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SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – As the final races of the opening day of the Saratoga season are being run July 10, a reception to celebrate a collaboration linking racing and breeding in New York and Ireland will be beginning across the street at the National Museum of Racing. The event sponsored by the New York State Breeding and Development Fund will honor Helena Nolan, the Consul General of Ireland in the U.S. and Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland. Nolan and Eade were principals with Brian O'Dwyer, the chairman of the New York State Gaming Commission and the fund, in developing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was signed in October. The goal of the MOU is to forge ties between the two prominent racing precincts. The reception within view of America's oldest and most popular track is being promoted as an opportunity to further strengthen this new arrangement. O'Dwyer was named to the commission and fund posts in 2002 and he brought with him a desire to do more than just serve as a regulator and administrator. The New York based attorney was the founder and first Chair of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, and served as advisor to the Clinton administration during the Northern Ireland peace process. He was appointed by President Clinton to the Presidential Commission on White House Fellows, and by Secretary Clinton to the U.S. Committee for UNESCO. An alliance with Ireland was a natural fit. “I'm lucky enough to have a great connection with Ireland in my previous jobs,” O'Dwyer said. “The job of the Thoroughbred Fund is to promote Thoroughbred racing and Thoroughbreds. While we have done that a certain way, which is promoting with prizes and things of that sort, it occurred to me that the other way is to bring Thoroughbred horses into New York and have New York horses race in Ireland, an international thing. We were able to get the sponsorship of the Consul General of Ireland, who I know, who put me in touch with Horse Racing Ireland. This idea is the first step of promoting interchange between those so that we can, hopefully, by next year, have many more Irish horses racing in New York tracks and vice versa.” O'Dwyer said he expects that connecting the New York and Irish racing and breeding will lead to more interest in purchasing New York-breds “I consider this an important first step,” he said. “We haven't done this before and if this works out and we start getting a real market in Ireland, then we'll go on to England. It's our next step, and then maybe to France. We all know that international trade works, and if we can get new markets for New York state horses, then we've done a great job of promoting the breed.” Eade has visited several American race tracks, but this will be her first time at Saratoga Race Course. She said that HRI was formed by the Irish government in 2001 as a semi-state body to promote horse racing and develop the Thoroughbred industry. “I think the growth that's going to come from racing is through global cooperation,” she said. “We have historically had great relationships on a lot of trade areas with the U.S. Obviously, New York and Irish people have great connections, particularly Brian himself. He's built up a great relationship with our Consul General of Ireland in New York itself. A lot of the momentum has come from Brian and Helena. I suppose my ownership team and my chairman for Horse Racing Ireland has spent a lot of time in in the U.S. himself on different assignments in his other walks of life. For us, we've seen a lot of U.S. interest in in Ireland, in racing, in the purchase of thoroughbreds, and we've also seen a lot of Irish-bred horses do really well in the U.S. “We've also seen a lot of U.S. owners choosing to participate in both forms of racing in Ireland, and the signing of this memorandum of understanding is to kind of put that on a more specific footing with the New York area. I think it could be quite exciting. The shape it will take, I think, will evolve as we work on specifics. We're looking at different things, like twinning race tracks. I think that could be great fun both ways, getting people to visit both jurisdictions and participate. We have very successful breeders here who do have locations in the U.S. We may not have focused on this particular area enough, and this affords us that opportunity.” Tracy Egan, the fund's executive director, said that she expects several officials of the New York Racing Association to attend the reception and will want to promote their program. “I'm sure they're going to be talking about the attractiveness of some of their turf racing, and also the fact that we're going to have an artificial track in Belmont.” Egan noted that there is an all-weather track in Ireland at Dundalk, but that the new Belmont Park might be attractive to some owners and trainers. “It would give their horses an option for racing in the winter,” she said. “All things are possible.” Egan said the event at the racing museum will be something of an in-person launch following the agreement. “Part of having this reception, I'm hoping, is going to be where we really create some enthusiasm for this,” she said. “So, it's not just something that's going to sit on a back burner, but something that can really move forward and create some leverage and cooperation so we can really see things happen in the next couple of years.” Eade said she first met O'Dwyer in the June 2023 in discussions