Wandering Eyes

This year's Travers Stakes (G1) has attracted a classic winner and a top filly.View the full article

The Aug. 3 Whitney Stakes (G1) didn't work out for Skippylongstocking, but trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has turned the page and entered the 5-year-old Exaggerator horse back to defend his title in the $1 million Aug. 23 Charles Town Classic (G2).View the full article

Returning to the site of his first grade 1 win, leading 3-year-old sprinter Book'em Danno will have a chance to add another top level victory to his resume Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course in the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1).View the full article

2023 winner Idiomatic returns in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1). She will attempt to become the first repeat winner since Beautiful Pleasure in 1999-2000 in the Aug. 23 race against four challengers.View the full article

An $800 NHC & BCBC Handicapping contest, with cash prizes also awarded to the top 10 finishers, will be available online and onsite at Monmouth Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, the track said in Wednesday release. TVG, 4NJBETS and Xpressbet are the available online options for contest players. There is a non-refundable entry fee of $400 and a tournament bankroll of $400 for races at Monmouth Park and Saratoga, with contestants required to wager on a minimum of five of the local races of at least $80 each. For TVG and 4NJBETS customers, online pre-registration ends at 3 p.m. ET. on Friday, Aug. 23. Xpress players can register through 12:50 p.m. ET. on Saturday. On-site registration is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET. on the first floor of Clubhouse. Based on 200 entries, the prize pool will consist of three NHC seats, four BCBC seats and $25,000 cash. To pre-register, email bskirka@monmouthpark.com. The post NHC And BCBC Contest Set For Saturday At Monmouth appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

