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Idle Flyer wins her first G1 in Queen of the Turf

11th Apr 2026

Progressive 4YO Idle Flyer (Dundeel) elevated herself into the upper echelon of Australia’s best race mares when winning her first career G1 in the Queen of the Turf Stakes at Randwick today.

Taking on some of the nation’s best mares in the likes of Pride of Jenni, Lady Shenandoah and Treasurethe Moment, Idle Flyer was the new kid on the block, having won the G2 Emancipation over 1500m at Rosehill at her last start.

The Matt Smith-trained mare stepped up to her first G1 contest with style, giving her rivals a head start before coming home over the top of them to score a comprehensive win.

A prolific winner, today’s victory was Idle Flyer’s eighth from just 15 career starts and took her prizemoney to $1,160,000.

Her trainer Matthew Smith and Randwick Bloodstock’s Brett Howard teamed up to buy Idle Flyer for $70,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where she was offered by her breeder Torryburn Stud.

Idle Flyer (pictured) becomes the 118th individual Inglis graduate to win a G1 since 2018 and one of 51 that could have been bought for $100,000 or less.

Torryburn’s Brett Cornish always had confidence Idle Flyer had a big race in her.

“She just needed time but she always had plenty of ability we thought and it’s great to see her showing that now,’’ a delighted Cornish said.

“She’s really zoomed through the grades, she’s got a great turn of foot and to be fair, looks like she’s got plenty left in the tank.

“She was always a lovely filly but for whatever reason at the time, everybody seemed to be off Dundeel fillies so Matt and Mel [Smith] and Brett Howard got themselves another great value buy at Classic and look at her now.’’

Idle Flyer will now head to Brisbane to target races such as the G1 Stradbroke Hcp and G1 Tatt’s Tiara, both in June.

“That was some win, wasn’t it? I don’t know what to say really, it was unbelievable,’’ trainer Matt Smith said.

“I just can’t believe she won. I knew she was going good but I didn’t think she could win that if I’m being honest.

“[Owners] Lex and Sandy Tall gave us a few horses to look at at the Classic Sale and Brett Howard and myself went through them and by some fluke we came up with her and here we are today. Lex and Sandy, I’ve trained for them for 20 years so it’s great to get a good horse for them.

“This is what we get up in the morning for. It means a lot, it means everything to us.’’

“It was a great ride by [jockey] Zac [Lloyd], I was happy he was on the back of the right horses, the three to beat were in front of us [Pride Of Jenni, Lady Shenandoah and Treasurethe Moment], we were just hoping that Pride Of Jenni had a bad day and we were able to get home over the top of them.’’

Idle Flyer led in a G1 quinella for Inglis graduates, defeating Lady Shenandoah.

Earlier on the Randwick program talented 3YO Beskar (Snitzel) made it back-to-back Stakes wins with an all-the-way victory in the Listed South Pacific Classic.

The victory for the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Beskar comes three weeks after he won the Listed Darby Munro at Rosehill on Golden Slipper Day.

The Freedman’s will now likely take Beskar to Queensland for the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Dean Hawthorne bought Beskar – on behalf of GSA Bloodstock’s Jonathan Munz – for $600,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Widden Stud, who bred him with Hesket Bloodstock and Procyon Services.

“He’s become really genuine this horse,’’ Anthony Freedman said.

“He’d always shown us good ability but lost his way a bit, needed gelding and we’ve changed up a lot with him, we’ve hardly worked him and it’s working for him.

“He’s a high-paced horse, he can sustain a long gallop so this win opens up some options now at 1400m for him.’’

And in the last race at Randwick – the G2 Sapphire Stakes – In Flight (Flying Artie) scored a fourth black type victory, defeating a field full of top quality mares.

Trained by Joe Pride and owned by Proven Thoroughbreds, In Flight is lot 70 at next month’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale at Riverside on Thursday May 7.

Second home in the same race was last year’s winner Infancy and the Australian Bloodstock-owned mare is lot 71 in the same sale.

To view the Chairman’s catalogue CLICK HERE.

At Caulfield today Single Choice (Anders) proved the superior stayer in the Listed Galilee Series Final, fighting out a tough victory over the 2400m journey.

The Matt Cumani-trained 3YO is an $80,000 Classic Yearling Sale purchase for Sam Beatson of Riversley Park, from the draft of his breeder Kingstar Farm.

It was a fourth career win – and second at Stakes level – for Single Choice from just 10 starts.

And in Adelaide, Regeneration (King’s Legacy) made it three wins from six starts with a hard-fought victory in the Listed Redelva Stakes at Morphettville.

Trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman teamed up with Byron Rogers to buy Regeneration for $220,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale from the Bhima draft.

Regeneration is bred by Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock.