Following a very pleasing weekend for Godolphin and its stallion division, Darley last weekend – there were half-a-dozen stakes race successes – anticipation is building toward Saturday’s Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington, where Ciaron Maher is poised to saddle Observer for another Group 1 assignment following an authoritative first-up display. According to punters.com.au, the Godolphin colt “toyed with rivals” when resuming (see belowi) n the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, with Ethan Brown stepping in for the injured Mark Zahra. Brown is expected to keep the ride, though Maher indicated Zahra’s recovery from a leg fracture is progressing swiftly. “I’ve seen an update of him (Zahra) doing a cha-cha down his hallway the other day,” Maher laughed. “He doesn’t look like he’s too far away, someone asked me a couple of weeks ago and I thought he’d be a couple weeks away.” Observer heads betting at $2.20 as Maher chases a third Australian Guineas in five years, having struck with Hitotsu (2022) and Southport Tycoon (2024). Chris Waller’s Sixties, a winner of the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m), sits on the second line at $2.80. Maher is confident his colt will derive significant benefit from his return run. “Sixties was good the other day, but he’ll (Observer) improve and be even stronger, he was good first-up but he’ll be much better at the mile and beyond,” he said. “He’s come through his first-up run in good order … he showed (Caulfield Guineas last year) he’s good enough to win (a 1600m Group 1).” That Caulfield Guineas third remains a key reference, particularly given he was checked at the top of the straight and held up until the 100m before surging late behind Autumn Boy. What followed in the spring confirmed his class and stamina, as the then-developing colt captured the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) and Victoria Derby (2500m) in successive outings. Maher senses further improvement this campaign. “He’s a bit more relaxed this time around,” he said. “He’s only strengthened and got better I feel.” Godolphin has already enjoyed Melbourne Group 1 success in recent weeks through Tentyris and Pericles, and with Tempted favoured in Sydney’s Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m), the operation could be in for another productive weekend.
Near and Far Deliberations for Messarra/Gavranich
Tuesday, 24th February 2026
Momentum is building at Scone, where Paul Messara and Leagh Gavranich will juggle the immediate fortunes of a Country Championships favourite and the longer-range ambitions of a promising stayer within the space of 24 hours, reports racingnsw.com.au. Clear Thinking, winner of The Kosciuszko in the spring, steps out in an important lead-up trial before targeting the $150,000 Evergreen Turf Hunter & North West Country Championships (1280m) at Muswellbrook on March 8. Co-trainer Messara, who prepares the mare alongside Leah Gavranich, is content with her condition but mindful of variables. “I would have liked a couple more weeks but we’ll see how she trials on Wednesday,’’ he said. “It’s a local track, which is good, but I’d love the track to be a little bit juicy. I’m hoping to get a bit of rain, if it’s a very hard track I’d consider going another way.” She sits at $3.50 in TAB’s market for the final. The day prior, attention turns to Are You Kidding, a three-year-old with lofty nominations for the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Australian Derby (2400m). After bolting in by 5.75-engths at his maiden win two weeks ago, he backs up in the Scone RSL Handicap (1600m) carrying 61kg against older opposition. “It’s his first prep and it’s always difficult to do it in one shot but he is definitely a horse that can stay and I think he should run well again,’’ Messara said. “They’ve lumped him with a fair bit of weight for a horse that’s only won one in the bush. It was on a heavy track the other day but he is good on all surfaces. He should be pretty well on the mark. If he runs well again with a heavy weight against older horses he’ll come to town and run in the Tulloch Stakes or something like that.” A strong showing would confirm whether he belongs on a Derby path or remains a provincial prospect for now. Further down the card, Olympian makes his debut in the Kia Ora Handicap (1200m), though Messara expects his future to lie over longer trips. The son of The Autumn Sun first trialled back in April and arrives off a Muswellbrook win in his latest hitout. “He’s a nice horse who wants further so at 1200m first-up he’ll be flashing home late I would expect,’’ Messara said. “He’s been a bit of a slow maturer but he’s come of age now and is ready to go on with it. He’ll work his way through the grades.”
