Winter ambitions are already beginning to take shape at Hawkesbury, where trainer Brad Widdup wants lightly raced four-year-old Waerea to underline his potential with a decisive performance in Tuesday's Provincial Class 1 Handicap over 1300 metres. The Bivouac gelding, a half-brother to retired triple Group 1 winner Duais, has built an imposing record of consistency through only six appearances, recording one victory and four seconds, and was installed as a commanding $1.40 favourite despite being required to carry 60kg. Waerea resumed at Wyong on July 23 when narrowly denied by Condone in a Benchmark 64 over 1200 metres, and Widdup expects the benefit of that outing to be evident second-up. "I'm not sure if Waerea was unlucky or not that day," he said. "He got out into the clear and just failed to pick up the winner (Condone) in a tight finish." With the gelding having now tightened considerably, Widdup is looking for something more emphatic on his home track. "Waerea is certainly very consistent and with that run behind him, I want to see him put his rivals away tomorrow, even with 60kg topweight." Longer term, the trainer hopes to build the preparation around next autumn's Provincial-Midway Championships, a target that has received the backing of Waerea's ownership group. Widdup contemplated adding winkers or blinkers for Tuesday but abandoned the idea after jockey Chad Schofield advised following discussions at last Friday's Rosehill trials that no gear change was necessary. Schofield will partner all three Widdup runners at Hawkesbury as the trainer begins his pursuit of a third successive local premiership. Don'tcallmekathy resumes her campaign in the 1500-metre Class 1 after an awkward beginning contributed to a disappointing first-up effort, but a subsequent second in a Hawkesbury trial has encouraged her trainer, particularly with that heat producing useful subsequent form. Stablemate Latest Flame, meanwhile, represents a significant new association for Widdup as the Savabeel filly becomes his first runner for New Zealand powerhouse Cambridge Stud. She heads to an 1100-metre maiden following two Rosehill trials and is expected to benefit considerably from the race-day experience. "This race will be good experience for her, and she is a nice filly who I'm sure is going to be alright," Widdup said. Attention is also beginning to turn towards stable star Savvy Hallie, who impressed winning a 900-metre Group and Listed trial at Rosehill last Friday ahead of her anticipated Randwick return on Saturday week. Widdup intends nominating the four-year-old for both the Gr3 Toy Show Quality over 1100 metres and Gr3 Show County Quality over 1200 metres, although his preference currently lies with the former against her own sex. Nash Rawiller will retain the ride after partnering Savvy Hallie to victory in February's Gr2 Light Fingers Stakes before she was narrowly beaten by Tempted in the Gr1 Surround Stakes, giving Widdup another potent spring prospect as his stable prepares to move into the new season.
Bivouac is proving to be a quality sire (pic: Mark Gatt)
Gambling Reforms Spark Country Racing Warning
Tuesday, 11th August 2026
The future of country racing could become an unintended casualty of proposed gambling advertising reforms, with Racing Victoria warning that any substantial erosion of wagering revenue may force difficult decisions extending as far as racecourse closures. According to punters.com.au, Racing Victoria chief executive Aaron Morrison has urged federal policymakers to consider racing's unusual dependence on wagering as debate continues around the Albanese government's Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2026. The Greens, Coalition and independents are pushing for stronger restrictions surrounding bookmaker inducements and television advertising, while proposed measures for social media include age verification and prohibiting celebrities and influencers from promoting wagering products. Racing officials are particularly concerned about restrictions on promotions to existing customers, which they say generate up to 30 per cent of turnover on the sport. Morrison stressed that Racing Victoria supported appropriate harm minimisation but argued that removing wagering income without recognising the consequences could threaten an industry heavily reliant upon it. "Around 85 per cent of racing's funding comes from wagering-related revenue. Racing is not able to simply replace that income if it disappears," he said. A significant funding reduction, he warned, would inevitably affect expenditure across infrastructure, participant returns, investment and racing activity. "If these changes significantly reduce wagering