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NEW Arise Te Akau Thoroughbreds' Sir David Ellis
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A lifetime spent building one of New Zealand racing’s great modern institutions has been recognised at the highest level, with David Ellis appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours for services to thoroughbred racing and philanthropy. The honour crowns more than four decades of relentless involvement in the sport through Te Akau Racing, while also acknowledging his work in farming, community service and charitable causes alongside his wife, Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM, now Lady Karyn Ellis. For Ellis, the journey began not in a boardroom or sale ring, but at Ellerslie on Easter Monday in 1971, when, as a 17-year-old, he watched future Melbourne Cup winner Silver Knight win the Great Northern St Leger and found himself captivated by racing. According to racingnews.co.nz, his first winner came seven years later with Magnum at Paeroa, and by 1982 he was attending his first New Zealand National Yearling Sale, the starting point of a buying career that has since made him the most prolific purchaser of thoroughbreds in Australasian history. More than $150 million has been invested in New Zealand yearlings alone, while Te Akau’s tangerine colours have become synonymous with elite results across New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. The Matamata-based operation has claimed 16 New Zealand trainers’ premierships, four Singapore trainers’ premierships, 12 New Zealand Champion Trainer titles, four Singapore Champion Trainer titles, 429 stakes wins and 106 Group 1 victories, with its domestic tally now closing in on 3,000 winners. Yet the scale of the numbers only partly explains the achievement. Te Akau has produced 14 winners of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas and New Zealand 1000 Guineas across the past 21 years, eight Karaka Million 2YO winners, and Karaka Million 2YO-3YO doubles in 2020, 2022 and 2025, while horses such as Melody Belle, Avantage, Probabeel, Darci Brahma and Imperatriz have carried the brand to international prominence. Ellis also helped identify future stallions including Darci Brahma, Burgundy, Embellish, Xtravagant, Sword Of State, Cool Aza Beel, Noverre, Move To Strike and Return To Conquer. Former New Zealand Bloodstock chairman Joe Walls MNZM said the knighthood was richly earned. “David so deserves this honour, for many reasons,” Walls said, adding that Ellis had “created and graduated an entire university of racing people”. Mark Walker, Jamie Richards, Opie Bosson, Sam Bergerson, Reece Trumper, Hunter Durrant and Ben Gleeson are among those whose careers have been shaped within the Te Akau system, while former stable apprentices including Daniel Stackhouse, Michael Dee and Samantha Collett further underline its role as a nursery for talent. Walls also credited Ellis with sustaining the national yearling sale during testing periods, saying there had been “no one like him on the buying bench at the sales over the past 40 years”. That loyalty to New Zealand breeding, together with board service, philanthropy and the development of Te Akau Stud from modest beginnings into a model property, gives the honour a reach well beyond one stable. From Ellerslie schoolboy dreamer to Hall of Fame figure and now Sir David Ellis, his story remains one of conviction, stamina and deep belief in the thoroughbred.

Te Akau's silks are amongst the most recognisable in Australasia (pic: AI generated)
NEW French Derby Quinella for Wootton Bassett
Weekend, 1st June 2026
Constitution River produced a performance of rare authority to give Aidan O’Brien a remarkable clean sweep in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, leading home stablemates Hawk Mountain and Montreal in a result that underlined the strength and depth of Ballydoyle’s three-year-old team. The winner had been asked to prove himself in a Classic that often exposes any weakness in balance, temperament or stamina, but, according to racingpost.com, he answered every question with the assurance of a colt at the height of his powers. Wayne Lordan had him in a comfortable rhythm through the early stages, allowing him to find cover as the race developed before asking him to improve when the tempo lifted. Hawk Mountain and Montreal both travelled with purpose and looked dangerous turning for home, but Constitution River was the one who quickened most decisively. Once Lordan angled him into the clear, he lengthened powerfully, putting the race beyond doubt and recording an emphatic success from Hawk Mountain, with Montreal keeping on well to complete an all-O’Brien trifecta. It was a result that carried significance beyond the bare finishing order. Constitution River had already shown high-class promise, but this was the day he turned that promise into Classic substance. The race was run in a manner that demanded tactical speed and courage, yet he seemed to thrive on the challenge, settling kindly before producing the turn of foot required to win one of Europe’s most prestigious middle-distance prizes. O’Brien said afterwards that Constitution River had always been a colt of major potential, though not one without obstacles to overcome. He praised the horse’s professionalism, noting that he had handled the preliminaries, the pace of the race and the pressure of the straight like a maturing performer. The trainer suggested that the colt’s ability to relax had been crucial, because in a race of this nature even the most talented horses can blunt their finishing effort if they do too much too soon. Lordan was equally impressed, describing the winner as a horse who gave him confidence throughout. He said Constitution River travelled like the best horse in the race and quickened when it mattered, giving him the feeling of a colt with the class to stay at the top level. Hawk Mountain lost little in defeat and may yet have major prizes in him, while Montreal enhanced his reputation with a strong effort in third. Both contributed to a performance that reflected the power of the Ballydoyle squad, but the afternoon belonged to Constitution River. O’Brien will now take time before deciding where the winner goes next, with the middle-distance programme offering several tempting options. After such a commanding French Derby success, Constitution River has earned the right to be treated as one of the leading colts of his generation.
