Cover image courtesy of Coolmore Stud
All the talk last season was that the Home Affairs stock should get better at three. The reigning Champion First Season Sire was himself a better 3-year-old than at two, and the I Am Invincible sire line is well known for continuing to improve with age.
Nearly two months into the new season, and the predictions look like they are coming true. According to Timeform Australia’s current 3-year-old ratings, Home Affairs has the top ranked 3-year-old colt with Guest House and top ranked 3-year-old filly in Natural Fling.
“What a great start for the stallion to have the leading 3-year-old colt and filly in the land,” Colm Santry said.
Colm Santry | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Guest House, on the back of being Champion 2-Year-Old, is lining up as hot favourite for the Golden Rose on Saturday.
“It would be a huge achievement for a stallion with his first crop of 3-year-olds to win the Golden Rose. It would really cement Home Affairs’ future as a leading sire. They have to win the big ones for Home Affairs to become a cornerstone stallion for the farm going forward.
“Home Affairs' first big race win was the Coolmore in November of his 3-year-old year and we haven't even got there yet. He has these horses coming out and running in Group 1 races before he won his first Group 1. And he won the Lightning in the autumn.
“It’s hugely exciting times. Home Affairs is probably the most popular stallion in Australia this year. He's sailing through his busy schedule and has plenty of mares in foal already.”
| 1 | Guest House | C | Home Affairs - Flamboyant Lass (Stratum) | 118 |
| 2 | Warwoven | C | Sword Of State - Needle And Thread (Makfi {GB}) | 115 |
| 3 | Blind Raise (NZ) | G | Ace High - Away Cruising (Darci Brahma {NZ}) | 113 |
| 3 | St Gotthard | C | Snitzel - Ms Bad Behavior (Can) (Blame {USA}) | 113 |
| 5 | Natural Fling | F | Home Affairs - The Natural (Fastnet Rock) | 112 |
| 5 | Pembrey | F | Prague - Se Sauver (Bel Espirt) | 112 |
| 7 | Pretty Baby | F | Barbados - Louisiana (Southern Image {USA}) | 111 |
| 7 | Stormy Marco | C | Wootton Bassett (GB) - Rose Memory (Ire) (Elusive City {USA}) | 111 |
| 9 | Paradoxium | C | Extreme Choice - Paredo (Better Than Ready) | 110 |
| 9 | Satono Glow (NZ) | F | Satono Aladdin (Jpn) - Electrode (NZ) (Pins) | 110 |
Table: Timeform Australian rankings of 3-year-olds as at September 24, 2026
Guest House well deserved reign at the top
Only one horse in history has won both the G1 Golden Slipper and the Golden Rose, being Forensics (Flying Spur) whose 2008 victory in the Golden Rose was when the race was still held at Group 2 level. On Saturday, Coolmore and partners owned Guest House looks to become the second.
“I think it was a very wise decision to skip the Run To The Rose,” co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr said.
“I think it was a very wise decision to skip the Run To The Rose.” - Michael Kent Jnr
“The horse was clearly quite forward in condition and the fact that he could run a track record first up showed that. We won with a similar training pattern with Jacquinot in the Golden Rose; he won the McNeil on the same weekend (as the San Domenico) and went four weeks in.
“If he runs to his best and he gets the 1400 metres, he's the one to beat for sure.”
Guest House | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The $30 million colt resumed at three with victory in the G3 San Domenico Stakes.
The G1 Golden Rose has been a huge stallion making race in recent years, won by the likes of Ole Kirk, Bivouac, The Autumn Sun, Trapeze Artist, and Zoustar. Unproven sires who have won the race recently are Broadsiding, Jacquinot and In The Congo.
“I've no doubt Guest House is the best horse in the race. He's back to level weights against a very good group of 3-year-olds and deserves to be an outright favourite,” Santry said.
“I've no doubt Guest House is the best horse in the race. He's back to level weights against a very good group of 3-year-olds and deserves to be an outright favourite.” - Colm Santry
“Guest House was very impressive in the San Domenico breaking the track record. It was an impressive performance.”
Guest House won on debut at two, before placing in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (c&g) and G1 Blue Diamond. Sent to Sydney he won the G1 Golden Slipper. He resumed this season in the G3 San Domenico Stakes and had to push through along the rail to record his third career victory from five starts.
“We have St Gotthard in the same race, who's hugely exciting as well and he’ll give Guest House a run for his money. If he won the race, it would be a major box ticked for another stallion for the farm. It wouldn't surprise me if he came out and ran an absolutely great race.
