Wandering Eyes

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Cambridge trainer Mike Berger has travelled south for today’s meeting at Manawatu – and it feels like an ambush. Much to his surprise race 5 is the Happy 70th Birthday Mike Berger Mobile pace. “I didn’t know anything about it,” Berger says, “plus I didn’t want the whole world knowing how old I was!” Berger turned 70 over the weekend. “I asked whose idea it was but haven’t heard a thing as yet,” he laughs. “But it’s pretty cool. I’ve always enjoyed the Manawatu and Palmerston North – the club does a great job” Fittingly Berger will have a live chance in the race, with Lady La Salle rated a big show. She has had two wins and three placings on the course from just eight starts, including a second behind Full Of Desire on November 23. With a career record of three wins from 34 starts, her last win on course was on November 13. “She can be a bit moody but she’s going through a wee purple patch of form at the moment.” Berger has also just brought up another milestone. When Cos I Can won at Alexandra Park last Friday (paying $14.40) Berger brought up his 700th training success, a day before his 70th birthday. His first win was with Supreme Ruler, driven by Tony Herlihy, at Cambridge in 1982 while his highest profile was in 2002. When training in partnership with Warren Rich, they quinellaed the New Zealand Cup with Gracious Knight and Facta Non Verba. These days he trains a team of 11, with seven of them in at Manawatu today. How fitting it will be if Lady La Salle can continue what has already been a big few days. “I would say she’s the best of my chances.” Race 5 The Happy 70th Birthday Mike Berger Mobile Pace is set to go at 5.30pm View the full article

With the Arqana sales closing out our breeding stock sales season, there were some very stark warnings for the industry in Europe. Plenty have highlighted the dire situation at the lower end of the market with a frightening number of mares failing to sell for even the covering fee of the foal inside them. However, it is also far from rosy at the top end of the market for our domestic product. Analysing the 143 mares/fillies that sold for £200,000+ at the three main sales (Goffs November, Tatts December and Arqana), over half will be leaving European shores and travelling to Japan, Australia or America. Obviously this is not an exact science as a number of lots were knocked down to agents or aliases. However, I'm fairly confident to within a 10% error margin with the figures. Australian entities (including all Yulong pseudonyms) signed for the most number of £200k+ lots (35 in total over 24%) and spent over £20.1 million (21%). The Japanese were stronger than ever and bought 17 lots (12%) and spent over £13.3 million (14%). The Americans bought 20 lots (14%) and spent over £9.2 million (10%). English Studs bought 29 lots (20%) for a total of just over £20 million (21%). Were you to take out Juddmonte's two major purchases, Godolphin's sole purchase and Graham Smith Bernal's continued significant support, this would look even more dire with only a little over £11 million spent. Coolmore, as ever, reinvested heavily and helped keep Ireland high up in the list. In total, 23 (16%) of the £200k+ lots look likely to head to Ireland for an outlay of over £24.9 million (26%). French interests bought 17 (12%) lots for £6.1 million (6%) while German studs bought just two. While these figures alone are highly worrying, when comparing them to just ten years ago, you realise that we could be well past the tipping point. Back then over 74% (in comparison to just 49% now) of the 136 fillies/mares that sold at the corresponding sales stayed in Europe. Furthermore, over 32% stayed in England whereas only a tick over 20% will stay in England from this year. Such a rapid trajectory in the wrong direction needs to somehow be halted or we will lose our seat at the top table of the racing world. The BHA and all factions of the racing hierarchy need to put self-interest to one side and work in cohesion to address the issue. Not only will we not be producing enough horses to fill the racing programme, but the quality will continue to slide in comparison to our counterparts in other jurisdictions. Tom Pritchard-Gordon, Badgers Bloodstock The post Letter to the Editor: Heed Stark Sales Warnings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In his resignation email, Stead praised the efforts of those involved in the sport in California, saying racing in the state "is in good hands."View the full article

