Wandering Eyes

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association will hold an industry forum designed to help breeders take their business to the next level. The event, which is titled Thoroughbred 360, will be held alongside the Irish Equine Centre and is set to take place at the Newpark Hotel, County Kilkenny, on September 10 between 12pm and 4pm. Although this is a free event, anyone interested in attending is required to register via email to Hannah Marks. Her email address is hmarks@itba.ie. A press release issued by the ITBA read, “Join us for an inspiring and interactive day designed by breeders, for breeders. Thoroughbred360 puts you right at the centre of the conversation – connecting passionate professionals from across the sectors to share insights, spark new ideas, and explore every stage of the mare and foal journey.” It added, “This dynamic event promises valuable opportunities to connect with industry professionals and practical advice for anyone seeking to boost their success in the Irish thoroughbred sector.” The post ITBA To Host Industry Forum Designed To Help Breeders With Their Business appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tattersalls has increased the prize money for next year's Somerville Auction Stakes and October Auction Stakes to £200,000 apiece. The increase doubles the value of the Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes and is a £50,000 increase in the prize fund of the Tattersalls October Auction Stakes. Both races are open to any yearling offered at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale, the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Book 3 or the Tattersalls Autumn Yearling Sale, or for horses withdrawn from any of those sales and subsequently offered at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale. The £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes will be run over six furlongs at Newmarket's July Course on 22nd August, 2026 with the £200,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes following over seven furlongs on Newmarket's Rowley Mile six weeks later on 3rd October, 2026. The notable double has been completed on two occasions to date by 26,000 guineas purchase Woodhay Wonder in 2023 and 15,500 guineas purchase Amichi in 2022, both earning in excess of £135,000 for their exploits. The prize money increase will offer even greater opportunities for purchasers at Tattersalls yearling sales to win significant prize money, in addition to the lucrative £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus scheme for all yearlings purchased at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale which has awarded £9,620,000 to the owners of its 410 winners to date. Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Our commitment to rewarding owners in as many innovative ways as we can has resulted in over £10,000,000 in bonus prize money being paid out by Tattersalls in the last ten years, along with our sponsorships of three european Classics, two further Group 1s and seven Group and Listed races, as well as the lucrative programme of high-value developmental races. The increase to £200,000 for both the Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes and the Tattersalls October Yearling Stakes provides an opportunity for owners to run for substantial prize money and will further enhance the appeal of both sales.” The post Tattersalls Somerville And October Auction Stakes Races Increased to £200,000 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Whirl made quick work of torrential conditions at Glorious Goodwood to win the Group One Nassau Stakes (2,000m) in impressive fashion on Wednesday. Biblical rain, thanks to a heavy thunderstorm, saw racegoers cowering indoors before the race, and the Nassau itself was delayed for 10 minutes with lightning in the area. None of that – including a flag start due to safety concerns – fazed Aidan O’Brien’s $1.7 favourite, who went straight to the lead under Ryan Moore and was never seriously...View the full article

