Skyhook super-impressive in The Rosebud LR
Arrowfield's famous brand is already in the Australian stakeswinner's circle this season, thanks to brilliant colt Skyhook. ( (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
Arrowfield graduate colt Skyhook has signalled his readiness for a Group 1 Spring campaign by giving his rivals weight, a start and a beating in the first Sydney 3YO stakes contest of 2025/26, the $200,000 ATC The Rosebud 1100m LR.
Piloted by Kerrin McEvoy, last season’s Pago Pago S. G2 winner settled last and waited until the 300-metre mark to launch the challenge that took him to victory, defeating Grand Prairie, who carried 7kg less than Skyhook’s topweight of 60.5 kg.
Skyhook is the 8th Rosebud winner in the past 12 years either bred & sold by Arrowfield, or by an Arrowfield stallion.
SKYHOOK 🎸
An ultra impressive return from Skyhook who produces a last to first win in the Rosebud!@KPMcEvoy @RARacing_ pic.twitter.com/b1kCnUWo65
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) August 16, 2025
A $575,000 purchase from Arrowfield by Ryan & Alexiou Racing at Magic Millions, Skyhook (by Champion Sire Written Tycoon) is raced by his trainers with a large group of owners including Legacy Thoroughbreds, managed by Arrowfield’s Yearling Manager Dean Macaskill.
Co-trainer Gerald Ryan recalled, “We saw this colt at Arrowfield Stud and they are good, they let you know everything about the horse, and we liked him a lot…he’s a horse that doesn’t take heaps of work, he doesn’t get gross and he’s got the right attitude…He’s such a fluent-actioned horse, a very athletic horse.”
All going well, the colt will now head to The Run to the Rose G2 on 13 September before the $1 million Golden Rose S. G1 on 27 September.
Skyhook’s dam Madame Pauline (by Redoute’s Choice), a speedy three-quarter sister to Group winner Anders & stakes-winning millionaire Ostraka, was trained by Paul Messara – like the dams of Group 1 winners Lady Shenandoah, War Machine, Super Seth, Kenedna & Contentment. Madame Pauline has a yearling colt by Dundeel and is booked to visit Castelvecchio this Spring.
Arrowfield’s graduate team has made a quick start to the new season with Skyhook’s success hard on the heels of the exciting Japanese-based sprinter Invincible Papa, winner of the Chukyo CBC Sho G3 on 10 August, and now a possible Everest contender for his owner Mikako Sakota.
A son of Shalaa & Shwaimsa (by Canford Cliffs), Invincible Papa was a $200,000 purchase from Arrowfield at Inglis Easter. The same draft produced last season’s Australian 3YO Group 1 stars Lady Shenandoah & Switzerland.
