Wandering Eyes

NZB has made the decision to postpone the Breeze Ups for the 2025 Ready to Run Sale due to unfavourable weather conditions with heavy rain and wind predicted through to Tuesday. The Breeze Ups will now take place at Te Rapa on Monday 20 & Tuesday 21 October starting at 10am each day. NZB is committed to conducting the Breeze Ups on a turf surface at Te Rapa, the overwhelming preference from buyers and agents. “In association with Waikato Thoroughbred Racing, we’ve been monitoring the weather forecast closely,” commented NZB’s Director of Operations James Jennings. “Ideally, we want two consistent days for Breeze Ups, and it has become apparent that will not be the case next week with the adverse weather that is being predicted.” The auction house strongly believes that postponing the Breeze Ups is conducive to all vendors, preparers, buyers and the horses. The Breeze Ups will be conducted on these new dates regardless of the circumstances, with a revised schedule to be published next week. SALE DATES Breeze Ups: 20 & 21 October at Te Rapa Sale: 12 & 13 November at Karaka View the full article

A nose was the difference between a $30,000 prize and a mid-week placing for Tony Pike at Avondale on Wednesday, and he hopes to continue being on the right side of the result across several venues this weekend. The Cambridge horseman eyed the NZB Mega Maiden Series bonus for his filly Princess Elsa (NZ) (Frosted), who was resuming as a three-year-old following a string of juvenile placings. She didn’t get all favours in the running but was tough late to get the head bob from Kairos. “She had good two-year-old form without winning, but she’s come up a lot stronger this preparation,” Pike said. “We were a little bit concerned with the heavy track conditions, but she toughed it out pretty well, being caught out three-wide and was strong over the final stages. “She just managed to get the win and there was a good gap back to third, so it’s great to have that under her belt. Hopefully we can get another win on the board for the team in the coming weeks.” Purchased for $21,000 by Jim Bruford at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Yearling Sales, the daughter of Frosted earned connections an additional $20,000 for the win, as well as $5,000 for Pike. “We targeted this race for the maiden bonus and winning by that narrow margin there was a massive difference in prizemoney, $30-odd thousand versus $2,000,” Pike said. “It was a great result.” Pike will have a number of key chances heading to Rotorua on Sunday, including multiple Group winner Val Di Zoldo dropping back in class to contest the Staphanos Classic (1950m). The middle-distance specialist found her rivals a touch sharp last start in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m), but up in distance with Sam McNab’s three-kilogram claim, Pike hopes to see an improved effort. “She’s a quality mare, she’s had the two runs under her belt and dropping back from weight-for-age Group One company to handicap conditions, you’d expect her to run a much-improved race,” he said. He is looking forward to the awaited return of Cream Tart, a daughter of Hello Youmzain, who burst into the juvenile scene with a 7-¾ length romp at Te Aroha in June. She was subsequently sent for a spell and has had two conditioning trials, with the goal of making the Riccarton three-year-old Guineas races now in the crosshairs. “We’ve been held up a little bit with our spring three-year-olds with the heavy tracks, but she is going to resume nice and forward after a barrier trial at Te Rapa on pretty testing ground,” Pike said. “She worked extremely well on Tuesday, she’s a quality three-year-old filly and hopefully on a Guineas path, but Sunday will tell us a lot more. “If she can bring her two-year-old form, she’ll be pretty hard to beat.” Cream Tart will line-up in the Lance Lawson 1215 alongside stablemate Pink Gin, who performed well in Rating 72 company on Cambridge’s synthetic track last start. “She was a bit unlucky on the polytrack last start, she probably hasn’t got the same level of ability as Cream Tart but she’s a very genuine and honest filly,” Pike said. “She’s got a tricky gate to contend with (9), but if she can get across without doing too much work she won’t be too far away.” Consistent mare Honey Badger will be the stable’s only representative at Otaki on Saturday in the Harcourts Otaki Premier (1200m), having finished runner-up to Tolstoy in a similar event at the course a fortnight ago. “She really likes those rain-affected tracks, it’s probably getting towards the end of her campaign heading into the summer, but it looks like it’ll be a very testing track on Saturday which will suit,” Pike said. “It’s come up a pretty competitive race, there is a lot of form in there and she’s drawn wide, but if the outside of the track is the place to be, she can be right in the finish again.” Ashoka and Churchillian will head down to Taupo on Friday, with the former striking a maiden race with a number of debutants, while he has three placings on the board from three starts. “He’s been very consistent through his two-year-old form,” Pike said. “We probably got a bit further back than we wanted at Trentham. He had an interrupted run but was strong late. “He’s got a good draw tomorrow, we’ll look to be reasonably positive from that inside gate and he’s definitely due a winning turn. “Everything that is running over the weekend, bar Ashoka and Honey Badger, will improve with the runs, but we’ve got a nice team in and it would be nice to pick up a couple of wins.” View the full article

Trainer Kris Shailer’s name has been absent from the racebook for the last three years, but will make a return on Sunday at Arawa Park, albeit with a line running through it. He was set to line-up regally-bred gelding Magice (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Rotorua Racecourse’s Race For The Ladies 1215, however, after drawing barrier 13 on the Heavy10 track, the son of Savabeel will likely be scratched. “He is going to be over 12 months between races and we don’t want him to have a real gut buster first-up,” Shailer said. “We have drawn wide and we just want to give him every opportunity to race up to the best of his ability first-up.” Formerly trained in Matamata by Glenn Old, Magice won one and placed in two of his three starts in New Zealand as a two-year-old before transferring to the care of Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman in Australia. He had four jumpouts across the Tasman but remained unraced and returned home to Waikato Stud earlier this year and entered the care of Shailer at the farm’s private training facility, Courtza Park. “He had good form when he was with Glenn Old and then he went to Peter Moody’s, who found a chip in his fetlock, so he came home and got gelded and he has stayed on the farm,” Shailer said. “Garry (Chittick, owner-breeder) is happy to have him home and see him most days.” Magice, a full-brother to Group One winner and Waikato Stud resident stallion Noverre, ran fourth in his returning trial at Arawa Park last month over 1000m, pleasing Shailer with his hit-out. “It was a great trial,” Shailer said. “It was good to see him settle in behind them. He overdid things as a colt, but now that he is a gelding and he has travelled to Australia and back, hopefully we can see him get up in trip and hopefully win a race or two. “We are still learning about him. We might possibly go back to the trials and then try and find another race somewhere.” Meanwhile, Shailer was pleased with stablemate Justin Case’s trial over 850m at Te Awamutu on Thursday, with the two-year-old son of Banquo finishing runner-up behind the Tony Pike-trained Harvey Wallbanger. “He is a nice horse and got beaten by a well-bred Home Affairs horse of Tony Pike’s. He did everything right and he is only going to improve,” Shailer said. “We will just see how he pulls up. He will possibly go to Taupo in a couple of weeks’ time for further education.” Justin Case was bred by Waikato Stud and is raced by the farm in partnership with Ohukia Lodge’s Jamie Beatson. “They (Ohukia Lodge) have done our breakers for a long time and the ready to run sales,” Shailer said. “They are also great clients of the farm, they breed a few horses of their own, and they do an outstanding job.” Alongside Stephen Autridge, Shailer was formerly the private trainer for Valachi Downs, but after the Matamata farm was sold, he joined Waikato Stud’s Courtza Park and he said he is enjoying his time at the leading thoroughbred nursery. “It’s a great place to be working,” he said. “I am very privileged to have a couple of racehorses horses as well as the pre-trainers and spellers. “We can have anywhere between 40-70 horses here at a time. All the breakers get done outside of the farm and they come back in and we pre-train them and maybe get them to the trials, and then they go off to their trainers, be that in New Zealand or Australia.” Shailer retained his trainer’s license and said he is pleased he has the opportunity to dust it off this season, with a couple of racehorses in his care. “When I started out here, they said to keep it (trainer’s license), there might be one that pops up that we bring home and poke around with here,” Shailer said. “It is great to now have a couple of racehorses to train here.” View the full article

