Wandering Eyes

Tickets for the ninth annual ABR Pre-Preakness Party, to be held Wednesday, May 15, at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore, are now available. Tickets for the event are $35 online or $40 at the door and includes one complimentary drink ticket, complimentary snack platters and access to racing personalities and handicapping experts Registration is also open for the silent auction held in conjunction with the event which benefits the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Proceeds from the Pre-Preakness Party will benefit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation. The event will also strive to raise awareness for a new event partner, the Ed Brown Society, which celebrates the rich history of African-Americans in the equine industry and creates opportunities for young people of color to gain industry exposure. Sponsored by the Honorable Earle I. Mack and Lael Stables, the Pre-Preakness Party is one of the most anticipated events of Preakness week. “I am pleased to support an event that aims to holistically better our sport of horse racing, which gives us so much joy and pleasure,” said Mack. “Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's accreditation program is integral to ensure our horses are cared for after working hard for us on the racetrack. The Safety Net Foundation, in helping the humans who make up the sport, truly lives up to its name. America's Best Racing serves to grow the sports fan base. The Ed Brown Society celebrates and creates opportunities for a more racially diverse racing community. Many causes, all of them good!” The silent auction is one of the main attractions of the Pre-Preakness Party. Auction items will be on display on site, but bidding can also be done remotely. The auction will open May 13 and will close promptly at the conclusion of the party May 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET. Click here for additional information. The post Tickets Available For Pre-Preakness Party appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Recent winners of Chantilly's G3 Prix Sigy include subsequent Group 1 scorers Signs Of Blessing (Ire), Quiet Reflection (GB) and Sands Of Mali (Fr) and this year's renewal went the way of last term's Listed Prix Saraca victor and G3 Prix de Cabourg second Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}–Simple Magic {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who displayed elite-level potential defeating a solid cast of nine sophomore rivals in the 5 1/2-furlong dash. Last term's G1 Prix Morny sixth, who encountered a testing surface and dank conditions here, broke swiftly and was steadied to track the leaders in a handy fifth after the initial strides. Cruising forward once past the halfway mark, the 23-10 favourite quickened clear approaching the final furlong and was ridden out in the closing stages to comfortably withstand the late threat of last year's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte victrix Classic Flower (GB) (Calyx {GB}) by a half-length for a career high. “We ran out of a few options of where to start him and ended up here at 5 1/2 furlongs,” said racing manager Ted Voute. “It wasn't ideal, but he's done nothing wrong and taken everything in his stride. He was drawn seven, which was probably a small handicap, and maybe he won a bit further than it looks on paper. He drew clear and was probably slightly tired at the end. Mickael [Barzalona] was very impressed, he said he's trained on and we've got a bright future. He got seven furlongs last year, but maybe the [French] Guineas is a step too far. The [seven-furlong G3] Jersey is good and you've also got the six-furlong Group 1 [Commonweath Cup] at [Royal] Ascot. That might be a bit tough and it's a matter of deciding how far he can go at this point, but I'll leave that to Prince Faisal and Andre [Fabre].” What a turn of foot! Making his seasonal reappearance, Sajir lands the Group Three Prix Sigy in style at @fgchantilly for @mickaelbarzalon… pic.twitter.com/uNBAEQwFMA — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 15, 2024 Pedigree Notes Sajir, a full-brother to the unraced 2-year-old colt and stablemate Saahir (Ire), is the fifth of six foals and one of two scorers out of G3 Sirenia S. third Simple Magic (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), herself a full-sister to stakes-winning G3 Nell Gwyn S. third Festivale (Ire) and Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick victor Arctic Gyr (Ire). Simple Magic is also kin to G3 Joel S. runner-up Tell (GB) (Green Desert) and to the dam of G1 Sun Chariot S. third Grande Dame (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Descendants of Sajir's fourth dam, G2 Prix d'Astarte victrix and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Hydro Calido (Nureyev), include GII Turf Sprint S. and GIII Daytona S. victor Bran (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}), Group 3-winning G1 Goodwood H. third Supido (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) and last term's G3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit victor Lord Charming (Ger) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). This is the immediate family of G1 Prix Morny-winning sire Machiavellian (Mr. Prospector) and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois hero Exit To Nowhere (Irish River {Fr}). Monday, Chantilly, France PRIX SIGY-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 4-15, 3yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:06.53, vsf. 1–SAJIR (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Make Believe (GB) 1st Dam: Simple Magic (Ire) (GSP-Eng), by Invincible Spirit (Ire) 2nd Dam: Cephalonie, by Kris S. 3rd Dam: Heraklia, by Irish River (Fr) 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Prince A A Faisal; B-Nawara Stud Company Ltd (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, €101,000. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Classic Flower (GB), 127, f, 3, Calyx (GB)–Crown Of Flowers (GB), by Garswood (GB). O-Gousserie Racing & Jean-Etienne Dubois; B-Petches Farm Ltd (GB); T-Patrice Cottier. €16,000. 3–Symmetric Power (Ire), 126, c, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Evening Time (Ire), by Keltos (Fr). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (72,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT; €135,000 2yo '23 ARQMAY). O-Hisaaki Saito; B-Owenstown Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Christopher Head. €12,000. Margins: HF, 2HF, SHD. Odds: 2.30, 6.50, 26.00. Also Ran: Mr Fleurant (Ire), Balsam (Fr), Got To Love A Grey (GB), Jasna's Secret (Fr), Action Point (Ire), La Belle Poete (Fr), Dorothy Lawrence (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Make Believe’s Sajir Registers Impressive Sigy Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The purses for maiden and allowance races, both open and restricted, will be increased between $10,000 and $13,000 for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, to be held at Saratoga Race Course Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9. Open maiden special weight contests will offer purse money of $100,000, up from $90,000, while New York-bred maidens will run for $85,000, an increase from $75,000. Open entry-level allowance purses will be upped by $10,000 to $110,000, while New York-bred first-level allowance races will offer $90,000, a boost from $80,000. The open non-winners of two other than allowance races will carry prize money of $115,000, an increase of $13,000. “The 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will offer purse levels commensurate with the stature and importance of this historic event,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing and Operations. “Beyond the appeal of Saratoga Race Course, these overnight purses should further incentivize participation in what is sure to be a thrilling edition of the Festival.” As previously announced, the purse of the GI Belmont S. Presented by NYRA Bets is being increased from $1.5 million to $2 million for 2024, while the GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S. goes from $750,000 to $1 million