Wandering Eyes

Chris Hayes is poised to ride Anmaat in Saturday's G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. The son of Awtaad has been ridden by Jim Crowley in each of his last nine starts, with the highlight of their association coming in October last year when springing a 40/1 surprise in the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot. More recently, Crowley has partnered the seven-year-old to finish second in both the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes in two starts this season. However, Shadwell's number one rider now faces an indefinite spell on the sidelines after he was injured in a heavy fall at York on Sunday, with Angus Gold, Shadwell's racing manager, reporting that Crowley was in surgery on Monday after suffering a broken leg and a suspected broken pelvis. That has left Anmaat in need of a new jockey when he attempts to get off the mark for the campaign in the Irish Champion, with trainer Owen Burrows confirming that Hayes is likely to be the man tasked with trying to thwart ante-post favourite Delacroix (Dubawi) and Japanese challenger Shin Emperor (Siyouni), among others. “It's a shame what's happened to Jim as he obviously knows the horse very well,” said Burrows. “He'll have a new jockey on and I think Chris Hayes is going to ride him. Chris has obviously ridden big winners for Shadwell in Ireland, he won a City of York Stakes for me a good few years ago [in 2017 on Talaayeb], and we felt someone with plenty of experience of Leopardstown was vital.” Since chasing home Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) at Royal Ascot, Anmaat has missed potential engagements in the G1 Coral-Eclipse and G1 Juddmonte International due to unsuitable ground, but Burrows is optimistic that conditions will be in favour of his stable star on Saturday. He added, “It looks like the rain is coming over there and I'm looking forward to getting him out again as he seems in really good nick. I think the ground is good to yielding at the minute, which should be fine, and I think there's another drop of rain forecast for tomorrow, so it should be suitable. “The horse has done nothing wrong this season. I know he hasn't won yet, but he hasn't done a lot wrong. If the ground comes more in his favour, I'd like to think he can run a big race.” Meanwhile, Trevor Whelan revealed on Monday that he too requires surgery after being injured in the same incident at York which saw his mount, Tiger Bay, brought down by Crowley's Almeraq. Providing an update on his condition, Whelan posted on social media, “Thanks for all the get well messages, much appreciated. I've broken my leg in three places and due for an operation on it as well.” The post Chris Hayes to Partner Anmaat in Irish Champion as Jim Crowley Undergoes Surgery appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ante-post favourite Scandinavia (Justify) and dual Derby hero Lambourn (Australia) headline eight confirmations for Saturday's G1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster. The pair are both trained by Aidan O'Brien, who is responsible for half of the possible runners in the final Classic of the season, with Stay True (Galileo) and likely outsider Saratoga (Camelot) also featuring. Scandinavia will be back against his own age group on Town Moor, after beating his older rivals in the G1 Goodwood Cup last time, while Lambourn needs to bounce back from a below-par display when finishing only fifth in the G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. Stay True, who finished one place ahead of Lambourn on the Knavesmire, gives the Ballydoyle handler a live third option. Carmers filled the runner-up spot behind Pride Of Arras (New Bay) in the Voltigeur and makes up the potential Irish challenge for Paddy Twomey. The son of Wootton Bassett previously won the G3 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, beating the subsequent G3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes scorer Furthur (Waldgeist) by three quarters of a length. Andrew Balding's Furthur is set to reoppose on Saturday, along with stablemate Tarriance (Frankel), who faces a significant step up in grade after winning York's Melrose Handicap The Roger Varian-trained Rahiebb (Frankel), who finished fourth in the G3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last time, after a close-up third in the Queen's Vase, completes the list of possibles. The post Eight Confirmed for St Leger, Scandinavia and Lambourn Lead Ballydoyle Challenge appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When I moved to Kentucky in 2019 to work for Taylor Made, I didn't know a single person, I didn't know the first thing about the racehorse industry, I had never seen anything like a Lexington horse sale, and I certainly didn't drink bourbon. With no real guidance except to watch, absorb, and help where I could, my first day on the job was the Keeneland January sale. Everyone was polite but busy – clients to help, horses to show – and I mostly stayed out of the way. But Stu, ever aware of every face and name, found me within 48 hours. He pressed a steaming cup of tea into my hands, parked us in front of the space heaters at the stalls, and in the middle of juggling clients and buyers, patiently explained the inner workings of the sales. From that day forward, he never stopped looking out for me. That night he took me to Shamrock's. He didn't just ask polite questions, he asked the kind that made you feel your story mattered. He cracked jokes, put me at ease, and ordered me my first bourbon on the rocks. When I couldn't get down more than a sip, he grinned, eyes twinkling, finished it for me, and said, “We'll work on that.” After that night, I wasn't just a stranger in Lexington. I was someone Stu had decided to bring under his wing. Bourbon became the backdrop of our friendship. Lunches, dinners, handicapping races – he taught me, one pour at a time, not just how to drink it but how to savor it. Bourbon with Stu wasn't about the glass in your hand. It was about slowing down, enjoying the people at your table, the stories being told, and the laughter spilling out between sips. Over time, I acquired a taste for bourbon. But more than that, I acquired a taste for the way Stu lived: present, curious, generous, always pulling people closer. He believed in me fiercely, too. Six months into my job, Stu left for a week-long cattle drive in Montana and handed me his entire business. No check-ins, no second-guessing, just complete trust. That was Stu: lifting you up, bragging on you, and making you feel capable of more than you thought. By the