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NEW Kia Ora’s Bloodstock Investments to Bear Fruit
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A fresh round of high-end bloodstock investment has underlined Kia Ora Stud’s determination to deepen its broodmare band and strongly support its stallion roster following the recent consolidation of its stallion operations with Vinery Stud. The Hunter Valley nursery has continued to buy with long-term purpose through the 2026 sales season, securing eight fillies and three colts at the yearling sales, along with 10 mares across the Inglis Chairman’s Sale and Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. For Bloodstock and Breeding Manager Shane Wright, the strategy is built around proven families, racetrack quality and the kind of mares capable of giving Farnan and Kia Ora-bred Gr1-winning freshman sire Tropicus every possible chance. “We know the standard we want to maintain at Kia Ora and that drives every decision we make from a breeding and bloodstock perspective,” Wright said. “Our philosophy continues to be sourcing quality mares from proven families that give us every opportunity to breed top-class racehorses.” Among the most significant purchases was Gr2 MRC Angus Armanasco Stakes winner Sassy Boom, bought for $575,000 at Magic Millions and viewed as an appealing outcross for Golden Slipper winner Farnan. Wright said she came from one of Emirates Park’s best families, was closely related to Golden Slipper winner Mossfun, and suited both Farnan and the farm. Gala Queen was another key addition, with the stakes-winning 3YO secured for $470,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale from a family already carrying strong commercial endorsement. Her half-sister Semana made $1.55 million at Chairman’s last year, while her Farnan half-brother realised $750,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Kia Ora also secured imported dual stakes winner Ippodamia’s Girl, in foal to Too Darn Hot, for $625,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, while Heaven Forbid was purchased at Magic Millions in foal to Toronado. As a granddaughter of Shantha’s Choice, Heaven Forbid brings access to one of Australasia’s most influential families, with Redoute’s Choice, Platinum Scissors, The Broken Shore, Echoes of Heaven and Manhattan Rain among its descendants. Wright said Kia Ora had enjoyed success with mares carrying the USA suffix, including Gypsy Robin, dam of Gr1 Moir Stakes winner Wild Ruler, and Pavitra, a Group winner and twice Gr1 placed. Multiple Group placegetter Vestas, a $600,000 Chairman’s purchase, will join the Kia Ora racing team alongside Group-winning fillies Inkaruna and Pembrey, while Kia Ora-bred Straight Sets returns to the farm after her dam Sabatini, bought by Kia Ora for a significant sum in 2018, was later lost. Straight Sets had gone on to become the highest-priced yearling by Prague when selling for $375,000. Many of the mares bought this season are expected to visit Farnan in spring, with Wright saying Kia Ora had been deliberate in targeting young, well-performed mares for Farnan and Tropicus. The farm plans to send more than 30 mares to each stallion, while also supporting Ole Kirk, Hawaii Five Oh and All Too Hard through its close relationship and major investment in Vinery. With its broodmare base strengthened, its racing team active and its young stallions receiving serious backing, Kia Ora’s next phase is being shaped around sustained investment, patience and a clear ambition to keep producing elite racehorses.

Sassy Boom is a perfect outcross for Farnan (pic: Mark Gatt)
NEW Hello Captain Salutes Again for Ritchies
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
After being given time to furnish into the type of horse Chris Waller thought he could become, Hello Captain has quickly repaid that patience with two wins from as many starts this preparation and a glowing assessment from Nash Rawiller. The 3YO gelding first appeared in Queensland, finishing second on debut at Doomben before going one better at the Sunshine Coast on Boxing Day. Waller then put him aside, brought him south and has been rewarded with an immediate response. Hello Captain resumed successfully at Warwick Farm before stretching his unbeaten campaign to two at Canterbury on Monday, where Rawiller allowed him to settle off the speed and the heavily backed favourite finished too well over 1250m on rain-affected ground. It was not a grand final performance so much as another step in a carefully managed education, but Rawiller came away convinced the son of Hello Youmzain has the scope to make his presence felt in stronger company as he develops. The leading Sydney rider said Waller’s handling of the gelding fitted a familiar pattern of letting a progressive horse build confidence before raising the bar. “It’s a tried and true way of Chris’s to gradually let them creep up to better company and that’s what he has done with this bloke,” Rawiller said. “He’s got plenty of scope and this time next year he might be a force to be reckoned with I think.” That view was supported by the manner of the Canterbury win, with Hello Captain coping with the ground, producing when asked and suggesting he still has further improvement to come with experience and maturity. Hello Captain was a $425,000 purchase by Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from Cambridge Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, and races for Christchurch owner Glenn Ritchie. He is out of the Pivotal mare Steer By The Stars, who has produced four winners from five foals to race, headed by European stakes winner Never Look Back, while Wonder was runner-up in the Gr3 Baillieu Handicap over 1400m in March for David Payne. The result also continues the promising Southern Hemisphere start made by Hello Youmzain, who has had 83 runners to date for 40 individual winners and 13 black-type performers.
