Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Untapped Stay Inside colt puts rivals on notice
Eviction Notice (Stay Inside) might not be a winner yet, but his two placings at Group level in the autumn suggest there could be more to come in the spring if he continues to improve. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained gelding stepped out for the second time this preparation at Friday’s Randwick trial morning, where he decimated rivals by three and a half lengths.
Jumping straight to the front when the barriers opened, the gelding set a blistering pace and was still able to move away from runner-up Ozzbourne (Zoustar) to claim victory, with stablemate Wendell (Written Tycoon) almost two lengths further back in third.
Video: Watch Eviction Notice's trial replay at Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
A $375,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for his trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from Newgate Farm’s draft last year, Eviction Notice is a half-brother to Listed Poinsettia Stakes winner High Class (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) out of Grade 3 performer Euroboss (USA) (Street Boss {USA}).
Knine Inc and Rising Sun Syndicate purchased Euroboss’s yearling Extreme Choice filly, who is called Angel At The Top. The mare has a colt by the same sire on the ground, and missed to him last spring.
Wandabaa’s daughter sparks on debut
Wanda’s Spark (Tagaloa) is the first foal out of G3 NJC Newmarket Handicap victress Wandabaa (Wandjina), and she kicked off her career in style by winning her debut trial at Randwick on Friday morning. The Michael Freedman-trained filly settled well on the pace and was just asked to extend a little in the final furlong to win by a nose over Ballet Noir (NZ) (Noverre {NZ}), with a length and three-quarter gap to third-placed Moonlit Wings (Maurice {Jpn}).
Video: Watch Wanda's Spark's trial replay at Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Retained to race by her breeder Yulong, Wanda’s Spark has a yearling sister also by Tagaloa and a weanling brother by Pierata. Spicer Thoroughbreds bought the former at the Gold Coast in January for $400,000.
Wandabaa, an $800,000 Inglis Digital purchase for the Tagaloa Syndicate, is one of three stakes winners for her dam Mabkhara (Anabaa {USA}), who also produced Malkovich (Choisir) and multiple Group winner Olentia (Zoustar). The latter sold to Wathnan Racing in 2025 for $2.6 million via a Magic Millions virtual sale. Wandabaa was served by Pierata again in the spring.
Union separates self from the rest in third trial
Snitzel colt Union was only seen once at the races this season, but as he reloaded for his second full preparation on Friday, the colt hinted he could be back bigger and stronger with a resounding trial victory at his third hit-out this prep.
Working his way to the front over the first 100 metres of the race, the Peter Snowden trainee unleashed his proper turn of foot in the home straight and struck the line a length and two thirds ahead of Skystone (Portland Sky), with two and a half lengths back to third place.
Video: Watch Union's trial replay at Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
A $600,000 Gold Coast pick-up for China Horse Club, Newgate Bloodstock, and partners, Union is the third foal out of multiple stakes-performed Warranty (All Too Hard), a half-sister to the dam of G1 Queensland Oaks victress You Wahng (So You Think {NZ}) and Listed-winning Street Gossip (So You Think {NZ}). Being a descendant of foundational mare Twyla (Danehill {USA}), her family also features the likes of Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}), and four-time Group 1 winner In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Michael Freedman Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $420,000 to purchase Union’s Too Darn Hot (GB) half-sister at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Segenhoe Stud. She has missed in both subsequent seasons.
Snitzel colt returns in style
The best of Spain (Snitzel) is certainly ahead of the colt after an eye-catching jump-out at Werribee on Friday morning. The Tulloch Lodge trainee was taken straight to the front and never looked in any doubt about giving in.
Gradually extending his lead over the final furlong, he landed victory by a margin of at least four lengths, with his 1100-metre time undercutting the older horses by two seconds.
Spain as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Spain is the first foal out of Listed-winning, multiple Group performer Lagertha (Chi) (Scat Daddy {USA}), and was a $750,000 purchase for China Horse Club, Newgate Bloodstock, and partners from Newgate’s Gold Coast draft. Lagertha has an Extreme Choice colt on the ground, before unfortunately missing to the sire.
Hard Kick gets hard hit-out
Lindsay Park’s Hard Kick (All Too Hard) wound up for his return to the races on Friday with a strong hit-out at Werribee. The Listed Talindert Stakes winner broke well and leaped straight to the front, and needed little urging to stay there over the 800-metre stretch of his jump-out. He edged further ahead in the final furlong to win by a length and a half over stablemate Cruiserweight (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), who has been unbeaten in two starts.
Hard Kick as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Lindsay Park paid $140,000 for Hard Kick when presented at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale by Hannover Lodge. He is the sixth and last foal out of Friendly Donna (Exceed And Excel), who is a half-sister to the dam of Talindert placegetter Reasonable Point (Blue Point {Ire}).
Filly gives trainers Full Confidence with jump-out win
Full Confidence (I Am Invincible) has been a filly on the improve for each of her jump-outs to date, and she finally won at Werribee’s Friday jump-outs. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained juvenile stalked early leader Good Feel (Hanseatic) into the home straight before pouncing and coming away the winner by three quarters of a length.
A homebred for Johnathan Munz’s operation, Full Confidence is the fourth foal for G1 South Australian Derby winner Qafila (Not A Single Doubt), who was a $2 million broodmare purchase for Munz and his agent Dean Hawthorne (BAFNZ) in 2021. Her first two foals to the track are both winners.
Out of a half-sister to G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Mozu Superflare (USA) (Speightstown {USA}), Qafila produced another I Am Invincible filly the year after Full Confidence, who sold to Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock for $1.25 million at this year’s Gold Coast sale from Coolmore Stud’s draft. She has a Zoustar colt on the ground and visited Yarraman Park Stud’s champion again in the spring.
Caxton Street impresses at Werribee
In the heat after his stablemate captured her first jump-out, Caxton Street (Written Tycoon) accomplished the same task with a late burst of speed. Settled midfield from the barriers, the juvenile gelding had to come wide round the home turn but managed to find enough momentum to stretch forward and beat The Regent (So You Think {NZ}) by a neck.
Caxton Street as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
A $475,000 Easter purchase for Ron and Judi Wanless from Rosemont Stud, Caxton Street is the first foal out of Bella Vella (Commands), who was herself a $1.9 million broodmare purchase for Rosemont. Bella Vella’s 11 wins included the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes and three other stakes victories.
With no yearling to represent her at this year’s sales, she delivered a Zoustar filly last spring before visiting Broadsiding.
