Wandering Eyes

What Randwick Races Where Royal Randwick Racecourse – Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031 When Saturday, January 27, 2024 First Race 12:30pm AEDT Visit Dabble Randwick is the destination for metropolitan racing this Saturday, with a bumper 10-race program set for decision. The rail moves out +9m between the 1000m marker to the winning post, while the remainder of the rail is out +6m. The weather is improving across the region, with strong winds drying off the course proper, so we anticipate the track to sit in the Good range for race-day. The opening race is scheduled to get underway at 12:30pm AEDT. Best Bet at Randwick: Glory Daze Glory Daze was impressive when producing two victories in his first Australian campaign and almost returned to the winner’s enclosure first-up at this course and distance on December 16. The son of Cotai Glory didn’t initially look as though he was going to figure in the finish on that occasion, as the five-year-old had to lift himself off the canvas, only being headed in the shadows of the post. That race has produced three subsequent winners, with two of those coming at stakes grade. It appears to be the strongest form for this BM88 contest, and provided Glory Daze has taken a step forward in the preparation after a month between runs, he must be considered the one to beat. Best Bet Race 4 – #1 Glory Daze (6) 5yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Nash Rawiller (61kg) +105 with PlayUp Next Best at Randwick: Ucalledit Ucalledit will resume from a 161-day spell in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m), and in our opinion, seems to be missed in the market. The double figures on offer with top horse racing bookmakers is too good to pass up after saluting at this track and trip at on two occasions last preparation. Both those wins were at Listed level, and the recent barrier trial at Newcastle on January 5 was enough to suggest the son of Zacinto is wound-up for this event. The Kris Lee-trained galloper has a strong first-up profile and we’re more than happy to have an each-way ticket on this returning six-year-old. Next Best Race 7 – #2 Ucalledit (8) 6yo Gelding | T: Kris Lees | J: Dylan Gibbons (59.5kg) +900 with Neds Best Value at Randwick: Almania There seems to be real intent first-up for Almania as he looks to return over 2000m after 315 days off the scene. He was made to win his latest jump-out at Newcastle on January 5, with the gelding by Australia rolling forward and kicking clear by a half-length on the wire. He should get an economical run from gate three on Saturday, and with form lines from last preparation that read much better than BM88 quality, we’re convinced that Almania can only run well to kick-off his third Australian campaign with Kris Lees. Best Value Race 6 – #1 Almania (3) 8yo Gelding | T: Kris Lees | J: Dylan Gibbons (59kg) +1700 with Bet365 Saturday quaddie tips for Randwick Randwick quadrella selections Saturday, January 27, 2024 1-2-4-8-12 3-8-10-11 1-2-3-6-13-14 1-2-3-5-7 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

What Karaka Millions Day 2024 Where Ellerslie Racecourse – 100 Ascot Avenue, Remuera, Auckland 1051, New Zealand When Saturday, January 27, 2024 First Race 4:19pm NZDT (2:19pm AEDT) Visit Dabble New Zealand racing’s biggest day, the Karaka Millions meeting returns to Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday where a stacked six-race program awaits. The Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) headline proceedings, with black-type races accompanying the lucrative affairs. Perfect conditions should greet punters, with the track rated a Good 4 at the time of acceptances, with the rail in the true position. Karaka Millions Day is set to commence at 4:19pm local time. Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections for Karaka Millions Day 2024 Race 1: Group 3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) Karaka Millions Day kicks off with the Group 3 Almanzor Trophy over 1200m where the last-start Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) victor Crocetti resumes from a brief spell. Unbeaten through six starts and already a Group 1 winner, the three-year-old gelding is without a doubt one of the more promising prospects in New Zealand, and is clearly the best horse in this race. Drawn barrier three, Warren Kennedy will take the son of Zacinto to the front, and despite there being a few natural leaders in the race, we expect Crocetit to dominate proceedings in the opener. Selections: 1 CROCETTI 5 MERCHANT QUEEN 4 STAR OF JUSTICE 7 EGYPTIAN QUEEN Race 2: Group 3 Concorde Handicap (1200m) Imwonderfultonight was beaten less than a length in fourth in the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) last time out, and as she steps back to Group 3 company, she looks hard to go past. She gains our best bet tag, with a couple of others being far too short to tip you into, but she has the runs on the board to suggest she will be winning. The I Am Invincible mare was beaten a lip in Listed company two runs back by Maria Farina, and her form prior to that reads really well heading into the Concorde Handicap. From barrier one, we expect Joe Doyle will have her in a stalking position throughout, from where she can produce a strong turn of foot and finish the best. Selections: 4 IMWONDERFULTONIGHT 2 ROMANCING THE MOON 1 MAVEN BELLE 8 DAZZLED Best Bet Race 2 – #4 Imwonderfultonight (1) 5yo Mare | T: Sam Mynott | J: Joe Doyle (57kg) +400 with Picklebet Race 3: Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m) Maria Farina was a horror watch for those on the mare in the Group 1 Telegraph last time out, and can right those wrongs in the Group 2 Westbury Classic. The Darryn & Briar Weatherley-trained mare was well beaten in the Group 1 Railway (1200m) two runs back, but her win the start prior over Imwonderfultonight has her right in the calculations for this race. The Contributer mare needs a genuine tempo over the 1400m, which is what she should get considering the amount of known leaders in the event. She will be close to last on the home turn, but armed with a thunderous turn of foot, we expect Maria Farina will prove too hard to hold out. Selections: 5 MARIA FARINA 8 EXPRESS YOURSELF 14 LUBERON 1 LA CRIQUE Best Value Race 3 – #5 Maria Farina (6) 6yo Mare | T: Darryn & Briar Weatherley | J: Sam Weatherley (56kg) +1200 with Neds Race 4: Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) Having won in impressive fashion over the Ellerslie 1200m on January 14, we’re confident So Naive from the Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley barn can cause an upset in the Karaka Millions 2YO. The two-year-old colt simply did too much when returning in Group 2 company first-up when well beaten by some of his rivals he faces on Saturday, but the son of US Navy Flag showed that once he settles in his races, his finishing burst is up there with some of the best at his age level. With plenty of pressure expected in the race, we’re confident So Naive can absorb that pressure from a midfield position, and when asked to quicken, he has what it takes to cause a boilover in the juvenile feature. Selections: 2 SO NAIVE 4 COOL ‘N’ FAST 11 VELOCIOUS 7 WHEN STARS ALIGN Karaka Millions 2YO Race 4 – #2 So Naive (8) 2yo Colt | T: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | J: Joe Doyle (57kg) +1500 with Bet365 Race 5: Aotearoa Classic (1600m) Legarto is a genuine superstar in New Zealand and she showed all of her class when smashing a similar field to what she faces on Saturday at the Ellersie 1400m on January 14. The two-time Group 1 winner managed to round up her rivals in dominant fashion when fresh, with an undefeated record when second-up, it is hard to see how her rivals turn the tables on her. Ryan Elliot will have her in clear air towards the rear of the field from barrier seven, and when he asks for her to quicken, Legarto should put this race away in a couple of strides, and in doing so, book her spot in the All Star Mile (1600m). Selections: 12 LEGARTO 1 SHARP ‘N’ SMART 5 HOLYMANZ 3 SACRED SATONO Race 6: Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) The closer on Saturday is the $1.5million Karaka Millions 3YO, and we’re happy to side with Pendragon. The three-year-old gelding from the Mike Moroney & Pam Gerard barn proved too hard to run down in the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on December 26. He is a natural leader, and despite being challenged in the home straight, he refused to give in to Quintessa’s challenge and prevailed in smart fashion. He maps to get a relatively uncontested lead under Mark Zahra, and from barrier four, the US Navy Flag will have this race run to his liking. With his main rivals giving him a massive start from the rear of the field, we’re confident Pendragon can pinch a winning break and prove too hard to run down. Selections: 1 PENDRAGON 12 ORCHESTRAL 10 MOLLY BLOOM 2 TOKYO TYCOON Karaka Millions 3YO Race 6 – #1 Pendragon (4) 3yo Gelding | T: Mike Moroney & Pam Gerard | J: Mark Zahra (57kg) +650 with Dabble Ellerslie quaddie tips – Karaka Millions Day 2024 Ellerslie quadrella selections Saturday, January 27, 2024 1-5-8-14 1-2-4-7-11 1-12 1-2-10-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

