| The Next Episode confirmed himself as Australia’s premier sprinting three-year-old with a stunning win in Saturday’s $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington. |
| Sent out the $3.20 favourite after a brilliant last start success in the Group Two Danehill Stakes, The Next Episode lived up to punting expectations when he beat home the second elect St Gotthard in an enthralling contest. Mark Zahra had the Ciaron Maher trained colt positioned off the speed for a good slice of the race before he unleashed a stunning burst inside the final 300 metres. Despite moving around over the concluding stages and Zahra having to straighten him away from the runner-up, The Next Episode’s class was sufficient and he won stylishly. The Next Episode has spent much of his lifetime in the headlines since being born at Widden Stud. The son of Snitzel made history when he sold at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was snapped up by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $2.8 million – the highest price ever paid for a colt at the Gold Coast. In winning today he also becomes the most expensive yearling ever sold in Australia to win at Group One level. “When you’ve got a colt with a record like he does, these are the stallion making races and you’ve got to perform on the big days,” a proud Ciaron Maher said. “I was confident he was ready, the team and Jack have done a super job from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, just can’t thank them enough.” “He races in Phil Cunningham’s colours, it’s his first horse in Australia, I’m sure he’d be ready to buy a few more this year – plenty of other mates in the horse as well, Antony Thompson (co-) bred the horse, he’s absolutely stoked and so am I, they don’t get much bigger than that.” “You want the pressure. That’s what we get up in the morning for, to have a horse good enough to feel the pressure. He’s a ripper and I think he’s only going to get better as he gets older.” “He’s a super jockey, Mark, he had the fall the other day, to be up and riding at the top of his game, they’re marvels the jocks.” “Mark’s a great mate and I’m sure we’ll be popping the top off a couple bottles of champagne tomorrow.” “We don’t check in that often, probably after hours, but he’s at the top of his game and he’s a great mate.” “You can’t get a bigger race than this – colts running for the Coolmore. It’s a stallion making race.” “He’s a proper, proper colt,” Maher added. For Mark Zahra the win was a special one, taking into his account his recent fall in the Caulfield Cup. It was a race to be back fit to ride on Derby Day. “He actually travelled quite stronger than the other day,” Zahra noted. “The other day he was a bit lackadaisical but today I travelled really strong and I could see J-Mac (on St Gotthard) on the inside.” “I was in a sweet spot, I travelled well – travelled too well. When I came out and he sprinted really quick and James sort of challenged him, he put him away late, what a win.” “They took me nowhere, the ones in front, but I was in a spot where I had to go, he was just travelling so sweetly.” “He’s a real dude now this horse he’s so relaxed, lobs along but when you want him he just goes bang, what a day.” “To win these races on these colts, it doesn’t come on often. It’s a stallion-making race. I’m sure the owners want to give me a lifetime nom(ination) for this bloke,” he added with a smile. A son of super sire Snitzel, himself a former Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase, The Next Episode is from the triple stakes winning Denman mare Humma Humma. Humma Humma, who Widden sourced from the National Broodmare Sale in 2021 for $1 million, won a Group Three Proud Miss Stakes and Listed Redelva Stakes in Adelaide. She also captured a Listed Alinghi Stakes at Caulfield. She is a half sister to Tycoon Humma, a Flemington stakes winner of four races including two at two. Winner: The Next Episode Race: VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes G1 (1200m) Breeding: Snitzel-Humma Humma (Denman) Sold for: $2,800,000 Sale: 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Earnings: $2,195,495 Breeder: Widden Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Warringah Stud Farm, Frampton Racing Vendor: Widden Stud Buyer: Ciaron Maher Bloodstock Owners: PM Cunningham, Widden Stud Pty Ltd, Ciaron Maher Racing, WJ Betar, PS Frampton, C Massie, P Trainor, JM Simmons, Ms SM Fitzgerald, AK Racing, Ms S Hill & C Trinder Trainer: Ciaron Maher (Cranbourne) |
