Ka Ying Rising smashes track record
Watch out Australia. Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) put back-to-back attempts at the G1 The Everest on notice when resuming on Sunday at Sha Tin with a track record and eight-length demolition of the G3 Chief Executive’s Cup, a race he also won in 2025 and 2024. He now has 21 wins in succession and 22 in total. He covered the 1200 metres in 1:06.11.
“He smashed his own record, and you don't see that often, by a second,” trainer David Hayes said.
“There could be people out there saying that he beat nothing but a few of those horses have won $20 million, $25 million Hong Kong dollars so they are well-rated horses and Group horses around the world. They don't look it when they race him, they get taken out of their comfort zone.”
TTR will cover the full Hong Kong meeting in the next issue.
G1 Goodwood named in honour of McAvaney
The G1 McAvaney Goodwood Handicap is the new name of the time-honoured South Australian sprint with the new name to honour sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney OAM who was inducted to the South Australian Racing Hall Of Fame on Saturday night.
“There are few voices in Australian sport more recognisable than Bruce McAvaney’s. And it all started with a love of racing here in South Australia,” South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said.
“Bruce’s extraordinary career has taken him to some of the biggest sporting moments our country has ever witnessed - but his passion for racing has never left him. Tonight, we welcomed a great South Australian into the South Australian Racing Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Bruce. A thoroughly deserved honour for one of the greatest storytellers Australian sport has ever known.”
Sheza Alibi and Autumn Glow won’t clash again soon
Co-trainer Peter Moody will keep Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) in Melbourne as she is aimed at the Golden Eagle, which means she’ll miss another run against Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) in the G1 King Charles III Stakes.
“You’ve got the King Charles but its only two weeks before the other one (Golden Eagle) and I hate the thought of two trips (to Sydney) because I won’t leave her there,” Moody told racing.com.
Peter Moody | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
There is still a chance the two great mares will meet at the end of the spring in the G1 Champions Mile at Flemington on November 7.
Holder wins fourth John Letts Medal
Jockey Jason Holder won a record-equalling fourth John Letts Medal at Saturday night's South Australian Racing Awards. Winner of his fourth Adelaide jockey’s title, the John Letts Medal is awarded by votes from stewards at each race meeting over the season.
Mating Call (Brazen Beau), trained by Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray, won South Australian Horse Of The Year. She won the G3 Auroria Stakes and was second in the G1 Australasian Oaks to out of state trained Panova (Trapeze Artist).
Jockey Lauren Stojakovic was awarded the SA Racing Most Memorable Moment Award. Caitlin Tootell won the Metropolitan Apprentice Title, and Alysha Warren claiming the Leon Macdonald SA Apprentice Premiership.
Garret Lynch, with 76 wins, claimed the CS Hayes Award for most winners trained across the state, alongside provincial and country premierships wins, while Phillip Stokes was crowned Metropolitan Trainer of the Year after a premiership-winning season that saw him claim 41 winners.
Geoff Redden won the award for Most Outstanding Achievement by an Individual. The Jamestown Racing Club was honoured with the Most Outstanding Achievement by a Club, while Josh Grantham-Lines was named the SA Trackwork Rider of the Year.
Unbeaten Lepolo aimed at the Derby
Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy will set unbeaten colt Lepolo (Written Tycoon) for the G1 Victoria Derby.
“We’ll probably go to the Stutt Stakes (1600 metres) I think. We'll keep that Derby path alive,” McEvoy told racing.com.
“He relaxes, he's got great lungs and, who knows, but he's got above average ability, that's for sure. He's a big, strong horse and really attractive colt and it was lovely to see him do what he did.”
Fangirl retired after Chelmsford third
Trainer Chris Waller and owners Ingham Racing announced that multiple Group 1 winner Fangirl (Sebring) will likely be retired.
“Fangirl was brave again but I would say that will be her last run,” Waller told racing.com about her third in the G2 Chelmsford Stakes on Saturday behind Lindermann (Lonhro).
“I will have a talk with the Ingham family on Monday. She was gallant but nowhere near her best. She has been an awesome horse for Sydney to follow. I would say she has run her last race but that is a relief she has pulled up well because she has been so good for so long. She would have got them a year ago, even a few months ago.”
