Zardozi tees up G1 return with dominant Phar Lap Stakes win

Top three-year-old filly Zardozi claimed her third Group-race victory of the season as she stormed home from the rear to take the G2 Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

Previously successful in the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes and G1 VRC Oaks, the daughter of Kingman scored by an easy two lengths under Tom Marquand. She now looks set to challenge for further G1 honours, with both the Vinery Stud Stakes back at Rosehill and Australian Oaks at Randwick on her radar.

Red Card secured back-to-back Rosehill wins on the same card as she blitzed her rivals in the G3 Maurice McCarten Stakes. Having notched a first Pattern win, the speedy Ribchester filly will be hoping to continue an unbeaten start to 2024 when she tackles Randwick’s G2 Sapphire Stakes next month.

Cascadian showed the fire still burns brightly at the age of nine with a valiant third in the All-Star Mile at Caulfield on Saturday, a performance that pushed the three-time G1 winner’s career earnings to almost AUS$9m.

A major upcoming week in Australia will see Cylinder re-oppose Imperatriz in Saturday’s G1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley. Cylinder came out on top earlier this month when the duo finished first and second in the G1 Newmarket Handicap, although Imperatriz is significantly better off at the weights this time.

Traffic Warden hopes to follow up his all-the-way success in the G2 Sires' Produce Stakes when he tackles the G1 Golden Slipper at Rosehill on Saturday, a card in which is also due to feature Aft Cabin and Pericles in G1 action.

In North America, Tarifa will be looking to cement her Kentucky Oaks spot in Saturday’s G2 Fair Grounds Oaks, while First Mission bids to bounce back from a disappointing Pegasus World Cup run in the G3 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park on the same day.