Wandering Eyes

Jaime Rodriguez won twice on the Memorial Day holiday program May 27 to clinch his first riding title at historic Pimlico Race Course, while Brittany Russell left with her third straight leading trainer crown at the prestigious Preakness Meet.View the full article

Almost certainly bred for further than the five furlongs she started over on Tuesday evening, Ballydoyle's regally-bred Truly Enchanting (Ire) (No Nay Never–Alluringly, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) duly overcame in the style of a top-class prospect to earn TDN Rising Star status in the Visit Tipperary Fillies Maiden at the Limerick Junction track. Niggled along early by Ryan Moore to keep tabs on more precocious rivals, the daughter of the Oaks third Alluringly and half-sister to the G2 Kilboy Estate S. winner Lily Pond (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) really began to find her stride inside the last two furlongs. Powering through the testing ground to overhaul the Joseph O'Brien-trained Oxford Rock (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) with 150 yards remaining, the 100-30 shot hit the line strong with 3 3/4 lengths to spare with the experienced Shamrock Breeze (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) giving some context a further 2 1/2 lengths away in third. Truly Enchanting, who becomes the ninth TDN Rising Star for her sire, boasts as her fourth dam the great Urban Sea (Miswaki). From a true Epsom family, she promises to get at least a mile but it is notable that No Nay Never's prior TDN Rising Stars include Little Big Bear (Ire), Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Aesop's Fables (Ire), all of whom were at their best over sprint trips. Ryan was delighted with her and said she'd have no problem getting six and that she could get seven,” Aidan O'Brien said. “She was green early, but Ryan said they didn't go mad early which have her a chance. We'll see how much she comes on, as she's a little bit laid-back at home so she could come on plenty. The [G3] Albany is possible.” Nice debut Truly Enchanting, who is from the family of Sea The Stars, is strong at the finish as she opens her account in taking fashion. Bred to be good, she looks like a filly who will learn plenty from this first day at school.@Ballydoyle | @coolmorestud pic.twitter.com/RRcjuXFT5L — Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 28, 2024 . The post Truly Enchanting A New TDN Rising Star For No Nay Never appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Imagine a world in which British racing's problems have been solved. There is plenty of prize-money to go round, at least 12 runners in every race, attendance figures are up, the Cheltenham Festival has returned to three days and the Derby to a Wednesday. Okay, let's not be completely fanciful. The four-day Festival is here to stay, as is the Saturday Derby, but if you spend an hour in a room with Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale, you may leave it feeling that some of the other items on the wish list are achievable. He's not living in dreamland. As a man with a financial background Truesdale has a grip on the checks and balances and, a compelling talker, he is refreshingly candid when it comes to admitting that changes have to be made to ensure the ongoing health of some of the key Jockey Club fixtures. He is also prepared to put his own shoulder to the wheel to address some of the threats to sport in general. Over the last year or so, Truesdale has led the counter-attack to the disruptive behaviour and baseless claims of the pressure group Animal Rising, as well as galvanising the industry to get behind his petition to lobby government to rethink their plans for affordability checks on punters. He is a man of deeds as well as words, which is just as well considering that the 15 racecourses owned by the Jockey Club stage a significant portion of racing's crown jewels, including the Derby and Oaks, both Guineas, the Grand National and Cheltenham Festival. Beyond that, it owns training grounds in Newmarket, Lambourn and Epsom, as well as controlling the National Stud and the charity Racing Welfare. The Jockey Club is a significantly different entity nowadays to when it was set up in 1750 by some of the major owner-breeders of the day who also had significant influence in society and government. Until 2006, it served as racing's regulator before the formation of the independent Horserace Regulatory Authority (HRA), which later merged with the British Horseracing Board (BHB) to become the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). The Jockey Club now operates on a corporate basis but with any gains from its commercial interests being reinvested into the sport. It remains though, to some extent, a private members' club. Some of those 187 members recently, and mostly anonymously, expressed their discontent with the paid executive through a report in the Racing Post, their concerns exacerbated by the recent fall in attendance and turnover from the Cheltenham Festival. As far as racecourse groups go, it is in an exceptional position as one which, while seeking to modernise, must also be a keeper of the flame when it comes to preserving the racing traditions held dear by a significant portion of the sport's diehard fans. The Jockey Club is not alone in referring to “significant financial headwinds”, as it did recently when announcing a cut in prize-money across its courses for 2024. Though the total prize-money remained at a record level, with £31.1 million on offer, £750,000 had to be trimmed from the original planned outlay which had been announced in January. People's demands are changing. Whether we like it or not, there's a generation growing up that have a different outlook on the world. “The whole sport needs to realise that, yes, the breeding is important, yes, what we do day-to-day on the racecourse and in yards is important, but fundamentally the commercial ecosystem depends on eyes being on it and people betting on it. The Jockey Club and the business that it's turned into has had to evolve more quickly in the last 30 years than it's ever had to,” says Truesdale, whose chief executive role was made permanent in January 2021 following the controversial departure of his predecessor, Delia Bushell, the previous August. The Northern Irishman had joined the Jockey Club in 2013 as group finance director. “People's demands are changing. Whether we like it or not, there's a generation growing up that have a different outlook on the world. It doesn't mean for a second that the future of horseracing is in any way compromised, but horseracing as a sport needs to adapt. “You look at what's happened in rugby and in Formula 1. I'm a massive cricket fan and it looks very different