Wandering Eyes

Preak Weeks is slated to return in 2025 in a joint initiative between 1/ST and The Maryland Jockey Club. Preak Weeks will be staged in partnership with Heidi Klotzman of HeidnSeek Entertainment. Introduced in 2023, Preak Weeks provides a spotlight on Baltimore-based businesses in the lead up to the Preakness Stakes. From Apr. 28 through May 16, one of 19 participating businesses will give away A Day at the Races to Preakness 150 with a four-pack of tickets. In addition, each participating business will receive a QR code and custom promotional code for Preakness 150 ticket sales and will receive 10% of all proceeds made through their individual promo code. “We are thrilled to continue leveraging Preakness to support Baltimore's independent–and often small, BIPOC and women-owned–businesses,” said Audra Madison, Director of Marketing, The Maryland Jockey Club. “Participating business owners will also receive tickets to experience Preakness 150, deepening their connection to this historic event.” The public is encouraged to patronize the establishments– ranging from restaurants and cafes to boutiques, services and community organizations–throughout the three-week promotion, both as a show of support to Baltimore-based businesses and for a chance to win or purchase their tickets through the QR codes. No purchase is necessary to win the tickets. All participating businesses, and access to their websites for additional details, can be found online starting today at: https://www.preakness.com/preakweeks. The participating business of the day will be prominently featured on the Preak Weeks homepage. A full calendar of the promotion, noting which business will be highlighted and giving away tickets on which day, can also be found on the site. The post 1ST, MJC Support Local Business Through Return of Preak Weeks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hugo Palmer did not disguise his pleasure following a Rowley Mile racecourse gallop for his 2,000 Guineas contender Seagulls Eleven (Ire), whose sire Galileo Gold (GB) was the trainer's first Classic winner in the same race nine years ago. Declaring himself “thrilled” after a debrief with Seagulls Eleven's rider Oisin Murphy, Palmer said, “One of the things that's new in my life, having moved [from Newmarket], is that I've had to get used to the fact that we've only got one gallop. Young horses, when you start working them, will work impressively once or twice, but then they realise that their feed's going to be in their manger whether they go five inches clear or five lengths clear. That's something that's taken me three years to accept.” He continued, “It is very nice, therefore, when you take a horse away to see them open up and go clear – as he should do as he's a 112-rated three-year-old with a 77-rated handicapper – but we think the handicapper is a fair horse who always works well at home.” Seagulls Eleven, who won a Haydock novice contest last year before finishing second in the G2 Superlative Stakes and then third and fourth respectively in the G1 National and G1 Dewhurst Stakes, is named in honour of Brighton & Hove Albion FC, with his ownership group consisting of Brighton players past and present. Palmer added, “The ground was a bit soft in the Dewhurst and it was probably a bit on the soft side for him there but I haven't seen a horse of mine look like that going up the hill on the Rowley Mile since his dad worked here nine years ago. I haven't watched a horse work there and got the same buzz since then.” On hand to watch the gallop was one of the horse's owners, Brighton's reserve goalkeeper Jason Steele. “I've followed racehorses since I was a kid and I've always enjoyed it but when James Milner joined the club he twisted a few of the lads' arms to part with some money and everything that James dips his hand in turns to gold,” he said. “We're all really involved and intrigued. We're always asking questions and it's something different for us as we're so involved every day with our job but we have an elite mentality so we are always asking about how to get better, what are they doing and how they are training, what they're looking like and thinking. That transfers into different sports but it's been an amazing journey so far.” Guineas contender Seagulls Eleven after his workout | Emma Berry Steele continued, “We're going to miss the Guineas because we're playing Newcastle on the Sunday but we'll all be together watching it, and the lads who aren't with us now at Brighton will be with us on FaceTime watching it. It was amazing to come here today to see him work. He looked really good and everybody is pleased.” Taking to the track after Seagulls Eleven was Flight (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), also ridden by Murphy, who heads to the 1,000 Guineas for breeders David Howden and Nick Wheeler of Cornthorp Bloodstock. Her trainer Ollie Sangster said, “That was smooth. She's in good shape and has been training nicely at home. We felt that bringing her to Newmarket, although she ran here last year, would be beneficial again. “Oisin felt she was in a good place. We didn't need to see fireworks but we were happy with what we saw.” “Her pedigree suggests she will be one to keep improving and we feel like she has.” Flight, who was third in the G2 May Hill Stakes, is the first foal of the Amaron (GB) mare Run Wild (Ger), the impressive winner of the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket in 2020. The post Palmer Feels ‘Same Buzz’ as Seagulls Eleven Follows Sire’s Path to the Guineas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ciaron Maher is backing in Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) to settle closer in the run in Saturday’s Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), which he feels can make all the difference in securing a second elite-level title this campaign. The Oakleigh Plate winner, who is $4.50 second favourite with Sportsbet, will stretch beyond 1200 metres for the first time this preparation, which should also assist the fast finisher to be within striking range after his fourth placing in the Gr.1 T.J. Smith Stakes at his most recent start. “1400 metres he should land a little bit closer,” Maher explained. “He sort of muffed the start a little bit the other day, he had his head down when the gates opened, so I think he would have landed a bit closer if he had jumped with them.” Maher said no decision has been made as to whether the son of Per Incanto pushes on to a Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap after this weekend. “There is always that lure, but it would depend on how he goes … up north is also a handicap race,” he said. “His sectionals were blistering the other day, I think he ended up running home quicker than he did in the Oakleigh Plate. “Any of those Gr.1s are hard to win but he seems to have gone to another level this preparation and his form has been consistent and the 1400 metres should suit him down to the ground.” Maher is set to have a four-pronged attack in the $300,000 Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on Saturday – a race he won two years ago with Right You Are. Last-start placegetters Night Endeavour and Berkshire Breeze lead the stable’s hopes, with Smokin’ Romans and Strawberry Rock looking to bounce back to form. “The race set up well for him last start and up to the mile-and-a-half you sense he’s building towards something,” Maher said of Easter Cup placegetter Night Endeavour. “The owners have had to be patient, he come off a couple of injuries and he’s definitely going the right way. “Berkshire Breeze was super last start but (Phillip) Stokes’ (Deakin) horse was going equally as well unfortunately, but very happy with him and he’ll be hard to beat. “Smokin’ Romans needs to improve a little bit but he can mix his form a little. “Strawberry Rock has had a bit of a freshen, but trialled well and a-mile-and-half, he too can mix his form but he seems in a good spot.” View the full article