NEW Purton Breaks Through Everest Like 2,000
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A landmark Sha Tin success has carried Zac Purton into territory no jockey had previously reached in Hong Kong, with the Australian becoming the first rider to notch 2,000 wins in the jurisdiction. Despite having a plethora of opportunities on the card to establish a hitherto unscalable peak, Purton tool luck out of the equation by scoring in the opening race in Hong Kong. The milestone arrived aboard the Brett Crawford-trained debutant Rising World in the Hong Kong Wu Hua General Association Cup Plate over 1200m, and it gave Purton a measure of relief after the chase had briefly threatened to become awkward. He had been stranded on 1,999 winners in the city for 16 rides before the Brett Crawford-trained two-year-old, a debutant, ended the wait with a sharp victory. “At least I’m not going to have to go home tonight and listen to Cash say ‘why didn’t you have a winner today, Daddy?’, so we’ve had the winner and he’s got the trophy – so it’s job done,” Purton said. The 43-year-old, born in Lismore, moved to Hong Kong in 2007 and rode his first winner at Happy Valley that September aboard Elfhelm. Since then, he has built a record of rare scale, winning the jockeys’ championship eight times and setting single-season marks for wins and earnings, while repeatedly shaping the most competitive riding room in Asia. His 2022/23 season remains the benchmark, with 179 wins and HK$277,712,060 in stakes, and he has also passed the 100-win mark in a season 10 times. As a moment in Hong Kong racing history, the 2,000th winner drew high praise from Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive, who described Purton as an all-time great and said the achievement reflected extraordinary skill, consistency and determination. Purton said he felt fortunate, while acknowledging the owners, trainers and support around him. His standing rests not only on volume, but on the quality attached to the record. He became the only jockey to win all 12 Group 1 races on Hong Kong’s calendar after Exultant’s 2020 QEII Cup victory, and he is a three-time LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship winner. The championship rivalry with Joao Moreira helped define an era, with Purton taking the 2013/14 title and then winning again in 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2021/22 before adding further premierships after Moreira’s departure. Only Purton and Moreira have ridden more than 1,000 Hong Kong winners, and Purton’s best horses tell the story of his reach: Beauty Generation, Exultant, Aeroinvincible, Ambitious Dragon, Southern Legend, Lucky Sweynesse, Military Attack and, above all, Ka Ying Rising. He has also won the BMW Hong Kong Derby twice, with Luger in 2015 and Massive Sovereign in 2024, and his major-race roll includes The Everest, the Hong Kong Sprint, the Centenary Sprint Cup and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup. The numbers now sit at a level that makes comparison difficult, but the message is simple enough: Purton has turned sustained excellence into a Hong Kong record that may stand for a very long time.

Purton returns to scale on Rising World (pic: hkjc.com.au)
NEW All Too Hard Adds to Hong Kong Reputation
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A polished Sha Tin performance has pushed Patch Of Stars further along one of Hong Kong’s sharpest upward curves, with the Manfred Man-trained 4YO claiming Sunday’s Gr3 Sha Tin Vase over 1200m and confirming himself as far more than a ratings climber. The All Too Hard gelding only began his career 13 months ago, winning a Class Four from an opening mark of 50, but he has since strung together another five victories and added 51 rating points on the way to his most important win. He arrived with strong market confidence, firming from $5 to $2.85, and Karis Teetan gave him the sort of ride that suggested both horse and jockey trusted the tempo. Settled fifth on the rail behind Stellar Express, Patch Of Stars travelled kindly through the early stages before the race tightened in the straight and briefly left him locked away with nowhere to build. The gap eventually came near the 300m, and once Teetan angled him into clear running, the response was immediate. He swept to the lead inside the 200m and then had to withstand Raging Blizzard, who charged down the centre of the track and looked a serious threat in the final stages. Patch Of Stars had enough in reserve, however, and held on by a short-head, with Tomodachi Kokoroe close enough behind them to underline the pressure of the finish. For Man’s assistant trainer Wing Ip-hang, the win reflected both the gelding’s attitude and his continuing development. “He’s a good horse in the morning, he relaxes well. I ride him every day and he’s been getting better and better. He’s still young and I think he can improve. I was a little bit confident watching; I’m really happy,” he said. The victory was also Teetan’s second success in the race, a detail given extra edge by the fact that he had been brought in to ride Ka Ying Rising when Hong Kong’s sprinting star won the same event in 2024. This was a different kind of win, less about established brilliance than a horse still discovering how far his improvement can carry him. Patch Of Stars has now beaten rivals who had been trading blows with Ka Ying Rising in recent starts, and while that does not make him the champion’s equal, it gives his rise proper substance. The manner of the race may prove just as valuable as the result. He was asked to relax, wait, quicken through a late opening and then fight when the danger arrived, and he handled each task with the composure of a sprinter still moving in the right direction. From a modest Class Four rating to a Group 3 win in little more than a year, Patch Of Stars has earned a new place in Hong Kong’s sprinting conversation, and the next question is whether there is still another level to come. His redoubtable Vinery Stud sire All Too Hard – he is also sire of four-time Hong Kong Gr1 winner Wellington – continues to raise the bar in Australia and abroad, and, at $27,500, his 2026 stud fee is is exceptional value of the upcoming season.

