Wandering Eyes

Makram (IRE) ridden by Harry Coffey winning the The Elms Handicap at Flemington. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Ben Hayes, co-trainer of Makram, envisions the Irish-imported gelding as a formidable contender in the lucrative races during the autumn carnival. Makram clinched a surprise victory in Saturday’s Listed Elms Handicap (1400m) at Flemington, stunning the favourite Jimmysstar. “He’s been threatening to do it for a long time. He’s been a very interesting horse to train. He’s been so frustrating. He’s gone from putting in fantastic runs to being disappointing, so hopefully he can put it all together this prep,” explained Hayes in an interview with Racing.com. Trained in partnership with his brothers JD and Will, Hayes outlined Makram’s potential path, with plans for the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington next month, followed by potential entries in the $4 million All-Star Mile (1600m) and the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m). Makram is marked as a +5000 chance with top horse racing betting sites for the Group 1 Australian Cup on March 30. Horse racing news View the full article

Traffic Warden will lineup in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.(Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) James Cummings is confident that Traffic Warden, Godolphin’s hopeful for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield this Saturday, is ready to deliver his best performance yet. “We deliberately brought him down to Melbourne last year to tackle a two-year-old handicap back in trip to 1000 metres second-up and that was after chasing home the very impressive Storm Boy at Rosehill,” Cummings explained to Racing.com. “He’s already had that valuable Caulfield experience, and second-up he looks well suited.” Traffic Warden debuted with a second-place finish to Storm Boy at Rosehill, followed by a victory at Caulfield. In his latest outing, he secured third place behind Prost and Fearless in the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on February 3. “I watched him gallop (Saturday) morning in Sydney and he’s still getting it right,” Cummings explained. “That’s why I feel like we haven’t seen the best of him yet. He’s on the improve and that’s a positive quality going into the race.” Traffic Warden is marked as a +2000 winning hope with top horse racing bookmakers in the Blue Diamond Stakes. Horse racing news View the full article

Atullibigeal wins the Class 2 TVB Cup. Thwarted by bad luck this season, Atullibigeal deservedly clinched the HK$2.84 million Class 2 TVB Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday for trainer David Hall as Brenton Avdulla extended a powerful mid-season surge. Beaten a short head when second in the Class 1 Chevalier Cup Handicap (1600m) and a close fourth in the Class 1 Panasonic Handicap (1400m), Atullibigeal (130lb) bravely threaded narrow gaps in the straight today to fend off Superb Boy (123lb) and Drombeg Banner (132lb) after favourite Global Harmony refused to leave the barriers under Zac Purton. “A little bit disappointing he wasn’t able to win the Chevalier Cup or the Panasonic Cup – he was unlucky in both those races, so (it’s) rewarding to get this race today and hopefully he’s not finished with yet,” Hall said. “We had the barrier (gate three) and it looked like he was going to get a good run, but obviously he was in a bit of a pocket there and had to find room. But he got clear and he’s shown before he can be brave in between horses and he certainly was again today.” Celebrating successive Sha Tin doubles with Fast Buck’s win for John Size, Avdulla said: “Atullibigeal was good. Good result – I thought I had one of those books where things would need to go right for me to ride a winner, but everything has worked out well. Can’t complain.” Jamie Richards endured a bitter-sweet weekend with the decision to retire gun sprinter Wellington and the victory of G Liner for Karis Teetan. Richards confirmed Wellington, winner of 12 races in Hong Kong, including four Group 1s, and more than HK$68 million in prizemoney, would be retired after pulling up with an issue following Saturday’s Happy Valley trials. “He’ll be retired tomorrow,” Richards said of the seven-year-old. “Such is life, he’s getting a little bit older now and we just didn’t want to take any risks with him – he’s been such a good horse. “He’s going to enjoy a nice retirement. I think he’s going to go back to Kia Ora Stud in Australia, where he was bred, and he’s going to spend his retirement there.” Richard Gibson trained Wellington, once acclaimed as Hong Kong Champion Sprinter, until the end of last season when the All Too Hard gelding transferred to Richards’ stable following Gibson’s retirement as a Hong Kong trainer. Caspar Fownes-trained Packing Hurricane foiled the hopes of several Hong Kong Derby (2000m) aspirants with success under Harry Bentley after David Hayes successfully debuted Chateauneuf, a Fastnet Rock three-year-old. Given a trouble-free passage by Purton, the three-year-old’s performance impressed Hayes. “He did a good job from the wide gate (barrier 10). He got a bit tired late, but he’ll improve a lot. He’s a very big horse and all his trials have been very easy,” Hayes said. Jerry Chau made a triumphant return to race riding after missing Thursday’s Happy Valley meeting because of illness by notching a double in tandem with Benno Yung. The pair struck first with Only U before James Tak landed the Class 4 TVB Yan Chai Charity Show Handicap (1200m). “It’s been a tough week for me,” Chau said. “I had a cold and a high temperature but the Club provide good treatment and good medicine and I was able to come back and perform,” Chau said. “I feel well now.” Frankie Lor-trained Victory Moments claimed a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million for his strong win for Matthew Chadwick after Pierre Ng-trained Starship Eighty continued a productive campaign with his third victory of the season with success under a superb Teetan ride. Adefill confirmed his affinity with Sha Tin’s alternate surface by winning for Ricky Yiu and Antoine Hamelin. By Deep Field, Adefill improved his record on the dirt circuit to five wins and five placings from 12 starts. Horse racing news View the full article

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Lexington-based breeder Debby Oxley has carefully curated the family behind Risen Start Stakes (G2) winner Sierra Leone and will be looking toward the first Saturday in May with the Kentucky Derby hopeful. View the full article

Coined a "big league" horse by trainer Brad Cox after his sparkling five-furlong tune-up over the weekend, WinStar Farm's Timberlake journeys to Oaklawn Park with a lofty chance in the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 24. View the full article

'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) checked off quite a few boxes on his GI Kentucky Derby development checklist with Saturday's half-length score in the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds. In just his third career start, he handled shipping away from his home base, winning as the 5-2 favorite off an 11-week layoff, rating from mid-pack while equipped with blinkers for the first time, and racing under the lights on a sloppy, sealed and eerily shadowy track. And yet, jockey Tyler Gaffalione still believes there's room for improvement–which is exactly what you want to hear if you fancy the chances of this $2.3-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale-topper on the first Saturday in May. “He's a very special horse. We haven't even gotten close to the bottom of him,” Gaffalione told FanDuel TV's Caton Bredar post-win. “He's still learning. He's still green. You can see when he made the lead, he still wanted to lug in a little bit. But [he was] much more professional today. He honestly didn't hit his best stride until the gallop-out.” After winning his one-turn-mile debut Nov. 4 at Aqueduct, trainer Chad Brown tried Sierra Leone in the Dec. 2 GII Remsen S., where the colt uncorked a sweeping, seven-wide move over a muddy surface that produced a heavily speed-slanted bias (five wire-to-wire and five on-the-pace winners). Sierra Leone sling-shotted to the lead, but bore in once it looked like he'd blow past Dornoch (Good Magic), who clawed back to the lead to win in the shadow of the wire. It was an unfortunate loss-of-focus result for Sierra Leone, but Brown shrugged off the second-place finish and immediately suggested he'd equip the colt with blinkers to start his sophomore season. The blinkers weren't intended to suddenly transform this deep closer into a speed freak. But on Saturday the equipment change did make a mid-pack trip easier to attain under the patient Gaffalione. The second-favorite in the Risen Star, the 3-1 Track Phantom (Quality Road), was sent to the lead as expected, and Joel Rosario was able to milk a moderate tempo at the head of affairs, splashing through catch-me-if-you-can splits of :24.32, :25.35 and :25.07 for the first three quarter-miles of the nine-furlong race. As a come-from-behinder, Sierra Leone might end up being one of those Derby hopefuls who is always going to be at the mercy of the pace and potential traffic. Three-eighths out, it became apparent that trying to reel in a relatively untaxed Track Phantom would be a good test of Sierra Leone's ability to overcome exactly that sort of adversity. Going into the Risen Star, Track Phantom had won three straight two-turn races while controlling the cadence and then having to swat back legitimate stretch challenges, and he turned for home in the New Orleans gloaming still looking strong with the additional benefit of having taken no kickback at the front of the slop-spattered pack. Sierra Leone takes a long while to unwind, but there was no panic in Gaffalione's tactics as he let his colt build momentum starting three-eighths out. Turning for home, Gaffalione was still content to be choosy about picking his path, spinning four-, six-, eight- and then nine wide for the drive, exchanging all that lost real estate for being able to get a clear shot at the hard-trying Track Phantom. Sierra Leone was still four lengths in arrears at the eighth pole. But he sliced that margin in half a sixteenth from the finish while edging inward toward Catching Freedom (Constitution) and then Track Phantom despite left-handed urging from Gaffalione