Thurles, Ireland's only privately-owned racecourse, is to close with immediate effect. The first ever recorded race meeting at the County Tipperary circuit took place in 1732 and has been in the hands of the Molony family since the early 1900s. The late Pierce Molony took over the running of Thurles from his father Doctor Paddy Molony in 1974, but Pierce's widow Riona released a statement confirming the family's decision to retire from racing. She said, “It has been an honour and a privilege for our family to have run Thurles Racecourse, and I am officially announcing our retirement today. “We are very proud of the immense contribution our family has made to racing and we are most grateful to our extended racecourse family, our dedicated staff, generous sponsors, loyal patrons and the wider racing community for all your support. “Horse racing is part of the fabric of our family, and we have been very fortunate to have made so many great friends within the industry over the years. My family and I look forward to going racing with you again, as spectators.” Although Thurles is fully licenced to race until December 31 and is scheduled to stage 11 fixtures in the 2025/26 Irish racing calendar, the Molony family have no plans to continue racing. Riona Molony added, “Since my beloved husband Pierce passed away in 2015, with the help of our four daughters Patricia, Helen, Ann Marie and Kate and our wonderful staff, we've managed to keep the show on the road and I know he would be very proud of us for that. “The girls all have their own families, careers and lives to live. Ever increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business has also been a major factor. “We're going to enjoy this time together and relax now the decision is made and the news is out before we consider our options.” The post Shock As Thurles Racecourse Closes Its Doors With Immediate Effect appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Race 6 UZA BUS HANDICAP 1100m WAIHAHA FALLS (E Sole) – Co-trainer Ms. L Zydenbos advised Stewards, the stable was satisfied with the post-race condition of the gelding, however, WAIHAHA FALLS has now been retired from racing. The post Levin Racing Club @ Otaki Racecourse, Saturday 26 July 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 3 PETER & JESS BROSNAN HURDLE 3100m JERRICOOP (J Parker) – Trainer Mr. H Wilson advised Stewards, he was satisfied with the post-race condition of JERRICOOP, and it is the intention to continue his preparation. Race 6 TE AROHA VETERINARY SERVICES TE AROHA CUP OPEN STEEPLECHASE 3500m SMUG (M Roustoby) – Trainer Mr. C Wood reported to Stewards, that SMUG underwent blood tests on Monday, 28 July, with no abnormalities detected. C Wood further advised that it is his intention to carry on with the gelding’s current preparation. The post Racing Te Aroha @ Te Aroha, Sunday 27 July 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 4 PROPERTY BROKERS TAUMARUNUI 3YO 1400m GINA ROSA (H Hassman) – Trainer Ms. M Falconer advised Stewards, she was satisfied with the post-race condition of GINA ROSA, and it is her intention to continue with the filly’s current preparation. ILLUMINATED MISS (A Strawbridge) – Trainer Ms. K McQuade reported to Stewards, that the filly received a three-day course of anti-inflammatory treatment post-race and underwent chiropractic treatment for general soreness on Thursday 31 July. K McQuade further advised that ILLUMINATED MISS has not partaken in any exercise this week, however, will look to resume light work next week. I PARK (A Lawson-Carroll) – Trainer Ms. L Brennan reported to Stewards, that I PARK was treated with anti-inflammatory medication post-race and underwent chiropractic treatment for general body soreness on Sunday 27 July. L Brennan further advised the gelding was given a few days break and has since returned to light work. GRACETHEACE (R Goyaram) – Trainer Mr. G Opie advised Stewards, that the filly received a course of anti-inflammatory medication post-race and was examined by the veterinarian on Tuesday 29 July, with no abnormalities being detected. GRACETHEACE is expected to return to light work next week. The post Taumarunui Racing Club @ Te Rapa, Saturday 26 July 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 3 CAMBRIDGE EQUINE HOSPITAL MAAT FINAL 1300m HAKUSHU (M McNab) – Trainer Mr. S Marsh reported to Stewards, he was satisfied with the post-race condition of the gelding, however, HASUSHU has now been sent for a spell. The post Waikato Thoroughbred Racing @ Cambridge Synthetic, Wednesday 23 July 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 7 PREZZY CARD RATING 65 2200m ARDOUR (K Kwo) – Trainer Ms. S Wynne reported to Stewards, that the mare was treated with medication post-race and she was satisfied with ARDOUR’S recovery. S Wynne further advised that she may look to nominate the mare for the Canterbury JC meeting on Wednesday 6 August. The post Canterbury Park Jockey Club @ Riccarton Park, Thursday 24 July 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 2 – DRUMMOND & ETHERIDGE 2200m CAPTAIN OUMUAMUA (B Murray) – Trainer Ms. J Land advised Stewards, that the gelding underwent a veterinary examination on Monday 21 July, which included x-rays of the left hock. These revealed the presence of bone spurs. As a result, CAPTAIN OUMUAMUA has now been retired from racing. The post Oamaru Jockey Club @ Oamaru – Sunday, 20 July 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

