Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The Cups are on everyone’s mind at the Grahame Begg yard with Zakouma already qualified for the Melbourne Cup and She’s a Hustler (NZ) on a Caulfield Cup pathway. But there are also plenty of rising stars to pay attention to, with the spring ahead looking like an exciting time.
Exciting 3-year-old filly Jadzia (Ole Kirk) ran seventh in Sunday's G3 Scarborough Stakes.
"She won really nicely on the synthetic last start and is a high class filly," Begg said. "There are lots of options for her."
Older horses
She’s A Hustler (NZ), 6-year-old mare (Ace High x Snow Petal {Bernardini {USA}})
“She ran very well in the Makybe Diva Stakes , she is best on a good track and she is very much going the right way.
“She will head towards the Turnbull Stakes and then into the Caulfield Cup where she has a nice weight with 53kg and Mick Dee aboard.”
Zakouma, 6-year-old gelding (Crowded House (GB) x Dar Es Salaam (NZ) {Bernardini {USA}})
“His two runs in this preparation have been very good. He will now head towards The Herbert Power on October 10th and that will be his last lead-up run to the Melbourne Cup,
“We are purposely giving him a lightish preparation into the Melbourne Cup as he was racing deep into May where he won the Andrew Ramsden.”
Cilacap, 5-year-old mare (Written Tycoon x Falkenberg {More Than Ready {USA}})
“She will resume in the Rose Of Kingston Stakes, she is in great order and her last trial was nice.”
Splash Back (Fr), 7-year-old mare (Le Havre (Ire) x Tamazirte (Ire) {Danehill Dancer {Ire}})
“She will have her first trial this time in on the Caulfield Heath next Thursday and we will go from there.
“She may possibly head towards the McEwen Stakes and then the CF Orr Stakes in November.
“She is going well and will purposely have a light spring ahead of targets next year. She is coming up a treat and the break she had in Queensland did her a lot of good.”
Amenable, 7-year-old gelding (Lonhro x Carribean Sunset (Ire) {Danehill Dancer {Ire}})
“He had a big lay off and then went great in his first run for the stable, he may go to the Paris Lane at Flemington over 1400 metres, there is good improvement in him and if he gets a little give in the ground then he is even more effective.”
Gallery: Some of Grahame Begg Racing's older horses
4-year-olds
Pallaton, 4-year-old horse (Wootton Bassett (GB) x Anevay {Exceed And Excel})
“He did a good job for us winning at Caulfield at his first start for the stable. There are nice options for him, and he has a good range around that 1000 metre to 1100 metre mark.
Biologics, 4-year-old mare (I Am Invincible x Fontein Ruby {Turffontein})
“She disappointed a little last time and she really doesn’t like wet ground, so we tipped her out for a bit.
“She is in pre-training now and shapes as a real summer horse.”
Ruska Roma, 4-year-old mare (Super Seth x Sansa (NZ) (Makfi {GB}})
“It didn’t work out for her last time in a farcical run race.
“She may go to Flemington next week in a Benchmark 78, then all going well may go to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes.”
Gallery: Grahame Begg Racing's 4 Year-Old horses
3-year-olds
Aroused, 3-year-old filly (Snitzel x Sexy Eyes {Written Tycoon})
“She is a well-bred filly of Fairway Thoroughbreds that has above average ability from what she has shown us at home and at the jump-outs.
“We have given her the time she needed and she may head towards Ballarat next Wednesday.”
Profligate, 3-year-old filly (Xtravagant (NZ) x Sexy Eyes {Stratum})
“She is an improving type of filly and she looks like she will love Flemington when she gets there and she ran well there behind Blind Raise as a 2-year-old in the Anzac Stakes.
“The 1600 metres looks ideal for her and she will go to the Guineas via the Edward Manifold Stakes.”
Pocket Watch, 3-year-old colt (Tagaloa x Ting Ting (Fr) {Frankel {GB}})
‘He is a nice colt we have for Yulong, he comes from a very strong family and is quite a natural type of horse that I like.
“He has been a bit immature which is understandable being a colt bred to Northern Hemisphere time. He will head to the jump-outs next week.”
Gallery: Some of Grahame Begg Racing's 3 Year-Old horses
2-year-olds
Unnamed, 2-year-old colt (Per Incanto (USA) x Bridgewater {Written Tycoon})
Purchased for $675,000 by Upper Bloodstock Pty Ltd from the Elsdon Park draft at the 2026 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“He was quite an expensive purchase, he is a really nice mover and I really like him. He has a good brain is a lovely colt and we could see him out in the new year."
The Whiz, 2-year-old gelding (Brave Smash (Jpn) x The Natural {Fastnet Rock})
Purchased for $300,000 by Graham Begg Racing and Rohan Hughes Bloodstock from the Yarraman Park Stud draft at the 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“He is a nice horse that is a half-brother to Natural Fling that we purchased from the Classic Sale.
“He could be seen early in the new year.”
Montrichard, 2-year-old filly (Zoustar x Summer Sham {Encosta De Lago})
Purchased for $1,800,000 by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) from the Widden Stud draft at the 2026 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
“She is a lovely bred filly that we have for Pinecliff Racing that cost a lot as a yearling. She is very nice and while she wont be super early, she moves well and could go well in the autumn.”
Gallery: Grahame Begg Racing's 2 Year-Old horses