to stay straight. With the line looming, Gaffalione knew he had Track Phantom zeroed in on his striking sights 50 yards from home, and Sierra Leone seemed to relish the task of inhaling that rival, striding out powerfully to stop the timer in 1:52.13. Don't judge Sierra Leone's effort by that raw final clocking on a quagmire of a track that got more sluggish after sunset. By .66 seconds, it was the slowest Risen Star in six runnings (including split divisions in 2020) since the Risen Star got elongated to nine furlongs from 1 1/16 miles five years ago. The winning Beyer Speed Figure came back as 90, which is more or less on par with the 91 Sierra Leone earned in the Remsen. The timing to take note of out of the Risen Star is the fourth quarter clocked in :24.66. For comparison, of the nine points-awarding Derby qualifying stakes run at 1 1/8 miles during the entire 2022-23 campaign, only one of those races (the GI Santa Anita Derby in early April) yielded a sub-25 seconds fourth quarter. And the final furlong, during which Sierra Leone gained 2 1/2 lengths to win, was clocked in a respectable (given the course conditions) :12.73. The Apr. 6 GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland will be next for Sierra Leone. “What we had planned on win or lose–but assuming a good race–is to use the Blue Grass as our Kentucky Derby prep,” Brown said after the Feb. 17 win. “So things went well today and we'll stick to that, but having the points is a nice-to-have in case there's a rough trip or something doesn't go according to plan in the Blue Grass.” History could be on Sierra Leone's side in the Blue Grass. The last six times Brown has started a horse in that stakes, the results have been two wins, three close seconds, and a third. But another recent angle–winning the Kentucky Derby off of just two starts at age three–could pose a historical hurdle. After that game plan produced eight Derby winners between 2007 and 2016, horses with only two sophomore starts prior to trying their luck in Louisville have been a collective 0-for-39 since 2017. The post The Week in Review: From Out of New Orleans Gloaming, Sierra Leone Splashes into Derby Relevance appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Undefeated in his three starts to date, Storm Boy is rated an AU$2.70 chance for the AU$5 million Golden Slipper (G1) at Rosehill March 23, having last been seen in competitive action in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast Jan. 13.View the full article

Southern California News Group's veteran turf writer Art Wilson died early Sunday morning near his home in Victorville, California. He was 71. Wilson, who gallantly fought a form of blood cancer for more than 10 years, was scheduled to attend Sunday Winter Corgi Nationals at Santa Anita, but had to be transported to St. Mary's Hospital in Apple Valley late Saturday afternoon and subsequently passed away due to heart failure. First introduced to racing by his late father, Wilson fell in love with the game as a railbird and relished the opportunity to cover the sport dating back to the mid-1980s and as recently as this past weekend, when he was at Santa Anita to cover the GIII Palos Verdes S. for the Southern California News Group, a consortium of newspapers that includes the LA Daily News, Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Long Beach Independent, and many others. In addition to covering stakes action and writing feature stories, Wilson wrote a weekly column for the So Cal News Group, with his final contribution, “Toby Keith's love for horse racing went beyond 'Beer for My Horses'” on the passing of the country music star running Feb. 16. “Art was alert and coherent and then he went quickly this morning from heart failure,” said his brother and frequent racetrack confidant, Eddie Wilson. “He had stabilized and when I left to come back home last night at 10:30, he was watching the race replays on his cell phone.” From the Santa Anita press box Sunday, FanDuel's Kurt Hoover said, “Art was a great guy and he loved this place. He paid attention and his last column on Toby Keith was, without a doubt, one of his best. He'll be sorely missed.” Art Wilson was predeceased by his parents and is survived by his brother Eddie, sister Deborah Wills (Charles), nephew Cody Wills and his wife Kimberley, as well as cousins James Costa, Mark Costa and Heather McAvoy. A memorial service will be held next month at Oakdale Mortuary in Glendora, with specific information to come in the next few days. The post Turf Writer Art Wilson Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Students who are currently enrolled in the Cal Poly Pomona Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Equine Studies Minor program will have the opportunity to intern at Santa Anita in a partnership announced Sunday. “We are truly excited about this new partnership with Cal Poly Pomona,” said Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager Nate Newby. “This is a tremendous way for us to introduce up-and-coming young professionals, as well a large group of highly motivated Cal Poly students, to our industry and best veterinary practices in Thoroughbred racing. We look forward to welcoming our new interns