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NEW Unprecedented Three-Way Tie for Gr1 HOTY
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
In the context of the expression, The King is dead, long live the King, the 2025-26 racing Black Type season, too, has come to an end. Whilst we look ahead to a plethora of absorbing Group and Listed contests for the spring and beyond, the new journey begins with a single step, that of the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday, the day of the horses’ birthday. That appears highly approriate given the influence the straight six-furlong course in Melbourne exerts on Australia’s breeding landscape. Before then, however, it’s time to look back at what has been another magnificent racing season – one which produced an unthinkable three-way tie to the elite Black Type Group 1 HOTY title. Each of Via Sistina (last year’s runaway winner), Aeliana and Sir Delius finished on 59 Group 1 points. Click on the below Group 1 Black Type Premiership page to view just the 2025-26 Group 1 points earned across a broad swathe of industry categories but also giving you access to all 76 Group 1 races run in Australia. Other Group 1 categories include 2YOs, 3YOs, 4YOs +, WFA only, Males, Females, Stallions, Sires of 2YOs, Sires of 3YOs, Dams, Trainers and Jockeys. If you get lost within the data – there are over 13,000 stakes race placings – just click on the Group 1 Premierships link to return the dedicated Gr1 Menu. In the coming days, all of the general 2025-26 Australian Black Type Premierships will also be published.
NEW Hewitson Homecoming Delivers Emotional Gr1
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
A return to South Africa produced a result even Lyle Hewitson could not have scripted when the Hong Kong-based jockey guided outsider Erik Dubois to victory in Sunday’s Gr1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville. According to scmp, the triumph carried significance well beyond the narrow winning margin, providing veteran trainer Louis Goosen with his first Gr1 success after 35 years and allowing Hewitson to celebrate one of his homeland’s major races in front of family and friends. His one-year-old son Myles entered a winner’s enclosure for the first time, while the emotion shown by Goosen ensured the occasion became as much about perseverance as sporting achievement. Erik Dubois arrived with only one victory from four starts, having won on debut, and was sent out at double-figure odds against a strong field. Hewitson nevertheless believed barrier two offered the chance to place the two-year-old son of Erik The Red exactly where he would be most effective. Rather than use the draw to hold a position close to the speed, the three-time South African champion jockey sought cover in fifth or sixth, convinced Erik Dubois possessed greater acceleration when allowed to relax behind runners. The plan unfolded perfectly through a slowly run race, with the colt travelling comfortably and maintaining the demeanour that gave Hewitson confidence before the contest intensified. Angled into the middle of the track, Erik Dubois moved into contention strongly before becoming involved in a sustained battle with Kazenoyoni. Hewitson felt there was another effort available when required and his judgement proved correct, the colt responding under pressure to prevail by a neck. “I had the perfect draw, so I could ride the race I wanted to ride, and it worked out perfectly,” Hewitson said. The winning partnership also carried a developing Hong Kong connection. Owner Lawrence Wernars has received an ownership permit in the jurisdiction for the approaching season, while Hewitson’s familiarity with Goosen and assistance from his South African agent helped secure the mount. The jockey even raised the possibility that Erik Dubois could eventually find his way to Hong Kong should connections pursue an international future. Racing’s unpredictability was sharply illustrated elsewhere on the program when Hewitson’s expected best chance, King Pelles, went amiss in the Gr3 Gold Cup and had to be pulled up. Yet disappointment in that race was countered by a far greater prize aboard a colt few had identified as his principal opportunity. Hewitson will now enjoy the remainder of Hong Kong’s off-season, including family time in Port Elizabeth and Mauritius, before returning for Sha Tin’s opening meeting on September 6. He departs South Africa with a cherished victory secured through tactical precision and delivered on an afternoon when racing’s personal and professional rewards became inseparable.
NEW RQ Could Remove Barriers to Horses Racing
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
We-Have-Seen-The-Future: A potentially significant change to the way Australian race fields are formed is being examined in Queensland, where authorities are considering whether barriers should be allocated before acceptances close in an effort to curb the growing number of scratchings, reports racenet.com.au. Racing Queensland, whose carnivals are enjoying a significant boom, is exploring the possibility of assigning barriers when weights are declared, giving trainers more complete information before deciding whether to proceed with a runner, in a system that could resemble the approach already used in Western Australia. No commitment has yet been made to trial the barrier initiative which would allow the stable door to be closed before the horses bolt, but several other measures will take effect from September 1 as part of a broader plan to improve field sizes and strengthen wagering confidence. Central to the reforms is the introduction of progressive acceptances, which will allow trainers to see which horses have already been accepted for races in which they hold nominations before the deadline passes. The change is designed to improve placement decisions and reduce the likelihood of trainers accepting in multiple contests before later withdrawing from less suitable options. Racing Queensland will also cap the number of emergencies in any race at five. The action follows a steady decline in average TAB field sizes across the state, from 9.6 runners in 2023-24 to 9.56 in 2024-25 and 9.3 during the recently completed financial year. Racing Queensland Acting chief executive Lachlan Murray said competitive fields remained fundamental to wagering returns, while large volumes of scratchings created uncertainty for punters and weakened confidence, particularly once early markets had opened. He said the latest initiatives formed another stage of the response after TAB meeting optimisation measures were announced in May for the 2026-27 season. Queensland Trainers’ Association chief executive Richard Andrews welcomed progressive acceptances, noting that the system had been positively received elsewhere, although he stressed trainers remained responsible for securing the best possible opportunities for horses and owners. Poor barriers and unfavourable rail positions would therefore continue to prompt withdrawals in some circumstances, regardless of changes to the acceptance process. Andrews said the association was keen to work with Racing Queensland on further initiatives, including programming adjustments in south-east Queensland, and would closely assess whether the reforms produced the intended improvements. Barrier allocation before acceptances could represent the most far-reaching element of the review by allowing trainers to assess draw, opposition and race conditions simultaneously before committing. Racing Queensland believes the additional transparency may help horses be directed towards more suitable assignments and reduce late changes that damage markets. Any adoption of the proposal would require alterations to Racing Australia’s systems, but its consideration alone signals a willingness to rethink long-established procedures in pursuit of larger, more stable and commercially stronger fields.

