IT was a real case of Strictly Business doing just that in the Group 1 VRC Oaks, when a heap of Irish men combined to enjoy a special win at Flemington, and where Willie Mullins was among the many to congratulate them.
Winning trainer Thomas Carberry, son of the legendary Tommy, has about 10 horses in at any time, and he upstaged some powerful opposition to win the classic, with Corkman Johnny Allen in the saddle.
Unknown two weeks before the Oaks, Strictly Business won a maiden 13 days earlier, was second days later in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes, and then netted the A$600,000 Oaks first prize.
The daughter of New Zealand-bred, Group 1 Australian Guineas-winning sire Grunt (O’Reilly) is the second top-flight winner for the stallion. Chinese businessman Yuesheng Zhang, Yulong Investments, chose the dual Group 1 winner Grunt as the first stallion to stand at his showcase Victorian stud farm at Nagambie. The sire got Group 1 winner Veight in his first crop.
Strictly Business is out of Tivoli Lass (Uncle Mo), who Kerry native Martin Falvey paid A$600 for in a digital sale in 2020. He put her through another one in 2023, only to buy out his partners for, would you believe it, A$600!
Falvey bred Strictly Business with Corkman Fergus Murphy, Tom Van Morst and another Kerry Native, Seamus Cremin. The four were planning to sell Strictly Business as a yearling, but withdrew her because they felt she would not make what they valued her at.
Herself a two-year-old winner over seven furlongs at Wodonga, Tivoli Lass’s first foal, four-year-old Kicking King (Highland Reel), is also trained by Carberry and he placed in the Listed Tasmanian Derby and Listed VRC St Leger. Tivoli Lass’ juvenile filly is a daughter of the French Group 1 two-year-old winner Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) named Refuse To Curtsy, and is with Carberry. She had a colt by Churchill (Galileo) in mid-August.
Two generations
There is a gap of two generations in the family when no blacktype horse emerged, explaining why Falvey could buy a winning daughter of Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) for A$600.
Her dam Wantonly (Al Maher) won twice, and her first five foals have raced, and include four minor winners. The third dam of Strictly Business, twice-raced Perfumery (Zabeel), had five winning offspring, none again earning any form of blacktype.
In the next generation, the pedigree has serious staying merit. Perfumery is a half-sister to Group 1 Caulfield Cup winner Affinity (Zamazaan). Under the same dam is multiple stakes winner O’Reilly Rose (O’Reilly), Group 1 placed and a winner at Group 3 level.
Her half-sister Volkrose (Volksraad) bred yet another star by using an established cross, Group 1 winner Shamexpress (O’Reilly), and he is sire of the current racing titan Ka Ying Rising, winner of 15 of his 17 starts and almost £10 million.
The rise and rise of the family in recent times has thrown up yet another current headliner. O’Reilly Rose is the grandam of the recent Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun).
THERE are lots of Irish connections with major winners in Australia recently, among them Observer’s success in the Group 1 Victoria Derby. In doing so, he provided a first win at that level for his sire, Darley’s Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), who will stand for a second year at Kildangan Stud in 2026 for €20,000. It was also a first success in the race for Godolphin itself.
Observer showed class and determination to win at Flemington, leading throughout, and put in a performance reminiscent of his sire Ghaiyyath. Bred and raced by Godolphin Australia, Observer’s victory further strengthened his sire’s position as the leading second-season sire in Australia. In Australia alone this season, he has sired 10 winners from 27 runners, including three stakes winners, two at group level, with earnings of A$2.46 million.
After the race, winning trainer Ciaron Maher said: “I think the sky’s the limit for this colt, he’s just so adaptable. He was unlucky in the Guineas [third in the Group 1 Caulfied Guineas], he’s won a Vase [Group 2 at Moonee Valley], and now he’s won a Derby. He’s pretty similar to his old man.” Jockey Mark Zahra added: “He’s so tough.”
Ghaiyyath did not return to Darley’s Northwood Park this year, having shuttled there four seasons and commanding a fee of A$27,500 each time. The highest-rated son of Dubawi (Dubai Millenium) stood the 2025 northern hemisphere season for a fee of €20,000. All told, he has a total of nine individual stakes winners.
Pierro
Observer is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Sandpaper (Snitzel), and the third winner from as many runners out of the unraced Lonhro (Octagonal) mare Smooth. She is a full-sister to five-time Group 1 winner turned Coolmore stallion Pierro (Lonhro), and to the dam of Group 2 scorer Estriella (I Am Invincible). Another of Smooth’s winning siblings is her half-sister Ambience (Street Cry), a Group 2 winner and runner-up in the Group 1 Australian Oaks. Their dam Miss Right Note (Daylami) is half-sister to Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan winner Laverock (Octagonal).
Smooth produced a colt, now a yearling, by Anamoe (Street Boss) last spring, and recently had a colt foal by six-furlong Group 1 Newmarket Handicap winner Cylinder (Exceed And Excel).