Wandering Eyes

As Hong Kong government promotes racing tourism, Champion Circle and Inner Circle improvements can enhance race-going experience for all.View the full article

The Arqana Series returns for its third year in 2025, with €1.2 million in prize-money and bonuses up for grabs across five races, including the Arqana Series des Poulains – won last year by leading Classic contender Maranoa Charlie (Fr).Bred by Haras d'Etreham, Maranoa Charlie was eligible for the Arqana Series after he went under the hammer at the August Yearling Sale. The five races are open to graduates of the four yearling sales held annually at Arqana – August, v.2, October and November – in addition to foals sold at December's Vente d'Elevage and two-year-olds from the breeze-up sale in May.Nominations for the latest installment of the Arqana Series are now open until Monday, June 2, at a cost of €1,000 for two-year-olds and €500 for three-year-olds. When Maranoa Charlie was offered on the sales grounds at Arqana, Laurent Benoit's Broadhurst Agency struck the winning bid at €220,000, on behalf of his Australian owners – Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter. Maher would later recount the tale of how the group came by the exciting colt, in conversation with the TDN's sister publication, The Thoroughbred Report. “We've been buying in France pretty regularly for probably the last 20 or so years,” said Maher, speaking a few days after the success of Maranoa Charlie in the Arqana Series des Poulains.”Laurent Benoit, who's a highly regarded French bloodstock agent, looks after our interests in France. We went to the sales last year and decided he [Maranoa Charlie] was the one we wanted. “Quite frankly, we didn't think we'd be able to afford him. So, we literally just walked around to watch him sell and see what he would go for. We were surprised to end up owning him.” Now, having been beaten just once in five career starts, Maranoa Charlie is fast becoming the sort of poster boy that every initiative needs in its formative years, having gone from strength to strength since his striking debut success in the Arqana Series des Poulains, by three and a half lengths. Last seen winning April's G3 Prix Djebel, the son of Wootton Bassett (GB) could make his next appearance in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.Beyond that, only time will tell what the future holds for Maranoa Charlie, with European racing having proved such a fruitful breeding ground for top-level performers in Australia, but Maher is clearly in thrall to what France has to offer. He added, “The facilities at Chantilly are extraordinary. I don't know how many times I've been there, but every time I return, I'm still blown away by the quality of the place – it's just staggering. “That's one of the major attractions. Secondly, it's racing we understand as Australians because they mainly race on flat courses, which is what we're familiar with. Another big factor is the prize-money – it's much better than in the UK and Ireland.” That love for French racing will be music to the ears of the team at Arqana, who introduced the series with the aim of supporting the country's breeding industry, by encouraging buyers to invest in horses born and bred in France, at all levels of the market.Certainly, it's never been more important to incentivise buyers operating at the middle to lower end, many of whom will have taken encouragement from some of the results thrown up by the 2024 edition of the Arqana Series.Take Mojave River (Fr) (Mohaather {GB}), for example, who won the Arqana Series des Pouliches, the fillies' equivalent of the race won by Maranoa Charlie for colts and geldings. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, Mojave River first sold as a foal for just €17,000 at the Vente d'Elevage, before being bought by MC Thoroughbred and Ardglas Stables for €27,000 at the October Yearling Sale.Another €27,000 purchase at the October Yearling Sale was Heybetli (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), the winner of the Arqana Series – Criterium d'Ete on the same card. Heybetli recently finished fourth in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau and holds Classic entries in both the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club.In 2024, Deauville also played host to the inaugural renewal of the Arqana Series des 3 Ans. It was won by Trafalgar Square (Fr), who later sold for €1,150,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale, just a few hours after he'd filled the runner-up spot in the G2 Prix Chaudenay at ParisLongchamp. That was a significant upturn on the €80,000 it had cost to acquire the son of Kendargent (Fr) at the 2022 August Sale.Less than three hours after Trafalgar Square took to the track in the Prix Chaudenay, the final race of last year's Arqana Series was run at ParisLongchamp, the Arqana Series Haras de Bouquetot Criterium d'Automne. Unlike the previous four races, this contest has been staged under multiple guises since its inception in 2017 – when only horses bought at the October Yearling Sale were eligible – with the subsequent Group winners Jadoomi (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) featuring on the roll of honour in that time.Last year it was Coolmore's Mount Kilimanjaro (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) who came out on top as he shed his maiden tag in style, before going on to finish second in the G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. A €420,000 purchase at the October Yearling Sale, he holds entries in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club, as well as the Derby and Irish Derby.In total, the five Arqana Series races are worth €1.1 million in prize-money, while each contest will also offer vendor bonuses, totalled at 10 per cent of the race's prize fund.The finale at Longchamp, for example, is worth €130,000 to the successful connections, with the vendor of the winner also receiving €13,000. The runner-up earns €49,400, plus a vendor bonus of €4,940, and so on. The three conditions races will each pay down to seventh place, with the two remaining races at Deauville paying down to fifth.See below for the full Arqana Series programme in 2025. €160,000 Arqana Series des Poulains (unraced colts and geldings), 2yo, 7f, Deauville €160,000 Arqana Series des Pouliches (unraced fillies), 2yo, 7f, Deauville €260,000 Arqana Series – Criterium d'Ete (conditions race), 2yo, 6.5f, Deauville €260,000 Arqana Series des 3 ans (conditions race), 3yo, 10f, Deauville €260,000 Arqana Series Haras de Bouquetot Criterium d'Automne (conditions race), 2yo, 8f, Longchamp The post Maranoa Charlie Flying Flag as Arqana Series Enters Third Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On a night that saw Patches O'Houlihan (Reload) take home both Canadian Horse of the Year and Male Sprinter honors, Kevin Attard finally ended the 13-year consecutive streak of dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse when he won Outstanding Trainer by a single vote at the 50th Sovereign Awards presented by The Jockey Club of Canada which was held outside the city of Toronto, the organization said in a press release late Thursday. Besting Casse 135 to 134 in the tally, Attard pushed the outside of the envelope in what amounted to an incredible 2024 where he headed to the winner's circle in Canada 80 times over 412 starts and amassed earnings in excess of $4.8-million with 11 stakes victories. His campaign was capped off when former Champion Moira (Ghostzapper) captured the GI Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar, which made her the seventh Canadian-bred in more than 40 years of the Breeders' Cup to win a race at the World Championships. On Thursday evening, the conditioner also celebrated Moira being honored with a Special Sovereign Award. Other horses from his shedrow who were handed hardware included King's Plate victress Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach) who earned Champion 3-Year-Old Female honors, Full Count Felicia (War Front) who took home Champion Female Turf Horse based on her signature score in the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes and MGSW Fashionably Fab (Silent Name {Jpn}) was named Champion Older Main Track Female. Patches O'Houlihan with Sofia Vives aboard wins the Pink Lloyd | Michael Burns The newly-crowned Horse of the Year Patches O'Houlihan was a fan favorite throughout the Woodbine season. A Frank Diulio Jr. homebred, 'Patches' exhibited early speed in bunches and notched four wins in five starts, which included the GII Nearctic Stakes, the GIII Bold Venture Stakes, the GIII Vigil Stakes and as a nod to his trainer Robert Tiller, the Pink Lloyd Stakes. In true Casse fashion, the accomplished trainer was connected to his fair share of trophies by the end of the evening. For instance, Champion 2-Year-Old Female went to Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro). The filly ran away with the honor when she was third in both the GI Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes and the GI John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Casse was also connected to three other winners and one of his owners, Gary Barber, took home the prize in that category. As for the Champion 2-Year-Old Male award, the Sovereign went to Josie Carroll trainee He's Not Joking (Practical Joke), the winner of the GIII bet365 Grey Stakes. Finally, one of the highlights of the evening was jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson being recognized with a Special Sovereign Award for her contributions both on and off the racetrack. Last year, Wilson became the leading earner among female riders when she passed Julie Krone on the all-time list. Sovereign Award, Winners, Votes:: Horse of the Year: Patches O'Houlihan (97), Full Count Felicia (49), Filo Di Arianna (Brz) (Karakontie {Jpn}) (48) Champion 2-Year-Old Female: Nitrogen (114), Souper Supreme (Souper Speedy) (62), Aristella (More Than Ready) (39) Champion 2-Year-Old Male: He's Not Joking (86), Scorching (Mo Town) (77), Dream On (Not This Time) (61) Champion 3-Year-Old Female: Caitlinhergrtness (166), Stormcast (Mitole) (76), Avana (Vino Rosso) (28), Kin's Concerto (Mendelssohn) (28) Champion 3-Year-Old Male: Dresden Row (Lord Nelson) (151), My Boy Prince (Cairo Prince) (100), August Rain (Sungold) (39) Champion Female Sprinter: Play the Music (Mo Town) (160), Gal in a Rush (Ghostzapper) (47), Stormcast (44) Champion Male Sprinter: Patches O'Houlihan (166), Filo Di Arianna (Brz) (85), My Boy Prince (21) Champion Female Turf Horse: Full Count Felicia (182), Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) (58), Stormcast (30) Champion Male Turf Horse: Filo Di Arianna (Brz) (180), Patches O'Houlihan (65), My Boy Prince (21) Champion Older Main Track Female: Fashionably Fab (161), Elysian Field (Hard Spun) (83), Big Hug (Mr. Big) (24) Champion Older Main Track Male: Paramount Prince (Society's Chairman) (160), Wicked Django (Wicked Strong) (52), Apprehend (Arrogate) (35) Outstanding Broodmare: Platinum Steel (Eddington) (109), Executive Affair (Bold Executive) (80), Dancing Allstar (Millennium Allstar) (35) Outstanding Breeder: Adena Springs (123), Chiefswood Stables Limited (81), Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. (59) Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Sofia Vives (167), Fraser Aebly (87), Petro Moran (68) Outstanding Jockey: Sahin Civaci (181), Rafael Manuel Hernandez (81), Patrick Husbands (30) Outstanding Trainer: Kevin Attard (135), Mark E. Casse (134), Josie Carroll (18) Outstanding Owner: Gary Barber (147), Chiefswood Stables Limited (61), Bruno Schickedanz (49) Outstanding Off-Track Worker: Ian Dick Outstanding Groom: Victor James E.P. Taylor Award of Merit: Roger Attfield Special Sovereign Award: Moira Special Sovereign Award: Emma-Jayne Wilson Media Awards: Outstanding Writing: Mike McIntyre Resolve and Reinvention at a Gallop Published: Aug.17, 2024 in the Winnipeg Free Press Outstanding Photograph: Mary Jane Sibbitt Right Way/Wrong Way Published: Dec. 8, 2024 on JockeysCanada.com Outstanding Audio Visual/Digital Broadcast: Horse Racing Alberta The Women in Thoroughbred Racing Released on TheHorses.com on Nov. 25, 2024 The top three finalists in each category were determined by voters via online ballots and adminstered by The Jockey Club of Canada. The media category award finalists were determined by professionals within the industry selected from across North America. The post Attard Top Trainer, ‘Patches’ Voted HOY At Canadian Sovereign Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John Leek Junior received the confidence booster he was looking for with Affluential (NZ) (Zed) heading towards the Galleywood Hurdle at Warrnambool when he narrowly took out the TAB We’re On (2500m) at Flemington. At his last start Affluential, the younger brother of Melbourne Cup winner and superstar stayer Verry Elleegant, was pulled out of the M.J. Bourke Hurdle and was subsequently found to have suffered cardiac arrythmia. “That was what we wanted to see that he was back in form to confirm he’s back on track for the Galleywood on Wednesday,” Leek Jnr said. “We can now go to Warrnambool knowing he’s right on top of his game. I think he’s a great jumper and hopefully he can give me my first Galleywood. He’ll be going into the race at the top of his game,” he said. Affluential was ridden by Jye McNeil and he got up in the final stride to defeat Fernao in a photo. Perth’s biggest owner Bob Peters sent Affluential to Leek in 2024 and he peeled off six consecutive wins mixing flat and jumps races before he finished second in a flat race at Warrnambool. He then won the 2024 Grand National Hurdle before Peters took him back home to race at the end of the year. That was his fourth start this campaign. Leek Jnr and his wife Andrea are heading to Warrnambool on Monday where they will have several runners in addition to Affluential. “We have three in the maiden hurdles on Tuesday and Heir To The Throne in the Brierly Steeplechase,” Leek Jnr said. “If Heir To The Throne runs well he will back up in the Grand Annual.” View the full article