What Ascot Races Where Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 When Saturday, January 27, 2024 First Race 1:08pm AWST Visit Dabble Feature racing will return to Ascot Racecourse this Saturday afternoon, where the Listed Scenic Blast Stakes will headline the nine-race card. Typical warm and dry conditions are forecast for Perth on Friday and Saturday, with a perfect Good 4 surface expected for the whole meeting. The rail will be pushed out to the +9m position for the entire circuit, which should see the track play favourably to on-speed runners. The opening race at Ascot will jump at 1:08pm AWST. Scenic Blast Stakes Tip: Gemma’s Son Gemma’s Son will enter the Scenic Blast Stakes third-up for this preparation, coming off a runner-up finish in the Listed Miss Andretti Stakes behind the talented Wild Belle. Since that run, this gelding has changed trainers to Embroja-Lee Altieri from David Harrison. Although this son of Snippetson was beaten at his most recent start, he was made to work wide around the home turn and lacked a strong finish. From barrier one on Saturday, Joseph Azzopardi should be able to lob in the box seat, get all the favours on the inside, and burst through late to claim a deserving win. Scenic Blast Stakes Race 8 – #8 Gemma’s Son (1) 6yo Gelding | T: Embroja-Lee Altieri | J: Joseph Azzopardi (54kg) +1000 with Picklebet Best Bet at Ascot: Autumn Rebel Autumn Rebel made it two wins on the bounce at Pinjarra on December 30, where the Darren McAuliffe-trained colt won as a long odds-on favourite over 1700m. After settling off the rail and just behind the speed, Clint Johnston-Porter had to get busy on this guy, but he responded quickly, as he ran to the lead at the 150m mark and won easily. This son of The Autumn Sun has won three of his last four starts, which were the first three victories of his career. With him stepping up in distance to 1800m with Johnston-Porter sticking, we expect Autumn Rebel to prove too good once again and bring up a hattrick of wins. Best Bet Race 5 – #10 Autumn Rebel (9) 3yo Colt | T: Darren McAuliffe | J: Clint Johnston-Porter (55kg) +100 with Playup Next Best at Ascot: King’s Parade Darren McAuliffe and Clint Johnston-Porter will combine once again in the following race with King’s Parade, who is also seeking a hattrick of wins after recording narrow victories in his past two. At his most recent start, this son of Impending ran home from midfield to nab Rocket Juice in the shadows of the post due to a strong finishing burst over the final 200m. From barrier five, Johnston-Porter will attempt to get this guy into a similar mid-field position off the rail and allow him to build his momentum on the home turn. If King’s Parade can let down with that turn of foot again, he will prove hard to beat again. Next Best Race 6 – #9 King’s Parade (5) 3yo Gelding | T: Darren McAuliffe | J: Clint Johnston-Porter (56.5kg) +300 with Neds Best Value at Ascot: Fashion Stakes Fashion Stakes recorded her first victory of the preparation at her most recent start, defeating a small field of rivals over 1500m at this track on December 28. The Neville Parnham-trained mare settled on speed and followed the leader every step of the way before letting down with a strong finish to take over and win by just under one length. With little to no speed in this contest on Saturday, Chris Parnham can push forward, settle in the first four, and build into the final 400m before letting down strong. If Fashion Stakes can get across the field without doing too much work, she can give a good sight at double figures with online bookmakers. Best Value Race 3 – #9 Fashion Stakes (11) 4yo Mare | T: Neville Parnham | J: Chris Parnham (55.5kg) +900 with Dabble Saturday quaddie tips for Ascot races Ascot quadrella selections Saturday, January 27, 2024 1-5-6-9 2-7-8-9 3-4-6-8 6-9-11 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Some real X factor’s been confirmed for Monday’s Cross Code Challenge at Cambridge Raceway. The $40,000 Group 3 Waikato Trotting Breeders Stakes is the day’s feature and in between races the Cross Code Challenge will be held, with Team Standardbred taking on Team Thoroughbred. Included in the schedule is a dual sulky race that will see some great match-ups. Star jockey Opie Bosson and gun driver Zachary Butcher have been paired in one dual sulky, and will take on the likes of the Group 1 winners (jockey) Ryan Elliot and (driver) Dylan Ferguson, the girl power team of Crystal Hackett and Elen Nicholas, and “The Chief” David Butcher and NZ Thoroughbred Racing Chief Executive Bruce Sharrock. “It’s taken a fair bit of organising but we are happy with how it’s come together,” says Challenge organiser Jo Stevens, “and should be just so much fun.” Elliot will also take part in the Dunstan Horse Feeds Battle of the Breeds, which is an integral part of the Cross Code Challenge. It’s the third time the event’s been held and it features standardbreds and thoroughbreds in three different disciplines. They will be judged in-hand, then on their paces and manners, before being put over the fences (hunter jumping). Elliot will ride On the Rocks, a nine-year-old who was a more than half million dollar earner on the track. Among his Group victories was the Group 1 Herbie Dyke in 2019. Having been retired, the grey gelding is now with Stevens, a well known figure in Waikato horse circles. A harness racing trainer (and partner of Dylan Ferguson) she is also heavily involved in rehoming horses as well as marketing and social media, with her own very successful Track Chat Facebook page. Eliot will be joined in Team Thoroughbred by : Linda Wheeler and Sassenach Anna Jones and The Judge Dana Genefaas with El Disparo Team Standardbred is led by Dunstan Horse Feeds Marketing Manager Paxton Conder and the dual gaited Comedy Act, who won two races (one trotting, one pacing) for Tim Hall. Connor will be joined in Team Standardbred by : Lexi Nolan and eight race winner No Way Else Gemma Lovewell and Painted Black, who won three before being retired in 2013 Felicia Thomsen and Saul Good, who only raced twice before being retired There will also be an exhibition Monte trot race for standardbreds under saddle that will feature, among others, well-known harness racing driver Sailesh Abernethy. “We’ve had some great crowds at this before and one of best things is we get people along to Cambridge that wouldn’t normally go to harness racing meetings,” says Stevens. For regular updates go to Cambridge Raceway’s Facebook page. View the full article

