Having gone to go to another level since joining the Bjorn Baker stable in mid 2025, Street Boss (USA) gelding Pericles secured a rails run to take the prize in the $3m G2 ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday.
With a host of runners coming through either the G1 TAB Everest or the G2 Sydney Stakes last time out, jockey Dylan Gibbons jumped the son of Street Boss away well from barrier two, going forward to settle just off Caballus who had gone forward from the inside barrier.
With the field tightly packed throughout, Pericles was always getting a good run and while runners were continuing to come wide to put themsves into a challenging position, Gibbons was content to bide his time on the rail.
As Ninja came around the outside to put himself into a position, Headley Grange came even wider, while dual G1 winner Marhoona was also getting clear running to put herself into the picture.
Caballus kicked strongly under Tim Clark, but his Bjorn Backer trained stablemate Pericles had enjoyed a lovely smoother in the run, pulling back to the inside to chase him down and pull away by three quarter so a length.
Charging home late, just like he did for fourth in the TAB Everest, the Matthew Smith trained Headwall worked home into third, a further long neck back.
Pericles takes the shortcut on the turn, and the G2 Russell Balding Stakes belongs to @BBakerRacing! @djgibbons22 @godolphin @aus_turf_club https://t.co/ZRemwkVfLf
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 31, 2026
Stable rep Glen Lobb was on course to discuss the victory of Pericles, who was scratched from the G2 Damien Oliver in Melbourne.
“We were thinking 1400 would have been nice, and he nearly went to Melbourne,” said Lobb. “It was worth half a million. This was worth three (million). He was always going to get a great run from there.”
“He’s unbelievable. When the barrier draws came out, they were tossing up a little bit whether to go to Melbourne. It looked more suitable, the 1400 for him. But when he drew the good alley, we said, ‘you’ve got to be here and give it a go’.
“Everything turned out exactly as we thought it would for both horses, and at the 200, I thought, geez, they’re both going to fight it out here. He did a good job too, Caballus. The 1300 is probably not really his go, but he went enormous in the Everest.
“Pericles, he’s been such a great horse. We were so lucky to get him off Godolphin when all the horses came. Terrific horse.”
Having never ridden the gelding on race day, Gibbons was confident in the run.
“When horses fill you with that much confidence, it makes it a little bit easier,” said Gibbons. “When we straightened up, if you are going back to the inside, you pinch the short cut. Only thing it left me with was a short sprint so I angled him back in behind.”
“When those sharp sprinters put the foot down, they put a margin on him. He’s a big boy and once he got stuck into his work, I could feel him just gaining confidence. Didn’t really want to be darting back to the inside but the way he was striding out, he’s an older horse in really good form.”
“It felt like when Timmy went to get a breather, the speed was poured on. It does make sense a little bit. The way my bloke let rip the last bit, it was tremendous. He is going great guns.”
Taking his prizemoney to $8,976,365 from nine wins and 13 placed performers, the Godolphin bred Pericles is one of three G1 winners amongst six winners out of the blue hen Accessories (GB) (Singspiel).
Accessories is also the dam of fellow G1 winners Helmet and Epaulette, as well as Group winner Pearls and Bullbars, while her final foal is the Anthony and Sam Freedman trained 3yo Ghaiyaath (IRE) filly Abaya, who was last seen when finishing down the track in the G3 MRC Ethereal Stakes (2000m).
Pericles is one of 14 individual G1winner for Street Boss, the only stallion with more than $10m in progeny earnings so far this season headed by TAB Everest winner Tempted.
Street Boss is currently covering his 17th southern hemisphere book of mares at Darley, standing for a fee of $66,000 (inc. GST).