revenue, the risk of country racecourse closures becomes very real. Nobody wants that outcome, least of all us, but we need to be honest about the consequences of taking more funding out of the system." The scale of racing's Victorian footprint was highlighted in the recently released 2026 Victorian Racing Industry Size & Scope Report, which calculated that the industry supports 33,500 full-time equivalent jobs and contributes $5.5 billion in economic activity. Victoria has 109 racing clubs, with only four situated in inner Melbourne, reinforcing Morrison's contention that regional communities would carry much of the impact from any contraction. "We support harm minimisation and sensible reform, but the decision makers also need to consider the harm caused by overreach," he said. Morrison rejected characterising the argument simply as bookmakers opposing gambling reform, maintaining that the broader issue involved the livelihoods sustained by racing and the absence of an alternative revenue stream capable of replacing lost wagering income. Nationally, thoroughbred racing supports more than 100,000 full-time equivalent jobs, with over half located in regional Australia, while hundreds of thousands more participate through employment, ownership, volunteering and associated activities. Morrison pointed to trainers, jockeys, stable staff, breeders, veterinarians, farriers, transport operators and feed suppliers among those whose livelihoods are intertwined with the industry. Country Racing Victoria chief executive Scott Whiteman expressed similar alarm, arguing that country clubs depend heavily upon the existing wagering-funded structure to remain viable. "I've been in this game a hell of a long time and I don't think I've ever been as anxious and nervous as what I am now, and I don't say that lightly," Whiteman told the Warrnambool Standard. "This particular issue really does scare me." With reform discussions continuing in Canberra, racing administrators are consequently seeking recognition that changes designed to reduce gambling harm could also carry significant economic and social consequences for communities far removed from metropolitan wagering markets.
Sun Goddess Creates Phoenix Stakes History
Tuesday, 11th August 2026
History arrived with considerable authority at the Curragh on Sunday when Sun Goddess became the first filly trained by Aidan O’Brien to capture the Gr1 Phoenix Stakes, providing Ballydoyle with an extraordinary 18th success in the six-furlong juvenile feature, reports racingpost.com. Sent out the 5-4 favourite under Ryan Moore, the daughter of Sioux Nation travelled strongly before taking command approaching the final two furlongs and defeating Folsom Blues by 1¼ lengths, with Velozee filling third. O’Brien had previously won the race 17 times with colts but Sun Goddess broke new ground for the stable while strengthening her position among Europe’s leading juvenile fillies. Moore reported that the strong early pace presented no difficulty and the decisive moment came rapidly when he asked Sun Goddess to quicken. “She's a beautiful filly. She has a lot of gears and a very high cruising pace,” O’Brien said. “Ryan said they went fast and he just said when he started to ask her she motored clear.” Her performance also convinced connections that seven furlongs should be comfortably within reach, opening several possibilities for the remainder of the season including the Moyglare Stud Stakes or Cheveley Park Stakes. Sun Goddess had been separated from another highly regarded Ballydoyle filly, Victorious, at Royal Ascot earlier in the year, with the latter contesting and winning the Queen Mary Stakes while Sun Goddess was sent to the Albany Stakes. O’Brien explained that Victorious had initially been regarded as the quicker of the pair, although Sun Goddess’s development has given the stable an enviable problem when assessing its leading Classic prospects. Victorious may not race again this season after showing some discomfort behind following Royal Ascot, with O’Brien determined not to risk the filly ahead of her three-year-old campaign. Sun Goddess, by contrast, is expected to race again and her Phoenix Stakes performance suggested longer distances should pose no obstacle. “She's got serious class,” O’Brien said. “It's the way she went through the race and when Ryan asked her to start coming, she was literally there in two strides.” With her combination of cruising speed, acceleration and apparent scope to stretch beyond six furlongs, Sun Goddess now occupies a prominent position in ante-post markets for next year’s 1000 Guineas and appears likely to give Ballydoyle further opportunities to add to an already exceptional juvenile record.
