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Here's to the hardy souls still grafting away at the Goffs December National Hunt Sale. For the mostly Flat brigade, however, we can now hang up bobble hats and waterproofs, put the final catalogue on the shelf (sorry, iPad users, not quite caught up with you yet) and wonder what to do with ourselves until the February Sale comes around. Oh yes, Christmas, that will distract us for a few days. During the long and frenetic sales season there is little time for reflection, but as the dust settles on the largest breeding stock sale of the year in Europe at Tattersalls, another vibrant round of foal trade at Goffs, and the final whirl of the ring in Deauville, we have the chance to consider some of the themes of the last month. Rowing against tide of fashion reaps rewards Despite the seemingly never-ending rounds of sales, plenty of top horses racing in this part of the world do so for their breeders. At the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, seven of the 11 seven-figure lots were either homebreds or had been sold privately in training. Among the others, the top lot, Barnavara (Calyx), who was sold for 4.8m gns, was a notably good yearling purchase by Patrick Cooper at €70,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale. It's not the first time that Cooper has pulled off something like this either, as only last year Village Voice (Zarak), who was picked up at the Tattersall Guineas Breeze-up Sale for 38,000gns, was bought for 1.3m gns by Resolute Bloodstock. Tamfana (Soldier Hollow), too, was a tremendous purchase by Jeremy Brummitt for the Quantum Leap Racing syndicate at €20,000 from the BBAG Yearling Sale. She returned to Tattersalls as a Group 1 winner and sold for 2.6m gns. Azure Blue (El Kabeir) had originally been bought as a foal at Goffs for €19,000 by Harry Dutfield, who sold her on to the Appleton family and trainer Michael Dods for 47,000gns at Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale before she made 1.1m gns last Tuesday. Roger and Hanako Varian also deserve credit for buying Lady Of Spain (Phoenix Spain) for 40,000gns at Book 2 from Whatton Manor Stud, who had pinhooked her at €16,000. The Group 3 winner was just outside millionaires' row but sold for a substantial 900,000gns to Katsumi Yoshida. None of these fillies mentioned above are by what might be considered top-tier stallions but their success on the track is not just a superb reflection on their trainers' abilities but also on their original buyers who were prepared to look past supposed sire power to the individual. Alongside an established broodmare sire in Oasis Dream, and the fashionable names of Night Of Thunder and Kingman, it was refreshing to note that the sires of the top ten most expensive fillies and mares of the year at Tattersalls included Calyx, Caravaggio, Soldier Hollow, Churchill and El Kabeir. It was a similar story at Arqana, where the Ten Sovereigns filly Half Sovereign, a 12,000gns yearling purchase by Karl and Elaine Burke, topped the sale at €2.6m. Nyra, a well-bred daughter of the Deutsches Derby winner Isfahan who was herself third in the G1 Preis der Diana, is on her way to America after being bought by Scott Heider for €875,000, while fillies by Soldier Hollow and Chachnak made €810,000 and €800,000 respectively. Syndicates hit the big time A whopping 11.9m gns was spent on the top three lots in the Tattersalls December Mares Sale – 14.5% of the total turnover from 580 fillies and mares sold – and while those three top race fillies went to just two powerful owner-breeder entities, there was plenty of shared upside to be had on the vendor side of the transaction. All three horses were owned by syndicates: Barnavara by Alpha Racing, Porta Fortuna by Medallion Racing 2020, Steve Weston, Reeves Thoroughbreds and Barry Fowler, and Tamfana by Quantum Leap Racing. Christmas sure did come early for the members of those respective ownership groups. One major buyer that was absent this time around was Amo Racing. Kia Joorabchian had spent 8,375,000gns at last year's December Mares Sale, including the purchase of top lot You Got To Me for 4.8m gns, but after another busy yearling season the Amo team kept away from the breeding stock sales. Class of 2024 looks strong There is nobody braver than pinhookers – except of course breeders – and there were plenty of enthusiastic young pinhookers to be found at Goffs in particular once again. Whether breeding or pinhooking, luck needs to go your way – for the foals to be born healthy, strong and correct, and for them to remain so. If you're breeding to race, the stallion doesn't matter as long as he suits your mare. Commercially, stallion selection has become ever more tricky, and getting into a decent sale can be difficult if you're not on the 'right' sire, whose popularity can wax and wane in a heartbeat. Despite contracting foal crop numbers, demand for sales places remains strong. First-season sires appear to be more popular than ever, having yet to blot their copybook, but woe betide those who don't get a bunch of winners early in the season that their first runners hit the track. At the foal sales, Chaldean, Shaquille, Dragon Symbol, Native Trail, Triple Time, Vadeni, Erevann, Ace Impact, Paddington and Mostahdaf have been well supported from what is looking a strong intake of 2024. This flocking to new sires and then largely ignoring them in their third and fourth seasons is dangerous for the whole business, however. Plenty of stallion farms will be dealing on price this coming season – particularly for horses in those tricky years – but perhaps more incentives to loyalty should be considered and made public to keep things on a more even keel for a young stallion's covering numbers. That in turn may encourage breeders to be a little broader in their choice of stallions and allow pinhookers to follow suit when it comes to foal selection. Three days of mares in Newmarket This worked better than to have what had ended up as an abridged Thursday session which felt a bit after the show. That said, one larger consignor did suggest that having fewer horses spread across four days would be an improvement from the point of view of staff and potential buyers not having to be at the sales so late. We appreciate that starting the Sceptre Sessions around 7pm is to make them something of an evening feature, but it's pretty dark from 4pm onwards in winter and bringing them forward a little in each day would help rather than hinder, especially for those folk trying to sell a mare in the small batch that appears after the Sceptre Sessions. This can feel like an afterthought in a near-deserted ring. No mincing of words from Mahony There is generally a touch of marketing speak to a closing statement from a chairman of a sales company, which is what made Edmond Mahony's address at the conclusion of the Tattersalls December Sale so startling. While acknowledging another strong renewal for Tattersalls – and it was – he pulled no punches when referring to the challenges facing the industry. Mahony is clearly no fan of this Labour government. While we can't blame them for all of racing's woes, it is also easy to feel that, as much as Lady Starmer clearly loves a day at the races, her husband and his colleagues in power have so far been no friend to the sector despite the tax on racing betting having been left unchanged in the recent budget. This was of course some small relief, but the tax hikes in other gambling sectors look likely to have a knock-on effect for British racing's finances. “While government has accepted the racing industry's case with respect to betting duty, the wider industry dynamics remain perilously uncertain,” he said. “We are fortunate that the lure of Newmarket as the Headquarters of European racing continues to resonate globally, but we must also work to ensure that government does not allow the status of a globally admired industry to be eroded through neglect.” Strong words from Mahony, who is all too aware that headlines regarding record turnover at the sales can be out of kilter with the more troubling state of the racing industry as a whole. The post Sales Reflection: Pinhookers Wade In While Syndicates Cash In appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