Francis Lui Kin-wai has sprung a surprise by declaring Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) hero Cap Ferrat will be set for the Group One Hong Kong Mile in December. Set to resume in the Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m) on October 26, the Australian import will be kept to the mile trip rather than a return to the distance of his upset Derby triumph in March. Lui also tested Cap Ferrat over 2,400m in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup in May and the son of Snitzel responded with a solid third behind...View the full article

Wingatui trainer Shankar Muniandy is developing a knack for producing exciting three-year-olds, and he may have his hands on another in Pontoon. The Ace High gelding had the one start as a two-year-old, finishing fifth over 1000m at Riccarton in March, and he returned to the Christchurch track last month where he placed in the Guineas Trial (1400m). Muniandy was pleased with that effort, and while he said he has strengthened since he was a juvenile, there is still plenty of improvement to come. “When I got him as a two-year-old he showed us quite a bit,” Muniandy said. “He is still green and has got a lot of learning to do, but he came back from his spell big and strong, and he has got a bright future as a three-year-old. “He has come through the race really well, his work has been good. He is really happy and I can’t fault him.” Pontoon will get his first tilt at stakes level on Saturday in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton, for which he is rated a $9.50 hope with TAB bookmakers. “It is not hard to ride him. Terry Moseley knows the horse well and if he can be in the first half dozen I will be happy,” Muniandy said. Pontoon holds a nomination for next month’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Muniandy said Saturday’s result will help dictate whether they continue down that path. Another stable runner set to head to Riccarton for New Zealand Cup week is dual stakes winner Loose Sally. The four-year-old daughter of Turn Me Loose was a standout for Muniandy last term, winning three of her six starts, including the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m) and Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m). She has enjoyed a spell since her last start winning effort in the Warstep Stakes in April, and Muniandy has been pleased with the way she has returned. “She has come back big and strong, and she is ticking along well,” he said. The Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) on the middle day of New Zealand Cup Week has been highlighted as her major spring aim, and she will commence her path towards that feature in Saturday’s Agraforum Growing Innovation 1400. “The TAB Mile is the plan for her,” Muniandy said. “We will see what she does on Saturday and then she will have another race before the TAB Mile.” View the full article

Patience has been a key factor in the rise of Jaarffi to the elite level and she’s in good order to open her six-year-old campaign at Rotorua. The Cambridge Stud-bred and raced mare has trialled well ahead of her resuming run in Sunday’s Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) and any improvement in track conditions will further boost her chances. Jaarffi has a handy first-up record of two wins from five attempts, and with a rating of 100 is well-suited by the weight-for-age conditions. “I wanted to run her a couple of weeks ago in an open handicap, but she got 62kg which was too tough,” trainer Lance Noble said. “I’m a little bit worried about how wet the track might be, but we have to kick her off and she trialled well on the synthetic. “She needs plenty of speed on and Rotorua can be a swooper’s track, if she handles the footing then hopefully she can get over the top of them.” Jaarffi has won four of her 17 starts and last preparation the daughter of Iffraaj finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), after an interrupted run, and the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). “Her form was super and she was a bit unlucky not to win the Group One,” Noble said. “She’s got a bit stronger, she’s always been a bit weak and she looks the full deal now. “She was always very tall and quite narrow and we’ve kept nursing her through. Mentally and physically, she’s fully mature now. “We’re looking forward to this campaign and hopefully she can kick it off in the right way on Sunday.” Jaarffi will again be ridden by Warre Kennedy, who also partners stablemate Love Symbol in the Rotorua Racecourse Race For The Ladies (1215m). The well-related Savabeel mare broke through for her first victory at her 11th appearance when successfully returning last time out from a break. “She’s a beautiful mare and she took a while to be a racehorse, over-racing and doing a few things wrong, but she came back and won nicely at Ellerslie,” Noble said. “She looks as well as she did before the run and has taken a bit of improvement, but again I’m a little bit wary of the track. If it holds up, she should acquit herself well.” The stable will have one runner on Friday at Taupo with Hot Card to resume in the Chris Jolly Outdoors (1000m) with Kennedy again in the saddle. “She won well at the trials and 1000m should suit her. She shows a lot of speed, and I think she’ll get around Taupo quite well,” Noble said. View the full article

Proven mare Archaic Smile is looking to make her presence felt in the open ranks before a potential southern trip when she contests Saturday’s Gr.3 fastinternet.co.nz Spring Sprint (1400m) at Otaki. A Group One performing juvenile, Archaic Smile found that form again in her autumn three-year-old campaign, narrowly missing top honours in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). She resumed with a solid fourth in an Open 1200m behind Midnight Edition at Te Rapa, a performance that gave trainer Hollie Wynyard the option of going to the Spring Sprint, or the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1200m) on Sunday at Rotorua. Once barrier draws came out on Wednesday morning, that became an easy decision for the Cambridge horsewoman. “She drew 11 at Rotorua against a Group One field, so we’ll head down to Otaki having drawn two down there,” Wynyard said. “It was a good run first-up, she’s coming out of three-year-old grade and was straight into pretty much the Foxbridge Plate field, so I was happy with that. “She’s pulled up well, bounced through it and she’s a mare that does well with racing. She’ll get better the further she gets into her prep. “I don’t know how good she is on the really heavy tracks, I’m hoping Otaki will come back to a decent heavy but there is a question mark on how she’ll handle it. But she’s flying, she had a gallop last Saturday at Matamata on a very heavy track and looked like she swam through it quite well.” The daughter of Saxon Warrior has never raced beyond 1400m and Wynyard hopes to extend her range this spring, with the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) during New Zealand Cup Week on her radar. “I’m hoping to get down there, we’ll probably run in the fillies and mares race (Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes, 1400m) on the first day then if she goes well, we’ll look at backing her up,” she said. “She does back up quite well, so it’s just an option if she goes well that we can have a go.” Archaic Smile may have a travelling companion in the form of stablemate Sweet Talkin Gal, who holds nominations for each of the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). Her mission towards the three-year-old classics will commence at the Rotorua meeting, where she lines up in the Green Light Insurance Brokers (1400m) off the back of a comfortable trial win at Te Rapa. “She’s similar (to Archaic Smile), the more she’s in work, the better she gets,” Wynyard said. “She’s quite a laid-back filly so it’s hard to get a line on her sometimes, but she looks incredible, she’s been working up super and off that trial, it gives you a lot of confidence heading into a maiden race. “I was probably a little bit concerned about going 1400 first-up if the track was really testing, but the weather looks pretty good from now until Sunday and she is a filly that’ll want a mile or 2000m. “I think the 1400 will be perfect for her.” By Anders, Sweet Talkin Gal is a half-sister to eight-win mare Pride Of Aspen, who has been trained for most of her career by Wynyard and her former training partner Johno Benner. Wynyard will have a further four runners at the meeting, including stakes-placed mare This Time Girl in the Campbell Infrastructure (1400m). Coming out of an Oaks preparation, The Time Girl was sharp in her resuming win at Taupo but was wide throughout to finish out of the placings at Ellerslie last start. “She’s bounced through it, I’m just putting a line through that as it was a bad ride and nothing went her way,” Wynyard said. “We’re pretty happy with her going into Rotorua, we’ll put some side fluffies on her to make her concentrate a bit more but she’s going well so hopefully she can turn her form around.” View the full article

