The approaching Cyclone Alfred has forced officials to abandon racing in south east Queensland this weekend, leaving Proven Thoroughbreds with four runners this week.
The cyclone is set to bring high winds and up to 400mm of rain from Thursday to Saturday which has also prompted the transfer of the Magic Millions QTIS Yearling Sale from this Sunday to March 24-25.
On Wednesday, the Gold Coast Turf Club announced its Jewel Raceday had been moved to next Saturday and will be conducted as a twilight fixture following Eagle Farm’s meeting on the same day.
Our NSW team of runners begins with the Joe Pride-trained ICONIC TREASURE at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, followed by stablemates THE BLACK CLOUD and COSMONOVA in Saturday’s G3 Wenona Girl Quality (1200m) at Randwick, and then IMA CAPRI will look to shed his maiden at his second career start when he heads down the Hume Highway to Goulburn on Tuesday.
Last Tuesday marked the conclusion of the 2025 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne where Proven came away with four high quality yearlings.
Significantly, one of those yearlings – the SHAMUS AWARD x WITH A BIT OF DASH colt – will be trained by Charlotte Littlefield at Pakenham in Victoria. This acquisition heralds the start of what we hope will be a long and successful association with a stable we have the utmost confidence in.
A comprehensive wrap of all four of our purchases will be published on our website by Friday morning.
Meanwhile we have also rolled out a new weekly segment called SECTIONALS REVIEW, authored by our form analyst Nic Ashman. The article will appear every Tuesday during carnival periods, summarising the weekend’s racing.
Information on all of Proven’s 2025 yearlings can be viewed on our AVAILABLE HORSES page.
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SIRE ON FIRE – PER INCANTO
MARBLE ARCH’s G2 Blamey Stakes win on Saturday continued what has been an exceptional season for NZ based stallion PER INCANTO. His other feature winners this term include JIMMYSSTAR (G1 Oakleigh Plate), GRINGOTTS (G3 The Gong, L Big Dance), BELCLARE (G2 The Invitation) & EVAPORATE (G2 Stutt Stakes).
BLACK BOOKER – ROCK THE SUNRISE
Had to do it at both ends last Wednesday at Doomben. In a bid to not risk being wide no cover, we pressed forward on him only to be met with a few others thinking the same thing. The first 1000m of this 1650m contest was almost 9L above standard. He was left a sitting duck but ran a mighty race to finish second.
BET WITH NIC
Our times analyst Nic Ashman will be publishing his popular best bet for Saturday’s racing on Friday.
Upcoming Proven Thoroughbreds runners
Warwick Farm Wednesday March 5
BM72 Handicap 1200m
ICONIC TREASURE
Joe Pride/Jay Ford
Comment: Eye-catching first-up run at Canterbury when ridden cold over 1100m. Much better suited up to 1200m on his home track and can settle closer from the draw. He’s also two from two second-up.
Randwick Saturday March 9
G3 Wenona Girl Quality 1200m
THE BLACK CLOUD
Joe Pride/Jay Ford
Comment: Wasn’t her usual self before finishing 6th of 8 over 1100m at Rosehill last month. Goes back up to 1200m for the first time since a narrow defeat at Rosehill 13 months ago. Needs to show her best to be winning this.
COSMONOVA
Joe Pride/Reece Jones
Comment: Got mobile late when a month between runs coming back from 1200m to 1100m. Gets back out to her preferred six furlongs here but the weights scale is against her so will have to produce a career best run.
Goulburn Tuesday March 11
Maiden Plate 1000m
IMA CAPRI
Joe Pride/TBA
Comment: Coming off a very sound debut when narrowly edged out in a three-way finish at Hawkesbury. Gets his opportunity to break through dropping to country grade.
