No shame in Sheza Alibi’s second in G1 Might And Power
It took a course record by Land Legend (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) to beat hot favourite Sheza Abili (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) in Saturday’s G1 Might And Power Stakes. “As long as his (Land Legend’s) arse points towards the ground he’ll never beat her again, but he’s had his day in the sun,” co-trainer Peter Moody told racing.com.
“That’s life and we’ll bounce back and fight another day. It was a tough run race and all honours to the winner. We weren’t good enough on the day.” She heads to the G1 Golden Eagle next over the shorter 1500 metre trip.
Unbeaten Chuchichaschtli wins Listed Tapp-Craig Stakes
Team Hawkes-trained 3-year-old filly Chuchichaschtli (Exceedance) bounced out of a debut win to score in the Listed Tapp-Craig Stakes at Rosehill at just her second start. Bred by Vinery Stud (Australia) Pty Ltd and Gary Luiand, she is raced by his co-breeder Captain G Lui and G F Doyle. She becomes the seventh stakes winner for Exceedance.
“It's a bit of a tongue twister isn't it? I call her 'Koo-kar-kashli', "Hoo-ha-ha-shli'. However you want to call it, doesn't matter, she's a winner,” Michael Hawkes said.
“Probably the better part of six months I've known she's been something. She's pretty special. There's not a lot of her, but she's all heart, and she's a racehorse.” The stable had a double on the card with Fierce (Capitalist) in the last.
Pinhole gets into Cup with G2 Herbert Power win
A ballot free entry into the G1 Caulfield Cup was on offer in the G2 Herbert Power Stakes on Saturday but the winner Pinhole (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is unlikely to use it, with trainer Chris Waller focusing on the G1 Melbourne Cup instead. He will likely need a rehandicap to make the field there. “I'll have a talk to the owners, but it is (the Caulfield Cup) unlikely,” Waller said.
“The Caulfield Cup will be stronger than today, and the Melbourne Cup might see him improve going to two miles. Everyone wants to win Caulfield Cups, but whether you can is another story. If we can get to a Melbourne Cup, that might be a real fairytale story.
“We might try and find a path heading that way, but we will have to talk to the owners and the handicapper.” Twice a winner in Europe, Pinhole took his record to five wins from 15 starts and over $484,000. This was his first stakes win. Chris Waller Racing paid 200,000 gns (AU$399,000) for him at the 2025 Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale.
Second G2 Hill Stakes for Attrition
The plan to bring Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) north to Sydney worked out a treat for trainer Mitchell Freedman when he won the G2 Hill Stakes at Rosehill for the second time after winning it in 2024 and running second in 2025. “We'll mark it in the calendar, mark it as the fourth-up run, and do our best,” Freedman said about coming back for next year.
“It's not too many times he's out of that weight-for-age level and he keeps showing up. He's a beautiful, sound horse. He's got the best temperament that you'll ever come across and he's a much loved member of our team, that's for sure.”
The 2023 G1 Toorak Handicap winner took his record to five wins from 33 starts and earnings over $4.7 million.
G3 The Nivison goes to Queensland raider
Chris and Corey Munce-trained Gerringong (Blue Point {Ire}) came to Sydney for the G3 The Nivison and came away with the spoils. Winner of her first two starts in 2024, she had picked up multiple stakes placings since but never the victory. All that changed at Rosehill on Saturday with her third career win.
“In the winter last 'prep', we never had any luck in any of the races we ran in, and we wanted to make our own luck today up there on speed, to an extent. Gee she was tough at the finish,” Corey Munce said.
She became the 35th global stakes winner for Blue Point (Ire) and is raced by Strawberry Hill Stud and partners. Gerringong is one of two winners for unraced This Time Bridie (More Than Ready {USA}), a half-sister to Group 1 winner Fenway (High Chaparral {Ire}) and a full sister to Group 3 winner War.
The win gave jockey Tyler Schiller a treble for the day with his other winners being the Hawkes Racing-trained pair of Chuchichaschtli and Fierce.
Interstate stakes double for Blue Point
Point Barrow (Blue Point {Ire})’s victory in the G3 Northwood Plume Stakes at Caulfield gave former shuttler Blue Point (Ire) an interstate stakes double with Gerringong at Rosehill. “She's a very good talent and we've got the key to her now. We've just got to find the right race for her,” co-trainer Anthony Freedman said.
“She is one dimensional. You've got to ride her that way. He (Mark Zahra) rides horses like that very well. I don't think there's anyone better at timing a backmarker. He suits her and now she may end up in the Champions Sprint at Flemington though I'm not sure what weight she gets there. We'll have to assess that closer to the time but that looks like a logical race.”