Yearlings by first-crop stallions continued to be in demand during Wednesday's closing session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's October Yearlings Sale as a colt by Jackie's Warrior (hip 482) topped the session at $180,000. Bred and consigned by Glen Hill Farm, the colt was picked up by Elijah and Nelson Arroyo of Arroyo Bloodstock who deemed him on social media to be “our favorite horse of the entire catalog.” “Physically, he was one of the most muscular horses that we saw,” Elijah said. “He has a really nice presence to him and good angles. We try to look for horses that fit with the group that we've bought this year and he definitely fits and more. He's got a great mind to him.” The Arroyos, who founded the racing information portal TBX, have been active across the yearling sales this season buying horses they believe can be future stakes runners. They also acquired a Solomini filly (hip 156) for $15,000 on Tuesday during the sale's opening session. “We're trying to focus on horses who we believe have a real, big chance of being stakes horses when they run,” Nelson added. “We're trying to buy horses that, even if they pinhook well or not, that they're going to make it at the races and we believe in them. Horses that we believe have a bright future.” Jackie's Warrior, who was announced at a $25,000 stud fee for 2026 ahead of his first 2-year-olds making the races next season, saw plenty of success last month at Keeneland including a $1.3m colt who sold to West Bloodstock. Given that success, the Arroyos were prepared to spend for their top colt. “The two horses that I loved in this sale were hip 177 (Tuesday's sales-topper by Mo Donegal who sold for $240,000) and this one, who I liked a little more. He had a little bit more size, it's a colt, a popular freshman sire, bigger page. So we were prepared to have the [new] sales topper. Thank God he went under $200,000!” Elijah, Nelson, and Brandon Arroyo | Jessica Martini Out of a graded stakes winner in Broken Dreams, the Jackie's Warrior colt is a half to MGSW Caribou Club (City Zip) and a three-time track record setter at Gulfstream in Fly the W (Ghostzapper). Third dam One Dreamer was also a GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner. There's quality still in the pipeline as well with Caribou Club's 2-year-old Into Mischief filly, named Eze Village, unraced but on the work tab at Saratoga over the summer. In addition to breeding and consigning the session topper Wednesday, Glen Hill Farm also added the day's second highest price when another homebred son of Army Mule (hip 506) brought $125,000 to Breeze Easy LLC. That colt is out of MGSW Closeout, a full-sister to GSW Capital Request, SW Bricks and Ivy and GSP Family Foundation. “It's a good family and he's a nice colt,” Glen Hill's Tom Proctor told OBS of the Jackie's Warrior colt. “I think the family goes back (to Glen Hill) about 7-8 dams. He's a big, good looking colt who is well balanced. I hope Nelson does well with him.” Other first-crop stallions in demand Wednesday included Roadster who had a colt (hip 480) go the way of Sean S. Perl Bloodstock for $120,000 and a filly (hip 319) purchased by Champion Equine for $80,000. A pair of stallions with their first 2-year-olds this year also saw success with Spendthrift's Yaupon (recently bumped to $60,000 for 2026) and Florida's Pleasant Acres Stallions member Leinster both well represented. There were four hips across the six-figure mark Wednesday, bringing the two-day total to eight. That eclipses the mark set by last year's OBS October Sale where seven yearlings hit six figures. During Wednesday's final session, 146 yearlings sold for $3,635,100 for an average of $24,898 and a median of $18,500. The buy-back rate was 26.2%. Cumulatively over two days, 308 yearlings sold for $7,247,700 with an average price of $23,531 and a median of $15,000. The overall buy-back rate was 25.5%. The post Jackie’s Warrior Colt Tops Closing Day Of OBS October appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Fasig-Tipton October Digital sale closed Wednesday evening with broodmare Stifled Heiress (Munnings) as the topper when she was taken home for $470,000 and 240 horses sold for $4,947,500, according to a press release from the auction company on Wednesday. Offering horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, broodmares, yearlings, and weanlings, the online sale closed over two days with Stifled Heiress (hip 242), who is in foal to Leinster, going to Pursuit of Success LLC from the consignment of SGV Thoroughbreds, agent. The daughter of Munnings is already the dam of two winners from two starters, including this year's GII Gallant Bob Stakes winner Mad House (Vekoma). Blame It On Alphie (hip 232), in foal to perennial leading sire Into Mischief, sold for $400,000 to Hunter Valley Farm & Mountmellick Farm from the consignment of Mulholland Springs, agent. By Blame, Blame It On Alphie is a stakes placed half-sister to three stakes winners. “It's always nerve-wracking to be the first sale of the year offering a large quantity of breeding stock,” said Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron. “Broodmares in foal were clearly in high demand–which makes perfect sense given the time of year. Our numbers are up significantly from 2024 to 2025: horses offered, sold, average, and gross are all showing major increases. The number of registered bidders rose by 25 percent, which is an incredible jump. “Gains like that don't happen by chance,” he said. “This was the result of a massive collective effort. We turned around a 400-horse catalogue in just ten days–an enormous undertaking. That meant vetting, photos, seller descriptions, and mountains of paperwork. Buyers, too, put in the work to study the catalogue and come prepared. It was a true team effort from everyone involved, and we're deeply grateful to our customers for giving us the opportunity to put on this show.” Click here for full results. The post Broodmare Stifled Heiress Tops Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Gal in a Rush and Ms. Tart have different connections and train at separate racetracks hundreds of miles apart. But when it's time to race, the two female sprinters regularly land in the same spot.View the full article

Trainer Aidan O'Brien has entered four fillies in the Oct. 10 Fillies' Mile (G1) at Newmarket Racecourse, with the Prestige Fillies (G3) and Moyglare Stud (G1) winner Precise set to be joined by Moments of Joy, Sugar Island, and Composing. View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz Lincoln La Moose will be out to continue his winning form tonight at Cambridge Raceway, following an impressive fresh-up victory at the venue just last week. The four-year-old son of Art Major, trained at Lincoln Farms in Pukekohe by Ray Green and Nathan Delany, returned to racing in fine style. He was given a perfect trip in transit, getting a lovely drag into the race before sprinting away to win with ease. What made the performance stand out even more was the time, an overall 2:40 for the 2200m mobile, closing with a hot half in 57.2. Co-trainer Nathan Delany was thrilled with the effort. “We knew he’d go well, he’d been training up really good, but we didn’t expect him to go 2:40 fresh-up,” he said. “He’s come through the run beautifully and he’s been full of beans, I think he’ll go another good race tonight.” Once again, Peter Ferguson will take the reins when Lincoln La Moose lines up in the MVS Equine Hospital Mobile Pace (7.09pm). The gelding has drawn ideally in barrier two and Delany is hopeful he’ll get another economical run close to the pace. “He should get an easy trail, Always B Charlie gets out of the gate pretty good and we’ll just see what happens from there,” Delany explained. A win tonight would bring up his fourth win overall, a strong return for a horse who continues to mature and strengthen with each campaign. “Last start was his third win this season, he’s done well,” Delany said. The Lincoln Farms team will also see Whats Up The Hill step out tonight at Cambridge. The three-year-old son of What The Hill will be partnered by Peter Ferguson in the opening event, the Xmas At The Raceway Tickets On Sale Now Handicap Trot. While Whats Up The Hill has shown flashes of real ability, he’s still learning his craft, and his manners have occasionally cost him on race day. That was the case at his fresh-up run, where things didn’t go to plan, but the team is confident he’s ready to show his true potential this time around. “He tends to lose concentration, we’ve made a few gear adjustments, and he’s worked really well this week,” said Delany. “I think he should be a good chance tonight.” View the full article

