Brave ride on Earn To Burn nabs stakes win
The Listed Queensland Day Stakes was won by Jack Bruce-trained Earn To Burn (Better Than Ready) under a bold front running ride by Ryan Maloney. "I gave Ryan an open book. The horse's form over 1200 has been hit and miss, but the main thing with him is to keep him comfortable,” Bruce said.
“Ryan's a great judge. Early days the horse used to run along in front, that was his go and when he jumped cleanly I was happy to see him take it up. If he's going to run 1200 he has to do it on his own terms. I love seeing him roll along, I knew at some stage he would get tired and they'd all be coming at him late. He was a happy camper with his ears pricked, and he just held on.”
It was the first black type win for the 3-year-old gelding who becomes the 18th stakes winner for Better Than Ready. Bruce purchased him from Alexis Fraser Bloodstock’s 2024 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale draft for $7000. He is one of three winners for Malionga (Magic Albert) who won twice in country Victoria.
Listed Raconteur Stakes won by Vatican Storm
Playing God celebrated his 28th stakes winner when Stefan Vahala-trained 3-year-old gelding Vatican Storm won the Listed Raconteur Stakes at Belmont by a nose from Dion Luciani-trained 3-year-old filly Hot And High (Too Darn Hot {GB}). Vatican Storm took his record to three wins from six starts with earnings over $200,000.
Kyle Sutherland bought him for $100,000 from Yarradale Stud’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale draft. Vatican Storm is the first live foal for Amalfi Lass (War Chant {USA}), a winning half-sister to Group 2-placed Culverin (Musket).
Stakes next for Magic Millions National Classic winner
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Surfin' Bird (The Autumn Sun) will be set for stakes class next after winning Saturday’s $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic at Eagle Farm. “This mare really deserved that win,” First Light Racing’s Tim Wilson said.
“I know it's not a stakes race, but it's worth half a million dollars so it's great prizemoney, She's been really stiff in some of her runs but it was a super steer by Tim (Clark), he overcame the negative barrier with a nice positive ride.
“I thought she was the winner all the way until the very last stride. Then it was panic stations. It's always nervy when you're involved in a photo finish, but I'm just rapt that she held on. A lot of the boys have travelled up from Melbourne to watch the race, so I'm sure they're going to have a big night.”
The 4-year-old mare took her record to five wins from nine starts with earnings over $500,000 and she was originally sold by Millburn Creek for $280,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds. That combination bought her again for $120,000 from the Strawberry Hill Stud dispersal sale eight months later.
The Group 3-placed mare is the second foal and second winner for Summer Surf (Big Brown {USA}), a winning half-sister to G1 Golden Slipper winner and sire Farnan and Listed winner and sire Sandbar.
Tweeter adds to exported Microphone’s record
Apprentice jockey Tala Hutchinson won the juvenile race at Morphettville on 2-year-old filly Tweeter (Microphone) for trainers Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray. It was Hutchinson’s second metro victory, having won at Murray Bridge a fortnight ago. “It’s a big thrill. It is a bit scary riding out there but I was able to get it done so it was a very good job,” Hutchinson said.
“That was metro win number two so hopefully there are plenty more. Dan (Clarken) has been saying all week to jump and lead and she was able to today. When they headed her she had a think about it and then lay out but she was able to get the bob. That first run helped to give her a bit of race experience and the winkers no doubt helped as well. She is still growing too.”
It was the second start for Tweeter, who was fourth on debut, and she was bought by Angas River Contractors for $45,000 from Willow Park Stud’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale draft. She is the second winner for Shesees Everything (Star Witness) who won three times in Brisbane and placed in the Listed Legacy Fillies and Mares Classic.
Moody pays tribute to Richards
Co-trainer Peter Moody won the Vale Steve Richards at Flemington on Saturday with Roadcone (Almanzor {Fr}) and paid tribute to the late-trainer. “I was never personal with Steve but always had great respect for him as a horseman and a trainer. He was always polite and if you needed a hand or anything he was always there to put his hand up,” Moody said.
