Hellbent filly wins inaugural Listed Chittick Family Classic
Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall-trained Hawea (Hellbent) goes down in history as the inaugural winner of the Listed Chittick Family Fillies Classic. The race was upgraded to stakes level for this season after producing the likes of Group 1 performers Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) and Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) in recent years.
“It was amazing to watch, she came from last and has beaten a good field, it’s a big thrill. She is a very good filly that has had a few problems,” Richardson told Loveracing.nz.
“Mark Brooks fixed her in the gates, she was stood down and we couldn’t get her in at one stage. I think she got a fright in the Breeders’ Stakes, so she’s been with Mark and I thank him very much for that. He’s got her right and we’ve always had a lot of time for her.
“She’s not a horse that needs a lot of work, she’s pretty clean winded. She’ll go forward and maybe end up in Christchurch. She’ll go to the Gold Trail and head to the usual fillies races.”
Group 2-placed at two, Hawea cost former New Zealand cricketer Brendan McCullum and Richardson Racing NZ$300,000 from Wentwood Grange’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft. A half-sister to Listed-placed Romilly (So You Think {NZ}), Hawea is one of four winners for Lonhro mare Idlewild. Idlewild is a half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Caymans (Secret Savings {USA}) and Listed winner Adroitly (Octagonal {NZ}).
Asfoora makes her swansong on Friday
American trainer Wesley Ward will send out Bacio (Maclean's Music) in Friday's G1 Coolmore City of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday.
One of 20 to have stood their ground, the 3-old-old has won four-of-five starts, culminating in Royal Ascot's Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap in June. His task will not be an easy one, as the globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Asfoora (Flying Artie makes her career finale on Friday. She won the 2025 edition of the Nunthorpe on the Knavesmire.
Francis-Henri Graffard's Rayevka (Blue Point) will add some French flavour, and Noriyuki Hori's Japanese sprinter Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) continues his European campaign.
Australian Bloodstock’s Wine Dark Sea qualifies for Cup
Victory in Saturday’s G3 Geoffrey Freyer Stakes for Harry Charlton-trained Wine Dark Sea (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) qualifies him for the G1 Melbourne Cup. The Australian Bloodstock-owned galloper will head to Australia in September.
“The intention today was to finish third which would help with the ballot qualification for the Melbourne Cup and he has done more than that,” Charlton told attheraces.com.
“The Aussies who I’m dealing with were saying finish third and they won’t change his handicap mark. It is very different how they do it. My brother (Tom) trains in Australia and has a Melbourne Cup runner as well. I have a team going down with the horse and you train out of the quarantine barn at Ballarat.”
Bourke picks Let Up to do it again
Debutant winning 3-year-old gelding Let Up (Astern) heads back to Bathurst on Monday to make it two in a row.
“I really like this horse,” jockey Molly Bourke told racenet.com.au.
“I've been going down and doing trackwork once a week for Pat (Murphy) and he (Let Up) is just an out-and-out professional and he seems to have come on since that run.”
Stay Inside gets new winner
Second season sire Stay Inside made it two winners in two days when Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 3-year-old colt Harry Lime won on debut at Wyong on Sunday. Stay Inside now has 11 winners, four at stakes class. His trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds bought him for $320,000 from Newgate Farm’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft. He is the second winner for Listed winner Whispered Secret (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Annabel and Rob Archibald, who welcomed daughter Margot earlier this week, celebrated when 3-year-old filly Bring Me Chocolate (Wootton Bassett {GB}) remained unbeaten in winning the last on the card. She is now two from two. Brad Widdup-trained 3-year-old gelding Anthropoid (Prague) won his maiden at the same meeting.
Double for Written Tycoon at Pakenham
On Sunday at Pakenham, Written Tycoon celebrated a double with Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained mare Miss Maranda taking her record to three wins from eight starts.
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained 3-year-old colt Phillip Island won his maiden by a length. His trainers paid $250,000 for him from Yulong’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft. Phillip Island is the first foal of Inconsequential (Snitzel).
Double for Brutal at Moruya
Brutal (NZ) sired a double on Sunday at Moruya. Kevin Cassidy-trained Remy’s Bro won his maiden by two lengths.
Barbara Joseph, Paul and Matt Jones-trained mare Dawn On Me took her record to three wins from eight starts for owner Hollymount Stud. Kingstar Farm bought her for $30,000 from Newgate Farm’s 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft. She is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Ruud Awakening (Bernadini {USA}) and Listed-placed First Dawn (Brazen Beau).
Trapeze Artist and Brazen Beau feature at Toowoomba
At Saturday night’s Toowoomba meeting, Trapeze Artist and Brazen Beau both celebrated early spring 3-year-old winners. Adam Campton-trained filly Flying Scarlett (Trapeze Artist) won her maiden at her third attempt for owners Whitby Bloodstock and partners.
