Yonce Returns Boxing Day

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday December 26

New Zealand’s reigning champion sire Proisir has had five Group I winners to date, but one of his progeny that is G1 class although hasn’t won the G1 yet is Yonce, who returns from injury at Caulfield on Boxing Day.

Brilliant Proisi mare Yonce is on the comeback trail starting today - image Grant Courtney

A six year-old mare prepared by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Yonce won six of seven career starts through 2021 and 2022 before a tendon injury derailed her progress  following a fourth to Nimalee in the Group I ATC Queen of the Turf Stakes, which was her lone defeat.

She has accepted for the Listed MRC Christmas Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield which will also see the return of globe-trotting sprinter The Astrologist, who was last seen finishing fifth in the Group I Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

"She'll race fairly fresh I'd say," David Eustace told Racenet.

"We'd love to run over 1200m, she appears to be 100 per cent and she looks great but has been trialling fairly gassy, her trials haven't been visually that eye-catching."

Advertisement

Rain predicted is also seen as a positive for Yonce coming back from the tendon strain.

"She likes it wet and we'd be delighted kicking her off with some ease in the ground," Eustace said.

All going well Yonce will progress towards the Listed MRC John Dillon Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Australia Day second-up, with a jumpout in between, before a possible trip to Syndye for Group I mares races in the autumn.

Advertisment
More Reading...
One to Watch – Warrnambool
So You Think is the first sire to hit 40 winners for the season and he did it with a three year-old filly that won easily on debut at Warrnambool on Monday in the Kia Ora Stud colours.
Home Affairs 2YOs Shine at Official Sydney Trials
I Am Invincible’s exciting young sire son Home Affairs was the talk of the town after the yearling sales this year when his progeny topped both Magic Millions and Inglis Easter and at Randwick on Monday morning he had two runners at the official 2YO trials and both of them came out winners.
2025 National Thoroughbred Week Launched
National Thoroughbred Week, the newly launched industry initiative designed to bring the public closer to the thoroughbred and our sport, is excited to confirm a truly trans-Tasman exposure, with hosts confirmed across all Australian and New Zealand regions.
G1 Golden Rose Field and Barrier Draw
Godolphin filly Tempted will take on eight colts in a nine horse Group One Golden Rose at Rosehill on Saturday where she retains favouritism after drawing barrier eight.
Career Best Victory for Wentwood Grange Favourite Yearling
Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 22
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Tara Talks Racing - Trials and Racing
This week we’re talking trials after an insightful set of official 2YO trials in Sydney, plus some racing and how Fangirl will eventually go to stud with two Group I wins less on her resume than there should be.
Breednet Follow the Official Sydney 2YO Trials - 7 – 9
All 2YO heats this morning run at Randwick over 850m with these trials the key factor in deciding fields for the Group III ATC Breeders Plate and Gimcrack Stakes in two weeks time.
Kiwi Cup Contender Headed to Australia
Melbourne Cup aspirant Trav secured his plane ticket across the Tasman with a pleasing performance over 2100m at Ellerslie on Saturday.