What a week it was at BTX with Joffrey securing victory and becoming the 3rd BTX Racing-owned horse to succeed on the track. The member of the stayers pack has taken his time but what a pleasing win it was. In other news, the Group 1 racing continues with the Doomben Cup in Queensland the highlight of the upcoming weekend.

Joffrey For The Win

Joffrey has powered to victory. Leading from post to post in the Geelong 2400m contest, the first winner of the Stayers pack securing victory over one of racing’s most famous distances, the classic mile and a half. Joffrey has been gradually improving over this preparation. His first two runs showcased immaturity and lack of racing experience, the initial races run over 1400m were extremely unsuitable. However, with patience and continual rises in distance, Joffrey has just continued to improve. Congratulations to the Ciaron Maher team who will look to continue the progression for the son of Raise The Flag.

Diamondiferous and Jiffy will be looking to follow in Joffreys lead over the coming weeks as they take to the track.

Patience is a virtue and what a great result patience has brought.

Deep Diving Into The Pedigree

This lovely filly is by exceptional sire Zoustar! She is well-balanced with a good middle and tracks well from behind with a good width between her hocks.

By the champion sire Zoustar, a winner of Group 1 stallion-making races such as the Golden Rose and Coolmore Stud Stakes. He is the sire of 68 stakes performers including dominant race fillies such as champion multiple Group 1 winner Sunlight and Zougotcha. His fillies are undoubtedly exceptional, and this filly is line-bred to Redoute’s Choice similar to the Group 2 Schweppes Sheraco Stakes winner Haut Brion Her.

Out of a stakes placed Snitzel mare, who is already shaping up to be an outstanding broodmare sire, responsible for 26 individual stakes winners including top-line fillies, such as Group 1 Golden Slipper winning Mossfun and our own Group 2 winner Lavish Girl! Furthermore, her dam Spot The Diff is also the half-sister to the multiple stakes placed Leading City.

La Magia or Nikolsky?

The BTX team currently own three 3YO fillies. With two of them heading to the track in the coming weeks we thought it suitable to have a look at the pros and cons of both as they look to break their maidens in June.

La Magia is a progressive daughter of Pierro, she is a 1200-1600m filly trained by Ciaron Maher. She already has a preparation under her belt and is looking to break her maiden this prep. Pleasingly, the Ciaron Maher team has confirmed the filly has progressed impressively in the last 6 weeks and is on track to break her maiden.

South Australian-trained filly Nikolsky could be the revelation for BTX Racing this winter. The speedy daughter of Smart Missile is undoubtedly a high-quality thoroughbred. The team at Clarken Racing were just waiting for the penny to drop and we are hoping it finally has. The news out of the Clarken Camp is that Nikolsky will have one more jump out before taking to the racetrack. Stay posted, she could be the value buy of the winter.

Josh’s Saturday Preview

Doomben is the focus this week, and the Doomben Cup is the highlight Group 1 of the weekend. This year’s field includes high-quality gallopers including 2023 Queensland Derby winner Kovalica and 2023 Queensland Oaks winner Amkoura.

Doomben Cup Worthy Of Group 1

The Doomben Cup is well and truly earning its Group 1 status this year. The 2000m contest which has in the past thrown fields weaker than Group 1 standard has brought together an even yet class field this weekend. The key chances are Group 1 winner Kovalica, 2019 Melbourne winner Vow And Declare and two-time winner Huetor, who is seeking to be only the second three-time winner alongside Rough Habit.

The key chances without Group 1 runs on the board include last-start winners Numerian, Hezashocka and Fawkner Park.

Asfoora Flies The Aussie Flag In UK

Multiple Group 2 winner Asfoora has flown to the UK looking to break her maiden Group 1 status on the other side of the world, the first step taking place on Saturday at Haydock. The Henry Dwyer-trained daughter of Flying Artie has been placed multiple times at Group 1 level, going close to Imperatriz in a track record-breaking Moir Stakes. Asfoora this preparation is being targeted at the 1000m Group 2 Temple Stakes where she will potentially need to run a career peak with a career-high weight of 59kg.

Following her first-up run, Asfoora will run at Royal Ascot in the King Charles III stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot. The 1005m contest formerly known as the King’s Stand Stakes has been won by a plethora of Aussie Champs, most recently with Nature Strip in 2022.