Thursday, 28th May 2026
All enquiries - Gary Knowles 0406 599 773

Global Breeding, Racing and Sales News

  • MM National Broodmare Kicks on with Gusto

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    A strong appetite for elite breeding prospects carried through to the finish of the 2026 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where Miss Hellfire became the final day's headline act when selling for $2.05 million to China-based buyer Sheng Geng. Offered as Lot 607 through the Newgate Consignment, the Group performed daughter of Hellbent is in foal to Extreme Choice and proved one of the most sought-after commercial packages on the Gold Coast. Sam Fairgray, acting for the buyer, said her physical quality, combined with the scarcity of mares carrying to the world class sire, made her a rare prize, particularly with Extreme Choice having already clicked with the family. He indicated the resulting foal would likely be aimed back at the yearling market, where a good-looking youngster out of such a mare would have obvious appeal. The sale also delivered a handsome return for Newgate, which had bought Miss Hellfire off the track at the same auction last year for $640,000 (see below). Jim Carey said the mare held special significance for the farm, having been bred by Newgate and carried its "N" brand, and described her as talented, straightforward and an elite offering whose result was important for the commercial realities of the operation. The day's second seven-figure mare was Startantes, with Widden Stud and David Redvers joining forces at $1.4 million to secure the Tattersall's Tiara winner and return her to the Widden Valley. Sold unreserved to dissolve a partnership, Startantes opened at $1 million and was knocked down at a level Antony Thompson felt represented sound value for a Group One-winning joint champion filly. Already familiar to Widden, she is carrying her first foal by Anamoe, a mating Thompson believes suits her strongly, while Zoustar is among the future options for a mare he expects will be represented by high-quality daughters through the same sales ring in years to come. Amen Corner, also from the Newgate Consignment and also bought by Sheng Geng, completed the trio of million-dollar lots on the day when making $1.3 million. The Sydney-placed I Am Invincible mare, from Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Augusta Proud, is also in foal to Extreme Choice, with Fairgray again pointing to the sire's rarity, his proven record and the emergence of his sons at stud as key drivers behind the purchase. Across the two-day sale, 308 lots sold for $67,009,500, at an average of $217,563 and median of $105,000, with an 81 percent clearance rate. Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said he was "extremely satisfied" with the outcome, particularly the strength of the mares-in-foal market, noting that 16 of them made more than $500,000 and that demand remained active to the end. Attention now turns to the National Yearling Sale on June 1 and 2, the final major opportunity to buy stock eligible for the $20 million-plus Magic Millions Race Series.

  • Lees to Choose Mayor's Cup or Mayor's Cup

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    A rare double-up in race names has left Kris Lees weighing two Lord Mayor's Cup options for Tavi Time, with track conditions likely to decide whether the gelding heads to Rosehill or Eagle Farm on Saturday. Both races carry A$200,000 in prizemoney and sit in almost the same distance range, but they are otherwise different assignments: the Rosehill Lord Mayor's Cup is a Listed race over 2000m, while the Eagle Farm version is a Group 3 over 1800m. Tavi Time has accepted for both and appears well placed in either, but Sydney's weather has pushed Lees towards Brisbane, with a heavy Rosehill surface looking increasingly likely. "I've accepted for both races but I would say it is Brisbane," Lees said. "A soft 7 is probably as wet as Tavi Time wants it, he's not at his best on a heavy track." The son of Tavistock has been allotted 59kg at Rosehill, where he would be topweight, and history underlines the scale of that task. No horse has carried more weight to win the race since Caranna shouldered 60kg in 1958. The Eagle Farm alternative is only slightly kinder, with Tavi Time given 58.5kg, but the combination of a shorter trip, better likely footing and Group 3 status makes it an obvious consideration. For Lees, the decision is less about finding the easiest race than keeping his horse in the right conditions. Tavi Time has enough class to be competitive under weight, but the wrong surface could blunt the turn of foot that makes him effective. The unusual scheduling quirk has at least given connections a genuine choice rather than a forced hand, and the final call will be shaped by which venue offers him the best chance to produce his true form. With Sydney's forecast against him and Brisbane looking the more suitable weather play, Eagle Farm appears the favoured path, provided conditions remain within his range and travel logistics fall into place.

