Post-race jockey reports from the 2025 Kingsford Smith Cup

Champion jockey James McDonald timed his run to perfection aboard Joliestar in the $1 million Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Chris Waller-trained mare came from well back in the field to claim the weight-for-age feature in the final stride.
Joliestar defeated Zarastro by a nose with a similar margin back to Golden Mile in third.
An EPIC finish in the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup sees Joliestar nab them right on the line to take her third Group 1! ðŸ¤© @cwallerracing @mcacajamez @BrisRacingClub @RaceQLD pic.twitter.com/9AimF9fMu7
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025
The win was Joliestar's sixth from 15 starts, her third at Group 1 level, and took her earnings to more than $4.5 million.
Waller indicated he would discuss Joliestar's immediate with her owners but while holding a nomination for next week's Stradbroke Handicap, the likelihood is the four-year-old will head to the paddock to begin her preparation for the $20 million The Everest in October.
This is what the riders thought of their mount's performance in the Kingsford Smith Cup.
â– â– â– â– â–
1st - JOLIESTAR (James McDonald) She wasn't entitled to win, but that's how good she is. When I looked up at the 600m I thought I was OK, then I got on my bike but as soon as I did that, the pace quickened and the margin went from five lengths turning for home to seven lengths. It just didn't feel like I was making ground. I was lucky I was on a proper horse, even though she didn't like the ground at Eagle Farm today.
2nd - ZARASTRO (Angela Jones) So gutsy. He was all the way there, he was there to the last stride. Very proud.
3rd - GOLDEN MILE (Jason Collett) Good performance. Positioned himself well from the gate and still there at the finish. Happy.
4th - KIMOCHI (Craig Williams) She was really good and solid. Gave me a lovely ride throughout, the leaders got a break and we had to chase them down and she stuck to the task really well.
5th - RISE AT DAWN (Ethan Brown) He found them a bit sharp off the bridle but he ran really well. He blew out a bit late but up in trip is going to suit him and I think he's come up really well this prep.
6th - GIGA KICK (Mark Zahra) Joliestar had a bit more tactical speed than us early so I came back and followed her. We gave them a big start but I probably would have liked him to finish off a bit better, like the winner.
7th - BENEDETTA (Tim Clark) She had a good run, it worked out beautifully. Just felt she lost a bit of confidence around the bend on that shifty ground and she has done a bit of racing this preparation so she may have just come to the end of it.
8th - LIBERTAD (Jamie Mott) A little bit below his best today. He had a perfect run but just found he wasn't at his best.
9th - PAYLINE (Tommy Berry) He gave himself a real good whack out of the gates and never felt great after that.

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Watching women's sport not just for women: Experts talk on levelling the playing field

ABC News

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ABC News

Watching women's sport not just for women: Experts talk on levelling the playing field

In 2023, a nation held its breath as the Matildas took on England in the FIFA Women's World Cup semifinal. What followed wasn't just a gripping match, it became the most-watched television broadcast in Australian history. A post-tournament social impact report from Football Australia revealed that 44 per cent of the audience comprised men and boys. For the first time, a women's football game outperformed every other program ever aired in the country, breaking the myth that women's sport only appeals to women. Former Matilda and lawyer Moya Dodd says we have come a long way in the past decade. "Ten years ago, no one would have believed it," she told ABC International Development's Women in News and Sport, at the recent RCB Innovation Lab Sports Summit in India. Women's sport has been marketed primarily to women, and that marketing often focuses on empowerment rather than excellence. But Dodd said the skill, determination, and passion on display deserves universal respect, regardless of the gender of those on the field. She said boys were already growing up idolising athletes like Sam Kerr, the same way they do male stars. "When young boys see professionalised women's sport, they accept it as normal," Dodd said. "They'll happily wear a jersey with Sam Kerr's name on it. "There is no social stigma." In India, the Women's Premier League (WPL) is emerging as a game-changer. The second season in 2024 reached more than 103 million TV viewers, with digital platforms like JioCinema drawing millions more. Brands are investing big: Viacom18 signed a $117 million deal for WPL rights, one of the most lucrative ever for a women's league. But framing isn't the only challenge. Dodd said structural barriers persisted across leadership, infrastructure, and media. "Sport was built by men, for men, and run by men," Dodd said. "You can't just retrofit women into those systems. You need to redesign them." Sarah Walsh, head of women's football at Football Australia, and a former Matildas player, said the Matildas' rise was made possible by constitutional changes in 2018 that brought more women into decision-making roles. "We wouldn't have had the success we did, equal pay deals, post-World Cup legacy funding, without women in the room deciding where the money goes," she told WINS. Dodd said although there had been ground made, there were other areas that needed to evolve. "Storytelling is still skewed toward men's sport," Dodd said. "We need commentary and coverage that welcomes new audiences, not one that constantly compares women's sport to men's." She stressed that female voices in broadcast and journalism played a vital role in shaping public perception. Both Dodd and Walsh indicated that with the right leadership, inclusive policies, and a reframing of how women's sport was presented, there was significant opportunity for growth and equity. They both believe growth on the field translates to growing the game off it. Walsh said infrastructure remained a silent but critical barrier to participation, with a number of community football facilities still not female friendly. "You're not going to retain girls if they simply can't get dressed," Walsh said. Meanwhile, teenage dropout rates among girls are high due to issues ranging from lack of safety to body image concerns. Major events like the Women's World Cup helped boost participation by 20 per cent, but retention is still a hurdle. Recent trends in viewership and sponsorship suggest that interest in women's sport is not limited by gender. It delivers economic, cultural, and social returns. With the Matildas' semi-final appearance in 2023 and the growing viewership of WPL, sponsorships have increased, new demographics are being reached, and male audiences are growing across markets. "Women's sport brings audiences that have come to celebrate inclusion and a sense of social purpose. And this audience includes people of all genders and ages," Dodd said. Dodd and Walsh believe these developments raise a broader question — no longer whether women's sport has a place, but whether existing structures are prepared to meet the growing potential. Veechika Durga Pingali is a freelance journalist based in Bengaluru, India, with experience in both journalism and public relations. She has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and enjoys writing about gender, media and sports. Veechika is part of ABC International Development's Women in News and Sport Initiative, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Team Up program.