Tuesday, 18th August 2026
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Global Breeding, Racing and Sales News

  • NEW The Cost of a Missed Window: Why Early Immunity Matters in Racing Foals

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    Plasvacc

    Every breeder knows that timing matters. It shapes mating decisions, foaling preparation, sales planning, and eventually, a young horse’s path to the track.

    But some of the most important timing in a foal’s life happens before it is even a day old.

    During the first 24 hours after birth, a foal must stand, nurse, regulate its body temperature, and begin building immune protection. For most, this transition unfolds naturally. For others, a missed window can create a serious risk.

    Failure of Passive Transfer, or FPT, occurs when a foal does not receive or absorb enough antibodies from the mare’s colostrum. It may affect as many as 1 in 5 foals in Australia, making it a significant concern for breeders, owners, and stud managers.

    Why the First 24 Hours Matter

    Foals are born without maternal antibodies. Because of the equine placenta, mares cannot pass immunity to the foal before birth. Protection must instead come through colostrum, the antibody-rich first milk produced before foaling.

    Colostrum contains immunoglobulins, primarily IgG. Absorption is strongest during the first 6 to 8 hours after birth and declines rapidly. By 24 hours, the window has effectively closed.

    Early nursing is therefore more than a reassuring milestone. It is a critical immune event.

    When Things Do Not Go to Plan

    FPT can occur for several reasons:

    • Poor-quality or insufficient colostrum

    • Loss of colostrum before foaling

    • Delayed nursing or maternal rejection

    • Foal weakness, injury, or prematurity

    • Failure to absorb antibodies despite nursing

    FPT may not be immediately visible. A foal can appear bright and active while still lacking adequate antibodies.

    IgG levels below 400 mg/dl at 24 hours indicate FPT, while levels between 400 and 800 mg/dl indicate partial FPT. In either case, the foal’s ability to fight infection is compromised.

    The Consequences for Breeders

    Foals with inadequate passive immunity are more vulnerable to septicemia, pneumonia, diarrhea, and joint infections. These conditions can require intensive veterinary care and, in severe cases, result in the loss of the foal.

    Early illness may also disrupt growth and development long before a young horse reaches the training track.

    Testing Replaces Guesswork With Action

    Because FPT can be difficult to detect by observation alone, veterinary assessment is essential. An IgG test within the first 12 to 24 hours can confirm whether passive transfer was successful and allow treatment before infection develops.

    Breeders should also monitor nursing, energy, hydration, temperature regulation, and umbilical health.

    Equiplas® When Time Matters

    When passive transfer is incomplete, plasma therapy can provide the immune support that colostrum did not deliver.

    Plasvacc’s Equiplas® equine plasma is used by veterinarians across Australia, New Zealand, and internationally to support foals experiencing complete or partial Failure of Passive Transfer. Rich in gamma globulins, Equiplas® helps raise antibody levels quickly and safely by delivering concentrated immune support directly into the bloodstream.

    Equiplas® is:

    • APVMA and NZFSA registered

    • Typically administered in 2, 1,000ml doses, depending on veterinary assessment

    • Used to support foals with FPT, partial FPT, and immune challenges associated with illness or infection

    For breeders preparing for foaling season, access to timely veterinary care and appropriate plasma support can make a meaningful difference when early immunity is in question.

    Do Not Let the Window Close Unchecked

    FPT cannot always be predicted, but it can be identified and treated. Monitoring early nursing, assessing passive transfer, and acting quickly when antibody levels are low can reduce the risk of serious illness.

    In racing, timing matters. For newborn foals, it can matter from the very first day.

    Learn more about Equiplas® at Plasvacc.com.