NEW McEvoys Confident Ahead of The Q22
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A more suitable stage awaits Half Yours at Eagle Farm on Saturday, with co-trainer Calvin McEvoy confident the reigning Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner is ready to show his best in the $1.2 million Q22. Brisbane’s richest race day is headlined by the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap, but the presence of Pride Of Jenni in the Q22 has given the 2200m feature its own compelling edge. Her bold, high-pressure racing style has already shaped parts of the Queensland winter carnival, and rivals will again be forced to decide whether to chase, hold their nerve or ride their own race. For Half Yours, the hope is that Eagle Farm provides a fairer and more forgiving platform than his two previous Queensland runs. He was unable to get properly involved when Pride Of Jenni stretched the field in the Gr2 Hollindale (1800m) at the Gold Coast, then was ridden more positively in the Gr1 Doomben Cup (2000m), only to find the smaller track and race shape against him when the pressure came on. McEvoy is not looking to excuse either defeat, but believes Saturday’s conditions are much closer to what the gelding needs. The bigger Eagle Farm circuit and the rise to 2200m are both seen as positives for a horse whose best form has been built around stamina, rhythm and the chance to wind into his work. “He’s very, very well,” McEvoy said. “Looks great. He’s shining and I think he’s probably as good as he’s been all preparation. He’s going to need to be. The team up there are super happy. He’ll do one more piece of work next Tuesday morning.” With Pride Of Jenni expected to ensure another genuinely run race, Half Yours will still need to produce a peak performance to turn the tables, but McEvoy is far happier with the assignment this time. “The 2200 (metres) is going to be really good and Eagle Farm is going to suit,” he said. “It’s been the one race out of all the races so far that should be suitable to him. I don’t want to sound like we are making any excuses after the fact, but we thought Gold Coast wouldn’t suit and he’d be a little bit vulnerable and Doomben, a little bit similar, [but] now we are at Eagle Farm, he’s got no excuse.”

Half Yours has been training well (pic: Mark Gatt)
NEW Tassie Team Takes Swan Hill Cup Spoils
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A patient ride from barrier 12 helped turn the $175,000 Swan Hill Cup (1600m) into a Tasmanian triumph as Craig Newitt combined with John Keys to land Sunday's feature aboard Cartoon Graveyard. Sent out the $4.60 favourite after a narrow Caulfield second to Jimmy The Bear on May 30, the 6YO was ridden quietly from the wide draw, according to racing.com, with Newitt electing not to force the issue early. With only one runner behind him coming to the home turn, Cartoon Graveyard was angled towards the outside fence and gradually built into the race before wearing down South Australian visitor Fine Future, trained by Stephen Theodore, with Henry Dwyer's Electric Impulse finishing third. Newitt said the draw forced a tactical choice, but the freedom afforded by Keys, Tegan Keys and foreman Scott Brunton allowed him to ride the race as he saw it unfold. "Obviously, when the marble came out and we drew wide, we either had to bite the bullet and go forward or ride him quiet," Newitt said. "The beauty about riding for Johnny and Tegan (Keys) and (foreman) Scotty (Brunton) is they don't give you many instructions, so I was able to watch the first half-a-dozen races, and I was happy enough to come wide on him, so I just left him alone." That confidence was backed up by his view of Cartoon Graveyard's Caulfield run, which he believed should have delivered victory. The gelding has now become a highly profitable buy, having been secured by Brunton Racing/Tasmanian Bloodstock for $50,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale and banking just shy of $500,000. Tegan Keys said the son of Turffontein had deserved the win after a run of luckless efforts in Melbourne. "He's always thereabouts and he's been pretty unlucky since being in Melbourne this time around, so it's good to actually get the job done today," she said.
