A touch of class separated the winner from his rivals in Saturday's $1 million CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, where Jimmysstar surged to a third Group 1 title and underlined his status as one of Australasia's elite sprinter-milers. According to NZ Racing Desk, his victory also capped a red-letter result for Per Incanto, whose progeny filled first and third. After bursting onto the Australian scene last season with explosive Group 1 wins in the Oakleigh Plate and All Aged Stakes, the New Zealand-bred gelding has barely put a foot wrong. His Sydney spring campaign included a strong third in October's Gr1 The Everest from a wide draw and a return to the winner's circle in the lucrative Russell Balding Stakes. Saturday's win confirmed trainer Ciaron Maher's faith in the chestnut's progression and preparation. "He's a ripper," Maher said. "He was better at 1300m and I knew he'd be better again today." Glued-on rider Ethan Brown gave the chestnut a copybook steer, stalking the speed before unleashing a lethal sprint to overhaul fellow Per Incanto gelding Evaporate and repel the late challenge of Angel Capital. Brown has made no secret of his bond with the horse, calling him his favourite mount. "He wasn't easy to deal with early doors," he said, recalling the fiery colt who won the Oakleigh Plate on raw ability. "But he has really come of age since then. He's turned into the ultimate professional." Timing the ride to perfection, Brown allowed Jimmysstar to travel freely behind a genuine tempo, then angled wide and struck decisively. "He sort of felt Angel Capital there and I think that helped him," Brown added. "Off he went. He gives me such an amazing feeling." Maher credited the jockey's instincts and rapport with the horse, noting, "He was in the driver's seat most of the way." Originally trained in New Zealand by Guy Lowry, Jimmysstar was sold to Australian interests after a Rating 65 win at Hastings and has since amassed more than $6.6 million in earnings from 11 wins and seven placings across 23 starts. Bred by Pete and Chrissy Algie in partnership with Little Avondale Stud, whose owners Sam and Catriona Williams remain in the ownership, the chestnut is by the latter's stallion Per Incanto out of Anniesstar, a Zed mare who won the Listed Feilding Gold Cup and who's produced multiple stakes performers including Charms Star. Maher confirmed the gelding will now enjoy a well-earned spell before a likely build-up toward the 2026 edition of The Everest, declaring, "He's earned a breather now... It'll all probably be centred around The Everest next year, I'd imagine."
Blue Army's Outsourced Training Delivering in Spades
Weekend, 17th November 2025
There was no mistaking the authority of the prformance in Saturday's Group 3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle, where the decision to adopt a public training model bore further fruit for Godolphin, reports punters.com.au. Green Spaces, a rising force among the three-year-old brigade, dismantled his rivals in clinical fashion to give trainer Bjorn Baker another moment to savour in the famed royal blue silks. The son of Street Boss marked himself as yet another headline act from a powerful Godolphin generation that's already amassed eight Stakes wins since August. Beiwacht has claimed the Group 1 Golden Rose, Tentyris stamped herself in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, Observer dominated the Victoria Derby, and Tempted triumphed in the Run To The Rose – a glittering constellation of form that also includes a Group 1 Everest placing. Much of this success has followed the midyear shift in Godolphin's operational model following the departure of James Cummings to Hong Kong. Racing Manager Jason Walsh acknowledged the transition has been fruitful, saying, "We put a lot of effort into deciding where the horses would be best placed with trainers and they've done a great job of placing them in races they can win." For Baker, Green Spaces' win was more than a result—it was a reaffirmation of the opportunity he now enjoys with the Godolphin brand. "It's an honour and a pleasure to prepare horses in those wonderful colours," he said. "To watch that horse put them away like he did, knowing I'm training it, I really do sometimes have to pinch myself. It gave me a lot of satisfaction that win." The colt's victory also softened the blow of Pericles' narrow defeat in Melbourne last weekend, another Baker-trained runner carrying Godolphin's banner. In a truly run 1600m contest, Long Legs ensured a solid tempo that helped set the race up for a backmarker with class. Jockey Rachel King had Green Spaces balanced in midfield before cruising forward in the straight, still learning on the job but surging past his peers with ease. "He's a pretty good horse I reckon," said King. "I had a bit to do with him as a two-year-old... he nearly fell over one day and just bounced back better than ever. He's starting to really put it together now and it's very exciting to think what the future holds for him." That future appears bright – he was three lengths clear on the line and still doing it on raw talent.
