Wandering Eyes

Belclare pictured with breeder and co-owner David Woodhouse. Photo: Race Images Group 1 winner Belclare’s retirement from racing has been short-lived, with the daughter of Per Incanto set to join expat Kiwi trainer Bjorn Baker’s Sydney barn. The six-year-old mare had a stellar racing career in New Zealand, winning 11 races for Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta, including the last two editions of the Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). She was subsequently offered at Magic Millions’ National Broodmare Sale last month where she failed to meet her A$700,000 reserve. While initially disappointed with the outcome, breeder and co-owner David Woodhouse is excited by the prospect of racing his dual Group 1 winner in Australia. “I am sending her to Bjorn Baker,” Woodhouse said. “They obviously didn’t rate New Zealand Group racing, so I am trying to prove a point. “Everyone is amazed she didn’t sell. Maybe I put too high a reserve on her, but I was taking advice on the reserve. “I am actually quite excited about the prospect of having another go with her.” Spring targets await Belclare, with her new trainer already eyeing the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at Wyong on September 6 as a possible first target. “We will just see how she comes up. We are just trying to win a Group race in Australia,” Woodhouse said. “There is a fillies and mares 1350m race at Wyong at the start of September, and that might be a starting point.” While a Group win in Australia is the primary objective, Woodhouse said there are contingency plans if she doesn’t flatter Baker in the early stages of her preparation. “Bjorn said that if she doesn’t show him anything early on, he won’t be persevering with her,” Woodhouse said. “I would then get her in-foal in Australia and either try and sell her in foal or bring her home and let Lisa (Latta) have another go with her.” Selling Belclare would be the ultimate goal for Woodhouse, who said in his stage of life, racing has become his primary passion. “I am now 73 and it is getting increasingly more difficult to handle foals,” he said. “I just love racing horses, so I thought if I can make a bit of money out of her, I could carry on racing horses for the rest of my days. That plan didn’t come to fruition, but I am looking forward to plan b.” Woodhouse has got plenty to look forward to with Belclare’s siblings. “I have got a full-brother (to Belclare), Ardoe, he is just spelling and will come back into work in two months’ time,” Woodhouse said. “The half-sister by Time Test (Rithim) is going to the trials next Tuesday, Lisa (Latta) is very happy with her. We have got a beautiful weanling full-sister at home, and the mare is in-foal to Satono Aladdin.” Woodhouse is also excited about next season with his rising three-year-old filly Connello, who has returned to his Wairarapa property for a spell following her sixth-placed run in last Saturday’s Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) on an unsuitable Heavy 10 track at Wanganui. “She is home for a month. She just didn’t handle how wet it was at Wanganui on Saturday,” Woodhouse said. “She is jumping out of her skin, she is tearing around the paddock like a lunatic. “She was due for a little let-up, that was quite the number of starts (seven) for a little two-year-old. We will bring her back and maybe target the Gold Trail (Group 3, 1200m) or find a suitable Pearl Series race for her.” Horse racing news View the full article

New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Well-related mare Dresse’ Par Joli will have her final opportunity to break her maiden on Wednesday before she heads off on a winter break. The Tavistock four-year-old has finished close up in all three of her runs this preparation and the step up to a middle distance in The Underbelly Tito Transport Maiden (2000m) at New Plymouth will aid her cause. Trained on the course by Allan Sharrock, Dresse’ Par Joli is a daughter of the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) winner Cote D’Or from the Pencarrow Stud family of multiple Group 1 winner and successful sire Darci Brahma. “She will go to the paddock after this, she’s a well-bred mare who is still a bit weak, but she should go close to getting up this time,” Sharrock said. Dresse’ Par Joli finished runner-up at Otaki over 1600m two runs back and was then fourth at Trentham over a mile again and easing out in trip is expected to suit the mare. She will further benefit from Triston Moodley’s three kilogram claim and the in-form apprentice will also partner fancied stablemates Librasi and Lazio. The former will resume in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m) and has had the benefit of a trial outing to ready the Reliable Man for her return. Librasi has only won once but has showed her quality when third in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and also ran fourth in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes (1200m). “It’s the old story, a bit like Sophmaze who came back well on Saturday, they had busy two and three-year-old years and they can bail out for a bit, but Librasi has come up well,” Sharrock said. “I like her fresh-up and she has drawn well in one.” Per Incanto four-year-old Lazio is another returning from a break in the One Bold Cat Counties Cup Winner Maiden (1200m). “He’s got to be tough to beat after two runs for two seconds,” Sharrock said. “He would have been a very smart horse if he didn’t have knee problems, but he’s still a good galloper and he’s pretty forward.” Lazio is a half-brother to the champion Hong Kong performer and four-time Group 1 winner Lucky Sweynesse. Continuing the apprentice theme, Brigit will be ridden by Toni Davies in Lazio’s event or by Niranjan Parmar if she contests the Mary Louise Wellington Cup winner 3YO Maiden (1200m). “She goes really well and is another I’d expect to be pretty competitive,” Sharrock said. Both of the Time Test filly’s outings have been over the course and distance and she was a close runner-up on debut and then followed up with a sound effort for fourth. Sharrock is enjoying another satisfying 2023-24 term with 34 winners and the stable surpassing the $1 million mark in earnings for the fourth consecutive season. “We’ve still got 40 in work and sorting through them all so I can’t complain,” he said. Horse racing news View the full article

Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow is hoping to collect a couple of breakthrough successes with four runners heading to New Plymouth on Thursday. The meeting is solely for apprentice jockeys, and Thurlow has engaged the country’s top two in Niranjan Parmar and Lily Sutherland to ride his quartet, both of which he has had success with in the past. “Lily has ridden for us for a while and had a little bit to do with these horses,” he said. “Niranjan Parmar is a very capable apprentice, he’s a strong, aggressive rider who has ridden a few winners for me before. I’m very happy to have him on.” Sutherland leads the charge in the Central Districts region, and she will partner promising debutant O’Dee in the Mary Louise Wellington Cup Winner Maiden 3YO (1200m), who won at the Foxton trials on May 14. “He’s just a nice progressive horse, he went well at the trials, and we expect him to run well tomorrow,” Thurlow said. “I think he’ll go a good race, he’s done well since that trial and is reasonably well educated by now. He can get a little bit fierce, but he’s getting there so I’d expect him to go pretty well. “If he can just settle off the speed, we’d be happy and hopefully he can finish it off, it depends how it pans out but he should be able to do that from the draw (6).” She will also guide the fortunes of Steal My Thunder, a Derryn mare who came close to breaking maiden status last-start at Trentham. “It was a very good run at Wellington, she probably just got to the front a bit soon and got caught late. We were confident she would run well there and I think she loves a wet track,” Thurlow said. “She’s done well since she raced, and I’m very happy with her. “Tomorrow’s looking like it’s going to be reasonably wet, although we haven’t had any rain, but I think the rating is still a heavy so that shouldn’t worry her. “She’s drawn out a little bit (12), but that might not matter either if it’s wetter.” Parmar will travel south from the Waikato to fulfil his rides aboard Towrope in The Underbelly Tito Transport Ltd Maiden (2000m) and Champagne Linda in the Robbie Patterson Regal Lodge Maiden (1400m). “Towrope just didn’t really handle the heavy track at Wellington, but he’s come through it well. He physically looks good and he’s fit so he should race well tomorrow,” Thurlow said. A daughter of Darci Brahma, Champagne Linda has shown promise in her short career and contested the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) last preparation. “She’s going well and I’m happy with her, she went to Taupo first-up and went a really good race, the race just didn’t really pan out to suit her,” Thurlow said. “She’s come through it well and her work has been good, we’ve got a good rider, so we are expecting a good run from her.” Horse racing news View the full article

