Wandering Eyes

Hard Attack (inside) will contest the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Steven Cole is hoping to kill two birds with one stone when he heads to Trentham on Saturday with Hard Attack. The two-year-old daughter of All Too Hard will be attempting to gain some valuable black-type in the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m), with the $175,000 purse almost assuring her a place in next month’s Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie if successful. A $100,000 purchase by Cole out of Westbury Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft earlier this year, Hard Attack was runner-up by a nose on debut at Wanganui in September and readied for Saturday’s assignment with a 900m trial at Taupo last month. “She was quite a strong filly (as a yearling) and she looked quite precocious. My wife picked her out originally and then we had a second look at her and really took to her,” Cole said. “It was a nice run first time to the races in September and she then had a nice spell and has come back well and had a quiet trial at Taupo the other week and came through it really well. “It would be great to get some black-type on Saturday, which would pretty much assure a spot in the Karaka Million, which is also a big goal.” Cole is eyeing another black-type target prior to the Karaka Million, with Hard Attack potentially set to head to Pukekohe on New Year’s Day to target the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m). “If she went well enough, we will either go to Boxing Day or New Year’s Day and she would have the one run into Ellerslie,” he said. Cole is excited about a return to racing at Ellerslie and will get his first taste of the new surface next week. “I have a couple going there to the trials on Monday, so that is quite exciting. I think everyone is looking forward to it being back up and running from all the reports everyone is getting.” Cole will also make the trek to Trentham with Mega Mogul, who will contest the Championship Qualifying Race (1600m). “Hopefully if he can go a nice race down there he can qualify for the Stella Artois. He has come through his first run well and the step up to a mile will really suit him,” he said. On Thursday, Cole will have a two-pronged attack at New Plymouth, with Let It Begin lining up in the 3YO Handicap (1100m), while Matetsi will tackle the 1400m Maiden fresh-up. “Let It Begin went a nice race at Ruakaka behind Glamour Tycoon, who won a stakes race on the weekend, so the form looks really good there,” he said. “Matetsi trialled up quite well, so I would expect a nice run fresh-up from him.” Cole will round out the week at Rotorua on Sunday where he will be represented by There Goes My Hero in the Rating 65 1230m event. “There Goes My Hero ran fresh-up at Pukekohe the other day, so I would expect sharp improvement from him,” Cole said. More horse racing news View the full article

Uareastar returns victorious following last year’s Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m). Photo: Trish Dunell Well-performed stayer Uareastar is back in work with Marton trainer Fraser Auret to build toward another extreme distance target. The Jakkalberry mare didn’t get the rub of the green at Riccarton last month, but has taken no harm from the southern venture with the focus now on next month’s Group 3 Wellington Cup (3200m). “She got trapped on the inside in the New Zealand Cup (Group 3, 3200m) where the track was a bit worn,” Auret said. “She couldn’t get out when she needed to, obviously it was a long way to go for a run like that, but she has come through it in good spirits. “She had 10 days in the paddock and she’s back now and looking really good, so the Wellington Cup is the next target.” Auret is unsure whether Uareastar will have another outing before the Trentham feature. “We will just see because she is such a clean-winded horse that you can suit yourself really. We’ll just play that one by ear,” he said. The winner of six races, Uareastar highlighted her depths of stamina last year when she triumphed in the Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m). Auret is blessed with an abundance of younger talent in his stable with Swiss Ace filly Race Ace a strong finishing second at Wanganui where she stepped up in grade in the Listed O’Leary Fillies’ Stakes (1340m). “She was fantastic and she hadn’t had a lot of luck in her couple of maiden starts, hence we thought a bit of her to have a go in the first place,” he said. “It was wonderful to get a bit of black type early in her career and she’ll soldier on to the Eulogy Stakes (Gr.3, 1600m) on Saturday week.” Another potential stakes contender is Star Witness’ son Bueno Dias, who took the eye in his last-start maiden victory. “He’s heading to Trentham on Saturday for the three-year-old set weights and penalties over 1400m, so we’ll get a nice line on him there,” Auret said. “The form out of his win at Tauherenikau has been quite strong and I thought he was quite impressive, his last 100m in particular. “He’s entered for the Levin Classic (Group 1, 1600m), but obviously he would need to show on Saturday that he is going the right way.” Stablemate Iva Mission also broke his maiden the same day at Tauherenikau where The Mission gelding stepped up to 2050m in his second career outing. “He is another nice three-year-old and I thought that was a great effort as he only got out the last 350m and let down beautifully,” Auret said. “He is scheduled to go to Trentham on Saturday week for a Rating 65 stayers’ events and he looks like a really progressive type. “We’ve got some really nice young ones, but it’s still really hard to hang on to some of them because the demand in Australia is so high.” Another one Auret hasn’t managed to retain is Unusual Legacy, who will cross the Tasman in a deal brokered by Cambridge bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo. He was a debut winner earlier this month for Auret’s parents Nigel and Adaire, who stand the four-year-old’s sire Unusual Suspect at their Letham Stud. “He has been sold to Chris Waller, that’s why he didn’t start at Wanganui the other day,” he said. “The Unusual Suspects have done a wonderful job in Australia. “Unusual Culture that we placed with in the Wellington Stakes (Group 3, 1600m) and Eulogy Stakes (Group 3, 1600m), ran second in a Group 3 Heffernan Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday. “They have really gone over there and stepped up to the plate, which is fantastic.” More horse racing news View the full article

Aegon will contest the Group 1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli It’s been more than a year since New Zealand punters have seen Aegon step out on raceday in his homeland, but they will get their fix of the gelding when he lines-up in the Group 1 TAB Classic (1600m) on Saturday. The son of Sacred Falls was runner-up behind Prise De Fer in the Trentham feature last year, when run as the Captain Cook Stakes, and trainer and part-owner Andrew Forsman is hoping he can go one better this year. “I think it is going to be a big enough field from looking at the nominations. The key with him is that we are desperately hoping he draws a decent barrier,” Forsman said. Since his last New Zealand outing, Aegon has campaigned in Australia and Hong Kong, with his best result coming in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in August when third behind fellow Kiwi-bred Mr Brightside. He subsequently returned to New Zealand for a freshen-up and has pleased Forsman with his progress ahead of Saturday’s return, winning his 1200m trial at Taupo last month. “I am really happy with him,” he said. “It would have been nice to get two trials into him in a perfect world, or even a lead-up run, but there just wasn’t anything suitable for him. “First-up over a mile, up against horses that are fit will be a bit of a question mark, but we are just hoping his class can overcome that.” Following