Hong Kong’s champion jockey Zac Purton plans to employ a familiar plan and use Ka Ying Rising’s (NZ) (Shamexpress) blistering speed against his 12 rivals in Sunday’s (27 April) HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin. Purton said he doesn’t want a slowly run race but, as the world’s highest-rated sprinter, he has the horse to dictate the way the race will be run. Chasing a 12th consecutive victory, Purton said the New Zealand-bred gelding had been a gem from the first time he got off the plane in Hong Kong. “He is a pleasure to do anything with and if you could order a horse, you would order him,” Purton said. “He has got the best attitude, he goes home and he eats and he recovers and he does everything you want. A big teddy bear. “He is eager to get out and do his work. He is excited to do that and once he gets out there, he drops his head, cruises around and does everything right.” Ka Ying Rising has worked in his normal excellent way since having a barrier trial at Sha Tin after his last start victory in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) on 30 March. “His barrier trial was good and it was exactly what he always does,” Purton said. “His track work since then has been the same and he ticks over. With the schedule here in Hong Kong it is pretty routine – his track work and barrier trials – nothing changes. “He is in good order and is ready to go. Purton admitted it was heartbreaking to miss the ride on Ka Ying Rising in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) when he forfeited the winning ride to Karis Teetan after he was sidelined after being injured in a race fall. “It was exciting to watch him step up to 1400m and win and there was that period or moment at about the 300m mark where he looked as if he was all off balance and looked as if he was empty and they were going to swallow him up,” Purton said. “He changed his leg and found his second wind and went again and was strong through the line and it was a very brave performance and showed that he has got a good will to win and a strong heart. And when he needed to find again, he did so.” Purton said Ka Ying Rising was a versatile galloper who didn’t have to lead but is very effective in fast-run races and loves strong galloping. “He cruises so comfortably on that fast speed and then he can accelerate and put them away off the back of it,” Purton said. “And then he just gaps his rivals when he is placed in that scenario.” Purton said with the speed drawn outside Ka Ying Rising, who will jump from barrier four, he will be positive early and use the gelding’s natural gate speed. “I don’t want a slowly-run race to the first corner where a heap of horses are all in a bunch and I want to try to split the field up a little bit,” Purton said. “I will be using his speed early and make the other horses work a little bit if they want to try and cross him.” Purton said Satono Reve, one of four Japanese runners in the sprint, has good form with victory in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) in Japan after finishing three quarters of a length second to Ka Ying Rising in last December’s HK$24 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin. “He has drawn well in six so he is going to get a perfect run once again, just off the speed,” Purton said. “And he is relatively lightly-raced horse as well, so we respect him and Helios Express has been close enough to us a number of times and we respect him as well.” Sunday’s (27 April) 10-race fixture at Sha Tin kicks off at 12.45pm with the Class 4 FWD Insurance ACT Private Handicap (1800m). The HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) headline the programme. View the full article