By Jonny Turner Master trotting trainer Phil Williamson isn’t sure how his team can beat Ya Right Darl in the Aldebaran Zeus Southern Trotting Oaks at Invercargill today. But he is going to give it a real crack. Last start Ya Right Darl ($1.60) romped home by more than 12 lengths in the recent Sires’ Stakes Classique at Addington. Williamson heads south with Atlantic City ($18), who headed the pack chasing Ya Right Darl in her crushing victory. Have A Little Faith also heads to Oaks as part of a two-pronged Williamson attack. While he has the ultimate respect for the hot favourite, the man with harness racing’s most famous moustache isn’t ready to concede defeat. “I am not sure we can beat Ya Right Darl, but we are going to give it a bloody good go,” Williamson said. “That win at Addington was ultra-impressive and she is going to take a lot of beating.” “You always have respect for your opposition, but I think my two can both go nice races.” “Whether they are good enough to beat the favourite – we will find out. She might just be too good.” Atlantic City got well off the pace in her second to Ya Right Darl before running on nicely late. Williamson is hopeful the filly can produce more at Ascot Park. “I have made a gear change with her which I am hoping will help.” “I do think she can go a better race this week, she’s a capable filly.” Have A Little Faith gets the big advantage of drawing barrier 1 in the Southern Trotting Oaks. That spot has seen her rated the $2.80 second favourite, behind Ya Right Darl ($1.60) and well in front of Atlantic City ($18). Going by their trainer’s opinion, there isn’t much between the Williamson pairing. “I have thought that Atlantic City has had the edge on the other filly.” “But from the one draw, Have A Little Faith is going to get her chance to have the wood on her.” “She’s done everything asked of her racing in the grades, and she’s going to get her chance from the draw because she can use it.” Alongside Ya Right Darl and Have A Little Faith, Dash Dosh is the only other runner in single figures in the Southern Trotting Oaks fixed-odds market. The filly heads south after producing three excellent efforts this time in for trainer Tom Bagrie. The Williamson barn has just one more runner at Thursday’s Northern Southland Trotting Club meeting in Our Pinocchio. The trotter was only denied in his last start at Wyndham by the in-form Dreams Pat. “I’d be expecting a good, honest race out of him.” “If the others make mistakes, he will be right there to capitalise.” “The start is always key for him because he can be slow, even though he’s safe.” “The other day he managed to get away well, but it can be relative to how long he has to stand.” “If they turn and burn, he will make a nice beginning.” Nathan Williamson drives Our Pinocchio and Have A Little Faith, while Brad Williamson takes the reins behind Atlantic City. View the full article

Texas Racing Commission (TXRC) chairman Robert Pate reportedly announced that Amy Cook, the commission's executive director and chief law enforcer, is leaving her position “by year's end,” according to two individuals who witnessed Wednesday's commission meeting. No successor was named during the meeting, nor were any reasons given for Cook leaving her position, according to the sources. The TDN has reached out to the TXRC for clarification on these questions. This story will be updated as necessary. Cook has been in the position since November of 2021, and is seen by some in the state industry as a controversial hiring. Cook assumed the job after a long history in the U.S. military. While she had no prior experience in the horse racing industry, it appears as though her ideological opposition to the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) was an important factor in her role. Indeed, last year Pate told the TDN that Cook in her position has been working with the Texas Attorney General's office “to successfully attack the constitutionality of the HISA law.” When HISA's racetrack safety program launched in 2022, the TXRC argued it was statutorily barred from joining HISA–a position it has since maintained. Because the HISA Authority has jurisdiction over the interstate simulcasting of races, the commission argues it is prohibited from permitting Texan tracks to export their signals. The inability for Texan tracks to simulcast their signals has resulted in massive drops in handle, with major implications for purses and track revenues. Though purses in the state are bolstered by monies accrued through a tax on equine products like feed and tack, the TDN obtained a memo put together by Texas racing stakeholders earlier this year which argues the industry is still losing approximately $6 million in revenues annually. The post Amy Cook Reportedly Leaving Texas Commission By Year’s End appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising had his first official Australian trial less than two weeks out from the Oct. 18 The Everest (G1), and trainer David Hayes is confident the world's top-rated sprinter will be ready for his AU$20 million target. View the full article

The red-hot Miguel Clement barn sends out the improving Into Mischief filly Love Cervere for her graded debut in the $175,000 Glen Cove Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies Oct. 11 at Aqueduct Racetrack.View the full article

The New York Racing Association introduced the Champion Suites, a collection of luxurious, year-round private suites pairing the excitement of world-class racing with premium amenities, elevated service, and enhanced access to the new Belmont Park.View the full article

Despite a dominant 6 1/2-length history in the GI Champagne S. at Aqueduct Oct. 4, Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) will skip the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Napoleon Solo is owned by Al Gold's Gold Square LLC and is trained by Chad Summers. The story was first reported by the Daily Racing Form's David Grening. “Unfortunately , the Breeders Cup is in California every year,” Summers said. “Hopefully, that will change. It's a lot to ask of these 2-year-olds. We weren't really sure what we wanted to do after the race that was that fast and he had to run hard in. After a couple days of reflection and talking it over with Mr. Gold, we feel like it would be a lot to ask of him to come right back in the Breeders' Cup. He's a young 2-year-old. We're going to look forward to next year and, hopefully, he'll go to the Breeders' Cup next year.” Purchased for just $40,000 at Keeneland September, Napoleon Solo started his career in a Saratoga maiden race restricted to horses that sold for $60,000 or less at the sales. He won that day by 5 1/4 lengths. At odds of 6-1, he wired the field in the Champagne in an impressive performance. Summers has yet to map out a plan for Napoleon Solo for next year. “We'll take it one day at a time,” he said. “When he's ready to run, we'll look at all the options. He will be nominated to everything across the country. We also have that horse ['TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard SW & GISP] Two Out Hero (War Front) with Kevin Attard. Right now he's pointing to the Holy Bull. Well try him on the dirt. We'd like to keep those horses separated. We'll see what options are out there when the situation is right. That's the beautiful thing about Derby prep season. There's no shortage of options.” The post Champagne Winner Napoleon Solo Will Pass Breeders’ Cup Juvenile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In response to a release on the subject of 'Equine Sudden Death Syndrome' issued by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) on Sept. 25 (TDN story), which found that atrial fibrillation (AF) was a contributing factor to equine sudden death, Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HPBA, called the findings into question in a statement of his own on Oct. 8, declaring that the HISA statement 'raised more questions than answers' and 'offered no scientific references, and provided no direct link to the alleged research behind their claims, even though the research has been publicly presented.' In its Sept. 25 release, HISA reported that Exercise-Associated Sudden Death (EASD) accounted for 8% of racing fatalities and 18% of training fatalities at racetracks subject to HISA rules (as well as training centers owned by them). The release also said that retrospective analysis of cases since the inception of HISA showed that more than 50% of those cases were 'likely related to cardiac issues' often classified as 'sudden cardiac death.' The HISA release proposed 'integrating cardiac screening' into the routine evaluation of horse by making use of wearable devices or veterinary exams with the goal of identifying at-risk horses prior to exercise. Hamelback took issue to such monitoring in his release, laying out the limitations of heart rate monitors. Hamelback also calls out HISA for their neglecting to acknowledge how the removal of Furosemide (Lasix) can exacerbate the risk of EIPH. “The welfare of racehorses and the integrity of the sport depend on clear, evidence-based leadership,” Hamelback said. “This is not what we are receiving in this last HISA press release. Anything less does a disservice to horsemen, veterinarians, and most importantly, the horses themselves.” The post National HBPA Pushes Back On HISA Equine Sudden Death Release appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit has suspended owner/trainer Juan Munoz Cano for a dozen years and fined him $150,000 for six clenbuterol positives in Kentucky from November 2024-January 2025.View the full article