Saturday, Forsman is itching to get Aegon up over 2000m for just the second time in his career. “We will take it race-by-race with him, but we would like to get him to 2000m at some point,” he said. “Whether that is the Zabeel Classic (Group 1, 2000m) or we keep him a little bit fresh for the Thorndon (Group 1, 1600m) and then go to the Herbie Dyke (Group 1, 2000m), we have just got to work that out and that will be dictated to by how he performs on Saturday.” Forsman will also be vying to gain some black-type with promising juvenile Red Sea in the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m). The Cambridge Stud-bred and raced colt was runner-up behind subsequent stakes winner Velocious when on debut at Te Rapa last month, which has filled Forsman with confidence ahead of his second-up assignment. “The form (out of his debut race) has been great,” Forsman said. “We were disappointed that he didn’t win on debut, but he was beaten by a pretty handy filly. She is probably the best two-year-old to step out so far, so there is no disgrace in being beaten by her. “He has taken good improvement. We gave him one more trial just to make a point of having him settle off the speed a little bit, knowing that going to Trentham we don’t want to have to lead them up again. That will be the plan heading into Saturday.” More horse racing news View the full article

Mad Max was a $575,000 purchase at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale last year. Photo: Trish Dunell High-priced Karaka purchase Mad Max is set to make his much-anticipated debut this week, but where is yet to be decided. Trainer Andrew Forsman, in partnership with bloodstock agent Andrew Williams, went to $575,000 to secure the Savabeel gelding out of Ohukia Lodge’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale draft last year, and he is excited about his future. The Waikato Stud-bred three-year-old has won all three of his trials to date, his last being over 900m at Taupo last month. He has been nominated for both New Plymouth on Thursday and Rotorua on Sunday, and will likely head to the earlier assignment after drawing barrier three in a 1200m Maiden. “The track should come back to being pretty well perfect and it does look like the right race to get him going in,” Forsman said. “His trial the other day was very encouraging and from a good draw hopefully we can achieve that (win) on Thursday.” Forsman has been impressed by what Mad Max has shown to date, but said he is still learning his craft. “He is only lightly tried. He has got a lot of ability, he has just been prone at times to do things a little bit upside down, he just wanted to get on with it a bit early,” he said. “He has got good, natural, early speed and we are just trying to harness that and get him to button off and do things right, get amongst horses and learn a bit. “He may be a horse that takes a run or two to get his head around things to the point where we have him tractable and racing well.” Forsman will also head to New Plymouth with a couple of other debutants. Rebecchi is set to have his first raceday outing in a 1400m Maiden, where he has drawn barrier two, while fellow debutant Lady Pappygate has drawn barrier 10 in another 1400m Maiden. “Rebecchi has been a little bit disappointing at the trials to date, but he might be one of those horses that switches on come raceday,” Forsman said. “It is always hard to get a line on certain horses at the trials and I think with him up to 1400m from a good draw he will get his chance. “Lady Paddygate is another one that hasn’t shown up a lot at the trials. We have been trying to race her for the last two or three weeks and she keeps drawing poorly. She drew wide at Te Rapa the other day and we almost started her and now she has drawn an awkward barrier again. “At this stage, we are getting to the point where we just need to take her to the races and see how she gets on.” Meanwhile, Forsman was pleased with the trials of stakes winners Wessex and Ethereal Star at Te Awamutu on Tuesday. Ethereal Star took out her 850m heat, while Wessex was runner-up behind Timing in her 1150m heat. “Ethereal Star is coming back off a disappointing spring campaign in Australia, but I haven’t been able to fault her since she has been back, and it is nice to see her do that today,” Forsman said. “We just wanted to see her attack the line like she did and she will improve a heap off that, both fitness-wise and confidence-wise. “I think we will keep her closer to home for now and try and get her confidence back. “We may consider giving her one more trial if there is something suitable around. She is a probably a good two or three weeks away from being ready to race. “I am really happy with how Wessex is coming up. That was her second trial, so she was asked to do a little more today than she was at Taupo last time around. “We would like to consider running her in the Group sprint (Group 3 J Swap Sprint, 1400m) race next Saturday at Te Rapa, which might be a nice option for her to kick-off in.” More horse racing news View the full article

Odds Bookmakers News Field Past Winners The Gold Rush Group Three Betting Guide Date: Saturday, December 16, 2023 Location: Ascot Racecourse – Perth, Western Australia Prize Money: $1,500,000 Distance: 1400m The Gold Rush is a Group 3 race that is held at Ascot Racecourse for horses aged three years and older, run under weight-for-age conditions. Previous known as the AJ Scahill Stakes, the race name was changed to The Gold Rush in 2022. Along with the race name, the prize money was increased from $200,000 to $1.5 million. Since the inaugural running in 1978, The Gold Rush was run over 1200m, 1400m and 1450m, before being run over 1400m from 1984 onwards. In 2023, the race name was changed to the Damien Oliver-Gold Rush to honour Australia’s greatest jockey before his retirement post the Perth Summer Carnival. Notable winners of The Gold Rush include: The Astrologist (2022), Kementari (2020), Arcadia Prince (2018), Vega Magic (2016), Watermans Bay (2015 & 2014), Takeover Target (2008), Willoughby (1998), Miss Muffett (1988) and Burgess Queen (1978). 2023 The Gold Rush Betting Odds 2023 The Gold Rush odds are currently unavailable. Best The Gold Rush bookmakers All of our top horse betting sites have markets for The Gold Rush. Most of the Perth Summer Carnival races have markets opened well in advance and the Group 3 The Gold Rush is no exception. The top online bookmakers in Australia with The Gold Rush betting can be accessed via several different means, including via horse betting apps, telephone betting and via their websites. It is a straight-forward process signing up and betting at The Gold Rush bookmakers, with things like Visa, Mastercard, Paypal and POLi the most popular way people fund their bookie accounts. The only real caveat is that you will have to prove your identity, before you have full access to your account. Latest The Gold Rush News Beau Rossa on track for Ascot’s Gold Rush despite Winterbottom failure Australia horse racing news 12 months ago As the great Aussie saying goes, a figurative teaspoon of cement might’ve been all it took to harden up Beau … Read More The Gold Rush 2023 Final Field HorseBetting will update this page when the 2023 The Gold Rush field is released. Previous The Gold Rush Field 2022 The Gold Rush field No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Kementari James Cummings Jamie Kah 11 59kg 2 Vilana James Cummings Ben Melham 1 59kg 3 Elite Street Daniel Morton Brad Rawiller 12 59kg 4 The Astrologist Leon & Troy Corstens William Pike 5 59kg 5 Massimo Chris & Michael Gangemi Brad Parnham 2 59kg 6 Stageman Adam Durrant Joseph Azzopardi 14 59kg 7 Red Can Man Steve Wolfe Shaun McGruddy 3 59kg 8 Comfort Me Rhys Radford Peter Knuckey 9 59kg 9 Resortman Michael Lane Damien Oliver 10 59kg 10 Beau Rossa Will Clarken Todd Pannell 8 59kg 11 Hot Zed Lou Luciani Jason Whiting 13 59kg 12 Titan Blinders Chris & Michael