time my year at Taylor Made was ending, we marked it the only way that felt right: with a flight of Pappy's. It wasn't just a celebration of my time there, but of the friendship and mentorship that carried me from that first sip I couldn't swallow to a bond that, with Taylor Made and with Stuart, felt like family. What started with a wince at Shamrock's had become something I cherished, flavored with Stu's laughter, his lessons, and his friendship. Even after I moved back to Texas, bourbon kept us connected. I probably have forty bottles now, many of them ones Stu picked out and mailed with a handwritten note saying, “You'll like this one.” Truth be told, I don't know if I love bourbon itself as much as I love what it represents – Stu's way of making sure every moment, every success, was worth raising a glass to. Like the time he surprised me with a box of ball caps printed with my horse's picture after my biggest sale, just to make sure I stopped to celebrate. One of my last great memories with him was in Ireland last summer. I am forever grateful to Liam and Taylor for letting me crash their wedding – not just to celebrate with them, but to spend more time with Stu. We wandered cobblestone streets, slipped into pubs, sampled whiskeys, watched races, and raised glass after glass to nothing more than the joy of being there. It was Stu in his purest form: good friends beside you, a good drink in your hand, and time enough to enjoy both. For me, bourbon will always remind me of Stu – strong, generous, a little fiery, and best savored slowly with friends. Every pour carries his memory, and every bottle on my shelf reminds me of the privilege of calling him my friend. —Brooke Wharton The post Letter to the Editor: Stu Story #8 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Francis Graffard has had his horses on song from early spring, and anyone who felt that the trainer surely could not maintain such a good run of form is now being proved wrong. He is so far clear of Andre Fabre in the French trainers' table that a first champion title for Graffard is starting to look a mere formality. As if to underline his dominance, the trainer secured two more Group 1 victories on Sunday. Goliath struck in the Grosser Preis von Baden – a first top-level win for the Adlerflug gelding since last year's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumph – and then less than an hour later at Longchamp the supplemented three-year-old Sahlan (Wootton Bassett), who has been brought along steadily, saw off some proven horses to claim his first Group 1 strike in the Prix du Moulin. The latter may now head to the Breeders' Cup Mile. Forty-three stakes races have fallen to a Graffard-trained runner this season, including eight Group 1s. While he can of course rely an a constant stream of well-bred horses as the principal trainer for the Aga Khan Studs, Graffard's octet of top winners has been spread across a range of connections. The Aga Khan Studs and Peter Brant own his two Classic fillies, Zarigana and Gezora, while the former is also the owner of Calandagan, who gave his trainer back-to-back wins in the King George after winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, and Candelari, winner of the upgraded Prix Vicomtesse Vigier. Sahlan and Quisisana are homebreds for Al Shaqab Racing and Haras de la Perelle respectively, while John Stewart's Resolute Racing owns the Prix Jean Prat winner Woodshauna and co-owns Goliath with Baron Philip von Ullmann. Bow Echo Ascending While the aforementioned Sahlan, who became Wootton Bassett's 16th Group 1 winner, is undoubtedly progressive, Rosallion continues to try the patience of his followers and was beaten only a short-head by the three-year-old when coming from an impossibly deep position in the Moulin. It is easy to see why Richard Hannon has kept the faith with Rosallion. Sometimes races are settled by the merest of margins, and this year the son of Blue Point has been separated from two extra Group 1 victories by a nose and a short-head respectively. For Rosallion's owner-breeder Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, there was some compensation on Saturday with a stakes double at Haydock. Those winners, Zeus Olympios and Bow Echo, are both sons of Night Of Thunder, who has drawn farther clear of the chasing pack of Wootton Bassett, Dubawi and Frankel at the head of the stallion championship for Britain and Ireland. Wootton Bassett, however, has the edge in the European championship, largely thanks to the Group 1 victories in France of Henri Matisse, Camille Pissarro and Sahlan. “He's a Guineas horse and that's what we'll be training him for,” said trainer George Boughey of Ascendant Stakes winner Bow Echo, who had been awarded a TDN Rising Star on his only previous start at Newbury on August 15. There was plenty to like about his attitude when he was headed by Juddmonte's Publish (Kingman) before fighting his was back to remain unbeaten. Bow Echo is an intriguingly bred colt from a family with which Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has long been associated, and which gave us Dubawi. Out of the sprint winner Aristocratic Lady (Invincible Spirit), Bow Echo's granddam Dubai Queen is a half-sister to Dubawi, who also appears on his top-line as sire of Night Of Thunder, meaning that the colt is inbred 3×3 to his owner's homebred G1 Oaks d'Italia winner Zomaradah (Deploy). Four years ago, the sheikh won the Ascendant Stakes with Triple Time (Frankel), a member of his other high-flying family of Reem Three who went on to win the G1 Queen Anne Stakes, Hopes are indeed high for Bow Echo to ascend to a similar level. His win followed that a race earlier of Zeus Olympios in the G3 Superior Mile Stakes on just his third start. He is the first foal of Rhea (Siyouni), who had been bought by the sheikh as a yearling. It was a good weekend for the young mare as her two-year-old Valenday (Postponed) made a promising debut at York when finishing less than a length second to Proud Nation (Sioux Nation) in the seven-furlong maiden. Arc Reshuffle There was a shuffling of positions at the head of the betting for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after a weekend of performances on ground that may well have been much livelier than that which will be encountered at Longchamp on the first weekend of October. First, on Kempton's all-weather track, Kalpana (Study Of Man) was downed by Giavellotto (Mastercraftsman) in the G3 September Stakes, the race she won last year en route to victory in the G1 Qipco British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes. She