Wandering Eyes

The three-day A Good Life Well Lived – Equine Summit ran from Monday, August 11-Wednesday, August 13 in Co Kilkenny. It was presented by the Irish Equine Veterinary Association (IEVA), in partnership with Connolly's Red Mills and featured attendees from numerous Irish industry bodies. During the first day, attendees visited Ballylinch Stud for lunch and a tour of the farm, as well as a stallion parade. Later in the day, guests attended a tour of the manufacturing facilities of Connolly's Red Mills in Goresbridge, and the day concluded with a summit supper at Mount Juliet Estate. The second day, IEVA presented a programme of presentations relating to equine wellness, for all those involved with or working in the Irish bloodstock industry. The day commenced with the guided tour of Connolly's Red Mills, lunch at Gowran Park and a series of presentations delivered by Dr Orla Doherty, Dr David Marlin, Dr Alina Vale; and Nicole Groyer, Louise Jones, Sorcha O'Connor and Mike Sheilds of Connolly's Red Mills. Wednesday's session began at the mill with presentations on 'Clinical Nutrition Insights- Nutrition as a Tool' and 'From field to factory to feed pot- What is NOPS? Reducing risks of positive drug tests due to contamination', as well as a tour of the mill. Lunch was held at Gowran Park prior to a series of afternoon presentations delivered by Dr Orla Dohery, 'Applying equine psychology to improving behaviour, handling and training'; Dr David Marlin, 'Managing Racehorses in the Heat Optimising Performance & Welfare'; and Dr Alina Vale, 'Racehorse Fatalities- What Can We Learn from Tragedy?'. The final presentation, delivered by Louise Jones and Sorcha O'Connor of Connolly's Red Mills, was titled 'Teamwork in Equine Nutrition , How Vets and Nutritionists Can Win Together'. The day ended with racing and dinner at Gowran Park. The post IEVA ‘A Good Life Well Lived – Equine Summit Concludes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last running in the Swedish Derby, Kentucky-bred Queen Azteca is set to make her United States debut in the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 16 for trainer Niels Petersen and Team Valor International.View the full article

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has begun a long-term partnership with the Sports Bureau of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in Urumqi with the goal of modernising the region's equine industry. The partnership was announced on Tuesday, with the aim of leveraging the resources of both the Jockey Club and the Bureau to promote the upgrading of Xinjiang’s equine industry. Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges visited the site alongside Executive Director Andrew Harding and members...View the full article

International bloodstock agent and farm manager Michael Motion, father of Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Graham Motion, has died at 95.View the full article

A total of 266 yearlings have been catalogued for the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale to be held Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Fairplex in Pomona. The single-session auction kicks off at 11 a.m. PT. Sires represented by yearlings in this year's catalogue include Army Mule, Authentic, Clubhouse Ride, Corniche, Cyberknife, Drain the Clock, Early Voting, Good Magic, Grazen, Hard Spun, Justify, Knicks Go, Liam's Map, Maxfield, Maximus Mischief, McKinzie, Nashville, Olympiad, Omaha Beach, Oscar Performance, Practical Joke, Sir Prancelot (Ire), Stay Thirsty, Tiz the Law and Vekoma. The vast majority of yearlings catalogued are California-bred, although there are Kentucky-breds, two Arizona-breds and one Washington-bred on offer. “This sale annually offers the cream of the California-bred crop,” said Fasig-Tipton California representative Mike Machowsky. “There is a strong representation from both leading California and nationally ranked sires, as well as good depth of pedigree on offer. “In 2024, and so far in 2025, our sale grads have won or placed in 66 stakes,” noted Machowsky. “California Fall continues to produce quality runners on the West Coast year-after-year.” Print catalogues are available and the online version may be viewed by clicking here. The post Fasig-Tipton California Yearlings Catalogue Now Available appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced juveniles from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes, sponsored by OBS Sales, highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, including links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Saturday at Saratoga, Ellis Park and Del Mar. Saturday, August 16, 2025 Saratoga 2, $90k, 2yo, f, (S), 6f, 1:10 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Maxpower (Maxfield), FTMMAY, 16,000, G C-Little Farm Equine, agent; B-Robert Reidy Ellis 4, $44k, Moc, 2yo, f, (R), 5 1/2f, 2:16 p.m. ET Faye's Gold (Goldencents), OBSAPR, 40,000, :10 C-Randy Miles, agent; B-Triton Thoroughbreds LLC Final Shipman (Midshipman), OBSJUN, 16,000, :21 C-Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, agent; B-Jarvis Racing Stable LLC Miss Rosso (Vino Rosso), OBSJUN, 35,000 PS, :10 C-Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, agent; B-Eric Foster No Argument (Frosted), OBSAPR, 20,000, :10 3/5 C-Eddie Woods, agent; B-Chad Schumer, agent Saratoga 6, $100k, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 3:29 p.m. ET Bodacious Queen (Munnings), OBSAPR, 80,000, :10 C-Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, agent; B-Black Horse B'stock Headspin (Hard Spun), OBSAPR, 335,000, :20 3/5 C-Ocala Stud, agent; B-Gainesway Farm Ellis 7, $44k, 2yo, f, (R), 1mT, 3:42 p.m. ET Frosty for Ever (Frosted), OBSAPR, 25,000, :10 2/5 C-Caliente Thoroughbreds; B-Ryan Ball, Dan Preiss, agent Saratoga 7, $100k, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 4:03 p.m. ET Tiger Rocket (Munnings), OBSMAR, 340,000, :10 1/5 C-Wavertree Stables Inc (Ciaran Dunne), agent;B-Donato Lanni, Agent for Frank Fletcher Racing Operation Sar 9, Skidmore S.-L, $150k, 2yo, 5.5fT, 5:11 p.m. ET Gypsy Art (Munnings), FTMMAY, 200,000, G C-Scanlon Training & Sales, agent; B-D Farrington Del Mar 3, $100k, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 6:00 p.m. ET Chapter One (Yaupon), FTMMAY, 500,000, :10 1/5 C-S G V Thoroughbreds (S Venosa), agt; B-J Casse for M V Magnier Trail Blaze (Daredevil), OBSJUN, 7,000, :10 3/5 C-de Meric Sales, agent; B-George Lopez Del Mar 4, $80k, 2yo, f, 1mT, 6:30 p.m. ET Improbable U (Improbable), OBSJUN, 65,000, :21 1/5 C-Top Line Sales LLC, agent; B-Mojallali Stable The post Summer Breezes Sponsored By OBS: Saturday, August 16, 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