and the GI New York S. Presented by Rivers Casino from $600,000 to $750,000. Additional graded events enjoying purse increases are the GIII Poker S. from $200,000 to $350,000, along with $100,000 increases to the purses of the GI Woody Stephens S. presented by Mohegan Sun, the GI Jaipur S. presented by Resolute Racing and the GII True North presented by F. W. Webb. Accordingly, the Woody Stephens and Jaipur will offer a purse of $500,000, with the True North S. rising to $350,000. Click here for the condition book and full purse schedule. The post Enhanced Purse Structure In Place For Belmont At Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Beach Faulkner was at Keeneland one day when John Williams called him over and pointed at a horse being led off a van a couple of barns down. “Look at this,” Williams said. “Watch him walk. You might as well put your name on the side of that horse.” Beach remembers the great horseman's compliment with a smile. He's been working on horses' feet for 57 years, more than half of that time with son Tyler alongside, until he too has come to share the same mastery. They are farriers, sure; but not just farriers. They prolong the fading era when the blacksmith ran the shop, and the farrier worked under him. In his youth Beach saw a transition in agriculture to another type of horsepower, but while a flair for that is also in the blood–Tyler restores vintage automobiles–then the Faulkners have always helped horses along the margin between fitted hardware and their own powers of locomotion. They know the ways of iron as well as they do those of horses. “The blacksmith works with iron,” Beach says. “The farrier just nails a shoe on. That's why all these places now are called 'farrier supplies.' They've got the shoes, pads, everything already made. When I started shoeing horses, I had to make shoes for every horse I shod.” They can acknowledge the adequacy of some of this prefabricated stuff. It's only once in a while that they have to devise a bespoke solution. “But those shoes are so hard,” objects Beach. “No flex in them. And these glue shoes? Okay, so there's a time that you need to glue a shoe on. But it's like putting a foot in a cast. No give. A blacksmith, if it was a real stiff-footed horse, would heat-treat that shoe so that it'd be tough and hard. But if it had a weak foot, then he'd make that shoe so the foot gets flexed. Because the flex is the life of a foot. You don't have flex, it dies.” Their unstinting, old-school standards have long made Beach and Tyler Faulkner's workshop outside Paris, Kentucky, a perennial recourse for many of the finest horsemen in the Bluegrass: from big farms like Claiborne, to smaller but peerless outfits like Nursery Place; whether in moments of crisis, or for regular maintenance. But it's a two-way street. You're only a longstanding client of the Faulkners, these plain-talking but courteous men, if you treat your horses with the same respect and attention as they do themselves. That, for instance, was what salvaged Nasty and Bold, who stood at Spendthrift back in the 1980s: a joint masterpiece with veterinarian D.L. Proctor. “He was the best,” Beach says of Proctor. “A cavalry man. And I was the only one that could put shoes on his horses for him. And that horse, he had terrible feet. He didn't have feet. His feet were softer than your hand.” Young as he was, Tyler remembers making shoes for Nasty and Bold. “He was making shoes when he was in high school,” Beach says. “These things take a long time to do, and would eat up the clock for me. So I'd book the real 'cripples' on Saturday, and he'd go with me. People couldn't believe he was making them. That's what started him.” Then there was Seattle Slew himself. Beach was sent down to Florida to make special shoes to get the Triple Crown winner back from his derailment. Later, when Slew came to Spendthrift, Beach's meticulous trimming and minimal use of the knife kept him out of shoes altogether. He could only do this stuff because all he had ever known, as a kid, was how to do it right. “I knew how to put a shoe on a horse, because I had to put a shoe on my horse to ride it,” he says. “I had to trim it to ride it. Back then I didn't even know I could make a living, doing it.” Beach was raised just “over that hill” from where he works today. “My dad was a sharecropper over in Clark County,” he explains. “When I was about 11, our preacher's wife took him by the shirt collar to Harrison County, and showed him how to buy a farm and run it himself. Great lady. Tobacco was the main crop, but we had cattle and workhorses too.” As a blacksmith on the railroad, Beach's grandfather had made brass shoes that wouldn't spark in the mines. Between him and then his father, Beach learned how different breeds moved; and how “the workhorse was done different than the boss's plantation pacer.” Once embarked on the profession, he gradually realized how fortunate he had been in his mentors. Doing what he was being told by other people only proved counterproductive. “Until one day, I woke up and said, 'Screw it, I'm going to shoe these horses just like my dad and my granddad taught me,'” he recalls. “Because they cared for the horses. And they'd keep them going. Because that's the number one thing about this, it's all for the horse.” Eventually a Thoroughbred he was tending at River Downs beat a bunch of seven-figure horses at Keeneland. Word began to spread; the phone started ringing. In some ways, he felt he'd wasted 15 years. But people he'd worked for, in the meantime, had their merits too: a long stint with a farrier in Jackson, Mississippi, and then time up at the Red Mile. And Beach considers his early experience with other breeds as a priceless grounding. Often he would sit in the cart himself for a bird's eye view of the feet flicking up. “Thoroughbred people, especially, will frown and look down on you, because you shod a walking horse,” he says. “But if you take an old, stiff-legged Thoroughbred, and start him out like a walking horse, you can get him strolling and he can last forever.” But never mind treating breeds differently, or even every individual horse. “Because actually you shoe each foot different, don't you?” Beach says, turning to his son. “You trim them, to use a phrase you've said, to get their 'path of flight.' This one's out a little this way, this one a little that way. So this one gets trimmed different than that one. And you get them so the path of flight's the same with them all.” “Got to keep your horse square,” assents Tyler. Far more than the layman tends to realize, even those extremities of a horse that will painlessly take a nail comprise dynamic, living tissue. “Like when you correct a horse,” Tyler remarks. “You can look at one I shod today, and it'd be perfect, but three or four weeks down the road the weight has crushed it.” Is that like the way our own shoes tend to wear down in the same places, showing how every gait is different? “Exactly,” says Beach. “So when you get a new shoe, you have to break it down.” “Make wide turns,” says Tyler. “So what we try to do is to get this horse to walk like you do in your wore-out shoe,” Beach adds. “No, not wore-out. But more broke-in.” “Our main thing is maintenance,” Tyler says. “Like mowing your grass. Mow right before or right when it needs, it'll always looks nice. But you let it go past, it takes two or three mowings to get it back looking good.” Even in our urban age, we retain the axiom about the “want of a nail.” And it's a constant miracle to these horsemen, with their especially intimate insight, how all this athletic power is distributed across points that can appear almost dainty. “I have 33 years shoeing horses, and was born under a horse's ass,” says Tyler with a chuckle. “But it still amazes me to have shoes on a horse. Like when they're turned out, and take off, and run back, and do those hopping stops coming to the fence–and the shoes are still on. I'd like to know how much pressure is on those nails when they do that.” Like many of the best horsemen, the Faulkners feel that less is often more. Young feet should be treated like muscle: you're building it up, it gets a little sore, you just back off and give it