-
Available Subscriptions
The Rest of the World
71,723 topics in this forum
-
- 0 replies
- 335 views
-
- 0 replies
- 368 views
-
- 0 replies
- 355 views
-
- 0 replies
- 344 views
-
- 0 replies
- 386 views
-
- 0 replies
- 348 views
-
- 0 replies
- 361 views
-
- 0 replies
- 392 views
-
- 0 replies
- 407 views
-
- 0 replies
- 420 views
-
- 0 replies
- 348 views
-
- 0 replies
- 373 views
-
- 0 replies
- 377 views
-
- 0 replies
- 364 views
-
- 0 replies
- 359 views
-
- 0 replies
- 394 views
-
- 0 replies
- 368 views
-
- 0 replies
- 392 views
-
- 0 replies
- 336 views
-
- 0 replies
- 341 views
-
- 0 replies
- 351 views
-
- 0 replies
- 334 views
-
- 0 replies
- 377 views
-
- 0 replies
- 355 views
-
- 0 replies
- 350 views
Announcements
-
Posts
-
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
NEWMARKET, UK — It's not everyday you see an order of nuns at Park Paddocks but the sisters from the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham were a very welcome presence and appeared to be enjoying their outing to Tattersalls. Spotting showing legend Katie Jerram-Hunnable riding around the walking ring on the late Queen Elizabeth's 23-year-old Barbers Shop (GB) was another Tattersalls first and, for the royalists among us, the initials 'ER' on the great chaser's paddock sheet were a poignant throwback. Whether it was the nuns' influence or not is hard to say but bright sunshine blessed the pre-sale stallion parade and RoR Showcase and visitors had turned out in their droves for these two spectacles, which included, respectively, Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius (Ire) and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River (Ire). It was a bit early, even for members of the press desk, to partake of the port on offer at the British EBF-sponsored brunch in the Irish bar but Rae Guest was happy to confirm that it was a nice drop. The general consensus from stallion studs visited over the last few weeks has been that bookings for most bar the top-tier stallions are being slower to roll in this year, and that was a view repeated by a number of those who had brought stallions to Tattersalls for this year's parade. No doubt this valuable chance to see them in the flesh will have made up some people's minds. In the ring, Australian trainer Ciaron Maher made his presence felt, even from 10,000 miles away, when he swooped to buy the day's top lot, Galashiels (GB), through agent Colm Sharkey. How could he not? The six-year-old gelding is after all a son of Australia (GB) and looks to have the ideal profile for Cup races down under. “He has the form and pedigree,” said Sharkey, after bidding 220,000gns for the five-time Godolphin winner. “He will be let down first and will probably head out on the next flight.” It was only last April that Galashiels beat Goliath (Ger) to win the Listed Prix Seymour for Andre Fabre and that form now has a strong look to it with the subsequent G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Goliath ending the year as the co-third-top-rated horse in the world. On a day when nine of the top ten lots hailed from the Godolphin draft, Italian agent Alessandro Marconi was the busiest buyer, signing for 17 horses for the same unnamed client, led by Godolphin's Scarlet Princess (GB) at 130,000gns. The three-year-old daughter of Kingman (GB) and G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Lady Marian (Ger) (Nayef) was placed twice for Charlie Appleby to earn a Timeform rating of 79p. “We were lucky buying here in July, and I recommended this sale as I felt it offered good value – that is why we are here,” Marconi said. “My client operates a large, emerging syndicate and is based in the Middle East. There are some big plans and the horses will be based both in Europe and the Middle East. Once the purchases have finished racing, they could be breeding prospects.” Another of those future breeding prospects is Helen Keller (GB), a three-year-old unraced filly from Godolphin by Night Of Thunder (Ire) out of the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes winner Discourse (Street Cry {Ire}), who was secured for 90,000gns. Marconi, who bought last year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) as a yearling at Arqana as well as G1 Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval (Ire) as a foal, also picked up the three-year-old Modernise (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for 90,000gns on Thursday from Juddmonte. “I have to thank the Tattersalls marketing department for putting Metropolitan and Facteur Cheval on the back of the catalogue – it may have helped with my client,” he said with a