It’s been a whirlwind last few years for Maija Vance, and the former jockey is taking the next step in that journey after joining her partner, Josh King, in a training partnership this week. Vance won 94 races in the saddle in New Zealand before she was involved in a well-publicised race fall in 2018, where she suffered several injuries, including damaging her spinal cord. Doctors feared she wouldn’t be able to walk again, but after intense rehabilitation, she was able to defy those odds, and 18 months later she hiked to the top of Mount Maunganui in a fundraising effort for the CatWalk Trust. Vance, the daughter of trainers Bob and Jenny Vance, continued to tick up the milestones in the next few years, returning to the saddle and eventually riding track work, and is now commencing life as a trainer. “I didn’t want to (train) and then I met Josh, and we started to work together,” Vance said. “He had quite a lot of success in Queensland, he was private trainer for one of the big studs there. “Josh started training over here and I started helping him, and it has gone from there. He said ‘you might as well put your name down as the trainer as well’. It’s not something that I planned on doing, it just happened.” The newly formed partnership had their first runner at Cambridge on Wednesday, and while their first attempt wasn’t successful, they are hoping to rectify that when they head to Ruakaka on Saturday with Bad Education, who will contest the Marsden Cove Dental 1300. “I think he is a good chance,” Vance said. “His first start when we got him, he ran 26 lengths last, so he has improved a lot. We have put in a lot of work to improve him with his body work and his mind, and he is feeling so good at the moment. “He ran really well at Ruakaka when he ran third. They weren’t making any ground that day and he made up a lot of ground and ran really well. The next time we went back there it was the wettest I have ever seen Ruakaka. He tried hard but it was just too wet for him. “He had won on Soft and Heavy tracks in Australia, but their Heavy isn’t anything like our Heavy. We are excited to see him on a slightly better track on Saturday.” Vance is looking forward to having her parents present on Saturday, with the Ardmore Lodge trainers being represented in the A1 Homes Bream Bay Stayers 2100 by Double Take. “It is a good thing they are not in the same race. I just think they are sensational trainers, and I would rather not run into them in a race,” Vance said. “Mum and Dad are just such amazing horse people and I have spent most of my life around them and their stable. I have learnt so much from them and they just prioritise the horse and keep the horse happy and healthy.” King and Vance currently have eight horses in work, many of whom were sourced from Australia, and Vance said she gets a kick out of seeing them enjoy the change of environment in New Zealand. “We are getting a few horses from Australia and most of them have been trained at the big tracks,” Vance said. “They are being boxed 24/7, so it is really cool when they come here because we have got them out in paddocks all day and big walk-in/walk-out boxes, and on the weekends, we will load them up and take them to the beach. “It is really cool to see them spark up, especially the older horses.” While horses and racing are two of Vance’s main passions, content creation is her other love. The 34-year-old has achieved plenty of success in that space, accruing nearly one million followers on Tiktok, and she is enjoying sharing her racing journey with her audience. “It is cool that there are that many people that care about what I am doing,” she said. “I do a lot of racing content on our racing page, and I have been posting a lot of that to my normal page as well. “A lot of my followers are equestrian people because I post a lot of equestrian content. It is cool that so many of those people are now seeing what we are doing in the racing stable and how well the horses are treated. “It is cool that there are people who weren’t interested in racing before that are now following our horses and watching them race. “I don’t think people realise what goes into training and how much effort we put into keeping the horses happy. We will just take the horses to the beach for a sunrise ride, go hacking along the beach and swim them. It is cool to show people how much effort we put into them.” There are plenty of exciting developments in the stable heading into the new season, with King and Vance in the process of trying to purchase the property they train from in Cambridge. “We are looking at buying the property where we are renting, which is a massive property with 22 paddocks and 32 boxes,” Vance said. “Then we can expand as much as we want to.” While Vance was potentially looking at a life in a wheelchair several years ago, she is glad she defied the odds and is loving her life with horses. “Being upright is a win for me,” she said. “I just feel so lucky that I am able to handle the horses, ride a few quiet ones and help out as much as I can.” View the full article

