Wandering Eyes

Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray are eyeing both of New Zealand’s feature three-year-old staying races in March and their Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) contender Eye Candy (NZ) (Darci Brahma) appeared at the trials at Cambridge on Tuesday. Eye Candy was a maiden winner at Ruakaka in mid-December, and after a tough run in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m), she stamped her Oaks credentials with a game performance behind class filly Hinekaha in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth. Mindful of keeping his filly up to the mark in the interim, Ritchie opted to head to the local course for an Open 1300m heat, where she was close-up in second behind Pow Wow in the hands of Kevin Stott. “She’s a quite a big, round sort of a filly that holds plenty of condition. In fact, in the early days, I didn’t think she had much ability but she was just carrying too much weight,” he said. “That was a trainer error for sure. “She’s gotten herself fit and raced into form, but we’ve found that we just can’t do enough at the training track with her. She’s certainly one of the first to the buffet, that’s for sure, and from that perspective, we elected to have the trial today. “She’s been a good leader, when she won her race she led and was only run down late by Hinekaha last start, which is nice company. She’s shown her best from the front, but she can’t always lead, so we wanted to take a trail today which Kevin did on her. “He popped off the fence late and she had a nice little blow, which is what we were expecting from her. Trailing will give us a little bit more ammunition going forward if we need it.” Eye Candy’s final assignment before her trip to Trentham will be next Saturday’s Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (2100m), run on Champions Day at Ellerslie for $250,000. “We’ve decided to go to the Sunline Vase on the big day at Ellerslie rather than chasing the good filly (Leica Lucy) and others in the Lowland (Gr.2, 2100m) as we lead into the Oaks,” Ritchie said. “We thought a nice, cruisy trial today would top her off pretty well and she’ll probably join Tuxedo next Monday for a gallop at Ellerslie, which will bring her on a little bit more fitness-wise.” Also featuring in the heat was her stablemate Pearl Of Alsace (NZ) (Tavistock), a Group One-performing mare who is looking at a potential tilt at the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m), a race she took out two years ago. “We gave her a week off after her last run and she put on about 18-20 kilos, she did extremely well just having a quick break and a freshen-up,” Ritchie said. “We knew she needed the trial, but it was very much a handbrake trial, and she was never out of first gear, Michael (McNab) said she felt terrific. “We are reluctant to go too hard with the nice horses on the poly, but it does serve its purpose from our perspective because they get past the winning post and they’re back in their paddock fairly quickly afterwards. We appreciate being able to give them a glorified gallop, rather than a trial really. “She’ll get ready for either the Group Two at Tauranga (Japan Trophy, 1600m) or the Cuddle Stakes. She’ll be looking for a shower of rain to show her best and she hasn’t had a lot of luck in her racing this prep.” Talented four-year-old Nepheti (NZ) (Charm Spirit) made her first appearance after a spell later in the Open 950m heat, never being tested under Bridget Grylls to finish a tidy fourth. A stakes performer at three, Nepheti commenced her season well in good company through the spring, but after a tough run on Melbourne Cup Day at Ellerslie, she headed to the paddock. “She trialled well, she was just there for a soft trial and she jumped quick. Bridget Grylls eased her out of the early speed and she sat extremely quiet on her,” Ritchie said. “She’s a mare that has had a big break, she’s a big-winded mare so she’ll have another trial and then she will probably head to Counties for a 75 sprint on the 21st of March. “She was a bit disappointing last time, but from a wide gate, she didn’t have a lot of luck either. We will be reluctant to run her until she gets a decent draw this time, particularly at Counties where the 1200 can be quite unforgiving if you’re out wide and jump well. “She seems to be coming to hand really nicely, a second trial won’t do her any harm and then we’ll give her a few runs in the autumn before the track become too wet for her.” The stable had a number of three-year-olds trialling through the morning, with The Oaks Stud-owned filly Esperanza (NZ) (Reliable Man) and first-time triallist Hinemoa Road (NZ) (Darci Brahma) noted as ones to watch by Ritchie. “I think Esperanza has a really promising future, she got back in her trial and worked through the inside to run second to another filly of ours, Way Out,” he said. “She’ll be one to look out for, as well as Hinemoa Road when he gets out to a mile. We haven’t done a lot with him, but I like the way he moves and he did well in his first educational trial, he’ll be more competitive in his next and hard to beat at the races once he’s up to 1600.” Back at the stable, Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) is gearing up for his biggest assignment to date in next Saturday’s $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m), off the back of a stunning display in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m). “We know we’re going to have one of the best turn-of-foot in the race, it’s just a question of the extra 400m,” Ritchie said. “He handles the 2000m of the Waikato Guineas with aplomb didn’t he, so based on that run, the Derby is going to be an exciting race for us and he deserves place in the top four in the market. “It was probably fortunate that we did miss the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2400m) because it wasn’t pleasant viewing for anybody. But it also gives us the option to go to Australia, as we won’t be running three times in basically a period of four weeks. “That would’ve virtually evaporated our chance of going to Sydney for the Australian Derby (Gr.1, 2400m). We are mindful that it is his first prep, but by spacing his races and hopefully getting a little bit of rain in Sydney, it is a realistic target for him. “If his New Zealand Derby performance warrants it, it gives us that option like many good Derby winners have in the past, to go over and have a crack at the Australian one as well.” View the full article

Popular grey gelding Chattahoochee (NZ) (Reliable Man) could be in for an exciting autumn after pleasing with his three-length trial victory over 950m at Cambridge on Tuesday. The six-year-old son of Reliable Man was making his first New Zealand public appearance since his two-run Melbourne campaign for interim trainer Cindy Alderson last year, where he placed in the Subzero Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day before finishing fourth in the Listed Kilmore Cup (1600m). Back in the care of Te Awamutu trainer Debbie Sweeney, some black-type targets await the gelding following his positive trial showing. “It was a really nice trial from him today. He went well and he seems to like the poly,” Sweeney said. “He went really well in Australia. On Melbourne Cup Day he dropped back in distance, and it was a good effort, and his next start he got a bit of a wet track, which he didn’t really cop that day. He still tried and went a good race. “He will possibly have a start in the next fortnight somewhere. His main aim will be the Manco Easter Handicap (Gr.3, 1600m). Brian Black, one of his owners, sponsors that race.” Chattahoochee was ridden in Tuesday’s trial by probationary jockey Ashlee Strawbridge, who is set to commence her apprenticeship with Sweeney and make her raceday riding debut in the coming weeks. “Ashlee Strawbridge is a new apprentice for the stable and she is looking to kick-off in the next fortnight,” Sweeney said. “Her mother, Michelle Strawbridge, works for us. She was Michelle Hopkins and was a good jumps jockey. “She (Ashlee) has been with the stable for a while working school holidays and then she went down to uni in Christchurch and then decided she wanted to come back and give it a go as a jockey. “She worked for Ross Beckett down there for a while and then decided to come back home and work for me, so that was really good. “She has been going along really nicely. Going into the winter months she is going to be a good four-kilo claimer. She is nice and light, she can ride at 51.5kg. She is looking promising.” Meanwhile, in the same heat, Sweeney was pleased to see Willit (NZ) (Swiss Ace) finish second to his stablemate. The Gerry Harvey-bred and raced gelding won on debut last July and Sweeney is expecting him to add to his win tally over the winter months. “He went a really nice trial as well,” she said. “He is a horse that is waiting for a bit more moisture in the ground, but he trialled up nicely and showed a bit of ability last time around, so I am happy with him. “He is probably looking at a fortnight’s time (to kick-off). As soon as we get a bit of rain somewhere, he can head to the races, he is pretty forward.” Stablemate Madame Kiwi (NZ) (Staphanos) also impressed when winning her 800m heat by 1-3/4 lengths. It was the first public outing for the three-year-old daughter of Staphanos, and Sweeney is looking forward to the future with her. “It was only a four-horse field, but she trialled up nicely and showed a bit of speed,” Sweeney said. “She will improve off that.” View the full article

