G3 Prince Of Wales Stakes won by Talkanco
Daniel and Ben Pearce-trained Talkanco (I’m All The Talk) is on song for the G1 Winterbottom Stakes after winning Saturday’s G1 Prince Of Wales Stakes at Ascot. Winner of the G2 Karrakatta Plate at two, Talkanco was third in The Quokka last season to Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) and Rey Magnerio (Magnus).
“Our aim was just to run through the Prince Of Wales, Colonel Reeves, Winterbottom and Gold Rush and then we’ll see where we go from there. Possibly looking at an eastern states campaign next year at some stage,” Ben Pearce told racingwa.com.au.
She’s won five of her 15 starts and over $1.2 million. A half-sister to Listed placed Richanco (Rich Enuff), she is out of Calianco (California Dane) who won five times including three at Morphettville and is a half-sister to stakes placed Hurrara (Hussonet {USA}).
G3 Rising Fast won by Ndola
Lindsay Park’s consistent 5-year-old gelding Ndola (Justify {USA}) added his second career stakes win, and ninth win in total, when winning the G3 Rising Fast Stakes. Named for dual Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup winner Rising Fast (NZ) (Alonzo {GB}), the 1200 metre sprint could’ve been won by anything with the pack spread across the Flemington straight with half a furlong to go.
A homebred for Peter Devitt and the Gordon brothers, Ndola has earnings over $908,000 and is a half-brother to Listed winner Hearcomesthestar (Zoustar), with both out of Group 3 winner Hear The Chant (Nicconi).
Flying For Fun closes out Derby Day
The last on the card at Flemington on Derby Day, the G3 Sprint was won by Flying For Fun (Spieth {NZ}) who has won two stakes races prior to this and took her record to five wins with earnings over $820,000.
“Every trainer says it, but we're only a small team so when we go away, we need all hands on deck. I'm just so grateful to our staff back at home - they're solid as a rock,” trainer Bryce Heys said.
“We've only got a dozen in work. To have a mare like her who's raced so consistently and really well, it's just been a pleasure. The connections have been with us right from the outset, so it's a very pleasing day all around - we're just grateful.”
Flying For Fun is the only live foal for Vol Prive (Sebring) whose dam Enide (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) is a half-sister to G1 Preis von Europa winner Empoli (Ger) (Halling {USA}).
Listed Sydney Gold Cup won by Travolta
The only import to win on the Randwick card, Travolta (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) won the Listed Sydney Gold Cup over 2000 metres for trainer Chris Waller. “Chris has always had a good opinion of the horse. He lost his way a bit last prep when we tried him over a lot further, and he wasn't quite finishing off his races. Today, we freshened him up, gave him a trial, rode him quieter and that way he was able to show his turn of foot and finish over the top,” stable representative Zane Jones said.
It was his first win since the 2025 St Leger at the same track and he took his earnings over $1.1 million to record his seventh career win and his first at black type level. He becomes the 173rd stakes winner for Lope De Vega (Ire). James Ferguson Racing paid 140,000 gns (AU$282,000) for him at the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Four Pillars won by Stand My Ground
The $500,000 Four Pillars at Randwick was won by Marc Chevalier-trained 4-year-old mare Stand My Ground (North Pacific) who was having her first start running eighth in the G1 Australian Oaks last autumn.
“We are already thinking of the Five Diamonds 2027,” Chevalier said. “She was meant to third up in the Vinery and fourth up in the Oaks but got a temperature just the morning of her first up run. So we had to miss a run. She went second up in the Vinery beaten less than a length. We knew we had a good filly at that time. She went a bit too fast in the Oaks and didn't quite run the trip that day but I'm confident she will go 2400m ridden conservative.”
Snitzel and Wootton Bassett get Sydney winners too
It was a day for the much-missed Snitzel on Saturday who sired the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and G1 Empire Rose winners in Melbourne, and in Sydney, his 4-year-old gelding Agent Zero won the first at Randwick to take his record to four wins and over $320,000 in earnings.
