Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Aerodrome soars at Warwick Farm
In what turned out to be a thrilling two-horse battle up the entire Warwick Farm straight, the Michael Freedman-trained Aerodrome (Ole Kirk) edged out Hidden Motive (Capitalist) by 0.33l, with a big gap of 4.9l back to third-placed Serpico (Shamus Award), who made good late ground.
Ashley Morgan showed early intent, sending Hidden Motive forward from his wide gate, while Regan Bayliss, jumping from one barrier wider, tracked him the whole way aboard Aerodrome. The pair essentially controlled the race from start to finish, both showing professionalism and a sharp turn of foot despite doing it tough from awkward draws.
The performance underlined the raw talent of both gallopers, who look to have bright futures based on the merit of their runs and their ability to quicken when it counted.
Aerodrome’s win adds further momentum to the remarkable debut season of first-season sire Ole Kirk, who now boasts nine individual winners from just 16 runners. Among those are stakes winners King Kirk, O’Ole, and Prestige Forever. Ole Kirk currently sits atop both the first-season earnings and winners tables, highlighting his growing influence in the stallion ranks.
Aerodrome's trainer Michael Freedman gave his thoughts:
“He’s always shown a little bit, but taken a bit of time, and he needed gelding unfortunately. But he’s a bit raw at the moment but he has quite a bit of ability as I think the second horse (Hidden Motive) they have a good opinion of.
“It was a good effort from the outside gate.”
Aerodrome after winning the Kia Maiden Handicap | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Freedman said that after speaking to Regan Bayliss after the race “He mentioned that Ash Morgan said they had a good opinion of their colt. He had obviously shown them a bit to run in the Breeders’ Plate back in the spring, so that's pleasing.
“I think my bloke can only improve off the back of race experience and fitness, I think he will get 1400 metres and perhaps even a mile.”
When asked about what may be the plan from here, Freedman said “Maybe the Clarendon Stakes at Hawkesbury’s stand alone meeting which is two weeks away on Saturday, and we will have to see, but he may even be a nice horse for Brisbane.”
Freedman was quick to deflect the praise about the purchase of the promising gelding, “Brett Howard gets the credit there, he purchased the horse as a yearling for his majority owner Sean Dyson, it was good for Sean as he’s quite keen on the game and that’s the first time those colours have won in the city, so he was pretty excited.”
Connections of Aerodrome after winning the Kia Maiden Handicap | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Aerodromes jockey, Regan Bayliss was very impressed with the win and was full of praise for the youngster.
“I've always had a big opinion of him,” said Bayliss.
“Michael decided to geld him after that first prep, and it's been the making of this horse.
“I thought if he won that it’d be a bonus because I think he's a horse that's going to get out to 1400 and even a mile, he looks a bit quirky, is a little bit quirky.
“He’s green and raw and he'll take stacks of improvement from today's run. He's got a great future.”
“He’s (Aerodrome) green and raw and he'll take stacks of improvement from today's run. He's got a great future.” - Regan Bayliss
Aerodrome was a $190,000 purchase by Nine9park from the Gilgai Farm draft at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He is the first foal out of She Shao Fly (Epaulette), winner of the G3 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Morphettville and placed in five other stakes races.
The pedigree gets even deeper, with Aerodrome closely related to Group 1 winners Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel), Lady Laguna (Overshare), and Danzdanzdance (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).
Aerodrome as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Since producing Aerodrome, She Shao Fly has foaled a yearling and a weanling—both full sisters to him by Ole Kirk—and was most recently served by Extreme Choice.
Hey Jessie hangs on in tight finish
It may have only been a four-horse field, but there was no shortage of entertainment as the Dominic Sutton-trained Hey Jessie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) just held off the favourite Yuuki (Doubtland) by 0.1l in a driving finish, with Crypt (Street Boss {USA}) another 0.75l behind in third.
Tactics proved crucial. Billy Egan on Hey Jessie jumped the best of the quartet and was able to find the front and the rail early. She kicked strongly at the top of the straight, and showed plenty of grit to cling on for a narrow but eye-catching win.
