WIN OF THE DAY
High drama unfolded in the Group 3 Roma Cup (1100m) as the dead heat finish between The Boss Lady and Jokers Grin was settled in the stewards’ room. After a protest was upheld, The Boss Lady was promoted to first, relegating Jokers Grin to second. With only two spots left in the Quokka, Jokers Grin already holds one, and now The Boss Lady has made a compelling case to fill another.
TRAINERS
Michael Lane has consistently championed The Boss Lady, and her determined win first-up in the Roma Cup only strengthens her credentials for a Quokka slot. It was a proud moment for the Lane family, as his son Damian claimed Group 1 success in the Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick aboard Treasure The Moment.
Dan and Ben Pearce look set to mount another Karrakatta Plate (1200m) challenge after Talkanco delivered a gritty victory in the Gimcrack Stakes (1100m), outlasting the fast-finishing Yes Queen. The day was made even sweeter by their tough filly Sinful Living, who defied top weight and proved too strong in the lead.
Castle Road produced a dominant front-running effort to win the Perth Stakes by 3.5 lengths, leaving his rivals chasing shadows. Trainer Paul Jordan, a two-time Perth Stakes winner, has never landed a Karrakatta Plate—though that may soon change based on this commanding display.
JOCKEY
Brad Parnham enjoyed a stellar day in the saddle, securing back-to-back feature wins with Talkanco and The Boss Lady in thrilling finishes.
HORSES TO FOLLOW
Yes Queen was outstanding from behind, showing adaptability and a big finish. She remains the front-runner for the Karrakatta Plate.
Pond Master turned in a strong first-up run, charging down the outside after getting shut out of a run earlier in the straight.
Sixinch Heels continued her unbeaten streak with an explosive win from the rear of the field under 59kg. The Simon Miller-trained mare now boasts four wins this prep and shows no signs of slowing down.
Be Bardot found redemption, with William Pike ensuring she had no traffic troubles this time. The mare stormed down the outside to win impressively.
Audio Boy also returned in good form, closing nicely behind Be Bardot to indicate he’s in for a solid campaign.
Generosity wasn’t far off in the Roma Cup and looks more than capable of stepping into a Quokka slot.
HARD LUCK STORY
Deltason was unfortunately withdrawn at the gates before the Gimcrack Stakes, dashing any hopes of a strong showing.
Ahyeahrighto and Boussac both endured tough, wide trips that made their jobs difficult from the start.
Fila Mia, the outsider in the Gimcrack, got no room in the straight but unleashed a powerful late burst once clear—definitely one to watch next start.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Rope Them In couldn’t find a finishing effort, raising doubts ahead of the Quokka.
Bravo Centurion disappointed with a last-place finish in the Roma Cup, well below expectations.
Luana Miss offered little when asked for her effort, never looking a threat.
Elite Beau failed to fire, beating only two home in a lacklustre display.
BEATEN FAVOURITES
Weeraechoux, Ahyeahrighto, Boussac, Do I Feel Lucky, Jokers Grin, and Trio were all rolled as race favourites.