Aidan O'Brien will be attempting to repeat the success of Merchant Navy (Aus) seven years ago as he primes fellow Australian import Storm Boy (Aus) for an assault on Royal Ascot. The son of Justify won his first four starts at two for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, including the G2 Skyline Stakes over 1,200 metres, and was later third, beaten just over a length, in Australia's premier juvenile contest, the G1 Golden Slipper. As a three-year-old he added the G3 San Domenico Stakes to his list of five wins in 10 starts before making the trip north to join the Ballydoyle team in December. During a media morning on Monday, O'Brien said that he will follow the same route to the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (known as the Diamond Jubilee Stakes when won by Merchant Navy) with a warm-up in the G2 Greenlands Stakes. “The plan is to go to the Curragh on Guineas weekend for the six-furlong race and then if all goes well he will go to Ascot for the six-furlong race,” he said. “We think he's fast. Before he came I wasn't sure whether he was six furlongs, seven furlongs or a miler, but he's fast, so we think he's a six-furlong horse.” As a Southern Hemisphere three-year-old, Storm Boy will be regarded as a four-year-old this summer in Europe. The post Storm Boy Bidding to Emulate Merchant Navy at Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin One of New Zealand’s most famous sets of racing colours could be coming to a harness racing track near you next season. But first Waikato Stud owner Mark Chittick will have to get a bigger set made. (Photo courtesy of Trish Dunell) Chittick, the man who owns the giant thoroughbred breeding operation, has bought his first harness horse, outlaying $50,000 for a Tactical Landing filly out of Queen Bea, an unraced sister to Queen Elida. And he wants it wearing his famous colours, the same ones his recently-retired champion I Wish I Win wore when winning races like the Golden Eagle. “It came about through a good mate and client of ours Tony Barron,” explains Chittick. “He has had [thoroughbred] broodmares here for ages and we have become good mates. “We discussed me getting a harness horse because, after all, Super Rugby only runs six months a year and I want something to watch on Friday nights the rest of the time. “Tony was looking for a while but he had this filly pass in and rang me and suggested she would be ideal. So we are in. “We want to race her in the Waikato Stud colours but we realise the harness drivers might be a bit big for the jockey’s colours so we will have to get a new set made.” Chittick has even named his filly, calling her On The Throne, typical from a man who conducts his breeding business at the highest levels but always with a smile on his face. “They questioned the name but I told them everything from the family has Queen or something like that in their name so they gave it to us. “I am really looking forward to following her, it will be a lot of fun and different from our gallopers because it will all be new, whereas with the horses we breed we are far more invested mentally.” Barron is stoked to get his mate into the filly who went through the ring in Christchurch as Lot 185 and says On The Throne has broken in beautifully. “I love having gallopers at Waikato Stud as well as the ones I have racing so hopefully we can repay the favour to Mark with this filly. “There are a lot of cross coders around, some that people wouldn’t realise, and it can only be good for the industry.” When the Waikato Stud colours eventually roll on to a harness track here they will join some of New Zealand’s most famous thoroughbred colours with Pencarrow (Sir Peter Vela), Tommy Heptinstall (owner of Jolimont) and most regularly Graeme Rogerson of course just some of the major thoroughbred names having harness horses race in their colours recently. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Chase A Dream is not only back but Queensland-bound. The big improver of the last month, winning the Flying Mile at Cambridge before chasing Leap To Fame home in the Race By Betcha, has accepted an invitation to the Rising Sun at Albion Park in July 5. Co-trainer Mark Purdon hopes that four-year-old can win the A$300,000 Rising Sun to springboard himself into the A$1million Inter Dominion Final two weeks later without needing to contest any of the Inter Dom heats. If Chase A Dream, or any other four-year-old, wins the Rising Sun and want to race in the Inter Dom Final they still have to contest the Kevin Thomas Four-Year-Old in July 12 so they, like the Interdom horses, compete on three consecutive Saturdays. “We are thrilled to get the invite and are definitely going,” says Purdon. “We will take him for the Rising Sun and hopefully into the Inters while Oscar [Bonavena] will go over for the Inter Trot series. “And we will take Rubira for the Queensland Derby.” Chase A Dream worked well on Wednesday morning and is on target for the Messenger at Alexandra Park on Friday week and will then head to what Mark calls “Dad’s race”, the $100,000 Roy Purdon Memorial on May 2. Oscar Bonavena will head to both meetings for the Anzac Cup and Rowe Cups but Rubira will miss next week’s Northern Derby. “He had that slight track accident so he won’t be ready for that and can get ready for Queensland.” Knowing that Purdon and son Nathan will be bringing three reps to the carnival will be a great relief to Albion Park officials as the strength of the locals threatened to scare most of the Kiwis away, especially after the news on Tuesday night that Merlin will miss the carnival and head for a spell. Chase A Dream was quickly promoted to $3.50 favourite for the Rising Sun after the news of his invitation broke on Tuesday. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk A eight hectare property in harness racing heartland is currently on the market. Located in Canterbury, between Rolleston and West Melton, the property featuring an oval training track will go to auction in early May. For “coming up four years” it’s been home for dual code trainer Jackie Burrows and her family. “It’s a niche property .. but it has so much potential,” she says. The property, on Newtons Road, includes a four bedroom house, two cottages, bar room with guest facilities, including bedroom, bathroom and kitchen and a one bedroom portacom as well as a 760m oval sand training track, a 60m x 40m all-weather sand arena with four adjoining day yards, a stable block, two walk-in, walk-out yards and 19 additional paddocks. “It is subdividable but if you do that you lose the track,” says Burrows. “It was only listed last Friday and there’s been some interest already, even some from overseas.” Burrows has been training standardbreds on and off since 2002, with Vrilo her best performer of late with three wins in 2024. Very much a hobby trainer, Burrows is also the chief executive of He Waka Tapu, a Kaupapa Māori organisation that runs a range of community-based programmes and services. It has offices in Christchurch, Ashburton and the Chatham Islands. Born in the King Country, Burrows was brought up on Chatham Islands before moving to the mainland as a teenager. The Burrows have now decided to sell the Canterbury property as part of a “lifestyle change”. “My husband George and I have signed a 3-year lease with extension option of another 6 years on the Chatham Island Hotel. It’s a big commitment – there are 55 rooms, a pub and a rental car business as well as tours coming over from the Mainland (NZ), most weeks in the spring and summer seasons.” She will continue at He Waka Tapu and estimates she’ll divide her time between Canterbury and the Chathams about “half and half”. And that means her days as a hobby horse trainer are all but over. “I will keep my hand in, I have a few horses on the island already but I won’t be training anymore.” All going well the Burrows plan to relocate in early August. AUCTION: Thursday May 8, 2025 from 11:00am Harcourts Grenadier 98 Moorhouse Avenue (Unless Sold Prior) To view the listing click here View the full article