has run admirably this season without winning, and her trainer Andrew Balding did not seem overly concerned with her defeat by Giavellotto, who is being primed by Marco Botti to defend his title in the G1 Hong Kong Vase. Aventure (Sea The Stars), who had had to play bridesmaid to Bluestocking (Camelot) in both the Prix Vermeille and Arc last year, finally bagged a deserved win at the top tier when emulating her half-sister Left Hand (Dubawi) by winning the Vermeille for the Wertheimers and Christophe Ferland. The Japanese challenge strengthened when Byzantine Dream (Epiphaneia), trained by Tomoyasu Sakaguchi, outran treble Group 1 winner Sosie (Sea The Stars) in the G2 Prix Foy. There was better news for Sosie's trainer Andre Fabre, however, with the late flourish of the boxed-in Cualificar (Lope De Vega) in the G2 Prix Niel, to beat Bay City Roller (New Bay) by a short neck. The winner, who had himself been beaten only half a length by Camille Pissarro when second in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, is as long as 25/1 with some bookmakers for the Arc, which seems generous considering this success on his first attempt at a mile and a half. Out of the Oaks winner Qualify, whose sire Fastnet Rock died on Monday, Cualificar's second and third dams are by the Derby winners Galileo and The Minstrel, and he handles some cut in the ground. Then there is the small matter of his trainer having won the Arc eight times since 1987. This is by no means a tipping column, but it is worth noting that three of the current top six in the Arc betting are trained in Japan: the Tokyo Yushun winner Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black) is third choice behind Minnie Hauk (Frankel) and Aventure, followed by Byzantine Dream, who understandably shortened following his Foy victory, and Alohi Alii (Duramente), who beat Rashabar and Cualificar in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville last month. Balding and Haggas Making Hay Despite Kalpana's defeat, Andrew Balding still had a successful day at Kempton on Saturday where he won the G3 Sirenia Stakes with Five Ways (Kameko), a fourth-generation homebred for Dr John Hobby, while up at Thirsk fellow juvenile Simplify (Profitable) joined the list of winners. Capping a good afternoon, Norman Court Stud and Susan Bunney's Miss Information (Blue Point) landed the Listed Wackenhut Fillies Cup at Baden-Baden, while Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel) was third in the the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup. The latter represented a major breakthrough for Shadwell sire Mohaather, whose son Big Mojo became his first Group 1 winner in the contest. William Haggas had a similarly productive weekend, with five of his 12 runners on Saturday returning to the winner's enclosure, including a one-two in Haydock's Old Borough Cup with The Reverend (Lope De Vega) and Dramatic Star (Sea The Stars). The Haggas team suffered mixed fortunes on Sunday when favourite Almeraq (Dark Angel) clipped heels and fell in the Listed Garrowby Stakes at York, bringing down Tiger Bay (Harry Angel). Victory went the way of the Haggas/Shadwell second string Elmonjed (Blue Point) but little celebration will have ensued as jockeys Jim Crowley and Trevor Whelan were tended to on the track and will now face time on the sidelines with broken legs. Fortunately, neither horse appeared to have been injured in the melee, but this sadly was not the case following a similar incident at Ascot on Friday when Excellent Echo (Due Diligence) suffered a fatal injury at Ascot after under Oisin Murphy after clipping heels and falling, with Nordic Norm (Saxon Warrior) also being brought down. Murphy walked away unscathed but Nordic Norm's jockey Sam James was stood down from his rides over the next few days with concussion. Study Of Man Goes Global On Sunday, Study of Man was represented by his first winner in Japan, the land where he was conceived, with the victory of two-year-old Kikko Bello on debut at Hanshin. This current crop of two-year-olds for the Lanwades stallion numbers 65 and has so far supplied winners in Britain, France, Germany and Japan. Study Of Man is bred on the same Deep Impact-Storm Cat cross as Japan's reigning champion sire Kizuna, who is again at the head of the table for this season. The post Seven Days: Graffard Approaches the Grail appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Impressive Acomb Stakes winner Gewan will line out for the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster on September 13 in the colours of Yuesheng Zhang after the Yulong boss struck a deal for the unbeaten son of Night Of Thunder who could one day end up at the powerful outfit's Ace Stud. Trained by Andrew Balding, Gewan was bought by bloodstock agent Billy Jackson-Stops on behalf of Al Rabban Racing from Mick Murphy of Longways Stables for €80,000 at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale. He created a massive impression on debut at Newbury, winning a 7f contest at his ease, before taking the scalp of a couple of talking horses in the G3 Acomb Stakes at York. Gewan will line out for the G2 Champagne Stakes on Saturday before his new connections eye a potential tilt at the G1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, for which the colt is as short as 8-1. Paul Curran, bloodstock and racing manager at Ace Stud, commented, “The plan is for Gewan to run in the Champagne Stakes and, obviously, we will reassess after Doncaster but the plan would be to go for the Dewhurst at Newmarket. We have done our homework on him and like him a lot. He fits exactly what we are looking for and is a very exciting horse for the future.” Gewan was sent to post at odds of 11-2 in an Acomb market that was dominated by TDN Rising Star Distant Storm [11-10 favourite] and Aidan O'Brien's highly-regarded Italy. While Distant Storm, himself a €1.9 million breeze-up graduate from Arqana, ran freely and eventually finished third, Gewan pulled a-length-and-a-half clear of Italy in second to post one of the more impressive juvenile displays of the season thus far. Notable Acomb Stakes winners include subsequent 2,000 Guineas hero Chaldean while subsequent Irish 2,000 Guineas scorer Phoenix Of Spain won the race in 2018. The post Leading Champagne And Dewhurst Stakes Fancy Snapped Up By Yulong appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Atlantic Six Racing received an offer for Book'em Danno last season when he was a 3-year-old, a proposition so substantial it led each partner to take a deep breath and assess priorities.View the full article

