Wandering Eyes

These 6 horses have trialled pleasingly in recent weeks and this week (10/7/25) they head back to the racetrack. Abitibi (3f Sweet Lou – Utmost Delight) Trainer: G Rogerson Manners have let her down badly in 2 raceday runs thus far & consequently stood down to trial satisfactorily before returning to the track. Did that at Pukekohe (1/7/25) where she worked to the front and just got nutted by race rival Ifindoubt in a 2:05MR, last 800m in 58.7 although she wasn’t under any pressure in run home and took some time to pull up after the post. Goes to Cambridge this Thursday in Race 2 against a small maiden field. If only she could remember her breeding as smart dam a 10 race winning daughter of Victor Supreme. Has shown enough to be prominent this week. Sammy Lincoln (2g Always B Miki – Samantha Q) Trainer: R Green 2yo on debut this Friday at Auckland in Race 3, 1 of 3 from the stable in the event. Multiple workout winner in recent weeks, the latest at Pukekohe (1/7/25) where in the hands of Zac Butcher, he settled 3rd of 4 before improving to lead with 1300m to run, kept up strong run to keep race rival Shezsofast at bay MR:2:02.9, 800m in 58.5, 400m in 27.6. Looks a big strong type who is likely to get better with time. Drawn out over 1700m but all rivals (with 2 exceptions) on debut and tote will tell a story. Do You Wanna Dance (3f Lather Up – Dancing In The Dark) Trainer: M Purvis Tidy debut when 3rd behind the promising Bettor Than Lizzy last week. That effort backed up a strong trial win at Rangiora (18/6/25) where she came home in 57.7 on a 2:02MR. The half sister to Dance With The Boss (5 wins to date) goes back to Addington this Friday in Race 4 and draws 2 on the 2nd line over 1980m but that draw may work out in her favour in a field not as strong as last week. Another likely to be improved with race day experience under her belt. Dam won 3 & placed in 1:56. Heaven’s Mark (6m Rock N Roll Heaven – Armadoctara) Trainer: J Morrison Things didn’t go her way last week when resuming in a strong maiden field and after being held up badly 500m out, kept coming out wide for a good 6th, just over 5L from the winner Bettor Than Lizzy. Trial form in April/June prior to that run was very good. Backs up at Addington this Friday in Race 2 where she has got a wide draw to contend with but her gate speed might negate that early and definitely good enough with natural improvement to win a race like this. Donttelltheboys (4g Downbytheseaside – In Hollywood) Trainer: C & J DeFilippi Won a trial in early June at Rangiora (4/6/25) in a 2:04.6MR, last 800m in 57.2 Has now had the 3 runs back and got better each time, the last effort an honest 3rd placing behind the handy Rockingood (4/7/25). Comes back to Addington this Friday in Race 9 and likely to be better again. Drawn wide in a small field but ‘CJ” always likely to find a good spot. Has only won the one from 15 starts (another 4 placings) but this field appears very even. Ready to show his true worth. Brandi Snapp (4m Betterthancheddar – Crystal Bromac) Trainer: J Curtin Won a trial at Rangiora in late May where she got home too well from a trail to easily beat race rival & recent winner Stubing in a 2:02.5MR, last 800m in 58.7 3 runs back since that effort have been progressively better, the last 2 in particular very solid after sitting parked for most of those contests. Back at Addington this Sunday in Race 7 where she has drawn wide out & may need to do it tough again. Just the 1 win in 14 starts but placed in half the others and going well enough to suggest that win no.2 not that far away. View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of June 30-July 6View the full article

A week and a half removed from his victory in the June 28 Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs over Sierra Leone and Mystik Dan, Mindframe remains No. 1 in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll for the second consecutive week.View the full article

This week marks a traditional high point in anticipation on the North American horse racing calendar, as Saratoga Race Course begins its summer meet July 10. View the full article

Journalism, winner of the Preakness Stakes (G1) and runner-up in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) will make his next start in the July 19 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park if all goes well over the coming days. View the full article

Rep. Dina Titus, a Democratic Congresswoman from the gambling mecca of Nevada, has introduced what is being called the FAIR BET Act, which would restore a gambler's right to deduct 100 percent of his or her losses from gambling winnings. Titus is the co-chair of the Congressional Gaming Caucus. The latest version of the Trump bill stunned gamblers, racetracks, casinos and sports bettors when it became clear that a player could only deduct 90% of their losses from the winnings. Under the scenario, a gambler that won $1 million and lost the same amount during a calendar year would be stuck with a tax bill on the leftover $100,000. Titus is seeking to allow gamblers to once again write off all their losses. The bill is titled the Fair Accounting for Income Realized from Betting Earnings Taxation (FAIR BET) Act. “The recently passed budget bill included a provision inserted by Senate Republicans without consent of the House that imposed a tax increase on Americans who gamble by reducing from 100 percent to 90 percent the amount of losses they can deduct from gambling winnings for their income taxes,” Titus said in a statement. “My FAIR BET Act would rightfully restore the full deduction for losses so gamblers don't pay taxes on money they haven't won.” The FAIR BET Act is being co-sponsored by California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna. “The Republican budget would kneecap sports and gambling by making Americans pay taxes on gambling losses, Khanna told Newsweek. “This is deeply unfair. I'm proud to introduce the FAIR BET Act with Rep. Titus to restore the 100% tax deduction for gaming losses.” The American Gaming Association, the industry's top lobbying group, expressed support for the legislation. “The American Gaming Association applauds Congresswoman Titus for introducing the FAIR BET Act. We are committed to working with Congresswoman Titus, other congressional leaders, and the Trump Administration to restore the long-standing tax treatment of gaming losses,” the AGA said in a statement. Representative Troy Nehls, a Texas Republican, told Newsweek why he is cosponsoring a bill to repeal a measure included in President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). “While I proudly voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which prevents the largest tax hike in American history, the Senate's version contained a provision that I strongly disagree with,” Nehls told Newsweek in a statement. Nehls is the first Republican to cosponsor the FAIR BET Act. The post Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Help Gamblers Affected By Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Make Haste hopes she lives up to her name in the $175,000 Coronation Cup Stakes (G3T) July 11 at Saratoga Race Course. The 5 1/2-furlong sprint is the third start for the Blue Point 3-year-old since moving under the tutelage of Miguel Clement. View the full article