As the spotlight turns to Sha Tin for FWD Champions Day, the Hayes family stands on the verge of an extraordinary feat in international racing. With two New Zealand-bred stars entered in Group One contests, the iconic family operation is chasing a unique double that would further cement their place in racing folklore. David Hayes will be represented by star sprinter Ka Ying Rising in the Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), while his sons Ben, JD, and Will Hayes send out the formidable Mr Brightside in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m). Ka Ying Rising has taken Hong Kong racing by storm this season, emerging as one of the world’s elite sprinters with commanding wins in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m), and Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m). The four-year-old son of Shamexpress heads into Sunday’s contest with a perfect campaign under his belt. His latest barrier trial only added to the hype, with a commanding three-and-a-half-length win and trainer David Hayes was beaming after drawing barrier four on Thursday. “He’s drawn perfectly,” Hayes said. “It is the first time he has had a single draw for a long time so if he jumps well, it will take the luck out of it and I’d say Zac (Purton, jockey) will be thrilled. “He’s a bit faster than the three drawn inside him, so he should get the rail and there is a bit of speed on his outside, so he has just got to jump and he should be OK. Sprint sensation Ka Ying Rising Photo: HKJC “Having a $1.10 chance is quite rare in our racing at the elite level and you’re anxious before the race, you just want to get it over and done with because with these great horses you don’t want to be making excuses. While David Hayes looks to claim his latest sprinting crown, his sons will be flying the Lindsay Park flag with Mr Brightside, Australia’s most dominant miler since crossing the Tasman from New Zealand. The seven-year-old gelding has amassed nine Group One victories and now prepares for his first Hong Kong assignment. With strong lead-in form and drawn barrier two, Mr Brightside is poised for a positive showing against a high-quality field that includes local favourite Voyage Bubble. “We’re thrilled with where he’s drawn,” Ben Hayes said. “We have won an All-Star Mile from barrier two and a Doncaster from barrier one. Craig (Williams, jockey) will be very happy with that draw. “Inside draws are especially helpful here in Hong Kong with the way they race, so it is a slight advantage to us and some of the main dangers have drawn a bit wide. “It is a very different tempo and at least Mr B has been used to the high-tempo races after racing Pride Of Jenni so many times. I think he will be up on the pace somewhere but it gives us options. A win for either Ka Ying Rising or Mr Brightside would also mark another New Zealand-bred champion to triumph under the Hayes family’s guidance. The roll of honour is nothing short of illustrious: Dulcify, trained by the late Colin Hayes; Zabeel, trained first by Colin and then David Hayes; Mr Brightside, campaigned by Ben, JD, and Will Hayes; and now Ka Ying Rising, potentially the best of them all, under David Hayes’ stewardship. “It’s very unique. We get to have a Group One runner on the same card as our Dad,” Ben Hayes said. “If we’re able to get the dream and they both win, it will probably be the best day Lindsay Park and our Dad have ever had together.” View the full article

Awapuni’s long-awaited return to racing on its newly renovated grass track has ended in disappointment, with their ANZAC Day meeting abandoned following a slip in the opening race. “A horse slipped on the outside,” RACE’s General Manager of Racing Brad Taylor said. “Walking the track, there is no visual slip, but we have got to have jockeys’ safety first. They are the ones going out there and riding on it and it’s on us that this has happened. “It’s really unfortunate, but we will learn from it and put the plans and processes in place to make amends for it and hopefully be back here in three weeks’ time.” The rail had been put out six metres for the meeting, and Taylor said this was done on the advice of a number of track specialists who the club has contracted over the 19-month renovation process. “There were two reasons (for putting the rail out six metres),” Taylor said. “The first one was that we had jump-outs here for local ones (horses). There was a patch at the 600m, a half-metre by half -metre square, where a rock was brought up when we were Verti-Draining and a bit of repair had to go into the track, hence why the trials went out to three metres. Then obviously we had the weather that day, we had 13ml of rain before the first (heat) and it rained throughout. There was quite a lot of damage. “It is a young, immature track, so on the advice of the experts, we moved it (rail) out six metres. People say it’s a dumb decision, but we are just following the advice of the experts. “We have had plenty of horses over it right through the process. We will go back and work with them (experts) and the plan always was for the meeting on the 17th (of May) to go back to the true position to give that small area an extra three weeks. That will be our plan at this stage. “It is only going to get better the more horses over the top of it and a bit more maturity. The riders’ feedback was that it felt good under foot. Unfortunately, we have had this one slip that we can’t hide behind and it’s been the telling factor of the track. “We will go through the process we had leading into today, learn from it and we will come back bigger and better.” View the full article

Eye Candy will contest the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton on Saturday. (Photo: Therese Davis – Race Images) Eye Candy caught her connections a little by surprise with a string of stakes performances this term and she’ll aim to take the top spot for the first time in Saturday’s Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m). A daughter of Darci Brahma, Eye Candy is trained at Cambridge by Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, who admitted that at first glance, her compact frame didn’t create a huge impression. “She’s as genuine as the day is long, but when we started training her, I told the owners that I didn’t know whether she had much talent,” Ritchie said. “But once we had her on a diet and she wasn’t at the buffet first, that helped her condition and she improved very quickly. “Funnily enough as a trainer, you’re meant to train them apparently.” That improvement was evident from the first time she stepped up to a mile, winning her maiden and soon picking up her first stakes-level placing behind Hinekaha in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m). She added a gallant third in the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) to her record but found the mile-and-a-half of the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) a bridge too far. “She simply didn’t run the trip out in the Oaks, which looked quite obvious,” Ritchie said. “She set an even sort of tempo and when the pressure went on at the 300, she was lacking. “She’s Group Three placed and Listed placed at the 2100 and 1800, so coming back to 2000 is probably the sweet spot for her at the moment. “She’s run well in the Sunline and got that elusive Group placing, which sets her up as a broodmare. Once they turn four, it’s much harder to get that black-type and we’re training very much for the breeders (Llanhennock Trust). We’d love to get a stakes win for her before then.” Eye Candy made the journey to Riccarton Park earlier in the week for the fillies’ feature, where she will take on a full-field currently headed by Dream Of The Moon at $3.60 with horse betting sites. The Christchurch venue has copped plenty of rain in recent times, but the possibility of a heavy surface isn’t of great concern to Ritchie. “She’s a little beauty, Orla Casey (travelling foreperson) took her out on the track the day after she arrived and some of the locals said ‘that’s a good-looking colt’,” he said. “She’s obviously held her condition pretty well. “In training, she’s seemed to handle the wet ground okay, so we’re not too worried about that on Saturday at this point. “She’s had a busy season, but she keeps eating and keeps improving so this will be her swansong.” Horse racing news View the full article