YORK, UK — Those rather dangerous words issued last October after the Dewhurst don't seem quite so bold now. “He's our Frankel,” said City Of Troy's part-owner Michael Tabor back then. It may still seem like sacrilege, especially on a day when Juddmonte sponsors the big race, to compare any other Thoroughbred to Frankel, but at York there has truly been no anticipation so intense, no reception so rapturous, since Henry Cecil's wonder horse took the Knavesmire by storm in the Juddmonte International Stakes 12 years ago. Twelve years gone in a blink and a heartbeat, and it has been 15 since Sea The Stars completed the fourth leg of his six-run tour de force during his magnificent three-year-old season. He was remembered, too, at York on Wednesday. First through his son The Lion In Winter (Ire) – the only horse by the sire in all of Ballydoyle – who set a new track record when beating what looked to be a quality field in the G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes. He is all about the future, and certainly the bookies think so, as he is now around 6/1 favourite for next year's Derby. It will be a long winter for fans of The Lion. The present, though, belongs to City Of Troy, a colt of sheer brilliance whose one fluffed line has been the source of more crabbing and doubting than most top horses ever have to endure. He doesn't know it though, and when Plan A faltered from the off and City Of Troy and Ryan Moore found themselves making the running for the 13-runner field of stars from afar, a back-up plan was swiftly deployed by Moore to boss the race from the front. He is probably bored with hearing praise heaped on him, but we should not tire of witnessing the golden age of Moore, whose trademark calm under pressure enabled him and his unflappable partner to add the Juddmonte International Trophy to a cabinet which already contains those awarded for the Derby and the Eclipse. In so doing, City Of Troy lowered the course record held by Sea The Stars when stopping the clock at 2m 4.32s. There was, however, no stopping the horse himself when, in customary fashion, he tanked on past the line once again looking like he was giving his rider a proper workout in his attempts to pull him up. “It wasn't really the plan and when you see he was getting hassled the whole way round and had to do it the hard way, it makes it a very impressive performance indeed,” said MV Magnier, representing another of City Of Troy's part-owners, his mother Sue. “He beat Sea The Stars's record by more than a second and that speaks volumes really. He's a very special horse and we are very lucky to have him.” And, with a wry riposte to the many jokes back in the spring about City Of Troy's height, he added, “I wish they made a lot of little horses like him.” Though the Coolmore team is well used to competing for huge purses at the world's richest race meetings, the efforts that the York Race Committee has put into this week's Sky Bet Ebor Festival have not gone unnoticed. None of the 28 races over the four days are worth less than £100,000 and the total prize-money on offer is £6.85 million. Wednesday's Juddmonte International Stakes, at £1.25 million, was the most valuable race ever run on the Knavesmire. Magnier said, “I just have to say that the job that York racecourse has done here is second to no other racecourse in England. What they have put into prize-money, they deserve to get the very best horses in the world coming here because of what they have put into this meeting, with the World Pool and everything.” The next question will be where we will see this son of Justify race next. City Of Troy has run just once, on debut, in Ireland where he is trained, and the British crowds have reaped the benefits of his six runs since then. But it is to the land of his birth that Aidan O'Brien often refers when pondering his future, and a tilt at the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar has to be likely now, perhaps after he adds a few thousand to the gate for the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes in mid-September. Wherever he goes, make the effort to go with him. They are a long time retired these good horses, but those days when you can say 'I was there' live on even longer in the memory. The post ‘I Wish They Made a Lot of Small Horses Like Him’: Magnier Lauds City Of Troy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After entering stable star Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in both Friday's Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town and Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., trainer Derek Ryan confirmed Wednesday that his New Jersey-bred gelding will go in the Saratoga race. Both races are restricted to three-year-olds, have purses of $500,000 and will be run at the distance of seven furlongs. “We're going to Saratoga,” Ryan said from his base at Monmouth Park. “He got a good post (post 8). At Charles Town, he got a bad post (post 2) and it's a two-turn race. He doesn't like to be down in there tight and with the speed drawn to the outside of him that's probably what would have happened. I know Saratoga is the tougher of the two. But it's Saratoga. You win a race at Charles Town and no one will know that it happened. “If I drew the one or two hole in Saratoga, it would have been a no-brainer. I'd be going to the other place. I'm surprised I'm the only one who cross entered. A lot of people are hoping to win the Jerkens to make their horses stallions. I wouldn't mind shattering their dreams.” After running second in the Saudi Derby, Book'em Danno has reeled off wins in the GI Woody Stephens S. and the Jersey Shore S. He will not have an easy assignment in Saratoga. Book 'em Danno has been installed as the 7-2 morning line favorite, but will have to tangle with a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' in Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) (4-1) and Timberlake (Into Mischief), who was third in the GI Haskell and is 5-1 in the line. The race drew 11 horses. The post Ryan Picks Jerkens For Book’em Danno appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On Nov. 9 last year, veteran trainer Steve Klesaris shipped his mare She's Awesome from Delaware Park to Aqueduct to compete in the second race. When she arrived, the receiving barns were full, and so, She's Awesome (Flatter) was sent instead to the track's auxiliary stabling, used as an overflow. The auxiliary barn is adjacent to staff bathrooms, with a lot of foot traffic through it, said Klesaris. It's also used to stable ponies, he added. She's Awesome won that day. But a post-race test came up positive for the anti-seizure drug gabapentin, for which Klesaris was recently issued a 15-day suspension and $1,000 fine. Klesaris maintains his innocence. He said he strongly suspects the positive was the result of gabapentin-using backstretch workers urinating in the stall. “Anybody can walk in, urinate on the floor, urinate on the walls, nobody knows. There's no padlocks on the doors. They're wide open,” he said. “This is the way we've always done things,” Klesaris said, of receiving barn hygiene and safety protocols in general. But that status-quo needs to change, he said. And fast. “Whatever we do, we need to have a much better plan to have cleaner stalls,” he added. Klesaris isn't alone. With no strict, uniform set of enforceable receiving barn standards to which all track operators must adhere, they're left, in many ways, to police themselves–a scenario that appears to leave much to be desired. Trainers across the country frequently complain of horses shipping into stalls containing dirty bedding, or feed from the previous occupant, or muck and urine on the walls. Poor track security measures can leave some stakeholders wondering who had access to the stall before they got there. Some tracks use their ship-in stalls to stable horses that work in the mornings, and for horses going through the sales, again leading to questions over just what drug residues are potentially left behind as a result. Then there's the condition of the stalls themselves. Even if the boxes were cleaned to the highest standard each time a horse leaves, dirt floors make it difficult to disinfect them fully, while porous materials mean that pressure-washing and disinfecting might not ever rid the stall walls of trace drug residues. This issue has become something of a clarion call among trainers since the advent of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), where the ultimate insurer rule places the burden of responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the trainers. In turn, they say it's high time track operators carried some of this responsibility as well. It should also be noted that while the HISA Authority has opened a confidential tip-line for stakeholders to submit formal complaints about a track's receiving barn, the federal agency says it has to-date received no such reports. At the end of the day, however, a well-run and properly enforced system of receiving barn hygiene and security measures would help all parties. Regulators could mount a much stronger prosecutorial case, while trainers striving to do the right thing would have far greater certainty that the stalls they're shipping into won't inadvertently trip a post-race test. Indeed, HISA's in the process off drafting such rules. “This shouldn't even be a topic of conversation,” said trainer Ron Moquett, who sits on HISA's horsemen's advisory committee. “As long as we're cleaning up the sport, let's clean up the stalls.” Survey of the Tracks The National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) recently surveyed its affiliates about the physical condition of receiving barns, and the standards of cleanliness that occur between horses leaving and arriving. The answers illustrate something of a crapshoot. Jon Moss, executive director of the Iowa HBPA, described Prairie Meadows's receiving barns as “a B to C level of upkeep,” with kicked wooden walls and some rusting brackets that need to be replaced. Moss said that track management routinely strips the stalls between each horse arriving. The floors are also matted, which he takes as a plus. However, while the stalls are not power-washed or disinfected, the daily logistics of the receiving barn area would make such practices difficult, said Moss (more on this in a bit). One responder from the Mid-Atlantic region said that the stalls are cleaned by the racetrack operator, “but they do not do a great job or disinfect them and may have leftovers from a previous horse.” This responder asked the TDN not to name the specific track for fear of retaliation to the trainers. Another responder–who again asked the TDN for anonymity–described a separate Mid-Atlantic track as “deplorable,” with fresh straw “thrown over top of manure and urine.” Leroy Gessmann, executive director of the Arizona HBPA, described the Turf Paradise receiving barn as being in a “terrible condition,” with stalls that remain uncleaned “unless the people leaving muck them out” and no use of disinfectant. According to Turf Paradise general manager Vince Francia, the receiving barn is primarily used to stable Quarter Horses, over which HISA has no jurisdiction, while Thoroughbred ship-ins (about 1%, he said) stable at the receiving barn, with the vast majority stabled in the main barn area. He also argued that a full-time attendant cleaned and disinfected the stalls thoroughly after use. Ron Moquett | Coady According to Moquett, while some tracks are better than others at maintaining their receiving barns, none give him high confidence that one of his ship-in horses is entering a fully clean, uncontaminated area. “I think Churchill Downs try hard and I think Oaklawn tries hard,” said Moquett, commending them for painting over the porous walls to help with cleaning. But at many tracks, especially those with dirt floor stalls, even the strictest hygiene protocols would be an exercise in futility, said Moquett, who recently faced a post-race mepivacaine positive. The case was ultimately resolved with no sanctions after Moquett successfully argued the positive was likely the result of environmental contamination–this, after the stall had been cleaned prior to occupancy. “Racetracks need to understand the importance and the liability that it places on people who may be coming into contact with something, and they have no knowledge of exposure or risk,” said Moquett. Indeed, as several studies have shown, receiving barns can be a hot-spot for a variety of substances that routinely show-up in post-race tests. Studies In 2015, Charles Town racecourse switched laboratories and adopted the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium's (RMTC) drug testing schedule. After that, there were a series of low-level positives at the track for naproxen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). In response, West Virginia Racing Commission personnel swabbed 21 ship-in stalls at Charles Town. A total of 28 different substances were detected, including human recreational drugs, along with human and equine therapeutic substances. The most common was cocaine and two of its metabolites, found in 10 separate stalls. Of the therapeutic substances, two of the stalls swabbed positive for metformin, the diabetes drug garnering a lot of attention in HISA's drug enforcement efforts. Naproxen (four stalls), acepromazine and the anticholinergic glycopyrrolate (three stalls) were the three most commonly-detected equine medications. Only four stalls reportedly came back with no positive findings. Though the authors explained that they did not know precisely how the areas were swabbed or sampled-the data was obtained via a public records request-other published papers appear to support their findings. This 2008 paper documented tests conducted on dirt samples taken from the receiving barn stall floors at a Louisiana racetrack. Phenylbutazone, flunixin, naproxen, caffeine and furosemide were all readily identified in the dirt, though not at levels reportedly high enough to trigger a positive test. This 2020 study determined the amount of time horses fed hay soaked in dexamethasone-containing urine tested above a certain level for the drug after consumption. And this French study published in 2011 found that horses given flunixin were less likely to experience “rebound” flunixin levels if removed and placed into a clean box 24 hours after administration, as opposed to those that remained in the same dirty box. In other words, horses who eat bedding soaked in their own flunixin-containing urine appear to recycle the drug back into their systems. In October of 2020, the Steve Asmussen-trained Saffa's Day (Carpe Diem) tested positive for dexamethasone after winning at Keeneland on his debut. As part of the trainer's defense, the stall that Saffa's Day was stabled in–in the trainer's regular barn, not the ship-in stalls-was broken into 12 quadrants for swabbing, and dexamethasone was detected in each of these quadrants, said Asmussen's attorney, Clark Brewster. Dr. Stuart Brown | Keeneland One of the swabs had enough dexamethasone to trigger a positive test, said Brewster. The case was resolved with a DQ and a $500 fine. Because of the proximity of the Keeneland September sales the month prior, Brewster speculated whether the two were linked. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, Keeneland's vice president of equine safety, the track's receiving barn is used to house the sales horses. Brown outlined, however, a series of receiving barn hygiene and security measures Keeneland instituted in 2023 that appear to be among the most stringent in the country. This includes an inspection of the entire receiving barn area at the end of the raceday, the cleaning and disinfecting of vacated stalls, which are subsequently locked with a tamper proof zip-tie, along with new, easier-to-clean matted flooring. “The barns are inspected every morning at 5:15. Every stall in that barn is gone over individually for any potential debris or material left in there,” said Brown. All the while, “the barn remains under 24-hour surveillance on our video cameras,” he added. Data on Ship-ins The TDN recently asked HISA for the number of methamphetamine and metformin positives from ship-ins. Of the 13 methamphetamine positives identified up to that point, seven were ship-ins. (Note: The five methamphetamine positives trainer Dick Clark accrued between June 19 and July 22 last year are classed as one event). Horse stall | Horsephotos Of the 11 metformin positives identified, six were ship-ins. The connections of five of these 13 ship-in positives, including two of the metformin positives, said in media reports that the findings were probably the result of contamination from staff hygiene lapses. If those five cases were removed from the ship-in list, that leaves seven tracks where the horses had shipped in, and where connections claim they had no explanation for how the positive findings occurred. Another key detail: What percentage of overall runners do ship-in horses comprise at each of these tracks? Though this number is always a moving target, HISA estimates–using data supplied by the tracks–that ship-ins make up about 45% of the overall runners at Belterra Park (where two positives occurred), 38% at Delaware Park, 40% at Horseshoe Indianapolis, 30% at Laurel Park, 25% at Monmouth Park, 20% at Penn National, and 15% at Tampa Bay. When asked for his thoughts on these numbers, Robert Holland, an expert in respiratory and infectious diseases, said he believed “any contaminated stall could be an issue when a horse that had been treated was in it before your horse,” due to the sensitivity of modern testing. Holland applauded HISA's recent attempts to educate the industry on good stable hygiene, including a set of new posters. “I really do like them because it helps with discussions between the trainers and their staff,” he said. Rules and Regulations HISA's receiving barn regulations are a loosely-worded set of guidelines that allow for much wiggle-room. When asked about the layers of scrutiny that HISA places on receiving barns, HISA assistant general counsel Sam Reinhardt wrote in an email that all racetracks undergo accreditation visits that include “cleanliness and protocol reviews.” Track's safety officers oversee them daily. HIWU investigators also monitor common areas like the receiving barns, “for cleanliness and other appropriate security measures,” he wrote. “In fact, they visit receiving barns unannounced to verify the conditions and cleanliness,” wrote Reinhardt. Which leads to the next question: How do other leading global jurisdiction manage the issue? The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has four pages of “racecourse stabling” hygiene, cleaning and use requirements to which all tracks must adhere, or face sanctions like possible fines. After a horse vacates its box, for example, tracks are required to remove everything except the clean bedding. This includes soiled bedding, droppings and food. Fresh high-quality bedding, neither dusty nor moldy, is added, and the whole area is sprayed with a chemical disinfectant. Additionally, racecourse stables must be thoroughly stripped, steam-cleaned or pressure-hosed before being chemically disinfected at least every three months. The BHA sends “Course Inspectors” to each track about three to four times a year to inspect the track including the stable area. BHA Integrity Team | Jim Miller On race-days, BHA “Equine Welfare and Integrity Officers” and veterinary officers inspect the stable area a few hours before the first race, though they won't be able to check inside the boxes, which are sealed with tape. When the trainer or their representatives arrive at the racecourse the day of the race, the onus is on them to ensure the boxes are indeed fit for habitation. “They break the seal, open the door, and we tell them, 'do not put the horse in until you are satisfied with that stable,'” said Cathy O'Meara, BHA head of raceday officials. If the trainer or representative finds something amiss, they must first alert the BHA's Equine Welfare and Integrity Officer, who will then initiate a steward's inquiry. That inquiry would most likely include the clerk of the course, the track's stable manager, the trainer or their representative, and another BHA official. “The trainer always would have the ability to withdraw their horse under no penalty if they felt it was compromised in any way,” said O'Meara. “And they have the ability to request testing, though under certain circumstances.” No sanctions are issued on race-day–rather, the inquiry is a fact-finding mission to gather together as much contemporaneous evidence as possible, like pictures and testimony. This information is put into a report, which is then forwarded to the BHA's disciplinary office, which ultimately determines whether disciplinary actions are warranted. If the horse enters the box before a problem is discovered, however, the horse's connections must tell the stewards if they still wish to race, knowing they will be responsible for any sample findings. “It's key that this isn't just us as a regulator–it's equally the trainer's responsibility to confirm that they are happy with this stall as well. You can't come to us after you have a positive test and say, 'there was feed in my stable.'” The BHA lists 18 reported stable hygiene incidents since the beginning of 2019. At least six of them resulted in fines of £3,500 each for problems like feed found in the stable, and of the presence of blood-stained cotton wool. One track was fined £1,500 after a cutlery knife was found in the box. What Should Be Done? There's a whole ocean between the way racing is conducted in Britain–where all runners ship into racetrack stables mostly for just one day of racing–and the U.S., where one track can conduct a meet often for many months at a time. It's these differences that Moss sees as a major impediment to adopting a similar policy where each stall is pressure washed and disinfected between occupancy. “I don't know when they can get it done because if you've got horses in one stall that's next to another empty stall, you don't want to be a bringing power washer in there,” said Moss, calling it a safety issue. “Trying to do it on a continuous basis, I don't know if it's frankly practical.” At the post | Prairie Meadows For one, Prairie Meadows is often full to capacity, and so, there are no overflow barns that ship-in horses could be temporarily relocated, said Moss. Another concern, he added, is the manpower hours such a task would require. “That's a lot of excessive work for them to do.” Those interviewed for this story, however, largely suggested improvements in three main areas. A common refrain was that, where tracks have the staff and the ability to thoroughly clean and disinfect stalls between horses, they should. The second deals with the stalls themselves. All pushed for the elimination of dirt floors, to be replaced with concrete floors or mats. According to Moquett, the walls should be smooth-surfaced and paintable, to make them non-porous. The third component concerns security. Among the ideas floated were tightly restricted access to receiving barns, well-secured stalls after they've been cleaned, and 24-hour CCTV camera coverage. “Put cameras in every stall so you'll know what's going on,” said Klesaris. “Periodically, there ought to be a test done on those stalls before anybody moves in,” said Moquett. “And if any of those stalls were to test poorly, then they should be sanctioned just like the horseman would.” According to Reinhardt, HISA will soon be circulating for industry comment a proposed draft rule “containing specific guidelines for receiving barns,” compliance failures for which could result in sanctions for the track. Though still in their draft form, the rules currently require tracks to “thoroughly disinfect each stall after occupancy, secure the stall door with a tamper resistant security tag, ensure security personnel are present to prevent unauthorized access to Covered Horses and the receiving barn, and install high-resolution security cameras to monitor the activities in and around the receiving barn,” wrote Reinhardt. “At the end of the day,” said Moquett about these ongoing negotiations, “I want both sides to come together in an effort to try to get it right.” The post Receiving Barns: `Let’s Clean Up the Sport, And The Stalls’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International Stakes attracted its first double-digit field since Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) defeated 11 rivals in 2016 and this year's renewal witnessed a performance for the ages as City Of Troy (Justify) made all to smash the track record of Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) by almost one second in the £1.25million 10-furlong feature. The eventual winner, sent off as the 5-4 favourite, was slick from the gates and seized immediate control. Asked to stretch in early straight, his response was emphatic and he maintained a relentless high tempo up front to easily withstand the late threat of Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who also dipped below the old benchmark, by a length. Jeff Smith's G1 Eclipse Stakes third Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) ran on well in the latter stages to finish 3 1/2 lengths further adrift in third. CITY OF TROY makes all in a stellar running of the £1.25m Juddmonte International! @yorkracecourse pic.twitter.com/H5CKF7kCCM — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 21, 2024 The post Justify’s City Of Troy Makes All In International, Breaks Sea The Stars’ Record appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Despite the late scratching of Derby fourth Deira Mile (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), York's G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes still produced a thrilling finish as Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and G1 Irish Derby hero Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}–Frequential {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) defied a five-pound Group 1 penalty in the near 12-furlong test. The 5-4 favourite settled in the wake of stablemates Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), himself racing under a three-pound Group 2 penalty, as the five-runner field raced in single file until turning for home. Nudged along in early straight, Los Angeles arrived on the front end going well with a quarter-mile remaining and came under a late drive to withstand the renewed effort of Illinois and late thrust of King's Gambit (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) by a neck and the same. The winner became the first horse since Belmez (El Gran Senor) in 1990 to successfully carry a Group 1 penalty in the contest, albeit from a small sample size. Tough cookie Irish Derby winner Los Angeles lasts out in an exciting finish to the @SkyBet Great Voltigeur for Ryan Moore, Aidan O'Brien and @Ballydoyle. The first horse to carry a Group One penalty to victory in this race since 1990! @yorkracecourse pic.twitter.com/VXucYIV1Mh — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 21, 2024 The post Camelot’s Los Angeles Defies Group 1 Penalty With Battling Success in the Great Voltigeur appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien trainee The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–What A Home {Ire}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}), a €375,000 Goffs Orby yearling, attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with an impressive debut display tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh last month and stepped forward to deliver a track-record performance over the same trip in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York. The 2-1 second favourite was swiftly into stride and raced on the front end from flagfall in this one-turn test. Nudged along when threatened passing the quarter-mile marker, he refused to yield and stayed on powerfully under whipless cajoling in the latter stages to lower the course record by a whopping 0.74 seconds. At the line, he was 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko), with a half-length back to 'TDN Rising Star' Ruling Court (Justify) in third. Pedigree Notes The Lion In Winter is the second of three foals and lone scorer produced by G3 Pinnacle Stakes third What A Home (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), herself a half-sister to dual Group 3 winner and G1 Irish Oaks, G1 Yorkshire Oaks, G1 Pretty Polly Stakes and G1 Nassau Stakes placegetter Venus De Milo (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}). Venus De Milo, in turn, is the dam of G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup victor Cleveland (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). The Lion In Winter's second dam Inchmahome (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is a half-sister to multiple Group 1-placed sire Inchinor (GB) (Ahonoora {GB}) out of G2 Child Stakes victrix Inchmurrin (Ire) (Lomond). The January-foaled bay is full to a weanling filly. He's exciting! Sea The Stars colt The Lion In Winter remains unbeaten in the £165,000 @Tattersalls1766 Acomb Stakes for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien @yorkracecourse pic.twitter.com/4H3kmftV8k — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 21, 2024 The post TDN Rising Star The Lion In Winter Breaks York Track Record in the Acomb appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Thursday at Saratoga and Del Mar: Thursday, August 22, 2024 Saratoga 1, $90k, 2yo, f, (S), 6f, 1:10 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Material Girl (Central Banker), OBSAPR, 140,000, :9 4/5 C-Wavertree Stables Inc (C Dunne), agt; B-Team Hanley & 30 Year Farm, BSW/Crow, agent Princess Mischief (Honest Mischief), FTMMAY, 55,000, :10 1/5 C-Sequel Bloodstock, agent; B-Chris Englehart, agent With the Angels (Omaha Beach), OBSAPR, 350,000, :9 4/5 C-Wavertree Stables Inc (C Dunne), agt; B-Justin Casse, agent Del Mar 4, $75k, 2yo, f, 5fT, 6:30 p.m. ET Twirling Light (Twirling Candy), OBSMAR, 600,000, :10 C-Eddie Woods, agent; B-Jet Horse LLC, Peter Miller, agent The post Summer Breezes, Sponsored By OBS: August 22, 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Mark Walker stable did not expect the transformation Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt) made during her initial campaign in Melbourne. Sans Doute raced her way from a handicap rating of 72 when she landed at Walker’s Cranbourne stable and six months later, after eight starts, Sans Doute had increased that to 98. That was a bit of a surprise for Walker’s assistant Ben Gleeson who runs the Cranbourne stable, especially after Sans Doute ran poorly at Seymour in her second Australian outing. Not long after though, Sans Doute went on a four-run winning spree, culminating in the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) before a narrow defeat in the Gr.3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) in Adelaide to wind up her campaign. Sans Doute is ready for a return to racing and does so in the Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday. The Norman Carlyon has brought together a field of nine after 12 were entered for the race. Gleeson took advantage of taking Sans Doute to Moonee Valley for a reacquaintance gallop at the track having finished second and third there in two previous outings. “Michael Dee (who rides on Saturday) said she was pretty ‘looky’, but I thought she travelled up nicely and changed her leg around the bend and finished off her work nicely,” Gleeson said. “She had a good blow and will have a lot of improvement to come, but she needed the trip away. She only had the one jump-out and she needed the stimulation of being away from home.” Despite the small number of opponents on Saturday, Gleeson feels Sans Doute will need the run. “If you look at her previous preps, she’s improved pretty drastically after two or three runs and that’s the way we’re viewing this preparation as well,” Gleeson said. “I wouldn’t say there is a goal for her, it’s just a matter of where she stacks up. “Ideally, we’d like to get her back down the straight when that opportunity presents, but that will be after we get a gauge on where she finishes on Saturday and where she goes to next. “What we want to try to do is build that Black Type for her and if she can build that rating up into the 100’s, she could earn a spot in a Group 1 field, but we’ve got to get the runs on the board before she proves she’s up to that.” View the full article

