Wandering Eyes

It's a busy time at Keeneland. The September sale has just ended, the fall race meet is upon us and the November sale is right around the corner. With that in mind, the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland called upon Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach to fill us in on the latest from one of America's favorite racetracks. Breathnach was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week. The foal crop keeps dropping every year, but that doesn't seem to affect the September sale. There were 4,215 horses entered in the sale this year, the second straight year that number had increased. Breathnach was asked how Keeneland has avoided a downturn in the number of horses entered in the sale. “It's a great question, and I'm not sure there's an easy answer, but there's a lot of things that we look at in there,” Breathnach said. “We're very grateful for the support that we get. Twenty-four percent of the entire North American foal crop goes through the Keeneland September sale, which is staggering. It's a tribute to the people who came long before Tony (Lacy) and I, people like Rogers Beasley and Geoffrey Russell and everybody else that made this sale what it is today. We're just trying to be stewards to advance that as far as we can. There are a lot of very clever, very experienced, very dedicated commercial breeders. And thankfully for us, they're looking to our September sale as a large outlet for their for their stock every year. That's a privilege for us, but also a huge responsibility that we do the best we can with what they're bringing us.” The November sale will feature stars like GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast), Grade I winner Dalika (GER) (Pastorious {GER}) and Puca (Big Brown). Puca is the dam of GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) and will also be carrying a foal who is a full sibling to Mage. The sale will also give buyers their first chance to buy mares who are in foal to 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline (Tapit). “We've had a lot of calls about Flightline already from all over the world about what mares are going to be in the catalog that he was bred to and how many and so on,” Breathnach said. “I think he's going to create the splash that everybody expects. People still remember that last year we sold a 2 1/2 percent share in him that went for $4.6 million. We're excited to continue that story.” Keeneland opened Oct. 6 with its Fall Stars Weekend. Like everyone else, Breathnach is looking forward to what should be a great weekend of racing. “It's going to be fantastic,” he said. “We have 11 stakes this weekend. Eight of them are Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' races. It's three unparalleled days of action here. One race that I think really jumps out to me is the Darley Alcibiades. I think that race is loaded. Look at the morning line, you've got fillies like Alys Beach at 20-1. It could be one of the best races of the year. The whole weekend, it's going to be action packed, turf and dirt sprints, races going long on the turf and dirt. I can't wait for it.” Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Retired Racehorse Project, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, West Point Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm, XBTV.com and 1/ST Racing, Lane's End, the team of Zoe Cadman, Bill Finley and Randy Moss discussed a story in the TDN in which John Sikura called for a massive purse increase for the GI Kentucky Derby and the GI Kentucky Oaks. While agreeing with Sikura, Finley pointed out that Churchill Downs has very little incentive to increase the pot. The team reviewed last weekend's big slate of races, which included a win by Cody's Wish (Curlin) in the GII Vosburgh S. Looking ahead, the trio agreed that the GI Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland could be the highlight of the weekend as it could be a showdown of the best turf horse in the U.S. in Up to the Mark (Not This Time) and the Charlie Appleby trained star Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here. The post Keeneland’s Cormac Breathnach Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 145 entries for its October Digital Sale, which may be viewed at digital.fasigtipton.com. Bidding is now open and closes Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. ET. The catalogue includes horses of racing age, breeding stock, and a stallion. Among those catalogued are 11 offerings from the Partial Stock Reduction of Machmer Hall, which will sell without reserve. “We have another strong group of entries for the October Digital Sale, particularly among the horses of racing age,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to offer a partial reduction of the Machmer Hall broodmare band. The list of stakes horses bred by Machmer Hall speaks for itself and should be very interesting for breeders across the country.” Also among the breeding stock on offer are 10 broodmares from the draft of successful Louisiana breeder Coteau Grove Farms, several of which are already stakes producers. There are a number of mares in foal to Louisiana-based No Parole, winner of the 2020 GI Woody Stephens S., whose first foals arrived this year. “The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders' Association has done a terrific job offering valuable rewards to the breeders of Louisiana-sired horses and Louisiana-breds,” Aaron said. Entries include more than 35 horses of racing age, including stakes and graded stakes performers, as well as maiden and allowance level horses. Prominent racing stables represented include DJ Stable, Godolphin, LNJ Foxwoods, and Spendthrift Farm. Also offered are more than 75 broodmares, including mares in foal to Authentic, Olympiad, Epicenter, and Cyberknife. The post Bidding Now Open for Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A 152-strong catalogue for the Bloodstock South Africa November 2-Year-Old Sale has been released by the sales company on Thursday. Slated for the TBA Complex in Germiston, South Africa, the sale will begin at 11 a.m. local time on Nov. 26. One of the highlights is a Duke Of Marmalade (Ire) half-brother to Equus Champion Nebraas (SAf) (Vercingetorix {SAf}). Some of the sires with juveniles catalogued include: Danon Platina (Jpn), Fire Away, Flower Alley, Gimmethegreenlight (Aus), Lancaster Bomber, Legislate (SAf), Master Of My Fate (SAf), Querari (Ger), Rafeef (Aus), The United States (Ire), Vercingetorix (SAf) and What A Winter (SAf). The post BSA November 2YO Catalogue Released appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lot 492, a chestnut daughter of Frankel (GB) consigned by Watership Down Stud, was knocked down for 1.6 million gns on the bid of Shadwell during the third and final session of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Thursday. Out of G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), the yearling is from the same family as multiple group winner and G1 Windsor Park Plate third Gino Severini (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Shadwell Stud give 1.6 million gns for a daughter of Frankel at #TattsOctober Book 1 Lot 492 is the first foal of G1 winner Millisle. She was consigned by @WatershipStud pic.twitter.com/i8lrwGXKo3 — TDN (@theTDN) October 5, 2023 The post Shadwell Snaps Up Frankel Filly For 1.6 Million at Tattersalls on Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The apartment glistens with the quiet discernment of its owner. Lexington spreads below the great windows and balcony, its urban grid seamed green by the many old trees that endure downtown. In somewhat the same way, amid all the artwork, the gleaming décor, Scott Heider draws on Nature to explain his love of this business. He gestures towards a rose in a vase. “That's the best analogy, you know,” he says. “Beautiful, but it doesn't last forever. I look at the wonderful broodmares we've been blessed with–these living, breathing creatures–and they're the same. That's part of what makes it so alluring, so intoxicating. Because it's about persistence.” He remembers what his father used to tell him, and his brother: “Nothing worthwhile is easy, boys.” Not, he acknowledges with a smile, something you necessarily wanted to hear when young. “But for sure, as you mature and experience life lessons, you see that it's true,” he says. “If something's given to you, it's probably not going to mean as much.” He points to shelves displaying some of his racing trophies. “But I can promise you… That Park Hill? The Debutante, at the Curragh? These are things that I can't tell you how much they mean to me. That's why you do it.” Both those Group races were won by fillies trained in Ireland by Joseph O'Brien–instructive samples, then, of a program that manages to combine a rigorous focus on quality (barely a dozen mares between Kentucky and Ireland) with an unusual range of application. That is no less than we should expect, perhaps, in one whose own perspectives and engagement have uncommon breadth by the standards of our insular sport. We should duly take heart that for all his passion for art and film, all his success as a real estate developer, nothing animates Heider quite like the animals that bring him here from his principal residence in Omaha. Cindy and Scott Heider | courtesy of The Heider Family “My wife and I love cinema,” he says. “In fact, we just got back from the Telluride Film