Wandering Eyes

Second-season handler and the in-form Vincent Ho team up with a pair of last-start winners at the midweek meetingView the full article

What Wyong Magic Millions Day Where Wyong Race Club & Function Centre – 71-73 Howarth St, Wyong NSW 2259 When Wednesday, December 13, 2023 First Race 1:45pm AEDT Visit Dabble The two-year-olds take centre stage at Wyong this Wednesday afternoon as the Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (1100m) headlines a competitive seven-race program. The rail is in the true position the entire circuit, and with the weather continuing to serve up hot conditions in the lead-up, the track should improve into the Good 4 range for race-day. The opening race is scheduled to get underway at 1:45pm local time. Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic: Spywire Spywire could be a very smart colt in the making based on what we saw from his debut at Rosehill on November 15. The son of Trapeze Artist led all the way to score by an impressive 2.3 lengths, with four on third. The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace team have taken their time picking out their second-up target, and with the $200,000 feature ripe for the taking, Spywire will take plenty of chasing down in the Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic. Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic Race 6 – #4 Spywire (8) 2yo Colt | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Tyler Schiller (56.5kg) -166.67 with BoomBet Best Bet at Wyong: Royal Merchant Royal Merchant heads to the Magic Millions Wyong 3YO & 4YO Stakes (1200m) after a one-month let up and is the class runner in this field. The daughter of Merchant Navy is the only Group 1 winner amongst her rivals, with the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap (1200m) on the resume for the now four-year-old mare. She approaches this contest on a rating of 106, leaving a gap of 25 to the second highest-rated galloper, and with this race set to be run at set weights, Royal Merchant looks perfectly placed by the Maher & Eustace barn. Best Bet Race 4 – #6 Royal Merchant (10) 4yo Mare | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Jason Collett (57kg) +120 with Neds Next Best Bet at Wyong: Aunt Roberta Aunt Roberta has a terrific record at this racecourse and distance with three starts for two wins and another minor placing to her name. She returned over an unsuitable 1600m journey at Hawkesbury on November 23 and continued to whack away into a fourth-place finish. It was a run to gain fitness in her legs, and now with the four-year-old getting back to a track where she’s had the most success, we’re convinced Aunt Roberta can finish off best. Best Bet Race 2 – #2 Aunt Roberta (5) 4yo Mare | T: John O’Shea | J: Tommy Berry (59kg) +340 with Picklebet Wyong Magic Millions Day 2023 quaddie tips Wyong quadrella selections Wednesday, December 13, 2023 1-5-6-7-9 1-2-3-5-7 4 3-4-5-7-8 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

What Hamilton Races Where Hamilton Racing Club – Henty Hwy, Hamilton, VIC, 3300 When Tuesday, December 12, 2023 First Race 1:30pm AEDT Visit Dabble A competitive eight-race card will take place at Hamilton on Tuesday and with rain expected, it might be a day for the mudlarks. With rain forecast for Monday and Tuesday, we expect the track to get into the Soft range at the start of the meeting. The rail will be in the True position for the entire circuit, with the opening race set to jump at 1:30pm AEDT. Here are our free Hamilton tips for December 12, 2023. Best Bet at Hamilton: Light Of Rose Light Of Rose turned in a very impressive debut performance at Warrnambool when she won by an official margin of 4.5 lengths over 1200m on July 31. Since that debut victory, this four-year-old mare has had a 19-week spell and has only been given one jumpout before returning to the racetrack. The Lindsey Smith-trained galloper will have to carry 60.5kg at her second race start, but if she jumps, leads and gets everything her way once again, Light Of Rose should be able to keep her unbeaten record intact. Best Bet Race 7 – #5 Light Of Rose (6) 4yo Mare | T: Lindsey Smith | J: Fred Kersley (60.5kg) +100 with Picklebet Next Best at Hamilton: Ferlazzo Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr will send Ferlazzo to Hamilton to compete in a Benchmark 58 Handicap, which will be the easiest race she has contested since breaking her maiden in April. This four-year-old mare has been competing in metropolitan company during her last two preparations, recording two placings in Benchmark 70 grade. The stable hasn’t taken this daughter of Tivaci to a public trial, but we expect her to be ready to go first-up. Jumping from barrier nine, Dean Yendall should be able to push forward and settle close to the leaders before peeling off their backs to let down with a strong finishing burst. Next Best Race 5 – #2 Ferlazzo (9) 4yo Mare | T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | J: Dean Yendall (59.5kg) +140 with BoomBet Best Value at Hamilton: Amenophis Amenophis will kick off his fourth racing preparation in a much easier grade than he finished his last, when he ran fifth in the Listed Adelaide Guineas in May. Mark & Levi Kavanagh have given this four-year-old gelding two jumpouts at Flemington over 800m, where he hasn’t been asked to do too much but still finished in the top three on both occassions. There doesn’t appear to be a lot of speed on paper, so Brad Rawiller can push forward from barrier three and hold a prominent spot behind the leaders. If Amenophis gets clear running from the home turn, he should prove hard to hold out. Best Value Race 8 – #2 Amenophis (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Mark & Levi Kavanagh | J: Brad Rawiller (61kg) +1200 with Neds Tuesday’s quaddie tips for Hamilton Hamilton quadrella selections Tuesday, December 12, 2023 2-6-11 2-3-6-7 5 2-5-11-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

While there are no Kiwi trained horses and/or top drivers competing on the final night of the Inter Dominions in Queensland this Saturday, there will still be some involvement from this side of the Tasman. The Australasian Young Drivers’ Championships, featuring top Kiwi juniors Sarah O’Reilly, Zev Meredith and Crystal Hackett, will have their big final night, after a series of heats during the week, starting Tuesday, and two young Kiwis, Anna Mangels and Olivia Thomas will be involved in the Inter Dominion Mini Trot Championship. To see more on the Kiwi challenge in the Australasian Young Drivers’ Championships click here : To see more on the event itself click here : Anna Mangels (Canterbury – left) and Olivia Thomas (Southland – right) will take on drivers from all over Australia in the Mini Trot Championship, that involves driving miniatures, shetlands and ponies, on the final night of the Inter Dominions at Albion Park on Saturday night. Mini trots caters for children aged between 5 and 17. So how are the two feeling about what promises to be a huge occasion? Anna : “I am very excited, I know it is going to feel amazing on the night and I feel very proud to be representing both my club and NZ.” Olivia : “I am thrilled to wear the silver fern. There is no greater honor than to represent NZ in my final year of Kidz Kartz.” Are you nervous? Anna : “I’m not sure what to expect, which makes me a little nervous. This is going to be my first time overseas, so I am feeling both excited and nervous.” Olivia : “I don’t usually get nervous however I wish to do well for myself, my country and my club.” What do you know about the competition and how it works? Anna : “From what I have read we will take on eighteen drivers from the Sunshine State’s mini-trotting clubs (the Queensland Junior Harness Racing Association and the Queensland Mini Trotting Sporting Association) as well as other qualifiers from South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Olivia : “My information is limited and I’m not entirely sure myself how the competition works or which grade of pony my drive is in yet. One main difference between Kidz Kartz NZ and the Pony Trots Australia is that NZ handicaps Ponies on speed and metres per second, but Australia handicap Ponies on height, and metres per inch.” How did you get involved in harness racing? Anna : “It started through my friend and her family inviting me along to Kidz Kartz to see what it was all about.” Olivia : “My family has always had ponies and riding horses. My love for harness racing started when my mum took a job working for Robert Wilson Harness Racing. Robert pointed me in the direction of Kidz Kartz with my ponies and I haven’t looked back. What has been your racing highlight so far? Anna : “My racing highlight so far was racing in NZ Cup last year in front of the large crowd and doing the parade down the track before the race, being part of the Team Teal last season and another highlight was being awarded Best Driver and Pony Combination earlier this year. I also really enjoyed racing at the Christmas at the Races and decorating the cart and horse with Christmas decorations.” Olivia : I have been involve in Kidz Kartz for at least 5 seasons I think. My highlight has been achieving a second overall at the Rising Stars 2023 Drivers Series in April 2023. Do you plan to stay involved in the sport, and if so, how? Anna : Yes, I definitely plan to stay involved in the sport. I plan to apply for HRNZ Cadet Scheme and hope to gain employment at a stable. Next year while still at school, I will be studying the NZ Certificate in Animal Care as well as NCEA credits in Equine. Olivia : I plan to continue on with my KK Club helping after I age out. I currently hold a stablehands licence and work for Mr Wilson driving track work and tending to the horses whenever I can. Moving forward I plan to achieve a trials licence for next season and work towards a junior drivers licence while finishing my secondary school education. I aspire to be a leading NZ reinswoman and a great role model. View the full article