DEAUVILLE, FRANCE – Arqana CEO Olivier Delloye says that he is quietly optimistic that the quality the sales company has assembled will result in bustling trade during the August Yearling Sale, before hinting that a number of new buyers could get in on the action over the next few days. The demand for bloodstock has never been as strong internationally. Records were broken in Japan and, hot on the heels from another bonanza of a sale at Saratoga in America, attention now turns to Arqana for the first European yearling sale of the year. And what a place for the occasion. He said, “We have had perfect conditions for viewing horses – not too hot but sunny, so we are very lucky. We had a great day yesterday [Thursday] so I think that adds to the positive atmosphere ahead of this sale.” Delloye added, “We had good races [at Deauville], a lot of runners and people were happy to be involved in those [Series] races. There were some good winners, I think, so it is all positive and fingers crossed for tomorrow now.” A number of British and Irish connections reaped the rewards for contesting the Series races given it was Ed Walker's Northern Champion who finished a length ahead of Brian Meehan's River Card (Ire) (Hello Youmzain) in the opening €160,000 two-year-old race over seven furlongs. That winner also provided a timely boost for the breeze-up fraternity given he was an €820,000 graduate at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale with Ed Sackville signing the docket on Roger Marley's Wootton Bassett colt on behalf of TBT Racing. More joy was to come for the breeze-up men and women when Cormac Farrell's graduate Rose Ghaiyyath (Ghaiyyath) scooped the second of the two €160,000 juvenile races when making a winning debut for red-hot trainer Richard Hughes and owner Jaber Abdullah. She had been sold at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale for €110,000 to Ted Durcan. Meanwhile, Alex Elliott and Valmont Racing were also in clover when the €280,000 purchase Cape Operator (Mohaather) landed the €260,000 contest for Ralph Beckett. The fourth Series race went the way of Andre Fabre courtesy of the Qatar Racing-owned Yellow Jersey (Dubawi) and the broad spectrum of winners was viewed as hugely positive with a view towards the middle market by the Arqana boss. He said, “I heard that [this year's bunch of horses are better than last year's] so that is obviously good news. I think it is consistent to when we went to view the horses on all of the farms during the spring. We felt that maybe they were probably a little more mature compared to the same time last year so this has been confirmed around the sales ground, which is good.” Delloye added, “I think we are seeing a few more breeze-up buyers here compared to last year, which is positive, because I am sure there are great opportunities in this sale for breeze-up consignors. But you have to be here and look at everything and that's why it's nice to have them here.” In terms of the top end, the big guns have turned out in their droves. John Magnier, Charlie Appleby, Kenny McPeek and a host of international buyers have made the trip. Among them is a strong travelling party from Japan, with Naohiro Goda revealing that seven or eight different trainers from that country will be making the trip to Deauville. Included in that number is the country's legendary trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who of course sourced Shin Emperor here, along with Mitsumasa Nakauchida and Hiroyasu Tanaka. The prospect of some new names featuring on the buyers' sheet was by no means dissuaded by Delloye, either. “There are a lot of new faces, definitely, and we will see what they do in terms of buying and hopefully we will see a few new names on the buyers' sheet,” he explained. Word on the street is that Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has purchased Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard but is understood not to have bought a single thoroughbred at public auction up until this point, could be about to enter the market. Sheikh Mansour's Wathba Stallions breeding operation is among the leaders in purebred Arabian racing with 900 horses reported to be on the books. Mathieu Legars, who spent six years working at Arqana before joining Sheikh Mansour's operation back in February, has already stated that the intention was for his new boss to get involved in thoroughbred racing. Legars has been busy inspecting the stock at Arqana this week and the potential involvement of Sheikh Mansour is sure to provide another fascinating subplot to action at Arqana from Saturday evening right through to Monday. Delloye concluded, “It is the first European yearling sale of the year so we will see how it goes but we are quite happy to launch a sale on Saturday evening, right after the races. In terms of atmosphere, it's probably something that suits better for the start of a sale. Here in France, sales have been very strong throughout the year. We had a very strong breeze-up sale in May and the horses-in-training sale in July was also very good. The statistics were all up at least 15 per cent on last year. We are coming into this sale with a bit of momentum.” The post Big-Hitters And Prospect Of ‘New Faces’ Getting Involved At Arqana August Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ahead of next week's York Ebor Festival, a middling Saturday in Britain and Ireland precedes a serious Sunday in France, where the G1 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois offers a grand spectacle of international flavour. Sponsored by Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard for many moons, Deauville's jewel of their August Meeting is now graced by another huge operation with great prestige to fit what has always been one of Europe's key events. Fortunately this year we get to see how a top Japanese runner can fare against the Euros in a race other than the Arc and it is fair to say that after the wins of Ascoli Piceno (Daiwa Major) in Riyadh's 1351 Turf Sprint and Tokyo's G1 Victoria Mile we should be expectant. A granddaughter of Ballydoyle's Fillies' Mile heroine Listen, she is linked to the past star miler Henrythenavigator and has the raw material to add another worldwide top-level success to her country's growing haul. It seems hard to believe that two of the season's most exciting prospects Rosallion (Blue Point) and Notable Speech (Dubawi) would be winless in six starts between them so far and that the latter would not even have made the frame in his three, so this is a key race for both. Notable Speech is becoming something of an enigma, while Rosallion keeps running his race but keeps getting run out of it in the big mile events. Could it be that this trip is a touch too far? What price would he have been for next week's newly-promoted City of York… Also in the mix is Diego Velazquez (Frankel), first time in the Sangster silks and bidding to become the first winner of the great race in them, and fellow Ballydoyle representative The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars) who still feels like a top-notcher even though his form this season doesn't back that up. The Aga Khan Studs would love to win it in their first year of sponsorship and the G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil winner Zabiari (Wootton Bassett) is the most likely of their duo to make an impact in a year where the big mile races are enjoyingly unpredictable. More Thunder Forecast? Saturday's action centres around Newbury's G2 Hungerford Stakes, where Saeed Suhail's Wokingham runner-up and Bunbury Cup winner More Thunder (Night Of Thunder) enters a new sphere but one for which he appears tailor-made. Other than him, progressive rivals in the seven-furlong feature are hard to spot and it is probably safe to say that William Haggas will be disappointed if he can't win one of the softest renewals in recent times. Also at Newbury, Colin Keane has some eye-catching rides for Juddmonte, with the St Leger entry Pinhole (Frankel) in the G3 Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes and the unbeaten Skimmer (Kingman) in the closing 10-furlong handicap. Given that the latter is moving back down in trip and bypassing next week's Great Voltigeur, it can probably be taken as read that he won't be following the path of his Leger-winning