Patch of Stars (inside) clung on for victory (pic: hkjc.com)
NEW Golden Ray of Sunshine for Doudles
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A race day built around resilience produced a finish worthy of its cause at Morphettville on Saturday, with Golden Horizon delivering the Doudle family an emotional victory in the Cystic Fibrosis Race Day Event Handicap over 1200m. The 3YO, trained by Travis Doudle, looked beaten when he spotted his rivals at least five lengths turning for home, but he launched down the outside to score in the final stride, turning what had seemed an unlikely assignment into a result that carried far more weight than an ordinary Saturday win. According to punters.com.au, Golden Horizon was sent out at $3.50, but even his trainer had conceded hope midway through the race as the gelding found himself well back and apparently with too much to do. Instead, he produced a sweeping finish on rain-affected ground and arrived in time to claim a victory loaded with family meaning. The race was named for Cystic Fibrosis Race Day Luncheon, a fundraising event founded last year by Doudle’s wife, Emmah, who was diagnosed with the illness at birth and has spent her life defying its limits. A Cystic Fibrosis advocate and 2020 Australian Of The Year local hero, Emmah watched the win from close range and was overcome by the timing and the manner of it. “We did not think that would happen … to come from the back,” she said after the race. “I’m so happy – I’m so proud of Trav – what a race for us to win. It’s been a tough couple of weeks, I’m very proud of him.” The emotion was just as strong for Travis, whose pride in the horse was matched by pride in his wife and the work she has done to build the event into something meaningful. “It’s really fantastic, I’m just so proud of my beautiful wife, it’s a privilege to be married to her really,” he said. “For her to pull off an event like today is really special. To win on the day is great.” Golden Horizon appears to have a rare sense of occasion, having also won on last year’s Cystic Fibrosis Race Day only moments before Emmah’s event began. This year’s repeat success gave the story an almost scripted quality, although the performance itself was anything but soft. He had to chase from an awkward position, sustain a long run and nail the result when the race looked gone. For a stable and family who had already put so much into the day, the gelding’s late surge became more than a race result. It was a public reward for private toughness, a reminder of Emmah’s long fight, and a victory that allowed the Doudles to celebrate not only a horse with a flair for timing, but a cause that clearly sits at the centre of their lives.
NEW Tron Bolts into Outright JJ Atkins Pick
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A commanding display in testing ground at Rosehill has lifted Tron Bolt to outright favouritism for the Gr1 JJ Atkins, with Chris Waller’s colt brushing aside a competitive field in Saturday’s Bookmakers Recognition Handicap over 1300m. Sent out against several youngsters still in the market for next month’s Eagle Farm feature, he handled the heavy conditions with authority and put the race beyond doubt soon after straightening. Siena Grima, fresh from a treble at Randwick a week earlier, was happy to let him travel where he was comfortable, and the colt rounded the home turn with nothing behind him before lengthening strongly through the line. The win immediately tightened his JJ Atkins quote from $8 to $4.50, placing him alongside Blind Raise as equal favourite, although the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner remains the clearer market elect at around $3.50. Waller, who has already won the JJ Atkins three times, is now positioned to chase a fourth success in the race, and the Hermitage-owned colt gives him a familiar link to one of those victories, having carried the same colours that The Autumn Sun made famous when landing the 2018 edition. Assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said the performance left the stable with little to fault. “It was fantastic,” he said. “He was just too good there. He managed to get through the ground well and just kept building all the way to the line. His best work was through the line so onwards and upwards and obviously the JJ Atkins Stakes looms.” That closing strength was the most encouraging part of the performance, particularly with another step up in trip now central to the campaign. Rather than winning purely on conditions, Tron Bolt appeared to grow into the race the deeper it went, giving the impression the Eagle Farm mile will not be beyond him if he can reproduce the same tractability. The victory also clarified Waller’s hand after key rivals had failed to strengthen their claims earlier in the day, allowing Tron Bolt to seize the initiative rather than inherit it by default. Grima’s patient ride was an important part of the result, the apprentice keeping the colt balanced in the going and resisting any urge to rush before asking him to build into full stride. Once produced, he quickened cleanly enough for the ground and was strongest where it mattered, an attribute that has obvious value heading towards a Group 1 likely to demand stamina as much as brilliance. The heavy track made the win more persuasive rather than less, because he did not merely cope with it; he kept improving through it. For now, the market has reacted sharply, but the more meaningful shift may be within the stable: Waller has a colt peaking at the right time, with the right form profile, and a clear path towards the JJ Atkins, a race that now sits firmly within reach.
