It's Kris Lees and Australian Bloodstock again as Gem Song Wins the Newcastle Newmarket

Mark Smith - Friday March 5

The rejuvenated Your Song gelding Gem Song made it three consecutive wins for trainer Kris Lees and owners Australian Bloodstock with a heart-stopping win in Friday’s $160,000 Group III Newcastle Newmarket.

Narrow win for Gem Song in Newcastle Newmarket (image Steve Hart)

Ridden by Nash Rawiller, Gem Song found the best going out wide in the straight to nail the game favourite Bottega (Snitzel) on the line.

Cascadian (GB) (New Approach) was a length back in third after being forced to make his run down the inside of the track.

Advertisement

Winner of the Group III ATC Eskimo Prince Stakes and Group III BRC Gunsynd Classic in 2019, Gem Song was off the scene for sixty-seven weeks when making a brilliant return to the track when fourth to Masked Crusader in the Group III Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick on February 13.

With his third stakes win, the 5yo son of Your Song advances his record to six wins, two seconds and three thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $634,395.

“It is a good result. He has been off the scene a long time,” Lees said.

“Some good people have a share in the horse, so it’s very rewarding.

Gem Song Nash Rawiller (mage Steve Hart)

“I think he is back to his best. He stepped slow, so he had a bit of work to do.

“I thought he got beat on the line, so I was relieved when the number went up in the frame.

“He (Nash Rawiller) is pretty handy in those last 50 metres.”

Bred and initially raced by Gooree Stud, Gem Song is a half-brother to stakes-winner The Omega Man (Northern Meteor) out of the crack racemare Beautiful Gem.

A daughter of Peintre Celebre (USA), Beautiful Gem won nine races highlighted by the Group II Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Beautiful Gem is a daughter of the Group III Black Opal Stakes winner and Group 1 Golden Slipper runner-up Just Blooming.

Sold at the 2016 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale with Bowness Stud signing the ticket for $30,000, Beautiful has a troubled last few years at stud and was pensioned in January.

Advertisment

Race Result - Suez Newcastle Newmarket Hcp Gr3 1400m

Newcastle Track: Good(4) Time: 1:23.73
1
Gem Song
- 5g Your Song (AUS) x Beautiful Gem (AUS) (Peintre Celebre (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: N Rawiller 58.5
2
0.1
Bottega
- 4h Snitzel (AUS) x Bennetta (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: K Mc Evoy 54
3
1.1
Cascadian
- 6g New Approach (IRE) x Falls Of Lora (IRE) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J B Mc Donald 59
4
1.9
Maui Girl
- 5m Lope De Vega (IRE) x Run For Naara (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: J C Coyle Rdr: Ms L Day 54
5
2.3
Purple Sector
- 5g Pins (AUS) x Eden Valley (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: J Bowman 57
6
2.9
Texas Storm
- 6g All American (AUS) x Stormy Empress (AUS) (King's Best (USA))
Tnr: R R Milligan Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 54
7
3.1
Asiago
- 4m Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Disputes (AUS) (Manton (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Rachel King 54
8
6.2
Trophies Galore
- 5m Reward For Effort (AUS) x Paradise Mill (USA) (Horse Chestnut (SAF))
Tnr: Andrew Robinson Rdr: J Ford 54
9
7.4
Outrageous
- 5g All Too Hard (AUS) x Fit And Ready (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Tommy Berry 55
More Reading...
$900,000 for Zoustar Half-Sister to Farnan
Reigning champion sire Zoustar posted his best result at Magic Millions on Friday when the half-sister to Golden Slipper winner and exciting young sire Farnan sold for $900,000.
Widden Sell First Million Dollar Yearling for Anamoe
Australian Horse of the Year Anamoe is leading the first season sire averages at Magic Millions and put the issue well beyond doubt when he produced his first seven figure yearling on Friday with Widden Stud’s colt from Secret Trail fetching $1.1million.
$550,000 Home Affairs Filly to Redgum Racing
John McArdle has had a great run of late with flying I Am Invincible filly My Gladiola and he took a shine to another good looking filly bred for speed at Magic Millions on Friday paying $550,000 for the Home Affairs filly from Real Surreal.
Gem Song Makes the Best of His Second Chance in Star Kingdom
Scratched from the race on Saturday, Gem Song was reinstated for the Group III Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) when the meeting was switched to Newcastle and didn’t the son of Your Song appreciate his home track.
$1.25 Million Invincible Filly to Waller Racing
Champion sire I Am invincible has produced a filly to sell for a million or more on each of the three days of Magic Millions so far and he did it again on Friday when the Coolmore consigned filly from Qafila fetched $1.25million.
$500,000 Filly for Nicconi – Sister to Scorched Earth
Widden Stud’s 20 year-old stallion Nicconi is best known as the sire of champion sprinter Nature Strip and while high end commercial breeders have largely moved on from the evergreen sire, he made his presence felt at the Magic Millions on Friday when his lone yearling sold for $500,000.
MyRacehorse Snap Up $750,000 Stay Inside Filly
With two stakes-winners on his resume already, Golden Slipper winning sire Stay Inside couldn’t be doing much more and Sledmere Stud were well rewarded when they sold one of his fillies at Magic Millions on Friday for $750,000.
$650,000 for Diatonic Filly from Snapdancer
Yulong have brought a stellar draft of horses to Magic Millions and they include first crop yearlings by high class Japanese sprinter miler Diatonic (Jpn), who was in the spotlight on Friday when his filly from Snapdancer sold for $650,000.
Coolmore Sell $1.5million Snitzel Colt
Tom Magnier has invested heavily in elite racemares in recent years to add to the Coolmore broodmare band and one of them was Group II winner Vangelic, whose first foal was the top seller in Friday’s final Book 1 session at Magic Millions.
461 Catalogued for First Inglis Digital Sale of 2026
A beautifully bred mare with an I Am Invincible colt at foot and a young half sister to a recent G1 winner are just two of the standout entries in a large catalogue brimming with quality in the Inglis Digital January Online Sale.