A back-up plan has been agreed to if bad weather means Monday’s meeting on the grass at Motukarara cannot be held. If the track is deemed unsuitable then the meeting will move to Addington. The forecast for Easter in Canterbury is for showers on Thursday and intermittent rain continuing through to Sunday. “Our intention is to race at Motukarara and we are committed to that but we have come up with a contingency plan to ensure the meeting goes ahead even if the Mot is deemed unsuitable,” says Harness Racing New Zealand’s Head of Racing Matthew Peden. “HRNZ, the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club and Addington Raceway all believe this is the best way forward.” An inspection of the track will take place on Saturday, April 19 at 10am. It will involve a Stipendiary Steward, and club and HRNZ representatives. “We will make a decision then as whether the meeting can go ahead as scheduled,” says Peden, “should the track be deemed unsuitable, this will allow the team at the Addington Raceway sufficient time to make arrangements to host the meeting at their venue on Monday.” “We are letting people know of our plans now so everyone can do some forward planning. It will definitely minimize any disruption.” If the meeting moves to Addington race distances will be relative to what was programmed at Motukarara, and the front line limits will remain the same as they would be at Motukarara as well. Nominations close at noon tomorrow (Wednesday), with withdrawals at 2pm. For more information contact matthew.peden@hrnz.co.nz View the full article

On the back of another season of elite level performers and excellent sale ring results, LA have lifted the service fee for Per Incanto this season to $60,000 plus GST. The son of Street Cry will serve a limited book of 85 mares. Australian Gr.1 victories in 2025 by Jimmysstar and Gringotts, together with the emergence of the exciting Gr.2 winning 3YO Evaporate as a genuine elite level performer, along with a string of Gr. 2 winners Marble Arch, Belclare and Marotiri Molly now has the stallion deservedly recognised amongst the very best stallions in Australasia. This coming Saturday has Per Incanto with four horses set to feature on the final day of the Championships, head lined by Belclare and Jimmysstar in the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes. Per Incanto is currently locked in a titanic battle with Savabeel for the Centaine Award for the NZ sire with the highest prizemoney earnt worldwide. With over $15 million in earnings already, he’s less than $150k behind the Waikato Stud stallion who has owned the Award since 2015. Per Incanto’s yearling sale results increased again in 2025, averaging NZ $207,000 for 34 yearlings sold across the five major yearling sales. He recently averaged A$425.000 at Sydney Easter. New in 2025 is Little Brose. Photo: supplied Little Brose, Per Incanto’s Gr 1 Blue Diamond winning son, will stand at $15,000 plus GST for his first season in 2025. The Street Cry bloodline has had an incredible 2024-25 season in Australia highlighted by the performances of the stock of his three sire sons Per Incanto, Pride of Dubai and Street Boss. The weekend racing again highlighted the strength of the Blue Diamond as a race for sires with Written By (2018) and Tagaloa (2020) posting black type performers. Little Brose is the first Australian 1200m Gr.1 winning two-year-old colt to debut at stud in NZ. He will have his first public parade at Little Avondale on 15 May. View the full article

Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) has conquered all before him over a mile in Australia and the star Kiwi-bred galloper has touched down in Hong Kong this week in pursuit of next Sunday’s Gr.1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m). A winner of 19 races, including nine at Group One level, Mr Brightside has been his ultra-consistent self throughout the current racing season, with victories in the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), Gr.1 Champion’s Mile (1600m) and Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m). When he wasn’t winning, the gelding was often runner-up, finishing second in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m), Gr.1 Might and Power (2000m), Gr.1 C.F Orr Stakes (1400m) and most recently, the Gr.1 All-Star Mile (1600m). The journey to Hong Kong was Mr Brightside’s first flight since heading to Australia from his homeland as a three-year-old, and his co-trainer Ben Hayes couldn’t have been happier with his condition on arrival. “He’s travelled over beautifully, no problems at all,” he told Racing.com. “The flight went really well, no delays and it’s only a nine-hour flight. It’s like going to Sydney on a float and probably not as bumpy. “It was only his second flight, but he was very professional, which we expected. He’s settling in and he’ll most likely have a quiet day today, then we might have him under saddle tomorrow (Wednesday).” Before his Group One assignment at Sha Tin, Mr Brightside will have a pair of gallops under regular trackwork rider Ross Wishart, who travelled over with the horse. “His race is on the 27th (of April) so he’ll most likely, if he does really well, either gallop Friday or Saturday and then have his final gallop on the Tuesday for the Sunday,” Hayes said. The son of Bullbars is the leading light for Hayes and his brothers Will and JD, who operate Lindsay Park Racing in Australia. Their father David Hayes will also play a major role on FWD Champions Day, with his phenomenal Kiwi-bred sprinter Ka Ying Rising the hot-favourite for the Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m). View the full article

