Wandering Eyes

Newly-crowned champion 2-year-old male Fierceness will make his anticipated sophomore debut in the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Newgrange was doing well the morning after successfully defending his title in the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) Jan. 27 and becoming racing's newest millionaire. View the full article

The field for the $800,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 3 at Oaklawn Park is shaping up to be a nail-biting 8 1/2 furlong test, with Liberal Arts, Wynstock, and Maycocks Bay set to clash, giving participants a view to the first weekend in May.View the full article

Victor The Winner surges to his first Group 1 triumph. Victor The Winner could embark on an ambitious overseas campaign after the lightly-raced speedster upstaged decorated opposition, including Lucky Sweynesse and Wellington, with a convincing victory in the HK$13 million G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (28 January). Jumping from barrier 10, the +3700 bookmaker chance forged straight to the lead for Derek Leung and strode virtually unchallenged through a leisurely first 400m of the race, clocking 24.30s, before accelerating from the home turn and building an unassailable lead. Clocking 22.18s for the final 400m, Victor The Winner prevailed by a length and three-quarters from Lucky With You, while Wellington was a further half-length away in third place. Lucky Sweynesse, who ambled from the gates and was trapped behind a wall of runners to be 11th with 400m left to run, produced the fastest final sectional of 21.98s but was never a winning chance. “He (Lucky Sweynesse) didn’t jump slow, but he couldn’t get into stride, and then when the horses got in front of him and backed the speed right off, that made it impossible from where we were,” jockey Zac Purton said. “So, he just lost it in the first part of the race.” It was a rare rebuttal for Purton on Sunday, when the Australian dominated the undercard with six winners – Nicholson Returns, Ace Victory, Beato, Gorgeous Win, Sweet Encounter, and Green N White – but it was unquestionably Leung’s time to shine as the homegrown talent tasted Group 1 success for the first time since Beauty Generation’s 2017 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) victory. “It feels great. Thank you for the opportunity from the owner and the trainer. We drew an outside gate, but we flew out of the gate, so (we) took advantage and just went forward – he was quite relaxed after that, and at the 500m, I knew he was going to kick very strong. Very lucky; it was a win,” Leung said. Asked if he was surprised to have led as easily, Leung said, “Very lucky. It could not be better.” Shum, who savoured G1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) and G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) victories with Romantic Warrior, said Leung had followed instructions perfectly. “His pace for the first (sectional) was absolutely great; he did it in 24 something (seconds). I’m very happy for the stable, the owner, and Derek as well,” Shum said. “When he got a good lead, I thought he had a chance. He’s tough and very good in front.” Shum said he would consider a tilt at the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) at Chukyo Racecourse, Japan, on March 24. “I entered him in Japan over 1200m, so I will see how he pulls up and then decide if I keep him in Hong Kong or send him to Japan in March,” Shum said. “I’ve considered Japan for a long time because it’s a left-hand turn. In the morning, his left-hand turn is better than his right-hand turn, so we have to give him a chance overseas.” Purton leads the Hong Kong jockeys’ championships with 61 wins – 21 clear of Karis Teetan (40) and Hugh Bowman (30). The Australian’s spree began with David Hall’s Nicholson Returns in the Class 4 Fu Tai Handicap (2000m) before he sealed an early double when Benno Yung’s Ace Victory crossed from barrier 12 to find the rail in the first section of the Class 4 On Ting Handicap (1200m). The six-time champion jockey’s dominance continued with Tony Cruz’s Beato in the Class 4 Yan Oi Tong Cup Handicap (1600m) before Danny Shum-trained Gorgeous Win presented the Australian with his fourth spoil of the afternoon with a convincing win in the Class 3 Tai Hing Handicap (1200m). Purton then teamed with John Size’s Sweet Encounter in the Class 3 Yan Tin Handicap (1600m) before he closed the meeting as he started it when Ricky Yiu’s Green N White – a BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) nomination – crowned a fabulous day for the Australian. “It’s good (the six-timer) – it’s been a bit of a grind through the season so far. There have been a number of factors behind that, but hopefully the second half of the season can be a bit stronger, like it was today,” Purton said. David Hall also completed a brace when Andrea Atzeni piloted Champion Instinct to victory in the second section of the Class 4 On Ting Handicap (1200m), Hong Kong International Sale graduate Smart Beauty broke through for his first win with success under Angus Chung in the Class 5 Lung Yat Handicap (1600m) for Tony Cruz; and Chris So’s Panda Legend scored in the Class 4 Po Tin Handicap (1400m) under Keagan De Melo. Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (31 January). View the full article

Sir Albert and Jon Ol Rocco fight out the finish in the Woodbourne Tavern & Motels Bottle-O Renwick Marlborough Cup (2000m) at Riccarton on Saturday. Terri Rae had plenty to celebrate on her home track of Riccarton Park on Saturday, recording a winning treble capped off by the ever-improving Sir Albert. Sir Albert has been a model of consistency for Rae this season, claiming victories over 1600m, 1800m, and a stunning display over 2000m during New Zealand Cup Week. The son of Savabeel journeyed to Trentham last Saturday to contest the $350,000 Remutaka Classic (2100m), and a luckless run saw him finish strongly late in midfield, a performance duly rectified in the Woodbourne Tavern & Motels Bottle-O Renwick Marlborough Cup (2000m) on Saturday. Back at his favourite course, where all three of his previous on-turf victories where recorded, the four-year-old started a warm $2.90 favourite with the leading betting sites ahead of fellow local talent Jon Ol Rocco ($4.20). In the hands of northern jockey Joe Kamaruddin, Sir Albert was settled back in the 10-horse field, the tempo solid up-front with Amazon Goddess in command. Nearing the 800m mark, Sir Albert remained upwards of 16 lengths from the runaway pacemaker, but a no-panic ride from Kamaruddin saw the gelding track Jon Ol Rocco into the clear, with Sir Albert eventually prevailing in a tough head-bobbing battle to the post. “He was possibly going to go to Dunedin (next Saturday) after Wellington, but he ended up pretty much following them around up there and running home. He ran the second-quickest last 600m and still went really well,” Rae said. “It was his first trip away, but he came through that well, so we thought while the track was good, which he prefers, it would be a good race to back up in. Back at a better weight and better footing, it