Sepals ridden by Craig Williams winning the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. (Photo: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) Sepals turned promise into pedigree-defining performance, controlling the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) to deliver a maiden Group 1 for himself and his late sire Calyx. From a wide draw, Craig Williams rolled forward, sat second behind noted leader Zarastro, and had the race in his keeping before the bend, kicking clear to score decisively. Miss Roumbini closed for second, with Australian Guineas winner Feroce grabbing third. Officially, the…
Day: 21 September 2025
Tajana takes out Sunline Vase in thrilling finish
Many pre-race pundits had labelled Saturday’s Ellerslie’s feature, the Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (1400m) as a two-horse contest between Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) and Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma), the two hottest three-year-old fillies of spring racing to date. While that ignored the legitimate challenges of several well credentialled rivals, those early predictions played out exactly as expected with the Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-prepared Tajana holding out race favourite Lollapalooza by the barest of margins in a thrilling finish to the black-type event. Both fillies are noted…
Ears Back claims another northern prize
North Island raids have delivered rich rewards this year for Canterbury mare Ears Back (NZ) (Jakkalberry), who collected her second black-type prize in the Gr.3 Hunterville Vet Club Metric Mile (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. Ears Back is trained in Rangiora by her part-owner John Blackadder, who previously took her north in the autumn for a pair of feature assignments. The Jakkalberry mare ran a close fifth in the Listed Rangitikei Cup (1600m) at Trentham, then broke through in the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) at Wanganui at the end…
With Your Blessing all the way for Bill Ritchie breakthrough
New Zealand-bred gelding With Your Blessing (NZ) (Vadamos) capped a consistent run of form with his first black-type success in Saturday’s A$250,000 Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick. The Vadamos gelding progressed through the grades last season with a pair of Randwick victories – an 1100m Benchmark 78 handicap on January 4, followed by a 1300m Benchmark 88 just over a month later. Trainer John Thompson then stepped him up into stakes company and he finished second in a photo finish to the Gr.3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at…
Sir Delius claws back to win Group 1 Underwood Stakes
Sir Delius ridden by Craig Williams wins the Underwood Stakes. (Photo: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) Sir Delius turned a heavyweight spring test into a staying statement, snatching back the lead after being headed to win the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m). Buckaroo swept past at the 300m and looked the winner, but Craig Williams lifted the Frankel entire late, edging clear with Golden Path grabbing third in a tight finish. Officially, the favourite with horse racing bookmakers saluted by a long neck at $2.10. Williams called the five-year-old “a weapon,” noting…
Joliestar all class in The Shorts
Joliestar winning The Shorts. (Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au) Joliestar turned a “mini-Everest” into her own audition, unleashing a booming first-up sprint to capture the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) and stamp herself a key player for October. Parked off a strong speed against fellow slot holders, the Chris Waller-trained mare travelled wide without cover before James McDonald clicked her up at the 250m; she surged past Private Harry and held Briasa late in a statement return. The victory arrived a week after connections locked in the Chris Waller Racing slot for The…