Tempted ends Ka Ying Rising’s 22-win streak in The Everest & Ombudsman reigns supreme on Champions Day
One of sport’s great winning streaks came to an end this weekend. Here are the stories you need to know:
- KAY YING RISING’s remarkable run of 22 consecutive victories was ended by TEMPTED in The Everest at Randwick – the world’s best racehorse faced softer ground than he’s used to, and Ciaron Maher’s Godolphin filly, who had finished second 12 months earlier, made the most of her opportunity in a remarkable redemption story
- OMBUDSMAN produced the performance of Champions Day at Ascot, delivering a stunning late burst under William Buick to beat CALANDAGAN in the Champion Stakes
- AUTUMN GLOW was imperious in the King Charles III Stakes in Sydney, putting away the dual winner of the race with ease for a fifth G1 success
- MONROE WALK remained unbeaten in five starts with a narrow victory in the G1 Shuka Sho in Japan
- The Breeders’ Cup and start of the Melbourne Cup Carnival are now just two weeks away
Continue reading for a full round-up across Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the UK and the USA – and a look ahead to the Cox Plate at Flemington this weekend.
What’s Happened
Australia
A huge day in Australia was split between Melbourne and Sydney. The first of the G1s came at Caulfield, where Ciaron Maher’s Saintly Dancer took the Caulfield Guineas under Blake Shinn. The New Zealand-bred filly set out her intentions early, going from the front and readily holding off stablemate Icelady by a length and a quarter.
There was a grey one-two in the G1 Caulfield Cup when Kingswood led home Saint George in the 150th running of the marquee event. Trained by Gavin Bedggood, the six-year-old winner was ridden by Irish former jump jockey John Allen.
Earlier, Cavalry Girl led the charge home in the G2 Henley Homes Sprint, winning by a length and a quarter for trainer Tom Dabernig and jockey Craig Williams.
Maher spoiled the Ka Ying Rising party in Sydney too, his Tempted and Chad Schofield holding off the world’s best racehorse in his attempt for back-to-back wins in the G1 The Everest. It was a valiant effort in defeat by the Hong Kong star, on ground softer than he likes, but it brought his amazing 22-win streak to a close. For Tempted, it was redemption, the Godolphin-owned filly having finished second a year ago.
A super edition of the G1 King Charles III Stakes went to the brilliant Autumn Glow who put away Ceowulf, a dual winner of the race, with ease. Ridden by James McDonald for Chris Waller, she won by an impressive two and a quarter lengths – her fifth G1 success.
There was a notable success on the big stage for trainer Kelly Schweida, whose Grafterburners landed the G2 Sydney Stakes under Nash Rawiller.
France
Rembrand To Go made it two wins on the spin for trainer Miroslac Rulec in Longchamp’s G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris on Sunday. Ridden by Marvin Grandin, he beat Nitoi by a short head.
Germany
Trainer Henk Grewe won both G3s at Baden-Baden on Sunday, his Dalmera upsetting favourite Mahasti in the Preis der Winterkonigin, winning by three lengths under Thor Hammer Hansen. Just a neck and a head separated the first three in the Herbst Trophy; Akido beating Wizard Of Lips and favourite Lordano – his first defeat in five starts.
Ireland
Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Lordan set a new record at Leopardstown on Saturday, combining to win six of the seven races. They included both G3s, the Eyrefield Stakes with Wall Street and the Killavullen Stakes with Capability Brown. Both colts hold entries for next week’s G1 Futurity Stakes and the Irish 2000 Guineas in May.
Japan
Monroe Walk made it five wins from five, taking the G1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto on Sunday. Trained by Hiroyuki Uemura and ridden by Keita Tosaki, she beat outsider Garavogue by a neck.
Tokyo held the feature on Saturday, Sugar Kun shocking the G2 Fuji Stakes field at odds of 40/1. The Hisashi Shimizu trainee beat the better-fancied Ampadu by three-quarters of a length under jockey Seinosuke Yoshimura.
Diamond Knot took Monday’s G2 Swan Stakes at Kyoto, earning an automatic spot in the G1 Mile Championship. Ridden by Takeshi Yokoyama, he held off Suzu Khalom by a nose.
UK
Run on a good surface – a rare occurrence in the UK in October – British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday produced none of the shocks often associated with the event.
The big one – the G1 Champion Stakes - was a reversal of the 2025 form as this time it was Ombudsman who beat Calandagan. John and Thady Gosden’s charge produced a stunning late burst under William Buick to secure his fifth G1. The Godolphin colt retires soon but his connections are yet to rule out a run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Also Breeders’ Cup-bound is Talk Of New York – but in 2027, not 2026. Charlie Appleby’s colt was supplemented for the G1 QEII and it was money well spent, the three-year-old beating Ten Bob Tony by a length and a quarter.
Almeraq cemented his spot as Champion European Sprinter with a neck success in the G1 British Champions Sprint, for Tom Marquand and William Haggas. The win was more comfortable than the margin suggests; the colt readily picking up Paborus and Division to collect his third G1 win.
Minnie Hauk was champion three-year-old filly last season but had failed to add to her haul since a G3 win in May. She bounced back here though, collecting G1 win number four in the Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes. Ridden by Ryan Moore, she beat Believed by a length and a half.
Andrew Balding suffered the disappointment of his star mare Kalpana finishing unplaced behind Minnie Hauk on her final outing but did grab a G1 of his own. Mount Altas caused an upset in the G1 Long Distance Cup under PJ McDonald, beating Queenstown and favourite Highwayman by three quarters of a length and the same.
USA
Keeneland staged two Graded Stakes on Saturday, the first of which went to Saffie Joseph and Tyler Gaffalione with Dr Kapur, who beat Chief Wallabee and Obliteration by a neck and a nose in a dramatic finish to the G3 Perryville Stakes. Next up was Movie Night, who continued trainer Will Walden’s excellent run of form with a win in the G2 Lexus Raven Run under Flavien Prat.
Sunday saw Ben Curtis and Michael Maker team up with six-year-old Malibu Smart to win the G3 Dowager Stakes.
What’s Happening
Australia
The VRC welcomes the Cox Plate to Flemington for the very first time on Saturday, with Sir Delius, Aeliana and Warwoven currently vying for favouritism.
With redevelopment underway at Moonee Valley, the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup, over 2500m, also features on the program, offering a coveted golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup.
Japan
The G3 Artemis Stakes takes place at Tokyo on Saturday, acting as the warm-up for the G1 Kikuka Sho, or Japanese St Leger, at Kyoto on Sunday.
UK
The final G1 of the British season, the Futurity Stakes, takes place at Doncaster on Saturday. Aidan O’Brien’s G2 Beresford Stakes winner Noble Exhibit heads a slew of entries from Ballydoyle, while Al Hudaiba is likely to take his chance for Charlie Appleby.
USA
Keeneland’s final pre-Breeders’ Cup weekend is a busy one. The G2 Bryan Station and G3 Hagyard Fayette are Saturday’s features. There are three G3s across the country on Sunday; the Glen Cove at Belmont, the Street Sense at Churchill Downs and the Autumn Miss at Santa Anita.