Another Gr1 NZ 2000 Guineas for Gerard Stable
Weekend, 17th November 2025
There was no separating the pair until the judge's decision, but Pam Gerard had already achieved what every trainer dreams of – landing a Group 1 quinella in a Classic. On a rain-sodden Riccarton track downgraded to Heavy9, the Matamata-based trainer watched her stablemates Romanoff and Affirmative Action go to war in the closing stages of the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), with the former snatching victory by a nose. According to NZ Racing Desk, the worsening conditions wreaked havoc on pre-race predictions, as connections of the 15 runners tried to decipher whether their charges would handle the deep going. Gerard admitted to being firmly in that camp, concerned whether her promising pair could cope. Any fears were quickly eased when Brazilian jockey Bruno Queiroz had Romanoff stalking the early leaders, while Affirmative Action loomed out wider as they searched for better footing. Both geldings powered into the frame as the race hit full tilt at the 300m, edging away from the field before locking horns in a stride-for-stride battle that wasn't settled until several anxious minutes after the line. A breathless Gerard, still processing the magnitude of the result, said, "Just the whole thing... they are both really nice horses and I think their class has shown. I honestly thought the other horse had got up." She added, "I was really worried about the track... I still don't think they liked it one bit, but on a wet day Romanoff may always have been the better on it." The trainer also paid tribute to the dedication of her team behind the scenes and the owners, some of whom had flown in from Australia and were treated to a dramatic New Zealand debut. "It is hard on a day when you get a hailstorm and all the work that has gone in you think bloody hell, but we managed to get away with it." For Queiroz, already a 16-time Group 1 winner in Brazil, the breakthrough at elite level in New Zealand was especially emotional. "I just had one dream which was a Group 1 here," he said. "It was so close but I'm so glad as I thought I had won as he fought so hard the last 100m." Bred by Marie Leicester from the Stravinsky mare Tsarina Belle, Romanoff was purchased by Ballymore Stables, Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman for $75,000 at NZB's Karaka Book 2 in 2024 and has now won two of seven starts for more than $454,000 in prize money.
Expectations around the Perth carnival shifted sharply on Friday after confirmation that the reigning Champions Sprint hero Giga Kick will not travel west, despite early speculation that he might chase another Group 1. The three-time elite-level winner, who also claimed the 2022 Everest, had sat atop markets for both the Winterbottom Stakes on November 29 and the Gold Rush two weeks later, but connections have opted for a longer, more measured preparation. His spring resurgence, highlighted by a commanding Champions Sprint victory at Flemington, had fuelled strong anticipation that Perth would be the next stop. Instead, the call has been made to send him to the paddock with a specific view toward the Lightning Stakes in early 2026. "The horse is fine, but he had a hard run on a heavy 9 track in the Champions Sprint," Jonathan Munz told racenet.com.au. He added that the aim is to give the gelding the breathing space needed to return at full power. "We have decided to give him some extra time in the paddock to have a first-up tilt at the Lightning next year. It would have been good for Perth for him to be there and it would have been good to see him win his fourth Group 1 in a fourth state. But we can always go to Perth next year perhaps." Suggestions earlier in the week that he had already been locked in for Ascot were never accurate, with the stable always intending to make a final decision today. Had he gone west, the plan would have been to run solely in the Winterbottom rather than attempt the Gold Rush double, but the choice has ultimately swung toward long-range campaigning instead of short-term opportunity. His absence reshapes the upcoming Group 1, clearing a smoother path for Overpass to aim for a remarkable third consecutive Winterbottom. Bjorn Baker's flagbearer has built a strong affinity with Ascot and will relish a contest no longer featuring the $14.8m star. Local favourite Jokers Grin also looms large, having returned with an electrifying first-up win earlier this month and heading into Saturday's Colonel Reeves Stakes over 1100m as the runner to beat before his own Winterbottom bid.
HKJC Chief Executive Furious Over Negligence
Weekend, 17th November 2025
An out of character moment of chaos at Sha Tin on Saturday cost the Hong Kong Jockey Club an estimated HK$160 million in turnover, prompting a sharp rebuke from chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who labelled the operational lapse "unacceptable" and pointed to preventable negligence at the heart of the issue. According to scmp.com, trouble erupted as runners jumped for the Class Four Lukfook Jewellery Cool Collection Handicap (1200m), with jockey Matthew Poon Ming-fai unseated shortly after the start when Dreaming Winner ducked out and turned back toward the field. The Frankie Lor-trained galloper ran loose in the wrong direction, triggering a safety alarm and bringing the integrity of race-day protocols into question. Fortunately, both horse and rider avoided injury, and the wayward runner pulled up safely at the entrance to the stables. Though the stop-race siren was eventually sounded, it came too late to prevent confusion. Emblazon crossed the line first, but the result was ultimately scrapped and the event declared void following a formal inquiry. Engelbrecht-Bresges did not mince words, stating, "It is very clear that you have a tape behind the gates and this tape should not be removed until the horses have gone. This was a clear failure in standard operation procedures and this is unacceptable – it's unlucky, but you have these procedures in place so that if something unlucky happens, it is prevented." He added that while the turnover implications were significant, his greater concern was the breach of trust in race-day systems. "I think it is not about the turnover. I am deeply disappointed that we have practices and procedures in place to prevent this and people have not followed them. I accept that everybody can make mistakes, but this is not about mistakes, it is negligence." Chief steward Marc van Gestel later clarified that the siren was activated around the 500m mark – far too late to provide clarity to riders mid-race. "The jockeys indicated to us that they were confused as to whether it meant an abandonment of the race," he said. Some looked for visual confirmation of a hazard and, finding none, chose to ride on. In response, the Jockey Club has promised a thorough review of the incident and will implement clearer systems to ensure the siren's meaning cannot be misinterpreted again.