Andy Win winning at Matamata on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Andy Win completed a memorable Prima Park graduate double this week in the Matamata Glass & Joinery 2000 on Wednesday, and farm principal Kelly Van Dyk couldn’t be any happier with the result. Andy Win was a breeze-up partner to last Saturday’s Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) winner Warmonger at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, where the latter was sold to Champagne Racing’s Shane Kennedy for $165,000, while Andy Win failed to reach his $80,000 reserve. Warmonger was subsequently on sold to Australian syndicator OTI Racing and entered the care of trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, for whom he has won three of his nine starts, including Saturday’s Derby win, and he was also runner-up in the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) the start prior. Warmonger was a pinhook for Van Dyk, in association with Ben Kwok and bloodstock agent Bevan Smith, after they went to $75,000 to purchase him out of Valachi Downs’ 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft. He would go on to join Prima Park’s Ready to Run Sale draft later that year, alongside Andy Win, who the same partnership had gone to $55,000 to purchase out of Carlaw Park’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale draft. Winning a maiden at a midweek meeting at Matamata might be poles apart from a Derby victory, but Van Dyk, who also trains Andy Win, was just as rapt to pick up the victory with Andy Win on her home track. “It was a really impressive win today,” she said. “It was his first time over 2000m, so you are always going to be apprehensive with how they will go, but his work on Saturday was huge galloping on the course proper at Matamata, and we were pretty confident heading into today. “I thought his first-up run over a mile at Te Rapa was really encouraging, just the way that he found the line. He has always looked like an out-and-out stayer. “Fittingly we (Van Dyk and Ben Kwok) owned Warmonger together and sold him. This horse (Andy Win) breezed up with Warmonger at the ready to run sale. “We are a long way from a Derby win in Queensland at Matamata on a Wednesday, but I think this horse is progressive and to do what he did today on his first trip over ground, I think it is all in front of him. “We bought him as a weanling and took him to the ready to runs. He was pretty green in his breeze-up and failed to make his reserve, so we just decided to keep him and push on with him, which we have done.” Van Dyk was rapt to see Warmonger win the Queensland Derby over the weekend in impressive fashion. “It was an awesome feeling to see a horse that you have selected yourself and done all the work with, and just to see him win like that was really satisfying,” she said. Van Dyk said Andy Win was always going to take a bit of time and she is hoping that he is now just starting to hit his straps compared to Warmonger who gave the impression her was a more precocious type during his time at Prima Park. “They were quite different,” she said. “Andy Win was always a big horse and you could see he was going to be a stayer in the making, and time was going to be his friend, and that is exactly what has happened, he has continued to keep getting better and better as time has gone on. “Warmonger was probably a bit more compact and has that huge heart and stamina to have done what he has done now. Both were very lovely horses in their own right and headed down different paths.” There has been a fair bit of interest in Andy Win from bloodstock agents, and he too could find himself across the Tasman in the near future. “He has had a few people sniffing around, so he might be sold before we get to carry on with him,” Van Dyk said. “If not, we will just keep progressing through the grades. He is just going to get better with time, he is a big horse and we have just been really patient with him.” Horse racing news View the full article

The impressive recent strike-rate of Opie Bosson continued at Matamata on Wednesday, with the top hoop steering home three winners for Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson. Bosson has shared his riding engagements between New Zealand and Australia this season, most notably to partner the recently sold star Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), but has still managed to guide home 84 winners on Kiwi soil from just 320 rides. The first of his winning treble at Matamata was aboard Bella Voce, a daughter of Fastnet Rock, who had collected two second placings and a fourth in as many career starts. She was fancied near-unbeatable at $1.70 in the Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m), and after jumping positively, raced boldly along the back straight on-speed outside of Waiterimu. Bosson allowed the filly to slide into the lead turning for home, and that margin only continued to extend as she raced away for a 3-1/2 length victory. “She was on the job and pretty keen early,” Bosson said. “She will be better ridden in behind them but was too good for them ridden that way today.” Bella Voce was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis at the 2022 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and Walker was pleased to see her performing well in the early stages of her career. “She appeared to have the race under control a long way from home and looked really good stretching out in the straight,” Walker said. “She’s taken a bit of time to mature, but she’s certainly got ability and you’d expect her to continue growing in confidence with the win. “It was good to see her being able to quicken with give in the ground, which is a big help at this time of the year, and we can now look to a Saturday grade race from here. “She’s developing into a big strong filly, has a beautiful pedigree, and it’s great to get a win early in her career.” Te Akau Racing stablemate Akenehi (Fastnet Rock) was tipped at a similar quote ($1.90) to enter the winner’s circle for the first time in the Thank You Vaughan Nowell 1400, and after a comfortable run midfield, she set to fight out the finish alongside second-favourite One More Dance (NZ) (Sweynesse). The pair put distance between the remainder of the field, but Akenehi proved too strong in the finish and scored by a long neck in the colours of breeders Trelawney Stud. Completing the combination’s winning treble was Polly Plum, who bounced back from her last-start effort on the Cambridge Synthetic to claim the Toby Autridge Memorial (1400m). A daughter of impressive former Te Akau representative Xtravagant, Polly Plum travelled midfield and was kept closer to the inside by Bosson while others veered to the outer turning for home, and that move paid off when she held off the late charge of Vino Valentino (NZ) (Zacinto) by a head. Wednesday’s win was the five-year-old mare’s fourth in 25 starts for the Te Akau Enfranchise Racing Partnership. View the full article