all worked perfectly for him.” Andrew Carston’s Jon Ol Rocco has been a key rival for Rae’s charge this season, finishing ahead of Sir Albert on three occasions over 1600m, while the diminutive gelding narrowly cemented his place on top over 2000m. “Jon Ol Rocco is a big strapping horse; he seems to have the better of Albert at a mile, but over the 2000m, Albert really shows his best,” Rae said. “They’re both lightly tried, promising horses, and super consistent, so it was nice to see them fight out the finish.” The victory was Sir Albert’s fifth in just 13 raceday appearances, bringing his total earnings over $151,000, with Rae crediting his impressive performance to his niece Ruby, who works at the stable. “She does a great job, and she loves all the horses, but especially Albert. He’s a funny little horse, very small but tries so hard,” she said. “Albert’s done a great job this prep; he’s pretty tired tonight, and it was a big trip for him last weekend, so he is coming home and will have a few weeks out now. We’ll decide what to do with him from there.” Sir Albert’s triumph was the third in a successful meeting for Rae, saluting earlier on the card with Spot On Time in the Karaka 2024 Maiden (1400m) and Chapinteel in the D Reynolds Electrical Rating 65 (1800m), with Aristocrat a close-up second in the Lot 933 Jon Snow Filly At Karaka 2024 (1800m). A son of Time Test, Spot On Time was a commanding victor under Kylie Williams at her third start, the victory a sentimental one for Rae with the children of the late Kevin Pratt (former principal of Kamada Park) in the ownership. “We were expecting Spot On Time to go pretty well, especially at the 1400m. He won really nicely,” she said. “I used to train for Kevin Pratt, so the kids have all taken over, and they race this horse now. They were all very happy, so it was cool to get the win for them.” Lightly-tried Savabeel mare Chapinteel has been a work in progress for Rae and has produced a professional effort to go back-to-back in successive weeks under apprentice Niranjan Parmar. “She’s only really lightly-raced; the owners have been very patient with her, and she’s been given a fair bit of time. She’s really putting it all together now, maturing and furnishing into a really nice horse. She just needed some confidence,” she said. “We’ve got a great little team; it was great to get these results.” More horse racing news View the full article

Group One-winning galloper and sire Jimmy Choux. Photo: Trish Dunell One of the cult heroes of New Zealand racing has passed away, with news coming through that former Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner and successful stallion Jimmy Choux was humanely euthanised earlier in the week. The multiple Group One winner was the standout story of racing in New Zealand during the 2011 calendar year, where he captured four Group One titles and went within a length of a fifth when finishing runner-up to Pinker Pinker in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) of that year. His accomplishments for owners and breeders Richard and Liz Wood put fledgling trainer John Bary and former jumps jockey turned flat rider Jonathan Riddell on the map, with Bary quick to pay tribute to his mate and stable star. “We got the news from his home at Rosalee Park Stud in Western Australia on Tuesday that he had to be humanely euthanized as he was suffering from nose cancer,” Bary said. “It certainly brought back some very special memories, as he was such a lovely horse and a great character, and he put a novice trainer and a battling former jumps jockey on the map. “The support he had from the general public was quite amazing, as they really seemed to take him to heart, and he returned that affection by trying his heart out every time we lined him up. “He wasn’t a natural talent, but he had a big heart and a big brain, which meant he did things that a lot of horses couldn’t do. It would be great to have a few more like him in the stable.” Bary nominated his 2011 New Zealand Derby win as one of his fondest memories and was philosophical about the lowlight, which was the narrow defeat in the Cox Plate later that year. “He gave me my first stakes victory when he won the Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham (Gr.2, 1200m) and then in his three-year-old season he won the Derby, which was worth $2.2 million at the time, which was just enormous for us all. “He went close to becoming the first horse to complete the Triple Crown at Hastings as he finished runner-up in the Makfi Challenge Stakes (Gr.1, 1400m) before winning the next two legs,” he said. “We took him to Australia for the Cox Plate, and he went so close to winning that day. “Jonathan rode a ten out of ten race that day, and we got beaten by an eleven out of eleven effort by Craig Williams on Pinker Pinker.” Following his successful racetrack career, Jimmy Choux found his way to Rich Hill Stud at Walton in the Waikato, where he produced Group One winners The Bostonian and Two Illicit amongst his five individual stakes winners. “Jimmy was with us for eight seasons after his racetrack career,” Rich Hill principal John Thompson said. “He was an easy horse to promote as he had such a following, and he left some very nice horses without quite reaching the heights we wanted him to. “He had The Bostonian and Two Illicit but was probably a very good bread and butter stallion, and it is sad to hear about his demise as he was a lovely horse to have around the farm. “The breeders here didn’t want to support him in the end, but he found a lovely home in West Australia.” Jimmy Choux won twelve of his 26 starts and more than $3.6 million during his career on the track and produced 141 individual winners from his time at stud. More horse racing news View the full article

Horse Racing on Monday, January 29 will feature seven meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the top bets and the quaddie numbers for the Tuncurry meeting. Monday Racing Tips – January 29, 2024 Tuncurry Racing Tips Best Horse Racing Bets For January 29, 2024 Place these horse racing bets in a multi for $19.04 odds return: Sunday, January 28, 2024 Tuncurry – Race 5 #11 Image Of The Sun Armidale – Race 3 #5 More For Us Warwick – Race 8 #1 Chisum | Copy this bet straight to your betslip As always there a plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans, check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on January 29, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Monday, January 29. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these complimentary promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximize your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for January 29, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions TOP 4 BETTING Bet and win up to 4th place on every race Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo DAILY TRIFECTA BOOSTS Boost your winnings by 10% with our new Trifecta boosts T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing exclusive thoroughbred bonus promotions for January 29, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and exclusive promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimize your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