  • Smart Farnan Debutante Has Freedman Smiling

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    A soft-ground debut at Caulfield Heath has given Mitch Freedman another promising juvenile to place for the winter and beyond, with Farmelia making an immediate impression in Wednesday's 1000m maiden. The daughter of Golden Slipper winner Farnan settled into her work on rain-affected ground, then quickened strongly late to overhaul the brave leader Tennessee Spirit and reward the confidence she had shown the stable at home. Freedman said the filly had kept asking to do more despite the usual caution trainers apply with young horses at this stage of their development. "She's been ticking all the boxes all the way along," Freedman said. "We don't have end goals with them when they're at this age, and she kept putting her hand up and for that reason she was allowed to get to the races." Bought for $140,000 at last year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Farmelia has the profile of a filly who should improve as she gets older, with Freedman describing her as a strong style of youngster with scope to develop into her spring 3YO season. Her ability to handle soft ground also gives the stable options, with the trainer noting that there are still suitable 2YO races available in coming weeks if she continues to progress. Freedman's attention will now also turn to Brisbane, where Black Caviar Lightning winner Skybird is set for Saturday's $1 million Gr1 Kingsford Smith Cup over 1300m at Eagle Farm. The mare is a $21 chance in a market headed by Jimmysstar, Private Eye and Fangirl, and Freedman is hoping the forecast rain arrives to take some sting out of the ground. "Hopefully the rain is falling there today and tomorrow," he said. The 1300m trip presents a fresh question, but Freedman said Skybird was going very well and deserved another opportunity after her excellent first-up third in the Gr1 TJ Smith Stakes. She was later unsuited when held up in the Doomben 10,000, yet still closed off with intent to finish seventh behind Anzac Stakes winner Schwarz.

    Farnan

    Slipper hero Farnan is set for a big season at Vinery Stud (pic: supplied)

  • US Racing TV Coverage Decimated

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    A buried line in Flutter Entertainment's first-quarter earnings report has underlined just how vulnerable Thoroughbred racing in the United States can be when its broadcast future is treated as a minor corporate adjustment rather than a major industry issue, reports bloodhorse.com. The company behind FanDuel used the report to confirm plans to wind down its racing-focused television network and FanDuel Picks product, a decision that would sharply reduce coverage this year before a full shutdown in 2027. For racing, the announcement was anything but small. FanDuel TV, formerly TVG, has carried races from around the country into homes for more than two decades, giving tracks, owners, breeders, punters and casual followers a familiar daily window into the sport. Yet in Flutter's own reporting, the planned closure appeared near the bottom of the fourth page, reduced to a single sentence in a cost-savings paragraph. That framing is part of the problem. Racing has long relied on key operators whose strategic decisions can reshape the sport's visibility, but the interests of those operators are not always aligned with the people whose livelihoods depend on the product. From Flutter's perspective, a racing television network may sit inside a broader portfolio of wagering, media and digital products, one line among many in an earnings presentation. From racing's perspective, it is infrastructure. It is how many fans discover weekday meetings, follow horses, maintain interest between major racedays and stay connected to circuits they may never physically attend. The late-March message to employees triggered understandable concern among industry participants and fans, especially given the number of talented presenters and production staff who have helped make the channel more than a feed of races. Those people have interpreted, explained and sold the sport day after day, often providing context that raw betting platforms cannot replicate. The concern, thankfully, has not stopped at hand-wringing. Sources cited in the supplied report suggest the industry is already working through alternative options, and that response will be essential if American racing is to avoid losing a significant national shopfront. The issue is not nostalgia for a particular channel name, nor resistance to the inevitable shift towards streaming and digital consumption. The issue is whether racing can control enough of its own distribution to ensure it is not stranded whenever a corporate parent decides a product no longer fits its cost base. Flutter's decision may make sense within a wider efficiency program, but it exposes a familiar weakness for a sport that too often depends on outside platforms to preserve its reach. If FanDuel TV disappears, the next solution will need to do more than patch a hole. It must give racing a durable, accessible and professionally presented home, one that understands the sport is not merely content for wagering customers but a daily ecosystem of horses, tracks, stories, jobs and communities. The quiet way this announcement surfaced should be a warning: visibility is too important to be left as small potatoes in someone else's earnings report.

