Champion trainer Chris Waller claimed a fourth straight win in A$250,000 Gr.3 HKJC World Pool Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday, with three of those winners being New Zealand-breds.

Kilman (NZ) (Super Seth) led all the way for a $25 upset in the 2026 edition of the key Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) trial, following on from the 2025 winner Imperialist (NZ) (Churchill), 2024 winner Tannhauser (Dundeel) and 2023 winner Special Swey (NZ) (Sweynesse).

Saturday’s Rough Habit Plate triumph rewarded the patience of Waller and Kilman’s owners, Neville Morgan and David Devine. The son of former Waikato Stud and now Coolmore stallion Super Seth was a smart winner on debut at Warwick Farm back in March of 2025, but had gone winless in 10 races through the 14 months since then.

There had been some promising performances during that win drought, including big runs for second in the Gr.3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick and fourth in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm in his previous two appearances. On Saturday he stepped up to 2000m and got back in the winning groove.

Kilman had to jump from the extreme outside gate in Saturday’s field of 16 three-year-olds, and jockey Ryan Maloney elected to press forward and take up the lead. That was where he stayed, opening up a four-length margin going into the back of the track and throwing down the gauntlet to his rivals.

Kilman was still full of running coming around the home turn, kicking again and putting three lengths on his closest chaser. He began to tire late in the piece but tenaciously held on to his lead. At the finish line he was still a length and a quarter in front of Beauty Swift (Pierro), Providence (Wootton Bassett) and Southern Prince (Trapeze Artist). New Zealand filly Solid Gold (NZ) (Savabeel), raced by her breeders Waikato Stud, made an eye-catching run from the back of the field to be close up in fifth.

“I was really rapt with his run the other day (in the Queensland Guineas), and Chris was happy for me to go forward on him today,” Maloney said. “The wide barrier obviously determined how much I had to do to get to the front, but I couldn’t believe how easily I got there. Once we got to the front, he switched off beautifully.

“I thought the fence was as good a place to be as anywhere, it was the shortest way home and he was too good today.

“He’ll definitely relax well enough to get the 2400m of the Derby (at Eagle Farm on May 30). He switched off beautifully for me today. He conserved his energy really well.”

Kilman was offered by Waikato Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock bought him for A$360,000. He has now had 12 starts for two wins, a placing and A$262,375 in stakes.

“He’s made a lot of physical progression,” Waller said. “He ran well in the Carbine Club and Queensland Guineas, and he was excellent again today under a very good ride by Ryan.”

Bred by Waikato Stud, Kilman is out of Listed winner Thy (NZ) (O’Reilly), who finished fourth in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and is a three-quarter sister to New Zealand Champion Three-Year-Old The Jewel (NZ) (O’Reilly) and half-sister to Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.2 Surround Stakes (1400m) winner La (Bella) Diosa (NZ) (So You Think).

Thy is the dam of three winners from five foals to race, and she is the granddam of Patch Of Cosmo (NZ) (Super Seth), who ran third in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and fourth in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m).

Thy later produced a colt by Noverre, who was offered by Waikato Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2026 earlier this year and was bought by Moody Racing for $200,000. – NZ Racing Desk

Western Empire wins second Belmont Sprint

Remarkable Kiwi-bred veteran Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj) took his career earnings past A$3.5 million with a first-up victory in the A$200,000 Gr.3 Drummond Golf Belmont Sprint (1400m) in Perth on Saturday.

It was the eight-year-old Iffraaj gelding’s second win in the Belmont feature and his 11^th black-type success overall – a list that also features the Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and Gr.2 Western Australian Derby (2400m) in 2021 along with four other Group Three races and three Listed events.

Saturday’s Belmont Sprint was the first raceday appearance since December for the Grant and Alana Williams-trained Western Empire, who came into the meeting as second favourite behind the up-and-comer Smooth Chino (Maschino) but was strongly backed to be the $2.25 favourite by start time.

Western Empire and his regular rider William Pike had some uncomfortable moments in the early part of the race when the leaders suddenly slackened the pace, forcing Western Empire to check and get his head high up in the air. But then Pike was able to get his mount to settle into a smooth rhythm in sixth spot, one off the rail.

