It might be a bit of a mouthful, but Aristopolos, the two-year-old son of St Mark’s Basilica, put his name on everybody’s lips at the meeting at Hobart on Friday when he not only improved his race record to a perfect four wins from four starts in the Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic, but he achieved this latest win by a towering 8.50 length margin.
The way the John Blacker trained colt race away from the opposition in the straight fully justified the $1.14 odds on offer about his chances.
The victory was clinical in its execution with jockey Erica Byrne Burke getting the favourite away well enough to secure the early lead. Once there, there was no rush though and Aristopolos was allowed to cruise along, only a length ahead of the two runners tucked in behind him, all the way to the home turn.
Hobart Race 3 | Aristopolos
Fair win… 8L clear to make it four on the trot 👀
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app pic.twitter.com/0TXnx1fS84
— Racing.com (@Racing) February 6, 2026
That lead widened to two lengths on straightening. Two hundred meters later it was four lengths with the jockey giving one backward glance just to make sure that things were unfolding to plan.
It was, and the race was already effectively over at that stage.
This was Aristopolos’ first start over 1200m.
His other three wins came over 1100m, kicking off with a Maiden win and Two-Year-Old Handicap victory in his first two starts (both at Launceston) and then a Black Type win followed in the Listed Kevin Sharkie Elwicj stakes at Hobart.
The starting price in his four wins has been $2.30 (when drifting from $1.80), $1.26, $1.45 and Friday’s $1.14.
Erica Byrne Burke has been in the saddle in all four starts.