Shaun Fannin has spent plenty of time in the winner’s circle during the Grand National Festival of Racing, and this year’s carnival presents an entirely new challenge for the Awapuni horseman. One of the country’s top jumps jockeys for the better part of a decade, Fannin has won each of the four jumping features at Riccarton on numerous occasions, including two of the last three editions of the Racecourse Hotel and Motor Lodge Koral Steeplechase (4250m) with West Coast. Fannin relishes the opportunity to tackle the picturesque circuit each year in August, and he’s got extra motivation this time around with his own horse, rising star Jesko. “Riccarton is a beautiful track to ride on, it’s nice and open with some really nice live fences,” he said. “The atmosphere on course down there is great, National Day always has a great big crowd and so does the Winter Cup, so that gets the adrenaline pumping, as well as a great horse to ride. “Those things combined make it a pretty special place.” A comfortable winner of the Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m) and Wellington Steeplechase (4900m) this campaign, Jesko has earned his short-priced favouritism for the feature and next weekend’s Racecourse Hotel and Motor Lodge 150th Grand National Steeplechase (5600m). Entering just his third season training in partnership with wife Hazel Fannin, that feat is not lost on the 29-year-old. “We haven’t been training for very long, so to have a leading chance in big races like these is very special for us,” he said. “Hopefully we can get a good result.” After his Trentham successes, Jesko returned to the flat at Waverley and gave a sight in Rating 75 grade, finishing second to Dancin In The Dark despite a wide trip. “I was really happy with him, it didn’t really go to plan being out three-wide the whole way, but he stuck on very well considering,” Fannin said. “We didn’t have to do too much with him this week to keep him up to the mark after that. “He travelled down on Tuesday morning with Hazel and by all accounts he’s very bright, he’s pretty headstrong so nothing seems to knock him too much.” As for much of the Koral field, the main target comes seven days later in the National, and Fannin is keeping that in mind as Jesko navigates the circuit for the first time. “You want to see them going through the line strongly at the finish, but in Jesko’s case, it’s his first time being down there, and it’s always a bit different for a horse,” he said. “Riccarton is very open with big fences, so I’m prepared for him to have a look at a couple, but as long as his jumping improves as the race goes on and he finishes it off nicely, we’ll be more than happy with that heading into the National. “He usually jumps away quite quickly and at home he can be quite aggressive, he’s not quite so aggressive on raceday, but it’s just how he likes to go. “Ideally he’s probably better with something to follow, but at the same time, he likes to get along at his own speed and if there’s no speed in the race, he’ll probably end up in front. “I see he’s drawn one on Saturday, so I think I’ll try and use that by having him up there at the first couple of fences.” View the full article

Young speed merchant Love The Sort will be on trial on Saturday for a return visit to Ruakaka for an early black-type opportunity. She will make her three-year-old debut in the Ben & Nola Wortelboer Memorial (1100m) for trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, with an eye on a sterner challenge. “I don’t think she’ll stay, I think she’s too fast and that being the case another race that looks on the agenda, providing she performs well, is the Northland Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) in two weeks,” Ritchie said. “She’ll go back up for that if she proves she’s worthy of a spot by either winning on Saturday or going very, very close.” Love The Sort made the perfect start to her career on her home all-weather track in mid-June when she proved too swift over 970m for her older opposition. “She’s very, very fast and going into that race on the poly without a trial it was a comfortable place for her to go, but she didn’t jump that quickly,” Ritchie said. “She mustered very well to get over to the fence with a light weight and always had the race under control.” While naturally chasing another winning result, Ritchie said it may have to be achieved in a different manner. “This will be a different kettle of fish, she’s drawn six out of seven and I know that doesn’t sound so bad, but there’s a ton of speed in it so she just might not get her own way. “If that’s the case, it might be an opportunity to educate her, but we’ll leave that decision until we see how she jumps. “It will be interesting, and the other thing is that she hasn’t been right-handed before. “We’ve galloped her that way a few times and she needs that experience with a lot of the nicer three-year-old fillies’ races over the short trips coming up are at Ellerslie.” Love The Sort is a daughter of Tassort and the Written Tycoon mare Siyaadeh and the speedy family of Gr.1 Galaxy Handicap (1200m) winner Snowland. She was purchased out of breeder Emirates Park’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Ritchie for A$42,500. “When we take our horses to Queensland during the winter we use the Gold Coast Turf Club and you’ve basically got to walk past the sale yard from the apartment we stay in to get to the racecourse,” he said. “You see quite a few yearlings coming on and off the floats and walking around, racing’s a social game and the stud boys are there and a few breeders you train for and often a few owners come over as well. “We tend to go out and have a bit of lunch with them all at the sale yard, it’s not a normal thing for us to buy off Magic Millions, but I saw this filly and loved her. “I thought she would bring a fair bit more and was in our bracket. I didn’t go there specifically to buy a horse, having said that, occasionally you see a little gem that you like and she was within range.” View the full article

