Owner-breeder Billy Slater (right) and co-trainer Katherine Coleman celebrate Cooly’s victory at Caulfield Heath on Wednesday. Pictures: Racing Photos
In a midweek program at Caulfield Heath on Wednesday, November 19, a three-year-old filly named Cooly provided one of the feel-good stories of the Victorian racing summer when she recorded a dominant city victory at just her fourth race start.
The win, which came under clear blue skies, carried extra significance beyond the immediate result.
Part-owned by Queensland sporting royalty Billy Slater, the NRL Immortal, premiership-winning fullback and current Maroons State of Origin coach, Cooly’s breakthrough success marked the former Melbourne Storm champion’s first metropolitan winner as a thoroughbred owner, and delivered a timely reminder of the golden touch of Boorowa-based nursery Newhaven Park.
Trained by the Moody-Coleman partnership and ridden by Luke Nolen, the victory also etched a remarkable milestone into the record books, with the combination of Nolen and trainer Peter Moody registering their 900th winner together aboard the Slater-owned filly.
Cooly was bred, raised and sold by Newhaven Park, a boutique operation renowned for its selective breeding program that has produced a string of high-class performers in recent years.
As a first-crop daughter of the promising New Zealand sire Cool Aza Beel, the filly had shown encouraging signs in her three prior starts at provincial venues, building steadily toward a city breakthrough.
The result added to the widespread interest in the filly, not least because of Slater’s involvement. A multi-talented horseman with deep roots in the industry, Slater has long balanced his high-profile rugby league career with a hands-on approach to thoroughbred ownership and breeding.
Growing up on a Queensland property, he developed an early passion for horses, even working as a trackwork rider for legendary trainer Gai Waterhouse before his NRL stardom took off.
Now, through his Slater Thoroughbreds operation, he breeds and races a select team of horses, often in partnership with trusted stables like Moody-Coleman.
Slater’s connection to Cooly dates back to the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where the filly was offered by Newhaven Park and secured by co-trainer Peter Moody for $180,000. Spotting her potential immediately, Slater bought into the ownership and took a personal role in her early education, handling much of the breaking-in and pre-training at his property southeast of Melbourne.
This hands-on involvement is typical of Slater, who has described horse racing as a grounding force amid the intensity of coaching Queensland to back-to-back State of Origin series triumphs in 2024 and 2025.
For the Moody-Nolen partnership, the win was a poignant celebration of longevity and loyalty in an industry often marked by fleeting associations.
Nolen, who famously partnered the undefeated Black Caviar for 22 of her 25 flawless victories under Moody’s guidance, sealed a riding double on the day and reflected on the milestone with characteristic humility.
“We probably should be at 1000,” Nolen laughed, acknowledging the interruptions from his own injury-plagued part-time riding spells and Moody’s time away from training.
“They’re numbers on a page, but 900 for one trainer is pretty remarkable. Particularly in an environment where we probably don’t reward a lot of loyalty in this game anymore, that’s probably the great thing about it.”
Nolen, a fellow Queenslander like Slater, couldn’t resist a nod to their shared roots when discussing the win.
“The only other thing better than riding winners is beating New South Wales in an Origin series,” he quipped.
“I’m his favourite at the moment, and he’s my favourite.”
Slater echoed the sentiment of pride in being part of such a historic moment.
“We’re having a bit of fun with her, only her fourth race, but she’s run pretty well, good to knock the maiden off in town,” Slater said.
“Pretty honoured to be part of that (Nolen-Moody milestone).”
Co-trainer Katherine Coleman, who shares the stable’s workload with Moody, was equally effusive about the achievement.
“It’s unbelievable for Luke and Moods and goes to show the longevity and extent of their relationship,” Coleman said.
The partnership, which exploded onto the scene in the late 2000s with Nolen claiming multiple Melbourne jockey premierships aboard Moody-trained stars like Typhoon Tracy, has weathered challenges including Moody’s suspension in 2016 and Nolen’s serious injuries.
Yet it has endured, amassing nearly $60 million in prizemoney and countless memorable moments, from Black Caviar’s global conquests to recent Group 1 triumphs like I Wish I Win’s Golden Eagle victory.
For Newhaven Park principal John Kelly, Cooly’s success was the latest vindication of the stud’s meticulous approach to bloodstock.
