Affinity Thoroughbred Racing

04/11/2026

SALANN @ Flemington
Group 1 VRC Oaks

Flemington Race 8 @ 5.10pm - #6 SALANN

It's Grand Final Day for our girl, and what an incredible journey she has taken us on! Already placed at Listed, Group 3 and Group 2 level, she is looking to add a Group 1 to her list of achievements.

The "Form" says that unbeaten PROXIMA DEA is the horse to beat, chasing her sixth consecutive victory after winning the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney two weeks ago. However, she has drawn the car park in Barrier 15, a barrier no filly has won the Oaks from since the great "Denise's Joy" in 1976. She is attempting to become the first filly to complete the Spring Champion Stakes and VRC Oaks double.

"History" says that DE ARMAS is the horse to beat, with seven of the last eight Oaks winners having finished first or second in the Wakeful Stakes. An impressive winner of the race on Saturday, she has "History" firmly in her corner.

Both fillies are quoted at under $3, which means there is some terrific value elsewhere in the field.

And we think that SALANN represents excellent value and is well over the odds at $41!

Her outstanding third placing against the boys in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase at Flemington two weeks ago was another reminder of just how much ability this little filly possesses.

Don't forget, she finished just half a length behind DE ARMAS in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas, despite finding all sorts of trouble in the straight. And her final 100m in the Vase was the strongest part of her race, suggesting that she may have even more to offer over the longer journey.

The big question, of course, is whether she will stay the 2500m. Nobody knows that answer until they try it. Make no mistake. We are not heading to Flemington this afternoon to make up the numbers. We are going there looking to win the VRC Oaks!

Whatever happens, we can be enormously proud of what this little filly has already achieved.

Best of luck to Ben Brisbourne and his wonderful Team, who do a remarkable job to have our horses presented in pristine condition.

Best of luck to Rachel King as she chases her second Group 1 victory at Flemington.

Best of luck to all of our Owners and their families. It's a ride that we just don't want to end!

BRING IT ON!!

Giddy Up!! 🐎🩷💜🩷💜

02/11/2026

Happy Melbourne Cup Day!

It is the most open Melbourne Cup that I can remember, and to have 24 horses listed between $8 and $67 is unprecedented in my time watching racing. This means that there is plenty of each way value. So my suggestion is to have more bets for a lesser value, rather than loading up on one horse.

Our tips for the Cup are:

1. #6 ENFJAAR
2. #4 MIDDLE EARTH
3. #15 ZAHRAAN

Always gamble responsibly and remember to have fun!

Enjoy the day!

Giddy Up! 🐎🩷💜🩷💜

Send a message to learn more

02/11/2026

SALANN will take her place in a Flemington Classic on Thursday - The Group 1 VRC Oaks

Cup Week ✅
Group 1 ✅
$1 million Race ✅

Bring it on! We can't wait!!

Giddy Up! 🐎💜🩷🩷💜

Proxima Dea cops horror Oaks draw 👀

🗞️ https://bit.ly/4ySK8Tm

01/11/2026

Goosebumps!!

Some key decisions still to be made ahead of the Oaks, but here are some of the likely contenders 👸

Likely Fields >> 🗞️ https://bit.ly/4eefT1U

30/10/2026

HELLBERG @ Wycheproof

It's been a huge Spring Carnival so far for ATR, with multiple runners on Turnbull Stakes Day, Caulfield Cup Day and Cox Plate Day. We have a quieter Saturday afternoon ahead as the Flemington Carnival begins with one of the best days on the racing calendar - Derby Day.

We have one runner this afternoon as we head west to the famous Wycheproof Cup Day:

Wycheproof Race 7 @ 5.07pm - #1 HELLBERG

Our gutsy son of "Hellbent" has done everything but win this campaign with a 2nd place, a 3rd place, two 4th places and a 5th place from his 5 starts. A natural leader, he heads to a tight-turning track that heavily favours those runners on the speed. He has drawn well in Barrier 2 in a small field of 8 and Chelsea Taylor takes the ride. If he can jump well from the gates, and control the race from the front of the field, he looks to be a strong winning chance.