and we hope to make fans out of them as well.” Fourth-year students Tina Kabbouche and Vanessa Cardenas have been selected as “debut” interns at Santa Anita from Feb. 18 through May 12. Kabbouche, an Animal Science major with a Pre-Veterinary/ Graduate School option, plans to begin attending veterinary school next year. Her interests include the sports medicine aspects of the equine world. Cardenas, an Animal Health Science major, intends to become a registered veterinary technician. Her goals include working within the equine industry, with an emphasis on the Thoroughbred racetrack industry. The post Santa Anita, Cal Poly Pomona Partner on Internships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Early Voting (Gun Runner), who was taken out of stud duties after one season at Ashford while suffering from Anejaculatory Syndrome, has had his first mare test in foal since resuming his stud career at Taylor Made Farm this year, according to a press release from the Early Voting Consortium and Taylor Made. Dr. Paddy O'Casaigh, who treated the 2022 GI Preakness S. winner, confirmed a heartbeat which he described as, “spot on, embryonic development.” Early Voting stands at Taylor Made at a fee of $20,000. “This attractive breeding opportunity has already seen 40 mares booked to him,” said Ben Taylor, president of Taylor Made Stallions. “Early Voting has already served five mares this 2024 breeding season.” The post First Mare of 2024 Tests in Foal to Early Voting appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable's Deterministic (Liam's Map), off since earning 'TDN Rising Star' status with a debut victory at Saratoga last August, could make his return to the races in the Mar. 2 GIII Gotham S., according to trainer Christophe Clement. “He won very impressively as a 2-year-old. We put him aside and he's on his way back,” Clement said. “He's a very exciting horse to have, but the question is, where should we bring him back? He might come back in the Gotham. I will make my mind up later this week.” Purchased for $625,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September sale, Deterministic has worked six times at Payson Park since mid-January. Most recently, he went five furlongs Saturday in 1:01.80 (1/8). Clement is also considering Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Capital Idea (Classic Empire) for the Gotham. The bay colt romped to an 8 1/4-length maiden score going one mile at Aqueduct Jan. 28. He worked five furlongs in 1:02.90 (6/12) over the Belmont Park dirt training track Friday. “He's doing well. If he works well next week, we'll go for the Gotham,” Clement said. “He's getting more mature and better. It's the right time of the year. He's learning his job.” The Gotham offers Kentucky Derby qualifyng points of 50-25-15-10-5. The post Clement Duo Eye Gotham appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kirsten Rausing's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has produced her first foal, a filly by Dubawi (Ire). A fourth-generation Lanwades homebred, Alpinista, who is out of the Listed-winning Hernando (Fr) mare Alwilda (GB), herself a daughter of the treble Group 1 winner Albanova (GB) (Alzao), won six Group 1 races during her four seasons in training with Sir Mark Prescott in Newmarket. Rausing said, “Following family tradition, the daughter of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner is a grey – all females in her family going back to [twelfth dam] Lady Josephine having been of that coat colour. She continued, “I had been hoping for the mare to produce a filly, so I'm obviously thrilled and very grateful to Alpinista, who, as usual, can do no wrong.” Alpinista is set to visit Siyouni (Fr) at the Aga Khan Studs' Haras de Bonneval in Normandy in her second season. The post A Dubawi Filly for Arc Heroine Alpinista appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ramjet took the lead in the "Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby" with victory in the Hyacinth Stakes.View the full article

With many of Japan's top dirt horses away in the Middle East, Peptide Nile led home a parade of long shots in the February Stakes (G1) Feb. 18 at Tokyo Racecourse.View the full article

With the cream of the Japanese dirt crop readying for next weekend's G1 Saudi Cup, Sunday's G1 February S. presented a golden opportunity for gallopers perhaps just a cut below the very best to shine, with a trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic on the line. When the dust had settled, the majority of the market leaders faltered and it was the unheralded Peptide Nile (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) that proved the chief beneficiary at boxcar odds. Away cleanly from stall nine, Peptide Nile raced prominently through the early stages as the hulking Don Frankie (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn})–a son of dual Grade I-winning juvenile filly Weemissfrankie (Sunriver)–led from 29-10 second favorite Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}). Tracking four wide on the turn while traveling well within himself, Peptide Nile was held together into the long straight and went up to challenge Don Frankie for the lead about five off the