Senor Buscador, beaten a neck by National Treasure after a gallant late rally in the Jan. 27 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), has been invited to the Feb. 24 Saudi Cup (G1) following his strong effort.View the full article

Driver Penalties P Davis | NZ Metropolitan 26 January; medical clearance required. M Holbrough | NZ Metropolitan 26 January; use of whip; suspended 5-9 February inclusive. B Butt | NZ Metropolitan 26 January; breach of push out rule; fined $200. K Green | NZ Metropolitan 26 January; contacted track markers; fined $200. D Van Til | NZ Metropolitan 26 January; contacted track markers; fined $200. R May | NZ Metropolitan 28 January (heard Methven 28 January); contacted track marker; fined $200. R Holmes | Methven 28 January; careless driving; suspended 29 January – 9 February inclusive. M Cations | Methven 28 January; careless driving; suspended 29 January – 9 February inclusive. L McCormick | Methven 28 January; use of whip; suspended 7-16 February inclusive. P Wakelin | Methven 28 January; use of whip; suspended 29 January – 6 February inclusive. G Smith | Methven 28 January; use of whip; fined $200. C Dalgety | Methven 28 January; out of position at start; fined $100. Trainer Penalties J Young | NZ Metropolitan 26 January; failed to lodge horse notification; fined $300. G & N Hope | Methven 28 January; late gear notification; fined $50. Horse Penalties DALNESS FIRST | Auckland 26 January; lame; veterinary clearance required. OWN THE MOMENT | Auckland 26 January; unsatisfactory performance; must complete trial. DANCING DESIRE | NZ Metropolitan 26 January; broke in running; must complete trial. ELEPHANTINTHEROOM | NZ Metropolitan 26 January; late scratching on veterinary advice; veterinary clearance required. Protests SHESGOLD | Auckland 26 January; excessive galloping in home straight; disqualified from 2nd. I SPY DIAMONDS | Methven 28 January; caused interference; relegated from 2nd to 3rd. The post 22-28 January 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Dog Penalties ZHENYE BALE | Christchurch 22 January; failed to pursue the lure (3rd offence); stood down for 3 months and must complete 2 trials. GOT FAITH | Christchurch 22 January; failed to pursue the lure but found to have serious injury; must complete trial. HOMEBUSH MAX | Christchurch 22 January; failed to pursue the lure (2nd offence); stood down for 28 days and must complete trial. General Race 9 at Southland GRC of 22 January was declared a no-race due to the lure breaking down. The post 22-28 January 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Rider Penalties W Pinn | Matamata 24 January; careless riding (2 charges); suspended 28 January – 18 February inclusive. W Pinn | Matamata 24 January; failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures; suspended 19 February – 17 March inclusive. C Grylls | Matamata 24 January; medical clearance required (subsequently received on 27 January). E Nicholas | Hawke’s Bay 25 January; medical clearance required. Horse Penalties RITA BONITA | Matamata 24 January; lame; veterinary clearance required. MASTER FAY | Auckland 27 January; lame; veterinary clearance required. LIVE DRAMA | Canterbury 27 January; late scratching after refusing to load; must complete trial. General The Hawke’s Bay RI meeting of 25 January was abandoned after Race 2 due to track inconsistencies. The Wellington RC meeting of 27 January was abandoned after Race 4 due to track conditions. The post 22-28 January 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Victor the Winner grabbed his first group 1 victory in the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1) at Sha Tin Racecourse Jan. 28 as the world's top sprinter, Lucky Sweynesse, fell victim to traffic problems and finished up the course.View the full article

By Barry Lichter Sacred Mountain might have smashed her rivals at Auckland on Friday night but trainer Nicky Chilcott knows how hard it will be for her to repeat the win in today’s Dunstan Horse Feeds Breeders’ Stakes at Cambridge, especially now that she has been rehandicapped to 40 metres. Sacred Mountain will share the back mark with Resolve in Cambridge’s $40,000 Group 3 race, forced to give away a 10 metre head start to the flying southern mare Sunny’s Sister, fresh from a dominant double at Nelson. “She’s certainly up against it from that mark in a big 14-horse field and the 2700 metres is not her best distance,” Chilcott said. “While she’s gone some really good races over 2700, she’s way more potent over a short trip, like Friday’s mile. “But she won’t disgrace herself as she’s really in the zone.” Chilcott will hand over the reins on Monday to Sailesh Abernethy so she can pilot stablemate KD Royalty, who starts from the unruly position on the front line, but says that’s no reflection on their respective chances. “I feel terrible getting off Milly because she’s flying and looks the better chance. She’s really improved this preparation and has gone to a new level, but whether it’s high enough to be competitive with the very best only time will tell. “She’s an open class trotter now and there’s nowhere to hide. We won’t get any more gimmees like Friday night.” Chilcott said Sacred Mountain won so easily at Alexandra Park she didn’t even pull the hood. “She could have won by 10 lengths, not three. I stopped driving her 100 out because she was well clear and I let her cruise to the line. She could have gone round again.” The mare clocked a sedate 2:00.2 for the mile, a distance outside her career best of 1:56.7 as the expected challenge from second favourite All Cashed Up petered out in the run home. “I knew I was giving it the walk in front but there was no point going harder – you don’t get paid for breaking records.” Sacred Mountain, gifted a cheap 33.1 mid-section, “just flopped along on a loose rein until All Cashed Up, pushed out three wide 900 metres from home, moved up down the back straight. “When she heard them coming, it was all on and round the bend, man, was she smokin’.” Sacred Mountain ran home in 57.9 and 28.9 to score her 11th win, all but two of them for Chilcott. The $11,000 winning stake took the Muscle Hill six-year-old’s earnings to $154,132, climaxing an exciting night for Melbourne owners Merv and Meg Butterworth who were on course to see the triumph. Earlier, the couple heard their former White Star trotter Son Of A Sun easily win at Stawell in Victoria, registering his second win from three starts since being exported to Australia. “It was a thrill for me to win with Milly when Merv and Meg were here,” Chilcott said. “She’s a nice mare and I’m lucky to have her.” View the full article

