Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Race-day Recap
Group 1 form was the key in the G3 Bletchingly Stakes with Cosmic Crusader (Maurice {Jpn}) resuming with a bang for trainer Andrea Leek.
Bivouac celebrated his eighth stakes winner with Cavalry Girl in the Listed Lightning Stakes. Trained by Tom Dabernig, she will be set for spring targets.
Tennessee Bound (Written Tycoon) had to work to maintain her unbeaten record when victorious at Caulfield for trainer Ciaron Maher.
James McDonald returned with victory on progressive Astronomix (Calyx {GB}) who will keep going through the grades for John O’Shea and Tom Charlton. McDonald rode a double on the card.
Big spring ahead for Cosmic Crusader
Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice {Jpn}) opened this season with two wins in September, and he’s ended the season in similar fashion taking out the G3 Bletchingly Stakes in scintillating style. Winner of the G1 Northerly Stakes in December, his owner Bob Peters sent him east to find out if his elite form would stack up.
Now trained by Andrea Leek, Cosmic Crusader sat off the speed for jockey Daniel Stackhouse who plotted an inside run. He easily chased down the leader Nick Ryan-trained Winnasedge (Cliff’s Edge) to gallop away to a 2.5-length victory and justifying the faith punters had in him as the $3.60 favourite. In third was 2024 winner Recommendation (Shalaa {Ire}) for the Ciaron Maher stable.
“He’s beautiful. As soon as I sat on him and cantered down in the prelim, he gave me a beautiful feel,” Stackhouse said.
“He’s a bit of a quirky horse as he can lose his marbles a little bit but once he had a man behind the gates he was lovely. He’s got a beautiful big action on him. He made up that much ground up on the inside in about three strides and probably won the race there.
“He switches off at the right time and when you ask him to go he can really quicken and accelerate very fast. He’s got a lot better races to win than this but it’s a good kick-off point.”
“He (Cosmic Crusader) switches off at the right time and when you ask him to go he can really quicken and accelerate very fast.” - Daniel Stackhouse
Andrea Leek and Daniel Stackhouse | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The plan is to head to the G2 PB Lawrence Stakes in two weeks before the G1 Memsie Stakes, and potentially even a crack at the G1 WS Cox Plate. Cosmic Crusader took his record to nine wins from 18 starts with earnings over $1.6 million
Sales: A homebred for Peters Investments
Pedigree: Cosmic Crusader is the first foal of G3 La Trice Classic winner Cosmic Storm (Street Sense {USA}) whose seven wins also included three at Listed level in Perth. Her 4-year-old daughter Cosmic Spirit (Charm Spirit {Ire}) has won twice, while 2-year-old colt Cosmic Icon (Maurice {Jpn}) has trialled. Cosmic Storm’s yearling full sister to Cosmic Crusader sadly died, and she is back in foal to Maurice (Jpn).
Cosmic Storm is one of four stakes winners for dual Group 3 winner Stormy Nova (Metal Storm {Fr}) with the best of them being G1 Cantala Stakes winner Superstorm (Sebring) who earned over $3 million. Superstorm’s full sister Mikimoto is a Listed winner as is Cosmic Storm’s full brother Royal Command.
Cavalry Girl makes it eight for Bivouac
Won in 2018 by then-3-year-old gelding Nature Strip (Nicconi) who would go on to win Horse Of The Year the following season and again in 2021/22, the Listed Lightning Stakes for two and 3-year-olds is typically a good platform for the upcoming season. The 2024 winner Lingani (America) won on Saturday’s undercard.
This year’s version was dominated by the very busy 3-year-old filly Cavalry Girl (Bivouac) who made it five wins from 15 starts for trainer Tom Dabernig. She bolted clear for jockey Todd Pannell to win by 4.5 lengths from Tim Fitzgerald-trained 3-year-old filly Yuuki (Doubtland) with Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained 3-year-old filly Bardigrub (Headwater) in third.
“Thank you to Todd Pannell for picking up the ride late. He’d already done his homework and was well aware of the filly and her strengths and weaknesses. It was lovely to get another stakes win for Joe O'Neill at Prime Thoroughbreds,” said assistant trainer Dara O’Meachair.
“She’s had a great preparation, been very consistent and running against some talented fillies. She’s also had a win a couple of starts ago. She travelled over excellently and showed her class on the day.
“She was a precocious 2-year-old and has really trained on and developed nicely. She’s not an overly big filly but has plenty of strength and has progressed nicely from two to three so there’s no reason why she can’t do that from three till four.
“She’s (Cavalry Girl) not an overly big filly but has plenty of strength and has progressed nicely from two to three so there’s no reason why she can’t do that from three till four.” - Dara O’Meachair
“We’ll take a look through the program. She’s in excellent form and hopefully she can add to her record.”