The Kiwi riding ranks have benefitted from the addition of another expat South African jockey in Billy Jacobson, and the family-orientated hoop was thrilled to pick up his first winner on Kiwi soil at Pukekohe on Saturday. Entrusted with the steer aboard the Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained Lingjun Xiongfeng in the Ellerslie Events 1500, Jacobson allowed the grey entire to ease back in the 14-horse field from the extreme outside draw. The pair remained at the tail throughout, while $6.00 TAB second-favourite Amberite controlled proceedings. Still with the entirety of the field ahead of him on the home corner, a no-panic display saw Jacobson edge the five-year-old out of a tight gap at the 350m, and once the pair found clear running, Lingjun Xiongfeng stormed home in the closing stages to catch Amberite by a head at the post. “I’ve been here for about a month, so it was really nice to get the winner,” Jacobson said. “I worked him during the week before his race, and I said to Pam (Gerard, co-trainer) that I thought he could win, he gave me a really good feel. She did say that he gives up quite easily, so I watched his tapes and saw that when he gets to the front she basically stops, so my plan was to win it on the line. “She said ‘as long as you win it, that’s fine’, she gave me free reign pretty much, so I just sat him at the back, switched him off and came as late as I could. Luckily it worked out for me.” The victory came in Jacobson’s 25th attempt on New Zealand soil, though he picked up a notable black-type second placing aboard Te Akau stalwart Prise De Fer in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) the weekend prior at Te Rapa. Jacobson had been offered the ride aboard the Group One-winning eight-year-old in last Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham, but after consulting with friend and agent Donovan Mansour, he maintained faith in Gerard’s charge and remained in the North. “I’ve ridden work for Te Akau and I was very lucky to be offered the ride on him (Prise De Fer) for both races. It was a hard decision to turn the Group One ride down,” he said. Billy Jacobson drives Lingjun Xiongfeng to victory in the Ellerslie Events 1500 at Pukekohe on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) “But I felt like I made the right decision at the end of the day. It’s great to ride in a Group One, but I told Donovan how well the horse (Lingjun Xiongfeng) had been working and I thought he could win, so we opted to stay and go for the winner here. “Prise De Fer ran a top race for me at Te Rapa, and I think he still has more in the tank, so I’d love to ride him again if the opportunity came.” Originally hailing from Durban, Jacobson was the latest expat-South African to enter the jockeys room in New Zealand in early November, reconnecting with former close colleagues Mansour, and premiership leader Warren Kennedy. The 43-year-old has based himself in Cambridge and was soon joined by wife Mel and their two young sons, the main motivation for his move. “The main reason I’m here is for my kids. South Africa for a long time coming has been going backwards and doesn’t provide a future for them. New Zealand is a beautiful country and it’s the right place to bring them up,” Jacobson said. “I got here a month earlier than the rest of my family and they are everything to me, so I battled a bit without them. But now they are here I’m doing much better. “Everything in this country is completely different, both inside and outside of racing, so it’s going to take a bit of getting used to for all of us, but it’s been nice so far.” Adapting to a new racing jurisdiction is nothing new for the well-travelled hoop, having ridden across the globe, including Dubai, France, Spain, Zimbabwe, and most recently, an eight-month stint in Mauritius in 2022. He did note a difference in the race riding, as well as the style of training between New Zealand and his home nation. “The trackwork in the morning and the way people train here is very different to South Africa. We don’t do timed work over there, so that was something I had to get used to but it’s great, I’m learning a lot more,” he said. “I ride work at Matamata and Cambridge. I’ve been mainly riding at Matamata for Pam, Graham Richardson and Te Akau, then at Cambridge for Stephen Marsh, Andrew Forsman, John Bell and Shaune Ritchie. “I’ve gotten nice support from their stables on raceday, and hopefully now I’ve got the winner, we can crack on and get a few more past the post. I think everyone’s a bit wary until you get a few winners, so hopefully now it picks up. “I’ve come in when the season’s already started, so it would be cheeky and unrealistic of me to think I’d be able to catch someone like Warren. “My main goal this season is to get myself established with a few stables to back me and then next season hoping to be competitive in the premiership. It’s good to have goals, and that would be something I want to aim for eventually.” View the full article

The Kiwi riding ranks have benefitted from the addition of another expat South African jockey in Billy Jacobson, and the family-orientated hoop was thrilled to pick up his first winner on Kiwi soil at Pukekohe on Saturday. Entrusted with the steer aboard the Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained Lingjun Xiongfeng in the Ellerslie Events 1500, Jacobson allowed the grey entire to ease back in the 14-horse field from the extreme outside draw. The pair remained at the tail throughout, while $6.00 TAB second-favourite Amberite controlled proceedings. Still with the entirety of the field ahead of him on the home corner, a no-panic display saw Jacobson edge the five-year-old out of a tight gap at the 350m, and once the pair found clear running, Lingjun Xiongfeng stormed home in the closing stages to catch Amberite by a head at the post. “I’ve been here for about a month, so it was really nice to get the winner,” Jacobson said. “I worked him during the week before his race, and I said to Pam (Gerard, co-trainer) that I thought he could win, he gave me a really good feel. She did say that he gives up quite easily, so I watched his tapes and saw that when he gets to the front she basically stops, so my plan was to win it on the line. “She said ‘as long as you win it, that’s fine’, she gave me free reign pretty much, so I just sat him at the back, switched him off and came as late as I could. Luckily it worked out for me.” The victory came in Jacobson’s 25th attempt on New Zealand soil, though he picked up a notable black-type second placing aboard Te Akau stalwart Prise De Fer in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) the weekend prior at Te Rapa. Jacobson had been offered the ride aboard the Group One-winning eight-year-old in last Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham, but after consulting with friend and agent Donovan Mansour, he maintained faith in Gerard’s charge and remained in the North. “I’ve ridden work for Te Akau and I was very lucky to be offered the ride on him (Prise De Fer) for both races. It was a hard decision to turn the Group One ride down,” he said. Billy Jacobson drives Lingjun Xiongfeng to victory in the Ellerslie Events 1500 at Pukekohe on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) “But I felt like I made the right decision at the end of the day. It’s great to ride in a Group One, but I told Donovan how well the horse (Lingjun Xiongfeng) had been working and I thought he could win, so we opted to stay and go for the winner here. “Prise De Fer ran a top race for me at Te Rapa, and I think he still has more in the tank, so I’d love to ride him again if the opportunity came.” Originally hailing from Durban, Jacobson was the latest expat-South African to enter the jockeys room in New Zealand in early November, reconnecting with former close colleagues Mansour, and premiership leader Warren Kennedy. The 43-year-old has based himself in Cambridge and was soon joined by wife Mel and their two young sons, the main motivation for his move. “The main reason I’m here is for my kids. South Africa for a long time coming has been going backwards and doesn’t provide a future for them. New Zealand is a beautiful country and it’s the right place to bring them up,” Jacobson said. “I got here a month earlier than the rest of my family and they are everything to me, so I battled a bit without them. But now they are here I’m doing much better. “Everything in this country is completely different, both inside and outside of racing, so it’s going to take a bit of getting used to for all of us, but it’s been nice so far.” Adapting to a new racing jurisdiction is nothing new for the well-travelled hoop, having ridden across the globe, including Dubai, France, Spain, Zimbabwe, and most recently, an eight-month stint in Mauritius in 2022. He did note a difference in the race riding, as well as the style of training between New Zealand and his home nation. “The trackwork in the morning and the way people train here is very different to South Africa. We don’t do timed work over there, so that was something I had to get used to but it’s great, I’m learning a lot more,” he said. “I ride work at Matamata and Cambridge. I’ve been mainly riding at Matamata for Pam, Graham Richardson and Te Akau, then at Cambridge for Stephen Marsh, Andrew Forsman, John Bell and Shaune Ritchie. “I’ve gotten nice support from their stables on raceday, and hopefully now I’ve got the winner, we can crack on and get a few more past the post. I think everyone’s a bit wary until you get a few winners, so hopefully now it picks up. “I’ve come in when the season’s already started, so it would be cheeky and unrealistic of me to think I’d be able to catch someone like Warren. “My main goal this season is to get myself established with a few stables to back me and then next season hoping to be competitive in the premiership. It’s good to have goals, and that would be something I want to aim for eventually.” View the full article