Coolmore's Ashford Stud will enter breeders who have booked mares to Corniche, Epicenter, Jack Christopher, or Tiz the Law into drawings to award four no-guarantee nominations to Justify in a promotion called “THE JUSTIFY 4.” There will be a separate drawing for each of the four stallions, with one no-guarantee nomination awarded among each pool, for a total of four. The drawing will be held on Apr. 26. The farm said that the event was being held “to celebrate Justify's phenomenal year in 2023.” Justify is the cumulative leading third-crop sire by earnings in a group that includes strong competition from sires including Good Magic, Bolt d'Oro, Mendelssohn, and City of Light. He was the leading second-crop sire of 2023, not only by earnings, but in every black-type category. His six individual Grade I winners equaled the annual combined total of the rest of his crop year. His appeal is global; in 2023 alone, he was the sire of dual Grade I winner Just F Y I, the favorite to be named Champion Juvenile Filly; Hard to Justify, the winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf; Opera Singer, winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac; Aspen Grove (Ire), winner of the GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational S.; Arabian Lion, winner of the GI Woody Stephens S.; and City of Troy, winner of the G1 Dewhurst S. Already in 2024, his Storm Boy (Aus) has won the A$3-million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic in Australia. “In a very competitive market, we hoped that this promotion would remind breeders of the incredible potential and upside of our younger stallions,” said Coolmore's Charlie O'Connor. “And who better to remind them of that than Justify? This is an amazing opportunity for breeders to use these stallions who are all Grade I winners on dirt. “Justify has enjoyed a sensational year,” continued O'Connor. “He's the first sire in North America since Mr Prospector to sire four Grade I-winning juveniles in a single season. His two Breeders' Cup winners are amongst the three finalists for Champion 2-Year-Old Filly at the upcoming Eclipse Awards, City of Troy and Opera Singer have been crowned European Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and European Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, while Ramatuelle was crowned French Champion 2-Year-Old. And if all that's not enough, he was also Champion First-Crop Sire in Australia. We think 'THE JUSTIFY 4' concept is a novel idea which is sure to catch the imagination of breeders given four seasons to this great stallion are up for grabs.” Justify's 2024 stud fee was initially listed at $200,000, but was later switched to private. The terms and conditions of the event are as follows: For each qualifying mare contracted to any of the four stallions by Apr. 26, 2024, a ticket will be entered with no limit on the number of tickets per client. One ticket will be drawn for each of the four stallions with the prize being a no-guarantee 2024 season to Justify in each case. The mare nominated must be approved and fit for breeding purposes. Mares over 17 or barren for the last two years are excluded. The qualifying mare must be bred before the nominated mare can be bred by Justify. All Coolmore employees and related parties are ineligible for these draws as are any of the partners in the participating stallions. In the event of a dispute, Coolmore is the final arbitrator. Corniche, Epicenter, and Jack Christopher are all standing their second season at stud with first weanlings arriving now. Corniche is the Breeders' Cup-winning Champion Juvenile; Epicenter is the Eclipse Award winning Champion 3-Year-Old and Travers winner; and Jack Christopher is a three-time Grade I winner. Tiz the Law was a Grade I-winning 2-year-old who went on to win the GI Florida Derby, Belmont S., and Travers S. He has first 2-year-olds this year. To participate in this draw, breeders may call the following Coolmore connections: M.V. Magnier, 011-353-86-821-6827; Dermot Ryan, 859-333-2562; Aisling Duignan, 859-333-2566; Charlie O'Connor, 859-333-2066; Adrian Wallace, 859-327-8302; Robyn Murray, 859-619-8770; Michael Norris, 859-753-1521; Blaise Benjamin, 859-333-2591; Charles Hynes, 859-753-3736; David O'Loughlin, 011-353-86-249-0821; or Christy Grassick, 001-353-86-255-1126. The post Novel Promotion Rewards Coolmore Breeders with Justify Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What Moonee Valley Races Where Moonee Valley Racecourse – 1 McPherson St, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039 When Saturday, January 27, 2024 First Race 12:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble Black-type racing returns to Moonee Valley on Saturday afternoon as the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) headlines the bumper 10-race program. $350,000 is on the line in Saturday’s feature, with a field of 11 accepting looking to claim Stakes success with Group 1 races just around the corner. Perfect conditions are set to greet punters, with the track coming up a Good 4, and the rail in its true position. Australia Stakes Top Tip: Recommendation Despite being on the second line of betting with top horse racing bookmakers, it is hard to go past Recommendation in the Australia Stakes. The four-year-old from the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace barn finished second in Listed company at Canterbury on January 1, and based on his form so far this campaign looks to be well-placed here. The son of Shalaa has a win and a narrow runner-up result in both of his starts at The Valley, and with four wins and three minor placings to his name from eight starts at the 1200m, he is clearly suited to the conditions. From barrier 10, look for John Allen to have him settled in the first half of the field, hopefully with some cover. Recommendation has a strong turn of foot, and considering a few of his key rivals want to get out over further, he might just prove too slick for them in the Australia Stakes. Australia Stakes Race 9 – #3 Recommendation (10) 4yo Gelding | T: Patrick Payne | J: Billy Egan (61kg) +360 with Bet365 Best Bet at Moonee Valley: Pereille Our best bet of the day at Moonee Valley comes up in the final race of the day as Godolphin’s Pereille returns to Moonee Valley second-up from a spell. The four-year-old gelding returned with a smart first-up run over 1200m at Rosehill, and as he comes back the Victorian way, he is poised to return to the winner’s stall. He put in two strong performances at The Valley last campaign, producing the best run of the day from the back when finishing second on a track that favoured leaders, before coming out and making a mess of his rivals at the same track and trip he competes at on Saturday. Damian Lane will have Pereille settled towards the rear of the field and with plenty of early speed engaged, the race sets up perfectly for Pereille to blouse his rivals. Best Bet Race 10 – #6 Pereille (10) 4yo Gelding | T: James Cummings | J: Damian Lane (58kg) +150 with Picklebet Next Best at Moonee Valley: Tango Jewel Tango Jewel has finished second at all three starts this campaign, but as she gets to Moonee Valley for the first time in her career, we think she will take some catching. The Winning Rupert mare is a natural leader, and from barrier four on Saturday, she will do no work to find the rail under Craig Williams. The mare has only been gunned down in the final 100m at each start of this campaign, but with race fitness on her side, we’re confident Tango Jewel can run her rivals off their feet and prove too hard to run down and bring up an overdue win. Next Best Race 5 – #10 Tango Jewel (4) 4yo Mare | T: Jamie Edwards | J: Craig Williams (55.5kg) +600 with Dabble Best Value at Moonee Valley: Quite The Lass Quite The Lass was an impressive Wangaratta BM64 winner on January 11, and the five-year-old mare looks capable of causing an upset in BM70 company on Saturday. The Helmet mare gave her rivals a start and a beating last time out, and a repeat effort in a race like this has her fighting out the finish. With a genuinely run 1600m even expected, the race sets up perfectly for Quite The Lass to build through her gears in the final 500m. With a well-timed sprint under Celine Gaudray, Quite The Lass is going to prove tough too hold out at a double-figure price. Best Value Race 2 – #5 Quite The Lass (8) 5yo Mare | T: David Brideoake & Matt Jenkins | J: Celine Gaudray (a1.5) (58.5kg) +1400 with Neds Saturday quaddie tips for Moonee Valley races Moonee Valley quadrella selections Saturday, January 27, 2024 3-7-10 1-5-7 3-8 6-7-8 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