One lucky fan and a guest can win a chance to attend the 55th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards presented by John Deere, The Jockey Club, and the NTRA as part of the Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards Sweepstakes, it was announced Tuesday. The grand prize winner and their guest will also accompany Resolute Racing at the Pegasus World Cup. The grand prize includes airfare, hotel, and two tickets to the Eclipse Awards to be held Jan. 22, 2026, at The Breakers Palm Beach, as well as tickets to the Pegasus World Cup held at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24, 2026. There is no purchase necessary to participate in the promotion and entries may be made on the Resolute Racing website, or its accompanying social media channels, or the NTRA website, or its accompanying social media channels. “We are excited to again host two lucky fans at the most glamorous night in racing at the 55th Annual Eclipse Awards,” said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. “In partnership with Resolute Racing, two fans will have a fantastic weekend we hope they remember forever.” “Racing fans are the backbone of the sport, and Resolute Racing is delighted to team with the NTRA to provide an avenue for two lucky people to attend the Eclipse Awards, which is Thoroughbred racing's version of the Academy Awards,” said John Stewart, founder and owner of Resolute Racing. “We also look forward to hosting the winners at the Pegasus World Cup.” The post NTRA and Resolute Racing Offering Sweepstakes to Attend Eclipse Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The shortlists for the 2026 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards (TIEA), sponsored by Godolphin, were announced on Tuesday. The shortlisted nominees for each category are: Newcomer Award Carly Rumsey – Jeremy Scott Emily Lucas – James Moffatt Emma Skerritt – Richenda Ford Faye Levick – Jedd O'Keeffe Freddie Wilks – Charlie Johnston Lizzy Skidmore – Nick Gifford Macey Ford – Jim Boyle Poppy Hatton – Folland-Bowen Bloodstock Sienna Anderson – Charlie Fellowes Verity Haigh – Jo Foster Leadership Award Aideen Marshall – Kevin Philippart De Foy Annelie Hollstenius – Stuart Williams Carrie Sanderson – Karl Burke Claire Freeman – Dan Skelton Jaimie Duff – Lucinda Russell Jennifer Burns – Jim Goldie Louisa Allen – Jim Boyle Michael Mavin – Tim Easterby Ryan King – James Owen Sarah Peacock – Hugo Palmer Rider / Racing Groom Award Bekah Duffy – Susan Corbett Danielle Mooney – Karl Burke Ellie Jefferson – Christian Williams Erin Shannon – Roger Varian Evie Gleason – Marcus Tregoning Jessica Jubb – Nick Alexander Kerry Bennett – Roger Varian Kieran Kourdache – Karl Burke Michelle Kramer – Paul Nicholls Tom Busfield – Jedd O'Keeffe Stud Award Dayna Walsh – Tweenhills Farhat Iqbal – Stetchworth and Middle Park Studs Graham Rylance – Charlock Stud Hannelore Gossage – Park Wood Stud Isabel Byford – Shadwell Estate James Goddard – Chasemore Farm Laura Wright – Hazelwood Bloodstock Oleh Ihnatenko – Whitsbury Manor Stud Scott Marshall – Tweenhills Zoe Andrews – Elms Bloodstock Dedication Award Christopher Pattenden – Diana Grissell Derek Snaith – Charlie Fellowes Emma Batten – Charlie Longsdon Dean Angell – Amanda Perrett Gemma Edwards – David Pipe Helen Halliwell – James Fanshawe Kate Ford – Goldford Stud Kenny Williams – Michael Dods Robert Storton – Jack Channon Tina Jacobs – William Haggas Community Award Anna Collins – Chester Racecourse Bobby Beevers – Autism in Racing Geraldine Jones – Godolphin Hayley Clements – Micky Hammond Karen Davies – Racing Welfare Liz Prowting – Thoroughbred aftercare Louise Robson – Thoroughbred Dressage Lucy Gurney – Women in Racing Simon Bailey – Sports Chaplaincy UK Susan Corbett – Charity work and mentoring Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the BHA, said, “Congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted for an award. This is a very impressive accomplishment, particularly given the high standard of competition again this year, and you should be immensely proud. “The judges had a tough job in whittling down more than 160 nominations to a shortlist of just 60, and I hope that everyone who was nominated for an award will feel pleased that your hard work has been recognised by the people around you. “My sincere thanks to our judging panel, to our generous and longstanding sponsors Godolphin, and our partners at the Racing Post, Racing TV and Ascot Racecourse. “We are also grateful to everyone who helped support the nominations period. These are the industry's awards and it's wonderful to see racing and breeding embrace their significance and the importance to the people they exist to honour.” The post Shortlists For 2026 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Revealed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of Dec. 1-6View the full article