Cellar to the Penthouse for Ohope Wins
Tuesday, 24th February 2026
Ohope Wins (Ocean Park) completed a remarkable late surge to claim Saturday’s $1m Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie and, with it, the 2025-26 NZB Filly of the Year Series, going from relative obscurity to the summit in little more than two months, As recently as December 31 she was a three-start maiden who had not featured in the opening six legs of the series. Three explosive finishes in the final five races transformed that profile entirely, delivering 28 points and the overall title. The breakthrough came in the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, where she charged home to score. She then went from last to first in the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa on February 7, collecting 16 points from that double and thrusting herself into contention. Those performances meant a top-two finish in the Oaks would be enough to reel in the spring leaders Well Written and Lollapalooza, who had banked 20 points apiece. Sent out a $2.60 favourite, Ohope Wins removed any doubt with a decisive staying display, confirming both the 2400m trip and her series credentials in one stroke. Rider Michael Doyle was emphatic in his assessment. “When you get to ride a horse that good, nothing compares to how that feels,” he said. “She has been trained to the minute. We were a long way back, but when you are riding one as good as she is, they can just overcome all those things. The draw is never an excuse. The ground is never an excuse. She was just too good. She always feels like she has so much left. I couldn’t pull her up. She’s exceptional. I’ve never ridden a three-year-old like her. She’s really, really special.” The Oaks quinella underlined the strength of the Ocean Park influence, with Autumn Glory finishing second to add seven points to her tally after her Waikato Guineas win. Behind the leading trio on the final table, Tajana sits on 10 points; Tellum and Ultimate Habit on eight; Single Red on 7.5; Autumn Glory on seven; War Princess and Fairy Dream on six; Little Black Dress on 5.5; Ariadne on four; Belle Cheval on 3.5; Waimea Bay and In Haste on three; Born To Be Royal, Clara Bow and Fleeting Star on two; and Crimson Sky, Capaci and Queen’s Evidence on 1.5.
Ohope Wins flashed home to land the spoils (pic: Kenton Wright Race Images)
Zousain Gelding Maintains His Picket fence
Tuesday, 24th February 2026
Salon S extended his unbeaten record with a sensational all-the-way performance at Sha Tin on Sunday, capping trebles for trainer Frankie Lor and jockey Matthew Poon. The Zousain galloper whose Zoustar sire-son stands at Widden Stud, had gone from pillar to post in a pair of starts leading into the Class Three Rose Handicap (1,400m) and Poon set out with the same objective on Sunday, crashing out of stall eight and straight into the lead. Salon S proved a tricky steer for Poon, pulling his way into a four-length lead and turning into the straight, it looked inevitable that the petrol gauge would begin to flash as the closers loomed up to the tearaway leader. That was not the case, however, as the pair kept up the relentless gallop and won by two-and-a-half lengths, much to the delight of Lor, who may have another potential star in his syndicate colours. “For me, he looked a bit too keen on the turn. He trialled behind Ka Ying Rising and was still very strong and keen. That’s why when I saw him at the turn, I thought maybe it was too quick of a time,” said Lor. “I don’t want to push him too hard because he’s only a three-year-old – I need to see the programme over the next month and a half.” Lor and Poon kicked off their days with the win of Embrace Aberdeen in the second section of the Class Four Gladiolus Handicap (1,200m), with the All Too Hard galloper defying stall 11 to make it two wins from four career starts. Smart Golf provided Lor with his second winner on the day, saluting in the Class Four Heung Yee Kuk Centenary Cup (1,200m), while Poon’s second of the afternoon came aboard $47.35 roughie Power Of Vitam in the Class Three Primula Handicap (1,600m). It was a much-needed boost for Lor, who was dealt a blow on Saturday when a post-race blood sample from Stormy Grove, when he finished second at Sha Tin on January 11, tested positive for the banned substance lidocaine. The matter has now been adjourned to allow further investigations by the Jockey Club, though Lor has already identified the source of the positive test after learning of the news. “My head lad put the tongue tie on – in the morning he used some hand cream. If I had known he had used hand cream, I would have asked him to put gloves on,” said Lor. “Now, I told him that on race day to always put gloves on – I don’t want to take any risks. Sometimes it’s hard to say what happened. Only after the race is when we found out.”
