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Turfling
Australasia
Tuesday 22 September 2026
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The lead
Mazu upstages Joliestar in The Shorts
Mazu held on by a neck from Joliestar to win the $1 million Group 2 The Shorts over 1100 metres at Royal Randwick on Saturday, with his stablemate King’s Secret a nose away third. Rachel King rode the eight year old son of Maurice for Joe Pride. Mazu has run in three previous Everests and was third behind Giga Kick in 2022 (Racing Fans, Triple Crown).
Pride does not see the $20 million Everest on 17 October as the place for him. “To be fair to him, he’s had a few goes in Everests and it’s not really his race,” he said, adding that running “a nice sixth or seventh doesn’t interest me a lot.” The Premiere Stakes, the Sydney Stakes and the Russell Balding Stakes were named as his options. “They should never forget about him. He’s so honest,” King said (Racing Fans, Triple Crown).
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Things to know today
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Ka Ying Rising arrived in Sydney on Monday and is quartered at Canterbury, with his retired stablemate Ka Ying Glory travelling as company. The David Hayes trained sprinter brings a run of 21 straight wins and is set for a barrier trial at Randwick on 6 October before defending The Everest on 17 October. “He’s in his stable safe and sound,” Hayes said (SCMP, The Straight) |
| 2 |
Bangkok Hottie won the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes over 1400 metres at Randwick on Saturday for David Payne and Kerrin McEvoy, beating Striking Alibi by three quarters of a length with Global Goal third. The Group 1 Flight Stakes over 1600 metres at Randwick is next. “I’m making a comeback,” Payne said. “You get nice horses, you look after them, they reward you” (Betsy, Racing Fans) |
| 3 |
Blind Raise won the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude over 1400 metres at Caulfield on Saturday by two and three quarter lengths from Tornado Valley, with American Eagle third. Blake Shinn rode him for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young. By Ace High out of Away Cruising, a daughter of the seven time Group 1 winner Seachange, he has won four of his five starts, including the Listed McKenzie Stakes and the Listed Anzac Day Stakes, and the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas on 10 October is next. “He’s an exceptional horse. I’m just delighted to get a win for Trent and Natalie,” Shinn said (Betsy, The Straight, LOVERACING.NZ) |
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Two Anamoe juveniles won heats at the first official two year old trials at Randwick on Monday. Nonu, a NZ$600,000 Karaka yearling trained by Bjorn Baker and ridden by Jason Collett, won over 850 metres by three and a half lengths in 49.02, and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott filly Runaway Diva won her heat in 49.22. Anamoe is a first season stallion for Darley. “We probably went beyond our budget in New Zealand to buy him,” Baker said (The Straight, NZ Racing News) |
| 5 |
Half Yours carries topweight of 59kg in the Melbourne Cup, with the three time Group 1 winner Aeliana on 58kg and Sir Delius not nominated. Chris Waller is reconsidering the race for his mare. “I’m not whinging, but she can’t win a Melbourne Cup with 58kg, can she?” he said (Betsy, NZ Racing News). Turfling does not reproduce Racing Australia field content, so key runners only. |
| 6 |
The Melbourne Racing Club reported record revenue of $281.4 million for the 2026 financial year and a net loss of $10.6 million, down from $14.7 million the year before, with bank debt at $197.7 million. “The primary pressure on the result was $10.9 million in interest on the existing debt position,” the club treasurer Alison Saville said (The Straight) |
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Hannah Wilson has won New Zealand’s 2026 Amateur Rider Series, taking the Duke of Gloucester Cup over 2200 metres at Te Aroha on Sunday on the Kevin Myers trained So Call Me to finish on 56 points, ahead of Monique Dey on 49. She starts her apprenticeship in March 2027. “It is a huge race for the amateurs, so I was quite nervous going into it, I really wanted to take it out,” she said (LOVERACING.NZ) |
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International
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America
Forever Young takes the Jockey Club Gold Cup as Belmont reopens
Forever Young won the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup over a mile and a quarter on the reopening day of Belmont Park on Friday, beating Stars and Stripes by three and a quarter lengths with Baeza third in 2:01.23. Ryusei Sakai rode him for Yoshito Yahagi. It was his 12th win from 16 starts and took his earnings to US$32,313,590, with the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on 31 October next. Yahagi said he was 100 per cent satisfied with winning the race, “but performance-wise I am only 50% satisfied” (TDN, America’s Best Racing, Idol Horse).
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Europe
Craig Williams gets the Melbourne Cup ride on James J Braddock
Craig Williams will ride James J Braddock in the Melbourne Cup for Joseph O’Brien, the booking arranged by the horse’s Australia based co-owner Aziz Kheir. The son of Zarak was third in the Derby, and Williams won the Cup in 2019 on Vow And Declare. The St Leger winner Highwayman is also under consideration, while Starford and Omni Man are going to run in the Caulfield Cup. “The second quarantine hasn’t started yet so we still have to get there,” O’Brien said (TDN, PA Media).
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The week ahead
| 23 September |
Hong Kong racing resumes after the cancelled Sha Tin meeting of 20 September |
| 26 September |
The Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill |
| 26 September |
The Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile at Hastings |
| 27 September |
The Group 1 Manikato Stakes at Caulfield |
| 27 September |
The Group 3 Celebration Cup at Sha Tin |
| 15 October |
The Inglis Ready2Race Sale |
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This week
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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. Picks are percentages, never odds. Not affiliated with any track, tote board, regulator or wagering product.
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