Time has been a friend to a once-erratic Bradman, who will have just celebrated his eighth birthday when he tackles Saturday’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 128th Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton Park. The son of Pins and champion broodmare Baggy Green, Bradman was a frequent in the stewards report through his early years on the track, but perseverance paid off for trainer Roydon Bergerson when as a six-year-old, Bradman had his best-ever season collecting a stakes victory and over $146,000. “He was mentally insecure, you go back through his history and in about 90 percent of his races, he was in the stipes report for doing something silly,” Bergerson said. “He would get his head up and try to run off, one day he actually tried to duck off in the birdcage when he had a race there one day. “He’s a real character.” Bergerson is able to look back on that period with a sense of satisfaction, with Bradman now an ultra-consistent galloper contesting the Riccarton feature for the second time, having finished a narrow third to Jay Bee Gee last year. His form has been hard to fault through this winter, having placed or won at each start, including coming out on top at Trentham in June in the Whyte Handicap (1600m). Bergerson opted to head back to the trials in between times, where jockey Bruno Queiroz gave him the tick of approval. “He needed it, he had a decent, long blow,” he said. “Bruno was really happy with him though, he said he felt really good. “He came and galloped him on the course proper on Tuesday morning here (at Awapuni), and he said he was really strong, and he’s pulled up super. “He has travelled really well. All systems go now I hope.” A slightly unexpected inclusion of Belardo Boy has come to the benefit of Bradman, who will now carry 58kg instead of the topweight. “He would’ve been lumping the 60 kilos, so two kilos off will certainly help,” Bergerson said. “I think there’s only been one horse to win it on 60 kilos and that was Nashville, and he was a Group One horse. “He’s not an overly big horse, but he’s strong and tries hard.” Bergerson is no stranger to success in the south, having won the Winter Cup two years in a row with Karla Bruni, a galloper he draws comparisons with Bradman. “We set her for the race each year and everything came off, except the jockey kept getting off and we had to find jockeys over the last few days,” he said. “She seemed to like having a left-handed jockey more than a right, she was a quirky little mare and was quite difficult to ride some days – a bit like him. “But it was a real buzz because some great friends of mine raced her with me, that being Opie Bosson, Craig Sheridan, and Paul Humphries. She took us on a great ride, it was good fun.” Bergerson’s attention will return to his home track of Awapuni on Sunday, where Charlotte’s Way will take on a class field in the $100,000 Japac Homes Polytrack Championship (1400m). The Pentire mare will carry a featherlight 51kg under apprentice Elle Sole, and Bergerson is hoping that can assist her barrier woes of late. “Kelly (Myers, jockey) thought she was a bit unlucky the other day, she got a bit tight and she doesn’t like being on the inside, she’s got to be in clear air,” he said. “She’s won a couple on the poly, but she’ll need a lot of luck, this is a stronger field than she’s been running against. She hasn’t been jumping out of the gates and putting herself there, so if she can get out with Elle Sole on and no weight, that would help. “She likes to free-wheel out in front or sit outside the leader, so if she can get that position, hopefully she can hang on. But she will be a roughie. “It’s a $100,000 race on your back doorstep, so we can’t turn it down.” View the full article