  • Dwyer Takes Out British Trainer Licence

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    A cleaner Royal Ascot surface is now the line Henry Dwyer is holding with Asfoora, despite the champion Australian sprinter leaving him with more to repair than celebrate after a second plain run in Britain this campaign. Last year's King Charles III Stakes heroine had turned her 2024 European raid into something exceptional, winning at the royal meeting before adding dominant victories in the Nunthorpe and Prix de l'Abbaye, but her latest preparation has been difficult to watch. She beat only four home in the Palace House Stakes, then finished last behind Night Raider in Saturday's Temple Stakes at Haydock, a performance that pushed her out to 14-1 to defend her Ascot crown next month. Dwyer was not inclined to dress up the run, although he believes circumstances played their part. "She ran very plain," he said. "I think moving to the inside track was the right thing to do to stage the race and we were desperate to run her fitness-wise, but the chopped-up ground didn't suit her and she can down tools easily." The mare's temperament and age are now part of the equation, with Dwyer noting she had raced as though she did not want to be there, but also remembering that she was close to being retired after poor runs at Ascot and Goodwood last year before answering emphatically in the Nunthorpe. Blinkers will go back on for Royal Ascot, where the King Charles III should be run early enough on the card to give her the kind of smooth, fast surface he described as potentially "like a bowling green". "I'm not giving up on her at this stage, but she's at another crossroads," he said. Asfoora will also revert to racing under Dwyer's name this week as he works through securing a British licence, rather than continuing under the care of Lemos de Souza or an international permit. What began as a one-horse adventure has grown into a small seasonal team, with Royal Ascot-bound Synners Kid, several juveniles, a Too Darn Hot colt and a St Mark's Basilica filly among the horses giving Dwyer and his owners a broader British experience. Synners Kid missed the abandoned Silver Bowl at Haydock, but Dwyer said the Britannia now looked the more likely target after his encouraging Ascot return. The set-up is not intended to be year-round, but three or four horses over six months is workable with De Souza, Amy Murphy, Newmarket support and technology that lets Dwyer monitor heart rates and speed data live from afar. The appeal extends beyond prize-money, even if Dwyer rejects the idea England lacks reward for the right horse, saying Asfoora would not have earned as much in Australia because suitable races were not there. For her owners, who are expected to bring a large Royal Enclosure party, the ride remains the point; for Asfoora, Ascot now looks like a last chance to show last year was not the final flourish.

    Asfoora

    Asfoora is very backable for Royal Ascot (pic: Mark Gatt)

  • Stradbroke Weights Look Ideal for Heathcote

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    A Stradbroke Handicap tilt is now firmly in play for Rothfire, with Rob Heathcote encouraged by both the gelding’s current form and the 56.5kg he has been asked to carry in Queensland’s showpiece sprint. The eight-year-old has already revived one of Australian racing’s great comeback stories this winter, producing a vintage performance to win the Doomben 10,000 at $61 and give his Eagle Farm trainer back-to-back Group 1 wins with Abounding’s BRC Sprint success a week later. According to racenet.com.au, Rothfire will first tackle Saturday’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup over 1300m at Eagle Farm, but Heathcote said the Stradbroke was a logical target if the “Thriller from Chinchilla” comes through the weekend in good order. “I thought that (56.5kg for Rothfire in the Stradbroke) was a very reasonable weight for a horse coming off a Group 1 win,” Heathcote said. “He would firstly have to go well on Saturday and then obviously pull up well.” The same race is also on the radar for Abounding, whose 52kg allocation has delighted the stable after her barnstorming win in the BRC Sprint at Doomben last Saturday. Heathcote was effusive about the mare’s performance and believes the weight gives her a genuine chance to measure up in a deeper handicap. “Abounding, wow, she was fantastic in the BRC Sprint last Saturday, she has 52kg for the Straddie which I like,” he said. When Stradbroke weights were released on Monday, Ciaron Maher’s three-time Group 1 winner Jimmysstar was allotted topweight of 58.5kg, although Racing Queensland chief handicapper Nathan Bourke later clarified that weights would not be raised if Jimmysstar did not accept, provided one of the 56.5kg horses remained in the field. That detail matters for Rothfire, who has been given enough weight to recognise his Group 1 status without being asked to carry an impossible burden. For Heathcote, the immediate focus remains the Kingsford Smith, and Tuesday morning’s gallop at Eagle Farm only strengthened his confidence that the old warrior is holding his condition. “He’s really well, he’s done super since his euphoric Doomben 10,000 win,” Heathcote said. “I loved this deck (soft Eagle Farm surface) here this morning.” That surface could again play a role, with Rothfire at home at Eagle Farm and the Kingsford Smith providing a natural bridge between his Doomben 10,000 heroics and the longer-range Stradbroke plan. After everything Rothfire has endured across a career repeatedly interrupted by injury, the idea of another Stradbroke campaign carries more than sentimental appeal. He is racing like a horse who still wants to be there, while Abounding has given the stable another live winter carnival weapon at the right time. The path to the Stradbroke still depends on Saturday, recovery and final acceptances, but Heathcote suddenly has two compelling reasons to dream beyond the Kingsford Smith.

