Wandering Eyes

Last week's announcement that the 2024 GI Belmont S. will be migrating north to Saratoga Race Course for 2024 because of the $455-million extensive renovation of Belmont Park made official a move that the New York Racing Association (NYRA) has been openly discussing for months. But since the press release from the New York governor's office came out during a slow time of the year for racing news, it rekindled speculation about the ramifications of tinkering with the historical significance of the third jewel of the Triple Crown. The debate is healthy. It means fans care. But the racing world isn't about to tilt off its axis because of changes that will probably end up making the best of an unavoidable, temporary transition. Cutting back the 1 1/2 miles “Test of a Champion” distance of the Belmont S. to 1 1/4 miles generated the most outcry. The feasibility of moving the four-day (Thursday-Sunday) Belmont S. festival upstate for one long weekend June 6-9 instead of just running it at Aqueduct Racetrack was a distant second in the discussion. And although it was not specifically addressed in the official release, the expectation is that the Belmont Park construction will extend through 2025, meaning that the site and distance switch figures to be in play for at least the next two runnings of the Belmont S. The purse of the race will also be getting a boost, from $1.5 million to $2 million. The last time Belmont Park was closed for a major facelift, from 1963-1967, the Belmont S. got shifted to Aqueduct, which accommodated the 1 1/2 miles distance without incident by starting the race on the far turn at the three-eighths pole. Since both Saratoga and Aqueduct feature nine-furlong main-track ovals, that would be the start point for any 1 1/2 miles dirt race at either venue (without resorting to an alternate finish line). It would be an awkward (but not impossible) configuration to attempt, so NYRA has opted for the two-furlong cutback. To some racing enthusiasts, that's absolute heresy that will sully the Triple Crown with asterisks if a horse manages to sweep the series at the truncated Belmont S. distance. Others are simply shrugging their shoulders and accepting the short-term trim as a historical aberration, noting that over the past century and a half, there have been a number of tweaks to the distances, order, time spacing, and venues of all the Triple Crown races. With that in mind, maybe the best outcomes to root for in 2024-25 are close, competitive editions of the Belmont S. with no one horse sweeping the series. One longer-term concern about the distance switch is that horse owners and trainers might end up liking the 10-furlong Belmont S. so much that they'll push for the change to become permanent under the argument that it better suits modern-day Thoroughbreds who are bred for speed rather than stamina. If the 1 1/4-mile runnings of the race end up luring large fields, this theory could have some legs. But it would be difficult to imagine NYRA officials wanting to unveil the brand-new Belmont Park in 2026 by starting its showcase race in another awkward spot, this time on the first turn. That's where the few main-track races carded at 10 furlongs must begin over Belmont's 1 1/2-mile circumference. As to the wisdom of choosing Saratoga over Aqueduct, the question comes down to location, location, location. And context. Yes, the logistics of running the Belmont S. at Aqueduct would be far easier than moving the meet (and a small army of backstretch workers and track employees) upstate for just four days. Remember, after the Belmont-at-Saratoga mini-meet, racing is to return downstate to Aqueduct for another month before then coming back to the Spa July 11 for the traditional 40-day summer season. You could maybe make a minor case for wanting to give utilitarian Aqueduct a fitting send-off salute by allowing it to host a Triple Crown race for two years before the property likely gets sold and repurposed (all of NYRA's downstate racing and training is envisioned to get consolidated at Belmont Park after the construction project is complete). If it worked in the 1960s, why not the 2020s? Recall that at the time of the last Belmont Park rehab 60 years ago, Aqueduct had just undergone its own three-year renovation (completed in 1959) and was being hailed as “the world's most modern and luxurious horse plant,” as per the Associated Press. And in 1963, Saratoga was still a relatively sleepy hamlet that hosted seasonal racing for only a few weeks each summer. So moving the Belmont S. there would have been considered an unlikely (even absurd) proposition the last time this type of venue switch had to be considered. Now fast-forward six decades: Aqueduct has long since been retrofitted from a primary racing plant to a full-blown racino with not enough seating or trackside amenities to accommodate the 50,000 attendance cap for the Belmont S. And Saratoga? Its stature and infrastructure have both blossomed in the other direction, with numerous “premium seating” renovations added over the past few years to more readily accommodate the hospitality needs of a special event like a four-day weekend. Saratoga has undergone numerous renovations and new builds | Sarah Andrew Plus, simply from a cachet standpoint, the racing-centric, tourism-ready, boutique atmosphere in upstate Saratoga provides an exclamation point that workmanlike Aqueduct in Queens could never match. Yet the move is not completely without drawbacks. There will be legitimate gripes about another major racing event being pushed farther out of the grasp of the everyday horseplayer who wants to see important stakes in person. Remember how-for decades-racing used to promote itself as the only sport in America where admissions were kept at the same price point for blockbuster events as they were for regular, run-of-the-mill, weekday afternoons? That marketing mantra slid of the grid many years ago. If you remember that type of sloganeering at all, you probably also recall how pay telephones were once strictly verboten at tracks (to keep race results out of the hands of bookies), or how the racing industry used to boast that it was the highest-attended spectator sport in the nation. Mike MacAdam, writing for the Daily Gazette in upstate New York, pointed out in a Friday article how tickets for the Belmont-at-Saratoga meet, which are expected to go on sale in mid-February, will be largely limited to four-day packaged seating options, with early-access first dibs going to box-seat holders from both Belmont and Saratoga, plus Saratoga reserved season ticket holders and past Belmont S. package purchasers. “So, for the most part, you won't be able to get single-day seating,” MacAdam wrote. Noting that pricing and policies have yet to be announced publicly, MacAdam also speculated that Saratoga's fan-friendly carry-in cooler rule could change for the Belmont S. weekend. “NYRA hasn't announced yet whether fans will be allowed to bring in their own food and beverages,” MacAdam wrote in the Daily Gazette. “It's worth noting that they don't allow outside alcohol on Belmont Day.” Hotel rooms for the June 6-9 period are going, going, gone, according to news reports by several different upstate New York media outlets. The Daily Gazette reported in a separate story by Shenandoah Briere last Wednesday that Saratoga hotel rooms at Embassy Suites that had been advertised at $285 to $335 a night prior to the governor's announcement about the Belmont S. quickly got bloated by supply and demand to up over $1,100 per night. On Sunday, a TDN check of lodging availability at the higher-end Adelphi Hotel yielded Friday and Saturday rates listed for as high as $4,022 per night, with a three-night minimum stay in effect. There is no word yet on how much a spot on someone's spare couch in one of the outlying towns in the Saratoga region might cost you, but we'll keep you posted over the long winter between now and the sure-to-be-unique, first-ever Belmont-at-Spa fest. The post Week in Review: Belmont Stakes Shift to Saratoga Ignites Debate, but Racing World Won’t Title Off Axis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Northern trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan pulled off the ultimate team work double at Addington yesterday. The pair capped a wonderful last 14 months at the home of Canterbury harness racing when Merlin led throughout to win Garrard NZ Pacing Derby on Grand Prix Day a race after stablemate Duchess Megxit won the Group 1 The Box Seat Ace Of Diamonds for juvenile pacing fillies. The double is the northern stable’s fourth and fifth major race victories at Addington from small numbers since October last year, having also won three Harness Million divisions with Merlin, Cold Chisel and trotter Southern Diamond. Hall Of Fame trainer Purdon says there is a reason good horses like Merlin can win the biggest age group races so far from home. “It is a good horse’s track Addington so the cream often rises to the top,” says Purdon. “He is a very good horse and so is the second horse (Don’t Stop Dreaming) so it was a good Derby.” Purdon says much of the credit for Merlin’s win and the stable’s southern form lies with training partner Scott Phelan who has been training the southern assault force most of the spring. “Scott has a done a great job with the boys so I wasn’t even going to come down to help but I did because we brought Duchess Megxit down and being a filly we decided to keep her away from the boys.” So that meant the rare situation of both Purdon and Phelan being in Canterbury this last week but training different members of their team at two different properties, the boys at Jeff Whittaker’s stables and Duchess Megxit staying with Purdon’s brother Mark. Ironically, Duchess Megxit beat one of Mark’s horses in Treacherous Baby in their $110,000 clash. “She is a very good filly and we are confident she will go on and make an Oaks filly next season, she has that scope,” said Purdon. As for Merlin he will be aimed at his first Australian campaign with the Chariots of Fire on March 2 potentially a stepping stone to the Miracle Mile a week later. Zachary Butcher reined both Merlin and Duchess Megxit to win and almost pulled off a Group 1 treble when his own filly Mantra Blue was nosed out by Aardiebytheseaside in the $175,000 Tennant Engineering New Zealand Pacing Oaks. In a race robbed of Millwood Nike, Mantra Blue was sent forward inside 800m and driver Tim Williams made the brave decision to hand up the front with he and co-trainer Steve Telfer both believing Aardiebytheseaside would be more potent following a helmet. It proved the case as she dashed up the passing lane before just holding out a resurgent Mantra Blue with Kahlua Flybye in third in what was a triumph for Team Telfer. Later this week Sunday’s Oaks foes will become partners as Butcher will team up with the Telfer-trained and Mike Tanev-owned Aardie’s Express in the Queen Of Hearts at Alexandra Park. In the other juvenile races We Walk In Faith was fast and professional to lead, trail and passing lane in the juvenile boys pace, the Betavet Ace Of Spades, with the Southland challenge of Dreams Are Free blunted when he was beaten for early speed and left with little chance in a no-pressure race running on well for third. The other pacing feature of the day saw Beach Ball continue his climb up our open class pacing ranks order when he led throughout to smash Self Assured in the $36,500 East West Fencing Summer Cup, one of two big wins on the day for Ricky May. Beach Ball rated 1:54.4 for the 1980m winning by nearly five lengths confirming his Cup week form and suggesting he will now be a factor in any major race for new trainer Brendon Hill. View the full article