half-brother Logician but he remains an exciting prospect nonetheless. In between, there is Pinhole's juvenile half-brother Slight Of Foot, another Kingman in the seven-furlong novice who is also a half to Quadrilateral and a full-brother to the smart Thesis. At The Curragh on Saturday, Los Angeles (Camelot) remerges in the G3 Royal Whip, his first run back from a summer freshener and the initial movement of an orchestrated second Arc bid which could well come off in a year lacking a mile-and-a-half standout. Speaking of that race, Saturday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville sees Godolphin's Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Cualificar (Lope De Vega) advertise his wares ahead of the autumn showpiece. Aidan O'Brien has his usual irons in various fires throughout the weekend, with the unbeaten Daytona (Wootton Bassett) engaged in a fascinating renewal of Sunday's G3 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Francois Boutin. With setbacks to Albert Einstein and Gstaad and defeat for Italy at Newmarket, the relative of Sendawar wouldn't need to do much to be near the top of the stable's pecking order for the 2026 2,000 Guineas. The post Ascoli Piceno’s Jacques Le Marois Bid Lights Up The Weekend appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association announced Aug. 15 that Irad Ortiz is the recipient of the 2025 Mike Venezia Memorial Award. View the full article

5th-Dundalk, €18,000, Mdn, 8-15, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:38.02, st. PIERRE BONNARD (IRE) (c, 2, Camelot {GB}–Sultanina {GB} {G1SW-Eng, $303,395}, by New Approach {Ire}), one place behind the yard's subsequent TDN Rising Star Montreal when fourth on debut at Leopardstown last month, raced in front of the main pack behind the clear early leader. In front approaching the final furlong, the 6-5 favourite stayed on strongly to score by 2 1/4 lengths from Shaihaan (Night Of Thunder). “He's a lovely horse,” Ballydoyle's representative Chris Armstrong said of the son of the G1 Nassau Stakes winner Sultanina. “Wayne came in off him at Leopardstown and absolutely loved him. He said he's a great mover and he'll handle quick ground and an ease in the ground. On paper, it looked a very good maiden and especially when they were walking around the ring.” “He has got a host of options this year and he's one to really look forward to next year–he should be a lovely middle-distance horse. I asked Wayne if he could drop back to seven for the [Goffs] Million and he said he could. We will see how they all are after the weekend and see where they slot in. It is a good problem to have.” The winner is the seventh foal out of the dam, who also captured the G3 Pinnacle Stakes before securing her career-high at Goodwood. A daughter of the Listed Lupe Stakes winner Soft Centre (Zafonic), she is also a half to the dam of the Del Mar Oaks, Gamely and American Oaks heroine Anisette (Awtaad). Related to the GIII Long Island Handicap winner Dalvina (Grand Lodge) and the G3 Hampton Court Stakes winner Mohaafeth (Frankel), her yearling daughter of Coulsty is due to sell in next month's Goffs Orby Book 1. Sales history: €80,000 Wlg '23 GOFNOF; €280,000 Ylg '24 GOFORY. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $13,757. O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Rathasker Stud; T-Aidan O'Brien. Picture perfect Group 1-entered Camelot colt Pierre Bonnard justifies strong market support to open his account. There should be PLENTY more to come @coolmorestud | @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/b3WndcM5Hg — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 15, 2025 The post ‘One To Really Look Forward To’: Sultanina’s Son Pierre Bonnard Impresses Armstrong At Dundalk appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association has named multiple Eclipse winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. as the recipient of the 2025 Mike Venezia Memorial Award, according to a press release from the track on Friday. Ortiz, Jr., based this summer at Saratoga Race Course, was chosen by a committee comprised of members of the Venezia family, representatives of The Jockeys' Guild and retired Eclipse Award-winning rider Richard Migliore. A ceremony at Saratoga will be held on Friday, Aug. 22. “Joining the list of winners of the Venezia Memorial Award is a great honor and very humbling,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I look forward to thanking the Venezia family here at Saratoga, and sharing this with my family.” The award is presented annually to a jockey who displays the exemplary sportsmanship and citizenship that personified Venezia, who died as the result of injuries suffered in a spill in 1988. The post Irad Ortiz, Jr. Named 2025 Venezia Award Winner By NYRA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Emma Dillon, Emma Hunter, Dana Jones and Ciara Russell have all completed the ITBA Next Generation internship scheme for 2024/25, following placements with a wide variety of companies across the Thoroughbred industry, including Ballylinch Stud, Baroda Stud, the Curragh Racecourse, Goffs, the Irish National Stud, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA), Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM), Newtown Stud, Rathmore Stud, Rossenarra Stud, Tattersalls Ireland and Weatherbys. Dillon and Hunter have subsequently been accepted on the Godolphin Flying Start programme, while Russell will continue working with Goffs as a bloodstock executive and Jones will return to Ballylinch Stud for the foaling season before heading to Australia. The interns for 2025/25 have also been been named, with Lauren Day, Aaron Doyle, Emma English and Sarah Fitzpatrick all due to start their placements in the coming weeks. The placement hosts for 2025/26 include the Curragh, Goffs, Leopardstown Racecourse, Newtown Stud, Punchestown Racecourse, Tattersalls Ireland, Weatherbys Ireland and Yeomanstown Stud. The post ITBA Next Generation Class of 2024/25 Complete Internship Scheme appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred 2-year-old colt Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder), who hails from the family of Dubawi, went postward as the 2-1 joint-favourite for Friday's TPT Fire Supports St Michaels Hospice EBF Maiden Stakes at Newbury and returned with a TDN Rising Star rosette after delivering a mightly impressive wide-margin triumph in the straight one-mile test. The eventual winner dwelt at the break and lobbed along in rear through the initial fractions of this debut. Tanking forward on the bridle once past the halfway mark, he cruised to the fore approaching the furlong pole and thundered clear in taking style to easily outclass Be The Standard (Galiway) by an unextended 4 1/2 lengths. Bow Echo, a G2 Champagne Stakes entry, is the second of three foals and first scorer produced by a multiple-winning half-sister to dual Group 1-placed G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes winner Royal Rhyme (Lope De Vega), Height Of Fashion Stakes victrix Victoria Harbour (Frankel) and G2 May Hill Stakes third Zabeel Queen (Frankel). The March-foaled homebred bay's stakes-placed second dam Dubai Queen (Kingmambo) is a half-sister to five black-type performers headed by multiple Group 1-winning sire Dubawi (Dubai Millennium). Bow Echo is half to a yearling colt by Starspangledbanner. BOW ECHO – remember the name! We may have just seen something pretty special at @NewburyRacing as the son of Night Of Thunder dazzles on debut!