A remarkable rise from $10,000 weanling to one of Australian racing's brightest stars continued at Flemington when Sheza Alibi produced an imperious performance to capture the Gr1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), recording the third Group 1 victory of her increasingly distinguished career. The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained four-year-old started the $1.60 favourite and was beautifully positioned by Luke Nolen from barrier five, settling one off the fence in midfield while Treasurethe Moment and Another Wil established a solid tempo. Once the field swung into the Flemington straight, Sheza Alibi travelled ominously into contention and Nolen scarcely needed to become serious before the daughter of Saxon Warrior swept past her rivals. She reached the front about 250 metres from home and powered clear to defeat Autumn Boy by 2¾ lengths, with Another Wil third, completing the 1600 metres in 1:35.34. The victory followed Sheza Alibi's autumn triumphs in the Gr1 Randwick Guineas and Gr1 Doncaster Mile and improved her record to eight wins from 12 starts, six at black-type level, with earnings now exceeding $4.3 million. Co-trainer Katherine Coleman described the mare's unfolding story as "incredibly special", adding: "She loves defying history, this girl, and I think she's going to continue to do it as her career progresses." Coleman was particularly taken by the ease of the performance against accomplished opposition, describing Sheza Alibi as "very, very special" and noting that she has returned this preparation bigger, stronger and a more finished product. The $10 million Golden Eagle at Randwick on October 31 remains the principal target, although Coleman stressed that final decisions would not be made immediately after the race. Sheza Alibi's story is already extraordinary. Bred by Fred and Desley Moncur, she was offered by Middlebrook Valley Lodge as a weanling through the 2023 Inglis Digital June Sale, where Queensland grazier and sole owner Fred Noffke secured her for just $10,000. She is now one of 125 individual Group 1-winning Inglis graduates since 2018 and, having dismantled a quality weight-for-age field with such authority, there remains the tantalising possibility that the best chapter of her unlikely journey is still to come, according to inglis.com.au.
Hellbent's Savvy Hallie Rebounds in Sheraco
Weekend, 14th September 2026
Savvy Hallie produced one of the most striking form reversals of the Rosehill meeting when the Brad Widdup-trained mare bounced back from a disappointing first-up performance to dominate the Gr2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m). Nash Rawiller rode the daughter of Hellbent positively from the outset, allowing her to use her natural speed to establish control before she accelerated clear in the straight and never gave her rivals a realistic opportunity to reel her in. The victory carried Savvy Hallie's career earnings beyond $1 million and represented her third success at black-type level, adding another important chapter to the record of a mare whose best performances have repeatedly demonstrated that she belongs in high-class sprinting company. Her previous appearance had yielded little encouragement on paper, with Savvy Hallie failing to beat a runner home, but Widdup remained confident that the run was not representative of her true ability and the decision to press ahead to the Sheraco was rewarded emphatically. Rawiller's willingness to take the initiative proved crucial, allowing the mare to establish her rhythm rather than becoming involved in traffic behind runners, and once balanced for the final sprint she produced the acceleration that has characterised her best victories. By Yarraman Park's Gr1 William Reid Stakes winner Hellbent, Savvy Hallie has developed into another valuable representative for a sire whose progeny have become increasingly prominent among Australia's sprinting ranks. The Sheraco victory inevitably prompted discussion of whether connections might now entertain still loftier sprinting targets during the spring, including a possible path towards The Everest should an opportunity emerge, although the mare's immediate programme can be considered from a position of considerably greater strength following Saturday's display. What appeared beforehand to be an exercise in rebuilding confidence instead became a decisive Group 2 victory and another demonstration of the danger in judging talented mares solely on one below-par performance. According to yarramanpark.com.au, the victory pushed Savvy Hallie through the $1 million prizemoney barrier, a notable milestone for a mare whose speed and resilience have now produced three black-type successes.
Emphatic Golden Rose Claims by Warwoven
Weekend, 14th September 2026
A return to Rosehill brought out the best in Warwoven as the Bjorn Baker-trained colt produced a determined performance to capture the Gr2 Run To The Rose (1200m), establishing himself as a genuine contender for the Gr1 Golden Rose. Ridden by Rachel King, the son of Sword Of State prevailed in a competitive finish over the previously unbeaten St Gotthard, edging out the Chris Waller-trained favourite by a neck, with the remainder headed by the placegetters behind them. Warwoven had already demonstrated above-average ability during his juvenile campaign, highlighted by victory in the Gr3 Pago Pago Stakes, and his latest success took his record to four wins from seven starts and earnings beyond $550,000. The colt had resumed with a fifth before producing the improvement required against one of the strongest collections of three-year-olds assembled so far this spring, and his ability to sustain his effort over the final stages was particularly encouraging with the Golden Rose looming. Warwoven is by Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State, the Snitzel entire who won the Gr1 Sistema Stakes during his own racing career, and is out of the Makfi mare Needle And Thread. The latter was herself a Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed, giving the colt a pedigree containing considerably more depth than simply precocious sprinting speed. His Rosehill victory also completed a notable interstate stakes double for Baker after stablemate Paradoxium captured the Gr3 Poseidon Stakes at Flemington earlier on Saturday. St Gotthard lost little in defeat, remaining unbeaten until Warwoven's late challenge and confirming himself as another serious spring three-year-old for Waller, while the result further complicated an increasingly intriguing Golden Rose picture. Warwoven, however, earned the principal honours and the valuable Group 2 success represented another significant step forward from a colt whose juvenile campaign had already hinted that better races were within his compass. With his combination of tactical versatility, proven stakes quality and an increasingly persuasive 1200-metre profile, his next appearance should provide an important indication of whether Baker has unearthed another genuine Group 1 spring contender.
Losesomewinmore Topples Bobbie Lewis Pick
Weekend, 14th September 2026
Flemington straight-course experience again proved an invaluable asset as Losesomewinmore upset the heavily supported Oliveanotherday in the Gr2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m), recording the eighth victory of his career and another significant success over the famous straight six. Trained by Richard and Chantelle Jolly and ridden by Craig Williams, the son of All Too Hard arrived at Flemington somewhat overshadowed by the favourite, but his familiarity with straight racing became increasingly important once the field was asked to quicken. Losesomewinmore travelled strongly before asserting himself over the concluding stages, ending Oliveanotherday's winning sequence and securing his second black-type victory down the Flemington straight. The result further underlined the gelding's affinity with the course and demonstrated the value of genuine straight-track experience against rivals whose conventional-turning-track form may appear superior on paper. By Vinery Stud's four-time Group 1 winner All Too Hard from the Raischek family, Losesomewinmore has developed steadily through his career rather than emerging as an immediate high-profile stakes performer, but the Jolly stable has successfully placed him to maximise his considerable sprinting ability. Saturday's $300,000 Group 2 represented another substantial advancement and confirmed that his previous Flemington performances were no coincidence. Williams, one of the country's most accomplished riders over the straight course, allowed the gelding to find his balance before asking for his decisive effort, while the short-priced Oliveanotherday was unable to reproduce the acceleration that had carried him through his winning sequence. The victory adds Losesomewinmore's name to an honour roll containing numerous accomplished Australian sprinters and opens the possibility of further valuable targets during the Melbourne spring. For connections, however, the immediate satisfaction came from defeating a strongly fancied emerging sprinter on merit and collecting a Group 2 prize with a horse whose profile continues to rise. According to breednet.com.au, Losesomewinmore's Bobbie Lewis success was his second black-type victory over the Flemington straight, reinforcing what has become one of the defining characteristics of his racing career.
