Friday, 31st July 2026
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Global Breeding, Racing and Sales News

  • Aurie's Star Trifecta Possible for Lindsay Park

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    Melbourne's first Group race of the 2026-27 season presents Lindsay Park with three distinct winning chances as War Machine, Arkansaw Kid and Ndola combine for a powerful assault on Saturday's Gr3 Aurie's Star Handicap over Flemington's straight 1200 metres. Ben, Will and JD Hayes have secured leading riders for their trio, with Blake Shinn returning from the injuries suffered in his Melbourne Cup Day fall to partner topweight War Machine, Mark Zahra resuming from his winter break aboard Arkansaw Kid and Jye McNeil retaining the mount on last-start winner Ndola. Shinn rode both War Machine and Arkansaw Kid in Flemington jump-outs last Friday and elected to renew his association with the former, who carries 60.5kg from the inside gate and has not raced since finishing down the order in the Gr1 Newmarket Handicap over the same course and distance in March. His autumn failed to reach expectations after a taxing previous campaign that included Queensland racing and an Everest appearance, but a substantial break appears to have restored the Gr2 winner physically and mentally. "His work at home has been great and seems a happier horse. He's enjoying his trackwork, so hopefully that converts to some good runs," Ben Hayes said. Arkansaw Kid brings extensive straight-course experience and has twice won the Gr2 Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington, while the stable has varied his environment between Euroa, Pakenham and jump-outs at Traralgon and Headquarters to maintain his enthusiasm. Hayes believes little separates the two established sprinters and described Arkansaw Kid as a consistently reliable member of the stable who understands exactly what is required down the straight. Ndola provides the race-fit element after resuming with victory in the Listed Santa Ana Lane Series Final at Flemington on July 4, when he controlled proceedings in front and proved impossible to reel in. He subsequently defeated War Machine in a jump-out staged to bridge the four-week gap between races and, although confronting stronger opposition, has earned his opportunity through progressive form. Lindsay Park last won the Aurie's Star with So Si Bon in 2019, and its numerical strength makes another success a realistic prospect, but several accomplished rivals ensure the race is considerably deeper than a stable benefit. War Machine possesses the strongest peak form and his encouraging preparation suggests he can concede the weight, while Arkansaw Kid's proven straight-track credentials make him difficult to dismiss. Ndola may again obtain a tactical advantage through his fitness and natural speed, with Brisbane visitor Boomtown Boss capable of completing the placings after a campaign in which circumstances have not always favoured him. The suggested top four is War Machine, Arkansaw Kid, Ndola and Boomtown Boss.

    War Machine

    War Machine has a big show on Saturday (pic: Grant Peters)

  • Streisand Wins 25-26 Black Type 2YO Premiership

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    25-26 BTP 2YO Premiership

  • Elite Lots Catalogued for Goff's Orby Sale

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    Fresh classic and elite-level success has provided an ideal backdrop to the 2026 Goffs Orby Sale, where a Justify half-sister to Coolmore's outstanding three-time Gr1 winner Minnie Hauk is among the headline attractions for the two-day Book 1 auction at Kildare Paddocks on September 28 and 29. The catalogue contains 482 yearlings and arrives after another productive season for Orby graduates, led by Irish Oaks heroine Johanna Walsh, trained by Joseph O'Brien after being bought through the sale by the Andrew Cary and Wells Watson partnership. Epsom's Derby meeting also delivered a major result when fellow graduate Bay City Roller won the Gr1 Coronation Cup for Victorious Forever and trainer George Scott. The Minnie Hauk relation is one of 22 yearlings catalogued as siblings to Gr1 winners, with depth extending throughout the book. Lot 1 is a New Bay full brother to dual Gr1 winner Saffron Beach, while Lot 27 is by Baaeed from Listed winner Gouache, dam of two-time Gr1 winner Goliath. Lot 43 is out of Hidden Brief, whose winners include dual Gr1 scorer Emily Upjohn, and Lot 188 is an Awtaad full brother to Willie Mullins' 2025 Breeders' Cup Turf winner Ethical Diamond. Later offerings include a Chaldean half-sister to dual Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Khaadem, catalogued as Lot 328, and Lot 389, a Wootton Bassett half-sister to Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck and Gr1 winner Bounding. Airlie Stud presents Lot 447, a Kingman half-brother to Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Skitter Scatter, while Lot 454 is a Camelot colt from Gr2-placed Devoted To You, dam of dual Gr1-winning champion Jan Brueghel. Another 46 yearlings are siblings to Gr2 or Gr3 winners, including Coventry Stakes winner Great Barrier Reef. The draft also features seven yearlings out of Gr1-winning mares, headed by Lot 97, a Frankel colt from six-time Gr1 winner Laurens. Three further Frankel colts include a son of a classic-placed daughter of Dar Re Mi and another from Pretty Polly Stakes winner Urban Fox. Every yearling offered in Orby Book 1 and Book 2 will qualify for the 2027 Goffs Two Million Series, combining the €1 million Goffs Million with another €1 million distributed through €50,000 bonuses attached to selected juvenile races in Ireland and Britain. Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby said the continued international achievements of graduates reinforced the standard of horse available and welcomed the broad range of owners and trainers succeeding with Orby purchases. "Prize money remains a major issue for the industry, and we are delighted that the Goffs Two Million Series continues to provide buyers with a unique incentive that sets the Orby Sale apart," he said.

