Wandering Eyes

Named Bertinelli and trained by Aidan O’Brien pre-import, Frankie Lor’s impeccably bred charge lines up in Monday’s Class Three Red Packet Handicap (1,600m) at Sha TinView the full article

In his first start as a 3-year-old and first effort in a race not contested on turf, Endlessly proved up to the challenge in the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby Feb. 10 at Golden Gate Fields.View the full article

Midlantic-based trainer Cal Lynch celebrated the 1000th victory of his training career when Mosler Time took out the Saturday finale at Laurel Park. The 4-year-old gelding covered six furlongs on the main track in 1:12.25 in the claiming event for 3-, 4- and 5-year-old maidens and comes one day after Forest Boyce marked 1000 wins in the saddle at Laurel. “I'm delighted for everybody that's helped get to this point. It's all about the team,” he said. “A thousand winners, a lot of people helped get there. A lot of owners and horses in 30-odd years of doing this. It's my name on there but it's because everybody did their part. We're delighted.” Lynch, 49, came to the U.S. in 1996 from Northern Ireland at the age of 19 after gaining experience training off his father's farm. His younger brother, former English apprentice champion Feargal, rides on the Maryland circuit. According to Equibase statistics, Lynch's first training win came with Aneissa Chocolate Apr. 11, 1997, at old Garden State Park in New Jersey, winning his first stakes with Holiest Punch in the 2001 Bold Josh Handicap at The Meadowlands. He spent 12 years based at Parx before relocating to Maryland in 2016. Lynch has won the first of his three graded-stakes with Javerre (Outflanker) in the 2013 GIII General George S. at Laurel. The other two came in the 2017 GIII Jerome S. and GIII Withers S. with El Areeb, who missed the Triple Crown series after suffering a knee fracture after running third in the Gotham. “We're not done yet,” Lynch added. “I'll [look back] that when we're sitting on a beach in Florida in like 20 more years. Right now, we'll enjoy today. I just got back from the barn doing the feed. We'll be back out there tomorrow morning and the day I don't want to do that, that's the day I'll start looking back. We have a lot of really nice young horses coming in and a good barn full of horses here. I'm very, very lucky to be able to do this every day.” The post Lynch Earns 1000th Training Victory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What Sha Tin Races Where Sha Tin Racecourse – Tai Po Rd, Sha Tin District, Hong Kong When Monday, February 12, 2024 First Race 12:30pm HKT (3:30pm AEDT) Visit Dabble Hong Kong racing heads to Sha Tin for a rare Monday meeting, with the Class 1 Chinese New Year Cup (1400m) headlining a blockbuster 11-race program. The rail is in the A position for the afternoon, and with no rain likely to hinder proceedings for locals, all participants should anticipate stellar conditions for racing. The opening event is set to get underway at 12:30pm local time. Chinese New Year Cup: Mugen Only a small field of six gallopers have accepted for the Class 1 Chinese New Year Cup (1400m), and although this might be a tricky setup for our top selection, we’re confident Mugen can produce in the grade at the first time of asking. He monstered his rivals at this course and distance on January 21, as the son of Deep Field flew by his opposition to score by two lengths in Class 2 company. He gets in on the minimum 52kg once again, and with this race likely to be a tactical affair, we’ll take the risk Mugen is versatile enough to get the job done in Monday’s Sha Tin feature. Chinese New Year Cup Race 8 – #6 Mugen (1) 5yo Gelding | T: Pierre Ng | J: Karis Teetan (52kg) Bet with Unibet Best Bet at Sha Tin: Ka Ying Rising Ka Ying Rising has been nosed out in his last two starts by an ultra-impressive Wunderbar and finally gets away from that key rival on Monday. Prior to those efforts, the son of Shamexpress produced an eye-catching victory at this track and trip on December 3, continuing his strong campaign, and despite finishing runner-up on both occasions, the three-year-old cleared out on all other runners. He appears ready to peak fourth-up now, and with Zac Purton electing to stick aboard Ka Ying Rising, we’ll take that as the ultimate guide heading into Monday. Best Bet Race 7 – #4 Ka Ying Rising (2) 3yo Gelding | T: David Hayes | J: Zac Purton (58.5kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Sha Tin: Galaxy Patch Galaxy Patch will be seeking to maintain his undefeated record on the Sha Tin turf course and continue his meteoric rise through the grades. The four-year-old is looking to notch his fourth win on the trot after storming through the wire in his latest start, careering away with the prize by 1.5 lengths. He did it so with relative ease for Karis Teetan, sitting mid-field throughout the journey before blousing his rivals. He only needs to reproduce that effort on Monday, and if he does, Galaxy Patch may be targeting much bigger targets in the future. Next Best Race 10 – #5 Galaxy Patch (9) 4yo Gelding | T: Pierre Ng | J: Karis Teetan (59.5kg) Bet with Bet365 Best Value at Sha Tin: Parterre Parterre has been crying out for a step back in grade for some time and finally gets his chance to compete in Class 4 company for the first time this season. The gelding by Flower Alley has been far from disgraced against tougher opposition, finishing five lengths away from the likes of Wunderbar and Ka Ying Rising in his latest attempt. The seven-year-old has only found himself in this grade on two occasions, with his last effort also being his last victory in July of 2023. He maps to get the one-one if he can hold a position from gate three, and provided the breaks fall his way, Parterre should be right in this. Best Value Race 3 – #1 Parterre (3) 7yo Gelding | T: Chris So | J: Lyle Hewitson (61kg) Bet with Picklebet Hong Kong quaddie tips – 12/2/2024 Sha Tin quadrella selections Monday, February 12, 2024 6 1-3-5-6-7-8-12 1-2-3-4-5-13 1-6-7-12-13-14 Horse racing tips View the full article