Skyhook Launches Golden Eagle Campaign
Weekend, 14th September 2026
A sustained betting move proved well founded when Skyhook resumed with an authoritative victory in the Gr2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill, providing Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou with an ideal opening to a campaign geared towards the $10 million Golden Eagle. Kerrin McEvoy was entrusted with the ride on the four-year-old Written Tycoon entire, who started favourite despite drawing awkwardly and carrying 56 kilograms, and Skyhook justified that confidence by producing a decisive finishing effort to defeat Magnatear by 1¼ lengths. The victory continued the development of a horse who has always possessed considerable natural talent and suggested the additional maturity gained since his three-year-old season may enable him to establish himself among the country's better middle-distance sprinters. Skyhook is by champion sire Written Tycoon from Madame Pauline, a daughter of Redoute's Choice and a winning half-sister to Gr3 San Domenico Stakes winner and Gr1 Galaxy runner-up Anders. The family also includes stakes winners Ostraka and Caffe Florian, providing Skyhook with a pedigree combining considerable speed and commercial appeal. His first-up victory was particularly significant given that the Theo Marks represented the beginning rather than the culmination of his preparation, leaving Ryan and Alexiou with considerable scope to build towards the Golden Eagle over 1500 metres at Rosehill later in the spring. Magnatear produced a strong performance at lengthy odds to finish second after enjoying the benefit of the inside draw, but Skyhook's superiority was evident over the closing stages as McEvoy asked him to extend. The result also vindicated strong race-day support that ultimately saw the entire start at the head of the market. Having now demonstrated that he can produce a high-class performance fresh and handle 1300 metres against seasoned opposition, Skyhook has given his trainers precisely the foundation they would have wanted for his major target. The Golden Eagle remains several steps away, but Saturday's Group 2 success provided persuasive evidence that the Written Tycoon entire belongs among the leading candidates heading towards one of Sydney's richest spring contests.
Pondalowie Pounces In Let's Elope
Weekend, 14th September 2026
A powerful finishing burst delivered Pondalowie the most important victory of her career when the Deep Field mare swept home to capture the Gr2 Let's Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington. Racing against a competitive field of mares, Pondalowie was given the opportunity to conserve her energy before unleashing late, producing the acceleration required to defeat Too Darn Discreet, with On Display filling third position. The victory represented a valuable first Group 2 success for the mare and provided another notable result for the progeny of the late Deep Field, whose influence as a source of high-class speed continues through his daughters as well as his sons. Out of Glorious Red, Pondalowie carried the additional distinction of being a New Zealand Bloodstock graduate, and Saturday's performance considerably enhanced her residual value as a broodmare prospect. The 1400 metres at Flemington presented a different examination from an outright sprint, requiring Pondalowie to settle and produce her best work after conserving sufficient energy for the long run home, and the manner in which she accelerated through the concluding stages suggested the distance is firmly within her optimum range. Too Darn Discreet fought on strongly for second and lost little caste in defeat, while On Display completed the placings in a race that could prove an important reference point for the mares' programme deeper into the Melbourne spring. The Let's Elope has traditionally served as a pathway towards races such as the Gr2 Stocks Stakes over 1600 metres, and Pondalowie's performance leaves connections with the option of testing whether she can stretch her effectiveness to that distance. Regardless of where she heads next, the Flemington victory materially changed her profile: a mare already possessing ability is now a Group 2 winner from a commercially attractive speed family. According to breednet.com.au, the New Zealand Bloodstock graduate produced a decisive late surge to secure the prize, and the victory provided another significant stakes result for Deep Field's increasingly influential legacy.
Racing Stock Leads Latest MM Digital Sale
Weekend, 14th September 2026
Racehorses dominate the latest Magic Millions Digital catalogue, with established performers, lightly raced prospects and a substantial collection of racing shares among the opportunities available during the September 11-16 auction. More than half of the catalogue is made up of racehorses and race fillies, with almost three-quarters of those lots offered without reserve, according to magicmillions.com.au. A broad cross-section of leading Australian stables and breeders has supplied stock, including Anthony Freedman Racing, Arrowfield Stud, Baramul Stud, Ciaron Maher Racing, Darby Racing, Gollan Racing, Lindsay Park Racing, Mill Park Stud, Prime Thoroughbreds, Robert Heathcote Racing, Sears Racing, Snowden Racing, The Racing League, Wolfe Racing Stables and Yulong. Among the headline racehorses is Eurocanto, catalogued as Lot 16 by Lindsay Park Racing as agent. The three-year-old gelding has raced only six times but already owns valuable Stakes form, having won the Listed Maribyrnong Trial at Flemington last season when defeating subsequent Gr1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Streisand, and he is being offered unreserved. Arrowfield Stud contributes two racehorses, headed by Lot 3 Heathcliff, who has recorded a win and two placings from five appearances and was runner-up at Scone on September 1, while four-year-old Fasvara, Lot 18, has won or placed in five of eight starts and carries a Hong Kong rating of 68. Another lightly raced proposition is Lot 5 Revamped, a son of Snitzel whose three-start career includes a Newcastle victory on August 13. The race-filly section provides both immediate racing prospects and potential residual value, with Lot 30 Written Scandal among the more accomplished offerings. The daughter of Written Tycoon was purchased for $320,000 as a yearling and has earned multiple metropolitan placings, including a Canterbury fourth in August when beaten less than a length. Bianca Mia, Lot 31, arrives in particularly strong form, having won her past two starts since transferring from New South Wales to Queensland after previously racing consistently at provincial level. Twelve racehorse shares are also catalogued, broadening the avenues for buyers seeking immediate racing involvement, while the broodmare component includes Lot 53 Duchess Pedrille, offered unreserved by Yarraman Park with a Cosmic Force filly foal at foot after her yearling realised $150,000 earlier this year. Bidding is already under way and will begin closing from noon AEST on Wednesday, September 16, leaving buyers with a catalogue weighted strongly towards horses capable of providing near-term racetrack participation rather than purely speculative future value.