What Sandown Hillside Races Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Wednesday, February 26, 2025 First Race 3:40pm AEDT Visit Dabble The Hillside track at Sandown will play host to an eight-race card this Wednesday afternoon, with the first event scheduled to jump at 3:40pm AEDT. The track is expected to remain in the Good 4 rating that was posted at acceptances as there is no rain forecast in the lead-up to the meeting. The rail will be in the +3m position for the entire circuit. Best Bet at Sandown: Zorro’s Flight Zorro’s Flight was just beaten in a photo finish at Flemington on January 18, when the Patrick & Michelle Payne-trained runner led for the majority of the 1600m contest. Since that run, the son of Toronado has been given two quiet trials to ensure that he remains fit. With a small field engaged, Tom Prebble will push forward, take up the lead, and allow Zorro’s Flight to roll around the home turn and give a strong kick. Best Bet Race 2 – #1 Zorro’s Flight (3) 3yo Gelding | T: Patrick & Michelle Payne | J: Tom Prebble (a3) (62.5kg) Next Best at Sandown: No Fuss The third preparation of the Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained No Fuss will kick off on Wednesday, when the lightly raced four-year-old gelding faces the starter for the third time. On his Australian debut, the son of Jon Snow proved way too good for his rivals, winning by 2.3 lengths at Ballarat over 1400m. No Fuss worked home smartly in a 1000m jumpout at Avoca, and if he produces a similar effort on raceday, he will prove hard to hold out late. Next Best Race 4 – #7 No Fuss (9) 4yo Gelding | T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | J: Harry Coffey (59kg) Best Value at Sandown: Speak Speak would have finished much closer to Emphasize at Caulfield last start, but the Ciaron Maher-trained mare was slightly held up at the 500m mark before charging home into third place. The daughter of Sea The Moon had to weave between runners, and once she got into clear air, she stormed home in the final 200m, indicating that the extra 400m here will suit. Jamie Melham will attempt to slot in midfield off the fence, and if she can produce a similar effort, Speak looks like a great each-way bet with Dabble. Best Value Race 6 – #11 Speak (12) 6yo Mare | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Jamie Melham (54kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Sandown Sandown quadrella selections Wednesday, February 26, 2025 2-3-5-7-8 4-5-7-8-11 1-5-6-9 2-4-6-8 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Several Group races featured across the Caulfield and Rosehill cards; however, for this week’s edition of The Follow Files, we have focused on three runners from Caulfield. Each of these runners produced impressive runs without much luck and should be added to your blackbook for their upcoming starts. Caulfield Track rating: Good 4 (up to Good 3 after R5) Rail position: +4m entire circuit Race 4: Group 3 Zeditave Stakes (1200m) | Time: 1:09.69 Horse to follow: Sergeant Major (3rd) Sergeant Major kicked off his autumn preparation over 1200m, which was always going to be short of his best distance after competing in races over 1400m and 1800m last campaign. The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding settled at the back of the field and gradually improved his position on the inside before the home turn. Ethan Brown chose to stick close to the inside rail in the home straight, and in doing so, Sergeant Major finished off nicely to nab third place on the line. When to bet: If Ciaron Maher targets the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 15, Sergeant Major will be able to dodge some of the more talented three-year-olds. If he takes good improvement off his fresh run, the race will suit him well. https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Caulfield-2025-Group-3-Zeditave-Stakes-22022025-Tropicus-Anthony-Sam-Freedman-Mark-Zahra.mp4 Race 7: Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) | Time: 1:03.78 Horse to follow: Tom Kitten (2nd) The clear forgive run at Caulfield came from the James Cummings-trained Tom Kitten, who was held up from the 500m to the 200m mark before bursting through a gap late. Ben Melham didn’t have many options as he was stuck behind slowing runners and had to wait for a gap to appear. Even though he was held up until the final 200m, he recorded the 14th fastest 400m (22.54s) and the 11th fastest 200m (11.42s) sections of the meeting. When to bet: The Group 1 All Star Mile at Flemington on March 8 could be where Tom Kitten goes next, which is expected to be a very strong race. If James Cummings chooses to skip the All Star Mile and find another race over 1600m, he will be a great bet. https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Caulfield-2025-Group-1-Futurity-Stakes-22022025-Mr-Brightside-Ben-Will-JD-Hayes-Craig-Williams.mp4 Race 9: Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) | Time: 1:35.78 Horse to follow: Headwall (4th) Headwall competed in his first Group 1 contest last Saturday, and the Matthew Smith-trained gelding was far from disgraced after being sent around as a +2500 roughie with BlondeBet. The son of Dream Ahead received a good run with cover in the middle of the pack, but turning into the home straight, Harry Coffey saw nothing but backsides. However, once Coffey changed tracks to the inside of runners, Headwall ran through the line as strongly as the placegetters, recording the 10th fastest last 200m (11.41s) section of the meeting. When to bet: There are plenty of options for Headwall in the coming weeks over 1100m or 1200m for his second-up start. Keep an eye out for where Matthew Smith enters him next. https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Caulfield-2025-Group-1-Oakleigh-Plate-22022025-Jimmysstar-Ciaron-Maher-Ethan-Brown.mp4 Top horse racing sites for blackbook features Horse racing tips View the full article

What Rosehill Races Where Rosehill Gardens Racecourse – James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142 When Wednesday, February 26, 2025 First Race 2:20pm AEDT Visit Dabble Metro racing returns to Rosehill on Wednesday afternoon, with a quickfire seven-part program set for decision. The rail moves out +7m the entire circuit after racing with the rail out +5m on Saturday, and with no significant rainfall predicted on the radar, punters can anticipate a Good 4 surface for race-day. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 2:20pm local time. Best Bet at Rosehill: President President returns after a 283-day spell and brings some elite two-year-old form into this maiden contest. The son of I Am Invincible managed a third-place finish in the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic (1200m) at Doomben on May 18 before being sent to the paddock after suffering a setback. He’s trialled nicely heading into this first-up assignment, and with James McDonald set to get an economical run from stall four, expect President to be right in this when the whips are cracking. Best Bet Race 1 – #7 President (4) 3yo Colt | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (58.5kg) Next Best at Rosehill: La Roja La Roja ran into a smart one in the form of Island Dec at Canterbury on February 14, but still closed off nicely to suggest the I Am Invincible filly has plenty of upside in her own right. She got within a half-length despite being asked to sprint off a slow tempo, with the lightly raced three-year-old circling the small field of seven. Stepping out to the 1500m should be a recipe for success, and with Joshua Parr set to get the gun run from gate five, expect La Roja to be fighting out the finish once again. Next Best Race 4 – #4 La Roja (5) 3yo Filly | T: Peter Snowden | J: Joshua Parr (58kg) Best Value at Rosehill: Amplify The Ciaron Maher-trained Amplify did enough on debut to suggest she can improve heading into this second-up assignment. The daughter of Microphone looked gone turning for home at Canterbury on February 7, with the three-year-old rallying off the canvas to get within three lengths of Scalable in the concluding stages. The run had merit stepping up to the 1500m, and although Ashley Morgan will need to overcome a sticky draw in stall 10, Amplify should represent good each-way value with horse racing bookmakers. Best Value Race 3 – #6 Amplify (10) 3yo Filly | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Ashley Morgan (56kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Rosehill Rosehill quadrella selections February 26, 2025 3-4-5-7-8 2-3-6-7-9 1-2-4-7-9 1-4-5-7-8 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