Alice Springs trainer Terry Gillett with apprentice Dylan Stanley and wife Leanne after Great Buy saluted at Pioneer Park on Saturday. Trainer Terry Gillett won last year’s Pioneer Sprint (1200m) with Supreme Attraction – he might win Alice Springs’ premier sprint race again in April with Great Buy. Seven-year-old gelding Great Buy made it five wins from 12 starts for Gillett with victory over 1100m (BM76) at Pioneer Park on Saturday. Having raced for Ballarat trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy and Dubbo trainer Brett Robb, Helmet’s son has starred since making his Red Centre debut last February. He finished in the top four in four of his first five starts, but since October it’s been five wins and two seconds. Returning after seven weeks, Great Buy ($3.60) worked hard in the home straight when forced five-wide before downing Ray Viney’s Kickatorp ($4.60), who rattled home along the fence, by 0.7 lengths with Dick Leech’s Kerioth ($7) third. If the Pioneer Sprint as exciting as Saturday’s race then the Alice Springs Turf Club can feel excited as five horses were in contention with 100m left to go. Gillett’s Brat and Kerioth led turning for home before Great Buy and Kickatorp – sixth passing the 800m – entered the equation. Lisa Whittle’s Mighty Murt ($2.45 fav), who defeated Supreme Attraction two weeks ago, was also some chance despite being forced four deep. Great Buy sealed his fourth win from his past five starts, however Kickatorp, Kerioth, Mighty Murt (fourth) – cramped for room at a critical stage – and Brat (fifth) impressed. For Wellington apprentice Dylan Stanley, Great Buy’s rider because of his 3kg claim, it was his first Alice Springs win since partnering Gillett’s Future Dreams in July 2021. Stanley, 21, concussed when dislodged from his mount in Darwin in December, is back riding in Central Australia for three months for Gillett. Kerry Petrick had four of the five runners over 1600m (0-70) with Venting ($2.80), ridden by Paul Denton, leading all the way before prevailing by 2.5 lengths from stablemate Boom Boom Sweet ($4.80) and Viney’s Quizzle ($2.15 fav). Venting, with two wins from his past three starts, and Boom Boom Sweet led by six lengths passing the 800m and Quizzle couldn’t bridge the gap. A former NT Derby winner, Venting is a five-year-old gelding by Star Witness. Petrick’s The Girl’s Boy ($31), a four-year-old gelding by Rageese, had the bookies cheering when Phil Crich sealed an emphatic win by 3.5 lengths over 1200m (Class 2). Settling in third place, The Girl’s Boy charged home to overcome fast-finishing backmarkers L’esperance Rock ($5) and Bean Shoppin’ ($10), representing the Whittle and Barry Cooke yards. Excuses Excuses ($2.70 fav), lumping 60.5kg, continued his good form when he made it three wins from five starts for Whittle after toppling Gardner’s Gunnerside ($51) and Viney’s Tango Stepz ($21) over 1000m (0-64). An eight-year-old gelding by Kaphero, Excuses Excuses – second in his other two starts for Whittle – jumped well from a wide gate and sat second behind Gunnerside before taking over at the 200m to win by 1.6 lengths. After missing Friday’s Darwin meeting through suspension, Stan Tsaikos was the winning rider. In the 1100m three-year-old event, Dan Morgan’s gelding Don’t Be Dramatic ($1.35 fav) made it two wins from three starts after outclassing Gardner’s Better Not Fuss ($7) and stablemate Fairytale Bliss ($6) by 4.3 lengths. Don’t Be Dramatic (61kg), with Denton on board, shared the lead when he sat outside Don’t Be Dramatic before the son of Super One sprinted clear in the home straight. Horse racing news View the full article