Needless to say, some people are always going to chase the fast buck. In the main, however, we all know this to be the longest of games. You can't drive the green from every tee; nor should you panic if your first drive lands in the water. There are 17 more holes to go. For Jane Lyon and her late husband Frank, one of the least fulfilling days in their Turf journey must have been the GI Matron Stakes of 2005. They had just made an expensive gamble to restore to their Summer Wind program a Hennessy filly sold to John P. Fort as a Saratoga yearling the previous year. Fort had paid $400,000 for India, a daughter of their foundation mare Misty Hour (Miswaki), and watched her win a 5.5 furlong Saratoga maiden on her second start by 12 lengths. The papers reported the cost of bringing her home at $2.05 million. High stakes, then, when India lined up for the Matron as 7-5 favorite. But she got upset in the gate, was gunned into the lead and folded meekly, finishing tailed off. Todd Pletcher told the press that she had returned bloodied and distressed. No Breeders' Cup for India, then. And when India did resurface at Aqueduct that winter, odds-on in a short field for a Grade III, she managed no better than third. Eventually, however, she stretched out to a mile and got on a roll, winning two stakes and two graded stakes. But while her genes had now told on the track, it was presumably their potential for her second career that had inspired her retrieval. After all, her dam had been recruited during her own racing career–from Sam-Son Farm, after winning a Woodbine stakes–because she represented Darby Dan royalty. For Misty Hour's third dam is the matriarch Golden Trail (Hasty Road), who had arrived in the famous “bulk buy” of 38 mares from the estate of Isabel Dodge Sloane by a syndicate headed by John Galbreath. Her family is one of the oldest in America, tracing all the way to Maria Slamerkin in 1769. Little wonder, then, if Golden Trail was one of those mares reserved for Darby Dan, where Galbreath more or less “married” her to Graustark–sire of 11 of her last 12 foals (from 17 overall). The second of these, Java Moon, was good enough to win a Grade III but would achieve greater fame as granddam of nine stakes winners. These were headed by the elite performer/producer Memories of Silver (Silver Hawk), but also included Misty Hour, who was out of Java Moon's unraced daughter by Nijinsky and finished second in the GII Fantasy Stakes after her transfer to Summer Wind. Given the parallel lines of this dynasty–which turn up names like Dynaformer, Ryafan, Brian's Time and Sunshine Forever–India was favored with some of the best stallions around, especially with her stakes-winning half-sister Pilfer (Deputy Minister) meanwhile emerging as a top-class producer. Pilfer's second foal To Honor and Serve (Bernardini), winner of the GI Woodward and GI Cigar Mile, secured her an automatic booking to his sire and together they additionally produced not only GI Chandelier Stakes winner Angela Renee but also the dam of one of the leading sophomore fillies of 2025, La Cara (Street Sense). Still a very active family, then, and India herself rewarded her owners' enterprise in sending her to Frankel (GB) with Mozu Ascot, a dual Group 1 winner in Japan. Admittedly she also produced some fairly tepid talents, while her 2015 daughter by Tapit, Secret Sigh, never made the gate. But the Summer Wind team continued to do right by the family, and started Secret Sigh with Frankel, too. The resulting filly was retained, while Secret Sight's next foal–a son of Uncle Mo–brought $1.5 million as a Saratoga yearling. Unfortunately, Frankel's daughter showed zilch in one start while the Uncle Mo colt failed to break his maiden in a dozen attempts. Nonetheless the mare's 2023 foal, a colt by Gun Runner, proved an even bigger hit at Saratoga last year, realizing $1.9 million from M.V. Magnier and White Birch Farm. This time, Summer Wind did not risk seller's remorse and stayed in for a piece. As a result, they may yet find themselves sharing the ultimate legacy of India's return to the farm. For this, of course, is Paladin, winner last Saturday of the GII Remsen Stakes. On one level, Paladin emulated Further Ado (who had the previous weekend likewise banked 10 Derby points) in exalting the first crop of Gun Runner juveniles conceived even at $125,000. Though only half his current fee, that was steeply up from the $50,000 he had charged “on the bubble,” pending his first starters in 2021. But neither his giddy rise since, nor the failures of Frankel and Uncle Mo with the same mare, alter the fact that Gun Runner was here tapping into a most aristocratic line. Some will no doubt excite themselves that both Paladin and Further Ado (whose damsire is Sky Mesa) are out of mares by a son of Pulpit. But the rest of us will focus on sheer depth of family, and the seeding of this branch since Golden Trail: Graustark, Nijinsky, Miswaki, Hennessy, Tapit. This was a chance Gun Runner has plainly earned, but that will prove no less true of his breeders (and part-owners) should their patient trail through India happen to end up in the Churchill winner's circle next May. REPOLE RECRUITS SHARE OVERNIGHT MOMENTUM Misty Hour and Pilfer are just two contributors to the reputation of their respective sires, Miswaki and Deputy Minister, as elite distaff influences. That's a phenomenon easier to identify than explain, but I wonder whether this may become another of the many ways in which modern stallion books are eroding the coherence of breeding. On the face of it, you would have to say that Uncle Mo's legacy is being lavishly expanded by his daughters, who have lately come up with Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), Journalism (Curlin), Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) and Muth (Good Magic). But the