Trainer Mick Nolan and jockey Luke Nolen joked post-race who had the correct surname after they combined to land a winner at Sandown. Lightly raced Stylish Secret (NZ) (Sweet Orange) took out the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Plate (1500m) on Wednesday to give trainer Nolan his second city success. Nolan was the longtime foreman for Mick Price at Caulfield, but when Michael Kent Jnr joined Price in a training partnership, Nolan decided to branch out on his own. Having one previous city win to his name previously – Grand Touraine at Moonee Valley in November last year – Nolan said it was exciting to land a long-priced winner at Sandown. Stylish Secret ($17) scored by a neck from Khabalov ($5) with Pammukale ($101) a neck away third. Ironically, the runner-up was prepared by the Price and Kent Jnr team. Nolan said he was surprised with the initial opening price of Stylish Secret. “Sportsbet put up $71, so the bloke that did that doesn’t watch his videos too closely,” Nolan said. “He’s a good little horse. He’s not very big and I’ve kept telling all the boys, a few of them have football backgrounds, that he is a little ‘Tommy Hafey’, and since day one he’s been a little racehorse, easy to train.” Stylish Secret had been ridden in his first two starts by 4kg claiming apprentice Nadia Daniels who Nolan said had done most of the work. Nolan added Stylish Secret would also appreciate stepping out further in trip. “He’s by staying sire, so he’ll get a bit more ground yet,” Nolan said. “It’s a great thrill and it’s great to have Lukey on as well. He’s a champion bloke. “I know he has the same last name, but the spelling is wrong, but I’m only too happy to have him on.” Nolan and Nolen may not have worked closely together when they were based at Caulfield, Nolan for Price and Nolen with Peter Moody. But they got on well and Nolen said it was a pleasure to finally get a winner across the line. “I’ve had few rides for him, without winning, but they’ve all run well and it’s good to get one over the line for him,” Nolen said. “He’s the backbone character that we build this industry on, so it’s a special privilege to be able to win races for a bloke like Mick.” View the full article

