My Gladiola ready for G1 AJ Moir Stakes
Group 1-placed mare My Gladiola (I Am Invincible) will run in Saturday’s G1 AJ Moir Stakes.
“I wasn't originally (going to gallop on Tuesday) but I probably am to give her day out, she's pretty lazy at home,” trainer John McArdle told racenet.com.au.
My Gladiola | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“For her to trial as well as she did (last Thursday) we were happy but she did have a good blow… she's still got another good gallop in her before the Moir. Hopefully we get a drying track, (jockey) Jamie (Mott) was rapt with her… thought she was in a better shape than before the Lightning, so hopefully that's the case.
“The end game is to get her to the UK next year so it's probably not a big spring and probably not a big autumn. But she'd look at something like a Manikato, if she went well in the Moir and then press on from there.”
Spicy Martini is Queensland Horse Of The Year
Spicy Martini (Justify {USA}) has been crowned Queensland Horse of the Year at the 2026 Queensland Thoroughbred Awards on Saturday night. The Toby Edmonds-trained mare won the G1 Stradbroke Handicap to cap her 2025/26 season.
Spicy Martini | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
Jockey Taylor Marshall was awarded with the Darby McCarthy Performance of the Year for his ride on Spicy Martini in the Stradbroke. Ben Thompson was crowned the George Moore Queensland Jockey of the Year and Jace McMurray was named the Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year.
Tony Gollan extended his reign as the state’s premier trainer, claiming the Jim Atkins Trainer of the Year Award for the 13th straight season with stable star Pembrey (Prague) claiming Queensland 2-Year-Old Of The Year. Grafterburners (Graff) for the Kelly Schweida stable won 3-Year-Old Of The Year.
“Queensland racing continues to go from strength to strength, and its depth of talent was undoubtedly reflected in yet another strong field of finalists for the Horse of the Year Award,” Acting Racing Queensland CEO Lachlan Murray said.
“Spicy Martini claiming the code’s top honour is thoroughly deserved following a remarkable win in the Stradbroke Handicap, where she became the first Queensland-trained horse to win our great race since 2020. Away from the track, it was great to be able to acknowledge the hard work of our QOTT Queensland Acknowledged Thoroughbred Retrainer of the Year, Amanda Benson, and our RQ Student of the Year, Chloe Lowe.”
Change in location a bonus for Skybird
G1 Lightning Stakes winner Skybird (Exosphere) will resume in Saturday’s G1 AJ Moir Stakes with trainer Mitch Freedman liking the change in location for the race.
“Being at Sandown and not around The Valley, it changes the dynamics a bit, maybe not the field size and hopefully she can have a bit more luck than last year,” Freedman told racingandsports.com.au.
“She's come off a Brisbane campaign which is not something the stable has done before, but it's amazing how quickly she has come up. She's had the one trial, worked really well, and went to Caulfield during the week for another trip away from home. She'll go first-up into the Moir and hopefully undo some of the wrongs from last year.
“Hopefully there is a bit of rain about in the lead-up and we can see her perform up to her best, because at her best, she's right up there with the top sprinters in the land. She's been beaten just over three-quarters-of-a-length by two superstars in Joliestar and Giga Kick, so she's certainly around the mark on her day.”
Next step for Cosmic Crusader uncertain
Owner Bob Peters is uncertain about the next step for his Group 1 winner Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice {Jpn}) after he was unlucky in the G1 Memsie Stakes. The options are either the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on September 12, or the G1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield a week later.
“I’m undecided at this stage. I’ll give it some thought and make a decision in due course,” Peters told racing.com.
Furious to begin Chayan’s spring campaign
G2 Reisling Stakes winner and $5.6 million purchase Chayan (I Am Invincible) galloped at Randwick on Saturday and will begin her spring in the G2 Furious Stakes.
“She was on her toes going out for the gallop but Zac said that once she cantered off, she dropped her head and felt really good,” Annabel Archibald told racingandsports.com.au.
Chayan | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It took a while for him to pull her up but hopefully that is just blowing the cobwebs away and she'll kick off in the Furious.”
International anticipation for Melbourne Cup
The next round of nominations for the G1 Melbourne Cup close on Tuesday and it’s looking likely to attract plenty of international interest.