Dual Group One winner Belclare’s (NZ) (Per Incanto) return home for a three-race campaign didn’t go to plan earlier this year, and now she is back on the other side of the Tasman to try and get her preparation back on track. She was reunited with former trainer Lisa Latta to attempt to defend her crowns in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) and Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie, with a tilt at the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) also in the mix, but the fairytale ending was not to be. She was unplaced in all three runs and owner-breeder David Woodhouse elected to send her back to Bjorn Baker in Sydney for whom she had so much success last spring. “She was always going back to Australia, I only brought her back for those three races,” Woodhouse said. “I thought it (Ellerslie) would be a perfect track, perfect races for her, a perfect distance, and nothing worked out. We should have stayed in Australia but it’s easy to say in hindsight.” After failing to meet her $700,000 reserve at last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast, Belclare was entrusted to the care of Baker, and after taking a couple of starts to find her feet in Sydney, she collected a couple of major cheques for Woodhouse when taking out the A$2 million The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick before doubling up in the Gr.2 Hot Danish (1400m) at Rosehill. Woodhouse would love to see her return to that winning form when she heads to Randwick on Saturday to contest the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), but said she faces a stiff task against a quality line-up. “It is a hot field,” he said. “Bjorn rang me this morning and said she is doing everything right and he is going to put Rachel King on her, who rides her trackwork. He is happy with her. “This will be the best field she has ever raced against I’d say.” Belclare’s plans post-Saturday are still up in the air, but she will likely return to the Gold Coast next month to be offered at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. “She is entered for the Magic Millions, but I haven’t made a final decision yet,” Woodhouse said. Meanwhile, back in New Zealand, Woodhouse is looking forward to watching his talented three-year-old filly Connello (NZ) (Time Test) try and breakthrough for a maiden stakes success at Riccarton next week in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m). The Time Test filly finished runner-up behind Dream Of The Moon in last Saturday’s Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at the Christchurch track, her third stakes placing this preparation, and Woodhouse is keen to secure that elusive stakes scalp. She returned to his Wairarapa property following her eighth placed run in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham last month and he said she had thrived with the freshen-up. “She came home to my place for 10 days after the Oaks and she freshened up nicely,” Woodhouse said. “She just does so well in her training and she ate every oat in her feed bowl when she was home, and when she went south she ate her dinner and breakfast and Andrew (Carston, caretaker trainer) thought she had done so well overnight that he had to give her a bit of work on Friday morning (before the race) where normally they count the trip as a gallop. She is a very good doer.” Woodhouse was pleased with Saturday’s performance, and while he thinks the 2000m of the Warstep may be a bit too far for his filly, he is willing to roll the dice. “Drawing so wide (16) we had to go back a bit and try to get a bit of cover and it was a good run. We are going to stay down for the Warstep and hopefully we can get a better draw,” he said. “We think she is a 1600m horse, but we will have one more crack at the 2000m and then she will come home for a decent spell, she has had a fairly long season. “The Te Akau horse (Dream Of The Moon) will take a bit of beating again, but that is racing, and we are there to beat her.” View the full article

Kiwi Group One-winning sprinter Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto) has landed in Perth ahead of next week’s A$5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot Racecourse. Owner-breeder Daniel Nakhle accepted the Trackside NZ and Perth Racing’s offer to fill their slot in the rich feature, and co-trainer Danny Walker, who flew to Western Australia with his stable star, is looking forward to testing his gelding’s talent across the Tasman. “It’s an honour and a privilege to get it (slot) and we were pretty keen to give it a go,” said Walker, who trains in partnership with Arron Tata. “Hopefully they have selected the right horse.” Crocetti arrived in Perth last night following a two-leg flight, and Walker couldn’t be any happier with how his charge handled the taxing trip. “He flew to Sydney on Sunday and then arrived in Perth last night. He has settled in well, he travelled excellent, I am really happy with him,” Walker said. “He went out for a little trot this morning and he seems very happy.” With The Quokka set to take place on Saturday-week, the pair have arrived with plenty of time to acclimatise. “We have got 10 days until he races,” Walker said. “He will tick along and do a bit of pace work and cantering. The plan is to gallop him at ‘Breakfast with the Stars’ next Tuesday.” The stable has secured the services of big-race jockey Craig Williams, who was earmarked to ride the son of Zacinto last season if he had raced in Australia following his standout three-year-old campaign, which netted six wins from seven starts, including victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). “Craig Williams will ride. He was going to ride him if he went to Australia as a three-year-old and he has always kept in touch and said to keep him in-mind,” Walker said. Crocetti heads into next Saturday in good form, with his victory in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie in January bookended by placings in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m) and Gr.3 Kings Plate (1200m). Crocetti will be met by a formidable line-up next week, including the Bjorn Baker-trained Overpass, who has a vice grip on Western Australia’s richest race, having won the first two editions. View the full article