What Launceston Cup Day 2025 Where Tasmanian Turf Club – Jellico St, Mowbray TAS 7248 When Wednesday, February 26, 2025 First Race 12:47pm AEDT Visit Dabble The Group 3 Launceston Cup (2400m) headlines a jam-packed 10-event program at the Tasmanian Turf Club on Wednesday afternoon for one of the biggest days of racing in the state. Clear skies mean the track should remain a Good 4, while the rail shifts out 3m for the entire circuit, ensuring a perfect surface throughout the day. The first race on Launceston Cup Day is set to commence at 12:47pm AEDT. Launceston Cup Tip: Alhambra Lad Alhambra Lad was beaten by a length when rocketing home for the rear of the field in the Group 3 Hobart Cup (2400m). The seven-year-old gelding did well to finish as close as he did to Strawberry Rock and Promises Kept, who he meets again. Jake Noonan sticks on board, and from barrier six he only needs a bum to follow approaching the home turn to be featuring in the finish. The $5.50 on offer with Picklebet looks a great price for Alhambra Lad to salute in the 2025 Launceston Cup. Launceston Cup Race 8 – #3 Alhambra Lad (6) 7yo Gelding | T: Patrick & Michelle Payne | J: Jake Noonan (57kg) Vamos Stakes Tip: Geegees Mistruth Geegees Mistruth was levels above her rivals in the Group 3 Mystic Journey Stakes (1200m). The three-year-old filly was forced to travel three wide with no cover up on speed and showed a strong turn of foot, winning by two lengths eased down. Barrier five should allow Anthony Darmanin to find a strong position just off the speed, and given she drops in grade and stays at 53.5kg, Geegees Mistruth should be putting her rivals away with ease in the 2025 Vamos Stakes. Vamos Stakes Race 7 – #13 Geegees Mistruth (5) 3yo Filly | T: Stuart Gandy | J: Anthony Darmanin (53.5kg) Hellova Street Stakes Tip: Munhamek Despite four starts without a win this campaign, Munhamek shapes as the one to beat in the 2025 Hellova Street Stakes. The nine-year-old gelding was last seen finishing 2.7 lengths off Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa in the Group 3 JRA Plate (1600m), and his half-length defeat before that at Flemington in similar company to this reads perfectly. From barrier two, Mark Zahra will need a touch of luck to not get caught up in traffic in the home straight, but if he can do that, Munhamek has a finish that not many of his rivals can match. Hellova Street Stakes Race 9 – #2 Munhamek (2) 9yo Gelding | T: Nick Ryan | J: Mark Zahra (59kg) Gold Sovereign Stakes: Crack The Shutters Crack The Shutters was a smart maiden winner at Hobart over the 1100m on February 16. Having been forced to travel wide with no cover throughout, the Alpine Eagle progeny still had the audacity to run on and score by two lengths. From barrier two under Damian Lane, Crack The Shutters will gain a much more economical run in transit on Wednesday, and barring any bad luck in the home straight, she should be winning the 2025 Gold Sovereign Stakes. Gold Sovereign Stakes Race 3 – #6 Crack The Shutters (2) 2yo Filly | T: Stuart Gandy | J: Damian Lane (55kg) Best Bet at Launceston: Hartfelt Hartfelt has not done much wrong in either of his two career starts, and he looks to be building towards a maiden win. The three-year-old gelding finished third on debut when beaten by a half-length, then ran second at the Launceston 1400m on February 2. He returns to that track and distance for this assignment, and with gun hoop Damian Lane hopping on board, Hartfelt will be given every chance to break through from barrier three. Best Bet Race 1 – #5 Hartfelt (2) 3yo Gelding | T: Adam Trinder | J: Damian Lane (58kg) Launceston Cup Day 2025 quaddie tips Launceston quadrella selections Wednesday, February 26, 2025 13 1-2-3 1-2-3-6 Field | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Jimmysstar ridden by Ethan Brown winning the Oakleigh Plate. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) Jimmysstar, winner of last weekend’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), could be set for the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 22. The Ciaron Maher-trained five-year-old gelding was competing at Group 1 level for just the second time when scoring by 1.3 lengths in the Oakleigh Plate, and Maher believes the $1 million sprint could be a logical next step. “It will be interesting to see what his rating gets to,” Maher told Racing.com. “There’s a plethora of options for him but maybe a William Reid 1200 metres around The Valley? He is in really good order. “He had furnished going into this prep and he is just a horse the owners have been patient with and he’s at the top of his game.” Meanwhile, Maher confirmed that Growing Empire is set for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8, while I Am Me remains in contention for both the Newmarket and the William Reid following her 13th-place finish in the Oakleigh Plate. “She was off the bridle early and didn’t get a lot of luck late, so her next run will be interesting because you could argue she had plenty to offer,” Maher said. Horse racing news View the full article

Horse Racing Radio Network, the award-winning broadcast organization based in Lexington, announced today that its popular weekly Trainer Talk show presented by Fasig-Tipton will be moving to a new day and time.View the full article

With the Kentucky Derby (G1) distance still a question for Built, the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 22 will play an important role in determining the colt's future.View the full article

Multiple Group 1 winner, Atishu. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Chris Waller has confirmed that Group 1-winning mare Atishu will target next month’s $2.5 million Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington. While Via Sistina and Fangirl will remain in Sydney this autumn, Waller highlighted Atishu’s impressive record at Flemington as the key factor behind her placement in the lucrative mile feature. “Atishu is just so brilliant at Flemington,” Waller told Racing.com. “She is a length behind Fangirl and Via Sistina, but at her last run there (Flemington) she ran a great second to Via Sistina and the All-Star Mile just looks a very good race for her before she goes onto the Australian Cup.” The seven-year-old has already enjoyed success at the Melbourne track, having won the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m), Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m), and Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m). Meanwhile, Waller confirmed that both Via Sistina and Fangirl will take their place in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday. “The All-Star Mile is great prize-money, but the Chipping Norton (Verry Elleegant Stakes) is in our backyard, so both Via Sistina and Fangirl will run there Saturday,” Waller said. “It’s been a good race for us, win or lose it, as a good stepping stone to a George Ryder for her (Fangirl) and Via Sistina will probably go to the Ranvet. “They’ll have to race against each other on Saturday, but after that, they can run on the same day but in different races.” Horse racing news View the full article

This week, Michael’s joined in studio by the boss of Te Akau racing, David Ellis, to chat the stable’s expansion, his love of and success at the sales, the state of the industry, his hall of fame induction, and where to next for the Tangerine. Guerin Report – Ep.26 Ft. David Ellis View the full article

