By Tayla Dyke

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Premiership-winning trainer Ciaron Maher is hoping to carry his remarkable momentum into the new racing season and will kick off with a strong team of runners entered across the opening metropolitan meetings of 2025/26.

Maher capped off a dominant 2024/25 season securing the Australian Trainers’ Premiership with 329.5 winners and a strike rate of 13.6 per cent, while his stable also set a new record for seasonal prize-money, earning just shy of $60.5 million.

With a performance-based strategy that integrates sports science, data analytics and horsemanship, Maher’s operation has now produced 300 or more winners for four consecutive seasons. With state-of-the-art facilities across Victoria and New South Wales, the stable continues to deliver consistent results across all levels of competition, while maintaining a strong presence in the country’s premier races.

“One week leads into the next in Australia, but the team, what they’ve done, I’m very proud of them,” Maher told ANZ News. 

“All the clients, owners, the bloodstock team, the training team, the data team and the management team. We put a fair bit into it and we’ve been able to get some nice results this year. Trying to replicate it will be the thing to do now.”

The record-breaking season was also filled with highlights. The stable celebrated ten Group 1 victories, headlined by one of the most remarkable 30-minute periods in Australian racing history. 

On an unforgettable afternoon, Bella Nipotina (Pride of Dubai) claimed the $20 million Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) before Duke De Sessa (Lope De Vega) delivered a breathtaking, all the way win in the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m), securing two of the nation’s most prestigious races in quick succession. 

However, the depth of top-tier success extended well beyond that one day, with Group 1 wins delivered by Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) in the Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m), Another Prophet (Brazen Beau) in the Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), Light Infantry Man (Fast Company) in the Northerly Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m) and Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), while Gringotts (Per Incanto) took the George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) and Jimmystar (Per Incanto) landed the Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) and All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), solidifying the stable’s dominance on the country’s biggest stages.

But despite the vast number of elite-level successes, the one which stood out to Maher was Another Wil’s (Street Boss) triumph in the CF Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), where he carried the colours of Maher’s great friend and mentor, the late Colin McKenna, to victory shortly after his death. 

“Another Wil in the Orr was quite special,” Maher said. “But probably winning an Everest and the Caulfield Cup – that was pretty special. I’d have to check, but that day our horses won $14.5 million I think.”

However, there is no time to rest on your laurels and now Maher’s attention turns to the new season. He has a strong contingent of established stars and emerging talent poised to take centre stage this spring, including Everest-bound gelding Jimmystar, who has been locked in to represent TAB in the $20 million feature as the partnership chases back-to-back wins in the world’s richest turf race.

“Jimmy’s on his own turf [in the Everest],” Maher said. “He’s improved every prep and last prep was a real breakthrough one for him. Four Group 1s, running super in all of them and he’s still developing physically.” 

Maher also confirmed key members of his battalion in Gringotts, Another Wil and Light Infantry Man have returned in strong order and are all down to trial again this week. 

“They’ve all come back really well,” he said. “They’re in a good spot.”

The stable’s reach in New South Wales is set to grow this season, with Maher set to take over the historic Leilani Lodge at Randwick, expanding on his existing Warwick Farm base.

“We’re not in there yet, still some maintenance work to do, but I look forward to getting into Randwick and it’s an iconic stable that’s seen plenty of good horses through it,” he said. 

Among the horses set to fly the flag in the early stages of the new season is promising filly Exit (Bivouac), who resumes in the opening race at Flemington on Saturday. The now three-year-old turned heads when she broke her maiden stylishly at Sandown on July 16 and will step up in grade as she targets black-type goals this spring.

“She was very impressive and sort’ve looked quite raw and new [last time],” Maher said.  

“When they don’t really know how to put the field away it gives you a fair bit of confidence going forward. The big track at Flemington should suit all well, and Blake [Shinn] is obviously in good form so hopefully she can win that and then we can plan some bigger targets for her as a spring three-year-old.”

The stable will also attempt to capture the first victorian stakes race of the season as She Dances (Street Boss) steps out in the Aurie’s Star Handicap (Gr 3, 1200m) later in the day. 

“She Dances lines up for her last run, bit of give, she’s in good order and trialled well in between. Jamie [Kah] goes on, which helps.”