Wandering Eyes

A rising star of the three-year-old ranks and a colt that has already stamped himself among the best of his generation will clash for the first time in a tantalising rendition of the Randwick Guineas. The Group One race features a small but select field of 11 runners but it is the match-up between Hobartville Stakes winner Celestial Legend (Dundeel) and proven big race performer Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel) that has been the major pre-race talking point. Celestial Legend lived up to his promise with a stunning Hobartville Stakes (1400m) win at his first start beyond 1200 metres and trainer Les Bridge has been adamant the horse won’t produce his best until he gets to the 1600 metres of Saturday’s Guineas. Militarize is already proven at the journey as the winner of last season’s Champagne Stakes, form he took into the spring with a last-stride victory in the Golden Rose (1400m) and a luckless midfield performance in the Cox Plate (2040m). Trainer Chris Waller deliberately bypassed a return in the Hobartville in favour of taking on the older horses in the Apollo Stakes (1400m) where Militarize finished an encouraging second to stablemate Fangirl (Sebring). It is that run that Waller believes marks Militarize as the horse they all have to get past on Saturday. “We purposely chose taking on the weight-for-age horses just to season him up,” Waller said. “And back to his own age group, he should be very hard to beat. “It was a good first-up run, so 1400 metres to the mile, he is equally as effective. “The beauty of Militarize is he is good on good tracks, or if we get a bit of rain, it’s not too much of a disadvantage either, so a pretty straightforward prep.” While bullish about Militarize’s chances, Waller is also wary of Celestial Legend. The colt has undeniable talent and Bridge has suggested he could be the horse to fill the void left by the retirement of his Everest winner Classique Legend. Waller concedes his rival’s last-start performance was a head-turner and that Militarize will need to be on his game. “Celestial Legend was brilliant,” Waller said. “Obviously, we’ve got the benchmark and making sure that he comes back is my job. “It will be a good race.” Militarize is a $2.30 Randwick Guineas favourite after drawing well in barrier four, ahead of Celestial Legend who has the outside gate in the field of 11. View the full article

Promising filly Bedtime Story (NZ) (Per Incanto) will get her opportunity at attaining black-type in next week’s Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) following her victory in the Cavallo Farm & Chris Rutten Bloodstock 3YO (1300m) at Otaki on Wednesday. It was the third victory from five starts for the daughter of Per Incanto, having placed in her other two starts. After jumping away fairly, Bedtime Story settled three back on the fence for jockey Kozzi Asano before finding herself in the trail with 500m to go after Revolt came off the markers to take up the coveted one-one position. Turning for home, Asano navigated his charge three-wide where she entered a three-way duel with race favourite No Rain Ever (No Nay Never) and Revolt (NZ) (War Decree), with the latter looking the winner until rider Masa Hashizume was dislodged at the 50m mark and Bedtime Story went on to claim a head victory. Both horse and rider were unharmed, with Hashizume going on to fulfil his riding obligations for the remainder of the card. Trainers Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos were pleased with Bedtime Story’s performance and are looking forward to heading to the Wellington Guineas with her next week. “It was good to get another win with her. You need a bit of luck every now and then,” Lowry said. “Not only will she benefit from the run, she would have learnt a lot from today as well. With blinkers on for the first time she over-raced a bit, but other than that she was good. “She will go on to the Wellington Guineas next Saturday.” Stablemate Wewillrock (NZ) (El Roca) is also earmarked to head to Trentham next week to tackle the Listed Lincoln Farms Lightning Handicap (1200m) first-up following a pleasing exhibition gallop alongside Faraglioni (NZ) (El Roca) and Sindee (NZ) (Ardrossan) in-between races at Otaki on Wednesday. “I was pleased with his hit-out today, he was just asked to keep up with them,” Lowry said. “He will head to the Lightning now, but he will possibly head back over to Australia at some stage.” Meanwhile, Lowry will head to Ellerslie on Saturday in search of a better track for his three-win mare Candle (NZ) (Super Easy), who will tackle 1400m for the first time in the SNG Media 1400. “I like her. She is a mare with plenty of ability,” he said. “She has had no luck (lately), it has been wet tracks or getting stopped in her tracks. When you ride them back you need a bit of luck. She is good enough on her day. “That is the key (with going to Ellerslie), to get a decent track and to see whether she will go 1400m. If she does, it opens up a few avenues for next year.” A day prior at Taupo, stablemate Rosalita (NZ) (Tivaci) will attempt to shed her bridesmaid tag in the DPA Chartered Accountants (1400m). The daughter of Tivaci has placed in her four last outings and her connections are hoping she can break through for a maiden win this week. “She is an honest filly and just needs a bit of luck from that draw (17),” Lowry said. View the full article

Owners Alastair Lawrence and John Rattray, of Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) fame, have had success sending horses to Waipukurau trainer Simon Wilson over the last few years and they are hoping that continues with their Group Three winner Marroni (NZ) (Makfi). Wilson had previously been entrusted with Scutar (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Vidiano (Pierro) for the partnership, with the former posting three of his four victories under Wilson’s care, while Vidiano also tasted success from the Central Hawke’s Bay barn. Wilson’s rural, boutique stable environment has proven to be a successful recipe in the past for Lawrence, Rattray, and their group of owners, and they are hoping it can help reinvigorate the racing career of Marroni. The seven-year-old son of Makfi has posted seven wins and nine placings from his 33 starts to date for trainer Andrew Forsman, having also been in the care of former training partner Murray Baker in his formative years. His highlights include victory in the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2250m) and placings in the Gr.2 Easter Handicap (1600m), Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m), and Gr.3 Sellwood Stakes (2000m). He was last sighted on raceday at Sandown last May and has been given a long, slow build-up for his debut run for Wilson in Saturday’s The Hits Autumn Cup (1600m) at Trentham. The Hawke’s Bay trainer said he is pleased to be entrusted with another runner for the ownership group and is hopeful of a strong showing this weekend. “I have had a few horses for the owners in previous years. He (Marroni) is in the twilight of his racing career and they thought a different environment may help reinvigorate him,” Wilson said. “He has been a very good horse. I don’t know what the future holds for him, but we will see what happens.” Marroni readied for Saturday’s assignment with a 1200m trial at Foxton last month where he was runner-up behind stakes performer Semper Magico (NZ) (Per Incanto). “I still don’t know a lot about him, but he trialled nicely enough for where he was in his preparation,” Wilson said. “He has been in work for a while now, so he is ready to start.” Marroni was set to carry 60kg this weekend but will get some weight relief courtesy of apprentice jockey Ciel Butler’s two-kilogram claim. “Ciel Butler will ride him on Saturday to take a few kilos off, which in his first start back will be a big benefit to him hopefully,” Wilson said. Marroni has drawn gate three for Saturday and Wilson is looking forward to getting a line on his charge against a handy field, which includes Group One winner He’s A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto), Group One performer Chase (NZ) (Zed), Group Three winner Aljay (NZ) (Rock N Pop), dual stakes winner Soldier Boy (NZ) (Proisir), Group Two performer Duncan Creek (NZ) (Super Easy), and Group Three performer Sumi (NZ) (Atlante). “He likes to be in just behind the pace, just a bit better than midfield, so that should work out nicely for him from that draw,” Wilson said. “It is a nice field, there are some well-performed horses in there. We will just see how he goes and take it from there.” View the full article

Stephen Marsh’s immediate focus is on Ellerslie this Saturday with stable star Velocious (Written Tycoon), but he’s also got an eye on a following juvenile prize. The Cambridge trainer is upbeat about her chances in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and, all going well, a Central Districts venture awaits the filly, with the trip offering massive future benefits. Velocious has won three of her four starts and the precocious daughter of Written Tycoon has ticked all the boxes since her dominant victory in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). “She had a little break after that and has done very well since, her trial the other day (at Cambridge) topped her off nicely,” Marsh said. “She had her final gallop this (Wednesday) morning and everything looks bang on track for her.” Safely through Saturday, the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham on April 6 is an attractive option, as it is the first of the bonus races associated with the inaugural running of next year’s NZB Kiwi (1500m). “I think we will certainly be looking at that, she’s thriving and there will be a nice gap between races for her,” Marsh said. “The Manawatu Sires’ is part of the $1 million bonus for the Kiwi, so it’s all on the radar.” Velocious spearheads a quartet of feature race chances for the stable on Saturday, with El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) and Skyman (Mukhadram) in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and Nest Egg (NZ) (Reliable Man) in the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m). El Vencedor has enjoyed a lucrative campaign, highlighted by success in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) and he has also finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) and third in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). At his most recent appearance, the son of Shocking was a game fourth in the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) and will head into new distance territory at Ellerslie. “As long as he relaxes nicely in his first go over ground he should be fine and we thought we’d give him a go at the end of his preparation,” Marsh said. “He’ll go out for a long spell afterwards, he’s bred to get the 2000m but he’s often been a bit keen. He has been so consistent this time in, so he deserves his chance.” Skyman was an encouraging fifth in the Thorndon in his first appearance for the stable since relocating from Chris Waller’s Sydney operation and had excuses when out of the picture last time out in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m). “He didn’t get any favours and after jumping okay he got pushed back into a bad spot and was okay late,” Marsh said. “I think it was a run to forget and he has come on well since.” Proven stayer Nest Egg will relish a return to the ultimate flat trip in the Auckland Cup after proving his staying prowess in the spring when a close second in the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m). Following a break after Riccarton, he has been unplaced in three lead-up runs but Saturday’s distance brings him right back into contention. “He is desperate for the two miles and he’ll obviously run it better than most and he can certainly turn his form around,” Marsh said. Of his other runners at Ellerslie, an in-form son of Tavistock is expected to give another top account of himself in the Go Racing Handicap (1400m). “I really like the way the Financier is going and he should be hard to beat again,” Marsh said. The four-year-old has made his way into the top grade after consecutive wins at Matamata and Te Rapa. View the full article