to what it did 30, 40, even 15 years ago. T20 and then the Hundred have revolutionised cricket. I'm not saying we need a T20 version of racing, but the point I'm trying to make is that we have to adapt to the world around us.” He continues, “But at the same time we've absolutely got to respect the traditions of this sport. I'm a proper sporting traditionalist. I'm a Test cricket man. I am not necessarily a three-day Cheltenham Festival man, but I'm definitely not a five-day man.” With the jumps season in the rear-view mirror, the Derby, arguably the most famous Flat race in the world, is now looming on the horizon. This time last year Truesdale headed to the High Court on the Jockey Club's behalf in order to gain an injunction to stop protestors disrupting the Derby as they had when forcing a 15-minute delay of the Grand National at Aintree. Animal Rising now appears to have sunk, but the Derby, along with the major jumping festivals, is not without its detractors and, again according to the Racing Post, the Derby Festival could be in for a bit of a reshuffle in the coming years. Truesdale has been a willing 'talking head' on the sport's behalf. “I'm absolutely passionate about getting the really good stuff about racing and our big messages, especially on welfare, across,” he says. “[On Grand National day] I spoke to BBC Radio 4, GB News, Sky News, Talk TV – none of them were supporters. We have this platform on those big events to get the message across about the importance and the size of racing as an industry, what it contributes, and the brilliant days out it offers, and at the heart of it all, the fact that this sport is open and welcoming to everyone, because I genuinely believe it is. “When I bring friends racing for the first time, it's very different to what they expect. All of this is about perception, and I actually think all the business with Animal Rising this time last year, gave us even more of a platform to accentuate that. “People are absolutely entitled to their views on the sport, and there'll be 20-odd per cent of people whose minds will never change, but there is a big chunk of persuadable public in the middle, who definitely want to engage, who definitely have interest, who want to find out more, but who want reassurance, especially on welfare.” Truesdale points to the cost-of-living crisis as a factor in the decline of attendances, and how rising costs have also affected the Jockey's Club's business. Add to this unwelcome scenario the spectre of affordability checks and a perfect storm is swirling around British racing at a time when progress on prize-money levels, at the higher levels at least, is being attempted through the advent of 'Premier' racing and other initiatives. “Some of our online betting revenues, at the end of 2023, were down 20 per cent from 2022, and that's on better field sizes as well. As field sizes have increased, you'd expect engagement interest and, therefore, online betting. There's a clear statistical relationship between the two, so you'd expect, all things being equal, online betting revenues to go up. We all know what's happening, with some punters being caught in affordability measures going off into the unregulated market,” he says. “It's having quite a significant impact, and what that really means is that, as effectively a consumer leisure business, we are having to be very discerning about what we spend and our operating model. And that's where the customer experience becomes really important because if people have got less money to spend, they're making choices about what they spend it on, so we've got to be totally focused on that.” The Jockey Club's courses include Newmarket, Epsom and Cheltenham The launch of Premier racing, for which racecourses have to ensure at least £20,000 for Flat races run within that window, has caused some disquiet among some of the smaller, independent tracks and the Jockey Club is not immune to those concerns either. Indeed, with its reduction of prize-money in April came the handing back of five Premier fixtures. Along with some big-name courses, the Jockey Club also owns smaller tracks such as Huntingdon, Market Rasen and Exeter, which enjoy loyal local support. “We assess performance of every individual fixture and obviously, therefore, every individual racecourse,” Truesdale explains. “It's not a secret that Cheltenham and Aintree together are very significant commercial drivers for us. But every racecourse has to stand on its own two feet in terms of its underlying financial performance, if not its capital requirements. We absolutely have to be growing the top end and investing in that, and I'm very much a fan of making sure that that's properly accentuated, but we've also got to be thinking about the day-to-day grassroots as well. Because we all know that a significant chunk of people who come racing, not to the big festivals, but day-to-day, come within a 25-mile radius. “So we've got to keep investing in the racing, and by that, I don't just mean prize-money, which is a big part of that, but I'm also thinking about ground, safety measures, owner experience, jockey experience. Without the core product, you have nothing.” The core product, many would argue, begins with the breeders, who are key not just to the racing fixtures but to the continuation of the National Stud. “We are well placed to understand that whole ecosystem and, therefore, understand the importance of prize-money, which is why, even with the change we've made [recently], we're still at record levels,” he says. “But that is ultimately dependent on our commercial success or otherwise. British breeding depends on having the best stallions in this country, and the best stallions are only going to be in this country if we're rewarding owners on the track. We totally get that. That's why we have to ensure that we're investing enough in the top end of our programme. As an industry, we're at times guilty of spreading the jam a bit too thinly. “That will inevitably have already involved some pretty painful decisions, and we're no different when it comes to where we're investing, and not just at the National Stud, but in our whole business.” From a financial risk point of view, [buying a stallion] is the biggest decision that the stud makes. That's the one that, if it goes wrong, it can affect the whole business. The National Stud currently stands five stallions, the star name, with his own plaque on the adjacent roundabout, being Stradivarius (Ire), whose first foals have been arriving this season. Alongside him are Time Test (GB), Rajasinghe (Ire), Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), and new recruit Mutasaabeq (GB). “We're not scared to be in a position where we're just standing them, as we are for Stradivarius, and Bjorn [Nielsen] has been incredibly generous and helpful with his bonus scheme, and Phil Cunningham the same in supporting Rajasinghe, whose strike-rate is fantastic,” says Truesdale. “Time Test has got two big years ahead of him with his two biggest crops to run and he has probably been the template for how it can work at a level.” Bought from his breeder Juddmonte Farms, Time Test has also shuttled to New Zealand and the National Stud has already recouped its outlay on him. “You've got to be out within the first three years,” Truesdale says. “From a financial risk point of view, [buying a stallion] is the biggest decision that the stud makes. That's the one that, if it goes wrong, it can affect the whole business. So we've got to be very discerning in our selection and get it right, and we've then got to get the right ownership model and spread the risk.” Lope Y Fernandez, who will have his first runners in 2025, is a good example of this practice as he is owned in partnership by the National Stud with Coolmore and Whitsbury Manor Stud. He adds, “We don't don't need to be bringing in a new stallion every year, but we have assembled probably the best roster that we've had certainly in my time here. And credit to Anna [Kerr] and Joe [Bradley] and Teddy [Grimthorpe] and the whole team for that, because it's not an easy market to play in.” While the National Stud is to some extent multi-faceted as a commercial stud farm, place of learning and tourist destination, Truesdale says that yet more could be done to exploit the hidden gems of racing. “Yes, by all means, come to a race day but if you do that, you're only scratching the surface,” he says. “Go to a gallops morning, go to a yard, go to an open day, or National Racehorse Week. “I think, as a sport, we've got far more scope for behind-the-scenes insights, the brilliant spectacle of a morning when the horse is training. You can't go to Liverpool's training ground to watch them train, but you can come to watch horses on the gallops and you can go into studs and yards, within reason.” Adopting the unofficial role of racing's Mr Brightside following the recent exit of Rod Street from Great British Racing, Truesdale cites 100 days of annual terrestrial TV coverage and the fact that racing remains the country's second-biggest spectator sport as reasons to be cheerful. “Lots of other sports would kill for that,” he says. “Our job is to get people onto racecourses more often and that means we've got to be more nimble and more flexible in pricing, especially when people are struggling to pay their energy bills. We offered staged payments for the first time this year on Cheltenham tickets, and at Aintree, too.” He admits, however, that there have been some “really tough conversations” in regard to funding, particularly through the changes incurred by the launch of Premier and Core fixtures from January 1. “I do think after the two-year trial it's going to need a reasonably significant re-evaluation. There'll be bits of it that work and bits of it that don't work,” he says. “We had an aspiration to try and get Premier fixtures at every racecourse, so we've had to make some difficult decisions there. Ultimately, that comes back to prize-money, and is driven by our commercial performance. It's no secret that our commercial performance at Cheltenham was not what we wanted it to be. It wasn't a catastrophe, by any means, but we invest in prize-money at the margin, so when the margin comes back a little bit, then we're looking at our entire cost space and the prize-money [cut] is actually just a small part of what we've done more widely. It's the last place I want to go, but you have to be pragmatic about these things and you have to run the business sustainably. Ultimately, that's my job.” With a background working for major firms such as Ernst & Young and British Gas, Truesdale asserts that the Jockey Club has the “best quality of people I've ever worked with, anywhere”. He adds, “I look at the passion and commitment of the people we've got at the Jockey Club now. It's fantastic. It doesn't mean that we don't need to change and evolve in how we operate but, fundamentally, it's the people I work with that keep me going. Despite all of the challenges, if you can't enjoy it, genuinely, you should be somewhere else. And I do really enjoy it.” The post Nevin Truesdale: ‘Racing Must Adapt to the World Around Us’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's Emmanuel, scratched from the May 18 Dinner Party Stakes (G3T) due to soft ground at Pimlico Race Course, reappears in the $275,000 Arlington Stakes (G3T) June 1 at Churchill Downs.View the full article

After being vanned off following his 2 1/4-length victory in the $201,00 Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G2) May 27 at Santa Anita Park, Mr Fisk was diagnosed with a condylar fracture.View the full article

Rachel King is set to end an 11-year absence from British racing by competing at the sport's most prestigious event, with one of Australia's top jockeys looking forward to getting married and then riding at Royal Ascot just two days later.View the full article

Aidan O'Brien has confirmed City Of Troy (Justify), Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and outsider Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as his three intended runners in the G1 Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday. “That is what we're thinking of, maybe the three,” O'Brien said in a Zoom call hosted by France Galop on Tuesday. “Everything seems well with them all at the moment, so that's what we're thinking. “They're giving Friday and Saturday dry [forecast], so you often see the ground can be slow for the Oaks and perfect for the Derby. We think and hope it's going to be nice ground and I think that'll suit everybody really.” Europe's champion two-year-old in 2023, City Of Troy proved a big disappointment when finishing down the field on his return to action in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, but Ryan Moore is set to maintain the partnership on Saturday according to O'Brien. Moore also had the option of riding the G3 Derby Trial S. winner Los Angeles, who has been very strong in the betting in recent days, but Wayne Lordan seems likely to take the mount again on that unbeaten colt following their victory at Leopardstown together. “That's the plan, that is what we were thinking of doing,” the trainer said. “I didn't hear anything different and I think that has been the plan all along.” Champion 2YO City Of Troy (JUSTIFY) working @Ballydoyle this morning ahead of his Epsom Derby bid @EpsomRacecourse on Saturday #Coolmore #HomeOfChampions #Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/RH5Avcao4f — Coolmore (@coolmorestud) May 28, 2024 O'Brien also issued a