Aron Wellman, who heads the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners syndicate which is a co-owner of GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin), said his colt will run next in the July 19 GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. “If all goes well this coming weekend and he works to (trainer) Michael McCarthy's satisfaction and comes out of his work with good energy, the Haskell is Option A,” Wellman said. “What are options B and C? I haven't thought beyond that. The Haskell is our target. If we find any reason for him not to go there we will have to regroup and reconsider our options. Our intention is to run in the Haskell.” Journalism is one of 18 horses nominated to the Haskell. The list does not include Sovereignty (Into Mischief), who is being pointed for the July 26 GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. Sovereignty has beaten Journalism the two times they have meet, winning the GI Kentucky Derby and the GI Belmont Stakes over his rival. Sovereignty skipped the Preakness and Journalism proved best in his absence. But Wellman said that in no way is he ducking Sovereignty. Journalism breezed a 1/2-mile in 47 2/5 under a hammerlock inside of a mate this am @santaanitapark. @mwmracing caught the @PreaknessStakes hero galloping-out from the wire to the 7/8-pole in 12-sharp. All race options remain on the table for the #BelieveBig pic.twitter.com/byknVS8c2E — Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (@EclipseTBP) July 6, 2025 “Where Sovereignty is running has absolutely no impact on our decision at all,” Wellman said. “We've never shied away from him to begin with. Obviously, the scoreboard is 2-0 and all the credit goes to him. It would have no impact on our assessment so far as to what the appropriate race to send our horse to is. We are at a disadvantage in the summertime because there are no 3-year-old races in California. Our two options are the Haskell or the Jim Dandy. One is a Grade I worth $1 million ad the other is not a Grade I and not worth $1 million. That has more to do with it rather than our analyzing what race Sovereignty is going in.” The Jim Dandy is a $500,000 Grade II race. After the Jim Dandy and the Haskell, it's conceivable that the two could have a rematch in the GI Travers Stakes. “People ask about the Travers and a possible rematch with Sovereignty,” Wellman said. “We're just taking it one step at a time. This horse has had such an incredible campaign already that we just want to make sure that we are focused on one race at a time We're not looking past this next objective.” The post Journalism Targets Haskell appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wednesday, Fairyhouse, post time: 18:00, DARLEY IRISH EBF STANERRA STAKES-G3, €42,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 14fT Field: Comic Book (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Drawn To Dream (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}), Enfranchise (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Goodie Two Shoes (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Lemsairbat (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}), Royal Entry (Ire) (Fracas {Ire}), Santorini Star (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), Island Hopping (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Umala (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). TDN Verdict: A race that Ballydoyle have supplied the winner of in five of the last 10 runnings, but Island Hopping is not one of the stable stars and is up against it taking on some smart older fillies and mares. Goodie Two Shoes comes into this on the back of clear-cut wins in the Listed Vintage Tipple Stakes and Listed His Majesty's Plate and is the obvious call, but it is interesting that William Haggas sends across Santorini Star who is up in trip after some decent efforts at a mile and a half. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 15:35, THE PRINCESS OF WALES'S STAKES-G2, £125,000, 3yo/up, 12fT Field: Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), El Cordobes (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko). TDN Verdict: This should be easy pickings for Ghostwriter after his third in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes, where he showed that the trip held no fears. William Buick has chosen El Cordobes of the Appleby pair which is probably a hint worth taking, especially as the stable do so well on their home terrain at this meeting. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 14:25, THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN JULY STAKES-G2, £100,000, 2yo, 6fT Field: Brussels (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Comical Point (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Do Or Do Not (Ire) (Space Blues {Ire}), Jel Pepper (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}), Maximized (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}), Zavateri (Ire) (Without Parole {GB}). TDN Verdict: Godolphin's unbeaten Woodcote winner Maximised is taken on by Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Brussels in a fascinating encounter. They probably have it between them, but the surprise Coventry runner-up Do Or Do Not has the best form having got closest to Gstaad at Royal Ascot. [Tom Frary]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Island Hopping Faces Stiff Test In Stanerra appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Eclipse Award-winning jockey Axel Concepcion, who was named top apprentice in 2023, will return to the Mid Atlantic and make his first appearance at Colonial Downs this summer as the 20-year-old has joined the local riding colony for the 2025 summer session. “It feels great to be here,” Concepcion said. “I want to take advantage of these opportunities that the trainers are giving me. My goal is to win as many races as I can and to try to win a title.” No stranger to the Mid Atlantic circuit, Concepcion won the Laurel Park riding title as an apprentice and those connections. Along with his familiarity with the Maryland jockey colony, put him in a good position to have success at Colonial. “I know a lot of these riders from my first years based in the Mid-Atlantic,” Concepcion said. “I rode not just at Laurel but also Charles Town, Delaware Park, and Monmouth. There are so many good riders here. I am very blessed to be able to compete with them. You need to know all the riders who you are in the race with, you need to know all the horses, and how all that comes together to win a race.” “We hope to ride for [Vicki] Oliver, as well as Mike Tomilson, Keith Desormeaux, and others,” said Concepcion's agent Liz Morris. “We'll also be looking to rekindle some of Axel's East Coast connections from when he was leading apprentice, as well as continue success with other Kentucky trainers who will be shipping in.” The post Eclipse-Winning Apprentice Jockey Concepcion Joins Colonial Downs Colony appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK – Stuart Williams, rightly regarded as one of the finest practitioners of his craft, will train the top lot from the opening session of the Tattersalls July Sale after a new owner, TY Equine, went to 190,000gns to secure the 92-rated three-year-old Humam (Kodiac). A three-time winner for Andrew Balding, Humam's latest performance was arguably his best, given he landed a seven-furlong York handicap in comfortable fashion. That performance earned the Al Shaqab Racing-owned colt a career-high rating of 92 and Williams, best known for managing the career of Quinault, fast becoming