Imposing Ka Ying Rising Sweeps Major Record
Tuesday, 24th February 2026
History was not merely matched at Sha Tin on Sunday – it was emphatically rewritten, as champion Ka Ying Rising surged to an 18th consecutive victory in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), lowering the course record in the process and extending his reign as the world’s premier sprinter. According to racingnews.hkjc.com, the five-year-old’s triumph eclipsed Silent Witness’ revered 17-race unbeaten streak compiled between 2002 and 2005, and he did so in breathtaking fashion. Stopping the clock at 1m 19.36s, he carved more than half a second off the previous mark of 1m 19.92s held jointly by Encouraging and Packing Hermod. Three and a half lengths separated him from Helios Express, with Lucky Sweynesse a further one and a quarter lengths away. David Hayes revealed pre-race instructions were explicit. Jockey Zac Purton confirmed he had been told “to break the track record” and duly obliged, riding hands-and-heels to the line. From barrier three, Ka Ying Rising jumped cleanly to sit second behind Copartner Prance, clocking 21.93s between the 1200m and 800m before unleashing a devastating final 800m in 43.96s. His sectional breakdown of 11.26s, 11.07s, 10.52s and 11.11s underscored the sustained brilliance that has become routine. Unbeaten since February 2024, his sequence now features eight Group 1s, including two LONGINES Hong Kong Sprints, two Centenary Sprint Cups, The Everest, a Chairman’s Sprint Prize and successive Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cups. By comparison, Silent Witness amassed seven top-level wins during his streak, a record once thought untouchable. The manner of the latest victory convinced Hayes that careful placement could prolong the dominance. “If we can place him conservatively, we hope to have him for another couple of seasons, that’s really exciting,” he said. “He loves a month between runs, so we’ll probably go for the (G2) Sprint Cup (1200m) next (on 6 April) and then we don’t have to train him too hard and babysit him into the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m on 26 April). Hopefully we can get another clean sweep of the season again with The Everest in the middle.” There is a sense that the horse is still improving. “He’s more composed than ever, he’s changing legs and you can’t ask for much more than he’s doing. He’s breaking track records and his last three runs, he’d have broken the track record if Zac had let him go,” Hayes said, before reflecting on the improbability of such sustained success. “I’ve trained a lot of horses that have gone 742 days without winning, so to continuously win for 742 days is mind-numbing… He’s just a star.”
