Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The sires on fire in Group races
With seven Group 1 contests across Australia and New Zealand this weekend, there are a handful of stallions with multiple opportunities to sire a top-flight winner; seven jostle for a spot at the top of the list, with three representatives each.
The G1 Golden Slipper Stakes field has an impressive three representatives from Kia Ora Stud’s first-season sire, Farnan, who won the race himself in 2020. High-calibre Darley shuttlers Harry Angel (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB) (we remain hopeful for his return!) each have three runners across three different contests, with the latter showing true versatility as a sire, with a runner in both the Golden Slipper and the G1 Rosehill Guineas over 2000 metres.
Stretan Angel | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Harry Angel’s Stretan Angel aims to continue the run of great mares to the G1 William Reid Stakes, and will have to face off with talented filly Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot {GB}), who bids to follow in the footsteps of 3-year-old winners Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) and Sunlight (Zoustar). Of the last eight editions of the 1200-metre sprint at Moonee Valley, fillies and mares have come away with the spoils five times, including Imperatriz’s (I Am Invincible) back-to-back victories in 2023 and 2024.
While most people will be paying attention to the resumption of his unbeaten daughter, Autumn Glow, Arrowfield Stud’s The Autumn Sun will have three colts and geldings competing in the Guineas. His barnmate, Dundeel (NZ), has two Group 1 runners, both in the G1 George Ryder Stakes, but takes the cake for most represented stallion across Saturday’s stakes racing, with eight individual runners accepted across five Group races.
| Too Darn Hot (GB) | 3 | 3 | G1 Rosehill Guineas (Broadsiding), G1 Golden Slipper Stakes (Rivellino), G1 William Reid Stakes (Arabian Summer) |
| Harry Angel (Ire) | 3 | 3 | G1 Galaxy (Private Harry), G1 George Ryder Stakes (Tom Kitten), G1 William Reid Stakes (Stretan Angel) |
| Wootton Bassett (GB) | 3 | 2 | G1 Golden Slipper Stakes (Wodeton, West Of Swindon), G1 George Ryder Stakes (Royal Patronage {Fr}) |
| Written Tycoon | 3 | 1 | G1 Golden Slipper Stakes (Skyhook, Military Tycoon, Tycoon Star) |
| The Autumn Sun | 3 | 1 | G1 Rosehill Guineas (Plymouth, Kosuke, Majorca Sunset) |
| I Am Invincible | 3 | 1 | G1 Galaxy (I Am Me, Estriella, Commemorative) |
| Farnan | 3 | 1 | G1 Golden Slipper Stakes (North England, King Of Pop, Farcited) |
Table: Sires with the most Group 1 runners on Saturday
Six nations face off with Via Sistina
Maybe Yulong’s big, bad mare has scared a few off from the G1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, because a field of only six stand between her and repeating last year’s victory. Curiously, all six are from different countries. The reliable Lindermann (Lonhro) represents Australia, and he is joined by familiar faces Golden Path (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) and Fawkner Park (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).
Accomplished British raider William Haggas returns to Sydney with 6-year-old Al Mubhir (GB) (Frankel {GB}), whose four wins to date are capped by last July’s Listed Gala Stakes. Haggas' 2023 Ranvet winner, Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai), will be saved for the G1 Tancred Stakes, and he believes the Frankel (GB) entire has what it takes to give the trainer his third win in the event on Saturday.
Al Mubhir (GB) | Image courtesy of Racing NSW
“Al Mubhir has got a great mind for it, a bit like Dubai Honour,” Haggas’ travelling foreman, Issy Paul told media on Wednesday. “He could probably do with a little bit more cut in the ground, but he's just a lovely, big, sound horse, and he has the ideal mentality and type to come down here.
“He has been galloping with Dubai Honour since he's been here, and he is well able to match him, so you'd hope he can translate that into the afternoon and we'll hopefully, see a nice run on Saturday.”
“He (Al Mubhir) could probably do with a little bit more cut in the ground but he's just a lovely, big, sound horse and he has the ideal mentality and type to come down here.” - Issy Paul
Ciaron Maher’s Zarakem (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) failed to factor into the finish in the G1 Verry Elleegant Stakes last-start, finishing eighth behind Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock). He was second at Royal Ascot to Auguste Rodin (Ire) in June of last year, so he is likely still adapting to Southern Hemisphere conditions. The 5-year-old entire has come south to collect international black-type before taking up stud duties in 2026.
The other new face will also be wearing the bottle green and white chequered colours of Yulong; War Front (USA) mare Full Count Felicia (USA) arrives in Chris Waller’s stable without a public trial before Saturday’s event.
She was victorious in the G1 EP Taylor Stakes two starts ago. Willingham Stud signed the docket for US$1 million ($1.59 million) for the 6-year-old mare when she was offered in Fasig-Tipton’s Lexington November Sale.
Full Count Felicia (USA) | Image courtesy of Woodbine
“She's the Pride Of Jenni of Canada,” was how Waller described her in his weekend runners preview. “The Group 1 she won, she went and led by about 20l and won easily, and beat Moira. It's real American international form, and she looks very fit.”
