Wandering Eyes

Nadine Seckman, a junior at Atherton High School, has been named the grand prize winner of the 38th annual Horsing Around With Art competition, presented by WinStar Farm. The HAWA Grand Prize is awarded to the artist whose work best captures the spirit of the Kentucky Derby. Churchill Downs Racetrack President, Mike Anderson, said Seckman's piece embodied the emotion of Derby. “For 149 years, it's been about the horse. And for Derby 150, this portrait of the horse in front of the Twin Spires captures the very spirit of the Kentucky Derby,” said Anderson. The winning artwork will be professionally framed and put on display in the Museum for the next year. Seckman also received a Spring Race Day Experience prize package sponsored by Churchill Downs, and the Museum awarded Atherton High School's art department with a $500 prize for art supplies. The post Nadine Seckman Wins Derby Museum Art Prize appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lisa Headrick has been appointed executive vice president, finance, strategy and operations at Woodbine Entertainment. “Lisa brings incredible depth and experience to the Woodbine leadership team,” Woodbine Entertainment CEO Michael Copeland shared. “We are excited to have her join our team and help lead our business and the horse racing industry to ambitious new heights.” Formerly a Vice President of Finance at Loblaw Companies Limited, Headrick led Finance for the Discount Grocery Retail Division and prior to that, the E-Commerce and Loyalty (PC Optimum) segments. She spent over 20 years at Celestica, an international design, manufacturing, and supply chain solutions company and most recently served as the Chief Financial Officer, Connectivity and Cloud Solutions, a $4-billion dollar segment of Celestica. “I am excited to start my new role at Woodbine,” Headrick said. “My family and I experienced the magic of Woodbine during a race day–the warm welcome, amazing atmosphere and thrilling horse racing made it an unforgettable experience. I'm looking forward to being a part of this welcoming community and contributing to its bright future ahead.” The post Headrick Joins Woodbine Executive Team appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Jockey Club has become an Ed Brown Partner and under its partnership with the Ed Brown Society, will be working collaboratively to provide exposures and experiential growth opportunities to Ed Brown scholars and fellows across the various companies and initiatives it operates. “We are excited to embark upon this critical work with The Jockey Club. Because The Jockey Club's operations touch virtually every aspect of our industry, this partnership opens up many more professional opportunities for our scholars and fellows to explore. So, we salute The Jockey Club for demonstrating this commitment to our mission. Undoubtedly, this partnership will lead to a more inclusive future for our industry,” said EBS Chairman Greg Harbut. Named in honor of Edward Dudley Brown, who was born into slavery in Lexington, KY, and went on to become one of the most accomplished horsemen in the history of Thoroughbred racing and founded by Living The Dream Racing & Stables, the Ed Brown Society (EBS) celebrates the rich history of African-Americans in the equine industry, while creating opportunities for young people of color to gain industry exposure, training, and experience, through internships and scholarships. EBS focuses on identifying and qualifying students of color, with demonstrated interest, skills and commitment, to become successful professionals in all aspects of the Thoroughbred industry. “The Ed Brown Society shares The Jockey Club's commitment to bringing talented young people into the Thoroughbred industry,” said James L. Gagliano, president and COO of The Jockey Club. “This partnership is an excellent example of how collaboration among industry groups can help grow the sport.” For more information about EBS visit www.EdBrownSociety.org . The post The Jockey Club, Ed Brown Society Launch Partnership appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Second Stride, which rehabs, retrains and rehomes retired Thoroughbred racehorses, will open its 2024 fundraising efforts with twin raffles for third-floor boxes for six people, one box each for Kentucky Derby and Oaks Day donated by Churchill Downs. In the spirit of May 3-4 being the 150th runnings of America's favorite race and its filly counterpart, only 150 tickets will be sold at $150 apiece for the Derby and for $125 apiece for the Oaks. Buy raffle tickets for the all-inclusive boxes (including food and alcoholic beverages) here. The drawings will be Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET and streamed via Facebook Live. Second Stride, which was founded in 2005, rehomed 169 horses in 2023 and directly assisted a total of 197, up from the 124 adoptions in 2022, when the facilities expanded to include Chorleywood Farm in Prospect, according to a release from the organization. The former racehorses, as well as broodmares and unable-to-race bloodstock, came from 49 tracks, training centers and farms and went to new homes in 26 states and Canada this past year. The average stay at Second Stride for horses being rehabbed and/or retrained before adoption was 57 days, covering more than 2,500 training sessions. “We spent 2022 working on expansion so we could take care of and find second careers and forever homes for more retired racehorses,” said Second Stride founder and executive director Kim Smith. “Aftercare for horses coming off the track is a race without a finish line. So now we look to build on 2023, which across the board was our most successful in terms of horses served, rehabbed and adopted as well as financial growth including fundraising and grants and volunteer hours. And just to put the 197 horses we assisted last year in perspective, that number is slightly more than the 1% of North America's 2023 foal crop. “We can't thank Churchill Downs enough for donating a prime box to these historic runnings of the Derby and Oaks. Every dollar raised will go toward the horses. This will get our fundraising off to a great start and hopefully make more people aware of Second Stride, how the horse donation process works and how our staff and volunteers prepare each donated horse individually for a second career, whether that be eventing, in the show ring, trail riding or as a wonderful, loving companion.” The post Second Stride Kicks Off ’24 Fundraising With Oaks/Derby Box Raffle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It is often espoused at business management seminars that having access to people smarter than you is a blessing and not a threat. We also know that having access to communities that share a common interest fosters social collaboration and belonging. But did you know having access to a guy affectionately nicknamed the “Italian Yoda” can lead to a graded stakes victory as a racehorse owner? This type of access has been thoughtfully curated by the powerhouse team at Belladonna Racing Partnership, which includes Paul Manganaro (the Italian Yoda), David Ingordo, trainer Cherie DeVaux and recent addition Casey Klein. This team, along with their inaugural partners, launched Belladonna in 2019 with the purchase of over $1.5 million in 2-year-olds, who happened to all be fillies. Belladonna, which means “pretty woman” in Italian, set out in 2019 to foster a partnership approach that provides the opportunity to buy, race, and network at the highest levels of the Thoroughbred industry. “We wanted to bring people into the industry, people who would enjoy the journey, learn, and share the experience with us,” said Manganaro. The partnership calling card is simple. “We want to provide action at a high level while also spreading the risk,” explained Ingordo. “We are all involved in each partnership group and thus have skin in the game. Providing hands-on concierge-level attention and opportunities is unique to Belladonna.” David Ingordo | Keeneland photo Creating this type of access for new owners is made easier when you already operate in the top echelon, not only in Equibase statistics but in the relationships built throughout the racing world. Paul Manganaro is one of those people. A third-generation horse owner who grew up in the New England area, Manganaro was raised in a proud Italian-American family where hard work, loyalty, and intelligence were cornerstones. View TDN profile on Paul Manganaro. It was in the summer of 1986, when Manganaro and his college roommate decided they would spend their break in Kentucky. Reflectively, it was a trip that sealed the fate for both UMass undergrads, as Manganaro and roommate