@gbougheyracing | @loughnane_billy pic.twitter.com/rkvpWRHffm — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 15, 2025 The post Bow Echo Dazzles With TDN Rising Star Display at Newbury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Renowned international bloodstock agent Michael G. Motion, who was an innovator in his field, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at his home in Middleburg, Virginia Aug. 14, 2025. He was 95. Although he grew up involved in pony club and foxhunting in England, Motion's interests initially were in cattle and farming. He attended the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester before migrating to Canada where took a job working with pedigreed livestock. The position led him to a two-year stint in South America running a receiving center for imported cattle. Returning to England in 1956, Motion reconnected with Josephine Wells and the pair became engaged. 'Jo' was the first female to groom a winner of The Grand National at Aintree–Nickel Coin in 1951. The couple married in October 1956 before heading to America. Motion's knowledge of South America and his Spanish language skills landed him a job with an import-export company. Bored with that desk job, he decided to pursue other employment. In New York City in 1957, Motion asked a woman in a small bookshop where he might find an auction house. She directed him to Fasig-Tipton which was around the corner. There he interviewed with Humphrey Finney who hired him as a bookkeeper. He became the office's sixth employee. Motion left Fasig-Tipton after a year, but that brief tenure afforded him valuable experience when it came to the financial side of the Thoroughbred breeding industry. At 27, he secured a job at Mrs. John Burgwin's Barberry Farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It was Mrs. Burgwin's keen interest in horses that pushed Motion to create a proposal re-branding Barberry Farm as a viable Thoroughbred entity. He made his first purchase–two weanling fillies–at the 1958 Keeneland Fall Sale. In what was perhaps one of the first pinhooking ventures, he sold both as yearlings at Saratoga in 1959. Motion returned to Keeneland a few months later and purchased four in-foal mares, which officially brought Barberry into the Thoroughbred breeding business. Five years later, they were among Saratoga's top three consignors by average. In 1962, the Motions and their first two children–American-born daughters Claire and Philippa (“Pippa”)–returned to England. The Thoroughbred bloodstock industry was not yet international, so the reputation Motion developed in North America was unknown in England. That all changed when American clients started to come calling. Motion's understanding of the American buyers and the markets became an asset. The husband and wife team then moved to Herringswell near Newmarket in 1964, developing their own operation as Herringswell Manor Stud. Those same American clients sent horses to them, contributing to its prominence as a boarding facility in England for 15 years. During the 1970s, Motion expanded his business and solidified his status as a pathbreaker; he was one of the first bloodstock agents with clients in both on both sides of the Atlantic. His roster included Nelson Bunker Hunt's Blue Grass Farm; Taylor Hardin's Newstead Farm; William Hackman's Orange Hill Farm and Thomas Mellon Evans's Buckland Farm. In Europe, Daniel Wildenstein's Allez France Stable, Robert Sangster and Jean Ternynck. By the late 70s, Motion extended his base to include Japanese and Australian interests. He became Tattersalls's North American representative in 1976. Motion's friend Bill Oppenheim said, “Michael Motion was a Transatlantic pioneer as a farm manager and bloodstock agent who early on was active on both sides of The Pond. Among his smaller accomplishments was offering me, a young journalist, a no-obligation opportunity to attend the Tattersalls Yearling Sale in Newmarket in 1980 when he was the Tattersalls representative in America. “It was truly a life-changing experience for me, and we remained friends and occasional colleagues for decades until his retirement,” he said. “I regard him as one of my most influential mentors. He was a great man.” Motion is the father of leading trainer Graham Motion as well as Andrew Motion, who owns Old Chapel Farm in Virginia and develops horses for sales. Eldest daughter Claire is an educator in Middleburg, while his other daughter Pippa is involved in gourmet food and the catering business in Washington D.C. Funeral arrangements for Michael Motion are forthcoming. The post Pathbreaking International Bloodstock Agent Michael Motion Passes Away At 95 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“She has played her part,” says Pierre Gasnier with some understatement as a gaggle of visitors to the Aga Khan Studs gazes at Zarkava, now enjoying her retirement at the age of 20. With Thoroughbreds, it is the race records that separate the great from the good from the downright ordinary. Zarkava's stands her apart from the crowd by some wide margin. Seven wins, seven runs, with her parting gift on the track to her owner-breeder being her sensational Arc victory. Seventeen years have rolled on since then, and the gifts have kept coming. Zarkava is there in the background as the granddam of Zarigana, the best three-year-old filly in France this season, and another jump back in the pedigree of arguably the best two-year-old in Britain, Zavateri. All the while, her Group 1-winning son Zarak is giving kingpin Siyouni a run for his money as the operation's leading stallion. She has played her part indeed, and continues to do so. Zarkava now is not so reminiscent of the feisty filly she once was on the track: blood up, fire in her belly, testing the innate horsemanship of her trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre and jockey Christophe Soumillon. Here she stands, a pensioner, quiet as a lamb with her best friend Daltama, whose brother Dalakhani marked Zarkava's dance card upon retirement to stud. Two homebred Arc winners: what a first date. Zarkava in retirement at 20 | Emma Berry But that's the funny thing about this game, as the unassuming, smallish bay mare reminds us today. When racehorses are let loose in the paddock, unbound from the names that speak to their greatness, they are really just flesh and blood, the good ones and the the less good ones equally deserving of our care and respect. Zarkava is evidently content in this new phase of her life. She looks terrific, barely showing her age bar a slight dipping of her back. He final foal is now a yearling filly, appropriately by Siyouni, a mating that has already produced the Listed winner Zaykava. With Daltama her constant companion, she spends her days in the picturesque surroundings of Haras de Saint-Crespin, whose ownership by the Aga Khans stretches back almost as fair as their involvement with Zarkava's female forebears. Eight generations before she came along, her ancestress Mumtaz Mahal was bought by HH Aga Khan III in 1922. Five years later, he purchased Saint-Crespin, which borders the more recently acquired Haras de Bonneval, though even this dates back to the 1960s. The family's tenancy of the land is indicative of the long-term thinking behind Aga Khan III's venture into Thoroughbred breeding, and is is echoed by his great granddaughter Princess Zahra, who, when asked what advice she might impart to other breeders, replied instantly with one word: “Patience.” Expanding on this, she