One to Watch – Murtoa

Tara Madgwick - Sunday July 17

Exciting young sire Maurice (Jpn) has had plenty of stakes placed horses this season outside of his Group I superstars Hitotsu and Mazu and one of them is a maiden no more.

A modest 1200m maiden race at Murtoa was chosen as the starting point for newly gelded three year-old Port Louis by the Maher Eustace stable and he obliged with an easy win.

Stakes-placed twice previously and placed six times as well as being competitive in Group I races, Port Louis had been the source of some frustration, but as with Mazu, gelding may have proven the master stroke.

He's a man on a mission - Port Louis wins at Murtoa - image Brendan McCarthy / Racing Photos

Port Louis cruised home to win by  two and a half lengths and will no doubt take confidence from the win.

Withdrawn from Inglis Easter, Port Louis runs for Katsumi Yoshida and has won over $200,000 in prizemoney even though this was his first win in 11 starts!

Advertisement

Bred by Arrowfield in partnership with Cloros Bloodstock, Port Louis is a half-brother to Group II placed Raphael’s Cat and Tale of Choice being the sixth winner from imported US Group II winner Cat By the Tale (USA).

Cat by the Tale has been a regular partner for The Autumn Sun in the last three seasons producing a yearling filly, a weanling colt and she is back in foal to him again.

Port Louis is the 39th Australian winner this season for Maurice, who will be the Champion Australian second Crop Sire by earnings and returns to Arrowfield this spring at a fee of $88,000.

Advertisment

Race Result - Shannon Bros Bulk Storage Mdn 1200m

Murtoa Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:12.30
1
Port Louis
- 3g Maurice (JPN) x Cat By The Tale (USA) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: H Coffey 59.5
2
2.3
Stunna The Runna
- 4m Skilled (AUS) x Rustana (AUS) (Kempinsky (AUS))
Tnr: Tori Madigan Rdr: Jack Hill 57.5
3
2.5
Jungle Flight
- 4g Jungle Ruler (AUS) x Top Flight (AUS) (Stratum (AUS))
Tnr: S V Gebert Rdr: J Lorensini 59.5
4
3.7
French Comet
- 3g Shalaa (IRE) x French Doll (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Dean Holland 59.5
5
4.9
Here He Looms
- 3g Lonhro (AUS) x Heirlooms (AUS) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Michael Poy 59.5
6
8.2
Costa Margo
- 5m Von Costa De Hero (AUS) x Domargo (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: S & J Jaensch Rdr: Ms C Puls 57.5
7
11.2
Hardcover Edition
- 3g All Too Hard (AUS) x Sports Writer (AUS) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: Simon Zahra Rdr: R Downey 59.5
8
11.4
Kumana
- 5g Animal Kingdom (USA) x Lieserl (AUS) (Magic Albert (AUS))
Tnr: Nathan Hobson Rdr: Lucinda Boyd 59.5
More Reading...
Lindsays savour Cambridge Stud Book 1 triumph
Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay decided to support the milestone 100th edition of New Zealand’s National Yearling Sale with 100 percent of Cambridge Stud’s yearlings that were for sale this season, and that commitment was richly rewarded with a Book 1 triumph that they and their team will never forget.
One to Watch – Warwick Farm
Golden Slipper winning sire Farnan has not been short of winners of late and produced his 20th Aussie winner of the season at Warwick Farm on Australia Day with the Waterhouse Bott stable producing a blue blood filly to win on debut.
$850,000 Alabama Express Colt Sets New Benchmark for His Sire
Yulong based Alabama Express recently set a new sale ring benchmark for his progeny at the Magic Millions when a colt from Navarro sold for $625,000, but that mark was eclipsed in the second and final session of Karaka Book One on Monday. 
Sires With Winners - Monday January 26
Here is the full list of 41 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Dream Debut Winner for Russian Camelot
Widden Stud’s gorgeous stallion Russian Camelot (IRE) is a showstopper in the looks department and a three year-old gelding stamped very much in his image was a runaway debut winner at Geelong on Australia Day.
People at Karaka Day Two - We Found A Cool Horse
Day Two at Karaka and Maree McEwan was out speaking to some happy people, and along the way came across a very cool horse – he may have cost $950,000 but he seems priceless.
$1.1million colt for Sword of State
The dizzying rise of Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State continued at Karaka on Monday with a sale-topping $1.1 million yearling in his second crop.
Personal Best for Anders at Karaka Book 1
A brilliant run by Farnan colt Magill to finish a close second to Dream Roca in the Karaka Million on Saturday put the spotlight on his yearling three-quarter brother by Anders, who sold for $380,000 at Karaka Book One on Monday.
Book 1 Sets New Benchmark at NZB Centennial Sale
The first session at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 100th National Yearling Sale set a new benchmark, with the Book 1 Sale reaching total sales of over $79 million after two days of selling, a $3.6 million increase despite a more compact offering.
Mulcaster Secures $950,000 Justify Colt
Bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster secured the $850,000 highest-priced lot on Sunday’s opening day of Karaka 2026, and he followed it up on Monday with something even bigger.