inside with a bit more than 200 metres to travel. Wilson Tesoro was still plugging away between the two of them, but Peptide Nile proved not for catching from there and scored comfortably in the finish. Gaia Force (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) ran home gamely for second in his first go on the dirt, while Sekifu (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) came from well back to win a photo for third. Wilson Tesoro faded to eighth, while the unexposed Omega Guiness (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) beat just two home as the 21-10 chalk. “The pace was tough, but he ran a great race,” said jockey Yusuke Fujioka, winning his second Group 1 on the JRA. “We were able to sit in a better position than expected, but I didn't imagine he would take over the lead that early and that easily. The wire seemed very far today. His last start didn't turn out as hoped, but as long as he's able to run in good rhythm as he did today, I'm sure we can look forward to solid performances in the future.” Pedigree Notes: A member of the third-last crop of the outstanding King Kamehameha, Peptide Nile is one of 100 of his black-type winners and became the 68th to strike at group level. He is a 15th elite-level winner for King Kamehameha and fourth of those on the dirt, joining Hokko Tarumae (Jpn), Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) and Jun Light Bolt (Jpn). Queen Olive has a 3-year-old filly by King Kamehameha's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)-winning son Rey de Oro (Jpn) and a yearling colt by top dirt sire Sinister Minister. She is due to Drefong this term. Sunday, Tokyo, Japan FEBRUARY S.-G1, ¥233,160,000, Tokyo, 2-18, 4yo/up, 1600m, 1:35.70, ft. 1–PEPTIDE NILE (JPN), 128, h, 6, by King Kamehameha (Jpn) 1st Dam: Queen Olive (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn) 2nd Dam: Olive Branch (Jpn), by Machiavellian 3rd Dam: Sopranino, by Theatrical (Ire) 1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Kazuhiko Numakawa; B-Kineusu Farm; T-Hidenori Take; J-Yusuke Fujioka; ¥123,612,000. Lifetime Record: 20-8-1-1, ¥262,596,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Gaia Force (Jpn), 128, h, 5, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Natale (Jpn), by Kurofune. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. (¥30,000,000 Wlg '19 JRHAJUL). O-KR Japan; B-Oiwake Farm; T-Haruki Saugiyama; J-Yoshihito Nagaoka; ¥49,032,000. 3–Sekifu (Jpn), 128, h, 5, Henny Hughes–Siyabona, by Kingmambo. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Akira Nakatsuji; B-Bamboo Farm; T-Koshiro Take; J-Yutaka Take; ¥30,516,000. Margins: 1 1/4, NK, NO. Odds: 37.00, 12.00, 47.20. Also Ran: Tagano Beauty (Jpn), King's Sword (Jpn), Red le Zele (Jpn), Mick Fire (Jpn), Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), Don Frankie (Jpn), Alpha Mom (Jpn), Igniter (Jpn), Dura Erede (Jpn), Speedy Kick (Jpn), Omega Guiness (Jpn), Karate (Jpn), Champagne Color (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart. The post Peptide Nile Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth With February Surprise appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The quarantine of Barn 15 at Belmont Park will expire next Saturday at 3 p.m. The barn had been placed in quarantine Feb. 3 when an unraced filly trained by Danny Gargan presented acute neurological symptoms and was subsequently euthanized. Cornell University then returned a positive test for EHV Feb. 4. An additional horse in Barn 15 developed a fever Feb. 5, which extended the quarantine through Feb. 26. That horse tested negative for EHV Feb. 6. Upon review of the circumstances, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets will allow the quarantine to expire 21 days from the positive case of EHV. The 34 horses stabled in Barn 15, which is home to stalls for Gargan, Jim Ryerson and Gustavo Rodriguez, are being monitored daily for fever and other signs of illness. Should all horses remain asymptomatic, horses stabled in Barn 15 will be permitted to enter races and train among the general population following a barn inspection and examination of horses to be performed by New York Racing Association and NYSAM Saturday. The post Belmont Barn 15 Quarantine to End Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Al Shira'aa boss Kieran Lalor has admitted that it will be hard to top last season's achievements in winning the G1 Prix Saint-Alary with Jannah Rose (Ire) but nominated the Willie McCreery-trained Group 2 scorer Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) as being the operation's best chance of delivering big-race riches in 2024. Meanwhile, the decision has been made to retire the powerful owner-breeder's flagship performer Jannah Rose, with a visit to superstar stallion Dubawi (Ire) pencilled in for the four-year-old this spring. Lalor explained how retiring the Group 1-winning daughter of Frankel (GB) became one of the most difficult decisions he has faced as racing and bloodstock manager at Al Shira'aa but said the outfit still has so much to look forward to on the racetrack this season with Vespertilio primed to lead the team into battle. He said, “Jannah Rose has been retired. We made