  • Observer Wins 25-26 Black Type 3YO Premiership

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    25-26 BTP 3YO Premiership

  • Zoustar the Selected Mate for Arctic Glamour

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    A spirited finish to the Inglis Digital July (Late) Sale produced a $640,000 headline result when accomplished race mare Arctic Glamour was secured jointly by Julia Ritchie and Widden Stud, with a spring mating to Zoustar already identified as the preferred direction. Offered by trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, who had originally purchased her through the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, the mare retires with a record that includes a Gr2 victory, a Gr1 placing and prize-money exceeding $1 million. Alexiou described the transaction as an excellent outcome for the ownership group and another example of the stable's successful use of the Inglis Digital platform. Ritchie's interest was sparked after she saw the mare promoted online on Saturday morning, and the attraction was soon reinforced when Widden principal Antony Thompson independently raised Arctic Glamour as a potential purchase. "Great minds think alike," Ritchie said, revealing the pair had gone into the closing stages with limited room to move. Their initial ceiling was $600,000, but a late rival bid of $620,000 forced one final decision. They responded at $640,000 and were relieved when no further challenge arrived. Ritchie believes Arctic Glamour's proven ability and competitive performances at Gr1 level make her an appealing broodmare prospect, while Zoustar shapes as a particularly suitable match. The sale's second-highest price came through Monegal, offered in foal to Stay Inside by Clarke Bloodstock on behalf of Ridgmont and purchased by Sheralee Racing for $260,000. Ridgmont's Mitch Cunningham said the mare had sold well beyond her reserve and praised Inglis Digital for providing a dependable and frequently available marketplace for breeding stock. Two lots shared third position at $215,000, with Perth race mare Madhi Girl and You Send Me, offered in foal to Starman, reaching the same figure. Yarraman Park presented You Send Me for Craig Bernick, and his Australian representative Will Johnson was delighted after the mare realised more than twice her reserve. Johnson said the online format continued to make Wednesday afternoons compelling, with the final minutes often producing unexpected bidding battles. Eleven lots in total reached six figures. Trapani was purchased by Mullaglass Stud for $170,000, Wintery went to Aaron Purcell for $145,000, while Dolce Vita and Enterprise Pomme each made $140,000, selling respectively to Laird Morgan and the Blue Gum Farm-Suman Hedge combination. Mustica Bloodstock secured Sting In The Tail for $120,000 and Extremely Wicked for $115,000, while Harry McAlpine paid $105,000 for La Bella Boom. The latest results lifted the number of horses sold for $100,000 or more through Inglis Digital since the beginning of 2025 to 205, further underlining the platform's growing importance within the Australasian bloodstock market.