Stewards in Kentucky have issued jockey Luan Machado a suspension of three race days for careless riding during the $650,000 Alcibiades Stakes (G1) Oct. 3 at Keeneland, which led to the disqualification of Percy's Bar.View the full article

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry NEWMARKET, UK — Day two of the Book 1 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale followed a familiar script on Wednesday when Godolphin and Amo Racing fought it out for the most sought-after bloodlines. Amo secured two colts by Wootton Bassett – one from Marlhill House Stud and the other from Newsells Park Stud – for 2,200,000gns while Godolphin paid that exact sum for a Frankel colt from Fittocks Stud. All told, there were six different seven-figure lots on Wednesday, where the total turnover reached 47,258,000gns – which was up by 17% on last year's figures. The day two average climbed marginally by 2% to 352,672gns while the median dipped by 10% to 215,000gns. The clearance rate held up reasonably well at 85%, however, that figure represented a 5% drop-off from last year. Fittocks Stud's 'Best Day' Luca Cumani admitted to holding back the tears after he and his wife Sara enjoyed their greatest day in the sale ring when their Fittocks Stud-consigned Frankel colt sold to Godolphin for 2,200,000gns. The Frankel colt was bred in partnership with Newsells Park Stud and Marina and Leonidas Marinopoulos, and it was Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida who filled the role as underbidder. Cumani said, “It's fantastic, absolutely fantastic. It's the highest we have ever had. We sold one for two million last year, which was very exciting, and this is even better. He is such a lovely horse – never puts a foot wrong. He is a great-looking Frankel horse out of a mare who is already proven. I am delighted that he has gone to a very good home.” “This is our best day at the sales. It is very emotional and we are especially thankful to the people who appreciate a good horse. I am also very thankful to my stud groom Martin Languillet. He and all of the staff have done a fantastic job.” The Frankel colt is out of Motivator mare Innevera, who the Godolphin team know well as she is the dam of the outfit's Group 2 winner Ottoman Fleet. Asked how the partnership came about, Cumani explained, “We were selling the mare on behalf of the Marinopoulos family. They wanted to stay involved but had to resolve their other partnership. At the same time, Graham [Smith-Bernal] said to me to keep an eye out if I saw something nice and maybe we could do something together. We said that this mare could be a good proposition for a partnership and that's how it came together.” A great day for Fittocks Stud draft continued with the sale of lot 218, the Dubawi colt out of G1 Nassau Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe (Nathaniel), for 1,300,000gns. He became the first purchase at Book 1 this week for Coolmore. The colt's breeder Emma Banks, who sold his full-brother to Godolphin at last year's sale for 2,000,000gns, said, “I'm so lucky to have a mare that has produced two beautiful yearlings. Her [Too Darn Hot colt] foal is lovely and she's in foal to Wootton Bassett, so it's exciting.” She continued, “Both of them are getting the best possible chance with trainers that are at the top of their game, so I'm very happy. It gives me an excuse to descend on Ballydoyle next year to see how he's getting on. “It's not every day that you can sell a horse for that much money. If the vets are right, we've got a filly, a Wootton Bassett filly in the oven. So, I'm thrilled about that. I am very emotionally invested in the mare, of course, so that first filly stays with me, I think.” MV Magnier said of his latest purchase, which was made in conjunction with Pater Brant's White Birch Farm, “He's a lovely horse and Lady Bowthorpe was a very good race filly, as we all know. It's a great result for Emma Banks. She's a very nice lady and well done to her.” He added, “Dubawi is still going very well and we are going to retire Delacroix this year. Delacroix is probably one of the most important horses we have retired in Ireland in a good while. He has everything: race record, pedigree, and he's a complete outcross, so we can really get behind him.” Late-Session Flourish for Newsells Park Newsells Park Stud has been the leading consignor at Book 1 each year since 2014 and looks set to do the same this time around. After selling Tuesday's second-top lot for 3,600,000gns, the stud was involved in two of the joint-top lots on Wednesday. As mentioned above, Newsells Park was the co-breeder of the Fittocks Stud-consigned Frankel colt, and on behalf of breeder Al Shahania Stud it consigned lot 349, the Wootton Bassett colt who made a late splash at 2,200,000gns. The son of the G3 Nell Gwyn Stakes winner and Classic-placed Qabala (Scat Daddy) was signed for by Alex Elliott on behalf of Amo Racing. “I think we bought two serious Wootton Bassett colts today: one from Marlhill House Stud and then this one out of Qabala, who was a very good filly for Roger Varian,” Elliott said. “Her son by Persian King [Raammee] appears to be a bit of a freak. His performance at Kempton [on debut] appeared to be very special and then he came back and won at Newcastle. Wootton Bassett is an upgrade on most stallions so, with the pedigree going back to a huge Juddmonte family, I think he has the potential to be a very special horse.” Newsells Park Stud's general manager Julian Dollar paid tribute to the colt's breeder, Qatar's Al Shahania Stud, which is in the process of dispersing its thoroughbred stock. “They're just going to focus on the Arabs, so they've got some lovely foals and mares coming through in December, including Qabala and her Ace Impact foal,” he explained. We've had a lovely association with them. Bertrand Le Metayer looks after them, and he's brilliant to deal with. And they have an exceptional manager in Arnaud Leraitre. He is an exceptional horseman and they send these lovely horses over that we have the pleasure of selling. But Arnaud deserves all the credit. He's a lovely guy and he does a tremendous job.” Dollar also offered a fascinating insight on trade so far at Tattersalls. “It's the strangest market I've ever come across,” he said. “We had an amazing sale yesterday, and the Frankel made 3.6 million, which was more than I could dream about in my wildest dreams. And we were part of a beautiful Frankel that Sara and Luca Cumani and their team had put together that made 2.2 million. “We had a great time until then, and then this afternoon I had seven yearlings going through the ring without one single live bid. And then I turned up with the Qabala [colt], who I thought was a lovely horse and would make 500,000-plus, and he goes and makes 2.2 million. So that's what I'm talking about. I've never known a market like it. It's just bizarre.” He added, “We had a very good day yesterday, and we were very fortunate. And it put us well ahead of where we thought we were going to be. We can take the hits. I feel sorry for the smaller breeder who can't take the hits, and I hope that Book 2 will be more solid. I just don't quite understand it. I thought it would be a really good sale, because all the sales have been good and this was the one that started it all off this time last year. So I don't quite know why it's quite thin underneath that top level, because the horses we brought were decent. They vetted well. They walked well. They were well bred. But look, we've been very lucky, so we are not complaining.” Amo Has The Force Having endured bad luck with Crypto Force (Time Test) after his G2 Beresford Stakes victory as a juvenile, Kia Joorabchian will be praying that things pan out more smoothly for the Wootton Bassett half-brother who cost the Amo Racing founder 2,200,000gns during the second session at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Offered as lot 247, the colt is the fourth foal out of the winning Galileo mare Luna Mare, from the family of Lord Weinstock's globetrotting champion Pilsudski. Her first foal was the aforementioned Crypto Force, who won two of his three starts as a juvenile and later finished third in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup after missing his entire three-year-old campaign. Luna Mare was bought by Marlhill House Stud for 500,000gns at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, just a couple of months after Crypto Force's win in the Beresford. She has a filly foal, also by Wootton Bassett, but is not in foal this year, according to Marlhill House manager Brian McConnon, who was understandably delighted with the result. He said, “The plan always was, when we bought the mare here three years ago, that we'd send her to Wootton Bassett. She was a young Galileo mare, and Crypto Force was one of the flagbearers for her, so she had a great profile. “This is the first Wootton Bassett we got out of the mare, so the plan came to fruition. It's fantastic. We were hopeful that he'd sell well, but you obviously don't know until you get here. Then all the right people vetted him and you just need them to step up. We were obviously delighted that Coolmore and Amo Racing locked horns again.” Having been pushed all the way by the Coolmore team, Joorabchian admitted that the colt had proved harder to get his hands on than he had originally hoped. “To be honest with you, I was hoping it would be half of that [price],” he conceded. “Unfortunately, when you're bidding against the other big guys, you have to really go for it. You don't have a choice. “We own the half-brother, Crypto Force, and he won a Group 2 for us in Ireland. So, we know the mare and we know she can produce a good horse. We love Crypto, really. He's been a bit fragile for us. He had a couple of bad injuries at the end of his two-year-old career and never really managed to pick up that velocity that he had as a two-year-old. “But we know what happened to him and this is a big upgrade with Wootton Bassett who is now gone. It's a family that we know and we thought we had to have him.”