Well-performed stablemates Talisker (NZ) (Embellish) and Trobriand (Kermadec) will aim to take their season to the next level at Taupo on Wednesday with a strong assignment in the Fiber Fresh (1400m). The pair have raced alongside each other for much of their career, filling the quinella in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) as juveniles, and finishing fourth and second respectively in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at three. While racing in top company last autumn, they both didn’t find that form, but have regained confidence at four with Talisker finishing third to stablemate My Lips Are Sealed in the Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) before a dominant win at Taranaki earlier this month. Sam Bergerson, who trains the Te Akau galloper with Mark Walker, took plenty of satisfaction from the last-start victory. “He’s always been a talented galloper, his three-year-old form behind Crocetti was very good and we feel that mentally he’s taken a little while,” he said. “It was good to see him do that at Taranaki, hopefully now he’s got a bit of confidence to go on to bigger and better things. “We’ll get through Wednesday, and if we keep him at 1400m, we may look at the Flying Handicap (Listed) at Trentham on the 29th (of March). If we wanted to go up to a mile, we could go to Tauranga for the Japan Trophy (Gr.2, 1600m) on the 15th, but we do feel he’s a little bit stronger left-handed. “Those are in mind for him if he runs well.” Trobriand kicked off his season in style at Taupo with a big display over 1200m, but that momentum came to a halt when he suffered a cardiac arrythmia in early October. After a spell, he came back to place third to Tomodachi and Glamour Tycoon in a pair of 1200m contests at Tauranga, and that pair went on to quinella the open sprint on Avondale Cup Day. “I thought he was good first-up, then probably just okay last time at Tauranga, but it was that day where they seemed to have to be either on the rail or one-off to win,” Bergerson said. “In saying that, I think the winner of that race (Glamour Tycoon) is a very nice horse and ran well at Ellerslie on Saturday, so he wasn’t disgraced. He’s knocking on the door without winning, he’s just had a few setbacks this season and his work was really good on Saturday. “He’s won at Taupo earlier in the season, so back there and sneaking in at a nice light weight and Michael (McNab) on really helps. He’s got a few ticks there, so hopefully he can go out and run well.” Trobriand was a classy colt in the early stages of his career but was gelded over the winter, which Bergerson said has improved his manner around their Matamata stable. “His demeanour has really changed, it probably hasn’t yet transpired on to the track as he was a good colt,” he said. “But he’s much lovelier to deal with at home and his work has been super, he probably just hasn’t gone to that next level yet. “Hopefully we’re on top of his niggles now and he can get back to some winning form.” The pair currently share favouritism for the race at $4, with Talisker set to carry 4.5kg more under Craig Grylls. View the full article

Continue your working week with an exciting lineup of horse racing promotions this Tuesday, February 25. Top-tier online bookmakers are offering incredible bonus-back specials, enhanced odds, and other enticing deals to take your betting experience to new heights. Whether you’re placing a bet on a long shot or backing a proven favourite, these promotions ensure you get more out of every wager. With money-back offers on close calls and boosted payouts on feature races, now’s the perfect time to dive into the action. Don’t miss out on these generous offers—explore the latest promotions today and make this Tuesday’s races one to remember! The top Australian racing promotions for February 25, 2025, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Blonde Boosts! Elevate your prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% of winnings in cash Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds only. PlayUp T&Cs Apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo 10 AGAIN! – Kembla Grange Get 10% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH. Max bonus $100. First bet only. Paid in bonus cash. Cash Bets Only. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Daily Exotic Boost Boost your exotics by up to 20%. Available on Exactas, Quinellas, Trifectas & First Fours. T&C’s apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. 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 Earn $0.10 per unique Copy Bet. Max $1000 per week. Copy Cash is real money into your account. Dabble T&Cs apply. Login to Dabble to Claim Promo Best Tote and Starting Price Guarantees a dividend equal to the highest of the official win dividend paid by the three Australian TAB pools or the official starting price. Maximum stake: $2,000. 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Login to BoomBet 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. T&C’s apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing thoroughbred bonus promotions for February 25, 2025. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

La Cara faces six 3-year-old fillies in the $215,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park March 1, including graded stakes winner The Queens M G. View the full article

Aron Wellman joined the BloodHorse Monday podcast Feb. 24 to discuss Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Kentucky Derby hopefuls Built and Journalism. Frank Angst and Chance Moquett also highlight a new ratings system being developed by Equibase.View the full article