    Plasvacc

  • NEW Arqana Record for €4.6m Wootton Bassett Colt

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    Another extraordinary session at Deauville produced a piece of Arqana history when a superbly bred Wootton Bassett colt was knocked down for €4.6 million, eclipsing the previous record price for a yearling at the August Sale, according to TDN. Offered by Ecurie des Monceaux as Lot 306, the colt was secured by MV Magnier in partnership with White Birch Farm after competition drove his value well beyond the €3 million benchmark established 12 months earlier by the Night Of Thunder filly out of Prudenzia. Thoroughbred Daily News reports the sale capped an exceptional three days for Henri Bozo and the Monceaux team, while further reinforcing the extraordinary commercial power attached to elite Wootton Bassett stock and one of the most influential female families in the modern Stud Book. The colt is the first foal from the Justify mare Deadly Nightshade, whose pedigree provides the sort of depth familiar to Coolmore. Her full-brother Scandinavia became a champion stayer, while her half-sister Above The Curve won the Gr1 Prix Saint-Alary. Their unraced dam Fabulous, by Galileo, descends directly from the outstanding producer Mariah’s Storm and is therefore closely connected to two names that shaped Coolmore’s fortunes for decades – Giant’s Causeway and You’resothrilling. The latter became one of Galileo’s most productive broodmares, leaving seven individual black-type winners including Classic winners Gleneagles, Joan Of Arc and Marvellous, along with dual Gr1-winning juvenile Happily. Bozo had regarded the record-breaking colt as exceptional long before he entered the ring, describing him after the sale as “very special, very powerful, very good-minded” and praising his walk, conformation and temperament. While delighted by the price, he also acknowledged the responsibility that accompanies selling a youngster at such rarefied levels, particularly to buyers whose expectations are naturally shaped by generations of top-level success. For Coolmore and White Birch, the acquisition combines the influence of Wootton Bassett with Justify, Galileo and one of racing’s great American foundation families, while for Arqana it establishes a formidable new sales benchmark. The €4.6 million transaction also underlined Monceaux’s standing among Europe’s premier yearling consignors, transforming an already successful sale into a record-breaking edition and providing a spectacular finale to three days of sustained international demand.

  • NEW Star Mare Revealed for Tattersalls Sceptre Session

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    One of Europe’s most accomplished racemares is set to become a major attraction at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, with See The Fire confirmed for the Sceptre Sessions that form the elite centrepiece of the four-day auction from November 30 to December 3. The Littleton Stud homebred, trained throughout her career by Andrew Balding, will be offered in training from Park House Stables after compiling a record defined by durability, pedigree and repeated performances at the highest level. A daughter of Sea The Stars and the Dubawi mare Arabian Queen, See The Fire was crowned Joint Champion Older Female in Europe in the long-distance category in 2025, a season highlighted by a remarkable 12-length success in the Gr2 Middleton Stakes at York. She returned this year to successfully defend that title and has also accumulated placings in seven Group 1 contests, including a short-head defeat by Barnavara in last season’s Prix de l’Opéra. Her consistency across several seasons is reflected in the fact she is the only daughter of Sea The Stars to have been placed at Group 1 level at two, three, four and five, with those performances spanning the Fillies’ Mile, Sun Chariot Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes and three editions of the Nassau Stakes. Her value as a future broodmare is strengthened considerably by an exceptional immediate family. Arabian Queen won the Gr1 Juddmonte International and is herself out of dual Gr2 Lancashire Oaks winner Barshiba, while See The Fire is a half-sister to this year’s Gr2 Italian Derby winner Venetian Prince, Gr2 Royal Lodge Stakes runner-up Royal Playright and Listed performer Arabian Storm. Another half-sister, Forbidden Fire, recently made a winning debut at Salisbury and is expected to progress towards the Gr1 Cheveley Park Stakes. The wider family has also enjoyed considerable international commercial success, with Arabian Queen’s sister Cosmopolitan Queen producing a Kingman colt who realised ¥330 million as a yearling in Japan, while Arabian Queen is currently in foal to Sea The Stars. Littleton Stud manager David Bowe said the decision to sell carried mixed emotions after See The Fire had provided Jeff Smith and the team with so many memorable days. “She is a gorgeous-looking filly, incredibly sound, and has competed at the highest level, running in Group 1 company on a remarkable 14 occasions,” Bowe said, adding that her combination of racing ability and a family cultivated by Littleton over four generations created a rare opportunity for buyers. Tattersalls managing director Matthew Prior described her inclusion as a privilege and said her race record and pedigree should attract leading domestic and international interests, ensuring the five-year-old enters the Sceptre Sessions as one of the sale’s most coveted offerings.