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Heading into Sunday’s season-opening meeting at Sha Tin, most of the thinking around the next Hong Kong success abroad was focused on Ka Ying Rising and The Everest. Now, however, it’s certainly not out of the question that should the world’s best sprinter win the world’s richest race on turf next month, he’ll be the third Sha Tin-trained galloper to salute overseas in season 2025-26. Self Improvement’s shock success in the Group Three Korea Sprint (1,200m) at Seoul ensured the city has opened...View the full article

What Warrnambool Races Where Warrnambool Racing Club – 2/64 Grafton Rd, Warrnambool VIC 3280 When Tuesday, September 9, 2025 First Race 1:30pm AEST Visit Dabble Best Bet at Warrnambool: Manapouri Manapouri has knocked on the door twice to kick off the prep and looks ready to win the third time of asking. He’s drawn to stalk from barrier four, with Jake Noonan likely to camp just behind the speed before letting the Kiwi-bred roll through his gears. The 1000m on a testing Heavy 8 should suit a horse who travels kindly and quickens late, and Symon Wilde rarely misses when he sets one up at home. With race fitness and an economical map, Manapouri gets every chance to put the maiden away. Best Bet Race 3 – #2 Manapouri (4) 5yo Gelding | T: Symon Wilde | J: Jake Noonan (59.5kg) Next Best at Warrnambool: Ti Tree Lad Ti Tree Lad brings the right platform for a wet-track 1300m: solid figures this prep and a last-start Bendigo BM64 win that reads well for a BM62. From the inside draw, John Allen can box-seat, peel at the top of the straight and let the six-year-old’s sustained gallop carry him through the line. He’s handled the ‘Bool before, and his profile says the soft/heavy footing is no issue. He is up in weight but drops back in grade, and with the map advantage on a rain-affected surface, Ti Tree Lad looks a high-percentage play to go back-to-back. Next Best Race 6 – #4 Ti Tree Lad (1) 6yo Gelding | T: Mitch Freedman | J: John Allen (61kg) Best Value at Warrnambool: Sacrify Sacrify looks like the each-way play in the finale stepping to 2000m. He’s an honest stayer who keeps finding the line, and the 1.5kg claim for Ryan Houston gets him in neatly at the weights. Drawn wide, but that can be no disadvantage late in the day at the ‘Bool if they’re getting out to the better ground. His recent efforts suggest he’s ready to reach a new peak third up, and a genuine tempo here should let him blend into it and produce one run. At the price with horse racing bookmakers, Sacrify looks well-placed. Best Value Race 8 – #8 Sacrify (12) 4yo Gelding | T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | J: Ryan Houston (a1.5) (59.5kg) Warrnambool races quaddie tips – 9/9/25 Warrnambool quadrella selections Tuesday, September 9, 2025 2-4-5-6 4-9-10-15 4-5-7-8 4-6-8-14 Horse racing tips View the full article