added, “A filly like Ridasiyna, or Ridari, their family hasn't produced much in the last years, so it's always about trying something different, working out what you did wrong last year, or the year before, or 10 years ago, and then going again, discussing the various elements. “I mean, there are so many variables, from the pedigree to the physical attributes, so it's spending the time, and it takes us a lot of time to get through the mares. But it's really about patience and reflection, and really evaluating all of the different aspects of your mare, and then sometimes you get surprises from the families that you don't expect, and it's always nice when that happens.” That slow and steady quest resulted in a Group 1 victory for Ridasiyna (Motivator), a fourth-generation Aga Khan Studs homebred who traces back to the acquisition, by HH Aga Khan IV, of the stock of Marcel Boussac in 1978. Her son Ridari (Churchill) is already a Group 3 winner this year and runs on Sunday in the G1 Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois, a new sponsorship arrangement which has prompted this week's press gathering at Haras de Bonneval. It was another of the 'lock, stock and barrel' purchases of a major owner-breeder's operation which has resulted in the stallion which Princess Zahra refers to as a “game-changer”. Siyouni, the multiple champion sire and one of the great success stories of the French stallion scene in many a year, emanates from the breeding empire of Jean-Luc Lagardere, who bred his dam Sichilla (Danehill). Appropriately, Siyouni first put his name on the map when winning the Group 1 two-year-old race named in Lagardere's honour back in 2009. The 18-year-old stallion's record at stud now runs to 11 Group 1 winners, the latest being the aforementioned Zarigana, his third daughter to win the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches after Ervedya and Dream And Do. Ervedya has herself now supplied a son to the home stallion ranks in the elegant Erevann, whose first foals are on the ground. He is a hope for the future, along with Vadeni, the Eclipse and Jockey Club-winning son of Churchill who is at the same stage in his career. Both stallions have covered three-figure books in their first two years at Bonneval, with Erevann being notably well supported by 168 then 153 mares in those two seasons. Siyouni, a little lower in his hind pasterns these days, is being sensibly managed, but he himself can certainly still manage, and he covered 125 mares this season. They included 23 from the Aga Khan Studs and three Arc winners: Enable, Alpinista and Solemia. “I think that Siyouni is a bit of a game-changer for us,” said Princess Zahra. “He has brought something completely different to our broodmare band, as have some of the other Lagardere families that have inherent speed, and we're just trying to treat those appropriately.” Arguably the most commendable aspect of the stallion careers of Siyouni and Zarak is, to use that old saying, that they have 'done it the hard way'. Neither arrived at Bonneval commanding a huge fee. Siyouni, as Georges Rimaud once noted in TDN, had come close to being gelded and sent to race on in Hong Kong, but he was spared that snip and was syndicated to stand at what now looks a real snip, with an opening fee of €7,000. These days, he doesn't get into bed for less than €200,000. Zarak -300x218.jpg" alt="" width="482" height="350" /> Zarkava's stallion son, Zarak | Emma Berry Then there's Zarak, on his upwardly sliding scale from €12,000 to €80,000, with a profile rising just as fast around the world, and his latest big winner, Laurelin, coming in Saturday's Saratoga Oaks. What immense pride it must give all of those people who spend their time pondering the matings, and nurturing the youngsters, that Zarak's success is built on more than a century of careful deliberation, liberally spiced with patience. That, in the end, is the most important ingredient of all. The post ‘Siyouni Is A Game-Changer For Us’: Homebred Quartet Underpins the Aga Khan Studs’ Stallion Wing at Haras de Bonneval appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following a sharp workout at Keeneland Aug. 15, BBN Racing's Bracket Buster has joined the expected field for the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 23.View the full article

Farm Manager at Haras de la Perelle, William Rimaud is next up in TDN Europe's consignor Q&A ahead of the Arqana August Sale. Haras de la Perelle will offer a stellar cast of yearlings from Saturday and Rimaud runs through the consignment as well as offering up plenty of interesting nuggets below. You have quite a big draft for the August Sale? That must be very exciting. What horses should we look out for? We have a bigger draft than usual and have a nice mix of proven and unproven stallions as well as first produce from some of the mares on the farm. Some of the yearlings are out of some mares that we bought in England a few years ago and we are continuing to support those mares by sending them to proven stallions. We have some good horses out of mares that we are still strongly supporting so that's very exciting for us. In particular, we have a very nice Camelot colt [lot 191] from the family of Pensee Du Jour. It's a pretty active family and the colt looks very athletic and looks as though he wants a saddle on his back. We also have a nice St Mark's Basilica colt out of Endless Joy, who is another mare we bought in England. He is a nice and balanced colt. We also have nice yearlings by Siyouni, Wootton Bassett and Baaeed. What young sires are you most looking forward to seeing the progeny [yearlings or foals] of this season? The Baaeeds are very exciting. I have seen a few of them around different farms and they are very nice. Our Baaeed filly [lot 152] is actually the first ever horse that was born by the stallion so she has already had a few articles written about her! She is developing very well and we're very happy about her as she shows a lot of quality. When you think of the sire and how good a racehorse he was, it's going to be super exciting. In your experience, what type of horse does particularly well at the August Sale? This sale comes up very early in the year. What you see in August is going to be so much different in October or December of the same year for example. Personally, I like to bring a horse with good movement to this sale. That is a good thing to look for. What is your best memory on the sale ground at Arqana? I am only 33 so I don't have that many memories of selling horses in Arqana yet but I do have experience of having good surprises here. For example, you think a horse will go for one price and then it goes and makes a lot more than you expected. Those surprises and those moments are really nice. What I really like about this sale is that it gives you an opportunity to showcase the horses that you have been working with ever since they were born on the farm. We work hard to get them to the sales and getting them there is always a good achievement. I personally like showing horses who have good minds. I'd love to tell you about great memories of a top price but hopefully we are working towards that in the future. Let's pretend the Camelot that you mentioned, or any other of your yearlings, goes on and makes big money. Where would you celebrate and what guests would you bring? I am pretty sure I would go and celebrate with the boss, Mr [Juergen H.] Winter. I would definitely have some drinks with the staff and I think Le Drakkar would be the place to celebrate. If you weren't involved in bloodstock, what career path would you have taken? I always dreamed of being a pilot. On the business side of things, I really love logistics so maybe I would have gone down that road had I not chosen this career path. Tell us something that people don't know about you? I love acting and I do comedy in Deauville. I have done a few plays recently and I really enjoy that. It's nice to be able to take a bit of time away from that crazy world that we love. Do you have any superstitions or good luck charms? I always have my winning tie that I like to wear to the big days at the races. Having an Irish mother, I was always told never to put your shoes on the table because it's bad luck. So I don't do that. Best piece of advice you ever received? Respect. You always respect others, your employees and the horse. Respect and honesty. The post Arqana Consignors In The Spotlight: Q&A With Haras de la Perell appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Challenge, presented by GaineswayView the full article

