Shamus Award - New Winner

Trainer Clinton McDonald and bloodstock agent Shane McGrath teamed up to win their second G1 Blue Diamond Stakes in three years today with Streisand (Magnus) victorious in the juvenile feature at Caulfield.

It’s always special when Kiwi bred sprinter Ka Ying Rising steps out at Sha Tin, but on Sunday it was even more so with the world’s fastest horse breaking the track record for 1400m as he powered to a record 18th consecutive win in the Group I Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup.

Rebel Dane shot to fame after siring Golden Slipper winning Champion 2YO Fireburn, but as so often happens when an unheralded stallion makes an early splash it can take a while for that initial result to transform into more ongoing success.

After noting The Black Cloud was a filly with a future when tagged a ‘One To Watch’ following her win in a competitive maiden at Gosford at her career debut, the daughter of Shamus Award kept her record at a perfect two for two at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday.

Talented sprinter I’m All In showed he was back to his best with a gritty performance to take out the final race on an action-packed day at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Horizon By SKYCITY (1200m).

Five Group I races were run in Australasia on Saturday and all of them went to first time G1 winners so let’s take a look at those pedigrees and one of them has five lines of Star Kingdom – so who was it?

The leading sire of winners in the world in 2025, reigning champion sire Zoustar makes his presence felt in many ways and we saw that over the weekend with a pair of stakes-winners in the Northern Hemisphere and here in Australia he got his first G1 winner as a broodmare sire.

Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have been scratching their heads with their Group One-performed mare Alabama Lass over the last few months, but they received a confidence boost following her win in a Group and Listed 1100m trial at Taupo on Sunday.

Tackling a competitive maiden over 1100m at Gosford at her career debut, the Shamus Award filly The Black Cloud won in the manner of a filly with a future.

Ellerslie’s Saturday meeting proved to be a momentous occasion for Chris Wood, with That’s Gold’s dominant win in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) bringing up his 500th training victory in New Zealand.