What Sunshine Coast Cup Day Where Sunshine Coast Turf Club – 170 Pierce Ave, Caloundra QLD 4551 When Saturday, January 27, 2024 First Race 12:13pm AEST Visit Dabble The Listed Sunshine Coast Cup will headline the massive 10-race card at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club on Saturday afternoon. With the track rated a Soft 5 on Thursday and very little rain forecast for Saturday, we expect that the track will improve into the Good range and see us race on a perfect surface for the whole meeting. The rail will be in the +3m position for the entire circuit, with the opening race on Sunshine Coast Cup Day set to jump at 12:13pm AEST. Sunshine Coast Cup Tip: Essone The feature race of the day represents a very good chance for the Richard Litt-trained Essone to break through for a deserving victory at her fifth start this time in. Recently, this five-year-old mare has been racing well without much luck at all. This daughter of Reliable Man was very unlucky in the Listed Nudgee Stakes when she ran up the rail and was blocked for a run by the eventual winner, Lady Laguna, who has since won again. From barrier five, Justin Huxtable should be able to settle off the rail and slightly worse than midfield. With even luck in the final 400m, Essone can run over the top of the leaders late with a strong finishing burst. Sunshine Coast Cup Race 8 – #6 Essone (5) 5yo Mare | T: Richard Litt | J: Justin Huxtable (56kg) +550 with Dabble Best Bet at Sunshine Coast: Bossed Up After returning with two impressive wins to kick off this preparation, Bossed Up missed the kick in the Magic Millions Syndicate at weight-for-age level last start, which saw him never contest the race. Even though the Tony Gollan-trained gelding was beaten 5.4 lengths behind Derry Grove, he was only 2.5 lengths off third place in a bunched finish. This son of Better Than Ready will appreciate the drop in grade and distance on Saturday. James Orman will jump back aboard, and if he can get this guy to jump better from barrier six, Bossed Up should prove very hard to beat. Best Bet Race 5 – #2 Bossed Up (6) 3yo Gelding | T: Tony Gollan | J: James Orman (59kg) +110 with Picklebet Next Best at Sunshine Coast: Solar Apex Solar Apex returned from a 26-week spell at Doomben on January 10, where the Jack Bruce-trained gelding ran on from midfield to go down in a tight finish behind Hollywood North over 1350m. First-up, this six-year-old gelding was given a great ride from barrier one but lacked the race fitness of the winner; however, he ran through the line strong enough to suggest a step up in trip would be ideal. This son of Deep Impact will get exactly that on Saturday, where he will be second-up and would have taken a lot of benefit from his fresh performance. With the aid of Cejay Graham’s 1.5kg claim and a good barrier (5), Solar Apex should go very close. Next Best Race 4 – #1 Solar Apex (5) 6yo Gelding | T: Jack Bruce | J: Cejay Graham (a1.5) (62kg) +450 with PlayUp Best Value at Sunshine Coast: Winburn Winburn will return to his home track on Saturday, coming off a narrow victory over Shamrock Lu at Ipswich over 1100m on January 13. The Stuart Kendrick-trained gelding settled on speed and appeared as though he had run his race 200m from home before kicking back strongly to claim a tight photo finish. Stepping up in distance to 1200m looks like the right choice for this son of Shooting To Win, who has a strong record at this track and trip (5:3-0-1). From barrier 10, Ryan Wiggins will have to push forward, and he should land in the one-one behind the leaders. If Winburn can get moving on the home turn and hit the front early in the straight, he will prove hard to run down late. Best Value Race 9 – #8 Windburn (10) 5yo Gelding | T: Stuart Kendrick | J: Ryan Wiggins (56kg) +1500 with Neds Saturday quaddie tips for the Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast quadrella selections Saturday, January 27, 2024 1-2-6 3-5-6-13 1-5-8-9-12 2-7-9-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

When the IEAH stable partnership closed down in 2013, it seemed like the sport had seen the last of its founder, Michael Iavarone. But after four years on the sidelines Iavarone returned as the solo owner of a small group of horses in 2017. Since, he has built his stable into a top outfit, as evidenced by the fact that he will have a starter in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational in O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) and in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational in Master Piece (Chi) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). What brought Iavarone back to the sport, what are his goals and what on earth is the story with the crazy outfits he wears when he shows up at the track? Those were some of the questions we had for Iavarone when he appeared on this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland. Iavarone was this week's Green Group Guest of the week. “So when I left in 2013, obviously I ran a syndicate at the time and we were unwinding the syndicate but I always wanted to essentially come back,” Iavarone said. “I just didn't know when, but I wanted to come back, just not as a syndicate. I wanted to come back with only my own money and have a couple partners. Very much low key, more for the entertainment than a business side of it. So I had to wait for the right time. I went back into the securities industry for an extended period of time. In 2017, I talked it over with my wife and we felt the time was good for a reentry point. So that's when we dipped the toe in, per se.” Michael Iavarone Joins the TDN Writers' Room from Thoroughbred Daily News on Vimeo. He said he never enjoyed having the responsibilities that go hand in hand with running a big syndicate. One of his worst memories was having to tell the partners that I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even) was being scratched the morning of the 2009 GI Kentucky Derby. “I can tell you that having a conversation with 125 or 150 people that day was so incredibly difficult that at no moment did I get a chance to even accept or even understand myself what just happened,” he said. “It felt like the worst thing in the world for them. And it was one of the worst things in the world for me to have to tell them why we're being scratched. And from that moment forward, it kind of sucked the life out of me because nobody cared or asked me the question, why did the horse scratch? Is the horse okay? It was more of a question of what does that mean to us financially? What does it mean to my investment? What does it mean to my money? And I would say to them, I can't control that. I'm not going to put a racehorse on the racetrack that has the opportunity or even the remote possibility of breaking down. Nobody really cared about that.” And his outfits? In his IEAH days Iavarone looked and dressed like a Wall Streeter, wearing expensive and conservative suits. Now, he shows up in outfits that look like he stole them from Elvis Presley or maybe Michael Jackson. There are the jump suits, the bling, the deep tan and the ever present sunglasses. “When I met my wife, she was very much into fashion,” Iavarone said. “So I first tried on something that I thought was kind of outrageous and ridiculous. I was against wearing it out, but I did anyway. I got some compliments. Some people looked at me like I was crazy, but I started to grow more comfortable with it. I felt like I could express myself in an older age. When I was younger I felt like I needed to be molded. I'm comfortable in my skin and I feel like it's fun. I know some people don't like it. Some people, they love it. The good news is I don't have to answer anybody anymore. That's the best part of not being part of a syndicate. So I can kind of do it my way. I feel like the way I dress now and go to the racetrack, it's all about fun.” In the stallion spotlight segments, the podcast featured Coolmore's Epicenter (Not This Time), who stands for a fee of $40,000. The focus was also on Always Dreaming (Bodemeister), who stands at WinStar for $5,000. His best son, Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) was this week's Fastest Horse of the Week. He ran a 105 Beyer in his victory in the GIII Louisiana S. at Fair Grounds and is on his way to the Saudi Cup. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by WinStar Farm, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association,1/ST Racing, the KTA & KTOB, West Point Thoroughbreds, and XBTV.com, the team of Randy Moss, Bill Finley and Zoe Cadman looked at a trio of 3-year-olds who were impressive winners last weekend. All three agreed that GIII Lecomte S. winner Track Phantom (Quality Road) and maiden winners Hall of Fame (Gun Runner) and Maymun (Frosted) are horses to watch on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby. There were also discussions of the news that Bob Baffert and Amr Zedan had dropped their last lawsuits challenging the decision to disqualify Medina Spirit (Protonico) from the 2021 Kentucky Derby and the developments out of Saudi Arabia where The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia announced that it is, finally, moving closer to disqualifying Maximum Security (New Year's Day) from his win in the 2020 Saudi Cup. To watch the Writers' Room podcast video, click here. To listen to an audio version, click here. The post Michael Iavarone Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Wesley Ward's million-dollar claim against owner/breeder Ken Ramsey is nearing its trial date. Ramsey recently survived an attempted knockout punch in court but still faces obstacles in his defense of Ward's claims.View the full article