The much-loved champion sire Fastnet Rock has died at his birthplace at Coolmore Stud in Australia. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful stallions that country has produced and leaves behind a rich legacy. In a statement released on Monday to confirm the news, Coolmore's Tom Magnier said, “This is such a sad day for everyone who has worked at Coolmore and played a part in Fastnet's life. Our thoughts today are with all the staff who cared for him over the past 24 years.” “He was born and prepared as a yearling here at Coolmore and raced in the navy silks for Paul Perry and our ownership partners. Residing in the stallion barn for 20 years, he was the kindest and smartest horse you would ever meet and I'm so glad that we got to parade him one last time at the open day two weeks ago, where he looked incredible.” Magnier added, “Sadly, he suffered an injury over the weekend, which deteriorated rapidly and we did not want him to suffer. Coolmore Australia would not be what it is today without Fastnet Rock and we owe him so much.” Fastnet Rock's total number of individual Stakes winners stands at 197, including Atlantic Jewel and arguably his greatest-ever performer Via Sistina, who is still flying the flag for him. Crowned Champion Broodmare Sire for the past two seasons, his legacy will live on through his daughters who have already produced a phenomenal 150 Stakes winners, as well as his sire sons such as Acrobat. The post Much-Loved Champion Sire Fastnet Rock Dies Aged 24 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Just a few days after the catalogue was launched for the 2025 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, the world’s leading sale of two-year-olds celebrated another new stakes-winning graduate – Arigato (NZ) (Charm Spirit). Bought for $150,000 from the 2020 Ready to Run Sale, Arigato led from start to finish and picked up the biggest win of his career in Sunday’s RM100,000 Perak Charity Cup (1400m). Arigato was offered by Henley Park in Book 1 of Karaka 2020 and was knocked down for $100,000. He returned to Karaka later that year as a member of Woburn Farm’s draft for the Ready to Run Sale, where he was bought by Golden River Investments. Previously a nine-race winner in Macau, Arigato has now added three wins from 12 starts in Malaysia for owners the Neo Stable. That gives him an overall total of 38 starts for 12 wins and two placings. Arigato jumped sharply from the starting gates on Sunday for jockey Wong Kam Chong and took up the lead, and he never surrendered that advantage. He kicked hard off the home turn and quickly put two to three lengths on his nearest challenger. Salaam Namastey (NZ) (Prince Of Brooklyn) emerged from the pack and ate into Arigato’s margin to lodge a strong late challenge, but the favourite held him out and completed an all-the-way victory by a neck. Trainer Lim Shung You is now keen to target the RM300,000 Ready to Run Sale Championship (1400m), which is for Sale graduates and will be run at Selangor on October 12. Arigato (NZ) pictured ahead of the 2020 Ready to Run Sale. “I was confident before this race, because he had done well in the prep,” Lim said. “Our plan was for Arigato to lead, and hope he goes all the way, because that was how he won his last race. “We are planning to enter him in the New Zealand (NZB) Ready To Run Sale Championship.” The Ready to Run Sale Championship will be the second race held in recognition of the Selangor Turf Club’s relationship with New Zealand Bloodstock. The first race, the NZB Ready to Run 2023 Graduate Cup (1400m) was run in April and was won by Duma (NZ) (Too Darn Hot). The 2025 edition of the Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre on Wednesday 12 & Thursday 13 November, with Breeze Ups to be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on Monday 13 & Tuesday 14 October. Vendor Karaka 2020: Henley Park2020 Ready to Run Sale: Woburn Farm Purchaser Karaka 2020: Mr B Watson (New South Wales)2020 Ready to Run Sale: Golden River Investments (Hong Kong) Breeding Charm Spirit – Amour Cache Sale Lot 428, Karaka 2020 Book 1, $100,000Lot 135, 2020 Ready to Run Sale, $150,000 Breeder M N & Mrs S L Devcich & Windsor Park Stud Ltd Owner Neo Stable View the full article

Trainer Jamie Richards sent out a double on the opening-day of the Hong Kong season as he looks to build early momentum. The Kiwi expat was all smiles after Groovy Feeling stormed home to narrowly win the second section of the Class 4 Ma On Shan Handicap (1200m) before Bulb General stamped his early claims as a four-year-old series prospect with an outstanding triumph in the Class 3 Lantau Peak Handicap (1200m) under Zac Purton. “He was a bit closer in the run than I thought he was going to be but it was a nice watch,” Richards said of Bulb General, who made it back-to-back wins when he beat Akashvani by a length and a half. “Obviously, all the owners here want to be a part of the four-year-old series and let’s hope he’s good enough to keep going and get a few more rating points in hand. “I asked Zac to ride this horse a month ago and wanted to try and start strong and try and give the owners and everyone here a bit of faith that I hadn’t forgotten how to do it after a shocker last year. The team has been working hard during the off-season and hopefully we can get it going again.” Bulb General was bought out of Cambridge Stud’s Book 1 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $175,000 by Richards and Andrew Williams Bloodstock and was a juvenile trial winner at Te Rapa before relocating to Hong Kong. The talented gelding was an encouraging third on debut before a bout of colic, but has since bounced back to win his two outings impressively. Bulb General is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Stylish Achiever. View the full article