Festival. But I have never seen anything like the Thoroughbred industry. Art, film, these are wonderful things. They can fill your soul, stimulate your mind, hopefully open you to things that you didn't think about or believe before. As my Jesuit friends say, 'Always be open to growth.' So those things are important to me. But the Thoroughbred business? To me, it's just absolute, unlimited possibilities.” True, he feels that some of these have not been adequately realized. He is dismayed, for instance, that we cannot achieve the same media traction for Cody's Wish (Curlin) as for less edifying news from the racetrack. “We have such a unique, beautiful, unbelievably passionate industry,” he reflects. “Sometimes I think we don't know how good we have it. There's so much potential.” In his own case, the magic was first ignited by boyhood visits to Ak-Sar-Ben. During high school and college summers he even worked there as an usher and mutuel teller. Attending the University of Southern California allowed Heider to sample Santa Anita and Hollywood Park, another level again from Nebraska-breds. And soon after he had launched his own career in business, father and son were also exploring this avenue of pleasure together. First a friend introduced them to the veteran trainer Lyman Rollins. “And that,” says Heider, “was the luckiest thing in the world–because Lyman was just an upstanding guy.” In 1987 they bought a $14,000 yearling colt from TaylorMade by To-Agori-Mou (Ire), a miler imported from Europe but pretty much a disaster at stud. “And, as the racing gods would have it, that yearling turned out to be a Californian champion sprinter that won the Hollywood Turf Express three years in a row,” says Heider. Answer Do, who also won three graded stakes, raced six seasons. “Back then you'd race until September, October, and then you'd turn them out and bring them back in March,” Heider recalls. “You just stopped, let Mother Nature do her thing. And they lasted forever. “Anyway, because of Answer Do, we came across all these wildly interesting people that were around at the time: Allen Paulson, John Mabee, Margie Everett, R.D. Hubbard. And we realized that you could put Allen Paulson, founder of Gulfstream, together with a jockey, a trainer, a groom—and everybody would just want to talk horses. It didn't matter what your background was. This was the great leveler, and that's a beautiful thing.” The Heiders could not have got off to a better start; nor, of course, a more misleading one. “When that horse finally retired, we spent probably six or seven years trying to find one that could run a third as fast!” says Heider ruefully. By that stage, however, they were hooked. “And, in hindsight, it became a really important bond with my father. I was getting married, having a family, life takes over. But boy, did we enjoy our time traveling around the country together.” Losing his father in 2015 confirmed Heider in his hope that he might yet share a similar journey with his own children, Grant and Courtney, both recent college graduates. However their interest proceeds, Heider has long felt grateful for the indulgence of their mother Cindy–right back to when she ordered a wedding cake in the shape of a chocolate horse head, iced with a Lukas white bridle. “As a lot of people in this business know, when someone's horse-crazy, their spouse has to learn to live with it,” Heider says. “But God bless my wife, she has learned to like it, especially the breeding. And she's very involved in the philanthropic side. In the horse business we've found some really talented people and organizations that might be relatively small, but that are definitely punching above their weight and making a real difference.” These “small but mighty” operations include the Eddie Gregson Foundation, New Vocations, Bluegrass Farms Charities and, most recently, Stable Recovery. “If you're fortunate, you're born into a situation where you're going to get a couple opportunities to right mistakes,” Heider observes. “But a lot of people don't get that opportunity. And I think the Thoroughbred industry is uniquely positioned to work with some of these folks–not only to give them a second and third chance, in a profession, but because horses are therapeutic. Some of the programs created for children are amazing. At first, they're scared to death of these animals, but just a few days later you see a remarkable bond develop. And it's the same with some of the people that have been incarcerated, or that have other life challenges.” But if privilege brings duty, do we also owe a certain obligation to the breed itself: to consider its best interests, in how we try to make a living? Or is that a luxury in such a precarious walk of life? “The Thoroughbred industry is a pretty decent microcosm for society,” Heider replies. “For sure, we have people that every day come into work, do a great job, and you know what, they've got bills to pay, they've a family to raise. They might be struggling day to day. But I think those of us in a position to do so can hopefully lead by example, and be involved.” Accordingly he renounces the question that dictates so much commercial breeding: “What have you done for me lately?” “We have a lot of stallions that would have been successful if given a chance,” he remarks. “That shorter-term mentality unfortunately permeates every aspect of the business. But then we're in a disposable society. Everybody leases a car, everybody replaces their phone every couple years. But this business is different, or should be anyway. Because the bloodlines that we're entrusted with go back 100, 200, 250 years.” To that extent, he implies, it's not so much a question of who can afford to do the right thing as whether anybody, in the longer term, can afford not to? “To me, do the right thing means: be respectful to the horse,” Heider specifies. “And to those working with them. The commercial market's going to have its influence. I'm all for the people that want to find the next stallion: there's plenty of risk, and we need that investment, we need to put those horses in the proper hands to determine their potential. But I think there's a limit. Because we want people to play this game long-term, right?” The Heider program, then, is all “long ball.” One example has been his cultivation, over recent years, of a transatlantic presence. Whenever he's asked what drew him to Ireland, Heider always ends up—besides the heritage and horsemanship–by pointing to the passion and sheer caliber of the people he deals with. Certainly his admiration for the O'Brien family is not confined to their extraordinary professional accomplishment. But nor did he embrace the experiment merely in some altruistic spirit of adventure: Heider is clear that diversification of bloodlines is not just wholesome for the breed in general, but can also benefit his stable in particular. “We have a young mare at Mill Ridge, Zofelle (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}),” he explains. “A Grade III winner here, she ran second in the [GI] Matriarch on her final start. She's beautiful, and from the family of Listen (Ire) and Sequoyah (Ire) [both Group 1 winners by Sadler's Wells]. The kind of thing that I could just lie awake thinking about! But I didn't send her back to Ireland when her racing was over. This spring she had her first foal by Into Mischief, and I bred her next to Not This Time.” Zofelle | Lauren King Heider views such stallions as influences for brilliance, rather than any particular surface or distance. Conversely, the class and soundness of the mare's family can also transcend its recent European setting. “I have no doubt that she's going to throw something on dirt along the way,” Heider vows. “If you look back to the '50s, '60s, '70s, the transfer of blood from Europe to the United States, and vice versa, has taken place for a long time. There's been far less lately, but now we're seeing Justify throw some brilliant horses in Europe. I don't know how many others are out there doing it. But again, it's about trying to do the right thing–in this case, about invigorating the breed.” Heider stresses that he still loves the dirt racing on which he was raised. At some stage, however, he would enjoy testing convention. Had he bought out his partners in Mia Mischief (Into Mischief), for example, he would have been mighty tempted to have her bred in Europe. (As it is, of course, she was sold to Stonestreet.) “So I'm just as intrigued by having Irish mares over here as by maybe sending something the other way,” he says. “Time will tell whether it's going to look brilliant, or whether people end up saying, 'What's wrong with this person?'