  • NEW Wine Dark Sea Puts Cup Dream Within Reach

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A rapidly improving European stayer carrying significant Australian interests has emerged as another potential Melbourne Cup traveller following a breakthrough at Group level at Newbury. Wine Dark Sea continued his striking rise through the ranks by landing the Gr3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes, securing both his third victory from four appearances this season and an important qualification requirement for a prospective trip to Flemington. According to racing.com, the Harry Charlton-trained four-year-old is now firmly being considered for the Lexus Melbourne Cup after Australian Bloodstock recently purchased an interest in the son of Ulysses. The Newbury performance justified an extraordinary weight of betting support, with Wine Dark Sea opening around 16-1 before eventually starting at 7-2 following sustained backing in the hours before the race. Sent forward by Hector Crouch, he travelled strongly at the head of proceedings and showed both resilience and stamina when required, galloping through the line in a performance that encouraged connections to contemplate significantly greater challenges. Assistant trainer Matt Fielding confirmed the Melbourne Cup represented the longer-term ambition, describing the prospect of competing in major international races as a dream for the stable. Wine Dark Sea had previously impressed at Carlisle and was climbing rapidly through the handicap before Australian Bloodstock’s involvement helped accelerate plans to test him in Pattern company. His Geoffrey Freer assignment therefore represented his first appearance at Group level and provided immediate evidence that his progressive profile could translate into stronger company. Crouch revealed that achieving at least a top-three finish at Newbury had been important to the Melbourne objective, with victory comfortably satisfying that requirement. “He was very tenacious,” Crouch said, adding that the gelding had been purchased with Melbourne specifically in mind and expressing hope that his progression could continue if he travels to Australia. The emergence of Wine Dark Sea is particularly timely for Australian Bloodstock after another prospective Flemington contender, Al Riffa, was ruled out of this year’s Cup. Joseph O’Brien’s galloper finished seventh in last season’s race, while the previous Geoffrey Freer winner Furthur subsequently travelled to Melbourne and finished 11th. Whether Wine Dark Sea follows that route remains to be determined, but his Newbury victory has transformed what had been an ambitious international plan into a credible Melbourne Cup campaign for a horse whose improvement has been both swift and substantial.

  • NEW Bosun Strengthens Pateman Family Bond

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A patient approach with lightly raced six-year-old Bosun is beginning to reward the Pateman family, with the gelding's sweeping Belmont victory on Saturday placing him firmly on course for the $100,000 Westspeed Platinum Spring Final over 1600m next month. Thoroughbred Breeders WA reports the son of Gingerbread Man supplied the middle leg of a treble for trainer Mitchell Pateman, who bookended the meeting with wins from The Persian God and Lord Shiva while Bosun captured Heat 1 of the Westspeed Platinum Spring Series over 1300m. The victory was achieved in striking fashion. Bosun was around ten lengths from the leaders approaching the home turn and still faced a sizeable deficit to God's Gate in the straight before unleashing strongly from the 200m to justify $3.40 favouritism. The performance carried additional significance for Pateman because Bosun is owned by his brother Josh, who is also the trainer's stable foreman and has played an important role in managing a horse whose delayed racing career points to the physical challenges he has encountered. "I was extremely confident today," Mitchell Pateman told Thoroughbred Breeders WA. "He has flashed that ability to finish off his races before and he's been flying at home. My brother Josh owns him and he's been doing a great job managing him through some issues." Winning jockey Pat Carbery knows Bosun particularly well through riding his trackwork and admitted he would have preferred to settle closer, but the solid tempo helped the gelding relax before producing his powerful finish. Carbery felt Bosun still had improvement to come from the outing, observing that he could not have been made much fitter at home without racing. Saturday was only the sixth start of Bosun's career and followed his breakthrough maiden victory at Northam in June, underlining how cautiously his development has been handled. Pateman plans to use a 1400m event as his final lead-up before the Westspeed Platinum Spring Final at Belmont on September 26, a pathway the stable understands well after Diamonds'n'rubies captured the corresponding Winter Final over 1400m in June. Bosun is by Yarradale Stud stallion Gingerbread Man, a son of Shamardal who stands alongside Shooting To Win at a 2026 service fee of $5,500, and his improving race record is giving both the stallion and the Pateman brothers another useful flagbearer.