Awapuni’s ANZAC Day meeting was abandoned following a slip in the first race. (Photo: Peter Rubery – Race Images Palmerston North) The long-awaited return to racing at Awapuni on its newly renovated grass track has ended in disappointment, with their ANZAC Day meeting abandoned following a slip in the opening race. “A horse slipped on the outside,” RACE’s General Manager of Racing Brad Taylor said. “Walking the track, there is no visual slip, but we have got to have jockeys’ safety first. They are the ones going out there and riding on it and it’s on us that this has happened. “It’s really unfortunate, but we will learn from it and put the plans and processes in place to make amends for it and hopefully be back here in three weeks’ time.” The rail had been put out six metres for the meeting, and Taylor said this was done on the advice of a number of track specialists who the club has contracted over the 19-month renovation process. “There were two reasons (for putting the rail out six metres),” Taylor said. “The first one was that we had jump-outs here for local ones (horses). There was a patch at the 600m, a half-metre by half -metre square, where a rock was brought up when we were Verti-Draining and a bit of repair had to go into the track, hence why the trials went out to three metres. Then obviously we had the weather that day, we had 13ml of rain before the first (heat) and it rained throughout. There was quite a lot of damage. “It is a young, immature track, so on the advice of the experts, we moved it (rail) out six metres. People say it’s a dumb decision, but we are just following the advice of the experts. “We have had plenty of horses over it right through the process. We will go back and work with them (experts) and the plan always was for the meeting on the 17th (of May) to go back to the true position to give that small area an extra three weeks. That will be our plan at this stage. “It is only going to get better the more horses over the top of it and a bit more maturity. The riders’ feedback was that it felt good under foot. Unfortunately, we have had this one slip that we can’t hide behind and it’s been the telling factor of the track. “We will go through the process we had leading into today, learn from it and we will come back bigger and better.” Horse racing news View the full article

What Morphettville Races Where Morphettville Racecourse – 79 Morphett Road, Morphettville, SA 5043 When Saturday, April 26, 2025 First Race 12:02pm ACST Visit Dabble Group 1 racing returns to South Australia on Saturday afternoon where a massive nine-race meeting is scheduled for Morphettville, headlined by the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) and Australasian Oaks (2000m). With clear skies on the forecast and the rail in its true position their will be no excuses for fancied prospects throughout the meeting, with perfect conditions set to greet runners and punters alike. The first event out of Morphettville is set to jump at 12:02pm ACST. Race 1: Croser Handicap (1600m) Regal Azmon was incredibly unlucky when second-up at Caulfield and arguably should have finished a lot closer than his 2.5 length defeat behind Rhinoceros. The son of Magnus was left held up for a run for a majority of the home straight, but still produced some of the best closing sectionals of the day to suggest he will be ready to strike third-up. Lachlan Neindorf will look to have the seven-year-old in clear air approaching the home turn, and if he can produce a similar finish, only bad luck beats Regal Azmon in the opener. Selections: 7 REGAL AZMON 2 AIR ASSAULT 3 CHICAGO STORM 1 ARRAN BAY Best Bet Race 1 – #7 Regal Azmon (6) 7yo Gelding | T: Phillip Stokes | J: Lachlan Neindorf (54kg) Race 2: Group 3 Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) Petit Artiste could not have been more impressive when saluting over 1050m at this track on April 12, and with natural improvement, she looks just as hard to roll this time around. The Earthlight filly came with a witherig burst from a midfield position and had the race sewn up a long way out from home. Drawn in barrier five, Daniel Stackhouse will have Petite Artiste in a similar position on Saturday, and provided she produces a similar turn of foot, Petite Artiste will prove too hard to hold out. Selections: 3 PETIT ARTISTE 1 LEGACY BOUND 4 BOA VISTA 5 STEEL TRAP Breeders’ Stakes Race 2 – #3 Petit Artiste (5) 2yo Filly | T: Amy & Ash Yargi | J: Daniel Stackhouse (55.5kg) Race 3: Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) Volcanic Express comes to the 2025 John Hawkes Stakes on a quick back-up after producing a thunderous finish to claim the Listed Railway Stakes (1100m) at Oakbank last Saturday. The five-year-old gelding gave his rivals a massive start and a beating when coming from a mile back to win running away from his rivals. With this event set to be run at a genuine clip, the race sets up perfectly for Justin Potter to absorb the pressure from the second half of the field, and with such a strong finish under the bonnet, it is hard to see how Volanic Express does not overhaul his rivals once again. Selections: 4 VOLCANIC EXPRESS 7 MANOLO BLING 6 WATCHME WIN 2 PRESS DOWN John Hawkes Stakes Race 3 – #4 Volcanic Express (9) 5yo Gelding | T: David Jolly | J: Justin Potter (54.5kg) Race 4: Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) Group 1 VRC Derby (2500m) winner Goldrush Guru has hardly been at his best this time in, but if he is ever going to get back in to the winner’s stall, it should be on Saturday. The three-year-old colt has been well held in much tougher races than what he faces on Saturday, but back in Adelaide, it should see the son of American Pharoah produce his best. Jason Holder will likely have him stalking what looks to be a genuine speed throughout the 2000m, and with an economical run in transit, Goldrush Guru should be exerting his class on his rivals in the home straight. Selections: 1 GOLDRUSH GURU 2 ATHANATOS 4 SAINT EMILION 3 OPENING ADDRESS Chairman’s Stakes Race 4 – #1 Goldrush Guru (7) 3yo Colt | T: Andrew Gluyas | J: Jason Holder (57.5kg) Race 5: Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m) Gallant Son has been racing in fine style in recent times, and despite being rolled as favourite in the Listed Redelva Stakes (1100m), he looks ready to strike fourth-up as he steps up to the 1200m. He finished a half-length off Alabama Lass at Flemington two starts ago, and finished the same distance off Reserve Bank last time out when hitting the line with intent late on. From barrier three, Zac Spain will look to have the colt settled a touch closer to the speed, and barring any bad luck, Gallant Son has plenty of talent and looks the one to beat in the 2025 Tobin Bronze Stakes. Selections: 5 GALLANT SON 1 IMPERIAL FORCE 3 TROPICUS 2 RESERVE BANK Tobin Bronze Stakes Race 5 – #5 Gallant Son (3) 3yo Colt | T: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman | J: Zac Spain (57.5kg) Race 6: Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) Zloties is low-flying this campaign and on the back of a dominant victory at Bendigo, looks hard to beat as she steps up in company in the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m). The five-year-old mare came with a thunderous finish inside the final 200m when producing some excellent closing sectionals and a similar performance on Saturday, will see her fighting out the finish. The race looks perfectly set up for the Snitzel mare to be doing as she pleases in the second half of the field, and with a well-timed sprint, Zloties looks the goods in the quaddie opener. Selections: 9 ZLOTIES 4 JENNILALA 12 SPIRIT OF CAMELOT 1 LADY IN PINK Queen Of The South Stakes Race 6 – #9 Zloties (10) 5yo Mare | T: Grahame Begg | J: Jordan Childs (55kg) Race 7: Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) Benagil brings arguably one of the best form lines in Australia to the Group 1 Australasian Oaks, following a 1.3 length defeat behind Treasurethe Moment. The three-year-old filly never really looked like toppling the superstar in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), but if she brings anything close to that effort, the Manhattan Rain filly looks hard to topple here. Mark Zahra will need a touch of luck from barrier 13, but if he can have Benagil settled in the moving line with cover, she will be the one storming home down the heart of the track and winning the 2025 Australasian Oaks. Selections: 2 BENAGIL 9 POLYMNIA 3 MOVIN OUT 1 TOO DARN LIZZIE Australasian Oaks Race 7 – #2 Benagil (13) 3yo Filly | T: Glen Thompson | J: Mark Zahra (Weight kg) Race 8: Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) Outside of a poor run on a poor surface in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley, Stretan Angel has been racing in fine fashion this time in and looks well-placed to picked up her maiden Group 1 win. First-up she finished within a length of Skybird in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m), and then followed it up by finishing third to Joliestar and Headwall when beaten 2.8 lengths in a Newmarket Handicap (1200m). Those two efforts stand out like a sore thumb heading into the 2025 Robert Sangster Stakes, and if she is anywhere near her best, Stretan Angel has a booming finish under her bonnet to be blousing her rivals late. Selections: 2 STRETAN ANGEL 9 CHARM STONE 6 A LITTLE DEEP 3 CLIMBING STAR Robert Sangster Stakes Race 8 – #2 Stretan Angel (10) 4yo Mare | T: Phillip Stokes | J: Thomas Stockdale (56.5kg) Race 9: Grand Syndicates Handicap (1200m) The Mansman is poised to return from a three-month spell, and with a handy enough fresh record of 3: 1-1-0, he looks set to run a bold race. The four-year-old gelding went to the paddock a winner following an impressive turn of foot over 1400m, and despite resuming at 1200m, a similar finish will see him front and centre when the whips are cracking. Lachlan Neindorf will likely be stalking the speed throughout, and if The Mansman can find clear air at the right time, he looks the best way home, in what is a tough way to finish the Morphettville card. Selections: 7 THE MANSMAN 13 STAR SIRIUS 12 BEAUTY RISING 6 SACHEM Saturday quaddie tips for Morphettville Morphettville quadrella selections Saturday, April 26, 2025 4-9-12 1-2-3-9 1-2-3-6-7-9 6-7-12-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Ricky Yiu’s stable star aims to emulate feats of Golden Sixty, Beauty Generation, Able Friend and Good Ba Ba in Champions Mile.View the full article

