Talent on Show from East to West

It was a weekend where class and winning form shone through. Gringotts reaffirmed his quality with another high-end rating in The Gong, Jigsaw continued his remarkable revival, and a new wave of talent emerged out west with Watch Me Rock, King of Light, and Cosmic Crusader all producing standout figures.

—Daniel O’Sullivan & The Inside Running Team

💪 Gringotts 102.7 - A new peak (up from 102.3), winning The Gong with the best time rating of the meeting and late strength, +2.2L above the TopRate standard for his last 200m. He has now completed The Big Dance - Gong double for the second straight year, taking his record to 12 from 25 and more than $6.1 million earned. The logical next step is the $2m Group 2 Ingham over 1600m at Randwick. He started favourite in that race last year off a 101 rating win in The Gong, but raced like a horse at the end of his prep, going in sixth up. This year, he would arrive fifth up, likely fresher and with a stronger lead-up figure.

🚀 Jigsaw 100 - Continued his outstanding form revival for Cindy Alderson. It's his third straight win after figures of 97.7 in the Apache Classic and 98 in the G2 McEwen. This 100 rating sits just behind his career peaks of 102.5 and 100.3 from early 2023. He is clearly back near his best, which is a terrific feat at start number 35. Alderson is weighing up an offer from the Auckland Racing Club to run Jigsaw in the $700,000 Group 1 Railway Stakes over 1200m on 24 January 2026. With the best New Zealand sprinters so far this season rating between 97 and 97.5, it shapes as a realistic target for him.

🪐 Cosmic Crusader 98.6 - Those in the G1 Railway may have had a small slice of luck that he did not gain a start after he impressively won the 1400m Carbine Club of WA Stakes earlier on the program. Normalised to WFA, he out-rated the Railway winner Watch Me Rock (98), and would have received 1kg off that horse. Although it is theoretical, it still helps add context to the strength of Cosmic Crusader's performance.

🏆 Watch Me Rock 98 - Claimed the Group 1 Railway Stakes with a strong new peak, after coming off consecutive 95 rating peaks to start his preparation. He's now won five of his last six and is on a nice upward trajectory in his rating. Further new peaks are possible.

📈 King Of Light 97.5 - A new peak to win the Group 2 WA Guineas, improving from his 95.5 win last start, which was also a peak. His 97.5 Guineas win sits clearly above the 95.4 average for this race over the past five years, second only to Amelias Jewel's 98.8 in 2022. With five from five and coming off consecutive peaks, he's clearly headed in the right direction as an exciting prospect. An early favourite for the G1 WFA Northerly Stakes over 1800m on December 6.

*Ratings are normalised to weight-for-age for each horse.

Crack The Shutters (pictured above) – 21 November 2025, Launceston (R6)
She was an impressive 1.8 length winner of the 3YO Baker Group Cup over 1200m, putting the previously unbeaten Sanniya away with ease. She clocked 69.41 secs, the sixth fastest 1200m at Launceston from 336 races since January 2019. Her adjusted time rating of +2 lengths faster than the TopRate standard is the best by any three-year-old over the track and trip from 84 starters in that period. Very sharp work for a three-year-old filly, earning her a 96.5 📊 WFA Performance Rating. She looks up to stakes class races.

Diamond Scene – 22 November 2025, Ascot (R9)
Ran fourth in the G1 Railway Stakes over 1600m, beaten 2.1 lengths. He closed off his final 200m +3 lengths faster than the TopRate standard (equal second best of the meeting), while also running faster than standard time (+2.4 lengths). That warrants attention, especially for a horse that is early in its preparation and better suited over further.

➡ Sabaj’s authoritative Cranbourne Cup win has co‑trainer Mick Price eyeing a light autumn and a G1 Doncaster Mile tilt.
➡ Watch Me Rock (pictured above) gave Willie Pike a sixth Railway Stakes win. Co‑trainer Grant Williams is pondering bigger targets for his emerging star.
➡ William Pike must choose between Watch Me Rock and King Of Light for the G1 Northerly Stakes. He will ride Rey Magnerio in the G1 Winterbottom.
➡ Ciaron Maher states that Gringotts will next tackle the $2 million Ingham.
➡ After passing concussion tests, Patrick Carbery regains the ride on Jokers Grin for the G1 Winterbottom.
➡ Racing manager Luke Hilton says Overpass has thrived since his Everest run and could tackle the Gold Rush after trying for a third G1 Winterbottom win on Saturday.
➡ Brayden Star will use the Zipping Classic as a tune‑up for the Pakenham Cup, with trainers Busuttin & Young later eyeing a potential Auckland Cup mission in March.

*Answers at the bottom

Saturday, 29th November

➡ Rosehill Gardens | Listed ATC CUP 2000M
➡ Rosehill Gardens | Group 3 FESTIVAL STAKES 1500M
➡ Rosehill Gardens | Listed STARLIGHT STAKES 1100M
➡ Doomben | Listed TATTERSALL'S CLASSIC 1200M
➡ Doomben | Listed TATTERSALL'S RECOGNITION STAKES 1350M
➡ Caulfield | Group 3 Henley Homes Eclipse Stakes 1800M
➡ Caulfield | Listed Magic Millions Merson Cooper Stakes 1000M
➡ Caulfield | Group 3 Quayclean Blue Sapphire Stakes 1200M
➡ Caulfield | Listed R.M.Williams Testa Rossa Stakes 1400M
➡ Caulfield | Listed Sportsbet Twilight Glow Stakes 1400M
➡ Caulfield | Group 2 The Big Screen Company Zipping Classic 2400M
➡ Caulfield | Listed Tile Importer Doveton Stakes 1100M
➡ Ascot | Listed JUNGLE DAWN CLASSIC 1400M
➡ Ascot | Listed SIR ERNEST LEE-STEERE CLASSIC 1400M
➡ Ascot | Group 1 WINTERBOTTOM STAKES 1200M