Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Race-day recap
Farnan's precocious first crop continue with a quinella in the G3 Black Opal Stakes at Canberra, where King Of Pop led home the promising Farcited.
Group-placed in the autumn, Snow In May (The Autumn Sun) clinched her first black type win with victory in the Listed Canberra Guineas.
After a huge day on Saturday, Alabama Express's hot streak continued with Yulong-owned Glasgow Lass's victory out west in the Listed Ascot 1000 Guineas.
Too Soon (Charge Forward) continued his unbeaten streak since travelling to West Australia, taking out the Listed Lex Piper Stakes.
It was a local victory in the Listed Canberra Sprint, with Zouatica speeding home for the Joseph Jones Racing team.
John Sargent's Palmetto (NZ) (Ghibellines) is now a stakes winner across two countries after taking home the Listed Canberra Cup.
King Of Pop leads home Farnan quinella in Black Opal
The first crop of G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Farnan been fast from the jump, and King Of Pop (Farnan) sent a strong reminder of that precocious juvenile speed on Sunday, when the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained colt led home a quinella for his sire in the G3 Black Opal Stakes in Canberra.
Tulloch Lodge-trained Farcited (Farnan) got within 0.29l of him at the line, with a bigger gap of 1.12l back to third–placed Sanctified (NZ) (Super Seth), a stablemate of the winner, making it a trifecta for first and second season sires.
"The horse has been ticking over really good and taking his time, it'll be great if he can get into the Golden Slipper," Gerald Ryan said post race. "I'm not sure if he's got enough (prize) money to do that, but I've always had him down as a Slipper horse, so hopefully we can get there.
"And the other horse (Sanctified) has run super as well. He was never coming here until last Saturday, he worked that well (that) I said to Sterling, ‘let's throw him in and have a crack at it’. I'm glad we did."
North Bloodstock offered King Of Pop at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale year, where his trainers went to $800,000 to secure him. He is the second foal of Listed-placed Za Zi Ba (All Too Hard), a half-sister to G1 Epsom Handicap winner Rediener (Redoute’s Choice) and Listed Phelan Ready winner Rathlin (Fastnet Rock). Za Zi Ba has a colt at foot by Russian Revolution and visited Shamus Award in the spring.
King of Pop as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
King Of Pop is the first stakes winner for his sire, who had a remarkable four runners in the race. Farnan now has five winners on the track, led by $1 million Golden Gift winner North England.
Snow In May makes it rain in Canberra Guineas
Smart filly Snow In May (The Autumn Sun) demonstrated her class on Sunday at Canberra, where she defeated French Ruler (Nicconi) by 0.45l in the Listed Canberra Guineas, with Shangri La Spring (Castelvecchio) running on well for third. The 3-year-old filly, trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, was third in the G1 Flight Stakes in the spring, and clinched her first black type win with the victory.
Jockey Tyler Schiller thought it was a great confidence boost for the filly, “(it’s) probably a touch weaker grade than what she’s been in against Lady Shenandoah and that. She’s been matching them well, but (it’s) good to see her come back, strike well, and she executed everything really well.
“The way John (O’Shea) has been training, I think they’re in great form, and hopefully they can keep going forward with this filly.”
Attunga Stud offered Snow In May at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2023, where John O'Shea Racing and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $150,000 for the filly. She is the first foal of G2 Reisling Stakes-placed See You Soon (Siyouni {Fr}), a half-sister to Listed Gothic Stakes winner Lofty Arch (Snitzel) and Qatar Champion Older Male The Blue Eye (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). A full sister was bought by Moody Racing for $200,000 at the same sale last year. Snow In May continues The Autumn Sun's streak of top fillies, becoming his sixth stakes winner.
Yulong victory out west with Glasgow Lass
After a superb Saturday with dual victories by his 3-year-old fillies, Alabama Express found himself represented by another filly stakes winner on Sunday; it was another of his Yulong-owned daughters in Glasgow Lass, who struck at Ascot to claim the Listed Ascot 1000 Guineas. Trained by Mitchell Pateman, the 3-year-old proved too good for the rest of the field, beating Machine Gun Gracie (Maschino) by 0.42l in her first black type win.
“She’s had a career of no luck where things have just never gone right for her,” said Pateman. “But I’ve been confident all prep, she’s been flying. She should have probably won the first two that she ran in with a bit of luck.
“Lucy (Fiore) gave her a beautiful ride today and she showed how good she is.”
Plans are to head for a G3 WATC Oaks next. Pateman extended his gratitude to Yulong’s team for their patience with the filly.
Glasgow Lass is the first winner for dual-winning Princess Peggy (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), a half-sister to G2 Tristarc Stakes winner Infinite Grace (Prince Of Birds {USA}), from the close family of Group performer Pretty In Pink (Sebring) and G2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner Fontein Ruby (Turffontein). She is also the fourth stakes winner for Alabama Express. Princess Peggy is carrying a full sister to Glasgow Lass at the moment.
Too Soon charges to Lex Piper victory
Smart Charge Forward colt Too Soon continued his unbeaten streak for 2025 with a resounding 2.91l victory in the Listed Lex Piper Stakes on Sunday at Ascot. Trained by Grant and Alana Williams, the 3-year-old began his career in New South Wales, where he was unplaced, before quickly going through the grades once transferring out west.
“We think he’s got a fair bit of class, this guy,” Alana Williams said. “He’s a big horse with a big stride. We were open-minded (with distance), we want to get him to 2400 metres in a few runs, but he just jumped fast, relaxed and put himself there nice and did the rest from there.”
Too Soon is the second stakes winner from Canny Lad mare Canny Lassie, who is also the dam of Listed Boulder Cup winner Villeins (Domesday). She is a half-sister to Listed performer See A Victory (Mister C {USA}), dam of G1 Coolmore Classic victress Daysee Doom (Domesday).
Locals emerge on top in Canberra Sprint
It was a local victory in the Listed Canberra Sprint on Sunday, where the smart Zouatica (Zoustar) rocketed home to just nudge out Cliff House (Starcraft {NZ}) by 0.08l for the Joseph Jones training team. The 5-year-old gelding extended his record to eight wins, and first at stakes level.
Zouatica is the first stakes winner for winning O’Reilly (NZ) mare Axiomatic, a half-sister to sires Xtravagant (NZ) and He’s Remarkable (NZ). He is also a close relation to G2 Eclipse Stakes winner Trobiand (Kermadec {NZ}).
Palmetto conquers Canberra Cup
John Sargent’s, Palmetto (NZ) (Ghibellines) emerged victorious in the Listed Canberra Cup on Sunday, defeating Matusalem (The Autumn Sun) by 0.11l, followed home by race favourite Redstone Well (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}). The 6-year-old gelding, whose record includes the Listed Dunedin Guineas and the $500,000 The Coast, handed jockey Tim Clark his fifth win in the race.
“He (Palmetto) had to do it the hard way from the wide gate with the top weight, but he was just too tough in the end,” Clark said. “He gave a great kick and held on well. He’s been racing well all prep, so it’s good to see him get a deserved win.”
Palmetto is from the close family of Listed Strutt Stakes winner Suntora (Toronado {Ire}) and G1 Prix du Cadran winner Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {Ire}).