What Happy Valley Races Where Happy Valley Racecourse – Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley, Hong Kong When Wednesday, April 16, 2025 First Race 6:40pm HKT (8:40pm AEST) Visit Dabble Hong Kong racing returns to Happy Valley on Wednesday evening, with a competitive nine-part program set for decision. The rail moves to the B course, and with nothing but sunny skies forecast in the lead-up, punters can expect a genuine Good 4 surface. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 6:40pm HKT. Best Bet at Happy Valley: Loving Vibes Loving Vibes is testing the patience of punters, running second in his last three outings. He couldn’t reel in Jumbo Treasure at Sha Tin on March 30 but did a good job clinging to a spot in the minor money, with a wall of horses looking set to take over in the final furlong. Zac Purton gets legged aboard the improving four-year-old, and although he’s yet to win heading into start 11, this appears to be a terrific chance for Loving Vibes to strike. Best Bet Race 7 – #10 Loving Vibes (7) 4yo Gelding | T: Francis Lui | J: Zac Purton (56kg) Next Best at Happy Valley: Midori Giant Midori Giant appears well placed dropping into Class 4 company for the first time after giving a good account of himself in five Hong Kong starts. The son of Maurice comes through a strong form race at Sha Tin on March 23, and although he went down by six lengths on that occasion, he was still there whacking away over the 1800m. He tackles Happy Valley for the first time and should relish stepping out to the 2200m. Provided the breaks fall his way, Midori Giant must be considered a major player at a good price with horse racing bookmakers. Next Best Race 2 – #1 Midori Giant (7) 4yo Gelding | T: Mark Newnham | J: Lyle Hewitson (61kg) Best Value at Happy Valley: Lucky Sam Gor Lucky Sam Gor has been consistent without winning in his four Hong Kong starts, never beaten more than three lengths in his short career. He got the run of the race in his latest outing at Sha Tin on March 23 but lacked the turn of foot to get by the likes of Sky Deep and Harold Win. Barrier two allows Luke Ferraris to slot into the one-one throughout the 1650m journey, and with this guy ready to peak at start five, Lucky Sam Gor should prove hard to hold out at each-way odds with . Best Value Race 3 – #8 Lucky Sam Gor (2) 3yo Gelding | T: Mark Newnham | J: Luke Ferraris (55.5kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Happy Valley Happy Valley quadrella selections Wednesday, April 16, 2025 1-3-5-6 1-2-8-10 2-3-4-5 1-3-4 Horse racing tips View the full article

What Warwick Farm Races Where Warwick Farm Racecourse – 2 Hume Hwy, Warwick Farm NSW 2170 When Wednesday, April 16, 2025 First Race 12:50pm AEST Visit Dabble Metro racing returns to Warwick Farm on Wednesday afternoon, with a competitive eight-part program set for decision. The rail moves out +3m for the entire circuit, and with no significant rainfall forecast leading into race-day, punters can expect a Good 4 surface. The opening race is scheduled to commence at 12:50pm AEST. Best Bet at Warwick Farm: Soul Of Spain Soul Of Spain was a good thing licked in his second Australian start at Ballarat on April 2, sitting wide without cover before thundering down the centre of the course to miss by a half-length. The Irish import simply had no luck from barrier 10 under Damien Lane, and with any cover throughout, he would’ve won with plenty in hand. Stepping out to the 2200m third-up should be ideal, and with James McDonald set to be legged aboard from barrier six, Soul Of Spain should make amends at a good price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Bet Race 4 – #4 Soul Of Spain (6) 4yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (57kg) Next Best at Warwick Farm: Dwayne Dwayne ran into a smart one in the form of San Gabriel at Gosford on March 27, holding off all other rivals by two lengths as the pair fought out the finish. He led them up on that occasion, so expect James McDonald to adopt similar tactics from barrier one. Dwayne appears to bring an element of class to this contest, and with even luck, expect this guy to be shirking the maiden tag at start three. Next Best Race 3 – #1 Dwayne (1) 3yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (59kg) Best Value at Warwick Farm: Contaldo Contaldo is set to have his first run in Australia since joining the Joseph Pride barn. The War Front gelding hasn’t been asked for much in his recent barrier trials, cruising through the wire to suggest he is on-song for this first-up assignment. The four-year-old has form over 1400m to 2400m in the past, and although 1200m may prove too sharp for Contaldo, he warrants plenty of respect at the each-way price with . Best Value Race 5 – #6 Contaldo (2) 4yo Gelding | T: Joseph Pride | J: Jason Collett (59.5kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Warwick Farm Warwick Farm quadrella selections Wednesday, April 16, 2025 2-4-6-8 6-8-13-16 2-3-4-9 4-6-7-9-12-14 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