Hong Kong Riders Make Their Mark At Shergar Cup
Tuesday, 11th August 2026
Making their first appearance as a team at the Shergar Cup, Hong Kong’s riders produced an emphatic advertisement for the depth of riding talent within the jurisdiction as Jerry Chau and Luke Ferraris both celebrated maiden British victories at Ascot. According to scmp.com, led by experienced captain Vincent Ho, the Hong Kong trio finished runner-up in the teams competition after making a striking start to proceedings, with Chau landing the opening Shergar Cup Dash aboard Tuco Salamanca before Ho completed a Hong Kong quinella. Chau, fresh from a season in which he won the Tony Cruz Award as Hong Kong’s leading local rider and finished fifth in the jockeys’ standings, stalked the speed before timing his challenge impressively inside the final 200m. Ferraris followed in the next race with an equally accomplished display aboard Dancing In Paris, overcoming traffic problems after securing an economical position near the rail. The South African-born 24-year-old remained patient when his passage disappeared in the straight, eventually extricating his mount before sweeping to victory and earning the award for ride of the day. Hong Kong Jockey Club head of racing product Greg Carpenter said the performances vindicated a selection policy designed to showcase both established and emerging talent from the jurisdiction. Chau’s progress and Ferraris’ consistency, which produced 35 winners during the latest Hong Kong season, had made them natural candidates to accompany Ho, whose international experience provided the team with leadership. Ferraris described winning at Ascot as one of the highlights of his career and believed the experience demonstrated the standards demanded by Hong Kong racing. “Hong Kong sets you up for everything – if you can ride winners in Hong Kong, I think you can ride winners anywhere in the world,” he said. The competition also included riders of the calibre of Ryan Moore, Christophe Lemaire and Dylan Browne McMonagle, adding substance to Hong Kong’s performance against an unusually strong international line-up. Carpenter believes the city’s involvement added another dimension to the Shergar Cup, while the three jockeys also embraced their promotional responsibilities away from the track. For Ferraris, Chau and Ho, a second-place team finish may ultimately have been secondary to the wider point established at Ascot: Hong Kong’s jockey ranks can travel successfully well beyond Sha Tin and Happy Valley.
Splintex Fillies Strike as His Fee is Slashed
Tuesday, 11th August 2026
A timely victory from first-crop daughter Spinarella has provided Darling View Thoroughbreds with another encouraging advertisement for Splintex just as the Western Australian farm dramatically reduced the stallion’s service fee for the new breeding season. According to tbwa.net.au, the Dan and Ben Pearce-trained three-year-old broke through first-up at Belmont on Saturday, prevailing narrowly in the Happy 70th Birthday Colin Brown Plate over 1000m after placing in each of her three juvenile appearances. Clint Johnston-Porter used Spinarella’s draw to secure a favourable position before the filly found enough in a tight finish to defeat Manhattan Squeeze and stablemate Properata on the Soft 7 surface. Bred by Gervase Park owners Chris and Andrea Gales, Spinarella races for the Pearce brothers’ wives Danelle and Chloe and joined They’reallsisters among the emerging three-year-old fillies from Splintex’s first crop. The latter has already achieved black-type recognition, while Yamanex, Chixfromthestix, She’s a Splinter and London Rose are among several other daughters regarded as promising representatives for the son of Snitzel. Spinarella’s victory came alongside a significant commercial move from Darling View, with stud manager Brent Atwell announcing that Splintex will stand for $4,400 including GST this season, placing the Group-winning sprinter at an accessible level for Western Australian breeders. The reduction comes after Splintex finished third among Western Australia’s two-year-old sires by earnings last season, his first runners amassing more than $476,000. Darling View also enjoyed further success on Saturday through champion WA sire Playing God when Heaven Specified captured the Ted McAuliffe Handicap over 1400m, giving the farm’s roster an early double. Heaven Specified is raced by Krisman Park owner-breeders Phil and Christine Bruce and is out of the Not A Single Doubt mare I Do De Claire, purchased for $80,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Playing God heads Darling View’s 2026 roster at $49,500, while Gr1 winner Royal Patronage stands his first Western Australian season at $16,500 and Lightsaber is available at $6,600. Yet the most intriguing commercial proposition may now be Splintex, whose sharply reduced fee arrives just as his first crop begins providing breeders with evidence that his progeny can progress from juvenile racing into their three-year-old seasons.