Large race fields typically produce greater turnover (pic: austadiums.com.au)
NEW Ascot Puts King George Back on the World Stage
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
While significant sections of British racing wrestle with declining crowds, gambling regulation and financial uncertainty, Ascot is pursuing an altogether more ambitious course by attempting to re-establish the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes among the most prestigious and valuable races in the world. The Royal racecourse entered this year's midsummer showpiece in exceptional financial health, reporting pre-tax profits of £10.5 million for 2025, clearing the final £3 million of debt associated with its grandstand redevelopment and recording its strongest post-pandemic Royal Ascot attendance across all five days. Against that background, the King George has become a major strategic priority. Ascot has lifted the race to £2 million this year and will increase the prize fund to a British-record £2.5 million in 2027, with a longer-term ambition to close the gap on the €5 million Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Director of racing and public affairs Nick Smith said Ascot consciously identified the King George two years ago as its primary individual race asset outside the unique framework of the Royal meeting, rather than the Gold Cup or Prince of Wales's Stakes. The resulting field this year vindicated that approach spectacularly, bringing together Calandagan, Masquerade Ball, Benvenuto Cellini, Kalpana, Minnie Hauk and former winner Goliath in a renewal Smith regarded as the strongest of the century. Calandagan entered as the world's highest-rated horse of 2025, while Japanese challenger Masquerade Ball had finished only a head behind him in the Japan Cup and arrived in Britain as an increasingly important international attraction. Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini supplied elite three-year-old form, ensuring the race delivered the intergenerational contest traditionally central to the King George's identity. Ascot is deliberately marketing that sporting heritage rather than treating racing as a backdrop to peripheral entertainment. Flags representing every King George winner were placed along the course, historical colours and banners featured around the parade ring and the message to racegoers concentrated firmly on the quality of the horses. The ambition evokes an era when champions including Mill Reef, Grundy, Shergar and Dancing Brave made the race an essential part of their careers, something that has occurred less consistently since Galileo defeated Fantastic Light in 2001. Matching the Arc financially remains a formidable challenge, particularly because France's pari-mutuel funding structure returns considerably more betting revenue directly to racing, but Ascot occupies a financial position unmatched by most British tracks. Its £2.5 million commitment next year is therefore intended not as a finishing point but as another stage in a multi-year strategy. With international participation increasing and this year's field restoring much of the race's historic lustre, the King George again looks capable of becoming the destination rather than merely another stop on Europe's summer programme.
NEW Brave Monarch’s Rise Points to Bigger Prizes
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
Few Queensland three-year-olds advanced more rapidly during the season than Brave Monarch, whose progression from beaten maiden to Group 2 winner has established him as one of the most exciting horses in the Chris and Corey Munce stable. The son of Brave Smash debuted over 1000m at Eagle Farm last August before providing the first emphatic evidence of his ability at his second appearance, settling near the rear and producing a powerful finish to win over 1200m at Doomben. His time of 1:09.74 was the quickest of four races over the distance on the program, while his final 400m rated 5.4 lengths superior to the average for comparable maiden events. Brave Monarch carried that improvement into Saturday company, overcoming the delay caused when a summer storm interrupted the Eagle Farm meeting and recording another decisive success when the postponed race was staged on Melbourne Cup Day. A third consecutive victory at the Sunshine Coast completed his first preparation with three wins from four starts and encouraged the Munces to aim considerably higher during the Queensland Racing Carnival. Syndicator Shelly Hancox had paid only $20,000 for the immature gelding at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, when neither his physique nor the early record of his dam Puppet Queen offered obvious commercial appeal. However, trainer Chris Munce had formed a strong opinion before Brave Monarch raced and advised connections that they possessed an above-average prospect. The gelding returned from his break with an enormous effort from barrier 15 at Eagle Farm, then vindicated the stable’s assessment by winning consecutive black-type races. He captured the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes over 1400m before dominating the Gr2 Queensland Guineas over 1600m as a short-priced favourite, delivering precisely the two carnival targets connections had identified. A freshen-up followed before the Fred Best Classic, where victory would have secured a place in the $3 million Gr1 Stradbroke Handicap. Brave Monarch finished a courageous fourth after dropping back to 1400m, narrowly missing the prized exemption but losing little in a particularly strong renewal. His trainer believes the gelding remains some distance from the finished product and expects his finest racing to emerge at four and five, with a proper break now preceding consideration of spring opportunities. The immediate evidence suggests 1400m to 1600m is his optimum range, although his pedigree leaves open the possibility that he may eventually stretch towards 2000m. From modest beginnings, Brave Monarch has already compiled five wins from nine starts and demonstrated the acceleration, adaptability and competitive temperament required to progress further. His Stradbroke opportunity may have slipped narrowly away, but the larger prizes awaiting an improving older horse remain very much within reach.