What 2024 Winx Stakes Where Royal Randwick Racecourse – Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031 When Saturday, August 24, 2024 Prizemoney $1,000,000 Distance 1400m Conditions Weight For Age 2023 winner Fangirl (13) | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (57kg) Visit Dabble The Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) headlines the action at Randwick on Saturday afternoon, with a quality field of 12 set to line up in the $1 million feature. 11 of the 12 runners engaged are resuming in the first Group 1 of the 2024/25 season, with trainer Chris Waller producing a strong hand once again with seven gallopers representing his stable, including last year’s winner, Fangirl. Can she make it back-to-back wins in the Winx Stakes? Or is there an upset brewing? 2024 Winx Stakes odds Fangirl has been installed as a $2.00 favourite with horse racing bookmakers for the first Group 1 of the season, closely followed by stable companion Via Sistina on the second line of betting at $5.50. There’s been good early support for Zougotcha opening at $11.00 and firming into $9.50, while you can get double-figure odds for every other runner, including Tropical Squall ($10.00) and Semana ($11.00), seemingly the best of those at an each-way price. 2024 Winx Stakes speed map There should be a genuine tempo in the Winx Stakes courtesy of the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained pair of Tropical Squall (11) and Just Fine (4). The latter should clear to the front, provided Rachel King wants to put the foot down, with the stablemate likely to career across and sit outside the lead. The Ciaron Maher-trained duo of Detonator Jack (2) and Semana (5) should land in the perfect stalking positions, while the likes of Zardozi (1) and Zougotcha (6) should be prominent. Meanwhile, Fangirl (9), Via Sistina (7) and Riff Rocket (12) will all be ridden back towards the rear in search of cover. Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 Winx Stakes. 2024 Winx Stakes preview & form Zougotcha deserves plenty of respect after producing an unblemished record of three starts for three wins last preparation, two of which came in Group 1 company. The five-year-old mare finally put it all together last campaign, clinging to victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill before fighting off a luckless Atishu in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m) on April 13 to cap off a faultless preparation. She returns to take on the boys after two soft barrier trials, and with a strong first-up record of five starts for three wins to her name, Zougotcha looks ready to take on Group 1 weight-for-age company. Semana is the only galloper to bring residual fitness into this event after finishing runner-up behind Bella Nipotina in the Group 1 Tatts Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 29. The Ciaron Maher-trained mare has since had a soft four-length barrier trial victory at Warwick Farm to be kept up to the mark, and with Dylan Gibbons likely to hold a handy position throughout, punters can expect Semana to be one of the first to mount a challenge as they turn for home. Riff Rocket was sensational first-up last preparation, giving his rivals a galloping lesson in the Group 3 C.S. Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 17. He came with a withering burst down the centre of the course over an unsuitable trip, careering away with the prize before going on to secure the Rosehill Guineas/ATC Australian Derby double. This is clearly a big step up in grade for the son of American Pharoah; however, if Riff Rocket can produce a similar finish on Saturday, the $13.00 available will look too big. There’s simply no knocking Fangirl outside of the price. The Chris Waller-trained mare could prove too classy for this lot over 1400m, however, if she doesn’t get the breaks in the home straight, there could be a few heart-in-your-mouth moments for favourite backers. 2024 Winx Stakes selections & best bets Selections: 9 ZOUGOTCHA 10 SEMANA 5 RIFF ROCKET 6 FANGIRL $100 betting strategy $50 Win Zougotcha (#9) @ +850 with Neds $30 Win Semana (#10) @ +1000 with Bet365 $20 Win Riff Rocket (#5) @ +1200 & +500 with Dabble 2024 Winx Stakes Final Field 1. Buckaroo (8) T: Chris Waller J: Joshua Parr W: 59kg F: x6535 Age: 6YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Fastnet Rock Dam: Roheryn (IRE) +5000 +800 2. Detonator Jack (2) T: Ciaron Maher J: Jason Collett W: 59kg F: x8263 Age: 6YO Colour: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Jakkalberry (IRE) Dam: Red Delicious (NZ) +2500 +400 3. Zeyrek (3) T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes J: Reece Jones W: 59kg F: x9269 Age: 8YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Sea The Stars (IRE) Dam: Zerkaza (IRE) +12500 +2000 4. Just Fine (4) T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott J: Rachel King W: 59kg F: x58x0 Age: 7YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Sea The Stars (IRE) Dam: Bint Almatar (USA) +2000 +340 5. Riff Rocket (12) T: Chris Waller J: Nash Rawiller W: 58.5kg F: x1131 Age: 4YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: American Pharaoh (USA) Dam: Missile Coda +1200 +220 6. Fangirl (9) T: Chris Waller J: James McDonald W: 57kg F: x21x4 Age: 6YO Colour: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Sebring Dam: Little Surfer Girl +110 -384.62 7. Via Sistina (7) T: Chris Waller J: Kerrin McEvoy W: 57kg F: x21x2 Age: 7YO Colour: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Fastnet Rock Dam: Nigh (IRE) +450 -111.11 8. Atishu (10) T: Chris Waller J: Tyler Schiller W: 57kg F: x2318 Age: 7YO Colour: Brown Sex: Mare Sire: Savabeel Dam: Posy (NZ) +2000 +340 9. Zougotcha (6) T: Chris Waller J: Tommy Berry W: 57kg F: x111x Age: 5YO Colour: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Zoustar Dam: Fast Talker +850 +160 10. Semana (5) T: Ciaron Maher J: Dylan Gibbons W: 57kg F: x20x3 Age: 5YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Mare Sire: Winning Rupert Dam: Festivity +1000 +180 11. Tropical Squall (11) T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott J: Adam Hyeronimus W: 56.5kg F: x641x Age: 4YO Colour: Brown Sex: Mare Sire: Prized Icon Dam: Squalls +800 +150 12. Zardozi (1) T: James Cummings J: Zac Lloyd W: 56.5kg F: x2310 Age: 4YO Colour: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Kingman (GB) Dam: Chanderi (GB) +2500 +400 Horse racing tips View the full article