positive bulletin on Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who is set to be joined by stable companion Cambridge (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club. Diego Velazquez was beaten just a length when last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp and his trainer expects the step up to a mile and a quarter to play to his strengths at Chantilly. “We were very happy with the run in the French Guineas,” said O'Brien. “We always thought he would run a very nice race and we always thought the step up to mile and a quarter would suit him well. We were delighted to go to Longchamp because it is obviously right-handed like Chantilly. We felt these two races would suit him well and we were very happy with the way he came out of the French Guineas and happy with everything he has done since.” On the likelihood of soft ground at Chantilly, O'Brien added, “Obviously he is a very good mover so the better the ground, the better it would suit him. We thought he would probably want good, fast ground as you can see when you see him gallop he has a very low, long action. Hopefully the ground won't be soft and will improve [before Sunday].” The post Moore On City Of Troy As O’Brien Plots Three-Pronged Derby Attack appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The dual St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who fractured his neck after banging his head in the stalls at the start of the Dubai Gold Cup in March, is reported to be making encouraging progress at the Dubai Equine Clinic. The five-year-old, who was trained by Roger Varian for Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa's KHK Racing, sustained a complete, ventrally displaced fracture of the second cervical vertebrae in his neck and underwent stabilising surgery by Dr Barrie Grant of California and UK-based Dr Jonathan Anderson three days later. “Eldar Eldarov continues to make very good progress as he recovers from the surgery he underwent following the accident in the stalls at the start of the Dubai Gold Cup,” said KHK Racing's manager Chris Wall. “He has received excellent care from the staff at the veterinary hospital in Dubai and is now being exercised in hand every day. Thanks must be given to the surgical team, the staff at the hospital and to His Highness Shaikh Khalid for insisting everything should be done to ensure the horse has a future. Thought can now be given to finding Eldar a place at stud as befits a horse with his form and pedigree.” Bred by Kirsten Rausing, Eldar Eldarov is out of a half-sister to the dam of Arc heroine Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}). He won the G1 St Leger and G2 Queen's Vase in 2022 and followed up with victory in the G1 Irish St Leger a year later. The post Eldar Eldarov Making Progress in Dubai appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the Jockeys' Guild will co-host the International Jockey Concussion, Safety, and Wellness Conference from Oct. 9-11 at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Lexington. The event will serve as a forum for exploring ways to address critical mental wellness, concussion, and medical issues affecting Thoroughbred jockeys and participants in other equestrian sports. “Ensuring that our athletes have access to the best resources and protocols for concussion management and overall wellness is not just a priority for HISA, but a fundamental responsibility,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “We owe it to these athletes, who dedicate so much to racing, to do everything we can to support them.” Jockeys' Guild President and CEO Terry Meyocks added, “The Jockeys' Guild has long advocated for programs to support jockeys' stress and challenges, and we're pleased to be partnering with HISA this year, as we continue to build on our 15-year involvement in the International Conference on the Health, Safety, and Welfare of the jockeys. We firmly believe insights from this year's scheduled speakers will aid our collective efforts to further enhance jockey wellness and resources, with a long-term goal to expand mental health programs beyond jockeys to benefit all in our industry.” Among the scheduled speakers are Dr. Margot Putukian, Chief Medical Officer of Major League Soccer; Dr. Steven Broglio, Director of the University of Michigan Concussion Center and Neurotrauma Research Laboratory; Dr. Shae Datta, Vice Chair of the American Academy of Neurology's Sports Neurotrauma Section; and Dr. Mark Hart, Cardiologist and FEI Medical Committee Chairman. For more details, as well as a full list of speakers, and to register, visit the conference webpage or contact Niki Robb at niki.robb@hisaus.org. The post HISA, Jockeys’ Guild to Host Jockey Wellness Conference appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood, which will be run for total prize-money of £1 million on Wednesday, July 31, has attracted 39 horses at the first entry stage. Unbeaten colt Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) are the early standard-bearers for the Classic generation, with the duo having dominated the finish of the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Rosallion then went one better in the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh last weekend, overhauling stable-mate Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) to give trainer Richard Hannon a memorable one-two. G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) features among a four-strong contingent from France–along with the 2023 runner-up and last-time-out G1 Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire})–while the recent G2 German 2,000 Guineas winner Devil's Point (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) is another Classic hero in contention for David Menuisier. “We are once again delighted with the quality of entries for the Qatar Sussex Stakes, which is always an incredibly competitive race as the first all-aged Group 1 mile race in Europe,” Ed Arkell, director of racing at Goodwood, said of the possible runners who also include the six-time Group 1 winner Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and the top-class Japanese runner Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}). “To receive entries from all around the world highlights the international importance of the meeting and we are hugely grateful to owners and trainers for supporting the race once again.” A full list of entries can be found here. The post Guineas Winners Star In High-Class Sussex Entries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK — The two-year-old racing and sales sector has become an increasingly expanding element of the racing world in general, but the practice of training horses at the age of two has been put under the microscope in Germany. A revision of German animal welfare laws means that it is now illegal to train or compete with horses younger than 30 months of age, though Thoroughbred racing is currently exempt from this law while a behavioural study is undertaken and eventually assessed by parliament. Around 60 delegates from Europe and America attended a workshop in Newmarket last week to discuss the issues surrounding these changes to German law and their potential repercussions for the wider racing world. If the exemption is not extended beyond the conclusion of the study, which is expected to be in 2027, the German government could seek to have its 30-month rule adopted by fellow EU member countries, including Ireland and France. Organised by Rossdales consultant and former FEI veterinary committee member Fred Barrelet, the day-long seminar featured participants from the veterinary and research world along with speakers from both racing and sport horse disciplines. Trainers John Gosden and Sir Mark Todd were among those to take the floor, as was Florida-based pre-trainer and breeze-up consignor Nick de Meric. “This at the moment doesn't affect Thoroughbred racing because there is a protocol that permits two-year-olds to race subject to psychometric and physical assessments by a veterinary surgeon, one when the horse comes into training and one within a fortnight of his first race,” Barrelet said. “This stay of execution, if you like, is in place until the results of the Project Horsewatch have been reviewed by the German ministry of agriculture and by parliament. So that's why we are here today.” Projekt Horsewatch has been commissioned and funded by Germany's ministry for agriculture in an attempt to determine the age at which young equine athletes reach a sufficient level of mental and physical maturity to withstand training and competition. The eventual report and any recommendations are expected to be submitted to parliament in 2027. In the meantime, the extra independent veterinary checks for young horses, as outlined by Barralet, have been accompanied by new rules pertaining to the size of and available light in stables, as well as compulsory daily turnout for horses in training. In German racing, two-year-olds are limited to six starts in a year and jockeys are now only permitted to use the whip three times in a race. German trainer Christian von der Recke, who attended Friday's debate, said, “This was our only option, to agree to these tests, otherwise there would have been no two-year-old racing. “The stables are measured, as well as the light readings, and horses have to be together in a field and for a couple of hours every day.” The physical benefits of early training in Thoroughbreds have been well documented in veterinary studies, as highlighted by de Meric in his presentation. He said, “Independently compiled statistics clearly show that two-year-old sale graduates race more often, have longer careers, win more races, more stakes and graded stakes than any other source of young racing prospects. “In North America there has been considerable research on this subject, which clearly shows why training young Thoroughbreds is critical to their skeletal development, optimising their ability to handle the stresses of racing. “It is also worth mentioning that Thoroughbreds have been selectively bred for countless generations to be a fast-maturing, athletic animal, designed to race at age two and beyond. In a natural state, horses are prey animals and are typically active soon after birth, genetically programmed to keep up with the safety of the herd within minutes of foaling. During their first month of life, left to their own devices, foals exhibit a pattern of trotting, cantering and galloping in ever increasing increments. Within a week of foaling, Thoroughbred babies can cover as much as five miles, much of it at a canter, a necessary evolutionary adaptation, true of many herd animals, to evade predators.” John Gosden, the reigning champion trainer in Britain in partnership with his son Thady, gave the opening presentation of the day and spoke of his organic approach to dealing with the horses in his care. “With young horses I tend to wait for them to present themselves to me,” he said. “If you go looking for them, or pushing them, you will do more harm than good. I find that the most important button when I am training horses is the pause button. But if you have a horse who is precocious and comes forward to you, it is the wrong thing not to train that horse.” He added, “You have to be careful when you say we're not going to race at two. Bone density increases from early training.” Former Olympic eventer-turned-trainer Sir Mark Todd drew a comparison between the training of sport horses and racehorses. “Most people break in event horses as three- or four-year-olds. I prefer to do it sooner, but the Warmblood is a very different breed to the Thoroughbred,” he said. “The sooner we can educate horses the better it is for them. I use the word education as opposed to training. They absorb what they have learned when they are on a break.” Among an afternoon session devoted primarily to equine behaviour and the risk to the 'social licence' surrounding all sports involving horses, delegates heard from Roly Owers, chief executive of World Horse Welfare, which acts as an advisor to both the FEI and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). He said, “I felt that the one thing that was most relevant [from these discussions] was exploring awareness of changing public perception of the mental welfare of equine athletes.” Owers praised the BHA's recent launch of the Horse PWR website ahead of this year's Grand National, which sought to present the facts and figures related to the importance of racing in Britain and the significant welfare efforts involved within. Jorg Aurich of Germany's Graf Lehndorff Institute said of the 30-month rule regarding training of young horses, “The German ministry for agriculture has stopped discussions and has decided that there is a need for research. That has initiated a major research project, and decisions will be made once the science-based data has been assessed.” The post German Two-Year-Old Training Permitted Under Exemption appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tattersalls has renewed its sponsorship of the G2 Oaks d'Italia at Milan's San Siro Racecourse, operated by Snaitech, it was announced on Tuesday. The second Oaks d'Italia Tattersalls will be held on Sunday, June 9 and run over a distance of one mile and three furlongs. First run in 1910, the Classic will offer a prize fund of €388,000 which makes it the fourth most valuable Group 2 race in Europe. It stands alongside the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Tattersalls Polish St Leger in the list of European Classic races sponsored by Tattersalls. As part of the sponsorship, Tattersalls will offer vouchers of 15,000 guineas, 5,000 guineas and 2,500 guineas to the owners of the Classic winner, runner-up and third, respectively. The vouchers can to be spent at the 2024 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale or Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale, or at the 2025 Tattersalls Craven and Guineas Breeze-Up Sales. The Classic winner, runner-up and third will also be offered free entry to the Tattersalls December Mares Sale. The post Tattersalls Renew Sponsorship Of The Italian Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tara Stud resident River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire} became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Amy Murphy-trained daughter Tequila Rose (Ire) justified odds-on favouritism in Tuesday's Get Raceday Ready Restricted Maiden Fillies' S. at Brighton. 