  • Half Yours Heads Record Caulfield Cup Chase

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A record $6 million purse has sharpened attention around this year's Gr1 Caulfield Cup, with defending champion Half Yours heading a formidable collection of stayers being assembled for the 2400m handicap on October 17. Racenet reports that nominations are closing with the reigning Caulfield and Melbourne Cup hero prominent among the leading contenders, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding attempting to become the first horse since Rising Fast in 1954 and 1955 to win consecutive editions of the Caulfield feature. Half Yours produced one of the defining performances of last spring when he captured the race under Jamie Melham before completing the celebrated Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double at Flemington, joining an elite roll that includes Might And Power, Let's Elope, Doriemus and Ethereal. He remains at the head of early discussions despite going through his autumn campaign without adding another victory, with connections understandably building towards the longer-distance assignments that brought out his best last season. The increased prize pool, up from $5 million in 2025, has helped ensure strong interest from both local and internationally sourced stayers, while the broad complexion of the race remains unusually open this far from October. Racing.com identifies Half Yours at the top of early markets alongside several high-profile contenders, including international performers Al Riffa and Calandagan, while Aeliana is among the locally trained horses capable of developing into a major Cups force. The attraction of the Caulfield Cup extends beyond its own increased purse, with the race retaining its crucial place as one of the great tests on the road to the Melbourne Cup. Half Yours demonstrated that connection emphatically last year, becoming the latest horse to complete the famous double after his Caulfield success was followed by a three-length Melbourne Cup triumph. The Caulfield Cup itself dates to 1879 and has long rewarded horses combining stamina with the tactical agility required around the tight Melbourne circuit. With nominations now crystallising the first genuine picture of the 2026 field, much of the early focus inevitably rests on whether Half Yours can reproduce the extraordinary peak he reached 12 months ago. The richer prize has attracted no shortage of challengers, but until one displaces him on the track, last year's Cups hero remains the benchmark around which this year's Caulfield Cup narrative will be built.

    Half Yours

    Dual Cups hero Half Yours (pic: Mark Gatt)

  • Ryan Takes the Reins at Macedon Lodge

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    One of Australian racing's most celebrated training properties is entering another significant chapter with rising horsewoman Sara Ryan appointed to spearhead the racing operation at Macedon Lodge while retaining her established NSW base. Punters.com.au reveals the 31-year-old will become the latest trainer to occupy the historic Mount Macedon complex, with businessmen Bruce and Michael Dixon entrusting her with the expansion of their Victorian racing interests. Ryan will continue operating from Wyong, where she established herself after previously serving as private trainer for Domeland, while Gr1-winning horseman Steve Farley and her husband, accomplished showjumper Will Mathew, are expected to play important roles in supporting the dual-state operation. The opportunity brings Ryan into surroundings steeped in Cups history. Macedon Lodge was developed by Kurt Stern in the late 1990s before becoming synonymous with Lloyd Williams, whose operation prepared Melbourne Cup winners Efficient, Green Moon and Almandin from the property. Bruce Dixon later purchased the complex from Williams for a reported $20 million and has invested heavily in its infrastructure, including 60 additional stables, two treadmills and two further horse walkers. Ryan's initial team is expected to number up to 20 horses, although that figure should grow as Macedon Racing's intake develops, with approximately 25 two-year-olds already coming through and internationally sourced horses also on the agenda. "The chance to train at Macedon Lodge was something I just couldn't pass up. It gives me an incredible opportunity to grow the stable and continue developing horses at the highest level," Ryan told The Straight. Her appointment follows a rapid rise through the training ranks highlighted by Attractable's victory in the 2023 Big Dance at Randwick, while Michael Dixon believes her combination of horsemanship and ambition makes her central to Macedon Racing's longer-term plans. John Symons and Sheila Laxon, who prepared 2024 Melbourne Cup winner Knight's Choice from the property, will remain tenants, maintaining Macedon Lodge's connection with elite staying success. Rather than attempting to recreate the Williams era, the Dixons are building a broader racing business around public ownership, relationships with leading breeders and a growing young-horse portfolio. For Ryan, the move provides access to one of the country's most sophisticated private training environments without abandoning the NSW platform from which she has built her reputation, giving a young stable an unusually powerful base from which to chase its next stage of development.