The 58 Lot catalogue for the latest fortnightly auction on gavelhouse.com features an outstanding selection of 22 horses from the globally renowned Cambridge Stud. The famous nursery is giving buyers access to 11 weanlings, two yearlings and nine broodmares, representing the high-class bloodlines that Cambridge Stud is known for. “We’ve used gavelhouse.com quite a few times to sell mares in the past, and we’ve noticed that the online market is gaining more and more traction,” Cambridge Stud’s sales and nominations manager Scott Calder said. “Buyers are very comfortable bidding on horses online now, particularly since Covid. It also suits us well as vendors, because we can sell straight off the farm, which reduces the stress for horses – such as the mares who are in foal. “We’ve traditionally taken a draft of weanlings to Karaka, but we’ve decided to offer those on gavelhouse.com this year as well. It allows us to keep them here on the farm, where people can come and have a look at them if they wish.” Cambridge Stud’s weanling selection on gavelhouse.com includes six progeny of exciting young shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain. The multiple Group One-winning sprinter made a splash with his first southern hemisphere yearlings this season, selling for up to $425,000 in Book 1 of Karaka 2024. “I think the Hello Youmzain weanlings are a really key opportunity for buyers among this group of horses,” Calder said. “His first yearlings sold very strongly at Karaka earlier in the year, and his first two-year-olds are off to an exciting start in Europe. He’s had nine starters up there for four winners and three placegetters. “From talking to agents based in the northern hemisphere, there’s a really positive vibe around the stallion. So from a pinhooking point of view, I think there’s a lot of upside to purchasing weanlings from his second crop. “We’re fortunate to have a large number of his progeny on the farm, so this is a good opportunity to give others the chance to secure some.” The Cambridge Stud broodmares are also set to command plenty of attention. “This is something that we do every year with our broodmare band,” Calder said. “We’re lucky to be in the position where Brendan and Jo have a large and successful racing team that’s made up primarily of fillies and mares. As those horses are retired off the track, we have to sell some of our other horses on a regular basis. If we don’t do that, the numbers just swell too much. “In terms of the quality of the mares we’re selling, the bar is getting higher and higher every year. A lot of the mares that we’re selling here are very current and active. “Eliza Blues (NZ) (O’Reilly) was a Group One placegetter herself in the Queensland Oaks (2400m), and she had a Group One runner last weekend with her son Navy King (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) in the Queensland Derby (2400m). He was well supported in the betting market for that race but just raced way too keenly. He was a very impressive winner at Flemington before that, so he has a bright future in front of him. “Phenetic (Zamindar) has a three-year-old filly by Almanzor racing in Melbourne this weekend. Tipilk (NZ) (Volksraad) is being offered in foal to Almanzor, who’s just going from strength to strength with his progeny. “We’re also selling mares in foal to Hello Youmzain, Sword Of State and Embellish (NZ), who all have a lot going for them as well. “I think this selection of horses represents some very good quality opportunities and great value for buyers. People have had some real success from pinhooking our weanlings in the past, and I’d expect this year to bring more of the same. “There have been some strong results with broodmares that we’ve sold online too, such as the mare Forest Of Seas (Sea The Stars), who’s the dam of our recent Group Two winner and Group One placegetter Aquacade (NZ) (Dundeel). We sold Forest Of Seas for $4,200 on gavelhouse.com a few years ago.” Overall, the 58-lot catalogue is made up of 15 weanlings, six yearlings, 25 broodmares and assorted racing stock. The sale features weanlings by the likes of Ace High, Almanzor, Embellish, Eminent, Hello Youmzain, Preferment, Turn Me Loose (NZ) and Wooded. The yearlings are by Embellish, Hello Youmzain, Jon Snow (NZ) and Turn Me Loose. Mares are being offered in foal to Ace High, Almanzor, Armory, Embellish, Hello Youmzain, Sword Of State, Redwood, U S Navy Flag and Turn Me Loose. Bidding is open now, with the first lot closing from 7pm on Monday June 10. Browse the full catalogue. Meanwhile, entries are also open for the National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus. This sale will go live on Friday 28th June and close on Wednesday 10th July. View the full article

Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow is hoping to collect a couple of breakthrough successes with four runners heading to New Plymouth on Thursday. The meeting is solely for apprentice jockeys, and Thurlow has engaged the country’s top two in Niranjan Parmar and Lily Sutherland to ride his quartet, both of which he has had success with in the past. “Lily has ridden for us for a while and had a little bit to do with these horses,” he said. “Niranjan Parmar is a very capable apprentice, he’s a strong, aggressive rider who has ridden a few winners for me before. I’m very happy to have him on.” Sutherland leads the charge in the Central Districts region, and she will partner promising debutant O’Dee in the Mary Louise Wellington Cup Winner Maiden 3YO (1200m), who won at the Foxton trials on May 14. “He’s just a nice progressive horse, he went well at the trials, and we expect him to run well tomorrow,” Thurlow said. “I think he’ll go a good race, he’s done well since that trial and is reasonably well educated by now. He can get a little bit fierce, but he’s getting there so I’d expect him to go pretty well. “If he can just settle off the speed, we’d be happy and hopefully he can finish it off, it depends how it pans out but he should be able to do that from the draw (6).” She will also guide the fortunes of Steal My Thunder, a Derryn mare who came close to breaking maiden status last-start at Trentham. “It was a very good run at Wellington, she probably just got to the front a bit soon and got caught late. We were confident she would run well there and I think she loves a wet track,” Thurlow said. “She’s done well since she raced, and I’m very happy with her. “Tomorrow’s looking like it’s going to be reasonably wet, although we haven’t had any rain, but I think the rating is still a heavy so that shouldn’t worry her. “She’s drawn out a little bit (12), but that might not matter either if it’s wetter.” Parmar will travel south from the Waikato to fulfil his rides aboard Towrope in The Underbelly Tito Transport Ltd Maiden (2000m) and Champagne Linda in the Robbie Patterson Regal Lodge Maiden (1400m). “Towrope just didn’t really handle the heavy track at Wellington, but he’s come through it well. He physically looks good and he’s fit so he should race well tomorrow,” Thurlow said. A daughter of Darci Brahma, Champagne Linda has shown promise in her short career and contested the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) last preparation. “She’s going well and I’m happy with her, she went to Taupo first-up and went a really good race, the race just didn’t really pan out to suit her,” Thurlow said. “She’s come through it well and her work has been good, we’ve got a good rider, so we are expecting a good run from her.” View the full article