Bargain Buy Takes Owners to Group Glory
Weekend, 17th November 2025
Few racetrack stories deliver quite the return on investment as the one that unfolded at Caulfield on Saturday, where a modest $11,000 yearling took her owners all the way to Gr3 glory, reports racingnews.co.nz. That mare was Proved, who surged home late in the How Now Stakes (1200m) to notch her sixth win from seven starts and secure her first black-type success in the process. The daughter of Time Test was bred and sold by Windsor Park Stud, out of the Shamexpress mare Out To Impress – a half-sister to Victoria Derby winner Monaco Consul. Trainer Enver Jusufovic, acting on a tip from Mick Moran at Windsor Park, picked her up from the stud's Rugby, Racing and Beer Sale in 2022 and now finds himself managing a serious mare with earnings already exceeding A$244,000. "She's terrific for an $11,000 purchase," he said. "A lot of first-time owners in this mare, and a big thank you to Mick Moran… he told me to buy this horse." While her return run at Bendigo last month raised questions, Jusufovic said she'd had a minor setback and bounced back well in her work. "I had another option tomorrow, but chose to run today to give it a try. It just all went well." Carleen Hefel, who'd galloped the mare earlier in the week, played her hand perfectly in the fillies and mares' feature. Tracking inside runners turning for home, she spotted a narrow seam and drove Proved through with conviction. The pair lunged late to claim a tight finish over Aviatress and She's Bulletproof. "She's a terrific mare," Hefel said. "At her seventh start, to win at Group Three, that is a good effort for a mare. She's got that will to win." Hefel, who has also partnered Gr3 winner New York Lustre, was asked to compare the two. "I always preferred her," she admitted. "She's a bit more stuck on to her work and more professional than New York Lustre… With Lustre it was always her way, whereas this mare is so easy." Jusufovic, for his part, has long believed Proved matched up well with his Derby Day winner. Now, after Saturday's breakthrough, so will plenty of others.
Proved (blinkers) has 6 wins from 7 starts (pic: Mark Gatt)
Godolphin Dozen Add to Allure of Inglis Digital
Weekend, 17th November 2025
Interest in the Inglis Digital November (Late) Online Sale is set to spike with a powerful 12-strong Godolphin draft headlined by Group 2 winner Corniche and an enticing three-in-one broodmare package built around a half sister to four-time Group 1 star Hartnell. Bidding is now open, and the Godolphin consignment has quickly emerged as one of the key focal points of the catalogue. The blue-blood draft comprises nine racehorses and three race fillies, and opens the first dozen lots in the sale. Corniche, a Group 2 winner by Fastnet Rock, is joined by the progressive two-time winner Tarpaulin, who is also engaged to race at Caulfield on Saturday, along with lightly raced fillies Charlecote Mill, Commedia and Parfumier. Previous Godolphin offerings on Inglis Digital have unearthed subsequent stakes winners such as Alegron, Barber and Sandpaper, so buyers will be alert to any upside lurking within this latest line-up. Broodmare buyers are expected to zone in on Moonquake, a high-class Medaglia d'Oro mare who presents as an appealing three-in-one lot. A half sister to multiple Group 1 winner Hartnell, she is offered in foal to Golden Slipper hero Shinzo and sells with a Maurice colt foal at foot, giving breeders instant access to a proven European family laced with current commercial stallions. Also among the headline breeding opportunities is a share in emerging young Newhaven Park stallion Cool Aza Beel, whose first crop has already produced Group 1-winning two-year-old Cool Archie and Group 3-winning filly Cool Aza Rene from fewer than 40 starters. Depth is a recurring theme across the broader November (Late) catalogue, which totals 253 lots and spans 138 racehorses, including 63 race fillies, 46 broodmares, 44 racehorse shares, 13 yearlings, six two-year-olds, five unraced horses and a stallion share. Notable racing and breeding prospects include a one-third share in five-time winner and Group 3 performer Bandi's Boy, Country Cups candidate Berkshire Shadow, and Lismore Cup hero Flywheel, who has finished in the quinella at his past four starts. There is also a 2.5 percent interest in progressive three-year-old Brave Danza, a recent Flemington stakes placegetter, plus consistent metro winners such as Catani Gardens and First Beach, unraced Extreme Choice colt European, and talented mare She's Unusual, a five-time winner who has placed in 11 of 14 starts. Further broodmare highlights include Zoustyle's half sister Bowie Bluebird, offered in foal to Acrobat; Miss Kingston, in foal to Hellbent; Missile Rain, who is related to Group 1 winner Riff Rocket and sells in foal to Acrobat with a North Pacific filly at foot; and Volante, a two-year-old-winning daughter of Snitzel offered with a Cosmic Force colt foal at foot.
