Approximately three hours prior to his highly regarded older sister, Sheza Alibi, competing for the lion’s share of $10 million in the Golden Eagle, Nomadic will be striving for a feature race win of his own in the 2026 Four Pillars Midway at Randwick.
Having achieved Group 3 placings as a juvenile, the half-brother to the star mare has been experiencing mixed form this preparation. This included a gritty maiden victory at Kembla Grange last month, followed by an unplaced run in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m).
Sam Clipperton, who partnered the colt in both events, indicated that he had anticipated more from Nomadic in his last start, expressing conviction in the colt’s potential for a significantly better showing.
“I thought he had his chance to do a bit more. He took an inside run and wanted to hang badly, so I was disappointed in him in the Gloaming,” Clipperton said.
“Especially with how well he was travelling. He presented to do more.
“If he can put his best foot forward, he’s quite a talented horse, but I’d be wanting to see an improved effort in his manners under pressure.”
Nomadic is the sole three-year-old competitor in Saturday’s $500,000 race. The form from the Gloaming Stakes has since been validated, with the winner Proxima Dea adding the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) to her record.
The John Thompson-trained galloper is poised to find Saturday’s race more manageable than his most recent assignment. Given Nomadic’s inconsistent performances, Clipperton is hoping the colt is due for a strong showing on Saturday.
“He is a bit in and out, so maybe his pattern is good run-bad run, and maybe he’s due for a good run on Saturday,” he quipped.
Nomadic is currently listed at $21 in an open market for the Four Pillars Midway (1500m), with Alabama State installed as the favourite at $6.50.
Sheza Alibi continues her strong hold on the Golden Eagle (1500m) betting as a firm $1.80 favourite.
For those interested in the racing betting markets, check out the list of Australian betting sites for the latest odds.