The Jockey Club of Canada hosted the 50th Sovereign Awards ceremony through a live presentation on the evening of April 24. Frank Di Giulio Jr.'s Patches O'Houlihan was crowned 2024 Canadian Horse of the Year and champion male sprinter.View the full article

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Friday, April 25. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximise your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for April 25, 2025, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Double Winnings! – Flemington Get DOUBLE WINNINGS paid in BONUS CASH. Applies to Win, Place & Top 2/3/4 markets (excludes SRM). First eligible bet per race. Must apply Promotion in bet slip. Cash bet only. Max Bonus $50. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Eligible Customers Only Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Flemington Races 1-3 | Run 2nd or 3rd Bonus Back up to $25 Apply from bet slip. Available one per fixed odds win bet per eligible races. Min 5 runners. Excludes boosted odds, multi & bonus bets. If a given race has less than 8 runners, only the qualifying bets on the horse finishing 2nd will receive a bonus back. PlayUp T&Cs Apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Copycash – Get Copied. Get Paid. Get paids $0.10 every time someone uses Copy Bet to copy your bets. Dabble T&Cs apply. Login to Dabble to Claim Promo Bet Boost | Friday Thoroughbred Meetings Get a bet boost on thoroughbred races around Australia on Friday. Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Friday Bonus Back 2nd All Races at Flemington Available from 12:00AM AEST Friday. Auto-applied in Bet Slip. Promotional limits apply. Min 6 runners. Fixed odds only. Check your Vault for eligibility. Unibet T&C’s apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus ! Win A Bet On Your Own Horse or Dog & Get 15% Boosted Winnings Owners Bonus. Get 15% boosted winnings if your horse or greyhound win. Must be registered owner. Max payout $2000. PlayUp T&Cs apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo 10 Again! – Awapuni, Gosford & Moe Get 10% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH. Paid in bonus cash. First eligible bet per race. Must apply Promotion in betslip. Cash bets only. Max bonus $100. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Blonde Boosts! Elevate your prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Eligible Customers Only. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Daily Race Returns Bonus Back | Any Race Check BoomBox for full details. Eligible Customers Only. BoomBet T&C’s Apply. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Daily Exotic Boosts Boost your exotics by up to 20%. Available on Exactas, Quinellas, Trifectas & First Fours. Excludes Quaddies. Check your Vault for eligibility. T&C’s apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector | If Your Horse Drifts, You Get The Bigger Price Only available on Australian Horse Racing Fixed Price Win bets placed from 8am AET the day of the race. Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo How does HorseBetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing thoroughbred bonus promotions for April 25, 2025. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. Horse racing promotions View the full article

The last time the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) was run without the Hong Kong superstar, gallopers from the Land of the Rising Sun filled the first four placings.View the full article

As they so often are, Michael and Matthew Pitman’s Riccarton operation promises to be a stable to be reckoned in their home track features on Saturday. The father and son duo will be represented by the quality pair of Mystic Park (NZ) (Ocean Park) and Third Decree (NZ) (War Decree)in the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m) while Epee Beel will appreciate the step up in trip in the Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m). Mystic Park is already a black-type winner on his home turf with victory in the Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) during Cup Week featuring among the son of Ocean Park’s seven wins from 14 outings. He has since finished midfield in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) and last time out at Riccarton closed off well for fourth. “He went super the other day after having to go back from the outside gate, his sectional were outstanding,” Michael Pitman said. “He’s also unbeaten in two runs over 1400m and he gets through the heavy ground.” Future plans have yet to be confirmed, but a trip across the Tasman is on the table. “We’ll get through Saturday first, but we could look at Australia. I did think about the Stradbroke (Gr.1, 1200m), but I don’t know if he’d keep up now,” Pitman said. “As he’s got older the Ocean Park side is starting to kick in, we’ll possibly look at the Winter Series in Melbourne.” Third Decree won for the ninth time in her career last time out when the daughter of War Decree claimed the thick end of the $350,000 stake in the Southern Alps Challenge (1400m). “The track won’t hinder her chances at all, she’s got a good record on rain-affected ground. Her record is good no matter what the track conditions are and she’s just a very genuine racehorse,” Pitman said. “We’ll have a chat about her campaign after Saturday, she’s had a great run and we’ll see what other options are available.” Gold Cup contender Epee Beel cruised away with the Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) two runs back before she was unplaced in the Southern Alps after an interrupted run. “Her last run was better than it looked, she got held up until 400m from home,” Pitman said. “She’s a very good mudlark, only twice has she not been in the money on wet tracks. “In the Kumara Nuggets, she never saw daylight from the 600 onwards and went to the line under a stranglehold and another time she drew one on a heavy track at Dunedin, which was no help.” View the full article