  • Red Hot Crack by Waller for Winx Stakes

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A potentially outstanding edition of the Gr1 Winx Stakes over 1400m is taking shape at Randwick on Saturday, with Chris Waller preparing a formidable team around unbeaten mare Autumn Glow while Victorian star Sheza Alibi remains a possible rival. The $1 million feature has long been earmarked as Autumn Glow's spring starting point, but the depth of Waller's nominations could make the race an early-season showcase of elite talent, with Aeliana, Fangirl, Beiwacht, Lindermann, Lady Shenandoah, Autumn Boy and Angel Capital all in contention to join her. Waller, who has won the race nine times, will make final decisions later in the week, with several members of the squad also holding the Gr1 Memsie Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield as an alternative assignment. Interest in the Randwick contest intensified when Peter Moody confirmed Golden Eagle favourite Sheza Alibi would be nominated for the Winx Stakes after earlier expectations she would resume in Melbourne a week later, although a final decision on her programme is expected on Wednesday. Autumn Glow, Beiwacht, Autumn Boy and Lady Shenandoah all completed exhibition gallops at Rosehill on Saturday as Waller continued fine-tuning their preparations, and the trainer indicated those hit-outs would play an important role in determining which horses were best suited to resuming over 1400m. "They are well prepared, it's an important stepping stone for them and I think later in the week we will have a seat and think what can win, what will improve off the run and what is best suited to 1400m, things like that," Waller said. He added that the Rosehill work had provided both trainer and horses with an important guide seven days out from one of the first major weight-for-age tests of the spring. Champion jockey James McDonald partnered Autumn Glow in her gallop and emerged satisfied with her condition, declaring the mare "ready to go", while Tim Clark was similarly taken with Beiwacht, describing him as having "felt like a powerhouse". With so many high-class options under consideration from the Waller stable and Sheza Alibi potentially adding another major drawcard, the Winx Stakes is shaping as considerably more than a traditional starting point, carrying the possibility of an immediate clash between horses expected to feature prominently throughout the spring.

    Chris Waller

    Chris Waller (right) has won the Winx Stakes 9 times (pic: Steve Hart)

  • She's No Saint Adds to Highline Honour Roll

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    Another high-class graduate may be emerging from Highline Thoroughbreds after She's No Saint transformed her Ruakaka dominance into a significant advertisement for the Cambridge operation that bought, prepared and subsequently sold her. Racing News NZ reports the Michelle Bradley-trained daughter of Prague has become the latest notable horse associated with Cam and Eva Heron's farm following her runaway victory in the Gr3 Northland Breeders' Stakes over 1200m on Saturday, a performance that elevated her to joint favouritism for November's Gr1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton. Highline has operated from its present Cambridge property since 2019, providing spelling, agistment, foaling and yearling preparation services while steadily compiling an impressive list of graduates. Working with Victorian-based New Zealand bloodstock agent Paul Moroney, the Herons secured She's No Saint for A$65,000 at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale after she caught their eye as an athletic filly with a powerful hindquarter and fluent movement. "Paul makes his recommendations and we all liked her, so we did our due diligence with x-rays etc and bought her," Cam Heron told Racing News NZ. The subsequent commercial result did not reflect the quality she would eventually display, with the filly selling to Bradley for NZ$55,000 at Karaka. Heron explained that Highline's approach is built primarily around identifying future racehorses rather than chasing short-term pinhooking profits, and She's No Saint has quickly vindicated that philosophy. The farm already has significant runs on the board, having sold five-time Group 1 winner Legarto and Gr1 Tarzino Trophy winner Dark Destroyer, while stakes winners Bona Sforza and Discretion Rules were also purchased as weanlings with assistance from Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman before being resold as yearlings. Bona Sforza cost $65,000 before making $150,000 at Karaka, while Discretion Rules advanced from a $120,000 weanling purchase to a $165,000 yearling. Highline has also enjoyed success as a breeder through Gr2 Rich Hill Mile winner Bourbon Empress, produced from the older Proisir mare Amiga Mia, who is again in foal to Proisir. She's No Saint now has the opportunity to enhance that record further, with her Ruakaka performance suggesting Highline's latest graduate may possess the quality to follow some distinguished predecessors into elite company.

