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    • By Michael Guerin It was the night of the big statements at Addington on Friday. Two young horses in Jumal and Ya Rite Darl sent messages to their age group rivals in two of the best races of the meeting and it was perhaps the one who actually triumphed by the smaller margin who left the greatest impression.  Jumal was unbeaten going into the latest Woodlands Sires’ Stakes heat but it looked his biggest challenge, drawn the outside of the front line with two highly talented rivals in Zeus Lightning and Special Occasion drawn inside him. Driver Samantha Ottley made short work of that by leaning forward at the start and while she didn’t have to ask Jumal for his best he soon worked his way across the front of the field. That could have seen the race turned into a procession until Blair Orange launched Zeus Lightning starting the last lap but Ottley was awake to his impending challenge so let Jumal slide and he raced down the back straight in 26.5 seconds, rarified air for any mid-race 400m sectional in New Zealand. That opened up the gaps, allowing Zeus Lightning to drop into the trail but Ottley just kept going and so did Jumal, never looking in danger of defeat while Zeus Lightning’s fan club will only have expanded as he clung bravely to second. Special Occasion was distanced in third in one of the juvenile races of the season so far and one that suggested the first two are very good horses but maybe Jumal is the real deal. “I didn’t really go into the race with a plan but when I looked across at the start and saw a few weren’t coming out I let him run out a bit,” said Ottley. “He did it so easily to get there and then when I saw Zeus Lightning coming down the back I decided to let him run again. “He may have been closing on us at the finish but I think if he actually had another horse go with him he would have more left.” Jumal is turning into a real excitement machine for his connections and trainer Steven Reid, an equine reminder of Reid’s skills at the sales and in the stables. Next stop for most of last night’s main players in the NZBS Harness Million at Addington on October 10 and Jumal is now $2.10 to win that and $2.20 for the Sires’ Stakes Final on Cup Day. Ya Rite Darl may not have had the same level of competition in the Macca Lodge NZ Sires’ Stakes Trotters Classique, especially after second favourite Habibti Pat galloped at the start, but she destroyed her filly rivals. Sent straight to the front by John Dunn she roared clear down the back straight and won by 12 and a half lengths, one of the biggest wins in a group race at Addington this century. The times weren’t overly flash but it was still a brilliant win and one that suggested she will be taken seriously in both The Ascent and NZ Trotting Oaks. Earlier in the night the Brent Lilley-trained Kyvalley Ray was excellent winning his New Zealand debut in a juvenile trot Sires’ Stakes heat while Cath was super impressive winning the two-year-old pacing fillies race for the Hills, Benny training and Seth driving. The father and son team were at it again in the main handicap pace when Arthur Shelby overcame some early tap-dancing to win from a late-charging Rubira, the winner confirming what we have all suspected for a while: he is heading to open class. View the full article
    • By Michael Guerin It has taken just under eight years for the Purdons to pay Andre Poutama back for the outright Group 1 they cost him. But they paid that back, this time in full, when Shezsofast won the Caduceus Club Classic at Alexandra Park on Friday night. The Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained daughter of Vincent led throughout to hold off a brave Lizzie Borden in the Group 1, giving driver Poutama his first full win at the highest level. He won the Group 1 Rosslands Queen Of Hearts at Alexandra Park in 2017 with Jo’s Dream but had to share that in a deadheat with Partyon, co-trained by Mark. As harness racing tends to do, things change and so do staff and now Poutama finds himself driving often for Mark and Nathan and has snared a Group 1 he doesn’t have to share. Poutama is a good fit for the new northern stable, never scared to take a race by the scruff of the neck and show initiative but you still need the horse to do it and Shezsofast was good on Friday, even though the runner-up was just as brave. The winner is part-owned by thoroughbred training legend Jim Gibbs and his wife Ann, who have dived deep into the harness racing pool over the last decade or more. “They love it and have become good friends,” said Mark. “Jim is so knowledgeable so it is great to get a win like this for them and the other owners. It is a real thrill.” While Shezsofast showed the benefits of being in front in major races they were backed up again by Sooner The Bettor in the IRT Spring Cup, albeit after a few nervy moments. The wonderful sprinter defended his title from last season but had to overcome an early bobble before driver Harrison Orange let him roll to the lead. As well as that all worked out Sooner The Bettor looked likely to be a sitting duck a lap from home as favourite Merlin had secured the one-one from his 20m mark and was set to pounce. But Orange showed he has learned from his first-up win on Sooner The Bettor, knowing to keep him running on tight lines this time and not let his rivals get too close and those tactics proved