It was fitting that Melbourne’s final Group 1 of the spring should end in a milestone moment, with two of Australian racing’s most accomplished figures combining yet again to dominate the big stage. According to racing.com, the partnership of James McDonald and Chris Waller registered its 50th Group 1 success when Via Sistina powered through rain and mud to claim the Champions Stakes in a display that left her rivals floundering. The mare justified her $1.70 favouritism with contemptuous ease, tracking the leaders before McDonald slipped her into clear air at the top of the straight. From there she extended like a machine, leaving Zambardo and Tom Kitten to battle for the scraps. It was the tenth Group 1 victory McDonald and Waller have shared with the brilliant daughter of Fastnet Rock since her Australian arrival last autumn, a sequence that underscores the telepathic understanding between jockey and trainer. “He’s had my back from day dot,” McDonald revealed. “We work wonderfully together, and he’s an absolute genius. Every time he says a horse is improving, it is. He said that about Via today, and he was spot on.” Mutual admiration flowed both ways. Waller, typically understated, described it as “an honour” to ride the wave of elite success with a jockey he trusts implicitly. “It makes my job and possibly his that little bit easier,” he said. “There’s no pressure, no pre-race stress – I didn’t even give any instructions. He said, ‘I’ll ride her like Hughie used to ride Winx, the best horse in the race, give her some clean air.’ And I said, ‘That sounds good to me.’ The relationship works because there’s complete trust. I’d go to war with him, and he’d do the same for me.” The Champions Stakes result ensured McDonald’s spring would not pass without a Group 1 success, and he savoured every stride of a performance that further burnished Via Sistina’s reputation. “She deserves her champion status,” he said. “It’s very satisfying; she sits alongside some of the greats that have graced our racetracks. It felt like every man and his dog was on her today, but she duly obliged. Early on it was just like riding a trial, [I] let her blend into it, then let her go. She’s a long-serving mare, a fantastic one, and I’m just lucky to be the one steering her.” As the rain eased and the crowd rose, it was the familiar sight of McDonald and Waller sharing another quiet nod of mutual respect – two masters, one mare, and a landmark win.
Via Sistina provided Waller and McDonald with a 50th Gr1 winner together (pic: Mark Gatt)
MM Unveils Elite Gold Coast Yearling Catalogue
Weekend, 10th November 2025
Anticipation for the southern summer reached new heights on Sunday with the release of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale catalogue, unveiling an extraordinary collection of the sport’s future stars. The sale, set for January 13 to 18, once again positions itself as Australia’s premier showcase of elite young bloodstock, attracting the nation’s leading breeders and the international market’s keenest buyers. A total of 1,221 yearlings will go under the hammer across Books One and Two, representing 122 stallions, including 14 first-season sires whose progeny will draw strong early attention. The catalogue’s depth is underscored by 239 lots from stakes-winning mares, headlined by 31 Group 1 producers such as Avantage, Hungry Heart, Krone, Levante, Loving Gaby and Snapdancer. Pedigree watchers will also find siblings or close relations to elite performers including Imperatriz, In Secret, Stay Inside, Sunlight and Stefi Magnetica. Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch described the 2026 offering as a reflection of both tradition and evolution. “This sale is firmly established as the best-producing auction in the country – no better example being the six Group One winners from the 2024 edition,” he said. “From legends like Winx, Imperatriz and Alligator Blood to the new pin-ups Apocalyptic, Autumn Boy and Cool Archie, the Gold Coast Yearling Sale delivers year after year.” He added that the catalogue “is packed with athletic yearlings that will give their buyers the ride of their life.” While the sale’s reputation was built on producing sharp, precocious sprinters, particularly Golden Slipper winners, it has equally excelled in the Classics, boasting graduates victorious in Guineas, Derbies and Oaks. Bowditch cited Knight’s Choice, the Melbourne Cup winner of 2025, as proof of the sale’s expanding legacy. “The Gold Coast Sale is no longer defined by distance or division,” he said. “It’s defined by excellence.” The full catalogue can now be viewed online or via the Equineline Catalog app, setting the stage for another landmark January under the Queensland sun. The full schedule is below:
Wed 7 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Inspections commence, Magic Millions Sales Complex
Sat 10 Jan - $7.3m Magic Millions Gold Twilight Meeting, Gold Coast Turf Club - 10 races featuring the $3m TAB Magic Millions Sunlight, $1.5m Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS & $1m TAB Magic Millions The Syndicate
Sun 11 Jan - Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping, Doug Jennings Park
Tue 13 Jan - TAB Magic Millions Barrier Draw, Kurrawa Beach, Broadbeach
Tue 13 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 1 from 11am (Lot 1-210)
Wed 14 Jan -Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 2 from 10am (Lot 211-450)
Thu 15 Jan -Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 3 from 10am (Lots 451-690)
Fri 16 Jan -Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 4 Super Session from 10am (Lots 691-980)
Sat 17 Jan - $13.25m TAB Magic Millions Raceday, Gold Coast Turf Club - 10 races featuring the $3m TAB Magic Millions 2YO Classic & $3m Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas
Sun 18 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 5 (Book 2) from 12pm (Lots 981-1221)
Ceolwulf Outmuscles Elite Champions Mile Field
Weekend, 10th November 2025
Determination proved the defining quality at Flemington, where a gruelling heavy track and relentless pressure produced one of the season’s most compelling finishes. The Gr1 Champions Mile (1600m) demanded courage as much as class, and Ceolwulf rose to the challenge, outduelling Pericles in a stirring 400-metre battle decided by the narrowest of margins. According to racingnews.co.nz, the Tavistock gelding looked beaten when Pericles surged past inside the final furlong, but under a vigorous ride from Chad Schofield, he refused to yield. With each stride he clawed back the deficit, edging his rival on the line to continue an exceptional run that now includes four Group One victories at the mile. It was the first time the Joe Pride-trained five-year-old had raced outside Sydney, and he handled the assignment with authority. “That was fantastic, really special. I love winning races here,” Pride said. “This horse has really turned it on in the second half of the preparation and has strung a couple of very good wins together. I thought at the 200 metres he wasn’t enjoying it – he was wandering a bit – but as soon as Pericles challenged him he rallied. It was a really good go to the line with two good horses.” The trainer’s long-held opinion of Ceolwulf was only strengthened by the performance. “I’ve thought for a long time he’s the best horse I’ve trained,” he said. “With his last two wins, he’s certainly cemented that spot. He’s never travelled away before, but he’s handled it really well. I’d love to be back here for the Cox Plate – whether he’s as good at 2000 metres as he is at a mile, we’ll find out in the autumn.” Pride credited his stable staff for the preparation and travel logistics that delivered the gelding in peak order. “It’s great work from the team at home. Some horses don’t enjoy travelling, but he’s relished it.” For Schofield, it was a ride that tested his instincts. “He jumped really well and put himself in a good spot,” he said. “When the race heated up around the 600, I was still travelling. He got a bit lost in the big Flemington straight, put his head up and baulked, and that let Pericles get a margin. But once he saw him, he went again. He’s a gutsy horse.” Bred by Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud, Ceolwulf is out of Shamardal mare Las Brisas and was a $170,000 purchase from Riversley Park’s draft at the 2022 NZB Ready to Run Sale. His record now stands at seven wins and seven placings from 25 starts, with career earnings climbing to $10.9 million.