Brave Monarch following his Gr2 Queensland Guineas win (pic: Racing Queensland)
NEW Tassie Big Guns Farewell 2025-26 Season
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
A fitting finale to the 2025-26 Tasmanian thoroughbred season unfolded at Devonport on Sunday, where the state’s leading performers reinforced their standing and the next generation also made its presence felt, reveals tasracing.com.au. Erica Byrne Burke celebrated her first senior Tasmanian Jockey Premiership in emphatic fashion with a winning treble, taking her season tally to 86 and completing a remarkable rise from her previous best of 46 during her apprenticeship in 2021-22. She controlled the tempo aboard Bruny Boy and Stardarmus, leading throughout on both runners, before placing Outbush outside the leader and remaining prominent in a race dominated by horses near the speed. Anthony Darmanin, who had claimed the previous two state premierships, also signed off with three winners through Whippin Piccadilly, Azonto and Simply Deep. His season was severely interrupted by a back injury that kept him sidelined for almost five months, yet he returned at Hobart in early June and rode 11 winners during the closing weeks, including multiple victories at each of the final three Tasmanian meetings. “It’s been a season of ups and downs; you get injured, and these things happen. I’m really grateful for the opportunities since I’ve been back,” Darmanin said. He completed the campaign with 39 winners, finishing fourth behind Byrne Burke, Jabez Johnstone on 50 and Codi Jordan on 43. Darmanin’s wins aboard Azonto and Simply Deep also lifted trainer Barry Campbell to an even 50 victories for the season. Campbell achieved that figure from approximately 180 starters at a strike rate of 28.1 per cent, placing him third on the trainers’ table behind John Blacker with 68 and Glenn Stevenson with 53. “We’ve had a terrific year. 50 winners from around 180 runners. We’ve had fewer runners, more winners and a better strike rate,” Campbell said. Training honours on the final program were shared with Liam Beamish, whose career remains in its infancy. Only a fortnight after preparing his first winner, Beamish doubled his Devonport representation and returned home with victories from both City Wok and The Real Man, extending his overall tally to three. “It’s a bit surreal to be honest,” he said after arriving with only two runners. The new Tasmanian season begins at Hobart on Wednesday, August 5.
NEW Price and Kent Jr Focussed on Sydney Riches
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
Early spring preparations began in earnest at Cranbourne on Monday when Planet Red and Sabaj completed their first jumpouts for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr ahead of campaigns aimed at some of the richest races on the calendar. Sabaj (Manhattan Rain) appeared in the opening heat and finished third behind the highly regarded Proved, an Enver Jusufovic-trained mare with six wins from eight starts, while the rising five-year-old’s effort marked his first public appearance since running fourth behind Light Infantry Man in the Australian Cup in March. That performance followed another meritorious fourth in the All Star Mile, where he finished less than a length from the winner, and reinforced the consistency that had already carried him to victory in last year’s $500,000 Cranbourne Cup after a midfield finish in the $1 million Silver Eagle. Price believes the Gr3 Five Diamonds at Rosehill on November 7 represents an ideal target for Sabaj, with the 1800m feature restricted to five-year-olds and offering $2 million in prizemoney. “I reckon the Five Diamonds for him, because he will be a five-year-old,” Price said. “That would be beautiful. That’ll be a nice race for him.” Planet Red, by former Arrowfield shuttler Admire Mars, also made an encouraging start to his preparation, finishing second in an 800m jumpout as the stable works towards the $10 million Golden Eagle at Randwick in October. The four-year-old has already demonstrated elite quality, finishing runner-up in both the Gr1 Caulfield Guineas last spring and the Gr1 Australian Guineas during the autumn, with difficult barriers adding further merit to each performance over 1600m. Price considers the Golden Eagle’s sharp 1500m particularly well suited to Planet Red, whose turn of foot and proven ability at the highest level give him the profile required for a race the stable won with I’m Thunderstruck in 2021. “You need a horse with a pretty good turn of foot and, for $10 million and four-year-olds, I think he’ll be in it,” Price said. High ratings leave limited first-up options for both horses, and the Gr1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield is likely to provide their spring starting point despite the depth expected from several of the country’s leading gallopers. The timing and structure of the program effectively direct the pair towards the 1400m feature, with Price also identifying both as potential Toorak Handicap horses should their campaigns progress as hoped. Monday’s jumpouts were only the opening step, but they placed two proven performers back on course for demanding spring assignments.