one of the most likable horses in training, would appear to have added another hugely exciting prospect to his Newmarket stable. Williams said, “He's for a new owner to the yard who wanted to have a horse to run at the big tracks. We'll target some of the big meetings and try to replicate what Andrew has done with him by winning at places like York. “He won well last time and looks a solid horse. He's one we'd hope would carry on improving with age and in line with what his family has done. I don't know what he's done lately, he hasn't run for three or four weeks, but we'll get him back to the yard and assess him before settling on a target.” Quinault has been a star for Williams and there is plenty more left to come from the five-year-old given how impressively he dismantled an up-to-scratch Group 3 field at York last time. That took TJE Racing's gelding, who was sourced for just 25,000gns at the autumn horses-in-training sale here in October 2022, to 11 wins and over £413,411 in career earnings. Williams has consistently sent out 30 winners or more for at least a decade now and Humam is just the type to add to those numbers. Williams concluded, “Whatever the price is, there's that many people around the sale and whoever buys the horse is the maddest person on the day because you're the one who bid the most! That sort of price was what we were expecting to pay, though.” Humam headlined trade that saw 192 horses selling for 4,427,200gns, which was down 13% on last year's turnover. The average was down 15% to 23,058gns while the median was up 10% at 11,000gns. Meanwhile, the clearance rate stood at 82% – down 4% from last year. Talking points The eagerly-anticipated Godolphin draft did not disappoint with 30 lots selling for a combined 1,242,500gns, headed by the 170,000gns Frankel filly Rose Arbour. A daughter of the Group 1-placed Crown Walk, the unraced Frankel filly was sold to Anthony Stroud on behalf of an existing client in Ireland. He said, “Frankel is not only a fantastic stallion, but is an outstanding broodmare sire too – as is Dubawi. She has got the genetics to have a very good chance at stud.” Sumbe ramped up its support for young stallion Charyn with Frankel mare Spring Lantern bought by the French-based stud for 150,000gns. A winner in France for Godolphin, she was sold in foal to Pinatubo. “She looks perfect for Charyn – she will be a lovely mare for him,” said Sumbe's Tony Fry. “She was quick and is strong. We are pleased to have got her.” De Luain (Lope De Vega), another unraced maiden mare, was the third filly from Godolphin's draft to break the six-figure barrier when selling to Mark McStay for 110,000gns. The agent said, “She is from a family I know well from my time working for Sheikh Mohammed. Her half-sister Usherette was very good – I think she was rated 117 and her sire Lope De Vega has every attribute you need to make a fantastic broodmare sire.” Last seen finishing fifth at Royal Ascot, the Ger Lyons-trained Jorge Alvares (Cotai Glory) did not go unloved, with Qatari-based trainer Gassim Ghazali securing the gelding for 150,000gns. He said, “He is a smart horse and will suit the sprint races we have in Qatar. My son tried to buy the horse last year – we have had to pay more now!” Jorge Alvares was another shrewd piece of business from David Spratt of Gaelic Bloodstock, who sourced the then 82-rated juvenile at the Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale. It was a day for the ladies at Tattersalls with fillies accounting for eight of the most expensive lots sold on Tuesday. Buy of the day The team at Tally-Ho Stud might well have unearthed a bargain in Romantic Opera at 40,000gns. A Ghaiyyath half-sister to Craven Stakes winner Indestructible (Kodiac), a horse the O'Callaghan family knows well given that colt was raced in partnership with Amo Racing and Roger's wife Rachael, the three-year-old maiden mare would appear a good addition to any broodmare band. With the horses who were bought to race, it's hard to see a scenario where Smart Hero (Shamardal) doesn't do a job for Gassim Ghazali in Qatar. At 65,000gns, he looks fairly bought. Thought for the day Luckily there are no dress codes at the sales. Tuesday was hot, but temperatures are expected to soar in Newmarket over the next few days. Like the weather, this sale can be expected to heat up on Wednesday and Thursday. The post Humam To Join Williams After Topping Opening July Sale Session At 190k appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

For Hamburg resident Albert Darboven, every Derby day is special, not least because for the last 16 years his family's coffee trading company JJ Darboven has sponsored the German Classic. But the businessman has also tasted success at the highest level as the owner-breeder of the 1992 winner Pik Koenig (Koenigsstuhl), and last Sunday another chapter was added to his storied association with the Deutsches Derby when Darboven's homebred stallion Polish Vulcano was responsible for this year's winner Hochkoenig. “It was incredible to witness Hochkoenig's victory live on Sunday and of course it means a lot to me and to the employees at my stud that Polish Vulcano produces great racehorses. This shows you don't always have to go to the most expensive stallions to get an honest horse with a big, champion's heart.” The 17-year-old son of former German Horse of the Year Lomitas has stood at Darboven's Gestuet Idee throughout his stud career and has been advertised for as little as €800. His 2025 fee was €2,000. A Group 3 winner in the Darboven silks when trained by Andreas Wohler, he ran 21 times across five seasons for six wins and hails from a line which has been long nurtured at the Hamburg stud: Polish Vulcano's third dam Pikante was also the dam of Pik Koenig. Darboven adds of the Derby, “It is a very important race for me as Hamburg is my home town. Preserving the great and long-standing tradition in Horn is important to me, even if racing in Germany has lost ground.” The numbers have fallen in Germany certainly – whether that's breeders, racecourses or racegoers – but the standards have not. Conduct a straw poll among German breeders as to the race they would most like to win and a large percentage would answer: “The Derby”. Darboven, the first Hamburg local to own and breed a Deutsches Derby winner, founded Gestuet Idee in 1970. The stud was relocated to its present site, close to the River Elbe, in 1989. He says, “Indeed, it was a true sensation back in 1992 when I managed to win a major race right here in my home town. Achieving such a victory on home turf was an unforgettable moment — both personally and for the local racing community. It marked a special chapter in the history of the Hamburg racing tradition.” Darboven, left, with homebred Classic winner Mi Emma | Racingfotos Darboven has not solely raced locally, however. In 2007, he brought his German 1,000 Guineas winner Mi Emma (Silvano) to run in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Andreas Wohler-trained filly finished second to Indian Ink (Indian Ridge) and later won the G2 Oettingen-Rennen at Baden-Baden. She is not the breeder's only link to Britain, either. He says, “In addition to racing and breeding, I was also an active polo player for many years — a sport that further deepened my bond with horses and sharpened my sense for teamwork, precision, and discipline in the saddle. Over the years, I had the privilege of competing internationally, including matches against