Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Race-day Recap
Vinnie’s Scintillation makes it two at Randwick for O'Shea and Charlton. She will head to the G3 Quezette Stakes next.
Doubt Time (Doubtland) won impressively on debut at Caufield for Nick Ryan. Doubtland's juvenile Maria Clara gave him a double when winning at the Gold Coast.
Misato (Maurice {Jpn}) won her second in succession at Eagle Farm for trainer Kris Lees.
Somerford (Wootton Bassett {GB}) won at Kembla Grange for Mulberry and trainer Brad Widdup. She is a half-sister to WA sire Lightsaber.
Scintillation set for big spring
Rosemont Stud’s rising 3-year-old filly Scintillation (I Am Invincible) set herself up to bounce into the early spring races when resuming at Randwick with a strong victory over 1100 metres for jockey Zac Lloyd. The filly, who won on debut and placed in the G3 Ottawa Stakes at her second start, led into the straight and made it a clear win for trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton.
She will head to Melbourne for the G3 Quezette Stakes at Caulfield next.
Chasing hard was second placed Suasion (All Too Hard) who closed the gap to three-quarters of a length for trainers Brett and Georgie Cavanough and jockey Alyssa Collett. Chris Waller-trained $675,000 colt Lorax (Zoustar) was third.
“We decided some months ago to target this race and if she ran well then we will take her to Melbourne for the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield in three weeks,” O’Shea said.
“I'm not sure how she will go on racing the Melbourne direction so the Caulfield race will determine what we do with her in the spring. But she's a very promising filly and it was good to see her get the job done today.”
Lloyd was equally impressed having got to the front earlier than he’d planned.
Scintillation clears away at Randwick on Saturday | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“I might have got to the front too soon but she was always going to win. She was actually drawing away from them again on the line, she was very strong late in the race,” Lloyd said.
“She (Scintillation) was actually drawing away from them again on the line, she was very strong late in the race.” - Zac Lloyd
“But I think she is essentially a sprinter – she is bred to be a sprinter and is only going to improve with racing.”
Sales: Scintillation was passed in by Vinery Stud at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Pedigree: Scintillation is the first foal of triple Group 3-winning mare Minhaaj (Exceed And Excel) whose victories came in the G3 Nivison Stakes, G3 Begonia Belle Stakes and the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes. She has an unnamed rising 2-year-old filly by Zoustar, a weanling colt by Wootton Bassett (GB) and was covered by Harry Angel (Ire) in November 2025.
Minhaaj is out of winning Lonhro mare Telaawa from the family of G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner and sire Reward For Effort, Champion 2YO Filly in Australia and G1 Golden Slipper winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel) who is the dam of young sire Group 1-placed Lofty Strike.
Doubt Time strides home impressively
Lindsay Park looked like they would train the quinella in the juvenile race at Caulfield with the favourite 2-year-old filly Resolutely (Hellbent) leading by a couple of lengths for Champion-elect Melbourne Premiership Jockey Craig Williams. But the big-striding 2-year-old gelding Doubt Time (Doubtland) came from the clouds to fly home under apprentice Luke Cartwright to nail Resolutely on the line. Resolutely’s stablemate Stakes (Capitalist) was third.
Doubt Time was on debut for trainer Nick Ryan, with punters keeping him safe at $8 thanks to a third at the trials in mid-June. He becomes the 28th winner for second season sire Doubtland, who also gained black type as a sire with 3-year-old filly Yuuki who was second in the Listed Lightning Stakes at Morphettville.
“It’s what it’s all about isn’t it? He’s very much like his father. His father won his first start on a soft 7 on a Wednesday at Kensington and came from the back. If you watch it, he just balanced up and he’s got a monster stride,” said Nick Ryan.
“King Racing is one of my biggest clients, she’s really loyal and I’m really happy for her.” Sharona King of King Racing put together Doubt Time’s large syndicate of owners.
“I galloped him Thursday morning on the inside grass at Flemington and I just pushed the button a little bit for the last 50 (metres) and nearly fell off the back of him. He’s a big striding horse, just keep him in your hands, bounce squeeze travel, and if you are further back than we anticipate, don’t panic.