  • Rayif Claims Marois In Deauville Thriller

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A season already decorated by Classic success reached another level at Deauville on Sunday, reports sportinglife.com, when Rayif defeated older opposition in a gripping Gr1 Prix Jacques le Marois over 1600m, giving trainer Francis Graffard, jockey Mickael Barzalona and the Aga Khan Studs a landmark victory. The French 2000 Guineas winner had been denied an intended clash with Bow Echo in the St James’s Palace Stakes after developing a fever and was then beaten when dropped back to 1400m in the Gr1 Prix Jean Prat, but the return to a mile restored his authority against a deep international field. Precise started favourite but was slowly away and settled towards the rear, while Thesecretadversary helped shape the race before weakening late. The two Japanese-trained runners, Sixpence and Strauss, remained isolated towards a different section of the course after most of the field gradually moved across, leaving them unable to make an impact. Zeus Olympios raced prominently throughout with More Thunder, Sir Tommy Cen and Rayif close enough to strike when the tempo lifted. Barzalona allowed the three-year-old to find his rhythm before attacking through the closing stages, gradually picking off the leaders and wearing down Zeus Olympios to score by a neck, with Precise another half-length away in third. Sporting Life reports it was the first Jacques le Marois success for both Graffard and Barzalona and the first for the Aga Khan Studs since 1973, adding further significance to a result achieved in a race sponsored by the operation itself. Princess Zahra Aga Khan praised Rayif’s courage and noted that additional speed had been introduced into the family, while Graffard was delighted his faith in the colt had been rewarded after the Jean Prat defeat. “It’s a wonderful race to win, a very hard race to win,” he said. Barzalona was equally impressed by Rayif’s development, describing him as improved since the Guineas and simply “a very good horse”. The victory also strengthened the colt’s future stallion credentials, an important consideration for a horse already possessing both Classic success and one of France’s most coveted open-age mile races. Graffard has several possible options ahead, including the Gr1 Prix du Moulin, a drop back for the Gr1 Prix de la Forêt or a trip to Ascot for the Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. For now, however, Rayif has answered one significant question by proving his three-year-old form can translate against seasoned older milers.

  • Godolphin Flexes Muscle At Arqana

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    One of the great bloodstock rivalries supplied the theatre at Deauville on Sunday as Godolphin repeatedly outlasted Coolmore during a spectacular second session of the Arqana August Yearling Sale, headed by a €2.4 million son of the late Wootton Bassett. Consigned by Haras de l’Hotellerie on behalf of breeders Florent Couturier and his wife, the colt was only the second horse into the ring but immediately transformed the evening, with Anthony Stroud eventually signing for Sheikh Mohammed’s operation after a sustained duel with Coolmore. Thoroughbred Daily News reports the result proved deeply emotional for consignor Guillaume Garcon, who admitted expectations had been considerably more conservative before bidding accelerated beyond seven figures. The colt is a full-brother to multiple Group winner Topgear and is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Miss Lech, whose extended family also includes Melbourne Cup winner Americain. Couturier had hoped for somewhere around €450,000 to €600,000-plus, making the eventual price an extraordinary result for a mare he originally sourced in America despite enduring three barren seasons early in her breeding career. Stroud was particularly taken by the youngster’s athleticism and movement, telling TDN, “He’s a lively, very good mover and you’ve got to go for the ones you really like.” The Wootton Bassett colt proved only the beginning of a major buying spree. Later in the session Godolphin secured a Frankel colt offered by Baroda Stud for €2.3 million after Coolmore again finished runner-up in the bidding, while a further Wootton Bassett colt from Ecurie des Monceaux was purchased for €1.6 million. A Frankel filly out of Prix de Diane runner-up Philomene added another €1.7 million transaction, with Godolphin effectively buying out the remaining share in a mare it had previously raced in partnership. By the end of Sunday, Stroud had signed for five of the six seven-figure lots sold across the opening two sessions, with six yearlings costing Godolphin €9.95 million and accounting for 29 per cent of the sale’s turnover to that point. Japan also featured prominently when Yoshito Yahagi paid €1 million for a Siyouni colt closely related to four-time Group 1 winner Diamond Necklace. The wider market reflected the intensity at the top end, with Sunday turnover climbing 35 per cent to €20.262 million, the average rising 32 per cent to €326,806 and the combined two-day aggregate reaching €34.813 million.