By Brigette Solomon The Group 3 Dunstan Waikato Trotting Breeders Stakes and the first race of the Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial Series for Junior Drivers will highlight today’s action at Cambridge. The Dunstan Waikato Trotting Breeders Stakes looks set to be a hot contest with a capacity field of quality mares featuring recent Group race winning performers Sacred Mountain, Resolve, and Sunnys Sister. Trained by Robert and Jenna Dunn, Sunnys Sister is a winner of her past four starts including the New Zealand Trotting Oaks and Derby. After ticking off wins on both days of Nelson Harness Racing Club’s two day meeting earlier in the month, the mare continued on to the Dunn’s Pukekohe stable. “She’s had a bit of an easy time to freshen her since Nelson but travelled up and settled in well,” says regular driver John Dunn, “it won’t be an easy job starting off 30 metres though and she’ll have some work to do.” “She will remain up here for the next few months with the Northern Trotting Breeders Stakes on the 16th February and the feature races in the Autumn,” says Dunn. Starting off a 40 metre handicap, both Sacred Mountain and Resolve will have plenty of work to do. Both mares have recently won at Group 3 level – Sacred Mountain the Cambridge Flying Stakes and Resolve the Greenlane Cup, with the latter also being the winner of this race last year with a 40 metre handicap. John Dickie, who trains Resolve from his Clevedon base, is pragmatic about his mare’s chances “I was happy with her last fast work but it’s a big ask to chase them down off 40 metres and there is some good form amongst the field.” The first heat of the Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial Series for 2024 gets underway in Race 4. In its third year the series has gained recognition with the series now eagerly anticipated amongst Junior Drivers. Amongst the eight horse field are last start winners God Dam and Lou Baby, the latter winning by a whopping 17 lengths at Cambridge on the 19th January. Lou Baby will be driven by Monika Ranger in the event. “He won well last start and it’s great going into the series with a good drive,” says Ranger, “all going to plan I will have Caulfield for David Butcher in the heats at Hawera next weekend and he’s a consistent performer who should go well.” Revell Douglas was a lifelong participant and supporter of the harness racing industry who sadly passed away after rescuing his children in an incident at Karioitahi Beach. Hygain and Don Douglas, Revell’s father, founded the series as a fitting memorial for Revell who was a much loved family member, employee and friend to many in the wider racing community. The series runs over seven race meetings in the North and South Islands with drivers accumulating points over the series. The winner receives a scholarship from series sponsor Hygain. The next heats will be held at Hawera on February 2 and 4 before heading south to Methven on the 11th, Rangiora on the 17th, and Cromwell on the 23rd and 25th. View the full article

By Mike Love West Melton trainer Barry Ward completed a “special” day at the races with a hat-trick of training wins yesterday at Mt Harding racecourse. Although the feat is not uncommon, the fact that Ward bred all three winners makes it all the rarer. “I’ve had two wins and a second at the races before, and trained a double four times. But definitely the first hat trick for me. It’s a pretty special day,” said Ward. “They all went to Blenheim last week. Mister Blue Sky went okay on the first day, but disappointed on the second day. The other two mares (Times Are A Changing and Hey Tonight) went okay on the first day and much better on the second. So that trip tidied them up, then coming home for a quiet week before today obviously worked out well.” In Race two Mister Blue Sky claimed his maiden victory at start number 30. Driven by Sam Thornley, Mister Blue Sky secured the trail after leading early. From there it was a waiting game for Thornley to execute the use of the passing lane, where they were able to wear down leader Dean James and hold off a fast late finish from race favourite Victor Lustig who nabbed second, winning by half a neck. “I was quite surprised because he’d been disappointing to say the least. He does have ability but he doesn’t always show it. Hence 30 starts to win his maiden.” Bred by Ward, the five-year-old Sunshine Beach gelding Mister Blue Sky is out of Washington VC mare Alright Now, who was also bred, owned and trained by Ward. In Race four Times Are A Changin recorded her eighth career win for Ward and driver Sarah O’Reilly. They were steady away from the tapes over the 2400m journey, settling at the rear of the field. O’Reilly opted to move around the field from the 1550m to the parked position. From there Times Are A Changin showed stamina to nag away at pacemaker On Report, taking the entire 300m straight to hit the lead short of the line, winning by half a neck from the unlucky Style Council who dashed late into second in what was a blanket finish. “I knew she would be competitive today.” Times Are A Changin is out of Group 1 winning Bettors Delight mare Paradise City, who Ward also bred, owned and trained. In the final event Sam Thornley combined again with Ward and Hey Tonight, who secured her sixth career win. Easing off the gate, Thornley was unable to find the running line so moved three wide with cover to sit parked from the mile. Hey Tonight had to call on all of her reserves to hit the lead in the final 30 metres, to win by half a neck from the fast finishing Sargent Best. “She had to be tough and she is tough. I was confident she would go well.” The now six-year-old A Rocknroll Dance mare is out of Red River Hanover mare Wonderful Tonight, who again was raced, trained and bred by Ward. “We will just see what happens with them all now. We will stick to the grass for as long as we can with Mister Blue Sky. The two mares will still be competitive in their company, but again we will look for the grass tracks.” Ward’s continued success with breeding has been a journey and he will continue moving forward with his found formula. “I’ve tried various families but I’ve always come back to this group. It’s been successful for me. Every mare seems to be capable of leaving a nice horse. Years ago we used to breed for the sales but we’ve moved away from that. It’s hard to pick what the buyers want. And to breed to the top stallions can be quite prohibitive.” Ward trains a team of six from his West Melton base and has trained 139 winners, winning over $1.4 million in stakes. View the full article

Senor Buscador, beaten a neck by National Treasure after a gallant late rally in the Jan. 27 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), has been invited to the Feb. 25 Saudi Cup (G1) following his strong effort.View the full article