Not to be outdone, Wootton Bassett (GB) who died a few months after Snitzel in September 2025, sired the Derby winner in Melbourne and added a winner at Randwick with Ruination who took his earnings over $250,000 with his fourth career win.
Snitzel also sired a double at Queensland’s Barcaldine meeting with Peninsula and Superstitious.
Juvenile winner for Jonker
Jonker kicked off his second crop in style when 2-year-old filly La Bella Queen won on debut at Doomben on Saturday. Ridden by Tiffani Brooker, the Nicholas Beck-trained filly won by 1.8 lengths. Jonker now has 10 winners.
Beck Racing paid $23,000 for La Bella Queen from Eureka Stud’s Magic Millions March Yearling Sale draft. She is the first foal of La Croft (Foxwedge) who has a yearling full sister to La Bella Queen. La Croft is a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Big Tree (Snitzel) and stakes placed Grand Business (All Bar One).
New winner for Captivant
Second season sire Captivant added a Saturday winner at Coffs Harbour when Cassandra Schmidt-trained 3-year-old filly Sweet Enchantress won her maiden to become his sixth winner. Newgate Farm sold her at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $30,000 to Darren Blair. She is the first winner for Group 3 winner Sweet Redemption (Snitzel).
Stay Inside adds new winner
Stay Inside, whose oldest are 3-year-olds, added winner number 18 when Kim Waugh-trained 3-year-old gelding Hidden News won his maiden at Newcastle on Saturday. His trainer paid $70,000 for him from Blue Gum Farm’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft. He is the first foal of Group 3-placed Great News (Uncle Mo {USA}).
New winner for Profiteer
Profiteer added his 12th winner when Michael Freedman-trained 3-year-old gelding The Grey One won his maiden at start number two on the Gold Coast on Saturday. The $26,000 weanling was sold by Mullaglass Stud to Sledmere Stud who pinhooked him into the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where Freedman and Michael Wallace paid $120,000 for the son of the second season sire. He is the second foal and first winner for winning mare Miss Understanding (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}).
Too Darn Hot and Carrara doubles at Rockhampton
It’s probably the first time sires Too Darn Hot (GB) and Carrara have been mentioned in the same line, but they sired the first four winners at Rockhampton on Saturday. Too Darn Hot’s double came with Too Many Kisses who made it two wins in succession and five for her career, while Hot Torque Invegas took her record to three wins.
Carrara, a Group 2 winning son of Elvstroem who has 81 named foals, sired his double with maiden winner Kamala and August Joe who made it two in succession and three in total.
Also in Queensland, Zousain sired a double at Mt Isa with Zephirine, who now has seven career wins, and Zoustrong.
Lucky Vega double at Pakenham
Lucky Vega (Ire) sired a double at Pakenham on Friday night. Grahame Begg-trained 3-year-old filly Fine And Sunny won her maiden at start three. A $30,000 weanling sale by Yulong, she was pinhooked by Hallmark Stud into the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale where Rohan J Hughes Thoroughbreds and Grahame Begg paid NZ$240,000 for her. She’s the first foal of Outlook (Fastnet Rock), a winning full sister to Group 2 winner Mongolian Falcon.
The double came up with John Sadler-trained Little Richo who made it two wins in succession.
At the same meeting, 3-year-old filly Shemesh (The Autumn Sun) won on debut for trainer Mark Walker. Yes Bloodstock paid $300,000 for Shemesh from HP Thoroughbreds’ Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft. She is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Brutality (Shamus Award) and Group 3 winner General Salute (Russian Revolution).
Double for Alpine Eagle
Debutant 3-year-old gelding Alpinefurther lead a double for his sire when winning at Launceston on Friday night. The Glenn Stevenson-trained gelding is the second winner for Furtheronova (Needs Further) who is a winning half-sister to Group 3-placed Speedonova (Tough Speed {USA}).
John Blacker-trained 5-year-old mare Sky Eagle took her record to three wins to give Alpine Eagle the double.