fact is that we're talking about a sire who long matched quality with quantity, and you would hope that any stallion favored by quite so many mares deserving of such a high fee (up to $175,000) would come up with a few good producers. Buckpasser, one of the greatest of all broodmare sires, was also denied a full span of life: he died at 15, a year younger than Uncle Mo. His total output was 320 named foals. Uncle Mo, with two more crops yet to enter training, has so far bequeathed 1,099 starters. Still, there's no denying that several of his daughters are matching his sons in a growing imprint on the breed. Last Saturday was a case in point. With the GII Cigar Mile success of Bishops Bay advertising his eligibility to enter competition with other sons of Uncle Mo at stud, two young fillies out of Uncle Mo mares followed up their debut wins in Grade II company on either coast: Zany (American Pharoah) in the Demoiselle Stakes, and Consequent (Into Mischief) in the Starlet Stakes. Besides a shared damsire, however, these two fillies have something rather more astonishing in common: the dams of both have literally just joined the same program that raced Uncle Mo himself. Consequent's owner-breeder Juddmonte bought her dam Cognitive as a $500,000 yearling at the 2016 Saratoga Sale and, after she failed to build on her debut success in a light career, culled her (in foal to Elite Power) at the same price to Repole Stable at Keeneland last month. The 10-year-old had already produced one Into Mischief filly, Show Card, to win four of her last five starts including two stakes, so the emergence of Consequent–who made her debut immediately after the November Sale–makes Cognitive look exceptionally well found. After all, she's out of a half-sister to none other than Dream Rush (Wild Rush), herself a Grade I winner and dam and granddam of two others, in Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy) and Malathaat (Curlin). If Juddmonte presumably knew that Cognitive was about to launch another talented daughter, then Zany is herself owned by Repole Stable–who bought her for $350,000 at Saratoga last year–and had won on debut at Gulfstream on the eve the November Sale. So when her dam Mo' Green was included in D.J. Stable's reduction, Repole and his team stepped in to buy her (with a fashionable cover by Vekoma) for $550,000. In this instance the vendors made a nice profit, having bought Mo' Green for only $70,000 as a 2-year-old before watching her crown a 4-for-14 career in the GIII Top Flight Invitational Stakes. She's a couple of years older than Cognitive, but both still have plenty of opportunity to build on the overnight gains they have achieved for their new owner. Presumably Hips 349 and 496 were bought to support Fierceness or Mindframe. Whatever the extra spur of sentiment, when it comes to Uncle Mo mares, King Midas recruitment of this kind will give those young sires every chance. The post Breeding Digest: Long Trail Through India Leads to Another Top Gun appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Second in the Longines International Jockeys' Championship alongside James McDonald in 2024, Hollie Doyle is aiming to go one place at Happy Valley on Wednesday. The duo finished second to Mickael Barzalona and all three square off again in this year's edition. Joining that trio are Ryan Moore–recently back from injury–William Buick, Joao Moreira, Rachel King and Zac Purton. Doyle, who is currently riding on a short-term licence in Hong Kong, said, “I've got rides for trainers that I haven't ridden much for, which is good as hopefully I can build some sort of relationship if things go well. “There's a new system in place, in which a lot of work has gone into ensuring the draw is fair and everyone has a similar spread of rides. This year it looks a pretty level playing field, where we've all got pretty strong rides. “I've got two last-time-out winners to ride. It is quite hard to win two on the bounce in Hong Kong as it is so competitive, but the one I ride for Casper Fownes, Mr Desira, definitely looks like he is improving. “It's crazy quite how competitive it is, there's so little between many of the runners. For quite a few meetings the biggest winning margin was little more than a length, your horse can run a great race and finish sixth and be beaten a length. “I've ridden here for a bit now and I think I've adapted quite well. Obviously it's very different to the dynamics of British racing, it's pretty sharp and snappy and as the handicaps are so tight there's never really a dominant horse to set your sights on, so the jockeys often make the difference. “If you ran many of the races three times over you'd probably get a different winner each time, that's what it's like out here. “Just to be involved in this is great. I feel really lucky and privileged that the (Hong Kong) Jockey Club have asked me a few times now to do this, it's a big honour.” Moore, a two-time winner of the IJC, said, “Everyone wants to ride here, and why wouldn't you want to be part of it? “I've been coming here since I was 18 and I like Hong Kong. The racing is high quality, it's competitive and it's very well run. “It's the best that this sport has to offer in that regard.” The post Moore And Doyle Compete At Longines IJC On Wednesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sam Agars HONEST WITNESS - R4 (7) Unlucky first up, has since trialled well and can salute here Jay Rooney CORLEONE - R5 (3) Brilliant winner first up and looks well placed to go on with it tonight Owen Goulding MR DESIRA - R8 (9) Improving sort who will get the trip and continue on to better things Phillip Woo STERLING WONGCHOY - R1 (3) Put the writing on the wall last time and can strike Shannon (Vincent Wong) TSUEN WAN GLORY - R1 (6) Ran a nice second last start and can win from gate...View the full article