5th-Aqueduct, $80,000, Msw, 1-28, 3yo, 1m, 1:40.42, sy, 8 1/4 lengths. CAPITAL IDEA (c, 3, Classic Empire–Rever de Vous {SP}, by Distorted Humor), a close-up third in his debut over this track and trip Dec. 31, went off the 2-1 second choice to take a step forward while getting Lasix for this soggy return. Settled in a stalking third by Trevor McCarthy as favored J D Factor (The Factor) led through :24.16 and :48.95 opening splits, the bay mounted his challenge three wide approaching the quarter pole, took over in early stretch and strode clear to triumph by 8 1/4 lengths over Sardis (Into Mischief). Rever de Vous, a daughter of GSW Dreaming of Liz (El Prado {Ire}), produced a colt by McKinzie last term and was bred back to Mandaloun. Sales history: $260,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $54,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing; B-Steven & Brandi Nicholson (KY); T-Christophe Clement. The post Classic Empire’s Capital Idea Graduates Impressively at the Big A appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Coming off a highly successful Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream, which handled $47.3 million, $3.4 million more than last year, the 1/ST Racing team will now set its sights on creating a similar afternoon of racing at Santa Anita. 1/ST Racing CEO Belinda Stronach announced on NBC's broadcast of the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. that a day similar to the Pegasus is being created for Santa Anita and will be held Sept. 28. The event will be called the California Crown and the premier race on the afternoon will be a revamped GI Awesome Again S. The Associated Press reported that the Awesome Again will be restricted to 3-year-olds, which will not be the case. It will remain a race for 3-year-olds and older. 1/ST Racing President Aidan Butler said that the company is looking to include the GII Eddie D. S., run at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course, and the GII John Henry Turf Championship S., run at a mile-and-a-quarter on the turf, as part of the California Crown series. Other races traditionally run that weekend at Santa Anita include the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship S., the GII City of Hope Mile S., the GII Zenyatta S., the GIII Tokyo City Cup and the $100,000 Unzip Me S. The key detail that has yet to be announced is what will the purses for the races be. When announcing Saturday on NBC the formation of the California Crown, 1/ST CEO Belinda Stronach said it would be the richest non-Breeders' Cup Day of racing in the history of Southern California racing. The purse of the 2023 Awesome Again was just $300,000, one tenth the amount given away in the Pegasus. With so much uncertainty in California racing right now, including how simulcasting revenue in the state will be divided up once Golden Gate Fields closes in June, Butler said it's too early to announce purses. “We still have a lot of work out there to figure out what the purses will be,” he said. “There are a lot of decisions that have to be made. We are hoping we can get everything sorted out soon. But we don't want to jump the gun and announce purses when we don't know exactly what is going to happen with the CHRB, with the Northern circuit and with the Southern circuit. There are a lot of things we still have to work on.” As is the case with the Pegasus, the California Crown will be about more than racing. 1/ST has turned Pegasus Day into a party that attracts a younger crowd and many people who are not regular racing fans. “The intent is to create a great experience for anyone who is currently a racing fan and for potential new customers,” Butler said. “There will be entertainment, things to elevate the customer experience. Los Angeles is such a huge market to draw from. People are used to a level of experience at sporting events with lots of entertainment and that's what we will try to replicate. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed the Pegasus. It was a really cracking day and people had a lot of fun. We want to do the same at Santa Anita. The good thing about Santa Anita is that it is such a big venue you can create an even bigger day. At Gulfstream, we struggle with how many people we can get in the building. We won't have that issue at Santa Anita.” The post New Details Emerge on California Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Atlantic Six Racing LLC's Book'em Danno (Bucchero) breezed five furlongs in 1:02 Sunday morning at Tampa Bay Downs, the quickest of 12 moves at the distance, and connections have confirmed that they are moving forward with plans to contest the $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby on the Saudi Cup undercard Saturday, Feb. 24. The work was the first for the New Jersey-bred gelding since a 12 1/2-length victory in the seven-furlong Pasco S. Jan. 13. “It was an easy breeze and he finished well by himself,” part-owner Jay Briscione texted. “We have accepted the invitation [for the Saudi Derby] and we are on track to go.” Following the Pasco, Book'em Danno's third win at stakes level, trainer Derek Ryan told TDN's Bill Finley that he harbored “no Derby dreams,” making the Saudi option–a one-turn, 1600-meter contest, a logical alternative. Briscione said that he and his Atlantic Six partners have been approached about selling Book'em Danno. “We have fielded some offers, there has been interest, but we have not sold any part of him,” Briscione texted. Book'em Danno, whose lone defeat to date was in his juvenile finale in the Nashua S., also a one-turn mile, has amassed earnings to date of $260,625. The post Book’em Danno Breezes, Saudi Derby Confirmed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I wasn't a National Treasure (Quality Road) fan. He got one of the easiest trips you'll ever see in a Triple Crown race when he was allowed to walk on the lead in the GI Preakness S., winning by a head over soft group of challengers. Which is why it came as no surprise that he couldn't so much as finish in the money in any of his next three starts, the GI Belmont S., the GI Travers S. and the GI Awesome Again S. He looked like a horse who had to set the pace to prevail and he didn't find himself on the lead in any of those races. Yes, he turned in a big effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile when losing to eventual Horse of the Year Cody's Wish by a nose. But maybe Cody didn't run his best. He never did show an affinity for two turns. And maybe National Treasure's effort was a bit of a fluke. So I didn't like him one bit in Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream. As the 5-2 favorite, he was an easy toss. I was wrong. Was I ever. Yes, this was the weakest field ever to assemble for the Pegasus and he did win by only a neck over the hard-trying blue-collar type Senor Buscador (Mineshaft). But take a deeper dive into this race and you'll likely conclude, as I did, that this was a very strong performance from National Treasure, one in which he served notice that he might be on a path to a Horse of the Year title. As soon as the gate opened, both National Treasure and Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft) left there with a purpose, to get to the lead. With Hoist the Gold narrowly in front, they battled through early fractions of :23 and :46. For National Treasure, this was supposed to be the worst trip possible. He didn't make the lead and was engaged in a battle that resulted in fast fractions. Trainer Bob Baffert, watching from California, wasn't worried. “I knew there was going to be a hot pace and [Flavien] Prat and I talked about it,” Baffert said. “You can't take his speed away. You can't be worried about one horse. Just let him do his thing and he did. That's why he won.” With about five furlongs to go, Prat made the move that might have won the race for him. He