time. Don't just call the blacksmith for a shoe. A celebrated trainer once came to look at yearlings scheduled for his barn and asked why they weren't shod. When it was explained that the blacksmith refused, the trainer got on the phone. “Why won't you put shoes on my yearlings?” “Well, I do,” replied Beach. “If you look, there's two out there with shoes. They're the ones that needed them, and they got them.” “Well, I'd like shoes on all of them.” “Better call somebody else to do it, then.” Within a couple of years, Beach saw the same trainer holding court in the press that you should never shoe yearlings! As important to anything to young feet is the land they are raised on, and the Faulkners rave about particular farms. At the same time Beach notes that the worst field he knows is right across the fence from one of the very best. But then those family concerns, especially, that have been there forever, know to put their barren mares there–and not their Book 1 yearlings. Obviously a healthy foot grows better. “But it's not only the foot, it's the whole horse,” Beach marvels. “I don't think anybody's ever figured it out. I have a book that was published right after the Civil War. And they all knew what to do back then, but without knowing why. And it's the same for us today.” “Somebody told me one time that the great horseshoers don't know what they do, but what they do works,” Tyler agrees. In a foot they can also read circulation, growth, even whether a horse has had a fever or changed diet. But there's no magic formula of size or shape to identify a champion: there have been too many brilliant horses with foot trouble for that. “A sound horse would outrun a sore horse any day, no matter which is better,” Tyler remarks. Beach's professional longevity is all the more remarkable considering the physical demands of his vocation, not to mention its perils–though he argues that actually it should never be dangerous, provided you have a proper horseman holding for you. The very best, in the old days, could even make a horse pick its foot up and present it. “They don't believe me now,” Beach says. “But old Clem Brooks at Spendthrift, he was so slick at it, one horse he would actually win money, betting people, he'd say, 'I bet you $10 he'll go up and lay his foot in that man's lap.' And that horse, Blue Times he was called, he'd come and put his foot in my lap. He loved me, that old horse, and I loved him.” It's the same, hardboot devotion that sets the best trainers apart, too. “I shod for [one of the farm trainers] 13 years, and never once met the guy,” Beach says. “But when I shod Lady's Secret and Winning Colors for Wayne Lukas, he was holding it, wanting to know what's going on. He had to learn a lot about horseshoeing when he first came into Thoroughbreds, so we worked together. He told me one day, 'Beach, it sure is nice to work for you!'” The Faulkners have handled so many champions that you only build up their resume by such anecdotal increments. But here's one snapshot: an invoice for stallions treated at Spendthrift on 19 August 1982. Of 28 names, here are just the first four items: Nashua: trim 4, reset 2 Gallant Man: trim 4 Caro: trim 4, reset 2 Raise A Native: ditto. Others include Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Exclusive Native, Sham. But while all these horses confirmed that there is no standard issue to the best, Nashua remains the paragon. “You'd take a number seven shoe out of the box, and nail it on,” Beach remembers. “His foot was that perfect. And right up until he was 29, 30, you didn't have to tap that shoe.” It is no exaggeration to say that the modern breed would be barely recognizable but for the horses that have raised a heel to Beach or Tyler Faulkner at one time or another: Danzig, Mr. Prospector, Seeking the Gold, Irish River (Fr), Lyphard, Tapit, War Front since he was a foal; not forgetting mares from Personal Ensign to Maplejinsky. Testimony to the individual engagement of these master craftsmen is all around the workshop: a contraption, for instance, devised especially for Sirlad after he stepped on a nail at Spendthrift. “He got real bad,” Beach recalls. “He's standing on the other foot, and he was not a good-legged horse. I said to John Williams, 'You might as well put that horse down. That foot will not hold up. It'll split like a cow's.' So I made this thing and put it on there so he didn't break his ankle.” Most instructive of all, however, is Beach's answer when you ask which of the many dimensions of his trade gives him most satisfaction: racehorses, stallions, mares and foals, yearlings? “I can't answer that, because I loved every one of them,” he replies. “When I got under a horse, I never cared if it was your teaser or your Triple Crown winner–he got the same care.” The post No Better Place For ‘The Want of a Nail’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, with 1208 catalogued offerings, begins its four-day run Tuesday morning. Bidding begins at 10:30 a.m. “I anticipate it being a good sale,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “We've got a lot of people here. The under-tack show was well-attended and the interest that we are getting is high. Certainly, the April sale is the go-to sale of the year.” The size of the Spring sale's catalogue helps attract a diverse buying bench, Wojciechowski agreed. “The great thing about 1200 horses is there is something for everyone,” he said. “So you'll have people shopping at all price brackets. One thing that continues to grow is the international market. I think we have some Japanese groups here that honestly haven't been here before. They typically would only shop March and not shop April that much. This year they are coming to April.” For the second year in a row, the 2023 Spring sale set records for gross and average, with 698 horses selling through the ring for a total of $90,805,000 and an average of $129,907. The median was a record-tying $65,000. The auction continues to build its reputation as a go-to spot to acquire graded winners. Last year's Spring sale produced GI Summer S. winner Carson's Run (Cupid), multiple graded winner Dreamfyre (Flameaway), GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew), GII Santa Anita Oaks winner Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon), G3 UAE Oaks winner Manama Gold (Star Guitar), multiple graded winner Nysos (Nyquist), GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner Wynstock (Solomini), GII Golden Rod S. winner Intricate (Gun Runner), and GIII Honeybee S. winner Lemon Muffin (Collected). “Most importantly, the reason this sale keeps getting better and better is because of the quality of the horses that our consignors are bringing,” Wojciechowski said. “They continually up the game when it comes to the quality of horses and what they are bringing to market. That makes it easy for us.” During last week's under-tack preview for the Spring sale, four juveniles shared the fastest furlong time of :9 3/5: hip 308, a filly by Omaha Beach consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock; hip 335, a filly by Mitole consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds; hip 787, a colt by Bolt d'Oro consigned by Top Line Sales; and hip 1187, a filly by Practical Joke also consigned by Top Line Sales. A pair of fillies by first-crop sires shared the fastest quarter-mile breeze of :20 1/5: hip 365, a daughter of Tiz the Law consigned by Tom McCrocklin; and hip 1143, a daughter of McKinzie consigned by Eddie Woods. The Spring sale comes a month after OBS opened the juvenile auction season with a strong renewal of the three-day March sale. “March, I thought, was a good sale myself,” said Woods. “The good horses sold really well.” Still, Woods saw a weakening under the top level and expects that trend will continue this week in Ocala. “There was a little bit of lack of depth for the handy horses down the other end,” he said. “I don't see a whole lot of difference here. I expect it will be very much the same thing. You see the way racing is going at the moment. It's not exactly expanding. It will be like always. The top end is always good and you just hope for the best for the rest of them.” The Spring Sale