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Turfling
Australasia · Saturday 29 August 2026
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The lead
Beiwacht wins the Memsie by three lengths
Beiwacht won the Group 1 Memsie Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield today by three lengths for Chris Waller and Nash Rawiller (Racing Fans). Mr Brightside, lining up for a fourth consecutive Memsie on his 49th race start, finished second, Cosmic Crusader was third and last year’s winner Treasurethe Moment was fourth (Just Horse Racing). It was Beiwacht’s third Group 1 win and all three have come over 1400 metres, a week after he was scratched from the Winx Stakes with a raised temperature (Racing Fans). “We didn’t panic. It was enough to suggest he didn’t need to leave the stable, and remarkably, his blood results on Monday were perfect,” Waller said, adding that plans would be made with the Godolphin group and could include an international target (Racing Fans). We name key runners only and do not reproduce barrier draws or full fields.
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Things to know today
| 1 |
Cosmic Crusader ran third in the Memsie for Andrea Leek, who took him over from Michael Grantham, having come to Caulfield with ten wins and five placings from 19 starts and more than $1.8 million earned, Willie Pike riding (Breednet, Racing Fans) |
| 2 |
St Gotthard won his heat over 1200 metres at Randwick on Friday for Chris Waller and James McDonald, a $2.7 million Inglis Easter purchase now two from two at the trials and a full brother to Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland (Breednet) |
| 3 |
The Next Episode closed off nicely held together in that same heat, a $2.8 million Magic Millions colt, so the two most expensive Snitzel colts of their crop have now met as three-year-olds (Breednet) |
| 4 |
Sir Delius won a 1200 metre Randwick heat under Craig Williams for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the Frankel horse who polled 65 votes in Thursday’s Horse of the Year ballot (Breednet) |
| 5 |
Over Excited scored on debut at Geelong on Friday by 1.8 lengths in 1:08.44 over 1147 metres for Anthony and Sam Freedman and Damian Lane, the last foal of the Galaxy winner I Am Excited, who died in 2024 (Breednet) |
| 6 |
In the Congo stands at Newgate for $22,000 and is the older three-quarter brother to new Horse of the Year Autumn Glow, with two lots catalogued for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale (Breednet) |
| 7 |
Private Eye headlines the Magic Millions Digital Sale, which runs from Friday to 2 September, as a ten per cent unreserved share offered at Lot 1 with bidding closing at noon on 31 August (Breednet) |
| 8 |
Godolphin has entered seven horses in that sale and Arrowfield nine broodmares, alongside a two per cent unreserved share in the Kosciuszko contender So You Pence (Breednet) |
| 9 |
Magic Millions catalogued 77 individual sires for the Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale at Bundall on 12 October, with 73 lots already nominated to the Magic Millions Race Series (Breednet) |
| 10 |
Barry Bowditch called it “an auction that has a wonderful record for producing top tier performers”, with breeze up sessions at the Gold Coast on 22 September and Scone on 30 September (Breednet) |
| 11 |
Zafar resumes at Riccarton today over 1000 metres for Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, the Champagne Stakes winner being aimed at the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas over 1600 metres in November (Breednet) |
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International
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America
Golden Tempo takes the Travers overnight
Golden Tempo goes for the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga on Saturday American time, which is Sunday morning here, a $1.25 million race over ten furlongs, with Jose Ortiz riding for Cherie DeVaux (New York Racing Association). The Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner worked four furlongs in 49.66 seconds beforehand. “He worked really well. We were just trying to do something easy, and he looked great doing it, so we’re happy with where he’s at,” DeVaux said (New York Racing Association). Kentucky Derby runner up Renegade goes for Todd Pletcher, Chad Brown saddles Curlin Stakes winner Sea Strike and Louisiana Derby winner Emerging Market, who beat Golden Tempo in March, and Whit Beckman runs Kentucky Derby third Ocelli (New York Racing Association).
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Europe
Sandown races around its badgers
Badgers have been digging on the periphery of the track and in the parade ring at Sandown ahead of the Group 3 Solario and Atalanta Stakes on the course’s Saturday card, though the racing lines are unaffected (Racing Post). Under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 the course can only deny access routes, not remove or harm the animals (Racing Post). Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said the badgers have been there “on and off for about four years” and that the activity had “escalated a little bit this week”, which he put down to the long, hot, dry period, adding that there were “no immediate concerns” for racing (Racing Post).
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The week ahead
| Today |
The Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, and the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill (Breednet) |
| Today, NZ |
Riccarton, where Zafar resumes over 1000 metres before a New Zealand 2000 Guineas campaign (Breednet) |
| Sunday, AEST |
The Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, run Saturday afternoon in New York (New York Racing Association) |
| 2 September |
The Magic Millions Digital Sale closes, with the Private Eye share closing on 31 August (Breednet) |
| 5 September |
Constitution Hill starts his autumn in the Group 3 September Stakes at Kempton for Nicky Henderson, having passed over Windsor (Racing Post) |
| 12 October |
The Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale at Bundall (Breednet) |
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This week
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Turfling
Reported from official race-day materials, racecourse and regulator publications, and sales results, verified against trade press. Where a fact originates elsewhere, we say so. Drafted with AI assistance, reviewed by a human editor. Picks are percentages, never odds. Not affiliated with any track, tote board, regulator or wagering product.
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