“It's potentially going to be harder to get into the Cup this year than maybe it has the last few years,” Racing Victoria head of racing Paul Bloodworth told racenet.com.au.
“If all goes to plan (Joseph O'Brien) could have six-plus runners. We've never had anywhere near a trainer bring (that many), Charlie Appleby one year brought five or six. Joseph has got probably 12 horses he's thinking of bringing, still not certain of bringing them all.
“Four on the first flight and eight on the second flight … (second flight horses) are pretty much all guaranteed a run (in the Melbourne Cup based on likely weights). If that's six to eight spots taken, it's potentially going to create a bit of a bottleneck. It could go back to how it was pre-Covid, where it was really difficult to get into the (Melbourne Cup) and you needed 52.5kg or 53kg to get in.”
BOBS nominations close soon
Racing NSW would like to remind participants that nominations for the BOBS scheme close on Tuesday, September 1 for 2024 born foals.
New winner for Home Affairs
Second season sire Home Affairs added winner number 23 when Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 3-year-old colt I’m Ya Huckleberry won at Wyong. Placed in the G3 Breeders’ Plate at his only start at three, he was resuming here.
Kia Ora Stud sold him at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to his trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $400,000 and he is out of stakes-placed Key (Exceed And Excel).
Toscanella doubles up
Second season sire The Odyssey’s 3-year-old filly Toscanella made it two wins in succession at Toowoomba’s night meeting on Saturday. She is one of four winners for the son of Better Than Ready.
At the same meeting, Dubious sired a double with Abraham who doubled his career tally with his second win. Pat Webster-trained 3-year-old gelding In Three Dee won his maiden at this third start.
NSW double for Farnan
Nicely bred 3-year-old filly Strollin’ By (Farnan) won her maiden at Mudgee on Sunday for trainer Gary Portelli. She is one of nine winners for Group 3 winner and G1 Oakleigh Plate-placed Avenue (Anabaa {USA}) who is a full sister to Group 1 winner Virage De Fortune.
At Wyong, Ciaron Maher-trained 3-year-old rig The Thorncaster (Farnan) won his maiden over 1200 metres to give his sire a double across the state. He is one of three winners for Rosa’s Magic (Sebring), a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Rosa’s Spur (Flying Spur) and Listed winner Rosarino (Perugino {USA}).
G2 Celebration Mile won by Zavateri
Without a win since last year's Vincent O'Brien National Stakes, Zavateri (Without Parole) returned to winning ways with a vengeance on Saturday as he dominated Goodwood's G2 Celebration Mile.
“He showed the turn of foot which we know he had - it's taken him a bit of time to find it this year but I said beforehand that if he goes on the ground, he wins,” Eve Johnson Houghton said of the winner, who had also won the Vintage Stakes here and the July Stakes at two.
“He travels with his own teddy bear, because that's what he loves and it's his comfort blanket, but he is a machine when it comes to it. The QEII is where we're going. End of conversation!”
G2 Lake Placid Stakes won by Naomis
From last to first! European shipper Naomis (Fr) (City Light {Fr}) hit the gas from the back of the field Saturday, rocketing up the centre of the Saratoga turf course to take down the G2 Lake Placid Stakes for Chad Brown.
A three-time winner in her native France, including a last-out win in the G2 Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly in May for owner Michael Dubb who purchased her before that race, the 6-5 favorite was coaxed from the gate and in absolutely no rush early as jockey Flavien Prat settled his filly down at the hedge while last into the first turn.
Her win is Chad Brown's record-extending seventh in the Lake Placid and his first win in the race since 2024.
“She shipped over to our barn and we momentarily thought about the Lake George with her, I was on the fence, and she spiked a temperature and made my mind up for me that way,” Brown said. “So, we pointed her to this and obviously her form going a mile in her last two was good, so it made a lot of sense to start her at a mile. She had trained like she could be a potential G1 Queen Elizabeth horse [October 10 at Keeneland] and it sure looks like that off one run.”
Alfred Wallace adds Group 3 win
Saturday's G3 Solario Stakes lost two key actors in Rock Montreal and Sergei Diaghilev after the rain fell on Sandown, leaving the admirable Alfred Wallace (Dubawi) to pick up the pieces in the seven-furlong feature.