At the same sale, Bayles signed for US$4.3 million ($6.85 million) for G1 Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Moira (Can) (Ghostzapper {USA}), who also wears the Yulong colours. She is nominated to kick off in the G1 Doncaster Mile.
“She's (Full Count Felicia) the Pride Of Jenni of Canada.” - Chris Waller
The Guineas where few fillies have trod before
The lone filly in the Rosehill Guineas field, Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio), sets out on Saturday to attempt to emulate her sire, who won the race in 2020, but she also attempts to break the boys’ 36-year record in the race.
No filly has won since 1989, when Riverina Charm (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) stormed home for Brian Mayfield-Smith in one of three Group 1 wins she scored that season, to finish as head of the Australian 3-year-old classification for 1988/89. Raced by Peter and Philip Vela, Robert Sangster, and Norm Carlyon, she was also runner-up in the G1 VRC Oaks, before crossing back over the Tasman in 1990 to snatch the G1 Air NZ Stakes from the great Castletown (NZ) (One Pound Sterling {GB}), when in the stable of Laurie Laxon.
No filly has even tried since Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) in 2021, where she finished third to Mo’Unga (NZ), and before her, the next most recent filly to try was Jameka (Myboycharlie {Ire}), who also ran third in 2016.
Aeliana (NZ) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Aeliana is no stranger to playing with the boys; she was the only filly in the field in the G1 Randwick Guineas last start, and she acquitted herself, with fourth in the event. The start before, she was third in the G2 Hobartville Stakes, by just 1.14l to Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}). If we look back to the spring, she did beat eventual G1 Australian Guineas victor Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) by 4.25l in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes - if she can battle on as well as she has in past, she could be in with a chance of breaking the fillies’ Guineas drought.
Baker’s strong hand fronted by powerful fillies
Bjorn Baker heads to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday with eight runners before scratching, in seven of the nine stakes race events taking place on Golden Slipper day, including in three of the Group 1s on the card.
His hand is led by some of his stable’s best fillies; super juvenile Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}), who has earned $1.145 million in just four starts, heads to the Golden Slipper, and G1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) heads to the George Ryder Stakes second-up. The 4-year-old mare, whose prizemoney to date exceeds $3.38 million, resumed in the G1 Canterbury Stakes, where she finished eighth and should relish stepping up in distance to 1500 metres.
Within The Law | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Within The Law already has drawn comparisons to two of Darby Racing’s previous stars; fellow bargain buy She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain), who, like Within The Law, won the R. Listed Inglis Nursery en route to her Slipper victory, and the even cheaper Yankee Rose (All American), who turned a $10,000 purchase price into $2 million in prizemoney, as well as finishing second in the Slipper.
Perhaps the Lucky Vega (Ire) filly will deliver Baker’s first victory in the event?
In the Rosehill Guineas, Baker is represented by The Autumn Sun gelding Majorca Sunset, who is taking a flying leap out of maiden company in the hopes of emulating his sire, who was victorious in 2019. If he wins, Baker will also claim his first victory in the event—a race won by his father, Murray Baker, with Dundeel (NZ) in 2013.
Majorca Sunset | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Baker lines up runners in all three Group 3 events; seven-time winner Shezanalister (Star Turn) and Spring Lee (Zoustar), both come through the G3 Wenona Girl Stakes, to contest the G3 Birthday Card Stakes, G3 Parramatta Cup winner Our Anchorage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) heads to the G3 NE Manion Cup, and last-start G3 Aspiration Stakes victress Little Baia (All Too Hard) takes on the G3 Epona Stakes. Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) has been scratched from the Listed Darby Munro Stakes at the time of writing.
Proisir’s offspring in the sun in New Zealand
Across the Tasman, Riccarton Park and G1 New Zealand Oaks day at Trentham offer five opportunities between them to pick up black-type, and Rich Hill Stud’s Proisir has six offspring spread across the contests. At Riccarton, he has a remarkable three runners across the 15-horse field for the G3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, where he is represented by daughters Dazzling Miss (NZ), Jaffa (NZ), and Lucienne (NZ). A six-time winner, Dazzling Miss was third in this race last year and hopes to step up this year to claim her first black-type win.
In the Oaks, relatively untapped daughter Piccolino (NZ) flies the flag for her sire in search of a seventh Group 1 winner, but finished, sixth last time she met with race favourite Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) and will need sharp improvement to beat the filly, who has won her last four starts. Fellow 3-year-old filly Vegas Queen (NZ) lines up for the G2 Wellington Guineas in search of a black-type win; she was second in the G3 Almanzor Trophy earlier this year.
Proisir | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
Lastly Kelly Coe (NZ), a member of Proisir’s second crop, heads to the G3 Cuddle Stakes, hoping to atone for finishing at the back of the field last year. She is already one of Proisir’s 21 stakes winners, having won the G3 J Swap Sprint in December. Proisir’s stakes runners for Saturday extends to seven when looking over at Rosehill’s meet, where 3-year-old gelding Sergeant Major (NZ) lines up for the Listed Darby Munro Stakes. A last-start third in the G3 Zeditave Stakes, he has a red-hot chance of adding to his sire’s record.