  • Dabernig Stable Has Surfeit of Spring Riches

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A strong on-speed success at Caulfield on Saturday has given Tom Dabernig another serious spring sprint option, with Shadhavar’s victory in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes over 1200m adding further depth to a stable already harbouring Group 1 ambitions for several runners. The Warrnambool trainer is still in the opening stages of mapping out his major carnival targets, reports racing.com, but Shadhavar’s latest performance has pushed her firmly into the conversation after she controlled the race prominently and proved too strong when the pressure intensified late. Joe O’Neill of Prime Thoroughbreds suggested afterwards that the Gr1 Champions Sprint over 1200m at Flemington on the final day of the carnival could ultimately provide the mare with her best opportunity at elite level, and Dabernig was prepared to entertain that prospect if she continues to progress. “It’s hard to know (if they’ll measure up) but the Pride of Dubai’s get better as they get older,” Dabernig said. “She came here with Adelaide stakes form and now she’s been able to come and do it here.” The trainer also drew a useful comparison with Vega Magic, who won the Regal Roller for the stable in 2017 before progressing to capture the Gr1 Memsie Stakes and later finish second in The Everest. “It’s a good horse’s race the Regal Roller, I remember we won it with Vega Magic, and he went on to become a G1 horse,” Dabernig said. Shadhavar is not the only sprinter from the yard with bigger assignments in view, with Cavalry Girl set to step out in the Gr3 Carlyon Stakes over 1000m at Sandown next week. Her performance there will help determine whether the Gr1 Moir Stakes at the same venue on September 5 becomes the next objective. “I think we’ll look at the Carlyon and then depending on how she goes, maybe into the Moir,” Dabernig said. A third possible top-level runner, Wangoom Handicap winner Oliveanotherday, is also nearing a return and is scheduled to trial at Caulfield on August 19 before resuming in The Heath over 1100m on August 29. Dabernig has indicated that the Gr2 Bobbie Lewis Quality and even the Gr1 Manikato Stakes could come into consideration if the gelding returns in suitable order, leaving the trainer with an unusually broad hand across Melbourne’s major spring sprint programme.

  • Yellow Jersey Puts Memsie Stakes In Play

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A bold first-up tilt at Group 1 company has moved firmly onto the agenda for Yellow Jersey after the lightly raced import enhanced his spring reputation with an eye-catching Caulfield Heath trial victory over Mr Brightside and Giga Kick, reports racing.com. Tony and Calvin McEvoy have several options available for the French-bred son of Dubawi, but the Gr1 Memsie Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield on August 29 is now under serious consideration despite being the most ambitious of them. Yellow Jersey has raced only five times and made his Australian debut at Eagle Farm in June, finishing second over 1600m after a preparation compromised by wet weather. Calvin McEvoy believes the stable has since learned considerably more about the gelding, who had earlier shown high-class promise in France for Andre Fabre by winning his first three starts before finishing third behind Convergent and Dubai Honour in the Gr2 Prix du Conseil de Paris over 2200m. His Caulfield trial suggested he has returned with greater polish. Allowed to stride forward, Yellow Jersey travelled strongly before edging past Mr Brightside near the line, with former Everest winner Giga Kick finishing third in a field loaded with established Group 1 performers. “I think we’ve got a better handle on him this preparation and his trial in Sydney was super, he was very strong in that trial,” McEvoy said. “I thought today he was better, more controlled.” The Memsie represents the aggressive option, although a Benchmark 100 over the same 1400m course and distance on August 29 would allow him to resume under 62kg. A 1500m contest at Sandown the following week and the Listed Heatherlie Stakes over 1700m are also available, with the latter originally pencilled in as his likely starting point. McEvoy, however, now wonders whether Yellow Jersey may possess more brilliance than initially expected, creating the temptation to test him immediately against elite weight-for-age opposition. The bigger objective remains the Gr1 Cox Plate, which will be run over 2000m at Flemington this year, and the gelding has shortened from $26 to around $15 in early markets following his recent work. Qatar Bloodstock heads an ownership group that also includes Ozzie Kheir, Sonney Roth and Tony Guoga, while Sheikh Fahad Al Thani has previously described Yellow Jersey as one of the best horses he has sent to Australia. With his European staying credentials already established, the early spring question is now whether his apparent tactical speed can carry him into Group 1 calculations much earlier than anticipated.

