Trainer Ciaron Maher put his neck on the line when he went to $2.8 million to purchase The Next Episode on the Gold Coast as a yearling.
However, that purchase price has been vindicated following The Next Episode’s victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Victory in the Coolmore Stud Stakes stamps The Next Episode with potentially a $30 million stallion price tag, although Maher believes there is still more to come from the colt.
Sent out the $3.20 favourite under Mark Zahra The Next Episode scored by a head from St Gotthard ($4) with Mbube ($26) a half-neck away third.
The Next Episode has been beaten just once in his six starts after scoring a maiden win at debut in Sydney.
He later raced in Brisbane scoring successive wins before a break and returning to score first-up in the Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington earlier in the month.
Maher was leaving nothing to chance in his bid to claim the Coolmore Stud Stakes and brought the colt back to Flemington for a jump-out last Friday week.
It was the first win for Maher in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, although he had prepared Merchant Navy, the 2017 winner, early in that colt’s career before being sidelined through a disqualification when that colt scored for Aaron Purcell.
Maher and the team behind the trainer never questioned The Next Episode, despite some less than flattering trials in Sydney before the Danehill win, and the trainer was able to absorb the pressure.
THE NEXT EPISODE 😱
WHAT A WIN IN THE DANEHILL STAKES ⭐
@Cmaherracing https://t.co/MGyONE2Is5
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 3, 2026
“When you have a colt with a record like he does, these are the stallion making races and you have to perform on the big days,” Maher said.
“I was confident he was ready and the team, Jack and everybody down here, in Sydney, Brisbane, have done a super job.
“You want the pressure. That’s what you get up in the morning for.
“You hope you have a horse good enough to feel the pressure.
“He’s a ripper and I think he’s only going to get better as he gets older.”
Zahra collected his second straight Coolmore after guiding Tentyris to victory last year, but at any other time he would to be in Byron Bay or Ibiza recuperating following a fall in the Caulfield Cup two weeks ago.
The jockey suffered severe bruising to the ribs but was not going to miss Saturday’s opportunity to partner with an outstanding performer.
“Any other time of the year I’m probably on a holiday somewhere in Byron or Ibiza but this time of year you just can’t do it and just had to suck it up,” Zahra said.
“Ciaron might have just done a bit more damage with that hug, but look, it’s been a tough two weeks but it’s this time of year, this is what I live for and ride for.
“I’ve had great help from the doctors and a few nurofen today and we’re bang on song.”
Zahra said there was a number of similarities between The Next Episode and Tentyris and is looking forward to the future with his latest winner.
“He’s a real dude now this horse, he’s so relaxed, lobs along but when you want him, he just goes bang,” Zahra said.
“The other day he was a bit lackadaisical but today I travelled really strong and I could see J-Mac (St Gotthard) on the inside.”
“When I went, he dropped him really quick and the leaders stopped and he had a good look around but then when he felt the other horse on the inside I picked him up and he went away.
“It was a great victory.”