Best of luck to all of our Owners.

Giddy Up! 🐎🩷💜🩷💜

25/10/2026

🏇🏆 SALANN DOES IT AGAIN! 🏇🏆

ANOTHER GROUP PLACING FOR OUR RISING STAR!

What an incredible journey our little filly SALANN is taking us on.

Yesterday, on an historic Cox Plate Day at Flemington, she produced another outstanding performance to finish 3rd in the $400,000 Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase against the boys, adding another Stakes placing to her impressive record.

Backing up just seven days after her eye-catching sixth place in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas, SALANN jumped beautifully and settled much closer to the speed than she has in recent starts. Approaching the home turn, Rachel King had her travelling beautifully, and for a few exciting moments, it looked as though she might be about to storm into contention for the win! However, she hit a bit of a flat spot around the 300m mark, but to her enormous credit, she picked herself up again over the final 150m and was really strong through the finish line.

Her third placing earned her another $36,000 in prizemoney, taking her career earnings beyond $140,000 from just six career starts. And she's still a maiden!

It's quite extraordinary when you consider what this bargain purchase has already achieved:

GROUP 3 – Runner-up as a two-year-old at Flemington.

LISTED – Runner-up as a two-year-old at Randwick.

GROUP 2 – Third place as a three-year-old at Flemington.

Three Stakes placings at three different levels, in just six career starts.

Provided she pulls up well from yesterday's effort, our intention is to press on to the $1 million Group 1 VRC Oaks during Melbourne Cup Week.

She's currently an $8 chance and third favourite in the early markets, which tells you just how seriously her performances are being taken.

There is still the question of whether she will run out the longer Oaks distance (2500m), but the way she attacked the line yesterday has given us plenty of encouragement.

A huge congratulations to Ben Brisbourne and his amazing team, who have done a wonderful job preparing and developing this talented filly. And a big thank you to Rachel King for another terrific ride and for giving SALANN every opportunity to show what she can do.

Caulfield Cup Day. Cox Plate Day. Now off to VRC Oaks Day.

What a remarkable few weeks it's been for our Owners and everyone involved with ATR.

To have a runner in a Group 1 Classic during Melbourne Cup Week is something that every racehorse owner dreams about.

We all dream about competing on the biggest stages in Australian racing, and our little bargain filly just keeps making those dreams a reality.

Giddy Up! 🐎🩷💜🩷💜

25/10/2026

Salann 💜🩷💜🩷

After an impressive victory yesterday, will anyone else beat Proxima Dea in the Oaks?

🗞️ https://bit.ly/4ewCmqV

23/10/2026

SALANN @ Flemington - Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase

ANOTHER HUGE SATURDAY! THREE RUNNERS, TWO TRACKS AND A HISTORIC COX PLATE DAY!

What an incredible time of year to be involved in racing.

Last Saturday, we were competing on Caulfield Cup Day, one of Australia's great racing occasions. Just 7 days later, we're back on the big stage as Flemington hosts the legendary Cox Plate for the first time in history.

These are the days we all dream about. The atmosphere, the excitement, the prestige of competing on racing's biggest stages. Caulfield Cup Day last week. Cox Plate Day this week. This is what racehorse ownership is all about!

And we're not just there to make up the numbers. Our Group 1 performer SALANN is back in action. Plus, we have two runners at Yarra Valley. All three horses are in the top three in the market and look to be genuine winning chances.

Three runners. Two tracks. Another enormous afternoon for ATR!

Flemington Race 3 @ 1.40pm – #10 SALANN

$400,000 Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase – 2040m

From $151 Outsider to Group 2 Contender in just 7 days. What a difference a week makes!

Last week, our $10,000 bargain filly SALANN lined up in the $1.5 million Group 1 Thousand Guineas as a $151 outsider. Seven days later, she's back on the big stage, and this time the Bookies aren't taking any chances.

After her eye-catching 6th place in the Thousand Guineas, where she overcame a difficult run, traffic problems and interference in the straight, she certainly made people sit up and take notice. Today she steps up to the 2040m, taking on the boys, in what promises to be another fascinating test of her ability.