Ned Toffey, now General Manager of Spendthrift Farm, manifestly found their futures in Thoroughbred horseracing. The Manganaro family took root in Kentucky in 2007 when Paul's uncle Anthony Manganaro founded Siena Farm in Paris, Kentucky along with Ignacio Patino and David Pope. Siena Farm, in partnerships, campaigned superstars Flightline, Always Dreaming, and Catholic Boy, among others. Though Manganaro's football days are behind him, competitiveness is something that remains in his veins today. His admiration for Coach John Wooden's pyramid of success, and his own experience being coached on the field, branded him with the knowledge that building a team of professionals who exhibit intentness, integrity, and clarity of thought was to be the foundation of his pyramid of success for Belladonna. Manganaro couldn't find a more professional and experienced first partner than David Ingordo (Read Taking Stock–David Ingordo) who has become integral to the success of Belladonna's selection of 2-year-olds. The son of jockey agent Jerry Ingordo, who managed Hall of Fame riders Laffit Pincay Jr., Sandy Hawley, and Patrick Valenzuela, and mother Dottie, who was the racing manager for Jerry Moss, young David always knew he wanted to be around horses. He started out in none other than Bobby Frankel's barn at age 14 and within four years was one of his assistant trainers. As a bloodstock agent, Ingordo is well known for his selection of the Horse of the Year Zenyatta in the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling sale for $60,000. Zenyatta went on to win over $7.3 million for Jerry and Ann Moss. He added to his resume with the purchase of a second GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner in Accelerate for $380,000 for the Hronis Family at the 2014 Keeneland September Sale. Ingordo scored a Breeders' Cup Classic hattrick and Horse of the Year double when Flightline crossed the finish line first at Keeneland in 2022. Ingordo was an instrumental part of the purchasing team that bought Flightline for $1,000,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale for Hronis, West Point, Woodford Racing, et.al. Ingordo's top draft picks for Belladonna include standouts Bayerness, Coastana, and Grade II winner Vahva. Belladonna partner and professional physician recruiter Kelly Bownes understands what it takes to find talent. “Seeking out talent isn't just using your gut instinct,” said Bownes. “It takes experience and deep research, something Ingordo and the Belladonna team employs.” The University of Kentucky graduate's resume reads like a who's who of top-tier bloodstock professionals and his eye for exceptional individuals extends beyond the sale ring. In 2018, he selected trainer Cherie DeVaux to be his wife, or as his “David DeVaux” embroidered vest implies, maybe she selected him. Cherie DeVaux | Adam Coglianese Regardless of who made the final bid, the team at Belladonna added another hard-working, experienced, and talented professional to their team in trainer DeVaux. DeVaux, who has amassed over $12 million in purse earnings since graduating from the Chad Brown barn in 2018, has already conditioned a Grade I winner in She Feels Pretty. She also has trained multiple graded stakes runners for Belladonna, including the 3-year-old filly Vahva who won the GII Lexus Raven Run S. back in October and Legalize who recently scored a black-type victory in the Sugar Bowl S. at the Fair Grounds. Looking toward the future is always top of mind as the Belladonna team looks to ascend its Racing Program Goal Pyramid. Recent addition, Casey Klein, who brings a master's degree in Sports Management from the University of Michigan and has worked alongside Ingordo for the last year, brings a fresh prospective to the group. Though young, Klein's roots run deep in Kentucky horse racing. The Klein family, led by Casey's father Richard, have amassed over 110 stakes victories since 1998. When you are in the business of bloodlines, Klein brings profound pedigree to Belladonna. How does someone looking to get into Thoroughbred racehorse ownership get access to a team such as what Belladonna has assembled? Easier than you might think, and surprisingly without any of the mark-ups you see in similar operations. Belladonna partner Bruce Fenimore, who met Ingordo at Saratoga, knew this was a well-run team and wanted to be a part of it immediately. “It became obvious that joining a group with more buying power would give me more ability to be successful at the races. I also wanted to win the big races,” he said. Each year Belladonna puts together a group that raises the capital needed for what is their equivalent to any professional sports team's draft. By purchasing multiple top tier horses/yearlings, the entire group, which now stands at over 60 individuals, can attain diversity, opportunity, and the dream of finding another Zenyatta. “The structure itself is partner-friendly and we have created a family with our partners,” said Manganaro. “We go to the races together, we have dinner together, and partners become part of a tight-knit group, just like a family.” Partner Kelly Bownes agrees. “Paul Manganaro and the entire team are so down-to-earth and are happy to spend time with you. They have an open-door policy and have an admirable appreciation for the horse,” he said. Belladonna partner Scott Runnels reflects on his experience with Belladonna. “The best part I would say is the fellowship I've experienced with other partners. We are all like-minded people who all love horses. When we get together it is an absolute blast,” Runnels said. The partnership does set aside funds for general administration and professional services to provide for the needed contracts, tax filings, and licensing support. Ingordo collects the standard 5% bloodstock agent fee on horses purchased, but directs 20% of those proceeds back into partner retention and social events for the partners. All expenses related to the training and racing of the partnership are billed at cost. There are no commissions taken on purse earnings aside from the standard trainer and jockey commissions. Due to the amount of business a group like this brings to the industry, they also benefit their partners by accessing elite services at competitive prices. Belladonna proudly provides aftercare of all their horses via a network of people and farms who also possess the same commitment to the horse as the Belladonna team does while the horses are racing. “Frequently, partnerships are forced to choose either quantity or quality. We have built a partnership that delivers a quantity of quality,” Ingordo said, with evident pride. “I'm a believer in the process that Paul has developed.” Belladonna partner Fenimore said he was also confident in what Belladonna could deliver. “We are going to be making a lot of noise over the next few years.” Making an investment in Belladonna is more sizable than an average punter's bankroll on a Saturday at Keeneland. “Our partners invest five, six, and even seven figures into our partnerships,” said Ingordo. Yet Manganaro quickly retorts, “There are ways to gain this type of access to the biggest races and biggest names and that is accomplished by creating a smaller partnership on your own that buys into a 2.5% or 5% stake in one of our offerings. We treat everyone the same, regardless of their investment.” When you have a partnership that delivers not only access to the best in the Thoroughbred racing industry, but also fellow partners that are doctors, recruiters, and C-suite executives, you are part of a network few can achieve on their own. Manganaro explains that Belladonna is a partnership not of just horse owners but of good people who have become family. “We want to grow the industry and get more people involved in the sport we love. Let's have a conversation. We can find a way to get just about anyone involved.” The post Partnerships, Presented by Taylor Made Partnerships: Belladonna Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Nearly four years after Maximum Security (New Year's Day) crossed the wire first in the inaugural Saudi Cup and six months after his trainer Jason Servis was given a four-year prison sentence for doping horses under his care, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) announced Tuesday that it has concluded its own investigation into the matter and will recommend to a Stewards Committee that it should sanction Servis and disqualify Maximum Security. The final decision will be made by the stewards committee, but in the press release it issued Tuesday the JCSA made a strong case that Maximum Security should be disqualified and Servis should be sanctioned. At stake, is the $10 