!” Some aspects of the program remain perfectly orthodox. Heider likes his trainers to develop fillies with pedigree, such as the $750,000 daughter of Nyquist and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can (Proud Citizen) bought from Airdrie at Keeneland in September, with a view to promotion into the broodmare band. But that, again, is laying up rather than trying to drive the green. “I was raised in the investment business,” Heider remarks. “And you'd probably think that I'm always looking at the quotes in the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times, checking my phone all the time. I do read the financial papers every day, but really don't pay any attention to daily or weekly fluctuations in values. Those don't matter to me because I'm not selling today or tomorrow. I'm more likely adding to existing positions over time. It's a share in the business that I own. If you're fortunate to own a piece of a really good business, you don't listen to what the next fad is. You make decisions only to benefit the business. You let good grow.” Sure enough, he isn't going to fret about which stallion or nick might be hot today and abandoned tomorrow. “We don't care about any of that,” he says. “I want good, reproducing female families. If the mare has racing ability, even better.” Heider shows a catalogue page for which he's responsible, and accepts that he invited market wariness with a stallion prone to produce a turf horse. But he felt the match ideal, both physically and in terms of the sire's versatility and temperament. “Because a brilliant horse is what you're looking for, right?” he says. “Doesn't matter if it's turf or dirt, short or long. I think people like John and Tanya Gunther, who I have so much respect for, get that. They understand long ball, without a doubt. It's tough. A lot of times you stand at the plate and miss but, my goodness, they've bred more than their share of amazing horses. So, no, we really don't breed for a market darling. We breed to improve a family. Eventually, the page will prove out.” One of his most cherished examples is the dynasty of Jude (GB) (Darshaan {GB}). “Through four generations, you lose track of all the Grade I performers,” he says. “Well, that's because somebody nurtured it. That's because of Richard Henry. And that, I can tell you, is what you do in business as well. You hire the best people, you keep the best close to you. That's our approach in everything we do. It's never about quick returns. We'll give Flying the Colors, a beautiful young War Front granddaughter of Jude, every opportunity to shine. She's in Ireland, in foal to Night of Thunder, and she's returning to the States this fall to be covered by Uncle Mo. We are committed long term to that Coolmore family, and I will move a mare like her if I see it may benefit her.” Yet even doing it this way soon fills the present moment with fresh cycles of excitement. “You want to get me going?” Heider asks with a chuckle. “Just ask me about A New Dawn (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who's a granddaughter of Cherry Hinton (GB) (Green Desert), and I'll tell you about her Kingman (GB) yearling filly that's going to Joseph, or her Wootton Bassett (GB) colt foal. Or our 3-year-old Gun Runner filly, Stunningly, that broke her maiden this summer at Saratoga. I like the balance we have going on. There'll be some interchangeable parts here, some moving back and forth. Time will tell how it all works out. But it's all long-term thinking, and that's what excites me. It's what I know best.” Stunningly | Sarah Andrew Yet while his ultimate legacy remains an unknowable horizon, each step on the way emulates the one that first embarked Heider on this journey. “In the end, for me, it's the same thing as it was day one,” Heider says. “That love and respect for the horse. But I think our true job in this sport is to leave it better than we found it. Now, that may mean trying to improve the breed: introducing new blood, sounder blood, faster blood. Or it may mean a gentleman like Ron Winchell saying, 'I'm going to make Kentucky Downs something like the Cella family has done at Oaklawn.' “That's long ball. I can relate to that, in the investment world. But then we have everything else. The families on the farms, on the backside. The horses, after their track careers are over. So, if nothing else, by the time I'm ready to run my final furlong, I hope people don't say, 'Boy, he had fast horses,' or, 'He raced Mia Mischief; and he did this and that in Ireland.' “What I hope they say is, 'There's somebody that tried to do the right thing; tried to improve the sport itself, including the folks that participate and dedicate their lives to it, especially those individuals that maybe don't get nearly enough attention or support.' In our own small way I hope we can leave this incredible game, that we all love so much, a little better than when we found it.” The post Keeneland Breeder Spotlight: Heider Happy Playing The Long Game appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After his strong third in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, the connections of Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) were thinking Breeders' Cup, and now QIPCO Champions Day is also on the table as long as the ground isn't too soft, trainer Fabrice Chappet revealed on Thursday. Raced by Gerard Augustin-Normand, the 4-year-old colt won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris last year and was also second in the G1 Champion S. during a campaign that took him from France, to Ireland and Japan. He returned this term with a fourth in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois this August and a seventh in the G1 Irish Champion S. in September prior to his good run at ParisLongchamp. His target is the G1 QIPCO Champion S. Chappet said, “It depends on the ground. We are keeping an eye on the British Champion in case the ground will be suitable, good or good to soft. He would not go if it's softer than that, otherwise he will go to the Breeders' Cup. “At this moment we are going for one of the two [Ascot or Breeders' Cup] and next year he is going to stud.” The post Onesto Possible For Champions Day If Ground Is Suitable appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Imad Al Sagar's Blue Diamond Stud silks will be carried by his star filly Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for another year, but the multiple Group 1 winner will skip the Breeders' Cup in favour of competing at QIPCO British Champions Day later this month, The Sun reported on Thursday. Both the one-mile G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. or the 1 1/4-mile G1 QIPCO Champion S. are under consideration for the 4-year-old at Ascot on Oct. 21. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the regular mount of Hollie Doyle was third in last year's G1 Oaks before taking the French equivalent and the G1 Nassau S. and running second in the G1 Prix de l'Opera. Fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf last November, Nashwa added a second at Group 3 level in June before padding her Group 1 resume in the Falmouth S. in July. She has run third in both the Aug. 3 G1 Nassau S. and Sept. 9 G1 Irish Champion S. in her last three starts, with a second in the G1 International S. in late August in between. Al Sagar told The Sun's Matt Chapman, “Nashwa is heading to Ascot and is entered in both the QEII and Champion. She will run on one or the other. “There will be no Breeders' Cup for her but Ascot is not her last race. She will train on as a 5-year-old.” The post Nashwa Will Skip Breeders’ Cup In Favour Of Champions Day; Will Remain In Training Next Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association reported a substantial increase in awards will be paid to breeders and stallion owners for 2024 through their Annual Awards Plan that was approved by the Florida Gaming Control Commission, the organization said in a release Thursday. The plan increases, which were enabled with the enactment of HB 7063, would increase Florida breeder and stallion awards by one-third, from the 15% level in 2023 to as much 20% of the announced gross purse in 2024. HB 7063 is a $1.3 billion tax package and includes $5 million provided to the FTBOA for Florida breeding awards and incentives. Breeder awards will be paid at 12.5% for first place, 5% for second place and 2.5% for third place, subject to specified caps. Those caps would also increase to $12,500 for first (an increase from $10,500 in 2023), $5,000 for second (an increase from $3,000), and $2,500 for third (an increase from $1,500). Stallion awards in 2024 will be capped at $20,000 (an increase from $15,000) for wins in black-type races in Florida. The total Florida breeder and stallion awards budget for 2024 is projected to be more than $8 million, a 52% increase from $5.3 million in 2023. The post Florida Breeder And Stallion Awards Upped appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Daniel Toffey has joined the stallion sales team at Spendthrift, the farm said in a release Thursday morning. “Tammy and I are happy Daniel has decided to come back home to work at Spendthrift,” said owner Eric Gustavson. “He's a hardworking, energetic young man with a wide range of skills, and we know he will be a great fit here.” Born and raised in Lexington, Toffey's passion for horses began early on, spending countless hours around Thoroughbreds with his father, Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. After graduating from high school, he started at Spendthrift in the broodmare and yearling divisions. Toffey went on to gain experience at the racing level as an assistant to trainer Al Stall. Most recently, Toffey was employed breaking and training horses for Woodford Thoroughbreds in Ocala. He quickly rose through the ranks to become assistant trainer at the stable and is now transitioning back to the breeding side of the industry in stallion season sales. “I've had a passion for horses my entire life and it's a bond I've shared with my father,” he said. “I really fell in love with the competitive nature of the horse industry. I enjoyed training and will miss it, but I am very excited to work with our breeders from all