The $500,000 Listed WATC Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) was the richest race in Perth on Saturday and touted as a showdown between two exciting males, but it was relatively unheralded filly Jedi Dream who came out on top!
On day one of The Pinnacles carnival, late entry Jedi Dream (Cosmic Force) produced a blistering finish to claim a last stride victory and put herself into the Winterbottom Stakes picture, defying her 30/1 starting price with a vengeance.
Beautifully ridden by Stevie Parnham, who had booted home winner number one thousand earlier in the day, Jedi Dream gave her trainer Stefan Vahala his biggest career win to date.
The reigning Karrakatta champ, Dan Morton's Afireofgidgeecoals (Too Darn Hot) was sent out a firm favourite by punters after the stylish colt's narrow loss in the Placid Ark Prelude.
Late money came for the up and coming performer One Last Resort (Tassort) who had plenty of fans at 9/4, while the Prelude winner Levati Dimezzo ( King Of Comedy (Ire)) also attracted support.
Neville Parnham's last start Belgravia Stakes runner up Achy Breaky ( Rommel) was the best backed of the fillies brigade at 7/1, followed by 15/1 Gaintree (Profiteer)
The big field of sixteen runners got away evenly, and Afireofgidgeecoals was one of the first out, pushing forward under jockey Lucy Fiore in an attempt to take up a prominent position, as did Shaun O'Donnell and Gaintree on the rail.
40/1 shot Anaconda Jones (Brazen Beau) and 20/1 Big Red Zoom (Long Leaf) thundered across from their wide gates to challenge for the lead. Anaconda came out on top and took up control of proceedings as the field sorted themselves out.
Afireofgidgeecoals had dropped out of the hectic speed battle and now found himself midfield and a little wide, but glued to Big Red Zoom's tail for a cart into the race.
Levati Dimezzo was back near the tail with Jedi Dream as the Placid Ark field approached the home turn in the blink of an eye and the big Ascot crowd rose to their feet in anticipation.
It wasn't going to script! Anaconda Jones led them into the straight with plenty in the tank, as Big Red Zoom was asked for his effort and Fiore hooked the favourite off his heels.
The leader gave a mighty kick and momentarily booted clear halfway down the straight. Gaintree had suddenly appeared on the premises with a burst of speed to take him on. Afireofgidgeecoals wasn't doing enough, Big Red Zoom had called it a day, and then right down the outside came Jedi Dream with a rattling run!
They hit the line in a thriller - who had got up? Jedi Dream by a nose over Gaintree! One Last Resort made up good ground to finish just behind them in third, and Anaconda Jones held on in a super brave effort for fourth.
It had to go to the judge, with Jedi Dream narrowly defeating Gaintree in the Listed Placid Ark Stakes. https://t.co/QIFl1Tv0gU
— Racing WA TV (@RacingWATV) November 14, 2026
Jedi Dream advances her record to 7-2-1-0 and $362,150 in earnings.
A winner at her first career start, the filly was fourth in both the G2 Karrakatta Plate and G3 WA Sires last season so had clearly indicated a high level of ability - but punters were put off by her unplaced run in the Burgess Queen at her second run of this preparation.
“It's just amazing, I thought we'd come second then I saw the result and had to race back out and hug the family!” said trainer Stef Vahala after the race.
“We were heading towards the Champion Fillies, but when she didn't run out the 1400 last start we decided, better back her up into the 1200. I could see at the top of the straight when Stevie asked her, she was letting down. Her run in the Karrakatta last season was huge so we knew that she had a wicked turn of foot”.
Jedi Dream is owned by SM and KB Bloodstock ( Sutherland family) who have been keen supporters of the Vahala stable.
“The owners have really put in a lot of money, and we've got some nice horses, but this is the only one that's really matured early and they're having a lot of fun,” he said.
“I'd say if she pulls up well she will go to the Winterbottom. I've never had a runner in a Group One, and that’s probably pushing it a bit, but if she pulls up well - that was only her third run of the prep so you'd think she would run in it, and you only get these chances now and then.”
Vahala’s good mate Stevie Parnham was keen to go along for that ride, if the filly does take on the big guns.
