Stakes-placed from two starts before Christmas, the Brad Widdup trained Home Affairs colt Internal Affairs was a short priced favourite when resuming from a spell at Hawkesbury on Tuesday and duly saluted.
Fourth on debut to subsequent Group I winning colt Fireball at Rosehill and then second in the Listed ATC Inglis Nursery, Internal Affairs had the benefit of two trials coming into this 1000m maiden with Tyler Schiller to ride.
He enjoyed a lovely run on the fence behind the leaders and just needed to get clear air after turning for home.
Internal Affairs poked through along the inside and forged clear to win by three-quarters of a length.
A $440,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Morning Rise Stud for Mulberry Racing, Internal Affairs has banked over $100,000 from his first three starts and might be well placed to progress over winter with a view to the early spring stakes races.
Internal Affairs is the fourth winner from five foals to race from Group I winning import Kononkop (Arg), the Champion 2YO Filly of Argentina in 2016/2017.
Morning Rise Stud sold a full brother to Internal Affairs at Magic Millions this year for $100,000 and Kononkop is due to foal this spring to another of the young Coolmore sires in City of Troy (USA).
Internal Affairs is the 14th first crop winner for Home Affairs (11 in Australia and three in NZ) and is one of nine stakes performers for the champion son of I Am Invincible.
Home Affairs will be crowned Champion Australian First Season for 2025/2026 and has had his fee increased to $176,000.