  • Highview Stallion Wrote Sires Sha Tin Double

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    A productive Hong Kong afternoon has added another layer to Wrote’s growing reputation, with the Highview Stud stallion siring the first two winners on Sunday’s Sha Tin program. The double came through Flying Amani and Come Fast Fay Fay, both ridden by Zac Purton, and continued a hot May for the Group 1-winning son of High Chaparral. Flying Amani, prepared by David Hall, opened the card over 1600m, while Jimmy Ting’s Come Fast Fay Fay followed over 1400m, giving Wrote another strong advertisement in a jurisdiction that has become an especially reliable outlet for his stock. “Flying Amani is a new individual winner for Wrote and that brought his tally for the month of May to six individual winners from seven runners, that’s quite phenomenal,” Highview’s Brent Gillovic said. The 4YO Flying Amani was bred by Highview and had won a trial at Te Awamutu under the name Baldacci before relocating to Hong Kong. He is out of the Rock Of Gibraltar mare My Rose Maree, from the family of Gr1 winners and sires Bivouac, Sepoy and Canny Lad, and My Rose Maree returned to Wrote last season. Come Fast Fay Fay, meanwhile, is out of the now retired Towkay mare Madrekay, and his latest win pushed Wrote’s Hong Kong record into sharper focus. “Wrote’s total stake earnings of his progeny in Hong Kong has now surpassed HK$50 million (NZ$10.8 million),” Gillovic said. The stallion’s suitability to Hong Kong appears to rest on a blend of pedigree, temperament and the capacity to handle firm Sha Tin and Happy Valley surfaces. Gillovic said the High Chaparral sire line had long worked well in Hong Kong, noting that Toronado was currently flying there, while Deep Field and Per Incanto had also proved excellent fits. “It’s definitely horses for courses for whatever reason,” he said. “They are very firm tracks at Sha Tin and Happy Valley and Wrote’s now had 14 runners there for 11 individual winners and the other three that haven’t won have been placed second.” That strike-rate gives Highview a valuable point of difference when discussing the stallion with breeders, particularly those looking for commercial runners with export appeal and the right constitution for Asian racing. His headline Hong Kong runner remains Fast Company, winner of the Gr3 HKJC National Day Cup over 1000m and twice third behind champion Ka Ying Rising at Gr1 level in the Hong Kong Sprint and Centenary Cup Sprint. Away from Hong Kong, Wrote has also left the Gr1 New Zealand Oaks winner Pulchritudinous and Australian multiple Group winner Wrote To Arataki, giving him a broader black-type profile to support the Sha Tin surge.