million that is paid out to the winner of the $20-million race. Should Maximum Security be disqualified, Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) would presumably be declared the winner. Maximum Security did not test positive for a prohibited substance before or after the Saudi Cup, but Servis was caught on wiretapped phone calls bragging that he gave the banned substance SGF-1000 to nearly every horse in his barn. Racing officials from JCSA have maintained that it is within their power to strip Maximum Security of the win if it was proven that Servis had been illegally drugging Maximum Security in the months surrounding the race. The statement from the JCSA read, in part: “Following the conclusion of that investigation and pursuant to the Racing Rules of the JCSA (Rules) [2] and the Horseman's Guide (Guide) [3], the JCSA has now authorised charges to be brought against Jason Servis, the former trainer of the horse Maximum Security. “The Charges allege substantial breaches of the Rules and the Guide and relate to the administration of Prohibited Substances to Maximum Security and failures to comply with the entry requirements for the Race. “The JCSA will contend that the Stewards Committee should sanction Jason Servis and disqualify Maximum Security.” The statement said that the inquiry to be held by the Stewards Committee will take place “in due course.” The inquiry will held in private and members of the media will not be permitted to attend. The decision of the Stewards Committee will be published at the conclusion of the inquiry. Until the stewards committee has made its final decision, the JCSA will issue no further statements. At deadline for this story, Jeff Bloom, who heads the syndicate that campaigned Midnight Bisou was unavailable for comment. Gary West, who owned Maximum Security with his wife Mary, also could not be reached for comment. However, in December, 2022, West issued a statement saying he would be supportive of a decision to disqualify Maximum Security and redistribute the purse money. “We believe in the justice system and have patiently waited for the legal prosecution to take its course,” West said. “Now that Jason Servis has entered a guilty plea, we want to make it clear that if the Saudi Cup decides to redistribute the purse, we would support that decision. Hopefully, that action will prevent future conduct of this nature. We believe the decision to take the Saudi Cup purse from Maximum Security and redistribute it is the correct one.” The post The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia Takes Steps to Disqualify Maximum Security appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien hailed City Of Troy as the most exciting 2-year-old he's trained as the son of Justify was named Europe's champion juvenile for 2023 when the classification was released on Tuesday. He becomes the 13th European champion 2-year-old to have been trained by O'Brien, with only Johannesburg (126) achieving a higher rating among the previous 12. A Coolmore homebred out of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), City Of Troy went unbeaten in three starts as a 2-year-old, culminating with a dominant display when winning the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket by three and a half lengths. It was that effort which earned him his rating of 125, five pounds clear of the next best juvenile, G1 Phoenix S. winner Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). “We've probably never had a horse as exciting as City Of Troy as a 2-year-old,” said O'Brien. “I suppose from the first time he ran he looked like he was something different. What makes him different is the tempo he's able to go in a race and then he just kicks into another gear at halfway.” Noting the differences between City Of Troy and Johannesburg, O'Brien added, “Johannesburg was more of a 2-year-old. He was a small horse, but City Of Troy is a bigger horse with a massive, long stride. He looks like he'll have no problem going up in distance and he's a horse who should go forward from two to three.” The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) handicapper Mark Bird said of the champion juvenile, “City Of Troy proved himself the cream of the 2-year-old crop in Europe with three impressive performances between July and October. His rating of 125 places him alongside high-class horses such as Zafonic and Fasliyev at the same stage of their careers and behind only four-time Group 1-winning juvenile Johannesburg (126) among his own stable's illustrious roll call of European champion 2-year-olds.” Two of the top four colts were trained at Ballydoyle by O'Brien. Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was just behind Adrian Murray's Bucanero Fuerte with a rating of 119 having emulated City Of Troy by winning each of his three starts as a 2-year-old, including an impressive five-length victory in the G1 National S. at the Curragh. He looks another leading Classic contender for his stable as a 3-year-old, with a trip to France reportedly first on the agenda. O'Brien said, “Obviously it can all change, but we're thinking of starting City Of Troy at Newmarket [in the G1 2000 Guineas] and we're thinking of maybe starting Henry Longfellow in France [in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains].” G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. winner Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) was ranked joint-third with Henry Longfellow. He also emerged as the best of the British-based 2-year-olds ahead of three other top-level winners, namely Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), who earned a rating of 117 for his victory in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp; Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), rated 116 after her win in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at the Curragh; and Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was awarded a rating of 115 after his wins in the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket and G1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster. Fallen Angel was rated highest of all juvenile fillies trained in Britain, but she had to settle for the runner-up spot in Europe behind the 118-rated Opera Singer (Justify), the emphatic winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on whom O'Brien also issued a positive bulletin ahead of her 3-year-old campaign. “Opera Singer was a filly who improved with every run as the year went on and she got better as she went up in trip,” said O'Brien. “We were very happy with her last two runs and we haven't seen the best of her at all. She's done well physically and we're thinking she'll probably start in the G1 1000 Guineas.” The 114-rated Ramatuelle, another daughter of Justify, was the standout 2-year-old of either sex in France having won three of her first four starts for Christopher Head, including the G2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly by four lengths, before being narrowly beaten by Vandeek when stepping up to the top level in the Prix Morny at Deauville. The 113-rated Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), runner-up to Fallen Angel in the Moyglare, and G1 Fillies' Mile winner Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), rated 112, were the pick of the other juvenile fillies in Europe. The Breeders' Cup was a happy hunting ground for the European raiders, with Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett) and Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point) both achieving notable ratings in winning the G1 Juvenile Turf and G1 Juvenile Turf Sprint respectively. With a rating of 114, Unquestionable shares joint-ninth with Dewhurst runner-up Alyanaabi (Ire) (Too Darn Hot) and Ramatuelle, while Big Evs sits just outside the top ten on 113, together with G2 Champagne S. winner Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), G1 Criterium International hero Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and Vespertilio. The post City Of Troy Tops 2YO Classification appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Only 14 local gallopers achieve the 115 rating required to make the list, however all 12 of the city’s Group One races make the top 100View the full article

Wednesday's top tips from the Post's racing teamView the full article