The Kiwi riding ranks have benefitted from the addition of another expat South African jockey in Billy Jacobson, and the family-orientated hoop was thrilled to pick up his first winner on Kiwi soil at Pukekohe on Saturday. Entrusted with the steer aboard the Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained Lingjun Xiongfeng in the Ellerslie Events 1500, Jacobson allowed the grey entire to ease back in the 14-horse field from the extreme outside draw. The pair remained at the tail throughout, while $6.00 TAB second-favourite Amberite controlled proceedings. Still with the entirety of the field ahead of him on the home corner, a no-panic display saw Jacobson edge the five-year-old out of a tight gap at the 350m, and once the pair found clear running, Lingjun Xiongfeng stormed home in the closing stages to catch Amberite by a head at the post. “I’ve been here for about a month, so it was really nice to get the winner,” Jacobson said. “I worked him during the week before his race, and I said to Pam (Gerard, co-trainer) that I thought he could win, he gave me a really good feel. She did say that he gives up quite easily, so I watched his tapes and saw that when he gets to the front she basically stops, so my plan was to win it on the line. “She said ‘as long as you win it, that’s fine’, she gave me free reign pretty much, so I just sat him at the back, switched him off and came as late as I could. Luckily it worked out for me.” The victory came in Jacobson’s 25th attempt on New Zealand soil, though he picked up a notable black-type second placing aboard Te Akau stalwart Prise De Fer in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) the weekend prior at Te Rapa. Jacobson had been offered the ride aboard the Group One-winning eight-year-old in last Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham, but after consulting with friend and agent Donovan Mansour, he maintained faith in Gerard’s charge and remained in the North. “I’ve ridden work for Te Akau and I was very lucky to be offered the ride on him (Prise De Fer) for both races. It was a hard decision to turn the Group One ride down,” he said. Billy Jacobson drives Lingjun Xiongfeng to victory in the Ellerslie Events 1500 at Pukekohe on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) “But I felt like I made the right decision at the end of the day. It’s great to ride in a Group One, but I told Donovan how well the horse (Lingjun Xiongfeng) had been working and I thought he could win, so we opted to stay and go for the winner here. “Prise De Fer ran a top race for me at Te Rapa, and I think he still has more in the tank, so I’d love to ride him again if the opportunity came.” Originally hailing from Durban, Jacobson was the latest expat-South African to enter the jockeys room in New Zealand in early November, reconnecting with former close colleagues Mansour, and premiership leader Warren Kennedy. The 43-year-old has based himself in Cambridge and was soon joined by wife Mel and their two young sons, the main motivation for his move. “The main reason I’m here is for my kids. South Africa for a long time coming has been going backwards and doesn’t provide a future for them. New Zealand is a beautiful country and it’s the right place to bring them up,” Jacobson said. “I got here a month earlier than the rest of my family and they are everything to me, so I battled a bit without them. But now they are here I’m doing much better. “Everything in this country is completely different, both inside and outside of racing, so it’s going to take a bit of getting used to for all of us, but it’s been nice so far.” Adapting to a new racing jurisdiction is nothing new for the well-travelled hoop, having ridden across the globe, including Dubai, France, Spain, Zimbabwe, and most recently, an eight-month stint in Mauritius in 2022. He did note a difference in the race riding, as well as the style of training between New Zealand and his home nation. “The trackwork in the morning and the way people train here is very different to South Africa. We don’t do timed work over there, so that was something I had to get used to but it’s great, I’m learning a lot more,” he said. “I ride work at Matamata and Cambridge. I’ve been mainly riding at Matamata for Pam, Graham Richardson and Te Akau, then at Cambridge for Stephen Marsh, Andrew Forsman, John Bell and Shaune Ritchie. “I’ve gotten nice support from their stables on raceday, and hopefully now I’ve got the winner, we can crack on and get a few more past the post. I think everyone’s a bit wary until you get a few winners, so hopefully now it picks up. “I’ve come in when the season’s already started, so it would be cheeky and unrealistic of me to think I’d be able to catch someone like Warren. “My main goal this season is to get myself established with a few stables to back me and then next season hoping to be competitive in the premiership. It’s good to have goals, and that would be something I want to aim for eventually.” View the full article

Excitement is building at Ellerslie, with racing set to return to the Auckland venue following its first set of official trials on its new StrathAyr track on Monday morning. The first heat was taken out by Group One performer Babylon Berlin by three lengths and trainers Ben and Ryan Foote couldn’t have been happier with the new surface. “It was a nice trial today. All reports were good, Courtney (Barnes, jockey) said she felt great and having the first use of that track was pretty cool too. Everybody is really excited about racing there again,” said Ben Foote, speaking from Hong Kong. Babylon Berlin finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) and Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) earlier this year and she will attempt to shed her bridesmaids tag when she tackles the sprint features next month. “She will go straight into the Railway and then the Telegraph. We have just taken our time with her this time in so she will be ready to rock and roll come January 1,” Foote said. The daughter of All Too Hard takes good form into the Railway on New Year’s Day, having won fresh-up in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa last month before finishing runner-up in the Gr.2 Counties Bowl (1100m) at Pukekohe a fortnight later. Foote is currently in Hong Kong where he attended the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) meeting at Sha Tin on Sunday to watch his former purchase Golden Sixty claim his third Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) scalp. Foote, under his Enigma Farm banner, purchased Golden Sixty as a yearling with Riversley Park’s Sam Beatson out of Element Hill’s 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for A$120,000. They then sold the son of Medaglia d’Oro through Riversley Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft later that year to trainer Francis Lui for $300,000. He has gone on to win 26 races and more than HK$165 million (NZ$34.7 million) in prizemoney. Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year has been a dominant force in the leading racing jurisdiction in recent years and boasts 10 elite-level victories to his name. “I bought Golden Sixty as a yearling so to see him win like that yesterday was a huge buzz. That turn of foot was amazing,” Foote said. The Cambridge horseman was taken by Golden Sixty when inspecting him as a yearling, but said he had a few faults that may have deterred other buyers. “He was an athletic type of horse,” he said. “He had a couple of little things that maybe people didn’t like and he was quite weak as well. At the Magic Millions they tend to go for the bigger, stronger types.” The HKIR meeting had added Kiwi flavour, with New Zealand-bred Lucky Sweynesse taking out the Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m). Bred by Luigi Muollo, Allan Sharrock and Paul Dombroski, Lucky Sweynesse is another New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run graduate, having been purchased by J&I Bloodstock out of Woburn Farm’s 2020 draft for $90,000. View the full article

Loch Eagle added a massive boost to his career earnings at Randwick with a New Zealand-dominated syndicate cheering the five-year-old home. Trained by Kris Lees, the son of Lonhro had finished runner-up in the A$1 million The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange before he came off the ballot to claim the thick end of the prize in Saturday’s A$2 million Gr.2 The Ingham (1600m). Victory also earned him a golden ticket into the A$4 million Gr.1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m). Loch Eagle was purchased by Masterton bloodstock agent Bruce Perry out of Newgate’s draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$230,000 with his bank account now nudging A$1.8 million. He is out of the unraced Irish-bred Shamardal mare Song Street, who is a half-sister to the dual European Group One winner and sire Laverock and to the dam of the five-time Group One winner and leading sire Pierro. “The syndicate was in place when we bought him and the intention was to try and buy a couple of colts through the sale and one of them might hopefully make a stallion,” Perry said. Bloodstock agent Bruce Perry (left) pictured with Elsdon Park principal Lib Petagna. Photo: Trish Dunell “Loch Eagle was gelded at the end of his three-year-old career though, Kris rated him all the way through but nothing went quite right for him as a three-year-old. “He went some really good races and he won a couple of races, but he couldn’t get the decent Group win that he needed so we made the decision to geld him.” Loch Eagle is now likely to be set for another major purse in Queensland. “There is a $1 million race over 1400m for the older horses during the Magic Millions so there’s every chance he’ll head up there and then have a little break and target the Doncaster,” Perry said. The Kiwi ownership group behind Loch Eagle includes Perry, Waikato Stud, Jamieson Park, Lib Petagna, Jomara Bloodstock, Aucklanders David and Nicki Wilson and Greg Clarke, of Mt Maunganui, with Victoria’s Rosemont Stud adding an Australian flavour to the syndicate. “David and Nicki came into Ardrossan when we bought him as a yearling, that was their first venture into the game,” Perry said. “Greg is racing one or two, he’s in a few of our horses and he didn’t race Ardrossan, but he’s got mares and breeds and bought a share in him. “David and Nicki and Greg race (multiple Group Three winner) Milford with Lib as well.” Ardrossan was a A$150,000 Inglis Melbourne Yearling Sale purchase for Perry and was a stakes winner and Group One placegetter before retiring to Waikato Stud. He was represented by his first Australian black type winner when the Tony and Maddysen-trained Beau Dazzler claimed Saturday’s Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1000m) at Eagle Farm. He was bred by the Dewar Partnership, which includes Perry and his wife Anna, Petagna, the Wilsons, Max Brown and Tony Joyce. Out of the Pentire mare Pwerfect, Beau Dazzler was sold through Mapperley Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $85,000 with Paul Moroney Bloodstock, Catheryne Bruggeman and Sears Racing signing the ticket. The Dewar Partnership, which also bred another recent Ardrossan juvenile winner in Maracatu, will offer Beau Dazzler’s brother as Lot 907 in Landsdowne Park’s consignment at Karaka in 2024. View the full article