James and Wellwood Could Add to Derby Record
Weekend, 10th November 2025
A trainer already synonymous with New Zealand Derby glory may have found the horse to add a seventh chapter to his remarkable record, reports loveracing.co.nz. Roger James, who shares training duties with Robert Wellwood at Cambridge, produced another potential Classic contender when Road To Paris broke maiden ranks in style at Avondale on Thursday, confirming his promise as a colt with stamina and class to spare. The son of Circus Maximus relished the rise to 1400 metres in the Funtime Catering Maiden, rebounding from a seventh on debut over 1200 at Ellerslie last month to score decisively. “We said at the end of his two-year-old preparation that we thought he was potentially a Derby horse for next year,” James said. “We weren’t disappointed by the first run at all. We thought he might have to go a mile before he broke maiden ranks, but he was quite impressive at Avondale. He ran a good time and there was quite a margin back to the third horse.” The colt’s relaxed nature has only strengthened his prospects. “He’s still feeling his way and he’s got a lot of upside. He relaxes beautifully, breathes beautifully, and he trotted up this morning nice and free.” Plans now point toward a step up in both grade and trip. “He surprised us yesterday, very pleasantly, so the Derby is certainly in the back of our minds,” James said. “He’s probably the sort of horse that won’t take a lot of runs, but if all goes well, we’ll step him up to a mile next start at Otaki in the Gr3 Wellington Stakes on November 30. That gives him a nice break until then, and then he’ll progress quietly from there. He’s a quality animal and we’re lucky to have him.” Bred and raced by Ron and Judi Wanless, Road To Paris is out of Savabeel mare Spirit Of Heaven, a four-time winner and three-quarter sister to Schweppes Oaks heroine Lights Of Heaven. By Windsor Park Stud’s emerging young sire Circus Maximus, a triple Group 1-winning miler by Galileo, Road To Paris continues a productive partnership between the Wanless family and the James–Wellwood team. “Ron and Judi are quite involved in New Zealand and have a number of broodmares here. We’ve always had an association with them,” James said. “They breed to race, and this guy was just one they sent us last year. Ron’s philosophy is that if they’re not up to Group company in New Zealand, he’ll take them to Queensland, where he lives. But you’d think this one will stay. We had Oceana Dream last year who went to the Derby as second or third favourite for them but things didn’t go right. We’d love to win a major for them, and hopefully this is the horse that can do it.”
Well Written Story Lives Up to Her Moniker
Weekend, 10th November 2025
It took nearly a quarter-century of training before one of Cambridge’s most consistent horsemen claimed the prize that had eluded him, reports NZ Racing Desk. For Stephen Marsh, the wait for a first Gr1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600 m) ended at Riccarton on Saturday, courtesy of a brilliant filly whose dazzling rise has matched her name – Well Written. The daughter of Written Tycoon and Pens Street became just the third unbeaten winner of the race in the last two decades, joining Legarto and Seachange. Her record, now three starts for three emphatic victories, has been achieved by a cumulative margin exceeding 12 lengths. She announced herself with a commanding debut win at Ellerslie on September 20, then obliterated the Gr2 Soliloquy Stakes field a month later by nearly seven lengths. Those displays made her the standout attraction of the New Zealand Cup Carnival, and she justified her $1.50 favouritism with a performance that left no doubt she belongs among the elite of her generation. Pre-race tension struck when Well Written became agitated behind the gates, rearing and kicking until she was finally loaded riderless. Once settled, however, the favourite delivered a textbook exhibition under Matt Cartwright. Positioned fourth outside Cream Tart while Cool Aza Rene and Origin Of Love set an even tempo, she loomed effortlessly at the turn. When Cartwright released the reins, the response was instantaneous – an electric burst that settled the outcome in a few strides. He eased her down over the final 50 metres as she crossed two-and-a-half lengths clear of Lollapalooza and Belle Cheval. “There’s a lot of relief,” Marsh admitted. “It wasn’t good for the heart when she wouldn’t load, but I told Matt to ride her like the best horse and don’t panic. From the top of the straight, it was something else to watch. She’s a special filly, she’s got that bit of freakishness about her.” Purchased for $80,000 from Brighthill Farm’s draft in the 2024 NZB National Online Yearling Sale, Well Written has already banked $462,875 and now races in the emerald and white of Yulong Investments, who bought in after her Soliloquy win. Marsh acknowledged both the syndicate’s early backers and a long-time owner unable to attend: “I want to make mention of Jane Henderson, who’s very sick and had to late-scratch from coming down here today. I hope this is a tonic for her.” For Cartwright, it marked a second Group 1 after the Tarzino Trophy. “She’s a very, very good horse,” he said. “The only concern was at the start – once the gates opened, she knew her job. I tried to count to ten before letting her go, but I probably only got to six. She’s that quick.” The win propelled Well Written to the top of the NZB Filly of the Year Series with 20 points and secured eligibility for the $1 million bonus linked to the NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 7. If her trajectory continues, the filly who gave Marsh his long-awaited Guineas could soon be chasing even richer spoils in Auckland’s new showpiece.
