Western riding wrangling new crop of off-the-track participants

Basil and Di Nolan and the TBQA Committee would like to extend condolences to the family of the late Mr Trevor Alexander. Trevor passed away peacefully on 23 October, 2025 aged 86. Trevor leaves behind his wife, Rhonda, his three children, ten grand-children and one great-great-grandchild. Trevor was a highly respected thoroughbred breeder based in Chinchilla and worked with many notable horses and trainers during his life.

Many of you will have seen recent reporting and commentary regarding the Pattern and the application of black-type guidelines in Australia. TBA recognises the gravity of the current situation for breeders, and we want to reassure you that we are actively engaged with the organisations currently charged with administering the system. Over recent weeks, we have been in regular discussions with the key players involved, emphasising the importance of a clear and well-functioning national Pattern for the benefit of Australian breeders and the wider industry. The current uncertainty highlights the need for clear processes, transparent communication, strong governance and oversight arrangements that give all stakeholders confidence that decisions are being made in the long-term interests of the industry. This includes ensuring the Pattern operates in a way that is consistent with the internationally recognised guidelines overseen by the Asian Pattern Committee (APC), while still allowing for the nuance needed to reflect the unique characteristics of Australia’s highly regarded and idiosyncratic racing and breeding landscape, including races of historic, traditional or cultural importance. TBA also believes there is merit in exploring an independent, industry-wide structure to support this work and help ensure the Pattern is managed in a way that reflects the long-term interests of all participants. TBA’s focus is on helping the industry move towards a practical and constructive resolution as quickly as possible. Breeders, owners, sales companies and international buyers all rely on a system that is transparent, credible and free from unnecessary disruption, and which supports long-term confidence and investment across the industry. We will continue to encourage the cooperation needed to achieve that. We will keep members and state breeding associations updated as this work progresses.

The independent Queensland Racing Review 2025 is the most substantial review of Queensland's racing sector in over 25 years, covering all three codes. More than 1,200 stakeholders, owners, trainers, breeders, clubs, racing fans and animal welfare advocates across Queensland gave valuable insight into the industry. Now it's time to look ahead. Join us for the launch of the Queensland Government's response to the Independent Queensland Racing Review. This response reflects the Queensland Government's commitment to fostering a thriving racing industry across every track in the state. Event details Date: Saturday 6 December, 2026 Time: 9am - 10am (arrival from 8.30am) Location: Doomben Racecourse, Brisbane (Vo Rogue Room, second level of the public grandstand) If you had already registered to attend the postponed event, your ticket will automatically move to the new date — there's no need to register again. If you can’t make the new date, please reply to this email to cancel your ticket so someone else can attend. REGISTER HERE

Such is Amanda Benson’s love for all the former racehorses she has retrained, she struggles to single out one that has stood above the rest over the course of her career. And the Dulong-based retrainer could not contain her joy and excitement when speaking about the benefits of the Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT) Program. Benson was crowned the QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year at the 2025 Queensland Thoroughbred Awards last month. It was second time lucky for Benson after finishing as runner-up for the award at last year’s ceremony, beating out fellow finalist Gemma Creighton. “It's a huge honour,” Benson said after receiving the trophy at The Star Brisbane. “I just love retraining all these beautiful horses that trainers and owners send me, and it’s a massive honour to win this.” Growing up on a 12,000 acre cattle and wheat property near Goondiwindi, horses have been a huge part of Benson’s life from a very young age through mustering cattle and attending pony club. She achieved her dream of becoming a professional eventing rider after finishing school in 1991, partnering with off-the-track horses from the very start of her career. Moving to the outskirts of Sydney in 2000 to be closer to the bigger competitions, Benson competed up to 4-star level in eventing, while establishing a large and successful equestrian business that provided agistment, horse training and coaching services. The 52-year-old relocated back to the Sunshine Coast Region in 2021, where the QOTT Program caught her eye in 2023. “When I could see what Racing Queensland were doing with the QOTT Acknowledged Retrainers Program, I thought that would be something amazing to get involved in,” Benson said. “And then I looked into it and could see the incredible support that Queensland Off-The-Track and Racing Queensland gives to all the retrainers, and then I started to get involved, and now I can't stop! “There are so many beautiful racehorses, and it's just so nice to find amazing homes for them when they've retired from racing.” Benson has 13 off-the-track horses in her care at the moment, having successfully retrained and rehomed 33 retired racehorses since joining the QOTT Program. The Chris Waller-trained Desert Icon has been one of her biggest success stories. After taking home almost $800,000 in career stakes on the track, the thoroughbred retired from racing at Ipswich last year. The eight-year-old is now kicking goals in dressage and showjumping competitions with his new 13-year-old rider Ruby. Benson said she got the greatest satisfaction from hearing updates about her retrained racehorses. “I love hearing from the new owners when they send photos and videos about the horses that we've sold them,” she said. “Just telling me how much they love their horses and how perfect they are for their new jobs, it’s extremely gratifying. “It's a wonderful thing for racing, and it's just great that life after racing has been promoted for all these horses. “They're bred to be world-class racehorses, and if they can be world-class racehorses, they can excel in any other role like dressage, jumping or camp drafting. “They can just have amazing careers and other lives after racing, so it's very important.” The property Benson shares with husband Brett features top-level equine infrastructure including three floodlit arenas, grassy post and rail yards and five turnout paddocks. The horsewoman was keen to thank the people who had helped her along the journey in the retraining space. “I would love to thank my husband, Brett, who does lots of work at home with fencing, and he has an endless list of jobs,” Benson said. “He has his own earthworks business, but he's also constantly doing my list of jobs (laughs). “Also thanks to a wonderful girl called Amy, who's 16 and has left school, and she comes and helps me every day with the horses and rides them and competes them. “We're a great team, and it would be really difficult without Amy's help.” “Obviously, the more retrainers there are, then the more horses we can all take after they retire from racing, and the more horses we can take in, the more horses that find beautiful futures after racing.” RQ Senior Animal Care Manager Kim Duffy said the Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year Award recognised excellence in the care, retraining, and rehoming of retired racehorses in Queensland. “It celebrates our dedicated network of Acknowledged Retrainers working behind the scenes to give these horses meaningful second careers across a wide range of disciplines,” Ms Duffy said. “This award shines a light on the vital role that retrainers like Amanda play in helping racehorses successfully transition into life beyond the track. “I congratulate Amanda on this well-deserved win, which is a testament to the exceptional skill, dedication, and consistently high-quality outcomes she delivers. “Her ability to match horses with the right homes and to support them as they develop in new roles speaks volumes about her values, professionalism, and depth of experience. “Retired racehorses deserve every opportunity to thrive in their lives after racing. Amanda’s achievement is a clear reflection of the progress being made through the Acknowledged Retrainers Program in delivering those outcomes across Queensland.” Click here for more information on the QOTT Acknowledged Retrainers Program.