Leading Japanese sprinter Admire Mars is the sire of Planet Red (pic: Joan Farras)
NEW Epsom Revival Plan to Continue Unabated
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
A five-year campaign designed to restore the Derby festival to something approaching its former stature is expected to continue despite the departure of Epsom general manager Jim Allen as part of a wider restructuring of the Jockey Club. Allen will leave the racecourse on October 28 after two years in the position, having elected not to seek one of five newly created regional management roles in an organisational overhaul being implemented under chief executive Jim Mullen. Around 30 positions are expected to disappear through the restructure, while Amy Starkey will assume responsibility for the London hub embracing Epsom, Sandown and Kempton. Allen, 53, said his decision reflected a desire to remain closer to horses and racing rather than move into a broader position that would necessarily reduce his direct involvement with the Derby. The former trainer was instrumental in launching an ambitious program aimed at attracting 100,000 people to the Derby by 2030, with this year's meeting representing the first significant step in that rebuilding exercise. Increased advertising, attractions and prize-money were designed to restore a sense of occasion around the Classic, although exceptionally wet weather on Derby day undermined the potential crowd, particularly across the famous Hill. Allen remains convinced the strategy has the Jockey Club's backing and will survive his departure, albeit with adjustments as lessons from the opening year are absorbed. He believes more favourable weather could have attracted another 20,000 to 30,000 people to the Hill and provided a clearer demonstration of the progress being made. Rather than regarding the initial year as a definitive test, Allen described it as the first rung in a longer rebuilding process and expects the Derby to continue strengthening as the plan develops. His connection with racing will not end when he leaves Epsom. Allen intends establishing a small friends-and-family syndicate under the name Red Horse Bloodstock while seeking another professional position, either in Britain or overseas, preferably one bringing him closer to horses and the competitive side of the industry. A racing manager's role is among the possibilities that appeal given his varied background across training, race programming and administration. He will remain at Epsom through the conclusion of the 2026 Flat season and budgeting process before formally stepping away, and hopes to return to the Derby festival next year in a different capacity — potentially with a runner of his own. His departure therefore removes one of the most visible architects of Epsom's current revival but does not appear to signal any retreat from its central objective. The challenge now passes to the next management structure: transforming an encouraging beginning into sustained growth and returning Britain's most famous Classic to the scale of occasion its history demands.
Crusader Underlines Maurice's Sire Influence
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
Few performances illustrate versatility quite like a horse returning from an 1800-metre Group 1 victory in Perth to win a 1200-metre Gr3 sprint in Melbourne, and Cosmic Crusader supplied exactly that at Caulfield on Saturday when the Maurice five-year-old announced himself as a serious spring prospect with a decisive Bletchingly Stakes success. Drawn in gate one, he settled near the rear before working through along the inside, took command about 200 metres from home and accelerated clear to defeat Winnasedge by 2.5 lengths in 1:10.63, with Arrowfield graduate and 2024 Bletchingly winner Recommendation filling third. The result added another layer to a career that has gathered considerable force after an interrupted start, with Cosmic Crusader having been handled patiently by Bob Peters at two and three before injury restricted his four-year-old season to just two appearances, both victories. He has since compensated emphatically, winning five of eight starts this season and taking his earnings beyond $1.6 million, while his early spring path now points towards Caulfield's 1400-metre features, the Gr2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes on August 15 and Gr1 Memsie Stakes a fortnight later. His emergence also provides another timely advertisement for Arrowfield's Japanese star Maurice, whose Australian-bred progeny are steadily broadening the sire's profile beyond any single distance range. Cosmic Crusader is the second foal from multiple stakes winner Cosmic Storm, by Street Sense, herself a half-sister to Gr1 Cantala Stakes winner Superstorm and Listed winner Mikimoto, and a full sister to Listed winner Royal Command. Their dam Stormy Nova, a dual Group winner, was sold to Oakland Park Stud in 2017 and produced another three winners before her death in 2024. The family's Maurice connection is continuing, with Cosmic Crusader's two-year-old full brother Cosmic Icon now in training with Michael Grantham in Western Australia and Cosmic Storm due to foal again to Maurice next month. Importantly for the stallion, Cosmic Crusader is far from an isolated headline act. Maurice has produced 15 Australian stakes performers this season, headed by $10.8 million earner and Gr1 winner Mazu, who added a third Gr3 Hall Mark Stakes and a Gr1 Galaxy placing to his record, while Gr1 J.J. Atkins runner-up Cormier has emerged as an exciting juvenile prospect after reaching that level at only his third start. Gr-placed two-year-old filly Icelady and juvenile winners Fugaku, Vallice, Misato and Cormier underline the depth coming from the first of two crops totalling 224 foals conceived at an $82,500 fee. With a 12.4 per cent stakes performers-to-runners strike-rate from his Southern Hemisphere-bred crops, Maurice is assembling the kind of numerical and quality base that suggests his influence on Australia's major black-type races may be entering its most significant phase.