AI Tech Could Revolutionise Protest Adjudication
Tuesday, 24th February 2026
Frustration from a Gold Coast feature race’s mooted outcome has ignited a broader debate about how Australian racing adjudicates its most contentious moments, with Sydney horseman Michael Freedman urging officials to bring the sport into line with other professional codes through the use of modern technology. According to a racenet.com.au report, the catalyst was last month’s Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, a $3 million feature that left the industry split. In the 1400m contest, Torque To Be Sure shifted out nearing the 200m and made contact with Freedman’s highly regarded Ninja, interrupting the favourite’s momentum at a crucial stage. A protest was lodged immediately, yet stewards allowed the result to stand, a decision that polarised opinion across the industry. “My fear at the minute is protests like that one may be decided by a jockey who can pretty much cause as much interference as they want, as long as they win the race by a margin that's big enough that the stewards don't feel like they can overturn it,” Freedman told Radio TAB’s Past The Post. “And I don't think that's the right way for a protest to be decided.” His concern is less about one verdict and more about the framework within which such calls are made. While acknowledging the complexity of the task facing officials, Freedman stopped short of criticising individuals. “They've got a job to do and under those circumstances when the horse is clearly a short-priced favourite, a lot of money's been wagered on him and there's a lot of money at stake for everybody involved, so I certainly don't envy the stewards' job,” he said. “And they've got to sort of, to the best of their ability and their opinion, make a judgment call.” Even so, he believes the process must evolve. Drawing comparisons with cricket’s Decision Review System (DRS) and the Video Assistant Referee adopted across global football competitions, Freedman argued that racing risks falling behind. “I think the broader issue with protests in general, not just that one, is that we're at the stage now where I feel there needs to be technology involved, like we see at the cricket with umpires' decisions and like we see in various football codes all around the world,” he said. “There's now technology available to try and assist in these sorts of decisions and try and assist the participants that if they disagree with a decision, they've got another outlet to go to.” In his view, artificial intelligence could measure changes in speed and stride at the moment interference occurs, calculating precisely how much ground is forfeited. Ninja was beaten three-quarters of a length, a margin Freedman contends could be analysed rather than debated. “In my view, with AI and that these days, there should be technology involved that if you disagree with a decision, there should be a pathway to question that and then get technology involved, not just opinions,” he said. Any lingering doubts about Segenhoe Stud graduate Ninja’s talent were dispelled at Rosehill on Saturday when he powered to victory in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes under Tommy Berry, offering a performance that shifted the focus back to racing rather than rulings.
Connections Vindicated in Not Selling Gold
Tuesday, 24th February 2026
Derby aspirations have quickly firmed for That’s Gold after a commanding display in the Gr2 Eagle Technology Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie, where the progressive three-year-old stamped himself as a genuine staying prospect. The Chris Wood-trained gelding had already banked $350,000 with victory in the Karapiro Classic (1500m) at Te Rapa earlier this month, yet he drifted to $12.70 for Saturday’s assignment. Intent on answering the lingering question around stamina, jockey Samantha Collett wasted no time from a wide gate, urging her mount forward to sit outside Taylor Square. The tempo lifted markedly from the 600m as the leading pair broke clear, but it was That’s Gold who travelled with greater authority. Straightening with a lapful of horse, he surged away to score by 3.75-lengths over Road To Paris, leaving little doubt about his capacity to see out longer trips. “We were obviously looking to see if he is going to run a Derby trip,” Collett said. “I was happy to let the race unfold. I put a little bit of pressure on him to get to the outside of the leader, but at least I know when the Derby comes around if I am in the same position I have got the horse that I can give a little squeeze to and he is going to relax, which is what he did today…” For Wood, the performance carried extra significance. “I am thrilled to bits,” he said. “I have got good clients. I put all my syndicates together myself and it took a while to piece this one together when I bought him, but we finally got it done and the results are shown today. He was very strong to the line. Bred by Yulong Investments, the gelding was secured for $57,500 from their 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft by Wood alongside Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman. Yulong later attempted to buy him back, an approach Wood kept quiet from owners. “I didn’t tell the owners too much about that. I wanted to keep him as I knew what we had under the bonnet.” In the wake of his Ellerslie triumph, That’s Gold has tightened into a second favourite in the TAB futures market for the New Zealand Derby, headed by Ohope Wins.