A number of leading National Hunt stallions in Britain will be on show on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 January 2026, the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) and British European Breeders Fund has announced. The new initiative has been created to provide a dedicated platform for UK-based National Hunt stallion owners to showcase their stallions directly to NH breeders or those considering breeding their mares for the first time ahead of the forthcoming breeding season as well as providing a unique opportunity for the wider public to see the daily workings and practices of some of Britain's leading National Hunt stud farms. The weekend will see seven stud farms opening their doors across two regions in the UK, with 26 stallions showcased and enabling attendees to plan visits easily within geographic clusters. On the Saturday, the stallions will be available for viewing at Yorton Stud, Shade Oak Stud, Mickley Stud and Willow Wood Stud. Meanwhile, Chapel Stud, Batsford Stud and Overbury Stud will open doors to the public on Sunday. The weekend is free to attend, but all visitors will be required to pre-register online via the TBA website through a simple sign-up form. Pre-registration will assist participating studs with visitor planning and ensure the best possible experience for attendees. Simon Cox, Chair of the TBA NH committee commented, “The TBA is delighted to be trialling the National Hunt Stallion Open Weekend for the first time with the support of the BEBF. Following discussions with National Hunt stallion owners, taking into account the time of year, and looking at how other jurisdictions promote their stallions, the weekend aims to provide a focused platform to highlight a selection of NH stallions and stud farms. “We hope the event will offer both established breeders and those considering breeding for the first time the opportunity to view a range of stallions, stimulate use of breeding incentives such as the Elite NH Mares' Scheme, and introduce a wider audience to the stud farms involved. We are extremely grateful to all the studs taking part for their support.” The post National Hunt Stallion Open Weekend Announced for January 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rachael Blackmore, who retired from a glittering career in the saddle in May, received the Contribution to the Industry Award at the annual Horse Racing Ireland Awards 2025 in Dublin this evening. The most recent three recipients of the prestigious title have been the late owner-breeder HH the Aga Khan, trainer Jessica Harrington and multiple champion owner-breeder JP McManus. “It is hard to think of someone who made such a profound impact on the sport so quickly,” said Suzanne Eade, HRI's Chief Executive Officer, before handing the Tipperary-born former rider Blackmore her trophy. “A total of 33 Grade 1s throughout her stellar career and 18 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including the pinnacle, the Gold Cup, along with Champion Hurdles and a Champion Chase. Most famous of them all, the Grand National at Aintree. Many of those moments arrived during Covid and helped brighten the mood of the nation. They also caught the imagination as Rachael remains a role model, a true trailblazer.” The Horse of the Year Award resulted in a tie between reigning champion Galopin Des Champs and Ethical Diamond who won the Breeders' Cup Turf as an outsider in California last month. Both horses are stabled with Willie Mullins, capping another extraordinary year for the County Carlow trainer who also triumphed in the National Hunt category. This was the second time that Horse of the Year went to dual winners following the 2015 tie between Faugheen and Don Cossack. On a remarkable night for the Mullins family, Willie's son Patrick, the perennial champion amateur rider, accepted the National Hunt Achievement Award in recognition of his Aintree Grand National victory on Nick Rockett. Ireland's newest champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle from Donegal swept the Flat Award, while trainer Joe Murphy, based in Tipperary, was a popular recipient of the Flat Achievement Award in the wake of Cercene's stirring Group 1 Coronation Stakes victory at Royal Ascot. The Emerging Talent Award went the way of 17-year-old Nicola Burns from County Westmeath who has ridden over 30 winners since first breaking onto the scene just over a year ago. Tipperary trainer Sam Curling scooped the Point-to-Point Award in acknowledgement of Wonderwall's success in the St James's Place Festival Hunter Chase at Cheltenham, along with his biggest win tally yet at home. In the Racecourse of the Year Award it was Punchestown that lifted the title after a public vote, votes from each of Ireland's 26 racecourses and a select Horse Racing Ireland committee with a focus on sustainability. Finally, on an occasion when his late brother Michael was honoured, amateur jockey Alan O'Sullivan from County Cork picked up the prestigious Ride of the Year Award for they way he partnered Filey Bay to a memorable victory in the Connacht Hotel (QR) Handicap at Galway. A public vote determined this category. The post Rachael Blackmore Honoured At The HRI Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