The two-year-old season is officially underway with the first month of results to kick off the 2025-26 QTIS Premiership. View the 2YO QTIS results for October here Click here for the 3YOs QTIS Trainers' Premiership here

An incredible line up of racing's next generation of superstars has been unveiled with the online release of the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale catalogue . The country's undisputed number one auction for future success is ready to deliver again with the finest yearlings set to converge at Australia's holiday playground in what is shaping as a summer to remember. Australasia's best thoroughbreds breeders have all made strong contributions to a first class offering of 1,221 yearlings to sell from January 13 to 18. The star studded catalogue of yearlings across Books One and Two, includes progeny of 122 individual sires, with strong interest to surround youngsters by 14 first season sires. Among the pedigree highlights are (at least half) relations to elite level winners including Artorius, Benedetta, Cool Archie, Devil Night, Farnan, Golden Mile, Imperatriz, In Secret, Joliestar, Manaal, Sepals, Stay Inside, Stefi Magnetica, Sunlight, Super Seth and Yearning. The catalogue features 239 lots from stakes winning mares headlined by 31 Group One winners including Absolut Glam, Avantage, Graceful Girl, Hiyaam, Hungry Heart, Instant Celebrity, Krone, Levante, Loving Gaby, Mossfun, Odeum, Silent Sedition, Snapdancer and Unforgotten. "We are incredibly proud to present the catalogue for the 2026 Gold Coast Yearling Sale," Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. "This sale is firmly established as the best producing auction in the country - no better example being the six Group One winners from the 2024 sale - the competitor's edition achieved none." "From recent legends like Winx, Imperatriz and Alligator Blood to new pin-up performers Apocalyptic, Autumn Boy, Charm Stone, Cool Archie, Ole Dancer and Stefi Magnetica - the Gold Coast Yearling Sale delivers year after year." "Our team has worked hard in bringing together a catalogue packed with athletic yearlings that we think will give their buyers the ride of their life." "While the Gold Coast is renowned for producing short course performers such as Golden Slipper winners, our graduates are stars in the Classic races - from Guineas' to Derbies and Oaks' and let's not forget Knight's Choice - last year's Melbourne Cup winner!" To view the online catalogue for the 2026 Gold Coast Yearling Sale click here . It can also now be downloaded via the Equineline Catalog app for iPad. TAB GOLD COAST MAGIC MILLIONS CARNIVAL SCHEDULE Wed 7 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Inspections commence, Magic Millions Sales Complex Sat 10 Jan - $7.3m Magic Millions Gold Twilight Meeting, Gold Coast Turf Club - 10 races featuring the $3m TAB Magic Millions Sunlight, $1.5m Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS & $1m TAB Magic Millions The Syndicate Sun 11 Jan - Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping, Doug Jennings Park Tue 13 Jan - TAB Magic Millions Barrier Draw, Kurrawa Beach, Broadbeach Tue 13 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 1 from 11am (Lot 1-210) Wed 14 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 2 from 10am (Lot 211-450) Thu 15 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 3 from 10am (Lots 451-690) Fri 16 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 4 Super Session from 10am (Lots 691-980) Sat 17 Jan - $13.25m TAB Magic Millions Raceday, Gold Coast Turf Club - 10 races featuring the $3m TAB Magic Millions 2YO Classic & $3m Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas Sun 18 Jan - Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Day 5 (Book 2) from 12pm (Lots 981-1221)