that decision in mid-January and I tell you, it was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make. Generally speaking, our fillies race on as four- and five-year-olds if they are sound but, aside from Mutamakina (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), she's our only Group 1 winner and is very important to us. “Not only that, but Dubawi is not getting any younger so we thought it was the right time to retire her. She's our first European Group 1 winner and has a very exciting future as a broodmare.” Casting his mind back to that Saint-Alary victory, Lalor simply said, “Unbelievable. A day I will never forget. The fact that it was her first Group 1, it was very, very exciting. I remember being in Toronto for Mutamakina's EP Taylor. I was on my own and there wasn't another soul in the place because it took place during Covid. So, while that was our first Grade I, it was quite a lonesome celebration. We had some celebration after the Saint-Alary, though.” Kieran Lalor with Jannah Rose's breeder John Hayes at Longchamp | Emma Berry Vespertilio showed rare brilliance when coming from last to first in the matter of a few seconds to win the G2 Debutante S. at the Curragh last season. McCreery's ace performer followed up on that victory with a game second to Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the G1 Moyglare S. at the Irish Champions Festival, with the pair pulling well clear of their challengers. Lalor says that he is optimistic that Vespertilio can confirm herself a top-notch filly in the making this season and nominated the Irish 1,000 Guineas as her most likely destination before explaining why she may not need a prep for the race. He said, “The way she won the Debutante was extremely impressive. She was so relaxed at the rear of the field and, without being insulting, made everything else in the race appear ordinary by the way that she quickened up past them in the finish.” Lalor added, “She's so chilled out. Even in her training, she just drops her head and trucks along-she wouldn't jump out at you in her training. That's why we think she could go straight to a Guineas rather than taking in a trial. It will be ground depending. I think she likes a bit of fast ground, at least a bit of good anyway, so she could go straight to either the French or the Irish 1,000 Guineas. “She's obviously French-bred so there's definitely an attraction to that. But on the other hand, she loves the Curragh, and that would appear to be her main target at the moment. You know, that would be a safer bet as it's on home soil and it's essentially a trip across the road compared to travelling over to France.” It is not the policy of the powerful owner-breeder Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan to race the colts that come through the system but, when Atlantic Coast (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) kicked a wall and was therefore forced to miss the Goffs Orby Sale in 2022, he was put into training with Joseph O'Brien. It has turned out to be for luck with the dual winner, including at Group 3 level, on course to take in the Irish or French 2,000 Guineas this season. Lalor said, “Atlantic Coast is doing great. He ran very well on Irish Champions Weekend when third behind Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}, who could be anything, before winning the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown. We're looking at either the French or Irish 2,000 Guineas and he can handle a bit of cut in the ground. He'll probably go for a prep beforehand.” High-class older filly Ocean Jewel (Ire) (Sioux Nation) looks set to be on her travels, with top-flight races in America pencilled in for the Group 3 winner, with Lalor explaining that there are 13 two-year-olds that will be added to the system this year. He said, “Ocean Jewel could run on the opening day at the Curragh but Willie and I have spoken about racing her in America where you are guaranteed nice ground. She's developed into a lovely filly and is from a very good family. I think she will get the mile pretty easily and we'd love to win a Group 1 with her.” On the youngsters, he added, “We have 13 two-year-olds and shopped the sales pretty hard last year. It was a very difficult sales season and we might have ended the year as the champion underbidder! We bought five lovely fillies who will add to the nice group of homebreds that we will be putting into training. We're trying mostly to focus on those Classic types and, while we haven't picked trainers for the youngsters yet, we have some lovely types. “We have the American Pharoah half-sister to Onesto (Ire), the Wootton Bassett (GB) out of a sister to Saxon Warrior (Jpn), the Siyouni (Fr) half-sister to Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Sea The Stars (Ire) filly out of Jumooh (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) and then we have a blast of our own homebreds who we are very excited about as well.” Al Shira'aa has quickly established itself as a leading international player. The modus operandi is quality over quantity and, in a week where a host of Classic plans have been hatched for some of the less-exposed fillies in training in France and decisions made to