3rd-Brighton, £6,800, Mdn, 5-28, 2yo, f, 5f 215yT, 1:12.76, gd. TEQUILA ROSE (IRE) (f, 2, River Boyne {Ire}–Himiko {Ire}, by Aussie Rules), an Apr. 30 debut runner-up going five furlongs at Catterick in her only prior outing, broke sharply from the outside stall and asserted for an early lead in this second start. Holding a slender advantage throughout, the 8-11 favourite came under pressure when threatened on both sides at the quarter-mile marker and kept on in resolute fashion to deny the persistent challenge of Could She Be Magic (GB) (Time Test {GB}) by a neck, becoming the first winner for her freshman sire (by Dandy Man {Ire}). Tequila Rose is the seventh foal and scorer out of an unraced half-sister to Multiple Group 3-placed Listed Silver S. and Listed Ruby S. victrix Deauville Vision (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). The March-foaled bay is a half-sister to the dual Group 3-placed Listed Prix Lord Seymour victor Virtual Rock (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Invincible Army (Ire). Sales history: €18,000 Ylg '23 GOFOR2. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $7,077. O-Racing To Profit Syndicate & Partner; B-Eimear Mulhern (IRE); T-Amy Murphy. The post Freshman Sire River Boyne Off The Mark At Brighton appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Scott Spieth rode his 5,000th career winner May 27 as he guided 4-year-old filly Wheelingndealing to an allowance victory in the seventh race at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa.View the full article

Wednesday's top tips from the Post's racing teamView the full article

The Goodman family's Mt. Brilliant Farm went to A$1-million (US$667,900) for a Wootton Bassett (GB) half-sister to the Hong Kong star Golden Sixty (Medaglia d'Oro) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale Tuesday. “We love the filly, she's got a beautiful pedigree and she's by Wootton Bassett. It doesn't come any better than that and we are thrilled,” said Hutton Goodman. The operation is no stranger to the Australian industry with several mares located in the Hunter Valley. “It is hard to buy yearlings like her and she ticked all of our boxes. There is a lot of American stuff in there which will help us if we eventually bring her home,” Goodman said. The filly is a half-sister to six winners, including Golden Sixty of course, but her Group 2-winning dam Gaudeamus (Distorted Humor) has also produced two stakes placegetters and two metropolitan winners. Like Golden Sixty, she was bred by Element Hill and was part of their unreserved dispersal. The sale was topped by Zhijun Zhao (Yulong as partners) landing 10-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) for an Australasian broodmare prospect record of A$6.6 milllion (US$4,408,140). The post Mt. Brilliant Buys Half-Sister to Golden Sixty appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The world’s highest-rated sprinting mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) is now also Australasia’s most-expensive broodmare ever after she was purchased on Tuesday for A$6.6 million. The 10-time Group One winner was purchased by Yulong after an opening bid of A$4m progressed by A$250,000 increments to A$6.5m until the final bid was lodged. Imperatriz is the premier sprinting mare in the world so far this year with a 119 mark from her Newmarket Handicap defeat at Flemington in March. Imperatriz, who cost Te Akau principal David Ellis A$360,000 as a yearling, has accrued A$7m in stakes earnings from her 19 career wins. Her dam Berimbau (by Shamardal) fetched A$1.8m at sale in 2023. Previously, Milanova (Danehill) held the Australian record when sold for $5m in 2008, with Sunlight (Zoustar) going for A$4.2m in 2020 and the following year another Te Akau mare, Avantage (Fastnet Rock), became the world’s most-expensive online purchase when Coolmore bought her for $4.1m on gavelhouse.com. View the full article

Blake Shinn is one of Australia’s leading riders, but he will need to go to even greater heights if he can land the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) on Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree). The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained three-year-old drew the widest gate in Eagle Farm feature on Saturday. Warmonger drew barrier 23 but will start from gate 18 with five emergencies also declared. Having drawn so wide, it is expected Warmonger will need to be ridden in his recent pattern of getting back beyond midfield, coming with a late surge. Those tactics were used aboard Warmonger when second in the South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville at his most recent outing. Warmonger had three runs in Adelaide during the Carnival and Kent Jnr said a silver lining from the gelding being a get-back and run-on galloper was that he was pulling up so well from each run. “He’s still got plenty of petrol left in the tank and he’s been thriving since Adelaide,” Kent Jnr said. “He’s put on weight, muscle and maintained his summer coat. “He had two Brisbane-way gallops on the grass before he left, and I think the horse is flying.” Kent Jnr is banking on a truer tempo on Saturday after the South Australian Derby was run at a more leisurely pace. He said third placegetter Air Assault (Justify) led and dictated the speed after being considered a suspect stayer. “As soon as Air Assault got the lead, he dropped anchor. They were fearful he wouldn’t stay and he went 14 (seconds) to the furlong,” Kent Jnr said. “We took the blinkers off in an effort to make him jump better and settle better, and he raced tractably so they’re staying off, and hopefully Blake can find a spot midfield on the big Eagle Farm track.” Warmonger was posted an $8.50 in revised markets after the barrier draw on Tuesday. View the full article

