Carpark draw doesn’t bother Lloyd
Jockey Zac Lloyd isn’t bothered by the wide draw for Group 1 winner Proxima Dea (Tavistock {NZ}) in Thursday’s G1 VRC Oaks. “She’s obviously very good. She’s won a Group 1, the rest of them haven’t,” Lloyd told racing.com.
Zac Lloyd | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“The form around her is good. She beat Stormy Marco twice – he’s since come out and won the Victoria Derby in dominant fashion. She has a stout staying pedigree, being a sister to Gypsy Goddess. She was really good stepping up to 2000 metres last start, and the 2500 metres on Thursday shouldn’t be a problem for her. It doesn’t help drawing in the car par, but we’ll make do.
“Draws wins races. It does help that she’s versatile; she can go forward, she can sit midfield, she stays very well, so I wouldn’t be afraid to do a bit of work on her. I would have preferred to draw below six. We’ll come up with a plan and go from there.”
Racing NSW release annual report
Racing NSW reported an operating surplus of $13.63 million in the 2025/26 financial year in their annual report released on Wednesday. This is up from up from $12.96 million in FY25 and $12.6 million in FY24.
“In my 23rd and final Chief Executive’s Report, I emotionally reflect not only on the past year but also on the remarkable journey of the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry over the past two decades. During this time, the industry has confronted extraordinary challenges and is now stronger, more resilient and, ultimately, more successful,” outgoing CEO Peter V’Landys wrote.
While no concrete wagering figures were in the report, Racing NSW reported that the top three most wagered races were The Everest, the Golden Eagle and the Golden Slipper.
Quick Finish trying to defy history
After running third in the G1 VRC Derby, Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained filly Quick Finish (Grunt {NZ}) will back up into Thursday’s G1 VRC Oaks. What was that about 3-year-olds not being tough enough at this time of year? “We know she stays the trip, so that's the key. She was incredible (in the Derby),” Tony McEvoy told racenet.com.au.
Quick Finish | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We just felt that the colts were maybe not as good as the fillies, and we felt that race (the Derby) was a good opportunity for us. I couldn't have been prouder of her. We'll keep an eye on her to see how she is. But our filly is fit and sounds, and she seems great. I think we are going to line up here.
“I've won the Wakeful a few times and I have been placed in the Oaks, but I haven't won it yet. I reckon I am due.” The stable also has Expensive Taste (North Pacific) and Courting (Kermadec {NZ}) in the race.
Pike keen for Oaks filly
Rob Blacker is thrilled to have Willie Pike on board Shameful Impulse (Shamus Award) for Thursday’s G1 VRC Oaks. “I called (Pike’s manager) Dale Verhagen ahead of the Ethereal, and said I might be after a rider for the Ethereal, Wakeful and then maybe the Oaks,” Blacker told racing.com.
William Pike | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Dale said, ‘If he likes her, he’ll ride her.’ After the Ethereal, I thought, ‘Gee, I don’t know,’ but Willie came back and said, ‘No worries, that was a sound run, I’m happy.’ And then after the Wakeful I was standing at the scales with the owners, but I was listening and heard Willie say something like, ‘On Thursday, can we do this?’ to (Blacker’s son and strapper) Natz.
“Natz came back, and I said, ‘I think he’s going to ride it.’ And Natz looked at me and said, ‘Oh, he’s riding it all right!’ We’re just delighted to have him on again.”
Originate set for Golden Gift debut
Joe Pride-trained 2-year-old filly Originate (Street Boss {USA}) will debut in Saturday’s Golden Gift. “Everything I ask her, she's able to do it. That's the marker. If they're able to do it, they're ready when they're ready. I don't necessarily have an age I need them to be to race. I just need them to be ready, and everything she's showing so far is she's there,” Pride told racingandsports.com.au.
“She has got very much a 2-year-old family behind her. She's a beautiful filly, and in time, I think she's going to make a really nice horse.” She is the first foal of Group 3 winner Emanate (Lonhro), a daughter of G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes and G1 Champagne Stakes winner Guelph (Exceed And Excel).
Mayer announces resignation
South Australian Jockey Club CEO Grant Mayer announced his resignation on Wednesday. He will conclude his term at the end of the racing season. He has been in the role for nine years. “It's rare that a CEO gets the opportunity to choose their own time,” Mayer told racenet.com.au.
Grant Mayer | Image courtesy of Morphettville Racecourse
“I blew a few people away when I made the decision. It was very clear what I needed to do and I made the decision on my time. I've given the board plenty of time to find my successor. It's a big job but an exciting job. The challenges of the racing industry aside, I think the venue is capable of doing so much more.”
The club had record six-straight million dollar-plus losses when Mayer took on the job. They’ve had a surplus for the past seven years.
“When I got here, I inherited a business that was going backwards at a rapid rate. There were significant challenges that weren't properly addressed. I think we've taken the last nine years to address those issues.