over the world. I look forward to helping ensure that the farm and our breeders continue to have success in all aspects of the industry.” The post Daniel Toffey Joins Stallion Sales Team At Spendthrift Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When Lois Green was a young girl, her family would take her once a year to Coney Island, where she thought the most exhilarating ride was the Wonder Wheel. So when the family bought a yearling by Into Mischief out of the multiple stakes winner and multiple Grade I stakes-placed Wonder Gal at auction, the name was a natural for the DJ Stable matriarch. Wonder Wheel would go on to become Into Mischief's first juvenile champion, winning two Grade Is including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and four of five starts at 2, taking the family on the kind of exhilarating ride Lois remembered. Lois Green passed away May 31, not long after seeing her juvenile champion compete in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks, and when the family sells Wonder Wheel Tuesday night, Nov. 7 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale, her son, Jon, the General Manager of DJ Stable, admits it will be “bittersweet.” “Normally, we like to say we're very businesslike, but in this case, we're not,” said Green. “In this case, she really added so much happiness to us as a family and to watch her go to the ring, even though I know she's going to sell really well, is going to be difficult for my dad and for me–to watch her go through the sales ring and ultimately be out of our family at that point.” Jon and his father Len are offering Wonder Wheel as a broodmare prospect, selling as hip 200, where she is expected to be one of the most sought-after offerings on the night. “You can really summarize her potential very simply,” said Fasig-Tipton's president and CEO Boyd Browning. “She's by Into Mischief. She's a two-year-old champion with good looks and a brilliant pedigree. It's a complete package.” Wonder Wheel will sell with Taylor Made Sales, adding another chapter to a long relationship between the Taylors and the Greens. Taylor Made's President and CEO Mark Taylor said that she was a rare filly who looked like she could be a Classic winner, but who was also an early, exceptional two-year-old. “I think her two-year-old speed, precocity, and professionalism show a combination of physical and mental ability,” said Taylor. “And pedigree comes in to that precocity, too. Into Mischief is a very good two-year-old sire. Her broodmare sire, Tiz Wonderful, was a good two-year-old himself, but she physically looks like a two-turn Oaks filly. So this filly did all these great things at two. But really, if I would have looked at her as a yearling, I would have said she's going to be a three-year-old. So that just shows her talent, that she was able to have this big classic kind of frame, but yet be quick enough, early enough, and mentally good enough to handle a brilliant two-year-old campaign.” Wonder Wheel surprised her connections by progressing forwardly enough to make her first start at two June 3 at Churchill, winning a maiden special weight by 2 1/4-lengths. One month later, she took the Debutante at Churchill by 6 3/4-lengths, before shipping to Saratoga to finish second in the Grade I Spinaway. “When I got her up to Saratoga, I told the Greens this may be the best two-year-old I'd had since Classic Empire,” said Mark Casse, Wonder Wheel's trainer. “They said, `what does that mean?' I said, `I think she can win the Breeders' Cup.'” “She got beat in the Spinaway,” said Casse. “But I really wasn't overly concerned with that because I had given her a little bit of a break. She came back and then she won the (GI Darley) Alcibiades and I thought she ran well, but I knew she was going to have to come with a better game in the Breeders' Cup. And oh boy, she did. Her win in the Breeders' Cup was amazing because she got away a little slow, got shuffled back, and the move she made from the half-mile pole to the wire? I've been doing this for 40 some years, and it was one of the more impressive victories that I've ever had.” Wonder Wheel at Taylor Made | Sara Gordon photo But before the race, Casse's prediction of a Breeders' Cup win caused him more than a little stress, as he had more or less guaranteed it. “I was very attached to Lois, and she was there at the Breeders' Cup,” said “I had told them early on that we were going to win the Breeders' Cup, so it was a little nerve-wracking. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't have done it. But to have Lois there and to be part of it was very special. We all miss her.” Like the Greens, Casse said he would also miss Wonder Wheel. “She has a wonderful personality couldn't give a hoot about anything,” said Casse. “She would go into the paddock and look around and say, `So this is my competition?' She was just a pleasure to train and never missed a beat. She loved what she's doing and she's one of the best horses I've ever trained. She has a lot more leg than most Into Mischiefs. She's got some stretch to her, and I've had great luck with that type of Into Mischief. It's what I look for.” Casse said he expected a smooth transition into her next career. “She's going to be a wonderful broodmare for a lot of reasons,” he said. “One, she's very sound. Even though she's big and tall, she was fast. Good broodmares, in my opinion, need some speed. She had that. But she was able to carry it. And she had just a wonderful personality. If she passes her personality her traits on to her foals, there will be a lot of good ones. I'm sure she's going to make a super broodmare for someone.” “She offers a ton of options for top breeders from around the world to match her up with the best stallions here, in Japan or Europe or anywhere else,” Taylor agreed, pointing out the appeal of a multiple-Grade I winning champion daughter of Into Mischief with an impressive female family, but who is still only three. “Wonder Wheel's Dam is Wonder Gal and she herself was a brilliant two-year-old. She was a stakes winner. She was second in the Frizette and then she was third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. So, you know, by any other filly standards, that would be a really good benchmark to set. But then she produces this daughter in Wonder Wheel who just goes one better. These type of opportunities are really what I love most about my job. All the possibilities down the line and what she could produce, it's really energizing.” The post Wonder Wheel, Who Took the Greens on the Ride of a Lifetime, To Sell at Fasig November appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

If there are two sports whose paths have mirrored each other historically, it would be baseball and horse racing in America. Both are tradition-driven and both enjoyed prominence for decades. And both recently have dealt with challenges, scandals and declining interest. One sport though has chosen to embrace innovation. Baseball has developed multiple changes over several years as they fought to gain fan, media and sponsor revenue. To our credit, racing has innovated in several spaces, specifically health and safety, but not so much in product presentation. The last major product innovation in racing happened four decades ago with the creation of the Breeders' Cup. Major League Baseball announced this week that they enjoyed their biggest year-over-year attendance increase since 1993. Because they listened. And they changed. The energy is back in baseball. Media attention is back. And the fans are back in the ballpark and watching games on a bevy of media options. Can we say the same of racing? Unfortunately, no. But fortunately, it is not too late. As long as racing will step up to the plate right now and embrace meaningful innovation. Need one example? There is a 100% chance that realigning the Triple Crown on a better schedule would result in more media attention, more wagering and a stronger safety message. Earlier this year, leaders within the sport–Churchill Downs, Stronach, top breeders and others cried out for increased cooperation and collaboration. There is no question that much of this was due to our safety crisis, but clearly the safety issue is only one of many that should–and must be addressed by a broad coalition of our industry. That is if we want to remain relevant and follow a proven path, like our friends in baseball just showed us. It took bold thinking and a never-give-up attitude by John Gaines to create the Breeders' Cup. And equally as important, it took thinking of the greater good by breeders and racetracks. The evolution of racetrack ownership should make innovation much, much more possible than ever. You can count on one hand the entities that control the sport. Throw in the Breeders' Cup and The Jockey Club and representatives from those seven could fit around a small dining room table! There are 30 club owners in MLB involved in the decision-making process. Not to mention the Players' Association and others. Undoubtedly, a Commissioner-led model greatly facilitates changes to baseball, but with so few involved to create meaningful innovation in racing, we can still change without requiring a Commissioner. Want to truly pay homage to the 40-year anniversary of the Breeders' Cup? Create a “Gaines Commission” to study and implement strategic changes within racing. Outside professional support would moderate our “think tank” project, at first with only