Tattersall’s Tiara (Group 1)
THE final of 76 Group 1 races for the 2025/2026 racing season was contested last Saturday at Eagle Farm with the French-bred Splash Back saluting in a 17-horse field for the Tattersall’s Tiara for fillies and mares over 1,400 metres at Eagle Farm.
Purchased for €100,000 from the 2021 Arqana October Yearling Sale, the six-year-old Le Harve mare, trained by Grahame Begg and ridden by Jordan Childs, settled midfield with Childs electing to stick to the inside as gaps began to present on rounding the bend.
Taking the shortest route home, Childs had Splash Back wound up inside the 300 metre mark as she began to haul-in the group of four ahead and to her outside. Darting clear, Child’s rails-hugging ride bore fruit with Splash Back putting up an almost two-length margin to claim a maiden Group 1. Second was the Brutal filly Savagery Vibe ahead of the Blue Point filly Gerringong.
“It’s always very exciting, particularly coming and winning up here,” said Graeme Begg. “I’ve actually won this race a couple of times in the past (with Bonanova in 1999 and 2000), but I think it was a Group 2 or 3 at that stage. It’s always been a race that I really love.
“She’s been a beauty, this horse. Since we got her to train, she’s been outstanding. She’s all heart. You know, she just goes out and goes to war for you.”
A Group 2 winner four starts back, Splash Back came into the race off a pair of solid Group 1 performances in the Kingsford-Smith Cup and the Stradbroke Handicap. Her record now reads nine from 26 starts for just over A$1.1 million in earnings.
“I was able to sneak runs up the inside and coming to the corner, I knew I just needed it to unfold the way I needed it to and a few runs to appear,” said Childs. “Once she did, she really burst through. Great to get another Group 1 winner for Graeme and especially this horse, she’s been fantastic.”
The Group 1 win was Childs’ third and a 16th for Begg.
TOMMY Ryan guided the Shane Jackson-trained Andy Win to a facile victory in the A$100,000 Lafferty Hurdle at Warrnambool last Sunday.
Stalking the leading pair for the majority of the race’s 3,200 metres, Ryan picked up the tempo from the 800 metres mark with Andy Win hitting the front after clearing the second last.
Smoothly over the last, the $2.70 second favourite just kept extending his lead to win by 11 lengths from the Irish-bred Mr Waterville, the Australian Hurdle winner and race favourite, Ongatiti claimed third.
“It was great,” said Jackson of the Almanzor gelding’s win. “You get more nervous and more of a thrill today than I ever was riding in this race.
“I won it on a legend of a horse in Gold Medals and it was one of my first big winners over here (in Australia), I suppose, but nothing beats that. Geez, he’s a tough horse. It was a strong win.”
Switched out of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable in September last year, Andy Win won his maiden hurdle on a heavy track on the first day of Warrnambool’s May carnival.
Hurdling record
Sunday’s win improves his hurdling record to three wins from four starts for just over $118,000 in earnings with Tommy Ryan confident there is more to come.
“I know the conditions suited, and probably didn’t suit the rest of them, but I think he’s improving with every run. He’s hurdling so much better now; he’s really quick and sharp over the hurdles, he didn’t spend any time in the air.
“I always had plenty of horse underneath me and I was in no way worried at any stage.”
A YEAR ago Arrowfield Stud announced the passing of their leading stallion Snitzel, and 12 months on, the son of Redoute’s Choice is the Champion Sire for season 2025/2026.
It is the fifth time Snitzel has been crowned Champion Sire, with Lady Shenandoah his leading flag bearer by earnings collecting over A$2.55 million despite not winning in eight starts this season. With six individual Group 1 winners this season his record has improved to 28 individual Group 1 winners with 175 stakes-winners overall.
Chris Waller and James McDonald took the trainer and jockey accolades. Chris Waller won the Sydney Metropolitan Trainers’ Premiership for the 16th consecutive time as well as taking out the Australian Trainers’ Premiership with 348 wins from 2,515 runners at a strike-rate of 13.8%.
James McDonald won his ninth Sydney Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership with 88 wins from 352 rides at a strike-rate of 25%.
Significantly McDonald broke the jockey’s record for most Group 1 wins in a season, claiming 17 across the full season.