Debutant Leaves No Doubt About His Upside
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
A miserable winter afternoon suddenly found some theatre at Caulfield on Saturday when a heavily supported debutant transformed the second race into one of the meeting's most dramatic finishes, with Doubt Time justifying an extraordinary betting move in the Stow Robotics Handicap over 1100 metres. Available at $31 when markets opened following final acceptances on Wednesday, the Nick Ryan-trained two-year-old was backed relentlessly into $8 by start time, creating unusual interest around a first starter at a metropolitan Saturday fixture. For much of the closing stages, however, those who had followed the money appeared destined for disappointment as $3.50 favourite Resolutely drove to the front inside the final 200 metres while Doubt Time remained several lengths away and seemingly faced an impossible task. The complexion changed rapidly once the colt balanced, unleashing a powerful late surge that carried him to the leader on the line, with the photo eventually confirming victory by the narrowest margin of a nose. "It's what it's all about isn't it," said an understandably elated Ryan after the result was posted, although the trainer admitted the performance had not arrived entirely without warning. A searching piece of work at Flemington two days earlier had given him reason for confidence. "I galloped him Thursday morning on the inside grass at Flemington and I just pushed the button a little bit for the last 50 (metres) and nearly fell off the back of him." Ryan believes one of Doubt Time's principal weapons is an unusually large stride, measured at more than eight metres compared with the seven to 7.5-metre range typical of most thoroughbreds. Purchased for $140,000 at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Doubt Time is by Widden Victoria's Not A Single Doubt stallion Doubtland, and his trainer sees clear parallels between father and son. "He's a nice horse," Ryan said. "He's very much like his father. His father won his first start on a soft7 on the Kensington (Randwick) and he came from the back and he balanced up and just had a monstrous stride." Luke Cartwright experienced that finishing power at close quarters and was equally taken by what the youngster produced under race pressure. "It was a massive effort from this horse to come here at his first start and put a performance on the racetrack like that," he said. "It was some win." Ryan will resist the temptation to make immediate plans, preferring to assess how the colt recovers and how his shins respond before determining the next step, although a spell next week is already assured. The betting move created the intrigue, but Doubt Time's finish ensured the lasting impression belonged firmly to the horse.
Williams Executes Title #10 to Perfection
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
A coveted milestone that has occupied his thoughts for months has finally been secured, allowing Craig Williams to turn from the intensity of Melbourne's riding premiership towards a cause carrying far greater human consequence, with the champion jockey preparing for a sixth humanitarian mission to Ukraine alongside his wife Larysa. According to punters.com.au, Williams mathematically clinched his 10th Melbourne jockeys' title after establishing a 13-win advantage over Jamie Mott with only Wednesday's eight-race Sandown card remaining in the metropolitan season, completing another remarkable chapter in a career that has now produced 10 championships across 20 years. The achievement places him alongside retired great Damien Oliver and leaves him just one premiership short of the record 11 shared by legendary riders Billy Duncan and Roy Higgins. Williams has amassed 65 metropolitan victories this season, while Mott, who is poised to secure the Victorian statewide title for the first time, sits on 52 following his success aboard Our Chief last Saturday. Apprentice Luke Cartwright moved into third on 43 after a Caulfield double, while Mark Zahra, who controlled the premiership race for much of the season, remains on 42 after injury interrupted his campaign. Williams admitted the pursuit of double figures had become an obsession as the season progressed. "I chased one, I chased two, three, four, five but it's great (to get 10)," he said. "You're only as good as your opposition … the last two and a bit months every time I closed my eyes I could see 10." The target became a daily source of motivation, although Williams was quick to distribute credit among those around him, stressing that his manager, family, trainers, owners and the horses themselves had all contributed to the result. "My team is amazing, my manager, my family, all the people … it's great we have so many people driven to this, the result is not me, it's everyone." With the premiership now beyond challenge, Williams and his Ukraine-born wife will again travel into the war-torn country, continuing a humanitarian project supported by their own contributions and generous donations, many originating within the Australian racing industry. Since Russia's invasion began in 2022, the couple have travelled to Ukraine repeatedly, including twice during the first year of the conflict, and have helped deliver approximately $3.3 million in aid encompassing trauma first-aid kits, medical equipment, essential survival supplies and vehicles capable of being converted into ambulances. The contrast between professional triumph and the realities awaiting him in Ukraine is not lost on Williams, who said the experience continually reshapes his perspective. "You go from completing another goal to realising not everyone has the same life as we all have … it makes you put perspective on things but makes me be grateful." His gratitude extends to racing, family and the security enjoyed at home in Australia, and while the new season will soon present another list of professional targets, this latest journey carries a purpose that reaches well beyond the winning post.

