Needs Further - New Winner

Tasmanian Yearling Sale graduate Dark Journey put two luckless runs behind him when opening his winning account in the Rhima Australia Maiden Plate at Moonee Valley on Friday.

The late Bede Murray would be very proud of his son Paul after the astute Kembla trainer produced a Christmas fairytale result at Randwick on Saturday when $1250 Inglis Digital online purchase Where’s the Circus ran her rivals ragged on debut to win the $400,000 Inglis Nursery RL (1000m).

Former Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart returned to the scene of that 2023 triumph to take out the Gr.3 SKYCITY Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) in a thrilling three-way finish to the Te Rapa staying feature.

Placed in a G1 Queensland Oaks at three and winner of the $200,000 Listed BRC Tattersall’s Gold Crown at the end of last season, Russian Revolution mare Miss Jolene is primed for a lucrative summer campaign following a barnstorming win in the Listed BRC Tails Stakes (1500m) at Eagle Farm.

A $575,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Newgate Farm for PR Funds, Snitzel gelding Yorskhire took another leap forward at Randwick on Saturday when taking out the $2million Group II ATC The Ingham (1600m) earning automatic entry for next year’s Group I ATC Doncaster Mile.

Trainer Joe Pride is not afraid to travel his horses to where he feels they can win, and this was once again on display on Saturday with 5yo Shamus Award mare The Black Cloud having just her second start away from home, charging late to win the $160,000 Listed BRC Bribie Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm.

A tick under two hours after stablemate The Black Cloud recorded her first black type victory in Queensland, trainer Joe Pride saddled up fellow 5yo mare Weeping Woman in the $200,000 Listed ATC Razor Sharp (1200m) at Randwick where the daughter of Lonhro impressed as the race favourite.

Trainer Liam Birchley has long earmarked the Listed TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) for highly promising juvenile Dream Roca, and the daughter of El Roca took another step in the direction of the Ellerslie feature with a dominant win at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

A winner two starts back in the Group 2 VRC Linlithgow Stakes (1400m) before fifth in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m), the drop back to 1400m for Saturday’s $1m Supernova at Pakenham returned a windfall for the Ciaron Maher trained Warnie (IRE).

While it may have taken Kobayashi mare Midnight In Tokyo 30 starts to record her first stakes victory, it only took until her very next start to record her second, winning the $160,000 Listed BRC Just Now (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday for Annabel and Rob Archibald.