Boom filly Apocalyptic continued her rapid ascent, saluting as the odds-on favourite in the 2025 Flight Stakes to post a Group 1 win at just her fourth career start and firm into outright top favouritism for the upcoming Thousand Guineas in Melbourne.

2025 Flight Stakes winner Apocalyptic was too strong for her rivals saluting as the odds-on favourite. Photo: Bradley Photos.

The brilliant young daughter of Extreme Choice left trainer Michael Freedman “lost for words” after she was enormous stepping up to a mile for the first time in the Group 1 $750,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, making it a hat-trick of victories this Princess Series.

Trainer and Jockey React to Filly’s Brilliance

Coming off back-to-back Group 2 wins, Apocalyptic never looked in doubt, blowing her rivals away off another excellent ride by Tommy Berry.

“What a filly, just saying before for a filly having a fourth lifetime start, and she’s won two Group 2s and a Group 1. I’m a bit lost for words,” Freedman told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

The trainer reflected on the stable’s good fortune: “You know, as any trainer would attest, you know, you spend a lot of time getting up early and trying to find good horses to train. And when these sort of ones come along, they certainly make it easier to get out of bed in the morning.”

Freedman added that a setback earlier in her career was a blessing: “I thought she was our sort of number one seed for the Slipper, but I’ve got no doubt now whatsoever that it was a blessing to be in a position where we had to stop. And I think just giving her that extra time and allowing her to mature physically and mentally was a big, big plus.”

Jockey Berry was patient, tracking the front-running roughie Reflect before unleashing Apocalyptic 200m from the line.

The filly answered her elite-level test with aplomb, racing away from the field to hit the line 1.18 lengths clear of Within The Law, with Chris Waller’s 25/1 roughie Karinska running well for third.

Freedman credited Berry’s execution of the riding instructions: “We discussed before and I said look, I know we were three wide without cover the other day in the Tea Rose, but I said it’s a bit different over the mile. So, I said just at all costs avoid being three wide and I could see early in the race that’s probably how it was gonna be, so I could see him (Berry) pushing forward, making sure that that wasn’t the case. When she relaxed and came back off that leader and was just going at a nice rhythm, I thought okay, well, if you’re as good as I think you are, you should be a good watch.”

Looking Ahead to Melbourne

The future looks very bright for the filly, who race caller Darren Flindell described as “a weapon, a weapon of mass destruction.”

Apocalyptic has firmed in from $7 to $2.50 outright favouritism for the $1.5 million Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 18 through Ladbrokes.

However, Freedman is not rushing a decision on her next move.

“I’m not sure at the moment, I think we just get her home, see how she pulls up. Obviously, the Thousand Guineas in Melbourne is a possibility. The Empire Rose at Flemington on Derby Day is another possibility, or going to the paddock,” Freedman said.

“She’s done such an amazing job in a short space of. I’d just like to spend a few days with her and see how she comes through it and work it from there.”

Regarding her staying potential, Freedman remains open-minded: “Look, with this stallion, I mean, he’s sired a Melbourne Cup winner (in Knight’s Choice, 2024), so who knows? She’s out of a Medaglia d’Oro mare, I don’t know; it’d be hard to say. She could, whether she needs to or whether you want to, is another thing, but I think she’s so versatile. Who knows, maybe something over a bit further later on.”

Apocalyptic is also now an $8 chance for the Empire Rose Stakes, where Treasurethe Moment is the current $3 top fancy.

2025 Flight Stakes Results

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