Gangemi Laqdar Ramoly 6 59kg 13 Minsk Moment Adam Durrant Clint Johnston-Porter 17 59kg 14 Kissonallforcheeks Daniel Morton Chris Parnham 7 57kg 15 This’ll Testya Mitchell Pateman Lucy Warwick 16 57kg 16 Karli’s Karma Summer Dickson Shaun O’Donnell 4 57kg 17 Kia Ora Star Roy Rogers N/A 15 59kg 2022 The Gold Rush result 1st – The Astrologist (+1800) 2nd – Kissonallforcheeks (-125) 3rd – Comfort Me (+770) Recent The Gold Rush results 2022: The Astrologist just holds on After somewhat of a failure in the Winterbottom Stakes two weeks earlier, The Astrologist (+1800) bounced back in out the Group 3 The Gold Rush. With William Pike in the saddle, the son of Zoustar settled behind the leader and was able to ease of their heels at the top of the home straight. As the Leon & Troy Corstens-trained sprinter let down, Comfort Me (+4000) went with him on his outside, but he quickly go the better of the roughie. However, the race favourite Kissonallforcheeks (+320) was running home strong and challenged right on the line but didn’t get there in time. 2021: Valour Road proves too classy in AJ Scahill Stakes The Simon Miller-trained Valour Road (+600) ran home from the back of a small field to claim the Group 3 AJ Scahill Stakes at Ascot. After finishing ninth in the Group 1 Railway Stakes the start prior, dropping back from 1600m to 1400m clearly worked a treat for seven-year-old gelding. The race favourite Massimo (+280) led the field up to the way to the 100m mark, but the winner and Stageman (+290) finished too strong for the leader and they ran over the top of him late. 2020: Kementari breaks lengthy winless drought in AJ Scahill Stakes James Cummings and Chris Parnham combined with Kementari (+700) to take out the Group 3 AJ Scahill Stakes, with the win breaking a winless drought that stretched over 1000 days. The Godolphin galloper settled near the rear of the field alongside the odds-on favourite Celebrity Queen (-142.86). However, when the sprint went on and they both let down with their finishing bursts, the six-year-old gelding packed too many punches and won by one length on the line. 2019: The Celt causes boil over in AJ Scahill Stakes Anne King and Clint Johnston-Porter have caused a massive boil over in the Group 3 AJ Scahill Stakes, as The Celt (+2500) finished right over the top of Valour Road (+800) to claim an impressive victory. The son of Planet King settle midfield on the rail and had to push out to the outside of runners, before balancing up to let down with a strong finish. It appeared that Valour Road had the race within his keeping at the 150m mark; however, The Celt was too strong late and took over in the final strides. The Gold Rush winners The Gold Rush Past Winners Year Horse Jockey Trainer 2022 The Astrologist William Pike Leon & Troy Corstens 2021 Valour Road Brad Rawiller Simon Miller 2020 Kementari Chris Parnham James Cummings 2019 The Celt Clint Johnston-Porter Anne King 2018 Arcadia Prince William Pike Adam Durrant 2017 Silverstream Clint Johnston-Porter Adam Durrant 2016 Vega Magic Jake Casey Sean Casey 2015 Watermans Bay William Pike Daniel Morton 2014 Watermans Bay Tommy Berry Daniel Morton 2013 Conservatorium Joe Bowditch Gary Kennewell 2012 Power Princess Paul Harvey Simon Miller 2011 Grand Nirvana Brad Rawiller Fred Kersley 2010 Waratah’s Secret Paul Harvey David Harrison 2009 Proart Peter Hall Adam Durrant 2008 Takeover Target Jay Ford Joe Janiak 2007 Tarzi Steven Parnham Neville Parnham 2006 Marasco Damien Oliver Fred Kersley 2005 Arctic Park Peter Knuckey John Price 2004 Avenida Madero Jason Brown Jim Taylor 2003 Hot Shot Brother Paul King Paul Jordan 2002 Kensyl Bay Glenn Smith Tom Widdeson 2001 Tribula Stephen Miller Arthur Mortimer 2001 Lizzy Long Legs Troy Turner Robert Witten 2000 Terwilliger Troy Turner Colin Webster The Gold Rush winners pre-2000 The Gold Rush Past Winners Pre 2000 Year Horse 1999 Double Blue 1998 Willoughby 1997 Bold Extreme 1996 Island Morn 1995 Calypso 1994 Brave Kite 1993 Yilgangie Gold 1992 Pago Escort 1991 Strip The Moon 1990 Medicine Kid 1989 Westall 1988 Miss Muffet 1987 King Phoenix 1986 Heron Bridge 1985 Eastern Temple 1984 Hanging In 1983 Haulpak’s Image 1982 Latin Saint 1981 Blazing Bags 1980 Hakim Boy 1979 Junction Girl 1978 Burgess Queen View the full article

What International Jockeys’ Championship Night Where Happy Valley Racecourse – Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley, Hong Kong When Wednesday, December 6, 2023 First Race 6:30pm HKT (9:30pm AEDT) Visit Dabble Happy Valley sets the scene for a massive night of racing on Wednesday, with the world’s best riders making their way to Hong Kong for the International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC). James McDonald and Rachel King will fly the flag for Australia, while the likes of Ryan Moore, Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle will represent Team Europe. Despite the humidity, there doesn’t seem to be any rain forecast to hit the course, where the rail moves back into the A position. The meeting is set to get underway at 6:30pm local time, with races four, five, seven and eight accumulating points for the IJC. Best Bet: Helene Feeling The Cox Plate-winning combination of Danny Shum and James McDonald reunites in the final event with Four-Year-Old Classic Series contender Helene Feeling. The son of Sioux Nation was luckless in his last start at Happy Valley on November 15, as he was cast wide throughout the 1650m journey and had to sustain a long run home. His trial alongside the likes of Romantic Warrior and Golden Sixty suggests he is still firing on all cylinders, so look for Helene Feeling to make a bold statement to end the evening. Best Bet Race 9 – #6 Helene Feeling (6) 4yo Gelding | T: Danny Shum | J: James McDonald (56kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best: Galvanic Tom Marquand has a terrific chance to claim IJC points in the first leg aboard the Caspar Fownes-trained Galvanic. The four-year-old gelding raced in an unattractive manner at this course last start on November 15, being chased up outside the leader before fading into a mid-field finish. He is much better when ridden with cover, and with Galvanic stepping back to the 1000m for the first time, this guy can utilise his sharp sprint to break his maiden status. Next Best Race 4 – #4 Galvanic (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Caspar Fownes | J: Tom Marquand (59.5kg) Bet with Ladbrokes Best Value: Flagship Warrior Flagship Warrior hasn’t won since his Hong Kong racing debut in December 2022, but he doesn’t look far off recapturing that level. He won on a rating of 77 on that occasion and gets back to a similar number for this Class 3 affair, having powered home in his last start at Sha Tin behind Drombeg Banner on November 5. He gets to Happy Valley for the first time, and provided he can hold a prominent position from barrier five, Flagship Warrior should appreciate the tight-turning city circuit. Best Value Race 7 – #2 Flagship Warrior (5) 5yo Gelding | T: Caspar Fownes | J: James McDonald (59.5kg) Bet with Unibet Happy Valley quaddie tips – 6/12/2023 Hong Kong quadrella selections Wednesday, December 6, 2023 3-4-5-7-8-11 2-3-4-7-10-11 1-5-9-11-12 1-6-7 More horse racing tips View the full article

Online bookmakers have released their racing promotions for Tuesday, December 5, including several great bonus back offers. The top Australian racing promotions for December 5, 2023, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions 10% Boosted Winnings for all races at Bendigo & Corowa 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 Neds Toolbox Check your Neds Toolbox for daily Price Boosts, Bet Backs, Back Ups and much more. Neds T&C’s apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Daily Racing Rewards Bonus Backs, Reboost, Multi Boosts & More. Check Vault for eligibility. Fixed odds win bets only. Limits may apply. Login to UniBet 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 Tuesday, December 5, 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