distinguished British teams, among them opponents such as Prince Philip and King Charles III — memorable encounters that reflect both the spirit and tradition of the sport.” He adds, “I am also deeply honoured to be a member of the prestigious British Guards Polo Club, a distinction that remains a source of great personal pride.” At Gestuet Idee, Darboven keeps 10 mares and, having started breeding Thoroughbreds, subsequently also became involved with trotters. In 2019, he was awarded the German Horseracing Medal of Honour for his “unique commitment” to the Derby. Understandably, Polish Vulcano is Darboven's pride and joy, and the stallion rewarded him with a homebred dual G3 St Leger Italiano winner in Sir Polski, a member of his 2017 crop. Now 17, he has never covered more than 15 mares in one season, and most of the time his visitors are in single figures. In each of the last two seasons he has been sent seven mares. His owner says, “Polish Vulcano is a very calm stallion in handling. He has his quirks – he doesn't like water, he loves to have his bottom scratched, he doesn't like gutters, he loves having all his mares around him – but we as a team at the stud farm just laugh about it. He doesn't hold anything against you. We love him very much.” Darboven is now breeding from one of Polish Vulcano's daughters, who has a Cracksman colt foal at foot this year, while from the stallion's female family they also have Prima Violetta (by Arieon out of Power Penny) and her half-sister Primorosa (Harzand) in the broodmare band. The breeders of Derby winner Hochkoenig, Marc and Gabi Ruehl, confirmed in yesterday's TDN that his dam Halinara (Kallisto) will be returning to Polish Vulcano in 2025 along with her daughter Halima (Tertullian). “We'll wait and see if other breeders approach us next season,” says Darboven. His phone may just be a little busier come the end of the year. The post ‘A True Sensation’: Albert Darboven, Owner-Breeder of Polish Vulcano, on his Deep Link with the German Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A good many years ago now, aged about 20, I was lucky enough to live with the late John Hills in Davy Cormack's Ardagh House Hotel in Killenaule during his time in Edward O'Grady's. I can vividly remember the visits of his father Barry which invariably involved dinner in Bryan Murphy's in Adare with a host of other larger than life characters like Pat Hogan, Greville Starkey, Brian Taylor and Frank Barry. It was a privilege for me as a young man to spend time in Barry's company, always great fun with plenty of mischief and storytelling of the highest order. A great man who will be sadly missed. –Paul Shanahan The post Letter To The Editor: Barry Hills Tribute appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The catalogue for the private Jean-Pierre Dubois Sale, set to be conducted by Auctav at Haras de Bois Roussel on August 13, features Sofia (Kingman), a full-sister to 2024 G1 Prix de Diane heroine Sparkling Plenty. In foal to Starspangledbanner, the 7-year-old is from the family of Noble Truth (Kingman), Stacelita (Monsun), Sauterne (Kingman), and Soul Stirring (Frankel), among others. Also among the 108 lots are: Frisella (Frankel) (lot 15), the dam of the stakes-placed Grand Scoop (No Nay Never) in foal to Blue Point; two half-sisters to G2 Prix de Sandringham victress Purplepay (Zarak) in Peligrosa (Acclamation) (lot 16) in foal to Chachnak and Pentaiade (Makfi) (lot 43) in foal to St Mark's Basilica; Salerne (Charm Spirit) (lot 39), a half-sister to G1 Prix du Moulin heroine Sauterne (Kingman) in foal to Auguste Rodin; multiple listed winner Blue Wings (Wings Of Eagles) (lot 42) carrying to Ace Impact; and Helenium (Frankel) (lot 50), a half-sister to the late Royal Ascot star and sire Calyx, carrying to Kingman. There are also a variety of yearlings and horses-in-training in the catalogue, among them a pair of yearlings by rising National Hunt sire start Nirvana Du Berlais (lot 54 and 57); the placed Samartina (Chachnak) (lot 81); Sainte Sarah (Zarak) (lot 85), a winner under both codes; and Siciliano (Time Test) (lot 107), who won over 1200 metres in his second start. The post Full-Sister To Sparkling Plenty Stars In Auctav’s Jean-Pierre Dubois Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A visit to Richard Kent at Mickley Stud is guaranteed to involve some lively conversation – and lots of it – spiced with opinion, tips on horsemanship, and often some scurrilous gossip. We've edited the gossip for legal reasons but it is still very much worth tuning into our latest episode of the TDN Conversations podcast in which Richard talks us through daily life in Shropshire and reflects on some of the stars to have been through his hands. Of the G1 Queen Anne Stakes victory of Docklands, by Mickey Stud sire Massaat, the breeder has tears in his eyes when he says, “It was the proudest day of my life. I actually didn't want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to soak it all in. I was that proud, and I still get a bit emotional today talking about it. “I almost wanted to go home and give the mare and the sire a pat, but that would have been a bit of a stupid job to do when you're down at Royal Ascot. But I just wanted to go away for a quiet hour and get my thoughts together…you can't buy days like that.” The straight-talking Irishman is also in favour of encouraging the younger members of the bloodstock community to put down their iPads and learn instead from the horses in front of them and from those who have gone before. “We've an awful lot to learn from people slightly older than us,” he says. “When we grew up on the farm there were always some really good old stockmen, cattlemen, and I learned a lot from listening to them.” We too can learn a lot from listening to Richard Kent. https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Richard-Kent-Conversations_v1-1.mp3 Click here to listen to the podcast. The post ‘You can’t buy days like that’: Richard Kent, breeder of Docklands, joins TDN Conversations podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Colin Keane has received a 14-day suspension and a £350 fine after being found to have used his whip eight times when partnering Windlord to victory in last week's Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown, twice above the permitted level. Crucially, Keane is set to miss the ride aboard his Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner Field Of Gold, should the son of Kingman line up in the G1 His Highness The Amir Of Qatar Sussex Stakes, which takes place on Wednesday, July 30. Keane, who was named Juddmonte's number one jockey early last month, will be suspended from Tuesday, July 22 to Monday, August 4, inclusive. “Colin Keane, the rider of the winner Windlord, was found to have used his whip twice above the permitted level of six from one and a half furlongs out,” read a summary of the Whip Review Committee's findings published on Tuesday. “Taking into account that this was a Class 1 race, the penalty in respect of the above permitted level was doubled. Therefore, he will be suspended for 14 days from Tuesday 22 July – Monday 4 August 2025 inclusive. He was also fined £350.” Speaking at Sandown on Saturday, Keane, who is a six-time champion Flat jockey in Ireland, said, “I'm so used to eight [strikes] as it is at home, I just have to abide by the rules here. “That's the only way I can put it. I know six is the amount over here but, when I was in a ding-dong battle, I suppose it just went out of my head unfortunately. It's unfortunate but it's my own fault.” The post Colin Keane to Miss Field Of Gold’s Sussex Bid with 14-Day Whip Ban appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Stuart Boman has been appointed the Hong Kong Jockey Club's contracted agent in the Northern Hemisphere. The position will see the Blandford Bloodstock agent assist with selection and preparation of horses for the Hong Kong International Sale. View the full article

