Ones to Watch – Newcastle

Tara Madgwick - Sunday May 15

A strong provincial meeting at Newcastle on Saturday produced a couple of debut winners that caught the eye for varying reasons one being the 2YO half-brother to triple Group I winner and $4million earner Le Romain and the other a blue-blooded 3YO import by champion sire Pivotal, both will be going in my Breednet Black Book!

Michael Freedman puts the polish on Astern colt Backrower, who has shown good potential in two recent trials and found the line with enthusiasm to win the 1200m maiden by half a length running away.

A $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase for his trainer from the Edinglassie Stud draft, Backrower was the highest priced colt by Astern sold in 2021.

Backrower was an impressive looking yearling.

He is the fourth winner from Mignard, a winning Strategic mare whose yearling filly by Justify (USA) was offered at Inglis Easter this year by Longwood Thoroughbred Farm and sold for $300,000 to Bahen Bloodstock / Lees Racing.

Astute trainer Matthew Smith looks to have a very interesting horse on his hands in Miracle Spin (GB), a 3YO gelding by Pivotal that was bought from the 2020 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book Two for 100,000 guineas by Kern/Lillingston Association / John Foote Bloodstock.
 

A barrier trial winner last month at Warwick Farm, he was backed from $12 to $8 in the 1400m maiden and vindicated the faith shown by that support in producing an eye catching win.

Allowed to settle back from a wide draw, he powered to the line to win by nearly three lengths.

Miracle Spin is a full brother to Irish Group III winner and Group I Irish Derby fourth place-getter Earlswood, who is now in Australia and won the Group III MRC Carlyon Cup at his only run her last spring for Maddie Raymond.

He is the fourth winner from Group II placed Galileo mare Field of Miracles, a sibling to Group II winner Solid Stone and stakes-winner Cameron Highland.



Pivotal and Galileo have  quite an affinity with each other and combine in the pedigrees of 39 stakes-winners, 12 of them Group I winners including champions St Mark’s Basilica, Sottsass, Magical, Love, Cracksman and Aussie dual Group I winner Hungry Heart.




 

Advertisment

Race Result - Newcastle Skin Check Mdn Hcp 1200m

Newcastle Track: Heavy(8) Time: 1:14.14
1
Backrower
- 2c Astern (AUS) x Mignard (AUS) (Strategic (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Freedman Rdr: R Hutchings 57
2
0.5
Huon
- 3g Kermadec (NZ) x Cataclysm (AUS) (Marauding (NZ))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J Innes Jnr 59.5
3
1.8
Dirty Merchant
- 2c Merchant Navy (AUS) x Onemorezeta (AUS) (Onemorenomore (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: S Guymer 56.5
4
3.2
Metallicity
- 2c Zoustar (AUS) x Captivating Claire (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Mitchell Bell 59.5
5
3.9
Dishin 'n' Dancin
- 3g Spill The Beans (AUS) x Ballet Shoes (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: J M Austin Rdr: Ms J Taylor 59
6
5.1
Feirme Prince
- 3g Shalaa (IRE) x Street Queen (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: M J Dunn Rdr: Jean Van Overmeire 59
7
5.4
Airraid
- 3g Manhattan Rain (AUS) x Skyrockets (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: A Adkins 60
8
16.7
Sulmaher
- 3g Al Maher (AUS) x Casula Gal (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: L Magorrian 59
9
17.3
Al Ash Lad
- 3g Al Maher (AUS) x Ashamika (FR) (Linamix (FR))
Tnr: M J Dunn Rdr: Ms W Costin 59
More Reading...
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G2 Stutt Stakes
The racing and breeding world was shocked earlier this week by the passing of champion sire Wootton Bassett (GB), whose talented son West of Swindon picked the right race in which to break his maiden when scoring a bold front running victory in the $300,000 Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 25
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
Aquis Welcome First foals for Young Gun Officiating
A fast Group winning sprinter by Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame, Officiating (USA) was carefully selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure an outcross stallion for Queensland and his first foals are arriving this spring.
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
Invincible Filly Snares $100,000 Inglis Bonus
The least expensive filly by champion sire I Am Invincible sold at Inglis Easter in 2024, Wear the Crown always looked to have been well bought at $260,000 by Seib/Racing / Champion Thoroughbreds and she set about repaying her purchase price at Goulburn on Thursday.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Richard Johnston has bred some very good horses under his Bylong Park banner including triple Group I winner Think It Over and an Anders three year-old he bred and races was an eye-catching debut winner at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
Ardrossan Filly Wins First Kiwi Juvenile Race of New Season
Otaki horseman Johno Benner has a good association with the Karaka Millions, and he could have another serious contender on his hands for January’s showpiece.
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.