Earlier in the year, Bevan and Robyn Wilson mapped out a plan for three of their talented gallopers to tackle Saturday’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m), and despite a few challenges, the trio will each take their place in the Riccarton showpiece. Well-known for training and racing their homebred horses, the Ashburton couple have had their best season since Robyn joined the partnership in 2018, training 10 winners and 12 placegetters from just 45 starters. Royal Valour, Lord Darci and Victorian Charm have all contributed to that amount, with the former having defeated his stablemates last start in the Oamaru Cup (1600m), who finished fourth and sixth respectively. The Wilsons had a task of watching all three in the race but were satisfied with each of their efforts. “We were very pleased with him (Royal Valour), his preparation going into the race had gone really well and he raced accordingly, and was well ridden,” Bevan Wilson said. “He won quite well I thought. “It was a bit hard watching all three of them at a time and Victorian Charm disappeared on me a bit on the corner, but Kylie (Williams, jockey) wasn’t disappointed with his run. She said that she got in the wrong place at one stage and was held up a little bit, and when she did make a run, Royal Valour probably beat him to a gap and he lost his momentum. “We were really pleased with him, he was plugging away well at the line and only two lengths from the winner.” Victorian Charm had missed an abandoned race at Ashburton in the lead-up, while facing a trial of his own was Lord Darci, a common theme for the gelding since he won the Winter Cup three years ago. “At the time, he was a four-year-old, so we thought it might’ve been a bit early for him, but we thought we might as well have a go,” Wilson said. “As it’s turned out, it was probably a good idea because he’s been in the wars a bit since. “He’s had a couple of career-threatening injuries, mainly self-inflicted, because he’s a bit of a fidget. He’s not very settled travelling on the float and he didn’t enjoy being tied up either. “He was inclined to kick the inside of his hocks while standing, which we think caused an infection in his joint. Things were looking a bit grim for a while there, but fortunately he’s come through that, and then it was on to the next thing.” The Wilsons were rapt to have their stable star back in winning form immediately when resuming this year in June, but he was back to his old tricks following the race. “We were thrilled with his win at Dunedin, but a day or so later, he started stiffening up in the paddock and that’s likely happened on the float as well,” he said. “We had been really happy with how he travelled, but obviously he must’ve done something. “That’s been a setback as far as this race goes, missing a couple of races, but as it turned out, the Ashburton race didn’t happen anyway. “A positive to take out of it is that he hasn’t earned any more rating points, so he gets in pretty well at the weights (54.5kg), obviously with Belardo Boy taking most of the weight.” Looking back on the preparation, it has been far from smooth sailing, and Wilson can hardly believe they’ll saddle all three on Saturday. “Their work has been virtually identical since Oamaru, they had a couple of quiet days and then we got back into it, they’ve had one decent workout since then, which went well enough,” he said. “It’s a bit unbelievable to us, it is hard to get a horse to any race meeting, so to have three of them there and the other in the open sprint, it’s a bit of a feat in itself. “We just hope they can put their best foot forward on the day, that would make it even better.” Their representative in the Speight’s Summit Ultra On Tap Open (1200m) will be Victor Rouge, a half-brother to both Lord Darci and Victorian Charm. The quirky galloper won on both Saturdays at last year’s Grand National carnival, defying the Wilsons initial thought about the straight chute. “He likes a bit of room, we spent a couple of years avoiding the Riccarton straight because we were trying to get him to settle in his races, but we ran out of options and it turns out that he quite likes it,” he said. “He raced really well there over this week last year, so we hope he can do the same thing again. He’s in open company now, so it won’t be as easy, but he’ll be there with a chance.” The son of Burgundy will be partnered by apprentice jockey Yogesh Atchamah, who was in the saddle when he finished a close-up fourth in the same event at Oamaru. “He relaxed nicely for the young fella (Atchamah) and we were pleased with his effort,” Wilson said. “We thought with a run like that, he would be hard to beat, but he came out off the track a bit and the first two shot through on the fence, which is just how racing in the winter goes sometimes. “It’s certainly a help with the weights, but also we’ve been lucky to get apprentices that listen to what we’re looking for and they’ve done a good job. We’ve been lucky to have them, it’s just a shame that Hayley (Hassman) is missing out at the moment too. “She had an injury before Oamaru, or she would’ve been on one of our horses, and she’s now unavailable for this week too.” View the full article