A 10-strong dispersal of owner/breeder Niall Farrell's stock is the highlight of the Goffs Doncaster Summer Sale. The mixed NH sale, consisting of 134 lots will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 21 at Doncaster. Farrell's dispersal will be handled by Mill House Stud, with Protektrice (Turgeon), a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Protektorat (Saint Des Saints) in foal to Jack Hobbs with a Golden Horn filly at foot, one of the star attractions. Lot 122 is followed by Bitumen Belle (Oscar)(lot 123), a half-sister to the dams of Grade 1 winners Death Duty (Shantou) and Bambino Fever (Jukebox Jury). She has a Golden Horn filly at foot and her Jack Hobbs yearling filly is entered as lot 144. There are also 52 stores offered by such sires as Nathaniel, Sholokhov, and Soldier Of Fortune. Of the 80 horses-in-training and pointers, Jolie Joue (Ocovango) (lot 69) draws the eye as the winner of his debut point-to-point, while Pigeon Forge (Well Chose) (lot 24) was a 10-length winner of her most recent start at Necarne. The post Niall Farrell Dispersal Highlights Goffs Doncaster Summer Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sam Agars POWER KOEPP - R9 (2) Has been a revelation for his new trainer and can salute again here Jay Rooney POWER KOEPP - R9 (2) Consistent type who should get a dream run from the draw and be hard to beat Trackwork Spy BIENVENUE - R7 (4) Track and distance winner two starts ago remains lightly raced under Purton Phillip Woo JOLLY RULER - R3 (1) Is a live chance with a return to the level of a win in April Shannon (Vincent Wong) SMART CITY - R5 (9) Excellent win over C&D last start and...View the full article

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has appointed Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock as the contracted agent in the Northern Hemisphere. He will take over from Michael Kinane, who held the role for six years. A statement released on Tuesday read, “The HKJC extends its gratitude to Mr Michael Kinane for his six years of service as the contracted agent in the Northern Hemisphere for the HKIS. Mr Kinane's expertise saw the retired champion jockey identify, select and purchase Hong Kong global champion Romantic Warrior, winner of 10 Group 1s across four different jurisdictions and holder of the world record with prizemoney of HK$214.7 million. Romantic Warrior, who was sold at the 2021 HKIS, is the sale's most decorated graduate.” It added, “The Hong Kong International Sale is an annual event which provides the opportunity for HKJC Permit Holders to purchase high quality horses sourced from the world's premier yearling sales. Apart from reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior, other notable top graduates include Pakistan Star, The Duke, Good Ba Ba, Scintillation and, more recently, Patch Of Theta who have cemented the sale as a trusted source of success.” The post Stuart Boman Joins Hong Kong International Sale Team appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Winter marvel Belardo Boy (NZ) (Belardo) overcame a clear topweight to collect the 11th victory of his career in the New World Otaki Handicap (1400m) at Otaki on Tuesday. A winner of the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) and Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m) in 2023, and the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) and Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) last term, Belardo Boy has become accustomed to carrying hefty imposts, and Tuesday’s assignment was no exception, with six kilograms to his closest rivals. Jumping inside the short-priced favourite in Belles Beau, Belardo Boy travelled strongly for apprentice jockey Amber Riddell in the trail of Turnmeon, who led the compact field into the home straight. Belardo Boy cruised up on the inside as his stablemate, Make Time, came into contention on the outer, and the pair entered a dogfight from the 100m. Belles Beau couldn’t make up ground on the Lisa Latta-trained pair, who went to the line almost in unison, with Belardo Boy sticking his head out to grab the victory by a nose. Latta was proud of her charge, who hadn’t been sighted since finishing a game second in this year’s AGC Training Stakes in May, where he was ridden by Riddell’s father Jonathan. “I thought he might have needed the run today, he hasn’t run in a while, but he just thrives on the wet tracks,” she said. “We’d left him in work because it’s just too wet to put him out in the paddock, so we ticked him over quietly and he’s had a good blow today. “We’ll put a nom in for the Opunake Cup, then just see how many points they give him and the weight he’ll get there before deciding whether we go or not.” While an Opunake Cup defence is still on the table, Latta has ruled out returning to Riccarton for a third attempt at the Winter Cup, instead putting her focus to some elite-level targets in the early spring. “He’s definitely not going south,” she said. “We’ll be looking at the weight-for-age races, hopefully we’ll get a wet spring and it should be a help that they’re not in Hastings. We might strike a wet track somewhere.” A six-year-old by Belardo, Belardo Boy was purchased by Latta for $28,000 when presented by co-breeder Haunui Farm at the National Yearling Sales in 2020, and five years later, he has earned more than $436,000. Latta was equally pleased to see Make Time (NZ) (Makfi) return to form, having battled in the holding conditions at Wanganui last start. “It was a much-improved effort from him, he’s just struggled in the really puggy tracks on some occasions,” she said. “He jumped and put himself right there and tried hard to the line. “We might look at the Opunake Cup with him or possibly heading to Riccarton for an open race.” View the full article

Cambridge horseman Clinton Isdale has had plenty of success in the South Island as an owner, and he is hoping that continues on Wednesday when Funfetti (NZ) (Embellish) will shoot for her third successive win on Riccarton’s polytrack. Isdale tasted success in the south just last week when Storms Ahead (NZ) (Astern) was victorious at Ashburton, keeping his 100 percent South Island strike rate intact after winning first-up for Timaru trainer Stephanie Faulkner at his new home track last month. Isdale purchased the son of Astern off Gavelhouse.com for $1,000 and said he opted to send him south in the hope of finding some form. “I bought Storms Ahead off Gavelhouse, he had a couple of placings up here and I leased him out and then took him back,” he said. “I race him in conjunction with Eddie Brooks, Tina’s (Comignaghi, jockey) manager, and we are having a lot of fun.” Isdale is also having plenty of fun with the John and Karen Parsons-trained Funfetti, who will head to Riccarton on Wednesday to contest the Cup Week Hospitality On Sale Now Rating 75 (2200m). “She is another horse I purchased off Gavelhouse (for $2,000), so it has been quite good to me,” Isdale said. “She is going well and