Queensland’s big hope is Martist
Trainer Tony Gollan planned the winter campaign for Martist (Trapeze Artist) around the G1 JJ Atkins Plate and now he gets his chance. “From his very first start I targeted the Carnival, that's why I gave him that extra run and then gave him a short let-up to get ready,” Gollan told racingandsports.com.au.
“I wanted to make sure he had enough prize money to get into these races. His Spirit Of Boom run was fantastic. We learned a bit about him that day, ride him a bit quieter and allow him to run on. Again, his Sires' run was fantastic, weaving through horses and not getting a lot of luck.
“He's a young colt and if we can time our run right, he can be thereabouts on Saturday, in a good race. I couldn't be happier with his preparation, and he should be spot on for the weekend and the wet weather won't be a concern either.”
Vantorix to miss JJ Atkins
Exciting 2-year-old gelding Vantorix (Captivant) will miss the G1 JJ Atkins Plate. “He had an elevated temperature so we pulled out and he will go for a spell now,” trainer Jenny Graham told racenet.com.au.
Vantorix | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“He is fine. It is a little bit (gutting) but he is OK so that's the main thing and I didn't want to risk that at this stage. The horse has been going really well and has done a good job so he will go for a break.”
Pride trio draw perfectly for Stradbroke
Trainer Joe Pride was thrilled with the barrier draw for his trio of G1 Stradbroke Handicap runners. Hedley Grange (Exosphere) drew eight, Private Eye (Al Maher) drew four, and Estadio Mestalla (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) drew ten. “I was hoping my three would draw no wider than barrier 10 and so it worked out well,” Pride told racingandsports.com.au.
Joe Pride | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“In these big races you don't want them to be doing extra work form wide barriers. From their draws, my three can be ridden how I want them ridden and get their chance. You still need a lot of luck in these big races and sometimes an inside barrier can work against you, too. But you would prefer to draw 10 or inside than barrier 18.”
Snowden favours Zourrific in trio of juveniles
Trainer Peter Snowden will debut three 2-year-olds on Wednesday at Kensington with Zourrific (Zoustar) his top pick over Short Sea (Ole Kirk) and Baltusrol (Tiger Of Malay). “I really like the Zoustar horse, he can make a good level but it’s early days yet and we’ll know more after Wednesday,” Snowden told racingnsw.com.au.
Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He had a few little issues early, he was immature, and was late getting in to be broken in. To my eye Zoustars are better at three anyway so I wasn’t too perturbed about that. The first time in he went okay, the second time there was a big change in the horse. When he went out the second time we gelded him and after that he’s come back ready to go.”
Bivouac on top of second season sires
The second season sire battle continues to change places with Bivouac now on top thanks to the G1 Queensland Oaks victory of Fireball Miss. He has progeny earnings of $5,595,201. He is now $298,800 ahead of Wootton Bassett (GB) with Farnan $20,992 behind Wootton Bassett in third.
Bivouac | Standing at Darley
Ghaiyyath (Ire) is fourth, Ole Kirk is fifth and Tagaloa is sixth.
Horan announces retirement
NSW bookmaker Shane Horan will retire after Saturday's Walgett Cup meeting. First licenced at age 21, he has fielded at country NSW tracks for 56 years. A keen cricketer and rugby league player, punter Tim Moses told racingnsw.com.au, “I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about Shane Horan.”
Nominations open for Sydney Strapper Of The Year
Racing NSW have opened nominations for the 17th annual Sydney Strapper Of The Year award. This award is sponsored by Racing NSW and co-ordinated by Australian Racing Christian Chaplaincy.
The award is peer-nominated with stablehands at Metropolitan race meetings being invited to nominate who they think is deserving of the award. A selection panel of racing officials will subsequently choose the winner from a short-list of finalists. The award will be presented at the NSW Racehorse Owners Association’s prestigious ‘Racing’s Night of Champions’ on Thursday, 27th August 2026.
Nominations can be submitted online at www.arcc.org.au
First winner for Noverre
G1 NZ 2000 Guineas winner Noverre (NZ) celebrated his first winner when 2-year-old gelding Hailstones (NZ) won at Scone on Tuesday. “He has always shown something from day one, but it was nice to see him put it together on debut,” co-trainer Rob Archibald said.
“He is a lovely athletic type of horse and he’s got plenty of scope, so you’d like to think there is plenty of improvement to come and whatever we are seeing now is a bonus. He is just a really athletic good moving horse on the up, so it’s nice to start his racing career like that and hopefully there is plenty more to come.