Conditioner Linda Rice reports that Garland of Roses victress Hot Fudge (Liam's Map) has come out of her first stakes victory 'feeling great' after taking the listed eight days removed from visiting the winner's circle in an optional claimer. She is unbeaten since her return from a near six-month layoff, and her 2023 campaign has seen the filly take home five wins in seven starts. “That filly, we've had a few strange things happen with her when she was young, and then she had such a nice winter. We elected to give her this summer off, because I just felt like she needed it,” Rice explained. “She came back really well and of course we wheeled her back on short rest, but once they're older and more mature, it can work out.” Rice added the next likely target for the daughter of Liam's Map is the $150,000 Interborough S., a seven-panel sprint for fillies and mares, set to run Jan. 20. Freshwater and Arrogance Back in the Barn A pair of noteworthy names recently resurfaced on the work tab for the trainer including GSW Joey Freshwater (Jimmy Creed) and SW & MGSP Arctic Arrogance (Frosted). The former posted his first work since failing to hit the board in the Salvatore M DeBunda Sprint S. back in August. The GIII Bay Shore S. winner covered a half-mile over the Belmont training track in :50.40 this past Thursday. “Joey had three months off and he looks good,” said Rice. “He's fresh. He should be ready sometime in January, not really any target yet. Maybe we'll start him in a 'two-other-than' allowance and go from there. Baby steps.” A presence to reckon with in the spring on New York's Road to the Kentucky Derby, Arctic Arrogance has not been seen since his fourth-place effort in the GII Wood Memorial in April. He'd previously made a name for himself with three-straight runner-up efforts in the GII Remsen, the listed Jerome, and the GIII Withers S. The grey returned to the tab Sunday with a half-mile breeze in :52.60, but Rice admits it's going to be a slow process to her him back to the races. “The breeze was good. He's on the fat side and was always hard to get weight off of, so he's heavy right now. It will take us a little while. We've just got to get him going.” The post Linda Rice Looks Forward with Hot Fudge, Returning Stakes Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Officials at the Hong Kong Jockey Club could offer their devoted fans only limited access to the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting from 2020 to 2022, a necessity attributable to the Coronavirus outbreak in March 2020, and while the attendance restrictions were gradually eased over the next few years, there were certain parameters and restrictions in place to ensure the show would go on. With things more or less back to normal in the SAR, the patrons–a reported 65,252 of them–poured through the Sha Tin turnstiles Sunday afternoon to greet their equine superstars and they left a largely satisfied group, as champions Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) and Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) delivered performances that captured their collective imagination–in one case, the difficult-to-imagine. The Wertheimer Brothers' Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}) was the lone overseas-based winner for the ageless Andre Fabre. It was the second straight year that the home team took three of the four events. “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,” said Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “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.” Turnover on the HKIR was HK$1.697 billion (£173.1 million/US$217.4 million), marginally down on last year's HK$1.729 billion. Commingling handle of HK$429.6 million (£43.8 million/US$55 million) was a record for a 10-race Hong Kong meeting. Andrew Harding, the Executive Director of Racing for the HKJC declared the meeting as 'truly remarkable' and added: “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.” G60 Lands Historic Third Mile Against All Odds When last seen at Sha Tin under race conditions, treble Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) was posting his third straight victory in April's G1 Champions Mile, a ninth elite-level score for a horse who recorded his first in this race in front of an empty grandstand three years ago. Having sided against a maiden overseas voyage for the G1 Yasuda Kinen, Golden Sixty was given the summer off, during which time he turned eight years of age on Southern Hemisphere time, and a conservative programme was set, as Father time became a consideration. The idea of a lead-up run in the G2 Jockey Club Mile Nov. 19 was ultimately dashed, meaning that Golden Sixty would need to defy a 224-day absence on his return to action Sunday. Add to that a draw in gate 14, and surely this was a task too tall. But, if ever a horse was built to overcome all that, it is surely Golden Sixty, and with an adoring public able to be present in large numbers for the first time, turned in a performance for the ages. The many obstacles notwithstanding, Golden Sixty was very much the pari-mutuel darling, though he did drift out to $2.35 (1.35-1) on the tote. One of the first to leave the machine, the champ was taken hold of by Vincent Ho, and that alert dispatch dictated that Golden Sixty would race no worse than mid-division, as Godolphin's multiple group-winning Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) sped across from gate 13 to make the running in advance of 2022 Mile winner California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) and Japan's Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}) three wide. Following the latter's move around the turn, Golden Sixty was given his cue and there was nothing about the subsequent push-button acceleration that suggested he was getting long in the tooth or otherwise sour on racing. Within a matter of strides, Golden Sixty sailed by all the inside traffic and it was all over bar the shouting, as Ho let out an atypically demonstrative roar as they crossed the line. Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), the 2023 Hong Kong Derby winner, ran on gamely for second ahead of G1 Mile Championship heroine Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who closed well from the backfield for William Buick. Golden Sixty joins Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan) as three-time winners of the Mile. “It's amazing. I got the three-wide with cover, where I wanted to be and he knows his racing now,” said Ho, who warmed up for the HKIR with a victory in the International Jockeys' Challenge at Happy Valley Wednesday evening. “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%. “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. 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.” The Golden Sixty farewell tour looks set to continue in the G1 Stewards' Cup Jan. 21 and a swansong in the Champions Mile Apr. 28 before retiring in Japan From …to …to a sense of Ride the rollercoaster with owner Stanley Chan as GOLDEN SIXTY joins GOOD BA BA as a three-time #HKIR winner! #HKIR | #HKRacing | @HKJC_Racing | @netkeiba | #ゴールデンシックスティ | #金鎗六十 | #競馬 | #賽馬 pic.twitter.com/rMe190aJXT — World Horse Racing (@WHR) December 10, 2023 Pedigree Notes: Golden Sixty's dam, winner of the 2006 G2 Debutante S. for Jim Bolger, is also responsible for the Southern Hemisphere-bred 3-year-old filly Golden Sister (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}), an A$425,000 graduate of the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, who was unraced in Australia and has since been sent to the U.S., where she was covered by Medaglia d'Oro this breeding season. The mare's current 2-year-old is the Vancouver (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) filly Golden Millions (Aus), who has been retained by her breeder and is currently spelling for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. Gaudeamus produced a filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) in 2022 and was most recently covered by two-time HKIR winner Maurice (Jpn). Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG MILE-G1, HK$36,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-10, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:34.10, gd. 1–GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS), 126, g, 8, by Medaglia d'Oro 1st Dam: Gaudeamus (GSW-Ire, $179,486), by Distorted Humor 2nd Dam: Leo's Lucky Lady, by Seattle Slew 3rd Dam: Konafa, by Damascus (A$120,000 Ylg '17 MMGCYS; NZ$300,000 2yo '17 NZBRTR). O-Stanley Chan Ka Leung; B-Asco International Pty Ltd; T-Francis Lui; J-Vincent Ho; HK$17,920,000. Lifetime Record: 3x Horse of the Year, 2x Ch. Miler, Ch. Middle Distance Horse & Ch. 4yo-HK, 30-26-2-1, HK$165,840,600. *1/2 to Igitur (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}), SP-Aus; and Rainbow Connection (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}), GSP-Aus $139,595. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Voyage Bubble (Aus), 126, g, 5, Deep Field (Aus)–Raheights (Aus), by Rahy. (A$380,000 Ylg '20 INGFEB). O-Sunshine and Moonlight Syndicate; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-Ricky Yiu; J-James McDonald; HK$6,720,000. 3–Namur (Jpn), 122, f, 4, Harbinger (GB)–Sambre et Meuse (Jpn), by Daiwa Major (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm Co Ltd; B-Northern Farm; T-Tomokazo Takano; J-William Buick; HK$3,680,000. Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 13-10, 30-1, 12-1. Also Ran: Soul Rush (Jpn), Beauty Joy (Aus), Beauty Etenal (Aus), Serifos (Jpn), Encountered (Ire), Lim's Kosciuszko (Aus), Cairo (Ire), Divina (Jpn), Danon the Kid (Jpn), California Spangle (Ire), Tribalist (GB). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. Everything together. Nothing without the other. @A_Evers | @LONGINES | #HKIR pic.twitter.com/v8EBwuzqus — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 10, 2023 Romantic Warrior Holds Off Luxembourg In the Cup Perhaps they should change his name to Dramatic Warrior. Six weeks after dropping his nose down on the line ahead of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars {Aus}) in a tense, ground-breaking victory in the G1 Cox Plate at Mooney Valley in Melbourne, Peter Lau's Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) was the 13-10 favourite to go back-to-back in Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin and grimly held off late challenges from Ballydoyle's high-class Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Hishi Iguazu (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) to prevail by a head. Perfectly placed in fourth by James McDonald, who flew back from Perth in Western Australia overnight, having just been beaten aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) in Saturday's G1 Northerly S., Romantic Warrior traveled comfortably through the opening 1300 metres, but McDonald's hand was forced when Ryan Moore set Luxembourg alight on the turn. Quicker to the spot than the Ballydoyle raider, Romantic Warrior went for home, pinched a bit of a break and looked on his way to a successful defence of his title, only to have to call on every ounce of his class to hold on in the dying strides. Fourth-placed Straight Arron (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was hampered by the eventual winner at the 150m, with McDonald subsequently receiving an official reprimand from HKJC stewards, but no protest was lodged. Romantic Warrior becomes only the second repeat winner of the Cup, joining California Memory in 2011 and 2012. “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,” said McDonald, who picked up the ride in last year's Cup from Karis Teetan, who was battling medical issues at the time. “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.” A 300,000gns purchase by Mick Kinane and the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the draft of Corduff Stud at the 2019 Tattersalls October Sale, Romantic Warrior was sold to Lau for HK$4.8 million at the Hong Kong International Sale in 2021. Luxembourg completed a Tattersalls-sourced 1-2. Of Luxembourg, trainer Aidan O'Brien said: “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 overraced and he is very consistent.” The mentor and the mentee after the Hong Kong Cup. Ryan Moore aboard Luxembourg and Vincnet Ho on Straight Arron.#HKracing #HKIR pic.twitter.com/rubofEfrgb — Evers (@A_Evers) December 10, 2023 Pedigree Notes: Romantic Warrior is one of three winners from three to the races for his dam, a daughter of the English listed-winning and Group 3-placed, G2 Prix Jean Romanet and GI E. P. Taylor S. winner Folk Opera, who was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock carrying to Exceed and Excel (Aus) for €82,000 at the 2016 Goffs November Sale. The in-utero purchase, named Melodic Charm (Ire), was sold for 85,000gns at the 2018 Tattersalls October Sale and was a two-time winner at the races for Saeed Manana and James Tate before clearly benefitting from the success of Romantic Warrior when selling to the China Horse Club for 270,000gns in foal to Dark Angel (Ire) at last year's Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Folk Melody is also the dam of the 3-year-old colt Operation Gimcrack (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and a yearling colt by the same stallion that was bought back for 110,000gns at this year's Tattersalls October Sale. Folk Star (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}), a David Simcock-trained half-sister to Folk Melody who won her maiden at Kempton Nov. 6 and was a narrowly beaten second in a Lingfield handcap Nov. 25, was knocked down to Kildaragh Stud for 37,000gns at the just-concluded Tattersalls December Sale. Folk Melody is additionally the dam of a weanling colt by New Bay (GB). Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG CUP-G1, HK$36,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-10, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:02, gd. 1–ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE), 126, g, 5, by Acclamation (GB) 1st Dam: Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire) 2nd Dam: Folk Opera (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire) 3rd Dam: Skiphall (GB), by Halling (300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 HRA '21 HKJUN). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-T J Rooney & Corduff Stud; T-Danny Shum-; J-James McDonald; HK$20,160,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 4yo & Ch. Middle Distance Horse-HK, G1SW-Aus, 17-12-3-0, HK$119,796,084. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Luxembourg (Ire), 126, c, 4, Camelot (GB)–Attire (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (150,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Westerberg, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-B V Sangster; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore; HK$7,560,000. 3–Hishi Iguazu (Jpn), 126, h, 7, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–La Liz (Arg), by Bernstein. (¥97,000,000 Wlg '16 JRHAJUL). O-Masahide Abe; B-Northern Racing; T-Noriyuki Hori; J-Joao Moreira; HK$4,140,000. Margins: SHD, NO, HF. Odds: 13-10, 71-10, 13-1. Also Ran: Straight Arron (Aus), Prognosis (Jpn), Sword Point (Aus), Nimble Nimbus (NZ), Rousham Park (Jpn), Money Catcher (NZ), Horizon Dore (Fr), Champion Dragon (Ire). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing Lucky Sweynesse Gains Redemption in the Sprint Twelve months after enduring a luckless run in the sharpest of the four Longines Hong Kong International Races, Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) overcame some nervous moments inside the final 300 metres, but was given a ride full of confidence by Zac Purton and went on to an ultimately soft success over Lucky With You (Aus) (Artie Schiller). Defending champion Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) was third, as Hong Kong horses filled the top five slots. The Sprint seemed loaded with speed on paper, and so it proved, as Victor the Great (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) blasted away from gate four, but was soon displaced on the front end by the fleet-footed Jasper Krone (Frosted), while G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) was handy in third. Purton secured the ideal spot in behind that trio and would have been licking his chops turning in, but as Victor the Winner took the race to Jasper Krone in upper stretch, a gap between that duo closed. Forced to steady, but only slightly as a result, Lucky Sweynesse was pulled out and took a few strides to hit top gear, but put the race to bed soon after. Lucky With You, a winner in Class 3 on International Day 2021, posted a career high to be second, while Wellington–blinkered for the first time–went a good race from the tail. “I had the run inside Victor The Winner, but when James (McDonald) went for him, he shifted in and hampered me a little bit, but he (Lucky Sweynesse) accelerated so quickly, I was able to come out across his heels and he had his chance from there–he did what he had to do. I love him,” said Purton, recording a record-extending 11th HKIR win and third in the Sprint. Lucky Sweynesse, who has now won each of the four Group 1 sprints in Hong Kong–all in calendar year 2023–was beaten under handicap conditions in his first two starts this term, but bounced back under a penalty to take out the G2 Jockey Club Sprint three weeks ago, defeating Wellington, who was having his first run for Jamie Richards. “I could feel in the morning his trackwork had improved, and his action was getting a little bit better,” added Purton. “His all-around demeanour in the morning was getting back to where it was last season. I could see he was blossoming at the right time.” The post-race incidents report stated that Lucky Sweynesse was found to have substantial blood in his trachea. Sprint KING! The record of Lucky Sweynesse… x4 G1s x3 G2s x2 G3s x15 wins HK$70.56 million @LONGINES | @zpurton | #HKIR pic.twitter.com/kZq53X86zM — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 10, 2023 Pedigree Notes: A full-brother to 2021 G1 Queensland Oaks third Signora Nera, Lucky Sweynesse has a 4-year-old half-brother by Per Incanto and a 2-year-old half-brother by Contributer (Ire). Having missed to Sweynesse for 2022, Madonna Mia most recently returned to that stallion son of Lonhro (Aus). Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG SPRINT-G1, HK$26,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-10, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:09.25, gd. 1–LUCKY SWEYNESSE (NZ), 126, g, 5, by Sweynessse (Aus) 1st Dam: Madonna Mia (NZ) (SW-NZ, $134,764), by Red Clubs (Ire) 2nd Dam: Hill of Hope (Aus), by Danehill 3rd Dam: Macozie (Aus), by Marscay (Aus) (NZ$90,000 2yo '20 NZBRTR). O-Cheng Ming Leung, Cheng Yu Tung, Cheng Mei Mei & Cheng Yu Wai; B-P L Dombroski, Explosive Breeding Ltd & S A Sharrock; T-Manfred Man; J-Zac Purton; HK$14,560,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. Sprinter-HK, 21-15-4-1, HK$70,568,900. *Full to Signora Nera (NZ), G1SP-Aus, GSP-NZ, $145,027. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Lucky With You (Aus), 126, g, 6, Artie Schiller–Heredera (Aus), by Northern Meteor (Aus). (A$130,000 Ylg '19 INGMAR). O-Vincent Leung Man Him; B-Emirates Park Pty Ltd (NSW); T-Frankie Lor; J-Andrea Atzeni; HK$5,460,000. 3–Wellington (Aus), 126, g, 7, All Too Hard (Aus)–Mihiri (Aus), by More Than Ready. (A$70,000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Mr & Mrs Michael Cheng Wing On; B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd, David Paradise, Steve McCann (NSW); T-Jamie Richards; J-Alexis Badel; HK$2,990,000. Margins: 3/4, 1, NK. Odds: 3-10, 36-1, 75-10. Also Ran: Victor the Winner (Aus), Duke Wai (NZ), Highfield Princess (Fr), Jasper Krone, Mad Cool (Ire), Sight Success (Aus), Aesop's Fables (Ire). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. Junko 'Fabre'-ulous in the Vase The subject of a massive go on the tote that saw him crushed from double digits into $5.50 (9-2) in the final few minutes of the wagering, Wertheimer et Frere homebred Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}) was steered out wide into the Sha Tin straight by Maxime Guyon and finished fastest of all to scoop Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase. It was a third victory in the race for 77-year-old Andre Fabre, who won his first in 1999 with Borgia (Ger) and followed-up nine years ago with Flintshire (GB), also ridden by Guyon. The lanky gelding missed the break by about a half-length and was content to drop out to the rear as La City Blanche (Arg) (Cityscape {GB}) led at a walking pace from Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was taken to the outside after leaving from the inside stall. Racecaller Mark McNamara quipped that the Shing Mun River adjacent to the backstretch run at Sha Tin was 'moving faster than the Vase field' and that was scarcely hyperbole, as the opening 1200 metres was timed in 1:18.44, nearly three seconds outside standard. Moore went for Warm Heart with the better part of 700 metres to go, getting first run on her rivals, and the duo edged past La City Blanche traveling apparently well nearing the entrance to the straight. But the G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner began to run out of steam at the 200m, and Junko, produced wide off the final corner, lengthened his stride beautifully and outfinished the well-backed Zeffiro (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) for the victory. Warm Heart held for third, while Lebensstil (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn})–whose drift in the market from odds-on to be off at $2.30 (13-10) was equally eye-catching, dropped away tamely to finish last of them. The 11th French victory in the Vase was achieved in the slowest clocking in history. “I'm really happy because it's time to win this race (again). Nine years ago, it was Flintshire,” said Guyon. “We didn't know before the race if he would like this ground or not because normally he prefers the soft ground, but today in Hong Kong the ground was good. We had a good race, we have not a lot of runners so I'm not too far back and just after the last turn, he has a good turn of foot. He's very relaxed and of course the pace is not way fast but the most important thing with the horse is if he's breathing really good and everything is okay.” A consistent performer at Group 2 and Group 3 level, Junko had been found wanting a bit when tried in consecutive Group 1 tests this seaon, finishing sixth in the Dubai Turf in March and again in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan in May before finishing a distant third to Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. A facile winner of Deauville's G3 Prix de Reux Aug. 5, the homebred was third behind Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) in the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris Oct. 15 and was exiting a three-length triumph in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern in bottomless ground at Munich Nov. 5. Legend, Andre Fabre. @LONGINES | @maximeguyon_off | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/1C9NaWaytW — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 10, 2023 Pedigree Notes: Lady Zuzu, a half-sister to multiple graded winner and multiple Grade I-placed Optimizer (English Channel), was purchased by Borges Torrealba for $1.225 million at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and was placed in a pair of age-restricted Grade III contests on the turf for Three Chimneys before changing hands for $2.35 million at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The Grade I-winning third dam, a half-sister to fellow top-level scorers Dancing Spree and Furlough, produced two-time Grade I winner Finder's Fee. The latter's stakes-placed daughter Receipt (Dynaformer) was responsible for Grade III winner and three-times Grade I-placed Feathered (Indian Charlie), the dam of undefeated US Horse of the Year Flightline (Tapit). Junko is a half-brother to a French-based, but American-bred yearling colt by Siyouni (Fr) and a weanling colt by Uncle Mo, also bred in Kentucky. Junko's 6-year-old half-sister Warzuzu (Ire) (War Front) is the dam of a filly by Persian King (Ire) that was purchased by Freddy Head for €160,000 at this year's Arqana August Sale. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG VASE-G1, HK$26,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-10, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:30.12, gd. 1–JUNKO (GB), 126, g, 4, by Intello (Ger) 1st Dam: Lady Zuzu (MGSP-US, $112,615), by Dynaformer 2nd Dam: Indy Pick, by A.P. Indy 3rd Dam: Fantastic Find, by Mr. Prospector O/B-Wertheimer et Frere; T-Andre Fabre; J-Maxime Guyon; HK$13,440,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ger, MGSW & G1SP-Fr, 14-7-3-2, HK$17,793,130. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Zeffiro (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Wild Wind (Ger), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd; B-Shadai Farm; T-Yasutoshi Ikee; J-Damian Lane; HK$5,040,000. 3–Warm Heart (Ire), 117, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Sea Siren (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore; HK$2,760,000. Margins: 1, 2 1/4, HF. Odds: 9-2, 23-5, 12-5. Also Ran: Geraldina (Jpn), Senor Toba (Aus), Five G Patch (Ire), La City Blanche (Arg), Lebensstil (Jpn). Scratched: West Wind Blows (Ire). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. The post ‘Truly Remarkable’ Longines HKIR Gives Fans Everything They Could Ask For appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Will Walden made his first trip to Tattersalls a successful one, picking up a trio of auspicious, race-ready fillies to compete in the U.S. for owner Woodford Thoroughbreds.View the full article