NEW Patch Of Stars Wins Gr3 Sha Tin Vase
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Sha Tin
- Race: Gr3 The Sha Tin Vase (1200m)
- Winner: Patch Of Stars (All Too Hard-Tuscany Lady, by Mossman)
- Placings: 2nd: Raging Blizzard, 3rd: Tomodachi Kokoroe
- Stallion: All Too Hard (Casino Prince-Helsinge, by Desert Sun)
- Stud Farm: Vinery Stud, NSW
- Winner's Race Record: 17 starts: 7 wins, 4 placings
- Sales Details: $100,000, 2023 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale Book 2, Vendor: Baramul Stud, Widden Valley, NZ$800,000, 2023 NZB Ready To Run Sale
NEW Light Years Charm Wins Gr3 Lion Rock Trophy
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Sha Tin
- Race: Gr3 The Lion Rock Trophy (1600m)
- Winner: Light Years Charm (Rubick-Dancer's Rose, by Dehere)
- Placings: 2nd: Beauty Joy, 3rd: Copartner Prance
- Stallion: Rubick (Encosta de Lago-Sliding Cube, by Rock of Gibraltar)
- Stud Farm: Swettenham Stud, VIC
- Winner's Race Record: 18 starts: 6 wins, 4 placings
- Sales Details: $3,750, 2022 Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale, Vendor Amarina Farm
Headley Grange Consistency Pays Off
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A deserved Group 1 breakthrough at Eagle Farm has completed a long climb for Inglis Digital graduate Headley Grange, with the Joe Pride-trained gelding turning consistency into elite success in the Kingsford Smith Cup. According to inglis.com.au, the son of ill-fated stallion Exosphere had been one of Sydney's most reliable performers without quite landing the race that would change his profile, but Saturday's win delivered exactly that after a preparation in which he had kept measuring up against serious company. A 12-time winner from 28 starts, with another seven minor placings, Headley Grange came into the race after finishing fourth in the Gr1 Canterbury Stakes behind Joliestar, fifth in the Gr1 George Ryder Stakes behind Autumn Glow, fifth in the Gr1 All Aged Stakes behind Beiwacht and seventh in the Gr1 Doncaster Mile behind Sheza Alibi. He had also won the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes in the spring, building a record that made him difficult to ignore, even if the Group 1 label had remained just beyond reach. Purchased by HDB Bloodstock on behalf of Bob Manwaring through the 2023 Inglis Digital November Late Online Sale for $120,000 after his first three starts, Headley Grange has since won 11 races and more than $2.4 million in prizemoney. Manwaring was trackside for the Eagle Farm success and said he had travelled with confidence, knowing the gelding's record suggested he was ready to run another big race. "I knew he'd run a big race, he's been too consistent not to and it's amazing to see him get his Group 1." The result puts Headley Grange alongside Half Yours, Sheza Alibi, She's Extreme, Mariamia and Bella Vella as Gr1-winning graduates of Inglis Digital, and Manwaring can now look towards the Stradbroke with a horse whose value, reputation and story continue to evolve.