“I suspect we will probably give him one more run as a 2-year-old and then put him away and he will come back and make a very nice 3-year-old and probably get out over a little bit of ground.” Noverre has also sired stakes placed Bella Bonita (NZ) in his first crop.
Saville Row moves to Brighthill Farm
Saville Row (NZ) will move from Mapperley Stud to Brighthill Farm for 2026 at an unchanged fee of NZ$2,500 plus GST. The Listed winner and three-time Group 1-placed son of Makfi (GB) was bred by the late Kevin Hickman and originally retired to stud at his Valachi Downs in Matamata, then relocated to Mapperley Stud on Hickman’s death.
“Many will think I have gone a bit mad, however he is a stallion in whom I really believe, as did his breeder, my friend Kevin Hickman,” Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford told Loveracing.nz.
“Tragically Kevin died in August 2024 and due to his illness was never able to promote him as he would have wanted. Kevin bought his dam Fleece from me at the Tattersalls December Sales, so I have always felt in a way that I had played a role in his very existence. I kept in touch with Kevin’s wife Jo and about a month ago went to see her about Savile Row, as I knew she was anxious about his future.
“To cut a long story short, I asked if I could buy him and it was a combination of relief and delight for all parties, including Kevin’s daughter Jasmine. He arrived in superb condition from Simms Davison’s Mapperley Stud.”
Saville Row retired to stud in 2018. He has 14 winners from 25 runners.
Coolmore buys into Nysos
The Coolmore partners, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, have purchased an interest in GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Met Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist). The group will race the 5-year-old in partnership with Baoma Corporation through the Breeders' Cup, which will be held at Keeneland this November, before he retires to Ashford Stud.
“Nysos represents a true milestone for Charles and me. He means far more to us than exceptional racing success,” said Baoma Corporation's Susan Chu. “Through him, we have learned patience and perseverance, and we are deeply grateful to Bob Baffert for developing him into one of our outstanding racing stars and guiding him throughout his remarkable career.
“We are equally delighted that Coolmore, one of the most respected and successful stallion operations in the world, will manage the next chapter of Nysos's journey. He will have every opportunity to make a significant impact as a stallion, and we are committed to supporting him with our very best stakes-winning mares.”
BHA defends Derby scratching
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is standing firm in response to criticism of how the stewards handled the aftermath of the stalls incident involving Benvenuto Cellini at Epsom on Saturday, expressing the view that its rules “should be in line with the majority of the international racing community on this issue, rather than an outlier”.
Aidan O'Brien's Derby favourite was deemed not to have had a fair start after his near hind leg was briefly caught on the inside shelf of the stalls as the gates opened for the premier Classic, causing him to slightly miss the break.
The son of Frankel proceeded to pass the post a distant 10th behind stablemate Christmas Day, before he was subsequently declared a non-runner by the stewards, which resulted in backers of the winner suffering a 25p Rule 4 deduction, albeit that was waived by several bookmakers.
“The incident we witnessed on Saturday is probably the most extreme test of this rule imaginable, involving the heavily backed favourite in the Derby. We entirely understand the frustrations of those who were affected by the Rule 4 deduction, and the impact on bookmakers,” wrote the BHA.
“However, this must be balanced against the impact on those who had backed the horse and were denied a fair start, which is who this rule was brought in to protect. In 2018, a remarkably similar incident occurred involving favourite Harry Angel in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. While it is fair to say the Harry Angel incident was more pronounced in nature, the principle was very similar.
“This incident occurred prior to this rule being in place, and Harry Angel therefore had to count as a runner. This led to significant, sustained criticism and complaint from media and punters alike regarding the unfairness that a horse should be deemed a runner when he had not been afforded an equal start and his chance in the race had been materially affected.”
River In Paradise set for Tattersalls Pop-up Sale
River In Paradise, who made a successful start to her career at Lingfield last Thursday, is set to be offered in the Tattersalls Online June Pop-Up Sale, which will take place on Friday, June 12.
Consigned by Robert Edwards' Uplands Stables, the 2-year-old daughter of Lope Y Fernandez beat nine rivals when winning a six-furlong fillies' maiden at the Surrey venue, earning a Timeform rating of 73p.
The first foal out of the winning Invincible Spirit mare River Eden – herself a daughter of the Listed Silver Tankard Stakes scorer Lady Heidi (High Chaparral) – River In Paradise is now being aimed at the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.