backed off of Hoist the Gold, ever so slightly but enough to give his horse a quick breather. With three furlongs left, Prat called on National Treasure and he responded and went right back at Hoist the Gold. By mid-stretch he had put away Hoist the Gold and had clear sailing to the wire. But then Senor Buscador decided to make a race out of it and closed relentlessly. Another two or three jumps, he probably would have won the race. But National Treasure had enough left to hold him off. “He's very brave,” Prat said of National Treasure. Meanwhile, Hoist the Gold, the winner of the GII Cigar Mile H., was cooked in the stretch. He finished fourth, beaten 11 lengths. Baffert was non-committal when asked about National Treasure's next race, but you have to think that the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup is on his radar. If so, he would meet White Abarrio (Race Day), which would mean an early season showdown between the two best older dirt males in training. With so many top horses being retired at the end of 2023, it looked like there would be very little star power when it came to the older male dirt division this year. Maybe National Treasure can change that. Ryan Moore Does It Again European-based rider Ryan Moore turned in the ride of the day when he guided Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. He saved ground every step of the way and burst through the hole that opened up at the top of the stretch when Balladeer (Distorted Humor) drifted ever so slightly off the fence and then held off eventual Eclipse Award winner Up to the Mark (Not This Time). Moore was the reason Auguste Rodin won the race. On Saturday at Gulfstream, he gave a carbon-copy ride to Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to win the nine-furlong Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. On a horse whose biggest wins had come at a mile-and-a-half, Moore knew he couldn't afford to drop too far off the pace, so he had her positioned in third in the early going. She was third at the top of the stretch on the rail and it looked like Moore had nowhere to go. There never really was a hole, but when Maine Event (Bernardini) came out a half-path or so, Moore burst through the narrow opening and then held off a late bid from I'm Very Busy (Cloud Computing). Just as was the case in the Breeders' Cup, the horse probably doesn't win unless guided to a perfect trip by Moore. “Ryan obviously gave her an incredible ride and has done such an incredible job,” winning trainer Aidan O'Brien said. And give credit to the Coolmore team. When so many others find reasons not to run in races, this was Warm Heart's second start after she finished second in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. When it was determined that she was going to have to be in the U.S. anyway so that she could be bred to Justify, they figured why not head a ways down the road and go after the $1-million purse at Gulfstream. The win netted them $531,000. It was the perfect way to end Warm Heart's career. By the way, how did Warm Heart go off at 2.4-1, while Integration (Quality Road) was 1.2-1? Yes, Integration looked like he had a lot of potential, but had never faced older horses in a stakes race and his biggest win came in the GII Hill Prince S. Yes, Warm Heart was a filly facing boys, but her record towered over that of anyone else in the field. She was a two-time Group I winner in Europe and missed by just a neck when second in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. She should have been the favorite. Eclipse Awards It's always fun to see every year what was the dumbest vote when it comes to the Eclipse Awards. The winner this year goes to the person who voted for Kirstenbosch (Midnight Lute) in the female sprinter category. Kirstenbosch went 2-for-9 on the year and both wins came in Grade III races. That also means that someone voted for her ahead of Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper), won two Grade I's during the year, including the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) who was 3-for-3 and based on some speed figures was the fastest horse to race during the year. The post The Week in Review: National Treasure Could Be On His Way to Stardom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The first reported Thunder Moon (Ire) foal was born at Haras de Montaigu during Stallion Route weekend with three additional fillies making an appearance during the last week, announced standing stud Haras de Bouquetot via press release on Sunday. The first, a colt out of Eterea (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr})–herself a winning half-sister to multiple Group-placed Munsef (GB) (Zafonic) and Italian stakes runner Danzaya (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB})–hailing from the extended family of multiple Group 1-placed Hamish McGonagall (GB) (Namid {GB}), brought praise from Haras de Montaigu's Erwan de Chambord. “We are very pleased with this first offspring of Thunder Moon with a maiden mare. He is well-built with good bone, great limb conformation, and a very good temperament so far!” The fillies arrived in Ireland and France–the Irish-bred is a daughter of G2 Prix de Malleret winner Al Wathna (GB) (Nayef) while the French fillies arrived at Mrs. Elisabeth Ribard's Haras de la Cauviniere to SP Sporty Doll (Ity) (Pounced) and at Haras de Bourgeauville for breeder Philip Lybeck, who described her as, “A balanced filly with scope and very elegant, very much in the image of her sire.”. Thunder Moon will stand his second season at stud in 2024 for €6,000 Live Foal. The post First Foals by Thunder Moon Arrive appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Perennial leading jockey Zac Purton fired in a six-timer Sunday at Sha Tin, his best day in 15 months, but he was unable to sweeten the deal in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup. Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}), the newly crowned world's best sprinter, was the $1.35 jolly to follow up on his victory in the G1 Longines Hong Sprint Dec. 10, but he was slow through the early stages and it ultimately spelled doom, as Derek Leung walked the dog astride Victor the Winner (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) en route to a $38 boilover. Having defeated the champion sprinter in the traditional opening-day Class 1 feature over Sunday's course and distance back in September–a race run at a snail's pace in wet conditions–Victor the Winner was an on-pace fourth in December's Group 1 contest and was exiting a seventh to Whizz Kid (Aus) (Shalaa {Ire}) in Group 3 company up the 1000-metre straight Jan. 7. Accordingly sent off at rough odds Sunday, Victor the Winner nearly beat the gate and was immediately in front and was able to run leisurely sections in the lead, going the first 400 metres in :24.30 (standard :23.50) with Whizz Kid doing the chasing and Lucky Sweynesse buried back in the latter third of the field. Still traveling supremely easily on the turn, Victor the Winner got the opening 800 metres in :47.25 (standard :45.80), meaning he had plenty left when the real running started and