that led to the MOU. “There is the shared goal of creating best practice and encourage educational collaboration and promote career opportunities across the two jurisdictions in both the racing and breeding industries,” she said. “Also, we will work together to enhance understanding on welfare and develop a shared recognition of safeguarding standards. As CEO of HRI, I am really looking forward to see what we can achieve through this relationship in the future.” The post Spa Event to Mark NYS Fund Alliance With Irish Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Romeo (Honor A. P.) (hip 370), winner of the June 29 Bashford Manor Stakes, is among five additional supplemental entries to the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, which will be held Tuesday in Lexington. The 2-year-old, a 10 1/4-length debut winner at Laurel in May, was third in the June 5 Tremont Stakes before his front-running 3 3/4-length victory in the Bashford Manor for owner Joseph Lloyd and trainer John Robb. The colt is consigned by Paramount Sales. The latest supplemental entries to the auction also include: Classic Catch (Classic Empire) (hip 366): a two-time stakes-placed 5-year-old coming off a runner-up effort in a June 5 classified allowance race at Saratoga. He is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Jackstown (Speightstown) (hip 367): a 5-year-old who finished third in last year's GI Bing Crosby S. He is consigned by Elite, agent. Delancey Street (Street Sense) (hip 368): An unraced 2-year-old who had three published works at Ellis Park in June, most recently going four furlongs in :49.60 (6/10) June 29. He is consigned by Mulholland Springs, agent for the Estate of D. Wayne Lukas & Partners. Nanzig (Maclean's Music) (hip 369): a 2-year-old filly who finished third in a July 5 maiden special weight at Horseshoe Indianapolis. She is consigned by Mulholland Springs, agent. The July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale will be held immediately following the July Sale of Selected Yearlings, which begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The post Bashford Manor Winner Among Latest Additions to Fasig-Tipton Horses of Racing Age Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bosson in right head space and weight range for racing return www.nzherald.co.nz Https://bitofayarn.com The most surprising aspect of champion jockey Opie Bosson’s comeback is his weight. The 44-year-old superstar of the saddle has confirmed what many horse racing industry insiders had suspected, that he will return to race riding in August after a brief retirement. Bosson stunned punters when retiring on 99 domestic Group 1 winners last December, his motivation at an all-time low after years of battling his weight and as he was also going through a marriage break-up. There was always the feeling that once Bosson got his body and head right, he would return. After all, who retires on 99 not out? But while the return isn’t a surprise, just how right Bosson has got his body is. He is 58.5kg, down from a summer high of around 65kg and aiming to weigh around 56kg when he starts back in the first week of August. “I have been training hard and keeping off the beer,” Bosson told the Herald. “I feel good and now I have decided I am going to do this I feel really good about it. “I want to get down to 56kg to give myself options as a lot of the good fillies and mares carry around that weight. “I have been riding track work and jump outs and return to the trials [Cambridge] on Tuesday.” While the Opie’s Century countdown will be a focal point of his comeback, he won’t get a shot at that until the Tarzino Trophy at Ellerslie on September 6 – but he already has a first main target in mind. “There is a $100,000 Polytrack Championship race at Awapuni on August 3 I’d love to win,” he sayheq After that he says he can’t wait to partner Group 1-placed two-year-old Hostility when he returns on a 2000 Guineas path. Whether he gets to ride Te Akau stars like Damask Rose, Return To Conquer and La Dorada is undecided, though, as that trio are all set to start their spring racing in Victoria. “We haven’t spoken much about the Australian horses [trained at Cranbourne] and my involvement over there,” says Bosson, who is expected to be on some sort of retained rider agreement with Te Akau. “Both Damask Rose and Return To Conquer are already over at Cranbourne and La Dorada heads there on Wednesday.” Te Akau heading into the new season with their stable strength split either side of the Tasman won’t be the only professional change for Bosson next season, with former jockey Michael Coleman taking over as his riding agent. Bosson’s return to the jockey’s room will mean New Zealand’s riding ranks, particularly in the north, are the deepest they have been in at least a decade in terms of experience. He will join soon-to-be premiership winner Craig Grylls, former champs Michael McNab and Warren Kennedy, Joe Doyle, Sam Spratt, George Rooke and a long list of other proven Group 1 jockeys, including Samantha Collett, who has returned from Queensland. Fewer than half of those seniors will be riding at Te Rapa today, with some still on holiday, while the card also has reduced opportunities, with three jumps races and the trainers of plenty of the horses in the main two races using apprentices to claim. The $40,000 main sprint pips the Te Awamutu Cup for race of the day at a typical winter meeting where how the horses handle the track will matter as much, if not more, than class on the Heavy 10.