What Doomben Races Where Doomben Racecourse – 75 Hampden St, Ascot QLD 4007 When Saturday, August 16, 2025 First Race 11:43am AEST Visit Dabble Racing returns to Doobmen on Saturday afternoon where a competitive nine-race meeting is set down for decision. Clear skies and a top of 23 degrees are forecast for Brisbane, and with the rail placed at the +0.5m the entire circuit, there will be no excuses for fancied runners. The first race is set to jump at 11:42am AEST. Best Bet at Doomben: Spywire Spywire finds a winnable Class 3 back in grade, and the set-weights/penalty conditions suit a horse with his metro ratings profile. He’s race fit, draws to park just off them from barrier 10, and Ryan Maloney sticks for Ciaron Maher — a combo that maps to sit within striking range on a Soft 5. His recent Sydney efforts read well for this and his record at 1100-1200m is rock-solid. If he begins cleanly, Spywire’s class should carry him late. Best Bet Race 6 – #13 Spywire (10) 4yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Ryan Maloney (58.5kg) Next Best at Doomben: Taltarni Fields Taltarni Fields is flying and maps to get every chance back to Doomben. He’s built a rock-solid profile this prep, repeatedly rating well around this grade, and the 1200–1350m zone is his wheelhouse. From barrier seven he can land midfield with cover, blend into the three-wide train on the bend and let class take over late. The stable’s in form, he carries the topweight with a useful claim, and his recent figures stack up against anything in this field. If the track walks soft, that’s a bonus and Taltarni Fields should be sending favourite punters home a winner. Next Best Race 9 – #1 Taltarni Fields (7) 5yo Gelding | T: Kelly Schweida | J: Corey Sutherland (a3) (60kg) Best Value at Doomben: Kaizad Kaizad is the map horse at each-way odds with horse racing bookmakers in a deep Open 1200m. He tumbles to 52kg, draws the paint, and strips fitter after a pleasing return behind smart types. His best Victorian ratings are competitive here, and Jack Bruce has him ticking over with a recent Sunshine Coast run and trial. From barrier one, expect Taylor Marshall to punch up, hold leaders’ back and look for the split turning. With the drop in weight and an economical run, Kaizad only needs clear air to give this a massive shake at a double-figure quote. Best Value Race 7 – #10 Kaizad (1) 5yo Gelding | T: Jack Bruce | J: Taylor Marshall (52kg) Doomben quaddie tips – Saturday 15/8/2025 Doomben quadrella selections Saturday, August 15, 2025 13 1-2-5-8 7-8-9-10 1-4-14 Horse racing tips View the full article

Reigning premiership winners Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will watch Ruakaka closely on Saturday despite sending only one runner to the Northland course. The Te Akau Racing team will be represented by Age Of Discovery in the Accurate Books (1100m) at Rating 75 level. Age Of Discovery was a $625,000 yearling purchase by David Ellis at Karaka 2023, and he looked like living right up to that price tag with super-impressive wins in the first two starts of his career at Riccarton last September. He was at one stage the $8 second favourite behind Savaglee in fixed-odds betting for the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). However, the classy son of Savabeel was ruled out of that November classic because of a setback and ended up making only one other appearance in his three-year-old season. Now Walker and Bergerson are keen to see what Age Of Discovery can do as a four-year-old. He has had two trials to prepare for Saturday’s raceday return, running second at Avondale on July 22 before scoring a victory over Tuxedo and Moonlight Magic at Taupo on August 4. “He was a pretty exciting prospect as a three-year-old last spring,” Bergerson said. “He went down south early in the season for the better ground down there, and he settled in well and seemed to be right on track for the Guineas before going amiss. “We brought him back and tried to get him going again in the autumn, but it just never really worked out. “He’s coming back up again now after being gelded. He’s impressed us in a couple of trials and it’s time to find out if he can bring his best form to raceday again. “He’s showing us all the right signs this time in. His trackwork was really good on Tuesday morning and we’ve been happy with those trials – especially the one he won at Taupo. Opie (Bosson) is going up there to ride him and knows the horse well. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do.” Walker and Bergerson will also feature in Saturday’s other meeting at New Plymouth, where Vickezzlastcall will contest the United Steel (1800m) for horses that were maidens at midnight on May 25. A half-sister to Te Akau’s Group Two winner Aromatic, Vickezzlastcall scored her maiden victory at Tauranga on July 6 before a last-start ninth at Te Rapa three weeks later. “She’s just taken a bit of time,” Bergerson said. “She was a bit immature early on. We’re grateful to the Milan Park team for their patience. “Her maiden win was really good. She was a bit disappointing at Te Rapa after that, but 1800m should suit her on Saturday and hopefully she’ll handle the track. We’re hopeful that she can bounce back.” Te Akau busiest day of the weekend is at Taupo on Sunday, where their five runners include To Bravery Born in the Poverty Bay Turf Club 3YO (1100m) and In Haste in the Taupo Pak ‘N’ Save 3YO (1100m). To Bravery Born won his first two starts at Wanganui and Ellerslie, then finished fourth in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), third in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) and 10th in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). “He won the very first two-year-old race of the season and was one of our top seeds for the Karaka Millions, where he ran really well,” Bergerson said. “He performed against all the big guns as a two-year-old. It’s exciting to see him back at three now and hopefully he can take that next step. “This looks like a nice starting point in terms of getting him back to Wanganui for the Wanganui Guineas (1200m) in a couple of weeks’ time. That’s where he kicked off his career as a two-year-old last season. We know he can get through wet ground.” In Haste, who races in the colours of part-owners the TAB Racing Club, finished second and first in her only two appearances as a two-year-old. “She’s shown us plenty of ability,” Bergerson said. “She’s a really sharp, speedy filly. “She