Horse Racing on Tuesday, December 5 will feature three meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the top bets and the quaddie numbers for the meeting at Bendigo. Tuesday Racing Tips – December 5, 2023 Bendigo Racing Tips Best Horse Racing Bets For December 5, 2023 Place these horse racing bets in a multi for $27.31 odds return: Tuesday, December 5, 2023 Bendigo Race 4 – #4 Fields Of Jenni Bendigo Race 7 – #7 Dismount Corowa Race 3 – #1 Just Like Liam Narromine Race 6 – #5 Overextend | 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 5, 2023 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

Big six days awaits with Covid shackles finally off, but there won’t be a single runner from Down Under at Sha Tin on SundayView the full article

During the 52-day stand, the Winter/Spring Meet at Turfway Park will showcase a total of 19 stakes races. View the full article

As 2023 comes to a close, Horseshoe Indianapolis is distributing funds from a special option utilized by guests on the casino floor. The NRT Technology kiosks provide an option for guests when cashing out to earmark any winnings to charity.View the full article

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry NEWMARKET, UK — As expected, an international cast of buyers swept into action at Park Paddocks for the opening day of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, with some of the leading lights heading to Japan, Australia and America after more than 15 million gns was spent on breeding prospects. It was the aptly-named Callisto Star who lit up the first of two Sceptre Sessions when selling from Ballybin Stud in Ireland to Badgers Bloodstock for 675,000gns. The dam of American Oaks winner Rhea Moon (Ire) and Cheshire Oaks runner-up There's The Door (Ire), Callisto Star was sold in foal to Starspangledbanner (Aus), the sire of those high-class performers. Callisto Star was owned by Kevin Molloy, a long-time supporter of Paddy Kelly of Ballybin Stud, with the latter summing up the sale-topping performance in one word. “Smashing,” Kelly beamed outside the ring. “She had the looks, the temperament and the pedigree. She'll be a prolific breeder–just like her grandmother [Mohican Princess (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB})], who produced six black-type horses. I think this one is going to follow suit. I hope so anyway.” Molloy spoke to TDN Europe earlier this year after Rhea Moon stormed to that American Oaks triumph with the breeder describing the result as his best moment in racing. Rhea Moon, the first produce out of Molloy's homebred mare Callisto Star, was sold through Ballybin Stud for £24,000 to BBA Ireland at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale in 2020. She subsequently changed hands privately from trainer Ken Condon, where she showed plenty of promise, to join Phil D'Amato in America. The rest, as they say, is history. Monday's sale is by no means the closing of the Callisto Star chapter for Molloy and Ballybin Stud, with Kelly revealing that there is still plenty left of the family on the farm. Kelly added, “I'm a bit in shock. This is a big one for us. It's nice to be involved at the top end and to have a go at it. I'm delighted with the price. Kevin Molloy owns her. He has been a long-time client and still has a good bit of the family at home. “We actually have another client who bought Callisto Star's full-sister a couple of years ago so we have her at home as well. Kevin is here-he's in the bar in fact. I'm going to join him now in a minute!” Tom Pritchard-Gordon of Badgers Bloodstock could not divulge the name of the mare's new owner. He said, “She's to stay here in Europe. “Fastnet Rock is as good a broodmare sire as there is and her dam is by Galileo so it's all the bloodlines you want. She's the whole package. I haven't decided who she'll be covered by next year but Starspangledbanner is an obvious target. Fastnet mares work with so many different bloodlines that she could go anywhere.” All of the key figures were down on last year's corresponding day's trade. The trimmed down catalogue — 29 fewer mares offered — saw the aggregate fall by 30% to 15,477,300gns. The median and the average fell by 22% to 43,000gns and 78,168gns respectively, while the clearance rate stayed the same at 82%. Wowie! She's Off to Japan Eleonora Kennedy's distinctively marked Mauwiewowie (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) was a Listed winner at the Curragh in her juvenile season and was Listed-placed again this year for Ger Lyons before selling on Monday for 625,000gns from the draft of Norris Bloodstock. Offered as Lot 1535, the flashy chestnut owns an enticing pedigree that piqued the interest of buyer Yoshihisa Iwasaki, manager of Lake Villa Farm, which bred the dual G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). “She is going to Japan and will go straight to stud,” he said. “She is a strong mare, we love her conformation and we love her attitude.” Mauiewowie, who was bred by Trebles Holford Farm Thoroughbreds, is out of La Chapelle (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 1 winners Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), their dam being the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). A full-brother to Ghaiyyath topped last month's Goffs November Foal Sale at €700,000. Authoritative Performance Ballymore Thoroughbreds' regally-bred Authoritaire (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), who was offered in foal for the first time to Night Of Thunder (Ire), brought the hammer down at 525,000gns and will be off to Ireland, according to buyer Charlie Gordon-Watson. “It is one of the great families, she is in foal to Night Of Thunder and she is a mare who will suit him, and it all makes good sense,” he said. That great family has been a cornerstone of the Wildenstein family's breeding operation for generations. Auhoritaire's dam is the champion racemare Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill), whose Group 1 wins include the Prix de Diane, while her offspring include the stakes winners Ame Bleue (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Any Time Soon (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Timed to Perfection The Golden Horn four-year-old Wonderful Times (Ire) returned to the ring a year after being bought by Billy Jackson-Stops and Barton Stud for 85,000gns to sell for more than five times that amount at 460,000gns to Australian-based Kia Ora Stud. Having won her maiden easily at Newcastle in October 2022 for John and Thady Gosden, the filly was transferred to France and the yard of Mario Baratti, for whom she won the Listed Prix Urban Sea in May. With stakes winners for her first three dams, Wonderful Times is a daughter of the G3 Silver Flash victrix Wonderfully (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself a grand-daughter of the influential Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}), whose offspring include the stallions Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB). Shane Wright, manager of Kia Ora Stud, said, “She was a beautiful filly from a really lovely family. When you come to sales like this it's really the families that draw you in. She was also a black-type filly as well – a little bit stouter than we would usually buy at home but it's good to come over here and find different lines and different things we can take advantage of. She's our first purchase of the sale and we're very happy.” Bozo's “Safe Bet” After losing his top-class Galileo (Ire) mare Starlet's Sister (Ire) a fortnight ago, Henri Bozo described himself as happy to have been able to buy into an unraced Galileo filly out of So Mi Dar (GB) on behalf of Ecurie des Monceaux for 300,000gns. Astrologia (Ire) was consigned by Watership Down Stud and sold in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB), with Bozo lauding the stallion as one of the best around. He said, “I am happy to get into this family. She is the type of mare that we have tried to buy in the past. To be honest, if they haven't raced, it doesn't really bother me because we have tried from the beginning to get into these types of families. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, so let's hope it does.” Bozo added, “She's in foal to a very good sire. I mean, I am so impressed by Wootton Bassett. Each foal we have on the farm by him is nice, correct, has good quality and is a good colour. I think he is a very safe bet and he should suit her well.” Ridgmont Team Strikes Early The 35-strong broodmare band at the Cunningham family's Ridgmont Farm in Australia will eventually be enhanced by the Showcasing (GB) filly Many Tears (GB), who has enjoyed a major update since the catalogue was published and was bought for 300,000gns on Ridgmont's behalf by agent Jim Clarke. Winner of the Listed Cooley Fillies' S. at Dundalk last month for Ger Lyons, the half-sister to stakes winner Intello Kiss (GB) (Intello {Ger}) is a great grand-daughter of the Oaks winner Love Divine (GB) (Diesis) and has now won three of her eight starts. She is set to race on under the care of James Ferguson in Newmarket. “The whole Ridgmont team and Mitch Cunningham have been pounding the pavements and braving the weather and looking at fillies off the track,” said Clarke. “She was our number one pick – she is a gorgeous mare who is now a stakes winner, a three-year-old with racing upside and a pedigree we can't access in Australia.” The longer-term plan is for Many Tears to be covered by Frankel (GB). The agent added, “Ridgemont has a lovely broodmare band that has been tailored toward young mares and stakes-performing mares. They are all bred very commercially and we are looking to sell yearlings at the premier end of the market. The opportunity to acquire bloodlines in this part of the world is to get some diversity. To be going home with the one we all loved is very pleasing.” Japanese Buyers Active Throughout Mares by Montjeu (Ire) and his son Motivator (GB) have been responsible for some top-notch Japanese runners this year in the G1 Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and the dual Classic winner Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) respectively. Ahead of the first Sceptre Session, Japan's JS Company signed for Motivator's Group 3-winning daughter Vue Fantastique (Fr), who was also runner-up in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary when in training with Fabrice Chappet. Sold in foal to Showcasing (GB) by Newsells Park Stud as Lot 1464, she was bought for 150,000gns and has colts by Siyouni (Fr), Le Havre (Ire) and Lope De Vega (Ire) to run for her. Shadai Farm bid 170,000gns for the four-year-old Love You Grandpa (GB), a thrice-placed Frankel half-sister to the G2 Queen Mary S. winner Ceiling Kitty (GB) (Red Clubs {Ire}). Run Zarak Run (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who had been bought by Colm Sharkey for only 21,000gns in the same ring back in July, returned in Luke Barry's Manister House Stud draft to sell for 180,000gns to Big Red Farm. Since September, the three-year-old filly has made four starts for Harry Eustace, breaking her maiden by 11 lengths at Redcar in October before finishing runner-up in the Listed Prix Ceres nine days ago. Share Price In Needle Lace Sky-Rockets Hard to believe that it is less than a year since Needle Lace (GB) failed to sell at just €24,000 at the Goffs February Sale. In that time, and in no small part aided by the emergence of her Group 1-winning brother Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), the share price in Needle Lace sky-rocketed on Monday to 200,000gns. It was Blandford Bloodstock, holding off the attention of Yeomanstown Stud, who signed for the winning daughter of Golden Horn (GB). If Needle Lace soaring from buy-back to big-ticket item at the Sceptre Sessions was hard enough to believe, the fact she sold to Hurworth Bloodstock for just 1,000gns from Godolphin back in 2021 makes this story even more remarkable. Indeed, the Needle Lace pedigree looks a lot different now than it did back then, notably through the exploits of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Rosallion, but also thanks to G1 Queen Anne S. winner Triple Time (Ire), who is the seventh black-type winner under that wonderful second dam Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}). Trained most recently by Ken Condon on behalf of owner David Kelly, Needle Lace was sold on Monday in foal to Sioux Nation, one of the hottest young prospects in Ireland. Tally-Ho Stud Lands Sister To Vandeek A half-sister to the brilliant dual Group 1-winning and unbeaten juvenile Vandeek (GB) was snapped up by Tally-Ho Stud for 90,000gns. Doncaster Rosa (GB) (Alhebayeb (Ire), the champion three-year-old in Switzerland, was one of four mares the stud bought for a total of 427,000gns on the day. The weanling half-brother to Vandeek, by Starspangledbanner (Aus), was sold for 450,000gns last Friday to Coolmore by breeder Kelly Thomas of Maywood Stud. US Owner Mike Repole Gets In On The Act American owner Mike Repole, whose silks have been carried by the likes of Uncle Mo, Forte and Nest, got in on the action at Newmarket when signing for a Siyouni half-sister [Faial (Fr)] to National Defense (GB). Consigned by Castlebridge, the winner, who hails from the extended family of Derby winner Adayar (Ire), fetched 220,000gns. Paddington Nomination to Watership Down Stud A nomination to new sire Paddington (Ire) donated by Coolmore Stud to be auctioned to raise funds for Graham Lee was bought for 72,000gns by Lady Lloyd Webber. The Group 1 and Grand National-winning jockey was seriously injured in a race fall at Newcastle on November 10. A Just Giving campaign launched to aid Lee's recovery has now raised almost £170,000. Four-time Group 1 winner Paddington will stand his first season in Ireland at €55,000. Buy of the Day Lot 1355, STAGE QUEEN (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB) ex Stage Presence (Ire) (Selkirk) In foal to Study Of Man (Ire) Buyer: Raptakos Brett/Gaurav Rampal, 16,000gns Vendor: The National Stud There is plenty of value to be found even on the 'big days' as exemplified by the purchase of the 10-year-old mare Stage Queen. Though unraced, she has four black-type earners as siblings, including the G1 Prix de Diane winner Star Of Seville (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), while another two half-sisters are already black-type producers. Stage Queen has been represented by two winners from her three runners to date, and she has a Zoustar (Aus) yearling filly and Sea The Moon (Ger) colt foal on the way through. Her covering sire Study Of Man has made a promising start and more can be expected from his first three-year-old runners in 2024. All these things considered, the mare looks to have been well bought for 16,000gns and will be a welcome addition to Equus Stud in India. The post ‘Smashing’: Ballybin’s Star Performance at Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of Nov. 27-Dec. 3View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features a half-sister to Grade I winner McKulick. 