What Eagle Farm Races Where Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 When Wednesday, December 13, 2023 First Race 1:37pm AEST Visit Dabble Eagle Farm will be the destination for Queensland mid-week metropolitan racing this Wednesday afternoon, with a competitive seven-race card set down for decision. Warm weather is forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, so we expect the track to stay in the perfect Good 4 rating for the whole meeting. The rail will be pushed out to the +7m position for the entire circuit, which will most likely play favourably to on-speed runners. The first race at Eagle Farm is set to jump at 1:37pm AEST. Here are our free Eagle Farm tips for Wednesday, December 13, 2023. Best Bet at Eagle Farm: Already A Star Already A Star returned for his second racing preparation in a strong Class 3 Handicap at the Sunshine Coast on November 18, where he finished seventh of 10, but was only beaten 2.7 lengths by Standing Order. The Natalie McCall-trained gelding settled worse than midfield first-up and took ground off the leading pack of runners in the final 200m, suggesting that a step up in distance would be needed second-up. This son of Better Than Ready will get that on Wednesday as he rises to 1400m and drops in grade slightly. The booking of James Orman signals intent from the stable, and with even luck, Already A Star will prove hard to hold out. Best Bet Race 4 – #6 Already A Star (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Natalie McCall | J: James Orman (58kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Eagle Farm: Invinovich Invinovich is amid a lengthy racing preparation that began in April, and even though he will be having his 11th start for the campaign, the Natalie McCall-trained galloper has gone from strength-to-strength in his last five outings. During those recent starts, this son of I Am Invincible has finished in the placings at all five, including a victory four starts ago. With a lot of speed expected over the 1000m in this Class 3 contest, Bailey Wheeler should be able to settle midfield and get to the outside of runners on the home turn. With the aid of Wheeler’s 2kg claim and a hot tempo, Invinovich should finish off strong and run over the top of his rivals late. Next Best Race 6 – #7 Invinovich (7) 4yo Gelding | T: Natalie McCall | J: Bailey Wheeler (a2) (58.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Best Value at Eagle Farm: Fly With You Adam Campton appears to have found the race that will see Fly With You breakthrough for his first win of his career at his fifth start. This four-year-old gelding has finished in the placings at all four starts. Last start, this son of Denman finished third over 1200m at Ipswich but didn’t seem to handle the heavy ground. Stepping up to 1400m for the first time should be seen as a positive for this guy, as he continues to run well but keeps finding one better on the day. From barrier nine, Elione Chaves will push forward and find the lead or settle outside the leader before upping the ante on the home turn to give his rivals something to chase. Best Value Race 5 – #4 Fly With You (9) 4yo Gelding | T: Adam Campton | J: Elione Chaves (58.5kg) Bet with Boombet Wednesday quaddie tips for Eagle Farm races Eagle Farm quadrella selections Wednesday, December 13, 2023 3-6 4-5-12-14 4-6-7-8 2-3-10 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Fashion Icon winning at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Peter Didham’s impressive form this season continued at Trentham on Saturday, with eye-catching pair Fashion Icon and Manifique staking their claim for black-type opportunities this summer. The Awapuni horseman recorded his 13th and 14th victories for the season, equalling his total winning record from 2022/23 from just 70 starts. Didham kicked off the Trentham meeting in style when promising filly Fashion Icon produced her third win in a row as a $2.70 favourite in the Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors Premier (1400m). A daughter of U S Navy Flag, Fashion Icon had collected her maiden victory at Woodville on October 5 before making her presence known in Rating 65 company when chasing down race-favourite Pepeha to score at Trentham last-start. Returning to age-group company on Saturday, Michael McNab positioned Fashion Icon comfortably in the one-one once the six-horse field settled into stride, with the pace making role taken up by Bella Corno. When asked to extend at the top of the long straight, the filly moved to the lead, and kept finding late, holding out the late challenge of Tossuforit by a long neck. “I was really confident, her work had been outstanding and it wasn’t really a concern going 1200m to 1400m, but it’s still there,” Didham said. “Michael rode her beautifully, cuddled her up and just waited on the turn and went, and when the other horse came up she fought on. She’s one of those horses that I’m not sure how much class she’s got, but she just puts her ears back and tries hard. “She’s always in for a dogfight, you saw in her last start, a three-year-old winning a Rating 65. Pepeha had her covered but she stuck her nose out and beat him. She’s a really lovely filly going forward and we’re really excited about her.” Also part of the ownership group, Didham had intended to step the filly into stakes company last Saturday in the Listed Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui, but a minor setback put that plan on hold. “We were going to run last week in the fillies’ race but she had a little toothache, and nothing was lining up for a rider, so we just cancelled that, went to Plan B and it worked out,” he said. “I think she will (contest black-type), we lease her off the Bax’s (breeders) and we’re always trying to do the best for everybody.” McNab had a red-letter day at Trentham, securing four victories on the card which included guiding both of Didham’s winners, alongside the Cody Cole-trained La Verite, and Robbie Patterson’s mare The Hottie. “She’s (Fashion Icon) just a really genuine little filly. I got a nice run, she picked up really well and was doing enough, and when she felt the other one coming she went again. For not an overly big filly, she’s got a really nice way of going about her,” McNab said. “She conserves energy well in the race outside the leader, she never touched the bridle and when I asked her to pick up, she picked up well. “I can’t see why not (contest black-type) off what I felt today, she’s won three in a row which is not easy to do. She’s stepped up today and all you can do is keep raising the bar and seeing what she wants to do.” Not to be outdone by her younger stablemate, progressive mare Manifique stormed to an 8-1/2 length demolition in the Stayers Championship Qualifier Premier (2200m) later in the card. Manifique was a dominant 4-1/2 length victor at Taranaki last start over 2000m, and punters had full faith in a repeat performance at Trentham betting the mare into a scorching $1.80. As several of the 10-horse field chased the lead, McNab settled Manifique into a comfortable midfield position one-off-the-fence outside of second public-elect King Of Hearts. He No Opilio increased the tempo at the 800m creating a solid staying test, and as the field rounded the home turn Manifique cruised into contention under minimal pressure. After swooping to the lead at the 400m, Manifique was in a class of her own bolting away by an extending margin that continued beyond the winning post, while $41 outsider Pep Torque held out King Of Hearts to fill the minor placings. “That’s the pedigree coming out now, and it’s really exciting,” Didham said. “He (McNab) just put her to sleep and when he said go he didn’t even have to touch her, so it’s super good. I didn’t expect it by that margin, it was a reasonable field and we were going from Rating 75 to Open grade so it was really good.” Didham indicated Manifique would likely be heading for the Group 3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) back at Trentham in two weeks’ time, with further distance options in mind including a current nomination for the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) in January. “She ran 2400m at the end of her campaign last year and she handled it really well, and Michael’s always said she’s a Cups horse,” he said. “There’s not a lot of her so we just have to be careful with which weights we get, that’s why I went for the Open because I didn’t want her carrying 58kg in a 75.” Manifique is out of Peter Gillespie’s four-time Group 1-winning mare Shez Sinsational, who under Allan Sharrock’s care collected 12 victories from 1200m-3200m, including the Group 1 Auckland Cup (3200m), and more than $1.4 million in stakes. “She (Manifique) might be another year away (from an Auckland Cup), she just taken her time and hasn’t had a lot of starts but we’re very happy,” Didham said. Shez Sinsational continued to perform in her breeding role after retiring to stud in 2013, with her first foal being Sharrock’s five-time black-type winning mare Sinarahma. Manifique followed a couple of seasons on, the daughter of Savabeel a $420,000 purchase by Glen Cotterill out of Wellfield’s Book 1 draft at the 2020 Karaka Yearling Sales, with breeders Gillespie and Bill Gleeson remaining in the ownership. “Peter Gillespie, Glen Cotterill and Bill Gleeson are such good owners but they don’t just race horses, they punt, they breed and they’re the heart and soul of racing that we need, so it’s really good to get a top liner for them,” Didham said. A full-brother to Manifique will be available for purchase at the upcoming 2024 Karaka Yearling Sales in late January, with Rich Hill Stud offering the colt under Lot 401 of the Book 1 draft. More horse racing news View the full article

A thrilled Billy Jacobson following his first Kiwi-based victory at Pukekohe aboard Lingjun Xiongfeng. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) The Kiwi riding ranks have benefitted from the addition of another expat South African jockey in Billy Jacobson, and the family-orientated hoop was thrilled to pick up his first winner on Kiwi soil at Pukekohe on Saturday. Entrusted with the steer aboard the Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained Lingjun Xiongfeng in the Ellerslie Events 1500, Jacobson allowed the grey entire to ease back in the 14-horse field from the extreme outside draw. The pair remained at the tail throughout, while $6.00 second-favourite Amberite controlled proceedings. Still with the entirety of the field ahead of him on the home corner, a no-panic display saw Jacobson edge the five-year-old out of a tight gap at the 350m, and once the pair found clear running, Lingjun Xiongfeng stormed home in the closing stages to catch Amberite by a head at the post. “I’ve been here for about a month, so it was really nice to get the winner,” Jacobson said. “I worked him during the week before his race, and I said to Pam (Gerard, co-trainer) that I thought he could win, he gave me a really good feel. She did say that he gives up quite easily, so I watched his tapes and saw that when he gets to the front she basically stops, so my plan was to win it on the line. “She said ‘as long as you win it, that’s fine’, she gave me free reign pretty much, so I just sat him at the back, switched him off and came as late as I could. Luckily it worked out for me.” The victory came in Jacobson’s 25th attempt on New Zealand soil, though he picked up a notable black-type second placing aboard Te Akau stalwart Prise De Fer in the Group 3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) the weekend prior at Te Rapa. Jacobson had been offered the ride aboard the Group 1-winning eight-year-old in last Saturday’s Group 1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham, but after consulting with friend and agent Donovan Mansour, he maintained faith in Gerard’s charge and remained in the North. “I’ve ridden work for Te Akau and I was very lucky to be offered the ride on him (Prise De Fer) for both races. It was a hard decision to turn the Group One ride down,” he said. “But I felt like I made the right decision at the end of the day. It’s great to ride in a Group One, but I told Donovan how well the horse (Lingjun Xiongfeng) had been working and I thought he could win, so we opted to stay and go for the winner here. “Prise De Fer ran a top race for me at Te Rapa, and I think he still has more in the tank, so I’d love to ride him again if the opportunity came.” Originally hailing from Durban, Jacobson was the latest expat-South African to enter the jockeys room in New Zealand in early November, reconnecting with former close colleagues Mansour, and premiership leader Warren Kennedy. The 43-year-old has based himself in Cambridge and was soon joined by wife Mel and their two young sons, the main motivation for his move. “The main reason I’m here is for my kids. South Africa for a long time coming has been going backwards and doesn’t provide a future for them. New Zealand is a beautiful country and it’s the right place to bring them up,” Jacobson said. “I got here a month earlier than the rest of my family and they are everything to me, so I battled a bit without them. But now they are here I’m doing much better. “Everything in this country is completely different, both inside and outside of racing, so it’s going to take a bit of getting used to for all of us, but it’s been nice so far.” Adapting to a new racing jurisdiction is nothing new for the well-travelled hoop, having ridden across the globe, including Dubai, France, Spain, Zimbabwe, and most recently, an eight-month stint in Mauritius in 2022. He did note a difference in the race riding, as well as the style of training between New Zealand and his home nation. “The trackwork in the morning and the way people train here is very different to South Africa. We don’t do timed work over there, so that was something I had to get used to but it’s great, I’m learning a lot more,” he said. “I ride work at Matamata and Cambridge. I’ve been mainly riding at Matamata for Pam, Graham Richardson and Te Akau, then at Cambridge for Stephen Marsh, Andrew Forsman, John Bell and Shaune Ritchie. “I’ve gotten nice support from their stables on raceday, and hopefully now I’ve got the winner, we can crack on and get a few more past the post. I think everyone’s a bit wary until you get a few winners, so hopefully now it picks up. “I’ve come in when the season’s already started, so it would be cheeky and unrealistic of me to think I’d be able to catch someone like Warren. “My main goal this season is to get myself established with a few stables to back me and then next season hoping to be competitive in the premiership. It’s good to have goals, and that would be something I want to aim for eventually.” More horse racing news View the full article