was on track for the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m), where we thought she’d be a good chance, but just had a bit of a setback leading into the race. She went out for a really good break and has come back with two nice trials. “This has obviously come up a strong field, so it’ll give us a good line on her. We’re happy with her progress, although she’ll come on with this run. She still looks a bit wintry and woolly.” Te Akau also has five entries for Sunday’s Group and Listed trials at Taupo, including last season’s Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) and Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) placegetter Qali Al Farrasha. “We’re very happy with her,” Bergerson said. “She had a nice first trial at Taupo and will go back there on Sunday for a bit more of a hitout. “We were thrilled with her four-year-old season, where she ran such great races without quite picking up that Group One win. “She’s building well and we’re excited for her new campaign. She’s showing positive signs. Hopefully she can trial well and then head towards the Proisir Plate (Gr.1, 1400m) at Ellerslie.” View the full article

The last three months have been a breakthrough period in the career of Zanzibar, who will attempt to continue his rise through the winter ranks in Saturday’s ITM New Plymouth Interprovincial (1600m). The Jomara Bloodstock homebred had made little impression in his four career starts before May of this year. He finished 10th on debut at Pukekohe last November, followed by sixth placings at Rotorua and Te Aroha and a fourth at Tauranga. But Zanzibar has returned to action as a very different horse this winter, recording two wins and three placings from his five starts in this campaign. The two victories have come in his only two appearances at New Plymouth, where Saturday’s $100,000 Interprovincial will be run. He led all the way for a hard-fought maiden win over 1600m on May 24, then bolted in by eight and a quarter lengths in a Rating 65 over the same trip on July 19. That affinity for the course and 1600m distance of the Interprovincial made the race an obvious target for Zanzibar’s trainer Andrew Forsman. “He’s really hit his straps this winter,” Forsman said. “It’s just been a maturity thing. He’s a typical Zed – a big horse that’s needed a little bit of time. He seems to be putting things together now. “Winning both of his starts at New Plymouth, he’s shown that he likes the track down there, which is always a bonus. Every winter track is unique in its own way, and he’s shown that he handles the surfaces there very well. It helps that he has the ability to jump and put himself up there.” Forsman has been pleased with Zanzibar’s Interprovincial build-up. “His work has been great,” the Cambridge trainer said. “He’s had a month between runs, basically just because there wasn’t another suitable option in between times. This race has been our target for a while, knowing that he’d get in with a nice, light weight. We gave him a quiet trial just to keep him up to the mark.” Zanzibar will represent Waikato in Saturday’s Interprovincial and will race in their distinctive red, yellow and black colours. The TAB rates him a $6.50 third favourite behind the local hope Belles Beau ($5.50) and King Country representative Urenui ($6). Forsman is also gearing up for a big weekend for his three-year-olds. Last-start Ruakaka winner Cashla Bay will return to the north for a shot at Saturday’s Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), while promising types Fat Cat and Quondo will step out at Taupo on Sunday. “Cashla Bay won very nicely at Ruakaka last time and can only improve from that,” Forsman said. “She probably needs to do that, coming up against a few sharper ones this weekend. But she’s got good ability and I’d say she’s a genuine top-three chance. “We’ve got a couple of nice three-year-olds running at Taupo on Sunday too with Quondo and Fat Cat. You might not see the best of them until later in the season, but I think they’re both very nice prospects.” Taupo will also stage a pair of 1100m trials on Sunday for Group and Listed performers, in which Forsman will be represented by Hinekaha, Mary Shan and Moonlight Magic. “They’re all coming to hand nicely and I’m very happy with them,” Forsman said. “I’m hopeful that they all have good seasons in front of them. Mary Shan and Moonlight Magic just struggled a little bit as four-year-olds last season, but they both seem to have matured this time in.” View the full article

Stephen Marsh’s stable promises to be a major player when the feature spring age-group races roll around, with a host of talented three-year-olds to take serious steps toward those targets at the weekend. The Cambridge trainer will be represented by last season’s stakes winners To Cap It All and Little Black Dress and black-type placegetter Lady Iris in Sunday’s Pak ‘N’ Save 3YO (1200m) at Taupo. “They’ve all had one trial and this is a stepping stone to much bigger things,” Marsh said. “Out of this race, there’s the Sir Colin Meads (Listed, 1200m), the Wanganui Guineas (Listed, 1200m) and the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m). “We’ll go where we think it best suits all of them.” Given their similar profiles, Marsh finds it hard to split the trio on Sunday. To Cap It All won the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) on debut and placed in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). Little Black Dress won both of her starts, including the Listed Star Way Stakes (1200m), while Lady Iris won at the first time of asking and then finished runner-up in the Star Way. “They’ve all had a trial and are going to improve, To Cap It All has drawn beautifully, Lady Iris is probably the most forward and Little Black Dress has a bad gate (eight) to contend with,” Marsh said. “I expect them all to race well, but I guess you have to favour To Cap It All and Lady Iris, simply because they’ve got the soft gates.” Gifted stablemate Tale Of The Gypsy was also an acceptor but will instead step out in The Oaks Stud (1200m). “She has drawn slightly better in that, I don’t know what I’ve done but in every race she’s drawn near the outside,” Marsh said. “She’s a very good filly and drawing nine on Sunday is probably a luxury for her, so she’ll probably be ridden off the speed.” Despite her barrier woes, Tale Of The Gypsy was a smart debut winner and subsequently finished fourth in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). Another three-year-old who could be headed for black-type company is Proud Capitalist, who debuts in the Cambridge Stud Stallions (1000m). “We really like her, the trial form is good and she could find herself in one of those better races as well,” Marsh said. Magic Carpet will also make his first appearance in the Poverty Bay Turf Club (1100m) off the back of three trials. “We rate him as well, the track was pretty wet on the inside at Te Rapa and he couldn’t get any traction and I’d love to think we could get him to a race like the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m),” Marsh said. Meanwhile, Miss Moet It All is in prime order for Saturday’s Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka. “She’s been going well on the synthetic and when she ran on the track (fourth) they got a heap of rain the night before and the track cut out and she didn’t like it at all,” Marsh said. “She’s got natural speed and will put herself right up there, she’s a well-bred filly and can certainly get some black type.” View the full article

