Coolmore Stud Stakes (Group 1)
THE Next Episode was all the rage at Flemington for the A$2 million Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the ‘straight six’.
Even the on-course tote was using the Snitzel colt for its ‘bonus bet’ promotions. Kept tight as a $3.20 favourite, the Ciaron Maher-trained The Next Episode was perfectly placed out of barrier 13, settling back in an outside position sheltered from a slightly angled headwind.
Held together by Mark Zahra, the pair peeled out at the 300-metre mark and quickly made in-roads to hit the front just inside the final furlong.
Unwilting, The Next Episode hit the line with purpose to hold out the Golden Rose runner-up St Gotthard. It was a quinella for Snitzel colts as the $2.8 million Magic Millions colt defeated the $2.7 million Tom Magnier-purchased Inglis Easter yearling colt.
Third was the Rubick colt Mbube, who closed late to be right on their hips in third.
The Group 2 Danehill Stakes winner, over the same course and distance, has now won five from seven, with a stud career assured and with Widden Stud in his ownership syndicate.
“When you’ve got a colt with a record like he does, these are the stallion-making races and you’ve got to perform on the big days.
“I was confident he was ready, the team and Jack (Turnbull) have done a super job from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, just can’t thank them enough,” said Ciaron Maher.
“I thank all the owners, he races in Phil Cunningham’s colours (Rebel Racing), it’s his first horse in Australia, I’m sure he’d be ready to buy a few more this year, plenty of other mates in the horse as well, Antony Thompson (Widden Stud principal) bred the horse, he’s absolutely stoked and so am I, it doesn’t get much bigger than that.
Feel the pressure
“You want the pressure. That’s what we get up in the morning for, to have a horse good enough to feel the pressure. He’s a ripper and I think he’s only going to get better as he gets older.”
As a stallion-making race, the Coolmore Stud Stakes is only rivalled by the Golden Rose in Sydney and the Caulfield Guineas as the premier targets in the country. Renamed from the Ascot Vale Stakes in 2007 and won by Zoustar in 2008, four of the past five winners currently stand at stud in the Hunter Valley; Tentyris (won in 2025, stands at Darley), Switzerland (2024, Coolmore), Ozzmosis (2023, Newgate Farm) and Home Affairs (2021, Coolmore).
Stormy Marco calms theDerby debate
Howden Victoria Derby (Group 1)
WHILST debate still rages over whether 2,500 metres is an appropriate distance for the A$3 million Group 1 Victoria Derby for early three-year-olds, with many preferring it be shifted to 2,000 metres, the race remains unique with the barriers just 200 metres from the bend out of the straight often proving challenging.
Posted three-wide near the back out of the straight the first time was James McDonald on Stormy Marco making the best of an awkward position, having drawn 14 in the field of 16. Eased back to be two off the fence in the back four, McDonald needed to bide his time on the $4.40 favourite.
Up front Skua set a steady tempo with the field just starting to compress approaching the 800-metre mark.
Won stylishly
Just prior to the 600 metres, the field lit up as the runs began, with Stormy Marco getting onto the back of Cormier, who took him to the 300 metres before McDonald blew past, hitting the front just before the clocktower. Powering to the line, the Wootton Bassett colt won stylishly by two lengths, ahead the Too Darn Hot gelding Cold Shower and the Grunt filly Quick Finish.
“Pretty much since his first run, the Derby was the plan,” said Chris Waller’s foreman Charlie Duckworth. “The key today was just to switch him off and have him relax, whether we went forward or went back. He must have just jumped a little bit tardy and James went back, switched him off, relaxed him, put him to sleep and he just had the brilliance and turn of foot to outrun everyone else.”
Having won his maiden on debut in May over 1,400 metres, Stormy Marco came into Saturday’s race with that solitary win in seven starts. Out of the Irish-bred Elusive City mare Rose Memory, Stormy Marco was purchased for $300,000 at Inglis Easter having been bought as a pinhook for $70,000 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale by Tasman Bloodstock, who later placed him in Coolmore’s Inglis Easter draft.