Coolmore Releases Its European Stud Fees
Weekend, 10th November 2025
A reshaped roster at Coolmore Stud will see several high-profile newcomers join the stallion ranks in 2026, headlined by Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes hero Delacroix, who begins his stud career at €40,000. The Dubawi colt out of champion American mare Tepin compiled an impressive race record, capturing the Autumn Stakes at two and progressing through spring Derby trials to triumph in both the Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes, confirming his class among Europe’s elite middle-distance performers. Coolmore’s lineup of debut sires also features Camille Pissarro and Henri Matisse, Classic-winning sons of the late Wootton Bassett, who died earlier this year. Their victories in the Prix du Jockey Club and Poule d’Essai des Poulains will see them stand for €30,000 and €20,000 respectively. Director of sales David O’Loughlin said it had been “a major blow to lose Wootton Bassett, but we’re extremely fortunate to have his sons retiring for the coming season. These are his only two sons to have won Group 1 races at both two and three, and both boast exceptional pedigrees and physiques to match their Classic-winning prowess.” He described Delacroix as “arguably the best-looking son of Dubawi ever to retire to stud and a fantastic racehorse out of a brilliant racemare.” O’Loughlin said the operation had been “very mindful of the market in setting our fees, ensuring our roster continues to offer outstanding quality, choice and value with stallions to suit every mare and breeder.” That philosophy is evident in the reshaped upper tier, where No Nay Never again tops the roster at €100,000, reduced from €125,000 after another standout season highlighted by Cheveley Park Stakes winner True Love, City of York Stakes victor Never So Brave and Norfolk Stakes winner Charles Darwin. Starspangledbanner’s stellar year, featuring Moyglare Stud Stakes and Fillies’ Mile winner Precise and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Gstaad, sees his fee climb to €60,000 from €45,000. Camelot, sire of Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Pierre Bonnard and Tattersalls Gold Cup hero Los Angeles, also stands at €60,000, alongside City Of Troy, who covered his first mares this year at €75,000. St Mark’s Basilica, sire of unbeaten Prix Marcel Boussac winner Diamond Necklace, remains at €40,000, while Sioux Nation rises to €37,500 from €30,000, completing a roster that blends proven influence with fresh, elite bloodlines for the year ahead.
Autumn Glow Could Race on Until 2027
Weekend, 10th November 2025
One of Australian racing’s most captivating talents, Autumn Glow, will be back next season, although her long-term racing future remains uncertain given her escalating broodmare value. Following her dominant Golden Eagle triumph last Saturday, where she secured her eighth consecutive undefeated victory and lifted her prizemoney haul beyond $7.3 million, Autumn Glow has been sent for a spell. Discussions are underway between John Messara and trainer Chris Waller to map out an autumn program, reports punters.com.au, with the Apollo Stakes, Verry Elleegant Stakes, and George Ryder Stakes all under consideration. A tilt at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2000 metres is also on the table, but no firm decision has been made. Messara indicated plans were in place for the mare to continue into her five-year-old season, potentially racing through until the autumn of 2027. However, he acknowledged that scenarios can shift rapidly in the racing game. The intention is to keep her going as long as she remains sound and enthusiastic, but caution is being exercised due to her value as a future broodmare. Having bred and raced elite mares for over four decades, Messara remains wary of overexposing fillies on the track. His experience has shown that excessive racing can affect long-term broodmare success. He pointed to Autumn Glow’s exceptional nature as a reason to avoid unnecessary risks, describing her as an outlier whose potential must be protected rather than exploited. In Messara’s hierarchy of champions, Miss Finland still ranks as the benchmark. A five-time Group 1 winner, including the Golden Slipper and VRC Oaks, Miss Finland was a dominant figure at both two and three. At stud, she produced Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me. Messara noted, however, that leading race mares who produce multiple elite-level winners remain rare. Denise’s Joy and her Group 1-winning daughter Joie Denise were referenced as other rare examples of high-performing broodmare dynasties. Autumn Glow’s pedigree adds weight to her appeal. She is by Arrowfield’s The Autumn Sun out of Via Africa, a Group-winning sprinter whose produce also includes Gr1 Golden Rose winner In The Congo. With a perfect race record and impeccable conformation, Autumn Glow already ticks every box as a future matron. Alongside her, another promising Messara-owned mare, Clear Thinking, has also turned heads. By international stallion Dubawi out of Group 1 winner Sweet Idea, Clear Thinking has won five of her seven starts, including The Kosciuszko on Everest Day. Although a minor hoof concern ruled her out of the Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill, connections are aiming her at The Hunter in Newcastle, where she will look to reinforce her own credentials on the path to black type success.