loves the poly, so hopefully she can give a good account of herself.” While he currently has two horses in the South Island, Isdale said that number could increase following next month’s Grand National Festival of Racing at Riccarton. “I will be taking a few down for the Carnival and if they go alright I will probably leave them down there,” he said. “You can’t send average horses down there because it is competitive down there as well.” Meanwhile, Isdale is looking forward to lining up a handful of his own team members this week, headlined by Gallant Hero (Fast Company) who will target the Rating 75 2100m contest at Hawera on Saturday. The seven-year-old son of Fast Company was the subject of plenty attention last start when his saddle slipped and jockey Bruno Queiroz lost his irons near the 1900m but showed great horsemanship in regathering his irons and riding out his charge to a runner-up performance. Isdale said his charge took no ill effects from the race and he is hoping for another bold showing this weekend before he heads for a well-deserved break. “Everyone saw what happened with him last start when Bruno lost his irons,” Isdale said. “He has come through the race well. I didn’t race him last week because 2400m would have been a bit testing on him, so he will race on Saturday and Jonathan Riddell will be back on him and then he will go for a break.” Stablemate Lady Moana (NZ) (Ocean Park) may have her last raceday start in the rating 65 1400m contest at Hawera, while two days prior, Isdale will head to Cambridge’s synthetic meeting with a trio of runners – Mirabella (NZ) (Sweynesse) in the Saddlery Warehouse 970 and Mahoe (NZ) (Alamosa) and Novak (NZ) (El Roca) in the TCL Earthworks 2000. “Lady Moana was very disappointing last start, she has to measure up otherwise she will be in the broodmare paddock,” Isdale said. “Mirabella was disappointing last start, but she copped a check out of the gates. In all of her runs prior to that she was quite competitive. She has got four kilos off her back, so she will be competitive, and I reckon Novak will be hard to beat as well.” View the full article

Pride Of Aspen (Pride Of Dubai) looked right at home when she scored a decisive victory in the Cavallo Farms and Chris Rutten Bloodstock Handicap (2200m) at Otaki’s rescheduled meeting on Tuesday. The daughter of Pride Of Dubai was previously trained at the Central Districts venue by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard before relocating with the latter to Cambridge this season. She often brings out her best on her old home turf, winning on three prior occasions, and continued that strong form when runner-up to Benefactor a fortnight ago. Wynyard elected to leave the mare in the care of Benner leading into Tuesday’s event where she started favourite narrowly over Boomtown Boy, who was coming off a second placing in the Raukawa Cup (2100m). In a small field of five there was no speed early, so Amber Riddell took matters into her own hands aboard Pride Of Aspen, striding to the lead and dictating terms throughout. After shaking off a challenge from Carpe Diem at the 600m, Pride Of Aspen was clear in the lead turning for home and safely held the threat of Boomtown Boy to score by 1-¾ lengths. Wynyard was rapt with the result, having hoped to press on to The Callinan Family Taumarunui Gold Cup (2200m), run for $100,000 at Te Rapa later this month. “I thought Carpe Diem would go forward and we’d probably end up outside him, but when he decided to take a sit, Amber used her initiative, took the lead and rated her very well,” Wynyard said. “She stayed down there with Johno after her last run, he knows this horse just as well, if not better than I do, so he’s done all of the work with her leading up to today. “If she did win impressively today, the next target for her would probably be the Taumarunui Cup at Te Rapa. She definitely does off-tracks and appreciates the moisture, so as long as she pulls up well, we’ll bring her back up here and have a go at that. “She’s a big girl with a strong mind, she’s always known what she wants to do and you can’t really tell her otherwise. But she’s beautiful to look at and is very tough, so she ticks a lot of boxes as a good racehorse.” Pride Of Aspen was purchased out of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale by Graham Causer’s Aspen Bloodstock, a strong supporter of the stable. “Graham Causer buys really lovely horses, a lot from Australia, and he’s really into pedigrees,” Wynyard said. “He’s hoping to have a nice broodmare band around him, which it looks like he’s going to have. “We’ve had a great association with him with the likes of Colorado Silver, Hold The Press, and obviously this mare, so I’m very thankful for the opportunity. “His daughter, Makenzie Causer, is a very good show jumping rider, so they love their horses and that’s what they do.” Wynyard had watched Tuesday’s race from afar, having had Pride Of Aspen’s juvenile half-sister, Sweet Talkin Gal (Anders), trialling this morning in the Waikato. “I had her half-sister trialling at Waipa today and she went very well, so it’s been a good day for the sisters,” she said. “She’s owned by a different person, it was just a fluke that we ended up with them both in the stable. “She’s by Anders and is similar to Pride Of Aspen, a big, scopey filly with plenty of ability. I think she’s really one to watch going into her three-year-old year.” View the full article

Te Akau Racing looks set to be a major player on the all-weather track at Riccarton with a particularly strong hand to play in the age group event on Wednesday’s card. Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will be represented by the in-form duo of Queen Of Naples and Porcia Catonis in the Red Rose Raceday – 24 July Three-Year-Old (1400m). Stablemate Vivacious also looks a strong chance in the Join TAB Racing Club Rating 74 off the back of two wins on the bounce. Queen Of Naples (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has made an encouraging start to her career and followed up a debut fourth at Wanganui before heading south. The daughter of Darci Brahma was then runner-up on the synthetic before going one better on the course to romp to her maiden victory in the hands of Bruno Queiroz, who retains the ride. “We’d probably lean more toward Queen Of Naples if it was a mile, but we’ve kept her nice and fresh to come back to the 1400m,” Bergerson said. “Porcia Catonis (Super Seth) has a bit more experience and she has run in the Rating 75 grade, which is always really tough for a three-year-old. “She certainly didn’t disgrace herself and they are very hard to split so it will probably come down to luck in the running. “It looks quite an even field on paper, but we are really happy with our two.” To be ridden by Courtney Barnes, Porcia Catonis has a pair of track and distance wins to her credit form her last four appearances before the Super Seth filly stepped up in grade to finish a last-start fourth. Querioz partnered Vivacious (NZ) (Dundeel) to her most recent victory, her fourth from 15 appearances, and a gear addition has helped the Dundeel mare’s starting manners. “She has really taken to racing on the synthetic down there,” Bergerson said. “She was being a bit slowly away at times and ratting home, but as soon as we put the visor blinkers on it seemed to do the trick.” Another bold performance from Vivacious would likely earn her a crack at a bigger prize. “Hopefully, she runs well again and then head on to one of the finals, whether it’s at Awapuni over 1400m or Riccarton and the 1200m,” Bergerson said. “She’s always been a mare we have had a lot of time for and she has finally strengthened up, Hunter (Durrant, assistant trainer) and the team have done a fantastic job with her.” The stable will also have back-up in the Rating 75 sprint in Sorcha (NZ) (Burgundy) while Rule Of Law (NZ) (Justify) is in the Racecourse Hotel & Motel Lodge (1600m) and Purple Prose (NZ) (Embellish) lines up in the Speights Summit Ultra On Tap Maiden (1600m). “Sorcha tries really hard, Rule Of Law is always there or thereabouts and Purple Prose has drawn a bit niggly, but is knocking on the door,” Bergerson said. The other team member in action is Beau Brummell (NZ) (Embellish) in the Cup Week Hospitality On Sale Now Rating 75 (2200m). He was a resuming winner over a mile on the course but was never a factor from a wide gate last time and an inside barrier will be in his favour this time. View the full article