BH Interview with Tom HammView the full article

In an era when it feels ever harder to trust what you're seeing, how edifying to find something “fake” that actually authenticates a genuine, old-school, artisanal flair. That's not to deny the technological short-cuts nowadays available to John Cox, compared to when he started trading out of his garage back in 1982. But anyone touring the Lexington premises of Thorough-Graphics–this Aladdin's cave, teeming with color and invention, where Cox and his family supply around 70 percent of signage to the local Thoroughbred industry–will unfailingly be drawn to the “antique” signs he has been contriving over the last decade or so. It is little more than a sideline, developed during fallow periods in the sales calendar that drives most turnover. But there's no mistaking the satisfaction it provides, to craftsman and customers alike. Cox had always been intrigued, back at the University of Kentucky, by trompe l'oeil (literally, “trick the eye”). “We had a visiting professor who was big into that stuff,” Cox recalls. “So the first semester with him, I carved a deflated basketball out of wood: it was stained with leather dye, and had all the dimples in it, and lettering to make it look deflated. And then, the second semester, I carved an IZOD alligator shirt, again with folds in it, just using different techniques to make it look real–the round end of a ball peen hammer to give it texture, things like that.” Paradoxically, the charming “antique” effect Cox can simulate now, as a seasoned master of his trade, would be much harder to achieve with genuinely aged material. “People have offered me old barn wood and asked whether I could paint on that,” he says. “But it'll have stuff in the grain, and the original paint will have gone into little cracks. It's much easier to paint it all new, and then make it look old. So we start by trying to make them look just like they would have done, when brand new, with the correct typefaces for the period. And then it's about knowing how paint ages over the years. We've redone so many signs that have had taken lots of weather, rust and rot. So we just try to emulate that the best we can: sanding, a little wood carving, and glazing to make it yellow the way old lead paints would.” Cox leaves the reverse pristine, ensuring that nobody will ever be deceived about what they might be buying. And, as it happens, the “new old” look aptly symbolizes the evolution of the business: John and his wife Ann now being joined by son John Jr. and often, especially during the baseball off season (her husband is a minor league pitcher), by daughter Abby. For this is a true family firm, passing skills from one generation to the next–and, as such, typical of the myriad ancillary specialists nourished by the concentration of an international industry in this neighborhood. Credit Chris McGrath Growing up, Cox had a typical local exposure to horses. His mother sold bloodstock advertising, and the family went racing at Keeneland and the Red Mile. One of the ways he paid his way through college was as usher in the reserved seats at Keeneland; another was working at a local sign company focused on Thoroughbred sales: branding for stall doors, flowerboxes, awnings. And while his brother Jim followed in their mother's footsteps, later joining Darley as head of marketing, at just 23 Cox decided there was enough demand to give his former employers a little competition. “I thought I'd just be cheaper and get all their business!” he recalls. “Well, it doesn't work that way. I quickly learned that it was about building relationships. It's a unique little niche. We can do a lot of other signs, too, but when the sales are rolling, we have to turn away everything else because we just don't have time.” An annual highlight of the cycle is Saratoga, where Cox has been going for 35 years. Actually he made the Hall of Fame plaques at the National Museum of Racing, until they ran out of space and went virtual. But the main action up there, just as in Lexington, has always been the sales–where clients typically have permanent boards on which a film of clear static, with appropriate lettering, can be peeled away and replaced. “Fasig-Tipton give us a little place to set up and work on the property,” he explains. “We try to do it all before we get there, but inevitably somebody wins a race across the street and a half-brother needs an update sign. We also paint the jockey [statuettes], in front of the pavilion, in the colors of Grade I winners since the previous sale.” And while they don't paint the Travers canoe, they did a version in green-and-yellow when Lane's End found one to celebrate Code of Honor's win a few years ago; and then repainted it in the Repole colors, to show at the September Sale, after City of Light came up with Fierceness. That's instructive both of the improvisation that characterizes many client requests, and of how all of us, without particularly noticing, develop a brand awareness. As you walk round the workshops and storerooms, and see samples leaning here and there, you realize how effectively different farms have identified with their liveries: gray-and-yellow for Stone Farm, for instance, yellow-and-black for Claiborne. Not forgetting, of course, the familiar greens and blues of two rival auction houses. All these color schemes tend to be developed by clients themselves, with agency help, but it's Thorough-Graphics that deploys them. “People want their colors on everything from their card boxes to a feed tub that no horse ever eats out of,” Cox says. “And we also do plenty out on the farms, from vehicles to stallion plaques. We've done a bit of everything, right down to jockey silks on the bottom of a swimming pool.” Some clients additionally seek creative guidance. Some, equally, will go their own way and break all the design rules. If they do, well, the customer is always right. “I've made signs I wouldn't necessarily put my name on,” Cox admits. “You try to talk them out of it, but their kid has designed it or something. There's several you see, driving around town, that you think, 'Hmm, there's a kid involved in this somehow!'” Cox, who has taught design and layout classes across North America, seeks to combine functionality with aesthetics. “What makes a good sign?” he asks. “It's about how you manipulate fonts and colors to get an effect. Since the invention of these little 'cricut' machines, which cut out letters so that people can just stick them on, it's not the same. Because they don't know about how to make things pleasing to the eye. So, yes, we'd like to think we can do that better.” Cox and colleagues who share those standards around the country send each other photos of particularly egregious signs. “We're like the sign police,” he says. “Writing tickets.” Conversely he likes to surround himself, as a collector, with the best of his trade. “It helps me, as a designer, to have all this visual inspiration around us here, all the different colors,” he says, pointing to a wall. “Those are original show cards for bands that played in San Jose and San Francisco in the late '70s, early '80s. I had a friend who hand-painted them all, to put in ticket office kiosks. I convinced him to move to Lexington and we started a sign-painting school here, in 1989. We'd only been going six months when he had a heart attack and died. He was only 46. He was a real inspiration to me.” Credit Chris McGrath Cox donated many samples of that friend's work to the American Sign Museum at Cincinnati, which includes a model “Main Street.” Last May, moreover, he spent eight days working on storefronts for that remarkable exhibit, one of around 40 experts giving their time from around the nation. But if the best share timeless standards, their working landscape remains ever shifting–for better or worse. They can't use redwood anymore, for instance, and sandblasting red cedar instead evidently yields trickily uneven outcomes. And modern paint, even the expensive enamel that Cox uses, doesn't last so well because it can no longer contain lead. On the other hand, technology has transformed opportunities since the firm's foundation. The continuity comes through the people instead. Until recently, John Jr. was working as a lobbyist at the state capital in Frankfort. But he has gone back to his roots with a view to consolidating his parents' work across decades of transformation. Today Cox can show you round the workshop and explain the workings of giant, computerized printers and plotters, whether cutting out adhesive vinyl or printing out static cling-on. Ink is dried by ultra-violet lights as a suction belt pulls it through. On the other hand, some challenges remain as old as the frontier. Cox points to one sign from a famous farm. “Here's one we're having to redo because it got shot a couple times,” he explains. “Never know what happens out there on a country road!” In between, Cox has helped to shape the background–in barely noticed increments that aggregate to something fundamental–to the professional lives of a whole community. At the breeding stock sales last November, Thorough-Graphics clients made 22 of the top 25 sales at Fasig-Tipton and nine of the top 10 at Keeneland. Not that they're taking specific credit. “Our people sell some $1,000 horses too,” Cox acknowledges. “But we wouldn't mind working on commission sometimes!” His handiwork is so ubiquitous that he even takes credit for introducing branded hip stickers to sale consignments. As so often, necessity was the mother of invention: if your hands ache enough, you're going to come up with something like static cling. “We used to hand-paint everything,” Cox recalls. “Didn't have computers or plotters or printers. I just learned the same way sign painters had always learned. But it got to a point, maybe the early '90s, where I kept getting more and more business but couldn't keep up, simply because I couldn't paint that quickly. It took a real toll. “Even in college I used to dream of a machine where you just stuck a piece of poster board in one end and it came out the other, finished. And now that's exactly what I have. We've had a flatbed printer about 18 years. So it's all come a long way. It's all very different, but still the same kind of product.” So does part of him, having learned the lore of the old craftsmen, feel that it's almost cheating? Almost too easy? “Maybe at first,” he says with a wry grin. “But now, not at all. It was very laborious doing all that stuff. Your hands hurt. We still do some things by hand, like the statuettes. But otherwise I'm very happy to say adios to all of that.” Guess you might even call it a sign of the times. The post A Family Firm Dealing in Signs and Wonders appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horse Racing Radio Network, the award-winning broadcast organization based in Lexington, announced today that its popular weekly Trainer Talk show presented by Fasig-Tipton will be moving to a new day and time.View the full article

There are four horse racing meetings set for Australia on Tuesday, February 25. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Kembla Grange. Tuesday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – February 25, 2025 Kembla Grange Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on February 25, 2025 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! Join BlondeBet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH? full terms. 3 Next Gen Racing Betting Picklebet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. Recommended! 4 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 5 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble You Better Believe It Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Bet365 Signup Code GETON 6 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