Think About It will headline the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick on Saturday afternoon. Photo: Darren Winningham The first of two Group 1 races that will headline the action at Randwick on Saturday will be the $750,000 Canterbury Stakes over 1300m. With only eight runners accepting for the contest, the reigning Everest champion Think About It has opened as an odds-on favourite at -105.26 with online bookmakers. The Joseph Pride-trained gelding will return for his fifth racing preparation, where he will be looking to build on his outstanding start to his career. The son of So You Think has been given two barrier trials in the lead-up to his first-up run and is expected to play a massive role in the middle-distance races over the Sydney Autumn Carnival and during The Championships. There is potential for this field to shrink even more, as the second favourite, Espiona (+300), has accepted in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on the same day. If Chris Waller does choose to run the five-year-old mare at Randwick, the booking of James McDonald and a cosy barrier (2) should give her every chance to build on an impressive first-up performance. Pericles (+550) sits on the third line of betting and brings some of the best form lines to this race after finishing second behind arguably Australia’s best horse, Mr Brightside, in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes last start. The James Cummings-trained gelding has improved nicely between his first and second run this preparation, and the son of Street Boss is expected to be cherry-ripe for this third-up start. Lady Laguna (+750) will compete at Group 1 level for the second time in her 23-start career, coming off a narrow defeat to Zougotcha in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill previously, which ended her winning streak at three. Although this is his first attempt at the top level, Coal Crusher (+1100) seems to be the only other contender after he finished half a length off King Of Sparta in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes two starts back. The Canterbury Stakes is scheduled to jump at 4pm AEDT and will be the seventh race on the massive Randwick program. 2024 Canterbury Stakes Final Field 1. Think About It (8) T: Joseph Pride J: Sam Clipperton W: 59kg F: x3111 Age: 5YO Color: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: So You Think (NZ) Dam: Tiare -105.26 -625 2. Pericles (1) T: James Cummings J: Tom Marquand W: 59kg F: 26×23 Age: 4YO Color: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Street Boss (USA) Dam: Accessories (GB) +550 -125 3. Coal Crusher (5) T: Joseph Pride J: Adam Hyeronimus W: 59kg F: 52×14 Age: 6YO Color: Chestnut Sex: Gelding Sire: Turffontein Dam: Media Academy +1100 +160 4. Bandersnatch (3) T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes J: Jordan Childs W: 59kg F: x4285 Age: 7YO Color: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Casino Prince Dam: Divine Faith +5000 +500 5. Malkovich (4) T: Bjorn Baker J: Joshua Parr W: 59kg F: 3363x Age: 6YO Color: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Choisir Dam: Mabkhara +2500 +290 6. Espiona (2) T: Chris Waller J: James McDonald W: 57kg F: 3×417 Age: 5YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Extreme Choice Dam: Dahooil (NZ) +300 -222.22 7. Lady Laguna (6) T: Annabel Neasham J: Tyler Schiller W: 57kg F: 21112 Age: 4YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Overshare Dam: Catalina de Lago (NZ) +750 +105 8. Call Di (7) T: Joseph Pride J: Nash Rawiller W: 57kg F: x2352 Age: 4YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Frankel (GB) Dam: Samantha Miss +5000 +500 Horse racing news View the full article

What Newcastle Races Where Newcastle Racecourse – 100 Darling St, Broadmeadow NSW 2292 When Friday, March 8, 2024 First Race 1:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble Provincial racing returns to Newcastle on Friday afternoon, where the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) headlines a massive eight-race program. The rail moves out +3m the entire circuit, and with the BOM suggesting no rain in the region, participants should expect a Good 4 surface. The opening race is scheduled to get underway at 1:15pm local time. Newcastle Stakes Top Tip: Unspoken Unspoken couldn’t have been more impressive in his second Australian campaign, putting together four straight victories, culminating in the Five Diamonds at Rosehill on November 11. The son of Territories couldn’t put a foot wrong throughout the entire campaign, utilising his early speed to put himself in ideal stalking positions on every occasion before blousing his rivals late. He can do something similar on Friday as he returns from a 117-day spell and based off his soft barrier trial at Warwick Farm on February 12, Unspoken looks primed to continue his winning ways in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes. Newcastle Stakes Race 7 – #2 Unspoken (10) 5yo Gelding | T: Peter & Paul Snowden | J: Tom Sherry (58.5kg) Bet with Playup Best Bet: Piplup Piplup is winless heading into start four on Friday, but punters should be confident backing her after a terrific return at Wyong on February 22. The filly by Inference got too far back on that occasion before storming through the wire to be beaten less than a half-length. She gets a much more favourable map in this event, and with the 3kg claim of Zac Wadick getting Piplup in here with just 53.5kg on her back, she must be considered the one to beat. Best Bet Race 1 – #6 Piplup (5) 3yo Filly | T: Brad Widdup | J: Zac Wadick (a3) (56.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Next Best: Just Party Just Party could be a very smart type from the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou stable based on his two barriers trials. His latest jump-out victory came at Rosehill on February 15, with the son of Justify rounding up her rivals to pull away by 2.5 lengths on the wire. It was another 7.3 lengths back to third as well, giving the impression it could be a slick trial worth following. Gate 11 does pose some problems for the unraced two-year-old, but with experienced hoop Tim Clark in the saddle, leave it to him to weave his way to victory. Next Best Race 3 – #4 Just Party (11) 2yo Colt | T: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | J: Tim Clark (58kg) Bet with Bet365 Best Value: New Pharoah Despite being well-beaten at the end of his debut campaign, New Pharoah brings some quality form-lines to this maiden contest. He was thrown in the deep end by the Brett Cavanough barn to contest Listed grade at Eagle Farm on June 3 and was far from disgraced when finishing mid-field 4.9 lengths away. He was strong through the line in his most recent barrier trial at Scone on February 14, and provided he can hold his form from last preparation, New Pharoah must be considered a winning hope. Best Value Race 5 – #1 New Pharoah (6) 3yo Colt | T: Brett Cavanough | J: Jason Collett (59.5kg) Bet with Neds Newcastle Friday quaddie tips – 8/3/2024 Newcastle quadrella selections Friday, March 8, 2023 1-2-5-10 1-6-10-12 2-3-6-7-9 2-3-7-9-14-15 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Randwick Guineas favourite, Militarize (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) The Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) takes top billing this Saturday at Randwick, where a competitive contingent of 11 three-year-olds are set to take their place in the $1,000,000 feature. The Chris Waller-trained Militarize has been the long-standing favourite for the event, and after drawing barrier four, online bookmakers aren’t willing to take any chances on the Dundeel colt, installing him as a clear +140 favourite post barrier draw. He was impressive first-up when finishing runner-up against the older horses in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at this track on February 17 and gets the services of leading hoop James McDonald for the first time this weekend. Celestial Legend was dominant in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) a fortnight ago, and with that usually the traditional lead-up, the Les Bridge-trained galloper is sure to have plenty of admirers on the second line of betting at +290. Eight other gallopers are set to come through the Hobartville form-line, as Tom Kitten (+500) and Encap (+750) hold single figures in betting. Meanwhile, the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained pair of Les Vampires (+1100) and Ganbare (+1500) are being respected early. The rank outsider comes in the form of the Edward Cummings-trained Cosmic Lad +10000 who comes through mid-week BM64 company and will need to make big strides to be a player in this contest. The Group 1 Randwick Guineas is race eight on the Randwick program this Saturday and is scheduled to get underway at 4:35pm local time. 2024 Randwick Guineas Final Field 1. Militarize (4) T: Chris Waller J: James McDonald W: 56.5kg F: 2×851 Age: 3YO Color: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Amerindia (GB) +140 -333.33 2. Tom Kitten (8) T: James Cummings J: Nash Rawiller W: 56.5kg F: 56×12 Age: 3YO Color: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Harry Angel (IRE) Dam: Transfers +500 -105.26 3. Celestial Legend (11) T: Les Bridge J: Kerrin McEvoy W: 56.5kg F: 15×52 Age: 3YO Color: Grey Sex: Colt Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Sarraqa +290 -181.82 4. Encap (10) T: Gary Portelli J: Jason Collett W: 56.5kg F: 23×52 Age: 3YO Color: Chestnut Sex: Gelding Sire: Capitalist Dam: Enquare +750 +140 5. Ganbare (5) T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott J: Tim Clark W: 56.5kg F: 7×381 Age: 3YO Color: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Maurice (JPN) Dam: Mardi +1500 +260 6. Les Vampires (2) T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott J: Adam Hyeronimus W: 56.5kg F: 31×71 Age: 3YO Color: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Pierro Dam: Musidora +1100 +200 7. Fukubana (3) T: Matthew Dunn J: Tommy Berry W: 56.5kg F: 413×2 Age: 3YO Color: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Sekiyama +1500 +260 8. Ducasse (9) T: Michael Freedman J: Tyler Schiller W: 56.5kg F: 81×36 Age: 3YO Color: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Trapeze Artist Dam: Custard +2500 +400 9. Ceolwulf (1) T: Joseph Pride J: Sam Clipperton W: 56.5kg F: 6x6x2 Age: 3YO Color: Brown Sex: Colt Sire: Tavistock (NZ) Dam: Las Brisas (GB) +2500 +400 10. Cafe Millenium (7) T: John O’Shea J: Tom Marquand W: 56.5kg F: 9×048 Age: 3YO Color: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Not a Single Doubt Dam: Veloce Forte +10000 +1500 11. Cosmic Lad (6) T: Edward Cummings J: Chad Schofield W: 56.5kg F: 314 Age: 3YO Color: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Adelaide (IRE) Dam: Halimede +10000 +4000 Horse racing news View the full article

