Group One warrior Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) became the first three-time winner of the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) with a powerhouse all-the-way victory in the A$750,000 Flemington feature on Saturday. It was the 10th Group One victory for the Bullbars gelding, who has had a total of 46 starts for 20 wins, 15 placings and A$17.97 million in prize-money. Mr Brightside beat Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) by a length and a half to claim his first Makybe Diva win in 2023, then defended that title against Pride Of…
Month: September 2025
Mr Brightside wins third straight Makybe Diva Stakes
Mr Brightside ridden by Craig Williams wins the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. (Photo: Bruno Cannatelli) Group One warrior Mr Brightside became the first three-time winner of the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) with a powerhouse all-the-way victory in the $750,000 Flemington feature on Saturday. It was the 10th Group One victory for the Bullbars gelding, who has had a total of 46 starts for 20 wins, 15 placings and $17.97 million in prize-money. Mr Brightside beat Alligator Blood by a length and a half to claim his first…
Tempted blitzes the Run To The Rose on stable debut
Run To The Rose winner, Tempted. (Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au) Tempted turned a fresh start into a statement spring opener, streaking past the leaders to win the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) on her first run for Ciaron Maher. The daughter of Street Boss, a Group 2 Percy Sykes winner and luckless Golden Slipper third in the autumn, travelled sweetly from midfield under Ethan Brown and put the race to bed in a few strides, leading home a Godolphin quinella from Beiwacht. Maher could barely hide his enthusiasm, calling her…
Revelare books Melbourne Cup berth with Archer Stakes win
Revelare ridden by Declan Bates wins the Archer Stakes at Flemington. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Revelare punched his ticket to the first Tuesday in November with a determined victory in the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m), sealing a coveted ballot exemption for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). Sent out a firm $2.90 favourite with horse racing bookmakers, the Robert Hickmott-trained stayer outstayed Mormona, with Sayedaty Sadaty holding third. Declan Bates produced a cool, patient ride, keeping Revelare within range before asking for his effort at the top of…
Orange upbeat on his chances in the Hannon Memorial
By Jonny Turner Take two showed Blair Orange everything he needed to see ahead of the Group 3 Placemakers Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday. After taking out last year’s edition of the Oamaru feature, the leading reinsman is back in 2025, renewing his association with star pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming. Don’t Stop Dreaming starts his march towards the New Zealand Cup on Sunday, having trialled twice for trainers Hayden and Amanda Cullen. The first of those was a quiet outing, but the second gave Orange the feel he wanted.…
Road to Jericho continues Yolo’s resurgence
The A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) could be on the radar for Yolo (NZ) (Zed), who continued her return to form with a four-length runaway in Saturday’s NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho (3210m) at New Plymouth. Saturday’s race carried a ballot-free entry into the Jericho Cup at Warrnambool on November 30, with NZB Airfreight offering a $5000 equine airfreight credit to the winner if they embark on that trans-Tasman mission. The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained Nassak Diamond used the New Plymouth qualifier as a springboard to Jericho Cup success two…
All-the-way Rosehill win for Kiwi import
Darby Racing’s new recruit Nkosi (Shamus Award) collected his second win from three Australian starts with a dominant front-running performance in the A$160,000 TAB Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday. The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old made a winning Australian debut at Wyong last month, scoring by four lengths over 1600m, then finished seventh in a 1500m race at Rosehill on August 30. The step up to 1800m proved to be ideal for the New Zealand import, who was sent forward by jockey Dylan Gibbons and controlled the race from the front.…
A star is born in Canterbury Belle Stakes
Exciting three-year-old Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) thrust her name squarely into contention for future Group One honours when she destroyed a quality field of fillies in the time-honoured feature race at Riccarton on Saturday, the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) The unbeaten daughter of Sweynesse went into the contest with a pair of wins on the Riccarton synthetic track under her belt but no one was sure how she would take the leap to the grass surface. The John and Karen Parsons owned and bred filly answered that question…
Tobias heads Dravitzki double at New Plymouth
Stratford trainer Tony Dravitzki broke new ground in his career with back-to-back victories at New Plymouth on Saturday. Dravitzki, who has held a trainer’s licence since the 2009-10 season and has only four horses in work, went into Saturday’s meeting with a total of 22 wins to his name from 352 runners. He wasted little time in increasing that number to 24. Last-start Hawera maiden winner Im Bartholomew (NZ) (Complacent) provided the first leg of the double in the $40,000 Taranaki Pine Dash (990m). Just over 35 minutes later, the…
Tulsa King provides an upset in Taranaki opener
Extreme raceday at New Plymouth started in exactly that fashion on Saturday with torrential rain making for an uncomfortable start to the opening event, the NZB Ready To Run Sale Trainers Series 3YO (1200m). Commentator Justin Evans could hardly make out the five runners as they waited for the barriers to open although, thankfully, the rain eased and made vision for the race a little easier than expected. With race favourite Spandeedo (NZ) (Ferrando) out in front it was left to Matamata visitor Luminance (NZ) (Time Test) to head the…