Andy Win (NZ) (Almanzor) completed a memorable Prima Park graduate double this week in the Matamata Glass & Joinery 2000 on Wednesday, and farm principal Kelly Van Dyk couldn’t be any happier with the result. Andy Win was a breeze-up partner to last Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) winner Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree) at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, where the latter was sold to Champagne Racing’s Shane Kennedy for $165,000, while Andy Win failed to reach his $80,000 reserve. Warmonger was subsequently on sold to Australian syndicator OTI Racing and entered the care of trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, for whom he has won three of his nine starts, including Saturday’s Derby win, and he was also runner-up in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) the start prior. Warmonger was a pinhook for Van Dyk, in association with Ben Kwok and bloodstock agent Bevan Smith, after they went to $75,000 to purchase him out of Valachi Downs’ 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft. He would go on to join Prima Park’s Ready to Run Sale draft later that year, alongside Andy Win, who the same partnership had gone to $55,000 to purchase out of Carlaw Park’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale draft. Winning a maiden at a midweek meeting at Matamata might be poles apart from a Derby victory, but Van Dyk, who also trains Andy Win, was just as rapt to pick up the victory with Andy Win on her home track. “It was a really impressive win today,” she said. “It was his first time over 2000m, so you are always going to be apprehensive with how they will go, but his work on Saturday was huge galloping on the course proper at Matamata, and we were pretty confident heading into today. “I thought his first-up run over a mile at Te Rapa was really encouraging, just the way that he found the line. He has always looked like an out-and-out stayer. “Fittingly we (Van Dyk and Ben Kwok) owned Warmonger together and sold him. This horse (Andy Win) breezed up with Warmonger at the ready to run sale. “We are a long way from a Derby win in Queensland at Matamata on a Wednesday, but I think this horse is progressive and to do what he did today on his first trip over ground, I think it is all in front of him. “We bought him as a weanling and took him to the ready to runs. He was pretty green in his breeze-up and failed to make his reserve, so we just decided to keep him and push on with him, which we have done.” Van Dyk was rapt to see Warmonger win the Queensland Derby over the weekend in impressive fashion. “It was an awesome feeling to see a horse that you have selected yourself and done all the work with, and just to see him win like that was really satisfying,” she said. Van Dyk said Andy Win was always going to take a bit of time and she is hoping that he is now just starting to hit his straps compared to Warmonger who gave the impression her was a more precocious type during his time at Prima Park. “They were quite different,” she said. “Andy Win was always a big horse and you could see he was going to be a stayer in the making, and time was going to be his friend, and that is exactly what has happened, he has continued to keep getting better and better as time has gone on. “Warmonger was probably a bit more compact and has that huge heart and stamina to have done what he has done now. Both were very lovely horses in their own right and headed down different paths.” There has been a fair bit of interest in Andy Win from bloodstock agents, and he too could find himself across the Tasman in the near future. “He has had a few people sniffing around, so he might be sold before we get to carry on with him,” Van Dyk said. “If not, we will just keep progressing through the grades. He is just going to get better with time, he is a big horse and we have just been really patient with him.” View the full article

Group One winner Belclare’s (NZ) retirement from racing has been short-lived, with the daughter of Per Incanto set to join expat Kiwi trainer Bjorn Baker’s Sydney barn. The six-year-old mare had a stellar racing career in New Zealand, winning 11 races for Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta, including the last two editions of the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). She was subsequently offered at Magic Millions’ National Broodmare Sale last month where she failed to meet her A$700,000 reserve. While initially disappointed with the outcome, breeder and co-owner David Woodhouse is excited by the prospect of racing his dual Group One winner in Australia. “I am sending her to Bjorn Baker,” Woodhouse said. “They obviously didn’t rate New Zealand Group racing, so I am trying to prove a point. “Everyone is amazed she didn’t sell. Maybe I put too high a reserve on her, but I was taking advice on the reserve. “I am actually quite excited about the prospect of having another go with her.” Spring targets await Belclare, with her new trainer already eyeing the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at Wyong on September 6 as a possible first target. “We will just see how she comes up. We are just trying to win a Group race in Australia,” Woodhouse said. “There is a fillies and mares 1350m race at Wyong at the start of September, and that might be a starting point.” While a Group win in Australia is the primary objective, Woodhouse said there are contingency plans if she doesn’t flatter Baker in the early stages of her preparation. “Bjorn said that if she doesn’t show him anything early on, he won’t be persevering with her,” Woodhouse said. “I would then get her in-foal in Australia and either try and sell her in foal or bring her home and let Lisa (Latta) have another go with her.” Selling Belclare would be the ultimate goal for Woodhouse, who said in his stage of life, racing has become his primary passion. “I am now 73 and it is getting increasingly more difficult to handle foals,” he said. “I just love racing horses, so I thought if I can make a bit of money out of her, I could carry on racing horses for the rest of my days. That plan didn’t come to fruition, but I am looking forward to plan b.” Woodhouse has got plenty to look forward to with Belclare’s siblings. “I have got a full-brother (to Belclare), Ardoe, he is just spelling and will come back into work in two months’ time,” Woodhouse said. “The half-sister by Time Test (Rithim) is going to the trials next Tuesday, Lisa (Latta) is very happy with her. We have got a beautiful weanling full-sister at home, and the mare is in-foal to Satono Aladdin.” Woodhouse is also excited about next season with his rising three-year-old filly Connello (NZ) (Time Test), who has returned to his Wairarapa property for a spell following her sixth-placed run in last Saturday’s Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) on an unsuitable Heavy10 track at Wanganui. “She is home for a month. She just didn’t handle how wet it was at Wanganui on Saturday,” Woodhouse said. “She is jumping out of her skin, she is tearing around the paddock like a lunatic. “She was due for a little let-up, that was quite the number of starts (seven) for a little two-year-old. We will bring her back and maybe target the Gold Trail (Gr.3, 1200m) or find a suitable Pearl Series race for her.” View the full article

Well-related mare Dresse’ Par Joli (NZ) (Tavistock) will have her final opportunity to break her maiden on Thursday before she heads off on a winter break. The Tavistock four-year-old has finished close up in all three of her runs this preparation and the step up to a middle distance in The Underbelly Tito Transport Maiden (2000m) at New Plymouth will aid her cause. Trained on the course by Allan Sharrock, Dresse’ Par Joli is a daughter of the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) winner Cote D’Or (NZ) (Makfi) from the Pencarrow Stud family of multiple Group One winner and successful sire Darci Brahma. “She will go to the paddock after this, she’s a well-bred mare who is still a bit weak, but she should go close to getting up this time,” Sharrock said. Dresse’ Par Joli finished runner-up at Otaki over 1600m two runs back and was then fourth at Trentham over a mile again and easing out in trip is expected to suit the mare. She will further benefit from Triston Moodley’s three kilogram claim and the in-form apprentice will also partner fancied stablemates Librarsi (NZ) (Reliable Man) and Lazio (NZ) (Per Incanto). The former will resume in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m) and has had the benefit of a trial outing to ready the Reliable Man for her return. Librarsi has only won once but has showed her quality when third in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and also ran fourth in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes (1200m). “It’s the old story, a bit like Sophmaze who came back well on Saturday, they had busy two and three-year-old years and they can bail out for a bit, but Librasi has come up well,” Sharrock said. “I like her fresh-up and she has drawn well in one.” Per Incanto four-year-old Lazio is another returning from a break in the One Bold Cat Counties Cup Winner Maiden (1200m). “He’s got to be tough to beat after two runs for two seconds,” Sharrock said. “He would have been a very smart horse if he didn’t have knee problems, but he’s still a good galloper and he’s pretty forward.” Lazio is a half-brother to the champion Hong Kong performer and four-time Group One winner Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse). Continuing the apprentice theme, Brigit (NZ) (Time Test) will be ridden by Toni Davies in Lazio’s event or by Niranjan Parmar if she contests the Mary Louise Wellington Cup winner 3YO Maiden (1200m). “She goes really well and is another I’d expect to be pretty competitive,” Sharrock said. Both of the Time Test filly’s outings have been over the course and distance and she was a close runner-up on debut and then followed up with a sound effort for fourth. Sharrock is enjoying another satisfying 2023-24 term with 34 winners and the stable surpassing the $1 million mark in earnings for the fourth consecutive season. “We’ve still got 40 in work and sorting through them all so I can’t complain,” he said. View the full article

