Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Xidaki keeps rolling and romps in
The G3 Winx Guineas and Listed Canberra Guineas-winning 3-year-old Xidaki (Zoustar) promised that he may be reaching the form we know the Zoustar gelding is capable of now as a mature 6-year-old with a demolition job in the opening heat over 1200 metres at Randwick, bolting in by a touch under six and a half lengths.
Tom Sherry took the big gelding straight to the lead in the small four-horse field, with China Sea (Fastnet Rock) settling in second, Thrice (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in third, while the smart 3-year-old filly Queen’s Gamble (Anders) was a touch slow away in the hands of Tommy Berry.
Video: Watch Xidaki's trial replay at Royal Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Xidaki got into a great rhythm and rolled along in front, while Queen’s Gamble, if anything, was too relaxed, settling about eight lengths behind in last after racing too keenly in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes behind Bangkok Hottie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) at her last start.
Xidaki kept extending his lead and, upon straightening, he was well in front and simply cruised to victory.
Berry got Queen’s Gamble going late and she ran on nicely near the inside for second, just under six and a half lengths from the winner, while Thrice was another half a length behind in third.
Xidaki after winning his trial at Randwick | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Xidaki is one of five winners out of the General Nediym mare Athanea, who won twice on the track. Xidaki is from the family of the Champion Sire Zabeel (NZ) and the Group 3 winner Needs Further, also a Group 1-producing sire.
Athena in recent times has left a 3-year-old filly named Circus Queen (Trapeze Artist), a 2-year-old filly by Portland Sky and is due to foal to Ozzmosis next month.
Agarwood charges late to score
The John O’Shea and Tom Chartlon-trained Agarwood (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has always shown a lot of talent. An unbeaten 2-year-old from two starts, she then run second in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes and fourth in the $1 million Inglis Sprint and the Listed Queensland Day Stakes as a 3-year-old, she showed she has come up well now as a 4-year-old mare with a tidy trial victory at Randwick over 1050 metres.
Zac Lloyd settled the mare well back in second last off an even speed that was set by Molly Bourke aboard the John Sargent-trained classy mare Asgarda (The Brothers War).
Video: Watch Agarwood's trial replay at Royal Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Bourke did a good job dictating in the lead and Asgarda travelled well and kicked like the winner, but late it was Agarwood who was strongest as Lloyd weaved between runners to score by a head.
Asgarda finished second, with Moscatel (Sniztel) in third and Flying From Above (Pierata) in fourth in a blanket finish, with less than half a length covering the first four home.
Agarwood is out of the Group 2-placed Fastnet Rock mare Paulownia, who is a full-sister to the Group 1 winner and stallion Foxwedge.
Paulownia has already proven herself, leaving the Group 3 and Listed winner Lilac (Justify {USA}), who sold for $1,500,000 to Katsumi Yoshida at the 2026 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. The Group 2 winner Bank Maur (Maurice {Jpn}) also features within the pedigree.
Paulownia in recent times has left a 3-year-old gelding named Sprig Of Wattle (Home Affairs), a yearling filly by Justify (USA) and is due to foal to Justify’s son City Of Troy (USA) any day now.
Agarwood was purchased for $420,000 by Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from Coolmore Studs 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Born To Fly does just that between runners
The beautifully bred Born To Fly (I Am Invincible) signalled that she is a 3-year-old filly to keep an eye out for when she debuted with a dashing victory at Randwick over 1050 metres, which came on the back of another trial win at Randwick two weeks ago.
In-form jockey Zac Lloyd settled the I Am Invincible filly back in about seventh on the rail as Nicolosi (Ole Kirk) took up the running in the hands of Tim Clark, with Social Graces (Wootton Bassett {GB}) on the outer.
Nicolisi kicked hard upon straightening, but in behind Lloyd was weaving some magic on Born To Fly and she burst through between runners to score in style by just over half a length.