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges has been at the helm of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) since 2007, presiding over a significant expansion of the Asian racing scene. Emmanuel Roussel received an update from the CEO during last weekend's Hong Kong International meeting, with topics including the development of racing at Conghua on the Chinese mainland, and the potential for the HKJC to establish a breeding bases in Europe and Australia to boost its supply of Thoroughbreds. Emmanuel Roussel: The international week is always a great event, so close to the festive season. Are you happy with what was under the Christmas tree for the Club? Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges: It's great that we are back in full swing. Last year, we were open but not yet quite out of our bubble, while what we saw [at the International Jockeys' Championship] with such a tremendous atmosphere, demonstrates that the city's vibrancy is back. The night went extremely well. And for me, one of the highlights was Vincent Ho winning the International Jockeys Championship. His victory meant a lot to Hong Kong people. Despite economic challenges and some geopolitical tensions, Hong Kong can be a centre of growth and excellence. That was a great symbol. Vincent is one of the most professional athletes you can find. During COVID, Amy, our head of the Sports Institute, said that very few athletes showed such dedication in training. And I want to really express my gratitude to Ryan Moore for having helped Vincent to develop into the great athlete he has become. ER: The Club must also share the pride of Hong Kong, since Vincent is a local apprentice… WE-B: This is one of our strengths. We put people and systems in place to develop our community. And we have transferred the same now to Conghua, our mainland training centre. We went from zero to 600 people there. Most had never seen a horse before. And if you go to Conghua today, you can always appreciate their horsemanship. We enabled platforms which allow us, since last month, to issue vocational training licenses in Conghua. We can bring up people from every province to follow vocational training to become jockeys and horse workers. That's quite a breakthrough. ER: What is next at Conghua? WE-B: In April, we will be able to show more. We are still building and will have to complete phase two of our stable expansion with another 450 spaces. We will also have the staff accommodation ready. The topping of the grandstand should be completed in February, too. It is planned to accommodate 10,000 people, as it is supposed to be a boutique racecourse. I have to admit that I'm very excited about it. This is one of the most iconic grandstands I know, built with full design on sustainability. Seventy per cent of the energy will be produced on site. And then we have plans for a wind farm which will be five or six kilometres away, that would allow us complete energetic independence. ER: What about racing at Conghua? WE-B: The first race meeting is planned for April 2026. We have to finish everything by October 2025, and then practice for six months, running simulations. ER: First race in April 2026, and then? WE-B: We will have the first meeting in April, and then that will do for the season. The following season, in 26/27, we will probably conduct one meeting a month in Conghua, from October to April. ER: What is the Club's long-term plan in China? WE-B: This is only a part of our overall strategy for China. We want to contribute to the National Equine Industry Development Programme, which was published in 2020 by the Minister of Agriculture and the Ministry of Sport. We now try to outline an equine value chain and this includes breeding, training people, holding auctions and races, and horses going back into breeding. This is a long-term plan that would also include veterinary studies. Equine veterinary science is one of the development areas where one would need further progress. Last week, we met 160 equestrian vets from all over China in Conghua and they are really keen. We want to build a specific one-year training programme for equestrian vets. ER: Will Conghua become the centre of the Club's strategy in China? WE-B: We want to create a sustainable model in Conghua. Around 90 owners from all over China joined our members' clubhouse in Beijing. We will open up another such clubhouse in Shenzen, which will also be cultivating interest in horseracing, including an equestrian interest. In September, we will open an Institute of Philanthropy, through which we will make donations to China. People have to understand we are not only a racing institution, and especially not only a wagering organisation. What I found really fascinating in our surveys and the discussions we have had with potential owners is their will to understand breeding and racing, but rather from a sporting and cultural point of view. It's a little bit like what you find in Japan. ER: How is ownership doing in Hong Kong at the moment? WE-B: We don't have an ownership issue per se. There is a risk of an ageing ownership population you have to build up again. Many owners also lost interest in owning a horse during COVID because they could not go to the track. This has resulted in a higher retirement rate in the last two years. Secondly, owners used to go to the sales a year or two before getting their purchases home, and they have not been able to travel to buy during COVID. Therefore, they couldn't replace the horses they were retiring sooner. The optimal number of horses in training in Hong Kong is 1,280. We have probably at the moment 1,160 horses ready to