Imperatriz headlines the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap field at Flemington this Saturday afternoon. (Photo: Pat Scala/Racing Photos) The Group 1 Newmarket Handicap will headline proceedings at Flemington on Saturday afternoon, with 14 sprinters accepting for the time-honoured 1200m race. With very warm weather forecast for Newmarket Handicap Day, there is a possibility that the races are brought forward to an earlier start time by the Victorian Racing Club to try and avoid as much of the heat as possible. Heading the field is nine-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz, who has opened as a +190 favourite with horse racing betting sites. Considering that the Mark Walker-trained galloper has been sent around as an odds-on commodity in three of her previous four starts, bookmakers are giving punters a very good price to back the star mare in what is considered the toughest test of her career to date. After winning the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning by a long neck first-up, the daughter of I Am Invincible will run down the Flemington straight for the third time as she seeks to keep her undefeated record at the track intact. However, there are several challengers lining up to try and knock off the best sprinter in Australasia, with the Matthew Smith-trained Buenos Noches (+550) opening on the second line of betting. The four-year-old entire ran the market elect to within half a length in the VRC Champions Sprint in the spring, and he will be looking to improve on his fourth-place finish as an odds-on favourite in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes. Just behind the top two in betting is Magic Time (+600), who will be returning from a four-month spell after winning the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes last time out and is also undefeated at 1200m during her career. After producing an eye-catching run when finishing third behind Imperatriz in the Black Caviar Lightning, Espiona (+650) stays in Melbourne to compete in the Newmarket and is expected to relish the step up to 1200m. Outside the top four in betting, a few runners who competed in the Oakleigh Plate last start will run in the lone Group 1 contest at Flemington, with Sghirripa (+1100), Benedetta (+1600) and Rey Magnerio (+2500) all accepting. While the race times could be changed due to the heat, the Newmarket Handicap is scheduled to jump at 3:05pm AEDT and will be race five on the Flemington program. 2024 Newmarket Handicap Field 1. Imperatriz (3) T: Mark Walker J: Opie Bosson W: 58kg F: 1×111 Age: 5YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: I Am Invincible Dam: Berimbau +190 -200 2. Bella Nipotina (4) T: Ciaron Maher J: Craig Williams W: 55.5kg F: 4×513 Age: 6YO Color: Chestnut Sex: Mare Sire: Pride of Dubai Dam: Bella Orfana +1100 +250 3. Buenos Noches (9) T: Matthew Smith J: Blake Shinn W: 55.5kg F: 4×283 Age: 4YO Color: Bay Sex: Horse Sire: Supido Dam: Koi +600 +140 4. Espiona (8) T: Chris Waller J: Joe McNeil W: 54.5kg F: 3×417 Age: 5YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Extreme Choice Dam: Dahooil (NZ) +650 +150 5. Ruthless Dame (2) T: Ciaron Maher J: John Allen W: 53.5kg F: x7257 Age: 4YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Tavistock (NZ) Dam: Ruthless Lady (NZ) +1500 +320 6. Magic Time (12) T: Grahame Begg J: Michael Dee W: 53kg F: x1315 Age: 4YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Hellbent Dam: Time Awaits +600 +140 7. The Astrologist (14) T: Leon & Troy Corstens J: Declan Bates W: 52.5kg F: 759×5 Age: 7YO Color: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Zoustar Dam: Aquada +10000 +1900 8. Bendetta (11) T: Jason Warren J: Harry Coffey W: 52kg F: 4×431 Age: 4YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Hellbent Dam: Whatalovelyday +1500 +320 9. It’sourtime (1) T: Danny O’Brien J: TBC W: 52kg F: x3404 Age: 6YO Color: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Time for War Dam: Zedoble +6000 +1200 10. Master Fay (10) T: Chad Ormsby J: Dean Yendall W: 52kg F: 11×1 Age: 6YO Color: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Deep Field Dam: Keeping Score (NZ) +4000 +800 11. Rey Magnerio (7) T: Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock J: Daniel Moor W: 52kg F: 91211 Age: 4YO Color: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Magnus Dam: Luchardo +2500 +500 12. Sghirripa (6) T: Shane & Cassie Oxlade J: Craig Newitt W: 52kg F: 71131 Age: 4YO Color: Grey Sex: Gelding Sire: Lonhro Dam: Wonder I Do +1100 +250 13. Skew Wiff (5) T: Mark Walker J: Celine Gaudray W: 52kg F: 0x516 Age: 4YO Color: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Savabeel Dam: Starvoia +3300 +700 14. Cylinder (13) T: James Cummings J: Jamie Kah W: 51.5kg F: 6×053 Age: 3YO Color: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Exceed And Excel Dam: Circular +1000 +230 Horse racing news View the full article