What Caulfield Heath Races Where Caulfield Racecourse – Gate 2, Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145 When Wednesday, April 16, 2025 First Race 1pm AEST Visit Dabble Midweek racing in Melbourne heads to the Caulfield Heath circuit on Wednesday afternoon for a competitive eight-race meeting. A perfect autumn day is forecast, with the Good 4 track rating expected to hold throughout the program. The rail sticks to its true position, with the first event set to commence at 1pm AEST. Best Bet at Caulfield Heath: Trangoojahray Trangoojahray has put together three straight wins, and her two wins this time in suggest a BM70 field like this is at her mercy. The four-year-old mare raced up on speed at Pakenham last time out and kept finding under Carleen Hefel when putting 1.8 lengths on her BM64 rivals. Barrier 10 on Wednesday is offset by the fact the Grunt progeny wants to race up on speed, and she should lob in a similar position as she did at her last start. Best Bet Race 8 – #9 Trangoojahray (10) 4yo Mare | T: Enver Jusufovic | J: Carleen Hefel (58kg) Next Best at Caulfield Heath: Charming Nic Charming Nic was simply too good for maiden grade when getting the job done at Swan Hill by seven lengths. The three-year-old gelding stalked the speed throughout and put his rivals away to suggest he is above average. Harry Coffey will need a bit of luck from barrier 10, but if he can lob in a spot on off the rails, Charming Nic will prove too hard to hold out once again. Next Best Race 7 – #3 Charming Nic (8) 3yo Gelding | T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | J: Harry Coffey (59.5kg) Next Best Again at Caulfield Heath: Whateley The Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Whateley is set to resume after nine months away from the racetrack, and he looks to have a class edge on his rivals. The three-year-old chased home the smart Sneaky Sunrise in both starts last campaign and was far from disgraced, including on debut when finishing on the heels of the talented Henlein. Ethan Brown will likely have the son of Written Tycoon stalking the speed throughout, and if Whateley is ready to go fresh, he will win. Next Best Again Race 3 – #8 Whateley (6) 3yo Gelding | T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | J: Ethan Brown (59kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Caulfield Heath Caulfield Heath quadrella selections Wednesday, April 16, 2025 1-4-6-8 5-6-8-9 3-4-5 8-9 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Belclare is back in Sydney to contest Saturday’s Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. Photo: Race Images Dual Group One winner Belclare’s return home for a three-race campaign didn’t go to plan earlier this year, and now she is back on the other side of the Tasman to try and get her preparation back on track. She was reunited with former trainer Lisa Latta to attempt to defend her crowns in the Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m) and Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie, with a tilt at the Group 1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) also in the mix, but the fairytale ending was not to be. She was unplaced in all three runs and owner-breeder David Woodhouse elected to send her back to Bjorn Baker in Sydney for whom she had so much success last spring. “She was always going back to Australia, I only brought her back for those three races,” Woodhouse said. “I thought it (Ellerslie) would be a perfect track, perfect races for her, a perfect distance, and nothing worked out. We should have stayed in Australia but it’s easy to say in hindsight.” After failing to meet her $700,000 reserve at last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast, Belclare was entrusted to the care of Baker, and after taking a couple of starts to find her feet in Sydney, she collected a couple of major cheques for Woodhouse when taking out the A$2 million The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick before doubling up in the Group 2 Hot Danish (1400m) at Rosehill. Woodhouse would love to see her return to that winning form when she heads to Randwick on Saturday to contest the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), but said she faces a stiff task against a quality line-up. “It is a hot field,” he said. “Bjorn rang me this morning and said she is doing everything right and he is going to put Rachel King on her, who rides her trackwork. He is happy with her. “This will be the best field she has ever raced against I’d say.” Belclare’s plans post-Saturday are still up in the air, but she will likely return to the Gold Coast next month to be offered at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. “She is entered for the Magic Millions, but I haven’t made a final decision yet,” Woodhouse said. Meanwhile, back in New Zealand, Woodhouse is looking forward to watching his talented three-year-old filly Connello try and breakthrough for a maiden stakes success at Riccarton next week in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m). The Time Test filly finished runner-up behind Dream Of The Moon in last Saturday’s Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at the Christchurch track, her third stakes placing this preparation, and Woodhouse is keen to secure that elusive stakes scalp. She returned to his Wairarapa property following her eighth placed run in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham last month and he said she had thrived with the freshen-up. “She came home to my place for 10 days after the Oaks and she freshened up nicely,” Woodhouse said. “She just does so well in her training and she ate every oat in her feed bowl when she was home, and when she went south she ate her dinner and breakfast and Andrew (Carston, caretaker trainer) thought she had done so well overnight that he had to give her a bit of work on Friday morning (before the race) where normally they count the trip as a gallop. She is a very good doer.” Woodhouse was pleased with Saturday’s performance, and while he thinks the 2000m of the Warstep may be a bit too far for his filly, he is willing to roll the dice. “Drawing so wide (16) we had to go back a bit and try to get a bit of cover and it was a good run. We are going to stay down for the Warstep and hopefully we can get a better draw,” he said. “We think she is a 1600m horse, but we will have one more crack at the 2000m and then she will come home for a decent spell, she has had a fairly long season. “The Te Akau horse (Dream Of The Moon) will take a bit of beating again, but that is racing, and we are there to beat her.” View the full article

Crocetti has landed in Perth ahead of next Saturday’s A$5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot Racecourse. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Kiwi Group One-winning sprinter Crocetti has landed in Perth ahead of next week’s A$5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot Racecourse. Owner-breeder Daniel Nakhle accepted Trackside NZ and Perth Racing’s offer to fill their slot in the rich feature, and co-trainer Danny Walker, who flew to Western Australia with his stable star, is looking forward to testing his gelding’s talent across the Tasman. “It’s an honour and a privilege to get it (slot), and we were pretty keen to give it a go,” said Walker, who trains in partnership with Arron Tata. “Hopefully they have selected the right horse.” Crocetti arrived in Perth last night following a two-leg flight, and Walker couldn’t be any happier with how his charge handled the taxing trip. “He flew to Sydney on Sunday and then arrived in Perth last night. He has settled in well, he travelled excellent, I am really happy with him,” Walker said. “He went out for a little trot this morning and he seems very happy.” With The Quokka set to take place on Saturday-week, the pair have arrived with plenty of time to acclimatise. “We have got 10 days until he races,” Walker said. “He will tick along and do a bit of pace work and cantering. The plan is to gallop him at ‘Breakfast with the Stars’ next Tuesday.” The stable has secured the services of big-race jockey Craig Williams, who was earmarked to ride the son of Zacinto last season if he had raced in Australia following his standout three-year-old campaign, which netted six wins from seven starts, including victory in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). “Craig Williams will ride. He was going to ride him if he went to Australia as a three-year-old and he has always kept in touch and said to keep him in-mind,” Walker said. Crocetti heads into next Saturday in good form, with his victory in the Group 1 Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie in January bookended by placings in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Kings Plate (1200m). Crocetti will be met by a formidable line-up next week, including the Bjorn Baker-trained Overpass, who has a vice grip on Western Australia’s richest race, having won the first two editions. Horse racing news View the full article