Ann Browne, widely known as Mrs Browne, is a trailblazer and heroine in New Zealand racing, and would be the first to share her passion for jumpers. As Ann Fraser, Browne spent her early years living on a farm off the East Coast of the North Island where her horse-oriented family felt anything but isolated. “All of my relations are from Gisborne and I grew up on a farm inland from Tikitiki, off the East Coast,” Browne said. “I lived there until I was 14, until my father bought a farm in Tirau, and we shifted to the Waikato in 1953. “Living on a farm, we didn’t have tractors or anything like that, so you had to have horses. We had pack horses to cart fencing gear, and we’d go to shows and sports meetings, all of the little towns on the East Coast had them. “I did correspondence school for most of my life, right up until high school, and I did one year in Gisborne and two years in Hamilton. Because we had the sports meetings, and we’d go socialise and play tennis at our friend’s houses, it was an easy transition from correspondence. “My mother was always interested in racing and my step-grandfather was A.B Williams, he owned a lot of racehorses. Some of those were Star Stranger, Gasbag, and Bandmaster, who won the Grand National Steeplechase. “My Dad’s father was Tom Fraser, he owned a horse called Hunting Crime, he was a very good horse in the 1930’s that won the Railway and the Great Northern Derby.” That family involvement would spark Browne’s interest in the industry, but it wasn’t until she met her soon-to-be husband, Ken Browne, that a life in racing would become a reality. “Kenny knew who I was because my aunty lived near the boundary of his farm and we just got to talking at a hunt one day,” Browne said. “We got married when I was 20, had two kids by the time I was 22, and I was back riding in a couple of weeks after having Roger, our youngest. “We didn’t have many racehorses to start with and we went overseas with polo a few times, but as we got a bit older, we got a few more and it grew from there.” Browne recalled that a number of the earlier horses were gifted, or purchased cheaply, including Choc Wallace, a horse she fondly remembers. “Kenny started with one or two horses that were given to him to try for various reasons,” she said. “I had a half Clydesdale horse that I sold to Japan for $800, and the owner of Choc Wallace was hoping to sell him to the Japanese as well. We offered to buy him and ended up paying $230, and he won a lot more than that. “He won the Waikato Hunt Cup, while it was run in October, and a couple of weeks later, he won the big round the ring jump at the Waikato Show. He would do the shows in the summer, and racing in the winter, and he won 11 races.” While they enjoyed success with a number of the ‘second-hand’ horses, the Brownes decided to invest in their future with young stock purchased from the sales. “After a while, we decided to go to the sales and buy yearlings instead,” she said. “We wouldn’t pay a lot for them, but Kenny and I worked in unison, I’d be outside looking at the horses and letting him know which were possibly suitable, and he would do the bidding. “We didn’t care how little they cost, the horses didn’t know how much we bought them for and we had a good success rate. A number of them won good flat races, and we taught the whole lot how to jump right from the beginning.” The Brownes were able to educate their horses from their property out of Cambridge, with a hill-based training style that would continue to produce champion jumpers and plenty of talented flat gallopers as well. “I learned a lot from reading and Kenny was a great do-it-yourselfer,” Browne said. “Between the two of us, we would be able to bring together ideas and establish our way of doing things. “We used to go into the track at Cambridge to gallop the horses, but by the time we would get the truck ready, take the horses in, work two or three and then take them home, it was lunch time. “We bought a bit more land around the neighbouring properties, and decided we were able to work the horses entirely at home. We gradually changed things and figured out how to use the farm to our advantage, and we won a lot of races using that system. “The horses absolutely loved working up the hill, they never got sour. They got up there and they could see for miles, it was a natural way of training. “We had a set up with logs and jumps, and we taught horses to jump right from the start. Some of them never ended up jumping, but they all did it. Horses could be good jumpers, but they might never win a jumping race, because they just couldn’t see that distance out. “We had horses with over 100 starts, and they were just happy horses living that lifestyle. A lot of the horses would relax here as well, if they came and were a bit go-ey, they tended to settle down. “A lot of the horses would retire here, we were lucky with the acres we had, we would look after them for the rest of their lives. On our schooling days, some of the retired horses would come in, so that the budding jumping riders could have a turn on an experienced horse.” The Brownes dominated the New Zealand jumping scene for over 40 years, with Ken initially training the horses under his own name before Ann joined the official partnership in 1983. Often with Kenny in the saddle, they won every feature race on offer, and it was the Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie where they were a formidable force. Ken’s first triumphs as a trainer, owner and jockey came in 1977 and 1979 with Ascona, and Ann got her name on the trophy for the first time in 1990 with Ardri. Over the next 10 years, they won the Northern another five times, with the most memorable coming in 2001 with a dead-heat between their horse, Smart Hunter, and Kevin O’Connor’s Sir Avion. Not long before the iconic meeting, Ken had sustained a serious injury when falling off a horse at home, leaving him a quadriplegic, and he was still in hospital when Smart Hunter won the Great Northern Hurdles two days prior. “It wasn’t long after Kenny was hurt, so he was still in the hospital, but he’d planned to start Smart Hunter in both races,” Browne said. “Knowing that, I went through with the plan, and to end up in a dead heat in the steeplechase, it was just amazing. “I still enjoy watching that race to this day, and Smart Hunter was a beautiful horse to do anything with, I used to take him on treks as well. “We seemed to keep finding horses that could really do it, and