Race 1 DAKOTA BUTIQUE + LIFESTYLE 820m PERFECT GLORY (L Callaway) – Trainer Mr. S Muniandy advised Stewards, PERFECT GLORY pulled up shin sore in the left foreleg and has now been sent for a spell. The post Otago Racing Club at Wingatui, Saturday, 2 March 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) have opened an investigation into the University of Kentucky's Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory's performance, according to a joint statement Tuesday by the agencies. On the 16th of last month, HIWU stopped sending samples to the UK Lab. Prior to that, the laboratory had been one of six drug testing facilities used under HISA's anti-doping and medication control (ADMC) program. Last week, Scott Stanley officially stepped down from his position as the UK Lab's director and has been reassigned within the university. HISA and HIWU are also cooperating with the university's own investigation into the matter, according to Tuesday's joint statement. “On Tuesday, February 13, leadership from HISA, HIWU, and the University of Kentucky met in person to discuss concerns with the performance of the University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (UK Lab),” reads to the joint statement. “At this time, HISA and HIWU were informed by the university that it was conducting an ongoing personnel investigation relating to Dr. Scott Stanley, the director of the UK Lab, and Dr. Stanley was not permitted to be in direct communication with the other staff at the laboratory,” the joint statement read. “The university also expressed staffing concerns related to the laboratory's operations.” It is currently unclear, however, what the specific nature of the investigations entail. Earlier on Tuesday, Stanley told the TDN that he stepped down from the position in part due to delayed turnaround times of samples, issues with the chain of custody handling of samples, along with communication issues with HIWU. “There were ongoing communication problems, getting data from the client and communicating results back,” Stanley said, about the UK lab's working relationship with HIWU. According to Stanley, HIWU stopped sending samples to the UK Lab with no prior notification given. In a statement, a university spokesperson wrote that Stanley remains a member of the UK faculty and that his position has been reassigned for him to “expand the scope of his research program and focus on industry priorities.” The spokesperson added, “We are moving quickly to name an interim director as part of our commitment to the important work conducted at the lab. During this interim period, we have taken the appropriate steps to refer samples to other equipped laboratories for a complete analysis. “We will, in the near future, announce plans for how we will search for a permanent director. Our commitment is to provide outstanding service on behalf of the horse industry. That commitment is something we are continually striving to honor.” According to Stanley, the UK lab handled roughly 800 blood and 800 urine post-race samples a month, and approximately 600 additional blood samples monthly, associated with TCO2, vets' list and out-of-competition testing. Since Feb. 16, all samples collected in Kentucky and Florida that previously would have been analyzed by the UK Lab have been redirected to Industrial Laboratories in Colorado “indefinitely,” according to HISA and HIWU's joint statement. “Going forward, HISA and HIWU are fully confident in the ability of Industrial Laboratories to handle the increased volume of samples and ensure that all samples are processed and analyzed in compliance with the ADMC Program,” the statement read. These developments mark the latest twist in HISA's efforts to build an efficient and uniform drug testing program from a previously fractured lab testing environment. The TDN reported last year that a variety of differences between the laboratories–from different testing equipment to different testing methodologies to different sets of staff interpreting the results–mean that they screen for different numbers of substances, and have varying abilities to screen for the same substances, outside of some 300 core analytes. “HISA and HIWU remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting the highest levels of safety, integrity, and welfare in Thoroughbred racing. As part of this commitment, we continually evaluate our partner laboratories through an external quality assurance program, as well as internal assessments,” their joint statement read, on Tuesday. “For the benefit of all human and equine stakeholders, laboratories who fail to satisfy our requirements will be removed from service in the ADMC Program.” The post HISA, HIWU Open Investigation into UK Lab appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Organization of Racing Investigators opened the final day of its Parx conference with another set of timely presentations. Topics included the impact of bush track racing, and a variety of legal and scientific case studies, which were all geared for the investigator's toolkit. With varied backgrounds in law enforcement and security, many attendees have experience growing up around horses. Investigators work for tracks and racing commissions, but they can never turn their backs on the chance to improve their techniques and plug into the ORI network fiber. Kassie Creed, a Safety and Compliance Associate who works at Keeneland under Dr. Stuart Brown in equine safety, attended her second ORI meeting. She is part of the up-and-coming generation who is learning from those with decades of experience. ORI Conference at Parx | Bill Denver/Equi-Photo “Something I've noticed as a woman, thinking about my age, things that are relevant now will hit my generation in a different way,” she said. “I'm a small-picture person and my local horse population is my chief concern. So, when I came last year to ORI I added new skills and was able to apply what I learned here to my day-to-day processes, which really helps.” The group began the day by hearing a talk on unregulated horse racing in North America by the USDA's Dr. Angela Pelzel-McCluskey. The epidemiologist has found 191 'bush tracks' across 30 states, and though all of them are racing Quarter Horses, she said that it is entirely possible that Thoroughbreds could be present too. “Every time I go looking for these unregulated places, I find more, and if you think they are not in your backyard, like in New England, you'd be wrong,” she said. “The spread of diseases, the use of dirty needles, is a crisis, and there is no federal law that makes this racing illegal.” The Association of Racing Commissioners International's Ed Martin added during his session, “We are being lumped in with unsanctioned racing and the public sees the videos and they share them. We are going to have to deal with this. It's here. This industry needs to be talking to one another. We need to get together. We need certainty.” Presenter Ismael Navarreto | Bill Denver/Equi-Photo Other presentations were offered by seasoned experts who work with Comisión de Juegos de Puerto Rico and from across the state of Pennsylvania. Their specialist's view concerning case studies went to the heart of equine health by examining everything from how pathology can be utilized in court cases, illegal horse ownership, and situational awareness when conducting interrogations. The conference wrapped with Ann McGovern, the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority's Director of Racetrack Safety. Her presentation addressed last year's catastrophic injuries at Churchill Downs by highlighting the techniques which were implemented during the assessment. “The process led us to found the HISA Track Surface Advisory Committee and expand on tools like an individual horse's exercise signature and their past performances,” she said. As for ORI's next conference location, Keeneland was named as the site for 2025 with Dr. Brown serving as the conference chair. The post Bush Tracks, Host Of Other Investigative Topics Covered On ORI Day Two appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Adam Hamilton Champion trainer Mark Purdon has put the disappointment of the Chariots Of Fire behind him and expects young star Don’t Stop Dreaming to run a huge race in the Miracle Mile. By his exciting and lofty standards, Don’t Stop Dreaming was disappointing when only sixth as a commanding $1.80 favourite in last Saturday night’s Chariots Of Fire. “I’m just forgetting about the run, to be honest,” Mark Purdon said, “I expected more from him. The race wasn’t run to suit, but he still didn’t run to his best. “I haven’t been able to fault him since. We took bloods from to be safe, but he seems bright and his work has been terrific.” Purdon admits the wide draw (he will start from gate six) is a hurdle, but quickly added he “hasn’t given up hope” of winning on Saturday night. “No, definitely not. But we’re going to need everything to fall into place, especially from the draw,” he said. “We’ve got a horse who is good enough and I think it helps to have Leap To Fame and even Frankie Ferocious drawn outside us. “We’ve got the chance to drive him cold and use his speed, but that means we’re in the hands of others to set a fast pace so we’ve got a chance to finish it off strongly and hopefully be right in the finish.” Kiwis raiders have won 15 of the 56 Miracle Miles, with Purdon and his older brother, Barry, training seven of those. Only the host state, NSW, has produced more winners of Australasia’s premier speed test with 18. The pandemic halted the influx of Kiwi raiders, but it’s fitting Mark and Barry Purdon mark the “return of the Kiwis” with a quarter of the field between on Saturday night. Mark co-trains Don’t Stop Dreaming with his son, Nathan. Mark will also do the driving. Barry also co-trains these days with Scott Phelan and their hopes rest with surprise packet Sooner The Bettor. Sooner The Bettor booked his Miracle Mile spot when he made the most of a good draw and lovely run to finish second in last Saturday night’s Group 1 Chariots Of Fire, while Don’t Stop Dreaming’s sixth placing meant he needed the “wildcard” to get a run this week. Despite Sooner The Bettor drawing better (he will start from barrier four), Don’t Stop Dreaming is still considered by far the better chance. That’s because it was only five weeks ago when he ran a slashing second to Australia’s pin-up pacer Leap To Fame in the Group 1 Hunter Cup at Melton. So it was a shock when he only beat four runners home last Saturday. Latest markets have Don’t Stop Dreaming $10 and Sooner The Bettor $31. The Miracle Mile goes at 11.45pm NZT on Saturday night. View the full article

Louis Lee Haggin III, hailing from an illustrious racing family and a longtime fixture at Keeneland, died Mar. 5, according to Keeneland Tuesday. He was 88. A lifelong Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Haggin III managed his family's Sycamore Farm. A great, great grandson of legendary horseman James Ben Ali Haggin, who was also the founder of Elmendorf Farm, Haggin III's grandfather, Hal Price Headley, was among the founders of Keeneland. His father, Louis Lee Haggin II, served as the track's second president and subsequently its chairman. “Keeneland mourns the loss of Louis Lee Haggin III, a beloved figure in Thoroughbred racing and breeding and a pivotal member of the Keeneland family. Mr. Haggin, who served as both a Director and Keeneland's longest-serving Trustee, leaves a legacy of leadership and service to Keeneland, the horse industry and the Central Kentucky community,” read a statement from Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “Mr. Haggin's roots at Keeneland run deep. He followed his father, former Keeneland President and Chairman Louis Lee Haggin II, in his commitment to preserve the best of Keeneland's rich traditions. From his mother, Alma Headley Haggin, daughter of Keeneland co-founder and inaugural President Hal Price Headley, who is credited with developing the “Keeneland look,” Mr. Haggin developed a love of the land and showcasing its beauty. He spent countless hours walking the grounds with esteemed landscape architects George Betsill and Robert Sanders and worked throughout his life to continue his mother's legacy at Keeneland. We do not make a decision about touching a branch of a tree on our grounds without thinking about Mr. Haggin and whether he would approve. “He joined the Keeneland Board in 1971 and served as a Keeneland Trustee from 1980 until his retirement in 2015. Mr. Haggin was truly devoted to Keeneland and had a special love for this institution. He was a dear friend to Keeneland and to me, and we will miss his presence and guidance. “Keeneland extends our love and deepest condolences to Mrs. Haggin, Louis, Ben, Gay and the entire Haggin family.” The post Keeneland Trustee Louis Lee Haggin III Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horse Racing on Wednesday, March 6 will feature six meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and provided free quaddie tips for the meetings at Sandown, Warwick Farm & Happy Valley (HK). Wednesday Horse Racing Tips – March 6, 2024 Sandown Racing Tips Warwick Farm Racing Tips Happy Valley Racing Tips Best Horse Racing Bets For March 6, 2024 Place these horse racing bets in a multi for $144.84 odds return: Wednesday, March 6, 2024 Sandown – Race 7 #6 Perilous Fighter Sandown – Race 8 #13 Freight Train Warwick Farm – Race 2 #1 Pasima Warwick Farm – Race 4 #1 Etna Rosso | Copy this bet straight to your betslip As always there a plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans, check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on March 6, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