Kelvin Tyler will be represented by young and old at the Grand National opener on Saturday at Riccarton Park, including a pair of promising juveniles stepping out at three for the first time. The aptly-named Four The Moment and Fourofus will go head-to-head in the Christchurch Casino 30th South Island Awards – 12 September Three-Year-Old (1200m), both appearing off a spell after they quinellaed the Excellency Stakes (1100m) in April on their home course of Riverton. Only a nose could split them on that occasion and Tyler expects a similar margin on Saturday, albeit with one to have the upper hand in the future. “There wasn’t much between them there, but Four The Moment is top shelf, he’s one of the better horses I’ve ever had,” he said. “I didn’t really want the rain to come with him as he’s still got a bit of improvement to come, but going forward, I think he’ll go right through the grades quickly. “Fourofus is a neat wee horse, he tries hard and the wet track won’t bother him. He’s probably looking for a bit more ground in time, but he’s a bit more forward than Four The Moment so I can’t really split them on Saturday.” A son of Proisir, Four The Moment was bred by Tyler, his wife Vanessa, brother Allan and sister-in-law Marie. Fourofus, a Tivaci gelding, is also raced by the extended family, having been purchased for just $5,000 as a weanling. “We bred Four The Moment with my brother and sister-in-law, so we go horse for horse with their colours (blue and white) and our colours (pink and white),” Tyler said. “I don’t mind whose colours they wear, as long as the cheque comes in.” In his more experienced contingent heading north is King Of The Castle, a nine-year-old Australian stakes performer who looked to be back on track when closing for fifth in an open sprint at Oamaru. King Of The Castle, alongside stablemates Vamos and Albatross, will take their place in the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 128th Winter Cup (1600m) – a race Tyler won exactly a decade ago with Timy Tyler. “He (King Of The Castle) is a different horse this time in, I think he’s just taken a little bit to adjust to our New Zealand way of training,” Tyler said. “I can’t fault him, his work is really good. “He’d probably prefer a better track, I was hoping it would stay around a (soft) 7, so that would be the only question mark there. “Vamos at that awkward rating of 78, so he’s either got to carry a tonne of weight in a 75, or the bottom of the opens. He’s another that I can’t fault, he tries hard and deserves his chance. “His work has been outstanding, so he’d be a good smoky. “Albatross was very disappointing at Oamaru, but she does struggle in those puggy tracks. A wet, loose track would help her. “She’s a runner’s chance, they let you down a couple of times and you lose a bit of faith but she seems bright and happy, so we’ve got to take it on trust.” Tyler elected to bypass the feature with Master Marko, instead focussing on the open 1400m contest that he won 12 months ago during the carnival. But, after seeing a smaller field in the Speight’s Summit Ultra On Tap Open (1200m), he took the opportunity to give the Contributer gelding a hit out on the grass. “I wasn’t going to run him on Saturday, but with the smaller field, I thought he could use the gallop, instead of galloping on the poly track and risk hurting him,” Tyler said. “He’s not really a 1200m horse, he’s more of a miler, but he wasn’t quite forward enough to go to the Winter Cup so I thought I would look after him and run over 1400 on the last day. “He’s a tough horse and he won’t need to do much during the week, that’s the plan.” View the full article

Australia’s top bookmakers have a stack of horse racing bonuses and betting promotions in play this Friday. Below are the best deals on offer for August 1. Today’s horse racing promotions Punters Toolbox! Use your neds Toolbox on greyhound, harness and horse racing today. Check your Neds Toolbox for Bet Back, Price Boosts and much more. Neds T&C’s Apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo 10 Again! – Gatton & Carnarvon 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. Eligible customers only Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% winnings in cash Max Payout $2000. Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds win bets on Australian thoroughbred races only. Excludes boosted, multi, live and bonus bets. PlayUp T&Cs apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Daily Exotic Boost Boost your exotics by up to 20%. Available on Exactas, Quinellas, Trifectas & First Fours. Excludes Quaddies. Check your vault for eligibility. Login to Unibet to Claim Promo Copycash – Get Copied. Get Paid. Get paid $0.10 every time someone uses Copy Bet to copy your bets. Dabble T&Cs apply. Eligible Customers Only. Login to Dabble to Claim Promo Bet Boost | Friday Thoroughbred Meetings Get a bet boost on thoroughbred races around Australia on Friday. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Blonde Boosts! Elevate your prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Eligible Customers Only. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Daily Multi Insurance Any Race. Any Runner. Any Odds. Get a Bonus Back if your Multi loses by a specified number of legs. Fixed odds only. Check your Vault for eligibility. Check your vault for eligibility. 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. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Top 4 Betting! Bet and win up to 4th place! Eligible customers only Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo More online bookmaker bonuses The specials above are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to horse racing bet specials. We recommend exploring our list of trusted betting sites and finding out what’s on offer. View all horse racing promotions View the full article

In the keynote address of The Jockey Club's Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, Everett R. Dobson, newly elected chair of The Jockey Club, discussed plans for the organization and The Jockey Club's ongoing plans to grow racing. View the full article

Racing has made strides in recent years in addressing the timing of its races in an effort to prevent events from going off at the same time but as any regular viewer of FanDuel TV knows, the split screen is still needed at times.View the full article

Go behind the scenes with Rusty Arnold trainees Echo Sound and Kilwin as they train for the Aug. 2 Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Assistant trainer Lyndsay Delello introduces us to both fillies, Johnathan Monge takes them for a gallop.View the full article