18.30 Wolverhampton, £9,980, Mdn, 2yo, 7f 36y (AWT) Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum's ROBEENA (GB) (Calyx {GB}), one of two debutantes representing Roger Varian, is a homebred half-sister to three black-type performers headed by last year's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational heroine McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}). She encounters 11 rivals which include Yuesheng Zhang's 170,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Superb Force (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who is an Andrew Balding-trained half-brother to MG1SW sire Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud victor El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The post Half-Sister to McKulick in Line For Wolverhampton Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Members of the New York Gaming Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to uphold a recommendation from a hearing officer that Forte (Violence) be disqualified from his victory in the 2022 GI Hopeful S. In the Hopeful, Forte tested positive for the prohibited substance meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. The case has moved slowly since the Sept. 2022 race. It took a eight months for the New York Gaming Commission to make the finding public and when it did the stewards disqualified Forte, fined Pletcher $1,000 and suspended him for ten days. Pletcher and owners Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola appealed the stewards' ruling, which meant the matter was sent to a hearing officer, Clark Petschek. The session with the hearing officer was held in July and Petschek issued his report on Sept. 30. Petschek upheld the original findings of the stewards, the fine, the suspension and the disqualification. It is within the commission's right to reject the hearing officer's recommendations but, instead, it voted unanimously to uphold them. It was noted that the owners of Hopeful runner-up, Bill and Corrine Helligbrodt, appeared at the hearing to support the decision to disqualify Forte. “They could have made the decision the day after the hearing,” Repole said. “I guess they must have done a lot of extensive work the last six, seven months. Instead, they took six months to state the obvious. We knew what was going to happen. We got just what we expected. They did what they thought they needed to do. We knew there was a zero percent chance this was going to get overturned.” It's unlikely that Tuesday's ruling by the New York Gaming Commission will be the last word on the Forte matter. The Forte team can now take their case to the courts and will like file an appeal within the New York court system. Repole has vowed to spend whatever it takes to get the Hopeful decision overturned. “We plan on taking this further and we knew we were going to get to this point,” he said. “Under HISA rules, this isn't even a violation. We are super confident that common sense will prevail and people will realize we put in this governing body in HISA to make sure people are ethical and play by the rules of the sport. Any real process that follows common sense will easily see it the same way and we will prevail.” The post Pletcher, Repole Lose Another Round in Fight to Overturn Hopeful DQ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horseshoe Indianapolis will distribute $32,815.10 to the Especially Kidz organization–which focuses on the care of physically challenged kids and young adults with 24-hour skilled nursing care–via funds from a special option utilized by guests on the casino floor, the track announced in a press release Monday. The NRT Technology kiosks provide an option for guests, when cashing out, to earmark any winnings to charity and Especially Kids was included as one of the recipients for the charitable giving option in 2023. A group of Horseshoe Indianapolis team members stopped by Especially Kidz to deliver the check from the proceeds Friday, Dec. 1. They were joined by several members of the care giving staff in receipt of the donation. “To be able to contribute these funds donated by our guests to such a worthwhile organization is a tremendous opportunity for Horseshoe Indianapolis,” said Trent McIntosh, Senior Vice President and General Manager. “Especially Kidz is managed by a group of extremely dedicated workers who provide such an important service to our community. We are glad we can be a small part of delivering much-needed support to their organization.” The post Especially Kidz Receives Donation from Horseshoe Indianapolis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Callisto Star (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 1534), the dam of 2022 Grade I American Oaks winner Rhea Moon (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and offered carrying a full-sibling to that filly on a late February cover, was hammered down to Badgers Bloodstock for 675,000gns to top Monday's Sceptre Session on the opening day of trade at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in Newmarket. The 8-year-old is also the dam of Listed Cheshire Oaks runner-up There's The Door (Ire), also a daughter of Starspangledbanner (Aus). “She's to stay here in Europe,” Tom Pritchard Gordon, who purchased Callisto Star on behalf of an existing client, told the Tattersalls team. “She's a beautiful mare and has already produced a Grade I winner with her first foal. Fastnet Rock is as good a broodmare sire as there is and her dam is by Galileo so it's all the bloodlines you want. She's the whole package. I haven't decided who she'll be covered by next year but Starspangled is an obvious target. Fastnet mares work with so many different bloodlines that she could go anywhere.” The post Grade I Producer Callisto Star Tops Monday’s Sceptre Session at Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Group 1-winning trainer and colorful Newmarket character Neville Callaghan died Dec. 2 at 77 after a long battle with illness.View the full article

The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2023 sales season concludes with the December Mixed Sale which begins Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. The one-session auction opens with an offering of 156 catalogued broodmares and broodmare prospects, weanlings and yearlings, and continues with 60 catalogued horses of racing age. “Every time I turn around, there are more people coming in,” Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said from the sales grounds Monday. “So that's a good thing. There is a good product here, good Maryland-breds and good New York-breds, so something for everyone. It's a small catalogue, but we hope that a lot of the people who have come and supported us in the past and have shopped this sale and always found useful horses are here again.” The racehorse section produced the four six-figure offerings of last year's December Mixed sale with the $260,000 sale topper Radical Right (First Samurai) heading west to be graded-stakes placed early in 2023. This year's racing age offerings will likely appeal to a wide swath of buyers, according to Bennett. “Some of the horses here are turf horses, so perhaps these are horses that people can pick up and take them south for the winter and keep going with them,” she said. “There will be some that probably find new spots that will run regionally here, but there were quite a few last year who came out of this sale and went right to Gulfstream. Or they can go to Turfway. I've already seen a few steeplechase trainers walking the grounds. There are horses that could fit their criteria and they can get them ready to start over jumps in the spring. This is the perfect time to pick up these kinds of horses to make into jumpers.” The December mixed sale closes out another strong year of auctions in Timonium, led by the flagship Midlantic May Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. “There are a lot of runners that come out of this marketplace,” Bennett said. “It's a source for good horses, whether they are going on to a 2-year-old sale or to end-users. We hold our own.” The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training made its debut in Timonium in 2023 and it's an auction that Bennett hopes will mature into its spot on the calendar going forward. “The June sale is very much needed for horses who, for whatever reason, need more time,” Bennett said. “We are hoping people will support us and bring horses back to the June sale. We understand it is hard to come up the road twice, but I think there is good reason to come back for the June sale. There is such a demand for horses in