continues through Friday with sessions beginning each day at 10:30 a.m. The post ‘Something For Everyone’ OBS Spring Sale Opens Tuesday 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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Adam West has outlined his plans in 2024 for stable star Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}), who is likely to make his first start of the campaign in the G2 Temple S. at Haydock on Saturday, May 25. In 2023, Live In The Dream provided his trainer with a first Group 1 success when winning the Nunthorpe S. at York's Ebor Festival, beating Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) by a length at odds of 28/1. He was subsequently sent on his travels and performed with credit in two races in the US, latterly finishing a close-up fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in November. “It took him a bit of time to unwind from the Breeders' Cup,” West said of those exertions. “He was physically quite tired from the journey on the way back. It took a lot longer for him to be able to switch off but, now he's been able to do that, he has really benefited from it. He spelled at Hen Knight's and he's come back really well. In my opinion, he is the best physically and mentally that I've ever seen him.” As for future plans, West added, “We split the season last year to get more racing out of him, but now we're hoping for loftier targets and less racing–obviously we can't go to Lingfield and Pontefract anymore! “There's a good bit of condition on him that still needs to come off and we're hoping to start him out in the Temple Stakes in May. The main aim will be the Nunthorpe and he's probably going to be campaigned with that in mind, hopefully with the added bonus of going to America.” The post Live In The Dream On Target For Temple Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chain Of Lightning (Aus) (Fighting Sun {Aus}), the surprise winner of the G1 T. J. Smith S. at Randwick earlier this month, is set to be sold before a potential appearance in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday, June 22. Trained by Katherine Coleman and Peter Moody–who memorably won the same race at the Royal meeting with the brilliant Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}) back in 2012–Chain Of Lightning was gaining her first victory at the top level when winning the T. J. Smith, holding on bravely to get the verdict by a neck from Bella Nipotina (Aus) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}). Another run at Randwick in Saturday's G1 All Aged S. is now on the cards for the five-year-old before her sales date and a likely trip to Britain. However, whether she races for Coleman and Moody at Royal Ascot will reportedly depend on whether she is sold and who buys her. Moody told Racing.com, “She's going to the broodmare sales in May and we've accepted an invitation to Ascot, so she'll be sold under that proviso at the Magic Millions broodmare sale.” Chain Of Lightning could be joined at Royal Ascot by the multiple Group 2 winner Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}), who was earmarked for a European campaign by trainer Henry Dwyer after she finished a close-up fourth in last month's G1 Galaxy H. at Rosehill. The post Chain Of Lightning Set To Be Sold With Royal Ascot Proviso appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Veteran handler has all the momentum after a Sunday treble but the long-time leader is still five wins to the goodView the full article

What Happy Valley Races Where Happy Valley Racecourse – Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley, Hong Kong When Wednesday, April 17, 2024 First Race 6:40pm HKT (8:40pm AEST) Visit Dabble Hong Kong racing returns to Happy Valley on Wednesday evening for a bumper nine-race program. The rail is placed in the C position, and with no significant rainfall predicted in the lead-up, it should be a fair Good 4 surface throughout the night. The action is set to get underway at 6:40pm HKT (8:40pm AEST). Best Bet at Happy Valley: Beauty Infinity Although Beauty Infinity was well beaten by 2.3 lengths at this course and distance on March 27, punters should be willing to follow this talented four-year-old with confidence. He got too far back in an on-speed dominated affair yet proved classy enough to finish runner-up. There should be a solid tempo with the likes of Happy Fat Cat and Superb Capitalist battling for position, leaving Zac Purton and Beauty Infinity to get the last crack at their rivals. Best Bet Race 7 – #6 Beauty Infinity (7) 4yo Gelding | T: John Size | J: Zac Purton (59kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Happy Valley: Ka Ying Cheer Ka Ying Cheer resumes after a four-month spell and two impressive barrier trials. He won a jump-out on the Conghua surface before heading to Sha Tin on April 9, cruising through the wire under a stranglehold. He heads to Happy Valley for the first time as Hugh Bowman hops in the saddle, and with his jump-and-run pattern likely to suit this circuit, Ka Ying Cheer can make every post a winner as he brings up his second Hong Kong victory. Next Best Race 6 – #1 Ka Ying Cheer (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Pierre Ng | J: Hugh Bowman (61kg) Bet with Bet365 Best Value at Happy Valley: Excel Wongchoy After drawing barriers 10, 13 and 13 respectively, Excel Wongchoy finally draws a marble (6) as he drops back in grade. The son of Exceed And Excel raced three wide throughout his most recent outing at Sha Tin on March 31, fading out to go down by 5.8 lengths. The effort had more merit than the margin may suggest, and with the four-year-old set to gain an economical run in transit, Excel Wongchoy will prove a terrific each-way chance with online bookmakers. Best Value Race 8 – #1 Excel Wongchoy (6) 4yo Gelding | T: Pierre Ng | J: Alexis Badel (61kg) Bet with Unibet Hong Kong quaddie tips – April 17, 2024 Happy Valley quadrella selections Wednesday, April 17, 2024 1-2-7-10 6 1-2-4-6-7-8 2-4-5-6-10-11 Horse racing tips
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What Canterbury Races Where Canterbury Park Racecourse – King St, Canterbury NSW 2193 When Wednesday, April 17, 2024 First Race 12:50pm AEST Visit Dabble Canterbury Park Racecourse is the destination for metro racing on Wednesday afternoon, with a competitive eight-race program awaiting punters. The rail returns to the true position, and with light showers forecast for race-day, expect the surface to be rated in the Soft range. The opening race is set to jump at 12:50pm local time. Best Bet: Little Jeanie After finishing runner-up in her first two outings for the Chris Waller barn, Little Jeanie appears set to peak third-up. She was the best of the beaten brigade at Warwick Farm on April 1, storming through the wire to finish within two lengths of Stand Aside. Stepping out to the 1550m should be ideal for the daughter of Savabeel, and with James McDonald likely to press into the one-one from stall three, Little Jeanie should get every chance to remove her maiden tag. Best Bet Race 1 – #1 Little Jeanie (3) 3yo Filly | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (59kg) -111.11 with Bet365 Next Best: Earth Dance The 1400m proved too sharp for Earth Dance when making his Australian debut on the Kensington circuit at Randwick on March 13. He was eye-catching through the line, however, suggesting the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Irish import could be worth following as he steps out to a staying trip. He appears perfectly placed in this BM72 contest, and with the 1900m journey a major positive, watch for this son of Australia to loom large in the concluding stages. Next Best Race 5 – #4 Earth Dance (7) 4yo Gelding | T: Peter & Paul Snowden | J: Dylan Gibbons (58kg) +350 with Picklebet Best Value: Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square didn’t go a yard on the Heavy deck at Randwick in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) on April 6. She attempted to circle the field with 400m to travel but was simply no match for the likes of Espionage and Roselyn’s Star. That form reads exceptionally well for this maiden against the girls, and as Chad Scofield looks to stalk the speed from barrier one, Trafalgar Square will be swamping her rivals when presented down the centre of the course. Best Value Race 2 – #2 Trafalgar Square (1) 2yo Filly | T: David Payne | J: Chad Schofield (58kg) +550 with Neds Wednesday quaddie tips for Canterbury races Canterbury Park quadrella selections Wednesday, April 17, 2024 2-4 5-7-9-12-13 1-3-4-5-7-8-10-13 4-5-7-9-11-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips
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What Caulfield Heath Races Where Caulfield Racecourse – Gate 22, Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145 When Wednesday, April 17, 2024 First Race 1pm AEST Visit Dabble The Heath track at Caulfield is the destination for metropolitan racing in Victoria on Wednesday. Perfect conditions are forecast, and with the track rated a Good 4 and the rail in its true position, there should be no excuses for fancied runners. The first of eight races is set to go at 1pm AEST. Best Bet at Caulfield: Inexorable The Grahame Begg-trained Inexorable put in a stinker on a Heavy track at Geelong on April 2, but he was much better when finishing third behind Fistsoffury and Socks Nation two starts back. A repeat of that effort will be more than good enough to win this 1600m affair. The three-year-old draws perfectly in barrier one under Damian Lane, and with a touch of luck in the home straight, Inexorable should have no issue breaking maiden ranks at the seventh time of asking. Best Bet Race 3 – #4 Inexorable (1) 3yo Gelding | T: Grahame Begg | J: Damian Lane (59kg) Bet with Dabble Next Best at Caulfield: Nokhbah Nokhbah has been defeated by by the barest of margins in each of her last two starts. Last time out, the I Am Invincible filly looked to have the race sewn up at Stawell over 1100m before getting a stitch inside the final 50m to be overpowered late. Mick Dee will hunt for the rail from barrier five, and under a well-rated steer, Nokhbah should prove too hard to run down this time around. Next Best Race 5 – #3 Nokhbah (5) 5yo Mare | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Michael Dee (59kg) Bet with PlayUp Best Value at Caulfield: She’s Bulletproof Charlotte Littlefield’s She’s Bulletproof has been impressive without winning in two starts this campaign. The three-year-old filly ran on strongly first-up over 1100m at Flemington when narrowly defeated, before chasing the classy Moby Dick at Pakenham on March 21. All she needs to do is to hold that form, and with an economical run in transit, She’s Bulletproof should have no issue in overpowering her BM64 rivals. Best Value Race 6 – #3 She’s Bulletproof (5) 3yo Filly | T: Charlotte Littlefield | J: Blake Shinn (60.5kg) Bet with Bet365 Caulfield quaddie tips – 17/4/2024 Caulfield quadrella selections Wednesday, April 17, 2024 1-3 1-4 2-3-6-9-10 3-4-8-11 Horse racing tips View the full article

Ellerslie has been given the green light to return to racing following the conclusion of a successful trials meeting on Monday. Auckland Thoroughbred Racing’s (ATR) race meeting last Wednesday was abandoned following race three due to safety concerns arising from a slip on their newly installed StrathAyr track. ATR, in conjunction with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), undertook an investigation into the issues and came up with an agreed plan of action. A set of eight trials took place at the track on Monday, giving Auckland Thoroughbred Racing the clearance to return to racing this weekend. A number of industry personnel and senior jockeys were in attendance at the trials to monitor the surface, including representatives from Strathayr, Racing Integrity Board, NZTR and ATR. ATR said they received positive feedback following the trials, with senior jockey Warren Kennedy excited to ride on the surface on Saturday. “The track felt a lot better – they [ATR] obviously had done a lot of work on it since Wednesday,” he said. “The horses are getting a good bit of traction and there’s actually a bit of kick back now, which highlights the more traction the horses are getting.” Fellow jockey Craig Grylls was also pleased with how the track rode. “I noticeably felt more traction and more give in the track,” he said. “The machinery work and the spreading of sand since last Thursday has certainly seen an improvement.” View the full article

Matamata thoroughbred nursery Elsdon Park have had a memorable week in Sydney with the progeny of young broodmare Daniela’s Magic, culminating in stakes success at Randwick on Saturday. While the eight-year-old daughter of Per Incanto never made it to the races, her progeny is more than making up for it, with her first foal, Panic, extending his record to four wins from six starts over the weekend when taking out the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) for trainer Michael Freedman. Bred by Elsdon Park principal Lib Petagna, the three-year-old son of Time Test was offered through Blandford Lodge’s 2022 Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he was purchased by bloodstock agents Mick Wallace and Paul Moroney for $80,000. He has proven to be an astute purchase, having now accrued more than A$179,000 in earnings. “He was in the last draft that we sold under Blandford Lodge,” said Elsdon Park General Manager Kerrie Cox, with Petagna owning a share of the farm at the time before investing in what is now Elsdon Park. “He was a beautiful type and a lovely moving horse. He was the first foal and he was just big and strong, a lovely mover, and had a great head on him.” Cox said his yearling half-brother by Ardrossan is cast from the same mould and sold accordingly through the farm’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft earlier in the week. “We had a really good Easter Sale where we sold three horses, including the half-brother to Panic, who was the only Ardossan in the sale,” Cox said. “He made A$260,000 and when talking to Michael Wallace over there, who bought Panic with Paul Moroney, he said he (Panic) was going to be running in a stakes race and they were pretty confident. “It was great to see him get that win, especially in a big field like that.” They are the only two live foals out of Daniela’s Magic to date, who is now in-foal to Yulong’s Alabama Express. “Lib owns a share in Alabama and it has turned out to be a pretty good mating,” Cox said. “She is a lovely type of mare. She is leaving a really nice types and they look like athletes.” Daniela’s Magic is a full-sister to Group One performer Saracino, who went on to win four races, including the Gr.2 Danehill Stakes (1200m), Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Listed Newmarket Handicap (1200m). He was also placed in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Gr.1 NRM Sprint (1400m), Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m), Listed Beaufine Stakes (1000m), and two editions of the Listed Scenic Blast Stakes (1200m), earning nearly A$500,000 in prizemoney. Meanwhile, Elsdon Park has experienced further success on the track in Australia of late, with the Petagna-owned Kalapour placing in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) on Saturday, while farm graduate Hezdarnhottoo became Elsdon Park’s first winner at Randwick a fortnight ago. “Kalapour won the Tancred (Gr.1, 2400m) a couple of weeks ago, and was a really commendable third in the Sydney Cup,” Cox said. “Hezdarnhottoo was the first horse that was branded at Elsdon Park and he won as a two-year-old in Sydney a few weeks ago. That was pretty exciting for us to see our brand cross the finishing line there. “I think there have only been four two-year-olds to the races so far with our brand on and they have gone pretty well. We have had Macaluso who was stakes placed as a two-year-old and also ran in the Karaka Millions. “We have had some nice success with that first crop. It wasn’t a very big first crop so it is nice to see those results coming through as two-year-olds already.” View the full article