Craig Williams has now won 10 Melbourne Jockey Premierships (pic: Steve Hart)
Tennessee Bound Stretches Unbeaten Run
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
A less-than-perfect passage provided the sternest examination of her career at Caulfield on Saturday, but Tennessee Bound emerged with her unbeaten record intact after digging deep to make it six victories from as many starts. Sent out the commanding $1.45 favourite in the Cup Carnival Handicap over 1100m, the Ciaron Maher-trained mare endured an awkward beginning before eventually prevailing by a head over the persistent Behavoir, producing a performance that lacked the ease of some of her earlier wins but perhaps revealed more about her competitive qualities. Apprentice Jabez Johnstone had to reorganise Tennessee Bound after she stepped awkwardly, while the wet conditions and pressure building from the 400m ensured she was never afforded the straightforward assignment many punters had anticipated. Behavoir refused to concede late, but Tennessee Bound continued to find enough to preserve the perfect sequence and extend a career that has developed rapidly following a patient approach from her connections. Johnstone acknowledged the race had become untidy almost immediately, noting that the mare gathered herself after the poor beginning and continued to respond despite coming under pressure earlier than ideal in the straight. She also displayed some greenness by laying out marginally, yet the rider remained enthusiastic about her longer-term prospects, describing six successive victories as an outstanding achievement and suggesting there remained significant improvement as she learns more about racing. Tennessee Bound is a homebred for prominent Maher supporter Gerry Ryan, and the stable's patience appears to have been rewarded handsomely. Maher said a three-month break before the preparation had been particularly beneficial and felt the mare presented in excellent condition at Caulfield. The assistance of Johnstone's claim was another positive, although the trainer admitted watching the closing stages had become uncomfortable as Behavoir threatened to end the winning streak. Rather than judge the mare harshly for the narrow margin, Maher preferred to concentrate on her ability to continue finding ways to win as the level of opposition becomes progressively stronger. Her next appearance could carry another intriguing milestone, with Tennessee Bound now one victory away from matching the stable benchmark established by Marabi, who won her opening seven starts and completed that sequence with victory in the 2022 Oakleigh Plate. Maher is not rushing to nominate an ambitious target, but Saturday's result has ensured Tennessee Bound will again be asked a more difficult question when she returns. The winning margins may be shrinking as the assignments become tougher, but six starts into her career the answer on the scoreboard remains unchanged.
Cambridge Stud Earns a Sixth Breeders’ Title
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
Another exceptional season on both sides of the Tasman has delivered Cambridge Stud New Zealand breeding’s highest honour, with the famed Waikato nursery named the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan New Zealand Breeder of the Year at Saturday night’s Property Brokers National Breeding Awards at Karapiro. According to NZ Racing Desk, it marked the sixth time Cambridge Stud has received the accolade, but the first since Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay took ownership of the operation in 2018, adding particular significance to an award carrying the names of its former custodians. The season was highlighted by dual Australian Gr1 winner Ceolwulf and New Zealand Gr1 winner Jaarffi, while Cambridge Stud bred more than 105 individual winners, including five stakes winners and another nine stakes performers. Its influence was also reflected in the sales ring, where the farm finished as leading vendor at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 100th National Yearling Sale. Sir Brendan Lindsay described receiving the award as “quite surreal”, particularly given Cambridge Stud’s history under Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan, and reflected on the distance travelled since first becoming involved in racing through a horse he raced with Trevor McKee. Ceolwulf stood out as a breeding highlight, having emerged from a mare secured by bloodstock agent John Foote for €55,000, while a foal from the same mare sold for $1.1 million this year. Lindsay also paid tribute to Henry and Michele Plumptre and the wider Cambridge Stud team, stressing that the success reflected the effort and commitment of those working across the farm. He remains strongly optimistic about New Zealand breeding despite declining foal numbers, pointing to the fact that 21 per cent of Australian Gr1 winners over the past five years were New Zealand-bred and arguing that the reduction in local supply could ultimately create opportunity. Cambridge Stud’s recruitment of internationally recognised stallions Chaldean and Charyn was cited as further evidence of the operation’s confidence in the future. The awards evening also celebrated a remarkable season for New Zealand-bred horses globally, headed by Ka Ying Rising, who was named the Property Brokers Seton Otway Horse of the Year. Bred by Grandmoral Lodge, the son of Shamexpress completed an unbeaten eight-start campaign featuring five Gr1 victories in Hong Kong and Australia, including a historic success in The Everest as the first overseas-trained winner of the race. He also defended the Hong Kong Sprint, completed a second successive Hong Kong Speed Series and extended his winning sequence to a Hong Kong record 20 races, while finishing the season rated joint-best racehorse in the world. His dam Missy Moo, a winning daughter of Per Incanto who produced only two foals, was recognised as Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year, while Fraser and Erin Auret’s Grandmoral Lodge collected the Small Breeder of the Year title. Per Incanto enjoyed a career-best season by securing both the Centaine Award for worldwide progeny earnings and the Dewar Award for earnings across New Zealand and Australia, ending the late Savabeel’s extraordinary dominance of the latter category. Proisir claimed the Grosvenor Award as New Zealand’s leading sire by domestic earnings, driven by the deeds of dual Gr1 winners Legarto and Waitak. Ohope Wins was crowned NZB Filly of the Year, Jess Greenfield received the Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award, and Rodney Schick was named NZTBA Personality of the Year in recognition of a lifetime devoted to breeding, leadership and service to the New Zealand thoroughbred industry.