“51.5kg in the Winterbottom, I've done it before. We'll see what the owners want to do - and if it's going that way, well you only get one chance at it!”
Jedi Dream was a $130,000 Inglis Classic Yearling buy for Vahala Racing when offered by Kirks Bridge Farm and Baerami Thoroughbreds at the 2025 sale.
The talented filly becomes the seventh stakes winner and the second this season for her sire, Newgate Farm's G2 Roman Consul Stakes winner Cosmic Force ( Deep Field).
She is the third foal bred from the placed Sebring daughter Reeh, a half sister to stakes producer Hollywood Mistress out of the well related winning Redoute's Choice mare Sponsored.
Sponsored is a half sister to stakes winning gelding Order Of The Sun (VRC St Leger) and his far speedier half sisters Beauty (by Smart Missile, MVRC William Crockett Stakes) and Get To Work ( by Snippets, SAJC Cinderella Stakes)
They were the best of six winners - all her foals to race - produced by Sequin ( Lure), a most valuable broodmare!
Sequin's daughter Subsequent foaled the brilliant colt Summer Passage (Snitzel) - NZ Champion 2YO Male and winner of the G1 AuRC Diamond Stakes, and other daughters produced Australian stakes winners All That Pizzaz and Excitable Boy.
Jedi Dream's dam Reeh has been on quite a journey, beginning life as a $360,000 yearling purchase for Shadwell Stud when purchased from the Highgrove draft.
As a broodmare she has had numerous changes of ownership, and most recently changed hands in February this year when sold for $120,000 through the Inglis Online platform from Cate Lavender to Blue Oak Equine.
She has produced just two named foals in her years at stud, and Jedi Dream is her only winner.
In 2025 Reeh foaled a filly to the Hinchinbrook son Unite And Conquer (a sire now exported) and was then covered by Switzerland.
Sequin was three quarter sister to the dual G1 Hong Kong Centenary Sprint Cup winner Scintillation and his full sister, the excellent racemare Shania Dane ( 2 x G2 winner) both by Danehill, and half sister to G3 winning mare Risk Aversion - all out of the prolific imported mare Subterfuge (GB) by Mr Prospector's breedshaper Machiavellian.
This classic damline traces back through Sandy Island ( Mill Reef) dam of the G2 Hardwicke Stakes winner Sandmason who raced in Australia, to the German-bred Sayonara (Birkhahn), dam of the Epsom Derby winner and influential sire Slip Anchor by Shirley Heights (thus a three quarter brother to Sandy Island).
Sayonara's daughter Set Sail was at stud in NZ and produced the excellent mare Set Up by Zabeel, dam of G1 Auckland Cup winner Upsetthym and G2 Adelaide Cup hero Capecover.
This famous German damline descends from the 1940 German Derby winning filly Schwarzgold, a descendant of the matriarch Fair Agnes (family 16-c)
Jedi Dream is bred
Danehill 4m x 4m
Danzig 5m x 5m,5m
Luskin Star 5f x 5f
Mr Prospector 6m,6m x 6m,6f,6m
And this is a very interesting pedigree. Both Jedi Dream’s sire Cosmic Force and damsire Sebring descend from Rego's stakes winning filly Far Vista via her daughters and full sisters by Better Boy, Far Better ( fifth dam of Cosmic Force) and Willowy ( fifth dam of Sebring) not only that, the fourth dams of both stallions were sired by Luskin Star.
Jedi Dream's third damsire Lure by Danzig was a grandson of the mare Chappaquiddick ( Relic x Blue Hen Baby Doll), and this cross is duplicated in Commands - that sire by Danehill and a grandson of Eight Carat ( by Pieces Of Eight, Chappaquiddick's full brother)
As well we see intensive linebreeding to Blue Hen Almahmoud (Machiavellian, Danehill, Halo) and the famed sex balance of Blue Hen Rolls through close relations Encosta De Lago and Flying Spur - while Rainbow Quest brings potent nicks for Jedi Dream's Fair Agnes damline.
A pedigree with all the ingredients to produce a special filly, and it has!
Cosmic Force stands at Newgate Farm on a fee of $16,500
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