Based in the picturesque Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Newhaven Park focuses on a small band of elite broodmares, mating them to rising sires like Cool Aza Beel to produce athletes with both speed and stamina.
The 2024 Magic Millions draft from the stud has been a standout, yielding multiple city winners and black-type performers that have enhanced the nursery’s reputation among discerning buyers.
Cooly joins an illustrious group from that consignment, including the Group 1-winning juvenile Cool Archie, who dominated the Blue Diamond Prelude and Sires’ Produce Stakes before heading for a well-earned spell; The Playwright, a stakes winner who placed fourth in the Blue Diamond Stakes and later triumphed in a Group 3 in Sydney; and Cool Aza Rene, a Group 3 winner across the Tasman this season. These graduates have collectively earned over $2 million in prizemoney, underscoring the commercial and on-track value of Newhaven’s selections.
The filly’s pedigree adds further lustre to her story. Out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Hittite, Cooly is a close relation to Cool Aza Rene and traces her lineage to the champion juvenile Hasna, the 2002-03 Australian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly who secured dual Group 1 victories in the Champagne Stakes and Bill Stutt Stakes.
Hittite herself was a winner, and from just four foals to race, she has now produced three individual winners, with Cooly marking the third to taste city success or black-type honours.
This family’s infusion of precocity and class from the Redoute’s Choice line has been a cornerstone of Newhaven’s breeding philosophy.
Kelly, a seasoned bloodstock expert with a knack for spotting conformational excellence, is already looking ahead with optimism.
The stud will present a full-brother to Cooly at the 2026 Inglis Australian Classic Yearling Sale in February, catalogued as Lot 65. The colt, also by Cool Aza Beel and the fifth foal out of Hittite, has drawn early praise for his striking resemblance to his sister— athletic build, balanced frame and a calm demeanour that belies his potential.
“Lot 65 is an absolute carbon copy of Cooly,” Kelly noted.
“Same size, same scope, same relaxed attitude. By Cool Aza Beel again, he’s going to be one of the standout colts of the sale.”
With the Inglis Classic renowned for unearthing future stars, this youngster could eclipse his sister’s $180,000 price tag, further boosting Newhaven’s profile on the international stage.
Slater’s journey in racing mirrors the resilience that defined his playing days—two NRL premierships, 31 Origin appearances and a reputation as one of the game’s greatest fullbacks.
Retiring in 2018, he transitioned into coaching with the same meticulous preparation that now benefits his thoroughbreds.
Cooly’s metropolitan breakthrough elevates his involvement, blending his competitive fire with the equine world’s unpredictability.
Although Slater couldn’t attend the Caulfield Heath meeting due to Origin commitments, he was quick to celebrate via message, with Coleman confirming he was “over the moon.”
The stable anticipates a catch-up soon, likely involving race replays and reflections on the filly’s promising future.
Plans for Cooly include a brief freshen-up before targeting summer and autumn features for three-year-old fillies, such as the $1 million Inglis Sprint over 1200 metres on Blue Diamond day or the Group 2 Kewney Stakes at 1600 metres, depending on her continued maturation.
“She’s got that beautiful, relaxed action and a great mind,” Coleman observed earlier.
“The world is her oyster.”
Nolen, drawing on his wealth of experience, added that the filly’s gears suggest versatility, potentially stretching to 1400 metres or beyond as the preparation unfolds.
Barrier trials at Cranbourne or Pakenham are slated for early December, setting the stage for a carnival assault.
This victory at Caulfield Heath transcends a single midweek assignment.
It celebrates enduring partnerships—like Moody and Nolen’s 900-win odyssey—and personal passions, from Slater’s rural roots to Newhaven Park’s breeding prowess.
In an era where racing headlines often spotlight megabucks syndicates and international heavyweights, stories like Cooly’s reaffirm the sport’s heart: the thrill of discovery, the joy of shared success, and the promise of pedigrees that keep delivering.
With Lot 65 on the horizon and Slater’s first city winner in the barn, the fairytale rolls on, one stride at a time.
Result snapshot – Caulfield Heath, Race 4 (November 19, 2025; 1100 m)
1st: Cooly (Cool Aza Beel – Hittite) – Luke Nolen 57 kg
2nd: 1.75 len
3rd: 2.25 len
Time: 1:03.88 (last 600 m 34.21)
Margins: 1¾ len x ½ len
Track: Good 4 | Rail: True
– Tully Potts
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