A trans-Tasman ownership double prompted long and enthusiastic celebrations for Ashburton’s Barneswood Farm. Husband-and-wife Chris and Sarah Green and business partner Ger Beemsterboer’s colours were carried to victory at The Valley by Desert Lightning and at Ellerslie by progressive mare Arabian Songbird. “It was brilliant and we were so excited, I was at Moonee Valley and cheering him on,” Sarah Green said. Trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, Desert Lightning capped off a grand run of form when he won the So You Think Stakes (1500m) after finishing fourth in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and second in the Gr.2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m). “He was great at Caulfield to fight like he did and was unlucky in the Stradbroke,” Green said. “Our trainers had confidence, but you never know, and he had a wide barrier to overcome so we were really proud of him. “It was a long weekend, we came home on Sunday morning and had to get up at 3.30am to be at the airport so I was still celebrating with a glass of champagne and a sausage for breakfast.” Out of the High Chaparral mare Isstoora, Desert Lightning was purchased out of Little Avondale Stud’s draft at Karaka for $150,000 on behalf of Barneswood by now retired trainers Peter and Dawn Williams. He won five races for them, including the Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) and placed in the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) and Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) before relocating to his Pakenham base. “We just love him to pieces, Peter and Dawn trained him so well and Peter and Katherine have kept him in top form as a six-year-old and they have all done excellent jobs,” Green said. “They’re talking maybe the Underwood Stakes (Gr.1, 1800m), but it’s not confirmed, and they’ll see how he does at the beach during the week first.” Arabian Songbird is trained for the partnership by Roger James and Robert Wellwood and powered to victory over 1300m at Ellerslie for the fourth win of her nine-start career. “We watched that with Robert in the bar at Moonee Valley and silenced them with our screaming, she was so far back and the Masa (Hashizume) gave her a great ride,” Green said. “She may come down to Cup Week for what was the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (now Gr.3 Join TAB Racing Club Mile, 1600m), that’s maybe the path she’ll take.” Pierro mare Arabian Songbird was bred by Jamieson Park and was a $260,000 Karaka buy for Barneswood who also have her half-sister Saint Alice, an earlier $220,000 purchase. The daughter of So You Think and the Redoute’s Choice mare Rare Delight won seven races, including the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m) and was a multiple Group placegetter from Williams’ stable. She is at Sledmere Stud in the Hunter Valley after recently produced her first foal, a colt by Wootton Bassett. View the full article

Group One glory eluded Wexford Stables at Ellerslie, but trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott were nevertheless buoyed by the performances of their representatives. Tomodachi fared best of the stablemates when third in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) while Checkmate and Waitak were less than four lengths off the winner and Grail Seeker had no luck in the running. The Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced Tomodachi produced a top effort in her elite level debut and first outing since she claimed the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) in the autumn. “We were really pleased and she’ll get her turn and win a nice race,” O’Sullivan said. “She’s definitely got a future and we think she can be better than what she was at the weekend, she’s still very wintery at the present time. “She’s come through the race well and she’ll have three weeks in the paddock now with the idea of running in some of the better races later on, the Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m) etc.” Checkmate will also enjoy some time off after his midfield finish on Saturday. “He’ll go to the paddock for a bit, probably close on three weeks out, with the idea of getting him ready for a race like the Rich Hill Mile (Gr.2, 1600m) and the Karaka four-year-old Mile,” O’Sullivan. “There’s a lot of improvement in him and he blooms a bit later in the season, but we were very pleased with his performance and he’s certainly up to them.” He won the Listed Armacup Stakes (1500m) and placed in both the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) and $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) last term. Waitak will remain in work after the rub of the green went against him at Ellerslie. “He was good and didn’t get much of a crack at them,” O’Sullivan said. “He will carry on and run in the mile (Gr.1 Howden Insurance, 1600m) in three weeks’ time, that’s a nice progression for him.” Grail Seeker finished one spot behind Waitaki in 12th after she lost momentum early in the run home when shut out of a gap. “She will run in five weeks’ time in the Sweynesse Stakes (Gr.3, 1215m), we’ll get a very good line on her and you’d think she’d be awfully hard to beat, if not she’d need a good excuse,” O’Sullivan said. “She looks terrific and Andrew and I are pleased with the progress she’s made.” Not surprisingly, Grail Seeker was also named New Zealand’s 2024/25 Champion Sprinter-Miler at New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s black-tie event in Hamilton on Sunday evening. “We looked through it and thought she’d get it, she only had the four starts and won two Group Ones (Tarzino Trophy, 1400m), Telegraph (1200m),” O’Sullivan said. View the full article

Harness Racing New Zealand’s Blue September fund-raiser has got off to a flying start. The campaign officially started at Winton last Thursday and already there is more than $12,000 in the kitty for the New Zealand Prostate Foundation. Money is raised every time one of the 11 ambassadors wins a race, through the drivers’ individual sponsors plus contributions from clubs and HRNZ ($100 each). So far there have been 13 wins, with the total currently standing at $12,140. Nathan Williamson kicked the 2025 campaign off on the right note with three wins at Winton with John Dunn following that up with four more at Addington on Friday. With an impressive list of sponsors every win Dunn has adds $1360 to the cause. Blair Orange has also had four winners so far, with the other two successful drivers being his son Harrison and Matty Williamson. This is the fifth year that HRNZ has been involved in Blue September, with last year’s campaign raising more than $40,000. From September 18-21 will be the first Big Blue Drive. It’s a Donation Drive weekend aimed at raising funds for research. Everyone’s encouraged to wear blue, with spot prizes awarded to those wearing the most striking outfits at Addington and Alexandra Park as well as raffles and other activities throughout the weekend. On Thursday September 18, Winton and a “Blokes Night” at Cambridge will kick things off before the campaign moves to Addington and Auckland (Friday). It will then wind up at Motukarara on Sunday, September 21. The meeting will also feature two male only races and the ever popular Blue Bolt where the ambassadors “sprint” 100 metres down the home straight. More details on the Blue Big Drive, as well as other Blue September news, will be on the hrnz website and social media channels throughout the month. Anyone keen to contribute to the campaign or sponsor an individual driver can contact courtney@hrnz.co.nz View the full article