Orchestral has returned to New Zealand after a sensational campaign, which culminated in a bold effort for third in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick. The highly-talented daughter of Savabeel took the three-year-old ranks by storm through the summer period, with a stunning winning performance in the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), which was emulated in both the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m, and the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). In her highly-anticipated Australian debut, Orchestral delivered a fifth-straight win in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), and certainly lost no admirers in her season grand final when finishing a length off Autumn Angel in the Australian Oaks. Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood were pleased to see her return to their Cambridge base in good order ahead of a well-deserved spell. “She’s really well. She got back from Australia late last night (Sunday), and seems to have pulled up nicely,” Wellwood said. “Nearing the end of her preparation, she just had to go to a number of grand finals, and it was hard to peak again last Saturday. “She’s off to the paddock now, we haven’t made any firm plans for the spring but we’re very excited for her next season.” Orchestral accumulated much of her A$1.99 million in stakes during the past four months, and Wellwood identified the Karaka Millions victory as a definite highlight. “The Karaka Millions was right up there, to see her put a nice field away over a mile is when we knew we really had something special,” he said. “For her to then back that up in the Guineas, the Derby and the Vinery was great.” Kingsclere Stables will now shift their focus back to home soil, as they line up six runners at Rotorua on Wednesday. Among their runners is Monsoon Knight, the lightly-tried son of Vadamos finishing second behind Orchestral in his sole juvenile start, and had a tough resuming run for fifth after 10 months away from the races. “He unfortunately hasn’t had a lot of luck, he had a very hard run at Tauranga, and then the races were called off at Ellerslie when he travelled up there,” Wellwood said. “He’s finally drawn a reasonable gate (6), but we just hope the track is still in okay order by that stage of the day. He’s probably not a horse that wants it too wet, so hopefully the weather in the next few days means that it should be okay.” Masa Hashizume is booked to ride the three-year-old, while Ryan Elliot will partner trial winner Tempsford in the Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1230m), and Craig Grylls takes the reins aboard Hasstobereel in the Sherlock Contracting 3YO 1560. “Tempsford trialled really well at Cambridge and has continued to work well since then, hopefully she can get a soft run on Wednesday but whether 1200m is her optimal distance, I don’t know,” Wellwood said. “Hastobereel is certainly going to be suited on a track with a bit of give out of it. His trial was good, and he’s an honest customer so I think he’ll run well.” The stable will also prepare debutant Noble Master in the Arawa Park Hotel 2YO 1150, while Aladdin Sane and Ilimitado contest the Have Your Function At Arawa Park 1400 later on the card. View the full article

In the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) aftermath, one of Chris Waller’s first thoughts was the hope of a rematch for Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) with Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) come the spring racing features. That is just what he may get as Ciaron Maher says that his star middle distance mare will look to conquering Australasia’s weight-for-age championship, the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), as her main aim in late October. “The Cox Plate will be our target,” Maher told RSN972. “The King Charles (Gr.1, 1600m) has been mentioned but the Cox Plate is the one.” Pride Of Jenni has already firmed in Cox Plate futures markets from $5 into $4.50 with Waller’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes second-placed Via Sistina on the second line of betting at $6 with 2023 Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior (Acclamation). Maher raised no concerns with the six-year-old’s recovery after her Randwick demolition while still coming to terms with the astonishing style of her win. A start in the King Charles III Stakes would require Pride Of Jenni to back-up within seven days to then start in the Cox Plate. A daughter of Pride Of Dubai, Pride Of Jenni was bred by Trelawney Stud and is out of the O’Reilly mare Sancerre, who was prepared by Cambridge trainer Tony Pike to win on four occasions for the Stud. View the full article

What Doomben Races Where Doomben Racecourse – 75 Hampden St, Ascot QLD 4007 When Wednesday, April 17, 2024 First Race 11:27am AEST Visit Dabble Brisbane Racing Club will host a very competitive 10-race card at Doomben Racecourse this Wednesday afternoon. The track was rated as a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances, but with no rain on the forecast in the lead-up, it is expected to improve into the Good range. The rail will be in the +10m position, with racing set to kick off at 11:27am AEST. Best Bet at Doomben: Italian Riviera Italian Riviera was an impressive winner on his debut over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast two starts back. After settling outside the leader, the Stuart Kendrick-trained gelding took over with 400m to go and pulled away to bring up a one-length victory. Considering seven of his nine rivals are still maidens, Italian Riviera strikes a very winnable race and should prove hard to beat. Best Bet Race 4 – #1 Italian Riviera (5) 2yo Gelding | T: Stuart Kendrick | J: Michael Rodd (59kg) Bet with PlayUp Next Best at Doomben: Velozes Velozes missed the kick by two lengths last time out, and after being held up until the 250m mark, she flashed up the inside rail to finish 1.8 lengths off Skywriter at this track and trip. With James Orman back aboard for his second ride on the filly, it is expected that she will jump better and settle closer to the speed. With even luck and a similar finishing burst to last time, Velozes can break her maiden at the third time of asking. Next Best Race 8 – #13 Velozes (8) 3yo Filly | T: Tony Gollan | J: James Orman (56kg) Bet with Neds Best Value at Doomben: Lady Chartwell Lady Chartwell had no luck when running third over the Doomben 1100m first-up. The David McColm-trained mare settled behind the speed and appeared to have a lot to offer in the home straight but was held up until the final 150m. With the aid of Taylor Johnstone’s 3kg claim and a wide draw in barrier nine, Lady Chartwell will be able to push forward and settle outside of runners before finishing off strongly down the outside. Best Value Race 6 – #10 Lady Chartwell (9) 4yo Mare | T: David McColm | J: Taylor Johnstone (a3) (58kg) Bet with Picklebet Wednesday quaddie tips for Doomben races Doomben quadrella selections Wednesday, April 17, 2024 3-4-6 3-5-13 3-4-5-10-11 6-7-12-13-14-15 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Zantabulous winning at Te Rapa on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) A bright future over further ground is being marked for Zantabulous after the Te Akau mare scored impressively over a mile at Te Rapa on Sunday. The daughter of Almanzor had been successful in two of her nine previous starts and entered Sunday’s Rating 75 contest a $4.80 second-favourite behind consistent mare Casino Princess. In the hands of Wiremu Pinn, Zantabulous settled comfortably on the fence in third, while the race-favourite sat in a three-wide position. The eight-horse field fanned out on the Soft 7 surface turning for home and Zantabulous soon found the lead, the mare kicking strongly to fend off the challenge of Casino Princess by three-quarters of a length. Pinn claimed his second career Group 1 the weekend prior aboard the Matamata stable’s Move To Strike, and indicated Zantabulous has plenty to offer in future campaigns. “She’s a lovely mare,” he said. “There was good speed on, she relaxed beautifully, we cut the corner, and after shifting out to better ground she let down nicely. “I think next time in, when she strengthens up again, she’ll get over 2000m. She’s quite exciting.” Te Akau co-trainer Mark Walker praised Pinn’s ride and was pleased to see the mare back in winning form. “It’s great to see her back in the winner’s circle and another nice ride of Wiremu’s,” said Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson. “She’s had a few issues along the way, but it was a promising win today and it looks like she’s in for a good autumn and early part of the winter. “I think she’ll only improve once we get up over more distance.” Out of a three-win Zabeel mare in Zantalegh, Zantabulous was bred by Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud, before being sold to David Ellis for $220,000 at the 2021 Karaka Yearling Sales. Horse racing news View the full article