Group 1 Performer Coeur Volante to Sell Online
Weekend, 10th November 2025
Opportunities to acquire a mare of genuine class and versatility are rare, yet the upcoming Inglis Digital Spring Boutique Sale will present precisely that when the three-time Group winner Coeur Volante goes under the virtual hammer. The daughter of Proisir is being offered as both a racing and breeding proposition, her record and physique ensuring broad appeal to buyers seeking quality. From the outset she showed talent of a high order, winning three of her first four starts and twice striking at black type level. Her victory in the Gr3 Scarborough Stakes underlined her turn of foot, but it was her powerhouse display in the Gr2 Thousand Guineas Prelude – where she carried a 2kg penalty and jumped from the widest gate to crush a deep field over 1400m at Caulfield – that confirmed her potential as elite. She later returned to that course and distance earlier this year to produce another emphatic success in the G3 Mannerism Stakes, dismantling rivals Quintessa, Grinzinger Belle and Semana by four commanding lengths. Lightly raced with just 16 starts for four wins, Coeur Volante has contested 14 consecutive stakes races, including three at Group 1 level, an effort that speaks to her consistency and soundness. Inglis Victorian Bloodstock Manager James Price called her an “incredibly exciting race mare,” recalling her electric spring as a 3YO when only Joliestar, Kimochi and Skybird finished ahead of her in the Gr1 Thousand Guineas. “She has tremendous tactical speed and a potent turn of foot, as we saw when she won the Mannerism earlier in the year,” Price said. “I don’t think there is any doubt she has Group 1 ability, so whether she’s bred this season or races on into the autumn, she’s a very, very appealing prospect.” The Spring Boutique Sale catalogue will be live on the Inglis Digital website from Friday, with bidding to open 9am Monday and close from 4pm (AEDT) Wednesday, November 12.
Matthew Prior Appointed Tattersalls MD
Weekend, 10th November 2025
The steady evolution of leadership within Tattersalls has continued with the appointment of a familiar face to one of its most senior roles. After more than a decade with the company, Matthew Prior will move into the position of managing director from the start of 2026, reflecting a succession plan that balances experience, continuity, and industry respect. Since joining Tattersalls in 2012, Prior has become a key member of the bloodstock sales team, blending horse recruitment and yearling inspections with responsibility for Cheltenham’s sales operation. He has also represented the organisation on several industry committees and has served on the Tattersalls Ireland Board since 2021. “It is an enormous privilege to be appointed managing director of Tattersalls, a company with such a proud history and tradition,” he said, acknowledging the strength of the team around him and his intent to uphold the values of integrity and excellence that underpin the brand’s reputation. He added that the confidence and loyalty of Tattersalls’ clients would remain central to its future direction. Supporting Prior in the reshaped management structure are fellow associate directors Harvey Bell and Jason Singh, who step up to the Tattersalls Board as sales director and marketing director respectively. Both have spent many years within the organisation, with Bell overseeing sales coordination and auctioneering, and Singh steering Tattersalls’ marketing for more than two decades. Tattersalls Ireland Board member Tammy O’Brien, whose résumé includes two decades as racing manager at Coolmore before joining Tattersalls in 2017, also joins the main Board. Chairman Edmond Mahony said the quartet’s promotions marked an important moment for Tattersalls as it prepares for the next phase of its growth. He described all four appointees as “hugely respected individuals within the global bloodstock industry” and highlighted Prior’s “consistent demonstration of the attributes to take on the new role of managing director.” The incoming team, he added, embodies the same deep commitment to Tattersalls’ enduring success that has sustained the company through centuries of trading excellence.
