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Turfling
Australasia
Thursday 8 October 2026
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The lead
Coolmore and Chris Waller Racing name their Everest runners
Coolmore has chosen Giga Kick for its slot in The Everest, the $20 million sprint over 1200 metres at Royal Randwick on 17 October. The seven year old gelding, trained by Clayton Douglas and owned and bred by Jonathan Munz, won the 2022 running as an unbeaten three year old and was runner up to Bella Nipotina in 2024. This will be his third appearance in the race (The Straight, Just Horse Racing)
Chris Waller Racing has confirmed Joliestar for the same race, her third attempt at it. The six year old Zoustar mare has won 10 of her 22 starts with eight placings and $9.4 million earned, the leading stakes earner for her sire. She took the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes and the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick this year, and finished seventh in 2024 and fifth in 2025 (Breednet, The Straight) Full fields and barrier positions are Racing Australia content and are not reproduced here.
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Things to know today
| 1 |
A 1 per cent share in Ninja sold for $55,000 at Wednesday’s Inglis Digital October (Early) Online Sale, valuing the Everest bound four year old Farnan gelding at $5.5 million. A 5 per cent share in Cherry Bomshell made $60,000, valuing her at $1.2 million (TTR AusNZ, The Straight) |
| 2 |
Love Story won the Catanach’s Jewellers Plate over 1400 metres at Randwick Kensington on Wednesday by three and a quarter lengths from Iminastate, the four year old Justify mare only two starts into a career delayed by knee chips and illness. Adrian Bott said the late start may yet help her, because she is “still all frame to look at”, and believes she will reach black type in time. Punxsutawney Phil took the 1250 metre Asahi Super Dry Handicap at the same meeting by a length and a quarter for John O’Shea and Tom Charlton to stay unbeaten in three, with the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes at Randwick on 24 October next (Breednet, Just Horse Racing) |
| 3 |
Cold Shower broke his maiden at Geelong on Wednesday at the second attempt, stepping up to 2270 metres after finishing third on debut. The Too Darn Hot gelding, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, cost $650,000 from the Widden Stud draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and is regarded as a Derby contender (Breednet) |
| 4 |
Phill Cataldo’s Australian recruits both advanced their Classic cases at the weekend. Miss Waititi, a Circus Maximus filly who failed to meet an $80,000 reserve at the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, won the Listed Super Impose Stakes over 1800 metres at Flemington against males and is aimed at the Group 1 VRC Oaks over 2500 metres on 5 November for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr. De Armas, bought for $16,000 on Gavelhouse Plus by her trainer Johnno Benner, was beaten a neck in the Group 1 Flight Stakes at Randwick and is likely to be supplemented for the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on 17 October. Cataldo called her “the standout two-year-old filly last season” and said favourable exchange rates are keeping Australian demand for New Zealand horses high (NZ Racing News, The Straight) |
| 5 |
Racing Australia’s 2025 Fact Book puts about 75,000 jobs in the thoroughbred industry, with a broader participation estimate close to 160,000 employees, participants and volunteers, 63 per cent of them in regional areas. An IER study for AgriFutures Australia covering breeding alone in 2022/23 counted 9,268 full time equivalent jobs and $814.5 million in wages and salaries. The figures come from different years and different methods and are not directly comparable (The Straight) |
| 6 |
Juvenile trial heats were won at Dalby by La Bella Queen, a Jonker filly bought for $23,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, and at Wangaratta by Rain Bender, a Villermont two year old out of Raincutter (Breednet) |
| 7 |
Egmont won on debut at the Gold Coast Poly track for Chris Waller, a three year old Harry Angel gelding bought for $220,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock Agency from the Golden Grove draft at Denman, and a sibling to Li’l Kontra (Breednet) |
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International
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Britain
Coolmore gives four million guineas for a Frankel colt
M V Magnier and White Birch Farm gave 4,000,000 guineas for a Frankel colt out of the Listed placed Shamardal mare Shambolic on day two of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 on Wednesday, Coolmore’s first seven figure signing of the renewal. Newsells Park Stud consigned him, bred in partnership with Craig Bennett’s Merry Fox Stud, and he is a brother to Ylang Ylang. Magnier called him “a lovely horse” and said Newsells Park “do a great job”. Graham Smith-Bernal said Juddmonte, who inspected the colt, called him the spitting image of Frankel. The session turned over 42,625,000 guineas, down 10 per cent year on year, at an average of 355,210 guineas, down 1 per cent, and a median of 220,000 guineas, up 2 per cent, with 120 of 141 lots sold (Tattersalls, Racing Post)
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The week ahead
| 10 October |
Group 1 Caulfield Guineas over 1600 metres at Caulfield |
| 12 October |
Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale at Bundall |
| 12 and 13 October |
New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run breeze ups at Te Rapa |
| 13 October |
Second acceptances for the Lexus Melbourne Cup close at noon |
| 17 October |
The Everest over 1200 metres at Royal Randwick |
| 24 October |
Group 1 Cox Plate over 2040 metres at Flemington |
| 31 October |
Group 1 Victoria Derby over 2500 metres at Flemington |
| 31 October |
The Golden Eagle over 1500 metres at Royal Randwick |
| 3 November |
Lexus Melbourne Cup over 3200 metres at Flemington |
| 18 and 19 November |
New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale at Karaka |
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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. Picks are percentages, never odds. Not affiliated with any track, tote board, regulator or wagering product.
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