Highly tried so far, Rockcliffe Stud's homebred son of their Falmouth heroine Snow Lantern (Frankel) had won Ascot's Pat Eddery Stakes and been fourth in the Acomb at York before encountering this easier surface that was always going to bring out more improvement.
“He's a really tough, loveable horse and a dream for any trainer,” Ed Walker said. “He has surprised us and surprised us, he just tries his heart out every day and eats and sleeps. What he lacks in size he makes up for in heart and determination. I was kicking myself for running at York, I talked myself into running there which was a mistake and thankfully he came out of that race really well.”
“Temperament is key and he takes his races so well,” he added. “We wanted to make his experience tell today, as it was an inexperienced field and it had some notable non-runners. I've not trained many by Dubawi, but they tell me they can be workmanlike at home but are gritty and tough on the racetrack and this guy sums that up. He's very important to Rockcliffe Stud and we'll be entered in the Group 1 races.”
Push The Boat Out wins G3 Round Tower Stakes
Michael O'Callaghan trainee Push The Boat Out (Kodi Bear), who annexed a six-furlong Curragh maiden on debut earlier this month, returned over the same course and distance to upset the hitherto undefeated Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never) in Saturday's G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes.
“When they win a maiden first time out, they have to jump up to this level,” explained O'Callaghan. “There was a little bit of greenness there during the middle part of the race and he came off the bridle early, but Seamie [Heffernan] got him rolling from halfway. Seamie said he feels like a miler next year and was very complimentary of him, but said he's still a little bit weak. He's unbeaten, he's won his Group race and he's beaten the Coventry winner. Seamie mentioned Newmarket [for the G1 Dewhurst], so we'll get him home and let the dust settle. We'll enjoy today.”
Another Group-siring son of Dubawi with Naval Crown
Dubawi's Kildangan Stud-based Naval Crown was the latest first-crop sire with a breakthrough Stakes winner on Saturday as Jim Bolger's Sea Of Rain toughed it out in The Curragh's G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes.
“It's no surprise. All she needed was the mile and a gallop,” Bolger said of the winner of this prestigious affair, better known as the Flame of Tara. “I've been telling the lads she's my Oaks filly for next year. I'd say we'll go for the May Hill at Doncaster. I won it years ago with Turret Rocks.”
Gold Phoenix beaten in fifth attempt at same Grade 2 race
As a 2-year-old back in 2024, Amerman Racing homebred Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) made the trans-continental journey on Breeders' Cup weekend and charged home to just miss in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes on the championship Friday undercard.
Now four, this year's G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf hero earned the right to take on some of the world's heaviest hitters in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf on championship Saturday after surging home to narrowly best Atitlan (The Factor) in Saturday's G2 Del Mar Handicap.
Favoured Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), attempting to win the 11-furlong feature for a remarkable fifth time in succession, endured a checkered passage and did well to be fourth.
“He's a little horse that will not give up. He'll fight,” said Alice Clapham, assistant to trainer Graham Motion. “He's a true racehorse. I was a little worried around the bend when he had a lot of horses around him because when he gets going you don't want him to get stopped; but once he got clear and changed his lead he just kept going.”
Test Score was a three-time winner at three in 2025, taking out the G1 Belmont Derby and the G2 Twilight Derby up at Santa Anita ahead of a close third as the odds-on favourite in the G1 Hollywood Derby at the seaside last November. The bay led home a Motion 1-2 in the Pegasus defeating One Stripe (SAf) (One World {SAf}).
Carberry wins charity race
Irish Grand National-winning jockey Nina Carberry barely had to move a muscle as she made a successful return to the saddle aboard Ndaawi in the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race at the Curragh on Saturday.
The 42-year-old Carberry, who is now a member of the European Parliament with Fine Gael, retired from riding in 2018 after partnering Josies Orders to victory at the Punchestown Festival, bringing the curtain down on an amateur career which yielded 412 winners.
“He's a very good horse,” Carberry said of the former Galway Hurdle winner. “When you're on a good one, you can be wherever you want to be. He was lovely to ride and Gordon produced him lovely for today. He's a great supporter of the race.
“It was lovely to have my mum here and all the family and relations. It's absolutely brilliant. My girls wouldn't know me as a rider at all, so it was nice for them to see a little glimpse of what I had for 17 years.
“You can't get away from the fact of why we are all here today. It's remembering Pat [Smullen] and what he has achieved outside of racing. It's amazing.”