§Having made an instant impact on the opening day of the sale, Amo Racing continued its spending spree, which, after two days, now runs to seven yearlings bought for 9,710,000gns. These included Lynn Lodge Stud's Night Of Thunder colt (lot 275), who was widely expected to ring the bell, and so he did, to the tune of 1,500,000gns. “A good day's work, gotta be lucky,” said Lynn Lodge's Eddie O'Leary who was consigning on behalf of his brother Michael's Gigginstown House. The colt's full-sister Evolutionist, trained by Karl Burke, is set to run in Friday's G1 Fillies' Mile for Yuesheng Zhang. “He's an absolutely beautiful horse. He has a magnificent mind, too. The sire is obviously very, very good. I hope the filly is good – she runs in the Group 1 on Friday.” Their dam Model Guest (Showcasing) was third in the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes for Archie Watson and was bought by Mags O'Toole at the December Sale four years ago for 330,000gns. O'Leary continued, “She looks a good mare and we bought her in foal to Kingman. She produced a stunning filly last year and a stunning colt this year. It's a brilliant day but we've got more to sell now. You are never confident but you hope all the people show up and they showed up. It's brilliant. I hope he's very lucky. I'd like to thank all the lads at home as well for all of their hard work. It's very much appreciated.” The very next lot through the ring was also from Lynn Lodge Stud and the daughter of Wootton Bassett and Mohjatty, an unraced Awtaad half-sister to Classic winner Taghrooda (Sea The Stars) duly sold for 500,000gns to Tsunefumi Kusama. The Japanese owner had also been active through the first session and has now signed for three well-bred fillies for a combined 1,300,000gns. Stars Align for Millisle's No Nay Never Colt The Coolmore partners made their second seven-figure purchase of Wednesday's session when going to 1,700,000gns for the No Nay Never colt out of the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Millisle (Starspangledbanner). Consigned by Watership Down Stud, lot 266 was bred by Stonethorn Stud Farms and is the third foal out of Millisle, who also won the G3 Ballyogan Stakes as a three-year-old. Her first foal, Alfareqa (Frankel), successful once in five career starts, was herself a Book 1 yearling when bought by Shadwell for 1,600,000gns in 2023. Simon Marsh, manager of Watership Down Stud, said of the No Nay Never colt, “To get all the stars to align is very difficult, but this is a lovely horse and he was on a lot of lists. It is a wonderful price, but now we need him to be a good racehorse.” Another purchase signed for by MV Magnier was lot 230, Glenvale Stud's half-brother to G1 Flying Five Stakes winner Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev), who fetched 500,000gns. He belongs to the first crop of Coolmore stallion Blackbeard, a son of No Nay Never. “No Nay Never is having another great year with the likes of Charles Darwin, who's very good, and True Love,” said Magnier. “The mare was very good.” He added, “Blackbeard is having a good sale and there's plenty of good words for the Little Big Bear foals. The best ones by Blackbeard that we have will be going to Ballydoyle.” Hogan: 'My Legs Went to Jelly' It can be easy to read the headlines from Book 1 and conclude that this is a sale for the big boys and, unless you have millions in the bank, you cannot compete. Pinhooker Fearghal Hogan put that theory in the bin on Wednesday when a St Mark's Basilica colt that he bought for €120,000 sold for a whopping 800,000gns to Amo Racing. It was the type of pinhooking profit that left Hogan puffing for air down in the gangway as the numbers kept on climbing. And when the gavel eventually fell, the man behind Apollo Bloodstock nearly collapsed to his knees. “My legs just went to jelly,” Hogan said. “I don't even know what was going through my mind. I couldn't believe it – it's just an unbelievable feeling. I knew the horse was going really well yesterday. We had 20 vets on the horse. And today, he just took off again. I had a good feeling going to bed last night that something good was going to happen. Now, I didn't think he could go and make 800,000gns. But I thought that maybe he might make half of that.” He added, “I rang my mother straight away. She doesn't really understand the horse business so she can't wrap her head around it. To see that kind of money exchanging hands, she was just like, 'oh my God.' I really can't explain what I am feeling. I'm still in shock to be honest.” Hogan purchased the St Mark's Basilica colt at the Goffs November Foal Sale last year. He agreed that taking a chance on the progeny of a stallion's second crop was a big risk but qualified the six-figure outlay by saying he was a massive fan of St Mark's Basilica as a racehorse and that this colt was an excellent model by the multiple Group 1-winning son of Siyouni. On Sunday, there was some reward when St Mark's Basilica was represented by his first Group 1 winners, the Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Diamond Necklace. Hogan explained, “Spending €120,000 on a foal, that's a big throw for me. And people were laughing at me during the summer when St Mark's Basilica wasn't going as well as he is now. Everyone kept reminding me that St Mark's Basilica was a half-brother to Magna Grecia but I kept telling them to keep the faith. I loved St Mark's Basilica as a racehorse and I loved this foal at the sales. Basically, I just took a chance and St Mark's Basilica has enjoyed an excellent second half to the season. He looks as though he's going to be a very good stallion. “The first-season sires are so dangerous and oftentimes you can be either a hero or a zero when you pinhook a foal by one of them. But I loved everything about St Mark's Basilica so I wanted to take a chance on him, basically, and that's what happened. There were one or two other people involved and I am delighted for them. Fair play to Pa Doyle of Galbertstown who consigned him for me as well – he's done a brilliant job.” Hogan added, “I'll be completely honest with you, my costs are massive. I rent a farm on the Curragh and I have one girl, Jackie Mooney, who works for me and I would be completely lost without her. My landlords Philip and Sheena O'Connor are unbelievable as well. But there are a lot of people who have helped me and they know who they are. Even the vets not ringing and annoying you for money and having a farrier who works with you, all of those things matter because, as a pinhooker, you only get one payday every year. After that, you might be short on cash so there are so many people who help you through the tougher times and I just want them to know that it is appreciated. People in the horse game are great people. It really is a great game. The good days can be just around the corner and, if you don't try, you'll have no chance. If you can keep your head above water during the bad years and just survive, survive, survive, you can hit on a result like this. When you do, you don't even remember the bad times!” Four Noughts for Forenaghts A sum of 850,000gns was commanded for the sole yearling brought to Book 1 by Caoimhe Doherty of Forenaghts Stud. The son of Night Of Thunder (lot 344) was the third-most expensive of any yearling by his sire sold so far this week when joining the list of 15 purchases by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation so far this week. He is out of the Group 3-placed Pronouncement (Declaration Of War) whose current two-year-old Chicago Call (Oasis Dream) is a winner and Listed-placed for Johnny Murtagh this season. Doherty said, “I was full of doubts this afternoon and we are blown away now because we did not expect that. Once we got to 400,000gns, I was just really relieved and happy. I was in tears – I still am!” Burns Enjoys Day of Days Paddy Burns enjoyed his best-ever day since going out on his own under Loughtown Stud. The 37-year-old cleared 1.45 million gns on three well-bred yearlings, headed by a Lope De Vega filly who commanded 750,000gns when sold to Alex Elliott and MV Magnier. The jubilant breeder said of lot 303, “She's just been a star since the day she was born. We bought the dam, Night Of Light, at the Niarchos dispersal at Goffs. She is a beautiful mare and her daughter, Light Of Night (Dark Angel), was in the same sale and I thought that she was beautiful as well. “She's a black-type filly and is the carbon copy of the dam. We bought the mare in foal to Lope De Vega so you couldn't do any better than that. We were lucky that the Palace Pier colt [half-brother Sirius A] was placed in a Group 3 this year. We've had a lot of luck as a family but, since I have gone out on my own under Loughtown Stud, this is by far the best day in the business for me.” Asked what would have been his second-best result, Burns replied, “Earlier today when we sold the Wootton Bassett filly for 550,000gns [to MV Magnier]! It takes a long time to put together mares good enough to give us days like this. We pinhooked away for years and put together enough money to go and buy the mares. So we've got nicer mares, used better nominations and now hopefully we are reaping the rewards. I need to give thanks to Brian Walsh and Brendan O'Brien at home in the yard, and most importantly my wife Helena who is at home with four kids and does a lot of work with the mares. It's an unbelievable result.” Golden Touch It is fair to say that Maxios wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but Aughamore Stud's punt on buying lot 305 as a foal from the Goffs November Sale for €20,000 paid off handsomely when the colt was resold on Wednesday to Oliver St Lawrence and Sir Mark Prescott for 105,000gns. If you like pedigrees then you should love this horse. His grandsires, Monsun and Galileo, are two of the greatest sires of the modern era, and then there's the not insignificant factor of his dam being a half-sister to Classic winner Study Of Man, meaning that there on the page is the incomparable Miesque and her wealth of classy descendants. It is not hard to guess that this colt was bred by the Niarchos family's Flaxman Stables, and when you plump for graduates from such good breeders, you already have a fighting chance of being associated with a good one. Best of luck to the colt's new owners and congratulations to the Gleeson brothers of Aughamore Stud for reaping the rewards of turning out such a good-looking yearling. Buy of the Day Lot 196: Ghaiyyath filly ex Indigo Lady (Sir Percy) Vendor: Watership Down Stud Buyer: Durcan Bloodstock/Richard Hughes Racing, 75,000gns A neat and racy-looking individual whose dam is a Listed winner and half-sister Indie Angel (Dark Angel) won the G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes. That's a fair bit of upside for a filly for starters. But when you factor in that she was bred at Ringfort Stud, a farm which regularly turns out classy winners, and that she didn't look like she would take forever to come to hand, but with the profile to be progressive, then an outlay of 75,000gns – 20,000gns less than her foal price – seems pretty reasonable. Takeaways It used to be a case of duels between Godolphin and Coolmore, but since Book 1 last year, Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing outfit has burst its way onto the scene and often fills the role of one or other of those two superpowers when the sleeves get rolled up in the ring. Those three big names are dominating the top of the buyers' board, with a combined outlay of 31.5 million gns – which accounts for more than a third of the turnover so far. Aside from its purchases in the name of Godolphin, Stroud Coleman Bloodstock has also signed for 14 horses for 4.77 million gns, while Blandford Bloodstock, whose clients include Wathnan Racing, have bought 10 for 4.43 million gns. After a tricky opening day for pinhookers, there were some sublime feats achieved on Wednesday, most notably in the case of Fearghal Hogan, whose €120,000 St Mark's Basilica colt rocked into 800,000gns. It was Amo Racing who landed the colt. From a one-time low of £15,000 in the two years that he stood in Britain, Night Of Thunder has been riding high on a fee of €100,000 for the last three seasons and it is a gradual rise which looks fully justified. Poised to be champion sire in Britain and Ireland in 2025, the son of Dubawi has had 14 yearlings sold in the last two days for an average of 589,643gns. It was a day where many younger operators enjoyed a large share of the spoils, including Loughtown Stud's Paddy Burns, who cleared 1.45 million gns on three well-bred yearlings. That haul far and away exceeded his previous best result in the ring. There have been 11 seven-figure lots through the ring at Park Paddocks this week and, amazingly, they've all been colts. The boys have definitely dominated at Tattersalls so far. The post Amo Racing and Godolphin Continue Tattersalls Book 1 Domination appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Less than 10 lots from the end of Wednesday's session, lot 349, a son of Wootton Bassett and the Scat Daddy mare Qabala, was knocked down for 2.2 million gns to Amo Racing. He is the third yearling to make that price during the second session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1. Amo picked up lot 247, another son of Wootton Bassett, for an identical price from the Marlhill House Stud draft earlier in the day. Kia Joorabchian's operation has purchased five yearlings outright on Wednesday for 7.31 million gns. The February foal and third produce of his dam was bred by Al Shahania Stud Doha. He was offered by Newsells Park Stud on behalf of Al Shahania. Qabala joined the Al Shahania fold when picked up for $300,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton Night of Stars as a weanling. She won the G3 Nell Gwyn Stakes and was third in the G1 1000 Guineas. Her latest foal is a weanling filly by undefeated G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Ace Impact. The colt's great granddam is the GI Alabama Stakes and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Flute (Seattle Slew). Flute, in turn, left GII Goldikova Stakes winner Filimbi (Mizzen Mast), who was placed at the highest level four times. The post Another 2.2m Gns Joint-Topper, As Amo Strikes For Wootton Bassett Colt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin After a failed experiment last week Rowe Cup-winning trotter Bet N Win will go back to basics for his return to racing at Addington tomorrow night. The Canterbury five-year-old might be the best trotter in the country, having not only won the Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park in May but he finished second in the Inter Dominion in Brisbane in July, beating home Oscar Bonavena. The latter stands in Bet N Win’s way in the $40,000 Braxton Farriers Worthy Queen Trot at Addington tomorrow night at what is a rare 13-race meeting. The Group 3 is also a rarity in that it is only 2000m but the big three of Bet N Win, Oscar Bonavena and Muscle Mountain all start off the 20m back mark. That would usually be the punting kiss of death but the reality is they are so superior to their rivals, and the handicaps in the race are staggered so they aren’t giving away the full 20m to all their rivals, that one of them should win. Bet N Win has the possible disadvantage of going into the race fresh and punters who saw his race night workout at Addington last Friday might baulk at the fact he galloped when getting up to full speed in the home straight. Co-trainer David White says that is his fault as he tried to find Bet N Win more speed by taking his shoes off for the workout. While not common here, trainers in Europe and Scandinavia race their trotters barefoot in big races quite often, the belief being in their most natural state they can trot faster. Sometimes trotters there race with no front shoes but shoes on their rear hooves while in heat and final races like the famous Elitloppet in Sweden horses will sometimes wear shoes in the heats but race barefoot the final two hours later. With a couple of hundred years of breeding behind them the European-bred trotters can get away with it because their gait is often so clean. As it turns out, Bet N Win can’t just yet. “We tried something different last week but it didn’t work,” admits White. “I think it might work in the future so I haven’t given up on the idea of racing him shoeless to get more speed out of him but not right now. “So he will have the shoes back on for Friday.” Footwear issues aside White and his wife Stacey couldn’t be happier with Bet N Win for his comeback and they literally know he has the heart to get the job done. “His heart rate is amazing,” explains White. “A normal horse might have a heart rate of 85 beats per minute after a workout but his is usually 75bpm even after a good workout, and never gets above 80. “That is around 5 beats per minute lower than it was this time last year so as he is getting stronger the work is taxing him less.” If Bet N Win’s new shoes and big heart combine at the right time he might just be the horse to beat in the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington on November 11 but White says tomorrow’s night comeback dash could be more about manners. “Usually you wouldn’t be confident with a horse off a 20m handicap over 2000m but Oscar Bonavena has been coming off back marks and beating up on most of these horses,” he suggests. “So I think one of us backmarkers should probably win and that might come down to who steps the fastest. “That could be us because he is usually so quick away but even if that is right we wouldn’t want Oscar getting straight on to our back as I don’t think there is a horse in Australasia who can beat him for speed under those circumstances.” The TAB opened Oscar Bonavena the $2.60 favourite for tomorrow night’s race with Bet N Win decent value at $4.60 and Muscle Mountain at $6.50. A trot of that quality would usually be the highlight of most harness racing meetings but it is just one of a string of major races at tomorrow’s New Zealand Bloodstock Standardbred Harness Million meeting. There are three of those sales series races including Jumal trying to remain unbeaten in the $200,000 freshman boys pace, Akuta and Republican Party faces 25m backmarks in the open pace and Marketplace heads a hot three-year-old pacing field in the Dakins Flying Stakes. View the full article