LONDON, UK — Japan stole the show at the Longines World Racing Awards in London, with Silk Racing's Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) named the Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2023 while the G1 Japan Cup claimed the title of Longines World's Best Horse Race. The top-rated three-year-old filly in the world was Japan's Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Equinox's top rating of 135 was achieved in his four-length romp in the Japan Cup, his final appearance on a racecourse in which he had Liberty Island and her fellow Classic winners Stars On Earth (Jpn) and Do Deuce (Jpn) behind him. Such a strong first four meant that the 2023 running of the Japan Cup was awarded a rating of 126.75. Trainers, jockeys, owners and breeders from across the racing world attended the ceremony at the Savoy to celebrate the 11th time that Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) had joined forces to celebrate the best in the sport. The Tetsuya Kimura-trained Equinox was the second Japanese horse to receive the accolade after Just A Way (Jpn) in 2014. Ridden throughout his career by Christophe Lemaire, he was unbeaten in 2023, with his other victories coming in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, G1 Takarazuka Kinen (G1), and G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn). Masashi Yonemoto, the CEO of Equinox's ownership group Silk Racing, was in London to collect his award along with Kimura and Lemaire. A strong Japanese contingent was bolstered by the presence of Masayoshi Yoshida, the president of the Japan Racing Association (JRA), and Masayuki Goto, the JRA's executive adviser of international affairs, who received the trophy for the world's best race, which was a first for the Japan Cup. Equinox was rated 7lbs clear of last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, the unbeaten Ace Impact (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}), who was joint-second in the ratings with the G1 Prince of Wales's S. and Juddmonte International winner Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on 128. They were thus Europe's top-rated runners for 2023, a pound clear of G1 Queen Elizabeth S. winner Big Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who were joint fourth on 127. Hukum's runner-up at Ascot, Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and Hong Kong's champion Golden Sixty (Aus) were next on 126, while the dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) was awarded a mark of 125 for his victory in the G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, the same as Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), who was judged to have run to that mark on three occasions at Sha Tin and was the top-rated sprinter in the world. There was a five-way tie for tenth place with a rating of 124 having been awarded to White Abarrio (Race Day), Cody's Wish (Curlin), Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). In total, 36 horses achieved a rating in excess of 120. Of these, nine were trained in Britain, seven in Japan, seven in the USA, four in Hong Kong, and three each in France, Ireland and Australia. Frankel was the sire of four of the top 15 horses in Europe – Mostahdaf, Westover, Onesto (Ire) and Triple Time (Ire) – and grandsire of the co-top-rated Ace Impact, who was also the highest-rated three-year-old in the world. It was a particularly good year for European three-year-old colts, with Ace Impact being joined by Big Rock, Auguste Rodin, Paddington and King Of Steel among the top 20 horses globally. Three of the four top-rated fillies or mares in the world were also trained in Europe and all hail from the Newmarket stable of John and Thady Gosden. Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was awarded a mark of 121 for her G1 Dahlbury Coronation Cup win, while Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was on 120 for her success in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, the same mark given to Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for her G1 Falmouth S. win. The aforementioned Liberty Island tied with Emily Upjohn on a mark of 121. Also on 121 was the top-rated stayer, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who started his career with Simon and Ed Crisford in Britain before switching to the Australian stable of Anthony and Sam Freedman. With Lucky Sweynesse leading the way for the older sprinters, the top three-year-old sprinter in the world for 2023 was the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 July Cup winner Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) on 120. Four of the top ten races in the world in 2023 were staged in Japan, with the Takarazuka Kinen in fifth spot, the Tenno Sho (Autumn) joint-sixth and the Arima Kinen in eighth. The Equinox factor had a firm say in the rankings of the races, with the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic ranked second with an average rating of 126.50. The Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a regular winner of this title, was third on 124.75, just ahead of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on 124.50. The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S was co-sixth, while the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois was ninth and the Juddmonte International tenth. The official rankings are compiled by the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee, which is co-chaired by Nigel Gray and Dominic Gardiner-Hill, and they are published by the IFHA. The post Equinox Crowned Longines World’s Best Racehorse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Leading Sydney hoop James McDonald has been ticking up the air miles of late and will add some more to his tally when he heads home to New Zealand this weekend to ride at the TAB Karaka Millions race meeting at Ellerslie. The expat Kiwi hoop will head to Auckland on Saturday in red-hot form after he scored another elite-level triumph in Hong Kong when guiding Voyage Bubble to victory in the Gr.1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday for trainer Ricky Yiu. It will be the first time McDonald will be back in his homeland in nearly five years and he is being welcomed home with some quality rides, including two of the favoured runners in the respective TAB Karaka Millions races. McDonald will jump aboard the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Orchestral in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), and believes she will jump favourite ahead of current market leader Molly Bloom. “She (Orchestral) will jump favourite, she is a good horse,” McDonald told SENTrack. “The only reason is that Molly Bloom has had a very busy schedule, she has been down to the South Island, where my filly is third-up. She ran an absolute screamer last start where she won very easily. She is ready to peak, and with Roger James training, I think she is as good as anything.” Orchestral is currently a $4.50 second favourite behind Molly Bloom at $3.30 prior to the barrier draw on Wednesday evening. Orchestral, who was a $625,000 purchase by her trainers out of Haunui Farm’s 2022 Karaka Book 1 draft, was runner-up to Lupo Solitario in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) last month before turning the tables on her foe at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day when winning their mile contest by 2-1/2 lengths. McDonald is also favoured to feature prominently in the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), having secured the coveted ride on the Stephen Marsh-trained Velocious. The daughter of Written Tycoon currently heads the market at $3.40 following her promising start to her career, winning her first two outings, including the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m), before placing in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day. “She is going really well, her form is outstanding,” McDonald said. “She had a nice burn around Pukekohe a couple of weeks ago. I get a text message from Stephen (Marsh, trainer) every week that she is in really good form. I wouldn’t swap her for anything.” Velocious was purchased by syndicator Go Racing out of Inglewood Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $190,000. While excited about his rides, McDonald is also looking forward to competing on Ellerslie’s new StrathAyr track in front of a sold-out crowd. “It looks good and a record crowd number too – 12,000,” he said. View the full article