Marc Wampler has been involved with racing since 1993 and currently is the racing manager and bloodstock agent for Pocket Aces Racing as well as offering similar services to private clientele. When breeding, the first thing Wampler asks his clients is whether they are breeding a racehorse or a sales horse. He says he believes it's an important initial step in the process as the pool of potential stallions to use varies depending on the answer. “If breeding to race, the stud book offers many options and an opportunity to find value. If breeding to sell, the focus narrows to commercial sires–in today's market that usually means the most-recently retired, fashionably bred, graded stakes winners–and it will take money to make money.” From there, Wampler says he likes to start zeroing in on specific stallions by establishing a stud fee range that suits the mare, based on her pedigree, performance, and physical. “Over-breeding your mare can be just as dangerous as under breeding, especially from a commercial standpoint. You don't want your weanling or yearling to show up at the sale as one of the worst-bred progeny by a particular sire.” “I also like to make a critical assessment of each mare's physical attributes and flaws so I can match her up to a stallion who will hopefully improve her weaknesses and further enhance her assets.” Wysteria, 9, Tale of the Cat–Smokey Diplomacy, by Dynaformer Wyseria is going to Gun Runner. She is an unraced Tale of the Cat mare whose first foal, MGSW Implicated (Connect), won the GII Nassau Stakes at Woodbine last summer. She defeated 2023 Canadian Horse of the Year MGISW Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) in the process. For 2025, we were looking for a stallion who could take Wysteria to the “next level” commercially and now that she is a Grade II winner producer, we felt like the step up in stud fee (relative to her other matings) was justified. We considered other options, however, Gun Runner seemed like the best fit for Wysteria as he was an ideal match physically and we were able to avoid excessive, up close, male line in-breeding with him on the 5-cross. That, and his yearlings averaged more than $520,000 in 2024, with 10 individuals topping the seven-figure mark. Neom | Thorostride Neom, 9, Mineshaft–Noble Grey, by Forestry Neom is a mare that we purchased privately shortly after her half-sister broke her maiden at Santa Anita in January of 2023. The half-sister is MGSW & MGISP Ag Bullet (Twirling Candy) and she has gone on to become a multiple graded stakes winner and earner of more than $1.3-million. Neom will be bred to Arabian Lion in 2025. There are many factors that make him a very exciting, young stallion prospect, however, the key trait for her is the “curb appeal” he should bring to this mating. Neom is a big, sturdy mare, correct through the knees and ankles and hard to fault physically. However, she is being bred commercially, and while it might not have anything to do with her foal's ability to run, her lack of “flash” could hurt us in the sales ring. We love the fact that Arabian Lion is a Grade I winner at seven furlongs. but it is just as important for the commercial success of her offspring that he is an extremely handsome son of Justify that sold at public auction for $600K. Big and pretty sells! Pocket Aces Racing Pocket Aces Racing has been around for 20 years now and for much of that time we have sold, or placed, our fillies and mares once their racing careers are over. However, enough time has gone by now that we've been able to see a few of those fillies and mares go on to have success producing sales horses and racehorses for other people. Considering this, we've become more cautious about which fillies and mares exit our program, especially ones we anticipate having an upside in the not-too-distant future and that might not sell particularly well at the time of retirement. Homeroom Angel with her 2025 Drain the Clock colt | Courtesy Pocket Aces Racing Spellbook, 6, Unified–Swampoodle, by Broken Vow We purchased Spellbook as a racing prospect at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling sale. At the time, we were particularly excited about her potential as a racehorse. She had good size, scope and strength and a very athletic way of moving. However, as she matured into her backend 2-year-old and 3-year-old seasons, her physique changed dramatically. She finished out at 16.3 hands and filled that frame out like a tank, and less like a sleek racing machine, by the end of her 3-year-old year. She ran once, and acquitted herself quite well, finishing 4th in a maiden special weight at Laurel as an early 3-year-old. However, she got so big as that year wore on that it became increasingly difficult to keep her sound long enough to sustain any kind of racing campaign. We have decided to breed her to Blazing Sevens for 2025. We knew, going into the breeding season, we would be looking for a commercial stallion for Spellbook as our goal is to sell. With that in mind, we focused on new stallions for 2025 that represented the best value. As we went through the process, we realized that Blazing Sevens was ticking all our boxes. Strong sire line through Good Magic, Grade I winner at two and classic-placed at three (just missing a win in the Preakness, by a head, to National Treasure), as well as being a high-priced sales yearling himself. However, none of those were the key factors in selecting Blazing Sevens. The key was value. There are multiple first-year stallions which met our pedigree, performance and sales criteria but Blazing Sevens' $12,500 stud fee represented a much better value than any of the others. The stud farms are smart. They know breeders have migrated from proven to potential and they price first-year stallions accordingly. We felt like Darby Dan did an excellent job of creating instant demand, especially with key industry insiders, by pricing Blazing Sevens reasonably and not adding $5,000-$10,000 on his stud fee just because he's a freshman sire. Hopefully, that demand will carry over to the sales ring. Homeroom Angel, 7, Will Take Charge–Reading Room, by Indian Charlie Homeroom Angel is a 7-year-old Will Take Charge mare that we purchased privately as a 2-year-old. We campaigned her until her 5-year-old season and she won three races for us while hitting the board six times from 17 starts. There were two main reasons why we decided to keep her: first, she had an excellent physical. At 16.1 she has great size; she is correct through her knees and ankles and tracks well. She also has tons of strength through her hip and gaskins with the kind of bone you like to see in a broodmare prospect. Second, by the time we retired her in early 2023, her dam's half-sister England's Rose had established herself as a stakes winning and graded stakes-placed filly whose career best was a 2nd place finish in the 2022 GI Matriarch Stakes. At the Keeneland January 2023 sale, England's Rose sold as a racing/broodmare prospect for $600,000 and was subsequently bred to Flightline. In addition, her 2-year-old half-brother of 2024 broke his maiden at Saratoga last summer (sidelined since but he's back on the work tab now). We have decided to breed Homeroom Angel to Blazing Sevens as well and the reasons for that decision are similar to the reasons we are breeding Spellbook to him. It also helps that Blazing Sevens' sire, Good Magic, has done very well with Fappiano line mares, which is the male line Homeroom Angel hails from. The post 2025 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift Farm: Marc Wampler appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A Florida-based veterinarian has found herself in the crosshairs of a state law barring her from obtaining a license issued by the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) having already been employed by the agency within the prior two-year period–a rule that has some industry stakeholders scratching their heads at a time when many jurisdictions are already struggling to find enough regulatory and practicing veterinarians, including in Florida. “I have no job right now because I came down here to take that job and moved over to Tampa,” said veterinarian Christine Storck, who explained that she has lived in Florida on and off for 15-20 years. She said she's hoping to find a regulatory job elsewhere around the country this summer as an alternative. “I'm out of luck in Florida basically. I've worked at the racetrack since graduation,” Storck said. Between Dec. 22, 2023, and May 1, 2024, Storck worked in the test barn at Tampa Bay Downs collecting blood and urine samples. Storck said she worked between 28 to 30 days during that window, filling in for another veterinarian when needed. Though Storck was employed by the FGCC, the work she conducted fell under the umbrella of the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), the agency responsible for managing the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act's (HISA) anti-doping and medication control program. In the lead up to the start of the latest Tampa Bay Downs meet, which started on Nov. 20, Storck geared up for another stint at the track, this time as a third-party Lasix administrator, for which she needed a Pari-Mutuel Wagering (PMW) license. Initially, Storck's employment appeared a formality. Steven Maners, regional program administrator for the FGCC's division of pari-mutuel wagering, asked Storck on Oct. 30 if she would also work in the test barn during November before taking up her third-party Lasix administrator position, according to an email Storck shared with the TDN. Horse heads to the test barn | Sarah Andrew Storck's assistance was requested because the veterinarian in that position had just had shoulder surgery and would be under temporary physical therapy restrictions, “leaving the test barn without a state veterinarian for race dates November 20, 23, 27, 29 & 30,” Maners wrote. Soon after that, the FGCC had a change of heart. Storck said that she was alerted by the commission that, because she had previously been employed by them during the prior two-year period, she was barred from being licensed by them within that timeframe, as per this state statute. When asked about Storck's situation, an FGCC spokesperson wrote that the commission must follow Florida law. “In short, section 16.715(2), Florida Statutes, prohibits any applicant from holding a license issued by the Commission under chapter 550, Florida Statutes, for two years after being employed by the Commission.” The spokesperson also wrote that the agency's offer of employment letter “warns new hires that all employees of the Commission are subject to the employment restrictions set forth in Section 16.715.” In response, Storck said that she had gone through the hiring process with Maners, and feels misrepresented by him. Storck's case was heard by the Florida Gaming Control Commission on Dec. 5. In the meeting, her attorney, Tana Storey, argued that the statute should “not be read in black and white,” and that it was never written to capture a “part-time seasonal employee” much needed for regulatory needs in the state. Storey also claimed that prior to Storck's previous stint working for the commission, Maners told the veterinarian she would have to withdraw a pending PMW license application, but didn't inform Storck of this statute. “In fact, [Maners] repeatedly informed her it would not be an issue,” she added. In an email Storck shared with the TDN, dated Nov. 30, 2023, Maners told Storck that “the new law that was adopted when the FGCC was established states that no one can be employed by the FGCC if they have held a PMW license within the last two years.” Maners also adds that, “withdrawing the license application will not preclude you from reapplying at a future time, we just need this so that we can consider you for the state veterinarian position,” according to the email. At the hearing, the state's legal team, however, urged the FGCC to apply the statute as written. “I think the speaker has outlined that the problem lies with the statute, not with the commission being bound to follow it. So, you are members of the executive branch, it is your job to execute the law. Not write the law, not change the law. Not wish the law would work differently than it is written,” said Ross Marshman, the FGCC's acting executive director, in the hearing. Ross Marshman | FGCC WEB The commission voted unanimously to accept the staff's recommendation. Florida isn't alone in having a rule like this. A New York statute states that “no employee of the commission may acquire any direct or indirect interest in, or accept employment with, any applicant for or any person holding a license, registration, franchise, certificate or permit issued by the commission for a period of two years commencing at the termination of employment with the commission.” California, however, has no such restriction on licensees employed or formerly employed by a racing commission, said Jeff Blea, the California Horse Racing Board's (CHRB) equine medical director. “In light of the fact there's a significant shortage of regulatory and private practitioners on the racetrack, I don't see any value in restricting a veterinarian's ability to perform either duty based on their previous employment with a state racing commission,” said Blea. According to one senior veterinary official who spoke on background, the restrictions in place in states like Florida and New York are safeguards against bribery in return for favorable treatment and other possible conflicts of interest. Scott Hay, a long-time Florida-based racetrack veterinarian, said that he was unaware of the state statute prior to becoming aware of Storck's case. “I don't understand why that's a safeguard for the industry,” Hay said, of the rule. “If you're moving back and forth, or you're working in the test barn as well as working as a practicing veterinarian, I can certainly understand the conflicts that could be created. But if you cut your ties from one and move to another, I don't understand that.” Storck said that she was surprised the FGCC didn't bend the law in her favor. “My lawyer had a good persuasive case,” said Storck. “The reality is tough luck.” The post Florida Statute Hamstrings Regulatory Veterinarian Storck appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