Talented Foxton galloper Orlov (NZ) (Sweynesse) will be aiming to hit double-digits in his win tally at Wanganui on Sunday, while his younger brother steps out on debut earlier in the meeting. In the care of his co-breeder and part-owner David Haworth, Orlov has collected nine wins through his career and continued to improve with age, producing placings in this season’s Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m) and last time out in Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m). Haworth was rapt with the latter performance, which made up for a luckless effort when eighth in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m). “It was a very good effort, I was really happy with him,” Haworth said. “He tried really hard. “It was just a shame in the Awapuni Gold Cup that he never saw daylight, so I couldn’t believe what he was paying for a place.” A fortnight later, Orlov is returning to one of his favourite courses to contest a race he won 12 months ago, with the potential of pushing on to the Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m) next month. “He’s working well and feeling well, he won this race last year from memory,” Haworth said. “I’m not concerned about track conditions, he’d like concrete to about a Soft7 or 8. Earlier on he wouldn’t go on a softer track, but all of a sudden, he’s a bit more adaptable and seems to cop it now. He’s ticking along quite well the old fella. “We’ll look at that race at New Plymouth again, but maybe if he pleases me enough on Sunday, the Rotorua Cup could be an option, we could take him up there and have a go.” An earner of more than $228,000, Orlov has set a strong standard for Subsonic (NZ) (Sweynesse), his full-brother by Sweynesse out of a four-win mare Diamond Cut. The three-year-old has made three appearances at the trials, and while pleasing his trainer, Subsonic will likely head to the paddock after the Chase A Fox Racing Syndicate MDN 1350. “He’s been going well and worked nicely on Tuesday, he’s a big horse that needs time, so he’ll probably have this race then go straight out,” Haworth said. “He’s a bit weak but he’s quite talented, I think next year we’ll have a bit of fun with him. “They (Orlov and Subsonic) are very, very similar, they’ve both got the same quirks. Subsonic’s got a bit more white on him and he’s a very lean, tall horse. “I think he’s going to be a pretty handy horse as well, we’ve had a lot of fun so far with Orlov and hopefully this horse can give us the same amount of pleasure.” View the full article

Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) has given trainer Shankar Muniandy a season to remember, and she will aim to cap it off in style when she heads to Riccarton on Saturday. The three-year-old daughter of Turn Me Loose has won two of her five starts this season, highlighted by victory in last month’s Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m) at Wingatui, giving her trainer back-to-back victories in his home feature. She will be out to replicate that feat in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m), where she has drawn barrier 13 and will be ridden by Muniandy’s brother, Ruvanesh. The pair ran on well to finish fifth in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton a fortnight ago, and Muniandy believes Saturday’s wider gate will be a big assist for his filly. “She was fresh the other day and pulled hard from the back of the field and when she made a run she didn’t get much luck in the straight,” he said. “When she got clear air she stormed home. “She has come through the race well.” Muniandy said the step up to 2000m should be no problem for Loose Sally, and win, lose or draw, she’ll head for a break in preparation for the spring. “She’ll definitely get the 2000m,” he said. Loose Sally is currently the second elect with TAB bookmakers, sitting at a winning quote of $3.80, with Te Akau Racing’s Dream Of The Moon at the top of the market at $3.60. On the undercard, stablemate Sabots D’Or is also favoured by the bookies in the Riccarton Park Function Centre Rating 65 (1800m), leading the market on $5. The four-year-old Pierro mare was runner-up over 1400m at Wingatui last month before finishing sixth over a mile at Riccarton a fortnight ago, and Muniandy is confident of an improved performance this weekend. “She ran a super race the other day,” he said. “She got back last and the Good3 track didn’t really suit her. We are stepping her up in distance, which will be ideal for her.” Muniandy will also be represented at the meeting by last-start winner Acesanjacks (NZ) (Ghibellines) and Unusual Affair (NZ) (Unusual Suspect) in the D Reynolds Electrical Rating 65 (1400m). View the full article

Multiple Group One winner Auguste Rodin made history during his racing career and Australasian breeders haven’t wasted any time in flocking to the Windsor Park Stud newcomer. His haul of top-flight victories included the English Derby (2400m) and the Irish Derby (2400m) and beat the older horses in the Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (2400m). The Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Deep Impact became the only three-year-old to secure these four championship races in his Classic year. Auguste Rodin will shuttle from Coolmore for his first season in 2025 with his introductory fee set at $30,000 + GST. “He’ll be on the farm in early August, and he’s oversubscribed with a wait list,” Windsor Park General Manager Steve Till. “Auguste Rodin has got loads of quality, a very athletic horse with a great mind. “Travelling all the time, they have to have an iron constitution both physically and mentally to cope with that. “He won six Group Ones, with Classics at three and beat the older horses at weight-for-age. He won a Group One at two and at four, so he’s ticked the boxes and got all the bases covered.” Fellow Ballydoyle superstar Paddington, a four-time Group One-winning son of Siyouni, will stand his second Southern Hemisphere season at $35,000 + GST and like Auguste Rodin is also oversubscribed. “Last year, Paddington filled in the space of four days. He got over 100 mares in foal, and it really is a privilege to have horses of his and Auguste Rodin’s quality to offer to breeders,” Till said. Associate sire Shamexpress will stand at a fee of $20,000 + GST and has enjoyed a breakout season in 2025 with his Hong Kong-based son Ka Ying Rising the world’s highest rated sprinter. “It really has been his best season and to produce a horse of that quality has been massive,” Tills said. “He’s a very special horse who’s got tremendous gears and nothing has gone faster around Sha Tin than he has.” Adding further quality to the Windsor Park roster are Profondo and Circus Maximus, who will both stand at $17,500 + GST. “Profondo is a very attractive horse with a lot to recommend him and he was a A$1.9 million yearling for a reason, he’s very correct and an attractive horse,” Till said. “He’s thrown that into his progeny and we’re going to have some outstanding yearlings to present to the market come Karaka next year. “The upside with Circus Maximus is the talent his progeny are showing, from limited numbers so far he’s had the one winner with the unbeaten filly Ha’penny Hatch in Australia. “The horse that ran third at Waverley the other day on debut, Engine Of War, didn’t have all favours and we bred and sold him. “He’s a big boy who got out and powered home late and Andrew (Forsman) holds him in very high regard. Te Akau have also got a promising one in Towering Vision who has placed in both starts.” Completing the roster are Turn Me Loose and Vanbrugh, who will both stand at $7500 + GST. “Turn Me Loose has been well-supported for a long time, he’s had eight stakes winners and gets winners week in and week out,” Till said. “Vanbrugh leaves a lovely type of horse, and he’s had to do it from restricted numbers.” Turn Me Loose’s flagship performer has been the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) winner (She’s) Licketysplit while Vanbrugh’s top performer to date is two-time elite level winner Mustang Valley (Livamol Classic, Arrowfield Stud Plate). View the full article