What Ballina Races Where Ballina Jockey Club – 38 Racecourse Road , Ballina When Thursday, January 25, 2024 First Race 1:35pm AEDT Visit Dabble Big Dance (1600m) eligibility is up for grabs on Thursday afternoon, as Ballina Jockey Club plays host to a bumper eight-race program. The meeting is headlined by the $65,000 Ballina Cup (1590m) with a capacity field on display. The rail is in the true position throughout the entire circuit, and with improving conditions in the lead-up, we anticipate the current Heavy 9 rating of the surface to get a significant upgrade for race-day. The opening race is set to get underway at 1:35pm AEDT. Ballina Cup Top Tip: Without Revenge Back-to-back runner-up placings behind an airborne Acquitted should have Without Revenge ready to peak in the 2024 Ballina Cup (1590m). The son of Muhaarar held ground nicely in both those performances at Listed level, with the latest coming at Eagle Farm on December 23. He looked the winner before being swallowed up by 2.8 lengths, fending off The Vowels to cling onto another runner-up finish. That appears to be the strongest form-line heading into this event, and with Kyle Wilson-Taylor hopping aboard from barrier one, Without Revenge should get every chance to chalk-up his first win since joining the Corey & Kylie Geran barn. Ballina Cup Race 7 – #3 Without Revenge (1) 6yo Gelding | T: Corey & Kylie Geran | J: Kyle Wilson-Taylor (59kg) +200 with Picklebet Best Bet at Ballina: Jewels Statement Jewels Statement has only had one official barrier trial leading into her debut and it came all the way back in October of 2023. It was an eye-catching piece of work at Coffs Harbour on October 13 as the three-year-old loomed up strongly after taking a sit in behind the speed. She only missed out on winning the jump-out by a head and looked to have plenty left in the locker. She’s yet to make her re-appearance for the Samantha McGuren barn, but based on what we saw, we’re willing to take the risk that Jewels Statement is wound-up for this first-up assignment. Best Bet Race 1 – #7 Jewels Statement (1) 3yo Filly | T: Samantha McGuren | J: Ben Looker (55.5kg) +160 with Neds Next Best at Ballina: Watchguard Watchguard has one start for one win on the resume and is set to return from a 26-week spell on Thursday afternoon. The gelding by Toronado picked up nicely to score on debut, with I Am Good At This closing on his heels, and we love the way Watchguard responded despite racing very greenly in the concluding stages. He has had two impressive barrier trials leading into this Class 1 contest, and provided Watchguard can show a similar turn-of-foot, this guy will be powering home under Elione Chaves. Next Best Race 2 – #5 Watchguard (2) 3yo Gelding | T: Stephen Lee | J: Elione Chaves (57kg) +135 with Dabble Next Best Again at Ballina: Leighton Hill Leighton Hill has been trialling stylishly in the build-up for this first-up tilt and appears set to make a bold statement on debut. He was allowed to stretch out in his most recent jump-out at Wyong on December 15, as the Brett Cavanogh-trained galloper loomed ominously in the closing stages. The camp elect to kick-off the campaign over the 1300m on Thursday, and with strong intent from the stable, we’re convinced Leighton Hill can only run well here. Next Best Again Race 4 – #4 Leighton Hill (2) 3yo Gelding | T: Brett Cavanagh | J: Ben Looker (58.5kg) +280 with Playup Thursday quaddie tips for Ballina races Ballina quadrella selections Thursday, January 25, 2024 1-4-5-6 1-2-3-7-12 1-3 1-2-4-6-9-11 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Last Saturday, we had racing action across the country but no feature racing, in what was one of the last weekends without any Group or Listed races before the autumn carnivals heat up. From the Flemington and Rosehill meetings, we have found three runners that are worth following next start, and should go into your Blackbook with your chosen bookmaker. Flemington Track rating: Good 4 (up to Good 3 after R6) Rail position: +9m Entire Circuit Race 8: Benchmark 70 Handicap (2000m) | Time: 2:03.08 Horse to follow: Lauding (2nd) Since being sent over from New Zealand to join the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace stable, Lauding has produced two impressive performances from three starts. Last Saturday, this four-year-old gelding settled last in a strung-out field and had to make up significant ground in an attempt to run down the tearaway leader, Aramco. This son of Proisir clocked the fastest 200m sectionals from the 1600m mark of the race, and even though he was beaten by 2.25 lengths on the line, he showed that 2000m plus will suit him down to the ground. When to bet: The Maher & Eustace team will look to find a similar contest over 2000m or slightly further fourth-up for this campaign, and if he can produce a run much like his most recent start, Lauding should go very close to breaking his maiden in Australia. Race 10: Benchmark 70 Handicap (1000m) | Time: 0:56.16 Horse to follow: Johnny Rocker (2nd) On his debut in Victoria for the Nick Ryan stable, Johnny Rocker went within a length of pulling off a very impressive training performance. The ex-Queenslander ran home from midfield to finish second behind Mornington Glory. The four-year-old entire was a Listed winner in Brisbane before being sent down to Ryan from Barry Lockwood, and he showed his potential with a strong showing up the Flemington straight. This son of Jukebox ran home in the fastest last 200m sectional of the entire meeting, stopping the clock at 11.13 seconds from the 200m mark to the winning post. When to bet: Johnny Rocker contested the Listed Gold Edition Plate two starts back over 1200m, so we anticipate that Nick Ryan and his team will step him up in trip next start. If the stable can find a 1200m race in BM70 or BM78 grade, Johnny Rocker should be able to tick off his first Victorian win in no time at all. Rosehill Track rating: Soft 5 (Good 4 after R4) Rail position: +3m entire circuit Race 1: 2YO Handicap (1100m) | Time: 1:03.50 Horse to follow: Tartaglia (3rd) Two Godolphin debutants stepped out in the opening race at Rosehill last Saturday, with the better of the two, Tartaglia, running into third place from the back of the field. This son of Too Darn Hot settled near last before getting a nice run up the inside and letting down with a strong finishing burst, recording the fastest last 600m sectional of the race and the 12th fastest of the meeting. Although this two-year-old colt was beaten by 3.3 lengths on the line, James Cummings may have another decent colt on his hands going into the autumn carnival. When to bet: After running on so strong at the end of 1100m, Cummings and his team will most likely step Tartaglia up in distance to 1200m next start, where we expect him to be hard to beat after a good debut. Top horse racing sites for blackbook features Latest horse racing tips View the full article

Romantic Warrior trials at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning. Romantic Warrior will aim to go one better in next month’s HK$13 million Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) for trainer Danny Shum. Second to Golden Sixty by a head last year, Romantic Warrior stepped out for a warm up at Sha Tin this morning (Tuesday, January 23) under jockey James McDonald as his preparation revs up as he searches for a sixth Group 1 crown. “He’s in great form. I’m really thrilled with him, he’s pulled up extremely well and it’s probably just what he needed to stimulate him again and get him ready for a month’s time where he has a big task ahead of him – he’s in great form and I’m very, very happy with him, I supposed it’s just where Danny wants him,” McDonald said. Overhauling Youthful Deal late in the trial, Romantic Warrior clocked 1:11.54 as Encountered rolled into third position. “He’s had this lovely break. He’s enjoyed himself, he’s got a spring in his step and he’s moving extremely well and that’s what he took out of today. “He had a nice exercise where he took a bit of a blow but I’m sure he might have one more trial and that will tick him over beautifully and he’s definitely forward enough for this preparation – he’s in tremendous form,” McDonald said. Shum’s Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) entrants, Chill Chibi and Helene Feeling, finished fifth and sixth, respectively, ahead of their test on February 4 at Sha Tin. The Hong Kong Gold Cup is run as the second leg of Hong Kong’s Triple Crown on February 25 at Sha Tin. The race was won by Golden Sixty in 2021 and 2023, while Russian Emperor grabbed the 2022 renewal. Romantic Warrior became Hong Kong’s third horse in history after Golden Sixty and Beauty Generation to earn over HK$100 million following his victory in last month’s HK$36 million Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m). The Hong Kong International Sale graduate won the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) the start prior, delivering Hong Kong’s first win in the famous Moonee Valley race. “He’s the king, though. Over 2000 metres he’s simply the best and I hope he maintains that record because he wears his heart on his sleeve and gives his all,” McDonald said. More horse racing news View the full article