Fiorenza Finds Forever Home at Arrowfield
Weekend, 1st June 2026
Having slipped through the ring at the Inglis Digital May (Late) Online Sale, Fiorenza's future appeared uncertain for only a matter of hours before a deal was struck that will see the well-bred mare join Arrowfield Stud and begin a new chapter as part of the farm's elite broodmare band. The 5YO daughter of Kingman failed to meet her reserve when offered by GT Park Spelling Farm on Thursday, but negotiations continued after the auction and ultimately resulted in her sale to Arrowfield. The purchase ensures Fiorenza will be retired immediately and visit the farm's exciting young stallion Lead Artist in his debut season, adding another internationally connected pedigree to the Hunter Valley operation. GT Park's Mark Toole was pleased to see the mare secure a future befitting her pedigree after a week in which she had attracted significant attention from breeders and bloodstock professionals. "At the end of the day you've got to meet the market and they find their value and she's found hers and we're really happy," Toole said. He also praised the role played by Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager Harry Bailey in helping bring the transaction together after the online auction concluded. "[Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager] Harry [Bailey] has done an amazing job the way through, he's taken the reins with this not only today in working extremely hard to match her with a buyer but the whole process to get the deal done." A half-sister to a four-time Group 1 winner in Italy, Fiorenza carried a pedigree that made her an attractive proposition for major breeders seeking proven international bloodlines. That appeal was central to Arrowfield's decision to step in after the sale and secure the mare privately. Arrowfield's Jon Freyer said the mare's family had long been on the farm's radar. "We were very happy to buy her, we liked the family and recognise its international appeal," Freyer said. "I'd seen the half sister [In Italian] race in America a few times and held her in high regard so we were keen to get her. "She's a mare we bought to go to Lead Artist, he's obviously by Dubawi and she's a Kingman mare and we think Kingman mares will suit him well." While Fiorenza ultimately became the headline transaction, the auction's second-highest priced lot was West of Swindon, a Gr2-winning 3YO colt by Wootton Bassett, who was purchased by Hong Kong-based Pure Bloodstock for $310,000.
Waller-McDonald Combine for Third Qld Derby
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A Derby that had looked beyond reach at the top of the straight turned into another Chris Waller and James McDonald Group 1 celebration at Eagle Farm, where Providence surged clear to claim the Queensland Derby and confirm himself as a rapidly improving staying prospect. Sent out at $5, the son of Wootton Bassett had been luckless when third in the Gr3 Rough Habit at his previous start, shuffled back and forced to make ground from the wrong part of the race, but Saturday unfolded far more kindly. McDonald parked him in a rhythm, allowed the race to come back to him, then brought him into the contest when it mattered, with Providence quickening strongly enough to put the result beyond doubt. Fellow Waller runner Maison Louis made his own strong bid as the $6.50 second favourite, while Inspired Legend boxed on honestly at $91, but both were left chasing a winner who had enjoyed the right run and produced the superior finish. Waller, who was celebrating his 201st Gr1 victory and his first Queensland Derby since Kovalica and McDonald combined in 2023, said the milestone was certainly easier to enjoy than the first. He credited a great ride, strong ownership and the quality of two progressive stayers who had been given time to build through the winter. The trainer said Queensland regularly served as an important proving ground for horses on the rise, and Providence now fits that pattern neatly. McDonald was equally clear that the gelding had not won because he was an out-and-out stayer, but because his class and tractability let him make the most of the race. "I couldn't have dreamed up a better run. It just worked out so, so well," he said. "He's probably not a true stayer, but at 10 furlongs, he's pretty sharp and he's just come a long way in a short time." Bred locally from the first Australian crop of shuttle stallion Wootton Bassett, Providence has now given his sire a first local Group 1 winner while adding further weight to Waller's winter stable depth. The Group 1 win – his sixteenth in 2025-26 – sees McDonald join Malcolm Johnstone with the most Group 1 triumphs in a season.
Latest Magic Millions Digital Sale Largest Yet
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A major dispersal from one of Western Australia's best-known breeding operations is set to headline the latest Magic Millions Digital auction, with the Geisel Park Stud Unreserved Dispersal providing buyers with a broad range of opportunities across racing and breeding stock. The final Magic Millions Digital Sale before the Gold Coast-based company's National Sales Series features 60 lots from Geisel Park, comprising racehorses and fillies, shares, weanlings, yearlings and broodmares. The draft includes progeny by a diverse range of stallions, among them Aysar, A Lot, Awesome Rock, Ducimus, Grunt, Manhattan Rain, Playing God, Rich Enuff, Sessions, Winning Rupert and Wooded. Prospective buyers are able to inspect the offering at the farm between 8am and 4pm each day until the sale concludes, with Stud Manager Conor Dunlop and the Magic Millions team available to assist with enquiries and inspections. The catalogue also includes the continuation of the Hesket Thoroughbred Unreserved Reduction, with 11 additional lots catalogued. Race fillies, broodmares, weanlings and a breeding right to Darley's Golden Slipper-winning sire Bivouac form part of the offering, adding further depth to an auction already rich in quality bloodstock opportunities. Among the standout lots is Group 1 Australasian Oaks heroine Vibrant Sun (Lot 89), who is being offered on an unreserved basis. The daughter of The Autumn Sun earned elite-level success when taking the Australasian Oaks and also displayed her versatility and class with victory in the Group 3 Alexandra Stakes at Moonee Valley. Out of the Group-winning mare Vibrant Rouge, she presents as an appealing addition to any broodmare band ahead of the forthcoming breeding season. Another highly attractive prospect is stakes-winning mare Toropa (Lot 87), offered by Amelia Park Racing and Breeding. The daughter of Toronado compiled an impressive record, winning seven of her 19 starts, highlighted by a dominant victory in the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic at Ascot. Successful on debut as a 2YO and a consistent performer throughout her career, all seven of her victories were recorded at metropolitan level. Further quality is supplied by Luvaluva (Lot 69), a four-time Group winner whose career featured victories in the Gr2 Wakeful Stakes, Gr3 Adrian Knox Stakes, Gr3 Summer Cup and Gr3 Kembla Grange Classic, in addition to a placing at the highest level. The daughter of Mastercraftsman earned more than $830,000 in prizemoney and is offered in foal to Street Boss, who stood last season for $60,000 plus GST. The catalogue also includes juvenile stakes winner Split Lip (Lot 86), successful in the Dequetteville Stakes before retiring to stud. She is in foal to emerging young Golden Slipper-winning sire Stay Inside, ensuring she too is likely to attract strong interest when bidding closes.