Ascoli Piceno ran her record to three wins without a loss while clinging to a narrow lead through the final strides of the Dec. 10 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1).View the full article

Three of Hong Kong's favorite horses delivered the goods, winning three of the four group 1 Longines Hong Kong International Races Dec. 10 at Sha Tin Racecourse.View the full article

Group winner Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) maintained her unbeaten record with a narrow score in the ¥125,160,000 G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies on Sunday. She also set a new stakes record of 1:32.60 for the 1600 metres in the 18-horse affair. The Yoichi Kuroiwa trainee follows in the wake of such horses as dual Japanese Horse of the Year Vodka (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}) who won this in 2006, fellow Horse of the Year Buena Vista (Jpn) (Special Week {Jpn}) (2008 edition), and 2022 scorer Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who claimed the 2023 Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown. Her victory was the first at the top level for her trainer, who opened his stable in 2012. Sent off as the 9-2 third choice behind 23-5 favourite Safira (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Ascoli Piceno perched well off the fence in midfield as 67-1 longshot Chicago Sting (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) stormed to the head of affairs. The pace was strong, with the first 800 metres covered in :46.40, and 1000 metres reached in :58.20. On the bend, the bay remained behind a wall of rivals, but a gap opened just before the 400-metre mark, and she surged through to begin her run. Chicago Sting attempted to ease clear, but Ascoli Piceno with second choice Corazon Beat (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}) to her outside were both flashing home with good speed down the centre of the course. Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) was also picking up close home, and it was that foe who pressed Ascoli Piceno all the way to the line, with just a neck separating them. Corazon Beat, who could not match the finishing kick of the top pair, was third, another 1 1/4 lengths behind and three lengths to the good of the rallying Safira. Chicago Sting held on to run a highly credible fifth. “The stable staff did a great job and she was in very good condition, so I had every confidence in her,” said Kitamura, who was winning his fourth Group 1 and first since Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn})'s 2015 G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger). “The filly broke better than in her previous start, was relaxed during the race and responded well in the stretch. I was a bit worried for a second that we were going to get caught, but she gave her all, all the way to the line.” A winner of a 2-year-old newcomers' affair at Tokyo over 1400 metres in June, the Sunday Racing runner won the G3 Niigata Nisai S. upped to 1600 metres against males just over two months later in August. The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies was her first appearance in over three months. Pedigree Notes The winner is the ninth Group 1 scorer for her sire, who stands at Shadai Stallion Station, Ascoli Piceno is part of a 46-strong battalion of stakes winners worldwide for the 22-year-old son of Sunday Silence. The late Danehill Dancer has now been represented by 19 top level winners out of his daughters among his 166 black-type winners on an international scale. The near-black filly is one of four winners from four to race for her winning dam, and she is also a half-sister to the Listed Marguerite S. heroine Ascoltare (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). After Ascoli Piceno, Ascolti foaled a colt by Satono Diamond (Jpn) in 2022 and a filly by Kitasan Black (Jpn) this year. Second dam Listen (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) won the G1 Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile and ran second in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. Besides Ascolti, she produced the listed winner and Japanese St Leger runner-up Satono Lux (Jpn) to the cover of Deep Impact (Jpn), as well as that colt's full-sister, the group winner Touching Speech (Jpn). Listen is a full-sister to Sequoyah (Ire), who won the Moyglare, and is also the dam of the high class Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo), who won both the G1 2000 Guineas, the Irish equivalent and the G1 St James's Palace S.; and his full-sister, the G3 One Thousand Guineas Trial S. heroine queen Cleopatra (Ire), who was third in both the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. Sunday, Hanshin, Japan HANSHIN JUVENILE FILLIES-G1, ¥125,160,000, Hanshin, 12-10, 2yo, f, 1600mT, 1:32.60, fm. 1–ASCOLI PICENO (JPN), 121, f, 2, by Daiwa Major (Jpn) 1st Dam: Ascolti (Jpn), by Danehill Dancer (Ire) 2nd Dam: Listen (Ire), by Sadler's Wells 3rd Dam: Brigid, by Irish River (Fr) 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Yoichi Kuroiwa; J-Hiroshi Kitamura; ¥66,302,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥104,936,000. *1/2 to Ascoltare (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), SW-Jpn, $422,446. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Stellenbosch (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Bloukrans (Jpn), by Rulership (Jpn). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Katsumi Yoshida; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥26,372,000. 3–Corazon Beat (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Suave Richard (Jpn)–Le Ciel d'Or (Jpn), by Orfevre (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Thoroughbred Club Ruffian; B-Big Red Farm (Jpn); ¥16,186,000. Margins: NK, 1 1/4, 3. Odds: 4.90, 7.70, 3.80. Also Ran: Safira (Jpn), Chicago Sting (Jpn), Lucifer (Jpn), Sweep Feet (Jpn), Dona Betty (Jpn), Cosmo Dinner (Jpn), Catfight (Jpn), Teleos Lulu (Jpn), Nanao (Jpn), Quick Bio (Jpn), Spring Nova (Jpn), Psipsina (Jpn), Culture Day (Jpn), New General (Jpn), Mirai Tailor (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video. The post Italian Flavour To Hanshin Juvenile Fillies As Ascoli Piceno Prevails appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Pride of Hong Kong – Golden Sixty – landed a record-tying third HK$32 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) triumph this afternoon (Sunday, 10 December) 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 2.3 favourite in 1m 34.10s – 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 (G1, 1600m) and then the Champions Mile (G1, 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 BMW 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 (13 December) at Happy Valley. View the full article