Two new schemes, with the joint goal of getting more mares in foal, have been announced in time for the 2025 breeding season. The New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Association (NZSBA) has created a database of mares that are available right around the country while the North Canterbury-based Wai Eyre Farm has come up with a new “Lease to Buy” programme. NZSBA : The NZSBA’s live table of all available mares is an interim step before it launches its Breeders Exchange platform later this month. It is an easy to use guide to see what mares are available and where they are based. To see the available mares click here http://bit.ly/4nebIVK Got a mare you won’t be breeding this year? It’s not too late to add her to the list! List your mare here: http://bit.ly/45YyqtZ The database updates automatically as new entries are added. To see more about the NZSBA click here Wai Eyre Farm : Wai Eyre Farm in conjunction with Dancingonmoonlight Farm and Yabby Dam Farms is again looking for broodmares. They want : Mares for sale Mares and Fillies currently racing for sale or lease Lease mares for us to breed They have many options, including discounts, in place to help breeders. The Farm had also announced what it says is an “industry first”. It is going to trial a Lease to Buy Program for a select number of mares that it will then breed to a selection of its stallions. In the first instance there will be no cost. Breeders will then have the option to purchase the resulting foal at an agreed price, at weaning. Wai Eyre says the program takes away the inherent risks involved with breeding and will give breeders confidence knowing that there will be a viable weanling at the end of the process. For more details : Phone Lisa 03 312 6338 or Darryl 0274 732 250 Email: admin@waieyrefarm.co.nz www.waieyrefarm.co.nz View the full article

By Mike Love Nearly two years after making his debut Verducci broke his maiden status at start number 29 at Methven yesterday. The six-year-old Sportswriter gelding took out the Mt Hutt Motels Mobile Pace for West Melton trainer-driver Jessica Young-Grant, after placing eight times previously. It was Young-Grant’s 128th success in the sulky and her third as a trainer. “It was a good win. He’s been an enigma. He’s a super track worker,” said Young-Grant. Young-Grant said her expectations had been set high early in the gelding’s career. “When he ran second in his first start I thought ‘shit we’re going to win one soon.’ But here we are 29 starts later,” she said. In what was an eventful race with She’s A Major Act and Ideal Conqueror playing cat and mouse on a fast tempo, the race was set up for a swooper. Young-Grant was able to watch everything unfold from back in the field. Verducci was checked at the 400 metres, and was in fact in a gallop dead last at the top of the straight. Young-Grant and Verducci quickly recovered to get a roll on with a huge run to pick them up and win by half a length at the line. “It’s always a good run when they come from last,” Young-Grant said. Young-Grant said she has persevered with the gelding. “He wouldn’t be around in most other stables,” she said. Recent form had given some encouragement. “He was a bit unlucky at Addington two starts ago. But even so we were more hopeful than confident today,” Young-Grant said. Verducci is out of Roxy Bromac, a mare that Young-Grant drove to seven wins. “She was such a little darling. I was a junior then. She kinda got me on the map as a driver. She had speed. She could win from anywhere and tried so hard,” Young-Grant said. View the full article

Eager to improve on a successful second season in Hong Kong, Mark Newnham is banking on the brilliance of champion jockey Zac Purton in his bid to strike at Happy Valley’s first meeting of the term on Wednesday night. After a strong debut campaign in the city with 31 wins, Newnham made impressive progress to notch 44 victories last term highlighted by My Wish’s success in the Classic Mile. The astute Australian handler has one simple aim for the new season. “I’ll just try to do better than last...View the full article

Returning from a victory on the Aug. 28 opening day card at Kentucky Downs, Midway Racing's Street Beast pulled away to a seven-length victory in the $1 million Juvenile Mile Stakes Sept. 7.View the full article

Fred Mo quickly moved to the front of the field and won in his second career start, giving his sire Jess Mo his first winner Sept. 7 at Emerald Downs. View the full article