Attendance up, wagering down for Friday’s Breeders’ Cup
All-sources handle for the 10-race program on the first day of the 43rd Breeders' Cup World Championships Oct. 30 at Keeneland Race Course was US$53,244,221 (AU$75.4 million), the first time since the COVID-impacted renewal at Keeneland in 2020 that handle did not exceed US$60 million (AU$85.4 million) and the lowest in 10 years.
The Future Stars Friday card featured five Breeders' Cup races for 2-year-old horses, the ninth consecutive year the Breeders' Cup has carded all its juvenile races on the same day since the event expanded to its two-day format in 2007.
Handle on the five Breeders' Cup races was US$39,807,102 (AU$56.6 million) versus US$41,239,773 (AU$58.6 million) in 2025, a 3.4% decrease.
Friday's on-track attendance was 35,829.
Shin Emperor retired to Arrow Stud for 2027
Multiple group winner and seven-figure sale topper Shin Emperor (Siyouni) has been retired and will stand at Arrow Stud in Japan beginning next year, JS Company announced.
The chestnut placed four times at the highest level for trainer Yoshito Yahagi in the colours of Susumu Fujita, the owner of Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic runner Forever Young (Real Steel). A group winner and second in the Hopeful Stakes at two, he was third in the 2024 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in Ireland, before missing by only a neck to be second in the G1 Japan Cup at three. Successful in the G2 Neom Turf Cup in 2025, he retires with a mark of 17-3-3-2 and US$3,871,931 (AU$5.5 million) in earnings.
The 2022 Arqana August Yearling Sale top lot at €2.1 million (AU$3.3 million), the chestnut was bred by Ecurie des Monceaux. Out of the Galileo mare Starlet's Sister, he is a half-brother to American champion and multiple Grade I winner Sistercharlie (Myboycharlie) and multiple group/graded winner My Sister Nat (Acclamation), who placed twice in Grade Is, including the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
A full-brother, European champion and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sottsass, also won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix Ganay. After beginning his stallion career at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, Sottsass now stands at Shinzunai Stallion Station under the JBBA banner. He has six stakes winners from his first three crops, including G2 Vintage Stakes hero Dr Rascal and Group 3 winners Asmarani and Segall.
Lucky Vega moves to Ace Stud for 2027
Group 1 winner Lucky Vega will join Shaquille on the Ace Stud roster in Britain in 2027, the stud announced on Friday. The latter's fee remains unchanged at £10,000 (AU$19,000). Formerly based at the Irish National Stud in the Northern Hemisphere, Lucky Vega will stand for £5,000 (AU$9530), after he returns to Europe from shuttling to Australia.
With his eldest Northern-bred foals just three, the son of Lope De Vega has been represented by 64 winners from 121 runners (53%). His Lam Yai and Only Luck each have stakes wins, with the former placed at group level. Other progeny to have placed in group stakes are the highest-earning European juvenile of 2026 in Night In Vegas, third in the G2 Richmond Stakes; Imperial Strike, Senorita Vega, and Harmonics.
From his Southern Hemisphere crops, Lucky Vega has a trio of Group 2 winners in That's Gold, Within The Law, and Cherry Bomshell besides five more stakes horses. Within The Law was second in both the G1 Champagne Stakes and G1 Flight Stakes.
Ace Stud's bloodstock and racing manager Paul Curran said, “We are very excited to welcome Lucky Vega to Ace Stud for the upcoming breeding season and believe he will appeal to British breeders, particularly given his remarkably consistent results throughout the season. His strike rate compares very favourably with his fellow second-season sires, the likes of Starman, Space Blues, St Mark's Basilica and Palace Pier.
“His year was highlighted by his son Night in Vegas, who has been expertly campaigned by his connections and has become the highest-earning two-year-old colt in Europe in 2026. He has achieved more on the track than many stakes-performing juveniles this season.
“The year ahead promises to be an exciting one, with Shaquille's first runners set to hit the track. We acquired a number of his first yearlings and are eager to see them race in Ace Stud's white and green silks in 2027. His first crop has been well received at the sales, and we wish all their new connections the very best of luck.”
