Breakthrough Randwick victory sparks Caulfield Cup dream for Royal Supremacy

5 hours ago 6

By Craig Kerry

July 12, 2025 — 5.41pm

Owners Australian Bloodstock are dreaming of a Caulfield Cup campaign with Royal Supremacy after the Ciaron Maher-trained import bounced back from feet troubles to break through third-up at Randwick on Saturday.

The four-year-old gelding, bought by the two-time Melbourne Cup-winning syndicators last year, found the gaps from a midfield rails sit under top apprentice Braith Nock to win the 1800m benchmark 88 handicap by a half-length to Canberra Legend.

Braith Nock takes Royal Supremacy past Canberra Legend and to victory at Randwick on Saturday.

Placed at group 2 and 3 level in Europe, Royal Supremacy had a 42-week spell before starting his Australian campaign and was an unlucky last in the Scone Cup on debut in May. He was then 11th at Randwick, again over the mile. Maher assistant Johann Gerard-Dubord said the ride from Nock, as well as training and gear changes, helped spark the turnaround.

Australian Bloodstock, which had hopes of a Hong Kong campaign with Royal Supremacy last year, were now eyeing spring stakes targets.

“He came out here and had a few little typical feet problems, that a lot of them seem to get, so we had to back off him and start again,” Australian Bloodstock director Luke Murrell said.

“But I always thought he was a group 2 level horse and maybe even a Caulfield Cup horse. His first two runs were OK and I said to the owners this morning, ‘If the race was in Europe, he’d be $1.50’. But you’ve got to take it on trust the extra distance will suit.”

Murrell said races like the Newcastle Cup and the group 1 Metropolitan were potential targets, “and maybe if he does well there, he might even be a Caulfield Cup hope.”

Pride finds another winning back-up

The hot winter run of the Joe Pride stable in Sydney continued on Saturday as King’s Secret delivered again and Aberlour thrived off a quick back-up to cause an upset.

A week after Pride won the listed Winter Stakes with $61 shot Estadio Mestalla leading all the way off a one-week back-up, Aberlour ($14) repeated the feat in a benchmark 78 handicap (1800m). The four-year-old mare, sixth a week earlier at Rosehill in a 1400m race, hung on by a short neck from Bright Red.

Jockey Alysha Collett and Pride racing manager Orla Pearl both hailed the win as”unbelievable” when they met after the win. Pearl said taking off the ear muffs and the quick back-up had been the keys on Saturday.

Alysha Collett boots home Aberlour to win for Joe Pride.

King’s Secret, aided by a gun ride from Andrew Adkins, won the 1100m benchmark 72 for three-year-olds by a half-length. It was his fourth win in six starts this preparation and likely his last run before a spell.

The Saturday Sydney double was Pride’s third in four weeks and was capped by a Monash Stakes win at Caulfield with In Flight. He also had a Sydney treble on June 7.

Adkins also had a double on Saturday, after earlier winning on Pensativa.

Getafix swoops to stamp potential

Trainer Tom Charlton was confident Getafix could rise to stakes level after the three-year-old produced a booming finish to nab Cool Jakey on the line in the 1400m benchmark 88.

Coming off a midweek Kensington track victory, Getafix provided the most thrilling finish of the day and gave jockey Jason Collett a double.

“He’s go the ability to feature in good races,” Charlton said. “Even today, he probably didn’t relax perfectly, but he’s a pretty useful horse. At the end of the two-year-old season, he and Linebacker were the ones we thought could shape up well, and he’s just taken a bit more time.”

Collett earlier led all the way on David Pfieffer-trained Oh Diamond Lil in a benchmark 78 handicap (1600m). Pfieffer was looking to the Coffs Harbour Cup, or another Randwick benchmark race in two weeks, with the mare.

Tomato Toastie hot hope for autumn

Trainer Adrian Bott believed Tomato Toastie, a half-sister to his two-time group-winning mare English, could return an autumn carnival contender after a gritty victory at Randwick.

Competing 10 days after a Warwick Farm win at her second start, the Too Darn Hot filly raced outside leader Pillow Fight for jockey Regan Bayliss in the 1400m handicap for two-year-olds before taking over at the 300m mark. She then survived a late lunge from Crossbow to win by a short half-head.

Tomato Toastie is out of the same dam, Al Naifa, as English.

“She was out on her feet late,” Bott said. “She’s not an overly big filly, but she’s got a stack of improvement to come. We made the call to come here today, to go one more run now while we can, then we can give her a good break that she deserves.

“I think rushing around for the spring is not going to be the right thing to do. This might set us up nicely for a good autumn campaign.”

Scone filly on Highway to success

Scone trainer Lou Mary will give filly Pensativa a short break before preparing her for another campaign aimed at a Highway race after she broke through at Randwick on Saturday.

The three-year-old, second in her first Highway Handicap two weeks earlier, raced behind leader Smart Jazz under Andrew Adkins in the class 3 Highway Plate (1600m) before hitting the front at the 150m and beating Kranich by a long neck.

Pensativa went to three wins and four placings in 13 starts with the victory.

“She’s very consistent and she’s very brave, and every time we raise the bar, she seems to turn up,” Mary said. “We are probably going to give her a break now. I think she goes better on top of the ground, and she’s still eligible for one more Highway.”

Mary said Braebrook Thoroughbreds filly would have four to six weeks off before coming back and working towards another Highway.

Import strikes again on front foot

Co-trainer Will Freedman believes Walking Painting can step up in grade, with the help of wetter ground, after he pulled off another all-the-way win in benchmark 72 Midway Handicap level.

The import ended a drought in Australia with victory at Scone over 1700m on May 17 before two losses at 1800m in a higher grade. He came back to 1600m and 72 level on Saturday at Randwick and produced an even better front-running effort, winning by three-quarters of a length under three-kilogram apprentice Will Stanley.

“I think he probably has to go to 78 grade, but fortunately he handles heavy ground,” Freedman said of the six-year-old’s next target. If he gets it wetter, then he will be competitive, but he just doesn’t run 1800.“