As the head of Australia’s most prominent racing stable, Ciaron Maher might not have the time to visit a newsagent this week.
However, he does possess an entry into a lottery, with a ticket that cost considerably more than a standard lottery purchase.
Maher is aiming for a career-defining result with the highly-touted colt, The Next Episode, in this Saturday’s $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.
While not the most prestigious three-year-old race on Derby Day, the 1200-metre event holds immense significance for breeding, and the son of Snitzel stands to be worth tens of millions should he emerge victorious.
Maher acquired The Next Episode for $2.8 million at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He acknowledges the stress involved in managing such a valuable horse’s career, but admits this is precisely the kind of pressure he anticipated when placing his bid.
“It’s pressure that you want to have,” he stated. “Every person that goes to a yearling sale, every person that breeds a colt, they’re your Tattslotto tickets. That’s what the industry is geared around. You want to have these horses and you want to be performing in this race. You want to win Tattslotto.”
Maher was tasked with sourcing a colt for prominent English owner Phil Cunningham at the Gold Coast in January of the previous year and identified The Next Episode, whose dam is the Denman mare Humma Humma.
He commanded the highest price ever paid for a colt at Magic Millions and ranks as the second most expensive yearling in the company’s history, surpassed only by a filly by Home Affairs out of Sunlight, which sold for $3.2 million later in the same sale.
Cunningham, whose UK-based horses race under the Rebel Racing banner and are named after his favourite songs, secured a substantial portion of The Next Episode, leaving Maher with the task of selling the remainder.
Maher concedes that selling the colt proved somewhat more challenging than initially expected, but noted that his motivation to sell waned as The Next Episode’s training intensified.
“He started to show a little bit of ability and there was a piece there, so I thought I’d take the punt,” Maher remarked. “I’d be happy if I got left with more now.”
The Next Episode solidified his position as the horse to beat in the Coolmore Stud Stakes with his victory in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on October 3, which marked his sole start as a three-year-old.
His debut run was uninspiring, finishing unplaced in the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill nearly 12 months prior. He was then spelled, having competed in three of his other four starts at two, including the $1 million Magic Millions National Classic (1000m) in May.
Once Maher realised a Golden Slipper campaign was not feasible for The Next Episode, all focus shifted to the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
“That’s been his goal,” Maher confirmed. “I raced him into the winter and took him to Queensland with a view to going fresh into this race. He had a look down the straight (in the Danehill) and he ticked that box, he’s had a month between (runs), which I love, and a little tick over trial here the other morning was lovely, just to give him another look down the straight. He should be pretty close to right at his best.”
The Next Episode is the favourite in the Coolmore betting, ahead of another expensive Snitzel colt, St Gotthard, who was purchased for $2.7 million at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and is a brother to the 2024 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland. Fillies Satono Glow, Natural Fling, and Pembrey are next in the market.
Mark Zahra is slated to ride The Next Episode, aiming for his third win in the race, having previously triumphed aboard Merchant Navy in 2017 and Tentyris last year.
You can get the latest racing odds for the Coolmore Stud Stakes at leading Australian betting sites.