    Arctic Glamour

    Exciting broodmare purchase Arctic Glamour (pic: Steve Hart)

  • Treasurethe Moment Wins 25-26 Black Type WFA Premiership

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    25-26 BTP WFA Premiership

  • Farnan Stats a Bellwether of Stallion Promise

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    Early evidence from Farnan's stud career has placed the Golden Slipper winner in increasingly distinguished company as his first crop prepares to turn four, with the Vinery Stud stallion already demonstrating that his influence is extending well beyond precocious juvenile speed. His first runners announced themselves quickly, producing sharp, early-season winners, but the development of his oldest progeny has provided an even stronger endorsement of his capacity to sire horses capable of progressing through their three-year-old campaigns and competing at black-type level. Among active stallions on the Australian three-year-old sires' table, Farnan sits inside the top 10 for both individual winners and earnings, a distinction shared by only a select group that includes established heavyweights I Am Invincible, Zoustar and Written Tycoon. His first crop has produced 41 individual three-year-old winners and earned almost $5 million during the season, headed by Gr2 winner Ninja and Gr3 winner Profoundly, both of whom appear capable of advancing further during the spring. Stakes performers Grand Eagle and Recuperato have also strengthened a record that suggests Farnan is transmitting more than the speed and precocity that carried him to success at the highest level on the racecourse. His current juveniles have maintained that standard, with eight individual two-year-old winners this season. Latest debut scorer Castillo King created a particularly favourable impression at Warwick Farm, winning by more than three lengths and presenting as a colt with considerable scope for improvement. Across his first two crops, Farnan has now supplied 22 individual two-year-old winners, placing him alongside I Am Invincible and Too Darn Hot and only a handful behind Snitzel at the corresponding stage. Equally encouraging is a juvenile stakes-horse-to-runner rate of just above nine per cent, an important marker for a young stallion seeking to establish both commercial appeal and long-term credibility. Farnan currently holds second position by winners and third by earnings on the Australian Second Season Sires' Premiership, with several progressive runners poised to enhance those figures during the spring carnival. The broader outlook is also favourable, with his largest crop scheduled to enter the sales ring in 2027 after he covered 143 mares last season. More than one-third of those mares were either stakes performers or stakes producers, giving Farnan an increasingly strong platform from which to build upon his early achievements. His initial crops have already placed him among several of Australia's most accomplished sires on key performance measures, while the quality and depth of his later books suggest his most influential seasons may still lie ahead.

    Farnan

    Vinery's Farnan has enormous upside (pic: Vinery Stud)

  • Autumn Glow Wins 25-26 Black Type 4YO+ Premiership

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    25-26 BTP 4YO+ Premiership

  • Humphries Appointed Chairman of NZTR

    Friday, 31st July 2026
    A lifelong involvement in New Zealand racing has led Paul Humphries to the chairmanship of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, with the experienced administrator to succeed Russell Warwick from August 1 and remain in the position until the organisation's Annual General Meeting in November. Raised in a racing family with Awapuni Racecourse effectively on his doorstep, Humphries has participated in the industry as an owner, breeder, sponsor and administrator, while his governance background includes serving as chair of RACE Incorporated, president of the Manawatu Racing Club and chair of the Members' Council. NZTR chief executive Matt Ballesty said Humphries combined a strong understanding of the racing industry with substantial commercial and leadership experience, qualities expected to prove valuable as the governing body continues its programme of reform and investment. Members' Council chair Bernard Hickey also welcomed the appointment and expressed a desire to work closely with Humphries and the NZTR Board during what he described as a pivotal period for the thoroughbred sector. Humphries said assuming the chairmanship was a privilege after a lifetime connected to racing and acknowledged the importance of the work already under way, including Project Stamina. His immediate priority will be to work with directors, management and industry stakeholders while maintaining continuity across NZTR's wider programme. Although conscious of the difficulties confronting the industry, Humphries said he remained confident about the opportunities available and pointed to the passion of racing's participants and their shared interest in establishing a stronger and more sustainable future. Beyond racing, he is the founder and managing director of Humphries Construction and has accumulated more than 25 years of experience building and leading businesses across construction, property development and investment. Ballesty also thanked Warwick for guiding NZTR through a substantial period of change and confirmed the outgoing chair would remain on the Board as a director until the November AGM, allowing the organisation to continue drawing on his knowledge and experience. Humphries' initial tenure will conclude at that meeting, after which the newly formed Board will appoint its chair for the following year in accordance with NZTR's constitution.
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
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
Toronado Established
Trapeze Artist Established
Tropicus 1st Season
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