Ka Ying Rising Reaches Historic Rating
Weekend, 14th September 2026
Hong Kong sprint phenomenon Ka Ying Rising has taken another extraordinary step into racing history after his latest Sha Tin demolition earned him an international rating of 135, carrying him beyond the peak mark credited to unbeaten Australian champion Black Caviar. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities lifted the world's leading sprinter four points following his 7.75-length course-record victory last week, when he stopped the clock at a blistering 1:06.11, according to racing.com. The performance elevated Ka Ying Rising from 131 to 135 and placed him clearly atop the 2026 global rankings, four points ahead of British star Ombudsman on 131, with Bow Echo next on 127 and Daryz, Item and Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior sharing 126. The figure also places Ka Ying Rising in rare historical company. His new rating matches the career peaks achieved by Baeed, Harbinger and Japanese superstar Equinox and leaves him equal fourth among horses assessed under the modern IFHA system, behind only Frankel and Flightline, who both reached 140, and Sea The Stars at 136. Black Caviar's internationally recognised peak was 132, achieved following her 2011 Newmarket Handicap victory, giving Ka Ying Rising a numerical benchmark beyond one of the greatest sprinters the sport has produced. The Australian comparison will inevitably carry added fascination because Ka Ying Rising is now preparing to return to Sydney and defend his Everest crown. Currently completing quarantine in Hong Kong, he is scheduled to travel later this month before undertaking a further two weeks of quarantine in Australia ahead of the $20 million Randwick sprint. His progression through the international ratings has mirrored the relentlessness of his performances. Ka Ying Rising ended last year rated 128, rose to 130 in May and 131 in July before his latest display prompted the substantial reassessment to 135. He has not been beaten in 21 starts since February 2024, an extraordinary sequence that has transformed him from Hong Kong's dominant sprinter into the highest-rated racehorse in the world. The latest IFHA update contained no Australian-trained horse among the global top 25, further emphasising the gulf Ka Ying Rising has opened at the head of the table. Ratings across different eras will always invite argument, particularly when comparisons involve a champion as revered as Black Caviar, but on the official international scale Ka Ying Rising has now entered territory occupied by only a handful of horses this century, and his impending Everest defence offers Australian racegoers the rare opportunity to see a 135-rated champion at the height of his powers.
