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How Covid-19 scuppered Lyle Hewitson’s Japan plans and fast-tracked his Hong Kong return
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Reigning champ Danon Smash, young stars chase Japan’s fourth Hong Kong Sprint in 10 years
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Golden Sixty faces a Japanese onslaught and an Aidan O’Brien star in Hong Kong Mile defence
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By Chief Stipe · Posted
Did Kate Hercock ride for the trainer? She seems to be the Jockey track expert in the CD. As for the track being shifty. That is par for the course with a sand based track. Ellerslie is the same. Which is great news. Were you there? You'd expect some kick back from a Soft 6/rainy weather on sandy track. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Anticipation is building towards Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and bloodstock agents Deuce Greathouse and Jamie McCalmont along with Yulong's Paul Curran, assistant trainer Kate Harrington and trainer Eve Johnson-Houghton, weigh in on the big questions ahead of Tuesday's sale. So, how have the yearling sales treated you so far? Deuce Greathouse: It's been very hard work. Horses have become very expensive but, at the end of the day, I think we found a lot of value. Kate Harrington: We got a lot of business done at Goffs last week in particular and we're delighted with what we have bought. I also purchased one myself at Tattersalls Ireland with the view towards trading it on so I am happy with that as well. We'd like to keep the momentum going into Book 1 and are really looking forward to this week. Paul Curran: The yearling sales have been a bit of a mixed bag so far for us. We have bought two Dark Angels – one at Tattersalls Ireland, which is somewhere we hadn't bought at before, and the other came from the Somerville Sale. I really think that Tattersalls Ireland did a great job this year and that is something that has to be noted. It goes without saying that we are trying to buy quality and not quantity so hopefully we can be active this week. Eve Johnson-Houghton: We've got a good few bought but the market has been extremely strong – for example, the average and the median was up by 49% and 59% respectively at Tattersalls Ireland. But hopefully we've got on well. I will let you know this time next year how well we did! Jamie McCalmont: The bloodstock market has followed all other markets this year and it has been very strong from the top to the bottom. It's very hard to buy the horses that I like to buy because they are making more money than I have to pay for them. Where has the value been? DG: Like always, I think the value play has been targeting the horses who may have been misplaced. So, the horses who don't stick out as much as if they were in a different sale. KH: Overall, the yearling sales have been extremely strong but I'd like to think we found a bit of value during Book 1 of the Orby Sale. I thought it was tough for what was on offer during Book 2 of the Orby but I thought the odd one slipped through during Book 1 at Goffs. PC: The only sale where I saw a bit of value was at Donny. Okay, we didn't buy there because we are looking for a different type of horse but I thought there was a good spread of quality there and there appeared to be some value on offer. EJ-H: I always sniff out value! I think the value has been in turning up. You have to be there for every horse that you have on a list to watch them go through. You can't be disappointed if you keep getting beaten because there will be a day where one falls your way. I know the value of money. I run my own business and everything has to stack up. A lot of my clients do not have a lot of money so I need to operate at a level where they still enjoy it, win, lose or draw. When it gets to a point where it becomes too expensive, people don't enjoy it and that's how you put them off racing. JMcC: I don't think there has been any value. When you look at the clearance rates in the low 90 per cents at all sales, not many horses are slipping through the net. I don't see any holes in the market right now. Is there anything you'd have done differently in hindsight? DG: Listen, we've been doing this for 20 years now and it's been trial and error all of that time. You try to fine tune it as you go and I think all of us in this game over-abuse ourselves for what we did wrong nine months ago when it doesn't work out. A lot of the time, you can put it down to bad luck. Okay, you can get a little sharper on the horses you vet or even the list of vendors who always command a premium. Really, you try to compile a list of horses where, if you buy them, you can think you were sharp. KH: I know everyone else probably says this but I am very happy with the business we did during Book 1 of the Orby Sale. Buying in Euro makes a lot of sense but, as I said, there were a few cracks and hopefully found a few nice ones. PC: We're pretty