The Empire Rules Again in a Thriller
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A grinding Belmont finish again underlined the toughness of Western Empire, with the seasoned 8YO forcing his head down in the final stride to land the Gr3 PKF Perth-Hyperion Stakes over 1600m and add another black-type success to a career that has stretched across seasons, distances and expectations. The son of Iffraaj had already shown he was back in serious order when winning the Gr3 Drummond Golf Belmont Sprint first-up over 1400m a fortnight earlier, and this second-up assignment asked a different question after he jumped sharply from the inside draw and wanted to do a little too much for Willie Pike through the early stages. Rather than fight him, Pike let him find a rhythm, and although Hoba West had cleared away by four lengths rounding the home bend, the favourite kept building down the outside as Pike shifted him into the part of the track he wanted. The leader looked to have pinched a decisive break, but Western Empire kept lengthening, his determination carrying him to a last-stride victory by a short head. It was his 13th win at stakes level, and another reminder that even deep into his 8YO season he still has the will and class to compete at a high level. Pike said the performance owed plenty to the gelding's grit, particularly after the race did not unfold exactly as planned. "I wanted to ride him with cover but he jumped so fast and was a lot more fired up than he was first-up," Pike said. He added that the previous run had sharpened him, and once the option of settling behind others no longer appealed, he told the ownership group he would rather be wider without cover than tucked in behind horses that did not suit the way he wanted to ride the race. That decision proved decisive, allowing Western Empire to build cleanly into the contest and produce the final thrust that turned a near-miss into another stakes win, while reinforcing the veteran's standing as one of Perth's most durable and admired campaigners. His purchase in October 2023 off Inglis Digital for $150,000 continues to pay dividends for connections.

Western Empire knows how to find the line (pic: Western Racepix)
Kiwi Breeders Buck Gavelhouse Mare Trend
Weekend, 1st June 2026
Demand from Australia's leading breeders has continued to reshape the market for elite mares, but Wednesday night's Gavelhouse Plus Premium Broodmare Sale highlighted just how fiercely contested proven bloodstock has become on both sides of the Tasman with Kiwi buyers walking away with the lion's share. Only five mares were catalogued for the boutique online auction, yet they generated total turnover of $1.73 million and averaged $346,000, underlining the appetite for quality breeding prospects. Four of the five mares were purchased by New Zealand interests, reinforcing the strength of the domestic market despite increasing competition from major Australian buyers in recent seasons. The headline acts were black-type performers Rondinella and Sudbina, a pair of mares offered as part of the dissolution of the long-standing breeding partnership between Cathy Franic and Haunui Farm. Both mares attracted significant attention before eventually being secured by Haunui Farm, ensuring they remain where they have already established strong connections. In foal to former Waikato Stud star and now Coolmore-based sire Super Seth, Rondinella realised $600,000 while Sudbina followed closely behind at $575,000. Haunui Farm managing director Mark Chitty said the sale marked the conclusion of a highly successful association that had delivered results both on the racetrack and in the breeding barn. "It's the end of a very successful partnership between Cathy Franic and ourselves," Chitty said. "We bred some really nice horses together over a number of years, both on the racetrack and through the sale ring, but it's come to an end now." The farm was delighted to retain both mares despite spirited bidding from local and international buyers. "I was delighted to have some new partners that wanted to come on board and continue our involvement with both Rondinella and Sudbina. They're good people from within the industry, one an Australian client and one a New Zealand client, and I'm looking forward to working with them and continuing to breed from these lovely mares." Chitty acknowledged the uncertainty that accompanies any public auction, particularly when highly credentialled mares are involved. "We had to deal with some strong competition to buy both of them. When you're going into an open market, you never really know what you're opening yourself up for, and especially with high-quality mares from prolific families. Rondinella, of course, comes from our foundation family, while Sudbina is from a mare Paul Moroney bought for us out of Europe and has a great pedigree behind her as well. We thought the best way forward was to offer them for sale and let the market decide their value, and I'm thrilled that we managed to buy them both." The result ensured two of the sale's most sought-after mares remain at Haunui Farm, closing one chapter in a successful partnership while opening another with new ownership involvement.