representatives from the racing entities mentioned above. As the commission begins to develop and agree on potential action, others (deservedly so) will be brought into the process. But for now, one step at a time. Just as baseball went to a pitch clock, the Gaines Commission would be on the clock as well, directed to finalize their recommendations long before Breeders' Cup 2024. Baseball changed and has been rewarded. Racing can do the same. Our changes will be different. Our changes won't be as easy. But we don't have another 40 years to wait. Kip Cornett is a Thoroughbred owner, bettor and sports marketer. The post Take Me Out to the Ballgame: Letter to the Editor appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hong Kong-based jockey Zac Purton will ride Willie Mullins trainee Absurde (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November. “The Melbourne Cup is the race that Zac wants the most,” Purton's manager Paul 'Popup' Webster told Racenet. “Earlier this year we discussed targeting Willie Mullins. “Whatever he brings over, lets do everything we can to get on it and it's come to fruition. We've picked up the ride on Absurde.” A winner of the Ebor H. in August, Absurde and his Mullins stablemate Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) are both targeting the iconic two-mile race and have arrived at the Werribee Quarantine Centre. “The Melbourne Cup is the dream, it's the pinnacle for any Australian jockey,” Purton said. “Willie Mullins is a training genius, as good as anyone I've come across anywhere in the world. “There's none better at travelling horses and he's had a couple of near misses already in the race. He knows the right type of horse to bring and I'm honoured to be riding one for him.” Mullins has placed twice in the Melbourne Cup with Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}) when second in 2015 and third two years later. The post Purton Booked On Mullins’s Absurde In Melbourne Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Group 1 winner Sheeza Belter (Aus) (Gold Standard {Aus}–Saxabelle {Aus}, by Saxon {Aus}) sold for A$1.35 million to Victoria's Highway Farm during a Magic Millions virtual auction hosted by auctioneer Clint Donovan on Thursday. Yuesheng Zhang's Yulong was buying as Highway Farm. “It is a very nerve-wracking experience selling a horse around that level,” her original buyer and part owner Justin Warwick said. “I'm relieved that the process has been a success and I'm very happy to see where she is going and the opportunity she will have.” Bred by Mt Hallowell Stud, the chestnut was an A$35,000 buy back before being sold to Warwick for A$50,000 out of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale in 2021. Put into training with trainer Luke Fernie, the filly would take her debut on New Year's Day in 2022. Transferred to Peter and Paul Snowden for all barring her last start, a listed race win followed two starts later and she ran third in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic. Successful in the G2 Sires Produce S. that May, the filly added the G1 J.J. Atkins that June. As a 3-year-old the filly would also add the G2 Hot Danish S. and run third in the G1 Coolmore Classic, and was retired in the care of Annabel Neasham in September with a mark of 14-5-1-2 and $1,279,661 in earnings at four. “She has taken all of us on such a wonderful ride,” Warwick added. “When you buy a horse you dream of what might be to come. “This girl delivered on that dream. She gave us so much joy on the racetrack and we are excited about her prospects for the next stage of her journey. “One chapter of the book has now finished but the best thing is, she will get looked after so well and be given a chance with the best stallions in the world. Breeding is not what us part owners do, but we can now sit back and hope that her offspring go well and we can say we played a part in that.” Out of the winning mare Saxabelle, Sheeza Belter is also related to group winners Special Reward (Aus) (Demerit {Aus}) and Showy Chloe (Aus) (Alfred Nobel {Ire}). The virtual auction was the first of its kind for Magic Millions, and the sales company's managing director Barry Bowditch said, “I believe moving forward this is the most genuine and transparent way to sell horses outside of a large auction. “We are delighted with the way today's auction played out and we look forward, when the right opportunity arises, to doing more of these in the future. “Thanks to Justin and the ownership group for entrusting us to offer Sheeza Belter. We're proud to have a delivered a great result.” The post Group 1 Winner Sheeza Belter Hammers At 1.35 Million To Yulong At Magic Millions Virtual Auction appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sunday's G1 Longines Grand Premio Latinamericano at San Isidro will be an inaugural World Pool event and this will be the first time global betting will be engaged across three continents on a single weekend, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced Thursday. The HKJC confirmed that while the local tote in Argentina will not commingle internationally, other partners' pools from the likes of Australia, France, North America and Hong Kong will be joined up by World Pool. The Latin American Group 1 contest will close a major weekend of World Pool action, with five races on Turnbull Stakes Day from Flemington in Australia followed by four races from Newmarket on Sun Chariot Day. “One of the core motives for World Pool is to connect totes from across the globe for the most important races, so we're delighted to have extended our reach to take in Latin America's biggest Group 1 contest,” said Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “The combination of Turnbull Stakes Day, Sun Chariot Stakes Day and then the Gran Premio Latinoamericano on Sunday makes this weekend's World Pool action a real Group 1 feast for punters around the globe.” Click here for more information. The post World Pool First: Latin America Included and Wagering Across Three Continents appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aquacade will resume in Saturday’s Listed Matamata Cup (1600m). Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) In the highly anticipated Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) this Saturday, the formidable mare Aquacade is set to kick off an exciting spring campaign. Trained by Lance Noble, the daughter of Dundeel enjoyed a stellar four-year-old season, clinching victories in the Group 2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and the Dunstan Stayer’s Championship Final (2400m). Despite being fresh-up over a mile, Noble expressed confidence in Aquacade’s readiness for the challenge. Noble mentioned, “She’s had two nice trials that we were happy with, but with the wet weather last week the Cup has come up really strong, so she’ll improve with whatever she does, and we’re pretty happy with her at this stage.” The mare faces tough competition, including Group One-winning mares Legarto and La Crique, along with quality geldings like White Noise and last year’s Matamata Cup victor, Paisley Park. Aquacade, currently priced at +800 and the third favourite for the Matamata Cup, is expected to use this race as a stepping stone for a potentially lucrative campaign. Noble has his sights set on the Group 3 Counties Cup (2100m) next month, followed by a freshening period for the Group 1 Zabeel Classic (2050m) on Boxing Day. In addition to Aquacade, Noble will also feature Luberon, a joint second favorite at +700 for the Group 1 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton next month. Luberon started her three-year-old campaign with a bold win at Te Rapa and will face her own age group at Matamata. Noble sees this race as a crucial guide for determining the filly’s future path, with a strong showing potentially leading to the Group 2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) on October 28. Noble’s third runner at the Matamata meeting is Iffin Doubt Dance, a consistent daughter of Iffraaj. While acknowledging that the 1400m might be short of her best distance, Noble expects a bold performance given her positive trial form. Reflecting on his stable’s recent success, Noble highlighted the impressive victory of lightly-raced four-year-old Dazzled at Tauranga on Wednesday, emphasising the thriving form of his Karaka stable. More horse racing news View the full article