What Queensland Oaks 2024 Where Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 When Saturday, June 8, 2024 Prizemoney $700,000 Distance 2200m Conditions Set Weights 2023 winner Amokura (1) | T: Kris Lees | J: Damien Oliver (56.5kg) Visit Dabble The Group 1 Queensland Oaks will headline the nine-race program at Eagle Farm this Saturday afternoon, with a full field of 18 fillies expected to take their place in the race. With no rain on the forecast for the rest of the week in Brisbane, the track is expected to be rated a Good 4 for raceday. The rail will be pushed out slightly from last weekend to the +2.5m position for the entire circuit. Over the last 10 years, Chris Waller (3) is the only trainer to have claimed multiple editions of the 2200m contest. The 2024 Queensland Oaks appears to boast one of the better fields that have been assembled in recent years, with most runners coming through similar form lines throughout their preparations. Queensland Oaks 2024 odds Following her narrow victory in The Roses last start, Scarlet Oak has opened as the +230 favourite with online bookmakers. Molly Bloom sits on the second line of betting at +380 after finishing fifth in the same race as the favourite in her second Australian start. The Chris Waller-trained fillies Ahuriri (+650) and Mare Of Mt Buller (+750) round out the runners in single figures; however, the chances don’t stop there. Moonlight Magic (+1100) will back up from the Queensland Derby last Saturday, while Good Banter (+1800), Tutta La Vita (+1800) and Miss Jolene (+2000) all come through the same race. Queensland Oaks 2024 speed map Amazonian Lass looks to be the leader in the Queensland Oaks field, with the possibility of Socks Nation pushing forward to apply some pressure. Concello, Firestorm, Our Gold Hope, Scarlet Oak and Kind Words will all be looking to settle behind the speed, with a three-wide running line expected to be prevalent. Molly Bloom, Mollynickers and Mare Of Mt Buller will be settling near the rear of the field and should appreciate any extra pressure that is applied to the leading pack. Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 Queensland Oaks. Queensland Oaks 2024 preview & form Mare Of Mt Buller has finished in the placings in the Gold Coast Bracelet and The Roses on her way to the Queensland Oaks, recording the fastest sections in the final 600m of each race. The daughter of Dundeel has shown in recent starts that she is looking for more distance, and with her stepping up to 2200m for the first time, she should be ready to show her best. From barrier two, Mare Of Mt Buller will receive an economical run in transit, and if she gets clear air in the final 400m, this filly will be letting down with a strong finish. Although Molly Bloom finished fifth in The Roses at Doomben last start, the Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott-trained filly was forced out wide for the second half of the race and still ran on strongly. From barrier 10, it is expected that she will settle near last and get into a rhythm before making her run late. Like most of her rivals, the 2200m is an unknown for Molly Bloom, but she won over 2000m at Group 2 level in New Zealand and will be peaking third-up for this. Scarlet Oak has been nothing short of impressive in her four career starts to date; however, the Chris Waller-trained filly has drawn barrier 15 for her biggest test. This daughter of Kermadec received a dream run from barrier five on her way to victory in The Roses, and if she doesn’t get into a similar position on Saturday, it may prove to be a much tougher task over 2200m. Following her sixth-place finish in The Roses last time out, Kris Lees and Mark Zahra will combine with Kind Words once again. This daughter of Written Tycoon has shown signs she is looking for the extra distance of the Oaks, and if Zahra can find a back to follow around the home turn, there is no doubt she can run home strongly to finish in the top four. Queensland Oaks 2024 selections & best bets Selections: 11 MARE OF MT BULLER 1 MOLLY BLOOM 4 SCARLET OAK 14 KIND WORDS $100 betting strategy $100 win Mare Of Mt Buller (#11) @ +750 with Neds 2024 Queensland Oaks field 1. Molly Bloom (10) T: Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott J: W: 56.5kg F: 1×25 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Ace High Dam: Dancilla +380 -105.26 2. Tutta La Vita (16) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 7258 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: The Autumn Sun Dam: Negotiate +1800 +450 3. Amazonian Lass (18) T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott J: Adam Hyeronimus W: 56.5kg F: x210 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: More Than Ready (USA) Dam: Dynastic Lady +2000 +500 4. Scarlet Oak (15) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 1211 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Kermadec (NZ) Dam: Tactless +230 -175.44 5. Moonlight Magic (6) T: Andrew Forsman J: W: 56.5kg F: 6412 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Almanzor (FR) Dam: Japonica +1100 +275 6. Mollynickers (8) T: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman J: Carleen Hefel W: 56.5kg F: 5389 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Pierro Dam: Just One Moment +6000 +1500 7. Socks Nation (11) T: Ciaron Maher J: Ryan Maloney W: 56.5kg F: 2444 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Sioux Nation (USA) Dam: Tahnee Tiara +8000 +2000 8. Miss Jolene (22) T: Kelly Schweida J: James Orman W: 56.5kg F: 2663 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown Sex: Filly Sire: Russian Revolution Dam: Cellargirl +2000 +500 9. Ahuriri (21) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 2815 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Almanzor (FR) Dam: Mackenzie Kate +650 +162 10. Good Banter (5) T: John O’Shea J: Jamie Kah W: 56.5kg F: 4617 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay/Brown Sex: Filly Sire: Tavistock (NZ) Dam: Danza Kuduro +1800 +450 11. Mare Of Mt Buller (2) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 6732 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Aliberani +750 +187 12. Our Gold Hope (13) T: Robert & Luke Price J: Craig Williams W: 56.5kg F: 2534 Age: 3YO Colour: Grey Sex: Filly Sire: Lope De Vega (IRE) Dam: Grey Queen +3000 +750 13. Oceans Of Energy (1) T: Matthew Dunn J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 1050 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Ocean Gate +10000 +2500 14. Kind Words (23) T: Kris Lees J: Mark Zahra W: 56.5kg F: 9536 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Written Tycoon Dam: Gracious Grey +2500 +625 15. Gentileschi (4) T: Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich J: Zac Lloyd W: 56.5kg F: 1113 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Artefiori +3000 +750 16. Unique Ambition (20) T: John Sargent J: Michael Rodd W: 56.5kg F: 1801 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Tavistock (NZ) Dam: Key To Success +7000 +1750 17. Concello (7) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 1302 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay/Brown Sex: Filly Sire: Trapeze Artist Dam: Senta Helga +5000 +1250 18. Firestorm (12) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 4303 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Satono Aladdin (JPN) Dam: Dancing Embers +6000 +1500 19 (1E). Callistemon (12) T: Kerry Parker J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 5647 Age: 3YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Filly Sire: Territories (IRE) Dam: Hariata +15000 +3750 20 (2E). Grey Ice (19) T: Bevan Laming J: Martin Harley W: 56.5kg F: 1841 Age: 3YO Colour: Grey Sex: Filly Sire: Reliable Man (GB) Dam: Haliburton +4000 +1000 21 (3E). Kenyada (3) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: 4913 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay/Brown Sex: Filly Sire: Kermadec (NZ) Dam: Yukon Dance +10000 +2500 22 (4E). Ala Moana (14) T: Danny O’Brien J: Michael Dee W: 56.5kg F: 3×51 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Lean Mean Machine Dam: Fantasy Gal +6000 +1500 23 (5E). Ring Me Up (12) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 56.5kg F: x728 Age: 3YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Filly Sire: American Pharoah (USA) Dam: Hoybell +12500 +3125 More horse racing tips View the full article