Trainer Will Walden has come a long way in a short period of time. Training only since 2022, through Tuesday, he had 35 wins on the year from 141 starters for a win rate of 25%. His stable's earnings stood at $3.384 million. It's been a good year, in part because of a very good day. Walden won his first Grade I race last Saturday at Keeneland when the New York-bred Rhetorical (Not This Time) won the GI Coolmore Turf Mile. It was an important step for a trainer who admits he aspires to be one of the top trainers in the business. Walden's success has also come after he battled substance abuse problems for years, but says he has found peace and sobriety. To talk about the Coolmore Turf Mile, his plans for the future and other topics, Walden was this week's guest on the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week. How confident was he that Rhetorical, who was 9-1, would win the prestigious one-mile turf race? “I was very confident and that was really exciting,” he said. “That's why my team and I show up every day. We want to win at the highest levels and be around high-caliber horses. We love every single one of them, no matter what level they compete at, but, obviously to win a Grade I at Keeneland was special.” Walden said he brought the horse up to the Turf Mile the same way he imagined Bill Mott would have trained such a gelding. Slow, patient, one step at a time. “In my training career, I've been blessed to work for so many good people, so many good outstanding horsemen, to name a few like Todd Pletcher, Bill Mott, Wesley Ward,” Walden said. “I never worked for Brad Cox, but I've certainly learned a lot from him, training alongside of him at Churchill and Turfway. There are certain horses, obviously you train and you think, what would Todd Pletcher, Bill Mott, Brad Cox have done with them? I always felt like Rhetorical was a Bill Mott type of horses. I tried to make the decisions based on what would Bill do and Bill wouldn't jump him into a stakes too early. He'd space his races out.” The GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar is next. Is he confident? “We'll see how he trains up in between,” Walden said. “He came out of the race great and he's doing well now. It's going to be deeper waters. I do believe because of how tactical he is he will suit that turf course pretty well. I think that turf course and the style of running will suit him. It's a short stretch, which doesn't necessarily favor all Europeans, but I do think it'll favor this horse.” While pleased that he's had such a big year, Walden aspires to do even better. “The goal in life is always to keep moving forward,” he said. “We're extremely pleased with how this year has gone, but we have goals that are bigger than that. As a team, as a collective unit, we want to train on Saturdays in the biggest races. We love racing. So, we want as much action as possible. There's more out there to conquer. And I'd be lying to you if I said we were satisfied.” Walden has been quite open about his problems with drugs and alcohol. With the help of Christian Countzler and Frank Taylor's Stable Recovery program, which has helped hundreds of individuals overcome drug and alcohol problems and find jobs in the racing industry, Walden has thrived. “Christian ran the program that I went through,” Walden said. “I was a part of the inaugural Stable Recovery group, but I actually got sober in a different house than Christian was running. When I would tell them where I was, what facility I was at, they would say, that's a black belt recovery over there, meaning they took it very serious. And I think Stable Recovery has got a really good peer driven, peer held accountable program. It's a big group of guys and everybody's given some responsibility over there. And they're given the responsibility of holding their brother to their left and to their right and check and hold them accountable. When you've got brothers in arms walking through something, it's way stronger than trying to walk through it by yourself. And then you add the equine component, which I've seen personally melt the hardest of hearts and break men down and help them get in touch with a side of themselves that they've never been in touch with before. You add both those things together and you create this brotherhood that's surrounded with this everyday mission to take care of this beast. This requires a tenderness that maybe these guys aren't used to having or even being shown.” The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was Rated by Merit (Battalion Runner), who got a 105 Beyer for his win in the Discovery S. Saturday at Aqueduct. Podcast co-host Randy Moss called him a horse to watch in the Breeders' Cup. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by 1/ST TV, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association and West Point Thoroughbreds, the team of Bill Finley and Moss went over the slew of Breeders' Cup preps last weekend. The consensus was that GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) was among the most impressive winners over the weekend. The team also talked about the poor performance by Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes and speculated that she might be retired. The podcast ended with a remembrance of Jeff Siegel, a terrific guy and a great handicapper. He passed away last week at the age of 74. Click here to watch the podcast and here for the audio-only version. The post Will Walden Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article