Ellerslie’s meeting on Wednesday was abandoned after The Storyteller (outside) slipped near the crossing following his win. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Ellerslie has been given the green light to return to racing following the conclusion of a successful trials meeting on Monday. Auckland Thoroughbred Racing’s (ATR) race meeting last Wednesday was abandoned following race three due to safety concerns arising from a slip on their newly installed StrathAyr track. ATR, in conjunction with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), undertook an investigation into the issues and came up with an agreed plan of action. A set of eight trials took place at the track on Monday, giving Auckland Thoroughbred Racing the clearance to return to racing this weekend. A number of industry personnel and senior jockeys were in attendance at the trials to monitor the surface, including representatives from Strathayr, Racing Integrity Board, NZTR and ATR. ATR said they received positive feedback following the trials, with senior jockey Warren Kennedy excited to ride on the surface on Saturday. “The track felt a lot better – they [ATR] obviously had done a lot of work on it since Wednesday,” he said. “The horses are getting a good bit of traction and there’s actually a bit of kick back now, which highlights the more traction the horses are getting.” Fellow jockey Craig Grylls was also pleased with how the track rode. “I noticeably felt more traction and more give in the track,” he said. “The machinery work and the spreading of sand since last Thursday has certainly seen an improvement.” Horse racing news View the full article

Multiple Group 1 winning filly Orchestral is heading for a well-deserved spell following her placing in last Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m). Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Orchestral has returned to New Zealand after a sensational campaign, which culminated in a bold effort for third in last Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick. The highly-talented daughter of Savabeel took the three-year-old ranks by storm through the summer period, with a stunning winning performance in the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), which was emulated in both the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m, and the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). In her highly-anticipated Australian debut, Orchestral delivered a fifth-straight win in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), and certainly lost no admirers in her season grand final when finishing a length off Autumn Angel in the Australian Oaks. Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood were pleased to see her return to their Cambridge base in good order ahead of a well-deserved spell. “She’s really well. She got back from Australia late last night (Sunday), and seems to have pulled up nicely,” Wellwood said. “Nearing the end of her preparation, she just had to go to a number of grand finals, and it was hard to peak again last Saturday. “She’s off to the paddock now, we haven’t made any firm plans for the spring but we’re very excited for her next season.” Orchestral accumulated much of her A$1.99 million in stakes during the past four months, and Wellwood identified the Karaka Millions victory as a definite highlight. “The Karaka Millions was right up there, to see her put a nice field away over a mile is when we knew we really had something special,” he said. “For her to then back that up in the Guineas, the Derby and the Vinery was great.” Kingsclere Stables will now shift their focus back to home soil, as they line up six runners at Rotorua on Wednesday. Among their runners is Monsoon Knight, the lightly-tried son of Vadamos finishing second behind Orchestral in his sole juvenile start, and had a tough resuming run for fifth after 10 months away from the races. “He unfortunately hasn’t had a lot of luck, he had a very hard run at Tauranga, and then the races were called off at Ellerslie when he travelled up there,” Wellwood said. “He’s finally drawn a reasonable gate (6), but we just hope the track is still in okay order by that stage of the day. He’s probably not a horse that wants it too wet, so hopefully the weather in the next few days means that it should be okay.” Masa Hashizume is booked to ride the three-year-old, while Ryan Elliot will partner trial winner Tempsford in the Pearl Series Race (1230m), and Craig Grylls takes the reins aboard Hasstobereel in the Sherlock Contracting 3YO 1560. “Tempsford trialled really well at Cambridge and has continued to work well since then, hopefully she can get a soft run on Wednesday but whether 1200m is her optimal distance, I don’t know,” Wellwood said. “Hastobereel is certainly going to be suited on a track with a bit of give out of it. His trial was good, and he’s an honest customer so I think he’ll run well.” The stable will also prepare debutant Noble Master in the Arawa Park Hotel 2YO 1150, while Aladdin Sane and Ilimitado contest the Have Your Function At Arawa Park 1400 later on the card. Horse racing news View the full article

Panic scores a narrow victory in the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Matamata thoroughbred nursery Elsdon Park have had a memorable week in Sydney with the progeny of young broodmare Daniela’s Magic, culminating in stakes success at Randwick on Saturday. While the eight-year-old daughter of Per Incanto never made it to the races, her progeny is more than making up for it, with her first foal, Panic, extending his record to four wins from six starts over the weekend when taking out the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) for trainer Michael Freedman. Bred by Elsdon Park principal Lib Petagna, the three-year-old son of Time Test was offered through Blandford Lodge’s 2022 Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he was purchased by bloodstock agents Mick Wallace and Paul Moroney for $80,000. He has proven to be an astute purchase, having now accrued more than A$179,000 in earnings. “He was in the last draft that we sold under Blandford Lodge,” said Elsdon Park General Manager Kerrie Cox, with Petagna owning a share of the farm at the time before investing in what is now Elsdon Park. “He was a beautiful type and a lovely moving horse. He was the first foal and he was just big and strong, a lovely mover, and had a great head on him.” Cox said his yearling half-brother by Ardrossan is cast from the same mould and sold accordingly through the farm’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft earlier in the week. “We had a really good Easter Sale where we sold three horses, including the half-brother to Panic, who was the only Ardossan in the sale,” Cox said. “He made A$260,000 and when talking to Michael Wallace over there, who bought Panic with Paul Moroney, he said he (Panic) was going to be running in a stakes race and they were pretty confident. “It was great to see him get that win, especially in a big field like that.” They are the only two live foals out of Daniela’s Magic to date, who is now in-foal to Yulong’s Alabama Express. “Lib owns a share in Alabama and it has turned out to be a pretty good mating,” Cox said. “She is a lovely type of mare. She is leaving a really nice types and they look like athletes.” Daniela’s Magic is a full-sister to Group 1 performer Saracino, who went on to win four races, including the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m), Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Listed