South African jockey admits in-form galloper will face a tough test rising to Class Three at city circuit.View the full article

El Vencedor pictured during his exhibition gallop at Te Rapa on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) It is full steam ahead for the connections of El Vencedor, as the star galloper jets off to Hong Kong on Thursday in preparation for the Group 1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on April 27. El Vencedor has been unstoppable in New Zealand’s middle-distance ranks over the summer, winning three consecutive elite-level crowns in the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m), Group 1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) and Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m). The popular gelding’s stellar form did not go unnoticed on the global stage, rated joint-10th in the latest LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings and receiving an invitation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club to compete at the spectacle that is FWD Champions Day. Stephen Marsh, alongside owner-breeders David Price and Mark Freeman, swiftly accepted the offer, mapping out a plan that has gone smoothly to date. El Vencedor appeared at Ellerslie, the scene of so many of his successes, for an impressive trial win on April 3, before stepping out for an exhibition gallop on Sunday at Te Rapa. “He’s done everything we wanted to see,” Marsh said. “I thought his trial was great; then he galloped up beautifully on Sunday at Te Rapa and he pulled up really well. “We felt we’d given him enough after the Bonecrusher, he was fit and we just had to keep that fitness there. We haven’t been easy on him through the season, so he’s bang on. “He’s in a great vein of form, he’s feeling well and he looks a million dollars. I’m really looking forward to getting him over there.” After being carefully managed in their Cambridge barn, the son of Shocking will fly out of Auckland on Thursday with his trackwork rider Emma Smith, with Marsh to join them later in the week. “He’s had all his own gear and the same handlers, we’ve been careful without excluding him from the other horses,” Marsh said. “We’re just trying to keep everything perfect and so far, so good. “He flies out on Thursday and I’ll be travelling a couple of days later, Emma has been up there many a time and I’ll arrive there on Saturday. “It’s a great buzz for the whole team, all the workers, his owners, and the rest of our clients as well, everyone is really getting behind us. Horse racing news View the full article

Mehzebeen winning the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m). Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Time was always going to benefit Mehzebeen, and the Almanzor mare continues to emphasise that in her five-year-old season. She was bred and sold by Pencarrow Stud, and at Trentham furthered her black-type record with victory in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson. Mehzebeen had also completed the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) and Group 3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) double in the spring to realise the earlier staying potential she showed when runner-up in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m). “She has matured into a really nice mare and while it didn’t quite work out in Australia, she’s certainly in good form now,” Pencarrow Manager Leon Casey said. He was referring to the Te Akau-prepared mare’s two unplaced performances in Melbourne earlier this year. Mehzebeen is out of the since sold Zabeel mare Salkantay, dam of three winners including another stakes performer in Smiling Touch, and was secured by Sarai Stud for $50,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale. “She was a lovely type of filly and was just a little bit immature and hadn’t really furnished up as much as the others,” Casey said. “There was obviously interest in her, but she was always going to take some time. “She came off our Bellwood farm where we do some of our yearling fillies, it’s a hill property and she went over just after weaning and did her full preparation there. “We prepare and sell from that farm, we’ve only been doing it for a few years. It’s a very small number and she’s our fifth individual stakes winner going through that system.” Mehzebeen continued Pencarrow’s good roll following the recent debut victory over 1400m at Waverley of debutante Powersofpersuasion in Sir Peter Vela’s colours while homebred and raced Tomodachi was a late finishing third in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) at Trentham. Powersofpersuasion is a three-year-old daughter of Ten Sovereigns and the Darci Brahma mare Persuasive, a winner on five occasions up to 1400m. “That was Stephen and Julia’s 10th winner for the season from a small team and she won nicely,” Casey said. “We sell five or six fillies a year and keep the others to race and all three grew up on the hill farm.” Pencarrow has a half-brother to Powersofpersuasion by Nicconi who will be offered at the New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale and a colt by Eminent while the dam is in foal to Reliable Man. Lightly raced Tarzino mare Tomodachi has won five of her eight starts for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and is out of the High Chaparral’s daughter Quintessentially, a granddaughter of champion mare Ethereal. Quintessentially’s colt by Hello Youmzain sold for $80,000 at Karaka earlier this year and she is in foal to Pride Of Dubai. Horse racing news View the full article