Group 1 performer Babylon Berlin. Photo: Trish Dunell Excitement is building at Ellerslie, with racing set to return to the Auckland venue following its first set of official trials on its new StrathAyr track on Monday morning. The first heat was taken out by Group 1 performer Babylon Berlin by three lengths and trainers Ben and Ryan Foote couldn’t have been happier with the new surface. “It was a nice trial today. All reports were good, Courtney (Barnes, jockey) said she felt great and having the first use of that track was pretty cool too. Everybody is really excited about racing there again,” said Ben Foote, speaking from Hong Kong. Babylon Berlin finished runner-up in the Group 1 Railway (1200m) and Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) earlier this year and she will attempt to shed her bridesmaids tag when she tackles the sprint features next month. “She will go straight into the Railway and then the Telegraph. We have just taken our time with her this time in so she will be ready to rock and roll come January 1,” Foote said. The daughter of All Too Hard takes good form into the Railway on New Year’s Day, having won fresh-up in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa last month before finishing runner-up in the Group 2 Counties Bowl (1100m) at Pukekohe a fortnight later. Foote is currently in Hong Kong where he attended the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) meeting at Sha Tin on Sunday to watch his former purchase Golden Sixty claim his third Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) scalp. Foote, under his Enigma Farm banner, purchased Golden Sixty as a yearling with Riversley Park’s Sam Beatson out of Element Hill’s 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for A$120,000. They then sold the son of Medaglia d’Oro through Riversley Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft later that year to trainer Francis Lui for $300,000. He has gone on to win 26 races and more than HK$165 million (NZ$34.7 million) in prizemoney. Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year has been a dominant force in the leading racing jurisdiction in recent years and boasts 10 elite-level victories to his name. “I bought Golden Sixty as a yearling so to see him win like that yesterday was a huge buzz. That turn of foot was amazing,” Foote said. The Cambridge horseman was taken by Golden Sixty when inspecting him as a yearling, but said he had a few faults that may have deterred other buyers. “He was an athletic type of horse,” he said. “He had a couple of little things that maybe people didn’t like and he was quite weak as well. At the Magic Millions they tend to go for the bigger, stronger types.” The HKIR meeting had added Kiwi flavour, with New Zealand-bred Lucky Sweynesse taking out the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m). Bred by Luigi Muollo, Allan Sharrock and Paul Dombroski, Lucky Sweynesse is another New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run graduate, having been purchased by J&I Bloodstock out of Woburn Farm’s 2020 draft for $90,000. More horse racing news View the full article

The Queensland racing industry is set to undergo an evaluation of the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) according to an announcement, by Racing Minister Grace Grace. Starting in January 2023 an independent review will be conducted to ensure that QRIC is maintaingin integrity standards and prioritises animal welfare. Minister Grace emphasised the importance of this assessment to gauge the effectiveness of QRIC, which has been operational for seven years. The review will encompass aspects, including an evaluation of QRICs powers and management functions. It will explore practices in training, communication and development programs while proposing measures for long term sustainability and improvements in standards. Additionally recommendations will be provided on enhancing governance models, decision making processes fostering changes within the organisation and bolstering support services. The Queensland Government remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining a racing system as advised by the MacSporran Report. This report shed light on industry self regulation deficiencies and highlighted conflicts between competing interests and animal welfare concerns. Following recommendations from the MacSporran Report two distinct bodies were established. One focusing on aspects while another concentrating, on integrity and animal welfare matters. Minister Grace has expressed the governments unwavering dedication to supporting a racing industry that prioritises animal well being and upholds high integrity standards. The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) has made achievements in the seven years by implementing important reforms to safeguard animal welfare and maintain strong oversight of racing integrity. Throughout this period the racing industry, in Queensland has flourished, experiencing increased turnover and prize money as notable advancements in racing infrastructure that prioritise the well being of animals and ensure integrity. Minister Grace acknowledges the progress made by the industry but emphasises the importance of a review to guarantee that QRIC continues to be a model regulatory body. Within 24 hours of the announcement of the QRIC inquiry, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk resigned from her role as state Premier. More horse racing news View the full article

By Jonny Turner Pulling the left rein proved to be a case of pulling the right rein for Mark Purdon in the Group One New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All at Addington on Grand Prix Day. Purdon left punters gasping with a lap to go in New Zealand’s biggest trotting sprint when he elected to stay three back on the markers with the red-hot favourite Oscar Bonavena. But those same punters were left counting their cash when Purdon shot his star trotter along the inner to claim his second big Group 1 title in three weeks. Though he looked as cool and calm as ever when doing so, Purdon admitted he thought he might have made a right hash of things when electing to stay on the markers. “I was thinking about what to do, and as soon as I decided to stay on the markers, Love N The Port came around,” Purdon said. “So, then I thought I had made the wrong move.” “But I thought if I sat parked, he would end up doing too much work.” “His best attribute is his speed, and I drove him that way.” Winning came after a more few nervous moments for Purdon as he angled Oscar Bonavena into the passing lane. The trainer-driver admitted there were only millimetres between victory and an unlucky placing. “To be honest, there would only have been millimetres in it; I was doing everything I could to get a run.” “Luckily there was enough room to just get through, and once he balanced up, he sprinted up really nicely.” Seventeen years after their last Group 1 success, Phil Williamson and Ricky May showed they’re still a formidable combination at the elite level with their win in the K B Electrics Ace Of Hearts with Empire City. With two horses in the event and Williamson’s sons Matthew and Brad starting their own runners in the race, the trainer was in need of a reinsman, and May was there to renew his association with the stable. “Ricky’s one of the all-time greats,” Williamson said. “I try to deal in the best; my sons are phenomenal but it just worked out this way that Ricky got on her when the boys had their own, and it’s turned out to be great.” Williamson and May last combined for Group 1 glory with Allegro Agitato in the 2005 National Trot. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Trainer-driver David McCormick was equal parts delighted and surprised by Maui’s win in the Ecolab Handicap Trot at Geraldine on Saturday. The five-year-old son of Peak was too good for his rivals on the grass at Orari, just a week after dead-heating for second at Methven behind runaway winner Oscar Bonavena. “I was surprised that no-one was picking him – not one person picked him after that second to Oscar.” “I thought that was strange.” While the tipsters didn’t have him in their selections Maui did have a fair bit of support from punters on Saturday. He was 4/4 in the betting and paid $8.80 for the win. Initially Maui was slow away but McCormick managed to get three wide cover at a vital stage before going clear and then holding on to win by a neck from Cormoran Strike. “I’d have to say it was one of my better drives,” a clearly chuffed McCormick said, “everything fell into place.” It was the Ashburton-based McCormick’s 30th win as a driver since his first in 1982. Earlier Maui had caused a false start when he backed away, interfering with a trailing runner. “He can be a a bit fractious sometimes,” McCormick said, “but he is a nice horse and has a lot of speed.” At Methven on December 3 in the Dancinginthedark at Aldebaran Park Green Mile Maui was again a bit wayward. He went back to second last before rushing home to finish second equal with Aveross Majesty, ten lengths behind Oscar Bonavena. “Maui’s run was huge at Methven,” says McCormick. Aveross Majesty went on to win the Dunedin Trotters Cup at Wingatui last Friday, with Maui winning at Geraldine the following day and Oscar Bonavena making it a hat trick of wins with his Group 1 victory in the Livamol New Zealand Trotting Free For All on Grand Prix day at Addington yesterday. Maui’s win, his ninth in 69 starts, took him over $100,000 in stakes. He’ll now head to Rangiora this Sunday before heading south to compete at Gore and then in Central Otago. View the full article