Shenandoah gives ‘an armchair ride’
TAB Empire Rose Stakes (Group 1)
LADY Shenandoah completed back-to-back 1,600 metre Group 1 wins on Saturday, having followed up her Toorak Handicap win three weeks earlier with victory in the Empire Rose Stakes, at Flemington.
For punters, it was a ‘no-brainer’. A winner in the open class Toorak Handicap, she dropped a kilo to 57 to take on the fillies and mares. Consequently, the Chris Waller-trained Lady Shenandoah was all the rage as a $1.85 favourite.
Sitting sixth in the run, one off the fence in the 11-horse field, McDonald was ahead of the interference that brought down Pondalowie, by which time he had angled the Snitzel mare into the clear as the widest runner giving McDonald what he called; “...an armchair ride”. Cruising to the front, Lady Shenandoah ridden out hands and heels, won by two lengths. Second was the Contributer filly Concord Connie, ahead of the Dundeel mare Idle Flyer.
So honest
“She’s just come on and on and she deserves this,” said McDonald. “Obviously, it’s hard with Autumn Glow around the same sort of trip and Autumn Glow’s got her measure, but she’s just so honest, always races to a high level.
“You know what you’re going to get with her is a solid performance. You’d love to own her and I love riding her.”
The win completed a fifth Group 1 victory for Lady Shenandoah, whose seven wins and seven placings from 19 starts have amassed over A$5.65 million. She races in the dark green and red chevrons of Hermitage racing, completing a Group 1 double for the combination of owners Eugene and Karen Chuang, Chris Waller and James McDonald, the trio having also won the Derby with Stormy Marco.
FLEMINGTON trainer Nick Ryan has been suspended with immediate effect pending an inquiry after stewards found syringes in the glove box of a car on Saturday.
Both of Ryan’s Derby day runners were scratched as a result.
“During a stable inspection of Mr Ryan’s Flemington stables this morning (Saturday) by Mr Melville and the Compliance Assurance Team, Mr Ryan was found to have in his possession, in the glove box of his motor vehicle, two syringes of Darbepoetin Alfa, which is a prohibited substance under Prohibited List A of the Australian Rules of Racing,” read the stewards’ report.
Asahi Super Dry Golden Eagle (Group 1)
LUKE Nolen’s hesitation to push forward from barrier five at the jump in the A$10 million Group 1 Golden Eagle for four-year-olds over 1,500 metres at Randwick on Saturday has likely cost the connections of the $1.50 favourite Sheza Alibi an almighty payday.
With Sheza Alibi snookered away with horses all around her, Chad Schofield from barrier 14 of 16, was able to slide forward and sit just behind the leader one off the fence. With the pace inconsistent, the leaders quickened approaching the bend as the hot favourite was given no favours and no gaps.
Up front, a desperate battle between Skyhook and Decorum ensued, with the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Written Tycoon colt Skyhook getting the nod by a nose ahead of the Snitzel gelding Decorum. Third was the Bivouac colt Beiwacht a length away as Sheza Alibi cantered over the line in 11th, having at no point found any clear galloping room in a disaster for punters.
Mapped out
“He’s had a great prep,” said Gerald Ryan. “We set him for the race after he ran in the (fourth) Golden Rose (last year). The flaw in his campaign over the last 12 months was taking him to Melbourne.
“After June, we sat down and mapped out these four races heading into this and nothing has gone wrong. Before (winning) the (Group 3) Hawkesbury Guineas (in May), I put him over a few hurdles and he’s never looked back since.”
Coming into the race with almost the best lead-up form, with Group 2 wins in the Theo Marks and Shannon Stakes, Skyhook ran a narrow second in the Silver Eagle two weeks ago. A $575,000 Magic Millions yearling, Ryan plans to spell Skyhook with a view to the Group 1 Apollo Stakes in February.
Chad Schofield was the lucky recipient of the ride with Skyhook’s regular hoop Kerrin McEvoy suspended.
“I paid homage to Kerrin. This is his horse. He should be here today, not me,” said Schofield. “My horse dropped the bridle and found the most beautiful rhythm. I took the speed out of the race knowing Autumn Boy and Sheza Alibi finish really well.
“I waited as long as I could and he is so game. I felt like Decorum had us a couple of times, but my horse pinned his ears back and was in for the fight.”