run, that's 120 short due to these effects. The economic situation will probably delay the recovery. It will probably take a year and a half to two years to build back up to the normal level, and we need this for Conghua. ER: How do you recruit new owners? WE-B: We recruit potential young owners through our racing club. Traditionally, young club members are not allowed to own horses on their own for a while. We have 1,400 racing club members and 200 of those are very keen to become owners. So, we have created a pipeline racing club to allow them to be syndicate owners, and then become partnership owners or individual owners. ER: You also have opened the doors to foreign owners last year… WE-B: Yes, major breeders and owners can now come through our overseas ownership scheme. We have now some prominent owners from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. We must do this carefully, because we want to be sure that they are really committed and we look at a combination of owners and breeders because, in the end, we will venture more into the breeding industry. And if you look at owner-breeders, they usually show longer stamina and they have a greater interest because they can breed horses and showcase their horses. ER: Talking of breeding, are you also looking for breeding ventures in China? WE-B: The Beijing government looks at the industry and sees that we have unique skills that we can share. Beijing understands what a developed equine industry can give. Besides, a lot of the breeding or training would be located in rural areas and would have a great impact on rural economy. It already has in Conghua. The economic impact there is already significant and growing. If you look at related industries, starting with bedding and other supplies, you create supply routes, logistic networks that boost the overall local economic development. ER: Meanwhile, has the ever-growing sales market in Australia created issues to recruit new horses? WE-B: We currently have a significant supply chain issue. Prices have gone through the roof. We bought a lot of horses from Australia, and it gets more and more difficult to buy them because they are owned by syndicates. So we have now a turned-down offer of A$1.7 million for a three-year-old who won one race and a Listed race. I see that if China opens, we will need a bigger supply chain. This is the reason why we are exploring strategic partnerships or maybe even buying ourselves a breeding or racing operation in the Northern Hemisphere and in the Southern Hemisphere. We need approximately 450 horses every year. If at least a quarter is guaranteed, our supply chain is back on. We will relaunch the Hong Kong International sales and if you look at the quality of horses that will come out of them, you will notice that it's completely different from what we had five years ago. ER: How far into this project are you already? WE-B: We have certain targets. All I can say is that we are beyond the feasibility study. We still have to assess the opportunities. There may be clusters if you buy a couple of operations that you combine, but this would not be run by the Jockey Club, rather by industry experts in this field. ER: Where would you elect to establish a breeding operation in the Northern Hemisphere? WE-B: We would be aiming more for Europe because of our focus on turf races. Australia will always be a key provider of horses but most of them are sprinters. When it comes to a mile and further, it's another story. We have already started to slightly shift our racing programme for it to focus less on short distances. I am not willing to talk about cheap speed but if there isn't enough quality available, we'll go to 1,400m and over. This shift will affect our supply chain, as Europe is a more appropriate provider of such horses. We will not focus on 2,400m horses because it's not appropriate for our climate and our trainers. Our focus will be more on horses to compete on distances from 1,400 to 2,000 metres. ER: Can you provide an update on the World Pool? WE-B: The World Pool keeps expanding and I think that in every continent people now see the benefit of this. I can understand why fixed-odds, especially in Australia, is so successful now: 83% of the win and place bets in Australia are fixed-odds. It is, I think, because of the number of daily meetings there – it is like every minute – and there is not enough liquidity. If you want to have a real bet with such limited pools, you can't. But with the liquidity gathered by World Pool, with the different views of the world from Hong Kong, from Great Britain, from Australia, you offer prices that a fixed-odds betting product cannot match. Suddenly, the bookmakers could not lay off certain things, because the value of the Word Pool product was too high. Customers get a choice. However, I don't see bookmakers as mere competitors. Pari-mutuel gives the highest return to the industry and the industry needs growth. Secondly, there are certain bet types that cannot be operated as fixed-odds bets. They are different products, offering different opportunities. We want to have the