Video: Watch Born to Fly's trial replay at Royal Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
All Over Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}) was good in second, while Social Graces stuck on well.
Born To Fly is out of the dual-winner Rough Ride (Flying Spur), who has already proven herself at stud, leaving the Group 3 winner Kalashnikov (Capitalist) and the Group 3 and Listed winner Eagle Nest (Shalaa {Ire}).
Rough Ride is also well-related, being a half-sister to four individual stakes winners, including the G1 Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way (More Than Ready {USA}).
Born To Fly was purchased for $750,000 by O’Shea-Charlton Racing and James Bester Bloodstock from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2025 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Graffiti Tycoon trials up strong
It was Graffiti Tycoon (Written Tycoon) that kept the good day going for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton and jockey Zac Lloyd, with a comfortable trial win by a length and three quarters.
The win came on the back of another trial victory on September 8 at Rosehill.
It was Sweet Destiny (Ole Kirk) that took up the running at a reasonable clip, with Maximus Meridius (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) rushing up on the outer, albeit a bit free in his action.
Video: Watch Graffiti Tycoon's trial replay at Royal Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Zac Lloyd aboard Graffiti Tycoon was a bit slow away initially but worked the mare into fourth, also a little keen off the muddling tempo.
Upon straightening, it was Maximus Meridius and Rachel King who took over, but Graffiti Tycoon peeled off his back and went straight past to score by a length and three quarters.
Mindgames (Maurice {Jpn}) boomed home for second from well back in a real eye-catching effort, while Billapaloola (Pinatubo {Ire}) was solid in third for Louise Day and trainer Ron Quinton.
The Written Tycoon 4-year-old mare deserves maiden success, having placed in all three of her starts, which have in fact all been in Super Maiden level worth $100,000 a pop each. Her day may come resuming if she returns in this fashion.
Graffiti Tycoon is out of the six-time winner and Listed-placed Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) mare Affairoftheheart (NZ), who at stud has left the G1 New Zealand Derby winner and dual Group 2 winner Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock).
Affairoftheheart is also very well-related, being a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Soriano (NZ) (Savabeel) and the G3 Premier’s Cup winner Kaiser Franz (NZ) (Savabeel).
The expensive mare Rosie Rouge wins nicely
She may now be a 4-year-old mare that had her one and only start in February last year, but the effort on Friday from the $1.7 million Magic Millions yearling graduate Rosie Rouge (I Am Invincible) was a tidy one in the hands of Tim Clark.
Clark jumped the I Am Invincible mare sharply from an inside gate and she ended up settling in a distant trail as her stablemate Bewley Castle (Fierce Impact {Jpn}) took up the running from another stablemate, Imperial Code (Snitzel), who settled outside the leader.
Video: Watch Rosie Rouge's trial replay at Royal Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Rosie Rouge seemed to appreciate the solid tempo set over the 1050 metres and loomed up at the 150-metre mark to take the lead and score narrowly from the visually very impressive Medocaine (Pinatubo {Ire}), who stormed home in the hands of Tommy Berry to just miss.
A head behind was Forsaken (NZ) (Proisir), who ran on nicely for third.
Rosie Rouge is out of the Group 2, 3 and Listed winner Madam Rouge (Zoustar), who was also placed at the elite Group 1 level in the Stradbroke Handicap.
Rosie Rouge’s grandam Cabernet (Al Maher) was also smart, winning the Listed Summoned Stakes on the track, while her third dam Golden Weekend (Nine Carat {USA}) was also a Listed winner.
Madam Rouge in recent times has left a 3-year-old gelding named Snitzel A’La Rouge (Snitzel), a 2-year-old filly named Miss Cami (Snitzel), a yearling filly by I Am Invincible and foaled a Too Darn Hot (GB) filly late last month.
Rosie Rouge was purchased for $1,700,000 by Jes Sikura, Hill 'n' Dale Farm, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Widden Stud draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
