At only his second start, Devil Night has secured a future on Yulong's stallion roster with a thrilling win in the Blue Diamond Stakes as ageless warrior Mr Brightside claimed the ninth Group 1 victory of his career at Caulfield.
Diamond sparkles for Yulong with $1.4 million colt Devil Night
The most expensive horse in the race has delivered on a $1.4 million price tag, with Devil Night winning the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.
In a desperate finish to Australia’s first juvenile Group 1 for the season that involved two powerhouses of world racing, Devil Night for Yulong held off the fast-finishing Godolphin colt Tentyris.
Another Yulong colt, Lindsay Park Racing’s Tycoon Star, filled the minor placing.
A $14 chance, Devil Night became just the fourth horse in Blue Diamond history to win the race at their second start in an exclusive club that includes Redoute’s Choice.
The colt also added another chapter to the statistically stunning career of Newgate Farm stallion Extreme Choice, who won the Blue Diamond in 2016 when trained by Mick Price.
Extreme Choice now has a Diamond winner to sit alongside his success as the sire of Golden Slipper hero Stay Inside and the 2024 Melbourne Cup victor Knight’s Choice.
Devil Night cost $1.4 million at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
DEVIL NIGHT WINS THE BLUE DIAMOND AT HIS SECOND START! @HawkesRacing @YulongInvest pic.twitter.com/OMCo8pUYh9
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 22, 2025
He is from the stakes-producing Shamardal mare Mischief Night.
Mischief Night, a daughter of Millie Fox Stakes winner November Flight, was purchased by Matthew Sandblom's Hollymount Stud for $200,000 at the 2019 National Broodmare Sale.
"I won't lie to you," co-trainer Wayne Hawkes told the Seven Network. "I've just seen (Yulong general manager) Vin Cox and I said, ‘you don't have to buy this one (to stand at stud)’.
"They certainly pay a lot of money for their horses. They paid a lot of money for this horse at the Magic Millions and to come out and win a Blue Diamond - wow!
"I've got to thank Yulong. They've only got five horses with us. It's a great effort and you know what, I just love doing that with the big colts.
"That's what this game has become now - the big colts division. I know I'm saying this as the winning trainer, but they've put up their money Yulong and they're the biggest owners in the country."
Yulong enjoyed a day to remember at Caulfield with VRC Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment and middle-distance star Deny Knowledge making winning returns
Mr Brightside goes back-to-back in Futurity Stakes
Craig Williams summed it up best after Mr Brightside confirmed his championship qualities in a stirring Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield.
“You can’t win nine Group 1 races by a fluke and by being just a good horse,” Williams said.
“When you win nine Group 1 races, then yes, you are a champion.”
Elevating himself to fourth on the list of Australia’s all-time stakes earners with almost $17 million alongside his name, Mr Brightside did it the hard way before holding to claim the Futurity for the second year in a row.
He worked his way across the field to race outside the leader before beating Tom Kitten and I Wish I Win.
“We knew late he would be a bit vulnerable from the wide gate but he dug deep,” co-trainer JD Hayes said.
Godolphin colt Beiwacht shines in Silver Slipper
James Cummings had one eye on the future of the breeding operation attached to Godolphin’s racing team and another on the world’s richest purse for juveniles after Beiwacht won the Group 2 Silver Slipper at Rosehill.
Beiwacht is a son of Darley’s first-season sire Bivouac, who has made an impressive start to his stud career.
He became Bivouac’s fourth individual winner and his second at stakes level in beating Wootton Bassett colts West Of Swindon and Wodeton.
“It's a big result for Bivouac. He's had a really good start as a stallion and as a sign for the future for us that's pretty exciting,” Cummings said.
“He's a homegrown product and he's a huge result for the farm.
“I think it bodes really well for Bivouac’s future as a sire. But importantly now, it's about what happens in the next four weeks.”
There's a new TAB Golden Slipper player on the block! 🙌
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 22, 2025
Beiwacht wins the G2 TAB Silver Slipper Stakes in fine style! @JamesCummings88 | @godolphin | @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/h37fgftk9S
Beiwacht is now safely in the field for the $5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 28 and Cummings said he may use the Todman Stakes as the colt’s lead-in run.
Godolphin and Cummings had further reason to celebrate when three-time Group 1 winner Broadsiding made a successful return in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes.