Pike brought Western Empire to the outside at the top of the straight and set his sights on the leaders. He quickly swept past Smooth Chino and began to wear down Rope Them In (Playing God), overhauling him in the final few strides to win by a neck.

“It was a scrappy sort of race,” Pike said. “The leaders shot across and got their positions real quick and easy and then put the handbrake on.

“But I was happy to bide my time, stay out of what was happening ahead of me and just get into the clear.

“I always felt like I was going to win, but Rope Them In is a good horse and it’s hard to pass him.

“Western Empire knows how to get the job done. With a run like that, with an economical first half, he was always going to be strong in the second half.

“He’s eight now and it’s a few years since his Derby win. I dare say he takes a bit of management these days, but he’s evergreen. He’s still turning up and making me look good.”

Bred in New Zealand by Peters Investments, Western Empire is by former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Iffraaj and is out of Gr.2 Perth Cup (2400m) winner Western Jewel.

Western Empire has now had 36 starts for 12 wins, 10 placings and A$3.56 million in prize-money. He is now likely to run in the Gr.3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Belmont on May 30. - NZ Racing Desk

Bernborough breakthrough for War Eternal

Previously a triple black-type placegetter and fourth at Group One level, War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) broke through for a deserved feature-race success in Saturday’s A$200,000 Listed Sky Racing Bernborough Handicap (1600m) at Doomben.

The New Zealand-bred gelding is a seven-year-old now and has been competing at a high level since his three-year-old days, when he finished second in the Gr.3 Spring Stakes (1600m), third in the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) and fourth in Converge’s Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).

War Eternal added another black-type placing to his record earlier this month with a third behind Churchill’s Choice (Churchill) and Palmetto (NZ) (Ghibellines) in the Gr.3 Hawkesbury Cup (1600m) two weeks ago.

That performance hinted that the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding could be poised to make his mark during the Queensland Winter Carnival, and on Saturday he did that at the first time of asking.

War Eternal was sent out as a $4.60 chance in the hands of superstar Hong Kong-based jockey Zac Purton, who saved all the ground after jumping from the inside gate.

War Eternal raced in fourth position, then cut the corner and poked through along the inside early in the run home. Fellow Kiwi-bred runner Kronenbourg (NZ) (Vadamos) stayed with him all the way down the straight, with Our Queen (Night Of Thunder) flashing home late, but War Eternal kept lifting and held them both out by half a length.

From a 38-race career, War Eternal has now recorded six wins and eight placings. He has earned A$934,925 in stakes.

“He’s been a remarkable horse for the stable,” Baker’s stable representative Jim Clarke said. “He’s been around for a long time now and he’s nudging A$1 million in prize-money.

“It’s a well-deserved first stakes win, because he’s hit the crossbar a few times now. He ran really well at Hawkesbury the other day and he enjoyed getting his toe in the ground here today.

“It never hurts when you book a jockey like Zac on board. I don’t think he’s ridden too many times for the stable before, but I’m sure Bjorn will get a great kick out of it.

“It’s a great group of owners, and Carl Holt has been a big supporter of the stable for some time now. The horse has come back from injuries, so I’m really pleased for the whole group to get this win here today.

“I don’t remember the last time Bjorn put a last-start winner in the paddock, so I’d say he’ll find another race for him.”

Bred by Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay, War Eternal was purchased by Baker out their 2020 Karaka Book 1 draft for $160,000.

War Eternal is by Pierro and is the first foal out of the Fastnet Rock mare Aleria, who is the dam of three winners from five foals to race. Her Almanzor daughter Undaunting (NZ) has won three times in a 20-race career, while Reliable Man mare Neednoman (NZ) has had a win and four placings from 10 starts.

Aleria has since produced unraced three-year-old Circus Maximus gelding Irish Master (NZ), followed by two-year-old Per Incanto colt Stoneflight (NZ), who sold to Sanxiong Gao for $750,000 at the NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November.