Breeders can access a bargain with Splintex (pic: Steve Hart)
Racing SA Balances Prizemoney with Reform
Tuesday, 11th August 2026
A combination of targeted prizemoney increases, revised participant funding arrangements and the recruitment of an internationally experienced racing administrator will shape Racing SA’s approach to the new season as the governing body attempts to strengthen its racing program while confronting tighter wagering conditions. Higher-grade metropolitan races will increase to $80,000 under the revised prizemoney structure, while metropolitan races restricted to three-year-olds rise to $70,000 as Racing SA directs additional investment towards areas it believes can improve horse retention and strengthen pathways to interstate features. The Balaklava Cup, Murray Bridge Gold Cup and Sportsbet Finals Day will also benefit from additional funding, while the two-year-old Moorundi Classic has been repositioned from Murray Bridge Cup Day to December and increased to $110,000. Racing SA chairman Rob Rorrison said the strategy was designed to concentrate resources where they could deliver the greatest benefit, particularly through stronger juvenile and three-year-old programs and higher-quality Saturday racing. The increases arrive alongside measures intended to improve the organisation’s financial sustainability amid declining national wagering turnover and rising operating expenses. Country and provincial nomination fees will increase by $5, while metropolitan nominations and races carrying more than $80,000 will rise by $10. The scratching fee where a jockey has been engaged will become $300 plus GST, while a new 1.5 per cent deduction from prizemoney will be directed towards jockey and participant welfare, taking the overall welfare allocation to 2.5 per cent. Chief executive Nick Bawden acknowledged the changes would directly affect participants but said existing funding arrangements no longer adequately reflected the cost of providing racing, infrastructure and industry services. The changes coincide with the arrival of Ian Malpass as Racing SA’s new Racing Operations Manager, adding substantial international expertise to the organisation at a time when its racing program is being reshaped. Malpass spent six years with the Hong Kong Jockey Club as Handicapping and Race Planning Manager, overseeing race programming, handicapping Hong Kong’s horse population and the approval of imported horses. Before moving to Hong Kong he spent eight years with Racing and Wagering WA, progressing from handicapper and judge to chief handicapper and assistant manager of thoroughbred racing, with responsibilities encompassing prizemoney schedules, incentive schemes and administration of the state’s thoroughbred department. His broader experience includes involvement with the Australian Classifications Committee, Asian Racing Federation Handicappers Committee, Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings and Asian Pattern Committee. The appointment gives Racing SA an administrator with extensive practical experience in race programming and handicapping as the body attempts to marry increased investment in its strongest racing products with a funding model intended to remain viable in a more challenging wagering environment.