What Swan Hill Races Where Swan Hill Jockey Club – 17 Gray St, Swan Hill VIC 3585 When Friday, June 17, 2024 First Race 12:15pm AEST Visit Dabble The first day of the Swan Hill June Racing Carnival will kick off on Friday afternoon, with a competitive eight-race program set down for decision. Although the track was rated a Soft 6 at the time of acceptances, there is no rain forecast in the lead-up to raceday, so it is expected that the track will firm into the Good range. The rail will be in its true position for the entire circuit, with the opening race scheduled to jump at 12:15pm AEST. Best Bet at Swan Hill: King’s Capital King’s Capital brought up a hat-trick of wins at Morphettville last time out, when the Ben, Will & JD Hayes-trained settled on speed before kicking clear in the home straight to hold off his rivals by half a length over 1800m. Interestingly, this son of Animal Kingdom has yet to win at 1600m, but given the strength of his victories during this streak, he should have no trouble replicating his most recent victory by settling on speed and giving a good kick with 300m to go. Best Bet Race 5 – #2 King’s Capital (10) 7yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Blaike McChief Stipeall (60.5kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Swan Hill: Just For Show Just For Show will bring strong metropolitan form to the Elvstroem Classic as he seeks to claim his first victory after recording three straight third-place finishes to start his career. This son of Showtime was very good last start, picking his way through the pack from the back of the field before running into a tight gap between the two leaders. Billy Egan will be able to settle closer to the speed from barrier four, and if Just For Shows lets down with a similar finish, he will prove hard to hold out. Next Best Race 4 – #1 Just For Show (4) 2yo Colt | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Billy Egan (57kg) Bet with Playup Best Value at Swan Hill: Bellinger It has been a long time between wins for Bellinger, but he looks to have found the right race to break his 64-week drought. The Hayes team has kept this six-year-old gelding to 1200m races throughout this long preparation, and his last effort at Caulfield was one of his better performances over the last few months. With good speed expected in this race, Blaike McChief Stipeall will settle towards the rear of the field before giving Bellinger his cue to let down with a strong finish down the middle of the track. Best Value Race 8 – #2 Bellinger (9) 6yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Blaike McChief Stipeall (58kg) Bet with Picklebet Swan Hill Friday quaddie tips – 7/6/2024 Swan Hill quadrella selections Friday, June 7, 2024 2-6-9 1-2-6-8 1-4-6-8-10 2-3-4-9 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Victorian trainer Neil Dyer has entered three runners for the Fannie Bay meeting this Saturday as he prepares for yet another Darwin Cup Carnival. Having arrived in the Top End a fortnight ago, Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer is preparing for yet another Darwin Cup Carnival campaign. Dyer, who made his first trip north in 2008 and only missed the 2020 carnival because of COVID, has won plenty of feature races, including three Darwin Cups with Hawks Bay (2011, 2012) and Royal Request (2017). He boasts 100 wins in Darwin and is eyeing further success at the 2024 carnival, comprising eight meetings between July 6 and August 5. “It’s still a long trip to Darwin, it’s fatiguing,” Dyer said. “We’ve got 20 horses here, we let them recover before they started work. “Six left Mornington with Darwin Horse Transport and they also picked up another two in Alice Springs. “We didn’t have any runners on May 25, but we’ll hopefully have three on Saturday.” Dyer has nominated five-year-old gelding Hallowed Ground, four-year-old mare Roulette Queen, and six-year-old gelding Oliver Bullet for the Darwin meeting on June 8. There are nine Saturday meetings at Fannie Bay from now until the end of the carnival, punctuated by two Wednesday cards in July and Darwin Cup Day on the first Monday in August. Looking ahead, Dyer is eyeing the Darwin Cup (2050m) with Hettinger, the Palmerston Sprint (1200m) with Hallowed Ground and Grand Pope, and the NT Derby (2050m) with Unquestionably. Hettinger, fourth in the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) in April, had two wins and two seconds from six Darwin starts last year before winning the Katherine Cup (1600m) by 7.5 lengths. “I think the Alice Springs Cup was a learning curve for Hettinger,” Dyer said. “We’ve got to ride him more conservatively, probably take a sit closer to the lead with cover. “Running out 2000m is no issue, he only got beaten 3.4 lengths after trying to do it like Might And Power out in front. “Hallowed Ground, a big powerhouse, holds the 1100m track record on the Ballarat synthetic and Grand Pope has won down the Flemington straight over 1200m. “We bought Unquestionably, who was the highest-priced yearling when Ciaron Maher purchased him for $1.7 million at the 2023 Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale. “He’s by Not A Single Doubt and it became obvious pretty quickly that he wasn’t going to be a stallion proposition, so they gelded him. “He ran third in a $60,000 maiden (1500m) at Kembla Grange first-up before winning a 1900m Gosford maiden next start. “They put him online for sale after he failed in the Cranbourne Classic (2025m), and we bought him.” Dyer admitted he was going to be more cautious during June to ensure his horses are cherry ripe for the Darwin Cup Carnival. “I find that when horses have leg problems here, it usually happens early during carnival,” he said. “They’re adjusting to the dirt surface, so you’ve got to be careful. “I’ve lost a few with serious breakdowns, including Mulk, who won three in a row here in 2019.” Dyer also confirmed that relocating to Darwin was his long-term objective, but not until he sells his Kyneton farm and stables. Horse racing news View the full article

