Snitzel pops the Champagne!
Fireball becomes Snitzel's 7th 2YO Group 1 winner in the $1 million Champagne S. G1, with Campione d'Italia (also by Snitzel) 2nd, and Diameter 3rd. (PHOTO: Georgia Young)
Snitzel tightened his grip on a 5th General Sires’ Premiership with three Group victories on a stunning final day of Sydney’s Autumn Carnival, including a quinella in the $1 million ATC Champagne S. 1600m G1.
That takes the wonder sire’s record to 28 Group 1 winners (6 this season) and 171 winners of 338 stakes races, including 13 over the past 8 Saturdays.
Fireball, third in the Inglis Sires’ G1 on 4 April, proved too strong over the longer distance, holding the Sires’ winner Campione d’Italia and Diameter to give champion trainer Chris Waller a notable trifecta in one of the stable’s 12 Group 1 wins during the Carnival. And eight of those 12 successes were achieved by Arrowfield-sired horses.
Chris Waller gets the trifecta in the Group 1 Moët & Chandon Champagne Stakes 🔥🔥🔥
Fireball, for Tim Clark, gets the better of his stablemates Campione D’italia and Diameter in a thrilling edition of the juvenile mile feature@clarkyhk @cwallerracing pic.twitter.com/eY7eJgs2rn
— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) April 18, 2026
Fireball’s jockey Tim Clark said, “I was thinking before the race, I don’t want to get there too soon, but just how the race unfolded, I had to present him when I did. The challenge came early enough that he had the opportunity to fight back and that he did. He’s obviously so tough and he’s been running in all the big races. I’m thrilled to get a good result for Chris and James Harron and all of his connections.”
Fireball was bred by Michael O’Keeffe from the two-time winner Advance Party (by Charge Forward from a Redoute’s Choice mare), and purchased for $460,000 from Yarraman Park’s Inglis Easter draft by the colt partnerships of James Harron Bloodstock & Tony Fung.
He is the second Group 1 winner, after Champion 2YO Estijaab, from only 22 runners bred on the Snitzel/Charge Forward cross. Now owned by the Gatt family’s Ronba Pty Ltd, Advance Party has a yearling filly by Dundeel, a weanling filly by Maurice and is in foal to In The Congo.
Snitzel had already put his stamp on the day thanks to a pair of 3YOs, both prepared by his own trainer Gerald Ryan with Sterling Alexiou. The filly Snitzel Dancer came off a Hawkesbury win to defeat last-start Group 3 winner Plaintiff and Group 1 performer Karinska in the $250,000 ATC James H. B Carr S. 1400m G3.
Bred and sold by Sledmere Stud, she was a $425,000 purchase for the Ryan & Alexiou stable at Inglis Easter and is the second stakeswinner, after dual Listed winner Pancho, left by Novel Dancer (by Written Tycoon), herself a Group-placed winner in Melbourne.
Snitzel Dancer ends Plaintiff’s unbeaten run as Kerrin McEvoy gets an early double 💥@KPMcEvoy @raracing_ pic.twitter.com/ez2kvGBPWn
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) April 18, 2026
Confirming that Snitzel Dancer would now aim towards the Queensland Oaks G1, Gerald Ryan said, “I know she was big odds today, but we were confident she would run very well. I told the owners she would finish top three…It’s good to see her live up to what she’s shown all the way along.”
Matias (ex Never Listen by Trusting) added the $250,000 ATC Frank Packer Plate 2000m G3 to his December Group win in Brisbane with a polished performance that also booked his return trip north, where his main target will be the Queensland Derby G1 on 30 May.
The favourite Matias wins the Frank Packer Plate for @RARacing_ as @nashhot gets win number two on the board! 👏 pic.twitter.com/NaWv2schWm
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 18, 2026
The win was especially satisfying for jockey Nash Rawiller, who also rode the gelding in his two juvenile starts. “My bloke was turned out to perfection. He’s been a horse that’s been building to this now for 12 months. You know, I think we just saw the furnished product, the sort of horse we thought he would be from day dot.
“Really happy to get the opportunity to ride him today. For me personally, having a bit to do with him as a young horse, it was good to see him put it together.”
Matias was offered by Kenmore Lodge on behalf of John & Erin Ramsey of Turangga Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale where he was purchased for $450,000 by Curran Bloodstock for TFI and Ron & Judy Wanless.
Matias has a 2YO full sister named Sing Your Song in the Chris Waller stable and a yearling full brother, knocked down for $675,000 to New Zealand syndicator David Ellis at January’s Magic Millions Sale. The mare has a weanling colt by Hitotsu and is in foal to The Autumn Sun.
Gerald Ryan’s success with Snitzel’s progeny now totals 17 individual stakeswinners and 41 Group & Listed victories, including 5 Group 1 wins by Trapeze Artist and Snitzerland.
As for Snitzel, the 6th same-day stakes treble of his career, plus the efforts of All-Aged S. G1 runner-up Lazzura, Campione d’Italia and Group 2-placed Aurum Belle, take his Australian season statistics to 14 SW of 24 stakes races and $21.9 million prizemoney, giving him a commanding lead over Zoustar and his barn-mate The Autumn Sun.