NEW Vatican Storm Blessed in Ultra Tight Finish
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A breathless finish at Belmont needed more than two minutes to settle before Vatican Storm was confirmed as the Listed Raconteur Stakes winner, ending Hot And High's unbeaten run and giving trainer Stefan Vahala another marker horse for the seasons ahead. The rising 3YO son of Playing God was the only runner at single figures against the $1.70 favourite, starting at $3.60, and the market proved accurate as the pair turned the $125,000 contest over 1400m into a private battle. According to thewest.com.au, Clint Johnston-Porter had Vatican Storm away cleanly and quickly found the right stalking position, one out and one back, with Hot And High always within reach. Little changed until the 600m, when Johnston-Porter eased the big bay into clear air and moved three wide around the bend. From there the race became a sustained duel, with Hot And High refusing to surrender and Vatican Storm gradually working into the fight. Inside the final 50m, Vahala's colt appeared to have gained control, only for the favourite to rally fiercely in the last few bounds and leave the result hanging in the balance. The suspense lasted what seemed like an eternity before the judge found the narrowest margin for Vatican Storm, much to Vahala's relief. "I was saying to the boys then that we haven't won a photo finish for four years, so we were a bit worried, but it was awesome," he said. The trainer was equally strong in his praise of Johnston-Porter, saying top jockeys "just find a way to get the right run in the race" and that the rider had produced the colt beautifully. Vahala, who won the Bunbury Stakes and Carbine Club Stakes at Listed level with Aztec Ruler in 2024, was careful not to overstate the result but made clear how highly he rates the winner. "Without going overboard, he definitely has Group 1 ability," he said. "He's that level of horse – not saying he'll win a Group 1 – but he's better than Aztec Ruler, anyway, put it that way. He's a real big kid. I think in 12 months' time, we'll really see the best of him." For Vahala, the win also added momentum to a team he believes can make an impact over the next two years, with the trainer saying the stable had some nice horses and that just getting a Listed win on the board was significant. Johnston-Porter admitted the final strides had made him doubt whether he had held on, despite feeling confident 50m from home. He said Vatican Storm had become more professional with each ride, though he still showed his immaturity by looking around down the back straight. The Belmont Guineas (1600m) in a fortnight is now the target, with a first black-type win already secured and greater promise still to be unlocked from a colt still learning what racing is about.
Pinatubo Celebrates First Local Stakes Winner
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A jump from an Albury maiden to stakes company proved no barrier for Voynichese at Eagle Farm, where the Canberra-trained filly underlined the opinion Ben Olive has long held of her with a decisive win in the Listed $160,000 The Show A Heart. By Darley’s European Champion juvenile, Pinatubo, the 2YO, bought for just $30,000, took a sizeable step forward at only her third start, settling kindly before producing the strongest finish in the 1500m juvenile feature. Ridden by Declan Bates, she beat Glenorchy by 1.25 lengths, with West Coast another 2.45 lengths away in third. Olive said Voynichese had always shown enough at home to justify aiming high, despite her modest price tag and small frame. “We’ve had a big opinion of this filly for a while now,” Olive said. “She’s only small but she’s very progressive.” He also credited the owners for supporting the decision to take her north, saying the filly had enjoyed a much better run than in her previous two starts and would be given every chance to keep improving. Bates, best known as the regular rider of Pride Of Jenni, was also taken by the performance and said Voynichese gave him the feel of a filly with more substance than her size suggested. “Voynichese’s only a little filly to look at, but she doesn’t feel little when you’re riding her,” Bates said. “She really lengthens nicely, has a beautiful stride on her and she was far superior today.” The jockey said she travelled on and off the bridle, but quickened better than expected when asked to improve at the 500m, leaving him to keep her concentrating before letting her finish off at the top of the straight. Olive said Voynichese could now back up in next Saturday’s Gr1 J J Atkins at Eagle Farm if she came through the run well. “If she pulls up well from today we’ll definitely think about backing her up in the J J Atkins next Saturday. She’s paid up so we’ll probably give her a crack at it.” In addition to Voynichese, Pinatubo is also the sire of Australian stakes performers Zambales, Tales of Time and Hardanger. He will stand the 2026 breeding season for $27,500, an enticing proposition for a stallion that appears to be untapped.
