With the form through the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes coming to the fore earlier in the day with winner Soldi recording his second black type win in as many starts, stablemate Act Up who finished had fourth in the Debutant headed to Sydney to win the $1m Listed ATC Golden Gift (1100m).
In the large field of 13, it was the Chris Waller trained Zoustar filly Exo City who jumped away the favourite, just ahead of the last start Listed Maribyrnong Trial third placed Silent Intent for Tony and Calvin McEvoy.
From barrier 11, jockey Nash Rawiller allowed Act Up to settled with just one behind him and looked out of contention for most of the race.
As the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Witkowin took the field into the home straight, Michael Freedman’s Proverb looked a leading chance as started to make his run as Silent Intent was coming off his back where the Hellbent colt looked a leading chance.
Slicing his way through the field from second last, Rawiller was working home too well aboard Castelvecchio colt Act Up, chasing down Silent Intent with 50m to run to break his maiden at just his second start.
Making his debut, Hawkes Racing’s Torshavn worked home well to finish third, knocking Proverb back to fourth just near the line.
Act Up puts on a SHOW in the Golden Gift and storms home for a big win! ?? @lindsayparkrace with another promising 2-year-old! @nashhot @aus_turf_club https://t.co/8mGAs3aARK
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 7, 2026
“It was a terrific ride by Nash to go back and through,” said co-trained Will Hayes. “We were beaten for early speed, we were just hoping for an over-correction, which is what we got."
“Full credit to the horse, he handled the occasion. And full credit to the team, our two-year-olds are on fire, and we’ve just got a great team around us.
“We were really keen to see him over 1100 metres, and we needed every meterage today.
“To frank the form line was always good. She was too fast for them down there, and it certainly gave us a bit of confidence saddling up today.
Asked if the G1 Golden Slipper was on the radar, Hayes said it was a good problem to have.
“They’re very good problems to have. We like working backwards from races like the Golden Slipper, so it’s very good and that was just a great ride and a great watch.”
When asked to compare the colt with the other 2yos in the stable, Hayes was able to find plenty of positives.
“He’s very mature, very forward, and obviously we’ve got him right up there with the best group. But we still have a lot of two-year-olds yet to be unleashed… it’s an exciting time.”
Riden for the first time by Rawiller, the leading jockey followed his instructions.
“They said just to rely on the horse’s ability,” said Rawiller. “We will trust what you do. We knew we'd be back somewhere. Just how many we would be in front of. Just gave me the feel of a good horse going to the gates.”
“I knew I was going to be hard to beat the 350m mark. He quickened well and came up behind them. Timmy’s horse showed a fair bit of fight. I thought we had to dig pretty deep over the last 100m to go win the race.
“We were full of momentum on a horse that had had a soft run. I think they are two nice horses going. There were a lot of inexperienced ones out there but the real clever ones they just out their hands.”
Taking his earnings to $590,000 from his two starts, it was a solid return on investment for Lindsay Park Racing and Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock who secured the colt for $240,000 from the Magic Millions yearling sale draft of Glenbeigh Farm.
Act Up is the first stakes winner and one of four winners from four to the races out of the Falvelon mare Sista Act, a sister to the G1 JJ Atkins placed Heart Skipt A Beat.
Sista Act has a yearling colt by King’s Legacy and foaled full sister to Act Up at the end of September.
Headed by G1 winners Aeliana (NZ) and El Castello, the win of Act Up gave his sire Castelvecchio eight individual stakes winners.
The G1-winning son of Dundeel (NZ) stands at Arrowfield Stud at a fee of $60,500 (inc. GST).
