was lucky enough to win it with Pinarello, with Roger, that was my first Group 1 in Australia," co-trainer Wellwood recalled. "That was a huge thrill and to win it again would be great, but no Group 1 is easy to win."
"That (Queensland Derby win with Pinarello) was a huge thrill and to win it again would be great, but no Group 1 is easy to win." - Robert Wellwood
Owned by the Chitticks of Waikato Stud, Solid Gold only debuted in February, but her second win in five starts came in the G3 Trelawney Stakes over 2100 metres in April. She made her Australian debut at start number five in the G3 Rough Habit Plate, running on incredibly from the rear of the field to finish fifth.
Wellwood admits a Heavy rating for the track does concern him a little as it’s an unknown to the filly.
Solid Gold (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
"I think her first trial as a 2-year-old was on a Heavy 10 and she was good, but that was only a trial," he told racenet.com on Friday. "Probably the next wettest track we've seen her on was the Soft 7 in the Rough Habit at Doomben where she ran the fastest closing sectionals.
"I think some kind of soft ground isn't a worry, but ideally we wouldn't want it heavy."
Having Tommy Berry stick with the filly - who is the only filly in the field, including emergencies - after her Rough Habit run has also given the team a confidence boost for the grand finale.
"I think that (run in the Rough Habit) really gave him (Berry) confidence that he was going to be sitting on the right horse." - Robert Wellwood
"I think that (run in the Rough Habit) really gave him confidence that he was going to be sitting on the right horse," Wellwood said. "Tommy won the Queensland Oaks last year (on You Wahng) so if we can pick off the Derby then we may even look at heading to the Oaks too."
Robert Wellwood | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Even without winning, the Kiwi-bred fillies have a good record in the Queensland Derby. The Hayes brothers sent out Chase Your Dreams (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) in last year’s event where the filly finished third, and the year before, Moonlight Magic (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) was second for Andrew Forsman. Tony Pike’s Rock Diva (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn) was fourth in 2014, and Gondokoro (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) was fifth the year before.
Quintessential (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous) was second for John Sargent in 2012, and in 2011, when the trifecta were all Kiwi-breds, the placings were filled by Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}) and Heidilicious (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
In Pinarello’s year, the first five horses home were Kiwi-bred, although all were colts or geldings.
Tighe hoping Silken can Salute in Sires’ Produce
Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) part-owner Peter Tighe is hoping to score his second Group 1 as an owner since the great mare’s retirement in a fortnight’s time in the G1 JJ Atkins Plate, and he is resting his hopes on Silken Salute (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), who takes his next step in the G2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes on Saturday.
The gelding, who carries the Cambridge Stud colours, won his first two starts for Paul Shailer with aplomb before running into the seriously talented St Gotthard (Snitzel) in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic, ultimately finishing second.
Silken Salute (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
"This horse probably couldn't do any more than what he has so far," Tighe told racenet.com on Friday. The step back up to the 1400 metres looks to suit the juvenile well as he chases a spot in the Group 1 mille contest.
"This horse (Silken Salute) probably couldn't do any more than what he has so far." - Peter Tighe
"Only one horse beat him in the Ken Russell and he did end up in a bit of trouble there at one point. Paul was honest that day and felt he probably couldn't win, dropping him back in distance to 1200 metres.
"We were happy with the way he ran because that was the stepping stone to go to the Sires' Produce and then to go to the JJ Atkins. It is all coming along nicely and it's terrific to have a competitor in some really good races.
"All of his runs have been encouraging to go over the longer distances."
Peter Tighe | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Silken Salute has drawn 14 in the 18-horse contest, leading to his odds drifting a little in the run up to the Group 2 event, but Tighe didn’t feel like the gate would factor in too much to the gelding’s tactics.
"He hasn't drawn the best of gates, but he's not going to be near the lead," he said. "If the track is a soft track and he is three wide with cover then we won't be worried at all. Michael Rodd is riding really well at the moment, so we don't mind our chances on Saturday."
"If the track is a soft track and he (Silken Salute) is three wide with cover then we won't be worried at all." - Peter Tighe
Silken Salute will carry the number three saddle cloth, ranked next to the unbeaten Vantorix (Captivant), last start winner of the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, and unbeaten Listed Anzac Day Stakes winner Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High).
Vantorix has fared the best from the draw, getting barrier seven, with Jason Collett taking the reins while James McDonald jumps onto $160,000 Clarendon Stakes winner Stormy Marco (Wootton Bassett {GB}).
Bellatrix Star on comeback tour in Bel Esprit
The Listed Bel Esprit Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday will hopefully mark the beginning of a new chapter for talented but lightly raced Bellatrix Star (Star Witness), who returns to the races for just the second time since a freak accident almost ended her racing career last January.