He’d hoped to be back in Hong Kong a little sooner but Joao Moreira is ready to make an impact when he heads to Happy Valley for the first time in over three years on Wednesday night. Denied a position on Hong Kong’s packed riding roster after hoping to return as Caspar Fownes’ stable jockey earlier this season, Moreira will ride in the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) for the first time since 2021. Victorious in the competition in 2012, Moreira admitted he wasn’t sure if he...View the full article

It wouldn't matter if you had 33 track experts as there is always someone questioning their credibility. You go to meetings to sort through some solutions yet come away with more problems beginning with arguments about which experts should be used, and are they actually experts after all.

Maybe more thought needs to go into how the Christmas race day functions are sold. What are the customers expectations? And what are the racing club hosts providing? Unless the clients are really into racing there's a bit of effort required to keep everyone punting and entertained. I've often given cheap combination bet options for racing newbies. If they get a $12 return for a $6 bet early in the day they are hooked.

Are you meaning re homing in general or for once racing ceases?

Getting consistent invites to the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) has left Hollie Doyle “pinching herself” and Britain’s top female rider has her sights firmly set on going one better than 12 months ago. Doyle is a fan favourite in Hong Kong after multiple appearances at the IJC and it would be fair to say a win – and taking home the lion’s share of the HK$1 million bonus – would not be coming out of turn. The 10-time Group One-winning jockey made her first appearance at the...View the full article

gee, that ozzy fella???? who works at the pickle factory would have got excited with that result! I recall he was big of nz sires and their ability to throw some nice jumpers!