by Mike Love Outstanding wins by Tyron Eros and Sunnys Sister gave the country’s leading trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn a Group 1 double at Addington yesterday. Tyron Eros was far too good for his rivals in the IRT Ace of Clubs two-year-old old colts and geldings trot at Addington yesterday. “We were pretty confident. He’s got the ability and does everything right,” says co-trainer Jenna Dunn, “we had a bit of luck with the favourites galloping at the start. Any win is a good win, but when they win like that it’s pretty special.” Tyron Eros was able to secure a very economical run throughout in the one-one for driver John Dunn. With the two favourites Look To Da Stars and Bring On The Muscle making errors at the dispatch, and a solid speed set up by pacemaker The Merc, Tyron Eros was able to capitalise. Launching from the 500m he quickly put paid to his rivals and was never in doubt, winning by six lengths from The Merc and Bring On The Muscle who was impressive making a huge recovery to claim third. Driver John Dunn was impressed with the way he won as he explained in a post race interview. “We got a beautiful sit. He picked the bit up lovely, and at the 600m he felt like a winner. He’s got a long way to go, but we have the motor and horsepower to work with.” The win also brought up John Dunn’s 100th success in the sulky for the season. Tyron Eros also brought up a milestone for breeders and owners Alan and Ian Neumann being the first Group 1 winner they have bred. “They’ve been long time owners of ours, so it was cool to train their first Group 1 winner that they’ve bred. They breed them well, so it makes our job a little bit easier!” said Jenna Dunn. As for what’s in store for Tyron Eros, we may not know until the new year. “We might just give him a bit of a break now and make a plan from there.” Later in the programme Team Dunn produced Sunnys Sister to win the King Of The North New Zealand Trotting Derby. Sunnys Sister was four back the fence before John Dunn got out of a potentially tricky spot around the 400 metre mark. He then whistled home to win impressively for nearly three lenths to back up his win the New Zealand Trotting Oaks nine days earlier. The Dunns currently sit at the top of the trainers’ premiership with 108 wins and over $1.8 million in stakes for the season, with Mark and Nathan Purdon in second on 78 wins. “Everyone, all the staff do such a great job, there are so many people involved it’s a big operation,” says Jenna Dunn. View the full article

Online bookmakers have released their racing promotions for Monday, December 11, including several great bonus back offers. The top Australian racing promotions for December 11, 2023, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions 10% Boosted Winnings ALL Races at Tuncurry Get 10% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH up to $100 (including SRM). First Bet Only. T&Cs apply Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo This Monday use your punters Toolbox. Get Price Boosts, Bet Backs, Fluc Ups, Back Ups & Extra Nudge tools! Available to use on ANY races of your choice. 18+ Gamble Responsibly. General betting rules apply. Neds T&Cs apply. Login to Neds 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 How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting has reviewed the top horse racing bookmakers in Australia and has unveiled exclusive thoroughbred bonus promotions and specials for Monday, December 11, 2023. These horse racing promotions persist almost daily, showcasing the commitment of Australia’s top horse racing bookmakers. If one bookmaker lacks a promotion, rest assured that another is presenting enticing promotional offers in the realm of gallops. HorseBetting.com.au is your go-to source for the most lucrative horse racing bookmaker bonuses every day. Gain the most value out of your punting endeavours with bookie bonuses with the most competitive horse racing odds available for each race. It’s imperative to note that these thoroughbred racing promotion offers cater exclusively to existing customers. Accessing these special promotions and claiming the bookmaker’s offers requires logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For those seeking races and horses to leverage their horse betting bookmaker bonus bets, HorseBetting offers a valuable resource with its daily free racing tips. Stay informed, stay strategic, and make the most of your horse racing experience with these exclusive promotions. More horse racing promotions View the full article

Peter Didham’s impressive form this season continued at Trentham on Saturday, with eye-catching pair Fashion Icon and Manifique staking their claim for black-type opportunities this summer. The Awapuni horseman recorded his 13th and 14th victories for the season, equalling his total winning record from 2022/23 from just 70 starts. Didham kicked off the Trentham meeting in style when promising filly Fashion Icon produced her third win in a row as a $2.70 TAB tote-favourite in the Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors Premier (1400m). A daughter of U S Navy Flag, Fashion Icon had collected her maiden victory at Woodville on October 5 before making her presence known in Rating 65 company when chasing down race-favourite Pepeha to score at Trentham last-start. Returning to age-group company on Saturday, Michael McNab positioned Fashion Icon comfortably in the one-one once the six-horse field settled into stride, with the pace making role taken up by Bella Corno. When asked to extend at the top of the long straight, the filly moved to the lead, and kept finding late, holding out the late challenge of Tossuforit by a long neck. “I was really confident, her work had been outstanding and it wasn’t really a concern going 1200m to 1400m, but it’s still there,” Didham said. “Michael rode her beautifully, cuddled her up and just waited on the turn and went, and when the other horse came up she fought on. She’s one of those horses that I’m not sure how much class she’s got, but she just puts her ears back and tries hard. “She’s always in for a dogfight, you saw in her last start, a three-year-old winning a Rating 65. Pepeha had her covered but she stuck her nose out and beat him. She’s a really lovely filly going forward and we’re really excited about her.” Also part of the ownership group, Didham had intended to step the filly into stakes company last Saturday in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui, but a minor setback put that plan on hold. “We were going to run last week in the fillies’ race but she had a little toothache, and nothing was lining up for a rider, so we just cancelled that, went to Plan B and it worked out,” he said. “I think she will (contest black-type), we lease her off the Bax’s (breeders) and we’re always trying to do the best for everybody.” McNab had a red-letter day at Trentham, securing four victories on the card which included guiding both of Didham’s winners, alongside the Cody Cole-trained La Verite, and Robbie Patterson’s mare The Hottie. “She’s (Fashion Icon) just a really genuine little filly. I got a nice run, she picked up really well and was doing enough, and when she felt the other one coming she went again. For not an overly big filly, she’s got a really nice way of going about her,” McNab said. “She conserves energy well in the race outside the leader, she never touched the bridle and when I asked her to pick up, she picked up well. “I can’t see why not (contest black-type) off what I felt today, she’s won three in a row which is not easy to do. She’s stepped up today and all you can do is keep raising the bar and seeing what she wants to do.” Not to be outdone by her younger stablemate, progressive mare Manifique stormed to an 8-1/2 length demolition in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Qualifier Premier (2200m) later in the card. Manifique was a dominant 4-1/2 length victor at Taranaki last start over 2000m, and punters had full faith in a repeat performance at Trentham betting the mare into a scorching $1.80 on the TAB tote. As several of the 10-horse field chased the lead, McNab settled Manifique into a comfortable midfield position one-off-the-fence outside of second public-elect King Of Hearts. He No Opilio increased the tempo at the 800m creating a solid staying test, and as the field rounded the home turn Manifique cruised into contention under minimal pressure. After swooping to the lead at the 400m, Manifique was in a class of her own bolting away by an extending margin that continued beyond the winning post, while $41 outsider Pep Torque held out King Of Hearts to fill the minor placings. “That’s the pedigree coming out now, and it’s really exciting,” Didham said. “He (McNab) just put her to sleep and when he said go he didn’t even have to touch her, so it’s super good. I didn’t expect it by that margin, it was a reasonable field and we were going from Rating 75 to Open grade so it was really good.” Didham indicated Manifique would likely be heading for the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) back at Trentham in two weeks’ time, with further distance options in mind including a current nomination for the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) in January. “She ran 2400m at the end of her campaign last year and she handled it really well, and Michael’s always said she’s a Cups horse,” he said. “There’s not a lot of her so we just have to be careful with which weights we get, that’s why I went for the Open because I didn’t want her carrying 58kg in a 75.” Manifique is out of Peter Gillespie’s four-time Group One-winning mare Shez Sinsational, who under Allan Sharrock’s care collected 12 victories from 1200m-3200m, including the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m), and more than $1.4 million in stakes. “She (Manifique) might be another year away (from an Auckland Cup), she just taken her time and hasn’t had a lot of starts but we’re very happy,” Didham said. Shez Sinsational continued to perform in her breeding role after retiring to stud in 2013, with her first foal being Sharrock’s five-time black-type winning mare Sinarahma. Manifique followed a couple of seasons on, the daughter of Savabeel a $420,000 purchase by Glen Cotterill out of Wellfield’s Book 1 draft at the 2020 Karaka Yearling Sales, with breeders Gillespie and Bill Gleeson remaining in the ownership. “Peter Gillespie, Glen Cotterill and Bill Gleeson are such good owners but they don’t just race horses, they punt, they breed and they’re the heart and soul of racing that we need, so it’s really good to get a top liner for them,” Didham said. A full-brother to Manifique will be available for purchase at the upcoming 2024 Karaka Yearling Sales in late January, with Rich Hill Stud offering the colt under Lot 401 of the Book 1 draft. View the full article

Horse Racing on Monday, December 11 will feature two meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the top bets and the quaddie numbers for the meetings at Orange. Monday Racing Tips – December 11, 2023 Orange Racing Tips Best Horse Racing Bets For December 11, 2023 Place these horse racing bets in a multi for $24.03 odds return: Monday, December 11, 2023 Orange – Race 5 #10 Flying Chevrolet Orange Race 6 #4 Redford Tuncurry – Race 1 #2 Tamar Tuncurry – Race 4 #1 Dark Vador | 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 December 11, 2023 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