Saving ground under Joel Rosario, Missed the Cut slips up the inside exiting the final turn of the Feb. 10 San Marcos Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park to outfinish Planetario by 1 1/4 lengths.View the full article

On the heels of an awe-inspiring debut victory, Kinza justified her even-money favoritism and defeated more experienced rivals in the $100,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) Feb. 10 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

On the heels of an awe-inspiring debut victory, Kinza justified her even-money favoritism, and defeated her more experienced rivals, with a decisive win in the $100,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) Feb. 10 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Sibelius stamped his passport back to Dubai with a gallant repeat victory in the Feb. 10 Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.View the full article

More preparation time proved key for No More Time in the $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs.View the full article

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Sunday, February 11. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these complimentary promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximize your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for February 11, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Hobart All Races Same Race Multi 3+ Leg Bonus Back Up To $50 If 1 Leg Fails Place a 3+ leg Same Race Multi bet on any race at Hobart this Sunday and if 1 leg of your multi fails, get up to $50 back in Bonus Cash. Market available from approximately 8:30am local track time on race day. Neds T&Cs apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Sunshine Coast Race 1 – Run 2nd or 3rd Score up to $100 in Bonus Cash Enter the Bonus Code BONUS100 on the Bonus Bets/Offers page, place a fixed win bet on Sunshine Coast race 1 and if your selection runs 2nd or 3rd get up to $100 in Bonus Cash. One Bonus per week. Neds T&Cs apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo 10 Again! Get 10% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH. Max bonus $100. First bet only (including SRM). Paid in bonus cash. Must use available balance. Check for Promo Icon. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo Sunday Bonus Back 2nd or 3rd in R1-3 at Nowra Auto-applied in Bet Slip. Promotional limits apply. Min 6 runners. Fixed Odds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing exclusive thoroughbred bonus promotions for February 11, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and exclusive promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimize your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

Horse Racing on Sunday, February 11 will feature eight 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. Sunday Racing Tips – February 11, 2024 Bendigo Racing Tips 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 February 11, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

