The raceday of Saturday, July 25, 2026, unfolded with eleven fiercely contested races, headlined by the sixth running of the Grade One Diamond Mile.
The return of this prestigious event, coupled with an overall increase in purse money across the card, drew an overwhelming response — more than 140 entries — ensuring deep fields, heightened competition, and the inevitable surge in betting activity. With so many contenders, the prospect of longshots delivering shocks was always in play.
That possibility became reality in the feature race itself. Phenomenal Power, dismissed at odds of 9-1, stormed home to capture the Diamond Mile, emerging as the longest-priced winner of the day.
His triumph underscored the unpredictability of the sport, particularly on a card where favourites struggled to impose themselves. Hot on his heels came Big La, another outsider who prevailed at 8-1, reinforcing the theme of surprise and resilience.
Across the eleven races, punters found little comfort in the market leaders. Only three favourites managed to oblige, and of those, just one was an odds-on choice. The sole odds-on victor was Following Wave, a chestnut filly by Bern Identity out of Saint Cecelia, trained by Spencer Chung. Making only her second career start, she justified her 3-5 favouritism with authority, stamping herself as a youngster of real promise.
The other winning favourites were Turnonthelight, who opened the day with a commanding performance at 3-5 in the first race, and D Head Cornerstone, who delivered at 8-5 in the tenth.
