Unprecedented Three-Way Tie for Gr1 HOTY
Wednesday, 29th 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.
Hewitson Homecoming Delivers Emotional Gr1
Wednesday, 29th 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.
RQ Could Remove Barriers to Horses Racing
Wednesday, 29th 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)
Ascot Puts King George Back on the World Stage
Wednesday, 29th 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.
Brave Monarch’s Rise Points to Bigger Prizes
Wednesday, 29th 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)
Tassie Big Guns Farewell 2025-26 Season
Wednesday, 29th 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.
NZ Racing Identities Commit to Project Stamina
Wednesday, 29th July 2026
A landmark attempt to reshape New Zealand racing’s physical footprint has been unveiled through Project Stamina, a long-range infrastructure programme jointly released by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, Harness Racing New Zealand and TAB NZ on Tuesday, July 28. Combining an independently prepared National Masterplan from consultancy RCP with One Equine View, the shared implementation position developed by NZTR and HRNZ, the initiative is being presented as the first genuinely coordinated cross-code strategy for racing and training facilities across the country. Funded by TAB NZ on behalf of the two codes, the review examined a venue network that has expanded and evolved over many years while horse populations, participant numbers and industry economics have shifted markedly, leaving capital and operating expenditure spread across more sites than the sector can sustainably support. Its central recommendation is to align infrastructure more closely with the regions where horses, participants and racing activity are now concentrated, allowing future spending to be directed towards fewer, higher-standard venues capable of providing reliable surfaces, stronger wagering outcomes, sustainable revenue and improved facilities for both horses and people. More than 50 workshops and meetings involving clubs, participant bodies and industry organisations contributed to the process, while the Masterplan also considered more than a decade of earlier reviews and strategic work, including the Messara Report. NZTR chair Russell Warwick described the release as a major step towards ensuring the industry has the facilities required to prosper for decades, saying Project Stamina offered “a clear, evidence-based roadmap that puts the long-term interests of the industry first, while keeping the welfare of the horse at the centre of the network.” He added that maintaining the status quo was not viable and that infrastructure needed to reflect the modern racing landscape while supporting future growth. HRNZ chair Grant Jarrold said the depth of collaboration between the two codes distinguished the project from previous exercises, with each organisation contributing its own operational perspective while recognising that many venue and investment decisions were interconnected. “This is not simply another review,” Jarrold said. “It provides a unified direction that links strategy, investment and implementation, giving the industry greater certainty about the future.” NZTR and HRNZ will now work on a consistent minimum-standards framework for community venues, aimed at ensuring retained facilities remain safe, functional and financially sustainable. Both organisations acknowledged that some recommendations could carry significant consequences for clubs and local communities, but stressed that the release begins a further period of consultation rather than automatically determining closures, the cessation of racing or property sales. Clubs affected by proposed changes will be engaged directly, with local circumstances and feedback considered before implementation plans are finalised. Any changes are expected to unfold over several years and will require detailed business cases, investment planning and continued discussions with participants and stakeholders, as the two codes seek to concentrate resources without losing sight of racing quality, horse welfare and the communities that have long supported the sport. Participants have been urged to study the complete report, accompanying video and frequently asked questions before judging proposals that remain subject to detailed examination and consultation.
Price and Kent Jr Focussed on Sydney Riches
Wednesday, 29th 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)
Epsom Revival Plan to Continue Unabated
Wednesday, 29th 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.