Golden Sixty salutes under jockey Vincent Ho in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile. The Pride of Hong Kong – Golden Sixty – landed a record-tying third HK$32 million Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) triumph this afternoon as a crowd of 65,252 people packed Sha Tin to cheer for their hometown hero. Returning first-up after a 224-day break between runs, Golden Sixty – an eight-year-old – showed no signs of slowing down with age as jockey Vincent Ho masterfully overcame the widest of 14 barriers to prevail as $2.30 favourite in a time of 1.34.10 – a length and a half ahead of Voyage Bubble – while Japan’s Namur was third. “He’s a monster. When I asked him for an effort, he lengthened like I can’t believe – he’s still got that turn of foot. It’s crazy,” Ho said. Trained by Francis Lui, Golden Sixty joins Good Ba Ba as the race’s second three-time winner, following his victories in 2020 and 2021. “It’s amazing. I got the three-wide with cover, where I wanted to be and he knows his racing now. He’s never travelled keen with me, he was relaxed all of the way and then when I asked him for an effort, he just gave me 100 percent. “It’s a great team effort, so thanks to all of the team. It’s not easy to come here at a high level without any preparation.” Ho said. Slotting in from his draw to travel wide throughout, Ho asked Golden Sixty for an effort at the 400m mark and his answer was immediate – dashing clear by nearly four lengths. “He’s not eight – he feels like he’s four. I can’t believe it. I was confident, even from gate 14 as long as I could get into the right position. Everything just went pretty ideal – I visualised this and it happened,” Ho said. Victory is the Medaglia d’Oro gelding’s 26th at his 30th start, his 10th Group 1 – a Hong Kong record – and enhances his all-time earnings to HK$165.85 million, while Romantic Warrior (HK$119.79 million) and Beauty Generation (HK$106 million) are the only other horses to earn over HK$100 million. “The whole team did a massive job. For me, of course the next race is the Stewards’ Cup (Group 1, 1600m) and then the Champions Mile (Group 1, 1600m). They are talking about retiring the horse. Of course, it looks like the right thing to do – he has achieved so much – but if he is still performing like this and he loves his racing so much, is it the right thing to take away what he loves? “We will of course have to think about that as well. He’s a horse who loves racing – he enjoys it, he enjoys the crowd and as long as he is healthy and competitive, we are happy. “A lot of people were saying the age of eight is a concern, but to be honest I never doubted him. We’ve looked after him, we’re not running him with top weight in handicaps, and this year he’s only going to race in three races. He’s so amazing when he runs fresh. He’s just an amazing horse,” Ho said. The 131-rater is slated to retire following his next two runs in 2024, firstly in the Stewards’ Cup on 21 January and FWD Champions Mile on 28 April. “He is my champion. I think he enjoyed the race – he knew what to do. I was happy with how he improved in every barrier trial. He showed good fighting heart,” Lui said. “Our team did a good job, they looked after the horse very well. I have to say thank you to my team.” Jockey James McDonald was pleased with 2023 Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Voyage Bubble’s effort to finish second. “That was unbelievable. It was a super performance. I’m so proud of him and Ricky Yiu has done an amazing job, he’s in for a great season,” McDonald said. Speaking of Namur’s third placing, jockey William Buick said: “She ran great. She was drawn 12 which wasn’t ideal but I did the thing I had to do and she’s got a good turn of foot which she showed today. We covered a bit of ground but I think everyone will be happy with that. She bumped into a superstar.” Hong Kong racing continues on Wednesday at Happy Valley. More horse racing news View the full article

Romantic Warrior fends off Luxembourg to claim Group 1 Hong Kong Cup. Romantic Warrior put himself in the pantheon of Hong Kong greats, producing a huge effort to hold off Luxembourg and Hishi Iguazu in a heart-stopping climax to the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Just 43 days after a historic win in Australia’s premier weight-for-age race, the Cox Plate (2040m), Romantic Warrior looked to have burned off his rivals with a burst of acceleration at the 400-metre mark, before answering jockey James McDonald’s every call as the race came to the boil deep inside the final 200m. A jubilant McDonald said: “I think he’s the toughest racehorse I’ve ever sat on and his courage, his will to win, is just something that I’ve never felt before. “I’ve ridden some fantastic racehorses – unbelievable ones – and he’s right up there. “To come back from a Cox Plate, I thought was going to be a ginormous task. “Even though it was a small margin, I think he’s come through it with flying colours.” Romantic Warrior got the perfect draft into the race just off the pace set by Money Catcher, though McDonald admitted that Ryan Moore kicking Luxembourg into the race with 600 metres to run had meant he needed to draw on his superstar partner’s deep reserves of class and courage much earlier than was ideal. And McDonald was candid in his assessment of the mood in the Romantic Warrior camp ahead of the race. “It was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been riding the horse,” said McDonald. “Everything’s been pretty straightforward but there’s always that unknown, coming back from Australia after a really tough run in the Cox Plate (and a) tough run in the Turnbull. “I’m incredibly proud of him and humbled to be associated with a horse like that. For him to come here and do what he did in the Hong Kong Cup for a second time after all those hurdles he’s overcome, it’s one of my proudest moments on him. Owner Peter Lau has been rewarded for his courage in travelling the horse to Australia and now winning the most important all-age race in Hong Kong for a second time, while trainer Danny Shum emerges from the victory with his reputation further enhanced. “No matter how he was in trackwork, it’s not easy at all, “said Shum. “We’re lucky that Romantic Warrior is a real warrior.” “He had a hard race and then two days off and a long flight. “If you’re a human being, when you go overseas you get jet lag, whereas a horse just stays on the box. He’s a tough, tough horse and I love him.” Shum and Lau will now have to decide on future challenges for the five-year-old Acclamation gelding, who took his earnings HK$119.7 million dollars, becoming the third horse in Hong Kong racing history to pass the HK$100 million mark. Asked whether further foreign campaigns could be part of Romantic Warrior’s future, Shum said he would defer to his owner. “I never told Peter (what to do), he gave me the decision and I followed his plan,” said Shum. “I don’t think it was his best performance this time; he can do better, we know that. “But just think about the long flight and a tough race before quarantine. You can imagine it’s really, really hard for a horse. But he can take it, he’s too good.” Luxembourg, Hishi Iguazu and Straight Arron played their full part in pushing Romantic Warrior to the limit, with Aidan O’Brien particularly proud of the runner-up. O’Brien said of Luxembourg: “He ran a great race. He was coming and coming and just on the wrong nod he [Romantic Warrior] came back up on him. “But he ran a stormer, Ryan gave him a great ride. He’s brave and he tries very hard. He’s not been over-raced and he is very consistent.” A quartet of brave horses fought out the finish of the Hong Kong Cup. And when going got tough at the death, it was a real warrior that prevailed. More horse racing news View the full article

HKJC CEO at media briefing. The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges has praised the 2023 Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) as “one of the best days of racing” Hong Kong has hosted. “In my humble opinion, I’ve been here now for 25 years and this was one of the best – if not the best – days of racing we have had in Hong Kong,” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “If I look at the situation after Covid, after we had last year already a good meeting, but today Hong Kong racing has established (itself) again on the global stage and has shown what sporting entertainment means. A crowd of 65,252 – the largest HKIR attendance since 2019 – flocked to Sha Tin. On a day when Hong Kong racing shone on the international stage as local champions – Lucky Sweynesse (Hong Kong Sprint), Golden Sixty (Hong Kong Mile) and Romantic Warrior (Hong Kong Cup) – won three of the four elite Group 1 contests, France also extended its successful association with the “Turf World Championships” with Junko (Hong Kong Vase). “When you look at the sporting performances, it was a fantastic win by Junko and Andre Fabre, who is one of the greatest supporters of Hong Kong racing,” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said. Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges thanked international and local owners, trainers and jockeys as well as Club staff for the staging of an unforgettable meeting. “I would like especially to thank the connections, because this would not be possible without the tremendous support from horsemen around the world,” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said. Addressing Hong Kong’s effort to win three of the four HKIR Group 1s for the second year in a row, Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “We had a sprint race where we had the best sprinter in the world (Lucky Sweynesse) establish himself after there was doubt. And I have witnessed this year two absolutely amazing performances, if you look at Equinox in Dubai and I had the pleasure to see Equinox in Japan. “I’m not saying the performance of Golden Sixty is the same as Equinox, but in the Mile I have very seldom seen the performance of a horse, an eight-year-old first time up drawn gate 14, and it was an absolutely brilliant ride by Vincent (Ho). “There was a lot of doubt how it would play out and it was a tactical masterpiece how the horse was positioned. When the horse accelerated, when you could hear the crowd cheering for the local champion, this was something which, in my view, was unforgettable. “Then probably the most exciting 2000m race (Hong Kong Cup) I have seen this year. Similar to the Cox Plate, where you had really top horses fighting it out at the top of the straight. That a Hong Kong horse (Romantic Warrior) won is good, but when you look at the form of Luxembourg, again sporting wise it was a fantastic performance.” Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Director, Racing Mr Andrew Harding described Sunday’s race meeting as “truly remarkable” with Ho’s International Jockeys’ Championship as one of several highlights of the week. “The week indeed has had so many remarkable threads. I take Vincent’s victory on Wednesday night in a field of literally superstars and it speaks to the depth of the Club’s commitment to developing local talent,” he said. “We were proud of what we were able to achieve during the dark days of the pandemic. Today showed that in December Hong Kong is the place to be and that the eyes of the racing world turn to us. “I’m just so proud that we were able to show the world that Hong Kong is Asia’s world city and we were able to give our visitors a fantastic week.” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges thanked Club staff in staging the flagship meeting and for allowing Hong Kong to shine. “We have a team dedicated to excellence and that makes the Jockey Club proud. It has shown today and the whole week that Hong Kong is back on the global stage and that Hong Kong racing is one of the global racing products which I feel as a city we should be proud of.” Turnover on the meeting was HK$1.697 billion, which included a commingling turnover record for a 10-race Hong Kong meeting of HK$429.6 million. View the full article