he was never in any sort of danger in the run to the line. Hong Kong Sprint runner-up Lucky With You (Aus) (Artie Schiller) earned another top-level placing in second, while former champion Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) acquitted himself well in third. Despite a final sectional clocking of a race-fastest :21.98, Lucky Sweynesse could do no better than sixth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths. “It feels great. Thank you for the opportunity from the owner and the trainer,” said homegrown rider Derek Leung, annexing his first Group 1 since guiding Beauty Generation (NZ) in the 2017 Hong Kong Mile. “We drew an outside gate, but we flew out of the gate, so (we) took advantage and just went forward–he was quite relaxed after that and at the 500m, I knew he was going to kick very strong. Very lucky, it was a win.” Winning trainer Danny Shum, who sent Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) to Australia to land the G1 Cox Plate last October, has a potential overseas target in mind for Victor the Winner, namely the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Mar. 24. “I entered him in Japan over 1200m, so I will see how he pulls up and then decide if I keep him in Hong Kong or send him to Japan in March,” Shum said. “I've considered Japan for a long time, because it's a left-hand turn. In the morning, his left-hand turn is better than his right-hand turn, so we have to give him a chance overseas.” Of the beaten favourite, Purton told South China Morning Post: “He just couldn't get going early and that's his Achilles' heel. Some days he just can't show any gate speed, which was the case today. Once all the horses got their spot, they just slammed on the brakes and he was back in a bad spot. There is not much you can do about it.” Super effort, Derek Leung! That's a first Group 1 since Beauty Generation's 2017 @LONGINES Hong Kong Mile triumph… #SpeedSeries | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/b1W7Rlrwe8 — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 28, 2024 Pedigree Notes: Victor the Winner is the 35th stakes winner and 13th group/graded winner for Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado, now the sire of five elite-level scorers worldwide. Swettenham purchased the stakes-placed Noetic for A$100,000 from the Patinack Farm dispersal in September 2013 and the mare produced her first foal for Adam Sangster about a month later. A half-sister to the dual stakes-placed Starlight Lady (Aus) (Fantastic Light), Noetic is the dam of three winners from five to the races and her most recent produce is a yearling filly by Swettenham's I Am Immortal (Aus), who was purchased for A$5,500 in utero from the 2022 Inglis June Online Sale. The filly was s bought back on a bid of A$150,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Sale last June. According to the Australian Stud Book, Noetic passed away Mar. 2, 2023. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong CENTENARY SPRINT CUP-G1, HK$13,000,000, Sha Tin, 1-28, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:09.43, gd. 1–VICTOR THE WINNER (AUS), 126, g, 5, by Toronado (Ire) 1st Dam: Noetic (Aus) (SP-Aus), by Cape Cross (Ire) 2nd Dam: Dancing Starlight, by Atticus 3rd Dam: Night and Dreams, by Fappiano 1ST STAKES WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (A$180,000 Ylg '20 INGMAR). O-Chu Yun Lau; B-Adam Sangster (Vic); T-Danny Shum; J-Derek Leung; HK$7,280,000. Lifetime Record: 14-7-2-0, HK$19,744,025. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Lucky With You (Aus), 126, g, 6, Artie Schiller–Heredera (Aus), by Northern Meteor (Aus). (A$130,000 Ylg '19 INGMAR). O-Vincent Leung Man Him; B-Emirates Park Pty Ltd (NSW); T-Frankie Lor; J-Andrea Atzeni; HK$2,730,000. 3–Wellington (Aus), 126, g, 7, All Too Hard (Aus)–Mihiri (Aus), by More Than Ready. (A$70,000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Mr & Mrs Michael Cheng Wing On & Jeffrey Cheng Man Cheong; B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd, David Paradise, Steve McCann (NSW); T-Jamie Richards; J-Hugh Bowman; HK$1,495,000. Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 37-1, 19-1, 6-1. Also Ran: Son Pak Fu (Aus), Flying Ace (NZ), Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), Taj Dragon (Ire), Whizz Kid (Aus), Packing Treadmill (Aus), Courier Wonder (NZ), Duke Wai (NZ), Sight Success (Aus), Super Wealthy (Aus). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. The post Victor the Winner Goes All The Way In Centenary Sprint Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

We've never had it so bad, apparently. That of course depends on whether you're a glass-half-full or half-empty kind of person. Mine has been mostly empty so far in 2024, of the good stuff at least, but the swapping of a decent claret for chai tea has not lowered the spirits as much as might have been imagined at the start of January. In fact, optimism levels are running high in this very small corner of Newmarket at present. For a start we have made it through storms Isha and Jocelyn with the loss of only one roof tile and a fence panel. There were no loose horses or fallers, and there has been no ice under the hooves of the fresh horses just back from their winter holidays. These sound like minor considerations, but in a small stable, when the horses who live below and the staff who come in every day to ride them feel like family members, every day that passes without dramatic incident is a good day. Don't get me wrong, I don't skip around every minute of the day being irritatingly upbeat. I have grave concerns over the way racing is heading in some areas, particularly that so many people seem willing to gamble on trading horses but have no interest in racing them. With little acknowledgement of their importance to the Levy, the paltry level of funding for lower-tier races is making it increasingly unsustainable for many of the sport's smaller participants to continue and is in part deterring others to get involved. It is becoming harder not to conclude that there is now no place for the small breeder, the small owner or the small trainer with their lesser horses. That would be a shame. In the long history of sport, fans have deified the very best, and rightly so. We all need a Pele, a Piggott, a Klopp or a Cecil to sprinkle a little magic. But the sporting public also loves an underdog. Only recently, the exploits of Hewick on Boxing Day reminded us of this. And I long to see another horse of the ilk of Sergeant Cecil or Speciosa in the hands of trainers whose talents lack only the supply of horses. For a start, what a story. Fresh faces, a new narrative. And then there's the knock-on effect; the hope brought to others in a similar situation, that encouragement to roll the dice. Racing has always been built on dreams. People come and people go, and new people replace them with that same old dream. Retention is important, of course, and it is hard not to look upon last week's announcement from Andrew and Gemma Brown of Caldwell Construction with anything other than concern. Here are owners who have enjoyed major success, with some exciting young National Hunt prospects on their hands, withdrawing from racing and dispersing their stock, apparently following three recent fatalities among their string. One can sympathise with the Browns while wondering how long jump racing will be tolerated by the general public, particularly in Britain. Among the other issues of the day are prize-money, concerns over Britain and Ireland becoming nurseries for other racing nations with deeper pockets, and the hoovering up of top-class stallion prospects by our friends in Japan. Well, guess what. None of this is new. 