Eye Candy caught her connections a little by surprise with a string of stakes performances this term and she’ll aim to take the top spot for the first time in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m). A daughter of Darci Brahma, Eye Candy is trained at Cambridge by Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, who admitted that at first glance, her compact frame didn’t create a huge impression. “She’s as genuine as the day is long, but when we started training her, I told the owners that I didn’t know whether she had much talent,” Ritchie said. “But once we had her on a diet and she wasn’t at the buffet first, that helped her condition and she improved very quickly. “Funnily enough as a trainer, you’re meant to train them apparently.” That improvement was evident from the first time she stepped up to a mile, winning her maiden and soon picking up her first stakes-level placing behind Hinekaha in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m). She added a gallant third in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) to her record but found the mile-and-a-half of the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) a bridge too far. “She simply didn’t run the trip out in the Oaks, which looked quite obvious,” Ritchie said. “She set an even sort of tempo and when the pressure went on at the 300, she was lacking. “She’s Group Three placed and Listed placed at the 2100 and 1800, so coming back to 2000 is probably the sweet spot for her at the moment. “She’s run well in the Sunline and got that elusive Group placing, which sets her up as a broodmare. Once they turn four, it’s much harder to get that black-type and we’re training very much for the breeders (Llanhennock Trust). We’d love to get a stakes win for her before then.” Eye Candy made the journey to Riccarton Park earlier in the week for the fillies’ feature, where she will take on a full-field currently headed by Dream Of The Moon ($3.60). The Christchurch venue has copped plenty of rain in recent times, but the possibility of a heavy surface isn’t of great concern to Ritchie. “She’s a little beauty, Orla Casey (travelling foreperson) took her out on the track the day after she arrived and some of the locals said ‘that’s a good-looking colt’,” he said. “She’s obviously held her condition pretty well. “In training, she’s seemed to handle the wet ground okay, so we’re not too worried about that on Saturday at this point. “She’s had a busy season, but she keeps eating and keeps improving so this will be her swansong.” Closer to home at Te Rapa, Ritchie and Murray’s latest international import Davideo will step out for the first time on New Zealand soil in the Hutton Contracting 1400. A five-year-old by Galileo, Davideo was purchased by Ritchie out of the Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale in England with three victories to his record, all from 2000m or further. With this in mind, his trainers are realistic with their expectations on Saturday, instead looking ahead to a tilt at the Queensland Winter Carnival. “We’re not expecting much to be honest, we were going to run around in the mile last week but we elected to avoid the wet track because he hasn’t raced for so long,” Ritchie said. “We’re going to get a better track at Te Rapa, but we’re withdrawing 200m off him which is not going to be his friend. We’re basically expecting him to follow them around, he’s very much in the same mould as Mahrajaan so it’ll be a surprise if he weighed in to be fair. Even if he was rock-hard fit, it wouldn’t help him much at 1400. “It’s a pipe-opener to get him over to Australia and hopefully we can be competitive once the distances get to a mile-and-a-half and further.” Ritchie indicated the race would likely be his only Kiwi appearance this campaign, with the main target being the Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (3200m), run at Eagle Farm on the 14th of June. “It almost certainly will be, although he handles wet ground, the prizemoney and the distances over there suit a lot better,” he said. “He’ll also get a lot less weight, over there he’ll probably be on the minimum. Those lighter weights really kick in when the distances get further. “Mahrajaan proved that those English stayers sometimes come over here and they’re not at their best until they get to the two miles, he’s has only won twice since he arrived here and they were both over 3200 in Cup races.” Joining Davideo at the northern meeting will be stakes performer Nepheti, who is searching for a return to her impressive best in the Allied Security 1200. “She was disappointing last spring, so we gave her a good break after that,” Ritchie said. “I thought her first-up run was good, she drew a low gate on a track that was softer than she’d like. She’ll get a drier surface on Saturday and I’m hoping for an improved run. Obviously, you’d have liked to have seen more last prep to justify strong confidence, but she’s certainly capable, and if she’s going to come back to her best this is a race that she should be putting her hand up in. “I think the $12 is pretty inviting each-way.” Completing the stable’s representatives is Tycoon Prince, a Cambridge Stud-owned three-year-old who will step out fresh in the Maneline Cambridge 1400. “He’s another horse that we probably flattened in the Wellington Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m) going too far, so we’ve given him a break and he’s had two trials,” Ritchie said. “His first trial was just substandard, but he certainly improved on the poly once he was on a better track. I think that’s probably the key with him. “George (Rooke, jockey) got off him at the trials and said to go 1400, which is why we’re going here. I’m not totally convinced myself, I think 1200 may have been far enough as he’s got a good turn of foot, but we’re backing our jockey. He gets his chance to prove he was right and I hope he is. “He’s another dry tracker, as with Nepheti, so we’ll have to assess after Saturday where we go from here. It would be nice to see them return to their best to give us some confidence coming back in the new season.” View the full article

Klein Racing's homebred son of Noble Mission loves a mile on the grass and is 3-for-3 at Churchill Downs. These are the conditions for $350,000 Opening Verse Stakes at Churchill Downs for the Thurby program May 1.View the full article

The Honor Code colt has struggled since his last visit to the Louisville, Ky., track when he was among the bettors' darlings for the 150th Kentucky Derby (G1).View the full article