send some of the more ground-dependant runners to continue their careers stateside, there seems to be unparalleled levels of excitement building for the upcoming campaign even in the absence of the star performer Jannah Rose. Lalor said, “We've Saadiyat (Ire), a lovely Lope De Vega (Ire) filly who is a sister to Broome (Ire), Point Lonsdale (Ire) and Diego Velazquez, who was with Carlos Laffon-Parias last year. She is going to head out to America this year to Christophe Clement. Foxtrot Zulu (Ire), a Saxon Warrior half-sister to Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), is going to join Christophe as well. I think they will prefer the ground out there.” He added, “And then we have Rumi's sister Jannah Pearl (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) who is entered for the French Oaks. She is yet to run but we're not too far away with her. The Siyouni (Fr) half-sister to Native Trail (GB), named Native Pearl (Fr), is actually a very good filly. We ran her once last year on bottomless ground and that was a mistake. She is a much better filly than that and will be entered in the French 1,000 Guineas and the French Oaks. “A filly we have a lot of hope for this year is [Waldgeist's half-sister] Caelestis (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). She's a filly who has just taken a bit of time mentally but she's won her maiden we're hoping for some good black-type from her this year. It's going to be very hard to match the achievements of last year but God loves a dreamer.” The post Classic Hope Vespertilio Put Forward To Fill Jannah Rose Void By Al Shira’aa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Koji Maeda, whose homebred Lani (Tapit) finished ninth to Nyquist in the 2016 GI Kentucky Derby, could have another Classics contender on his hand after Ramjet (Jpn) (Majestic Warrior) turned on the afterburners in the final 300 meters to post a convincing victory in Sunday's Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Racecourse. Having earned 30 Derby points as a result, the dark bay now leads the Japanese series with one race remaining. Clearly last away from the stalls, Ramjet had only one rival behind as he came under a ride at halfway, and he had just two beaten turning into the long Tokyo straight. Put to a wide drive by Kosei Miura, he began to bridge the considerable gap while hanging on his left lead, but once switching over at midstretch, kicked it into another gear and won going away. Favored Unquenchable (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) sat handy to the pace while wide, but could not resist the winner's late rally and just held on for second over Habire (Jpn) (Henny Hughes). Maeda acquired Ramjet's second dam for $320,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September Sale and campaigned her to 11 wins for better than $4 million in earnings in Japan. No fewer than eight of those came in listed company, including three victories in the Sparkling Lady Cup, and a runner-up effort in Group 3 company. Nefertiti, one of five winners from six to race out of La Verita, is also the dam of a yearling colt by dual-surface Group 1 winner Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) and was most recently bred to Scat Daddy's Group 1-winning son Mr Melody. Maeda has had further success with Unbridled's Song fillies sourced in the U.S. He purchased Rhodochrosite for $385,000 at KEESEP in 2011 and she would go on to become the dam of North Hills' Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Sunday, Tokyo, Japan HYACINTH S.-Listed, ¥36,560,000 ($242,343), Tokyo, 2-18, 3yo, 1600m, 1:36.3, ft. 1–RAMJET (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Majestic Warrior 1st Dam: Nefertiti (Jpn), by Gold Allure (Jpn) 2nd Dam: La Verita, by Unbridled's Song 3rd Dam: Go Classic, by Gone West 1ST STAKES WIN. O-Koji Maeda; B-North Hills Co Ltd; T-Shoso Sazaki; J-Kosei Miura; ¥19,252,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1, ¥40,131,000. 2–Unquenchable (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Discreet Cat–Smoldering (Jpn), by Pyro. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O/B-Godolphin; T-Mizuki Takayanagi; J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥7,672,000. 3–Habire (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Henny Hughes–Tomo Tomo River (Jpn), by Black Tide (Jpn). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (¥16,500,000 Ylg '22 HOKSUM). O-Shinichi Koga; B-Akiba Bokujo; T-Roy Takei; J-Akira Sugawara; ¥4,836,000. Margins: 3, NO, 1HF. Odds: 12.90, 1.30, 33.70. Ramjet (#1) wins the Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo The post Ramjet Rambles Home In Hyacinth S. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Four-time Group One winner has run his last race after suffering a bleed following a trial at Happy Valley on Saturday morningView the full article

Stewards considering Global Harmony’s racing future, while shattered trainer David Hayes mulls return to Australia for the galloperView the full article