Aleria has a weanling filly by Almanzor and was served by Cambridge’s well-credentialled young shuttle stallion Chaldean last spring. - NZ Racing Desk

Incandescent claims stakes honours at Ellerslie

Incandescent (NZ) (Per Incanto) bookended his two-year-old season with winning results for his army of owners after claiming top honours in the Listed Cloudsoft Accounting Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Raced by MyRacehorse and Ridgeport Holdings, the son of Per Incanto started his career in winning fashion when victorious over 1100m at Ellerslie in November, and he followed that with a series of minor placings, including a runner-up performance behind stablemate Excite (Wootton Bassett) in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa a fortnight ago.

The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained pair were the favoured runners heading into Saturday’s contest, with a Queensland campaign on the line for Excite, and while his conditioners were rapt with him in the lead-up this week, a temperature spike on race morning led to his late scratching.

“We take temperatures on race morning and to our surprise he (Excite) had an elevated temperature,” James said. “He had fed well and his temperature had been fine all week.

“Modern technology is wonderful and we were able to get a blood spun before scratching time and it indicated a mild infection of some kind. It was a hard decision to make because I was super happy with him, but I am certain we made the right one.”

With Excite out of the race, Incandescent shortened into a $2.50 favourite against his quartet of rivals, and off his work this week, James was confident of a bold showing.

The field of five couldn’t be separated in the early part of the race, with the quintet racing five abreast for the first 200m before jockey Lynsey Satherley was the first to peel back with Bella Bonita (NZ) (Noverre) to settle at the rear of the field, with the rest following suit, leaving Royce to take up the pacemaker role.

Jockey Joe Doyle settled Incandescent into the one-one behind the Tony Pike-trained Grocer’s Girl (NZ) (Tarzino), where his charge was able to settle through the middle stages. After balancing up when turning for home, Incandescent had the leaders in his sights and progressively wore them down, getting his nose in front with 150m to go and he held off Grocer’s Girl to win by a head, while Bella Bonita stormed home out wide to claim black-type.

“Roger said to ride him where he relaxes,” Doyle said. “They went quick early and I just allowed him to get into a nice rhythm, he came good turning in and battled hard to the line.

“Next season he is going to be a really fun horse, he will probably turn up to the big meetings and have a crack for the big money.”

James was glad his confidence was vindicated with a winning result.

“I was confident after his work on Tuesday morning, his work was very good,” James said. “It is probably a bit unusual for a Per Incanto two-year-old to be winning over a mile, but I was still confident that he would acquit himself well.

“I thought he (Doyle) summed it up really well. They slowed them up a little bit mid-race and he was a little bit strong for a few strides but all credit to the horse, he is learning as he goes and he came back to him when he needed to and gave him the energy to find the line.”

James was rapt to get the deserved stakes result for Incandescent’s large ownership group, and he said he will now head for a spell in preparation for a spring campaign.

“It is good to see so many people getting excitement from the game,” James said.

“When you looked at him parade, he is still a little immature, this will be his last run. He will come back stronger.” - Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Riverplate too tough in Rangitikei Gold Cup

Consistent performer Riverplate (NZ) (Flying Artie) showed his rivals no mercy as he ran them into the dust when taking out the Listed James Bull Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) at Otaki on Saturday. The Andrew Campbell-prepared galloper has been in a purple patch of form of late and that continued

NZ Racing NewsKevin Robertson

Three in a row for Concord Connie

Exciting Contributer filly Concord Connie continued her rise through the ranks with another emphatic victory in the A$150,000 K.A. Morrison Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday. Trained by Charlotte Littlefield, the three-year-old has now put together three consecutive wins this autumn. Littlefield put Concord Connie aside after

NZ Racing NewsNZ Racing Desk

Yaldi returns to winning form

Talented galloper Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan) made an emphatic return to the winner’s podium when he stormed home to claim the open sprint at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Kingmakers “Become A Principal Owner” (1300m). The addition of visor blinkers to the gear worn by the four-year-old son of Ardrossan combined

NZ Racing NewsKevin Robertson

King’s English scores at Ellerslie

Well-bred three-year-old King’s English (Snitzel) returned to winning form at Ellerslie on Saturday when taking out the Trackside.co.nz 1100. Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson have held the son of Snitzel in high regard for some time, however, injury derailed his two-year-old preparation and he made his

NZ Racing NewsJoshua Smith