Zoustar - New Winner

While it may have taken until his fifth start to break his maiden, 3yo Pierata colt Kilbrannan has pedigree on his side and with the step up to 1300m, the Gary Portelli trained colt impressed at Newcastle on Sunday when breaking his maiden for Laurel Oak Bloodstock and partners.

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh won the Gr.3 Jennian Homes Wellington Stakes (1600m) for the fifth time at Otaki on Sunday with emerging talent Ammirati, but this was a win unlike any other.

Yulong has wasted little time in making a mark on New Zealand racing this spring, and those emerald green and white colours were carried to another feature-race win by Azeezle in Sunday’s Levin Truck Services Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.

Quality Toronado daughter Toropa upset her more fancied rivals and showed a blistering turn of foot to take the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic over 1400m, the second leg of The Pinnacles Mares Series at the Ascot carnival.

Winx's half-sister Wings Of Desire lost her unbeaten record at start three when playing second fiddle to the 4-year-old Zoustar mare Makena in Wednesday's Hyland Race Colours (Bm72) (1400m) for fillies and mares at Randwick-Kensington.

There were some interesting Brisbane Carnival type horses going around at the Warwick Farm trials on Friday including Group I winners such as Private Eye, Espiona, Smokin’ Romans and a horse with G1 potential in Think About It and in the juvenile heats a filly by Zoustar caught our eye.

Last Saturday in Australia there were an astonishing 15 stakes races run in a time period most trainers see as being out of season, barring the Perth Summer Carnival, when we consider that our elite horses are programmed towards spring and autumn, so what is going on?

Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who has taken giant strides in 2025 to become the Cartier European Horse of the Year and on Sunday he achieved the almost unthinkable with a history making win in the Group I Japan Cup (2400m).

Ascot has played host to a remarkable crop of three year olds this season and another potential superstar was unveiled yesterday.

Sporting the famed silks of Te Akau Racing, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson’s Home Affairs colt Kinnaird started favourite at Otaki on Sunday, fighting all the way to the line to score on debut, becoming the second winner for his Coolmore based sire.