Gareth Lahoud (outside) is jubilant after riding his first winner at Tauranga on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) The South African accent has been growing in volume in jockey rooms around the country in recent years thanks to former jockey turned NZ Equine Academy director Donavan Mansour, with that number growing by one this season. Apprentice jockey Gareth Lahoud has added his voice to the expat South African contingent and is quickly making his mark on New Zealand tracks, scoring his first win at Tauranga on Wednesday aboard the Stephen Ralph-trained Mi Amigo. “It is a day I will never forget,” Lahoud beamed following the race. “Mr Ralph gave me the best instructions. He told me to get a bit of cover and place the horse where he is happy, and that is exactly what I did. “Full credit to the horse, he took me through the race and did all the work, and it was the best part to get up on the line.” Lahoud has always been a fan of racing, a passion instilled in him by his father, and he was encouraged to pursue a career as a jockey when attending a race meeting in his homeland. “My Dad knew a bit about racing, so we would go to the racecourse where I met one of the jockeys’ wives and she said I was small enough and I should start riding racehorses,” he said. “She told me to go to a person in South Africa to teach me and from that day I just fell in love with it and never looked back.” Lahoud progressed to become an amateur jockey in South Africa before moving abroad last year to further his riding career. “I went to England last year to do an apprenticeship but unfortunately with the visa it didn’t work out,” he said. “That is when I got hold of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing who said John Bary was looking for an apprentice and I arrived on Christmas Day last year.” Lahoud first contemplated moving to New Zealand when he was introduced to Mansour in 2019 after hearing he was establishing a jockey academy, and he is pleased to now be apprenticed to the former jockey. “One of the jockeys in South Africa said to get hold of him (Mansour) back in 2019 and he said he was opening up an academy and he didn’t have the things in place to get me in the country at that time,” Lahoud said. “When I came to New Zealand, I went to John Bary’s first but now I am based in Cambridge (where I am apprenticed to Mansour) and my main stable is Roger James, I also ride for Mr (Stephen) Marsh, Mr (Andrew) Forsman, and a few other trainers when I have time. “I am just thankful for all of the support, especially from Mr James, Mr Mansour and Mr (Daniel) Nakhle (Byerley Park and jockey academy founder). They have been right behind me and getting me some good rides, and I couldn’t have done it without them.” Lahoud is enjoying his time in New Zealand and said he is wanting to make a real go of establishing himself in the country’s riding ranks. “I am loving it and it has really been good to me with all of the support,” he said. “I came here to just get more knowledge and get my apprenticeship, and it has really treated me well. It is a good country and the people are nice, I am really enjoying it. “My plan is to ride as many winners in New Zealand and see how far I can take it. It has been a good country to me so far, so however long I can stay here I will.” More horse racing news View the full article

Matamata trainer Stephen Autridge. Photo: Trish Dunell Matamata trainer Stephen Autridge has adopted a quality-over-quantity approach in his stable, and the results are evident. With just 15 horses in his care, a third of them are three-year-old fillies eyeing the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton next month. Livid Sky made a significant impression at Tauranga on Wednesday, solidifying her candidature for a southern trip. Autridge expressed his optimism, stating, “She has come a long way in a hurry, but we have always liked her. I think that she is a horse that will continue to improve.” Highlighting Livid Sky’s minimal racing experience compared to her peers, Autridge mentioned, “Livid Sky has done the least (amount of racing of the five fillies), with one trial and two races, so she is catching up in a hurry. She will be chucked in the deep end in the Soliloquy Stakes (Group 2, 1400m) in her next start.” Concerns arose with stablemate Midnight Monarch, who finished eighth in the same race. Autridge shared disappointment and revealed plans for an inspection. “We were disappointed with Midnight Monarch yesterday, so we are going to give her a check out today.” Looking ahead, Autridge is eager to showcase Tears Of Victory and Loch Katrine at their home track on Saturday, progressing toward Riccarton. “They were spot on on Tuesday, and they are both a good chance on Saturday. If they are going the right way after Saturday, they will also head to the Soliloquy.” Still Bangon completes Autridge’s contingent of 1000 Guineas hopefuls, and he believes in her potential to secure a spot in the field. He stated, “We are still a chance with Still Bangon. She has already won a race, which was taken off her, and she was unlucky the other day. They are all pretty good hopes.” While anticipating the performance of his fillies on Saturday, Autridge is also excited about Stylish Red. “She will be ridden quietly as she goes her best races when ridden quietly. I believe she is a good eachway chance.” More horse racing news View the full article

Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the G1 Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, has been retired after sustaining a “career-ending injury” when finishing runner-up in Sunday's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Announcing his retirement on Thursday, the colt's owner-breeder Juddmonte stated that stud plans for the four-year-old would be announced at a later date. Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon said, “It's devastating news, unfortunately he suffered a career-ending injury on Sunday and he'll have to be retired. Long-term he'll be fine and he'll be okay for a stallion career, but we had such good days with him this year and last year, we had an exciting end to the season planned and we were all very excited about it. Unfortunately it's come to an end. “We were looking at the Breeders' Cup and we actually only entered him in the Japan Cup on Tuesday. We were planning on doing a bit of travelling and seeing a bit of the world with him, but unfortunately that's not to be.” A winner on debut at two, the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover came to greater prominence on his three-year-old bow when winning the G3 Classic Trial at Sandown. An imposing son of Frankel and the Lear Fan mare Mirabilis, herself a stakes winner in both France and America, he went on to finish third behind Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in last year's Derby before claiming his own Classic victory in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh. Westover's career has also included a number of gallant runs in defeat: he was second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic to Japanese superstar Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and was also runner-up to Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in a memorable running of the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom this June. He claimed his second Group 1 prize in France after that before adding another two admirable second-place finishes to his record when beaten a head by Hukum (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth S. and, finally, on Sunday behind Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in the Arc. Mahon added, “I'd say he'll be a top-class stallion. He's one of Frankel's best sons and, as we saw with Ace Impact, Frankel's sons are off to a flying start. “He's been beautifully trained by Ralph, Rob Hornby has obviously built up a good association with him last year and this year, and Colin Keane was exquisite on him the day he won the Irish Derby. It's been a great story for a lot of people, none more so than Juddmonte. We're very lucky to have had him.” A fourth-generation Juddmonte homebred, Westover is a full-brother to the Group 3 winner Monarchs Glen (GB), who was one of Frankel's earliest Royal Ascot winners in the Listed Wolferton S. Their dam is a half-sister to the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix du Moulin winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat) and to the G2 Prix Eugene Adam winner Burning Sun (Danzig) Westover's trainer Ralph Beckett said, “I am very proud of the horse and what he has achieved, he gave his all every day at home and on the racecourse and we will all miss him.” The post Westover Retired With Injury Sustained in the Arc appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing and Sports handicapper believes Hong Kong horse will have his Moonee Valley opponents running scared if he triumphs at Flemington on SaturdayView the full article

Legarto will contest Saturday’s Listed Matamata Cup (1600m). Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Matamata trainer Ken Kelso, in collaboration with his wife Bev, is drawing inspiration from turf legend Waverley Star as they ready their Group One-winning mare, Legarto, for the upcoming Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) on Saturday. Kelso made the strategic decision to scratch Legarto from last Saturday’s Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings due to concerns about the heavy track conditions. Redirecting their focus to the Matamata Cup, Kelso expressed optimism, drawing parallels to Waverley Star’s triumph in the same race in 1986, leading up to the iconic ‘race of the century’ against Bonecrusher in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m). “I was told yesterday that DJ (trainer Dave O’Sullivan) had used this race as a lead-up to the Cox Plate, so we’re hoping it works out alright for us too,” Kelso revealed. Reflecting on the significance of the Matamata Cup, Kelso noted that a victory for Legarto or key rival La Crique would make them the first established Group One winners to conquer the handicap. Past winners like Waverley Star, Mickey’s Town, and Rodin went on to secure Group One victories after their Matamata Cup successes, emphasising the race’s historical importance. Online bookmakers have installed Legarto as the -142.86 favourite, with La Crique at +500 and Aquacade at +750. Despite being the favourite for the Arrowfield Stud Plate, Kelso stands by the decision to withdraw Legarto, citing the potential toll of a heavy track and the subsequent long journey home. With the Simon and Katrina Alexander-trained La Crique carrying a benchmark 60kg in the Matamata Cup, Legarto enters the race with 58.5kg, positioning her favourably in the handicap. Kelso sees this race as Legarto’s final preparation for the $A10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on November 4. “It’s all worked out really well. From this race, it’s four weeks to the Golden Eagle. She’ll be at home in the paddock an hour after the race, and she won’t have had that gutbuster like she would have if we’d run on Saturday,” Kelso explained. “She’s very bright. She had a good hit-out on Tuesday morning on the course proper. “We’re very happy with her. I thought her work leading up to Hawke’s Bay was excellent, and yesterday’s work on the course proper was very good, so she’s pretty right.” More horse racing news View the full article