best 100 races in the world to be made available in the World Pool. We are working on a new platform and new wagering information protocol, which hopefully could be launched through a first pilot in April or May. We then would have the ability to take exotic bets on quartet, to six up to triple trio, and include wagers from the bookmakers into such pools. Bookmakers could find an interest in connecting with the World Pool, and that could be an option for them. What is important is differentiation. You need to have enough time between races to build up your liquidity. The next development would be more combined meetings. We did this already in France and Germany, and we could look at something like the Everest and the Caulfield Guineas, in Australia. We have done the top races as a separate, highly attractive product, and we could focus on quality to reach that level of differentiation from the intense simulcasting you find in Australia or in England. It's too much. We did a lot of market research, and it comes to this: horse racing cannot be a game of chance. It cannot be only a game of somebody's tips. You must make your own judgment. This research was conducted in Hong Kong, and you would have to do more studies globally but one of the reasons why the World Pool works is that it doesn't promote a game of chance. It is a game alright, but people get satisfaction in working on their own strategies and analysis to pick a winner. If you have a start every two minutes, you can't do that. The post ‘We Have a Significant Supply Chain Issue’: Engelbrecht-Bresges on the Need For More Horses in Hong Kong appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A trio of law firms will now be available to provide pro-bono legal representation to eligible recipients under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA)'s newly established program. The program, open to covered persons who fall below a certain income threshold and are alleged to have violated HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, will match recipients with volunteer attorneys who have agreed to provide legal services without any expectation of compensation. The participating lawyers include Howard Jacobs, Jackson Kelly's Equine Group, and Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, LLP. “We are pleased to participate in HISA's Covered Person Pro Bono Program, so that those who truly cannot afford a lawyer can have access to the same depth of experience and zealous representation that we provide to all of our non pro bono clients,” said Howard Jacobs, international sports law attorney specializing in disciplinary cases involving anti-doping and other disputes. “As a result of HISA's Covered Person Pro Bono Program, we hope that no covered person will feel that they simply cannot afford to defend themselves against a potentially life-changing charge.” Jay Ingle, Chair of Jackson Kelly's Equine Group, said, “Jackson Kelly is always glad to help support the industries we serve. We quickly said yes when asked to participate in this program and donate our legal services and expertise, and hope that our contributions will help the sport and the horsemen and women in it.” Craig Robertson, Partner-In-Charge, Lexington Office of Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, LLP, said, “The Wyatt firm is honored to be part of the HISA Covered Person Pro Bono Program to support those in need of legal assistance and to help promote the health and well-being of Thoroughbred racing and the equine industry as a whole.” If the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) has alleged that a covered person committed an ADMC Rule Violation, and the covered person has an annual household adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less and no significant liquid assets, the covered person will be eligible for free legal services from a volunteer attorney and limited reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the volunteer attorney. “I am incredibly proud to be launching this free legal services initiative, the first of its kind in American sport,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “Providing all Covered Persons with the tools to properly defend themselves in these cases is critical to ensuring integrity in our ADMC program adjudication procedures. We don't want the cost of legal services to ever be a barrier to pursuing a rigorous defense. I'm grateful to the reputable law firms and experienced attorneys who have already agreed to participate, and I look forward to expanding their ranks.” The post Lawyers Available for HISA Covered Person Pro Bono Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last year's Eclipse Champion 3-Year-Old Epicenter is the first stallion that Coolmore's Ashford Stud has stood for Winchell Thoroughbreds and the partnership got off to a blazing start as the son of Not This Time was one of the most popular stallions in Kentucky this year, covering 262 mares in his debut season. Now, Coolmore has teamed up with the same racing and breeding operation to debut another Grade I-winning stallion–this