Ernaux Justifies Patience with Randwick Surge
Tuesday, 11th August 2026
Patience with a $3 million investment is beginning to look increasingly well rewarded after Ernaux produced the most significant victory of her career with a powerful late finish at Randwick on Saturday, reports racenet.com.au. The Chris Waller-trained four-year-old, purchased by John Stewart’s Resolute Racing for $3 million from Coolmore’s draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, was given time to find her feet by Tyler Schiller in the 1200m Benchmark 78 for mares before displaying an explosive change of speed to score by 1.25-lengths. A daughter of champion sire I Am Invincible and Group 1-winning mare Booker, Ernaux was the most expensive yearling by her sire ever sold and her imposing frame has required patience as she developed physically. Saturday’s Good 4 surface played to her strengths and Waller admitted there had been a nervous moment as Schiller searched for room approaching the straight. “It was hold your breath stuff at the top of the straight,” Waller said. “Tyler knew what he was doing and knew what he had under him. She really exploded late.” Schiller was similarly impressed by the mare’s acceleration once a passage opened, believing the performance suggested there remained further improvement to come. “She is obviously better on top of the ground but she doesn't have a long sprint, I feel she just has that little sharp dash and it was good that she was able to duck and weave today,” he said. Ernaux tracked Jellicious before peeling off her back and quickly putting the race beyond doubt, completing the 1200m in 1:09.75. The victory pushed her earnings beyond $250,000 and provided another encouraging return for the partnership between Resolute Racing and Coolmore. Her pedigree has always ensured considerable residual value, with Booker, by Written Tycoon, having been bought by Tom Magnier for $1.6 million at the 2020 Inglis Chairman’s Sale. Booker was subsequently sent to Kentucky, producing a Justify colt last spring and is now due to foal to Switzerland. For Ernaux, however, the immediate focus remains on racing and converting an increasingly imposing pedigree and purchase price into performances on the track, with Saturday’s Randwick success providing compelling evidence that her best may still lie ahead.
Gr1-winning dam Booker (pic: Mark Gatt)
Battle Of he Bush Expands Its Reach
Tuesday, 11th August 2026
A substantial injection into regional prize money will accompany a major overhaul of Queensland’s Battle of the Bush, with the state’s flagship country racing series expanding beyond its traditional sprinting format for the first time, reports racingqueensland.com.au. The reworked concept will deliver an additional $400,000 to regional racing and introduce a new middle-distance division alongside the established 1200-metre series, creating further opportunities for country-trained horses and their connections to qualify for lucrative finals during the Queensland Racing Carnival. Under the revised structure, 16 sprint heats will continue to be staged over 1200 metres, but prize money for each qualifier will double from $12,500 to $25,000. A separate series of 1500-metre heats will also be introduced, each carrying $15,000, with Racing Queensland repurposing existing races and adding $5,000 to their respective purses. The expansion forms part of the Crisafulli Government’s response to its Racing Review and was identified as a key initiative within The Next Lap plan for Queensland racing. Racing Minister Tim Mander said strengthening the series recognised the economic and social importance of the industry beyond metropolitan centres. “Country racing is part of the social fabric of regional Queensland,” Mander said. More than half of Queensland racing’s $2.5 billion economic contribution flows directly into regional areas, with clubs, volunteers, owners, trainers and jockeys among those expected to benefit from the increased investment. Both divisions will culminate at Eagle Farm on Gr1 Tattersall’s Tiara day during the Queensland Racing Carnival. The traditional 1200-metre Battle of the Bush Final will retain its $200,000 prize pool, while the inaugural 1500-metre final will carry $100,000. Further incentives have been built into the revamped format, including a $30,000 QTIS bonus for an eligible winner and a $10,000 payment to the race club at which each finalist secured qualification. Racing Queensland chairman Matt McGrath said the changes represented a significant development for a concept that has become a centrepiece of country racing since being introduced in 2018. “Both series will be contested from April to June, to ensure that horses can race in heats and finals in the one preparation, whilst still continuing to attract quality fields and provide some added incentive for participants,” McGrath said. The additional middle-distance pathway also broadens the type of country horse capable of earning a place on one of Queensland racing’s biggest stages, rather than limiting the opportunity to specialist sprinters. “The series already provides a chance for our participants to take their place on a Group 1 raceday, but the addition of a new middle-distance final will add even further excitement to the penultimate day of the Queensland Racing Carnival,” McGrath said. Full conditions governing the expanded 2027 Battle of the Bush will be released in coming months, but the significant prize-money increase and introduction of a second division have already ensured the series will enter its next chapter with a considerably broader regional footprint.
