Seventh Winner for Merchant Navy

Breednet - Sunday July 24

Merchant Navy brought up winner number seven with a tough debut winner at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

Diana's Affair as a yearling

Tackling 1200m at his first start, Diana’s Affair was let find his feet early by James Orman before producing a determined finish to out point early leader and short-priced favourite Big Sky Country.

The third foal of unraced Northern Meteor mare, Diana’s Star, Diana’s Affair was a $210,000 buy for Kelly Schweida from the Segenhoe Strud draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Advertisement

Diana’s Star has a rising two-year-old filly by Not A Single Doubt, named Hinata, bought by Cambridge Stud for $425,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, as well as a weanling by Snitzel and was served by So You Think last season.

Fastnet Rock’s Champion 3YO Sprinter, Merchant Navy stands at Coolmore this spring at $27,500.

Advertisment

Race Result - Simon George & Sons Mdn Plate 1200m

Sunshine Coast Track: Heavy(9) Time: 1:14.62
1
Diana's Affair
- 2g Merchant Navy (AUS) x Diana's Star (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: K M Schweida Rdr: James Orman 57
2
0.2
Big Sky Country
- 2c Spirit Of Boom (AUS) x Jaunty (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: T J Gollan Rdr: Ben Thompson 57
3
2.7
Sir Leonidas
- 2g Nostradamus (AUS) x Fireglo (AUS) (Choisir (AUS))
Tnr: P & W Hulbert Rdr: M R Du Plessis 57
4
8.2
Lady Deanne
- 2f Starspangledbanner (AUS) x Hypernova (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: R L Cameron Rdr: Madeleine Wishart 55
5
21.2
The Veresdale
- 2g The Mission (AUS) x Jokes N Jazz (USA) (It's No Joke (USA))
Tnr: L G Ross Rdr: Jasmine Cornish 55
More Reading...
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 23
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Winning Return for Blueblood I Am Invincible Filly
Last seen finishing an unlucky fourth in the $1million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic in May, speedy I Am Invincible filly Sisstainable returned from a spell at Moonee Valley on Friday night to score a tenacious win.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Coolmore Favs get the Flemington Straight Experience in Jump Outs
Beiwacht, Beadman and Skyhook, three of the top four in the market for next month’s Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes had a jump out down the Flemington straight on Friday with Beadman quite the eye-catcher.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
NZB Breeze Up Footage Now Available to View Online
The highly anticipated Breeze Up videos for NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale are now available to view online at nzb.co.nz.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
The Rosehill trials on Friday morning featured a couple of juvenile heats and both winners came out of the Widden Stud draft at Magic Millions with one topping the sale at $2.8million and the other selling for a modest $150,000.
Magic Millions First Digital Sale - Opportunities Aplenty
Bidding is now open for the first Magic Millions Digital Sale with opportunities across all levels of the market for prospective buyers.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 MVRC Cox Plate
An emotional week in Australasian racing approaches its crescendo as we count down to the final Cox Plate before a radical new era in its history begins and we mourn the passing of one of its greatest champions.