smile. Modernise, who was third at Southwell a fortnight ago for Harry Charlton, will head next to France. “He is by a great sire, he is unexposed and he seems as though he will develop into a very nice three-year-old over a Classic trip. Hopefully the ground and racing in France will suit him,” Marconi added. Timmy Hillman signed for the three-year-old filly Paradise Springs (GB) on behalf of Windgates Stud for 82,000gns. From the first crop of Ghaiyyath (Ire), she is a three-parts-sister to G1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) made just one start last year. He said, “It's a very good family with Naval Crown under the first dam. It goes back to a good Kilfrush line and there's a lot going on as the dam has a couple of Dubawis to come and is going back to him. “Her half-sister Spring Promise is also in foal to Dubawi. This is a good-looking filly, who was well backed when she ran at Newmarket. Plans are undecided but she'll likely stay over here for now.” With an outlay of 533,000gns for 17 lots, Marconi was the leading buyer of the day while the Godolphin draft, with 36 sold for 1,394,500gns, accounted for more than half the turnover of the opening session. This, along with a healthy clearance rate of 87%, led to a major upturn in the figures when compared to this day last year. From 114 horses sold, the average of 22,013gns was up by 56% while the median more than doubled at 14,500gns. The day's aggregate of 2,509,500gns represented a rise of 74%. The second and final session of the February Sale commences at 10am on Friday. The post Tattersalls Top Lot Galashiels to Join Ciaron Maher appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
By Michael Guerin Steven Reid isn’t doubting Next Level’s class when he resumes at Addington tonight but he admits he isn’t so sure about his preparation. The smart four-year-old is a $2 favourite in the SBSR Tuapeka Lodge/Russell Nevill Mobile Pace at a meeting that will start earlier than scheduled so it can finish inside daylight hours as Addington beds in its new lighting system. Next Level hasn’t officially raced since finishing fourth in the New Zealand Derby on this track in early December, that form usually an indication a horse is heading to the verge of open class. He has actually tried to start in a race since, lining up at Motukarara on December 29 but was knocked over at the start and deemed a non-starter. Reid says he gave the speedy pacer a 10-day break after that and had only intended on trialling him this week. “But when I looked at the programmes for next week they didn’t really cater for him in a mobile race so I have bought everything forward a week,” says Reid. “He was going to trial but I didn’t get a chance to do that. “I took him to Rangiora for fast work the other day and he worked well so he can win this week but I told the owners he can’t be at his peak.” Reid thinks Next Level will end up edging his way toward the big time but he has struggled with tying up issues with him. “Tying up problems are something I haven’t had much experience with but I have changed his training and think we should be fine now.” While it only contains seven runners Race 4 has plenty of talent, with fast mare Amaretto Franco looking certain to enjoy being back at Addington after not handling the southern tracks during her holiday campaign. She too could be an improver after tonight’s run so for a small field, with questions over two of the better horses, it could be an open race. A horse Amaretto Franco looks set to meet if not next week at some stage this campaign is Princess Meritaten, who was scratched from her engagement at Addington last Friday. Trainer Bob Butt had no choice but to pull her out of the Premier Mares Championship after he treated her for a skin infection but she was back at the trials on Wednesday. “She trialled well and hasn’t missed any work so we will still be all go for the Breeders Stakes next week,” says Butt. “She is unbeaten fresh so maybe it isn’t a bad thing going into next week that way.” Butt has the hottest favourite of the night tonight in Pandemic (R7, No.1) and the five-year-old looks to have found the right race to resume in. “It is not a strong field so he really gets his chance,” says Butt. He also has stable newcomer Imperial Laz (R2, No.1), a recent purchase for huge-spending Australian owner Mick Boots. “His form was okay down south but he doesn’t have a lot of standing start practice so I think he will be better for this outing.” The first race today goes at 3.44pm View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