No More Time (c, 3, Not This Time–Baroness Juliette, by Speightstown) got crushed late into 3-1 favoritism and ran to the money in Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs. Hustled to the front by Paco Lopez, the Iowa-bred set fractions of :23.52 and :46.61, kicked for home as the one to catch and kept on motoring down the stretch to hold off the rallying 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road) by a length. West Saratoga (Exaggerator) was third. The final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.26. There was no change in the order of finish following a stewards' inquiry involving longshot Everdoit (Gary D), who tossed rider Huber Villa-Gomez at the start. No More Time, a flashy maiden winner at second asking at Gulfstream Oct. 22, finished a better-than-it looked fifth following a slow start and a flashy middle move in the Mucho Macho Man S. last time Jan. 1. He was scratched out of last Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. in favor of this spot. No More Time becomes the 14th graded/31st stakes winner worldwide for Not This Time. The Not This Time x Speightstown cross is also responsible for GISW Just One Time. Sales history: $40,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0. O-Morplay Racing LLC; B-MAMAS Thoroughbreds, LLC (IOWA); T-Jose Francisco D'Angelo. #5 NO MORE TIME ($8.60) takes the them wire-to-wire in @TampaBayDownsFL's $250,000 GIII Sam F. Davis Stakes! #6 Agate Road finished a quick-closing second. Paco Lopez was in the irons for trainer @DangeloStable and owners @MorplayRacing. Congrats to the connections! pic.twitter.com/FLoJvBjqf6 — TVG (@TVG) February 10, 2024 The post No More Time Sharp in Front-Running Sam F. Davis Victory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dazzling debut winner KINZA (f, 3, Carpe Diem–Secret Wonder, by Quality Road) backed up her 'TDN Rising Star' form with a gate-to-wire win in Saturday's rescheduled GIII Las Virgenes S. Shadowed throughout by Kopion (Omaha Beach), the even-money choice had no problem turning that rival back at the top of the stretch and continued to find more to secure the win and keep her undefeated record intact. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-JD Business Ventures LLC, Brushy Hill Stable & Carpe Diem Syndicate; T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $17,000 wlg '21 FTNMIX, $30,000 ylg '22 OBSOCT, $350,000 2yo EASMAY. #3 KINZA ($4.00) goes wire to wire as the favorite in the $100,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) at @santaanitapark. The three-year-old Carpe Diem filly is 2 for 2 for trainer Bob Baffert. @JJHernandezS19 was in the irons. pic.twitter.com/QhBB9tLVGm — TVG (@TVG) February 10, 2024 The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Kinza Goes Gate To Wire In Las Virgenes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

One year after heavily favored Wonder Wheel was upset in Tampa Bay Downs' $150,000 Suncoast Stakes, 2-5 favorite Life Talk endured a similar fate when Power Squeeze handily denied the grade 2 winner in her 3-year-old debut. View the full article

Primed for his graded stakes debut, California-bred Big City Lights used an extended bid to catch front-running Hopkins in the final strides of the $100,000 Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) Feb. 10 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

A statement thanking the racing community for their support was released by the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) on behalf of injured jockey Graham Lee on Saturday. Injured in a severe fall at Newcastle three months ago, the Group 1-winning jockey is currently located at the Spinal Unit of the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesborough. Also a Grand National winner, Lee is planning to modify his house in order to move home in the next few months. A JustGiving page was set up for Lee shortly after his accident and it has raised over £190,000 to date. Lee's statement, released via the IJF, read as follows: “It's three months now since my accident and I thought it was appropriate for me to say something publicly for the first time. “Frankly, I've been overwhelmed by the unbelievable support and good wishes sent by everyone and I'd like to thank you all so much on behalf of myself, my wife Becky and our children, Amy and Robbie. “It feels like I'm in a bit of a bubble here at the James Cook Spinal Unit but the girls share with me all the messages that they are receiving and every single one is appreciated, as is the support of my great friends who continue to visit me so regularly and keep my spirits up. “I never really considered that I had achieved that much as a jockey and it seems crazy that so many people are thinking of us all. I can't deny it has been–and continues to be–hard for us all, but these messages help us all so much. “I would also like to thank the team of nurses here who are just unbelievable in the around the clock care and support they offer us all. “As most of you know, the injuries I have suffered are life-changing and there is a long road ahead. But we have just received planning permission so that work can start to adapt our home in the hope that I will be able to leave hospital at some stage in the next few months. “Thank you again. I am truly humbled and grateful.” The post Graham Lee Thanks Racing Community For Their Support Three Months After Spinal Injury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Wesley Ward's lawsuit against owner/breeder Ken Ramsey is settled, and a trial set to start on Feb. 19 will not take place. Ken Ramsey said Ward was "made whole" by the settlement.View the full article

