Westbury Park-bred graduate Busy Fingers (Rubick) was named a TBWA Winner of the Week earlier this month and Westbury Park owner Phil Ibbotson has been busy fielding calls since announcing his new-look roster for 2026.

Straight Charge (Written By) is popular ahead of his first book with breeders tapping into a speed-influenced sireline for their mares and A Lot (USA) is also ready to make inroads in the new season with his first 2yo crop conceived at Westbury Park.

A Lot represents an iconic Kentucky sireline through Tapit who has 174 Stakes winners to his credit at Gainesway Farm.  Now aged 25, Tapit is still active covering his latest northern book at an $185,000 service fee.

Trainers David Harrison, Justin Warwick and his son-in-law Brandon Fiore all have rising 2yo colts and fillies by A Lot as does Gray Williamson who originally selected him to stand in WA.  And Greg Edwards has a homebred A Lot filly from his Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) winner Kay Cee (Playing God) likely waiting in the wings for Neville Parnham.

Phil Ibbotson has entered another two A Lot yearlings for the Perth Magic Millions Winter Sale this Sunday, June 21.  The A Lot filly from Shihabi (Pins) catalogued as Lot 14 is a half-sister to multiple Hong Kong winner President’s Choice (Redoute’s Choice).

The A Lot colt out of Is A Bombshell (Smart Missile) parades as Lot 51 and he is a half-brother to Admire The Girl (My Admiration) who doubled up at Pinjarra and Ascot in April – May for Jason Miller.  Second-dam Is Amazing (Laranto) won a G3 Roma Cup and LR Harry Bolton Sprint with Fred Kersley.

Winning Rupert (Written Tycoon) will serve his initial book at Westbury Park this year and he couldn’t have asked for a better introduction than that delivered by his untapped youngster Cool Gent at the Group 1 Stradbroke meeting on Saturday.

Cool Gent (2g Winning Rupert – Snip Me Not by Not A Single Doubt) wasn’t just detached from a quality field in the LR Oxlade Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm, he was in another post code from front-runner Run Like A Girl (Supido) approaching the home turn.

Winning jockey Tyler Schiller elected to weave through the field and the Heavy 9 didn’t make a difference when he produced an explosive finishing burst to overwhelm the favourite Marffiano (Home Affairs) close to the post.

Cool Gent is the 7th black-type winner by Winning Rupert and the win didn’t go unnoticed at home or abroad.  “He pulled well and I’ve been fielding calls from Hong Kong this morning,” co-trainer trainer and part-owner Adam Barling said on Monday.  “He’s has lots of ability but can be a problem jumping from the barriers.  I put my head down when the gates opened on Saturday and he still knows how to get the job done.

“Tyler jumped off and reckons he could be a Guineas horse next season.”

Whether that eventuates or whether he’s shipped off-shore, Cool Gent will stay in work for the LR Tattersall’s Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 27.

Hoofnote:  Adam and his father Shane Barling bought Cool Gent at the 2025 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the advice of Group 1 trainer Liam Birchley and they went back and purchased another Winning Rupert colt at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale earlier this month.

“His dam Divine Stryke (Stryker) is a half-sister to the Melbourne Stakes winners Vatican and Divine Quality.  We got him for $30,000 and he’s a cracker.”