You prove yourself right, stop saying things and assuming its correct. You provide some backing to the generalisations you spray all over the forum.

Now you're just lying , you have Tangerine blinker on permanently. There is no need to , you never post anything of substance you just disagree with the poster and pretend you know everything. I'm still waiting for you to fulfil your potential and get on a committee you can tell them everything you know and make it alright , @Chief Stipe you're all hat and no cattle!

Docklands is “very happy” to be back in Hong Kong as he looks to cause a stir in Sunday’s Group One Hong Kong Mile for British trainer Harry Eustace. The globetrotter has raced in five different countries, including Hong Kong last year when he finished down the field in the Hong Kong Mile. This year has seen him hit some career-best form, however, including a win by the barest of margins in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes (1,600m) at Royal Ascot under Mark Zahra. Most recently, he made the trip...View the full article

Zac Purton believes Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) has taken another crucial step forward on Tuesday in his preparation for Sunday’s HK$28 million Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin. Successful in his past 15 races, Ka Ying Rising is aiming to join Golden Sixty by securing a 16th consecutive win, one shy of Silent Witness’ all-time Hong Kong record of 17. Emerging at sunrise, Ka Ying Rising – under the hands of Purton – trotted a few laps in the sand ring before making his way to the main dirt course. In front of a scrum of local and international media huddled at the trainers’ stand, Ka Ying Rising was his usual unproblematic self, untested by Purton; he coasted along in a manner that highlighted the 2024/25 Hong Kong Horse of the Year’s readiness. “He was a lot more relaxed this morning. He came out into the trotting ring and, for once in a long time, he actually did trot around there. Normally, you can’t get him to trot, he wants to hack around and play up a little bit, but he went around there nicely and did the same thing on the track,” Purton said. “He was a little bit aggressive in his grass gallop the other week, but now that he’s had the blow-out, he’s chilled and he’s a different horse this week, which is good.” The Shamexpress gelding, who also captured last season’s three-race HK$5 million Hong Kong Speed Series bonus as part of his undefeated campaign, clocked 23.2s for 400m. Australian Racing Hall of Famer Purton has the most wins for a jockey in Hong Kong racing history (1,923), and the 42-year-old has been associated with some of its greatest champions before Ka Ying Rising, including juggernaut miler Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock). “I’ve been very lucky and to think that the best one (Ka Ying Rising) of the lot has come along now. I certainly appreciate it, and he’s such a lovely horse to work with as well, which makes it even more enjoyable. You’ve got to pinch yourself, really,” Purton said. “Beauty Generation was hard to handle. He knew he was big; he knew he was strong, and he was aggressive. He injured his mafoos, I think that tells you what type of horse he was, but he put that aggression into his racing, which is what I liked about him.” The bull-headed Beauty Generation regularly took swipes at his mafoo and work rider, who were on guard at all times, as opposed to Ka Ying Rising, who has sometimes been nervous pre-race, but generally holds his composure until it’s time for competition. Purton said: “He’s just a gem, this guy. It’s just another race and we’re trying to win it, whatever happens beyond that happens. He’s built up a good record and hopefully we can keep it that way.” Ka Ying Rising broke from barrier 11 in last year’s Longines Hong Kong Sprint, while recently he stepped from gate 10 when winning the HK$5.35 million Gr.2 Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) on 23 November by close to three lengths. “It depends what the other speed horses around me draw. I’d like to draw lower than higher. He hasn’t had the best run with barriers in some of these races, so he’s due to get a nice good one,” Purton said. View the full article

Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young have swooped on a pair of progressive three-year-olds from their native New Zealand. Two-win filly Rising Star and last-start Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) third-placegetter Shoma are welcome additions to the stable. The Tim and Margaret Carter-trained Rising Star (NZ) (Complacent) was an impressive winner at Tauranga in mid-November and will sport the colours of Seymour Bloodstock, with the filly’s original trainers also remaining in the ownership. “I thought she had a really nice turn of foot,” Busuttin said. Morgan Carter alluded to the fact she could possibly be bought. I know Tim and Margaret from when we trained out of Cambridge. “She was very impressive at Tauranga and she put them away very quickly in that race.” Rising Star defeated Yamato Satona, who was a solid sixth in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) last weekend and looks a Classic prospect. “Rising Star is a three-year-old, so there are plenty of options for her,” Busutiin said of the daughter of Complacent. “She is in the stable now so we will spend a couple of weeks getting to know her. We might even give her a little freshen up and look towards a nice Adelaide three-year-old fillies race. “As a two-win horse, she can go through the grades and obviously when you buy a filly you are hoping she turns into a black-type horse. “She has been bought for Seymour Bloodstock and Darren Thomas and Mark Pilkington have been big supporters of us since we arrived in Melbourne. They buy a lot of horses out of New Zealand and they have had a lot of success, so hopefully this can be another one.” Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas placegetter Shoma Photo: Trish Dunell Also en route is Shoma (NZ) (Complacent), a son of Contributer, who filled the minor placing behind Romanoff and Affirmative Action in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas, which was run on a Heavy track after a freak hail storm on the day. Despite being a ten-start maiden, Shoma had previously caught the eye when placed behind impressive winner Quantum Legend at Te Rapa, with that horse subsequently exported to Hong Kong. “He’s run third in a Group One and while he is still a maiden, he’s got reasonable form and any Group One form is good form,” Busuttin said. “He raced on a very wet track and we certainly have plenty of wet tracks in Melbourne over the winter and he wasn’t a super expensive horse. “He’s a horse that could progress through the grades and if there are some wet tracks in some of the three-year-old races later in autumn or winter that could suit him. “Obviously the New Zealand bred horses continue to bat well above their average percentage wise, so it made sense, he was a nice horse on the market.” New Zealand bred horses have won seven of the 33 Group One races run in Australia this season, or 21 percent, yet account for just 7.9 percent of runners. View the full article

It’s part two of Michael’s chat with Zac Purton. They chat racing in Hong Kong, Zac’s thoughts and approach to the craft, the planning that goes into each week, his future, and his bests. Plus, Michael has some news for punters and pays tribute to the retiring Orchestral. Guerin Report – S2 Ep.14 Ft. Zac Purton Pt.2 View the full article

While everyone is sinking the boot in on NZ racing forums (is the weather Cold there or something? ) one good thing to remember is this never before achieved achievement by a great stable to Trifecta one of the major races on the Annual Calender. This goes down to All his great staff too. The love and dedication to get these majestic horses over the jumps is a true credit to them . And Te Akau this year . here's an article on it > Te Akau trainer Mark Walker made history at Ballarat on Sunday with an unprecedented trifecta in the A$400,000 Ecycle Solutions Grand National Steeplechase (4500m). Walker saddled Leaderboard (Street Cry) for a 25-length win in the showpiece steeplechase, with The Mighty Spar (NZ) (Savabeel) second and Prismatic (NZ) (Savabeel) third. It capped an enormously special Sunday for Walker and the Te Akau Racing team, who also took three runners to Taupo and came away with three winners – Carsolio, To Bravery Born and In Haste. Former Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) and Listed New Zealand St Leger (2600m) winner Leaderboard settled in second spot on Sunday for jockey Will Gordon before taking command when topweight Stern Idol began to tire. Leaderboard and the favourite Noonday Gun seemed set to fight out a tight battle to the finish, but Noonday Gun fell at the final fence and left Leaderboard to cruise to a runaway win. “I can’t really believe it,” Gordon said. “I went out there without any pressure, just riding my race, riding the horse. Going down the back the last time, I thought, ‘I’ve still got a bit of horse here and might be in the finish.’ “He’s a legend of a horse. Everyone that rides him, or has anything to do with him, just loves and adores him.

Set to be crowned the Longines World’s Best Jockey for the third time in four years, James McDonald is keen to add a breakthrough success in the International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) to his glittering CV at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The Kiwi superstar will receive the World’s Best Jockey award at Friday night’s Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) gala dinner after claiming 12 of the world’s top 100 Group Ones in 2025. But first his focus is on the IJC, which has so far proven...View the full article

The Group One Longines Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) is down to just eight runners after Japanese raider Lord Del Rey was withdrawn from the race on Tuesday. A $31 outsider for the HK$40 million contest, Lord Del Rey was found to be lame in his right foreleg and he joins Calandagan and Shanwah as withdrawals from the race. Supposed to be ridden by Australian Damian Lane, Lord Del Rey’s scratching reduces Japan’s Cup presence to two runners – Bellagio Opera and Rousham Park. Local hero Romantic Warrior...View the full article

Abit roughhouse, now there is a name from the past. I recall you did indeed run a lot of competitions. That was in the days when comps were not deemed important to chat sites, so you usually got the bum's rush from his nibs if things went wrong lol I think these days they add a bit of light relief to the sterner world of vigorous debate. I recall when I was helping Chief Stipe (CS) with the site when it was first set up, we ran a comp and within 2 weeks of starting the site, we got 38 entrants. I recall it vividly, as someone commented on it.