The multiple Group winner, who was second in Switzerland’s G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, recovered from fractures in her neck only to pull up from her November return in need of fetlock surgery, which ruled her out of a spring and summer campaign. For trainer Mark Walker and connections, the expectations are guarded for Saturday’s return.
Bellatrix Star | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
"Her trials have been good and we're happy with her, but she's had a long time off," Te Akau Racing’s Melbourne representative Ben Gleeson told racenet.com on Thursday. "We're going in very level-headed about her chances. She needs to show us that she could do something.
“She arguably needs to run top four, drawing a line on when she resumed in her first preparation in Australia. She was also coming back off a surgery then and she didn't shoot the lights out in that first run.
"She (Bellatrix Star) arguably needs to run top four, drawing a line on when she resumed in her first preparation in Australia." - Ben Gleeson
"But she got that first run under her belt then she went and put together three wins in a row."
There will be no attempts to repeat the same feat, but a good run on Saturday would set the 4-year-old up for a proper return in the spring.
Ben Gleeson | Image courtesy of Te Akau Racing
"(We are) just giving her that run pre-spring, where we don't have to do much work in the winter with her," Gleeson said. "If she can run a nice race, we can crack on into the spring and hopefully see her go from strength to strength.”
Bellatrix Star will jump from barrier three in the 1100-metre dash, where she has been allotted the top weight of 60kg.
Second season premiership tightens at the top
Less than $150,000 separates the top three battling it out for the Champion Second Season Sire title, and every weekend could prove pivotal to the finish for Farnan, Bivouac, and Ghaiyyath (Ire).
| 1 | Farnan | 107 | 43 | 2 | $5,205,238 |
| 2 | Bivouac | 95 | 38 | 4 | $5,107,426 |
| 3 | Ghaiyyath | 48 | 26 | 5 | $5,055,258 |
Table: Top three sires in the current second season sire premiership, as of Friday afternoon
From the smallest crop of the three, Ghaiyyath still strides ahead on stakes winners, with five individuals to his name. His only runner on Saturday is already a stakes winner, but Different Gravy could elevate his sire to the next level if he could win the G1 Queensland Derby.
"I don’t think the 2400 metres or soft track will worry him, but it’s whether he’s going as well as he can or not," conceded trainer Henry Dwyer earlier in the week, given the gelding's mixed performances this preparation.
Different Gravy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Farnan sits at the top, $100,000 clear of his nearest rival, but only has one runner flying his flag on Saturday at Illawarra. He also ties with Wootton Bassett (GB) - fourth in the prize money rankings - for the most winners, and Brad Widdup’s Last Tour could help him draw ahead.
Bivouac, currently in second place, could draw ahead with his six runners engaged for Saturday. Tom Charlton’s Cellarmaster (NZ) had been his chief chance to add another stakes winner to his record, making him draw level with Ghaiyyath, but the gelding has been scratched from the G3 Fred Best Classic in favour of a run at what looks to be a very wet Rosehill.
Snowden hoping for Touristic rinse and repeat at wet Rosehill
A sodden Rosehill Gardens will be to the liking of Touristic (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who will be bidding to go back to back in the Listed Lord Mayors Cup on Saturday. The 7-year-old relished a Heavy 8 in last year’s event and appreciated a soft track in his most recent win in March’s Listed Canberra Cup.
Five of Touristic’s six victories and six of his nine second placings have been on soft or heavy tracks, and with Rosehill rated a Heavy 10 on Friday morning, trainer Peter Snowden believes the conditions will suit the gelding to add win number seven.
Touristic (GB) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
It will be a historic one if he can achieve it as well; the last horse to win the race twice was Passetreul (Ruantallan {GB}) in 1972 and 1974, whereas Fair Patton (Patton {Ity}) last went back to back in 1964 and 1965.
“He's a good chance on Saturday," Snowden said to RSN on Thursday. "He has been up for a while and he's had a few runs, but he still continues to look well, work well and race well. His Gosford Cup run was excellent.”
"He (Touristic) still continues to look well, work well and race well." - Peter Snowden
Touristic was third in the Listed Gosford Cup last start over drier ground, improving from sixth at the 400-metre mark to finish a length and a half off the winner.
"It is a good race though,” Snowden noted. “The top weight (Tavi Time) goes quite well, and there is depth in the race, but he's going well and there's no doubt the wet track will definitely help him."
Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
An additional boon is that Tavi Time (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) will carry 59kg versus Touristic’s 54.5kg, which is just half a kilo more than he won with in 2025. The currently capacity field may see a number of scratchings to the gelding’s advantage as well, with second seed Bianco Vilano (Foxwedge), the winner of the Listed Albury Cup and the Listed Wagga Cup in his last two starts, likely to not run.
"There's no problem with the horse, I'm very happy with him, but I am concerned about the weather,'' trainer Ron Stubbs told RSN. "We won't be competing if it is too wet. I accepted in the vain hope they might have got the forecast very wrong.''
