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expert insights

07 May 2025

Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald Fly High at the Queensland Winter Carnival

Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald continue to build on their stellar season as they made an immediate impact on the Queensland Winter Carnival. Currently sitting 2nd on the NSW trainers' premiership, just 6 wins off the lead, Annabel and Rob have taken their form north of the border, winning both Group races on offer at Eagle Farm last Saturday.

Photo: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

Firstly, improving galloper Depth of Character recorded a commanding victory in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas. The result was never in doubt as the 3YO gelding careered away to win the feature race by 2.3 lengths. Then in the following race, talented 4YO Libertad delivered the stable a Group race double with a scintillating win, off the back of an economical ride by Jamie Mott, in the Group 2 Victory Stakes. In just forty minutes, the duo won their connections a combined $377,000 in prizemoney.

With access to 30 boxes at their Eagle Farm stables, the training duo have the advantage of basing their carnival horses in an environment similar to that found in their home at Warwick Farm. Consistency between stables means that their gallopers move seamlessly when transferring between states, and settle in better, which no doubt gives them a competitive advantage come race day.

Annabel and Rob now turn their attention to this weekend’s races at the Gold Coast with the feature being the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes. The pair will be aiming for their fifth straight win in the race, yes fifth straight, where they will be represented in a three-pronged attack by Fawkner Park, Bois D’Argent and Port Lockroy. The stable won the race last year with Numerian and before that Zaaki was victorious on three consecutive occasions.

Straight Six Racing are delighted to have Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald as part of their training team and we wish them well as they send a formidable group of horses north in search of further carnival riches.

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Industry News

30 Apr 2025

Cummings to launch own training venture as Godolphin moves to public model

Godolphin Australia has announced it will move to a public training model from the start of the new racing season.

Champion trainer James Cummings has been Godolphin’s private trainer for eight years but has also announced plans to become a public trainer from August 1.

Cummings will continue to train some horses for Godolphin with the all-powerful racing and breeding organisation explaining the decision to spread their team among a number of trainers was “in line with operating structures used by other major owners and breeders in Australia”.

The bombshell announcement was revealed in a joint statement with Cummings, Godolphin Australia Managing Director Andy Makiv said the change would provide greater flexibility for the business while maintaining Godolphin’s strong presence in the Australian thoroughbred industry.

“Our numbers have and will remain stable, just as they have been for the past five years.”

Makiv said Godolphin’s decision coincided with the conclusion of Cummings’ current contract, which ended on July 31, and the trainer’s own plans to expand his business.

“James is a fantastic trainer and has been incredibly successful,” Makiv said.

“He brought up his 50th Group 1 win late last year and we are extremely grateful for his leadership of our wonderful racing team who have supported him.

“We are looking forward to working with James under our new training model.”

Cummings said he was proud of what had been achieved during his time with Godolphin and excited about the next phase of his career.

“The time is right for me to take the next step in my career and launch my own venture as a public trainer,” Cummings said.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with exceptional horses and a dedicated team during my time at Godolphin, and together we’ve celebrated many memorable successes.

“This experience has been incredibly rewarding and has taught me invaluable lessons, both professionally and personally.

“I’m deeply grateful to Godolphin for their ongoing support, and I look forward with great anticipation to this exciting new chapter.”

Makiv expected that Mr Cummings’ expertise would remain an important part of the operation.

“We are in discussions with James to lead the campaigns of horses like the outstanding two-year-old Tempted, Tom Kitten on his path to the Cox Plate and VRC Oaks winner Zardozi,”Makiv Said.

“We remain absolutely committed to breeding and racing in our famous Godolphin blue silks.”

Story: By Ray Thomas, Racenet

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Sales Results

08 Apr 2025

Demand for Home Affairs Colts Reaching Stratospheric Levels

The extraordinary support for first season sire Home Affairs, by those "in the know", has reached new levels at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The top priced lot to sell at the prestigious sale was a Home Affairs colt out of Shout The Bar that was knocked down for $3m.

Home Affairs - The most sought after first-season sire in 2025

"The demand that we are now seeing for Home Affairs colts was entirely predictable. His class on the race track and his elite breeding simply make him the 'hottest' colonial sire prospect we have seen for many years."

Michael Ward, Founder & Director, Straight Six Racing

This result comes off the back of the sale-topping $3.2m paid for the Home Affairs colt out of Sunlight at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. This means that the two top yearling prices recorded in 2025 belong to Coolmore Stud’s dual Group 1 winning sprinter.

The industry is clearly showing their faith in Home Affairs, the fastest son of Champion Sire I Am Invincible, becoming the next big thing in the Australian racing and breeding industry.

Straight Six Racing’s Michael Ward, formerly of Triple Crown Syndications, shares this view and was fortunate to secure a colt by Home Affairs out of the stakes-placed mare Royal Missile early in the sales season before the momentum really took hold. This colt is now presenting as outstanding value and has already been broken-in with the early feedback confirming Michael’s belief in the colt. Limited shares are available for those wanting to access a quality prospect, by the “talk of the town” first season sire, through racehorse syndication.

expert insights

26 Mar 2025

How much does it cost to be involved in the Group 1 Golden Slipper?

The $5m Group 1 Golden Slipper, the world's richest juvenile race, has been run and won for 2025. But what does it cost to be involved in such a prestigious race and is it within reach of ordinary Australians?

Image: Channel 7

"There is a viable way for ordinary Australians to get involved in the Golden Slipper. It is called racehorse syndication."

Michael Ward, Founder & Director, Straight Six Racing

Whilst this edition of the race was won by Emirates Park’s homebred, Marhoona, those contenders in the field that were traded through public auction ranged in price from $30,000 to $1.6m, for an average of $582,692.

That price may seem out of reach for most ordinary Australians who hold the dream of owning a share in a horse that lines up in the prestigious race. Yet the reality is thankfully very different. Fortunately for everyone involved in this great sport of horse racing, price tags don’t necessarily correspond with race track success. For example, in 2017 She Will Reign won the Golden Slipper after being purchased for a bargain price of just $20,000.

What is clear though, it is vitally important who is behind the selection and/or management of the horse. To highlight this point, Emirates Park Stud has won 3 Golden Slippers in the past 11 years and for prices at both ends of the spectrum, namely $85,000 and $1.7m (in addition to this year’s homebred). Clearly they are doing something right and it isn’t solely due to having deep pockets.

Purchasing shares in racehorse syndicates has proven over and over again to be an attractive option for those with more “modest” budgets looking to be a part of one of Australian racing’s greatest days. The key is to find a licensed syndicator with a proven track record of success. And that comment is not just pushing one’s own barrow, it is simply a fact.

Straight Six Racing’s Michael Ward, formerly of Triple Crown Syndications, has previously been involved in selecting and managing 5 Golden Slipper runners, namely Hot Snitzel ($60,000), Charlie Boy ($80,000), Dothraki ($45,000), Cavalry Rose ($85,000) and Revolutionary MIss ($195,000). While none of them won the holy grail, each of them, owned by racehorse syndicates, proved the perennial depth and quality of the Golden Slipper by going on in subsequent years to win at either Group 1, Group 2 or Group 3 level and gave all of their respective owners the experience of a lifetime.

Straight Six Racing is currently offering two yearlings that have been identified as 2YO types, including a Pinatubo filly out of Glamorous Miss that is closely related to Skyhook, the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes winner and a contender in this year’s Golden Slipper. Will we see another member of Skyhook’s family lining up in the race in 2026? Who knows, but one thing is for sure, the syndicate of owners being put together by Straight Six Racing is going to have a hell of a lot of fun finding out!