Exciting speedster’s connections opt for a sprinting campaign, while James McDonald stays in Hong Kong for Romantic WarriorView the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Nearly a quarter of a century after last racing there, the Riverton Trotting Club will return home on Sunday. Forty kilometres from Invercargill, the “Riviera of the South”, as its affectionately known, will host 10 races including the two features, the $20,000 Riverton Rural Transport Riverton Cup and the Neville Cleaver Fishing Handicap Trot, both worth $20,000. “We have been very keen to get back to Riverton and grass track racing,” says Riverton Trotting Club Past President Bruce Stewart, “and we have had great support from the Riverton Racing Club who will help out on the day, as well as a lot of local people and sponsors.” Stewart has been a key figure in pushing for Riverton’s co-called “back to the grass” meeting. It will mark the first time in 24 years since standardbreds last raced on the course, and even then there were just two races as it was part of a dual code meeting with the thoroughbreds. Paying over $60, Double Damn, trained by Brian O’Connor and driven by Alan Broomhall, won the first race, with the Maurice Kerr-trained and driven Glenburn Prince taking out the second. Now that the Riverton Trotting Club has the day all to itself, there’s been a lot of hard work to get the track race day ready. “We had some issues with the crossing – there was a dip in it – but that has been rectified and the track has been inspected and we’ve had the sign off from John Denton (HRNZ’s Track and Venue Inspector),” says Stewart. The track is the same surface as used by the gallopers, though “the pylons will be out three and a half metres.” There will be six 1940 metre mobiles that will start halfway down the Riverton straight, while the standing starts will begin at the 2000 and 2800 metre marks. The meeting has attracted top southern trainers/drivers including the Williamsons (Phil, Nathan, Matthew and Brad), Kirstin Green and Craig Ferguson as well as the country’s leading driver Blair Orange. It’s one of two harness racing meetings in the South Island on Sunday, with Methven’s 11 race programme getting underway at 12.10pm. The first recorded harness races at Riverton were in 1961. In that year the Riverton Handicap, with a stake of $300, was a non-totalisator event won by Direct Victory, trained and driven by Gil Shirley. Shirley, a Southland racing stalwart, died in 2016, aged 84. In the recent past the Riverton Trotting Club has held two meetings a year at Ascot Park (Invercargill) and Winton. Its next meeting, after this weekend, will be back at Winton in May. And now that it’s come home Stewart is keen to ensure it’s not a one-off. “They are keen on their racing down here and if we could get a good turnout that would be great but of course it will be very weather dependent.” “But we would like it to be a permanent move.” Racing starts at 12.20pm, and admission is free. To see Sunday’s fields at Riverton please click here View the full article

A warm early welcome for Little Avondale Stud’s draft at Karaka has further fuelled its New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale expectations. The Masterton farm has the utmost faith in the quality of its Book 1 consignment and private opinions have been vindicated since the travelling team arrived on site. “The horses arrived late Sunday morning and they all settled in really well,” farm principal Sam Williams said. “We were parading on Monday and we had 16 in total, which for a Monday is pretty good, so it was great to get underway and all the horses behaved really well.” Little Avondale will present eight colts and nine fillies with a son of a multiple champion stallion, Lot 562, a stand-out example. “The Savabeel colt out of Alam Mo Na is as good a Savabeel colt as we have ever bred,” Williams said. “I think he is right up there with (Group winners) Addictive Nature and Savvy Nature. “He’s a beautiful horse with a grouse walk and from a stallion family as well.” His dam Alam Mo Na is a winning daughter of High Chaparral with his pedigree page featuring the ill-fated Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) winner Northern Meteor and the Gr.2 Todman Stakes (1200m) winner Smart Missile. “Another colt who really stands out is the Per Incanto (Lot 265) out of Not A Jaffa and he’s going to create a lot of attention,” Williams said. The dam is an unraced half-sister by Iffraaj to the former Hong Kong star and multiple Group One winner Werther, the Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) Toffee Tongue and the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) winner Gobstopper. “Per Incanto is flying again in Hong Kong and had another winner (Rattan World) the other night for Jamie Richards, and the Australians are really taking note as well,” Williams said. “Jimmysstar won a trial on Monday and beat (dual Group One winner) Pride Of Jenni. “John Sargent’s Photographics is heading toward the Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m) and the McEvoy’s Rue De Royale is campaigning toward the Golden Slipper (Gr.1, 1200m). “I think they will head to the Inglis Millennium (RL, 1200m) first-up and then the Todman Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m) so Per Incanto has got some serious horses over there.” Little Avondale stalwart Per Incanto continues to work back to full health after suffering a serious leg injury in a paddock accident during the winter. “He’s really good and we’re still treating the wound, it’s not completely healed and is a couple of months away from that, but he looks amazing and couldn’t be any happier,” Williams said. “He’s been the most incredible patient and we were very lucky that we ended up getting a breeding season with him. “It could have been a season when he served no mares, but as it turned out we limited his book and he ended up covering 73 mares, which was fantastic. “It’s all been about the horse and not anything else, first and foremost the horse’s health was paramount.” Williams also singled out a pair of the stallion’s daughters in the draft as top-quality prospects. “I think it is the best filly draft I have ever brought to Karaka,” he said. “The Per Incanto filly (Lot 398) out of Shespending is a first foal and everyone who sees her loves her, she’s got a big action.” The dam is a daughter of Savabeel and a sister to the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m) winner Tilianam and a three-quarter sister to the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) Splurge. “The Per Incanto (Lot 457) from Superior Choice is bred on that beautiful Redoute’s Choice-Street Cry line and she’s a stunner. She belongs to my sister Anna so I’m really pleased to be presenting this filly for her,” Williams said. Superior Choice is out of the dual Group Three winner Bhandara, who is a half-sister to the Gr.1 Avondale Gold Cup (2200m) winner Sharvasti and the Gr.3 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) winner Shastri. Another filly favourite is Lot 364, a daughter of Farnan and the Pins mare Rosetta, a half-sister to multiple Listed winner All About Magic. View the full article

Taranaki couple Carole and John Lynskey are enjoying some time down in Queenstown this week toasting the success of their Group One winner Puntura (NZ) (Vespa) following his victory in the Thorndon Mile at Trentham last Saturday. It was the 11th win of his career, and continued a purple patch of form this preparation, with his Group One triumph following successive wins in the Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton in November and Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Trentham last month. The Lynskeys were trackside on Saturday and were able to join in on the celebrations in what was a red-letter day for trainer Robbie Patterson, who went on to win the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) later on the card with Mary Louise (NZ) (The Bold One). “We have just had a dream for the last two months,” said John Lynskey, who bred and owns Puntura with his wife Carole. “I am so pleased for the stable, they are such a great crew, work so hard, and get the results. “We are enjoying ourselves down in Queenstown. We share in a keg of whiskey and there is a big function for all the keg owners at Cardrona on Thursday night, so we are enjoying celebrating the win down here.” The Lynskeys were self-made dairy farmers and spent their working life building their farm empire and are now enjoying the fruits of their labour, with thoroughbred racing and breeding being a centrepiece of their enjoyment. “Carole and I went farming. There