Providing an instant return on the investment of Resolute Bloodstock, Woodshauna (Wooded) was the one to edge a pulsating four-way go in Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. Sold by Al Shaqab following his defeat of the subsequent G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals in the six-furlong G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly in May, the Francis-Henri Graffard trainee had the pace to come from behind and get between the tight gaps under Christophe Soumillon. Inching ahead inside the last 75 metres, the 12-1 shot had a short neck to spare over Maranoa Charlie (Wootton Bassett), with a short head separating that game front-runner and the revived The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars) and another neck margin back to Shadow Of Light (Lope De Vega) in a finish that promised to go several different ways in the last furlong. The post Resolute Bloodstock’s Woodshauna Prevails In Jean Prat Thriller appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With the late scratching of France's leading contender Juwelier (Wootton Bassett), the path was left clear for domestic hope Hochkonig (Polish Vulcano) and British raider Convergent (Fascinating Rock) to battle out a thrilling finish to Sunday's G1 IDEE 156h Deutsches Derby at Hamburg. With a delayed photo verdict heightening the drama, the crowd were in raptures once Hochkonig was confirmed the short-head winner, with Nina Baltromei becoming the contest's first female rider to celebrate glory. Baltromei employed patient tactics from the outset and settled Hochkonig off the pace in rear for most of the 12-furlong Classic. Making smooth headway into contention in the straight as the pacesetting Delgardo (Best Solution) wilted up front, the 183-10 chance was stoked up with 300 metres remaining and stayed on relentlessly to shade the Karl Burke-trained G3 Chester Vase third on the line after a ding-dong tussle. Stall Lucky Owner's G2 Gran Criterum winner Lazio (Make Believe) fared best of the rest and ran on strongly to finish two lengths adrift in third. It was a second Classic of the year for Yasmin Almenrader, who also saddled runaway G2 German 2000 Guineas heroine Matilda (Soldier Hollow), and the trainer was emotional in the aftermath of a first success the Germany's premium event. “I am absolutely speechless,” she said. “I am somewhat overawed, by Hochkonig and by Nina, who rode such an intelligent race. Hochkonig is a real racehorse and he takes everyting in his stride, but it does take a lot to win such a race. Many thanks also to the breeders Marc and Gabi [Ruehl].” Owner Stall Cloverleaf has just two horses in training and, continuing the underdog theme, Hochkonig was bred by photographer Marc Ruehl along with his wife Gabi. They keep their horses at home, based near Bergheim, not far from the illustrious Gestut Schlenderhan. Hochkonig's sire Polish Vulcano is a son of Lomitas, who is also the sire of top South African sire influence Silvano. Former amateur Nina Baltromei becomes the second apprentice to win the contest, emulating Otto Schmidt aboard Amorino in 1916, and this was her 50th career victory. The race was out of bounds for female jockeys until 1979. “I have not yet comprehended that I actually won,” beamed Baltromei after receiving a boisterous reception from the packed enclosures. “This is absolutely awesome and especially so having received so much support from everyone.”   The post Historic First as Nina Baltromei Claims Deutsches Derby Glory Aboard Hochkonig appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article