Nick Keal-trained filly Burum Beau (Brazen Beau) also won her maiden at start number three. Owner Anthony Dever paid $2000 for her at the April 2025 Inglis Digital Sale. She is the first foal of winning mare Burum (Artie Schiller {USA}), who is a half-sister to Marboosha (Dream Ahead {USA}).
Survie sweeps to Grade 1 win
Ladies first in the G1 Christophe Clement Stakes. Survie (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) had to close into a glacial pace, but roared home like they'd unleashed her at the top of the stretch, and posted a glorious win to secure an automatic berth to the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland.
An elite runner in her European home base, the Michael Tabor colourbearer came into the Christophe Clement off a victory in the G2 Glens Falls Stakes. With her Group 1 placings in France, Ireland, and Saudi Arabia, and a victory in the States, Survie now boasts Group/Grade 1 black type in four countries every year since her 3-year-old season.
“She was great, wasn't she?” said trainer George Boughey, who was watching while on grounds at the ongoing Arqana Yearling Sale in France. “She had to be very good from where she was with the slow splits. She's been training for this race and it [the Glens Falls] was the perfect lead-up race into it. She showed possibly an even better turn-of-foot today.
“For everyone back at the stable in the UK, this is a massive milestone for us. We've been lucky enough to have two Group 1-winners for Coolmore now and to get the support of Michael and Doreen Tabor with a filly that was already a Group 2 winner in Europe is just a credit to everyone that is working very hard to produce these results.”
Survie is the most accomplished runner for her dam, Sotteville (Le Havre), a French Listed winner and twice Group-placed in that country, who is also a half to two other mares that produced group runners. This is the extended female family of Australian champion miler Group 1 winner and sire Contributer (Ire).
Coppull wins G2 Hungerford Stakes
Up to seven furlongs for the first time in Newbury's G2 Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes on Saturday, David Armstrong's Coppull (Bated Breath) successfully carried his speed to regain the winning thread.
Last seen mixing it with the best sprinters when fourth in the July Cup, last year's Richmond Stakes winner and Middle Park third who had also taken the Commonwealth Cup Trial in the spring enjoyed a lead initially before being taken wide by Hector Crouch to race on his own terms before halfway. Strong to the line, the 15-2 shot had 1.25 lengths to spare over Prince Of India (Wootton Bassett) there, with the 5-2 favourite Symbol Of Honour (Havana Grey) three quarters of a length away in third.
“That will give him a bit of confidence more than anything. The way he has won that, with such authority, was class,” trainer Clive Cox said. “We won this race for the first time with Lethal Force back in 2012 and it was similar, as he made the running that day.”
Baroud looking for better ground
Imad Alsagar's Baroud (Frankel), last seen finishing second in June's G2 Prix Eugene Adam, was the fourth choice of five for Saturday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano and defied his double-digit odds to upset TDN Rising Star Daryzan (Zarak) in the 10-furlong feature.
“He's been a slow-maturing horse, but he's run better and better and improved again when he ran at Saint-Cloud,” said racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. “He went well in his last piece of work on Tuesday, which was really encouraging, and, as a Group 2 winner by Frankel, he is something special. The options are becoming more rarified, so we will focus on next year and, as he loves the fast ground, it probably won't be Longchamp.”
Trawlerman retired
Star stayer and 11-race victor Trawlerman has been retired after sustaining a tendon lesion, Godolphin announced on Saturday. The gelded son of Golden Horn had been preparing for next week's G2 Lonsdale Cup at York.
In 2025, Trawlerman enjoyed his best year on the track, winning the G3 Henry II Stakes, the Gold Cup, the Lonsdale Cup, and the newly upgraded G1 British Champions Long Distance Cup in succession. Diagnosed with a rare eye condition that causes sensitively to light, trainers John and Thady Gosden carefully managed his training in 2026, and Trawlerman finished runner-up in both the Gold Cup and the G1 Goodwood Cup Stakes behind new rival Scandinavia (Justify).
John Gosden said, “Trawlerman is happy and well, but unfortunately he came out of the Goodwood Cup with a leg issue and is now being retired. At eight years old, he has become part of the family here and won the Long Distance Cup twice and the Ascot Gold Cup in a very fast record time, which is unlikely to be equalled, as well as the Ebor.
“He has won over £2 million in prizemoney and remained at the top of his game this year when second in the Ascot Gold Cup, beaten a head giving 1lb to the winner. He will be retired to Wood Ditton Stud, where Godolphin have wonderful facilities that he knows well having been there for holiday.”