‘If it hadn’t been for him, I’d have been finished there before I’d started’, says Australian jockey about British trainerView the full article

What Hill Stakes Day 2023 Where Rosehill Gardens Racecourse -James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142 When Saturday, October 7, 2023 First Race 12:40pm AEDT Visit Dabble Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is the destination for quality metropolitan racing in NSW, with 10 massive races headlined by the $2 million Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m). The class doesn’t end there, however, with the Group 3 Nivison (1200m), Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m), and the first-ever running of the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) bringing together some huge fields. The course is currently rated a Soft 6, but the forecast does look favourable, so an upgrade is expected in the coming days. The rail is in the true position, and the opening race will get underway at 12:40pm AEDT. Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections Race 1: Class 3 Highway Handicap (1500m) We get things underway with an enormous Highway Handicap with 20 runners engaged, and Chase My Crown brings in the strongest form. She chased home Soul Choice at Warwick Farm on September 20, a day when it was near-impossible to make ground down the middle of the course. City company at BM78 level may have been a stretch too far for the six-year-old mare, but the return to Highway grade looks ideal as she chases a fourth career win. Selections: 1 CHASE MY CROWN 5 NICKELBACK 11 ATMOSPHERIC ROCK 17 THE COAT HANGER Race 2: BM72 Midway Handicap (1400m) Despite the awful barrier, Peace Officer has a terrific opportunity to make it three wins on the trot this Saturday. The Clary Conners-trained gelding sat wide without cover for the duration of the race on September 23 but still proved too classy, going on to score by a comfortable half-length. It was an impressive showing by the son of Iffraaj as he gets out to the 1400m, and with Nash Rawiller electing to stick aboard Peace Officer, we’re willing to have him on top. Selections: 2 PEACE OFFICER 7 FELIX MAJESTIC 15 TERRITORY EXPRESS 9 BIG APPLE Race 3: BM88 Handicap (2000m) We’re more than forgiving of Pesto after a luckless first-up effort at Randwick on September 16. He couldn’t get off the inside running rail until the race was all over but still powered through the line under Zac Lloyd. That was over a trip short of his best, and with the 2000m coming second-up into the preparation, we’re confident Pesto can make amends. Selections: 3 PESTO 8 PIEROSSA 4 GAN TEORAINN 6 SPECIAL SWEY Next Best Race 3 – #3 Pesto (5) 7yo Gelding | T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | J: Zac Lloyd (56.5kg) +550 with Dabble Race 4: BM78 Handicap (1100m) Bandi’s Boy is worth an each-way speck as he returns from a 413-day spell. Things haven’t gone to plan for the lightly raced four-year-old, as the Danny Williams camp hasn’t been able to get him back to the races. He’s had three terrific barrier trials at Goulburn leading into this first-up effort and gets a perfect draw in barrier four to gain a soft run in transit. His best is good enough to figure here, and while we’re taking the risk on Bandi’s Boy, he’s worth it at the price with top online bookmakers. Selections: 10 BANDI’S BOY 12 STANISLAUS 8 CLASSY JAYBEE 2 PIONEER RIVER Best Value Race 4 – #10 Bandi’s Boy (4) 4yo Gelding | T: Danny Williams | J: Jay Ford (54.5kg) +1000 with Neds Race 5: Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1300m) King’s Gambit has been a costly commodity for punters of late, starting favourite in four of his five career starts. That includes his latest effort down the straight course at Flemington in the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m). He pulled the duration of the race and didn’t appreciate leading them up on that occasion. Looking back to his two-year-old Sydney form, King’s Gambit fits into this field beautifully, and with a tick-over trial to keep his mind on the job, we think he can win and perhaps stake a claim for the final Everest (1200m) slot. Selections: 1 KING’S GAMBIT 5 CELESTIAL LEGEND 3 OZZMOSIS 8 BALKANS Roman Consul Stakes Race 5 – #1 King’s Gambit (3) 3yo Colt | T: Peter & Paul Snowden | J: Tommy Berry (56.5kg) +380 with BoomBet Race 6: Tapp-Craig 3YO (1400m) The Tapp-Craig (1400m) is another chance for the three-year-olds to claim some black type, and we think Ducasse can turn the tables on Encap from the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m). Ducasse hasn’t run since that effort on September 9, where barrier 16 gave the son of Trapeze Artist very little chance to make an impression from near-last turning for home. He produced exceptional closing sectionals, and we don’t mind the freshen from the Michael Freedman camp. We’re not sure Ducasse would’ve made an impact in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m); however, he certainly isn’t out of place in a race like this. Selections: 7 DUCASSE 1 ENCAP 13 MAKARENA 3 SNAPBACK Race 7: Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) The Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) returns to Rosehill for the first time since 2011 and has attracted a massive field of 14 for the $2 million feature. It’s a race loaded with chances: five-time Group 1 winner Montefilia heads the market at +280, Hoo Ya Mal has seen plenty of early support into +340, and Protagonist (+600) and Zeyrek (+750) round out the horses in single figures. Click here for our full preview & $100 betting strategy for the Group 2 Hill Stakes Race 8: Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) There’s $1.5 million on the line in the inaugural edition of the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) for three-year-olds and up. Detonator Jack brings some different form from Melbourne as the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained galloper heads to Sydney for the first time. He’s been so consistent for the stable, with 11 starts for five wins and five more minor placings to his name. He was set a task three wide without cover at his latest start at Flemington in The Sofitel (1400m) but still fought to the line to be defeated less than half-length. Detonator Jack still has plenty of upside and can show just how much on Saturday. Selections: 10 DETONATOR JACK 5 ROOTS 12 WATERFORD 7 LION’S ROAR Best Bet Race 8 – #10 Detonator Jack (1) 5yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Jason Collett (54kg) +800 with PendleburyBet Race 9: Group 3 The Nivison (1200m) Magic Time looks to have returned well for the Grahame Begg yard after a strong first-up effort in the The Heath 1100 (1100m) at Caulfield on September 2. The four-year-old mare was unable to gain any cover throughout the journey but stayed on nicely behind Asfoora. We haven’t seen Magic Time step out again since, although she does have Sydney form having taken out the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in her three-year-old campaign. She draws to gain a mid-field position with cover from gate nine, and with Nash Rawiller taking the reins, Magic Time should figure in the finish. Selections: 5 MAGIC TIME 3 PARISAL 2 REVOLUTIONARY MISS 7 SHE’S ALL CLASS The Nivison Race 9 – #5 Magic Time (9) 4yo Mare | T: Grahame Begg | J: Nash Rawiller (56kg) +300 with Betfair Race 10: BM78 Handicap (1300m) The final race on the program is another tough one to assess, but we can’t get away from the current race favourite, Kayobi. His first-up effort behind Kibou was an eye-catching display at Randwick over the unsuitable 1200m, but the gelding by Maurice kept knuckling down to the task. He finished less than 1.5 lengths away on that occasion and closed like a galloper in need of the extra 100m on offer this Saturday. It’s a race with chances scattered all over the page, but Kayobi seems the logical choice in the get-out stakes. Selections: 2 KAYOBI 4 DIAMOND DEALER 10 GRINGOTTS 9 LAFARGUE Rosehill quaddie tips for Hill Stakes Day 2023 Rosehill quadrella selections Saturday, October 7, 2023 2-6-7-8-11 1-5-7-8-10-12-15 1-2-3-5-7-13 2-4-9-10-18 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Matamata trainer Ken Kelso is taking inspiration from a turf legend as he prepares Group One-winning mare Legarto for Saturday’s Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m). Kelso, who trains in partnership with his wife Bev, opted to scratch Legarto