A traditional autumn launch race for three-year-olds, the Hobartville turned into a one-act affair for Broadsiding as jockey Zac Lloyd brought up his fourth winner at the meeting.
“Today had a feel of a moving day for us, a turning point,” Cummings said.
Lloyd went on to ride five winners when Time To Boogie took out the last race.
Jimmysstar flies home for Oakleigh Plate win
Ciaron Maher relied on something only the best horses possess to train his second Oakleigh Plate winner when Jimmysstar produced a last-to-first sprint in the Group 1 race.
“He’s always had that X-factor,” Maher said.
“Some thought I was crazy running him over 1100m first-up, but he was just electric today.
“He was well-managed in New Zealand before coming over, and we’ve placed him carefully.”
JIMMYSSTAR STORMS HOME TO WIN THE OAKLEIGH PLATE! 🚀@cmaherracing @Brown_ethan8 pic.twitter.com/aaaPoqhJJD
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 22, 2025
Ridden by Ethan Brown, Jimmysstar ($7.50) reeled in the favourite She’s Bulletproof ($5.50) for a 1-1/4 length win.
Brown has now ridden six of his career seven Group 1 winners for Maher’s all-conquering stable.
Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment resumes on winning note
VRC Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment has made an emphatic start to a campaign tailored towards more Classic glory.
Treasurethe Moment resumed as favourite in the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes at Caulfield and made her own luck to secure a fifth straight victory.
That sequence could almost stretch to double figures by the end of a concentrated autumn.
“I came into today thinking if she wins this then she is going to be very hard to beat in anything that we present her in following,” trainer Matt Laurie, who trains the filly for Yulong, said.
“She’s just the perfect horse. You can put her in a perfect spot, she travels up and just wants to do it.”
A daughter of Yulong sire Alabamba Express, Treasurethe Moment will have one more Melbourne start before heading to Sydney in an attempt to complete a Group 1 double in the Vinery Stud Stakes and ATC Australian Oaks.
She is a $4.50 favourite for the Australian Oaks at Randwick on April 12.
Thedoctoroflove, Shanwah announce their arrival in 3YO staying ranks
Australian three-year-old Thedoctoroflove emerged as a potent New Zealand Derby chance after winning a key lead-up race at Ellerslie.
Thedoctoroflove firmed to the second line of Derby betting after wearing down the leaders in the Avondale Guineas (2100m) under Melbourne jockey Daniel Moor.
A $220,000 Magic Millions yearling by So You Think and a member of the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable, Thedoctoroflove will be trying to emulate Coniston Bluebird as a modern-day Australian-trained New Zealand Derby winner.
Coniston Bluebird won the 2009 edition for trainer Bede Murray.
In Melbourne, a New Zealand sales graduate enhanced his ATC Australian Derby claims when Shanwah won the Group 2 Autumn Classic at Caulfield.
By Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot, Shanwah cost $750,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2023 Karaka Yearling Sale for prominent Victorian owner Kevin Payne.
“He’s got a pretty lethal turn of foot for a middle-distance horse,” jockey Blake Shinn said.
Too Darn Hot figured in an early stakes double at Caulfield when Tropicus broke through at black-type level with his win in the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes.
Coolmore Classic plans take shape for Coeur Volante, Firestorm
Co-trainer Mike Moroney declared Coeur Volante ready for another chance at Group 1 racing after the filly won the Mannerism Stakes at Caulfield.
Coeur Volante lost her way in the spring but Moroney said he saw enough from the filly on Saturday to say she was back in peak form.
“She ran a good race in the Thousand Guineas (in the spring) but she was on pretty tired legs,” Moroney said.
“I think she went through a funny stage where she went off the boil but I think she’s back now.”
Coeur Volante will directed towards the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill next month where is is likely to clash with Millie Fox Stakes winner Firestorm.
Firestorm flashes home to claim the Bisley Workwear Millie Fox Stakes!
— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) February 22, 2025
Jason Collett times his run to the perfection on the @cwallerracing galloper, who now has a double on Silver Slipper Day after Step Aside won earlier pic.twitter.com/Jcu45CQPJZ
Satono Aladdin mare Firestorm’s days of being tested at a middle distance would appear to be over after a sharp return at Rosehill.
“A Group 2 win puts a lot of value on her and it suggests she has come back very well,” trainer Chris Waller said.
Firestorm contested the Queensland Oaks as a three-year-old but Waller said she would be kept to shorter races, putting the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) on her autumn radar.