this racing region up here–Presque Isle, Penn National, Parx, Delaware, Colonial. There are so many places that have racing and people need horse to fill their stables to send strings to different spots. I think the June sale would be a perfect source for folks. I think consignors need to keep that in mind and think about that as an option when it comes time to marketing their 2-year-olds.” The post Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Closes Out 2023 with December Mixed Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After expanding its team to meet the increasing demand of racehorse management and administrative concierge, Racing Admin launched its new website (click here). Launched in 2020 by Charlotte Le Metayer to provide an effective solution to owners facing French administrative complexity, Racing Admin offers premium, independent and tailor-made services; from the implementation of appropriate ownership structure for new comers to the day-to-day management of owner's duties, including admin, account, legal and ownership management. For more information, visit https://www.racingadmin.fr/. The post Racing Admin Launches New Website appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Chris Hartman-trained 4-year-old Tejano Twist is coming off a sharp win in the Bet on Sunshine Stakes Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs and shoots for his fourth victory of 2023 and ninth win overall.View the full article

Turfway Park will offer 19 stakes races worth $3.725 million during its upcoming Winter/Spring Meet. The 52-day meeting is headlined by the $700,000 GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, which will be run Mar. 23. Supporting races on the card include the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic, the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks–a Road to the Kentucky Oaks Championship Series Race–the $250,000 Animal Kingdom S., the $250,000 Latonia S., and the $250,000 Rushaway S. The Road to the Kentucky Derby's first stop at the Florence oval will be Mar. 2 for the $150,000 John Battaglia Memorial S. One day prior, fillies on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks will be in action for the $150,000 Cincinnati Trophy S. Another spotlight race will be the 26th running of the Jan. 13, $125,000 Likely Exchange S., which will mark the final opportunity in the “Make Your Mare” series, in partnership with Claiborne Farm. The top three finishers of the race will receive $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 in credits towards a future stallion mating at the farm. Live racing during the Winter/Spring meet will be conducted Wednesday through Saturday with daily first posts of 5:55 p.m., except Jeff Ruby Steaks Day, which will start at 12:45 p.m. The post Jeff Ruby Steaks Highlights Turfway Winter/Spring Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tom Biederman will be stepping down from the auctioneer stand at Fasig-Tipton at the end of 2023 to focus more on his Lexington-based Biederman Real Estate and Auctioneers company. Biederman has served as an auctioneer and pedigree announcer at Fasig-Tipton for the past 25 years. He began in the Thoroughbred auction industry as a student at the University of Kentucky and has served in nearly every capacity available in the business, previously working for Ocala Breeders' Sales Company, Barrett's, the Canadian Thoroughbred Breeders and many others. “I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of serving, not only with the Fasig-Tipton family, but just as importantly, the breeders, owners, consignors, buyers, and their supporters. It has been a wonderful honor to ply my trade at some of the most recognized Thoroughbred auctions in the world, including Fasig-Tipton Saratoga and the November sale for the last several years,” Biederman said. He continued, “While I will continue to be involved in the Thoroughbred industry as a consultant and participant, my primary focus going forward will turn to expanding and improving Biederman Real Estate and Auctioneers, a company based in Lexington and founded in 1994 to assist buyers and sellers of quality Kentucky real estate and other commodities.” Boyd Browning, Fasig-Tipton CEO, added, “Tom has been a valuable member of the Fasig-Tipton team for nearly four decades. He has served the company and our customers impeccably during this time. Although he will no longer be in the auction stand, we look forward to his continued involvement with Fasig-Tipton and the Thoroughbred industry as a horse owner and leader in the Central Kentucky real estate market.” The post Biederman Steps Down from the Mic appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What is already arguably the deepest jockey colony in the country has grown even stronger this year as two of Europe's top riders, Oisin Murphy and Sean Levey, are joining the riding colony at Gulfstream Park for the championship meet. Murphy, 28, is the more familiar of the two. He was the British flat champion jockey three years running in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and has ridden Group I winners in Great Britain, Ireland, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, the UAE and in the U.S. His three Grade I wins in the U.S. came in the GI Belmont Oaks, the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. and in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff with the Japanese invader Marche Lorraine (Orfevre {Jpn}). While flat racing quiets down in the winter in Europe, Murphy had been traveling all over the world to compete in big races, going to places like Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. But the chance to settle in at one track in the winter, one that offers good purses and perfect weather, appealed to him. Gulfstream also represents a chance to master a new surface–dirt. “I wanted to try to get some more experience on dirt,” he said. “At Gulfstream, most of the important races are on dirt. There will be ample opportunities to get plenty of rides and ride over what is an important surface. It's important for me to show that I can win races over all surfaces.” Murphy is the retained jockey for Qatar Racing, the global racing and bloodstock operation founded and chaired by Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah Al Thani and is the presenting sponsor of the Pegasus World Cup card. Murphy can count on riding the Qatar Racing horses that show up in the entries during the Gulfstream Championship meet. “I have been watching American racing since I was a kid and I had always wanted to do a little stint in the States,” he said. “The opportunity came up for me this time. Sheikh Fahad, who heads Qatar Racing, had a conversation with [Chief Executive Officer 1/ST Racing and Gaming] Aidan Butler and he said he thought it would be a good idea for me to come here. I will try to do the best that I can, stay busy in the mornings and make a real effort to ride to the best of my abilities in the afternoon.” Murphy plans to joining the Gulfstream colony Dec. 27 and, except for a trip to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Cup Card, intends to ride full time at Gulfstream at least until through January. “From the first time I stepped across the Atlantic and came to the U.S,. I wanted to ride against these top guys,” said Murphy, who is 4-for-31 lifetime in the U.S. “I won the Belmont Oaks on Aspen Grove, won the Queen Elizabeth II on Mawj and I won a Breeders' Cup race in the Distaff. I have a huge amount of respect for the top riders here. Hopefully, riding against them will help me pick up a huge amount of knowledge and help me to learn their riding styles. I already have a good relationship with those guys. Like Murphy, Levey, 35, is looking for new opportunities and a challenge. He said he usually spent his winters riding on the all-weather tracks in Great Britain, but wanted to try something different. “I think I'm at the