Racing News

In this monthly BH interview, Karen M. Johnson profiles young racing personalities.View the full article

A little over an hour into Tuesday's opening session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Godolphin struck the first major blow of Book 1 when stretching to 1.8 million gns for a Frankel colt from Hillwood Stud. Amo Racing's Kia Joorabchian filled the role of underbidder. Lot 27 is the first foal out of the Listed Cecil Frail Stakes winner and G1 Flying Five Stakes runner-up Get Ahead (Showcasing), a full-sister to the G2 Mill Reef Stakes-winning sire Alkumait and a half to the 2,000 Guineas-winning sire Chaldean, also by Frankel. Get Ahead had previously made headlines at Park Paddocks when selling to First Bloodstock for 2.5 million gns at the 2023 December Mares Sale. “This is the stuff of dreams,” said Hillwood Stud's Charlie Vigors. “He's always been an exceptional horse. “It was the thing to do [send the mare to Frankel] with Chaldean being on the page. We'd seen what Frankels make in the ring and that figure is probably in the ballpark of what we expected him to make. “Huge thanks obviously go to Sheikh Mohammed, Anthony Stroud and the entire Godolphin team, as well as the underbidders, of which there were plenty. He has been very busy all week – never put a foot wrong – and I'm just delighted for the whole team at home.” Stroud, who conducted the bidding from outside the ring in the company of Godolphin principal Sheikh Mohammed, said, “Showcasing is a good broodmare sire, Frankel is just a fantastic stallion and this colt was a great mover and just a beautiful horse. “It's great and fantastic that [Sheikh Mohammed] is here. I think that's testament to his involvement in the sport and his support for British and Irish racing and breeding.” The post ‘This Is The Stuff Of Dreams’ – Hillwood Stud’s Frankel Colt Ignites Tattersalls Book 1 at 1,800,000gns appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Douglas Whyte is adamant Live Wire will handle the rise to Class Three when the progressive sprinter chases a third consecutive win at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. After returning with a dominant all-the-way success last month, the Tassort four-year-old will make the leap from Class Four in the first section of the Yip Fat Handicap (1,200m). Live Wire has always shown potential and delivered on that at his seventh career start, scoring narrowly at the city circuit at the end of last...View the full article

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Blind Raise will contest Saturday’s Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m). Photo: Scott Barbour (Racing Photos) Busuttin’s representative, Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High), hasn’t put a foot wrong so far in his preparation, winning both of his starts, including last month’s Gr.3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m). Busuttin said the son of Ace High has continued to go in the right direction, and he was pleased with his work at Caulfield on Tuesday morning, and a few hours later was rapt to draw barrier two for Saturday’s feature. “He worked up nicely this morning and barrier two is the perfect gate. He will be very hard to beat,” Busuttin said. “Everything has gone according to plan, touch wood. He has continued to improve and he will be close to his peak this Saturday. I don’t think we have actually had the horse at his peak. He has always had niggling little issues below the surface, which haven’t been dire, but he has never been spot on, so I think on Saturday we will see him at his absolute best.” Expat Kiwi trainer Trent Busuttin at Karaka earlier this year. Photo: Angelique Bridson While looking forward to tackling the Caulfield Guineas this weekend, Busuttin is excited about another Kiwi-bred in Cignetti (NZ) (Super Seth) this spring, with the three-year-old son of Super Seth on track for next month’s Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington. The Waikato Stud-bred gelding placed in the last Saturday’s Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m), and Busuttin said he has plenty of ability. “We will have another nice New Zealand-bred called Cignetti who will end up running in the Victoria Derby by the time Derby Day rolls around,” Busuttin said. “It is good to be competitive with New Zealand-bred horses.” Both Cignetti and Blind Raise are New Zealand Bloodstock graduates, with Busuttin purchasing Cignetti out of Ohukia Lodge’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale draft for $220,000, while he went to $70,000 to buy Blind Raise out of The Oaks Stud’s 2025 Book 1 Yearling Sale draft. Blind Raise is proving to be a bargain buy, having already earned A$440,000, and Busuttin said there is plenty of value to be had when purchasing out of New Zealand. “You don’t have to pay the world for them in New Zealand at Karaka, they breed good horses at any price,” he said. “I find they outrun their price tag, whereas here in Australia, when you go to the sales, it is bloody hard to buy a horse for under A$100,000 and get a result. It does happen, but if you look at the statistics, more horses in those lower price ranges come out of New Zealand. “You can go to Karaka and generally find one horse that you like and not pay too much money for it, and he is one of those horses.” View the full article

David Hayes was happy to give Ka Ying Rising a “pass mark” after his “ambling” barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning ahead of his defence of his Group One The Everest (1,200m) crown on October 17. The world’s highest-rated galloper drew a legion of supporters to the Sydney track for the 1,000m hit out and he was given an easy time of things to finish second behind Ninja in a time of 59.46 seconds. Zac Purton always had a double fistful on the David Hayes-trained star sprinter and never...View the full article