time a homebred son of Winchell's own Gun Runner. Gunite, who claimed the GI Hopeful S. as a juvenile and won at the top level again this year at four in the GI Forego S., will stand for an initial fee of $40,000 in 2024. When Gun Runner was bursting onto the scene as a first-crop sire in 2021, Gunite broke his maiden in June at Churchill Downs on the same card that Gun Runner got his first stakes horse as a sire with another Steve Asmussen trainee Wicked Halo, who placed in the Debuante S. Soon after that, Gunite claimed the GI Hopeful S. the day after future champion Echo Zulu gave Gun Runner his first Grade I score in the Spinaway S. “Durable is the word to describe Gunite,” said Coolmore's Adrian Wallace. “He ran six times in all as a 2-year-old, showing his soundness and fortitude and culminating in a very impressive display beating Wit (Practical Joke), who was a very accomplished horse in his own right, at Saratoga in the Hopeful. I think the thing about him was he had a 'never say die' attitude. He was a highly accomplished, precocious 2-year-old who then traveled around the world at three and later on at four.” Over a three-year career, Gunite placed in all but two of his 21 starts, recording eight stakes victories. The winner of the GII Amsterdam S. and runner-up to eventual studmate Jack Christopher in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at three, Gunite's 4-year-old campaign this year was marked by a rivalry with MGISW Elite Power (Curlin) that spanned from the Middle East to Saratoga to California. Gunite got the better of Elite Power in the GI Forego S.,winning by nearly two lengths, and finished second to the same rival in his final career start in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. “He broke his maiden in June of his 2-year-old year, won the Hopeful, and then competed at a very high level in all three years of his racing career,” said Wallace. “I think in today's environment, a horse that is able to win two Grade I races, place in five more and compete at the highest level not only in the United States but in Saudi Arabia and in Dubai, that shows how sound and durable of a horse he is.” Gunite scores in the GI Forego S. | Sarah Andrew Wallace attributes much of Gunite's speed and toughness to his pedigree. The 4-year-old hails from three generations of stakes winners and his dam, Simple Surprise, is a daughter of Cowboy Cal (Giant's Causeway) who won the Bolton Landing S. for the Winchells and Asmussen in 2015. “I think the main thing when you consider a horse like him is how similar he is in many ways to his sire Gun Runner and how similar he is to both Cowboy Cal and Giant's Causeway himself,” Wallace explained. “He was ultra, ultra tough and the great thing about the Gun Runners is that they are tough, sound horses. When you combine that with two doses of the Iron Horse's blood, you get horses that are going to be built for durability and brilliance.” Wallace added that the new stallion should have all the potential to not only pass on his own brilliance and precocity, but also the two-turn ability shown on both sides of his pedigree. Wallace said that Gunite, who is just over 16'1, is a standout physically as well. “He is a great combination of Gun Runner's and Giant's Causeway's blood,” he explained. “Cowboy Cal was a very elegant racehorse himself and is becoming quite a good broodmare sire from very limited opportunity. Gunite has a lot of leg and is very balanced. Priced at $40,000, as a dual Grade I-winning son of Gun Runner, I think he'll fit a lot of people's bill.” The post Gunite Follows Fellow Winchell Colorbearer to Ashford appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Baroness Dido Harding is to succeed Sandy Dudgeon as Senior Steward of The Jockey Club in July 2024. It has also been announced that Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National-winning amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, who is now retired from the saddle, will join The Jockey Club's board of stewards from January 1, 2024. Baroness Harding, 56, a former amateur rider herself and a Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning owner, has been on the board of stewards since the end of 2017, having been appointed a member of The Jockey Club in 2004. She was previously a racecourse committee member at The Jockey Club's Cheltenham Racecourse and a director of Racecourse Holdings Trust, which was later renamed Jockey Club Racecourses. Her business roles have included being chief executive of TalkTalk Telecom Group plc, as well as senior positions at Sainsbury's and Tesco, and until October 2021 she was chair of NHS Improvement and executive chair of NHS Test and Trace. Having been a member of the House of Lords since 2014, Baroness Harding sits on the Lords Communications and Digital Select Committee. She said, “As a lifelong racing enthusiast, it is a huge privilege to be appointed Senior Steward. The Jockey Club holds a unique position to both protect the sport's heritage and tradition and also to innovate to attract and delight racegoers of the future to ensure