on the morning of last Saturday’s Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings, preferring not to risk the Proisir four-year-old mare on a heavy track. Instead, he revised his focus to this weekend’s hometrack feature for Legarto, who would join a sparkling honour roll of past winners if she was successful on Saturday. Among those past winners was Waverley Star, who romped home by seven lengths in the 1986 Matamata Cup at his lead-up to his gallant defeat at the hands of Bonecrusher in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley, a race that became known as the ‘race of the century’. “I was told yesterday that DJ (trainer Dave O’Sullivan) had used this race as a lead-up to the Cox Plate so we’re hoping it works out alright for us too,” Kelso said. However, should either Legarto or key rival La Crique win the Matamata Cup, they would become the first established Group One winner to triumph in the handicap. Waverley Star, Mickey’s Town and Rodin all went on to win Group One races after their Matamata Cup wins, while a notable placegetter was Ethereal in 2001. Ethereal was already a winner of the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm and two starts after the Matamata Cup she won the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and then added the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington. Ethereal finished third to Platonic, a mare trained by Matamata’s Graham Richardson, who rode Waverley Star in his final gallop leading up to his Matamata Cup win. He has gone on to win two more Matamata Cups, with Atom Cat successful in 2010 and Paisley Park winning last year. Paisley Park returns to defend his title on Saturday. But it’s clear that Legarto is the horse to beat, TAB bookmakers installing her a $1.70 favourite, ahead of La Crique at $6 and Aquacade at $8.50. Legarto was favourite for last weekend’s Arrowfield Stud Plate before the Kelsos withdrew her, a decision that sits comfortably with them five days later. “I’m just very glad I made the call on Saturday. I was sweating up to the first race when the rain hadn’t come but all the forecasts said it was going to come,” Kelso said. “I made the call early rather than subject her to the big trip down there. It gets pretty hard on horses – you go down there and run on a heavy track and then you subject them to a four or five-hour trip home. It can really set you back, so I’m really pleased we made that decision.” With the Simon and Katrina Alexander-trained La Crique also accepting for the Matamata Cup and taking the benchmark 60kg, Legarto gets into the race with 58.5kg, a weight that has her neatly placed in the handicap in a race that will be her final leadup to the $A10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on November 4. “It’s all worked out really well. From this race, it’s four weeks to the Golden Eagle. She’ll be at home in the paddock an hour after the race and she won’t have had that gutbuster like she would have if we’d run on Saturday,” Kelso said. “We’ve got a four-week period where she can have an exhibition gallop or a trial. We’ll decide that after the race.” Kelso reported that Legarto had continued to train well as she prepared for a possible seventh win at just her ninth start. “She’s very bright. She had a good hit-out on Tuesday morning on the course proper against the rail along with Belle Of The Ball and she worked very well,” he said. “They worked over 1200m in 1:16 and came home (the last 600m) in about 35 and a half (seconds). The track was a little bit off so that was nice work. “We’re very happy with her. I thought her work leading up to Hawke’s Bay was excellent and yesterday’s work on the course proper was very good so she’s pretty right.” View the full article

Matamata trainer Stephen Autridge has focussed on quality rather than quantity in his stable over the last few years, and it’s showing. The veteran horseman has just 15 horses in work, and a third of those are three-year-old fillies on target for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton next month. Livid Sky well and truly added her name into the mix for a trip south when taking out the Gartshore Construction Maiden 3YO (1300m) at Tauranga on Wednesday. “She has come a long way in a hurry, but we have always liked her. I think that she is a horse that will continue to improve,” Autridge said. “Livid Sky has done the least (amount of racing of the five fillies), with one trial and two races, so she is catching up in a hurry. “She will be chucked in the deep end in the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) in her next start.” Stablemate and fellow 1000 Guineas hopeful Midnight Monarch finished eighth in the same race on Wednesday and Autridge is contemplating the remainder of her spring following and inspection on Thursday. “We were disappointed with Midnight Monarch yesterday, so we are going to give her a check out today,” he said. Autridge is looking forward to taking Tears Of Victory and Loch Katrine to their home track on Saturday where they will continue their path towards Riccarton in the Matamata Veterinary Services – Equine (1400m). “They were spot on on Tuesday and they are both a good chance on Saturday,” he said. “If they are going the right way after Saturday, they will also head to the Soliloquy.” Still Bangon rounds out Autridge’s quintet of 1000 Guineas hopefuls, and he believes she is capable of gaining a spot in the field. “We are still a chance with Still Bangon,” he said. “She has already won a race, which was taken off her, and she was unlucky the other day. “They are all pretty good hopes.” While looking forward to seeing his fillies go around on Saturday, Autridge is also excited about the prospects of Stylish Red in the Fairview Motors Matamata (1400m). “She will be ridden quietly as she goes her best races when ridden quietly. I believe she is a good eachway chance,” he said. View the full article

Classy mare Aquacade was dominant in staying company last season and commences an exciting spring campaign in a competitive Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m) on Saturday. The daughter of Dundeel had a stellar four-year-old season, winning four of her eight starts including victories in the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and the Dunstan Stayer’s Championship Final (2400m) for owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud. “She’s good, she’s fresh-up over a mile which is a bit of a task for her, but we’ve got to kick her off somewhere and it fits in nicely,” trainer Lance Noble said. “She’s had two nice trials that we were happy with, but with the wet weather last week the Cup has come up really strong, so she’ll improve with whatever she does and we’re pretty happy with her at this stage.” A quality feature field has assembled following wet weather plaguing tracks across the North Island in recent weeks, resulting in Noble’s mare contesting the likes of Group One-winning mares Legarto and La Crique, alongside quality geldings in White Noise and last year’s victor Paisley Park. “I think she’ll run a nice race, both of those two mares have had a run under their belt and are top-class so we’re up against it with them at this point in her campaign, but we have to get her going so it’s a nice race to kick-off,” Noble said. Aquacade will use Saturday’s race as a stepping stone in what could be a lucrative campaign, Noble initially targeting next month’s Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m), before freshening her for the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2050m) on Boxing Day. Aquacade is a $9 third favourite for the Matamata Cup, behind Legarto at $1.70 and La Crique at $7. Noble will also line-up Luberon, who is an $8 joint second favourite for next month’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, in the Matamata Veterinary Services – Equine 3YO (1400m) on Saturday. Luberon was stakes-placed as a two-year-old in the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m) and opened her three-year-old campaign with a bold win at Te Rapa under Warren Kennedy, who is aboard again at Matamata. “She’s come through her first-up win really well, I thought that win was very strong, and she’s come on from then and is really thriving at the moment,” Noble said. “She’s back against her own age group so there are two or three really nice three-year-olds in that field that will give us a good guide of where we go with her, but I think she’s up to it.” A strong showing on Saturday will see Luberon head to the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) on October 28, a key lead-up event for Northern-based fillies before making the journey to Riccarton Park for the Guineas on the final day of New Zealand Cup Week. Noble’s final runner at the Matamata meeting will be Iffin Doubt Dance, the consistent daughter of Iffraaj contesting the Comag Ltd Rating 65 (1400m). “She’s fresh-up this campaign and 1400m is probably short of her best distance, I think she needs to get out to 1500m or further but she’s trialled up really well so I expect her to go a pretty bold race fresh,” he said. “It’s probably a bit short but I wouldn’t be surprised if she put a good run in.” Noble’s Karaka stable already produced a stunning victory this week, lightly-raced four-year-old Dazzled storming home wide from near last to take out the Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m) at Tauranga on Wednesday. View the full article