  • Zaaki is Jumping Out of His Skin

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    A second sporting life could yet carry Zaaki all the way to Olympic contention, with the former star racehorse now showing enough promise as an eventer to have the 2028 Los Angeles Games placed somewhere on the horizon, reports racing.com. Four years after the imported gelding completed a decorated racing career that produced 15 wins, four Group 1 victories, six Group 2 wins and the All-Star Mile, the 11YO has become one of the more compelling examples of what an elite thoroughbred can do after leaving the track. Zaaki retired after his 48th and final start and eventually found his way to Australian Olympian Shenae Lowings through Charlie Richardson and Off The Track, a move that has opened a striking new chapter for a horse once best known for his class, toughness and competitiveness on the flat. Earlier this month, he performed strongly at the Thoroughbred Sport Horse Association National Titles at Stonewall in New South Wales, and within two weeks was bound for Melbourne to contest the 3 Day International Event. Lowings said the transition had been exciting because Zaaki had brought the same will to improve into eventing that made him so effective as a racehorse. “It’s been a great journey, and he’s turning out to be as much of a champion in eventing as he was on the racetrack, so it’s really exciting,” she told The Verdict podcast. “I think a lot of these good horses just really want to be good at anything they do, and Zaaki’s definitely one of them. He wanted to be good on the racetrack and he wants to be good at the new career he’s doing now. He just loves it. He is honestly loving every minute of this new career of eventing.” That enthusiasm has not meant the education was simple. Lowings said Zaaki had not arrived as a naturally polished jumper, with Annabel Archibald warning that he had been quite wary of the jumps at the track and inclined to give them a careful inspection rather than simply attack them. “When I got him, it definitely was a bit of a process,” Lowings said. “He wanted to be really careful, which means he didn’t want to knock the poles down.” Once the former Group 1 star understood what was being asked, however, his technique began to develop quickly, giving Lowings a horse with the intelligence, scope and competitive attitude to keep progressing. The appeal of his story is not only that he is adapting, but that he appears to be enjoying the work, a crucial ingredient for any serious second career. From a high-pressure racing life to the technical demands of eventing, Zaaki is again being asked to learn, concentrate and compete, and the early signs suggest he still has the appetite for all three. Los Angeles remains an ambitious target, but for a horse who made a habit of sustaining excellence on the racetrack, the possibility no longer feels fanciful.

  • New Partnership for Titans and Magics

    Thursday, 28th May 2026
    The Gold Coast Titans and Magic Millions are proud to announce a new three-year partnership that will see two of the city’s most iconic brands join forces to support and elevate the club’s NRLW program.  The collaboration brings together two organisations deeply connected to the Gold Coast community, united by a shared commitment to opportunity, success and the continued growth of women’s sport. As part of the agreement, the legendary thoroughbred auction house will work alongside the Titans to help drive and enhance the profile of the club’s NRLW athletes, supporting initiatives that create greater visibility, engagement and opportunities for players both on and off the field. Titans co-owner Rebecca Frizelle said the partnership was a powerful alignment between two proud Gold Coast organisations passionate about investing in women and the future of sport in the region. "Joining forces with Magic Millions is incredibly exciting because it brings together two brands that are synonymous with the Gold Coast," she said. "Led by Katie Page, she is one of the most influential supporters of women’s sport and grassroots development for a long period of time. There wouldn’t be anyone more committed to empowering and elevating females and creating equal platforms and opportunities for women to succeed."Our NRLW program continues to go from strength-to-strength under Karyn Murphy and through our partnership with Magic Millions, Katie will help continue that incredible investment into women’s sport by aligning directly with our female program."We’re extremely passionate about continuing to elevate the profile of women’s rugby league and this collaboration through Katie and the Magic Millions’ support will help provide more exposure and opportunities for our players while strengthening the connection between sport, community and business on the Gold Coast." Magic Millions co-owner Page said the partnership was a natural fit and highlighted the organisation’s commitment to supporting women’s sport and strong female role models. "We are days away from the fifth anniversary of the Titans’ announcement that they were joining the NRLW and Magic Millions is thrilled to be marking the milestone with our partnership of this team of exceptional women and a club that is fundamental to our enviable Gold Coast way of life," she said."Like Magic Millions, the Titans are a family in every sense of the word. Lead by the formidable Rebecca and Brett Frizelle, the Titans and their NRLW team, work and invest time in the Gold Coast."The significant positive impact of the Titan 'family' extends far beyond South-East Queensland and the NRLW season. As with Magic Millions, the community benefits are felt year round, right across Australia."The partnership - beginning from this season until the end of 2028 - will see the Magic Millions logo emblazoned on the Titans NRLW back of shorts and training apparel.
Amarina Farm
Arrowfield Stud
Bell River Thoroughbreds
Berkeley Park Stud
Bhima Thoroughbreds
Blue Gum Farm
Bombora Downs
Clear Mountain Fairview
Coolmore Stud
Cressfield
Evergreen Stud
Kingstar Farm
Lime Country Thoroughbreds
Mill Park Stud
Murrulla Stud
Newhaven Park
Segenhoe Stud
Silverdale Farm
Sledmere Stud
Torryburn Stud
Tyreel Stud
Vinery Stud
Widden Stud
Willow Park Stud
Yarraman Park Stud