Melbourne Cup Option for Promising Carmers
Weekend, 1st June 2026
A return to Royal Ascot will be used as the launching pad for a possible Australian spring adventure, with Queen's Vase winner Carmers being prepared for a campaign that could ultimately include the Melbourne Cup. The Paddy Twomey-trained stayer, who defeated Scandinavia and Rahiebb in last year's Queen's Vase, will take his first step of the season in Friday's Listed His Majesty's Plate, where the target is less about immediate fireworks than laying the right foundation for the months ahead. Twomey has the Gr1 Gold Cup on June 18 firmly in mind, with Carmers likely to meet Scandinavia again at Royal Ascot, provided the 4YO gives his trainer the right signs on his return. "He was good," Twomey told Racing TV. "I took off the blinkers as I thought he'd gone a bit cute, and when he couldn't see them behind him he didn't really care about them. I thought if we put a visor on then he could see what's coming and might be more interested. I think he enjoyed himself there today." Twomey said the gelding's staying talent had already been established, but he expects further improvement as Carmers gains experience and learns to concentrate through his races. "The Gold Cup will suit him well, and this was a good step to him going there. The quick ground tonight was important to him. All roads lead to Ascot. He's beaten Scandinavia before, and when you have a horse that good and they go down to the start against eight runners, you've got a one in eight chance, so you've got to take it." An Australian trip remains a genuine possibility rather than a fanciful afterthought, although Twomey is conscious the horse must first justify those plans through the European summer. "We're working back from Australia in November, but Royal Ascot is on the way. He's a high-class horse and he's a stayer without many miles on the clock. The campaign is pretty obvious for a horse like that – Ascot, Irish St Leger, Australia." Twomey, who has never previously travelled a runner to Australia, said the challenge appealed if Carmers proved good enough. "I've never been to Australia before but the Melbourne Cup looks a big deal on the TV and if he's good enough to bring us there, that would be fantastic."
Waller Says Joliestar Up to Royal Ascot Task
Weekend, 1st June 2026
With Royal Ascot now the target rather than a distant possibility, multiple Australian Group 1 performer Joliestar has given Chris Waller the reassurance he wanted before her Wednesday night departure for England, pleasing both trainer and jockey James McDonald in a Flemington gallop that was designed to sharpen rather than test her. The 5YO mare is being aimed at the Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes over 1200m on the final day of the carnival, where she is expected to meet a deep sprinting line-up, and Waller said there was little more she could have done at home to convince him she was ready for the trip. Her work down the famous straight was deliberately kept within sensible bounds, with Waller mindful that the long flight and the recovery window afterwards will be every bit as important as any final piece of fast work. He said she looked to do everything comfortably, which was exactly what he had hoped to see, and added that McDonald's response matched his own view that each part of the preparation had been executed as required. The five-time Gr1 winner has had her share of small interruptions across previous campaigns, but Waller believes maturity has made a significant difference to her reliability this time, with her physical condition and race experience giving him confidence that she can absorb the demands of an overseas assignment. Rather than trying to reinvent her before departure, the stable's approach is to keep her fresh, settled and moving, with the Flemington gallop serving as a race-speed stimulus without dragging too much out of her before the biggest logistical challenge of the campaign. It was, in Waller's view, the kind of clean, professional piece of work that mattered more for what it confirmed than for anything spectacular it revealed. Waller said the mare had always possessed the brilliance to measure up in elite company, but the task had often been to get her there in the right shape and at the right moment. Now, as a seasoned 5YO, she gives him the sense of a horse far better equipped to handle pressure, travel and new surroundings than she might have been earlier in her career. He has no plans to chase any more speed in her work before the June 20 race, preferring instead to make the next phase almost entirely about recovery, hydration, routine and keeping her mind clear after the flight. That conservative plan is also a reflection of respect for the opposition she is likely to face, with Waller under no illusions about the quality of European sprinting or the difficulty of winning at Royal Ascot. Even so, he has been clear that if Joliestar can arrive in England in the same order she is in now, she has the talent to be a genuine force on the world stage.