Newmarket Handicap (1200m). He was also placed in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Group 1 NRM Sprint (1400m), Group 3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m), Listed Beaufine Stakes (1000m), and two editions of the Listed Scenic Blast Stakes (1200m), earning nearly A$500,000 in prizemoney. Meanwhile, Elsdon Park has experienced further success on the track in Australia of late, with the Petagna-owned Kalapour placing in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) on Saturday, while farm graduate Hezdarnhottoo became Elsdon Park’s first winner at Randwick a fortnight ago. “Kalapour won the Tancred (Group 1, 2400m) a couple of weeks ago, and was a really commendable third in the Sydney Cup,” Cox said. “Hezdarnhottoo was the first horse that was branded at Elsdon Park and he won as a two-year-old in Sydney a few weeks ago. That was pretty exciting for us to see our brand cross the finishing line there. “I think there have only been four two-year-olds to the races so far with our brand on and they have gone pretty well. We have had Macaluso who was stakes placed as a two-year-old and also ran in the Karaka Millions. “We have had some nice success with that first crop. It wasn’t a very big first crop so it is nice to see those results coming through as two-year-olds already.” Horse racing news View the full article

Renovations winning at Te Rapa on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Promising youngster Renovations is further vindication of Cody Cole’s eye for young thoroughbred talent. The Waikato Stud-bred filly is a daughter of their resident sire Ardrossan and she’s made an encouraging start to her career for the Matamata trainer. Renovations finished runner-up, albeit a distant one behind the flying Alabama Lass, on debut before a respectable sixth in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). She dropped back in class on Sunday to gain a confidence-boosting runaway success in the Five Stags Leamington 2YO (1100m) at Te Rapa, which might prove to be the springboard back to black-type company. The Renovations story had its beginning last year when Cole accepted an invite from Waikato Stud to view available young stock. “They said to me that they had a few fillies they wanted to maintain ownership of, but wanted to lease out,” Cole said. “I went over there about 10 months ago, it was a good opportunity for us and there were three to choose from. “I looked at her (Renovations) and she looked like a readymade racehorse. She’d obviously never had a sales prep, so we leased her and Social Racing took half. “Some of my stable clients and a few newbies came on board and it’s a good group of people who have had a quick return on their investment. They’re having a lot of fun.” The Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1400m) back at Te Rapa on May 4 now looms as an ideal option for the filly. “She’s thriving and is nice and sound, so we’ll definitely be keeping that race in mind for her,” Cole said. “She really wants to be a three-year-old, she’s out of a Zabeel mare, and Hawke’s Bay in the spring has got a flashing red light for her.” In her latest appearance, Renovations worked her way to the front and showed sharp acceleration under rider Matthew Cameron in the straight to romp home by three and a-half lengths. “We were expecting a pretty good run, she had been working well with older horses and we didn’t put her in the Matamata Breeders for no reason and it was just that she didn’t quite have the ringcraft for that,” Cole said. Renovations is a half-sister to six-time winner Shoshone with their dam the Zabeel mare Dee I Why who is currently in foal to Banquo. Young stallion Ardrossan was credited with a winning double later on the Te Rapa program when Cindee downed a competitive three-year-old line-up over 1200 metres. Trained by race sponsor Allan Sharrock, the filly settled off the pace before unwinding powerfully in Craig Grylls’ hands for her third victory from four attempts. She is raced by a syndicate managed by breeder Nick Bolton and is out of the Pins mare Music, who is from the family of Group 1 winners Final Destination and Irish Fling. Horse racing news View the full article

Champion trainer will set gun recruit a big task by running him in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) on Champions DayView the full article

Group 1 Australian Oaks winner Autumn Angel. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) After securing a victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m), Autumn Angel could be poised for further elite-level success, with considerations for either the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) on June 1 or the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) on June 8. The talented filly, trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, is currently enjoying a spell in Queensland. Managing owner Wylie Dalziel disclosed that the decision to extend her season is under deliberation. “At this stage, she’s having a spell in Queensland,” Dalziel informed Racing.com. “Moods will go up and see her next week and then he will make a decision as to whether to bring her back in for those races.” Reflecting on the significance of Autumn Angel’s triumph, Dalziel shared, “There were quite a few of the owners in Autumn Angel who have raced horses for 40 years and have not had a Group 1 winner. They were thrilled.” Horse racing news View the full article

Promising youngster Renovations is further vindication of Cody Cole’s eye for young thoroughbred talent. The Waikato Stud-bred filly is a daughter of their resident sire Ardrossan and she’s made an encouraging start to her career for the Matamata trainer. Renovations finished runner-up, albeit a distant one behind the flying Alabama Lass, on debut before a respectable sixth in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). She dropped back in class on Sunday to gain a confidence-boosting runaway success in the Five Stags Leamington 2YO (1100m) at Te Rapa, which might prove to be the springboard back to black-type company. The Renovations story had its beginning last year when Cole accepted an invite from Waikato Stud to view available young stock. “They said to me that they had a few fillies they wanted to maintain ownership of, but wanted to lease out,” Cole said. “I went over there about 10 months ago, it was a good opportunity for us and there were three to choose from. “I looked at her (Renovations) and she looked like a readymade racehorse. She’d obviously never had a sales prep, so we leased her and Social Racing took half. “Some of my stable clients and a few newbies came on board and it’s a good group of people who have had a quick return on their investment. They’re having a lot of fun.” The Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1400m) back at Te Rapa on May 4 now looms as an ideal option for the filly. “She’s thriving and is nice and sound, so we’ll definitely be keeping that race in mind for her,” Cole said. “She really wants to be a three-year-old, she’s out of a Zabeel mare, and Hawke’s Bay in the spring has got a flashing red light for her.” In her latest appearance, Renovations worked her way to the front and showed sharp acceleration under rider Matthew Cameron in the straight to romp home by three and a-half lengths. “We were expecting a pretty good run, she had been working well with older horses and we didn’t put her in the Matamata Breeders for no reason and it was just that she didn’t quite have the ringcraft for that,” Cole said. Renovations is a half-sister to six-time winner Shoshone with their dam the Zabeel mare Dee I Why who is currently in foal to Banquo. Young stallion Ardrossan was credited with a winning double later on the Te Rapa program when Cindee downed a competitive three-year-old line-up over 1200 metres. Trained by race sponsor Allan Sharrock, the filly settled off the pace before unwinding powerfully in Craig Grylls’ hands for her third victory from four attempts. She is raced by a syndicate managed by breeder Nick Bolton and is out of the Pins mare Music, who is from the family of Group 1 winners Final Destination and Irish Fling. View the full article