breednet.com.au

Juddmonte Colours Salute at Flemington – Surefire Wins G3 Archer Stakes

Tara Madgwick - Saturday October 29

Imported Fastnet Rock gelding Surefire (GB) has always promised to win a stakes race in Australia and got the job done at Flemington on Saturday when scoring a determined win in the Group III VRC Archer Stakes (2500m).

Surefire wins the G3 Archer Stakes - image Grant Courtney

Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by James McDonald, Surefire was a short priced favourite and was strong to the line to beat 2020 Epsom Derby winner Serpentine (IRE) by a length.

Advertisement

“He travelled into it like he was going to win a bit better than he did, but in saying that he got to the front and backed off and waited for the other horses, so maybe a set of visors might help him concentrate,” said James McDonald.

Surefire races for a partnership of Waller stable clients and his breeder Juddmonte Farms in whose colours he runs. He has the overall record of six wins and three seconds from 14 starts and as a four year-old his best is still to come.

Surefire wins his first stakes race - image Grant Courtney

A half-brother to Group winner Button Down and stakes-winner Platitude, Surefire is one of seven winners from stakes-winner Modesta, a half-sister to Group I winning champions Reams of Verse and Elmaamul as well as the dam of champion mare Midday.

Surefire is the 190th stakes-winner worldwide for Coolmore's champion sire Fastnet Rock.

Advertisment

Race Result - Lexus Archer Stakes Gr3 2500m

Flemington Track: Soft(7) Time: 2:39.11
1
Surefire
- 5g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Modesta (IRE) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 55
Fastnet Rock
2
1.0
Serpentine
- 6g Galileo (IRE) x Remember When (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: Robert Hickmott Rdr: John Allen 55
3
2.0
Crystal Pegasus
- 6g Australia (GB) x Crystal Etoile (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: M Zahra 56
4
4.7
Warning
- 6g Declaration Of War (USA) x Livia (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: D Oliver 56
5
7.7
Chapada
- 7g Bullet Train (GB) x Diamantina Dior (AUS) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: J Mott 56.5
6
7.8
Alegron
- 4g Teofilo (IRE) x Alegria (AUS) (Medaglia D'Oro (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: W Buick 59
7
11.8
True Marvel
- 7g Masked Marvel (GB) x Anecdotique (FR) (Enrique (GB))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: B Mc Dougall 54
More Reading...
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.
Sires With Winners - Friday January 16
Here is the full list of 50 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$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.
$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.
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.
$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.
$1.5Million Snitzel Colt Tops MM Book 1 Friday Finale
A stunning Snitzel colt, the first foal of former glamour racemare Vangelic, topped Day Four of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale on Friday.
$625,000 In the Congo Colt to Gai and Adrian
He’s a three-quarter brother to undefeated superstar Autumn Glow and won the Group I ATC Golden Rose beating Anamoe, so it was no surprise when In the Congo made a splash at Magic Millions on Friday to deliver a colt that sold for $625,000.
Fastnet Rock Stayer Wins G2 Chairman’s Quality
Imported Fastnet Rock gelding Surefire (GB) carried the famous Juddmonte colours to victory in the $300,000 Group II ATC Chairman’s Quality (2600m) ploughing through the testing heavy conditions to stake a big claim for the upcoming $2million Group I Sydney Cup next week.
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.