11/08/2025
Ron Stubbs Racing - July News
https://www.ronstubbsracing.com.au/about-6
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With conclusion of the 2024/25 Racing Season, it is timely to review our past year.
We were able to win a few of the SDRA feature and semi-feature races throughout the year, our season highlights are as listed below:-
Sparring’s Flat Knacker - Sparring won the Flat Knacker the feature sprint on Albury Gold Cup day. To make it even more special this was Sparring’s 3rd consecutive win of this race and the 4th consecutive win for the stable following Boss Lady Rocks win in 2022. Just to make sure we quinelled the race this year with Rumours Abound running second in a tight finish.
Prophet‘s Daughter‘s Queen of The South - Prophet’s Daughter was able to win the Queen of the South on Wagga Cup day demonstrating her ability and courage in an epic battle down the Wagga straight. It was a deserving win as she has been plagued by injury niggles and issues throughout her career.
Baledon’s Ted Ryder Cup - Baledon again demonstrated his determination and will to win in a deserving win in the Ted Ryder Cup at Wagga. Baledon is a stable favourite who despite his small stature and often being up in the weights always gives his best. This was the stables third win in the Ted Ryder Cup having previously won the race with Spunlago in 2018 & 2019.
Bianco Vilano’s 2nd in the Listed Wagga Gold Cup - Arguably the stables performance of the year, whilst we didn‘t win Bianco Vilano ran out of his skin to just go down in the $200,000 Listed Wagga Gold Cup. His previous best performances including consecutive Country Championship Heat wins, a Highway carrying 63kg and a Warwick Farm win during the season were at restricted level, the Listed Cup 2nd was a big step up in class. This was only his second run at 2000m after being unlucky in the Albury Gold Cup. He is now edging towards half a million in prize money. He is back in work and being set for the $3 million Big Dance at Randwick in November.
Season statistics:
13 wins, 24 placings, 138 runners, $531,789 prize money.
Stable News:
Stable Apprentice Ella Bent will ride Magestic Deel in a barrier trial at Wagga on Sunday, all going well following the trial we hope that the Chief Steward will give his approval for her to ride in races.
Jason Lyon is having a successful time during his sojourn in Darwin. In July he rode six winners and on Saturday rode a double including the Palmerson Sprint the feature sprint of the Darwin Carnival. On Monday, Darwin Cup Day, he had 7 rides including Awash in the Darwin Cup. Jason will return to Albury in mid-August.
Breeding Tid Bits
Over the past month there has been a number of articles covering the costs of breeding and racing, including the cost and impact imported race horses are having on the Australian breeding and racing industry and the costs of raising yearlings from conception to sale day.
Latest figures show that approximately 190 horses are imported to Australia to race each year. They are predominantly stayers from Europe bought to compete in Cups and WFA staying races however all don‘t make the grade and dominate Benchmark staying races as well. The number of imports over the past decade has doubled however the number of individual stakes winners has barely moved due to the many imports contesting the same races. Australian Bloodstocks Jamie Lovett was quoted, “the average cost of imports is now $600k to $700k’‘. Based on that average the total average annual spend on imports is $114 million, imports won $61 million in 2024/25 a loss of $53 million not including training fees. More importantly the argument has been raised at what cost does this come to Australian racing, i.e the impact of $114 million not spent on Australian yearlings, the disincentive for studs to stand a stallion that has any semblance of a staying pedigree and the impacts that has on the gene pool and racing generally. What are your thoughts?
In The Thoroughbred Report on 17 July 2025, Duncan Grimley former owner of Glastonbury Farms outlines in detail the costs associated with raising yearlings from conception to sale day. The total cost per yearling comes to an incredible $52,000 not including the the stallion service fee and his detailed list of costs is staggering. Duncan Grimley outlines that it is no longer viable to keep under performing mares in the hope of building a pedigree or taking a chance with non commercial stallions.
The impact of costs and the return on yearlings at the middle and lower end of the market is already having an effect with a decrease in mares going to stud, lower future foal crops and the competition for high end yearlings. What will be the outcome when these trends bottom out?
Stable Runners for August
During August we expect the following horse to start in races:
Brial Rose, Lover Man, Lull Us Away, Mcphillamy, Single Date, Space Academy and Ti Tree Royal.
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Keep up to date with Ron Stubbs Racing as Ron gives his regular account of how his highly regarded stable is operating. Ron prides himself of providing a top class thoroughbred training service and he is a regular in the winners ring.