Winner of 12 of her 42 starts and over $11 million, Fangirl won the 2022 G1 Vinery Stud Stakes, 2023 G1 Winx Stakes, 2023 G1 King Charles III Stakes, and 2025 G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
Midnight In Tokyo has improved again
Trainer Todd Pollard will run Group 3 winner Midnight In Tokyo (Kobayashi) in Saturday’s G2 Sheraco Stakes and he’s impressed with her physique this time in.
“Physically, every time she comes back from a spell she's just a bigger, stronger mare,” Pollard told racenet.com.au.
Midnight In Tokyo | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“Despite being a mare, she looks almost like a bull – she's just a really thick, muscular, classy style of horse who loves her work. By an unheralded stallion in Kobayashi, she has overachieved on pedigree alone, but when you look at her, she's built like a heavyweight that loves racing and always tries her heart out, which makes your job as a trainer so much easier.”
She won the G3 Show County Stakes on resuming last start, and her nine wins have netted her connections over $1 million.
Waller quartet to clash in Run To The Rose
Chris Waller will likely line up unbeaten colt St Gotthard (Snitzel) against Group 1 winners Tron Bolt (Toronado {Ire}) and Fireball (Snitzel, as well as Group-placed Central Europe (Frankel {GB}) in Saturday’s G2 Run To The Rose.
“They are lovely colts and all on the same path. They’ve got to try and win Group 1s in the spring,” Waller told betsy.com.au.
“Most likely, they start at Rosehill in the Run To The Rose. It is an important starting point for them. It is unavoidable (they clash). The Golden Rose, Coolmore (Stud Stakes), big sprints, Caulfield Guineas and obviously big feature races in Sydney are in the plans.
“I would have liked to have split Central Europe and St Gotthard up with similar ownership. But I think Central Europe needs another sprint race before he gets out to 1400 metres.”
Debut winner for Barbaric
Second season sire Barbaric celebrated winner number seven when Peter Sinclair-trained 3-year-old gelding Savage Sequel won on debut at Moree on Sunday. Sent out as favourite, he bolted home by 2.2 lengths over 950 metres.
Peter Sinclair and Danny Bourke paid $42,500 for him from Lyndhurst Stud Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. He is the second winner for Hidden Sequel (Sequalo) who is a winning full sister to Listed winner Flamenco.
Toronado filly wins on debut
Ciaron Maher-trained 3-year-old filly Over The Bridge (Toronado {Ire}) made her racetrack debut a successful one with a two-length victory at Bendigo. Her trainer splashed $250,000 to buy her at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Kulani Park.
She is the second foal and second winner for Waafiya (Snitzel) who is a winning daughter of Listed winner You’re So Good (NZ) (Savabeel).
Toronado (Ire) celebrated a double at the meeting with Over The Bridge's stablemate Alero winning for the fifth time in his 17 start career.
Written Tycoon colt wins on debut
At Bendigo, Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained 3-year-old colt Aemond (Written Tycoon) was impressive when victorious by four lengths on debut. PR Thoroughbreds paid $400,000 for him from Arrowfield Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
He is the first winner for Rhaenys (Redoute’s Choice) who is an unraced half-sister to Arrowfield Stud’s sire Dundeel (NZ).
At the same meeting, stablemate and Group 2-placed 3-year-old colt Zambales (Pinatubo {GB}) won his maiden at his ninth start. Six of his starts at two were in stakes class and he is a half-brother to Tempted (Street Boss {USA}).
Debut winner for Encryption
At the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, 3-year-old gelding Cyber Boom (Encryption) won on debut for trainer Rob Heathcote. Paul Willetts and Rob Heathcote paid $50,000 for him from Eureka Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
He is the third winner for Ah La Boom (Spirit Of Boom), an unraced half-sister to Group 1 winner Tinto (Red Dazzler).
At the same meeting, 3-year-old filly Pirouette Queen (Pierata) won her maiden for trainer Peter Quinlan.
Constitution Hill out of Cup calculations
Talented former hurdler Constitution Hill, seeking his third win on the Flat in the G3 September Stakes, briefly threatened before finishing fourth to Pride Of Arras (New Bay) at Kempton on Saturday. The Blue Bresil gelding was described by trainer Nicky Henderson afterward as “100% okay” despite the post-race stewards' report stating he had bled from the nose.