Looking to stay perfect and attain his first graded win for the trophy case, Hey Nay Nay (Ire) (No Nay Never) ran on nicely to capture the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes on Sunday afternoon at the seaside oval. The $300,000 Keeneland September grad made his debut a winning one going from pillar to post while sprinting over the Santa Anita turf course June 1. The John Sadler trainee shipped across the country to contest the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park and he passed that test with flying colors when he won by seven lengths over four others. Set for a much bigger field and bet down to even-money here, the favorite was beaten to the punch after the bell by a longshot who stubbornly wrangled the lead away by using his position to the inside. Hey Nay Nay relaxed heading into the first turn and took up a spot just off the speed to the outside. On hold up the backstretch, jockey Hector Berrios asked the question around the far turn and the dark bay was itching to answer. Hey Nay Nay started to apply pressure just before the top of the lane and he took control turning for home. With a healthy margin to cut into, Plutarch (Into Mischief) did his best to run late, but he could not get to the winner. The final running time was 1:35.57. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. Sales History: $300,000 KEESEP '24. O-Hronis Racing LLC and Iapetus Racing LLC; B-Lynch Bages, Camas Park & Summerhill B/S (Ire); T-John W. Sadler. #5 HEY NAY NAY ($4.00) is 3-for-3 and a two-time stakes winner with a victory in the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3) at @DelMarRacing. @HIBerrios was in the irons for trainer @sadlerracing and owners @Hronis_Racing and Iapetus Racing. pic.twitter.com/j5sFLqukKB — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 8, 2025 The post Hey Nay Nay Runs To Odds And Stays Perfect In Del Mar Juvenile Turf appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Unlock a range of exciting racing deals from Australia’s top horse racing bookmakers this Monday, September 8. Take your punting to the next level with money-back specials, bonus-back offers, and boosted odds. These promotions give you more ways to win and add extra value to your Monday racing bets — all from trusted online betting sites. Here are the standout Aussie racing promotions for September 8, 2025: Top horse racing offers for today 10% Winnings Boost! – Tatura Get 10% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH. First eligible bet per race. Must apply Promotion in betslip. Cash bets only. Max bonus $100. Eligible customers only Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Bet Boost | Monday Thoroughbred Meetings Get a bet boost on thoroughbred races around Australia on Monday. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% winnings in cash Max Payout $2000. Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds win bets on Australian thoroughbred races only. Excludes boosted, multi, live and bonus bets. PlayUp T&Cs apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Blonde Boosts! Elevate your prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Eligible Customers Only. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Daily Exotic Boosts Boost your exotics by up to 20%. Available on Exactas, Quinellas, Trifectas & First Fours. Excludes Quaddies. Check your vault for eligibility. Login to Unibet to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector | If Your Horse Drifts, You Get The Bigger Price Only available on Australian Horse Racing Fixed Price Win bets placed from 8am AET the day of the race. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Copycash – Get Copied. Get Paid. Get paid $0.10 every time someone uses Copy Bet to copy your bets. Eligible Customers Only. Login to Dabble to Claim Promo Daily Multi Insurance Any Race. Any Runner. Any Odds. Get a Bonus Back if your Multi loses by a specified number of legs. Fixed odds only. Check your vault for eligibility. Login to Unibet to Claim Promo Where do we find these bookmaker offers? At HorseBetting.com.au, our team keeps a close eye on the latest promos from Australia’s most popular horse racing bookies — so you don’t miss a thing. We dig through the daily deals and highlight the best value racing offers for Monday, September 1. While some bookmakers pause their promos, others ramp up with can’t-miss specials — and we bring it all to you in one place. Bookmark HorseBetting.com.au for your go-to guide to the freshest racing bookmaker promotions. From enhanced odds to cashback perks, there’s something for every punter. Just log in to your account with any featured bookie to activate your chosen bonus. Need help picking winners? Don’t forget to check our daily free racing tips to make the most of your bonus bets. Horse Racing Promotions View the full article

In just his second outing, Brant turned in a professional victory in the Del Mar Futurity, beating stablemate Desert Gate, both trained by Bob Baffert.View the full article

Zedan Racing Stable's Boyd (c, 2, Violence–A Taste of Red, by Street Boss), a $1.05-million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, bound home an effortless wire-to-wire victor in his debut at Del Mar Sunday, earning the 'TDN Rising Star' label. The chestnut colt, sent off at even money, was hustled of the gate and was easily in front through a quarter in :21.32 and he turned for home three lengths in front through a half in :43.91. Well in front down the lane, Boyd gave his backers their only anxious moment when he appeared to drift in and brush the rail in upper stretch, but he was soon righted by Tyler Gaffalione and glided home a six-length winner, completing the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.79. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Zedan Racing Stable. B-Nasser Omihira (Ky). T-Bob Baffert. Boy oh BOYD ($4.20)! The juvenile colt by Violence broke his maiden in dominant fashion in R6 at @DelMarRacing. @Tyler_Gaff was aboard for trainer @BobBaffert and owner @ZedanRacing. pic.twitter.com/V0uC0krWyz — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 7, 2025 The post Violence’s Boyd Blasts Home a ‘TDN Rising Star’ in Del Mar Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin homebred Quiet Street (f, 2, Street Boss–Serene, by Tapit), a debut winner going 5 1/2 furlongs over the Saratoga lawn Aug. 13, powered to the lead late to take the $1-million Untapable Stakes at Kentucky Downs Sunday. The 2-1 shot settled off the pace early, tipped out to the center of the course for the stretch run and produced a quick turn of foot to garner the one-length victory. Snow Face Princess (Midshipman) was second and Believe in Magic (Not This Time) was third. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. O/B-Godolphin (Ky). T-William Mott. QUIET STREET ($6.64) jumped into the fray late and flew home under @JuniorandKellyA in the $1,000,000 Untapable Stakes @KYDownsRacing. Bill Mott trains the homebred daughter of Street Boss (@DarleyAus) for @Godolphin. The 2YO is now 2-for-2. pic.twitter.com/sAN7U0l0S3 — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 7, 2025 The post Street Boss’s Quiet Street Makes All the Noise in Untapable appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article