A short yearling by Omaha Beach (hip 409) topped the two-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Winter Mixed Sale when selling for $100,000 to Discovery Bay Bloodstock during the auction's open session Wednesday. Bred by Dominque Damico and consigned by her Fly By Thoroughbreds, the Florida-bred filly is out of Gardenista (Curlin), who is a daughter of multiple graded-stakes winner Valbenny (Ire) (Val Royal {Fr}). During Wednesday's open session, 163 horses grossed $2,009,900 for an average of $12,331 and a median of $5,200. The buy-back rate was 21.3%. Through two days, 274 horses sold for $4,428,800. The average was $16,164 and the median was $8,000. From a smaller catalogue, the 2024 January sale concluded with figures on par with the auction's 2023 edition. A year ago, 380 horses grossed $6,346,200 for an average of $16,701 and a median of $9,500. “I thought it was a solid sale,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “There was plenty of money for the perceived higher end. For some of the horses lower on that order, it was a little tougher for the sellers. One thing that hurt us this year from a gross number, we were pretty short in numbers on the horses of racing age section compared to last year. That's an ebb-and-flow situation from one year to the next.” The OBS sales season continues in two months with the company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. “I think we are going to continue to see what we've seen in the marketplace,” Wojciechowski said of expectations for the spring 2-year-old sales. “There will be a lot of money there for the perceived top-end horses. It can sometimes be a challenge in the middle and lower ends, but I anticipate a good group of 2-year-olds for the upcoming season and I think we will have some good sales.” Wojciechowski added the upcoming OBS March sale will include 2-year-old offerings from the dispersal of the late Robert Lothenbach. That dispersal begins at Fasig-Tipton with a digital sale opening next Monday and continues with the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed sale in February. The post OBS January Sale Concludes on Par with 2023 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Magniac seals a brace for Jamie Richards under Hugh Bowman. Jamie Richards erased the frustrations of a challenging opening to the season with a double at Sha Tin with Magniac and G Liner on Wednesday night as the New Zealander continued to build telling momentum in Hong Kong. Gathering impetus with four wins from his past 13 starters, Richards notched his first Sha Tin double of the campaign when Karis Teetan led throughout on G Liner before Hugh Bowman – substituting for an indisposed Zac Purton – triumphed on Magniac. “It’s been frustrating, to say the least, how things have started for us this season at Sha Tin,” Richards said after the all-dirt race programme. “You can only play the cards you’ve got and what happens here in Hong Kong is that if they don’t run well, they drop (ratings) points and then they can be effective. “Thankfully, we’re just taking our time and building for the back end of the season – our two winners tonight were courtesy of very good rides by the jockeys who were on board. It’s very important here in Hong Kong. You need every little percentage that you can get and we’re thankful for their good judgment.” Veteran galloper All For St Paul’s took his career earnings to beyond HK$14 million with victory, leading all the way for Angus Chung – and claiming a small but significant piece of history in trainer Frankie Lor’s stable. “For me as a trainer, this is my first horse to win nine races,” Lor, Hong Kong’s champion trainer in 2021/22, said. “He (Chung) got his pace right. The first two quarters (29.66s, 24.36s) were very slow, maybe the other horses thought it would be easy to pass him so that’s why they let him go slow, but this horse can always just keep rolling,” Lor said. Chiron struck under Derek Leung in the Class 5 Swan Handicap (1650m), charging from last at the 600m to win convincingly to the relief of trainer David Hayes. “He’s a tricky horse,” Hayes said after logging his 20th winner of the season. “He’s a bit of a thinker. If you push him too hard in the first half of the race, he won’t try. Tonight, he was ridden patiently and he ran well. “I put him over some small jumps this morning in the dressage ring and he loved it.” Chris So’s Strive For Glory was also a spectacular winner, sweeping from the tail of the field for Keagan De Melo before Sky Forever ended Brenton Avdulla’s 67-ride run of outs with victory for Manfred Man. “I’m happy, obviously things were going well early,” Avdulla said after posting his 12th win of the campaign. “I got suspended and then I had a three-meeting gap but it halted all of my momentum. “What I had worked for at the start of the season was really brought undone. I haven’t checked any numbers or anything, I’ve been riding well but just needed the opportunities.” Michael Chang’s So We Joy extended his affinity with the Sha Tin dirt with a fourth win over the course and distance for Andrea Atzeni. Jimmy Ting-trained Blissful Star’s recent consistency was rewarded with a gritty win under a ground-saving Antoine Hamelin ride. Responsible for a pair of minor placings at his two previous runs, the six-year-old was given a brilliant passage by Hamelin before edging out Winning Steps in the last stride. More horse racing news View the full article

Horse Racing on Thursday, January 25 will feature six meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and provided free quaddie tips for the meetings at Ballina and Pakenham. Thursday Horse Racing Tips – January 25, 2024 Ballina Racing Tips Pakenham Racing Tips Best Horse Racing Bets For January 25, 2024 Place these horse racing bets in a multi for $33.90 odds return: Thursday, January 25, 2024 Pakenham – Race 4 #9 Soar Beyond Pakenham – Race 8 #8 Queen Beira Ballina – Race 7 #5 Jewels Statement Ballina – Race 7 #3 Watchguard | 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 25, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

