The fast-finishing Rey Magenrio, prepared by prominent Melbourne trainer Robbie Griffths had the final say in the TABtouch Pinnacles, taking out the $1.5m Group 3 The Gold Rush (1400m) on the last day of a highly successful carnival at Ascot.
WA racing has taken centre-stage the past five weeks, with $10.5 million in prize money up for grabs and three Group 1 races on the line.
With unprecedented national exposure through Racing WA TV on 7plus, free-to-air coverage from Ascot on 7two and continued coverage on both Racing.com and SKY Channel, racing followers across the country closely followed WA racing during the five-week Pinnacles.
“The level of exposure we achieved through our broadcast partnership with the Seven Network, Racing.com, SKY and more recently SEN was outstanding,” Racing WA Chief Racing Officer David Hunter said.
“This year was easier than ever for fans around the country to engage with what was a five-week showcase of WA racing at its best.
“The quality of horses that travelled west is a strong endorsement of the TABtouch Pinnacles and the confidence leading trainers have in racing in WA.”
Perth Racing CEO James Oldring noted strong crowds turned out at Ascot throughout the carnival to watch some of Australia’s best horses and jockeys go head-to-head.
“Our initial figures are indicating we are up 15 per cent in attendance across the five race days, led Railway Stakes Day up thirty per cent year on year,” James said.
“I’m really happy with the atmosphere on course this year, the diversity in the crowd and everyone’s engagement.
“The product on and off the track was outstanding, the quality of the horses and the way the track played, made for really competitive races.”
Champion jockey William Pike struck first in the Group 1s when he guided the Grant and Alana Williams-trained gelding Watch Me Rock to claim an unrivalled sixth victory for “The Wizard” in the $1.5m Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m).
William Pike salutes on Watch Me Rock in the 2025 Railway Stakes.
The eastern states raiders were determined not to go home empty handed – and they didn’t – trainer Annabel Archibald was on course to witness her galloper Libertad cause a boilover in the $1.5 Group 1 MCA Polytrack-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) winning at $21 odds with TABtouch.
Up-and-coming trainer Michael Grantham won’t soon forget the 2025 TABtouch Pinnacles carnival, becoming a first time Group 1 winning trainer. It wasn’t without a tumultuous journey, with his horse Cosmic Crusader not securing a start in the originally targeted Railway Stakes.
The combination went on to win the Group 1 $1.5 Northerly Stakes (1800m) with Clint Johnston-Porter in the saddle, collecting his second Group 1 win, a year on from his first in the 2024 Railway Stakes. Cosmic Crusader continued his standout campaign to run a remarkable second place over 1400m a week later in The Gold Rush.
With strong crowds, national broadcast exposure and elite performances across five weeks, the 2025 TABtouch Pinnacles carnival further cemented its status as one of Australia’s premier racing showcases, leaving a lasting impression on participants and fans with the focus now turning to the Perth Cup on Thursday January 1 and then soon the $5M The Quokka slot race to be run at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday 18 April 2026.
Josh Miller