“Thinking of family and friends and he will be sadly miss. Always nice to win a race but certainly in honour of something like this, it’s very special.”
Juvenile winner for Wild Ruler
First season sire Wild Ruler added his seventh winner when Shane Nichols & Hayden Black-trained 2-year-old filly Relinquishing won at Swan Hill on debut on Saturday. Sold by Kingstar Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, she was bought by Shane Nichols Racing for $200,000.
Relinquishing is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Amercement (Lonhro) and their dam Forfeiture (Commands) won four times and placed in the G2 Dane Ripper Stakes.
Doubtland juvenile wins at Townsville
While all eyes were on the $100,000 Townsville QTIS 2YO Classic later on the card, Graham Hughes-trained 2-year-old gelding Briginshaw (Doubtland) took on the older horses in a maiden event and gave them a 1.2 length beating. He was having his second start, having placed here on debut.
His trainer purchased him for $11,000 via Inglis Digital in March 2026 as an unraced 2-year-old. He is the first foal of La Petite Rousse (Equiano {Fr}) who is a winning half-sister to Listed winner Champagne Dreams (Reward For Effort).
Rommel adds juvenile winner
West Australian sire Rommel’s good 2-year-old filly Achy Breaky took her record to two wins from four starts for trainer Neville Parnham at Belmont on Saturday. Fourth on debut, her two wins have come in her two most recent starts.
Parnham Racing bought her from Mogumber Park’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale draft for $26,000, and she took her earnings over $130,000. She is the first winner for Breaking Cover (Smart Missile) who is a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner News Alert (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Saturday sire doubles
Zousain sired a double at Newcastle with 2-year-old Exit Clause, covered in the juvenile summary, and John Thompson-trained 3-year-old filly Vingt Neuf Noir.
Supido had a double at Swan Hill with Tatakai Uta and Sakasu who took his record to four wins.
Universal Ruler sired Military Jane, who made it two career wins, and Empress Of India, who took her record to five wins, at Belmont.
Prague juvenile wins in New Zealand
Queensland’s Oaklands Stud will be celebrating their new acquisition Prague as he sired a juvenile winner at Ellerslie on Saturday. She’s No Saint was part of a double on the card for trainer Michelle Bradley, who also won with Iridescent (NZ) (Wyndspelle {NZ}). “I just had to put a line through last time and Billy Pinn just rode (She’s No Saint) perfectly,” Bradley said.
“We have got some really happy owners. I did say if we won it could be a big lunch at Parua Bay Pub tomorrow, so I guess that is going to happen.” She will be aimed at the G3 Northland Breeders' Stakes in August. She’s No Saint was sold by Fairhill Farm for $65,000 at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale to Highline Thoroughbreds and Paul Moroney Bloodstock. Highline Thoroughbreds put her through the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale where her trainer spent NZ$55,000 on her.
She’s No Saint becomes the first winner, from four to race, for Poetic Diva (Poet’s Voice {GB}) who is a non-winning half-sister to Listed placed All Best Friends (Street Cry {Ire}).
Free Bird shows staying promise
Part-owned by TTR writer Dane McLeod, David Greene-trained Free Bird (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) thrived on Saturday when asked to step up over 2100 metres at Ellerslie. “She has looked like a middle-distance horse the whole time, but she has had a tendency to do a few things wrong,” Greene said.
“She raced beautifully today and it helps when you have the same rider to stick with the horse for a few times, they get to know each other and her and Michael (McNab) have got a really good combination now and he has educated her, has got her to relax well and he is bearing the fruits of that. She fought hard and she had a beautiful trip as well, which helps. I would like to think she can kick on with it from here.”
It was her third win from 11 starts, and the home-bred is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Stolen Dance (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}).
Brown extends record in Wonder Again
Michael Dubb, William H. Lawrence, The Elkstone Group and Michael Kisber's Fitz Right (Charlatan) remained perfect in three starts at three in 2026, sitting a clean trip in clear air before powering past favoured Lion Lake (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) to take Friday's GII Wonder Again Stakes on day two of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga. It was a record-extending seventh victory and fourth in the last five runnings for trainer Chad Brown in the Wonder Again, first contested in 2014.
“She (Fitz Right) got a dream trip with a nice pace duel in front of her between two good fillies,” Brown said. “There was no sure thing they would come back to us, but Flavien (Prat) saved all the ground, was able to get out and give her at least a chance. When the two fillies came to even terms at the end of the race, our filly just had a little more want. I'm very proud of her. She's really developed from two to three.”
The conditioner said Fitz Right would very likely make her next start in the GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks over nine furlongs on July 4.
Vale Guillot
Eric Guillot, whose 30-year career included several Grade I wins but came to an abrupt end in 2021 after a racist incident, died June 4 at a health and rehabilitation centre in Magnolia, Arkansas. He was 64 years old.
His biggest earner and most successful horse was Moreno, who won the 2014 Grade I Whitney at Saratoga Stakes, upsetting Palice Malice. A Louisana native, Guillot was known for his eccentric personality, frequently cooking huge pots of gumbo for backstretch workers outside his Saratoga barn.
But his career ended prematurely in 2021 when he claimed and renamed a horse “Grape Soda,” posting on social media that the name was aimed at Ken Rudulph, then an analyst on TVG. Rudulph is Black, and the term is used as a racial slur meant to portray African Americans as having a penchant for cheap beverages.
The horse won a January 8, 2021 race at Aqueduct, and industry reaction was swift. The New York Racing Association issued an immediate, permanent ban on Guillot, and The Stronach Group followed suit. The Jockey Club revoked the name and the horse, who had been claimed out of the Jan. 8 race, was renamed Respect for All, with a portion of its future earnings earmarked for backstretch charities.
Guillot announced his retirement the following day. “That was the last horse I ever ran,” Guillot told the TDN at the time. “This has been something that's been in the making for a while now.”
Quiet Tattersalls Online Breeze Up Sale
From a small but select offering, the Tattersalls Online Breeze-Up Session boasted a 93% clearance rate for the 14 lots sold. The top price achieved was a 30,000gns (AU$59,000) Ardad colt, consigned by John Bourke's Hyde Park Stud and sold to Tylicki Bloodstock.
Ironically, the Ardad colt is a half-brother to Iriseach (Ubettabelievit), something of a flag-bearer for this sale given he was Grade III-placed in America after being sold by Hyde Park Stud through the platform 12 months ago.
Tattersalls Online Sales Manager, Katherine Sheridan said, “The Online Breeze Up Session has established itself as an important fixture in the calendar and we were delighted to see such strong demand for these 2-year-olds. The 30,000gns paid for the Ardad colt reflects the confidence buyers have in the quality of horses being offered and it was particularly pleasing to see a half-brother to Iriseach top the session.”
The Breeze-Up Session formed part of the general Tattersalls Online June Sale, which realised turnover of 616,500gns (AU$1.22 million).
Gigabit headlines Inglis USA Online Sale
Opening for bidding with 31 offerings, the 2026 Inglis Digital USA June Sale is now online, and is led by in-form racing prospects coming off strong recent performances–namely Gigabit (Dialed In) and Range Goat (Bolt d'Oro).
The former is a 3-year-old filly last seen earning a 92 Beyer for her allowance victory at Horseshoe Indianapolis by a widening 6.25 lengths. She is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Twirling Queen (Twirling Candy) and they're both daughters of stakes winner Adventurous Lady (Kantharos).
Boudot cleared of rape charges
A little over five years since he last rode in France, Pierre-Charles Boudot has been completely exonerated of the rape charges that were brought against him in the spring of 2021. The Amiens Court of Appeal confirmed a general dismissal of the charges against the jockey after a long and drawn out legal battle.
Speaking to Jour de Galop, Boudot's lawyer Maître Florence Gaudillière said, “After five years of investigation, justice has finally exonerated Mr. Pierre Charles Boudot. A very motivated dismissal was rendered today by the Amiens Chamber of Instruction. Away from the racing fields for several years, one of the greatest jockeys in the world will finally be able to work again. We have always fought to see his innocence confirmed and this is finally the case.”