A last start winner of the G3 How Now Stakes, Point Barrow took her record to seven wins from 12 starts and earnings over $840,000. Her trainer paid $400,000 for her at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale from Yarraman Park Stud.
Imported Formal Display wins G3 Alan Brown Stakes
Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained imported gelding Formal Display (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) won his maiden black type in Saturday’s G3 Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill. Twice a winner in Europe prior to import, he now has eight wins from 19 starts and earnings over $1.2 million.
“The Big Dance is obviously the Grand Final but happy to win $1.5 million race on the way through. It was no surprise either but I was a little surprised by his odds to be honest but maybe it was the (wide) barrier,” Annabel Archibald said.
Blandford Bloodstock, Archibald Racing and Triple Crown Syndications paid 100,000 gns (AU$199,500) for him at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale.
G3 Ladies Day Vase goes to Surfin’ Bird
With three runners in Saturday’s G3 Ladies Day Vase at Caulfield, The Autumn Sun came up trumps with his mare Surfin’ Bird who is trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. She becomes the 13th stakes winner for her G1 Caulfield Guineas winning sire.
Originally sold by Milburn Creek at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where her trainers paid $280,000 for her, she was on-sold at the Strawberry Hill Stud dispersal as a 2-year-old and bought by her trainers again for $120,000 but this time for First Light Racing and partners. She has won six of her 11 starts and over $660,000.
Surfin’ Bird is the second foal of Summer Surf (Big Brown {USA}), a half-sister to G1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan and Group 3 winner and sire Sandbar.
Perth the plan for Listed Weekend Hussler winner
Symon Wilde-trained Persian Spirit (Cable Bay {Ire}) might head to Perth for a big cash raid after winning Saturday’s Listed Weekend Hussler at Caulfield. “There was a spruik of The Gold Rush in Perth - $1.5 million Group 3 over 1400. Might let the dust settle. The Damien Oliver is there as well over 1400 over the Cup Carnival which might look good on his way to Perth,” stable representative Liam Hoy said.
The win was his seventh overall and his first at black type level and becomes the 15th stakes winner for his sire. He took his earnings over $650,000. John Price Bloodstock and Grand Syndicates paid $6000 for him at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2022 from Stockwell Thoroughbreds’ draft.
Chillaxing wins Listed Queensland Cup
Trainer Tony Gollan celebrated the quinella of Saturday’s Listed Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm with Chillaxing (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) beating stablemate Felix The Scat (Mendelssohn {USA}). Third at his only start at The Curragh before heading to Australia, Chillaxing has won six of his 19 starts here and this was his first stakes victory.
He became stakes winner 389 for his sire who died in 2021 and also sired Saturday's G1 Might And Power Stakes winner Land Legend (Fr). A 300,000 gns (AU$598,000) yearling, Chillaxing was bought by Australian Bloodstock for 22,000 gns (AU$43,900) at the 2023 Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale.
Queensland’s Listed Members Cup won by Kintyre
Trainer Todd Pollard had three runners in the Listed Members Cup at Eagle Farm and on Friday, he told racingqueensland.com.au that Kintyre (Hallowed Crown) was the most likely winner of this trio. His prediction turned out to be correct with Kintyre running out a half-length victory.
Previously the winner of the G2 Queensland Guineas in 2024, Kintyre took his record to seven wins from 45 starts and earnings over $1.1 million. He is a half-brother to G1 Golden Slipper winner Fireburn (Rebel Dane) and they are the first two foals of Mull Over (So You Think {NZ}).
Stakes placed Ole Kirk colt wins
Michael Hickmott-trained 3-year-old colt Ole Go (Ole Kirk) resumed at Morphettville on Saturday to add his second career victory, having won on debut at two last season. He also placed in the Listed Without Fear Stakes last season. Ole Go’s trainer paid $250,000 for him from Vinery Stud’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft.
At the same meeting, Zousain had a double with Winning All Round and Regal Ripper. Time Test (GB) had a double with Sixty Grand (NZ) and Time Guest (GB).
War Princess makes it a hat trick in Sprint Stakes
Peter and Trent Didham-trained 4-year-old mare War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) made it a hat trick of wins when victorious in Saturday’s G3 Spring Sprint Stakes at Hawke’s Bay. Winner of the G3 Eulogy Stakes last season, she took her record to eight wins from 14 starts and earnings over NZ$470,000.
“She has won eight from 14 starts which is pretty amazing and she probably should have won another, so we are really proud of her. She will go out for two weeks now as there are some really nice fillies and mares’ races after Christmas, although plans do change in racing,” Peter Didham told Loveracing.nz.
Didham and Exempt Racing paid NZ$77,500 for her from Haunui Farm’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft. She is a half-sister to stakes placed Appellant (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}).