Constitution Hill had taken Flat contests at Southwell and Kempton in February and March, respectively.
“Evidently after he had been for his routine post-race examination a trickle of blood was noted in one nostril, but at the same time I had already asked for him to be scoped as one of our own veterinary practitioners was there and that is a routine thing from our point of view,” Henderson told the Press Association.
“The vet reported to me before I even knew about this trickle that he was perfectly happy and it was a normal post-race scope. There was no significant blood and it could not possibly make any difference to his performance – this horse has categorically not bled, he has not broken a blood vessel. In my own vet's opinion this is a perfectly normal endoscopic examination and is of no consequence.
“He had a healthy blow and it was quite a hot day and had a good puff, but I can reassure people he is 100% okay.”
The gelding was under consideration for the G1 Melbourne Cup in November if he performed well on Saturday, but now Henderson is looking closer to home for his star pupil.
Added Henderson, “Melbourne is gone now sadly. I don't think we want to go under a mile and a half, that is for sure, and 12, 13 or 14 furlongs seems to be the range of where we go with him.”
First Law has G1 Dewhurst target after Listed win
Godolphin's 1 million gns (AU$1.97 million) Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate First Law (Too Darn Hot), a G1 Dewhurst entry, backed up a debut victory at Sandown last month with a black-type breakthrough in Saturday's Listed Betfair Celebrates Bow Echo Ascendant Stakes at Haydock.
“He is in the G1 Dewhurst and the G2 Royal Lodge, but possibly something like the G3 Autumn Stakes over a mile at Newmarket would suit,” said William Buick.
“That is a race Charlie [Appleby] has brought some of his nicer 2-year-olds to. He is raw and learning on the job, but that was very much what I expected coming here today. I was hoping we wouldn't have to make our own running, but it is what it is. He wasn't improved for the ground, but it is a good learning curve for him. I like the way he finished off the last half of the race. It is never ideal going that slow because you don't want to quicken too quickly too far out. I thought he did very well and he is a lovely big horse.”
He is kin to G1 Moyglare heroine Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), Listed-winning G2 Superlative second Victory Dance (Dubawi), the multiple Group 3-placed Listed Fortune Stakes victrix Skellet (Kingman) and G3 Jimmy Durante runner-up Data Dependent (More Than Ready).
First stakes winner for Mandaloun
Trainer Jonathan Thomas has had good luck shipping to Del Mar, picking up five graded wins with Truly Quality (Quality Road), Mrs. Astor (Lookin At Lucky), and Will Then (War of Will) just in the last two years. He added another score to the mix Saturday with Observed (Mandaloun), a first graded winner for freshman sire Mandaloun (by Into Mischief) in the G3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes.
“We're really pleased with the result,” said Thomas. “As we thought there was going to be a lot of pace, we found ourselves a little farther back than ideal but I thought Juan [Hernandez] did a great job of sitting chilly and cool and waiting for a good seam. The horse had a lot of momentum and got the job done. He really polished the race off nicely. I'm really proud of him.”
Big fortnight for Tiz The Law continues
Just a week removed from being represented by a phenomenal four Group 1/Grade I winners at home and abroad, Coolmore America's Tiz the Law was back at it again Saturday afternoon at Kentucky Downs when his New York-bred son Caroline St. Beat surged past pacesetting Glacius (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the waning strides to take down the US$3 million (AU$4.2 million) G2 1/ST Bet Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes about 40 miles north of the Music City.
Tiffany earns Breeders’ Cup slot
Elite Racing's homebred Tiffany (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) has never been better for Sir Mark Prescott, who shipped her across the pond to try the US$2 million (AU$2.78 million) G2 Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes at Kentucky Downs after she got her first top-level win in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin over the boys at Hoppegarten. Not only did the 6-year-old bay beat the boys again Saturday at Kentucky Downs, but she also earned a 'Win and You're In' berth to the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf late next month at Keeneland.
A 1,000,000gns (AU$1.97 million) RNA at last year's Tattersalls December Mares Sale, Tiffany is slated to be among the boutique offerings at the Sceptre Sessions of the upcoming Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