Ceolwulf has been a standout for Cambridge Stud (pic: Steve Hart)
Cavalry Girl Gallops into Spring Calculations
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
An emphatic breakthrough at stakes level has given Tom Dabernig another exciting spring prospect after Cavalry Girl demolished her rivals in Saturday's Listed Lightning Stakes over 1050m at Morphettville. The three-year-old arrived in Adelaide with four victories from 14 starts and a reputation as a talented short-course performer, but her 4.5-length success under Todd Pannell elevated the discussion considerably as she converted consistent metropolitan form into black type. Starting the $2.60 favourite, Cavalry Girl travelled prominently before putting the contest beyond doubt in the straight, her acceleration producing the sort of margin that inevitably encourages thoughts of better races during the Melbourne Spring Carnival. Dabernig was particularly pleased for part-owner Joe O'Neill, who had identified the Lightning Stakes as a suitable target well in advance, and the preparation paid off with a performance that left little doubt the daughter of Bivouac belonged in stakes company. The Warrnambool trainer now has decisions to make regarding where she fits during the opening stages of spring, although her preferred distance range appears reasonably well defined. Dabernig considers Cavalry Girl especially effective from 1000m to 1100m but believes maturity could eventually allow her to stretch successfully to 1200m, potentially broadening the program available to her as the carnival unfolds. Her established affinity with Melbourne's major tracks is another advantage. Cavalry Girl has already won twice at Flemington and has also shown herself comfortable around Caulfield, giving the stable several logical avenues without needing to reinvent her racing pattern or expose her immediately to unfamiliar circumstances. Saturday's victory lifted her record to five wins from 15 outings and pushed her earnings to about $320,000, while also delivering an eighth individual stakes winner for her sire Bivouac. The Lightning Stakes has previously provided a useful launching pad for high-class sprinters, most notably Nature Strip, who won the race in 2018 before developing into one of Australia's outstanding speed horses, although Dabernig understandably stopped well short of making such comparisons. What Cavalry Girl has done is earn the right to enter conversations about stronger company. She has raced regularly, learned her craft through competition and, importantly, appears to be improving rather than merely accumulating runs. Dabernig's immediate task will be choosing the appropriate progression rather than chasing a particular race too soon. With genuine speed, established form at Flemington and Caulfield and now a stakes victory secured in decisive fashion, Cavalry Girl heads towards the new season with significantly more options than she had before her Morphettville expedition.
Waitak Primed for Another Spring Gr1 Campaign
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
A familiar spring program awaits multiple Gr1 winner Waitak as Wexford Stables prepares its established headline performer for another assault on New Zealand's major weight-for-age races. The Proisir gelding has returned to stronger work in encouraging order for trainers Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, with the Gr1 Proisir Plate over 1400m at Ellerslie on September 5 pencilled in as his first major assignment. Before then, the stable intends trialling him at Taupo on August 16, providing an important stepping stone towards a campaign designed to replicate last season's highly successful path. Subject to everything progressing smoothly, Waitak will again advance from the Proisir Plate towards the Gr1 Howden Insurance Mile over 1600m and Gr1 Livamol Classic over 2040m, races he will attempt to defend after establishing himself among the country's leading older horses. Scott said a lengthy break had served Waitak well after the stable made a conscious effort not to over-race him last preparation, and early indications suggest the gelding has returned in the condition required to shoulder responsibility as Wexford's principal open-class representative. That role has become particularly significant following the retirement of accomplished stablemates Tomodachi, Lux Libertas and Grail Seeker, leaving Waitak as Wexford's sole intended runner in the spring Gr1 features. The stable nevertheless possesses considerable emerging talent beneath him, headed by a group of rising three-year-olds likely to begin their seasons in the Listed Chittick Family Fillies Classic over 1100m at Taupo on August 16. Frankel filly Te Encuentro, Almanzor filly Pounce and Dashing Dixie, by Alabama Express, are all being prepared for that assignment, while Pinatubo filly Fiamma is another youngster held in particularly high regard. Te Encuentro won on debut as a juvenile and subsequently finished runner-up in the Gr2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes before going to the paddock following an unplaced effort in the Gr1 Sistema Stakes. Scott expects her Frankel pedigree and physical development to become increasingly evident at three, and she is scheduled to trial at Te Rapa before heading to Taupo. Pounce, an impressive Ellerslie winner at only her second appearance, and debut winner Dashing Dixie are following a similar route. Fiamma finished fourth at her sole juvenile start before being deliberately given time, with connections believing she has developed appreciably during her break and will strengthen as the new season progresses. The younger brigade offers Wexford considerable promise, but the proven standard remains Waitak. With his program deliberately mirroring the route that produced two elite victories last spring, the stable enters the new campaign knowing exactly what works — and with a seasoned performer ready to try to do it all again.