'No Racing and no Money as 1968 comes in' ran the cheery headline on the editorial leader in the February 1968 edition of Stud And Stable. Britain was then in the grip of a foot-and-mouth epidemic which had halted racing during the previous December (the same disease later caused the cancellation of the Cheltenham Festival of 2001). Remarkably, the December Sales of 1967 had been permitted to go ahead by the government under strict protocols and they recorded some notable returns despite some epidemic-enforced withdrawals. Sound familiar? Vaguely Noble sold for a record 136,000 guineas, and he was far from the only high-priced lot to fall into the hands of owners from overseas. The gloomy leader stated, “Already supported by racing programmes that justified the payment of high prices, French and American buyers were afforded a field day.” It continued, “Throughout the century, England and Ireland have acted as a storehouse from which to supply the world's Thoroughbred requirements. This year's December Sales raised more dramatically than ever the question of how long we shall be able to go on doing so unless we can increase our prizes and keep the best at home.” These words, written 56 years ago, could so easily have been penned today. Elsewhere in the same magazine there was a short report on the sale of the stallions Larkspur and Hard Ridden to Japan, which began, “Following on from the rather alarming foreign purchases of the top lots at the Newmarket December Sales comes news of the export to Japan of two Derby winners.” Again, this has a familiar ring of recency to it (as did an advertisement in the same edition for Rathduff Stud's promising young stallion by the name of Cracksman). In fact, the only thing that felt a little different in this edition of Stud And Stable from 1968 was a photograph of the packed stands at the Curragh in an advert for the Irish Sweeps Derby which boasted of the higher average prices of yearlings with Irish Derby entries. Just don't tell Patrick Cooper or he might write another letter. Over the years we have had epidemics of the human and bovine variety temporarily halt racing in its tracks. It would have felt catastrophic at the time, and the worry of the months of April and May 2020 in particular is still fresh in the mind. Somehow, though, this industry bounces back, often stronger than ever. Racing limped on, restricted and reduced, through the far graver years of the Second World War. The Derby and the Oaks were run at Newmarket, but at least they took place. It must be said that the influential owner-breeders of the day played a major role in persuading the government that a certain amount of racing must continue for the morale of the people, not to mention the important continuation and testing of the breed on the racecourse. And yet even in those desperate times we find in the Bloodstock Breeders' Review similar buoyancy at the sales, which is quite staggering considering what was taking place in the real world. A report written in the sixth year of war concluded, “Bloodstock Sales in 1944 showed the highest aggregate ever known…The December Sales results alone beat all hitherto established records…The same story is to be recorded regarding the Dublin Sales. All records were surpassed by the results in 1944.” I've lost track of the times I've reported on a “record-breaking” sale over the last decade. Of course the vitality of the bloodstock market should not be confused with the overall health of racing. As stated, an increased number of people treat the sales like the stock market and are not involved beyond that, while plenty of money that changes hand comes from foreign investors. That's not all bad though. We have always needed international interest in our bloodstock market, and the breed itself needs it. Many of those investors hail from countries which are not conducive to the breeding and rearing of horses, and the fact that the green and pleasant lands of Britain and Ireland are ideally suited to that pursuit has not gone unnoticed by those from overseas who have decided to establish their own breeding operations in this part of the world. And yes, to a degree, it is facetious to imply that little has changed. Glancing through those old books and magazines, the most telling difference is that there were once so many small, independent studs that each stood a stallion or two. Now, many have been subsumed by those major investors whose breeding operations have become empires. Whether that is good or bad is almost a moot point. It's different, but we still have the choice of a large range of stallions, with many of the best in the world standing in these isles. None of this means that we can simply think all is well and turn to complacency. Those quickly expanding racing programmes in the Middle East will need more and more horses to meet their demands, at a rate and standard which exceeds the potential of their local breeding industries. In part that is good news for European breeders, but it may well prove detrimental to racing here. A personal gripe is how much owners appear to be encouraged to sell on a horse as soon as it shows a glimmer of talent. Obviously lucrative offers are hard to turn down, and horses can suddenly be lame in the blink of an eye, so this isn't pointing the finger of blame at anyone who has cashed in. But what happened to that dream? Isn't it what drew people in in the first place, the chance to race a top horse? There really is nothing like the thrill of being connected to a winner, whether in a syndicate or as a sole owner-breeder. That's the dream we should be selling, for no get-rich-quick scheme can equal that high. The politics of racing can certainly detract from our enjoyment of the sport if we let it. So it's time to stop doom-scrolling. Put down your phone and get yourself out to a paddock or a racecourse to marvel at the beauty of the Thoroughbred. The start of the Flat turf season is now but two months away and the foaling barns are once again filling up with the stars of the future. If we get it right now and treat these wonderful creatures with the respect they deserve throughout their lives, then there is hope that in another 80 years the bloodstock journalists of the future will be writing about yet more sales records and why the Irish Derby should remain at a mile and a half. The post Cheer Up, It Might Never Happen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Star local jockey could miss four to six weeks after nasty midweek tumble, while Australian rider walks away from incident at Sha Tin on SundayView the full article