The daughter of the outstanding Too Darn Hot (GB) adds to the stallion’s ever-growing reputation. Recently announced to return to Australia after missing last season, at a fee of $275,000 (inc. GST) for 2025, he stands as one of the most in-demand shuttle stallions in the world. A champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old in Europe, his impact in Australia has been immediate—producing 45 winners from only 82 runners, including 10 stakes winners at a world-class stakes winners-to-runners ratio of 12.2 per cent.
His Southern hemisphere progeny includes the star colt Broadsiding, a four-time Group 1 winner who has cemented his place among the elite of his generation.
Gallery: Images courtesy of Racing Photos
Hey Jessie was purchased for $120,000 by Seymour Bloodstock Pty Ltd from the draft of Twin Hills Stud at the 2024 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale,
She is the second foal out of Stomp (Congrats {USA}), a 1400-metre winner whose pedigree carries plenty of depth. Stomp is a half-sister to the speedy Flying Evelyn (Not A Single Doubt), winner of the G3 Red Roses Stakes at Flemington, and also to Cristal Eyes (All Too Hard), who was Group 3 placed as a juvenile.
Hey Jessie's great grandam is the outstanding Bollinger (Dehere {USA}) who was the winner of the Coolmore Classic, she went on to be a successful broodmare leaving the Group winners and stallions Fresian Fire (USA) and Villermont.
Hey Jessie as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Since foaling Hey Jessie, Stomp has produced a yearling colt by Astern, then she missed to Daumier, and was most recently served by Royal Meeting (Ire).
Editing shows her class in dominant Doomben win
It may have only been a midweek maiden at Doomben, but the fashion in which Editing (Written Tycoon) won suggests she’s destined for much bigger targets during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
The Ciaron Maher-trained filly was having just her second career start and started a very hot favourite, returning off a lengthy break following a debut second at Canterbury in November last year. Settling well back in the field, she travelled sweetly for Ryan Maloney before being hooked to the outside on the turn. From there, she let down with an impressive turn of foot, quickly putting the race to bed and clearing out for a commanding 5.07l win over Techna (Boulder City), with Fast Fun (Better Than Ready) sticking on for third.
Johann Gerard-Dubois the New South Wales Assistant Trainer for the Ciaron Maher team commented; "We've trained her at the farm (Bong Bong Farm), and she did a good job today, we have just had to look after her, give her a bit of time, she's still maturing.
Johann Gerard-Dubois | Image courtesy of Ciaron Maher Racing
“This time back in she knew her job.”, when questioned about her win Gerard-Dubois mentioned “I don't think it was the strongest maiden, she did it very easily though, there is a lot more upside with her, once she got to the front she got a bit lost, but she did it well.”
When questioned on whether Editing would now target a good race during the carnival, Gerard-Dubois said;
“I don't think it was the strongest maiden, she (Editing) did it very easily though, there is a lot more upside with her, once she got to the front she got a bit lost, but she did it well.” - Johann Gerard-Dubois
“Definitely, on the back of that there is a nice programme in Queensland for 3-year-olds, she is now a city winner and without getting carried away, we would love to get some black type.
“She is a well-bred filly, with good owners, 'Ozzie' Kheir and John O'Neill and that crew, it's great to get a good result for them.”
The victory confirmed the high opinion held of Editing, who was a $650,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Yulong at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She is the first foal out of Talented (Snitzel), a precocious juvenile who won twice and placed in both the Listed Talindert Stakes and the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
Editing as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Talented was herself a high-priced yearling, bought for $500,000 by Yu Long Investments from the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is out of the high-class staying mare Exceptionally (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}), a four-time winner whose career highlight came in the Listed St Leger Stakes at Flemington.
Since producing Editing, Talented has foaled a 2-year-old colt named Bedourie (Written Tycoon), a yearling filly by Tagaloa, and after missing to Tagaloa, was most recently served by Zoustar last spring.