On Wednesday, March 6, various horse racing bookmakers have unveiled their racing promotions, featuring a range of enticing bonus back offers for horse racing enthusiasts. The top Australian racing promotions for March 6, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Doomben All Races – Same Race Multi 3+ Leg Bonus Back If 1 Leg Fails Place a 3+ leg Same Race Multi bet on any race at Doomben this Wednesday and if 1 leg of your multi fails, get up to $50 back in Bonus Cash. Available from approximately 8:30am local track time on race day. Neds T&Cs apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Sandown Races 1 – 4: Run 2nd or 3rd up to $50 in Bonus Cash Back a runner in races 1-4 at Sandown this Wednesday and if it runs 2nd or 3rd get up to $50 in Bonus Cash. Fixed Win bets only. Neds T&Cs apply. First fixed win bet only. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Sandown All Races – 25% Boosted Winnings Paid in Bonus Cash. First Fixed Win Cash Bet. Max Bonus $250. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo Happy Valley All Races – 25% Boosted Winnings Paid in Bonus Cash. First Fixed Win Cash Bet. Max Bonus $250. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo BoomBet Daily Race Returns Use your daily Race Returns to back a runner in ANY RACE you want* and if your horse doesn’t win but finishes in the specified positions, you get your stake back as a bonus bet. 18+ Gamble responsibly. Can be used across any race and code unless specified in customer’s BoomBox. Fix odds, win bets only. Max bonus $50. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Daily Trifecta Boosts Boost your winnings on Trifecta by 10% with new Daily trifecta boosts. Thoroughbreds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo Wednesday Bonus Back 2nd or 3rd R1-3 at Sandown & Warwick Farm Auto-applied in Bet Slip. Promotional limits apply. Min 6 runners. Fixed odds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au has meticulously assessed the premier horse racing bookmakers in Australia, revealing exclusive bonus promotions and specials tailored for thoroughbred enthusiasts on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. These horse racing promotions are a regular feature, exemplifying the unwavering commitment of Australia’s leading horse racing bookmakers. If one bookmaker happens to lack a promotion on a given day, rest assured that another is stepping up with enticing offers within the realm of gallops. For your daily dose of the most lucrative horse racing bookmaker bonuses, HorseBetting.com.au stands as the ultimate destination. Maximise the value of your punting endeavours with bookie bonuses boasting the most competitive horse racing odds for every race. It’s crucial to emphasise that these thoroughbred racing promotions are exclusively designed for existing customers. To access these special promotions and claim the bookmaker’s offers, log in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For those seeking races and horses to leverage their horse betting bookmaker bonus bets, HorseBetting provides a valuable resource with its daily free racing tips. Stay well-informed, adopt strategic approaches, and enhance your overall horse racing experience by capitalising on these exclusive promotions. Horse racing promotions View the full article

Last week, I attended the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA) national conference at the Falls Creek Conference Center in Davis, Oklahoma. There were more than 100 participants including track chaplains, local council leaders, national board and staff. I am here to share a good news story about a group that is serving God, serving people and making a difference in horse racing. At its core, our sport showcases the Thoroughbred, one of the greatest creatures on this earth, and the dedicated group of people who love and work with those animals. Millions enjoy our sport on all levels, including casual fans, horseplayers, industry workers, breeders, trainers and owners. I groomed horses prior to my senior year of college, and I learned many things that have stuck with me my entire professional career. Of course, I loved working with the majestic Thoroughbred. I also gained an appreciation for the dedication of the many individuals who are involved in the care of our horses. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people who make up our industry. Most have demanding, non-traditional work schedules, and many have to travel on a racing circuit. It is difficult for them to develop a relationship with a church and attend traditional services. Also, the work can be physical and demanding. Especially in the past, there was nowhere to turn when life's challenges caused a “bump in the road.” In a traditional setting, many people can access their church or family and friends to help them through tough times. In the 1970's, RTCA founder Salty Roberts recognized this situation, and the need for a ministry within the racing industry. The RTCA was formed as an evangelical, interdenominational, 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian organization whose purpose is to minister to the spiritual, emotional, physical, social and educational needs of workers within the horse racing industry. In its simplest terms, the primary mission of any Christian is to “Love God, love others.” The Chaplains, council members and volunteers of the RTCA carry out this mission every day. As the Vice President of the RTCA Board, it is a pleasure and honor to spend time with this group of humble servants who make such a difference in our industry. The most visible part of a chaplain's duties may be worship services and Bible studies. Those important efforts just scratch the surface of the chaplain's job. It is a ministry of presence with Biblically based counsel, as well as offering resources like food and clothing banks, recreational activities and educational workshops. Chaplains perform weddings, handle funerals, do baptisms and make numerous trips to the hospital. When workers need a ride to the grocery store or a doctor's appointment, many times it is the chaplain or a volunteer ready to provide transportation. Like many other jobs in the horse racing, industry it is seven days a week. At the national conference there was an exchange of experiences and ideas. The chaplains described it as a ministry of presence. It is important to get to know the people. Ask questions. One chaplain called it loitering with intent. If someone is going through a tough time, pray with them. In 2023, every RTCA chaplain went through QPR training (Question, Persuade and Refer) to help educate them about the mental health issues facing many of our workers. As you might guess, there is not one chaplain that does their job for the financial reward. As a matter of fact, I heard about a chaplain that was ministering on a small circuit which raced only on weekends. This person was dedicated to filling a need each weekend at the track, and then would drive home and get up early Monday morning to drive a garbage truck to pay the bills. There are many stories of volunteers who provide important assistance to serve the workers at the track. Mindy Coleman, representing the Jockeys' Guild, was in attendance. That organization has worked with the RTCA for many years to make a difference in the very difficult lives of jockeys. A track chaplain brings together the jockeys and leads a prayer prior to the races at virtually every racetrack served by the RTCA. The chaplain is there to counsel and pray with the riders in times of need. And, when a rider is injured, the chaplain is always one of the first ones at the hospital. During my career in track management, I have witnessed the difference in the environment in the jockeys' room before the RTCA, and after. In a very competitive and demanding profession, the presence of the chaplain has made a major positive impact which is summed up by the RTCA theme of “Bringing God's Grace to the Race.” The conference was about God's Love, and unity and focus for the RTCA. It was obvious that every chaplain present felt blessed to be in the role of serving others. There was not one complaint. However, chaplains can be under a great deal of pressure with the many duties they are tasked with. Let's reach out to support and encourage them. If you are part of a horse organization, ask what you can do to support the RTCA at your track or training center. If you are in track management, make the chaplain part of your team. To learn more about the RTCA, visit www.rtcanational.org. The post Letter to the Editor: The Importance of the Race Track Chaplaincy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jon Dean grew up in Michigan, but moved to Central Florida as a high school senior, and now, as an Ocala-based attorney, his path seemed to inevitably lead to Thoroughbreds. But, after a series of lackluster results in the industry, he decided he needed to recalibrate his business plan three years ago. The result was two years of profitable pinhooks and Dean will be hoping to keep the momentum going when he sends a pair of juveniles through the sales ring next week at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He will offer another two colts at the company's April sale next month. “My brother Ed and I practiced law together starting back when I graduated law school in '87 and then we bought a 320-acre farm here in Marion County and we raise Angus cattle on it,” Dean said. “But you know the farming business is quite expensive to get into and quite expensive to maintain, so we had to become lawyers in order to afford to be farmers. “Later on, I had a client who had a few Thoroughbreds. We ended up at OBS watching the sale and all of a sudden I found myself throwing my hand up in the air and buying a horse. My friend asked what I was doing and I said, 'I don't know. He was a good-looking horse.' I wanted to see if we could do something.” That initial purchase led to several more, but the money seemed to be moving all in one direction and it was always out, never in. “I started playing around with horses a little bit, but we never had any success really,” Dean said. “But I kind of liked it. I got up a bit heavy to about 30 horses at one time and my wife said, 'You're an idiot. You're wasting all your money.' Most people keep doing the same thing over and over until they go broke. Fortunately, the good Lord has blessed me with a good law practice, so I haven't gone broke, but it's not been real profitable.” So three years ago, Dean decided to tweak his process. Rather than trying to find bargains in the $20,000 to $30,000 range at the yearling sales, he would focus on better pedigrees and higher quality. “It was just barely making any money and if you aren't making any money at it, then pretty soon your wife is going to not be happy and call you an idiot,” he explained. “I decided to change the strategy. So now we try to buy better quality yearlings and maybe a couple of weanlings that we thought came from more-than-average–maybe even a few exceptional–sires. And spend some more money on the yearlings and the weanlings to see if we could make it profitable. Because the training costs are the same, whether you are training a three-legged horse or a four-legged horse. You might as well increase your cost and get a better quality horse with the expectation that you might sell for a higher price. So we did that two years ago and we made a profit. We did it again last year and made a profit. And we are trying it again this year.” Dean went to $250,000 to acquire a colt by Twirling Candy at last year's Keeneland September sale and, while the youngster was catalogued as hip 140 with Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables at next week's March sale, he will instead wait for the April sale. “That was the one we paid the most for at the yearling sales, so I have high hopes for him,” Dean said. “But Ciaran said he would do better in the April sale.” On behalf of Dean, Wavertree will consign a colt by Vino Rosso (hip 571) at the March sale. Out of Queenie's Pride (Special Rate), the chestnut is a half-brother to graded-placed Joy's Rocket (Anthony's Cross). He was a $95,000 purchase last September at Keeneland. “He checked all of the boxes,” Dean said of the colt's appeal last fall. “He didn't have any issues with the vet. He looked good and he has a solid family. He was in our budget and fit the perfect mold of what we want to do–to move up a little bit in quality of the stallion and pay a little more for a yearling.” Dean was also drawn to the colt's young sire, who was represented last Sunday by GII San Felipe S. runner-up Wine Me Up. “If you have a young sire who is also having 3 and 4-year-olds that are coming on and they are starting to build a record as a good stallion, that helps,” he said. “The older stallions that are at the twilight of their careers, they can still provide quality horses, but they don't have the appeal that some horse buyers are looking for. They want to get the fresh young stallion that is really coming on and really going to shine. That's the bright shiny penny that gets all the attention.” Through the Silvestre Chavez Thoroughbreds consignment, Dean will offer a colt by Curlin (hip 174). The chestnut colt is out of the unraced Divine Escapade (A.P. Indy), a daughter of Grade I winner Madcap Escapade (Hennessy). Dean admitted he was “shocked” when he was able to acquire the colt for $35,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. “I was sitting at the sale and in walks this Curlin colt and I am looking at the page and I am expecting him to go for $300,000 or better,” Dean recalled. “He was languishing at $28,000, $30,000. I looked closer at the page, I looked at the horse as he's walking around. I said, 'Well, he's got four legs and I don't see what the issue is,' so I threw my hand up in the air and ended up buying him for $35,000. My friends were asking me why I bought that horse. I said, 'He's by Curlin with a great page. And it's $35,000. I've lost more than $35,000 dozens of times on other horses. If it turns out to be a train wreck, so what? I've been down that road before.'” Asked how the colt has progressed since last fall, Dean said, “He's gone the right way. I watched him Friday when he breezed at OBS and he looked very, very good doing it. They are going to have to take a look at him. Hopefully, he will do everything that is asked of him.” Dean's 2024 pinhooking prospects also include a colt by More Than Ready out of Runway Rosie (Include) (hip 69) he purchased as a weanling for $85,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The colt is expected to be in the line up with Wavertree in April. “The one that Ciaran has said the most about, that he was a little surprised about, was the More Than Ready that I bought as a weanling,” Dean said. “He didn't get the prep that they get when they are going to the yearling sale. He was just hanging out in a field with his buds who weren't going to yearling sales and he didn't do anything but grow bigger. We had him shipped down and Ciaran said he was a little backward. But as he got into the training, he started adding muscle and getting into it and Ciaran said he is really catching his eye. He's doing everything we are asking him to do and more and he's coming on strong.” When he is looking for pinhook prospects, Dean said he looks for future potential. “Everybody wants a perfect horse and as a yearling, they may not be perfect,” he said. “But by the time they are ready to go racing, they may develop. You can look at a 14-year-old boy who wants to play football and he's 5'9 and he weighs 140 pounds, so that's not so impressive. But when he gets to be 18, maybe he's 6'1 and weighs 220 pounds and now he can play.” Dean and his four siblings could represent that same over-achieving spirit, a spirit personified in his parents, both of whom lost their hearing as children. “My mom and dad produced one son who is an engineer, one daughter who is a college professor, another daughter who is a medical professional with a masters degree and two other sons that went to law school and became successful,” Dean said. “And if you had asked either my mom or dad when they were 20 if they would have had a shot to do that, the answer would have been no, in part because they were both deaf.” Dean's father was 19 and in college hoping to become a doctor when he lost his hearing after a case of spinal meningitis. He went on to become a structural engineer. His mother, growing up on a farm in Minnesota, lost her hearing at age seven after a case of scarlet fever. She ultimately received a full scholarship to Gallaudet University, the national college for the deaf in Washington D.C., and became an English teacher. “That's where she met my dad,” Dean said. “He was an engineer working for one of the aerospace contractors in World War II and was living in Washington. They went to a deaf social and that's where they met.” Lessons from his parents necessarily permeated Dean's youth. “When I was in seventh grade, I told my dad, 'I just can't get this math. It's too hard.' He said, 'Son, you don't know what hard is yet.'” Ed Dean was practicing law in Gainesville when his younger brother was contemplating his future back at home with his parents in Michigan. “My brother was telling me about the University of Florida and the Gators,” Dean said. “I wrote to them and asked if they were interested in an offensive lineman from the state of Michigan. And basically, the word was, 'No, we have plenty of kids that we can recruit here in the south. We don't need to go to Michigan to get a kid.'” But it wasn't long before a heart attack forced his father into retirement and Dean saw an opportunity. “They sold their home in Michigan and bought a home in Gainesville and off to Florida we went,” Dean said. “I went to Gainesville High School for my senior year, did well, and did well enough to impress the Gators, so I went to University of Florida on a scholarship.” As the youngest of a brood of highly successful professionals, Dean admitted there was some pressure when choosing his own profession. “My brother Ed set the standard,” he said. “My brother Dale became an engineer and my sister was a college professor and my other sister was in medicine. And so I am thinking I have to do something. I don't want to be the dog of the family. Math wasn't my thing, so engineering was out. And I said, 'I am a pretty good talker, maybe I can do this law thing.' I said, 'Surely I am as smart as my brother. And if he is a good lawyer, I can be one, too. That's why I went to law school.” The journey begun by his parents in the 1940s continues to impact Dean and is reflected in his pinhooking philosophy. “If we can make a profit, we will be very happy,” he said. “If we don't make a profit, we will be undaunted. We will try again.” The under-tack show for the OBS March sale will begin Wednesday and continues through Saturday with sessions beginning each morning at 8 a.m. The three-day auction will be held next Tuesday through Thursday. Bidding begins each day at 11 a.m. The post Dean Hopes New Approach Yields Gains at OBS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The €3 million injection has enabled the creation of the €330,000 3YO Spring Series, with the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic as its showpiece.View the full article

