Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (Group 1)

TRAINER John McArdle and jockey Jamie Mott have combined to win the Group 1 Moir Stakes over 1,000 metres at Sandown with My Gladiola.

The grey I Am Invincible filly had to fight hard to wrestle the lead from Cavalry Girl, who had led the field from the start in the soft going. Two lengths off the leader in fourth at the bend, My Gladiola only found the front in the final 50 metres, winning by a neck on the line ahead of the Bivouac filly Cavalry Girl with the Home Affairs filly Natural Fling in third.

“He’s a great trainer and an even better person,” said Jamie Mott.

“He’s stuck solid with me for a while now. We’ve both had success in Group 1s, but not together, so this is very special.

“To do it with this horse, and for John; he’s such a good person and we’ve worked together for so long, I don’t know how many years it is. We get along great. Like everyone, you have your ups and downs, but this has topped it for the two of us.”

Purchased by McArdle’s Redgum Racing for A$550,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling sale, My Gladiola has now won three and placed six times in 13 starts for over $1.5 million in earnings.

“Things went her way today,” McArdle added.

“The wind and the sun dried the track out a bit and Jamie gave her a great ride. Getting a good barrier, we didn’t have to go as far back as we normally do and she’s got the job done.

“She has run against the best her entire career. We ran second to Tentyris (in Group 1 races) a couple of times, running incredible times and she was deserving of this.”

THE evergreen seven-year-old Lindermann, continues to produce high-quality results. Out to a mile in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick, the Lonhro gelding easily accounted for a pair of Group 1 winners to claim his ninth win in 41 starts, and second consecutive Chelmsford, lifting his earnings to beyond A$5.3 million.

Leading around the bend, the Lonhro gelding’s advantage proved too great in the good conditions as his four-length advantage was whittled down to two on the line. The Tavistock gelding Ceolwulf came from a long way back to claim second, ahead of the winner’s stable mate the Sebring mare Fangirl.

Retired

The four-time Group 1 winner Fangirl was later retired with owner Debbie Kepitis, the daughter of the late Bob Ingham of Woodlands fame, suggesting that the eight-year-old Fangirl will likely be covered by young Darley sire Anamoe.

“We were going hard enough early and you don’t have to be in a hurry to get over with this horse,” said jockey Nash Rawiller. “Once Lindermann got into that rhythm, he is tough to run down. He is a beauty.

“The last 12 months have been his best, he is going so well. There is some talk he might go to the Group 1 Underwood Stakes next - he would be hard to beat around Caulfield.”

Proisir Plate (Group 1)

SUPERSTAR Kiwi filly Well Written has kept her unbeaten status intact, winning the Group 1 Proisir Plate on her spring debut at start seven, five months since she won her sixth, the NZ$4 million The Kiwi, also held at Ellerslie.

Ridden by Matt Cartwright for trainer Stephen Marsh, this was the four-year-old filly’s first test in open company, taking on 15 rivals at weight-for-age and sent out ‘in the red’ at $1.60.

Settled comfortably two pairs back from the leaders, having jumped from barrier seven at the 1,400 metre start, Well Written was out of traffic rounding the bend. Given time to balance, and seemingly hitting a flat spot briefly on straightening, the Written Tycoon filly ran through her gears in the closing stages to sweep to the lead and put a two-length margin into her rivals on the line.

Second was the Alabama Express mare Alabama Lass, who was trained by Ken Kelso, who only a week earlier suffered the loss of his wife and training partner Bev Kelso.

As a tribute, all jockeys in the Proisir Plate wore black armbands.

Third, also prepared by winning trainer Stephen Marsh and by Written Tycoon, was the horse Media World, with Irish jockey Joe Doyle up.

Awesome

“I’m proud, really proud,” said Marsh. “I was very nervous, because it’s hard for these four-year-old mares to take on the older horses. When Alabama Lass kicked, I thought we were going to be second, but it was awesome to see Well Written really let down.

“She’s amazing, and full credit to Alabama Lass, who’s a very good mare and doesn’t go down without a fight. She has a couple of big assignments ahead of her now, and I hope we are right on track.

“We have a month until the (Group 1) Epsom (Handicap, October 3rd at Randwick), so we will leave her here until pretty late and go over there near the race date, then on to the (A$10 million) Golden Eagle (October 31st at Randwick).”

Stephen Marsh was celebrating again the following evening, when Well Written was announced as New Zealand’s Horse of the Year for 2025-26, as well as Champion Three-Year-Old. Stephen Marsh and bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson purchased Well Written for NZ$80,000 from New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2024 National Online Yearling Sale.