For the first time since the data has been tracked and recorded, the racing-related fatal injury rate at racetracks under HISA's authority fell below 1.00 per 1,000 starts for the 2024 calendar year, HISA announced.View the full article

It may not have been obvious at the time but with the benefit of almost 20 years' hindsight it is now clear that the retirement to stud in 2006 of both Dubawi (Ire) and Shamardal was a pivotal moment for the Darley operation, and indeed the European stallion scene. There is now no shortage of their male-line descendants at stud and, in Blue Point (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB) in particular, their legacy looks assured within the Darley ranks. The pair ended last year as first and second in the second-crop sires' table in Europe, with a Classic winner each from their first batch of runners in Rosallion (Ire) and Fallen Angel (GB) and three Group/Grade 1 winners apiece. It is fair to say that this is a pretty spectacular start to their stud careers. While Blue Point has been marginally ahead in Europe, it is Too Darn Hot who so far holds the bragging rights in Australia, where the two again hold the top two spots in the second-season sires' tables, only in the reverse order. Too Darn Hot didn't shuttle last season but his results from his first two years down under are such that Australian breeders have been keen to send mares to him in Newmarket to be covered to southern hemisphere time, as detailed by our sister publication The Thoroughbred Report. Along with Fallen Angel and the Blue Diamond Stud-bred Classic prospect Hotazhell (GB), Too Darn Hot is responsible for Godolphin's Australian champion two-year-old of last year, Broadsiding (Aus), who at the weekend added the G2 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill to his list of six victories, which include three at the highest level. Broadsiding was one of three group winners for Too Darn Hot in Australia on Saturday, the other two coming at Caulfield with the win of Shanwah (NZ) in the G2 Autumn Classic and Tropicus in the G3 Zeditave Stakes. Incidentally, Broadsiding, Shanwah and Tropicus are out of mares by Street Cry (Ire), Iffraaj (GB) and Exceed And Excel respectively, to lend those results a proper Darley feel. Too Darn Hot could well be set for another big year in Europe with further potential Classic contenders in Al Shaqab's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up Simmering (GB) and Amo Racing's G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes second Cathedral (GB). But then, so could Blue Point, via his emerging sprint star Kind Of Blue (GB) and a hoped-for return of Rosallion, one of the most exciting horses of the first half of last season following his victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes. Blue Point | Darley Just for good measure, Too Darn Hot may even have a runner at the Cheltenham Festival if the Joseph O'Brien-trained Grade 3-winning hurdler Naturally Nimble (Ger) takes his place in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle. Lest the purists among us get all (too darn) hot under the collar about this inclusion, let's not forget that Dubawi himself supplied the G1 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner a decade ago in Dodging Bullets (GB), bred by none other than Lanfranco Dettori. It takes a proper horse to win a top jumps race. Dubawi, at 23, may be covering carefully managed books these days but they still contain plenty of Europe's elite mares including, this season, Arc winner Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) and two multiple Group 1-winning daughters of Frankel (GB) in Nashwa (GB) and Inspiral (GB). At Darley alone, his stallion sons include another of Europe's leading stallions, Night Of Thunder (Ire), Ghaiyyath (Ire), of whom there are high expectations this year, Modern Games (GB), Space Blues (GB) and Naval Crown (GB). As our accompanying feature today shows, the legacy of Shamardal, who died in 2020, is secure not just at Darley, which also stands his sons Pinatubo (Ire), Earthlight (Ire) and Victor Ludorum (Ire), but notably at Ballylinch Stud. Lope De Vega (Ire) has become Shamardal's most successful son worldwide and is on his way to establishing a dynasty of his own. From the group of stallions who retired to stud in 2020, the only other horse apart from Blue Point and Too Darn Hot to be in double digits when it comes to the number of stakes performers is the Lanwades sire Study Of Man (Ire). He had 10 black-type horses in Europe last year compared to Blue Point's 17 and Too Darn Hot's 11, and this achievement is all the more noteworthy considering he had only 75 runners, in contrast to 202 for Blue Point and 154 for Too Darn Hot. Study Of Man's sole Group 1 winner to date, Juddmonte's Kalpana (GB), remains in training, and her trainer Andrew Balding also has the promising Almeric (GB) for Kirsten Rausing. The grey colt was selected by Adam Houghton as one of his top 10 under-the-radar three-year-olds to keep an eye on for the season ahead. It will be fascinating to chart this trio of young stallions as their careers progress and it would certainly be a bonus if Study Of Man – followed by Auguste Rodin (Ire) – could help the Deep Impact/Sunday Silence line to blossom in this part of the world. There have been previous attempts from other representatives in this regard without widespread success. It is also worth noting that Study Of Man's close relative Real Steel (Jpn) has provided the horse who can currently be regarded as the best dirt runner in the world: the tough-as-teak Forever Young (Jpn), winner of Saturday's G1 Saudi Cup. By Deep Impact (Jpn), Real Steel also has Miesque as an ancestor. She features as his third dam, while she is the second dam of Study Of Man, but both stallions are out of daughters of Storm Cat. In Real Steel's case that mare is Loves Only Me, whose successful liaisons with Deep Impact also resulted in the top-class filly Loves Only You (Jpn), winner of the Japanese Oaks, Hong Kong Cup and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The post Weekend Reflections: Too Darn Hot Leads New Wave of Stallions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John O'Connor on securing Lope De Vega's Classic-winning son The equine transfer market is no less difficult to navigate than its footballing equivalent and John O'Connor pulled off a coup that even powerhouse clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona would have been proud of in luring last year's breathtaking Prix du Jockey Club winner Look De Vega (Fr) to Ballylinch Stud. Look De Vega will stand alongside his sire Lope De Vega (Ire) at the County Kilkenny stud. This is on a par with Lionel Messi's son starring for Barcelona and the importance of securing the services of one of the brightest young sires in the game is not lost on O'Connor. “Look De Vega is a very important signing for us this year–strengthens our team,” he explained. “We had been asked by [stud owner] John Malone to try and find a high-class son of Lope De Vega–who has been such a success for us–and we identified Look De Vega. We set out to buy him and, just as is the case with any good athlete, it wasn't easy to do and we had to pay plenty to do it but we are very happy to have secured him.” O'Connor added, “It certainly means a lot to Ballylinch Stud to have a high-class son of Lope De Vega joining the ranks. It's not often the sons of high-class footballers, athletes and indeed racehorses are equally as good, but Look De Vega showed immense ability on the racetrack in winning the same races as his sire and his grandsire. So a hell of a lot of things fell into place.” Bred by Haras de la Morsangliere and Ecurie des Charmes, Look De Vega exploded onto the scene in France with a seven-length demolition job on debut at Fontainebleau for trainers Carlos and Yann Lerner. But it is his Prix du Jockey Club success that will forever live in the memory. In running out a cosy victor in a race that has been won by his sire Lope De Vega and grandsire Shamardal, Look De Vega confirmed his status as a colt of the highest calibre. O'Connor recalled of his racing career, “We first took notice of Look De Vega after he made a winning debut as a two-year-old. We