Seaton Park Adds Fuel to Weanling Fire
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A late trio of supplementary weanlings has added further interest to NZB’s 2026 National Weanling Sale, with the additional lots to be offered immediately after the 140 horses already catalogued for Karaka on Thursday, June 25. The three entries all come from Morrinsville-based Seaton Park and will be sold on account of the farm, with each presented as a no-reserve offering. Leading the additions is Lot 141, a son of first-season sire Paddington from Minnaleo, a Black Minnaloushe half-brother to Gr1 ATC Randwick Guineas winner and $2.3 million earner Lion’s Roar. The colt gives buyers access to a family already proven at elite level, while also providing one of the early opportunities to buy stock by Paddington, whose first southern hemisphere foals are likely to attract close inspection. Seaton Park’s supplementary draft also includes Lot 142, a colt by Sword Of State from Stella’s Honour, an O’Reilly mare, and a son of Ace High out of the black-type producer Light Express, by Fastnet Rock, who will be offered as Lot 143. Farm principal Scott Eagleton said the economics of selling young stock could work well when the right stallion profile met the right buyer demand. “Cash-flow counts in this industry and sometimes with the right stallions you can profit well in this Sale,” Eagleton said. “We’ve managed to achieve some good results in the past thanks to our clients supporting us with nice weanlings.” He said Seaton Park had deliberately shaped the draft to appeal to the pinhooking market, where buyers are often looking for type, sire appeal and the chance to trade on without carrying a horse for too long. That approach has worked before for the farm, which offered last year’s Sale-topping colt by Per Incanto from London Express. That youngster made $190,000 when purchased by Australian-based bloodstock agent James Mitchell on behalf of Newgate Farm’s Jim Carey. Eagleton said the Paddington colt’s inclusion reflected confidence from long-time clients after they had seen how the previous year’s sale-topper had been received. “Having this half to Lion’s Roar [Lot 141] is client-driven, great clients of ours saw the results we achieved last year and have entrusted us with this well-bred colt by first season sire Paddington and we think he’ll be a real draw card,” he said. With the catalogue now extending to 143 lots, the supplementary group gives the sale a neat late lift, adding commercial pedigrees, current sire interest and a vendor with recent success at the top of the market ahead of inspection and sale day at Karaka next week.
Omen Bet Christmas Day Swims Home in Derby
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A rain-soaked Epsom delivered another Derby for Ballydoyle as Christmas Day justified strong late support and gave Aidan O'Brien a 12th win in the great Classic. Backed from 25/1 on Friday morning into 7/1 at the off, the son of Camelot relished the ground once persistent rain forced the official going to soft 15 minutes before the race. With Ronan Whelan entrusted with the ride, he became the ninth different jockey to win the Derby for O'Brien, adding his name to an extraordinary roll call in a race the stable has repeatedly made its own. The contest had drama from the outset, with favourite Benvenuto Cellini getting a hind leg stuck in the stalls and missing the break before later being declared a non-runner by the stewards, triggering a 25p Rule 4 despite the colt crossing the line in midfield. Another O'Brien runner, Action, was sent forward by Wayne Lordan to set the tempo, while Whelan made sure Christmas Day was quickly in a prominent rhythm despite needing to be nudged along early. The eventual winner settled on Action's quarters and travelled strongly into the straight, where Whelan committed before the race could become messy. That move proved decisive. Christmas Day rolled into the lead early in the straight and then opened up down the middle of the track, putting his rivals under immediate pressure. Maltese Cross emerged from the pack towards the stands' side and tried to make a race of it, but William Haggas's colt could never quite bridge the gap. At the line, Christmas Day had two and three-quarter lengths to spare, with Joseph O'Brien's James J Braddock staying on for third. Bay Of Brilliance, who had been expected to be part of the late fight according to runner-up rider Tom Marquand, faded earlier than ideal and finished fourth. The margin reflected both the winner's stamina and the authority of the ride. Whelan was overwhelmed by the moment and said O'Brien had kept the instructions simple. "I just went by the line and it was so easy, Aidan told me to keep it simple. Wayne set the fractions and he never gets it wrong," he said. "When we were running down the hill I knew I had loads left. He took it all in his stride." O'Brien praised the winner's progression, toughness and stamina, saying he had "done nothing but improve" and loved the soft ground. Marquand said Maltese Cross had enjoyed a smooth passage and run a terrific race, but conceded the winner had made it too difficult to reel in after bowling clear up the centre of the track. For Whelan, Coolmore and O'Brien, the changing skies at Epsom produced a result that felt emphatic, emotional and entirely fitting, while Christmas Day's improvement on the right surface gave the stable yet another Classic colt with a serious future.