we were fortunate to have very good riders on them.” In 2004, Wanderlust would deliver the Brownes’ final Northern victory prior to Ken’s passing in 2006, but Ann would continue their legacy, adding another three crowns to the mantelpiece, with Fair King (2009), Ima Heroine (2011) and Tom’s Myth (2012), with the latter becoming the first horse to win a Wellington Steeplechase, Pakuranga Hunt Cup and Northern in the same season. Fair King and Ima Heroine were two of a select number of horses bred by the Brownes, with Kenny’s background in polo influencing them to pursue breeding on a small scale. That journey began after a picnic meeting in Taihape, where Kenny rode a mare called Miss Luca, who had the size for polo and the bloodlines for producing jumpers, as proven through her progeny. “Kenny rode Miss Luca in a picnic meeting and he was able to get her as a polo pony, but she was a full-sister to a horse that won the Pakuranga Hunt Cup,” Browne said. “She had a foal with our polo pony stallion, Mokowai, and then had a couple of foals by North Pole. “North Pole came from England, he was a nice horse with good breeding, and he’d won flat and hurdle races over there. He didn’t have many foals, but he was a useful stallion because we weren’t doing it in a big way. “One of those, out of Miss Luca, was Pulka, who won three steeplechases before we sent her to Paul Nelson and he bred some horses from her. One of Pulka’s foals was Ima Hunter, who Paul gave to us because she kept getting ryegrass staggers. “She would become the dam of Ima Heroine, who won the Great Northern Steeplechase, and the next generation is Ima Wonder, who won the Pakuranga Hunt Cup last year. “After North Pole, we didn’t want to do the stallions ourselves, but we’ve bred a few with other stallions, and nearer the end, we got Heroicity, and he ended up in America.” While Ken guided their horses to many victories over the years, Ann made her own mark in the saddle, becoming the first female amateur to ride in a race, and later, she became the first to ride a winner. Some four decades have passed since that first outing, but she remembers an encounter prior to the start vividly. “I was the first female amateur to ride in a tote flat race, on a horse called Stipulation,” she said. “I became a grandmother three days before that race, because David (Browne), my grandson who now lives in Australia, was born. “I remember we were in the starting stalls, and the man next to me said, ‘now that girls are allowed to ride in this race, it’s time for me to give up’. I asked him if it was really so bad, but off we went, and now most of the riders are females, both professionally and in the amateurs. “I kept riding in them for a while, I won four races and I rode in the point to points and ladies steeplechases as well. When I was going out with Kenny, he let me have a horse called Funds, who I kept up at my Dad’s place and I won most of the time riding him. “He did a bit of everything, I’d also take him to the shows and even went chasing wild Kaimanawas. We did a lot of different things, and eventually I sold him to Ken Kelso, he was about 16 or 17 and a very good showjumping rider. “Kenny wasn’t much into going to the shows, because there was a lot of hanging around and you didn’t know when you’d have your class, but at the races, everything would run to time. But girls weren’t allowed to ride in the races, and they didn’t care about that at the shows, so I did a lot of show jumping.” Despite not being able to ply her trade on the track to a larger degree, Browne got enough satisfaction from working the horses at home, going to the races, and balancing the administration for both their farm and racing ventures. “I liked riding certain horses a lot, I got pleasure out of working them,” she said. “Crown Star is the one everyone remembers, he was a fairly cheap buy and he cut his hoof really badly before he was broken in, but we got that healed up, and he ended up being such a good horse. “Some of my favourite horses are those that people would’ve hardly heard of, one was called Bencathra, he was just a lovely horse, as was Norfolk Boy, he was quite a good racehorse too. I just loved riding them, they didn’t have to be the best or fastest horses. “I kept all the records, right from about 1963, of each horse, each race, and who rode them. I was the accountant as well, paid the bills and organised the stud sheep and cattle. “I led the horses around at the races, Kenny would ride them, and if we had more than one, we’d have other people riding them, all friends of ours. That’s just the way that jumping worked, you’re rivals and friends, and if you can’t win, you hope they can. “I was always proud of the way our horses looked at the races, but they were never stabled, they lived out in the paddock with two or three other horses. They’d often be covered in mud on the morning of the races, so we’d clean them all up and they were always presented well.” Browne maintained the same standard of presentation and performance with her horses right up to her retirement from training in 2018, with 626 domestic winners to her name, and 43 of those at stakes level. “It was an easy decision because my knee was getting a bit sore, so I wasn’t able to ride anymore,” she said. “I’d gone through life without getting any concussions, or major broken bones, so I wanted to keep it that way. “I just had one or two horses, which meant I’d have to get someone out to just ride those couple of horses, or go into the track. I didn’t want to get up at five o’clock in the morning, so I decided to let someone else train them. “I’ve only got Ima Wonder and Brother Max, and 10 percent of two other horses at the Brosnans. It’s good fun, I enjoy having the horses. “I can talk to Peter (Brosnan) about all sorts of things and I’m friends with Jess (Brosnan) and Tarissa McDonald as well, the horses are in good hands.” Aside from her horses, the Brownes influence on New Zealand jumps racing lives on in a unique form, with the line of picturesque live hedges through the centre of the course at Te Rapa introduced by the couple. “We went to England and Kenny rode in a race at Sandown, where they had a lot of jumps down the back straight,” Browne said. “He thought they would look really good in the straight at Te Rapa, so we planted these bamboo jumps, and they’re still there today. “Myself, Kenny and Brian Timms were the first people to jump those jumps, we schooled a couple of ours over them. “They’re there and they don’t take a lot of effort to get ready, the course caretaker can just trim them up and they’re ready to go. The horses seem to jump them well too. “The same was then done at Ellerslie, Paeroa, Te Aroha, Rotorua, Te Awamutu and Matamata, but unfortunately now there is just Te Aroha and Te Rapa.” Browne will scarcely miss a meeting at the Waikato venues, with a passion for horses and jumping that has kept her full of life, right from the start. “If there are races around here, I’ll be there, particularly at Te Rapa,” she said. “I’m not big on travelling during the winter-time because I like to know I’m going to a nice warm motel, I feel the cold a bit now. “I enjoy watching the races on the TV, I watch races in France and England, and I watch the good overseas show jumping on YouTube and a bit of eventing too. “I tell people I’ve never been bored in my life, even when I lived in the back blocks of Tikitiki, I never got bored. “I’ve always had the horses.” View the full article