Rachel King retains the ride, and the pair have drawn beautifully in Barrier 4 of 11. The big question mark is whether she can handle the step up to 2040m. It's new territory for our talented filly, but if she can relax, settle into a rhythm and produce that powerful finishing burst we know that she possesses, she looks to be a very strong each-way chance.

Yarra Valley Race 4 @ 2.36pm – #10 PHAROAH'S DAUGHTER

If there's one horse in our stable who deserves a little good fortune, it's PHAROAH'S DAUGHTER. "Cleo" has endured a frustrating run of luck of late, with her performances consistently better than her results. Her run in the iconic Manangatang Cup was another afternoon we'd rather forget, but we're putting that behind us and looking forward to a fresh opportunity at Yarra Valley today.

She has drawn the premier Barrier in 1 of 10, and experienced jockey Mitchell Aitken takes the ride. If Mitch can have her travelling comfortably throughout and give her an economical run, she should have every opportunity to produce her best when it matters. She's certainly overdue for a result, and we'd love to see her get the rewards her recent efforts deserve.

Yarra Valley Race 6 @ 3.56pm – #2 PONTE ARCOBALENO

What a performance it was from PONTE ARCOBALENO at Manangatang. Slowly away, caught three-wide without cover and forced to do things the hard way, our tough gelding looked to have an enormous task ahead of him. But jockey Lachie King refused to panic, balanced him up around the home turn and set him alight. It took almost every metre of the home straight, but Ponte kept coming, grabbing victory in the final strides in a thrilling finish, breaking the track record in the process.

Today, the winning combination reunites at Yarra Valley, and they've drawn well in Barrier 3 of 10. His last start victory was thoroughly deserved, and there's no doubt he's racing with renewed confidence. If he can reproduce that determination this afternoon, there's every reason to believe he can make it two wins in a row!

WHAT AN EXCITING AFTERNOON WE HAVE AHEAD!

*A $10,000 bargain filly chasing Group 2 glory on an historic Cox Plate Day.

*An unlucky mare looking for some long-overdue redemption.

*And a last-start track record breaker chasing back-to-back victories.

This is what we love about racing. The anticipation, the possibilities and the excitement of never quite knowing what might happen when those barriers open.

From Caulfield Cup Day to Cox Plate Day in the space of seven days, we're incredibly proud to have our horses competing on these magnificent occasions. It's an achievement just to be part of these incredible race days.

A huge thank you to Ben Brisbourne and his amazing Team. Our brave jockeys, and most importantly our wonderful Owners who make these opportunities possible.

Best of luck to everyone today!

🏆🏇 LET'S MAKE IT ANOTHER SATURDAY TO REMEMBER! 🏆🏇

Giddy Up! 🐎🩷💜🩷💜

18/10/2026

SHE'S BACK! WHAT A PERFORMANCE BY SALANN!

What an incredible thrill it was to see our $10,000 filly SALANN take on Australia's best three-year-old fillies in yesterday's $1.5 million Group 1 Thousand Guineas on Caulfield Cup Day! And didn't she do us proud!

On a track that heavily favoured the leaders, SALANN found herself buried behind a wall of horses at the top of the straight, with seemingly nowhere to go. Once she finally found clear running, she exploded down the outside to finish 6th, missing 5th by a nose! With a little more luck, she could easily have finished in the Top 4.

SALANN recorded the FASTEST final 600m, 400m and 200m of the race.

On a day when seven of the ten winners were in the first two at the top of the straight, it was an extraordinary performance against some of the best fillies in the country, including established Group 1 winners and Stakes performers.

She collected $30,000 in prizemoney for her efforts, a wonderful return from our little $10,000 purchase, who has now broken through $100,000 of earnings in her first five races!

Jockey Rachel King was full of praise, suggesting that with a better draw or a little more luck in running, she could have finished in the Top 3.

Six months after the heartbreak of her Group 1 Ch*****ne Stakes scratching, our girl has reminded everyone just how much talent she possesses.

She's back, she's a genuine Group 1 filly, and her spring campaign is far from over!

Giddy Up! 🐎🩷💜🩷💜