The always smiling Wayne Davis, who has punched home plenty of winners in the NT over the years, has returned to the Top End after relocating to Geraldton in Western Australia last September. Homesickness prompted colourful jockey Wayne Davis to return to Darwin after spending three and a half months in Geraldton. Davis, 52, spent over a decade in the Top End before deciding to relocate to WA when he felt that he could not cope with another build-up and wet season. By making the move he believed it would prolong his career, but in the end he just missed Darwin. Having ridden all over Australia in a career that is now entering its 36th year, Davis left for Geraldton following the Fannie Bay meeting on September 9. It was October 5 when Davis made his Geraldton debut. Davis had two wins, six seconds, and four thirds from 61 starts at Geraldton and was unplaced in two starts at Moora, 277km from home. It was January 13 when Davis made his last Geraldton appearance, and he has picked up five rides when the Darwin Turf Club hosts its annual Australia Day meeting. “There’s no place like home, the old boy got a bit home sick,” Davis said. “I had my sea change, but Darwin is for me having been here for so long – there was a lot that I did miss when I was in Geraldton. “It was nice to have a break and enjoy a change of scenery, ride at a different track, have a bit of a look around, meet some very good people and ride different horses. “I have a lot of terrific friends here in Darwin and there’s a lot of people in stable street at Fannie Bay that I’m very fond of and quite close to. “I was missing all of that, as well as the lifestyle, and headed back – I’m now looking forward to Friday.” Davis does not regret making the move to WA, adding that he enjoyed his time in Geraldton. The wet season is in full swing in the NT and it’s set to be a muddy dirt surface at Fannie Bay on Friday due to incessant rain, but Davis is relieved he missed build up. “I was riding back on grass in Geraldton – in the end I put it down to the fact that I basically had a working holiday,” he said. “It’s great to be back and apart from catching up with a lot of friends it hasn’t taken me long to feel comfortable back in Darwin.” He had no joy when he last appeared at Fannie Bay, but Davis could mark his return in style on Friday should the Chris Pollard-trained six-year-old gelding Lucky Dog salute against 0-70 opposition in the $40,000 Lightning Wet Season Series Final (1200m). Lucky Dog, the son of Time For War, finished second in the race last year. “He’s drawn a lovely gate in two and trainer Chris Pollard has got the polish on him,” Davis said. “I’m very excited because he’s also a last start winner – winning form is good form. “By no means is it going to be an easy mission, but hopefully he’ll be a major player.” Davis, who spent three and a half years riding for leading NT trainer Phil Cole before heading west, will freelance as a jockey and ride track work for the likes of Cole, Pollard and Peter Stennett. Returning to track work on Tuesday morning, it felt as though he hadn’t left Darwin. “I was only gone for three and a half months, not three and a half years,” he said. “I’ve got five rides out of the six races come Friday, but it’s going to be a tough day. “It’s a terrific card and there are some really smart horses going around, so it should be a great day for the Darwin Turf Club and everyone involved.” Finally, it wasn’t smooth sailing for Davis after farewelling Geraldton. “I made a couple of stops along the way at Carnarvon, Karratha and Broome,” he said. “Got to Kununurra and with the big floods there the roads were closed. “There was every chance I would be stuck in Kununurra. “I jumped on a plane on Friday and flew back to Darwin. “I was fortunate enough to leave my car at a mate’s place. “Had a few days off to rest up and straight back into track work Tuesday morning. “When things dry up and the roads are clear, I’ll hop on a plane, fly across to Kununurra, jump in the car and drive back – it’s only eight hours. “Until then it’s home sweet home for me and it’s now onwards and upwards.” Davis is also a Group 1 winning jockey having won the Winfield Classic – now the Coolmore Classic (1500m) – aboard Acushla Marie at Rosehill in 1992. He also won the 1992 Darwin Cup aboard Clam’s Comet for Cranbourne trainer Tony Harrison. More horse racing news View the full article

Leading Darwin jockey Jarrod Todd returns to the mounting yard after a recent win aboard the Gary Clarke-trained Tanaawol at Fannie Bay. Picture: Caroline Camilleri (Darwin Photography Professionals) Leading NT jockey Jarrod Todd will be aiming to defend his title in the Darwin Turf Club’s Lightning Wet Season Series Final (1200m) at Fannie Bay on Friday. Not only is it the feature event at 0-70 level during the annual Australia Day program, but it is also one of only two $40,000 races in the Top End outside the Darwin Cup Carnival. Todd, who has won the Top End and Country jockeys’ premiership for the past four years, won the Lightning Wet Season Series Final last year aboard the Angela Forster-trained Zoumist. The concept for the mid-range sprinters during the off-season started two years ago when Gary Clarke’s Blue Odyssey, with Barry Huppatz in the saddle, edged out stablemate Mr Cashman, ridden by Todd. A pointscore system applies to qualify for the final and it’s optional for a trainer to nominate their horse for the final, but a horse must have contested one of the six heats. Clarke, the Top End and Country’s leading trainer for the past 11 years, will have three runners in the nine-horse field on Friday with Todd riding Alpha Flight, Adam Nicholls partnering Patria and Aaron Sweeney accompanying Chief Mondo. The Ella Clarke-trained Pop Magic and the Chris Pollard-trained Lucky Dog – second in the final last year – are the only heat winners in the final, while Patrick Johnston’s Ankle Rolex was the early $3.80 favourite with top horse racing bookmakers. Clarke’s impressive Tanaawol, who won two of the six heats with Todd on board, didn’t accept for the final as the six-year-old gelding is recovering from a spider bite. “Gary wasn’t able to get the work into him,” Todd said. “Everything is all good with him, he just missed a gallop or two. “He’s exciting and we were hoping to get him the final, but he wasn’t right and we took precaution. “Gary is just going to have to wait for another day, but he’s back working now.” Alpha Flight, a $10 quote on Wednesday, was formerly trained by Richard and Chantelle Jolly in Adelaide and debuted over 1100m (0-64) at Fannie Bay on December 30 finishing last in a field of eight as the $2.60 favourite. A four-year-old gelding, the son of Akeed Mofeed had 15 starts in SA for three wins at Morphettville and placed on five other occasions in Adelaide. “He had pretty good form before he came to the Clarke stable, I’m willing to just put a line through his first up run,” Todd said. “He drew gate one and as we all know a lot of horses, when they get kick back for the first time, more often than not they don’t appreciate it. “The first run is trial and error, so to speak. “He just got caught in behind them and as soon as he got the kick back he didn’t want to go a yard. “I’m hoping he’s got that out of the way – his work leading up to Friday has been good. “If he does everything right and lives up to his prior form he is a chance. “It probably would have been better had he drawn out a bit, but at the end of the day barrier four is better than one. “If he jumps clean, he should be right up there in the first two or three. “He has shown in the past that he’s got really good early speed.” Todd, who has won a host of feature races in Darwin and Alice Springs, praised the field for Friday’s final, adding that there were plenty of hopes. “It’s actually a nice little compact field – there are many dangers,” he said. “Pop Magic is in very good form – he’s definitely going to be hard to beat. “You can’t discard Lucky Dog – in these sort of races he’s very competitive and ran second in last year’s final.” With 26 wins this season, Todd – 10 wins clear of apprentice Emma Lines in the Top End and Country jockey’s premiership – is hoping to go back to back on Friday. And he certainly endorses the Lightning Wet Season Series. “It’s a good incentive, especially during the wet season, which is our off-season,” he said. “It can get quiet at this time of year, but I’m a fan of the series. “We’re pretty lucky during Carnival time with all the good races, but a $40,000 race in January is great. “I’m still enjoying Darwin, in fact I’m loving it, and obviously we have wet conditions at the moment, but looking ahead I’m looking forward to the Carnivals that are coming up.” More horse racing news View the full article