By Michael Guerin Trainer Steven Reid almost doesn’t want to use the big “J word” when assessing the chances of debutante filly Smackdown at Addington tonight. But as is always the case Reid can’t help but be honest and frank about the recent stunning trial winner. “When she was coming up earlier in the season I thought there wasn’t anything between her and Jumal,” says Reid. There it is. Reid has mentioned Smackdown in the same breath as Jumal (pictured above), the Diamond Creek Stakes winner in April who is unbeaten in three starts and might be the most exciting juvenile pacer in the country. Reid is quick to temper the expectations around Smackdown in Race 6, the It’s Time To Book With Woodlands Mobile Pace (7.40pm) tonight but she still has plenty going for her in a field lacking experienced rivals. “She was right up there with Jumal when they were coming up but she kept growing, which saw her weaken off a bit. “She is almost 16 hands now but she still has plenty of ability.” Smackdown showed that when she beat her sole rival by 16 lengths in a recent Ashburton trial, pacing 1:56.6 for the mile. “She is obviously a really lovely filly but this was originally supposed to be a fillies only race and it is always harder taking on the boys in these races.” Reid says his only other problem with Smackdown is her trainer’s fresh up record. “I don’t often win with them on debut,” he laughs. “It is something I haven’t done a lot of, training horses to win on debut but she is a good filly and Samantha Ottley who drove her in that trial said she jogged it.” Aided by the scratching of one of the favourites in Franco Ankara, Smackdown is $2.60 with the TAB but there has been some interest in the Cullen-trained Zeus Lightning, who has been $8.50 to $3.50. As for Reid’s stable star Jumal, he will be back at the trials on August 13 and 20 as a Sires’ Stakes campaign looms. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Hot favourite Hawkeye Pierce could be forgiven for being a touch confused when he scores up from barrier 2 in the race of the night at Alexandra Park tonight. Because the four-year-old is far more used to bad draws and hard runs that what he faces in the Join TAB Racing Club Mobile over 1700m tonight (7.24pm). An impressive last-start winner when fresh up for trainers Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson, Hawkeye Pierce has been brave but often beaten, winning just three of his 16 starts. While his eight second placings suggests he is something of a “gunna”, Hollis says the barrier draw Gods have cursed Hawkeye Pierce. “He drew well in a couple of his early starts in only very small fields but he has barely drawn well in the last 18 months,” says Hollis. “That means he has often had really hard run when they consistently pace 2:40 for 2200m at The Park. “But I have never been disappointed in him.” Trainers complaining their horse never draws well is one of racing’s all-time greatest hits but in Hawkeye Pierce’s case, Hollis is spot on. In his last 10 starts he has drawn inside barrier 5 just once, with a draw sequence of 5-7-8-7-6-3-6-10-7-11, so barrier 2 tonight in going to see him using a lot less energy than usual to get or stay handy and almost certainly covering less overall ground. “The one thing about all his bad barrier draws is we don’t really know how much gate speed he has because he hasn’t had much chance to use it,” explains Hollis. “But one time I drove him at the workouts and asked him to leave the gate be bolted out so I think it will be there.” While backing horses with a three from 16 record at $1.70 may not make percentage sense Hawkeye Pierce looks to have found himself in an ideal race, with his two best performed rivals Village Rebel and Mighty Looee fresh up and drawn wide. Logan and Hollis, who have a very good strike rate, also have Minjee (R4, No.6) in the same race and suggest her widish draw is okay as she is better out and working in her races. Earlier in the night the small Pukekohe stable take Gotta Go Miki (R3, No.3) to a nice mares race with plenty of chances and Hollis says ability isn’t her issue. “She is a horse who has been sent to test us,” he laughs. “She has the ability to win this but does a lot wrong but she is worth following.” The surprise package of their stable this campaign has been Franco Salah (R6, No.8) who has been very tough in his latest runs but will need to be so again from the outside of the gate. “We didn’t know he could do what he has done this campaign so he has become a horse who is always a chance in this grade.” Tonight’s main trot will provide one of the other highlights as horses like Lord Popinjay (40m) and Romeo Foxtrot (30m) attempt to overcome their big handicaps in just 2200m, with their starts and the manners of their rivals crucial components. View the full article

In his unveiling as chair of The Jockey Club, Everett Dobson outlined an organization focused on moving the sport forward to the benefit of everyone who participates in racing; committed to the Thoroughbred and the people in the racing industry.View the full article

Mike Repole has already made a huge splash in business, horse racing, and college basketball. Next is football.View the full article

In sharing their different approaches of bringing new people to the sport, a pair of horse racing's best-known fans—Griffin Johnson and Steve Kornacki—offered ideas on how everyone can do their part.View the full article