During a detail-crammed 90 minutes, representatives from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) took to a virtual town hall Thursday to talk some of the what, how and whys of the federal program's budget processes since its inception in 2022 and on into next year's yet-to-be projected cost sheet. As HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus summed up the event, “HISA operates as a service to the industry. We owe a tremendous fiduciary obligation to our stakeholders, and we take that very seriously.” The following is a round-up of some of the key points raised during the town hall, a link to which can be found here. Overall Costs, Per-start Costs up In terms of racetrack safety and anti-doping costs, HISA represents a roughly 20% increase in spending to the industry compared to pre-HISA days. “And that really represents a delta between where we believe safety and integrity needed to be and where they were,” said Lazarus, alluding to the marked decrease in race-day equine fatalities under the new federal program. The average per-start costs have also increased year-on-year. In 2023, the per-start fee was about $198. In 2024, it was about $265. This year, it's estimated to be as high as $342, though Lazarus stressed how the actual number for this year will likely be smaller. As to the reasons behind the increased spending, Lazarus said that the programs instituted under HISA are congressionally mandated, like racetrack accreditation teams and a larger enforcement footprint. Then comes the costs of building out the technology required to facilitate some of these programs. HISA's technology budget, noted one stakeholder, has almost doubled since its inception. “It's increased since we've had to build them out over time. Same on the HIWU side,” explained Lazarus about the various digital portals built for inputting things like veterinary records, racetracks surface data, and licensee information. “Maybe most importantly, one of our most effective tools for reducing fatalities has been leveraging our AI technology. Leveraging some of the products that we've modeled out. Partnering with companies like AWS [Amazon Web Services] that have allowed us to support the regulatory veterinarians in being more efficient and more effective in their pre-race exams,” said Lazarus. In the Q&A portion of the town hall, one question concerned how, as the number of starts has fallen under HISA's purview, the costs to the industry have increased. In response, Lazarus pointed to credits issued to jurisdictions that agree to continue paying for key personnel (which reduce HISA's overall budget footprint), as well as the cost savings from economies of scale. “We have national programs that we have to build and deliver no matter how many horses are involved and how many starts,” said Lazarus, who added how other factors like purse increases had also affected costs. “Whenever we have, like in 2023, significant safety issues that we had to invest in, that also obviously has an impact and carries over to 2024,” said Lazarus. HISA Trying to Find Additional Financial Help Right now, HISA's methodology for assessing the costs to individual jurisdictions is one based evenly between projected number of starts and the projected average purses for the year. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved a methodology change to one based solely on the percentage of annual racing starts, to start in 2026. This is expected to hit some of the nation's smaller tracks harder than its bigger pocketed cousins. Indeed, the president of Washington State's Emerald Downs recently told the Seattle Times that the anticipated fee increases put next year's meet in doubt. According to Bethany Erb, HISA director of public affairs, HISA through her team is in discussions with state policy makers about ways to possibly mitigate the financial burdens on struggling tracks. As to what these steps could be, Erb outlined three possible scenarios: tax incentives, direct appropriations, or increases in existing fees (like those imposed on ADWs). Florida has already passed legislation that affords tracks a tax credit equal to their owed HISA fees. Similar legislation failed in the Washington state legislature due to budget constraints, though Erb suggested the legislation could be revisited for next year. In Minnesota, the governor's budget proposes an ADW fee increase from 1% to 2% to cover a portion of HISA's costs. Another possible way to mitigate overall costs, said Lazarus, could be to “leverage our technologies by serving other countries, using some of the data we have, anonymized, to basically bring in additional revenue funding.” Just don't expect any help from the federal government. “I think as most of you know, HISA does not get any federal tax relief, and the current political environment is not really an attractive one for us to lobby for that at this time,” Lazarus said. “Right now, we're focused on states who want our help in order to see whether there's state budget money, even if it's just an offset to help defray the costs.” Supreme Court Decision Instrumental Later this year or in 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide upon HISA's constitutionality–a decision that, either way, will have profound ramifications for the sport. “We're either not going to be around, so this will become irrelevant,” said Lazarus. “Or we're going to have all of the states that export their signal within HISA. And that's going to allow us to operate to scale. And when we operate to scale, we realize a lot of cost savings.” What kind of cost savings? According to HISA's calculations, if Louisiana, Texas and West Virginia were to fall under the HISA umbrella, the anticipated starts under HISA's purview would increase from 2024's known number of 179,354 to approximately 220,856 in 2026. This would translate to a per-start fee reduction from a possible $342 this year (a maximum anticipated cost) to roughly $293 next year (though still higher than 2024's actual cost of $266). “Once the Supreme Court decides and that issue is resolved, we'll have some movement there and likely increased participation,” said Lazarus, striking a note of optimism. Other Details Among some of the other interesting details shared Thursday was info related to how annual budgets are a projected “worst case scenario” built around a doomsday premise that no jurisdiction will opt-in and continue performing many of the key day-to-day tasks themselves–a dynamic that sees them credited for the work by HISA. How does this play out in numbers? In 2024, for example, HISA's approved gross budget was $77.5 million. After credits earned, the actual net budget was $57.8 million. In terms of economies of scale, Lazarus said the attrition of HIWU-contracted laboratories (to now just four facilities) has led to cost savings and improved performance. “In operating those four labs,” said Lazarus, “we get more consistency. We get better collaboration. Better research. And to me that's one of the biggest values and best outcomes for HISA.” To help launch HISA, the program borrowed operational funds from organizations like the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, The Jockey Club and the Breeders' Cup. “Before HISA launched its first program in 2022, we had to have some funding to actually operate HISA. We weren't collecting any fees at that point in time,” said Lazarus. “The act made clear we could not receive any funding from any covered person, which is a pretty broad category.” Lazarus said HISA has paid some of the loans back, and that they were hoping some of the existing loans would be forgiven. According to Jim Gates, HISA's chief financial officer, HISA has $2.8 million in outstanding loans and another $1.25 million outstanding in the form of a line of credit. The post HISA Budget Town Hall: Rising Costs, Tangible Results, Financial Help appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer of defeated Dubai World Cup (G1) favorite Forever Young, has suggested his colt was compromised by a prerace visit to the receiving barn at Meydan Racecourse for a random urine test and has called for changes.View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a daughter of an G1 Irish Oaks winner. 4.10 Sandown, Novice, £22,000, 3yo, f, 9f 209yT STAR OF LIGHT (GB) (Frankel {GB}) may not have pulled up any trees despite winning on debut at Wolverhampton in December, but the fact that the Gosdens have opted to put her in this significant race speaks volumes. Anthony Oppenheimer's daughter of his G1 Irish Oaks, G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Star Catcher (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) bids to follow in the steps of Clarehaven's Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) who captured this en route to big things. Also won in the past by User Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}), this always-intriguing affair features other big prospects such as Godolphin's Yarmouth debut winner Winter's Song (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the Charlie Appleby-trained daughter of the G1 Fillies' Mile and GI Yellow Ribbon Stakes heroine Hibaayeb (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and full-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Wuheida (GB). 4.15 Doncaster, Novice, £8,000, 3yo/up, 6f 2yT TASALLA (IRE) (Mehmas {Ire}) proved a prescient 390,000gns purchase by Federico Barberini for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum at the 2023 Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale, merely months before his half-brother Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) captured the G1 July Cup. Owen Burrows has charge of the newcomer, who has it to do taking on six previous winners in what could be classed as an early Commonwealth Cup pointer. The post Frankel’s Daughter Of Star Catcher To Defend The Gosdens’ Honour At Sandown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

GI Curlin Florida Derby and GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes third Neoequos (Neolithic) breezed a half-mile Thursday morning at Gulfstream Park, getting the distance in a bullet :48.43. The Saffie Joseph, Jr. trainee worked in company with stablemate Mr Narcissistic (Signature Red). A video of the work can be seen here. “It went good,” said Joseph. “He worked in company. He was inside his workmate. It was his last breeze and we were just looking for maintenance. It went well. He's in good form.” Racing for C2 Racing Stable LLC, Ian Parsard, Shining Stables LLC, and Stefania Farms LLC, Neoequos is currently 21st on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard by points and will need a defection to get into the field. Horses must be on the Churchill Downs grounds Saturday, Apr. 26, the same day the Grade I Classic field will be drawn. Joseph plans to ship Neoequos, a $22,000 OBS yearling graduate, to Kentucky Friday morning. “We feel like we can get into the Derby, but if he doesn't get in, he'll run in one of the other races Derby Day,” said Joseph. “Right now, we're leaning to the American Turf, but the Pat Day Mile, I'd say, is also in contention.” Flavien Prat will ride Neoequos in the Derby if he makes the field. However, Prat will take the mount on Baeza (McKinzie) if that one also draws into the Derby. Baeza is currently 23rd in the points standings. The post Neoequos, 21st on Derby Leaderboard, Fires Bullet at Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article