The first race with 105 qualifying points on the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby takes place Feb. 17 with the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots and with a field worthy of the added points up for grabs.View the full article

One year after heavily favored Wonder Wheel was upset in Tampa Bay Downs' $150,000 Suncoast Stakes, 2-5 favorite Life Talk endured a similar fate when Power Squeeze handily denied the grade 2 winner in her 3-year-old debut. View the full article

Power Squeeze may have finally put it all together in time to pick up 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with a win in Saturday's Suncoast S. Racing along the Mid-Atlantic last season, it took the $90,000 OBSAPR grad three tries to break her maiden when she caught an off-the-turf one-mile event at Delaware Oct. 7. After a short layoff, Jorge Delgado shipped Power Squeeze south to Gulfstream where she upset the Cash Run S. at odds of 8-1 to open her 3-year-old season Jan. 1. Second on the board at 3-1 Saturday behind last-out GII Demoiselle S. winner Life Talk (Gun Runner), Power Squeeze was always involved with the early pace and stalked from third while locked in against the fence behind pacesetter Managing Mischief (Maximus Mischief). Still caught in amongst the pack through a half in :48.94, the Delgado trainee began to find running room past the quarter pole and shot clear once space opened inside the furlong marker. 6-1 shot Whocouldaskformo barely held off 28-1 shot America's Vow to fill a pricey trifecta. 2-5 favorite Life Talk came up empty into the stretch and faded to trail the field home. Union Rags currently sits at 32 stakes winners while Callmethesqueeze, now a producer of two stakes winners herself, has a 2-year-old Street Sense filly and a yearling Liam's Map colt still to run. She visited top freshman stallion Vino Rosso for 2024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. #2 POWER SQUEEZE ($8.00) gets through on the rail to win the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes at @TampaBayDownsFL. The three-year-old filly by @LanesEndFarms' Union Rags earns 20 Kentucky Oaks points for trainer @RacingDelgado with @jockeydcenteno in the irons. pic.twitter.com/GnVJ9oQv1b — TVG (@TVG) February 10, 2024 SUNCOAST S., $100,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-10, 3yo, f, 1m 40y, 1:40.22, ft. 1–POWER SQUEEZE, 122, f, 3, by Union Rags 1st Dam: Callmethesqueeze (MSW, $324,499), by Awesome Again 2nd Dam: Mop Squeezer, by Roanoke 3rd Dam: Honey League Girl, by Honey Jay ($50,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $90,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Lea Farms, LLC; B-Forging Oaks LLC (KY); T-Jorge Delgado; J-Daniel Centeno. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $188,650. *1/2 to Call On Mischief (Into Mischief), SW, $283,237. 2–Whocouldaskformo, 120, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Midnight Belle, by Bernardini. ($450,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $20,000. 3–America's Vow, 120, f, 3, Constitution–Cloudy Vow, by Broken Vow. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Patricia Pavlish (KY); T-Timothy E. Hamm. $10,000. Margins: 2 3/4, HD, 3/4. Odds: 3.00, 6.00, 28.70. Also Ran: Managing Mischief, Gorgeous Girl, Life Talk. The post Power Squeeze Makes It Three Straight With Suncoast Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Oaklawn Park is adding two race days to their calendar–Sunday, Apr. 7 and Sunday, May 5–to make up for recent cancellations due to inclement weather. “We are excited to announce the two additional dates of Apr. 7 and May 5 to Oaklawn's 2023-2024 racing calendar,” said Oaklawn President Louis Cella. “Thoroughbred racing is the heart and soul of Oaklawn, and adding these days provides even more opportunities for faithful fans to cheer on their favorite horses and for our horsemen to compete for additional purses.” Oaklawn will race four days a week, Thursday through Sunday, for a period of three weeks beginning Mar. 7. The Apr. 7 addition will conclude four days of live racing that week. Oaklawn was originally set to close on Kentucky Derby day, Saturday, May 4. The post Oaklawn Adding Two Race Days appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last year was a big one for John McConnell. He fulfilled a lifelong ambition when Seddon won a race at the Cheltenham festival. That bargain buy went on to win at the Punchestown festival before bringing the trainer to the American Grand National at Far Hills. Fennor Cross was another horse to fly the flag for the stable with great distinction. Again, a cheaply-bought recruit, Fennor Cross won races at the Punchestown