Goffs has paid tribute to its former managing director Jonathan Irwin, one of the most influential people in the history of the sales house, who died aged 82 on Sunday. Irwin joined Goffs in 1975 and oversaw the construction of the world's first purpose-built bloodstock sales complex in Kill, County Kildare. He was also appointed CEO of the Dublin International Sports Council (DISC) in 1993 and established the Jack and Jill Foundation along with his wife Mary Ann after the birth of their son Jack. Since 1997, the foundation has supported 1600 families throughout Ireland. It has raised €36 million from the private sector while receiving €4.5 million from the Irish health service. Awards received include Charity of the Year 2003, Irish Personality of the Year 2004, Irish Fundraiser of 2011 and Global Fundraiser of 2011. A statement published by Goffs on Sunday read, “Everyone at Goffs was saddened to learn of the death of the former Managing Director, Jonathan Irwin. “Jonathan was appointed Managing Director of Robert J Goff & Co plc in 1975 at the age of just 33 and oversaw an amazing period for the company over the next 15 years, not least the construction of the iconic Kildare Paddocks which remains one of the finest bloodstock sales complexes in the world.” It continued, “Jonathan was certainly one of the most colourful bloodstock characters of his generation and his legacy lives on in the modern day Goffs. As well as overseeing the design of the complex, he approached the whole business in an innovative and charismatic way. Shouting bid spotters, international guest auctioneers, black tie select sales and the first multi-currency bid board at any auction in the world, an innovation that was almost instantly copied by the likes of Sotheby's and Christie's, were amongst his ideas that have stood the test of time. “European records were regularly set from the outset with the first sale setting the trend with the IR127,000 Guineas Be My Guest being followed nine years later by a Shergar (GB) colt realising IR3,100,000 Guineas (equivalent to €4.2M today), an Irish auction record that stood for 39 years.” Goffs chairman Eimar Mulhern and chief executive Henry Beeby also put on record their heartfelt tributes to the man who revolutionised the company. Mulhern said, “It is with great regret that we hear of the passing of Jonathan Irwin. Jonathan was a titan of the bloodstock industry, transforming and modernising a business which heretofore had been rooted in tradition. He inspired a whole generation, of which I am one, as to a new way to market and promote the business in a truly innovative way. His contribution to Goffs was immense and we are still the beneficiaries of his vision to this day. On behalf of the shareholders and board of Goffs we send our deepest and most sincere sympathy to his wife Mary Anne, his children, his extended family and wide circle of friends.” Other notable achievements in Irwin's long and distinguished career include being elected a member of the Irish Turf Club in 1976, and launching the Irish Horseman magazine in the 1960s. He was also a director at BBA Ireland. Beeby commented, “Jonathan was a truly inspirational character who revolutionised the way European thoroughbred auctions were conducted. A true showman, he oozed charisma and I learned a huge amount from him over the years so much so that we still aspire to his lofty standards to this day.” The post Tributes Flow For Former Goffs Managing Director Jonathan Irwin Who Dies Aged 82 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On Nov. 19 at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York, Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief-Wildwood Rose {Ire}) by Galileo {Ire}) made a spectacular debut, demolishing the competition by almost 10 lengths, becoming her sire's 42nd TDN `Rising Star.' Nothing new there. But the Into Mischief cross with a Galileo mare got Mike Repole thinking. Repole, the American entrepreneur who looks set to earn his second straight Eclipse Award with a champion juvenile, this time with his homebred Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Fierceness, has become more and more invested in the breeding end of the business over the past few years, and is now looking to Europe for strains of soundness and stamina, according to the team of Eddie Rosen and Alex Solis who represented him at the Arqana December sale this week. “Mike is a student of the game and he's very forward-thinking,” said Solis, who has worked as an advisor to Repole for several years. “In the U.S., the medication rules are changing, and becoming more like they have been in Europe for a long time, so jumping into those European pedigrees where horses are more durable and have stamina makes sense to him. So we're mixing up the bloodlines and trying new things. The mares we bought over here are really of a shape that works on the dirt.” “Now that we're more involved in breeding, Mike has realized that the infusion of bloodlines from all over the world would be helpful to our breeding program,” said Eddie Rosen, who serves as General Manager of his Repole Stable. “We participated at Goffs and Tattersalls this year, and while Alex has been here many times, it's my first time and Deauville and Mike thought it would be a good experience for me to be here.” Solis said that the win by Leslie's Rose in such an impressive performance made Repole think that the mixing of American and European bloodlines was the way forward for his breeding program. He has since spent €450,000 at Goffs on four mares through Jacob West, and bought three more at Tattersalls for a total of €480,000. But he saved most of his powder for France. From Arqana, the team will bring back four purchases; three in-foal mares and one two-year-filly, for a total of €780,000. “He started buying European mares at Goffs because of the Niarchos reduction,” said Solis. “He then purchased three mares at Tattersalls. Along the same theory with the European mares, he'd like to find some South American mares.” Repole's father was born in Nice, France, and it wouldn't be surprising to have him turn up personally here in the future, Solis said. “I have helped Mike at the sales for the last three years, and he has turned from someone I advise to a friend. It's amazing how motivating he is and the thing I really appreciate about Mike is that he's willing to try all kinds of things.” All four of his Arqana purchases iwll be sent home to America. Repole keeps mares at Lane's End, Brookdale Farm, and WinStar in Kentucky. Lot 45, All Grace (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), is a seven-year-old mare in foal to Too Darn Hot (GB), and brought €250,000. Lot 97, Baltic Duchess (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), is nine, and in foal to St. Mark's Basilica (Fr), and sold for €180,000. Lot 104, Pamplemousse (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), is a nine-year-old also in foal to Too Darn Hot and brought €100,000. While Repole retired his potential turf champion Up To The Mark to Lane's End Farm this winter, matings for the mares have not yet been determined, said Rosen. “They are all by sires that we like, out of very strong female families, in foal to young, very promising sires. Kingman is a sire that we have great respect for and he's had a lot of success in America, so he's appealing to us,” said Rosen of All Grace. “And this mare is from an excellent female family and we believe that Too Darn Hot is a young sire and we have confidence in him succeeding.” “Lope de Vega, much like Kingman, has had tremendous success in Amerca. She's in foal to St. Mark's Basilica, another young sire that we think is a good prospect, and this mare (Baltic Duchess) is stakes-placed from a strong family.” Of Pamplemousse, Rosen said, “Siyouni is another that Mike really, really likes, a successful sire, and the kind of blood we want to bring to America. It's another strong female family, and again, in foal to an excellent young prospect.” His fourth purchase, the two-year-old filly High Handed (Ire) (Siyouni) will be shipped home to America and pointed to a racing career. She was purchased for €250,000. Rosen, a lawyer by trade, has served as a pedigree advisor to various clients for years, selecting horses such as Tale of the Cat and More Than Ready, among others, and recently gave up his law career to work for Repole full time. He said that Repole was very involved in the selection process, and ran up an international phone bill talking to Solis and Rosen throughout the day as he watched the sale from home in America. “We haven't had a breeding program for a long time, but we have now bred the presumptive two-year-old champion, and Mike likes to participate in every aspect of the business. I think that he's found that the breeding side of it is appealing to him. We have tried to upgrade the quality of the broodmare band, and have sold quite a few and purchased a few others, in order to have an exclusive broodmare band to breed from. Part of that plan was acquiring bloodlines outside of American breeding.” “Mike is directly involved in every aspect of the program,” said Rosen. “He's very hands-on, he's brilliant and he thinks outside the box. That's why this appealed to him. He likes to try different approaches in an attempt to succeed at every level.” Rosen tried to make the most of his first visit to Deauville, taking a D-Day tour on the Thursday before the sale with his wife, Barbara. “It has been a wonderful experience. Deauville itself is an incredible place. The D Day tour was a very emotional and educational experience. The food is fantastic, from breakfast to dinner, and meeting new people is a great part of the experience. And Arqana has been wonderful. They have been very warm and welcoming and made our stay really incredible.” The post America’s Repole Starts to Make His Mark in Europe appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 2023 Longines Hong Kong International Races have been hailed by Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges as “one of the best” that the Hong Kong Jockey Club has hosted since he started with the club 25 years ago. A commingling turnover record was set for the 10-race Sha Tin meeting of HK$429.6 million (£43,846,126/€51,090,128/$55,018,239), with a crowd of 65,252 on hand at Sha Tin. That was the largest attendance number recorded at the HKIR since 2019. In addition, turnover at the meeting was HK$1.697 billion (£173,200,365/€201,815,520/$217,332,291). “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,” 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. “I would like especially to thank the connections, because this would not be possible without the tremendous support from horsemen around the world. “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.” The post ‘One Of The Best’ HKIR Meetings, As Commingling Turnover Record Of HK$429.6 Million Set appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jurisdiction’s three true superstars shine as the biggest crowd since 2018 converges on Sha Tin on SundayView the full article