Friday's G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes has attracted a field of 14, with just one of the 15 overnight contenders, Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}), dropping out of York's third and final Group 1 contest of the week at Wednesday morning's declaration stage. The straight five-furlong dash will act as an unofficial championship decider between Australian raider Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) and Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), who are one apiece in sprint showdowns this year, with the former annexing Royal Ascot's G1 King Charles III Stakes and the latter prevailing by a short-head in Goodwood's G2 King George Stakes. They have drawn stalls eight and 14, respectively. Eva Nieslanikova's forward-running Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}), the only other overseas challenger, has drawn stall one. Supporting cast member Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who notched a victory in the Curragh's G2 Sapphire Stakes in between her fourth at Ascot and third at Goodwood, is alongside Asfoora in stall 13. Ed Bethell trainee Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}), who split Asfoora and Big Evs when second at Royal Ascot, will depart from stall two, while last year's hero Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) will bid to become this century's fifth dual winner of the contest from stall five. The post Friday’s Nunthorpe Attracts Field of 14, Asfoora and Big Evs to Lock Horns Again appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ken and Bev Kelso’s stable star Legarto may be on the quiet list at the moment after straining a muscle earlier this month, but the Matamata couple still have plenty to look forward to this spring with exciting filly Alabama Lass. The three-year-old daughter of Alabama Express was an eye-catching winner on debut at her home track in February before finishing runner-up at the same track a fortnight later in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). She returned in impressive fashion when winning her 900m trial at Te Rapa earlier this month and continued that form into her opening race of the season at Taupo on Wednesday in the Taupo Pak ‘N Save 3YO Fillies (1100m). Alabama Lass jumped well and was taken straight to the front of the small but select field by jockey Sam Spratt and she didn’t relinquish her advantage, running out a 3-1/2 length victor, albeit racing very greenly down the Taupo straight. “She went up the straight like a drunken sailor,” Spratt quipped. “I think it was just because she was doing it so easy, she was doing it on her ear and got a bit lost. If she had a rail to follow it would have been much better because she has never done that before. “She was brilliant and did it easy and it was a smart field, she has got huge improvement.” Ken Kelso was just as pleased with the win and said she will take plenty of improvement from the run as they head towards her first major target of the spring, the Gr.3 HBPB Breeders’ ASSN Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on September 7. “You have got to be happy, she has won nicely,” he said. “She has run around a little bit but that is only her third start, so she is only going to keep improving. “She will go from here to Hastings for the Gold Trail and then we will pick a plan from there. How far she will get you don’t know, you just take one step at a time.” The Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 52nd New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November, a race Kelso came close to winning with Group One winner Bounding in 2013, remains Alabama Lass’s ultimate spring aim. While the mile distance remains a query, Kelso thinks his filly is capable of seeing out the distance against her own age group. “She will definitely be nominated for the 1000 Guineas but whether she can get that far time will tell,” he said. “The way she relaxes in the running and on her pedigree too (I think she can see out the distance). She has got half brothers and sisters that have gone to a mile. “Bounding ran second, and probably should have won the 1000 Guineas, and she was an out-and-out sprinter later on. They can get it against their own age group, but until you try you never know.” View the full article