Tawny Port a Good Drop for Melbourne Cup
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A guaranteed Melbourne Cup berth has been secured from the United States, with Tawny Port earning his place in this year’s Gr1 Lexus Melbourne Cup by winning the Gr2 Belmont Gold Cup at Saratoga. The 7YO was partnered by leading North American rider Flavien Prat and prepared by Miguel Clement, who said the gelding would now be considered for the trip to Flemington after landing one of the world’s recognised staying qualifiers. The Belmont Gold Cup, run during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, has continued to grow as a gateway into Australia’s great two-mile contest, with the Victoria Racing Club and New York Racing Association again linking the race directly to the Cup through ballot exemption. This was the third time the American staying feature has carried automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup, giving the result added international significance beyond its own place on the Saratoga program. Clement said the scale of the Australian prize made the option impossible to ignore. “It’s one of the biggest world races so if you have the opportunity to give it a chance, you have to go for it. He would also maybe be the first Kentucky Derby starter and Melbourne Cup runner which hasn’t been done before,” he said. That reference gives Tawny Port an unusual profile for a potential Cup visitor, having contested the 2022 Kentucky Derby before developing into an older stayer capable of winning over extended ground. VRC chief executive Kylie Rogers congratulated the gelding’s connections and said the trophy had been on track at Saratoga as part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour on Thursday, giving the win an immediate connection to Flemington. “It was fantastic to have the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup Trophy trackside at Saratoga Racecourse as part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour on Thursday and witness Tawny Port win the Belmont Gold Cup,” Rogers said. “Congratulations to the connections on their win and we look forward to welcoming you to Flemington in November.” The Belmont Gold Cup also served as the opening-day staying highlight of a festival that culminates in the Gr1 Belmont Stakes, the final leg of America’s Triple Crown. Tawny Port now joins Whisky On The Hill and Zakouma as horses to have earned Melbourne Cup ballot exemption this season, though the longer-term question is whether his connections will commit to the demanding travel, quarantine and preparation required for a Cup campaign. Before reaching New York, the Cup Tour had begun its 2026 global journey in Japan, where the 18-carat gold trophy visited Kyoto’s Tofukuji Funda-in Temple before appearing at a marquee event for Cup-winning jockey Christophe Lemaire’s cafe, CL by C. Lemaire.