Godolphin's Siskany is favored to repeat in the $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup (G2T) June 6 at Saratoga Race Course. He won the race last year at Belmont over The Grey Wizard, who opposes him again. View the full article

Whisper Hill Farm's Charge It will look to get back on track with a repeat victory in the $350,000 Suburban Stakes (G2) June 8 at Saratoga Race Course. The talented son of Tapit faces progressive 5-year-old Bendoog and stablemate Crupi.View the full article

The Gold Cup is one of the key race meetings at Wyong, but the track might soon host another lucrative feature, following Racing NSW draft of the 2024-25 schedule. Picture: Steve Hart. Racing NSW is yet to confirm the schedule for 2024-25 racing season, but Wyong appears to have won the race to host a a #1 Saturday meeting in January. Wyong is expected to host the premier TAB meeting in NSW on January 11, which is Magic Millions Day on the Gold Coast and a very popular punting day. News Limited reports that Wyong Racing Club chief executive Greg Purcell did not want to comment on the prospects of securing the January 11 meeting. However it appears likely Racing NSW will launch a lucrative feature race in Wyong on that date, which would give the meeting some added clout. The draft of the Racing NSW schedule for 2024-25 has also issued a top meeting to Newcastle on November 16, for the Hunter, while the Gong will be held at Kembla Grange a week later. Following the Sydney autumn carnival, Hawkesbury will host a stand-alone meeting for the Dark Jewel Classic at Scone on May 17, Hawkesbury Gold Cup on May 3, and the Coast at Gosford on May 18. Randwick is slated to host 27 meetings in the 2024-25 season, while Rosehill has been given 24 dates. Horse racing news View the full article

While Ashford young gun Justify was busy making waves over the pond this weekend, it was Gainesway's time-tested sire royalty who quietly added to his legacy on American shores. No matter how you slice it, one stallion in North America–and only one–leads all active lifetime sires by every major category, be it earnings, black-type winners, graded winners, Grade I winners, and even lifetime starters and winners. Unmatched among living active sires, Tapit hasn't had bigger crops than the other stallions on the list (he ranks third among the top 10 by named foals). Nor has he had more crops, as two of the other stallions in the top 10 are also sending their 17th crop to the races this year and most of the rest aren't far behind. What Tapit does have is sustained excellence. From his first crop to his current runners and through both his sons and his daughters in the breeding shed, Tapit's influence is felt in all corners. To illustrate, one needs to simply take a look at the 10 graded races run in North America this past Saturday. He sired the winner of one (Scylla, GIII Shawnee S.) and was the broodmare sire of two more (Happy Jack, GII Triple Bend S.; and Circle of Trust, GIII Honeymoon S.), while a son sired the winner of another one (Pin Up Betty, by Constitution, GIII Regret S.), and he had two more hit the board, one as sire (Tyson, second in the GII Eclipse S.) and another as broodmare sire (Dreamlike, third in the GIII Blame S.). “There have been great stallions that have stood at the historic grounds here at Gainesway Farm,” said Ryan Norton, stallion director at the storied farm on Paris Pike. “There have been the likes of Bold Bidder, Lyphard, Riverman, Sharpen Up, Unbridled, and Empire Maker, but I don't believe that any have had the success or have shaped the breed as much as Tapit has. People will talk about this horse for years to come like they do with Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector.” How right he is. Winchell Thoroughbreds–the same Winchell entity heavily involved with another sire sensation in Gun Runner–purchased Tapit for $625,000 at the 2002 Keeneland September sale and sent him to Michael Dickinson, who trained him to an undefeated two-for-two juvenile campaign and a game GI Wood Memorial S. win at three. The latter was despite the horse having just recovered from a lung infection at the time. The son of Pulpit had the race record and he had the right female family–his dam was a half to champion and sire Rubiano from the same family as excellent stallion Relaunch–but Tapit himself would turn out to be the most significant notch in the family's belt. “Mr. [Antony] Beck and the Gainesway team were obviously very excited about that female family having come from the same family as Relaunch and Rubiano,” said Norton. “The fact that he was out of an Unbridled mare and is line bred to Nijinsky also did not hurt.” Tapit was retired to Gainesway for the 2005 season for an advertised $15,000, which later dropped to $12,500 until his first runners emerged. Much has been made of the vintage sire crop of 2005: four sires who entered stud that year remain in the top 50 sires of 2024: Medaglia d'Oro, the late Speightstown, Candy Ride (Arg), and Tapit. All four have been stellar sires, but there's only one Tapit. “Tapit right now is the king,” said Norton. “He is the No. 1 active sire by lifetime stakes winners, graded stakes winners, and Grade I winners. In 2023, he achieved the milestone of having his 100th graded stakes winner and his 200th graded stakes win with 31 Grade I winners. “He is 23 and comes into the shed every day acting like he is 13. He very much is still very excited to do his job and continues to be successful in getting mares pregnant.” TDN Stallions: Tapit from Thoroughbred Daily News on Vimeo. Tapit kicked off his career and his first crop with his first champion, Stardom Bound–who won the 2008 Eclipse for top 2-year-old filly, won the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and captured four other Grade I races–but he didn't stop there. His initial crop contained 14 stakes winners, half of them graded winners, and four Grade I winners. Ink wells would go dry if we listed all of Tapit's accomplishments, so we'll simply focus on a few of the most dizzying heights: six U.S. champions, 164 black-type winners, 103 graded winners, 31 Grade I winners, and over $208 million in progeny earnings, the later a North American record. He's had 53 'TDN Rising Stars', an all-time TDN record. He's had group winners in Australia, Japan, and Dubai, as well as seven individual Breeders' Cup winners. Tapit is an industry unto himself with his yearlings having sold for a staggering combined total of more than $255 million. And just when it seems Tapit couldn't possibly top himself, he sets the bar higher. His four GI Belmont S. winners are a record, tied only with the legendary sire of yesteryear, Lexington. In addition, one son has already sired a Belmont winner and a daughter has produced one. It's possible Tapit could add to the list this week. While he doesn't have an entrant this year, his son, Constitution, does (Mindframe). In 2016, two of his daughters dead heated in the GI Spinaway S. A dead heat in a Grade I race is rare enough, but to have both winners by the same sire? Unprecedented. After all that, when it couldn't be imagined what else Tapit could possibly do, his 2018 crop emerged. It contained four Grade I winners, career defining for many stallions but nothing new for him. This group was extra special, however. One member was champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old Essential Quality, while another was undefeated 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline, who is widely considered the best and most exciting horse of modern times. But there's more: “In 2023, he added another feather to his cap when he became leading broodmare sire in North America,” said Norton. Tapit's daughters have already produced 105 black-type winners, including 53 graded winners. For a glimpse of his daunting prowess through his daughters, one needs only look at the 2023 Eclipse champions: Horse of the Year and repeat Breeders' Cup winner Cody's Wish, champion 3-year-old and Belmont winner Arcangelo, and champion 3-year-old filly and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous. There's a long list of his sons at stud, but perhaps the best indicator of his exploits is this: of a dozen stallions standing in Kentucky for six figures, Tapit and two of his sons (Constitution and Flightline) are three of them. That makes Tapit responsible for a mind-boggling 25% of the six-figure stallions in North America. Tapit's entire stud career has been a prolonged fairy tale and it's a long way from the end. A Winchell homebred filly named Tapit First was his first juvenile winner of 2024 in April at Keeneland. The crop includes four seven-figure sales yearlings and a seven-figure OBS March 2-year-old. There's also a crop of Tapit yearlings waiting in the wings, as well a crop of current foals. Tapit covered another book this spring. “Due to his age, we limit him to 85 mares per year,” said Norton. “In 2024 it looks like he will breed a book in the neighborhood of 80 mares. If the only concession made to his age is a slightly limited book, what delights still await us? Tapit is not one to rest on his laurels. He shows no signs of relinquishing his chokehold on the sire lists, nor of ruling the roost as the pride of Gainesway. “He is the old hand here at the farm. He has his daily routine memorized and, trust me, he knows when you are five minutes late with his feed and will let you know it,” said Norton. “At this point he could probably turn himself out into his paddock and know when it was time to come back in, but he definitely likes to have things done his way.” Clearly the whole package, the gray Tapit even looks like a classic horse from a fairy tale. His enchanted story is one which will continue to influence the sport for generations to come and in which we all get to enjoy witnessing a 'happily ever after.' The post Saturday Sires: Tapit appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Canada's 2022 champion 2-year-old filly Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince), winner of the GIII Sweetest Chant S. in 2023 who also placed in both the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and GI Natalma S. in 2022, sold for $820,000 to Town and Country Racing at Fasig-Tipton's June Digital Sale, which closed Tuesday evening. The price marked a Digital Sale record. Sold as Hip 26, Cairo Consort was consigned by Highgate Sales, agent. The June Digital Sale closed with 60 horses sold for a gross of $2,247,200 and an average of $37,453. Full results for the sale, which featured 2-year-olds, horses of racing age, breeding stock, and yearlings, are available at Fasig-Tipton. “We are very excited about the results for racehorses, topped by graded stakes winner and multiple Grade I performer Cairo Consort,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton's Director of Digital Sales. “It's gratifying to get such a positive result on such a nice filly, for the sellers and the buyer. We learned it's a bit more difficult to sell broodmares this late in the spring, but the action on the racehorses and yearlings offered was consistent with previous sales. We're very pleased with those results.” Other top sellers Tuesday included Bluewater Sales-consigned Snow Princess (Quality Road, Hip 1), offered in foal to Taiba for 2025, for $145,000 to Charlie Allen, agent for CAG LLC; and Nasty Habit (Violence, Hip 23), a racing/stallion prospect who went to Steven Young, agent, for $120,000 from the consignment of Farrior Racing. Fasig-Tipton's next digital sale will be the July Digital Sale, which opens for bidding on Thursday, July 18, and closes Tuesday, July 23. Nominations are now being accepted through July 10. The post Record $820K for Canadian Champion Cairo Consort at Fasig-Tipton June Digital appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When it comes to major New York stakes, D. Whitworth "Whit" Beckman knows as well as anyone what goes into developing the kind of horses who win those races.View the full article