and Aintree festivals. However, in what came as a bitter blow to all associated with the horse, Fennor Cross was killed at home in the spring. What started out as a brilliant start to 2023 turned into something of a nightmare as another promising young novice hurdler, Kinbara, suffered a fatal injury while prominent owner Derek Kierans decided to move the talented Encanto Bruno to rival trainer Gavin Cromwell. Not only that, but the McConnell stable struggled for form in the second half of the year due to aspergillus in the hay. It never rains but it pours. Thankfully, things have been going a lot better for the Naul-based trainer, who splits his string between Flat and National Hunt horses, with three winners in the past two weeks alone. From blooding future Group 1-winning sprinter A Case Of You, wanting to break into the top bracket of the training ranks and dealing with the disappointments that come along the way, McConnell makes for a fascinating interviewee with Brian Sheerin in this week's Q&A. Seddon | Racingfotos.com How would you reflect on 2023? It was a year of two halves, really. It was a brilliant first half of the year but a very average second half. On one hand, we had a winner at all of the top spring festivals–Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown–and then on the other, we lost some talented horses–Fennor Cross (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) and Kinbara (Ire) (Mahler {GB})–while Derek Kierans moved a smart horse in Encanto Bruno (Ire) (Mahler {GB}) to another stable and then we hit a bad patch of form. It was very up and down. It's the old cliche that this is a game that would tame lions. How do you deal with all of those ups and downs that come with training? I don't know how other trainers do it but I tend to lock myself away into a cupboard or something to think about what has happened! Obviously I'm only messing but it is very hard for a stable like ours to lose a few 140-rates horses in the one year. They were Saturday horses and we don't have them anymore. Replacing them is not easy. But, to be honest, I think I was better prepared than most people associated with our yard were. I knew we were overachieving with the resources that we had. I was ready for it, but that doesn't mean it was easy to take. What was difficult was how people started to question you when things weren't going well. We found aspergillus in the hay. It was a difficult few months but thankfully we got to the bottom of it and the horses are back healthy and well, which is the main thing. I also think we had a below-average bunch of horses running at the time and that maybe over-egged how bad we were going over the winter. I can remember a pundit on Racing TV talking about my lack of form and he made the point that, if you looked at the prices of the horses running, they weren't running any better or worse than market expectation. I think it was a combination of those two things. You don't become a bad trainer overnight but it certainly tested my view of humanity because there were some people who were wobbling in their faith. That was frustrating. You feel like you have been over achieving with the horses you have? Yes, definitely. With the money we have to work with, I think we have done well with the horses. Okay, Encanto Bruno cost a lot of money [£210,000] but, to do what we did with Fennor Cross and Seddon (Ire) (Stowaway {GB}), both of those horses over-achieved. When you don't have a batch of those six-figure horses coming through the system, you know it's going to be hard to hit the heights at some of the bigger festivals, so I am a realist in that sense. It doesn't mean I am okay with that because I am extremely ambitious and I want winners on the big stage. You are not on your own, certainly in terms of National Hunt racing in Ireland, in feeling frustrated by not being able to compete at the top level. The Dublin Racing Festival, where Willie Mullins completed a clean sweep of all eight Grade 1 races, is a case in point. Ambition is a curse because you never want to settle. It would be worse if I thought I was not capable of training those big horses or if I was underachieving but I don't feel I am. At the end of the day, you need to have the backing and, at the minute, I don't and it's very frustrating. Don't get me wrong, I have some great owners and the majority of them are very supportive and obviously Derek Kierans has put a lot of money into our yard as well.The McNeill family and loads more people have been very supportive of me but, the reality is, the top yards have stacks of six-figure horses and only a small percentage of those horses go on to be good horses. You need the numbers coming through to