Top-tier bookmakers have rolled out an enticing lineup of racing specials slated for Thursday, January 25. Standouts on the list include a slew of lucrative bonus-back incentives, elevating the thrill of the trackside action. Dive into these offers from top horse racing betting sites to maximise your wagering prospects. The top Australian racing promotions for January 25, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Place a 4+ leg multi, if one leg fails BONUS BACK UP TO $50 Applies to your first eligible 4+ leg multi each day. Paid in Bonus Cash. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo BoomBet Daily Race Returns Use your daily Race Returns to back a runner in ANY RACE you want* and if your horse doesn’t win but finishes in the specified positions, you get your stake back as a bonus bet. 18+ Gamble responsibly. Can be used across any race and code unless specified in customer’s BoomBox. Fix odds, win bets only. Max bonus $50. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Daily Trifecta Boosts Boost your winnings on Trifectas by 10% with new Daily Trifecta Boosts. Thoroughbreds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au has conducted a thorough evaluation of Australia’s leading horse racing bookmakers, unveiling exclusive bonus promotions and specials tailored specifically for Thursday, January 25, 2024. These horse racing promotions stand as a testament to the unwavering dedication of Australia’s top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, if one bookmaker is not currently offering a promotion, you can be confident that another is capitalising on promotional offers. Your go-to destination for the most rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses each day is HorseBetting.com.au. Take advantage of bookie bonuses and the best horse racing odds available for every race to increase the value of your betting endeavours. It’s important to note that these thoroughbred racing promotion offers are exclusively crafted for existing customers. To access these special promotions and claim the bookmaker’s offers, simply log in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For those seeking races and horses to optimise their horse betting bookmaker bonus bets, HorseBetting provides a valuable resource with its daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

Sequel Stallions New York's GSW and MGISP Keepmeinmind (Laoban–Inclination, by Victory Gallop) was represented by his first foal recently, a filly. Bred by Sequel, the filly is out of the unraced Wintrily (Carpe Diem), a half-sister to Nov. 18 Key Cents S. winner Tricky Temper (Into Mischief). “We couldn't be happier with how this foal is built,” said Sequel's Becky Thomas. “She has a great size and shape to her, plenty of leg, and has all the parts and pedigree to be a great racehorse!” Keepmeinmind will stand his second season at Sequel for $5,000 S&N. The post First Foal for New York Sire Keepmeinmind appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Oaklawn has announced that beginning Jan. 25, a horse needing a repeated intra-articular corticosteroid injection to the fetlock joint requires the attending veterinarian to perform a radiograph of that fetlock joint. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features G2 Dante S. hero The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). 13.00 Southwell, Cond, £25,000, 4yo/up, 11f 23y (AWT) THE FOXES (IRE) (Churchill {Ire}) may not have hit the heights last term following his G2 Dante S. success, but King Power Racing's class act is back with the slate clean in this Winter Derby Trial Conditions S. Also runner-up in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational, the Andrew Balding trainee is a half-brother to all-weather specialist Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass) and to stablemate Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) who also proved proficient on the Polytrack having garnered last year's Betway Easter Classic All-Weather Middle Distance Championships Conditions S. The post The Foxes Returns At Southwell appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The pilot program currently in place at Oaklawn Park under which veterinarians administer any intra-articular corticosteroid injections at the racetrack in a designated area and in the presence of Oaklawn's integrity department has an addendum: any repeated intra-articular corticosteroid injection to the fetlock joint will now require the attending veterinarian to perform a radiograph. The original program was in association with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and began Dec. 8 along with the track's 2023-24 race season. The new rule will be in place beginning Jan. 25, is in partnership with the Arkansas Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), and is in consultation with the Grayson Jockey Club, according to a Wednesday afternoon release from Oaklawn. Oaklawn's statement said, in part: “Studies have shown the fetlock joint contributes to a larger portion of equine injuries and this rule will give veterinarians more tools to diagnose potential injuries. If the connections believe a Covered Horse should have an intra-articular corticosteroid injection of a fetlock joint within 60 days of a previous injection, the connections are required to have specific digital imaging (radiographs) taken by the attending veterinarian. The attending veterinarian will then assess the fetlock joint radiograph for potentially dangerous findings before the repeated injection is administered.” Oaklawn, in partnership with the Arkansas HBPA, will pay up to $250 for each required set of radiographs to assist with the costs. The program will continue through May 4, when the current Oaklawn meet draws to a close. The post Fetlock Joint Radiographs Required at Oaklawn for Repeated Intra-Articular Injections appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Jonny Turner Eion Latimer was thrilled to see Wavewatcher live up to his potential and finally break maidens at Oamaru yesterday. Despite showing his trainer plenty of promise much earlier in his career, it took until the four-year-old’s 20th start for him to finally deliver on it. Plenty of head-scratching has gone on at Latimer’s Oamaru stable following Wavewatcher’s defeats. But recently, that has all but ended thanks to the help of veterinarian Richard Turner. “I think he will end up being the best horse I have trained, but we have had a lot of trouble getting his blood (levels) right,” Latimer said. “But we think we are on the right track now with the help of Richard Turner.” Latimer has always had plenty of faith in Wavewatcher, who the trainer races with his daughter Jacqui. “Ever since he was two, he showed us a lot, but he would let us down in his races,” Latimer said. “Even in his trackwork, he would work unbelievable and wouldn’t show it at the races.” “It has been frustrating, but we seem to be on the right track now.” “We have to keep his blood (levels) right and keep monitoring them.” “Things like stress and the heat can put his blood out.” “So, we are working him less than we were; he hasn’t had any hopple runs since his last start.” “This morning he was really well, and I thought he might go pretty good.” “So long as we keep working with Richard, we should be able to keep things under control.” Yesterday’s races were hosted by the Forbury Park Trotting Club, and Latimer is no stranger to success at the club’s meetings. Latimer trained 26 winners before the last meeting was held at the club’s former home Forbury Park track in Dunedin in 2021. That tally is more than half of Latimer’s career tally of 46 victories. Though the Oamaru trainer bolstered his stats with the Forbury Park Trotting Club, he is still in search of a breakthrough win at Oamaru Harness Racing Club meetings. “I have trained at Oamaru for 13 years, and I haven’t won at an Oamaru meeting in all that time.” “I have won races at the Oamaru track, Forbury meetings, and plenty of Kurow meetings but never at an Oamaru meeting at Oamaru.” If Latimer can keep Wavewatcher improving his form, he might get the chance to complete his quest to win a race at an Oamaru Harness Racing Club meeting in early March. Before then, the Waikouaiti Trotting Club will race at Oamaru next month. View the full article

Star Fortress ranks as favorite in the Jan. 27 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) off a 10-length win in her North American debut but faces a tougher field this time around.View the full article

Blue Rose Cen, a dual classic-winning flagbearer last year for owners Yeguada Centurion and trainer Christopher Head, has moved across Chantilly to the yard of Maurizio Guarnieri. View the full article

