Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Race-day Recap
Stay Inside added stakes winner number four when The Machine Gun won the Listed Tattersall’s Stakes at Eagle Farm for trainer Peter Snowden and jockey Tim Clark.
The Listed Oaklands Plate went the way of Pretty Baby (Barbados) for trainers Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle and gave apprentice jockey Caitlin Tootell her first stakes winner.
Gun Runner (USA) celebrated a juvenile winner here with locally bred Genesis Runner who won at Newcastle for trainers Richard and Will Freedman.
Lucky Brook (Lucky Vega {Ire}) had been well spruiked after a jump out win and she delivered with victory on debut at Caulfield for trainer Greg Eurell.
Farnova added another juvenile success for Farnan when winning in Perth for trainer Mitchell Pateman.
Trilogy’s The Machine Gun dives in Tattersall’s Stakes
Punters weren’t keen on Peter Snowden-trained 2-year-old colt The Machine Gun (Stay Inside) who was taking a big step up from a maiden win into the Listed Tattersall’s Stakes at Eagle Farm, sending him out at $21.
He defied his odds, and his laid-back nature, to dig deep and stick his nose in front to outgun Chris Waller-trained colt Klocke (Zoustar) by a short half-head. It was another length back to third-placed Peter Robl-trained gelding Hard To Exceed (Exceedance).
“Second start in a race! He's been a slow learner. He's a good pedigree but he's just been so laid back,” Snowden said.
“I just couldn't work out whether he's ready or not ready or whether we would geld him or not. There's no way we would geld him now. It's just great.”
With two wins from two starts, The Machine Gun took his earnings over $130,000. He becomes the fourth stakes winner from Stay Inside’s first crop, following Blue Door, Incognito, and Lassified.
“Now that he's won a stakes race he'll have a spell for three or four weeks and we'll bring him back for the spring,” Snowden said.
The Machine Gun winning the Listed Tattersall’s Stakes | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The colt’s tenacity impressed jockey Tim Clark.
“He's a real unassuming type of horse. At the moment he just sort of doesn't know how to put them away. So he's never going to win by big margins, but he just does enough to keep his head in front, which is all that matters at the moment,” Clark said.
Sales: Trilogy Racing, Snowden Racing, and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) purchased him for $300,000 from Blue Gum Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
The Machine Gun with Tim Clark after winning the Listed Tattersall’s Stakes | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Pedigree: The Machine Gun is the first foal of G3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes and G3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes-placed Don’ttelltheboss (Street Boss {USA}) who has a Russian Revolution yearling colt, Ozzmosis weanling colt and is in foal to Toronado (Ire).
The Machine Gun is the first stakes winner in four generations, although his third dam, Cancanelle (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) placed in the G1 Australasian Oaks and won four races.
Pretty Baby wins Oaklands Plate
Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle-trained Pretty Baby (Barbados) has always shown ability, debuting in the Listed Cinderella Stakes. She ran fourth there, then placed twice, before winning Saturday’s Listed Oaklands Plate by half a length for apprentice jockey Caitlin Tootell.
Philip Stokes-trained last start winning filly Brevitas (Doubtland) rallied for jockey Harry Grace to finish second with Shane Nichols and Hayden Black-trained filly Adakite (Pierro) a length further back in third.
With a win from four starts, Pretty Baby has earnings over $92,000 and is the fourth stakes winner for Barbados who stands at Ducatoon Park.
“I’m definitely on a high,” said Tootell who was celebrating her first stakes win.
“I’m definitely on a high.” - Caitlin Tootell
“She’s a half to Dixie Whistler so obviously she’ll be able to get a bit more ground. She’s just green, doing things wrong, and last time she didn’t want to go inside other horses and that’s what cost her last time. I thought 1400m would be perfect for her, that was the aim, so a really good job.
“It’s been a good season. I went through a bit of a flat spot and now it’s looks like I’m coming out the other side. Hopefully I can stay there.” Tootell is leading the South Australian Apprenticeship Table for the season.
Sales: Bred by Mr J McKinnon, Pretty Baby is raced by him and his family.
Pedigree: Pretty Baby is the third foal to race, and third winner, for Louisiana (Southern Image {USA}) who won twice. Louisiana’s first foal, Dixie Whistler (Rebel Raider), won eight times, four in the city. She has a weanling filly by Cool Aza Beel (NZ) and wasn’t served in 2025.
Louisiana’s dam, Atwell (Flying Spur) is a half-sister to Listed winner Miss Cummings (Magnus), the dam of G1 Canterbury Stakes winner Mizzy (Zoustar) and this season’s G2 Dane Ripper Stakes winner She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar).