An Australian campaign is in the offing for Pier. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Pier may have fallen just short of winning Saturday’s Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m), but trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley couldn’t have been happier with their returning star ahead of a potential campaign in Queensland. As a three-year-old, Pier won a competitive Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and placed in a Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) and Group 3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m). Since then, he has spent much of the last two seasons on the sidelines, including after winning impressively when resuming last June. A sharp trial at Ellerslie gave the Weatherleys confidence heading into his resuming run in the Trentham feature, where he settled near the tail of the field and stormed home to miss Slipper Island by a half-head, breaking 11 seconds for the final 200m. “Pier is our stable stalwart, he’s had well-documented issues but we’ve given him the time that he’s needed,” Darryn Weatherley said. “His work going into the race was super, his trial was excellent at Ellerslie and he was pretty fit for Saturday, he looked good in the parade ring and I thought he would run some sort of a race, which he did alongside Tomodachi. “Taking nothing away from the winner, with an ounce of luck he probably could’ve won, he changed ground two or three times in the straight. “It was great to see him come back and do that over 1200m when they’ve run such a good time, his sectionals were exceptional.” Delighted to have Pier back at his best, Weatherley is eyeing a time-honoured feature during the Brisbane Winter Carnival in June. “We’re thrilled to bits to have him back, he’s our first and only Group One winner so he holds a very special place in our stable,” he said. “He’s five rising six now, and to be honest, I think he’s only just grown into himself. “He’s having a couple of days in the paddock, the weather looks like it’s turning so he’ll probably come back into his box on Tuesday night. He’ll go to the track and swim for a week, then ideally, we would love to get to Brisbane. “I know it’ll be a hard race to get into, but a race like the Stradbroke (Group 1, 1400m) would be an ideal race for him, maybe even if we have to go a bit earlier and run in a race like the Kingsford-Smith Cup (Group 1, 1300m) to qualify, we’ll have to wait and see. “We’re still six or seven weeks away from that so we’ve got a bit of time up our sleeve. “That would be ideal, I’d love to go and get a little bit of sun on my back before the winter months.” Less than 24 hours after Pier’s effort at Trentham, his close relation Bulgari kicked off his racing career in the best possible fashion at Te Rapa, winning the Five Stags Leamington 2YO (1200m). A son of Hello Youmzain, Bulgari was purchased for $220,000 by the Weatherleys at the National Yearling Sales last January, continuing their highly-successful association with a family that has produced Pier and Group Three-winning sprinter Maria Farina. The colt had made three appearances at the trials for a win and two placings, most recently in the hands of Matt Cartwright, who was aboard when he stepped out on debut on Sunday. Underrated in the market at $11, Bulgari stepped away fairly from the gates and Cartwright let him find his feet in the second half of the field, while race-favourite Princess Elsa and Rising Star set a strong tempo up-front. Coming to the middle of the track, Bulgari began to hunt down the leaders in the straight and showed a similarly sharp turn-of-foot that his siblings possess to fend off a game Do You Just, with Rising Star holding well in third. The road to raceday hadn’t gone entirely to plan with Bulgari going shin-sore on several occasions, and his trainers were rapt to see him performing up to their early hopes. “We bought the colt at Karaka because he was closely related to Pier and Maria Farina in the book and each time I went back to look at him, I liked him more,” Weatherley said. “We paid more for him than Briar and I could afford, but we managed to syndicate him which was cool. “He won his first trial very well left-handed at Rotorua, but we put him out after that because he went shin-sore. He came back and ran third at Pukekohe right-handed at the trials, which was a little bit deflating because he’d gone so well the first time, but we discovered he was shin sore again. “We put him aside again and brought him back, then he went to Ellerslie and didn’t go a bad trial there with the rail out a long way. His work during the week on the course-proper (at Matamata) was pretty good and my son Sam galloped him, and he thought back left-handed over 1100m, they’ll know he’s in the race. “Sam gave me a little bit more confidence and he was proved right, we’re very pleased.” Weatherley is able to draw a number of comparisons between the talented trio, who share the same granddam in Naturo, a multiple stakes winner herself. “He’s got the same temperament as them which is beautiful, he wants to be a racehorse,” he said. “He’s a colt and all he wants to do is eat and sleep which is ideal, he’s very placid and easy to have around. He has got a little bit of that same acceleration as them as well. “The plan was always to give him three educational trials, then I wanted to give him one run for experience before the winter and hopefully get some points for next season as a three-year-old. “It’s certainly going to be a lot easier now that he’s won a race, it’s an added bonus.” Bulgari was bred by Jamieson Park, who remain in a large ownership group that includes the Weatherleys and Barry Wright. Horse racing news View the full article

Western Empire winning The Gold Rush at Ascot. Photo: Western Racepix Western Empire (Iffraaj) has signalled he’s ready to fire in the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot on April 26, with a sharp trial victory at Belmont on Sunday. The seven-year-old, who hasn’t raced since claiming the Group 3 Gold Rush (1400m) in December, made all in the 1000-metre heat and surged through the line under William Pike, defeating stakes performers Twain’s Angel and Ripcord. It was the Grant and Alana Williams-trained gelding’s second and final trial ahead of his Quokka assignment, and Pike was full of praise. “He felt really good and we were a bit more positive,” Pike told Racing WA. “We just wanted to make sure he got a good hit out; they ran the trial a bit steady last time. “We bounced out and made sure he got everything out of it, and I think he did. He loafed around a bit in front, and I got a bit more serious when they ran up to him. “It was just about perfect. His attitude was really good which is a key factor, sometimes he can get upset but seems in a great place at the moment.” Western Empire currently heads the local hopes for the Quokka, shading Group 3 Roma Cup (1100m) runner-up Jokers Grin. But both will need to overcome classy interstate sprinter Overpass, who chases a third consecutive win in the race. Horse racing news View the full article

ABR's Tom Pedulla offers takeaways from reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna's latest stellar performance in the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, and other major stakes. View the full article

California trainer Felix Rondan has been suspended seven days and fined $1,000 after the 4-year-old filly Cee's the Image tested positive for the muscle relaxer methocarbamol after a March 8 race at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Without A Fight ridden by Mark Zahra winning the 2023 Melbourne Cup. Photo: Pat Scala (Racing Photos) Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight and Group 3-winning mare Isthmus are on track to resume during the Queensland Winter Carnival, with co-trainer Sam Freedman confirming both horses are progressing well. Without A Fight hasn’t raced since finishing down the field in December’s Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) but is expected to trial in the coming weeks. His campaign could include a mouth-watering clash with Pride Of Jenni. “He is fresh and moving well so hopefully we can get a nice preparation into him in Queensland,” Freedman told Racing.com. “It’s all form dependent, he owes us nothing, we will obviously get a guide on his trials. We gave him a really nice break, which he needed.” Without A Fight was dominant in Queensland last year, winning the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m) and the Group 2 Q22 (2200m) before claiming spring glory in the Melbourne Cup. Stablemate Isthmus, who was sidelined during the autumn with an entrapped epiglottis, has also returned to work. “We don’t really want to rush her to get her to a race like the Sangster,” Freedman said. “I think we will wait and get up to Queensland for some of the sprints.” Horse racing news View the full article