Luke Nolen this weekend runs the risk of being presented with the same issues that confronted James Mcdonald in the Doomben 10,000 after Tuesday morning’s Kingsford Smith Cup barrier draw. The Victorian jockey goes back aboard I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), who will start from the inside alley in the A$1 million Group One event at Eagle Farm. That is the gate I Wish I Win started from when a narrow second, after being run down by Bella Nipotina (Pride of Dubai), in the Gr.1 Doomben 10,000. The opportunity for Nolen to reclaim the ride aboard I Wish I Win presented when James McDonald, who has ridden him at his past two starts, was unavailable due to commitments in Japan. It is the fourth time from his past five starts that I Wish I Win has drawn the inside alley with Nolen having partnered him into third position in the Memsie Stakes and second in The Everest at his only starts last spring. Katherine Coleman, who trains I Wish I Win in partnership with Peter Moody, would have preferred to have seen him drawn a little further off the fence but is happy with the way he has come through the 1200m Doomben 10,000. “He worked on Saturday morning and all reports were very positive, the jockey was very happy with him, it was nice work and his action felt good, which is pleasing going towards this week,” Coleman said. I Wish I Win will start alongside Bella Nipotina, who has drawn gate two, while other key contenders in the 12-horse event include defending champion Think About It (So You Think) (eight), dual Group One winners Magic Time (Hellbent) (nine) and In Secret (I Am Invincible) (four) and local star Antino (NZ) (Redwood) (12). It will be the first time I Wish I Win has run off a two-week break since the Toorak Handicap in the spring of 2022, when he was unplaced as a $2.20 favourite, but Coleman is happy with his condition and said he would spell after the Kingsford Smith Cup. “It’s a little bit a difference, but he’s been so lightly raced that I don’t think it will be a problem,” Coleman said of the five-year-old. “He still seems well and happy within himself and this option gave him that little bit of a longer break between having to come back and get ready for the spring.” View the full article

The International Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation (ITBF) has concluded its biennial Conference, this year hosted by the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association (JBBA) over five days. The 70 ITBF delegates from 21 of the 27 member countries first attended the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) in Tokyo, before being flown to Hokkaido for a two-day tour. An array of world-class stallions were shown at Shadai Stallion Station, Darley Japan and JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station, as well as the exceptional facilities at the JRA's Hikada Training and Research Centre. The attendees later returned to Tokyo to participate in a half-day Veterinary Meeting and an all-day General Meeting. The plenary veterinary lecture delivered by the host nation educated the audience on the important distinction between gene therapy, gene doping and genetic manipulation–and the future implications of all. Kirsten Rausing, chair of the ITBF, and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), shared views on Thoroughbred industry enhancement through working collaboratively, while attendees also enjoyed presentations on equine welfare as the foundation of a socially responsible sport, environmental sustainability in stud farming and the impact of racetrack closures in the USA, amongst other topics. In addition, ITBF members voted unanimously to continue to stand resolute against the use of all artificial breeding methods. The ITBF, which works to advance and protect the interests of Thoroughbred breeders throughout the world, will hold its next General Meeting when France hosts in 2026. The post ITBF Concludes Its Five-Day Conference In Japan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Reigning Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will not defend his crown at Royal Ascot after suffering a setback. The five-year-old was bought privately by Wathnan Racing ahead of last year's meeting, having won each of his three previous starts for breeder Anthony Oppenheimer. Courage Mon Ami then provided one of the moments of the meeting as he took the stayers' crown in the hands of Frankie Dettori, before going on to disappoint in the Goodwood Cup and having to settle for second in the Lonsdale Cup at York on his final start of the campaign. Trainers John and Thady Gosden had been preparing the gelding for a repeat Gold Cup bid, but the team will now rely on Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), winner of the Queen's Vase at Ascot last year and third in the Yorkshire Cup on his return earlier this month. Wathnan's racing adviser Richard Brown said, “It's unfortunate timing, but thankfully not a serious setback and we are very hopeful he will be back to contest Cup races later in the year. “Courage Mon Ami gave Wathnan such a brilliant start last year, and we will miss him on Gold Cup day. We'll be pinning all our hopes that Gregory will prove an able deputy.” The Aidan O'Brien-trained Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the general even-money favourite for the Gold Cup, with Gregory a best-priced 6-1 second-favourite. The post Courage Mon Ami Ruled Out Of Gold Cup Defence Through Injury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kevin Ryan has confirmed that Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) will be supplemented for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot following his dominant victory in the Sandy Lane S. at Haydock. Inisherin became the first horse to take the scalp of Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who could only manage third, on Saturday. Ryan reports the colt to have come out of the 6f contest in rude health and says it is all systems go for Ascot. “I was delighted with him on Saturday, he's a horse with a lot of speed,” Ryan said. “Sheikh Mohammed Obaid was in agreement that we'd try six furlongs and we were always very confident it would suit him.” The trainer added, “He moved through the race great and quickened up nicely. It would probably be nicer for us in a race where you could give him a lead, but he has such a high cruising speed you have to let him use his stride. “He's a super horse to train in that he has a great mind and a great constitution, he's a very simple horse to deal with. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid is going to supplement him for the Commonwealth Cup, all things being equal.” The post Ryan Confirms Inisherin Will Be Supplemented For Commonwealth Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In a move that further illustrates the global prowess of the operation, Yulong and partners landed 10-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) for a record A$6.6m (€4,039,810) at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. It was Yulong that saw off the attention of Coolmore for Te Akau Racing's superstar racemare with the new connections of Imperatriz revealing that the 5-year-old is likely to remain retired from racing. Bidding for the 13-time winner, who was trained for the majority of her career by Mark Walker, opened up at a whopping A$4m. It was Yulong's Zhijun Zhao who did the bidding online to secure the winning bid. American billionaire John Stewart, who was vocal in the build-up to the sale and even vowed to pay up to $6 million for Imperatriz, was not involved in the bidding. The previous broodmare sale record set in Australia was $5 million for Milanova back in 2008. The emotions! $6.6 million for Imperatriz! pic.twitter.com/We6DmXbSf7 — Magic Millions (@mmsnippets) May 28, 2024 The post Yulong And Partners Land Imperatriz For Record $6.6 million At Magic Millions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Matamata trainer Cody Cole. Photo: Trish Dunell Matamata trainer Cody Cole clocked up quite a few kilometres down State Highway One on Tuesday when he took a few of his team down to the Foxton trials. Cole was in search of better going for a couple of his juveniles and was pleased with what he saw from Atmospheric and St Giles, who won their respective heats, and both will now head for a spell ahead of their three-year-old season. “We had a wee trip away to get them on a decent surface,” Cole said. “We have got grass trials at Te Awamutu on Thursday, but I would say from the forecast it is going to be heavy and we needed to get a trial into a couple of them before the tracks get too wet, and we wanted to see where they were at. A trip away also grows a lot of young horses up. “I think Atmospheric is going to be quite a nice three-year-old. He is an immature type that just wants a bit of time and a decent surface. We got a couple of trials into him early, but he wasn’t really comfortable on rain-affected going and I thought we needed to get another trial into him, and the best place for it was down there (Foxton). He will head to the paddock, and he will be a nice three-year-old when he gets over a bit of ground. “St Giles is a really nice horse, he has come a long way. He has got a bright future wherever he goes, whether he stays here or goes overseas. He is a lovely type and can gallop a bit, and he is doing everything on his first preparation. He is only going to improve when he goes out, has a break and comes back.” Meanwhile, Cole is looking forward to racing at Pukekohe Park on Saturday where he will be represented by a quartet of runners, including Rareza, Kai Moana, Campaldino and Tianzi. “Rareza needed her first-up run (when fifth at Te Rapa), which we expected,” Cole said. “She is double nominated and we are unsure where we will run her yet, but I think she will take good improvement from her first-up run at Te Rapa, which had merit, she just came to the end of it late. I think she will be a chance wherever she goes. “Kai Moana surprised us, I didn’t think she would make that step-up from a rating 60 win midweek to Saturday grade. It took a handy enough horse to get past her at Rotorua. If she continues that form, she will have to be a chance.” Cole also has high hopes for Campaldino and Tianzi, with the Matamata horseman expecting to see plenty of improvement from the latter after they finished last when first-up over 1400m at Te Rapa last month. “If the track is not too deep, I think Campaldino is not the worst, but we are a bit unknown on a wet track,” he said. “Draw a line through Tianzi last start, she didn’t pull up 100 percent after that run. We seem to have got her back to herself, the wet track won’t worry her, she worked super this morning (Tuesday) on the course proper at Matamata, which was pretty testing. She will be the biggest improver of the day.” Horse racing news View the full article

Babylon Berlin will likely remain in New Zealand for the remainder of her racing career. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Well-performed sprinter Babylon Berlin has remained at home with another winter start on the cards for the multiple Group winner. Connections had considered a Queensland campaign for the six-year-old but opted against the trip with a domestic Group 1 feature her long-term aim. “She might go to the open sprint at Te Rapa in the middle of June or we could tip her out and get her ready for the Foxbridge Plate (Group 2, 1200m),” co-trainer and part-owner Ben Foote said. “She might get in foal later this year and then we’ll concentrate on the Railway (Group 1, 1200m), that’s the plan, so we’ll be doing all the right things by the horse.” A three-time Group Three winner, Babylon Berlin has two placings to her credit in the Ellerslie sprint feature as well as runner-up Group 1 finishes in The Telegraph (1200m) and BCD Group Sprint (1400m). The daughter of All Too Hard was most recently third in an open 1100m handicap at Trentham. “She came through the race really well, there’s nothing wrong with her at all and she’s in good condition,” Foote said. With training partner and son Ryan, he will have a number of runners at the Cambridge meeting on the synthetic track on Wednesday. Among his better winning chances is the Zoustar filly Mars, who runs in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1300m) off the back of success at Matamata earlier this month with Michael McNab again taking the ride. “I think Mars and Ultimate Focus will both be very strong chances,” Foote said. “Baz Dowling (equine chiropractor) has been doing a bit of work with Mars and she seems to be stretching out really well now. “Ability-wise, she’s certainly a lot better than a Rating 65 horse but with it being a Pearl Series race we’ve decided to have a go for the bonus.” McNab will also partner Ultimate Focus from the inside gate in the Waipa Earthworks Handicap (970m). The son of Smart Missile drew attention to his prospects with a resuming run for second over the course and distance earlier this month. “I do quite like So Brassy as well, she has been working well and might be the best longshot as far as a little nibble goes,” Foote said. The lightly raced three-year-old daughter of Per Incanto hasn’t raced since January and will be ridden in the other Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1300m) by Courtney Barnes. Stablemate Viva Rosso, the mount of Sam Spratt, also resumes in the event and is another forward for her return. Horse racing news View the full article