happy. You know, we have dabbled pretty much everywhere and even bought at the breeze-ups earlier in the year. We don't buy at every sale and are quite select in what we have done. But no regrets so far anyway. EJ-H: Oh, there are loads of horses we left behind. I would have had an extra bid on a couple but you can't have any regrets in this game. You've got to just keep kicking and keep on looking forward. JMcC: No. I'd have liked to have had more money, though! Would you agree or disagree that, whether it's an agent, a trainer or even a breeze-up handler, it has become harder to compete at the yearling sales? DG: There's a lot more people buying horses now. There used to be situations where you had camps who were grouped together and, if they weren't on a horse, you could find value. It's not like that anymore. Every time you look up, there is someone different signing for a horse for a lot of money. Whether you think it's a good thing or a bad thing, the superpower trainers are changing the dynamic of racing. KH: Definitely, because the nicer horses are becoming more and more obvious. The 80 grand horse is now costing 100 grand and it has been a gradual trend. It can be tough but you need to stay true to your valuations and keep patient until the opportunities present themselves. The cost of everything is on the rise but, when you have an owner who wants to spend 50 grand, it's very hard to turn around and ask them to spend 100 grand. You need to stay realistic. PC: Definitely. The top level is getting stronger and stronger and, from Yulong's perspective, the competition for those high-end horses is very strong. Kia [Joorabchian] was extremely strong here last year for example and that wiped a few horses off our list straight away! We are strong in our own right but it definitely can be difficult when you are competing with the likes of Amo Racing and Godolphin. EJ-H: It's very hard to compete. This year, the market has been surprisingly strong. The horses we were buying for 10 grand last year, we've had to spend 20 grand on them this year. There has been an exponential jump. JMcC: Very much so. The Americans made a big difference to the European market last year. They bought 60 or 70 horses all between that 200 and 300 grand mark. There used to be a case where it would be horses making 500 grand and then there would be a big drop-off. Now, the drop-off is not as severe. There are literally no gaps anymore. I've never known the market to be this strong in my lifetime. What young stallion has caught your attention – in the ring or on the track? DG: The Minzaals look very sharp. They look nice. KH: I have been blown away by what Starman has done on the track this year. Of the first-season sires for next year, the State Of Rests are very classy. They are good-looking, easy-moving horses and we actually bought a nice filly by him at Goffs last week on behalf of Alpha Racing. PC: What Starman has done this year is phenomenal. To be a Group 1 producer in his first crop is an amazing achievement. He looks as though he can compete at the highest level and, as we saw at some of the yearling sales this year, it didn't matter what the pedigree of some yearlings was like. All that mattered was the stallion and they sold extremely well across the board. They are like hot buns – everyone is trying to get their hands on them! I must say, I am a big fan of Palace Pier as well. EJ-H: The State Of Rests have been lovely. I haven't bought one yet but I have tried to buy a few. They have been good value and very athletic. The Bayside Boys have been very athletic as well. JMcC: Blackbeard and State Of Rest. I like their stock a lot. In a nutshell, what are you hoping to achieve this week? DG: Find horses who can win races – and ones we can make money on. If we can do both, we'll be happy. KH: Buy the next champion. PC: We wouldn't be here if we didn't think we could buy a nice athletic horse who could prove to be something special next year. That's the dream. EJ-H: To buy a champion. JMcC: If I can buy three or four nice horses, I will be very happy. The post Book 1 Q&A: ‘I’ve Never Known The Market To Be This Strong In My Lifetime’ 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
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will serve as a sponsor of the Freestyle discipline at this year's Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. The 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, will take place at the Kentucky Horse Park Oct. 8-11. The event is designed to showcase the talent and versatility of off-track Thoroughbreds, while supporting their transition to successful second careers. The Freestyle discipline will take place Oct. 9 in the Covered Arena beginning at 8 a.m. This discipline is a free-form competition designed to demonstrate the skills of the trainer's choice. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will also host a booth at the vendor fair during the Thoroughbred Makeover, where riders and attendees can learn more about accredited aftercare and its vital role in ensuring the long-term care of retired racehorses. The post TAA to Sponsor Freestyle Discipline at Thoroughbred Makeover Symposium 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