point in my career where I've been riding on the all-weather tracks in England during the winter for quite a few years,” he said. “There's nothing more that I can learn. This is a great opportunity to do something different and to put me in a good place for the season ahead. I was put in touch with the right people and they were looking for European riders to take part in the festival over here. It was an opportunity. It's not just the better weather, it's the better prize money. There are a lot of things that are better about riding here versus in the winter back home.” Levey was born in Swaziland and his father was a jockey who rode all over Europe. In 2001, the family moved to County Tipperary, Ireland, where his parents worked at Ballydoyle for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Levey rode out for O'Brien and, together with his brother Declan, spent a year on the pony racing circuit. He started riding professionally in Ireland before moving on to Great Britain. He's won six Group I races, four in the U.K. and two in France. He said he has made some connections with U.S. trainers when coming over with O'Brien horses for the Breeders' Cup and other major events. He's also spent some time in the U.S. working as an exercise rider. “I'm hoping to make more contacts, but I worked with Saffie Joseph and he said come here and see what we can do,” Levey said. “I also have worked for Brendan Walsh. “I'm coming over with no other plan than to gain as much experience as I can,” he said. “I'm coming over here with an open mind and will try to get as many rides as I can and gain as much experience as I can. If that comes with my getting a few winners that would be great. I'm coming here to be competitive. I know how many good riders are here and I know that lessens my chances of getting some good rides. It will be very competitive. But once I get my foot in the door that will lead to my getting a few winners.” Levey hopes to begin riding next week and says his work visa lasts for 90 days. The post European Riders Murphy and Levey Look to Make Their Marks at Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Elliott Walden has nothing but confidence in WinStar Farm's two new stallion recruits for 2024 and he has the numbers to show it. The speedy Two Phil's (Hard Spun) posted some eye-catching figures this year as a 3-year-old, including 105 Beyer Speed Figures in both the GIII Ohio Derby and his runner-up performance in the GI Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile his new studmate Country Grammer (Tonalist), winner of the G1 Dubai World Cup, retired as the third highest-earning North American-bred horse of all time–behind great company in Arrogate and Gun Runner– with earnings of over $14.9 million. With stud fees set at $12,500 for Two Phil's and $10,000 for Country Grammer, Walden said he believes the future is bright for this pair and the breeders who are finding value in WinStar's newcomers. “We've been very excited with how they've been received,” said Walden. “Both horses bring something a little bit different to the table. Country Grammer is a Seattle Slew-line horse through Tonalist and Tapit and he comes from a great Juddmonte family, so he brings stamina to mares that have a little kick to them and he's going to give a great physique. Two Phil's is a horse that people are really responding to. They know how good of a racehorse he was and for $12,500, when the other 3-year-olds in the crop are probably going to be standing for three times that, he provides great value.” Trained by Chicago native Larry Rivelli, Two Phil's was the feel-good story of the Windy City as he claimed four stakes wins and earned over $1.5 million for fellow Chicagoans Philip Sagan and Patricia's Hope LLC, with Madaket Stables also joining the ownership group this year. The son of Hard Spun came on WinStar's radar after his dominating score in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, where his 5 ½ Ragozin figure ranked him at the top of the list of Kentucky Derby contenders. The colt's second-place performance on the first Saturday in May confirmed WinStar's belief in his ability. “He was up close to a very fast pace,” Walden recalled. “To turn for home and take the lead, obviously he had to be exhausted because it was a very fast pace, but he just tried to hang on and fought Mage (Good Magic) all the way to the wire. Then when you look at the gallop out, he actually comes back and gallops out in front.” In Two Phil's final career start in the GIII Ohio Derby, he recorded a near six-length win over Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), a colt co-owned by WinStar that had finished second by a head to MGISW Arcangelo (Arrogate) in his prior start in the GIII Peter Pan S. “That just shows the kind of quality that Two Phil's had as a racehorse,” said Walden. “He had form on multiple surfaces and on multiple racetracks. He also won a graded stake in the slop as a 2-year-old. He was just a racehorse.” While Two Phil's racing career is reminiscent of his sire's–as Hard Spun also recorded two stakes wins as a juvenile and won the same Derby prep at three–it is the sire line in and of itself that Walden said made Two Phil's a good fit for their stallion program. “We've been looking for a Danzig horse for a long time,” he explained. “Danzig is a horse that keeps giving in this industry. When you see Danzig in a pedigree–Uncle Mo, War Front, now Omaha Beach is coming on–you need to take notice. Hard Spun is a very underrated stallion and the thing that Two Phil's brings is that he's a very good-looking son of Hard Spun. He's well-balanced, has a great head and good topline and he's well-sprung on his hocks. I think he'll compliment mares just because of his size and his balance.” Country Grammer ahead of his victory in the 2022 G1 Dubai World Cup | Dubai Racing Club Country Grammer is another horse that Walden said has caught the eye of breeders visiting the stallions at WinStar. “We did a showcase last summer of Life is Good, Nashville and Country Grammer and there were as many people that were as taken back with Country Grammer as they were Life Is Good and Nashville,” he recalled. “We know how popular Life Is Good and Nashville have been, so we're really excited about Country Grammer for 2024. He's a big, scopey horse that has a long, sloping shoulder. He's the kind of horse that you would expect to run two turns and I think he'll compliment mares because he'll help mares get the kind of physical that breeders would want at the sales.” A $450,000 2-year-old at the OBS Spring Sale, Country Grammer started out in the Chad Brown barn and was originally campaigned by Paul Pompa. After breaking his maiden at two, the colt went on to claim the GIII Peter Pan S. the following year. He caught the eye of the WinStar team while spending time at the farm on a layoff. Following the passing of Paul Pompa, WinStar acquired the colt at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale. From there, the son of Tonalist was sent to Bob Baffert and collected victories in the 2021 GI Hollywood Gold Cup S., the 2022 G1 Dubai World Cup over a field that included Life is Good, Midnight Bourbon and Hot Rod Charlie, and the 2022 GII San Antonio S. He also placed in four additional Grade I contests over his five-year career, including a runner-up effort in this year's G1 Saudi Cup. “He ran at a high level on the East Coast, West Coast and the Middle East for a long time,” said Walden. “In this day and age when soundness and race record is important, I think he's a high-quality horse. He comes from a great Juddmonte family–the family of Obligatory (Curlin) and Bonny South (Munnings) that has been giving good runners for a long time. It's really exciting to have a horse like him at the price that we have him at for 2024.” The post For WinStar’s New Recruits, Walden Says the Numbers Stand Out appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article