Rare Filly Addition Adds Vic Derby Intrigue

Grunt is the sire of Quick Finish (pic: Mark Gatt)

Racing Fund Wins Coalition Commitment

Saudi Buyers Set Autumn Day-Two Pace

Keeneland Hosts Huge Breeders’ Cup Weekend

Prix de l'Abbaye Star Heads to Keeneland Auction

Meanwhile, Gr1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Miss Yechance (Cotai Glory) will be offered at Wednesday’s Keeneland Championship Sale just days before contesting Saturday’s Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (1000m), providing prospective buyers with a rare opportunity to acquire an elite European sprinter immediately before a major international assignment. Trained by Karl Burke for Al Leith Racing Club, the progressive filly has enjoyed a spectacular rise through the ranks, culminating in her commanding front-running victory at Longchamp earlier this month. Her appearance among a select catalogue of just over a dozen offerings adds considerable interest to the boutique Kentucky auction. Bloodstock agent Alessandro Marconi secured Miss Yechance for 250,000gns through Tattersalls Online approximately 16 months ago, having identified her potential after she failed to sell at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale. Despite her diminutive stature, the daughter of Cotai Glory has developed into a formidable sprinting talent, progressing from a valuable handicap victory at York’s Ebor meeting to Gr1 success in France within weeks. Marconi has watched her transformation with understandable satisfaction, although her Breeders’ Cup prospects have been complicated by drawing the outside barrier of 14. “She's a little pocket rocket, we were aiming for a very different gate but hopefully we’ll be able to get the best out of it anyway,” he said. Miss Yechance is one of just three European representatives being offered outright at the Championship Sale, alongside Ballinea Star, an intended runner in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Hell Of A Spin, who is entered for the Juvenile Turf Sprint. The auction provides an unusual opportunity for purchasers to acquire proven international performers while their racing careers remain active. Marconi, whose previous bloodstock successes include Facteur Cheval and Classic winner Metropolitan, believes Miss Yechance’s recent achievements have considerably enhanced her commercial appeal. With her future ownership potentially determined before Saturday’s championship contest, the filly faces an extraordinary week in which her value, reputation and racing achievements could all reach new heights.

Waller Eyes $30m Prize In Coolmore Stud Stakes

Champion trainer Chris Waller believes Saturday’s Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington could produce the most valuable thoroughbred of Melbourne Cup week, with the winning colt potentially commanding a valuation exceeding $30 million. While Tuesday’s $10.2 million Melbourne Cup remains Australia’s most celebrated race, the Coolmore has established itself as a premier stallion-making contest, with victory capable of transforming a three-year-old colt’s commercial prospects. Waller, who has won six of the past 13 editions, will chase a seventh triumph with St Gotthard and Steel Will when the prestigious sprint takes centre stage on Victoria Derby Day. St Gotthard, a $2.7 million Inglis Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Coolmore, is a full-brother to Waller’s 2024 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland. The Snitzel colt will be partnered by James McDonald and carries considerable expectations as he attempts to emulate his older sibling. Stablemate Steel Will also boasts an intriguing family connection, being a half-brother to Waller’s 2020 winner September Run. With both runners closely related to previous winners of the race, Waller hopes their pedigrees translate into success on Flemington’s famous straight course. Beyond the substantial prizemoney, a Coolmore victory could establish a valuable future stallion prospect. Meanwhile, Waller acknowledges his Melbourne Cup prospects are less compelling, despite having claimed Australia’s greatest staying race with Verry Elleegant in 2021. His possible representatives include Asterix, Soul Of Spain, Pinhole and Soulcombe, although the latter requires a strong performance in Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup to satisfy the ballot conditions. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott also have a vested interest in the Bendigo feature through The Euphrates, while their established Cup contender Vauban prepares for his fourth attempt at the 3200-metre marathon. Yet for Waller, Saturday’s Coolmore could prove the carnival’s greatest commercial prize, underlining the extraordinary breeding value attached to elite sprinting colts.

Saffie Osborne Chases Golden Eagle

Sheza Alibi Draws Perfectly For Golden Eagle

Meanwhile, Australian superstar mare Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) has strengthened her grip on Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Royal Randwick after drawing barrier six for the lucrative four-year-old feature. The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained mare remains the $1.90 TAB favourite, with owner Fred Noffke delighted by the draw. “Six is perfect,” Noffke said. “It gives Luke all the options early as to how it unfolds.” Noffke also praised the mare’s determination, declaring, “She is just bloody racehorse before anything else.” Moody and jockey Luke Nolen are seeking their second Golden Eagle triumph, having combined to win the race with I Wish I Win in 2022. Sheza Alibi faces an unusual challenge, dropping 500 metres after contesting a 2000-metre race at her previous start, something no previous Golden Eagle winner has achieved. Champion trainer Chris Waller, who won the inaugural running with Kolding in 2019 and secured a second victory with Autumn Glow last year, has four representatives. His leading contender, Gr1-winning colt Autumn Boy, drew barrier five and will be partnered by Hong Kong champion jockey Zac Purton. Waller’s other runners are Beiwacht (barrier 10), Mr Miller (nine) and Estremo (17). Meanwhile, Silver Eagle runner-up Skyhook faces a difficult assignment from barrier 16 as he pursues his maiden Gr1 victory. Chad Schofield takes over the ride following Kerrin McEvoy’s suspension. International interest centres on English jockey Saffie Osborne, who returns to Australia to partner Ciaron Maher’s recent import Amazing Journey on his Australian debut (see above item.

Aquila Veloce Revives Karaka Millions Ambitions

Matamata trainer Peter McKay is back in contention for the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) following an impressive breakthrough victory by promising filly Aquila Veloce (Capitalist) at Ellerslie. The daughter of Capitalist, purchased for $95,000 from Riversley Park’s draft at Karaka earlier this year, claimed Saturday’s $45,000 Speight’s 2YO (1100m) at just her second appearance. Ridden by Sam Collett, Aquila Veloce showed blistering early speed to establish a commanding advantage before holding off the late challenge of Princess Grazi (Capitalist) by half a length. The victory followed an encouraging debut second behind Zanardi (Spirit Of Boom) at Hastings earlier this month. McKay, who trains in partnership with his son Shaun and races the filly with wife Kim, has a special association with New Zealand’s richest juvenile contest. He prepared Vincent Mangano (No Excuse Needed) to win the inaugural Karaka Millions in 2008, having purchased the colt for $80,000, and subsequently saddled Antonio Lombardo (Pins) to finish runner-up in 2011. McKay was particularly taken with Aquila Veloce’s natural pace when inspecting her at the sales, although harnessing that enthusiasm has required patience. “When I saw her at the sales, I just looked at her and thought ‘speed, speed’,” he recalled. Her Ellerslie success confirmed that the training partnership has another exciting juvenile prospect. Aquila Veloce’s victory lifted her briefly to the top of the Karaka Millions order of entry before Australian-trained debut winner Iconic Scenes (Better Than Ready) overtook her with a lucrative Eagle Farm success. With a win and placing from two starts, the McKay filly has already accumulated sufficient earnings to place her in a strong position for the January 23 feature. Her next assignment is likely to be either the Gr3 Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) or Gr2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m), with McKay favouring the former to maintain her familiarity with Ellerslie’s racing direction. The prospect of a second Karaka Millions triumph, almost two decades after his first, is firmly back on the agenda.

Promising Capitalist filly Aquila Veloce (pic: Kenton Wright Races Images)