Providence Wins Gr1 Queensland Derby
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Eagle Farm
- Race: Gr1 Queensland Derby (2400m)
- Winner: Providence (Wootton Bassett-Fastnet Rock)
- Placings: 2nd: Monopolistic, 3rd: Inspired Legend
- Stallion: Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj-Balladonia, by Primo Dominie)
- Stud Farm: Coolmore Stud, NSW (formerly Jerrys Plains)
- Winner's Race Record: 7 starts: 2 wins, 2 placings
- Sales Details: $625,000, 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Vendor: Bhima Thoroughbreds
Headley Grange Wins Gr1 Kingsford Smith Cup
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Eagle Farm
- Race: Gr1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m)
- Winner: Headley Grange (Exosphere-Hard Go Jo, by Hard Spun)
- Placings: 2nd: Jimmysstar, 3rd: Fangirl
- Stallion: Exosphere (Lonhro-Altitude, by Danzero)
- Stud Farm: Darley Stud, NSW
- Winner's Race Record: 28 starts: 12 wins, 7 placings
- Sales Details: $120,000, 2023 Inglis November (Late) Online Sale
Berzelius Wins Gr2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Eagle Farm
- Race: Gr2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m)
- Winner: Berzelius (Extreme Choice-Secret Liaison, by Artie Schiller)
- Placings: 2nd: Vantorix, 3rd: Martist
- Stallion: Extreme Choice (Not a Single Doubt-Extremely, by Hussonet)
- Stud Farm: Newgate Farm, NSW
- Winner's Race Record: 3 starts: 2 wins, 0 placings
- Sales Details: $340,000, 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Athanatos Wins Gr3 Lord Mayor's Cup
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Eagle Farm
- Race: Gr3 Lord Mayor's Cup (1800m)
- Winner: Athanatos (I Am Immortal-Mumbeilly, by O'Reilly)
- Placings: 2nd: Militarize, 3rd: Future History
- Stallion: I Am Immortal (I Am Invincible-Meliora, by Ad Valorem)
- Stud Farm: Swettenham Stud, VIC
- Winner's Race Record: 24 starts: 5 wins, 14 placings
- Sales Details: $48,000, 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale (Showcase Session)
Alalcance Wins Gr3 Premier's Cup
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Eagle Farm
- Race: Gr3 Premier's Cup (2400m)
- Winner: Alalcance (Mastercraftsman-Albamara, by Galileo)
- Placings: 2nd: Bella Montagna, 3rd: Royal Supremacy
- Stallion: Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer-Starlight Dreams, by Black Tie Affair)
- Stud Farm: Coolmore Stud, Ireland
- Winner's Race Record: 18 starts: 6 wins, 5 placings
- Sales Details: 240,000gns, 2023 Tattersalls December Mare Sale
Western Empire Wins Gr3 Hyperion Stakes
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Belmont
- Race: Gr3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m)
- Winner: Western Empire (Iffraaj-Western Jewel, by Jeune)
- Placings: 2nd: Hoba West, 3rd: Rope Them In
- Stallion: Iffraaj (Zafonic-Pastorale, by Nureyev)
- Stud Farm: Haunui Farm, NZ
- Winner's Race Record: 37 starts: 13 wins, 10 placings
- Sales Details: $150,000, 2023 Inglis October (Early) Online Sale
Hearcomesthestar Wins LR Bel Esprit Stakes
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Caulfield
- Race: LR Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m)
- Winner: Hearcomesthestar (Zoustar-Hear The Chant, by Nicconi)
- Placings: 2nd: Bustling, 3rd: Coeur Volante
- Stallion: Zoustar (Northern Meteor-Zouzou, by Redoute's Choice)
- Stud Farm: Widden Stud, NSW
- Winner's Race Record: 30 starts: 7 wins, 9 placings
- Sales Details: $150,000, 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Vendor: Widden Stud
Savagery Vibe Wins LR Helen Coughlan Stakes
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Track: Eagle Farm
- Race: LR Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m)
- Winner: Savagery Vibe (Brutal-Kiss Moon, by Malibu Moon)
- Placings: 2nd: She's Got Pizzazz, 3rd: Poster Girl
- Stallion: Brutal (O'Reilly-Alberton Princess, by Golan)
- Stud Farm: Newgate Farm, NSW
- Winner's Race Record: 17 starts: 5 wins, 7 placings
- Sales Details: $22,500, 2024 Inglis Digital February (Early) Online Sale
Portland Wins LR Lord Mayor's Cup
Weekend, 1st June 2026
- Race: LR Lord Mayor's Cup (2000m)
- Winner: Portland (Dubawi-Zagitova, by Galileo)
- Placings: 2nd: Zambardo, 3rd: Zaphod
- Stallion: Dubawi (Dubai Millennium-Zomaradah, by Deploy)
- Stud Farm: Dalham Hall Stud, UK
- Winner's Race Record: 14 starts: 3 wins, 5 placings
- Sales Details: 135,000gns, 2024 Tatts Autumn Horses In Training Sale

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