Romantic Warrior joins California Memory as a two-time winner of the city’s richest race, pipping Luxembourg six weeks on from his Cox Plate triumphView the full article

Second-season handler joins Danny Shum, Ricky Yiu and Manfred Man with a brace on international day to maintain his double-figure championship leadView the full article

Racing for the first time since April, the city’s most successful galloper joins Good Ba Ba as a three-time international day winnerView the full article

Manfred Man-trained, Zac Purton-ridden speedster becomes the first galloper to win all four of the city’s Group One dashes in the same calendar yearView the full article

Any questions about Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse) loosening his grip on the world’s best sprinter mantle were swept aside when Manfred Man’s speedster surged to victory in the HK$26 million Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. It was a redemptive triumph for Lucky Sweynesse, who had no luck in last year’s sprint finishing sixth behind Wellington after a tiring horse took him back through the field. Lucky Sweynesse was sent off as the raging favorite last year and it was repeated again this time around. Momentarily it looked like Lucky Sweynesse was again in need of a big slice of luck at the top of the straight when Zac Purton had to get off heels and hook him around runners to get a clear passage up the straight but he quickly accelerated to score from the fast-finishing outsider Lucky With You with Wellington finishing third. Wellington, now under the care of ex-pat kiwi trainer Jamie Richards, hasn’t won a race in seven attempts since winning last December’s big sprint. It was the gelding’s second run back after finishing 10 of 16 in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in June. Hong Kong horses filled the first five positions with Victor The Winner fourth and 8yo Per Incanto gelding Duke Wai fifth. After resuming with two seconds, Lucky Sweynesse scored a narrow victory in the Gr.2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin last month. But the doubters still questioned whether the five-year-old gelding would return to his absolute best, but he won so comfortably he was visibly eased up over the final 50 metres. Victor The Winner and Jasper Krone were both in the traditional roles in the front early, with Lucky Sweynesse positioned not far off them. When Lucky Sweynesse got clear running, he surged past Victor The Winner, to score by three quarters of a length from the fast finishing Lucky With You, while Wellington was a length and three quarter away in third. Victor The Winner was a further two lengths from the winner in fourth. The winning time was 1m 09.25s. “That’s horse racing,” Purton said after the win. “I had the run inside Victor The Winner but when James (McDonald) went for him, he shifted in and hampered me a little bit but he (Lucky Sweynesse) accelerated so quickly, I was able to come out across his heels and he had his chance from there – he did what he had to do. I love him.” Purton said Lucky Sweynesse deserved the win. “He’s been our best sprinter for the last year, and he was able to atone for last year,” said Purton, who predicted pre-race Lucky Sweynesse was back to his best after a relatively modest start to the season. “I could feel in the morning his trackwork had improved, and his action was getting a little bit better. His all-around demeanour in the morning was getting back to where it was last season. I could see he was blossoming at the right time.” It was Purton’s 11th overall Group One win at the Hong Kong International Races. It was his third victory in the Hong Kong Sprint after a pair off wins by Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins) in 2014 and 2016. Lucky Sweynesse was sold at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale out of Woburn Farm’s 2020 draft for $90,000 to Joe Barnes’ J & I Bloodstock. The gelding was a six length trial winner at Ellerslie out of Shelley Hale’s Cambridge stable before transferring to Hong Kong. View the full article

Te Akau Racing has announced their star 8-time Group One winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) will remain in Australia for her 2024 Autumn campaign. Imperatriz was a dominate winner of her four spring races, starting off with a spectacular victory over Giga Kick in the Gr.2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at The Valley before Gr.1 wins in the Moir Stakes (1000m), Manikato Stakes (1200m) and Champions Sprint (1200m) to complete her faultless campaign. “After careful consideration, the decision has been made that Imperatriz will resume in the Gr.1 VRC Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington in February 2024. She will remain in Australia for her autumn campaign, thus will not be travelling to the Northern Hemisphere,” said David Ellis CNZM. “We have received a number of international approaches and invitations, and have worked diligently through the various options available to our special mare. Our guiding principle is to always make decisions based on what is right for Imperatriz and her continued well-being, and longevity, while maximising her further opportunities to win at the elite level. The champion mare returned back to training this week in Australia in superb condition. “Once safely through the Lightning Stakes, Imperatriz will defend her Gr.1 MVRC William Reid Stakes crown at The Valley and then contest the Gr.1 ATC TJ Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick in April 2024. She will then return home to Te Akau Stud for a well deserved spell. “Te Akau Racing, together with her owners, are very humbled by respect and huge support Imperatriz (Berri as we know her) has attracted. The warmth of the welcome wherever she steps out underlines how she has truly endeared herself to the public through her huge heart and will to win,” Ellis concluded. View the full article

Lucky Sweynesse careers to his fourth Group 1 victory. Any questions about Lucky Sweynesse loosening his grip on the world’s best sprinter mantle were swept aside when Manfred Man’s speedster surged to victory in the HK$26 million Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. It was a redemptive triumph for Lucky Sweynesse, who had no luck in last year’s sprint when he was trapped with nowhere before finishing sixth behind Wellington after a tiring Lim’s Kosciuszko went back through the field. Momentarily it looked like Lucky Sweynesse was again in need of a big slice of luck at the top of the straight when Zac Purton had to get off heels and hook him around runners to get a clear passage up the straight but he quickly accelerated to score from the fast-finishing outsider Lucky With You. 2022 winner Wellington finished third. Hong Kong horses filled the first five positions with Victor The Winner fourth and Duke Wai fifth. And what a difference year makes. 2023 Hong Kong Sprint Replay – Lucky Sweynesse | T: Manfred Man | J: Zac Purton “That’s horse racing,” Purton said after the win. “I had the run inside Victor The Winner but when James (McDonald) went for him, he shifted in and hampered me a little bit but he (Lucky Sweynesse) accelerated so quickly, I was able to come out across his heels and he had his chance from there – he did what he had to do. I love him.” Purton said Lucky Sweynesse deserved the win. “He’s been our best sprinter for the last year, and he was able to atone for last year,” said Purton, who predicted pre-race Lucky Sweynesse was back to his best after a relatively modest start to the season. “I could feel in the morning his trackwork had improved, and his action was getting a little bit better. “His all-around demeanour in the morning was getting back to where it was last season. I could see he was blossoming at the right time.” It was Purton’s 11th overall Group One win at the Hong Kong International Races. It was his third victory in the Hong Kong Sprint after a pair off wins by Aerovelocity in 2014 and 2016. After resuming with two seconds, the gelding scored a narrow victory in the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin last month. But the doubters still questioned whether the five-year-old gelding would return to his absolute best, who visibly eased up over the final 50 metres. Wellington, now under the care of Jamie Richards, hasn’t won a race in seven attempts since winning last December’s big sprint. It was the gelding’s second run back after finishing 10 of 16 in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in June. Europe’s best sprinter Highfield Princess, a four-time G1 winner in three different countries, was aiming to be the first raider to win the sprint since Japanese champion Danon Smash’s 2020 success. Coming off a last start win in the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m), the John Quinn-trained British star was faced with the obstacles of both a European and a mare never previously winning the race. The British sprinting queen bypassed last month’s Breeders Cup at Santa Anita in favor of the Hong Kong assignment for trainer John Quinn as she aimed to add the Asian conqueror title to her list of credits, but she finished sixth. Lucky Sweynesse was sent off as the raging favorite last year and it was repeated again this time around. Victor The Winner and Jasper Krone were both in the traditional roles in the front early, with Lucky Sweynesse positioned not far off them. When Lucky Sweynesse got clear running, he surged past Victor The Winner, to score by three quarters of a length from the fast finishing Lucky With You, while Wellington was a length and three quarter away in third. Victor The Winner was a further two lengths from the winner in fourth. The winning time was 1m 09.25s. Lucky With You’s jockey Andrea Atzeni said the gelding ran a blinder. “He finished off quite nicely and he was beaten by a champion,” he said. More horse racing news View the full article

