Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State has sired his first Group One winner in one of Australia’s most coveted races, courtesy of a brilliant performance by first-crop colt Warwoven in the A$1 million Yulong Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

The Golden Rose has earned a reputation as a stallion-making race with a roll of honour that includes the likes of Zoustar, The Autumn Sun, Bivouac, Ole Kirk and Broadsiding. Now Warwoven has put himself on that same valuable path.

The Bjorn Baker-trained colt went into Saturday’s spring showpiece as the winner of four of his seven starts, including a convincing last-start success in the Gr.2 Run to the Rose (1200m).

The Golden Rose was expected to be a much more daunting assignment, but Warwoven rose to the occasion and blew his opponents away.

Ridden as usual by Rachel King, Warwoven settled in fourth on the rail and was stuck in a pocket coming around the home turn.

King found an opening and angled Warwoven into clear air with 300m to run, and the colt burst to the front with a breathtaking turn of foot. He streaked clear to win by three lengths from St Gotthard (Snitzel) and Under Focus (Too Darn Hot).

“He was dominant,” King said. “He’s very good, we know he’s very good, and it was just very satisfying for him to go out there and do that today.

“I was a little bit worried when we were stuck back on the fence. I thought we’d either be leading or on the leader’s back.

“But he’s a very good horse. There was enough tempo on. There was enough pressure. He just put his head down and relaxed and was beautiful in the run.

“We know he’s got an awesome turn of foot, and I was desperate to get him up over this kind of distance and probably even further. He’s proven that he’s the real deal today.”

Warwoven’s eight-race career has now produced five wins and A$1.16 million in stakes.

“This is very special,” Baker said. “I thought he paraded superbly. He’s so good-looking. He’s so fast. I don’t even have to sell him, he sold himself. So many of my great friends are in this horse, and you saw an amazing performance today.

“A lot of form analysts out there, you are allowed your own opinion, that is what makes our game so great. But I thought this colt was right in it.

“He’s a serious horse and now we are looking at the Caulfield Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m). Even the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m). His mother was very good at 2000m, and he relaxed beautifully today. But one step at a time. It is an amazing game, racing. It is the best game in the world and I don’t say that lightly.

“He’s a colt, so he’ll be a stallion now.”

Warwoven is the clear headline act among the six winners so far sired by Sword Of State, who commands a $50,000 service fee at Cambridge Stud.

Sword Of State was himself an elite juvenile, winning the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and earning New Zealand Champion Two-Year-Old honours.

Warwoven is the first foal of the Makfi mare Needle And Thread, who was the winner of the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m) and placed at Group Two level in the Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Eight Carat Classic (1600m).

Waitak defends his crown in Howden Insurance Mile

The Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) got the contest and finish it deserved as 2025 winner Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) defended his crown in a thrilling three-way finish to the Hastings feature.

The versatile seven-year-old gelding is a proven stakes performer from 1200m through to 2000m, and the victory on Saturday earned him his fourth title at Group One level.

Regular pilot Craig Grylls took the mount for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and produced an absolute gem from barrier two, as he had Waitak travelling comfortably in sixth along the fence as another proven Group One performer El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) set the pace.

In contrast, the well-favoured Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci), with Opie Bosson aboard, found himself back in the rear before launching a run around the field with 700m left to travel.

Turning for home, Grylls extricated Waitak off the fence and into the three wide lane, with She’s A Dealer (Ace High) and Tuxedo both on his outer.

That trio swept to the lead at the 300m and set down to a ding-dong finish with Waitak pulling out all the stops to edge Tuxedo by a short head, with She’s A Dealer a further half neck away in third.

Co-trainer Andrew Scott was quite emotional after the race as he spoke in glowing terms about the horse.

“He is an amazing racehorse and this is a great result for team Wexford (stables),” Scott said. “This horse is just so honest, a lovely, big and sound horse, who we are incredibly proud of.

“It’s also good for Craig as I think that is his 100th winner for us.

“We will certainly celebrate tonight with all thanks to Waitak.”

Scott admitted there had been legitimate excuses for the inconsistent form line of his charge in his most recent starts.

“Last season he was just missing the start and getting on the back foot in pace-oriented races,” he said. “He had been doing his best work late and the sectionals indicated that, but luck just wasn’t going his way.

“Today he stepped away nicely and was in striking distance which made all the difference.

“He is such a wonderful racehorse, keeps coming back and he is our champion.”

Scott reiterated the next mission for the horse would be the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), which will be run at Hastings on October 10.

Grylls was also delighted to collect another elite-level victory on the son of Proisir.

“From the barrier today, I didn’t want to get shuffled too far back and ended up exactly where I wanted to be on a good speed,” he said.

“He did get a bit fierce in the middle stages, but turning for home I was going that good I was able to get into the clear and he was tough and wouldn’t lie down.

“He has won four Group One races now, so he is obviously a very good horse.”

The day was also a triumph for Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, who is the sire of both Waitak and Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) winner Old Fashioned (NZ).

Bred by the late Colin Devine, and raced by his widow Jill, Waitak has now had 40 starts for nine wins, 11 placings and $2,026,987 in stakes. - Kevin Robertson

Thurlow unleashes future star in Hawke’s Bay Guineas

Unheralded three-year-old Old Fashioned (NZ) (Proisir) fired a shot across the bows of his age-group rivals as he produced a quality effort to take out the Gr.2 The Foxes @ Novara Park Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday at just his second raceday start.

The statuesque son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir had created quite an impression with a comfortable win at Wanganui in his only start as a two-year-old before being put aside for a winter break.

Fitted for the Hastings feature with two trials by trainer Bill Thurlow, Old Fashioned went into the race as a well-supported $8 Fixed Odds chance and didn’t let his supporters down as he dented plenty of reputations in the hands of rider Kelly Myers.