Joe Browne Nicholson will retire from Nicholson Insurance Agency effective Dec. 31 after 46 years, according to a press release issued Sunday. The agency was established in 1993 and served clientele with equine and farm insurance since then. It was also announced that the group has been acquired by the sixth-largest brokerage firm in the world, Acrisure. “It has been my privilege and pleasure to associate with the world of the horse. Being able to combine my career avocation with my horse affection has been a blessing,” said Nicholson. “I have met many wonderful people over the years at sales, racetracks and show rings who possess that exceptional quality of love and care for the horse. Special indeed.” The post Nicholson to Retire from Agency After 46 Years appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Brian Sheerin and Katie Petrunyak Danish buyer Morten Buskop was left thanking his lucky stars on Sunday that his unnamed but long-standing client was more stubborn than him as he came out on top for the €190,000 Zarak (Fr) foal who led the way at the second session of the Arqana breeding stock sale. There's nothing quite like seeing the sales house back up when a highly-regarded horse walks into the ring and it became evident pretty quickly that the Haras de Montaigu-drafted filly had plenty of suiters with many of the top judges playing on lot 400. A daughter of one of the best stallions in France and out of the well-bred Sea The Stars (Ire) mare Brodie (GB), the Sunday sale-topper could be offered for resale or put into training by Buskop's client, with the agent keen not to tie up plans at this early stage. He said, “My client is a very stubborn man when he decides he likes the horse or the foal. He likes the Zaraks, of course, and we thought there is a lot of Dubawi (Ire) in this horse.” Buskop added, “The page is nice. He's out of a Sea The Stars mare so that should do the job. We also like the fact that the granddam is by Linamix (Fr). Very happy with the purchase.” The main takeaway from Sunday's action was the clearance rate climbing 4% to 83% compared to last year's figures. The average was virtually the same at €36,592 while the median climbed €2,500 to €30,000. The aggregate was also up by almost 2% to €7,757,500. Howdy Partner – Ballylinch Form Strong Partnerships Two years ago, Meridian International and Ballylinch Stud teamed up at Arqana to bid on a colt by New Bay (GB), however, they came in as underbidder when the youngster sold for €180,000. Flash forward to this September and the juvenile named Alcantor (FR), who was a TDN Rising Star on debut, claimed the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie for Baron Edouard De Rothschild. Meridian International's Ghislain Bozo and John O'Connor of Ballylinch Stud were keen to try for the same family again as Alcantor's half-sister by another Ballylinch sire took to the ring at Arqana. After a lively round of bidding, the partners came out on top with a winning €115,000 bid for the daughter of first-crop sire Waldgeist (GB). “We think we're going to either pinhook her or race her,” said Bozo. “She's a very good mover and Alcantor is obviously a very good horse. We're going to try to get the best out of her.” “We like doing partnerships,” O'Connor added. “We think we are good partners for people and it's been very successful for us. It allows us to spread the risk over a larger number of horses and we're always happy to do it mostly on our own stallions. We like that best. She's by Waldgeist and the trainers have been very positive about him, so he has to get some more winners next year but the trainers tell me that they're very nice horses.” Consigned by Haras du Hoguenet, the April-foaled weanling is out of Bianca de Medici (GB) (Medician) (GB), who hails from the family of dual Arc heroine Treve (FR) (Motivator {GB}) and whose six foals from six to race also include Group 2 winner Boscaccio (Ger) (Mount Nelson {GB}). “We know that the mare is a proven mare so she's bred some good ones,” O'Connor said. “She's a very nice filly. We might end up racing her. If we do, at least we have one that looks like a racehorse.” Ballylinch Stud went on to team up with an unnamed partner to secure Royal Grey (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), a listed winner in Italy, for €135,000. She was purchased once again by Bozo of Meridian International and will join trainer Nicolas Clement after a short break. Bozo explained, “She is going to be trained by Nicolas Clement and is a very nice filly with good form. The stallion needs no introduction and she is just a lovely filly with a very good page. We will give her a break for a month and then she will go back into training where she can hopefully take in a listed win in France.” Royal Grey, a daughter of G2 Lowther S. runner-up Infamous Angel (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), was sold for £45,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale last year. She has amassed three wins in Italy for Enda Botti. Bozo continued, “It's a partnership between a client of Nicolas Clement's and also Ballylinch Stud. Havana Grey is a lovely stallion and he could be the next Wootton Bassett (GB) maybe. He stands out so much and his stock have a good temperament and are very keen to go. I'm very impressed by them.” Top Jockey Ronan Whelan Gets In On The Arqana Action Some jockeys jet off to exotic places on their holidays over the winter but top Irish rider Ronan Whelan swapped topping up his tan for adding to his bloodstock portfolio alongside his father Tom, a renowned breeder in his own right. This year marks Whelan's best, with 46 winners ridden domestically in Ireland, while Tom, who operates under Church View Stables, has enjoyed a good time in the ring. The father-and-son team were involved in the purchasing of lot 315, a St Mark's Basilica (Fr) colt out of a half-sister to Muhaarar (Oasis Dream {GB}), for €110,000 to MAB Agency. The sale comes just a week after a filly by the Coolmore-based stallion and out of the Oaks winner Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) topped the foal sale at Tattersalls at 575,000gns to Jill Lamb on behalf of Newsells Park Stud. “We fell in love with the colt,” Ronan Whelan said. “We can't wait to bring him back to Ireland. St Mark's Basilica is a promising stallion and he's from a great family.” Marc Antoine Berghgracht's MAB Agency went on to sign for Tevara (GB) (Compton Place {GB}), offered in foal to Victor Ludorum (GB), from Haras du Logis at €100,000. MAB Agency spent almost €400,000 on six lots on Sunday alone. Irish Buyers Going Ga-Ga For Galiway Irish buyers have been going ga-ga crazy for the progeny of Galiway (GB) in recent times, largely down to the success Willie Mullins has enjoyed with the Haras de Colleville-based stallion. Ireland's dominant National Hunt handler has done his bit to spread the good Galiway word through hurdlers Vauban (Fr) and Gala Marceau (Fr) and Mullins' fingerprints were all over one of the more expensive lots sold on Sunday. Less than a month after Paul Byrne, Harold Kirk and Mullins snapped up Zillow (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}) for €300,000 at the Autumn Sale here at Arqana, the three-year-old's dam Petunia (Ire) was sold in foal to Galiway to Irish buyers Seamus Murphy and Mark McStay standing alongside Timmy Hyde jnr. By Pivotal (GB) herself, Petunia hails from a good Wertheimer family and there was clearly no shortage of people willing to take the chance on Zillow turning out to be a fine dual-purpose type for Mullins with the hammer falling at €93,000. To be fair to Murphy and McStay, there are worse people to be placing your faith in than messrs Byrne, Kirk and Mullins. Lot 438 could turn out to be a good buy. Buy of the day Mags O'Toole has a habit of turning water into the wine and nobody would be surprised if lot 303, a Sioux Nation colt out of winning Camelot (GB) mare Shalya (Fr), could double or even treble the €55,000 outlay if he rocks up to any of the major yearling sales next year. Shalya, herself a winner at four, hails from the family of G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Prix Vermeille victress Shareta (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}), plus a second Prix Vermeille winner in Shawanda (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}), who also claimed the G1 Irish Oaks. Sioux Nation, one of the top second-crop sires this year, celebrated a bumper sale at Tattersalls last week, with foals selling for 210,000gns, 155,000gns and 135,000gns. All told, 10 foals by Sioux Nation sold for an average of 71,200gns. Given O'Toole's purchase came significantly under that average price from Tattersalls, one can assume that she is in a good position to turn a profit next year. Thought for the day The French way of auctioneering seems to be about building suspense and leaving no stone unturned to secure the best possible price for the vendors. Put it this way, there's nobody nipping off to the car parks early at Arqana. However, surely an argument can be made for the long, drawn out approach to auctioneering, where horses in the millions are climbing up in a series of €25,000 bids, is counterproductive. Surely a more lively approach to auctioneering, in America for example, is best served for getting people's blood up and ultimately driving the highest price in the ring. Whether such a practice would ever catch on in France remains to be seen but there was no escaping that the ring felt flat for long periods of time on Saturday and Sunday at Arqana. The post ‘Stubborn’ Buyer Wins Out At Arqana As Buskop Bags 190k Zarak Foal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article