Trials coverage from Taupo on Wednesday where a number of Stakes performers stepped out in three select heats. Reaction from Josh Shaw, Shaune Ritchie, Sam Bergerson, Craig Grylls, Roger James, Danny Walker & Warren Kennedy. View the full article

James McDonald is keen to stick with star Kiwi mare Orchestral when she arrives in Sydney. Co-trainer Robert Wellwood says there is a G2 race in Sydney on September 28 that she could potentially run in. CLICK TO PLAY PODCAST View the full article

Group Three winner Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) made the perfect start to his three-year-old season at Taupo on Wednesday when taking out the Poverty Bay Turf Club 3YO Colts/Geldings (1100m). The son of Savabeel jumped well from barrier two and quickly settled outside leader When Stars Align. Savaglee continued to eke into his foes advantage and hit the lead with 200m to go, and he continued to build on his advantage to score a 1-1/4 length victory over race favourite Super Photon. Purchased by The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams out of Waikato Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $400,000 on behalf of farm principal Dick Karreman, Savaglee performed well as a juvenile last season, winning two of his seven starts for trainers Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard, including the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m). “I loved him (as a yearling), but I said (to Karreman) I would rather buy a filly for $400,000 and not a colt, but he said to buy a colt for a change,” Williams said. “It put a bit of pressure on, but winning a Group Three took a bit of pressure off. He is heading in the right direction.” Now in the sole care of Gerard, Savaglee was runner-up in a 900m trial behind Yaldi at Te Rapa earlier this month, which gave jockey Sam Spratt plenty of confidence heading into Wednesday. “He trialled up pretty well, so I was fairly confident,” she said. “He was awesome, he settled beautifully, never got aggressive and he kicked away really easily. In the last 100m he had his ears pricked and was having a real good gawk around.” Williams has been impressed with the way Savaglee has matured into his three-year-old season and said it bodes well for the future. “The track work riders have been saying all year that he has grown up, he is easy to work with, and that makes a difference – they get streetwise and they start winning,” he said. Williams was pleased with what he saw at Taupo, and he is excited to head to the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival with the colt. “We are thrilled with him and there is still a fair amount of improvement in him, so we are heading in the right direction,” he said. “He will go to the El Roca (Listed, 1200m) and Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m), and you might have one more or no more (starts) depending on how your horse is. It is the proven path and that is what we will be doing.” View the full article

Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal’s talented pairing of Nedwin (NZ) (Niagara) and Taika (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) have only gone head-to-head on three occasions on the feature jumping stage, and the stablemates will become rivals once again in Saturday’s CLC Pakuranga Hunt Open Hurdle (3200m) at Te Rapa. Nedwin has a formidable hurdling record with his seven victories including last year’s Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) and two editions of the Wellington Hurdles (3100m), his second success in the race coming under 73 kilograms in July. The son of Niagara then ventured south to contest the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) a fortnight ago where he was uncharacteristically pulled up after racing keenly and misjudging a fence early in the contest. “We don’t really know what happened down at Riccarton, he’s come home and we’ve taken some bloods off him and there has been nothing wrong,” McDougal said. “Hamish (McNeill, jockey) said there were some billboards on the inside that he was looking at coming around the home bend and he just botched the jump up there, then he did the same at another fence which is quite unlike him. “He pulled quite hard early, which may have also contributed to him not jumping so well and then running out of puff at the end. “He likes a wet track as well and goes on any surface, so it was a real head scratcher.” Returning home to Hastings, Nedwin has continued with his preparation and gave the training partners confidence to push onto the race, which is a key prelude into the Great Northern Hurdles (4200m) on September 15 back at the Waikato venue. “He galloped with Taika yesterday and worked well, we can’t fault him at home so it’s all go for Saturday,” McDougal said. “He deserves another chance at these big races.” Eight-year-old Taika may have less experience on his side but has made a sizeable impression over the past 12 months, finishing second to English Gambler in this race last year before an unfortunate fall when looking a live chance in the Great Northern Hurdle. Coming back strongly this season, he was only beaten in the barest of margins by National winner Berry The Cash in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles (3100m) and fought on valiantly for third in Nedwin’s Wellington success. “We were really happy with him at Wellington, then he had a flat run at Woodville a couple of weeks ago and he was super,” McDougal said. “Johnathan Riddell rode him there and you couldn’t take the smile off his face, he said he jumped a bit awkwardly and then was held up when he needed to get going at the 1000m, but he’s finished off very well. “I think he’s pretty on track for Saturday. “The Northern has been his target for most of this season, he fell last year but I felt he was a pretty good chance for at least a placing in that race.” McDougal confirmed McNeill would be aboard Taika on Saturday, while Joshua Parker will partner Nedwin for the first time with a seven-kilogram weight-swing between them, in favour of the former. Meanwhile, the stable’s star performer The Cossack has recently commenced his rehabilitation from a suspensory ligament injury which kept him out of the Grand National Steeplechase (5500m) earlier this month. “He has gone down to Carlton Lodge with Dianne Sergeant to be rehabbed, and if he stood up, we will look to race him again next year,” McDougal said. “If not, he’ll have a great life as a sporthorse being well looked after.” View the full article

Roger James gave his seal of approval to glamour mare Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) following her hit-out at Taupo on Wednesday. The Cambridge trainer, who prepares the daughter of Savabeel with Robert Wellwood, was more than happy with her performance in an 1100m heat of the Fiber Fresh Group Trials held before the race meeting. “We came here with a job to do and achieved that. We’ve been pretty careful with her, she had a big puff afterwards and she’ll probably go to Ellerslie to trial again,” James said. The dual Group One winner sat wide at the back of the field before picking up ground and worked home in tidy fashion to finish third. “That was very nice, she jumped quite well and there wasn’t a lot of pace and I was caught out on a limb,” rider Craig Grylls said. “She came off the bridle turning in and then got home well. She has definitely strengthened, it’s brilliant the way she is coming up.” The trial was won by the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Captured By Love, who lobbed along in second spot for Opie Bosson before running down her pace-making stablemate Dream Of The Moon. Written Tycoon filly Captured By Love won the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and the Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) last season and was also a two-time Group One placegetter. “It was a really good trial and we’ll look at the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) all going well,” Bergerson said. “Dream Of The Moon could potentially go to the Wanganui Guineas (Listed, 1200m), again with a watch on the weather.” Crocetti tightened in the market for the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) to a dominant $2.20 favourite following his all the way 1100m trial victory. Last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner will bid to retain his unbeaten four-year-old record on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay carnival following his recent resuming victory. “He’s come through it (Ruakaka) very well. I just wanted to give him a nice gallop and it was a good outing for him heading toward Hastings,” co-trainer Danny Waker said. Regular rider Warren Kennedy is confident Crocetti will strip in prime order for the Tarzino. “He is in a fantastic spot and he will be ready in a couple of weeks,” he said. “He pricked his ears all the way and he was just waiting for something to come at him, and when it did he kicked into another gear.” The opening heat at Taupo was claimed by the frontrunning Faraglioni with last season’s Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) runner-up on target to take on Crocetti in the Tarzino. “She needed that hit-out and she’ll run in the Tarzino and then we’ll reassess from there,” trainer Josh Shaw said. “Last season was beyond expectations, and she should be in for another good one.” Faraglioni accounted for Grail Seeker, also bound for Hastings carnival, and the reigning Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes champion Move To Strike who may resume in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m). Quality mare Pearl Of Alsace has all three of the Hawke’s Bay features on her program and she left co-trainer Shaun Ritchie a touch disappointed after she finished fifth in the heat. “I expected a little better, she was a bit keen early and got very tired late,” he said. “She will take improvement and will need to. She’ll run in the Tarzino and the last leg (the Gr.1 Livamol Classic, 2040m) is her grand final.” View the full article