Otaki trainer Andrew Campbell saw potential in Cocobill as a yearling, and two and a half years later the ex-Victorian galloper will make his Kiwi debut for his stable at Woodville on Sunday. After stepping away from training for a couple of years in 2021, Campbell went down the path of becoming a bloodstock agent, and Cocobill was among the yearlings he sourced for clients out of the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka. The son of Vadamos was secured for just $18,000 by Campbell, client Tommy Heptinstall and expat Kiwi trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, and under their guidance Cocobill won three races and more than A$80,000 in nine starts across Victoria. The most recent of those victories came at his last start at Bendigo last month, and following that effort his connections decided the heavy track specialist would be better placed in his homeland, being trained by Campbell. “He’s really just a bush horse in Aussie, but he likes a heavy track, so we thought why not bring him back,” Campbell said. “You don’t get really heavy tracks over there like you do here. “It’s quite expensive training a horse in Australia to be running around midweek, so we thought we’d bring him back and hopefully have a bit of fun with him. All of the owners live here too. “He was a nice tidy horse (as a yearling) and had all the ticks of approval that we were looking for, he was a good, cheap buy. I think he’s won about 80 grand now.” The gelding has settled into Campbell’s Otaki base over the last couple of weeks, preparing to contest the Dannevirke Carriers (1400m) on his preferred rain-affected surface. “He’s been back here for about three weeks, he’s a big, weak horse that’ll probably be at his peak next year,” Campbell said. “I’ve only given him two gallops but he’s galloped up pretty well, so hopefully we’ll see a good showing on Sunday.” Campbell’s other representative at the meeting will be Perfect Pete, who is aiming to break maiden status after weighing in at each start this campaign, having been out with injury for most of last season. “He had 11 months off due to an injury and in his first run back he blew out, then was a touch unlucky last start,” he said. “He’s another horse by Fabulous that will love the wet track, and at his next start he’ll be up to 2000m, which will be right up his alley. “He’ll go well again on Sunday, he should be in the money. He’s a good, honest horse.” The five-year-old will be ridden by southern-based hoop Rohan Mudhoo when contesting the Kevin Jennings Jewellers (1600m). View the full article

Former jockey Sam O’Malley will chase his first winner as a trainer this weekend after recently joining employer Bill Thurlow in partnership. Based in the Central Districts, O’Malley had a successful career in the saddle despite battling with weight issues, guiding home 68 winners, including a Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes (1600m) aboard Justaskme. He gave up riding professionally in 2022, and after a couple of years away from the sport, he took up a position as Thurlow’s stable foreman. Thurlow had a season to remember last term, finishing 12th on the National Trainer’s Premiership with 35 winners, two at stakes level, and an enviable strike rate of 4.37. One of those winners was ridden by O’Malley himself, when he re-entered the jockeys’ room for a handful of highweights through the winter. While he enjoyed his time riding, training had always been O’Malley’s intention, and Thurlow’s Waverley operation was the perfect place to fulfil that goal. “I’ve been working for Bill for about two years, I went there with a partnership eventually in mind and it was the right fit,” O’Malley said. “He’s pretty cruisy, we worked well together when I rode for him and we’re always on the same page with the horses, which makes it very easy and enjoyable. We’ve got good staff with us, so we’re pretty lucky. “It (training) was something that I was always going to end up doing, I became a jockey while working out what I wanted to do in the industry, but training had always been my main focus.” Their growing team of horses, which includes the likes of Group One performer Whangaehu and stakes winner No Rain Ever, are spread between Thurlow’s home stable and Waverley Racecourse, with plenty of youngsters also in the mix. “We have a barn at the track in Waverley, which is predominantly pre-trainers and some of the younger horses,” O’Malley said. “We have around 25 horses at the home stable, we’ve got a 1300m track out there and good facilities to work with. “We went to the sales last year and got some here, and some in Australia, predominantly fillies. They look quite exciting.” Thurlow and O’Malley will present five runners across the region this weekend, with interest around the return of promising jumper Whiskey Tango at Woodville on Sunday. The son of Proisir won two steeplechases in New Zealand before heading across the Tasman to join Patrick Payne’s barn at the end of 2023, where he added another two victories over staying trips on the flat. After falling in a maiden hurdle in April, Whiskey Tango returned to Waverley and will step out over the bigger fences again when contesting the David and Ellen Oliver (4000m). “He’s been back for a few months, he had a fall at Ballarat in April, so the idea was to bring him home after that and give him a bit of quiet time,” O’Malley said. “We have quite a similar set-up to Paddy’s in Australia, a lot of paddocks and open space, which he enjoys. “He’s starting to get his fitness up now and hopefully he’ll be ready to go. We put him in both fields (maiden hurdle and open steeplechase) to see what the numbers were like, but he’ll start in the steeplechase. “They’re probably a little bit slick for him over hurdles, but he should be a nice chance in the chase.” Immediately following that race, stablemate Landman will step out on debut in the Buckley Contracting (1100m), off the back of three tidy trials this year. “He’s a nice horse, he goes pretty nicely,” O’Malley said. “He had a gallop between races on Sunday at Hawera with Ladies Man and Ghazzah, and he accounted himself really well there. “I’m hoping he’ll go a good race on Sunday.” Making his first appearance to the races in nine months will be Crunchie Boy, who takes on the Cancer Society NZ (1400m) after a slick trial at Foxton at the beginning of the month. “We gave him a good break after his last run, he just wasn’t right after getting stung up on a hard track,” O’Malley said. “We put him away and he’s come back really well, he’s a lot more mature and a stronger horse. “Hopefully, he can show that and go well for his owners.” Three-win mare Steal My Thunder will complete their representation at the Woodville meeting in the Dannevirke Carriers (1400m), while Our Lady Brooke will aim to cap off her ultra-consistent form at New Plymouth on Saturday. The Derryn mare saluted with an apprentice jockey on board at Hawera in July, and O’Malley hopes that formula can produce a similar result after carrying a senior rider to second place last start. “She raced really well last start, but we did have a claimer engaged and they got off last minute, so Gryllsy (Craig Grylls) rode her, and she carried the full weight,” he said. “It was his opinion that she is a nice claimers horse, because she tries hard. I think with Sima (Mxothwa) on, who is a good young rider with a three-kilo claim, she should be right there.” View the full article

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