The victory of Daryz (Sea The Stars) in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp has been rated as the best performance in Europe this season by the experts at Timeform. In inflicting a first defeat this season on Minnie Hauk (Frankel), with the pair well clear of the remainder, Daryz achieved a Timeform rating of 131 (from 122p), passing the benchmark of 130 for top-class form. Timeform's European rankings had previously been headed by Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) and Field Of Gold (Kingman) on 130. Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) remains Timeform's highest-rated horse in the world on 135. Minnie Hauk, who finished five and a half lengths ahead of third-placed Sosie (Sea The Stars), improved her Timeform rating to 127 (from 124p) and is rated higher than the last two female winners of the race. For comparison, last year's winner, Bluestocking, achieved a rating of 123, while Alpinista was rated 126 in 2022. It's also notable that Daryz has been rated as the best Arc winner since Waldgeist earned a figure of 132 when denying Enable a hat-trick in 2019. Timeform handicapper Rory King said, “This was a wide-open Arc on paper but, although it was lacking a standout performer, it's hard to argue with the strength in depth of the field given 12 of the 17 runners had been successful in a Group 1, and three of them had won Classics this year. “Daryz was actually one of the handful who hadn't won at the highest level, but, in pulling clear with Minnie Hauk at the end of a well-run race, he showed much-improved form. Indeed, the form is worth rating as the best running of the race since Waldgeist prevented Enable's treble in 2019. “It's no surprise at all from his pedigree that Daryz was suited by this first taste of a mile and a half, and perhaps he could dominate the European middle-distance division if kept in training at four, although his year-older stablemate Calandagan (129) – who couldn't run in the Arc having been gelded – will have something to say about that.” The post Daryz Surpasses Field Of Gold and Ombudsman to Top Timeform’s European Rankings 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
The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. will host its annual general membership meeting and educational seminar Sunday at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Saratoga Springs. This year's seminar, titled “Keeping or Selling? Mapping Your Breeding Goals,” will focus on how breeders and owners can forecast and manage their breeding strategies, while balancing market demands and long-term objectives for breeding and racing. Sponsored by the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund, the seminar will feature Becky Thomas, owner of Sequel New York and Sequel at Winding Oaks in Ocala; Linda Rice, a leading New York trainer for more than a decade; and Peter Penny, one of the foremost yearling inspectors for the Fasig-Tipton sales company. The panel will be moderated by Tom Gallo, NYTB board member and former president, as well as managing partner of Dream Maker Racing Stable and owner of Blue Stone Farm in Cambridge, New York. “The focus of our educational seminar this year is to provide breeders and owners with valuable insight into making key decisions–from mating choices to maximizing a foal's value at auction,” said NYTB Executive Director Najja Thompson. “We are fortunate to have such an accomplished panel willing to share their knowledge, and we encourage everyone to attend.” The event, which includes a complimentary dinner and cocktail hour, will run from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP by Friday at nytbreeders.org/events. To promote the open format of the seminar, NYTB is soliciting questions in advance. Questions may be emailed to info@nytbreeders.org. Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga pavilion will also host an open-house celebration to honor longtime New York breeder Chester Broman's 90th birthday next Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. The celebration will include beverages, hors d'oeuvres, birthday cake, a live band, and video replays of many memorable Broman-bred runners. “Chester has been a pillar of New York breeding and racing, but more than that, he's been a mentor, role model, and friend to so many,” said Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, President of NYTB. “His passion for horses and his commitment to doing things the right way have set a standard that inspires breeders and owners across the state.” The post Thomas, Penny, Rice to Headline NYTB Seminar Sunday; Celebration to Honor Chester Broman Monday 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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