“He’s got an eight-metre stride on the data and he’s not fully developed and so it’s very important that you get room to the outside. I think when you shake him up, he’s really going to launch.
“He’ll go to the paddock, but I’m not sure for how long. Let’s just see how he pulls up but geez that was pretty impressive.”
“He’ll (Doubt Time) go to the paddock, but I’m not sure for how long. Let’s just see how he pulls up but geez that was pretty impressive.” - Nick Ryan
Doubtland's Maria Clara won at the Gold Coast to give her sire a Saturday juvenile double. She was having her second start for trainers Tony and Maddysen Sears and won by 1.4 lengths.
Sales: Sharona King and Nick Ryan Racing paid $140,000 for Doubt Time from Flinders Park Stud’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft.
Doubt Time as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Pedigree: Doubt Time is the third foal and third winner for dual winner Hinchin Time (Hinchinbrook) who has a yearling filly by Tagaloa and was served by Traffic Warden in 2025.
Hinchin Time’s winning dam Whenever (Anabaa {USA}) is a half-sister to Listed winners Whoever (Redoute’s Choice) and Speedy Bell (Brocco {USA}) who is the dam of G2 Lee Steere Stakes winner Silverstream (Al Maher), Listed winner Calanda (Snitzel). Speedy Bell’s other stakes winner is G3 Adrian Knox Stakes winner Speedy Natalie (Al Maher), the dam of G3 Vanity Stakes winner Sweet And Speedy (Street Cry {Ire}).
Misato looks like quality with second win
Kris Lees-trained 2-year-old filly Misato (Maurice {Jpn}) showed her class to make it two wins in succession when victorious at Eagle Farm. Apprentice jockey Ben Osmond had to go three wide with no cover but she toughed it out and won by a quarter of a length from Bevan Laming-trained gelding Bold Envy (Anders). Kelly Schweida-trained gelding High Authority (Lucky Vega {Ire}) was third, only half a length off the winner.
Raced by Mr EC Throsby, Misato debuted in Brisbane with a fourth, then won her maiden at the Gold Coast.
Sales: Misato was sold by Vinery Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) for $210,000.
Misato as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Pedigree: Misato is the first live foal of G2 The Roses victrix Etana (Shamus Award) whose first two foals died. Etana has a yearling full brother to Misato, a weanling colt by Harry Angel (Ire) and is in foal to St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).
Etana, who won five races, is a half-sister to stakes placed Echo Gal (Stratum) and to Glamour Gal (Foxwedge) who is the dam of dual Listed winner Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon). This is the family of Group 1 winner Coco Sun (The Autumn Sun) and Hong Kong Champion Stayer Liberator (Encosta De Lago).
Mulberry Racing investment rewarded with Somerford
Mulberry Racing spent up big at the 2025 yearling sales and have celebrated success this season with Listed-placed Internal Affairs (Home Affairs) and exciting winner Tenenbaum (Snitzel). On Saturday, 2-year-old filly Somerford (Wootton Bassett {GB}) was taken to Kembla Grange by trainer Brad Widdup for her third start and she duly saluted by nearly a length. It might have lessor company but she did have to take on the older maidens to cross the line in first.
Ridden by Christian Reith, the filly was sent out as a $2.10 favourite thanks to a solid fourth when resuming at Newcastle last start.
John Sargent-trained 3-year-old filly Photoshop (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) was second and local trainers Mitchell Beer and George Carpenter had the third placed 3-year-old filly Grand Carousel (Ole Kirk).
Sales: Somerford was purchased by Mulberry for $600,000 from Widden Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
Somerford as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Pedigree: Somerford is a half-sister to West Australian-based sire Lightsaber whose oldest foals are rising 2-year-olds. He won the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and was placed in the G1 Australian Guineas.
Somerford becomes the fifth winners from as many to race for unraced Dream Cirque (Dream Ahead {USA}), who is a half-sister to Listed Adelaide Guineas-placed Distant Rock (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}). This is the Fastnet Rock family that also includes recent Listed winner Bev’s Nine (Shalaa {Ire}).