There are many options for Waitak (pic: Kenton Wright Race Images)
Strapping Prophet Rewards Patient Connections
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
Persistence finally received the result it deserved at Belmont on Saturday when Strapping Prophet converted a remarkably consistent campaign into victory in the Westspeed Platinum Handicap over 1600m, rewarding trainer Steph Bakranich and a partnership that had resisted any temptation to lose faith. The four-year-old had won a Northam maiden at a similar stage last year before compiling an unusual sequence in which he placed in all but one of his next 10 appearances, regularly earning prize-money without quite delivering another victory. That drought ended on Bolton Sprint Day when Jason Whiting secured a favourable midfield position behind leader Our Rocky Bay before finding an uninterrupted passage through the field near the entrance to the straight. Equipped with a nose roll and wearing winkers for the first time, Strapping Prophet drove clear to defeat Ginger Green by two lengths and take his earnings during the past 12 months beyond $120,000. Bakranich's relief was evident after a horse she regards as the most consistent member of her Bullsbrook stable finally converted another competitive performance into a win. She credited Whiting with an accomplished ride and felt the unobstructed run had proved important once the gelding began building through his gears. Whiting shared the sense of satisfaction, observing that repeated placings might test owners' patience but were vastly preferable to a horse finishing at the rear, and hoped the success would encourage Strapping Prophet to make winning a more regular habit. Bred in the Great Southern by Mt Barker-based Norm and Jeannine Burren, Strapping Prophet was sold for $30,000 through Clare Downs Stud at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale. His pedigree adds another layer to the story. By Universal Ruler from Black Prophet, a daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus, he is one of five winners produced by the mare, who is a half-sister to Gr1 Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet and successful Gr1 sire Proisir. The family entered the Burrens' ownership after agent John Chalmers paid $50,000 for Black Prophet at the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale while she was carrying the subsequent Pinjarra winner Woodruff. Clare Downs continues to maintain a presence at the Perth Magic Millions, offering a select annual draft from its Porongurup base. Its February consignment comprised eight yearlings, headed by a $100,000 Playing God colt bought by Noel Carter of Commercial Bloodstock for trainer Steve Wolfe. Now named Insanity Laughs, that colt is the first foal from Gr3 Gimcrack Stakes placegetter Come Magic. Strapping Prophet may lack the glamour of some relatives in a distinguished family, but his reliability has continually paid his way. Saturday finally supplied the additional commodity connections had been waiting for — another winning photograph.
Kalpana King George Victory Flips 2025 Result
Tuesday, 28th July 2026
A year after being denied by Calandagan, Kalpana reversed the result in emphatic fashion with a superb victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, giving trainer Andrew Balding and jockey Colin Keane a richly deserved measure of redemption. The early shape of the race was dictated by the rank outsider Action, who rolled forward into a clear lead, with Lambourn following and Mini Hauk securing an economical position on the rail to leave three Aidan O’Brien-trained runners occupying the first three places. Keane settled Kalpana immediately behind that trio and ensured the eventual winner enjoyed an ideal passage, while favourite Calandagan and Benvenuto Cellini were restrained several lengths farther back through the opening two-thirds of the contest. The order remained largely unchanged until the home turn, where Action’s effort began to unravel and Mini Hauk and Lambourn moved through to dispute the lead at the top of the straight. Keane angled Kalpana away from their heels approaching the 300m, but the brief wait for clear running brought the Balding-trained runner alongside Benvenuto Cellini, who had advanced strongly from behind, while Mikael Barzalona was beginning to ask Calandagan for his challenge on the outside. Kalpana and Benvenuto Cellini initially matched strides as the race developed into a genuine test, but the older runner gradually asserted superiority, shook off the three-year-old and struck the front with approximately 150m remaining. That decisive move provided Kalpana with an important advantage over Calandagan, who lengthened bravely in pursuit but was unable to bridge the gap. The 2025 Longines Horse of the Year continued to make ground through the final stages, yet Kalpana maintained a powerful gallop to score by 1½ lengths and settle the rematch conclusively. The winner produced a performance of exceptional quality, combining tactical speed, composure and a sustained finishing effort, while Calandagan lost little in defeat after again demonstrating the determination that has made him one of the leading middle-distance horses in the world. Benvenuto Cellini also emerged with his reputation enhanced, finishing only half a length behind Calandagan despite being unable to withstand the superior finishing power of the first two. His effort against proven elite opposition suggested he possesses the ability to become a major force in high-level company. The principal disappointment was Japanese representative Masquerade Ball, who raced near the rear, appeared detached from the contest and failed to produce the anticipated response when asked to improve in the home straight.

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