  • Trapeze Artist Filly Targets Princess Series

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A spring campaign carrying genuine Group 1 possibilities took another important step at Rosehill on Saturday when Chilly Girl maintained her unbeaten record with an impressive first-up victory in the Listed Rosebud over 1100m. Trained on the course by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, the daughter of Trapeze Artist was returning from a lengthy interruption after a hamstring strain suffered soon after her debut win in the Gr3 Widden Stakes in January ended any hope of continuing towards the Golden Slipper. Sent out a $6.50 chance under Tim Clark, Chilly Girl enjoyed an economical passage behind $3.60 favourite Blue Door before being presented inside the final 100m, gradually wearing down the leader and drawing clear to score by a length. The performance gave Ryan and Alexiou consecutive Rosebud victories following Skyhook’s success 12 months earlier, but the greater significance lay in the way their lightly raced filly resumed after six months away. Ryan believes the additional time afforded by the injury may ultimately have worked in her favour, with Chilly Girl returning stronger and more physically mature for her three-year-old preparation. Attention will now turn towards Sydney’s Princess Series, beginning with the Gr2 Furious Stakes over 1200m before the Gr2 Tea Rose Stakes over 1400m provides a more searching examination of her capacity to stretch beyond sprint distances. A possible tilt at the Gr1 Flight Stakes over 1600m remains firmly on the table should she continue to progress. “We’ll go to the Furious, the Tea Rose then we’ll decide at the end of 1400 whether we’ll try her at the mile … I reckon she’ll get a mile,” Ryan said, later telling owner-breeder Bert Vieira that he was convinced she would handle 1400m comfortably. Chilly Girl has now won both career starts at stakes level at Rosehill, having announced herself with an authoritative Widden Stakes victory on debut, and her pedigree carries abundant speed through Trapeze Artist and her dam I Got Chills, a precocious daughter of General Nediym who was herself a dual stakes winner early in life. Yet Saturday suggested Chilly Girl may possess more than raw speed alone, with her ability to settle, travel and finish strongly giving her trainers reason to explore longer assignments. With only two starts behind her, her ceiling remains largely unknown, but the Rosebud ensured she will enter the Princess Series as one of the more intriguing fillies of the Sydney spring.

  • Well Written Sharpens Up For Proisir Plate

    Tuesday, 18th August 2026
    A more searching second trial has left Stephen Marsh increasingly satisfied with unbeaten star Well Written as the outstanding mare moves closer to her seasonal return in the Gr1 Proisir Plate over 1400m at Ellerslie on September 5. The daughter of Written Tycoon had been deliberately kept quiet when resuming at the Cambridge trials earlier this month, but Sunday’s 1100m heat at Taupo was designed to ask considerably more of her and produced exactly the response Marsh wanted. Matt Cartwright settled Well Written behind runners after beginning from a wide draw before shifting into clear ground and allowing her to stretch through her work, with the four-year-old lengthening strongly to defeat Twain and Wolfgang by two lengths. Racing News NZ reports Marsh was visibly relieved after watching his stable star complete the exercise, admitting there had been some pre-trial nerves despite her preparation having progressed smoothly. “I just loved the way she stretched out and ended up winning by two lengths,” he said, adding that Cartwright returned equally pleased. The Taupo track had absorbed substantial rain but remained in reasonable condition, although Marsh believes Well Written will appreciate returning to Ellerslie, where she has already produced some of the defining performances of her unbeaten career. Her rise through New Zealand’s three-year-old ranks last season was extraordinary. Bought by Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock for a sale-topping $80,000 through the 2024 NZB National Online Yearling Sale, she won on debut before immediately stepping into stakes company to claim the Gr2 Soliloquy Stakes. That was followed by an emphatic Gr1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas success at Riccarton, the Gr2 Auckland Guineas and the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO, before she preserved her perfect record in the $4 million NZB Kiwi over 1500m in March. The latter victory completed a remarkable six-start season and helped establish her among the finalists for New Zealand’s Champion Three-Year-Old honours. Yulong Investments acquired a 50 per cent interest after her Soliloquy Stakes win, while the original ownership group retained involvement in a mare whose earnings have already vastly exceeded her purchase price. Sunday’s trial was less about adding to that reputation than confirming she had returned in the right order, and Marsh believes the timing now gives him a comfortable three-week window before Ellerslie. Whether she has another public gallop beforehand remains undecided, but the Proisir Plate remains the intended launching point before attention turns towards richer targets across the Tasman.
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