“Coming from outside, you can see things from a different lens. I think people that had been in the business for so long, forgot to take a step back and look holistically. Everything we did, whether it was replacing the digital scoreboard, replacing the sand track out in the middle, chipping away at the Diva Bar upgrades, the construction of the Wolf Blass centre or level two upgrades.
“Every step we've taken has shown we were capable as a team to create something better. I'm not saying the job is done, but it's certainly ready for someone else to get a fresh look.”
Sadler joins McDonald stable
Trainer John Sadler recently announced his retirement and now has taken on an assistant trainer role with Clinton McDonald. “I've known him all my life and we get on famously. It's going to be good,” McDonald told racenet.com.au.
“He loves the horses and he wants to be around them. A man of his experience, wisdom and knowledge, you can't buy that. He will be there in a role where we're working together and our stable's getting bigger. I just need that wise head there overseeing stuff when I can't be there. It fits in with what we need to do to keep growing and scaling the business.”
Sequinned can repeat in Red Roses
Last start Caulfield winner Sequinned (Pinatubo {Ire}) will run in Thursday’s G3 Red Roses and the Chris Waller stable thinks she can repeat the success. “I think we can (see the same again),” Chris Waller's assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth told racingandsports.com.au.
“She had a final gallop on Tuesday morning on the grass at Flemington. She is a bit of a handful as she carries her head in an unusual fashion but tries very, very hard.”
Good gate for Tuileries in Hot Danish
Peter Snowden-trained Tuileries (So You Think {NZ}) has drawn three for Saturday’s G2 Hot Danish Stakes. “From that draw I would think she could be in the first four or five easily,” Snowden told racingnsw.com.au.
Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“If she can jump and find a spot, go to sleep, then she only has to find two or three lengths turning for home but because of bad draws she’s got to find eight or 10 lengths. That’s very hard to do against this class of horse. Barriers don’t make them win but it makes you feel better.”
Hot Danish aims for Just Precious
Father and son trainers Stuart and Bayley Kendrick will send Just Precious (Justify {USA}) to Sydney for Saturday’s G2 Hot Danish Stakes. “Regan Bayliss will ride her and it would be great if she could give Bayley and I our first winner together in Sydney,” Stuart Kendrick told racingqueensland.com.au.
“In fact, I’ve never trained a winner myself in Sydney. I’ve run third in an AJC Derby and had a couple of fourths in the Golden Slipper and Champagne Stakes. She’s had two starts for two wins this campaign, so hopefully she can continue the form.
“If she can pick up some black-type it’ll make her a valuable broodmare later on. She was an ugly duckling when I bought her on-line, so I just gave her plenty of time to develop. Her last win was very good when she sat in behind the leader before putting them away easily.”
Group 3 next for Miss Billie Jean
Aaron Mitchell-trained 3-year-old filly Miss Billie Jean (Maschino) will head to the G3 Champion Fillies Stakes next after winning the last on Cup Day at Ascot. It was a dramatic day for the stable. “It’s been an eventful day. Unfortunately one of our staff had her finger bitten off by one of the horses early and was rushed to hospital,” Mitchell told racingwa.com.au.
“It was nice to finish off with a win with her. The whole prep was planned around getting her into the Champion Fillies. She was emergency two or three today in the Burgess Queen, so we elected to come here for this race and hopefully that’s enough to get her in off the back of this win.”
Quinella again for Buzzoffski and Valley Star
Leanne Gaffney-trained 3-year-olds Buzzoffski (Hanseatic) and Valley Star (Widden Valley) made it four quinellas in their five starts together on Tuesday and will both head to the Listed 3YO Cup next. “We opted to race them here today rather than trialling in Launceston on Thursday, and I thought it was a big effort,” stable representative Clinton Gaffney told tasracing.com.
“I think our pair are right with Aristopolos on times. Barriers and track conditions will play a part, but we’ve got race fitness now.” They will have to contend with the former top 2-year-old Aristopolos (St Mark’s Basilica {Fr}) in the Cup. Buzzoffski has three wins and Valley Star has two.
Spratt returns to saddle after dramatic injury
Jockey Sam Spratt will ride on Saturday after a 20-month injury break. She initially took a short break to have her baby Riley, but shortly afterwards broke her pelvis when a horse fell on her. "Having a newborn wasn’t tricky enough, so I thought I would throw in a shattered pelvis as well,” Spratt told Loveracing.nz.
Sam Spratt | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“I broke my pelvis in about eight places, the front of my pelvis was all shattered, and I fractured a couple of my vertebrae as well. When I went in (to the hospital) they said I did a good job. I was in a wheelchair for four months because I wasn’t allowed to put weight on it. I was only allowed to stand on one leg to get myself from the wheelchair to the toilet or bed.
“After that I gradually went to crutches before being able to walk. For about two or three months I was walking but I constantly had a limp and I wasn’t right, so that is when I went to my doctor, I had a CT scan done and the surgeon said my pelvis wasn’t even attached, so no wonder I was limping.
“That’s when I went back for surgery and then I was back on crutches and progressed from there. I started making good progression and it has been a pretty speedy recovery once my pelvis was attached.