Applications close 14 November - don't miss out

Standing at a fee of $7,700, the Group winning son of Better Than Ready, is an exciting addition to the Queensland breeding ranks. Alpine Edge is an exciting young stallion by leading Queensland sire Better Than Ready, out of emerging top producer Freezethemillions – dam also of Gr.1 winner Port Lockroy and exciting 2YO Mortal Halo. A multiple stakes winner with over $1.8M in earnings, Alpine Edge brings a powerful mix of precocity, consistency and class. He burst onto the scene as a brilliant early 2YO, winning the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes and the Gr.3 BJ McLachlan Stakes. He also finished an unlucky closing second in the $2M Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Alpine Edge continued to perform at top level through his 3, 4 and 5YO seasons, winning the QTIS Magic Millions and placing in multiple Group races. By Better Than Ready – Australia’s leading sire of 2YO winners in recent years – Alpine Edge inherits outstanding speed and commercial appeal. His Gr.1 producing dam adds another layer of sprinting quality, making him an ideal choice for breeders aiming to produce fast, early running types. After covering 110 mares in his first season at stud, Alpine Edge is better than ready for 2025. Contact Clear Mountain Fairview for details

He was far from ever winning a race on the track, but the thoroughbred now called “Pizza” has proven to be a supreme performer in retirement. The former galloper had one trial and two race starts towards the end of 2024, finishing last and ninth in a pair of maiden handicaps at the Gold Coast and Ipswich. Racing as “Supremeperformance,” he was transferred from the Trevor Lambourn stable to Chris and Corey Munce’s care, where he was retired in March. It was there that the gelding caught the eye of Sally Rodwell, who works as an assistant foreman at the Munce team’s spelling and pre-training facility at Beaudesert. Rodwell has been working for the Munces for just over a year, and instantly fell in love with the newcomer. “I really absolutely loved his nature - he's just so quiet and easy to do anything with, and no matter where he was, he's just always the quietest horse around,” Rodwell said. “Unfortunately, he is a bit slow and just didn't really show much, and he did have a little bit of an injury to his fetlocks, and it wasn’t worth pursuing with him. “He was retired, and came straight home to me.” Rodwell works out of the Munce family’s Ballycapall Thoroughbred Spellers and Pre-Trainers in the Scenic Rim region. She and the family currently have eight horses on their nearby home property, with the new addition thoroughly enjoying his time running around with the stock horses and quarter horses. It is Rodwell’s step-daughter Tillie who has formed the closest bond with the former racehorse, and also the one responsible for the “Pizza” name becoming a permanent fixture. “I used to call him Supreme Pizza at the track, and then it caught on with the track riders,” Rodwell explained. “And then when I came home, I told Tillie ‘this is what we’ve been calling him’ and she said ‘well, that's his name now, it's always Pizza.’ “I gave him one ride off the track, and I thought this horse is way too slow so I gave him to Tillie and she's done everything with him since. “She takes him to pony club, takes him mustering, takes him to campdrafts…she also took him hacking on the weekend and sporting - anything she wants to do, that horse just does. “She trots him around and she stops and he just stands there…he never puts a foot wrong, he's definitely a one-in-a-million pony. “People usually ask me if he's 25, and no-one believes me when I tell them how old he is.” With just a combined 14 years of life between them, nine-year-old Tillie and five-year-old Pizza have already enjoyed success as a pairing around South East Queensland. They recently competed at the Rathdowney Campdraft, placing 7th after making it around two pegs. The pair then scored the Highest Scoring Under 14 Rider at the Rathdowney and District Pony Club Campdraft, taking the win in both of their runs, taking home the Highest Cut Out award and being crowned Overall Age Champion (8–10 years). The recent Beaudesert Show also proved fruitful, with Tillie and Pizza taking home several ribbons across a range of hacking and sporting events. Sally said the future was looking bright for the dynamic duo. “We will look at just getting Tillie going and seeing where they go…at the moment, he's holding up quite well to what she's wanting to do, and we're hoping they'll have a very long future together,” Sally said. “Whether he can keep up the pace with her as they go, we’ll see. “But he's definitely showing that he'll stay with us forever, and then go between other kids when needed.” Sally is also constantly sending photos of Pizza to the Munces to keep them updated on his progress. She said the former galloper’s success story was a good example of how important the Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT) Program is for retired racehorses. “Going through the QOTT program, it’s only the first time I've done it with Supremeperformance,” Sally said. “We've really enjoyed the lessons and all the goodies that come with it, and I think it's a really good initiative. “I've gotten a couple of retired horses from people that go on to just be some of the best horses you have. “I've just recently sold one up to the prison farm at Palen Creek here for the prisoners to go mustering on, and they absolutely love him. “There's so many different careers that they can go into…I don't think people realise how versatile they are.”