Trainer Chad Brown, who has won the Manhattan Stakes (G1T) eight times, brings multiple grade 1 winner Program Trading into the June 8 race at Saratoga Race Course. Top international trainer Charlie Appleby has strong competition with Nations Pride.View the full article

A championship showdown looms in the older filly and mare dirt division for the second time in about five weeks.View the full article

With scattered rain forecast for Saratoga beginning Thursday and continuing through the weekend, Gun Pilot may face an off-track, which he handled easily in an allowance/optional claiming race at Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots in January. View the full article

Just days after announcing that a set of emergency rules were about to be enacted on June 8 that would loosen drug regulations in the state when it came to numerous medications, the Louisiana Racing Commission held an emergency meeting Tuesday in which it voted to restore the rules that had been governing Clenbuterol and Depo-Medrol. The Louisiana Racing Commission kept in place the new rules that had been enacted that covered dozens of other less controversial medications. Of the numerous drugs over which regulations were changed that, for the most part, called for shorter withdrawal times and higher dosages of medications, the alterations to the rules on Clenbuterol and Depo-Medrol were considered particularly controversial. Clenbuterol is a bronchodilator that is believed to act like a steroid and build muscle mass. Depo-Medrol is a steroid injected into joints to treat pain and swelling. Louisiana, which is not under the control of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), had been following guidelines put together by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI). Commission members voted unanimously to return to the ARCI rules, which call for a 14-day withdrawal period for Clenbuterol and a 21-day withdrawal period for Depo-Medrol. Under the proposed rules that were set to be enacted June 8, the withdrawal time for Clenbuterol was to be three days and the withdrawal period for Depo-Medrol was to be reduced to seven days. The changes went against a long-running trend in the sport where regulators, including HISA, had been working to tighten drug rules and to get away from an era where the sport was seen by many as being too lenient when it came to legalized drugs and medications. “We on the Racing Commission and myself in particular, we are 100 percent for the health and welfare of these beautiful God-given animals,” said Commission member Dr. Larry Findley. “As far as Clenbuterol goes, Clenbuterol is an excellent drug and we all know that it is an excellent drug. But it is abused. So I'd like to make a motion to roll back Clenbuterol to where it was and for Depo to go back to where it was so these two drugs can be looked at and we can take them exactly back to where they were in the beginning.” There was a severe backlash when the new rules were first announced, which included most corners of the industry, including from Churchill Downs, which owns Fair Grounds, and from several prominent trainers who winter at the Fair Grounds but leave the state once that meet is over. There was also political pressure to make a change. On June 2, a letter signed by 57 members of the Louisiana Legislature and sent to the Commission implored the Commission to return to the ARCI withdrawal times when it came to Clenbuterol and Depro-Medrol. “Departing from ARCI standards will make Louisiana an outlier as it relates to racing in America,” the letter read. “This would be very unfortunate given all the progress the entire industry has made to improve the safety of racing and enhance the purse structure at all tracks in the state… By departing from ARCI standards Louisiana will become an 'island' in the national racing community.” The post Louisiana Racing Commission Switches Course, Goes Back to ARCI Guidelines on Clenbuterol and Depo-Medrol 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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