St Gotthard | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“I think we'd be very pleased if one of them came out and won the race.
“St Gotthard is hugely promising. He's a brother to Switzerland, who we have a lot of faith in and he's had some very good foals this spring.”
“St Gotthard is hugely promising. He's a brother to Switzerland, who we have a lot of faith in and he's had some very good foals this spring.” - Colm Santry
St Gotthard (Snitzel) was unbeaten at two and resumed at three in the G2 Run To The Rose, running second to Warwoven (Sword Of State).
Coolmore and partners have a third runner in the race, Central Europe (Frankel {GB}) who is currently a $19 outsider compared to the much shorter prices for Guest House and St Gotthard who are the first and second favourites.
“Don't leave Central Europe out. He'll run another good race. He's a very well bred Frankel colt. I can see him charging home and he’s a horse that'll probably target the Caulfield Guineas later. Frankel's generally need a trip, so seven furlong could be very suitable for him on Saturday, I wouldn’t leave him out of any equations.
“He’ll relish a mile later.”
Coolmore already stand G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth and Private Life.
Natural Fling doing it for the fillies
On Thursday, Natural Fling won a jump out at Flemington. A winner on debut at two, she was second to The Next Episode (Snitzel) in the Magic Millions National Stakes. She came back at three to win the G3 Quezette Stakes when resuming, then ran a strong third against the older horses in the G1 AJ Moir Stakes.
“She's a very exciting filly. She went down at Weight For Age last time in the AJ Moir which is a very hard race for a 3-year-old to win, let alone a filly at this time of year,” Santry said.
Natural Fling | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It's very difficult for 3-year-old fillies to beat the older horses in the spring. I think she'll win a Group 1 as well over the spring. It’s within her reach.”
Trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, Natural Fling was a $550,000 purchase by her trainers along with Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) from Yarraman Park Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
“She went really well, which is what you'd expect from a quality filly. It’s her second look down the straight at the trials. We wanted to give her a bit more (of a look) before the Danehill and then obviously the Coolmore,” co-trainer Calvin McEvoy said.
“We wanted to give her (Natural Fling) a bit more (of a look) before the Danehill and then obviously the Coolmore.” - Calvin McEvoy
“She hasn't done much since Moir. She was there to have a fairly in-hand trial, which I thought she did. She was quite impressive, wasn't she?”
Calvin McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The Everest and other big races on the cards long term
If all goes to plan, Home Affairs could end up with Guest House and Natural Fling coming up against each other in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. Of the Coolmore trio, Central Europe heads down the Classic pathway, and Guest House and St Gotthard will remain on a sprinting track.
“After the Golden Rose, Coolmore would be thinking about their Everest slot with one of those horses. They're good enough. If they're knocking on the door on Saturday over 1400 metres, it's the ideal prep to bring them back to six furlongs for The Everest,” Santry said.
“One could go to The Everest, one could go to the Coolmore depending on how they fare on Saturday.”
“One could go to The Everest, one could go to the Coolmore depending on how they fare on Saturday.” - Colm Santry
Home Affairs | Standing at Coolmore Stud
Which one will go where is a problem for the future, and it’s hard to pick on paper. Both Home Affairs and Switzerland have similar race records, being Group 2 winning juveniles who won the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at three.
“Switzerland was a very good 2-year-old. He was unbeaten going into the Todman, won the Todman, and was favoured basically for the Golden Slipper. He pulled up lame, came back, won the Roman Consul and won the Coolmore in the fastest time ever,” Santry said.
“We rated him so highly that we bought them full brother. We'll know a lot more after Saturday with St Gotthard, but he looks a very high-class colt.”
Coolmore purchased Switzerland at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from Arrowfield Stud for $1.5 million, and after his deeds on the track, they paid $2.7 million for St Gotthard two years later. The pair are out of Ms Bad Behavior (Can) (Blame {USA}) whose 4-year-old gelding Decorum (Snitzel) was valued at $1.2 million on Wednesday night after four 2.5% shares sold in him for $30,000 each via Inglis Digital.
Switzerland | Standing at Coolmore Stud
Home Affairs was another high priced yearling purchase for Coolmore’s Tom Magnier who paid $875,000 for him at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from Torryburn Stud’s draft. But they had to go to $30 million to buy Guest House as a proven G1 Golden Slipper winner.
It takes big money to buy a stallion prospect but when everything comes together, you end up with Home Affairs and Switzerland. Will Guest House or St Gotthard live up to their pedigrees on Saturday, or will we see them step up later in the spring like their proven relations?