What Hawkesbury Races Where Hawkesbury Race Club – 1 Racecourse Rd, Clarendon NSW 2756 When Thursday, August 22, 2024 First Race 12:45pm AEST Visit Dabble The $200,000 Rowley Mile (1600m) headlines the action at Hawkesbury on Thursday afternoon, with a bumper eight-part program set for decision. The rail is in the true position for the entire circuit, and with nothing but sunny skies forecast in the lead-up, punters can anticipate a genuine Good 4 surface. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 12:45pm local time. Rowley Mile Tip: Raf Attack Raf Attack got a pass mark first-up at Rosehill on August 3 when closing on the heels of Contemporary and Much Much Better. The son of Satono Aladdin was only building the revs late in the piece, suggesting a step up to the mile next time would be ideal. Regan Bayliss has the option to change tactics and take up the running from barrier four this time, and provided he can tick over a soft sectional or two in the middle stages, Raf Attack should prove hard to chase down. Rowley Mile Race 7 – #11 Raf Attack (4) 4yo Gelding | T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | J: Regan Bayliss (54kg) Bet with Neds Best Bet at Hawkesbury: Homecoming Homecoming was doing her best work late at Newcastle on August 3, managing to finish runner-up despite enduring a chequered passage. The James Cummings-trained filly draws barrier one this time, which should allow Zac Lloyd to take up a stalking position in behind the leaders. Provided he can manoeuvre into the clear when the whips are cracking, Homecoming should make amends second-up. Best Bet Race 1 – #3 Homecoming (1) 3yo Filly | T: James Cummings | J: Zac Lloyd (58kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best at Hawkesbury: Mother Goose Mother Goose caught the eye in a recent barrier trial at this course on August 5. The daughter of Lonhro oozed class as she went through the wire under her own steam, suggesting she had plenty more to give despite finishing 3.8 lengths away in third. Barrier 12 makes this a tricky assignment for Zac Lloyd, but provided he can drag back in search of cover, watch for Mother Goose to be flying down the centre of the course on debut. Next Best Race 4 – #12 Mother Goose (12) 3yo Filly | T: James Cummings | J: Zac Lloyd (55kg) Bet with Unibet Hawkesbury Thursday quaddie tips Hawkesbury quadrella selections Thursday, August 22, 2024 1-2-5-7-8 2-3-4-7 1-3-6-8-11 1-7-11-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Alabama Lass on her way to a dominant win at Taupo on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Ken and Bev Kelso’s stable star Legarto may be on the quiet list at the moment after straining a muscle earlier this month, but the Matamata couple still have plenty to look forward to this spring with exciting filly Alabama Lass. The three-year-old daughter of Alabama Express was an eye-catching winner on debut at her home track in February before finishing runner-up at the same track a fortnight later in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). She returned in impressive fashion when winning her 900m trial at Te Rapa earlier this month and continued that form into her opening race of the season at Taupo on Wednesday. Alabama Lass jumped well and was taken straight to the front of the small but select field by jockey Sam Spratt and she didn’t relinquish her advantage, running out a 3-1/2 length victor, albeit racing very greenly down the Taupo straight. “She went up the straight like a drunken sailor,” Spratt quipped. “I think it was just because she was doing it so easy, she was doing it on her ear and got a bit lost. If she had a rail to follow it would have been much better because she has never done that before. “She was brilliant and did it easy and it was a smart field, she has got huge improvement.” Ken Kelso was just as pleased with the win and said she will take plenty of improvement from the run as they head towards her first major target of the spring, the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on September 7. “You have got to be happy, she has won nicely,” he said. “She has run around a little bit but that is only her third start, so she is only going to keep improving. “She will go from here to Hastings for the Gold Trail and then we will pick a plan from there. How far she will get you don’t know, you just take one step at a time.” The Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November, a race Kelso came close to winning with Group One winner Bounding in 2013, remains Alabama Lass’s ultimate spring aim. While the mile distance remains a query, Kelso thinks his filly is capable of seeing out the distance against her own age group. “She will definitely be nominated for the 1000 Guineas but whether she can get that far time will tell,” he said. “The way she relaxes in the running and on her pedigree too (I think she can see out the distance). She has got half brothers and sisters that have gone to a mile. “Bounding ran second, and probably should have won the 1000 Guineas, and she was an out-and-out sprinter later on. They can get it against their own age group, but until you try you never know.” Horse racing news View the full article

Savaglee powering away at Taupo on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Group Three winner Savaglee made the perfect start to his three-year-old season at Taupo on Wednesday. The son of Savabeel jumped well from barrier two and quickly settled outside leader When Stars Align. Savaglee continued to eke into his foes advantage and hit the lead with 200m to go, and he continued to build on his advantage to score a 1.25-length victory over race favourite Super Photon. Purchased by The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams out of Waikato Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $400,000 on behalf of farm principal Dick Karreman, Savaglee performed well as a juvenile last season, winning two of his seven starts for trainers Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard, including the Group 3 Matamata Slipper (1200m). “I loved him (as a yearling), but I said (to Karreman) I would rather buy a filly for $400,000 and not a colt, but he said to buy a colt for a change,” Williams said. “It put a bit of pressure on, but winning a Group Three took a bit of pressure off. He is heading in the right direction.” Now in the sole care of Gerard, Savaglee was runner-up in a 900m trial behind Yaldi at Te Rapa earlier this month, which gave jockey Sam Spratt plenty of confidence heading into Wednesday. “He trialled up pretty well, so I was fairly confident,” she said. “He was awesome, he settled beautifully, never got aggressive and he kicked away really easily. In the last 100m he had his ears pricked and was having a real good gawk around.” Williams has been impressed with the way Savaglee has matured into his three-year-old season and said it bodes well for the future. “The track work riders have been saying all year that he has grown up, he is easy to work with, and that makes a difference – they get streetwise and they start winning,” he said. Williams was pleased with what he saw at Taupo, and he is excited to head to the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival with the colt. “We are thrilled with him and there is still a fair amount of improvement in him, so we are heading in the right direction,” he said. “He will go to the El Roca (Listed, 1200m) and Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Group 2, 1400m), and you might have one more or no more (starts) depending on how your horse is. It is the proven path and that is what we will be doing.” Horse racing news View the full article