horseracing can thrive for generations to come.” Nine new members of the Jockey Club were elected at a members' meeting on Monday, December 11. The three new honorary members are HH Sheikha Hissa bint Hamdan Al Maktoum, HH Princess Zahra Aga Khan and Gaynor Rupert. They are joined by six ordinary members: Guy Henriques, Sue Lucas, Rishi Persad, Zara Tindall, Michael Wainwright and David Wiggin. The post Baroness Harding Appointed Senior Steward of The Jockey Club appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Kentucky Equine Education Project Foundation has awarded $30,000 to Kentucky equine non-profit organizations though its Seattle Slew Grant Program. With this latest grant round, the KEEP Foundation has provided more than $42,000 in grants to equine organizations across the state in 2023. The KEEP Foundation's Seattle Slew grants are available to Kentucky non-profits providing equine-related educational programs, events and initiatives. The Seattle Slew Grant Program is part of the Foundation's efforts to support education and promote the importance of the equine industry to Kentucky's economy and culture. Recipients of the Seattle Slew Grant awards are: Amplify Horse Racing, HorseSensing, Justin's Place, Life Adventure Center, Kentucky Equine Management Internship and Stable Recovery. Grants of up to $5,000 are available, and new submissions are reviewed quarterly. For more information or to apply for a grant, click here. The post KEEP Awards Seattle Slew Grants to Support Equine Education in Kentucky appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to suefinley@thetdn.com Easy one. My favorite moment was in February when Lane's End Farm called and said that Flightline was enjoying his new career as a stallion. The post What Was Your Favorite Moment of 2023: Kosta Hronis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aushorse has released its 2024 Investor's Guide, which pulls together the latest information on the Australian Thoroughbred industry. The guide presents investors with plenty of reasons to participate in the industry, according to Aushorse, including: Australia will host a race worth a million dollars or more every 3.8 days in 2024, while prizemoney across the country has soared 45% in the past five years; the average prizemoney per race in Australia is A$50,800; and in four of the past five years Australia has hosted more of the top-rated Group 1 races than any other jurisdiction. “It's incredible that there are close to 100 races worth a million dollars or more next year, but it's also really important that the average race value has also soared, giving all owners a chance to get a return on their investment,” says Tom Reilly, chief executive of Aushorse. “As we have seen with the recent breeding stock sales in the Northern Hemisphere, the top end of the market is very buoyant and Australia offers those high-end investors a wonderful opportunity. What's more, as anyone who went to a major race meeting during spring would testify, racing is very much part of the Australian way of life.” The guide also delves into sales statistics and reports that the price of the top colts and fillies in Australia is significantly lower than in other yearling markets. “The guide gets a huge amount of cut through, especially with people overseas,” says Aushorse chairman Antony Thompson. “If you're investing in a significant scale in the global bloodstock industry, then the Guide makes clear that you really need to be involved here.” The Investor's Guide, which has been designed to be easily viewed from mobile devices, is available at investorsguide.aushorse.com.au The post Aushorse 2024 Investor’s Guide Showcases Appeal of Australian Thoroughbred Industry appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to suefinley@thetdn.com My favorite memory of 2023 (other than me bawling my eyes out standing there watching Cody's Wish enter the winner's circle with Cody Dorman waiting for him at Santa Anita, which still makes me cry) was being at Keeneland with Liz Crow to watch our homebred and Liz's purchase Gina Romantica win her second Grade I there at 11-1 odds (I bet her, too!) AND then not 10 minutes later, another one of our homebreds Three Witches won the GIII Princess Rooney, a 'Win and You're In' at Gulfstream Park! I literally could not express the happiness of that day into words, but my unfiltered reaction of pure joy screaming my head off, jumping around like crazy and my not-so-graceful leap into my husband's arms was somehow caught on video and made its way around social media circles. I should have been quite embarrassed but to watch the video again just reminds me why I breed AND LOVE Thoroughbred racehorses! The post What Was Your Favorite Moment of 2023: Carrie Brogden 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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Second-season handler and the in-form Vincent Ho team up with a pair of last-start winners at the midweek meetingView the full article

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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