give yourself a chance. I would put you down as a good man to get owners into the yard. I suppose everyone has a different mindset and some are hungrier than others. That's cool but I never wanted to be second best. That's just the way I am, be it playing a computer game or training horses. I often wish I was easier to please but I suppose that's what keeps me so driven to keep going and keep searching for that next nice horse. If you looked at it logically you might say you may never get to where you want to be but, the great thing about this game is, it might only take one horse or a couple of different things to spiral and you could be operating at the next level. For all bar about four trainers over jumps in Ireland, it probably looks a long way away. What's your approach to getting owners into the yard? Is it as simple as just putting yourself out there? It's wide scale harassment! I talk to as many people as I can when I go to the sales or the races and I have made contact with a lot of owners through Instagram and Facebook. We have gotten horses through social media, with the McNeill family and Jimmy Fyffe good recent examples of that. You just have to have a brass neck. You are going to get a lot of nos but I find, even if people don't send you a horse, they respect you taking the time to reach out and put your neck on the line. If you don't ask, you are never going to get. Just how difficult is it to compete against the bigger stable over both codes in Ireland? It's borderline impossible, which is why we try to run a lot of horses in Britain. If you have a 120-rated horse in Ireland, you could run in six maiden hurdles in Ireland throughout the winter and not win one of them. That same horse could win two races in Britain in the same space of time. That's just the way it is and I don't blame Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott for that. They've gotten to where they are on merit. What did Seddon winning at Cheltenham mean to you? I probably enjoy it more now than I did at the time. When things were going bad for us in the autumn, it felt like a long time ago. But winning a race at the Cheltenham festival was something that I had dreamt about as a kid so, to go and achieve it, it was better than I ever thought it could be. What drives you? The ambition is to find a top horse and compete on the big stage but, I have to say, when Together Aclaim (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}) won at Dundalk last week, I got a great kick out of that as well. He was a 30-raced maiden coming into the race and, for him to finally get his head in front, it was a great feeling for everyone involved with him. The guys who own him were there and they got a great thrill. I just love horses and love racing and winning. Obviously, I'd love to be winning the big races but I get a thrill out of winning any race. Gordon Elliott is the same. He loves to win any race. It's a bit of an addiction. Depending on what way you look at it, some might view it as a weakness to keep a 30-raced maiden on the go. That's the one thing I would say about you, you always look for the positives in a horse whereas plenty of people would have been happy to move Together Aclaim long before his day in the sun came at Dundalk. You have to back what you believe in and, what we try and do when it comes to buying horses at the sales, is find angles and horses who may not be obvious, because that's the price range we are dealing in. It doesn't work every time but we have had a lot of success with small-money buys. I know what you mean about Together Aclaim but the syndicate were happy to keep going and so was I. Well Seddon is an advertisement for what you can do with those second-hand small-money buys. How did you get him to train? I was in contact with the McNeills and their manager at the time told me that they were moving some others on. The Galaxy Racing Syndicate had expressed an interest in finding a National Hunt horse and Seddon fitted the bill because he had a good enough rating to bring us to the big festivals. I thought he'd win somewhere but I didn't think he'd win twice at Cheltenham, again at the Punchestown festival and then run in the American Grand National. He has been some horse for us. What are the plans with Seddon and Coral Gold Cup runner-up Mahler Mission? Seddon wasn't one hundred percent after America but he seems fine now again and hopefully we'll get him and Mahler Mission back for the spring festivals. Mahler Mission could run in the Grand National at Aintree. To a certain degree, A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) put you on the map. I'd imagine if a horse of his ability came through your system now, you would