the winning of the race. He paced his last 800m in 56.2 second and final 400m in 27.8 to hold out The Surfer by a neck with Merlin a good third but yet another favourite to fall victim to the early season curse of the backmarkers. Merlin will of course improve and heads to the Holmes D G on October 3 next and then south to contest the Canterbury Classic on October 17, an earlier than anticipated start to his southern campaign. The Purdon/Phelan stable had a great night with three wins, including War Chief in his Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes heat while Arna Donnelly trained two and had every reason to be happy with her open class horses in the Spring Cup. But one of the wins of the night came from intermediate grade trotter Westar Milly, who flew home making up two lengths in the last 100m to give trainers Derek and Neita Balle a double in around 24 hours after Conrad H won at Cambridge on Thursday. View the full article
    • Check out the great racing offers available from horse racing bookmakers on Saturday, September 20. Enjoy bonus back deals and other promotions to boost your betting experience. Explore these specials from top online bookmakers and get more value from your bets. Top Australian racing promotions for September 20, 2025, include: Today’s horse racing promotions Ellerslie (NZ) | 3+ Leg Same Race Multi Bonus Back Place a 3+ leg Same Race Multi bet on any race at Ellerslie (NZ) this Saturday and if 1 leg of your multi fails, get up to $50 back in Bonus Cash. Applies to first resulted 3+ leg multi with one losing leg. Available from approx. 8:30am local track time on race day. Availability dependent on field size. Neds T&Cs apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Punters Saturday Toolbox | Second Chance For 2nd or 3rd Get a second chance this Saturday! If your runner comes 2nd or 3rd, get Bonus Cash with Extra Bet Back tools in your Punters Toolbox. Neds T&Cs Apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Blonde Boosts! Elevate your prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Eligible Customers Only. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Copycash – Get Copied. Get Paid. Get paid $0.10 every time someone uses Copy Bet to copy your bets. Eligible Customers Only. Login to Dabble to Claim Promo 10% Winnings Boost! – Townsville & Canberra Get 10% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH. First eligible bet per race. Must apply Promotion in betslip. Cash bets only. Max bonus $100. Eligible customers only Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Bet Boost | Saturday Thoroughbred Meetings Get a bet boost on thoroughbred races around Australia on Saturday. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Daily Exotic Boosts Boost your exotics by up to 20%. Available on Exactas, Quinellas, Trifectas & First Fours. Excludes Quaddies. Check your vault for eligibility. Login to Unibet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% winnings in cash Max Payout $2000. Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds win bets on Australian thoroughbred races only. Excludes boosted, multi, live and bonus bets. PlayUp T&Cs apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector | If Your Horse Drifts, You Get The Bigger Price Only available on Australian Horse Racing Fixed Price Win bets placed from 8am AET the day of the race. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au find these racing offers? HorseBetting.com.au reviews Australia’s top horse racing bookmakers to share the best thoroughbred promotions for September 20, 2025. Bookmakers are always competing, so if one doesn’t have a deal, another usually does. Rely on HorseBetting.com.au for daily racing bonuses and betting specials. Get better value with competitive odds and offers for existing customers. Just log in to your betting account to see what’s available. For extra help picking winners and using your bonuses wisely, check out our daily free racing tips. View all horse racing promotions View the full article
    • Disco Time (Not This Time) remained perfect via a tour de force performance in the St. Louis Derby at Fairmount. Last seen Jan. 18 when winning the GII Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds, his prior two victories came at Churchill Downs when he broke his maiden last November and then beat optional claiming company 29 days later Nov. 30 from the front end. The even-money favorite here, Disco Time left the blocks on top and never gave the field a chance. Never in any danger after an opening quarter in :23.87 a half in :47.42, and six panels in 1:11.51, the Juddmonte colorbearer strolled home to win by 5 1/2 lengths over fast-closing 'TDN Rising Star'  Hypnus (Into Mischief) and Excite (Speightstown) came on well to claim third. The victor is the most accomplished for his dam, but is one of two to make it to the races from three living offspring for their dam. Her 2023 Kantharos foal died, and she was barren in 2024, but Disco Chick finally produced a filly by Yaupon this year. She went to Justify for 2026. Click for the Equibase.com chart.     LOUIS DERBY PRESENTED BY FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK, $250,000, Fairmount, 9-19, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.87, ft. 1–DISCO TIME, 123, c, 3, by Not This Time                 1st Dam: Disco Chick (MSW & GSP, $735,250), by Jump Start                 2nd Dam: Disco Flirt, by Disco Rico                 3rd Dam: Survey, by Allen's Prospect O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $150,000. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-4-0-0, $441,960. 2–Hypnus, 121, c, 3, Into Mischief–Dream Tree, by Uncle Mo. 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Wathnan Racing; B-Phoenix Thoroughbreds (III) LTD (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $50,000. 3–Excite, 121, c, 3, Speightstown–Elate, by Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider (KY); T-William I. Mott. $25,000. Margins: 5HF, 2HF, 23HF. Odds: 1.10, 2.20, 2.90. Also Ran: Mickswagger, Spellmaker, Extradition, Smoken Boy, Dune a Vetta. Scratched: Admiral Dennis, Brotha Keny, Chunk of Gold. The post Disco Time Remains Perfect, Claims St. Louis Derby at Fairmount appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
    • Keeneland September may be winding down time-wise with only one session remaining, but the momentum from the record-breaking sale continued in kind Friday in the 11th session with an 88.57% increase in through-the-ring sales. The session's top price belonged to a colt by Vekoma (hip 4190) as bloodstock agent Mahmud Mouni's buying spree continued. Bred by Seven Springs Farm and consigned by Almar Farm, the colt sold for $220,000 as one of the last hips through the ring Friday. Out of an unplaced Mizzen Mast mare, he is a half-brother to SW En Hanse (Hansen) and from the family of Canadian champion 3-year-old colt Regal Intention (Vice Regent). A total of 301 yearlings sold through the ring Friday totaling $6,728,200, for an average of $22,353 and a median of $15,000. That gross is 88.57% higher than the total of $3,568,000 from the 11th session last year. The average is 29.06% higher than $17,320 in 2024, and the median is 30.43% above $11,500. With one session remaining in the September Sale to be held Saturday, Keeneland has sold 2,674 horses through the ring for $506.944,700, for an average of $189,583 and a median of $95,000. The gross is 23.92% higher than the same period last year when 2,532 horses sold for $409,087,500. The average is 17.34% above $161,567 in 2024, while the median is 18.75% higher than $80,000. Six horses topped the six-figure mark Friday, a mark that easily eclipses the zero figure from the same session last year. Other top hips Friday included a Bedouin Bloodstock-consigned colt by Hard Spun (hip 4052) from the family of Eclipse-winning sprinter Points Offthebench who sold for $170,000 to Al Jawzaa General Trading. Additionally, a Highly Motivated half-brother (hip 3880) to GSW Yes This Time (Not This Time) sold to Stepaside Farm for $140,000. The colt was consigned by Rosilyn Polan of Sunday Morning Farm. Two horses sold for $120,000 apiece. Prestige Worldwide picked up a filly (hip 4002) from the first crop of Cyberknife while Lee Rodgers purchased a filly by Dialed In (hip 4182). Machmer Hall Thoroughbreds topped the session's consigner list with sales of $728,000 for 31 horses and leading buyer Olga Polushkina acquired nine yearlings for $236,000. Saturday is the final day of the Keeneland September Sale, which begins at 10 a.m. Lovely Christina's half-sister sold Friday at Keeneland | Sarah Andrew Ackerley Acquires Half-Sister To Frizette Hopeful Leland Ackerley Racing, owned by Lee Ackerley, picked up the half-sister to their GI Frizette Stakes hopeful Lovely Christina (Vekoma) at Keeneland September in the penultimate session Friday. Bred by Spendthrift Farm and consigned by Legacy Bloodstock as agent, the $100,000 Mo Donegal filly (hip 4090) was Ackerley's sole purchase in Kentucky this month after he opened the year extremely active in the 2-year-old market at Ocala in March. Of the five purchases he made that month in Florida, Ackerley's most expensive was a $425,000 daughter of Vekoma who turned into Lovely Christina. That filly has since broken her maiden for Todd Pletcher at Saratoga in her second start, winning a maiden special weight going 6 1/2 furlongs by 1 3/4 lengths Aug. 31. Both fillies are out of GIII My Charmer Handicap winner Daring Kathy who earned close to a half-million in her own racing career before producing SP How's Ur Attitude (Street Sense). That family connection, and the hope of additional future black type, drew Ackerley to Keeneland. “Someone pointed out that the half-sister was selling today,” Ackerley said. “So I decided to buy her and hope that the family gets a little black-type update. I have the 2-year-old half-sister and she'll run in the Frizette in a week or so.” Ackerley, who had a productive OBS March also picking up 'TDN Rising Star' and GIII Sanford Stakes winner Obliteration (Violence) from that same sale this year, said he typically sticks with buying 2-year-olds. “I just buy to race,” he said. “It's usually 2-year-olds but occasionally, I'll step in for a yearling.” And, as Keeneland crossed the historic half-billion dollar mark during Thursday's 10th session, Ackerley had just one way to describe the market. “It's insane,” he said. “Watching the prices at [Fasig-Tipton] Saratoga and the first two books at Keeneland, it's reassured me that the economy is really booming right now.” The post Keeneland September Continues To Post Huge Increases In Penultimate Session appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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