By Jonny Turner Charlotte Williamson will be out to chase down her first win since returning to the sulky at Oamaru today. The junior driver has returned to race day driving recently after taking an extended break after having her three children with husband Matthew. Judging by some of her drives, Williamson hasn’t lost her touch while being out of the sulky. “I am loving being back, I am just fitting in the driving where I can,” she said. “The kids will always be the top priority but I am driving when it suits and so far everything is going well.” Matthew Williamson is on dad-duty while Charlotte is driving at the races and driving trackwork at the couple’s stables. If both are out on the track, it is up to both family and the stable’s staff to keep a close eye on Sadie, Leila and Carter Williamson. “My mum makes the trip down from Christchurch quite a lot,” Williamson said. “Our staff Brooke Fodie and Alana Oldham, as well as Barry White and Teria McKay, quite often look after the kids.” “It is a real team effort and we are lucky to have a great team around us.” “Sadie is about to start school soon, so that might make things a bit trickier.” “We will see how things go and try to work the driving in where I can.” Williamson will attempt to win her first race since February 2020 when she combines with two horses trained by her husband at Oamaru today. Coming off the unruly looks a big boost for Haley Robyn in race 5. Though the mare will need Williamson to pick a path for her from barrier 7. “She has been going some nice races off the unruly,” Williamson said. “Coming off the unruly helps but she has still got a bit of a tricky draw.” “If she gets the right run she can be an eachway chance.” Williamson will be out to help Winning Bones continue his great form in race 7. The trotter was a dominant winner of his last start at Ascot Park. Though Winning Bones steps into a harder grade today, Williamson is hopeful the horse’s manners can help him continue his strong form. “He has been going great lately.” “It is a bit of a step up into a harder grade for him, but his manners should take him a long way.” “Hopefully he can put himself in a good spot and go another good race.” View the full article

Following protracted litigation, the racing stable of trainer @SteveAsmussen1 was held liable March 4 by a federal district court in Kentucky for wage and hour law violations totaling more than $486,000 in actual and liquidated damages.View the full article