Cavalry Girl becomes the eighth stakes winner for Bivouac who will be crowned Champion Second Season Sire next week.
Sales: Sold by Vinery Stud to Prime Thoroughbreds for $110,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Pedigree: Cavalry Girl is the first foal of dual winner Islands (I Am Invincible) who has unraced 2-year-old filly Pacifico (The Autumn Sun) and yearling filly My Island Girl (Russian Revolution). She was served by Stay Inside in September 2025.
Islands is a half-sister to G2 Reisling Stakes and R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic victrix Military Rose (General Nediym) who is the granddam of G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) and dual Group 3-winning juvenile now sire Espionage.
Perfect picket fence for Tennessee Bound
Tennessee Bound (Written Tycoon) had to overcome early trouble to claw her way to the lead for apprentice jockey Jabez Johnstone in searching for her sixth victory from as many starts. But she dug deep when pressed by Gavin Bedggood-trained Behaviour (I Am Invincible) to cling on to a 0.15 length victory.
The rest of the field were two lengths back led by third-placed Luna Cat (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) for the Lindsay Park stable.
First seen at the jump outs as an autumn 3-year-old, Tennessee Bound didn’t start her career until this season as a spring 4-year-old, winning on debut at Hanging Rock. Now six from six, she took her earnings to nearly $200,000.
“We’ve been patient with her. She had a three-month break before this preparation and that really helped her. You can see stripped pretty well today. The claim from Jabez probably helped but getting to the line was pretty interesting and she seems to find a way to win,” Ciaron Maher said.
“The claim from Jabez probably helped but getting to the line was pretty interesting and she (Tennessee Bound) seems to find a way to win.” - Ciaron Maher
Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“All she can do is win so we can’t be too hard on her. She’s progressing and she keeps winning. It certainly feels tougher every time she steps out but she handles the track so we’ll raise the bar again.
“We won’t get too carried away just yet, but I am sure Gerry (Ryan) is pretty happy.” Gerry Ryan’s Limerick Lane is the manager owner of Tennessee Bound.
The trainer/jockey combination also won the first on the card with 3-year-old filly Custom (Street Boss {USA}). Written Tycoon had a double on the card with 3-year-old gelding Prince Tycoon who made it three wins from nine starts for the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable.
Sales: Sold by Morningside at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $150,000, she was bought by John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA).
Pedigree: She is the second foal and only winner for Listed Wellesley Stakes victrix Tennessee (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) who also ran fourth in the G1 Diamond Stakes. Tennessee’s 3-year-old filly Tennessee Lights (Earthlight {Ire}) has raced twice, while her 2-year-old filly Extreme Dixie (Extreme Warrior) is unraced. She was served by City Of Troy (USA) in 2025.
Tennessee is a half-sister to G1 Zabeel Classic winner Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) and Listed winner Leedox (NZ) (Time Test {GB}). This is the family of G1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Dress Circle (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Astronomix one to watch in spring
James McDonald returned to Randwick after a lengthy break and reminded everyone why he’s about to notch up a record-equalling eighth successive – and 10th overall – Sydney Jockey’s Premiership. His victory on John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained 3-year-old gelding Astronomix (Calyx {GB}) was beautifully timed as he run down the front-runner 3-year-old filly Nullarbor Jane (Too Darn Hot {GB}) near the line to win by a length with filly Aisle Two (Shooting To Win) 2.25 lengths away in third.
The race was named in honour of long time Australian Stud Book employee Lynne McLean who retires from the role next week after 43 years in the job.
“He's a young horse with a lovely presence about him,” McDonald said.
“He has been so well handled, so well educated, and he was strong to the line today. I don't think he's any world-beater but he tries very hard in his races.”
Astronomix made it two wins in succession and has three wins and three placings from his six starts with earnings over $180,000.
Astronomix clears away at Randwick on Saturday | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“We like him, he's a very genuine young racehorse. He's only lightly raced, he gives his all but we feel he can only keep improving,” said O’Shea.
“We like him (Astronomix), he's a very genuine young racehorse. He's only lightly raced, he gives his all but we feel he can only keep improving.” - John O’Shea
McDonald rode a double on the card with Kris Lees-trained Hawker Hall (Russian Revolution) who took his record to six wins from 14 starts and earnings over $450,000.
Sales: Paramount Thoroughbreds sold Astronomix for $70,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to O’Shea Racing and James Bester Bloodstock.
Pedigree: Astronomix is one of three winners for Listed Canberra Guineas-placed Waimea Bay (All Too Hard). She has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Acrobat and a weanling colt also by Acrobat.
Waimea Bay is a half-sister to $1 million earner and G2 Sapphire Stakes victrix In Flight (Flying Artie) and both are out of American Listed winner Waveline (USA) (Stravinsky {USA}).