Perfume Princess Storms Home At Belmont
Weekend, 14th September 2026
An electrifying last-to-first performance at Belmont has put Perfume Princess firmly on a path towards the Gr3 Champion Fillies Stakes, with the lightly raced three-year-old producing a finish that suggested her best racing remains ahead of her. The Amelia Park-bred filly appeared to face an impossible task in Wednesday's Schweppes Handicap over 1400m after conceding leader Rising Flame approximately ten lengths at the 800m and remaining second-last approaching the 200m, but Chris Parnham angled her into clear running and she unleashed a sustained burst down the outside to overwhelm her rivals, according to tbwa.net.au. Race-caller Darren McAullay labelled the finish "barnstorming", an appropriate description for a filly who had been disadvantaged by the shape of the race before producing decisive acceleration when finally asked for her effort. Trainer Simon Miller was hardly surprised by the performance despite Perfume Princess starting at $19, explaining that wide barriers had previously forced him to withdraw her from several intended assignments and that he had arrived at Belmont expecting a strong showing. "She's a ripper," Miller said. "She hasn't had much luck and I've scratched her a few times after drawing wide. She has a terrific turn of foot and I came her thinking she was a good bet." There was also some good-natured stable pressure attached to the result after Miller had already saddled winners Jemconi and Anaballistic earlier on the card, leaving Perfume Princess with the responsibility of completing a treble. The daughter of King's Legacy and Hinchinbrook mare Amelia's Contraire responded in emphatic fashion, encouraging connections to nominate the Gr3 Champion Fillies Stakes over 1600m at Ascot on November 14 as her principal target. Parnham was particularly impressed given how the race unfolded, noting that the field became stretched while his mount was caught wide before she produced her closing surge. "For her to pick them up like that was a really good effort. She let rip and there's plenty of upside," he said. Perfume Princess was sold by Amelia Park for $46,000 at the 2025 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale and carries a pedigree already familiar to Miller and breeder-owner Peter Walsh. Her dam Amelia's Contraire won four races up to 1400m in Perth after Walsh purchased her for $200,000 at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, while her first foal, Deepest Desire, has also won at Bunbury and Belmont. Amelia Park previously won the Champion Fillies Stakes with Samovare in 2016, and a decade later Perfume Princess is emerging as a legitimate candidate to return the familiar colours to that same winner's circle.
The market got it all wrong about Perfume Princess (pic: Western Racepix)
Auckland Secures 2028 Asian Racing Conference
Weekend, 14th September 2026
New Zealand racing will return to the international spotlight in 2028 after Auckland was selected to host the 42nd Asian Racing Conference, bringing an estimated 600 to 800 administrators, industry leaders and racing participants from around the world to the country for one of the sport's most influential gatherings. Scheduled for March 7-12, the conference will be staged at the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland's SkyCity precinct and will culminate with Champions Day at Ellerslie on Saturday, March 11, according to racingnews.co.nz. First staged in 1960, the Asian Racing Conference brings together senior figures from racing, breeding, wagering and associated industries to examine issues including equine welfare, integrity, development, technology and the future direction of the sport. New Zealand has hosted the conference three times previously, in 1968, 1984 and 2003, and will regain hosting duties following the 41st edition in Riyadh this year. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing accepted the responsibility on behalf of the domestic industry in partnership with Auckland Convention Bureau, while the Asian Racing Federation will work alongside both organisations in developing the programme and delegate experience. Racing Minister Winston Peters described the conference as an opportunity to demonstrate the international strength of New Zealand's Thoroughbred sector while highlighting recent changes intended to improve its financial position and long-term sustainability. Asian Racing Federation chairman and Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said New Zealand's racing and breeding heritage, integrity structures and forward-looking approach made it an appropriate setting for discussions surrounding the sport's major challenges and opportunities. NZTR chief executive Matt Ballesty similarly emphasised the value of bringing leading international racing figures to the country, with Champions Day intended to provide delegates with a showcase of New Zealand racing at its highest domestic level. Optional stud farm visits are planned for Sunday, March 12, providing overseas visitors with further exposure to the breeding industry that has given New Zealand a disproportionate influence on major races throughout Australasia and Asia. The wider economic importance of the Thoroughbred sector was also highlighted in announcing the conference, with direct annual expenditure calculated at NZ$968.4 million, more than 9,400 full-time-equivalent jobs supported and almost 25,000 people involved through employment, participation or volunteering. Auckland Convention Bureau will use the occasion to showcase the city alongside the racing programme, with organisers now moving into detailed planning of event partners, programme content and delegate activities. By combining an international industry conference with Ellerslie's premier raceday and access to the country's breeding operations, the 2028 gathering offers New Zealand a rare opportunity to present the complete breadth of its Thoroughbred industry to many of the people shaping racing's future.
Sheza Alibi Wins Gr1 Makybe Diva Stakes
Weekend, 14th September 2026
Track: Flemington
Race: Gr1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m)
Winner: Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior-Sheza Gypsy, by Shaft)
Placings: 2nd: Autumn Boy, 3rd: Another Wil
Stallion: Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact-Maybe, by Galileo)