By Adam Hamilton Nathan Purdon’s glamour pair Oscar Bonavena and Don’t Stop Dreaming have settled in well after arriving in Melbourne to take on Australasia’s best on Hunter Cup night at Melton. Brooke Wilkins accompanied the pair on the trip across and Mark Purdon will fly in to take the drives on Saturday night. Nathan Purdon’s confidence varies greatly with the pair. “Don’t Stop Dreaming is not the easiest horse to train or get right for big races because he’s got his issues with his feet and joints,” he said. “I also think the NZ Cup run behind Swayzee took a lot out of him and he hasn’t quite been the same since. He gave it everything he had that day. “The signs have been better in recent weeks and that’s why we’ve sent him across, but the draw hasn’t been kind and it’s a bit of a wait-and-see for mine to see exactly where he’s at. “He showed last year what he can do at his best, but he’s got to prove he’s back at that level.” Don’t Stop Dreaming will also need plenty of luck from an outside front row draw (gate seven) in the Hunter Cup at 10.43pm. He will move into six if emergency Hector doesn’t gain a start. “He’s now reliant on a lot of speed and being able to get the right sort of trip. He’ll need a lot to go right now, but if it does, he’s a top three chance in what looks a very strong race,” Purdon said. In contrast to his weariness with Don’t Stop Dreaming, Nathan Purdon is bullish about Oscar Bonavena’s chances in the Great Southern Star, a race he contested once but that was five years ago. “He’s just a marvel,” he said. “Like Don’t Stop Dreaming, he’s had a lot of issues and has been difficult to train, but for some reason, he’s just been fantastic for the past 12 months. “I don’t think he’s ever been sounder or felt better than he has right now. We’re going there expecting big things from him.” The retirement of Just Believe and absence through injury of Callmethebreeze leaves Oscar Bonavena as the real established star of the Great Southern Star. But the nine-year-old faces a challenge from barrier five in the first and strongest of the two heats at 8.30pm, especially with main danger and recent Inter Dominion winner The Locomotive drawn the pole. “We’d love to win the heat, but on paper it’s not going to be easy and we’ve come to win the final,” Purdon said. “He’s got a stack of gate speed if Dad wants to use it, but I suspect with The Locomotive drawn where he is, he may not want to cut him loose in the heat. “He’s just got so much speed, I’m sure he’ll qualify for the final and then we can hope the draws go our way. “Regardless, he’s just in such a great place at the moment, he’s going to be hard to beat.” Purdon confirmed Don’t Stop Dreaming would stay in Melbourne for Saturday week’s $100,000 Group 2 Cranbourne Cup before a final decision was made on a possible trip to Sydney for the Miracle Mile. “We just want to see how he gets through this couple of Melbourne runs before locking in Sydney,” he said. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Craig “The Whale” Thompson shares his thoughts on Hawera today. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Athenian Beauty (Corinthian–I'm Out First, by Allen's Prospect), whose 3-year-old son Speed King (Volatile) caused a 14-1, front-running upset in the GIII Southwest Stakes Jan. 25, is among the latest supplements to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale to be held Monday, Feb. 3 in Lexington. Catalogued as hip 413 and offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the 14-year-old mare is out of a winning daughter of four-time stakes winner and Grade III-placed Im Out First, whose MSW & GSP daughter Im A Dixie Girl (Dixie Union) is responsible for GI Met Mile and GI Los Alamitos Futurity-winning sire Mor Spirit (Eskendereya). This is also the family of GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes hero Great Hunter (Aptitude). Athenian Beauty is being offered in foal to Caracaro. Also supplemented to the sale as hip 411 is the 3-year-old filly Yatta (Yoshida {Jpn}). Offered by Bluewater Sales, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect, the dark bay daughter of Final Reward (Arch) hails from the female family of Kitten's Joy, Precious Kitten, Dreaming of Anna, etc. Yatta has placed twice at stakes level, including a third in the 2023 GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes. Also added to the sale are mares in foal to Authentic, Honest Mischief, Jackie's Warrior, and Keepmeinmind. The entries may be viewed here and in the equineline sales catalogue app. Print copies will be available on the sales grounds. The post Dam of Speed King Added To Fasig-Tipton February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
-
-
Topics
-
