Coolmore and their powerful conglomerate of partners reaped the rewards of an expensive yearling purchase as the Chris Waller-trained colt Private Life announced himself as a premier 3-year-old and future stallion prospect Oct. 12.

Private Life, a $13 chance, led home a surprise trifecta in the Caulfield Guineas (G1).

A $650,000 (approx. US$ 438,750) Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase from the draft of his co-breeders Arrowfield Stud for Coolmore’s Tom Magnier, Private Life, whose ownership group includes Wynaus and Westerberg among others, broke his maiden at Warwick Farm in May and had raced just twice since.

Upon stepping out to a mile in the $3 million Classic, the son of Written Tycoon  was able to step up a gear. After kicking clear in the straight under Damian Lane, the 3-year-old sealed an end-to-end victory, thwarting the late surges of second-placed $51 outsider Feroce, and $17 hope Evaporate, who filled out the placings 3/4 lengths further adrift.

“James, if he could ride two in the race he would have, but he said ‘I’ve got to ride this horse (Broadsiding), he’s been so good to me’ and I said, ‘No, that’s fine.’ I said to Tom Magnier, ‘Don’t worry, we’ve still got a good chance. Picking up Damian Lane is a big plus.'”

In taking out the Guineas, Private Life provided his Yulong Stud sire Written Tycoon with his 65th individual stakes winner and 16th at the top level, while the stallion was siring the winner of the Caulfield Guineas, following the success of the Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes-trained and now Vinery Stud-based first-season sire Ole Kirk four years ago.

Deny Knowledge Takes Might and Power

Coolmore Stud-based stallion Pride Of Dubai  was handed his fifth individual elite-level winner when the Irish-bred Deny Knowledge struck in the Might And Power Stakes (G1) at Caulfield Saturday. Having returned with a solid first-up fifth in the Underwood Stakes (G1) last month, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained 7-year-old made all under Mark Zahra and held off the persistent Mr Brightside to beat that rival by 0.8 lengths. There was a further 0.7 lengths back to the third-placed Atishu. 

Offered by Newgate at May’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Deny Knowledge was purchased by the Panthalassa Syndicate for AUS$500,000 (approx. US$ 337,500)and now races in the colors of Yulong Investments. She is the best of two winners to come from the winning Manduro mare The Paris Shrug, herself a half sister to Ascot Gold Cup (G1) winner Big Orange , who was also placed in the Zipping Classic (G2). Deny Knowledge is from the second of Pride Of Dubai’s three northern hemisphere crops. The stallion is standing at Jerrys Plains Farm for a fee of $22,000, down from $27,500 in 2023.

On what was a brilliant day for New Zealand breds, Antino became the third individual elite-level winner for Westbury Stud stallion Redwood  when taking out Saturday’s Toorak Handicap (G1) at Caulfield in memorable fashion. Having been sat nearer last than first heading into the home bend, jockey Blake Shinn decided to draw his mount out wide and loop the entire field before kicking for home entering the straight. Ridden along with a commanding advantage, the Tony Gollan-trained gelding kept on well to beat Craig by 6 1/2 lengths in what was a remarkable end to the race. South Australian raider Alsephina a further 0.4 lengths back in third.