Trainer Mike Moroney will unveil one of his Australian Guineas contenders in a jump-out at Werribee. Pendragon (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) will have his first serious test on Australian soil when he lines up in the second heat on Monday over 1100m. The gelding is at Moroney’s Flemington stable preparing for a shot at the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 2. Pendragon has won three of his seven starts, including the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) at Pukekohe on December 26 and was a last start second to Orchestral in the Karaka Millions (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 27. Moroney said Pendragon had been at his Flemington base just shy of two weeks and has settled into his new surrounds in excellent order. “He’s been here a good 10 days or so and he’s settled in well,” Moroney said. “He’s had a couple of gallops and he’ll head to the jump-outs on Monday and then on to the Guineas. “It’s an 1100-metre jump-out, so he doesn’t need to do a lot, and that will be a solid hit-out for him.” Moroney shared the training of Pendragon with Pam Gerard in New Zealand but is in the Melbourne Cup winning trainer’s care when in Australia. He said Pendragon heads to the Australian Guineas in good form, having won three straight races before the Karaka Millions defeat. “He found the ground a little bit tricky for him last time, but in saying that they all had to get through it,” Moroney said. “He all but fell turning for home, so he did a really good job to pick himself up. “The horse that beat him, is pretty good, and she would be a serious chance in the Australian Oaks (2400m at Randwick), I would think.” View the full article

The sight of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) bucking and playing up in his paddock has reassured the Lindsay Park team the weight-for-age star is perfectly on track for Saturday’s Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. A week ago, Mr Brightside was feeling the effects of his heroic first-up Gr.1 C.F. Orr Stakes win, but co-trainer Ben Hayes confirmed on Sunday the most durable gelding was back bouncing and ready to race. “He’ll do a piece of work early this week and if we are happy, which I am 99 per cent sure we will be, he’ll be heading towards the Futurity,” Hayes said. “All’s on track. (We’re) very happy with him. He came through the race no problems at all, and he’s been bucking in his paddock and feeling good.” Mr Brightside is rated an even money chance by Sportsbet to add the Futurity crown to his growing list of achievements, after being beaten in the race 12 months ago by his currently injured arch-rival Alligator Blood. Hayes said that while his Orr win proved to be a tough first-up assignment, it was hardly something that Mr Brightside had not seen before. “It was interesting as first-up last prep, they actually went faster, and he came through that really well,” Hayes noted. “He’s a horse that just improves through his prep and he particularly does well two weeks between runs.” Indeed, Mr Brightside ran a blistering 1.21.71s last spring in his first-up Gr.2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) victory and in the Orr earlier this month over the same course, he ran a time of 1.22.27s when nosing out Pride Of Jenni. “He’s a fit, consistent horse who tries and so is exactly what every trainer wants,” Hayes said. “We are very lucky to have him.” View the full article

After enduring a quiet spell, the Australian jockey has punched home five winners from his past 14 ridesView the full article

Driver Penalties J Dickie | Manawatu 13 February (heard Manawatu 15 February); careless driving; fined $300. N Delany | Manawatu 13 February (heard Manawatu 15 February); use of whip; suspended 17 February – 7 March inclusive. A Pyers | Manawatu 15 February; use of whip; fined $300. L Chin | Auckland 16 February; shifted into passing lane; suspended in run home; suspended 17 February – 1 March inclusive. S Phelan | Auckland 16 February; use of whip; suspended 17 February – 9 March inclusive. A Poutama | Auckland 16 February; contacted track marker; fined $100. M Holbrough | NZ Metropolitan 16 February; out of position at start; fined $100. S Thornley | NZ Metropolitan 16 February; contacted track marker; fined $100. K Newman | NZ Metropolitan 16 February; use of whip; fined $250. A Cameron | NZ Metropolitan 16 February (heard Rangiora 17 February); use of whip; suspended 18 February – 6 March inclusive. J Buckland-Stevens | Rangiora 17 February; use of whip; suspended 18 February – 17 March inclusive. P Wakelin | Rangiora 17 February; use of whip; suspended 18-29 February inclusive. T Nally | Wairio 11 February (heard Gore 18 February); careless driving; suspended 19-25 February inclusive. R McIlwrick | Gore 18 February; careless driving; fined $300. Horse Penalties SMOKINHOTCHEDDAR | Manawatu 15 February; late scratching on veterinary advice; veterinary clearance required. RANDEL HUSTON P | NZ Metropolitan 16 February; lame; veterinary clearance required. TAKE AFTER ME | Rangiora 17 February; broke in running; must complete trial. Protests SECRETS ABOUND | Manawatu 13 February; excessive galloping in home straight; disqualified from 2nd. MOONDANCE | NZ Metropolitan 16 February; denied a fair start; declared a non-runner. The post 12-18 February 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article