“He (surgeon) didn’t want me riding for 12 weeks after the surgery, he just wanted to make sure I was fully healed. Once that came, he said I could ride, and the next day I went back to the track.”
Spratt has recorded 1127 wins in New Zealand over 25 years, including 112 at Group or Listed level.
Quartet of Guineas chances for Wexford
Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have two runners in each of the New Zealand Guineas races. Fiamma (NZ) (Pinatubo {Ire}) and Dashing Dixie (NZ) (Alabama Express) will run in Saturday’s G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, with co-favourite Coniston (NZ) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Rip Tide (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas a week later. “Both fillies left here healthy and well and they had a nice gallop on Tuesday morning and worked in a manner that suggests they are peaking,” Scott said.
“They both put in close to personal bests on the training track and that bodes well for the weekend.”
World Pool wagering up for UK/Ireland
There were 34 World Pool race days in the UK and Ireland in 2026, featuring a total of 222 races, up from 25 fixtures and 161 races in 2025. Total turnover across these UK and Irish fixtures hit a new year-on-year high of HK$7.66b (AU$1.4 billion), up 30% on last year's total.
Notable turnover highlights from the 2026 World Pool season in the UK and Ireland include a record high for international (non-Hong Kong) turnover on Royal Ascot. International turnover on the Royal meeting broke the HK$500 million (AU$91 million) mark for the first time since World Pool's debut at Ascot in 2019, with a total of HK$528 million (AU$96 million) (+7%) commingled by Hong Kong's international partners across the 35 races.
Irish Derby Day hit a new international turnover high in 2026 with HK$53.7 million (AU$9.8 million) commingled across nine races from the Curragh (+7%).
Jon Knapman, head of commingling at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) which operates World Pool, said, “It has been another progressive year for World Pool in the UK and Ireland, with more fixtures and races than ever before being coupled with strong turnover, setting a new all-time high of HK$7.66 billion.
“We're delighted that Royal Ascot, where World Pool began in 2019, continues to be a driver of strong turnover growth, and international turnover breaking the HK$500-million mark is an indication of the global appeal of the UK's premier Flat meeting. We're also pleased to report strong turnover figures in Ireland, with Irish Derby Day continuing its growth this year.
“These strong figures help provide a key funding mechanism for the sport, and we're proud to report that World Pool revenue generated for UK and Irish racecourses since 2019 has now surpassed £75 million.”
Listed winner Shiri added to Arqana
Listed winner and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye second Shiri has been added to the Arqana Vente d'Elevage as a wildcard. The sale is scheduled for Deauville from December 5-8. The daughter of Mehmas will sell as lot 190 on Saturday evening, the first session of the sale.
Shiri is a half-sister to group-placed Manu Et Corde (Teofilo) and hails from the extended family of Group 1 winners Gear Up (Teofilo) and Dispute (Danzig).
The Queen’s Horses exhibition for National Racing Museum
The exhibit Majesty–The Queen's Horses, celebrating the late Queen Elizabeth II's lifelong love of horses, will be on display at the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket next year from June through September.
It highlights the Queen's extraordinary relationship with horses, exploring the role they played in her life, from royal duty and ceremonial occasions to the freedom she enjoyed riding and her lifelong passion for horseracing.
Bringing together personal objects, historic royal dress and rarely displayed works, alongside loans from major museums and private collections, the exhibition will offer a fascinating glimpse into the Queen's private passion for horses. A programme of talks, masterclasses and special events will accompany the exhibition.
The anniversary also marks a remarkable royal connection. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Museum's current five-acre site on November 3, 2016, having previously opened the original National Horseracing Museum in 1983, 33 years earlier. The royal association continues today, with Queen Camilla serving as the Museum's Patron.
TBA forum returns during Tattersall’s December
The Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) will once again host a forum on the dark day during the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
Under the banner of Trading Perspectives: From Stud to Sales Ring, the gathering, which is sponsored by Streets Bloodstock Accountants, takes place on Thursday, November 26 in the sale ring.
Hosted by Vanessa Ryle, the panel will include Barton Stud's Tom Blain, breeder and syndicate manager Sam Hoskins, bloodstock agent Adam Potts, breeze-up consignor Ellie Whitaker, and Roderic Kavanagh of Kildaragh Stud and Glending Stables.
“We are delighted to be returning to Tattersalls for our annual forum and have assembled an excellent panel representing a range of perspectives across the bloodstock market,” said TBA CEO Naomi Mellor.
“Understanding what drives demand and value at each stage is particularly relevant for breeders, whether they are producing horses to sell as foals or yearlings, or looking further ahead to the breeze-up market or racing.
“The forum provides a valuable opportunity to hear directly from those actively buying and trading horses, gain insight into the commercial decisions they make and discuss the factors shaping the market.
“We hope the discussion will appeal to breeders, owners and bloodstock professionals, as well as anyone interested in entering the industry. Our thanks go to Streets Bloodstock Accountants for their sponsorship and to Tattersalls for once again hosting the event.”