Capital Stud boss Ger O'Neill has revealed that Authorized (Ire) will stand for a similar fee to dominant National Hunt stallion Walk In The Park (Ire) and outlined his hopes that the new recruit to the County Kilkenny operation will help raise the relatively new outfit's profile amongst Irish breeders. O'Neill's perseverance paid off in securing the 20-year-old Derby winner and sire of Tiger Roll (Ire), one of the most famous jumps horses of the modern era, from the Jockey Club of Turkey for what he described as “a frightening” sum of money earlier this month. No insurance could be secured for Authorized, which added to the risks involved in stumping up the cash for the sire who once again made headlines recently when exciting youngster Readin Tommy Wrong (Ire) remained unbeaten for Willie Mullins when landing the Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle. “It's either cracked or clever, I'm not sure which one,” O'Neill joked, brushing off the magnitude of the risk involved in shuttling a 20-year-old stallion back to Ireland. “I asked a lot of industry leaders what their favourite National Hunt Stallion was before getting the deal done and, nine times out of 10, Authorized was pretty high up the list. “Ask anyone what their top three stallions are and you are likely to be told Blue Bresil (Fr), Walk In The Park and Authorized. If you look at the sales, he had a €109,000 average for his three-year-olds between France and Ireland in 2023. The market really wanted him here and we were delighted to go and get him.” O'Neill added, “Like a lot of studs, we had asked about buying him 12 months ago and it was a definite no. It was probably through perseverance that we got there in the end. They put a price on him that was, to be honest, not very realistic, but we got a group of people together and started to do the figures on it. “I mean, it's a huge move to buy him, but I think he's going to do really well for the Irish breeders. Not only that, but he's going to be great for our stud and has put us on the map alongside the likes of Coolmore and Rathbarry for being one of the bigger National Hunt studs now. With Triple Threat (Fr) joining the National Hunt side of our roster recently, to go with Mirage Dancer (GB) and Hunting Horn (Ire), who were already here, we believe we have something for every kind of jumps breeder.” Along with Tiger Roll and more recently Readin Tommy Wrong, Authorized has been represented by Stayers' Hurdle winner Nichols Canyon (GB), Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus (GB), and fellow high-class jumpers Goshen (Fr) and Echoes In Rain (Fr). His return to Ireland, 15 years after he stood at Kildangan Stud, will be a major boost for Irish breeders, according to O'Neill, who said the people in the ownership group of the stallion convinced him to plough on and get the deal done. “Donnchadh Doyle, Darragh McCarthy, Jerry Horan and a good few others have gotten involved,” he explained. “Jerry, to be fair to him, has been with us from the start and is a great man to have on board. He's a well-liked character in the industry and is very knowledgeable. He's been a great fella to have on our side. Greg Broderick, the Irish International Show Jumper, is also involved. There's a big group of us and it's a big leap of faith, but you can't go around worrying about what might happen if it doesn't work out.” O'Neill added, “We bought him with no insurance. We tried everywhere to get insurance but it just wasn't possible. But look, things happen in Show Jumping every day. Horses go lame and their value plummets. That's just part and parcel of the sport. It's the same with working with stallions and, if something were to happen to Authorized, it would obviously be a huge blow but that's the risk we were willing to take. Donnchadh Doyle is one of the bravest men I know and his advice was to plough on and get him bought. We know the risk involved and, the upside of the whole thing is, if we can get a few years out of him, it could be very beneficial for the industry. “Not only that but, after Willie and Jackie Mullins heard that we were after buying Authorized, they booked in a load of their mares to us. Some of the biggest studs in Ireland have four and five mares booked into him. A lot of people are going to breed to him and race the progeny so I don't think you're going to see huge numbers of them ending up in the sales ring. The aim is that he will cover over 100 mares but if he can cover 150, we'll do it. Blue Bresil and Walk In The Park have covered over 200 apiece in the past few years but we don't foresee Authorized reaching those numbers. We're happy that, if he can cover over 100 mares and is happy here, we'll be happy as well.” It's not just jumps stallions that breeders can avail of at Capital Stud. Alkumait (GB), the G2 Mill Reef Stakes-winning half-brother to the 2,000 Guineas hero Chaldean (GB), had his first foals in 2023 while G3 Marble Hill S. winner Castle Star (Ire) is another recent addition to the ranks. Both horses stand for €5,000. O'Neill said, “We're trying to add to the roster all the time. We started out with Hunting Horn. Darragh McCarthy is one of the founders of Capital Stud and he probably had more of a desire to stand stallions than I did initially. When Hunting Horn came on the radar, we took the decision to go and buy him. Things have really snowballed from there. “Mirage Dancer was another brilliant horse to be able to get at the time. He won his Group 1 down in Australia. He has a huge pedigree and, when we saw a video of him walking, we were all blown away by him. Then Triple Threat has gone down very well as well. There are 100 mares booked into Triple Threat already and Harold Kirk, for example, is one person who really believes in him.” He added, “But the Flat side of the operation is really growing, too. We got an amazing update with Alkumait when Chaldean came out and won the 2,000 Guineas and, not long after that, his sister [Get Ahead (GB) (Showcasing {GB})] made 2.5m gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale. His foals sold very well last year. Castle Star is another good addition and the ownership group in him are going to throw everything behind him. That's another thing about our business model, we will try and support the breeders that use our stallions from the bottom to the top, and hopefully that will be mutually beneficial for the two of us going forward.” The arrival of Authorized comes at a time when the National Hunt Sales in Britain and Ireland have been dominated by two stallions; Walk In The Park and Blue Bresil. O'Neill says he is confident that Authorized can shake up things at the upper end of the market and, in doing so, entice further footfall to the stud. He said, “We're going to have an open day for Authorized in February and would encourage people to come and see him. He wasn't here on time for the Irish Stallion Trail but a lot of people came to visit and see the place off the back of the announcement that he was coming. “The other thing I would say about Authorized is, he could do his bit to attract breeders to the place. The breeder who rings up to use him, they might have another mare for Triple Threat, or even Mirage Dancer and Hunting Horn. He's helped us lift our game.” Capital Stud has come a long way since Hunting Horn and Mirage Dancer joined the roster only four years ago. O'Neill, who is best known as an Irish International Show Jumper, has been able to fast-track its emergence as a pretty serious outfit through his exploits in that sphere but the hope is that Capital Stud can maintain its progression and rival the big boys. It is thought that the addition of Authorized will aid that process. “My background is in Show Jumping. I am an Irish International Show Jumper and am lucky enough to have won a few Nations Cups. I've always had an interest in breeding and rode in a few point-to-points when I was younger. From that, I rode out for Mags Mullins and really enjoyed that and have kept my eye in on the racing after I returned to the Show Jumping. I said I'd dip my toe in the breeding game and four years later we're really getting stuck in.” O'Neill added, “We'd like to get as big as we can. We are very motivated to make Capital Stud better and are excited to see how far we can go in this industry. It's a very hard business but it's an enjoyable one and I'd love nothing more than to be standing one of the big-name Flat stallions. That's the goal. If we don't hit that goal, fine, but it won't be for a lack of trying. We're always on the lookout to find the next big stallion and the foundations are in place for us to kick on and make Capital Stud one of the major destinations for National Hunt and Flat breeders alike.” The post ‘He’s Put Us On The Map’ – Capital Stud Boss Puts Faith Behind Authorized appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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