The racing year is only just doing up its laces, but already Into Mischief is on the march. Last week we examined the GI Kentucky Derby candidature of his son Timberlake and now, with a little help from the evergreen Dettori, he has a 19th Grade I scorer in Newgate. I must admit that my heart went out to connections of Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify), who led every step bar the last, and would have been John Sadler's fourth winner of the storied Santa Anita Handicap-still dearly cherished by some of us, outflanked as it has been-in seven years. While the modern booty plundered in the desert by a son of the venerable Mineshaft is temporarily distorting his latest title defense, the opening skirmishes of 2024 have already seen Into Mischief overtake Medaglia d'Oro in the all-time earnings table. He now stands cents shy of $170 million with only Giant's Causeway ($178 million) dividing him from Tapit ($204.5 million). The latter obviously has much unfinished business-and we fervently hope that he can still come up with the Derby winner he so deserves-but the industrial model at Spendthrift means that Into Mischief is about to overtake Tapit's aggregate of lifetime starters, from four fewer crops. And, as often remarked, he's only lately started to bring his elite mares into play. Newgate himself was conceived at $150,000, but made that investment pay for Town and Country Farms-besides the $360,000 they gave for his graded stakes-placed dam Majestic Presence (Majestic Warrior) at the 2017 November Sale, already amply defrayed by the Runhappy foal she was carrying there and a couple of others-by realizing $850,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. The same farm gave us Adare Manor (Uncle Mo), who similarly made her Grade I breakthrough in her third campaign for Baffert, so they can take credit for raising horses that persevere. (Majestic Presence, incidentally, was returned to Into Mischief to produce the $500,000 yearling Denim and Pearls, who won her first two and has now run second in consecutive stakes.) Life is hard enough for rival sires without Into Mischief again enlisting Dettori to clinch another narrow verdict in the GII San Felipe S. through Imagination. This colt is yet another tribute to Peter Blum's patient curation of a dynasty tracing to his foundation mare, Mono (Better Self), identified as a priceless conduit of King Ranch blood way back in 1975. Mono was out of a sister to 1946 Triple Crown winner Assault, from the family of Man o' War himself. But she was actually being sold from the estate of the King Ranch farm manager, and had duly been confined to less expensive covers. The young Blum noticed that she had nevertheless produced good runners, and vowed that he would not leave the Keeneland January Sale without her. He'll never know where he might have stopped, but was able to do so at $17,500. Blum, of course, has in recent years bred a Horse of the Year. But Authentic came from a rather younger line in his program, and possibly he's deriving no less satisfaction from the emergence of Imagination at a time when GI Preakness winner National Treasure (Quality Road) is also consolidating his own reputation. For both trace to Mono's daughter Mine Only. Blum's first choice of mate for Mono had been an unproven Florida sire named Mr. Prospector. When the resulting colt won on debut at Del Mar, he resolved to send her back to the stallion at his new base at Claiborne. Their second tryst produced Mine Only, who won no more than a maiden but set a pattern for this family by proving a much better producer. Her three graded stakes scorers (all on turf) included Good Mood (Devil's Bag), who won the GIII Miss Grillo S. and is third dam of Imagination. National Treasure | Adam Coglianese Before that Mine Only had already produced a daughter by Secretariat, Chosen Lady, who failed to win but produced not only GI Ashland winner Well Chosen (Deputy Minister) but also the third dam of National Treasure. So while Blum always emphasizes the help he gets from the likes of Doug Cauthen and Bridie Harrison, he must accept the compliment implied to his own patient stewardship by the elite investors who target his program at the sales. National Treasure made $500,000 at Saratoga, and Imagination $1.05 million at Keeneland September. The latter sum partly reflected the Grade II sprint success of his dam Magical Feeling (Empire Maker), who has always been given nothing but the best: she had four foals by Tapit before more recently being sent to Into Mischief and producing first Occult, sold as a yearling for $625,000 before winning the GIII Monmouth Oaks last year; and now Imagination. Yes, Nysos (Nyquist) was the specter at this particular feast. But even the supporting roles on this circuit demand real caliber, and it might not require that much more Imagination to aspire to the mature deeds of National Treasure or Newgate this time next year. Mage Page Paying Many a Wage Let's not get too glum about these sophomores. After all, most enter their single year of Classic eligibility as little more than gawky adolescents. In fact, however diffident a crop they may seem for now, recent history suggests that there's probably a Horse of the Year lurking among them somewhere. At this stage of his career, Cody's Wish remained unraced and he would only break his maiden, at the fourth attempt, in October. Flightline was also weeks short of his debut. Knicks Go had admittedly established his caliber at two, but at this point was bombing out in the GIII Sam F. Davis and then the GIII Gotham. All three, of course, would only achieve their peak with age. But this time last year even the horse that went on to win the GI Kentucky Derby had just been beaten seven lengths in the GII Fountain of Youth S. Puca selling at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale The success of his full-brother Dornoch (Good Magic) in the same race last weekend has elicited some faint praise, thanks to the decimation of the field, but the fact remains that he's far more seasoned than was Mage at this stage. True, the latter was duly on a steeper curve of improvement, but whatever happens John Stewart can be gratified that his $2.9 million investment in their dam Puca (Big Brown) at Keeneland last November has stood up to both its first big tests, in the GII Remsen S. and now here. Just like Mage, Dornoch is advertising the expert grounding he received at storied Runnymede Farm, which raised and then consigned both colts on behalf of breeders Grandview Equine. Mage proved a fairly marginal pinhook ($235,000 to $290,000) when resold at two, but events in the meantime make the extra investment on Dornoch at the Keeneland September Sale ($325,000 from Oracle Bloodstock) look pretty inspired. Those supporting Mage in his first year at stud, meanwhile, must be feeling similarly comforted by the way his page is evolving. Remember that Puca is a half-sister to a Grade I winner on turf, Finnegan's Weake (Powerscourt {GB}); was herself runner-up in the GII Gazelle S.; while her only previous foal-the Gun Runner filly she was carrying when acquired by Grandview for $475,000 at Fasig-Tipton in November 2018-was herself twice stakes-placed. Not least granted the parallel strides since made by her rookie sire, what a stroke of luck for Grandview that she failed to meet her reserve as a yearling! By the time Puca sent her son by McKinzie into the Keeneland ring last September, her genetic wares were sufficiently known for Mayberry Farms to have to go to $1.2 million. Yet only that January, Puca's own dam Boat's Ghost (Silver Ghost) had been discarded in the same ring, in foal to Raging Bull (Fr), for just $17,000. That indignity, at the age of 19, was redressed by finding herself on a peerless farm of its type, Nursery Place, where she safely delivered a filly, apparently a good specimen too; and was then given a typically astute covering in Hard Spun. Lonesome Days Long Forgotten for Pounce Another interesting mare in Hard Spun's book last year was Bouncy (Twirling Candy), whose daughter Pounce (Lookin At Lucky) won the GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream last weekend. In fact, if you ever needed a cross-section of our community to offer its most considered judgement, you could do worse than simply consult those breeders using Hard Spun. In an environment so childishly prey to fashion, those sticking with the Darley stalwart instead prize proven value in the last commercially accessible son of his breed-shaping sire. Those who sent him Bouncy have four resonant surnames: Pounce's breeders are registered as Bell, Rankin, VanMeter and Hancock. From these familiar clans, it turns out we are dealing respectively with Gatewood, Hunter, Ike and, “the rose among thorns,” Lynn. One or two of them have evidently followed Bouncy from the outset, though along the way she also appears to have caught the attention of a couple of Texas rangers. Bred and raised by the Hancock family's Stone Farm, she was pinhooked as a $85,000 yearling by Bell's Cromwell Bloodstock Agency; made $170,000 from “Augustus McRae” at OBS the following April; showed plenty of ability in both her starts in the silks of Augustin Stables, winning on debut at Keeneland before a close second to a stakes winner at Belmont; and was then picked up by “Joshua Deets” for just $37,000 in the Covid market of the 2020 Keeneland November Sale. At that point Bouncy was pregnant to a maiden cover by Lookin At Lucky, an excellent choice to prove a mare despite his appalling treatment by the commercial market. That came at an initial cost, in that Pounce was a $20,000 RNA at the Keeneland September Sale-but in the long run it has paid off handsomely. For she had caught Mark Casse's eye in the back ring. “When she didn't sell, we approached Mark to work out a deal so we could make sure she got into good hands,” Hancock explains. “And we are fortunate that she did! He trained her up to a certain level, to acquire interest in the filly, and we were partners from there on out. We are very appreciative of Mark for taking a chance on her and obviously he has done a spectacular job.” Yes, he has: Pounce won on debut at Churchill in November and again at Turfway in February, after which she topped Fasig-Tipton's Digital Sale at $370,000 from Resolute Bloodstock. As with Puca, noted above, John Stewart has been quickly vindicated in a bold investment with Pounce's graded success at Gulfstream, still for the Casse barn, coming just 11 days later. Hancock says that Bouncy has now delivered a “lovely” Hard Spun filly, but the gang is still debating-or maybe we should say bouncing around-her next cover. Maybe they should ask Woodrow Call what he thinks… The post Breeding Digest: Another Week Full of Mischief appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of Feb. 28-March 3View the full article

4th-GP, $89k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 2:38 p.m. ET Juddmonte homebred SIDAMARA (Arrogate) kicks off her career for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. The 3-year-old is out of 2012 GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner and Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Spring in the Air (Spring At Last), who brought $1.65 million from Nawara Stud at the 2015 KEENOV sale. Spring in the Air's Nawara Stud-bred 5-year-old gelding Find (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was second in the 2022 G3 Jersey S. Sidamara is the 9-5 morning-line favorite. TJCIS PPS The post Wednesday’s Racing Insights: Arrogate Juddmonte Homebred Filly Debuts at Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Byron King's Top 12 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, presented by Spendthrift Farm.View the full article