Daryz retired after second Arc victory
Daryz (Sea The Stars), the brilliant dual winner of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, has been retired from racing following his historic second victory at ParisLongchamp and will embark on a stallion career in 2027, with stud arrangements to be announced in due course.
Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Daryz won his first four starts as a 3-year-old, culminating with a first Group-race success in the G2 Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud. He later ended that campaign with his first victory in the Arc, beating leading 3-year-old filly Minnie Hauk (Frankel) by a head in a thrilling finish.
Owner-breeder Princess Zahra Aga Khan said of that triumph for the homebred colt, “As a breeder, and as part of a legacy that stretches back more than a century, winning this race is the pinnacle of what one can achieve.”
Kept in training as a 4-year-old, Daryz returned with consecutive Group 1 wins at ParisLongchamp in the Prix Ganay and Prix d'Ispahan, before travelling to Britain where he finished third behind Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Having regained the winning thread in September's G2 Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp, by nearly two lengths from Bay City Roller (New Bay), the son of Sea The Stars then made history when defending his Arc title with another comprehensive defeat of the same horse. He became the first colt in almost half a century to achieve back-to-back Arc victories, joining an illustrious roll of honour that includes Ksar (1921 and 1922), Tantieme (1950 and 1951), Ribot (1955 and 1956) and Alleged (1977 and 1978).
Tattersalls December Foal catalogue released
A Wootton Bassett half-sister to the multiple top-level winners Gstaad and Vandeek features among 1,000 lots catalogued to sell at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, which takes place from Tuesday, November 24 to Saturday, November 28.
Consigned by Maywood Stud, the Wootton Bassett filly features among eight foals from the final crop of the late Coolmore stallion set to be offered at the December Foal Sale, with 10 lots by Frankel, nine by Night Of Thunder and eight by Sea The Stars also set to go under the hammer.
Tattersalls managing director Matthew Prior said, “The Tattersalls December Foal Sale is Europe's premier foal sale and continues to be an outstanding source of top-class international racehorses as well as rewarding those buying to resell.
“Another exceptional year on the racecourse has been headed by Group 1 winners Gstaad, Orthodox, Portfolio Duration and Sir Delius, further underlining the quality of foals offered at Park Paddocks each year.
“This year's catalogue is an outstanding one, bringing together an exceptional collection of the British and Irish foal crop, and we look forward to welcoming buyers from throughout Europe and further afield to Park Paddocks this November.”
Godolphin’s support includes education
Godolphin’s support of the racing industry and the local community around Newmarket can be found in the support of the Dubai Future Champions Festival, currently in the middle of its two-day run at the Rowley Mile.
“Along with the race meeting we've also got the Dubai Future Champions Education Week for all of the Year 8 students at Newmarket Academy – that's about 160 12- to 13-year-olds spending the week off curriculum learning all about the thoroughbred industry,” says Penny Taylor, Godolphin's charities manager in the UK.
“This is the 11th year of the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project. It's really to give the students a proper understanding of what the racing industry is about, the opportunities there are for them, and how the town works.
“We do about 30 other initiatives throughout the calendar year, working across all year groups at the secondary school, but this one week for Year 8 is really focused around everything that Newmarket is about.”
Vale Hall Of Fame jockey Don Pierce
USA Hall of Fame rider Don Pierce–one of the leading jockeys of the 1960s and 1970s–died at the age of 89 on October 5, according to a National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame post on Thursday afternoon. The news was reported by Pierce's brother, Larry.
A native of Clebit, Oklahoma, Pierce rode his first winner at New Mexico's Ruidoso Downs in 1954 before establishing himself on the Southern California circuit.
The legendary rider took mounts for top trainers such as Hall of Famers Mesh Tenney, William Molter, Charlie Whittingham and Robert Wheeler. He reached a personal peak in 1973 when he led all jockeys in North America with 32 stakes victories.
He won five consecutive editions of the Los Angeles Handicap (1969 through 1973) as well as five runnings of the Hollywood Oaks and Santa Anita Oaks. He did well at the seaside oval where he won the Del Mar Debutante four times, plus the Del Mar Derby and Del Mar Oaks.
Pierce retired in 1984 with 3,546 wins, including 351 stakes. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Full to Bold Approach headlines GoffsGo October
The catalogue for the GoffsGo October Sale is now available to view online, with a Dawn Approach full-brother to the G3 Tyros Stakes runner-up Bold Approach featuring among 11 yearlings from Boherguy Stud.
Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “The GoffsGo October Sale presents another diverse catalogue and the platform continues to expand its reach with new sellers and buyers active for every sale. Its current top price of £245,000 is the highest price achieved by any UK or Irish online sale so far in 2026. That's a great achievement and one of which we are proud.”