Hobby Breeder Celebrates Second Gr1 Triumph
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A dominant Queensland Oaks victory has stamped Fireball Miss as one of the standout 3YOs of her crop, with the daughter of Darley stallion Bivouac overcoming a wide run to give Ciaron Maher another major result on the Brisbane winter stage. The Inglis Easter graduate arrived at Eagle Farm with only six starts behind her, but she produced the performance of a seasoned top-level filly, powering home by 1.3 lengths after covering extra ground for much of the 2200m contest. Declan Bates had little opportunity to find cover after Fireball Miss jumped from barrier 13, and she was posted three-wide for a significant portion of the race. He later admitted he had been concerned she was not relaxing as well as he would have liked at her first attempt beyond 2000m, but those worries were swept away once she balanced into the straight. Sent wider on the home turn, some eight horses off the inside, she lengthened with authority and quickly put the race beyond doubt, confirming the strength of her campaign and the depth of her staying promise. Maher described her as a filly of the future, and the manner of the win gave that assessment a firm foundation, particularly given she had only made her debut on February 4. The victory also continued a remarkable sequence for Inglis graduates, with Fireball Miss becoming the 122nd individual Gr1-winning Inglis graduate since 2018 and the third in the past week, following Gr1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Providence and Headley Grange. The timing also made her rise feel even sharper, arriving deep in a week already rich with Inglis success. Her success carried special significance for Gold Coast hobby breeder Simon Delzoppo, an IT entrepreneur with just five mares, and for her dam Femme Fireball. The 12YO mare has had only two runners to date, both bred by Delzoppo, and both are now Gr1 winners. Fireball Miss joined her half-sister Femminile, winner of last year’s South Australian Derby, in giving the family a rare and valuable double at the highest level. Offered through the Vinery Stud draft at the 2024 Easter Yearling Sale, where Delzoppo conducts most of his business, Fireball Miss was bought by Bennett Racing for $140,000, a price that now looks exceptional given her rapid rise from debutante to Classic winner in barely four months. For Delzoppo, the result was difficult to absorb. “It’s amazing. Double amazing now,” he said. That simple reaction captured the scale of the achievement for a breeder operating on a modest broodmare base against the sport’s biggest operations. For Bennett Racing, Bates and Maher, the win delivered both a Gr1 title and a filly with significant upside. For Inglis, it was another advertisement for the Easter Sale’s ability to produce elite performers across different distances and divisions. Most of all, though, the Oaks belonged to a lightly raced filly who had every excuse to be beaten but instead turned a wide run into a clear statement of class.
Frankel Filly Thunders on by in English Oaks
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A sweeping Gr1 Betfred Oaks performance at Epsom has given Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle a major Classic success, with Thundering On producing a dominant staying display to beat Whirl by 3-lengths, reports sportinglife.com. The Frankel filly had looked progressive when winning the Salsabil Stakes at Navan over 10 furlongs, but this was a much sharper examination, and she answered it in the style of a filly still climbing. Sugar Island took the field along at a solid tempo, while favourite and stablemate Amelia Earhart briefly appeared the main danger when she was left to chase into the race with a quarter of a mile remaining. Eyes were fixed on Thundering On, however, because McMonagle was sitting quietly behind the leader and travelling with obvious confidence. Once he asked her to quicken, the result was settled quickly, with the winner powering clear and hitting the line strongly. McMonagle said the stable had arrived with confidence and felt the race unfolded perfectly. “We were coming into the race very confident. She’s been improving with every run and there was never a moment’s doubt really,” he said. “I knew there was nothing coming from behind me and I had those in front covered. She’s got a lot of class, great job from Joseph.” O’Brien, who had kept her fresh since Navan, said the filly had shown the benefit of that approach. “It’s unbelievable, this is what we all dream of doing. The sky’s the limit for her,” he said. “A delighted Joseph O’Brien added: “The objective was to save as much energy as we could as the distance was the question mark. In the straight it was an easy watch.” He said they had considered running in the Lingfield Oaks Trial, but her strong work convinced the stable to wait for Epsom. For winning owner Shapoor Mistry, the victory carried deep personal meaning after decades breeding and racing in India before becoming involved with horses in Newmarket. “Essentially, I have been breeding and racing since I was 18, and my family have been involved in racing in India for 40, 45 years now,” he said. “My son decided he wanted to have a few horses racing here, so we gave our first filly to Joseph, and we got a Group One win out of her. Now we have a few horses in Newmarket and with Joseph, and we’re really enjoying ourselves.” Whirl ran with credit for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore, improving on her Goodwood win and handling the track well, but she found one too strong. Colin Keane was also pleased with Go Go Boots after she travelled into contention before the winner swept by. Yet the day belonged firmly to Thundering On, whose blend of composure, class and stamina gave Epsom a decisive Oaks winner.
