The curtain falls on the Australian Group 1 racing season this Saturday at Eagle Farm, with the 2025 Tattersall’s Tiara taking centre stage in what promises to be a thrilling penultimate meeting of the Queensland Racing Carnival. The $700,000 feature has drawn a deep and diverse field of fillies and mares, including standout names like Firestorm and Floozie.
For more racing and sports previews, visit the Ladbrokes Blog.
But the Tattersall's Tiara is just the crown jewel on a stacked nine-race card that also includes five other black-type races.
The country also comes to the city with $200,000 going on the line in the Battle of the Bush final.
I've broken down all nine races and provided my standout Eagle Farm Saturday racing picks below.
RACE 1 - 11:43AM: QTIS 3YO Fillies Plate (1200 METRES)
Mia Ballerina (9) ventures north following a comprehensive win over 1250m at Canterbury last start.
The Chris Waller-trained daughter of Cosmic Force led before booting clear to win by 2.2 lengths.
Adding merit to the run was that the filly was found to be lame following the race.
She has a good record over this distance having won at Canterbury over it three starts ago.
Tommy Berry is a key booking replacing the apprentice and should be able to control proceedings in the first on Tatt's Tiara Day.
1 Unit – Mia Ballerina (9)
RACE 2 - 12:18PM: BENCHMARK 85 Handicap (1200 METRES)
Termagant (10) was a touch unlucky when returning last start over 1000m in a heat of the Winter Provincial Sprinters Series at the Sunshine Coast.
The Matt Hoysted-trained mare was held up and had to change course but still found the line well to finish a length fourth.
She'll strip fitter and boasts an excellent second-up record of two wins from three starts.
Nikita Berriman is back in the saddle and won aboard her two starts back when she took on this course and distance for the first and only time.
1 Unit – Termagant (10)
RACE 3 - 12:53PM: LADBROKES 2025 BATTLE OF THE BUSH FINAL (1200 METRES)
Invahir (6) enters the 2025 Ladbrokes Battle Of The Bush Final (BOTB) looking to win his fourth race in a row.
The son of Invader has enjoyed the move to Pat Webster's stable as shown by his unbeaten record since arriving at Toowoomba.
He went back-to-back at Roma with big wins over 900m before qualifying early for the final with a strong 1.3 length win over 1200m in the Jandowae qualifying race.
That allowed Webster to give him a short let-up and he returns here on the back of two trials with the most recent seeing him go across the line with black-type winners Brereton and Rockribbed.
Leslie 'Bubba' Tilley reunites with his longtime friend Webster, the duo are no strangers to success in these country racing finals having claimed last year's Country Cups Challenge title with Skyforger.
The five-year-old gelding has the speed to settle in a handy position.
1 Unit Each Way – Invahir (6)
RACE 4 - 1:28PM: LISTED TATTERSALL'S STAKES (1400 METRES)
Autumn Boy (5) caused a boilover on debut at Canterbury when defeating his much more fancied stablemate Central Coast.
The son of The Autumn Sun let down powerfully at the end of 1250m, to nail the $1.65 favourite on the line.
The form from the race has proven to hold up with Central Coast winning his subsequent start as did the fourth horse Champagne Hero.
Given the way he finished the race off plus his breeding, the rise to 1400m in the Listed Tattersall's Stakes with James McDonald riding looks ideal.
1 Unit – Autumn Boy (5)
RACE 5 - 2:07PM: GROUP 3 TATTERSALL'S CUP (2400 METRES)
Don Diego De Vega (8) caught the eye first-up at Rosehill, hitting the line strongly from a wide gate over 2000m to finish 3.3 lengths fourth.
The Annabel & Rob Archibald-trained grey gelding was unlucky last start over this distance at Rosehill where he was severely hampered in the early stages of the race before finding the line well for a 1.8 length third.
He looks ready to peak third-up and the forecast showers only enhance his chances in Saturday's Tattersall's Cup.
Jason Collett is the only jockey to have won on him since he arrived from France and is back in the irons.
1 Unit – Don Diego De Vega (8)
RACE 6 - 2:47PM: LISTED TATTERSALL'S GOLD CROWN (2100 METRES)
Quietness (8) was very good in her Australian debut last start over a mile at Randwick.
The O'Shea & Charlton-trained mare found the line strongly from well back to finish 2.1 lengths third.
She'll take great benefit from the run and is a previous second-up winner having won over a similar distance to this at Salisbury last preparation.
Tommy Berry can settle in a forward position and may even look to lead given the lack of speed in the race.
1 Unit – Quietness (8)
RACE 7 - 3:23PM: LISTED TATTERSALL'S MILE (1600 METRES)
Rising Pacific (4) has been in amazing form this preparation with four wins from his past six starts.
Unfortunately, the Tony Gollan-trained gelding got too far back last start over 1500m in the Listed Spear Chief before finding the line strongly for a 3.3 length fifth behind Transatlantic.
He's proven to be an adaptable horse, winning over 1400m right up to 1835m here two starts ago but he loves the Eagle Farm 1600m having won three and placed in three others from seven races.
He's drawn to do no work for Andrew Mallyon and looks a good each way chance on Tattersall's Tiara Day.
1 Unit Each Way – Rising Pacific (4)
RACE 8 - 3:58PM: GROUP 1 TATTERSALL'S TIARA (1400 METRES)
Floozie (10) has taken to life in Tony Gollan's stable incredibly well since arriving from Victoria.
The Zoustar mare has won all four starts in the Sunshine State, rising from a Benchmark 70 through to a Group 2 last start.
Angela Jones has ridden her beautifully in each of her rides but none more so than last start in the Dane Ripper Stakes where she settled handy before letting her mount charge to the line to win by just over half a length.
Gollan has talked up Floozie's Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara chances from the time she won her first-up race and you'd be a brave person to question Queensland's greatest trainer.
She once again maps to land in a perfect spot for Jones.
1 Unit – Floozie (10)
RACE 9 - 4:35PM: GROUP 3 W.J HEALY STAKES (1200 METRES)
General Salute (3) went to another level last preparation with wins in both his starts.
The Ryan & Alexiou-trained gelding was last seen charging home to win the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes at Rosehill.
He races well fresh having won two of five starts including first-up last preparation at Kembla Grange when bolting in by 2.5 lengths.
There looks to be good speed in the race which will allow Tim Clark to unleash his mount's booming finish in the WJ Healy Stakes to close the Tattersall's Tiara Day card.
1 Unit – General Salute (3)