have enough owners to call upon to be able to keep him? That was a very tricky situation because the horse had failed the vet to go to Hong Kong and America after he won the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh. It became very hard to push him onto owners. If Ado [McGuiness] hadn't come along, we probably would have been able to put together a syndicate or something, but fair play to him for taking a chance and I'm glad it worked out for him. That came at a very different time of my life. For starters, I had never owned anything before, so selling him provided me with some security in terms of buying a home. He did so much for me at the time but, I don't need anything else in life now so, if another A Case Of You came along now, I don't think I would sell him. How did you find him in the first place? I was at Goffs for the Open Yearling Sale and I was standing down at the chute. I can remember this gorgeous horse walking down to the ring and opening up his page and thinking, 'ugh, Hot Streak.' I let him go in and he didn't sell. I ended up buying him privately and he just kept getting better and better. We never trained a Group 1 horse before him but we always felt he was very good. That goes back to your outside-the-box thinking. A bit like Seddon, we didn't expect A Case Of You to do what he did. We were thinking that, if he was placed in a maiden, we would have been able to get him away for anywhere between 30 and 50 grand and we would have been thinking 'happy days.' He was one in a million. Have you worked in many yards before setting up on your own or are you essentially self taught? I worked for Michael O'Brien when I was younger but that's the only racing yard I have worked in. Obviously being a qualified vet helps and I did a lot of reading about training before I started. But, yes, I am basically self-taught. There was a long time you were muddling away. What was the catalyst? I don't know if there was one specific thing. Derek Kierens came into the yard and decided to put a good few quid in which meant we were able to buy nicer horses for a start. That was one thing. I got a lot of good young staff at the same time, the likes of Siobhan Rutledge, Ben and Alex Harvey, Thomas Reilly, Martin Fox and loads of others. That was another. That definitely helped. We have just developed a system that seems to work. It's a vibrant yard with a lot of young people working for you. We have great staff and everyone seems to be happy. I like having young people around the place because they are not soured and they are hungry. You can mould them to how you want things to be done rather than someone who has worked in five or six different yards and has their own ideas on how to do things. A lot of what we do is very different from other yards. We are way more relaxed and the lots go out a lot quicker than in other places, even for the jumps horses. When somebody comes to our yard, they think we are on Mars, but it works. They go quite quickly every day but they don't do many hard pieces of work, if that makes sense. You've trained everything from a top-notch sprinter in A Case Of You to a cross-country chaser in Some Neck (Fr) (Yeats {Ire}). Is there a particular path you'd like to continue down or do you like both codes equally as much? Not really, I get as much kick out of watching the two-year-olds as much as I do the National Hunt horses schooling. Both would make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I love the jumps because it's not as much of a business. I do that more for a love of the sport whereas the Flat is very much business. It's much easier to train on the Flat and you don't get as many injuries. There is something very special about seeing a good two-year-old work. There are pros and cons to both codes and I love them as much. And how do you get to the next level in both codes? Harass more owners maybe! Listen, there's not much more you can do bar keep trying. We've had some Grade 1-placed horses but finding that horse who could take us to the top level is what we really crave. There's no question that, the guys who are doing the best, they have the biggest backing. In many cases, they earned that backing and we just need to try and prove ourselves worthy of similar backing so we can kick on again. The post ‘People Started To Question Me When The Horses Weren’t Running Well – That Was Tough’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Oaklawn Park will add two additional race days—April 7 and May 5—to its 2023-24 meet. The two added race days will provide more racing opportunities after winter cancellations due to inclement weather.View the full article

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