Junko delivers for Andre Fabre and Maxime Guyon in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase. Andre Fabre’s reputation as an international target trainer is unsurpassed and, nine years after his last victory at Sha Tin, the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) was the Frenchman’s for a third time on Sunday. A trailblazer at the Breeders’ Cup, winner of virtually every European Classic and an eternal champion of his homeland, Fabre had flown slightly under the radar with his runner Junko in what had looked hot competition from around the world in the 2400m showdown. Fabre, though, insisted afterwards that he had felt confident that there was plenty to come from the strapping four-year-old and the positivity was shared by his rider Maxime Guyon, who had also been in the saddle back in 2014 when the globetrotting Flintshire had struck for the same combination. It was only a month ago that Junko had made his top-level breakthrough in the Grosser Preis von Bayern (2400m) in very different conditions on soft ground against three rivals but the gelding produced by the famed breeding operation of Alain and Gerard Wertheimer eventually scored with similar conviction. Settled at the rear of a modest pace set by La City Blanche, Guyon had conceded first run to Ryan Moore and Warm Heart as the gallop picked up turning for home. Junko came wide of rivals on the bend and tore past Warm Heart and Japanese runner Zeffiro with 200m remaining. 2023 Hong Kong Vase Replay – Junko | T: Andre Fabre | J: Maxime Guyon Guyon punched the air in celebration as he crossed the line, a length in hand over Zeffiro with Moore’s mount fading to third, two and a quarter lengths in arrears. “I’m really happy because it’s time to win this race (again). Nine years ago, it was Flintshire,” said Guyon. “We didn’t know before the race if he would like this ground or not because normally he prefers the soft ground but today in Hong Kong the ground was good. “We had a good race, we have not a lot of runners so I’m not too far back and just after the last turn, he has a good turn of foot. “He’s very relaxed and of course the pace is not way fast but the most important thing with the horse is if he’s breathing really good and everything is okay. That’s why I relaxed with him because he he’s very relaxed.” Guyon quickly offered praise to the trainer who has given him so many fine moments. “Everybody knows Andre Fabre. He’s the best trainer,” he said. “He has done a really good job with this horse because he has just won a second Group 1 with this horse – he’s just won a Group 1 in Germany – and he comes to Hong Kong for a win and it’s not easy to do that. “I’m really happy for the team. “It’s a really important place, all the jockeys want to come to Hong Kong to finish the year and it’s a really good weekend.” Fabre himself had been on the end of three seconds in the Vase since 2014, with Flintshire again a year later, Talismanic in 2017 and Botanik 12 months ago. His first had been with Borgia (1999), who was another of the sort of accomplished frequent flyers that he feels Junko could become. “I’m really delighted,” he said. “It was expected because he’s improving race after race. He’s not had a lot of races, he’s only four. “He had a setback in Deauville so he couldn’t run in the Grand Prix and he had the race in Germany. “He didn’t run that much. He will be back in Dubai, we kept him for that and for the international races.” More horse racing news View the full article

Trainer Andre Fabre and rider Maxime Guyon combine to great effect in the stamina test again, following up their success with Flintshire in 2014View the full article

Six weeks after dropping his nose down on the line ahead of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars {Aus}) to win the G1 Cox Plate in Melbourne, Peter Lau's ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE) (g, 5, Acclamation {GB}–Folk Melody {Ire}, by Street Cry {Ire}) was the 13-10 favourite to go back-to-back in Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin and held off a stubborn late rally from Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Hishi Iguazu (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) to prevail by a head. Perfectly placed in fourth by James McDonald, who flew back from Perth overnight, having just been beaten aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki (GB) in Saturday's G1 Northerly S., Romantic Warrior traveled comfortably through the opening 1300 metres, but McDonald's hand was forced when Ryan Moore set Luxembourg alight on the turn. Quicker to the spot than the Ballydoyle raider, Romantic Warrior went for home, pinched a bit of a break and looked on his way to victory, only to have to call on every ounce of his class to hold on in the dying strides. He becomes only the second repeat winner of the Cup, joining California Memory in 2011 and 2012. A 300,000gns purchase by Mick Kinane and the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the draft of Corduff Stud at the 2019 Tattersalls October Sale, Romantic Warrior was sold to Lau for HK$4.8 million at the Hong Kong International Sale in 2021. CHAMPION! Romantic Warrior grabs his fifth Group 1 in a thriller by landing consecutive Hong Kong Cups. @mcacajamez @LONGINES | #HKIR | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/3S3vdy4OPM — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 10, 2023 The post Romantic Warrior Holds Off Luxembourg To Defend Hong Kong Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Making his first start since winning the G1 Champions Mile some 224 days ago and his first start as an 8-year-old from the widest barrier in a full field of 14, three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS) (g, 8, Medaglia d'Oro–Gaudeamus, by Distorted Humor) turned in arguably the most dominating performance of an incredible career to win the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile for the third time Sunday at Sha Tin. Sent away as the 13-10 favourite despite all that was against him, Golden Sixty was one of the first to break the line and Vincent Ho–the only rider he's ever known–was able to get down into the three-wide line and had cover on the back of Japan's Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Aus}) as Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) led from California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Going well approaching the lane, Golden Sixty was switched off heels, quickly gobbled up the front-runners and broke clear to the cheers of a packed Sha Tin grandstand. Golden Sixty, winning a 10th Group 1 race and his 25th from 30 career starts, joins Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan) as three-time winners of the Mile. SIMPLY. THE. BEST. Golden Sixty wins a third Hong Kong Mile, overcoming gate 14 to triumph for @Vincenthocy and Francis Lui… @LONGINES | #HKIR | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/eYx8M1e4aN — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 10, 2023 The post Golden Sixty Defies All Odds To Win Third Hong Kong Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rider Penalties C Butler | Taranaki 7 December; use of whip; suspended 17-24 December inclusive. T Abel | Auckland 9 December; careless riding; suspended 17-23 December inclusive. J Allen | Auckland 9 December; use of whip; suspended 17-26 December inclusive. B Jacobson | Auckland 9 December; use of whip (3 charges); fined $1,000. T Moodley | Auckland 9 December; medical clearance required. O Bosson | Wellington 9 December; careless riding; suspended 17-24 December inclusive. D Danis | Rotorua 10 December; careless riding; suspended 17-28 December inclusive. J Doyle | Rotorua 10 December; careless riding; suspended 17-24 December inclusive. W Kennedy | Rotorua 10 December; careless riding; suspended 17-24 December inclusive. S Weatherley | Rotorua 10 December; medical clearance required. Trainer Penalty S Marsh | Rotorua 10 December; neglect in saddling; fined $400. Horse Penalties MEGATRENDZ | Taranaki 7 December; pulmonary haemorrhage; veterinary clearance required. AREYOUOKAY | North Canterbury 8 December; late scratching after becoming cast in barrier; must complete 2 trials. KAIDU’S PRIDE | Auckland 9 December; lame; veterinary clearance required. THEMOONSTOODSTILL | Wellington 9 December; refused to jump with field; must complete trial. Protest LORD JIMMY | Rotorua 10 December; caused interference; relegated from 1st to 2nd. The post 4-10 December 2023 appeared first on RIB. View the full article