Myers had her mount travelling easily three-back against the inside rail for most of the 1400m journey before easing one-off the fence entering the home straight as a gap presented itself at the 300m.

Old Fashioned showed a quick burst of speed as he shot to the lead and never looked like flinching as race favourite Asturia (NZ) (Almanzor) and Raymond (NZ) (Ardrossan) flashed at him in the last 100m, but came up short in their pursuit.

Myers was effusive in her praise for her mount, who she believes has untapped potential.

“I don’t know what to say about this horse as he is massive and has just got gears,” Myers said. “I tried to play the patient game and thought the gap would come. It did come and I asked him, but he takes a few strides (to wind up) and then he says just kidding and finds another gear.

“I thought he was very dominant today.

“I wasn’t that stoked to draw barrier one as I didn’t think it was the best draw given he is such a big horse, and he goes well when ridden cold.

“You can’t throw away a good draw like that and he is pretty adaptable, so you can ride him anywhere.

“The world is his oyster and with a turn of foot like that, he is pretty exciting. He has only had the one start, but he raced like a professional today.”

Thurlow said he held a high opinion of the horse but had chosen to keep quiet and let his charge put runs on the board.

“He has always shown us a lot, but we’ve sort of stayed away from the hype and let him do the talking,” he said. “Today he has done that as we were very confident, but it is a horse race.

“We drew barrier one and had to use that, but he has heaps of gate speed and although we had ridden him back at the trials to teach him, we can ride him anywhere as he is such a good horse.

“He has a good turn of foot that most horses don’t have. We knew we had him ready, it was just a matter of whether he could do it.

“Matt and Diana (owners) love him, and he will stay here with them for the time being.”

Bred and raced by Matthew Goodson and Diana Perron under their Goodson and Perron Family Trust banner, Old Fashioned is the second living foal of the Rip Van Winkle mare Contrary Mary (NZ) and is now the $5 second favourite in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) Fixed Odds market behind System Of Play (Ole Kirk) ($4). - Kevin Robertson

Hawea downs quality field in Gold Trail Stakes

Despite some anxious moments loading into the starting gates and a tough trip in transit, classy filly Hawea (Hellbent) still managed to claim an impressive victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings.

Trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, who won the event last year with Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca), had the daughter of Hellbent primed for the contest after an impressive first-up win at Taupo last month.

However, Hawea decided that she wasn’t happy with arrangements at the start as she steadfastly refused to enter her barrier for several minutes, testing the patience of the starter to the point where she was close to being declared a late scratching.

Finally secured in gate six, Hawea jumped well but was caught three-wide behind the pace for rider Wiremu Pinn, as Startles (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) and Perfect Chaos (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) set a torrid speed in front before Perfect Chaos eased clear rounding the home bend.

Pinn asked Hawea to go at that stage and she bravely lengthened stride to strike the lead before holding out strong late runs from Liguria (NZ) (Snitzel) and Dashing Dixie (NZ) (Alabama Express) to claim her second successive victory in her current campaign.

Richardson cut a relieved figure after the race, admitting his heart was in his mouth as the minutes ticked by while his charge challenged the starting attendants.

“It’s hard watching them live and I couldn’t see too much, so I had to rely on the commentator,” Richardson said.

“I had a guy beside me say ‘she’s not going in the gates, and I just went ‘oh god’ and closed my eyes.

“Wiremu was very confident before the race and when I couldn’t see too much, I did hear the commentator say she was three wide, so that was just impressive wasn’t it.

“She does pin her ears back though and loves to be in front.

“She will improve a lot from this as she still isn’t right in the coat, but we will probably go to the Soliloquy (Gr.2, 1400m) and then go down to Riccarton (Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, 1600m).”

Pinn was first to comment on how badly he believed he had ridden the filly.

“I said to Richie, I would ride her like the best horse today, but I didn’t mean that bad,” he said. “It was a shocker, but she is a lovely filly and has shown how much ability she has.

“She can just switch off in her races, and her turn of foot is electric. I probably should have ridden her cold, but she is so versatile.

“Put a line through the ride but not the horse.”

Hawea holds a nomination for both the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), where she is the $4 Fixed Odds favourite for the 1000 Guineas and an $18 shot in the 2000 Guineas.

Out of the Lonhro mare Idlewild, Hawea is a half-sister to five-time winner Idyllic (No Nay Never) and stakes performer Romilly (So You Think), the latter also trained by Richardson and Norvall. The stable went to $300,000 to purchase her out of Wentwood Grange’s draft at Karaka in 2025.

She is raced by a large syndicate that includes former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum and has now won over $171,000 for the group. - Kevin Robertson

Black-type breakthrough for Hurry Curry

Previously a placegetter at Group One and Group Two level, Waikato Stud’s homebred mare Hurry Curry (NZ) (Ocean Park) secured a valuable first black-type victory in the A$175,000 Listed RM Ansett Classic (2400m) at Mornington on Saturday. The daughter of Ocean Park ran third behind Treasurethe

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Per Sempre springs surprise at Mornington

The A$130,000 LouvreTec Melbourne Handicap (1200m) at Mornington on Saturday was always expected to have a strong New Zealand flavour, but it ended up coming from an unexpected source with upset winner Per Sempre (NZ) (Per Incanto). The race was expected to be dominated by the Contributer mare

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Tsarine makes it two on end at Mornington

Well-bred Savabeel mare Tsarine (NZ) (Savabeel) continued her affinity with Mornington on Saturday, producing a strong finishing burst to win the Sportsbet BlackBook Handicap (1200m). Prepared by Anthony and Sam Freedman, the five-year-old made it back-to-back victories at the course under a patient ride from

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