If you follow Alan Delmonte on Twitter or X, or whatever they call it these days, you will know him for his offbeat sense of humour. But as chief executive of the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) for the past 11 years, he has one of the most serious jobs in British racing, overseeing the distribution of around £100m a year. Delmonte is, to some extent, the sport's Chancellor of the Exchequer, but there is an awful lot of important work going on behind the scenes at the Levy Board that make it not just racing's cash machine but also one of its staunchest guardians. A recently published progress report on its three-year business plan shone a light on that work, and Delmonte, along with HBLB's chief finance officer Craig Pemberton, gave Emma Berry an overview. Emma Berry: Racing is facing some serious issues, including the government's proposed affordability checks on punters, which would have an impact on what you do. How are you feeling generally about the state of the racing nation at the moment? Alan Delmonte: It's a mixed picture, as the recent update set out. And I think from a narrow levy, or financial perspective, we are not in bad shape. Although betting revenue turnover is falling, and the amount bet has fallen, which is a double concern, bookmakers' overall profits seem relatively stable, and that is how the levy is derived. So that has given some foreseeability and continuity. It is well known that we started the Covid pandemic with quite significant reserves, which we used about half of, but have been able to keep them at around that level. So for us, at least at the moment, it has been a relatively stable background. But we have said to the board that we do need to be cautious, because it won't be sustainable if turnover continues to fall, that bookmakers can't keep making the same amount of money out of declining turnover. And that's why the outcome of the consideration of the risk-based checks process is obviously very important to the sport as a whole, and to us, in terms of long-term security. EB: At the top end, and even now the middle to top end, things are improving in Britain regarding prize-money. Premier Racing is a new development this year, and there is some extra money at that level. From a more personal position, a particular race won two years ago by a horse in our stable was worth £4,500 to the winner but if he won it this year, it's £3,000 to the winner. That's a 33% drop. At that lower level the pinch is going to be felt, and I wonder about how that will affect ownership numbers and field sizes. AD: That question of where to put prize-money is financially the biggest question that we have to face every year. On the assumption that we do this from one year to the next, ideally we'd like to have in a lot of these areas a multi-year strategy, not just the prize-money, but for an awful lot of things that we fund, where there is a very clear direction set with a lot of detail, and we set sail with racing on funding that for a longer period. That doesn't generally exist, which is one of the frustrations and challenges that we have. So we will see how these fixture changes come along. They are part of a two-year trial, but we were explicit in wanting to have a one-year review point for the sort of thing that you're talking about. The board has agreed that we should run the trial, and racing's representative groups have said that it is more important, strategically, to invest more towards these top-end days. They made the point that the prize-money for the lower-grade races on those days will go up. It's not all money that's going into the top races at the top fixtures. One of the points that we were very keen to make sure was monitored was the effect on core racing. Racing seems to be relatively confident that the effect on those day-to-day cards would be relatively limited. We will be doing reports for our board every quarter on what's really going on, with a view to recommending whether we can carry on with this funding structure for next year. But the overall principle has been racing's view, that your best route to growth of the sport is through maximising the profile of the bigger events. It's an assertion rather than something that's based on hard facts and research, but we've gone with this with our eyes open, but with the need to really assess what's happening on the ground as we go along. Without preempting the review, it would be an odd outcome if these changes ended up with fewer people wanting to put their money into being owners in the sport. There is nowhere in racing's plan that says the outcome that we are satisfied with is if the total number of people interested in participating in the sport goes down. So if we are seeing that – and one of the pieces won't just be the number of owners, it will be what type of owners, which type of horses are they owning – that will need some proper analysis. EB: There is a feeling of anxiety among some breeders at the moment, and not just in this country. That could obviously have a knock-on effect on the horse population. What struck me in your report is that one of the first things you mention is improvement of the breed. Can you explain a little more about the HBLB's involvement in the breeding sector? AD: We have three statutory objectives, which are set out in the business plan, and the requirement is for us to spend the money on one or more of them. The board has always taken a serious view of not just spending money on what might be termed day-to-day horseracing expenditure, but also the other two, improvement of the breed and advancement of veterinary science. We have been the principal supporter of a series of TBA-driven schemes over the past 30 years or more, with the breeders' prize scheme, and over the last 10 years on Plus 10 and on MOPS, the Elite Mares Scheme that we continue to fund, and now GBB [Great British Bonus], which we provide three-quarters of the funding for. These things are all designed to provide incentive and upwardly-mobile ownership and rewards. We try to get that mix of short-term funding for things like prize-money and regulation, and then the longer-term investment in other areas. Craig Pemberton: One thing we've done fairly recently was a confidential survey. Around 200 stakeholders were invited to give an opinion on how well we were doing against our own purpose and vision, and it scored well. Relatively lower was the breeding area of what we do. So the board's actions, from having conducted that survey, are that we will make more prominent what we do around breeding. We spend £2 million-plus on research in the veterinary science and education spheres each year. We will publish some of the research that comes out of that, and make links to those projects. Some of these things are very slow burns over multiple years. We absolutely get that part of what makes British racing what it is. It's not the perception of quality, but the reality of quality. EB: I suppose it's always a balance, deciding whether that £2 million should be going into prize-money when we all know what impact a sudden outbreak of a contagious disease can have. It could bring racing to a standstill… AD: We were one of the main funders of the work that the Animal Health Trust did, and then worked very hard to try to see whether there was a route to survival for the AHT. But the view that the board came to in the end was that what the sport had to focus on was the preservation of the services that were being provided. We set up the process to ensure the continuity of AHT people that were related to racing. We oversaw the tender process that has seen Rossdale's and Cambridge University take on the functions that were previously carried out by AHT. And those organisations now work under contract, effectively, to the sport, but through us. And I think that is a good example of where people probably just think things happen, but these extracurricular things do sometimes occur, and it did require quite a lot of extra time and resource to get that over the line. But that's not to say it was all us. Sometimes in these areas there are things that the Levy Board runs itself, and other times, it's a much more collaborative effort. We work with the ROA and TBA as co-funders of these services, and through the BHA. So it does go on behind the scenes to some extent, but there is quite a lot of thinking that goes on about a disease prevention plan. It was absolutely essential that the continuity of service was maintained. Obviously it was a great shame that the AHT, as an institution that was supported for 40 years, couldn't go on, but in the end, the bullet had to be bitten. And the priority became, 'Well, how is the sport going to get its disease surveillance and diagnostic service done elsewhere?' And we've ended up with a more transparent process that has clearer reporting, clearer measurement about who's doing what, and our own committee that we chair, that monitors how those two institutions are doing against the contract. EB: Are you still able to enjoy going racing? Or do you get ground down by all the politics of it all? AD: I do, very much so. I don't even find that difficult to say. I think it's still the sport that gets my heart racing, just the way it always has. Work is work, and then the pleasure of seeing the horses actually racing is a different thing, and that's something that I think will always be absolutely at the core of my love of the sport. I'm just incredibly fortunate to be able to do something that's in the sport, but also to be involved in a job and an organisation that covers such a wide range of bases. CP: I'm just in my fifth year [at the HBLB], and part of the motivation for joining was that I was really interested in the sector. Previously I'd worked at the construction industry training board, another levy organisation, getting apprentices into construction. It was principally about young people and life chances, and that struck me as having a very big parallel with racing. The CFO role is not just about the numbers, it's a lot more than that. If you can do the role and try and bring some balance and help, particularly for young people, that was part of the motivation for me, as well as finding out about a new sport and a new sector. And it's probably the most complex group ecosystem I've ever come across, but therein lies the challenge, of getting a lot of stakeholders to agree on what can get done, the AHT being a fantastic example. That was literally in my first few months here, and then we had Covid. So it was an interesting start. EB: It's been a time of fighting plenty of fires, but the cyclical nature of racing and breeding means there's always something to look forward to, albeit in what is a tempestuous business at times. AD: It's not a job where you can sit there, just making judgements and decisions, and then never having to see anyone again. It is by its nature an environment where you are, in a sense, always accountable for what you're doing, because you're seeing people quite a lot of the time all around the place. You've just got to accept that there is a lot of to-ing and fro-ing with the stakeholders. Yes, we want to try and be clear and open about how we're going to make decisions, or why we've said yes, or why we've said no. But part of that process is an ongoing dialogue. It's obviously a very fragmented structure, but that structure does manage to come together every day to produce racing at racecourses, and it produces a breeding operation, and all the other infrastructure. So it works. It may not be perfect, but I don't think it's realistic for anyone to keep blaming the structure for things not being done. You just have to work with what you've got, and try and find a way through. EB: And while acknowledging those pressures, do you feel that it's still aspirational for people from various parts of the word to race and breed in Britain? AD: It is for that reason, to go back to the Premier Racing point, that we absolutely get that part of what makes British racing what it is. It's not the perception of quality, but the reality of quality that is matched by the people perceiving it. We want to be encouraging the sport where we can, to take Craig's point, to provide the most professional positive environment for people to come into the sport and work in. We're very supportive of the initiatives that racing has put in place around code of conduct, and all these other associated positive developments that should be necessary in a modern industry. EB: The Levy Board has been in existence since the 1960s, and at one stage it looked like it would be discontinued. What's the situation now? AD: There are no plans to abolish the Levy Board. There have been a few attempts over the years. Probably the closest one to abolition was the most recent one, which would have culminated in 2019. The fundamental point there, which is my summary rather than anyone else's, is that if you are going to have a statutory levy, which we do based on an act of parliament, then parliament wants to see that there is a public body accountable for that levy. And what would have happened under the proposed arrangement was that the responsibility for the levy would have passed over to a private sector racing body. And when push came to shove, parliament wasn't satisfied that that gave the necessary oversight. So maybe a way will be found, or somebody will have the desire to revisit it again and find a way through that. But at the moment, here we are five years on from non-abolition, we have got on with modernising what we do, getting our own systems and processes up to going concern standards, and we are not thinking at all about anything other than long-term continuity. One thing I'd say about the business plan and the update is that a lot of the things in there have been generated by the Levy Board. They are designed by us, but what we would ideally like to see is the equivalent of those produced by racing so that racing has its own clear aims, objectives, targets, measurements for the sport, over a period of time. Ideally, our measures become racing's measures. Racing's strategy has been announced as something that will be produced, and the first fruit of that was the 2024 fixture programme. But there are all of these other major areas where we're expecting that there will be a very detailed underpinning strategy and ideally an overarching piece of work that says, 'This is what it all means for the sport.' It's not easy, but that's what BHA, on behalf of the sport, committed themselves to doing in 2022. And if we can get to a position where we're all working on the same major objectives, which are very transparent, it should help everybody be clear about where the direction of travel is. The post Benefactor and Guardian: Racing’s Friend in the Levy Board appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article