was no family land behind us, we sharemilked and started talking to bank managers and got bigger and bigger,” Lynskey said. “I also bred bulls and went really well. We have since sold the farm to our son and I thought ‘I have bred bulls, I’ll try this horse lark’ and the luck has just kept going. I know there is science behind it, but there is a lot of luck as well.” While the Lynskeys enjoy breeding, they first got involved in racing by chance after meeting well-known Taranaki trainer John Wheeler at a racing function they attended to support their son Simon, who was making a sponsor’s presentation at the meeting on behalf of his company Ravensdown. “It was a big day and very social and I met John Wheeler for the first time and told Wheels that one day when I got into horses, he would be our trainer,” Lynskey said. “Wheels responded by saying he had nine horses in the paddock and one has my name on it. We ended up with a share in Tobouggie Nights and he took us to Australia three times, and we won the Von Doussa and Great Eastern Steeplechase in 2012. What a journey.” The Lynskeys were then hooked on racing and continued to expand their racehorse portfolio. “We then got 25 percent of Gold Cape and she was a gem and had 25 percent in Doiknowyou with Ben Rophia, and he ran second in a Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m) and Rotorua Cup (Gr.3, 2200m),” he said. While they were enjoying their time racing horses, it was another function that would be the catalyst for the Lynskeys to enter the breeding game. “We went to a fundraising event to help get Jordie Barrett off to UK on a cricket tour. Sam Williams (Little Avondale Stud principal) donated a Zed service, and I purchased it,” Lynskey said. “I then went to Wheels looking for a mare and got Celtic Rose. We only got one foal from her before we lost her, but that foal ended up being Beaudz Well. “Carole and I have retained 50 percent, with Beaudy Barrett, Marty Banks and James Marshall all have 10 percent each. “He’s been a damn unlucky horse that ran second in the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m).” Lynskey was on the board of LIC (Livestock Improvement Corporation) at the time and added to his broodmare band when gifted two-win mare Mumzahoney (NZ) (Magic of Sydney) by LIC secretary Selwyn Tisch, who was suffering health issues. Mumzahoney would become a broodmare gem for the Lynskeys, producing Puntura as her third foal for the couple. After two matings with Haradasun, nostalgia played a big part in her subsequent matings, with Lynskey selecting Vespa as his stallion of choice for Mumzahoney. “When I met Carole, she wore miniskirts and rode a Vespa,” Lynskey said. “The name stuck with me, and this was early in my horse days, but I followed Vespa as he was racing. He became a stallion and I asked Selwyn what a Vespa/Mumzahoney (mating) would look like. He suggested others (stallions) but at the end of the day he said yes, it could click. “I had this gut feeling and kept going back (to Vespa). Puntura was born and some crazy notion told me this guy is something special. He always looked proud and full of himself. “I didn’t know horses but knew cows, we had 1800 of them, but I did know something smart when I see it. For that reason, we kept 100 percent ownership.” Lynskey’s hunch proved to be right and Puntura made an instant impression on the track, winning four consecutive races early in his career, and duly attracted plenty of international buyer interest. “He won four in a row and we had a Hong Kong offer. It was a very good offer, but the vet check found a bone chip,” he said. “The vet said don’t worry as it’s in a harmless position, so the check was a pass, but he had to record the chip and that scared off the buyers. They later came back with a hugely discounted purchase price and we decided to keep him.” Lynskey is pleased they elected to retain the gelding who has taken them on the ride of their life, winning 11 races to date on both sides of the Tasman, highlighted by his elite-level victory over the weekend. The Lynskeys are excited for the future, not only with Puntura but also with his younger full siblings, including Margherita Veloce (NZ), who has won three and placed in six of her 13 starts to date. They are also excited about the prospects of his three-year-old full-brother, Gigi Galle (NZ), who is named in memory of their close relation, who sadly passed away. “My Italian second cousin’s son Giacomo lived with Carole and I off and on for seven years,” Lynskey said. “He went home to Italy after COVID and was climbing in the alps with his father and slipped to his death. His name was Giacomo Galligiano, Gigi as his mates called him.” Lynskey’s Italian heritage also played a part in the naming of several of his other horses, including Puntura. “Vespa is wasp in Italian and as a result we called our first Vespa foal Sting, which is Puntura in Italian,” he said. “Then my granddaughter named his sister Daisy. Daisy in Italian is Margherita so Margherita Veloce gets her name, Fast Daisy.” Still coming down from the high of Group One triumph last weekend, the Lynskeys are hoping for more elite-level success with Puntura when they head to Otaki next month for the Gr.1 Trackside Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m). “We were going to race in the home Cup (Gr.3 Taranaki Cup, 1800m) on the third (of February) but now Robbie said we’ll now go to Otaki for the Group One,” Lynskey said. “It is the same purse ($400,000) as the Thorndon Mile.” View the full article

It was a timely win by Sudbina (NZ) (Almanzor) in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham last Saturday, with co-breeder and part-owner Haunui Farm gearing up for a busy week ahead of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales at Karaka, which kick-off on Sunday. The win also broke more than a half century drought in the race for the Chitty family, bringing even more satisfaction to Haunui Farm Managing Director Mark Chitty. “Winning a time-honoured race like the Desert Gold is fantastic. My grandfather won the race in 1970 with a filly called Brookby Hill, so it has been a long time between drinks,” Chitty said. “Winning any race is exciting, but when you get into that Group company with a filly that you have bred is very exciting.” By Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Almanzor, Sudbina is out of English-bred mare Destined, who Chitty bought out of the United Kingdom and subsequently bred Group One performer and New Zealand Filly of her Year, Fix (NZ) (Iffraaj). “We are a shareholder in Almanzor, so that result was very timely given the sale,” Chitty said. “Paul Moroney bought the mare (Destined) for us as an unraced mare out of England. We managed to breed Fix in the first crop of Iffraaj, and she ended up being filly of the year. “The mare (Destined) became a difficult breeder. We had a nice O’Reilly mare (Tinnelly) that we retained who was unraced, she has got a Savabeel filly (lot 489) in the sale, so the result of Sudbina on the weekend was timely. “The partner in the horse alongside ourselves is Cathy Franich of Frantic Bloodstock. Cathy named the filly Sudbina. She has got a Croatian background and Subdina means destiny. It is nice to share the moment with her.” Chitty subsequently sold Destined in-foal to Almanzor and is pleased to have retained a daughter that is performing so well on the track. “It is good for the farm to have produced a good progressive filly,” he said. “All you want is for people to look at your yearlings, knowing they can buy a good horse off you.” Chitty is looking forward to offering 27 yearlings through the Book 1 session and 28 yearlings through the Book 2 session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale. While the sale will commence on Sunday, Chitty is excited about the TAB Karaka Millions race meeting on Saturday where the farm will be represented by two graduates in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m). “Going into the Karaka Million we have got two full relations to Karaka Million 3YO runners – Orchestral (464) and Grande Gallo (833),” he said. Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) was purchased out of Haunui Farm’s 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $625,000 by her trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood, for whom she has won two and placed in two of her four starts, including a runner-up result in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe last month. Wexford Stables went to $85,000 to secure Grande Gallo (NZ) (Belardo) out of Haunui’s Book 2 draft in the same year, and he has gone on to win two and place in one of his six starts to date. Orchestral is a $4 second favourite for the $1.5 million feature in the TAB futures market, with Grande Gallo rated a $16 chance behind market leader Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) at $3. Meanwhile, Haunui Farm have a number of other high quality lots, including the first colt (lot 360) to be offered out of their Group One performer Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park). The daughter of Ocean Park won four and placed in 11 of her 33 careers starts, including placing in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m), Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m), and Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m). “She was a very good race mare and was good to us,” Chitty said. “The colt is a ninth generation Haunui product and he is a really nice Snitzel colt who will be met by a good amount of interest.” Chitty said the farm will once again offer a wide variety of yearlings by different stallions. “We have got a lot of nice horses. We always have a lot by different sires and the same can be said this year,” he said. “We have got a good smattering of Savabeels in the draft, two fillies both slightly different to one another. A filly that is closely related to Sudbina and filly out of Stolen Gem (lot 442), a young Snitzel mare, who is a very nice type. “We have got a couple of Wootton Bassett colts in the sale that are nice horses (lots 142 and 359). They are nice colts by a son of Iffraaj.” Chitty also welcomed Monday’s announcement by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing about the introduction of the slot race, The NZB Kiwi, as well as a revamped summer racing calendar with a raft of stakes increases from next season. “It gives confidence to the buyers and confidence to the breeders with the stock they have bred,” Chitty said. “It also gives a lot of confidence to people who have horses in the paddock going forward. “It is a real shot in the arm that New Zealand racing and breeding has needed.” View the full article

Chasing $2.5 million in stakes doesn’t happen every Saturday on the New Zealand calendar, and Graham Richardson is embracing having two runners chasing the major spoils on TAB Karaka Millions Night at Ellerslie. Ever-consistent three-year-old To Catch A Thief (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) will represent Richardson and training partner Rogan Norvall in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), while a fast-improving Channel Surfer (NZ) (Derryn) will take his place in the inaugural $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). A perennial bridesmaid, To Catch A Thief remains a maiden after 11 raceday appearances, however, has shared top-flight company in accumulating nine third-placed finishes and more than $164,000 in stakes. Among these efforts were the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m), Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), and Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) during his juvenile season, and the Gr.2 Sarten Memorial (1400m) and Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in recent starts behind Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto). The son of U S Navy Flag struggled to find clear air in the straight on Ellerslie’s opening night on January 14, finishing sixth behind Fortunate Son (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), but returns a highly-respected chance at the mile this Saturday, despite his $31 quote on the TAB Futures market. “He just lacked a bit of luck last time, he had to change ground a few times and by then it was just too late. He went very well before that,” Richardson said. “As long as the track is good, he’ll be very competitive again in this.” Richardson confirmed Robbie Dolan would partner the gelding alongside stablemate Channel Surfer, the Queensland-based hoop making the journey across the Tasman to ride Australian-trained $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) chance Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan). With an impressive win last-start at Pukekohe over subsequent victors in Dubai Diva (Pride of Dubai) and race-rival Rudyard (NZ) (Charm Spirit), Channel Surfer gave Richardson a vote of confidence to remain in an extremely competitive Aotearoa Classic line-up. However, with a trio of Group One winners (Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), Sharp’N’Smart (NZ) (Redwood) and Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride of Dubai)) also accepting alongside Australian raider Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor), the Matamata trainer is aware of the lofty task ahead for the son of Derryn. “I trialled him last Tuesday and he went extremely well, Warren (Kennedy) said he felt better than the day he won, if that’s anything to go by. He’s a good galloper, but it’s a very strong field,” he said. “It’s just an honour to have a horse in a million-dollar race, it’ll be very hard to win it but he’s in with a runner’s chance.” An exciting evening at Ellerslie for Richardson will be preceded by two runners at his local meeting at Matamata on Wednesday, with last-start winner State Of Fear (NZ) (Shocking) to be guided by Kennedy the Centigrade 2000. The five-year-old gelding rectified four runner-up finishes on the bounce at Tauranga earlier this month, breaking maiden status without many favours in the final stages. “He won well last time, he did it the hard way by going back and still got up to win. It’s always a question if they’re going to step up to the next grade, but he won well enough to suggest that he could,” Richardson said. “He’s on his home track, he’s really just starting to work it out I think.” Stepping back from a strong Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) assignment on New Year’s Day, Richardson is hoping to see a solid performance from juvenile filly Lotus (NZ) (Time Test) when she contests the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m). “I’ve put a set of blinkers on as she hasn’t been easy, she’s a bit cheeky but it was a better run that it looked last time,” he said. “She’s got a nice draw (1), and I’m hoping she’ll do things right and go well.” View the full article

Find My Love headlines the trainer’s hand at Sha Tin’s all-weather fixture on Wednesday nightView the full article

I Am Unstoppable on the way to the barriers prior to the running of the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on November 04, 2023 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) In next month’s highly anticipated Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, Jamie Kah is set to partner I Am Unstoppable. The star jockey partnered with the three-year-old during a jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday morning. The colt, a notable performer as the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) runner-up, showcased his form in an impressive 850-metre trial on the inner grass track. Co-trainer Lloyd Kennewell, in partnership with Lucy Yeomans, expressed satisfaction with the performance. “He was really good,” Kennewell stated to Racing.com. “He was out for his first trial for the preparation. He’s going to have another one, but he was terrific. That was Jamie’s first sit on him, and she was extremely happy.” Kah is slated to ride I Am Unstoppable in the Lightning Stakes and the subsequent Newmarket race. Kennewell affirmed the colt’s excellent condition post-spell and outlined the plan for this preperation. “He’s come back in great order from his spell, and this morning was the first of two trials – the second one comes in two weeks – to have him ready for the Lightning.” “The Lightning’s a good race to kick off in, and while it’s going to be a super-strong race, he’s a very good colt and a valuable colt who deserves to take his place.” “The Lightning will battle-harden him for the Newmarket, where he’ll come in well at the weights.” Top horse racing bookmakers have I Am Unstoppable rated as a +1400 chance for the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes. More horse racing news View the full article

On Sunday 21 January 2024, the RIB conducted alcohol breath testing on harness racing drivers at the Marlborough Harness Racing Club in Blenheim. All drivers tested negative. The post Alcohol breath testing conducted at Marlborough Harness Racing Club appeared first on RIB. View the full article

The daughter of First Dude won the seven-furlong sprint last year at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Eddie Plesa, she comes into the Inside Information Stakes (G2) off a win in the Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream.View the full article