Hermitage Duo Can Turn Back JJ Atkins Clock
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
Two colts in the same colours give Chris Waller a commanding hand in Saturday's Gr1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm, but the champion trainer is not playing favourites. With Tron Bolt and Stormy Marco holding the top two positions in the market, Waller is simply hoping one of them can deliver him a fourth win in the 2YO feature on Stradbroke Handicap day.The race has already been kind to the stable through Pressday in 2010, Press Statement in 2015 and The Autumn Sun in 2018. Like The Autumn Sun, both of this year's leading Waller hopes race for Hermitage, whose silks could again be carried to a major juvenile prize. Tron Bolt, the $2.20 favourite, has won two of his three starts and stamped himself as a serious Atkins prospect when sweeping to victory on heavy ground over 1300m at Rosehill on May 30. By Toronado, he was the $900,000 top lot at the 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale and has looked increasingly professional with racing. Stormy Marco, a $4.50 chance, brings a different profile but no shortage of talent. The Wootton Bassett colt finished eighth in the Gr2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on the same day Tron Bolt won at Rosehill, but the margin told only part of the story. Ridden by James McDonald, he was checked twice in the straight and went to the line with plenty to offer, leaving the strong impression he should have finished much closer. "I don't care which one wins (the JJ Atkins)," conceded Waller who last won the race eight years ago. "I just want them both to run well. I am learning about them and hopefully both of them appreciate the step up to the mile and then we will see where they fit into their three-year-old year later on." Waller said Stormy Marco had been unlucky in the Sires' and believed he would have been in the finish with clear running, while Tron Bolt appeared "the more progressed of the pair" after successive wins. He also acknowledged Hermitage's long support, describing both colts as progressive horses with genuine Gr1 chances. It is assumed that James McDonald will ride one of the pair, with Nash Rawiller expected to partner the other.
Hunter Sires Up in Lights for Inglis Digital
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A Group-winning mare in foal to Too Darn Hot and a share in Champion First Season Sire Ole Kirk headline the Inglis Digital June Early Online Sale, giving the catalogue two notably different forms of commercial appeal as bidding continues online. La Mexicana brings proven racetrack quality and broodmare value, while the Ole Kirk share offers access to one of Australia’s most sought-after young stallions at a time when his first runners have quickly elevated his profile. Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, La Mexicana won six of her 16 starts and was twice successful at Group 3 level, as well as Listed placed. She is being offered in foal to Too Darn Hot, whose yearlings have sold for up to $2.2 million this year, adding further attraction to a mare who has already produced strong sale-ring results. Her colt by Snitzel made $1.7 million at last year’s Easter Yearling Sale when bought by the James Harron Colt Partnership, Tony Fung Colts, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, while a filly by the same sire realised $700,000 at Easter this year to the combination of Guy Mulcaster and Chris Waller. That level of endorsement gives La Mexicana a profile extending beyond her own race record, with buyers able to assess her through performance, pedigree, production and current cover. The Ole Kirk share is likely to command its own attention, with the Vinery Stud stallion fully booked for the coming breeding season at a service fee of $110,000. Already the sire of seven Stakes winners and 10 Stakes horses from only 91 runners in Australia, Ole Kirk has made a swift impression, headed by Gr1 Thousand Guineas winner Ole Dancer. His yearlings averaged more than $330,000 this year and sold to $1 million, while his fillies off the track have made up to $1.5 million, underlining the breadth of demand attached to his stock. He also produced more first-crop 2YO Stakes winners than fellow Champion First Season Sires in Australia such as Extreme Choice, Zoustar, I Am Invincible, Too Darn Hot and Justify, a statistic that helps explain why access to him remains difficult. Beyond those two headline offerings, the catalogue includes several racing prospects and valuable shares, with King Zephyr, potentially targeting next week’s Gr1 Stradbroke Handicap, among the more intriguing names. Unbeaten 4YO Artbeat, Rosehill Guineas fourth One Step Closer and Stakes-winning, Gr1 placed 2YO To Cap It All add further depth, ensuring the sale is not reliant on one category of horse. King Zephyr supplies the immediate racecourse angle, while the younger and lightly exposed horses give buyers scope to chase future upside. That spread should help the auction appeal to breeders, traders and owners seeking ready-made racing opportunity. Between elite broodmare prospects, stallion access and active racing stock, the June Early catalogue gives buyers several pathways into proven or emerging commercial bloodlines.

