Often considered the pinnacle of racing in Australia, the week-long Flemington carnival draws together four days of outstanding racing with South Australian bred runners playing a strong hand in this year’s results, winning on each of the four days.
Kicking off with on the first day, traditional known as Derby Day, it was the South Australian bred Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Stormy Marco who would etch his name in the record books as the winner of the $3m G1 VRC Derby (2500m).
First run in 1855, six years before the inaugural G1 Melbourne Cup, the Derby winner was bred by a host of partners led by South Australia’s Ross Hatton of Rathmore Bloodstock who sold the colt as a weanling before he was on sold as a yearling to his current ownership group.
“I have to pinch myself. To breed the winner of the Derby is absolutely phenomenal,” Hatton said.
Hatton purchased the dam of Stormy Marco carrying the future G1 winner, and while to breed a Derby winner was something he’ll ever forget, the Irish born stud master had also purchased Seracena, the dam of Derby runner up Cold Shower.
“About 90 seconds after the race I looked at the screen to make sure Stormy Marco had won it and I saw Cold Shower had run second. I jumped up screaming again.
“We’ve bred a Group 1 winner now. There’s no point in stopping. We can breed another one.”
Interestingly, the Derby was won for the third time in the past eight years by an SA Bred 3yo with Macdonald Racing’s Goldrush Guru winning in 2024 and the Anthony and Sam Freedman and trained Warning taking the coveted prize in 2019.
Both bred by Harry Perks with his Guru Breeding Syndicate and Toorak Thoroughbred Breeding Trust, Goldrush Guru and Warning were raised at Mill Park Stud under the watchful eye of the Watson family, who can add their own Derby history, having also prepared 2008 winner Rebel Raider.
Just two days later, the Mill Park raised Sabaj was in the winner’s enclosure at Flemington, taking out the Listed Asahi Super Dry Plate (1800m), his second stakes victory.
Having finished fourth in both the G1 All-Star Mile and G1 Australian Cup in the Autumn, the son of Manhattan Rain was bred by Ms Angie Rossi, Joe Piteo, Paul Piteo and Pat Hodby.
While not at Flemington, but on the same day, another fellow Mill Park raised graduate Air Assault secured his third consecutive victory in the Listed John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville.
Becoming the first horse in the history of the race to secure the three-peat, the G1 performed son of Coolmore’s Justify is another bred by Harry Perks.
With earnings of just over $1m, the Andrew Gluyas trained gelding has now recorded success in eight individual black type races with a further eight placed performance.
Progressing to Oaks Day, the final race of the meeting was taken out by the South Australian bred Rey Magnerio.
Trained by Robbie Griffiths, the Magnus gelding came home at a rate of knots to secure victory in the Listed Century Stakes (1000m) and earn a trip to Western Australia for the $1.5m G1 Winterbottom Stakes and the $1.5m G3 Gold Rush.
Having finished third in last year’s Winterbottom Stakes, narrowly beaten by Libertad and Overpass, the Andrew and Jodie Nitschke-bred galloper then went on to win the Gold Rush, defeating this year’s G1 Cox Plate winner Cosmic Crusader (NZ).
The final day of the carnival saw the much-maligned Watchme Win secure his third black type victory, winning the Listed Fischer Stakes (1200m) for Andrew Gluyas and Blake Shinn.
Another bred by Harry Perks, the son of Darley’s Harry Angel was sold through Mill Park’s draft at the Inglis Premier yearling sale where he was knocked down to his trainer.
“It’s been a long time between drinks for him, but he gives us a reason to have one tonight, so it’s good,” said a relieved Andrew Gluyas after the victory. “He’s very honest, always around the mark.”
Another son of Harry Angel to put South Australian breeders on the map in recent times is the Chris Waller trained Angel Capital.
A winner two starts back in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m), the Yulong owned stallion was then a gallant eighth in the $20m TAB Everest over an unsuitable 1200m.
Set to contest Saturday's $1m G1 MRC C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Sandown hillside, the 5yo is one of a host of outstanding stakes winners bred by David Peacock.
For an industry operating with considerably smaller breeding numbers than its eastern state counterparts, South Australia's continued success on the national stage is particularly significant.
With three VRC Derby winners in the past eight years, and South Australian-bred gallopers recording victories on all four days of this year's Flemington carnival, the results once again highlight the quality of thoroughbreds being produced in the state.
It is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the dedication, expertise and horsemanship of South Australia's breeders, whose influence on Australian racing continues to extend well beyond the size of the state's annual foal crop.
While South Australia may be small in breeding numbers, breeders have a succinct ability to consistently produce gallopers capable of competing and winning at the highest level.
With the annual SA Breeders Horse of the Year awards being held on Friday November 20, nominees Angel Capital, Arctic Glamour, Galaxy Patch, Mating Call, Queman, Rey Magnerio, Neveu, Shiki, Snow Mercy and Southend are testament to the quality that South Australian breeders produce.