2025 BTR Stud Stallions

BTP STUD STALLIONS

Sire
A Lot Established
Acrobat Established
Al Maher Established
Alabama Express Established
All American Established
All Too Hard Established
Alpine Eagle Established
Alpine Edge 3rd Season
Anamoe 1st crop 2YOs
Anders Established
Artie Schiller Established
Awesome Rock Established
Barbados Established
Barbaric Established
Best Of Bordeaux Established
Better Than Ready Established
Bivouac Established
Brave Smash Established
Brazen Beau Established
Bruckner 1st crop 2YOs
Bull Point Established
Bullbars Established
Cape Of Good Hope 1st crop 2YOs
Capitalist Established
Captivant Established
Castelvecchio Established
City Of Troy Established
Cliff's Edge Established
Cool Aza Beel Established
D'argento Established
Danerich Established
Dash For Cash Established
De Gaulle Established
Delaware Established
Denman Established
Dirty Work Established
Dissident Established
Don Corleone 3rd Season
Doubtland Established
Dubious Established
Dundeel Established
Ellsberg 1st crop 2YOs
Encryption Established
Exceedance Established
Exosphere Established
Extreme Choice Established
Farnan Established
Flying Artie Established
Foxwedge Established
Frankel My Dear Established
Gingerbread Man Established
Gold Standard Established
Graff Established
Grunt Established
Hallowed Crown Established
Harry Angel Established
Hawaii Five Oh 3rd Season
Headwater Established
Hellbent Established
Hitotsu 1st crop 2YOs
Home Affairs Established
I Am Immortal Established
I Am Invincible Established
Ilovethiscity Established
Invader Established
Jacquinot 1st crop 2YOs
Ka Ying Master 1st crop 2YOs
Kermadec Established
King Colorado 3rd Season
King's Legacy Established
Lead Artist 1st Season
Lofty Strike 3rd Season
Lord Of The Sky Established
Love Conquers All Established
Manhattan Rain Established
Maschino Established
Master Of Design Established
Maurice Established
Merchant Navy Established
Mo'unga 3rd Season
Murtajill Established
My Admiration Established
Needs Further Established
Nicconi Established
Nostradamus Established
Officiating 3rd Season
Ole Kirk Established
Pariah Established
Pierata Established
Pierro Established
Pinatubo Established
Playing God Established
Portland Sky Established
Power Established
Pride Of Dubai Established
Private Life Established
Puissance De Lune Established
Rebel Dane Established
Rich Enuff Established
Rommel Established
Rubick Established
Russian Camelot Established
Russian Revolution Established
Safeguard Established
Sandbar Established
Sessions Established
Shaft Established
Shalaa Established
Shamoline Warrior Established
Shamus Award Established
Shinzo Established
Shooting To Win Established
Sidestep Established
Sizzling Established
Skilled Established
Smart Missile Established
Snitzel Established
So Secret Established
So You Think Established
Soul Patch Established
Southport Tycoon 2nd Season
Spirit Of Boom Established
Squamosa Established
St Mark's Basilica Established
Star Turn Established
Star Witness Established
Street Boss Established
Super One Established
Supido Established
Swear Established
Sweet Ride 3rd Season
Switzerland Established
The Autumn Sun Established
The Brothers War Established
Time To Reign Established
Too Darn Hot Established
Toorak Toff Established
Top Echelon Established
Topicus 1st Season
Toronado Established
Trapeze Artist Established
Turffontein Established
Unite And Conquer Established
Universal Ruler Established
Vancouver Established
Vandeek Established
Victor Ludorum Established
Von Costa De Hero Established
Wandjina Established
Winning Rupert Established
Wooded Established
Wootton Bassett Established
Worthy Cause Established
Written By Established
Written Tycoon Established
Xtravagant Established
Your Song Established
Zousain Established
Zoustar Established