Dual Group winner La Mexicana (pic: Mark Gatt)
War Eternal Puts Paid to Stadbroke Dreams
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A Stradbroke lifeline went begging at Eagle Farm as War Eternal turned a $26 surprise into a sharp reminder that the winter carnival rarely runs to script. The Listed Spear Chief Handicap (1500m) carried added importance for several runners chasing a last-gasp route towards next Saturday’s Gr1 Stradbroke Handicap, but the horse who took the prize was not among those eligible to use it. Rachel King, riding in outstanding form, produced War Eternal at the right time to claim her third winner at the Queensland Oaks meeting and cap a race that reshaped the fringes of Stradbroke calculations without ultimately adding a new contender to the field. The result was an upset on paper, yet the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding had been edging back into winning habits, having also taken the BRC Sprint at Doomben at his previous start. His Spear Chief victory was his first on a good track, adding another layer of merit to a horse who has now strung together consecutive wins after a long enough wait between trips to the winner’s stall. The race unfolded less kindly for the better-fancied runners who needed to win to keep faint Stradbroke hopes alive. Harry’s Yacht was given every possible chance by Troy Corstens and Will Larkin, settling behind the leader, but could only finish fourth. King Zephyr, another seeking a late spike in the ratings, ran sixth, while Sun God, also in the same category, was runner-up but still could not secure the decisive prize. War Eternal, meanwhile, showed the toughness King wanted to see when the pressure came. “He’s so tough and genuine,” King said. “He always tries his hardest and even though we drew a little bit tricky today, we ended up in a beautiful spot. He came back underneath me and he’s very professional in everything he does. I loved the way he toughed it out.” The Spear Chief therefore became less a clean Stradbroke qualifier than a reminder of how quickly winter ambitions can narrow, with War Eternal taking the spoils and several hopefuls left with too much to rue. His feature Brisbane double earned supporters as much as 150 to 1.
Three Uncommon Years Between Wins for James
Tuesday, 9th June 2026
A long wait ended in a rush of relief at Eagle Farm when a familiar sprinting talent reminded everyone why he was once good enough to win at the highest level. Uncommon James, winless since his Gr1 Oakleigh Plate success in February 2023, returned to the winners’ list in the Gr2 Moreton Cup (1200m), a result that carried as much emotion as consequence. Backed from $7.50 into $4.20, the Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted-trained 7YO could not use the race’s Stradbroke Handicap ballot exemption, having not been entered for next Saturday’s feature, but his victory still reshaped the final scramble for a place in the field. By taking the prize himself, he ended the late hopes of Boomtown Boss, The Inflictor and Zou Sensation, who all needed to win the Moreton Cup to force their way into the Stradbroke. For Caitlin Hoysted, the result landed on a much deeper level than the race conditions suggested. A former trainer who once saddled Pickabee, Uncommon James’s dam, to win five races in Queensland during 2012-13, Hoysted is both the owner and breeder of the gelding, and the sight of her jumping into the arms of her husband Matt after the race told its own story. The comeback had been a long time coming, and it came with the added satisfaction of proving the horse was not finished as a force in black-type sprinting. “It has been so long since Uncommon James has had his Group 1 and I think there were quite a few people who were probably bagging him,” Hoysted told racenet.com.au. “We knew he had it in him, he is so lightly raced for his age. The wide barrier today wasn’t in his favour and so it was just massive that he got the job done.” The performance had substance as well as sentiment. Despite the outside draw, Uncommon James travelled strongly enough to put himself in the race and was tough when it mattered, holding out Oak Hill, who ran a huge race for second for Lindsay Park. Manaal, sent out at $7, finished third and chased the winner throughout, with the first three putting a gap on the remainder. For Tony Gollan’s Boomtown Boss, the race unfolded far less kindly. Sent back near last, he was left with too much to do and could not get close enough to threaten, leaving his Stradbroke ambitions in smoke. The Moreton Cup therefore became two stories in one: a costly missed opportunity for several Stradbroke hopefuls, and a deeply satisfying revival for a lightly raced warrior whose best days had started to look behind him. Instead, Uncommon James gave his breeder-owner a win loaded with feeling and reminded the sprinting ranks that old class can still bite.

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