Tha's Gold was very impressive (pic: Kenton Wright Race Images)
Alabama Lass Boosts Confidence in Trial
Tuesday, 24th February 2026
Unanswered questions have lingered around Alabama Lass in recent months, leaving trainers Ken and Bev Kelso searching for clarity rather than excuses. On Sunday at Taupo, however, the talented mare offered a timely reminder of her ability, leading throughout in a sharp 1100m trial that restored confidence to a camp eager for answers, reports NZ Racing Desk. Her spring campaign in Australia had begun on a high note when she finished runner-up fresh-up in the Gr1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley. That promise quickly gave way to frustration when she trailed the field in the Gr1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) three weeks later. Comprehensive veterinary examinations followed – dynamic scopes, ECG, x-rays – yet nothing untoward could be detected. The puzzle deepened when she returned home and resumed in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie, only to finish seventh despite another clean bill of health. “We don’t know what went wrong in the Manikato, she disappointed, and was disappointing again in the Railway,” Ken Kelso said. “After the Manikato we did all the tests, dynamic scopes, an ECG, x-rays, and we couldn’t find anything wrong with her. It’s a mystery really.” Rather than retreat, the Kelsos chose to press on, using Sunday’s trial as a litmus test. Alabama Lass dictated terms against a quality field that included Te Akau Racing’s $4 million NZB Kiwi hopefuls He Who Dares and La Dorada, and she travelled with the fluency of old. “Today was a day to see where we are at and she looked more like her old self,” Kelso said. “If we can’t find anything wrong and her work is good leading up to next week then we will press onto the King’s Plate.” The Gr3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) holds fond memories, having claimed the race last season after successive Group 1 placings in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas and Railway, before adding the Listed Moomba Plate at Flemington to round out her three-year-old term. Meanwhile, Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 7 could also mark a significant occasion for stablemate Legarto, who is being aimed at the Gr1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m). The multiple Group 1 winner arrives off a stirring victory in the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa, a triumph that delivered Opie Bosson his 100th elite-level success. An exhibition gallop at Ellerslie on Saturday further pleased the stable. “She has come through it well and she had an exhibition gallop yesterday at Ellerslie after the first,” Kelso said. “Opie had a feel of her around Ellerslie, which was the idea of it. He gave us a good report and said she changed legs and balanced up nicely, because she hasn’t been the greatest around Ellerslie, but he said she felt great and worked nice, so it’s all systems go to the Bonecrusher.”
Alabama Lass put in a winning trial (pic: Peter Rubery Race Images)
$201 Wind Sends Shiver Down Punters’ Spines
Tuesday, 24th February 2026
A race named for fireworks delivered one of the biggest in recent memory at Ascot on Saturday, when the Listed Detonator Stakes (1800m) produced a result that few saw coming, reports – appropriately – punters.com.au. At $201, Fear The Wind snapped a 973-day drought and sent shockwaves through bookmakers and punters alike. Only weeks earlier the eight-year-old had finished more than 10 lengths adrift when last in the Ascot Mile on January 31, a run that did little to inspire confidence. From barrier 13 on Saturday, Luke Campbell allowed him to settle midfield with cover as Battle Commander ensured a genuine tempo in the early stages. When the speed slackened down the back, the race tightened and positions became crucial. Approaching the home turn, Campbell angled Fear The Wind wide to search for better going, a decisive move that proved pivotal. Straightening for the run home, he still had a wall of horses to reel in, but the response was emphatic. For want of a better phrase, the gelding exploded through the final 200m, wearing down the leaders and surging clear to land a stunning victory for trainers Daniel and Ben Pearce. The win was as unlikely as it was emphatic, and the Ascot crowd responded accordingly. Race caller Darren McAullay captured the disbelief as the field hit the line. “Fear The Wind has got home at any old odds,” he said. “It’s one of the biggest boilovers I’ve seen. It’s a 200-1 chance that’s got home in the Detonator Stakes. It’s blown them out!” The breakthrough ended a long wait, his previous success coming in the Rogan Josh Stakes (2200m) on June 24, 2023, when he started a $2.35 favourite under William Pike. That victory capped a sequence of five straight wins and hinted at the quality within the son of Fiorente, the 2013 Melbourne Cup hero. Time and form had seemingly passed him by, but on this occasion class resurfaced in spectacular fashion. The race Exacta paid up to $3,480, the Trifecta $30,999.10 and the Quadrella. In Queensland, some lucky soul was blown away when a $83,608 dividend was declared.