had been alerted that he was very promising and therefore watched that debut run with great interest and he bombed in–won by seven-and-a-half lengths pulling up without ever really coming off the bridle. It was confirmed then that this was a really high-class horse. So we watched him through. It was a really high-class field in the Prix du Jockey Club but he demolished them. At that point, it was clear to everyone that this is a really high-class horse. We were very keen to add him to our roster and we're delighted that we were able to do that.” Ironically, the exploits of Lope De Vega did not make things easy for Ballylinch Stud to snap up his latest star performer. Last year represented another banner season for the world-class stallion, who was responsible for the Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes winner Shadow Of Light (GB), who ended 2024 as the European Champion Two-Year-Old. The Charlie Appleby-trained Shadow Of Light is now a leading 2,000 Guineas contender for Lope De Vega, who, according to O'Connor, will have his book of mares limited to roughly 140 this season and beyond in an effort to prolong his glittering career. Therein lies the importance of seeking out a stallion capable of one day stepping into the shadows. O'Connor explained, “For any stud, it's very important that you try and build a legacy for any of the top stallions you might have. You can only do that through the stallion's top sons so we were very keen to be able to do this if we could. I think Look De Vega has the physical attributes to match what he achieved on the racetrack. What we look for in a Lope De Vega is an unbelievably good walk, and that's what this fella has. When people come to see him, they just go, 'wow, look at how he moves.' He is so free in his action, his movement is really fantastic from his shoulders and lots of power behind. That's a typical Lope De Vega set of movements and we were so pleased to see that. We think that is a very important aspect in building that legacy and tradition from one sire to another.” He added, “Lope De Vega did a lot of the hard work himself. He exploded from the stalls in that he was European Champion First-Season Sire and sire of the European Champion Two-Year-old from his first crop. He had a bunch of really good two-year-olds and, at that point, it dawned on everyone that this is a really high-class sire. He has progressed. I mean, he started out at a very reasonable figure at €15,000 and we didn't bring him up too quickly. Now, he is a world-class sire and has had Group 1 horses in Australia, Japan, Dubai, Canada and the United Stakes and all over Europe as well. Not many horses can do that and he's very unusual in that sense as he seems to be able to perform to the same level worldwide.” Lope De Vega embarked on his stallion career at Ballylinch Stud on a fee of just €15,000 in 2011. He stood for just €12,500 in 2014 before rising gradually to stand for €100,000 in 2020 and the career-high fee of €175,000 at which he has been set at for 2025. The growth has been organic and many breeders who got involved in the stallion have been involved in what has been an almighty rise to the top. O'Connor revealed that some of the same breeders who bought breeding rights in Lope De Vega have remained loyal in their support of his classy French Derby-winning son and the dream is to chart a similar path to the top. “That kind of loyalty between a stud and its client base is a very important part of what we do so the wonderful thing is that many of the shareholders who bought into Lope De Vega are now buying into Look De Vega. It is our policy to syndicate horses as best we can so that breeders have equity in stallions. That way, when a stallion does take off, the breeder can reap the success. It's pretty much similar to how we syndicated Lope De Vega. His racing owners are staying very much involved and are really supporting him. That was the same with Lope De Vega when Gestut Ammerland remained involved.” Of course, Ballylinch Stud has a good association with Al Shaqab, one of the main partners in the stallion. Together, the major entities raced Group 1 scorer Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who fetched €4,025,000 to Yulong at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale in 2023. O'Connor commented, “We've had success with Al Shaqab before. We raced Place Du Carrousel in partnership with Al Shaqab and she won a Group 1 before selling for a record price at Arqana. She is now owned by Yulong and is racing in Australia. So we've worked well with Al Shaqab in the past and are anticipating lots more success with Look De Vega in particular. Al Shaqab has a really strong broodmare band-like we have-and is really getting behind the horse. This is a big help when it comes to launching a stallion's career. “We should also mention that we have had a lot of luck with Look De Vega's other partners, Ecurie des Charmes, as we bred a Breeders' Cup winner together in Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). They are major shareholders in Look De Vega and have been buying mares with us to support him. He will get a very high-quality book.” O'Connor concluded, “I think it's only fair that when a breeder decides to support a stallion, they know that we are going to do the same with really high-class mares. We'll pick mares who would normally go to a €50,000 stallion or even a €100,000 stallion and send them to Look De Vega. We won't buy a horse unless we feel they are good enough for our best mares and we feel that Look De Vega is more than good enough. “I don't think I've ever had a stallion who has made the same impact with breeders as Look De Vega has. Right from the first show he gave us, it's his flowing movement that catches people's attention. He is an impressive physical specimen with size, scope, action and colour. The breeders look at him and say, 'if I have a foal like this, I am going to be in business'. That has been converted into a really strong book of mares that has been booked into him. If he breeds foals that are anything like himself, the market is going to be very hot on them.” The post ‘Look De Vega A Very Important Signing For Ballylinch Stud’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Total turnover on Saturday's G1 Saudi Cup through World Pool bet types amounted to HK$62.6 million (around £6.4 million), the fourth highest total of all World Pool races since it first entered operation in 2019. That list is headed by the 2023 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes won by Khaadem (Ire)–for which total turnover reached HK$66.2 million (£6.7 million)–ahead of the 2022 G1 Derby won by Desert Crown (GB) (HK$66.1 million/£6.7 million) and the 2022 G1 Coronation Stakes won by Inspiral (GB) (HK$64.1 million/£6.5 million). The amount staked on this year's Saudi Cup, in which Japanese challenger Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) came out on top at the expense of Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), also represented a 38% increase on last year's total. Combined with turnover from five races earlier in the day from Caulfield, Australia, the 12-race, cross-card World Pool fixture generated a total of HK$382 million (£38.9 million) through World Pool bet types–the third highest of all time. Sam Nati, head of commingling at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said, “There's no doubt that this year's Saudi Cup was the most exciting field we've ever seen for the race. The inclusion of Hong Kong's superstar, Romantic Warrior, would have been a massive pull for local fans and that's clearly reflected in the betting turnover. Though narrowly defeated, it was a brave bid from all connected with the horse and they deserve plenty of credit for rising to the challenge. “The Saudi Cup meeting is now firmly on the international racing calendar, and we look forward to going there again in 12 months' time. For the second year running, World Pool offered 12 races on the day–the seven from Saudi Arabia preceded by five from Caulfield–and we saw a good appetite from punters across both cards.” The post Saudi Cup Thriller Enters Top Five World Pool Races by Turnover appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article