Gun Runner’s Genesis Runner wins at Newcastle
Despite being very green in the home straight, Yulong-owned 2-year-old colt Genesis Runner (Gun Runner {USA}) made it look easy when winning at Newcastle by 2.3 lengths. Fourth on debut a fortnight ago at the same track, he was sent out as the $2 favourite and duly delivered for jockey Lee Magorrian. In second was Brad Widdup-trained gelding Street Jewel (Street Boss {USA}) with the winner’s gelded stablemate Red Planet Bar (Admire Mars {Jpn}) in third.
Sales: YLP Racing paid $575,000 for him at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale where he went through Widden Stud’s draft.
Pedigree: Bred by G Hale, Genesis Runner was imported in utero with his dam Originator (USA) (Artie Schiller {USA}) who was a US$160,000 (AU$232,000) purchased by River Oak Farm at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Sale.
Genesis Runner as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Originator has a yearling colt by Zoustar and was covered by both Zoustar and Switzerland in 2025. She won four times in America and placed twice at Listed level. Originator is a half-sister to stakes placed Runway Giant (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) and Breakfast Time (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) who is the dam of dual Grade 2 winner of over US$1.3 million (AU$1.88 million) Fluffy Socks (USA) (Slumber {GB}).
Lucky Brook lives up to reputation
Trainer Greg Eurell has always had a big opinion of 2-year-old filly Lucky Brook (Lucky Vega {Ire}) after she won four jumpouts and punters agreed sending her out as a $4.20 favourite on debut. She delivered with jockey Lachlan Neindorf on board, winning by a length from Gavin Bedggood-trained filly Egyptian Dancer (Portland Sky).
Andrew Noblet-trained gelding Aston (So You Think {NZ}) flew home from near last for jockey Thomas Stockdale to finish third, one third of a length behind Egyptian Dancer.
“The game plan was for her to win a race, then put her on ice for spring. We succeeded in doing that and she did it very well,” Eurell said.
“It gives us confidence going towards spring and we’ve got a bit of time to work it out.”
With so many good fillies races in the spring for the 3-year-olds, Lucky Brook looks to be an exciting one to put in the black book for the future. A city win on debut took her earnings over $100,000.
“I thought it was a super effort. Probably the best part is that she has never experienced pressure like that and she pulled through it. She will be much better off for it. She’s very genuine and she’s above average. I like her attitude and everything she has done she has been so professional.”
Lucky Brook winning at Caulfield | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Sales: A $95,000 purchase by Greg Eurell and Kariba Racing from Yulong’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
Pedigree: Lucky Brook is the first foal of Wellington Boot winner Zeftabrook (Hinchinbrook) who won twice at two. Zeftabrook has a yearling colt by Pierata and a weanling filly by Lucky Vega (Ire) and is in foal to Growing Empire.
The family of good sire Magic Albert, Zeftabrook is a half-sister to G1 Myer Classic-placed Denmagic (Denman). As well as Magic Albert, this is the family of Group 2 winner Go The Knuckle (Elvstroem).
Lucky Brook as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Farnan filly makes the most of consistency
Jockey Holly Watson snuck along the rail to burst clear on her partner Mitchell Pateman-trained 2-year-old filly Farnova (Farnan) in the first at Belmont for 2-year-olds. The clever ride took the wind out of the sails of the fast finishing favourite colt Morning Thunder (Hanseatic), trained by Luke Fernie. Michelle Hagley-trained gelding Beyond A Doubt (Anders) was close behind in third.
Farnova’s fitness and consistency helped on the Heavy track, as she was coming off two placings at her last two starts. With a win and three placings from five starts, she has earnings over $82,000.
Video: Watch race replay of Farnova, video courtesy of Racing WA
“After they went 200 metres, I thought she had no hope, she wasn’t travelling at all, but then she began to travel under Holly, and she got the right run through and the race fitness has got her there,” Pateman said.
“I haven’t been happy with the way she hasn’t been finishing her races off, so she’s gone to bootcamp all week. I’ve been working her quite hard. Me and the jockey have been arguing all week about how hard I’ve been working her. She told me to back off and I said no, I’m not having her stop again, so one nil Mitchell!
“As long as she keeps eating up, she’ll keep going around. She’s not very big, so I don’t think she’ll train on. We’ll make hay while the sun shines.”
Farnova winning at Belmont | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Sales: Mitchell Pateman bought her for $20,000 from Waylon J Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
Pedigree: The second foal and second winner for Dip Dye (Sepoy), whose 3-year-old is two-race winner Deekaygeebee (Russian Revolution). She has a weanling colt by Jacquinot and missed in 2025 so is empty.
A dual winner, Dip Dye is out of stakes placed Light Touch (Charge Forward) from the family of Merchant Navy, Joliestar (Zoustar), Paulele, etc.
Connections of Farnova after winning at Belmont | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
