Sir Delius makes Melbourne Cup statement in Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes

Sir Delius (Frankel) has firmed himself into the favourite spot for the G.1 Melbourne Cup after a giant-killing performance at Flemington, downing Antino and Via Sistina in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes on Saturday (4th October).

Taken from The Thoroughbred Report, 5th October 2025:

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trainee settled midfield in the 2000-metre contest before attacking the leaders and emerging victorious by a length and a half at the line.

“The waters opened, and he went boom,” Waterhouse said afterwards. “That was the exciting part, the boom. He just gobbled them up, didn’t he? He is an alpha male.”

The five-year-old entire - who is owned by Go Bloodstock Australia and partners - goes back to back at Group 1 level, having won the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes last start. He holds nominations for both the Cup and the Gr.1 Cox Plate, a race Waterhouse is yet to win.

“He’s put on condition," she said of the entire's improvement between runs. "He’s relaxed more and whatever he runs in, they’re going to have to beat him. He’s a most exciting horse.”

Sir Delius was bought for 1.3 million gns (A$2.78 million) by Go Bloodstock, De Burgh Equine, Waterhouse and Bott Racing, and McKeever Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in 2024. He is one of three stakes winners for Whatami, a half-sister to Group 3 winner Whazzis as well as the dams of Group 2 winners James Garfield and Wimbledon Hawkeye, as well as USA Champion Turf Female Uni. Whatami’s youngest recorded foal is unraced two-year-old Sapphire Secret (Kingman).