Wandering Eyes

Trainer Markus Klug, a four-time German champion trainer, will retire on Feb. 28, according to Galopp Online. He has spent 22 years in the role, 13 of them as a private trainer for Gestut Rottgen, before training from Krefeld beginning in 2024. “After 22 years as an owner and public trainer, I have decided to end my active career on Feb 28,” Klug said in a statement released on Thursday. “I started as a self-employed trainer with anticipation and motivation at the beginning of last year. Unfortunately, however, the joy of horse racing has been steadily taken away from me in recent months… “I was already at this point [to retire] in the fall of last year, at that time many confident conversations initially persuaded me to continue. However, since then, announced horses have never come and in return, other horses, which were firmly assured to me, were picked up. That's why my decision is now final and there is no alternative.” The 48-year-old was named the top trainer in Germany in 2014 and 2016-2018. Some of the top horses to have passed through his care including G1 Deutsches Derby heros Sea The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (2014), Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) (2017), and the latter's half-brother Weltstar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (2018). Diamanta (Ger) (Maxios {GB}) claimed the G1 Preis der Diana for Klug in 2019. He added, “Of course, training will continue normally until the end of February, so that all owners have over a month to plan with their horses in peace. I would like to thank my team, which has taken care of the welfare of the horses with great commitment and heart and soul. My special thanks go to all those who have accompanied me on my way over the last 22 years, first as owner-trainers and then as public trainers, and who have placed their trust in me. I am grateful for the time and the successes I have been able to experience in horse racing. There will certainly be a few more opportunities to comment on this in more detail in the next few weeks.” The post Champion Trainer Markus Klug To Retire At The End Of February appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Joe Saumarez Smith is stepping down as the British Horseracing Authority chair with immediate effect due to a deterioration in his health, British racing's governing body said Jan. 30.View the full article

His lone try on dirt inconclusive, Di Scola Boys Stable's grade 3 winner He's Not Joking will get another chance to prove himself over the main track in the $265,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

When it was announced by The Stronach Group (TSG) earlier this month that it had the blessing of the group representing horsemen in South Florida to push for the decoupling of the track's racing and casino licenses it looked like TSG had scored an important victory. To have the horsemen on its side would no doubt make it easier to convince legislators to make the necessary changes that would allow the track to focus its attentions on building a new, full-service casino on the track grounds and eventually shut down racing. The agreement was made between 1/ST Racing's Gulfstream Park and the Florida horsemen's group. But rather than solidify the future of racing in South Florida, a can of worms was opened that led many to believe that TSG's main priority was cashing in on the value of the land that Gulfstream sits on and forging a future that did not include horse racing. Many Florida horsemen questioned why its horsemen's group would support decoupling, considering that by doing so they would be giving TSG free rein to shut down its horse racing operation. But what if TSG had to deal not with the Florida horsemen's group, but a new one that was very much anti-decoupling and was ready for a fight to save racing at Gulfstream? That may be exactly what is about to happen. Influential owner and former trainer Carlo Vaccarezza has announced that he is among a group of Florida horseman that has founded the South Florida Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association (SFHBPA), which has the backing of the National HBPA. In virtually every state where there is racing, one group is formed to represent horsemen and that one group is recognized by track management, state government and racing commissions. In order for a horsemen's group to be recognized it must show that it has the backing of the majority of the horsemen competing at that track. Vaccarezza believes he can make that happen and early Thursday morning his group launched a website that includes a link to a petition horsemen can sign saying they want to be represented by the SFHBPA. “We're really afraid that they will go for decoupling and that would be detrimental to Gulfstream Park and to the state of Florida,” Vaccarezza said. “When you consider how many people this industry employs and all the agricultural benefits that come from racing, decoupling and shutting down Gulfstream would be devastating. To save this sport, we need to form a group. The group we have right now is useless. They are not educated on issues like legislation, medication, and all the problems we have. They are in way, way over their heads. Their executive director [Herb Oster] makes statements that are completely, completely off the mark. They don't know what to do.” The SFHBPA website was launched Thursday morning with little fanfare and within one hour 140 horsemen had signed the group's petition. While that may not sound like a lot, Vaccarezza said that whenever the rival horsemen's group held elections for its board and its executive positions usually no more than 200 or 300 people total would vote. He said he had no doubt that his group would be able to prove that it had the backing of the majority of Florida horsemen. Gulfstream Park | Horsephotos “Once we get a good amount, maybe a couple of thousand, we can go to Tallahassee and tell them we are now the group that should be representing the horsemen,” Vaccarezza said. “There are 6,500 members who are eligible to vote or sign a petition. We will go to Tallahassee and tell them there are 6,500 members and we have 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, whatever it may be, that have signed on with our group. We will go to Tallahassee and we will make that change. If the other group is smart and if they really care about saving racing in Florida they should just walk away.” Because Florida does not have a racing commission, it's not exactly clear how the SFHBPA can make that happen. But Vaccarezza said he is confident that there is a road that will lead to his group being recognized as the official representative of South Florida horsemen. He said that he was not ready quite yet to announce who will make up the board of the new horsemen's group and who will take over as the executive director, but promised that he has an impressive group of individuals lined up. “I can't divulge yet who they going to be but it is a dream team,” he said. “When we divulge who the board members are going to be and who the executive director is going to be you are going to say 'wow'. These are real players and smart people. They are the cream of the crop of racing.” While the SFHBPA will, if installed as the horsemen's official representative, fight decoupling and work toward keeping racing going in South Florida, it will have its hands full. TSG is on record saying that it has the legal right to close the track any time that it wants and has said that even if decoupling is passed the only promise it is ready to make to horsemen is that the track will continue to race for three more years. The horsemen do not have a lot of leverage. “We want to be in a position where we can say we are now the official representative of the horsemen and you can rescind everything the former group has said and done,” Vaccarezza said. We are the ones now representing horsemen and we are against decoupling. Belinda Stronach will then have to make the next move.” Vaccarezza said that if decoupling is passed and Gulfstream shuts down, his group will look to open a new racetrack somewhere else in South Florida. “So far as where we could run, there is another possibility,” he said. “Let's put it that way. This is not about a hostile takeover. It is about trying to fix the game here.” The post With Decoupling Threats Casting Doubt On Future of Gulfstream Park, Owner Vaccarezza Pushing For New Group To Represent South Florida Horsemen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rigney Racing LLC homebred Buchu (Justify–Flowering Peach {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), a graded winner over the Keeneland turf course at two and three, has been retired from racing and will be bred to leading sire Not This Time in 2025, according to a post on X from Denali Stud's Conrad Bandoroff. Third in a pair of tries on the dirt to begin her career under the care of trainer Phil Bauer, Buchu–who was bought back on a bid of $275,000 at Keeneland September in 2022–was a troubled sixth in her turf debut at Saratoga in August 2023 before impressively breaking her maiden in her next appearance at Churchill Downs. A convincing winner of the GII Jessamine Stakes 16 days later, Buchu was an even sixth to Hard To Justify (Justify) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf before calling it a season. Victorious in the GII Appalachian Stakes to kick off her 2024 campaign, she was a sound second in the GIII Regret Stakes two starts later and failed to handle an off track when unplaced in the rained-off Pago Hop Stakes at the Fair Grounds Dec. 28. Buchu, one of three graded winners and seven black-type winners bred on the cross of Justify over Galileo, is the first foal out of a winning daughter of dual Grade III-winning turf distaffer Naples Bay (Giant's Causeway), also the dam of Flowering Peach's full-sister First Minister (Ire), who was victorious in the 2023 G3 Prix Hocquart for Michael Tabor and Andre Fabre. Her great-granddam Cappucino Bay (Bailjumper) counts the outstanding MGISW and top sire Medaglia d'Oro among her four winners. The resulting foal would carry 2×4 inbreeding to Giant's Causeway. Buchu retires with a record of 3-1-2 from 14 starts and earnings of $642,270. Full circle moment as Rigney Racing homebred BUCHU returns home to @DenaliStud where she will start her next chapter as a broodmare. A graded stakes winner at 2 and 3, she will visit Not This Time. pic.twitter.com/ahYWrr417Z — Conrad Bandoroff (@CBandoroff) January 30, 2025 The post Buchu Retired, To Visit Not This Time appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK — It's not everyday you see an order of nuns at Park Paddocks but the sisters from the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham were a very welcome presence and appeared to be enjoying their outing to Tattersalls. Spotting showing legend Katie Jerram-Hunnable riding around the walking ring on the late Queen Elizabeth's 23-year-old Barbers Shop (GB) was another Tattersalls first and, for the royalists among us, the initials 'ER' on the great chaser's paddock sheet were a poignant throwback. Whether it was the nuns' influence or not is hard to say but bright sunshine blessed the pre-sale stallion parade and RoR Showcase and visitors had turned out in their droves for these two spectacles, which included, respectively, Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius (Ire) and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River (Ire). It was a bit early, even for members of the press desk, to partake of the port on offer at the British EBF-sponsored brunch in the Irish bar but Rae Guest was happy to confirm that it was a nice drop. The general consensus from stallion studs visited over the last few weeks has been that bookings for most bar the top-tier stallions are being slower to roll in this year, and that was a view repeated by a number of those who had brought stallions to Tattersalls for this year's parade. No doubt this valuable chance to see them in the flesh will have made up some people's minds. In the ring, Australian trainer Ciaron Maher made his presence felt, even from 10,000 miles away, when he swooped to buy the day's top lot, Galashiels (GB), through agent Colm Sharkey. How could he not? The six-year-old gelding is after all a son of Australia (GB) and looks to have the ideal profile for Cup races down under. “He has the form and pedigree,” said Sharkey, after bidding 220,000gns for the five-time Godolphin winner. “He will be let down first and will probably head out on the next flight.” It was only last April that Galashiels beat Goliath (Ger) to win the Listed Prix Seymour for Andre Fabre and that form now has a strong look to it with the subsequent G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Goliath ending the year as the co-third-top-rated horse in the world. On a day when nine of the top ten lots hailed from the Godolphin draft, Italian agent Alessandro Marconi was the busiest buyer, signing for 17 horses for the same unnamed client, led by Godolphin's Scarlet Princess (GB) at 130,000gns. The three-year-old daughter of Kingman (GB) and G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Lady Marian (Ger) (Nayef) was placed twice for Charlie Appleby to earn a Timeform rating of 79p. “We were lucky buying here in July, and I recommended this sale as I felt it offered good value – that is why we are here,” Marconi said. “My client operates a large, emerging syndicate and is based in the Middle East. There are some big plans and the horses will be based both in Europe and the Middle East. Once the purchases have finished racing, they could be breeding prospects.” Another of those future breeding prospects is Helen Keller (GB), a three-year-old unraced filly from Godolphin by Night Of Thunder (Ire) out of the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes winner Discourse (Street Cry {Ire}), who was secured for 90,000gns. Marconi, who bought last year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) as a yearling at Arqana as well as G1 Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval (Ire) as a foal, also picked up the three-year-old Modernise (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for 90,000gns on Thursday from Juddmonte. “I have to thank the Tattersalls marketing department for putting Metropolitan and Facteur Cheval on the back of the catalogue – it may have helped with my client,” he said with a smile. Modernise, who was third at Southwell a fortnight ago for Harry Charlton, will head next to France. “He is by a great sire, he is unexposed and he seems as though he will develop into a very nice three-year-old over a Classic trip. Hopefully the ground and racing in France will suit him,” Marconi added. Timmy Hillman signed for the three-year-old filly Paradise Springs (GB) on behalf of Windgates Stud for 82,000gns. From the first crop of Ghaiyyath (Ire), she is a three-parts-sister to G1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) made just one start last year. He said, “It's a very good family with Naval Crown under the first dam. It goes back to a good Kilfrush line and there's a lot going on as the dam has a couple of Dubawis to come and is going back to him. “Her half-sister Spring Promise is also in foal to Dubawi. This is a good-looking filly, who was well backed when she ran at Newmarket. Plans are undecided but she'll likely stay over here for now.” With an outlay of 533,000gns for 17 lots, Marconi was the leading buyer of the day while the Godolphin draft, with 36 sold for 1,394,500gns, accounted for more than half the turnover of the opening session. This, along with a healthy clearance rate of 87%, led to a major upturn in the figures when compared to this day last year. From 114 horses sold, the average of 22,013gns was up by 56% while the median more than doubled at 14,500gns. The day's aggregate of 2,509,500gns represented a rise of 74%. The second and final session of the February Sale commences at 10am on Friday. The post Tattersalls Top Lot Galashiels to Join Ciaron Maher appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Steven Reid isn’t doubting Next Level’s class when he resumes at Addington tonight but he admits he isn’t so sure about his preparation. The smart four-year-old is a $2 favourite in the SBSR Tuapeka Lodge/Russell Nevill Mobile Pace at a meeting that will start earlier than scheduled so it can finish inside daylight hours as Addington beds in its new lighting system. Next Level hasn’t officially raced since finishing fourth in the New Zealand Derby on this track in early December, that form usually an indication a horse is heading to the verge of open class. He has actually tried to start in a race since, lining up at Motukarara on December 29 but was knocked over at the start and deemed a non-starter. Reid says he gave the speedy pacer a 10-day break after that and had only intended on trialling him this week. “But when I looked at the programmes for next week they didn’t really cater for him in a mobile race so I have bought everything forward a week,” says Reid. “He was going to trial but I didn’t get a chance to do that. “I took him to Rangiora for fast work the other day and he worked well so he can win this week but I told the owners he can’t be at his peak.” Reid thinks Next Level will end up edging his way toward the big time but he has struggled with tying up issues with him. “Tying up problems are something I haven’t had much experience with but I have changed his training and think we should be fine now.” While it only contains seven runners Race 4 has plenty of talent, with fast mare Amaretto Franco looking certain to enjoy being back at Addington after not handling the southern tracks during her holiday campaign. She too could be an improver after tonight’s run so for a small field, with questions over two of the better horses, it could be an open race. A horse Amaretto Franco looks set to meet if not next week at some stage this campaign is Princess Meritaten, who was scratched from her engagement at Addington last Friday. Trainer Bob Butt had no choice but to pull her out of the Premier Mares Championship after he treated her for a skin infection but she was back at the trials on Wednesday. “She trialled well and hasn’t missed any work so we will still be all go for the Breeders Stakes next week,” says Butt. “She is unbeaten fresh so maybe it isn’t a bad thing going into next week that way.” Butt has the hottest favourite of the night tonight in Pandemic (R7, No.1) and the five-year-old looks to have found the right race to resume in. “It is not a strong field so he really gets his chance,” says Butt. He also has stable newcomer Imperial Laz (R2, No.1), a recent purchase for huge-spending Australian owner Mick Boots. “His form was okay down south but he doesn’t have a lot of standing start practice so I think he will be better for this outing.” The first race today goes at 3.44pm View the full article

By Adam Hamilton Nathan Purdon’s glamour pair Oscar Bonavena and Don’t Stop Dreaming have settled in well after arriving in Melbourne to take on Australasia’s best on Hunter Cup night at Melton. Brooke Wilkins accompanied the pair on the trip across and Mark Purdon will fly in to take the drives on Saturday night. Nathan Purdon’s confidence varies greatly with the pair. “Don’t Stop Dreaming is not the easiest horse to train or get right for big races because he’s got his issues with his feet and joints,” he said. “I also think the NZ Cup run behind Swayzee took a lot out of him and he hasn’t quite been the same since. He gave it everything he had that day. “The signs have been better in recent weeks and that’s why we’ve sent him across, but the draw hasn’t been kind and it’s a bit of a wait-and-see for mine to see exactly where he’s at. “He showed last year what he can do at his best, but he’s got to prove he’s back at that level.” Don’t Stop Dreaming will also need plenty of luck from an outside front row draw (gate seven) in the Hunter Cup at 10.43pm. He will move into six if emergency Hector doesn’t gain a start. “He’s now reliant on a lot of speed and being able to get the right sort of trip. He’ll need a lot to go right now, but if it does, he’s a top three chance in what looks a very strong race,” Purdon said. In contrast to his weariness with Don’t Stop Dreaming, Nathan Purdon is bullish about Oscar Bonavena’s chances in the Great Southern Star, a race he contested once but that was five years ago. “He’s just a marvel,” he said. “Like Don’t Stop Dreaming, he’s had a lot of issues and has been difficult to train, but for some reason, he’s just been fantastic for the past 12 months. “I don’t think he’s ever been sounder or felt better than he has right now. We’re going there expecting big things from him.” The retirement of Just Believe and absence through injury of Callmethebreeze leaves Oscar Bonavena as the real established star of the Great Southern Star. But the nine-year-old faces a challenge from barrier five in the first and strongest of the two heats at 8.30pm, especially with main danger and recent Inter Dominion winner The Locomotive drawn the pole. “We’d love to win the heat, but on paper it’s not going to be easy and we’ve come to win the final,” Purdon said. “He’s got a stack of gate speed if Dad wants to use it, but I suspect with The Locomotive drawn where he is, he may not want to cut him loose in the heat. “He’s just got so much speed, I’m sure he’ll qualify for the final and then we can hope the draws go our way. “Regardless, he’s just in such a great place at the moment, he’s going to be hard to beat.” Purdon confirmed Don’t Stop Dreaming would stay in Melbourne for Saturday week’s $100,000 Group 2 Cranbourne Cup before a final decision was made on a possible trip to Sydney for the Miracle Mile. “We just want to see how he gets through this couple of Melbourne runs before locking in Sydney,” he said. View the full article

Craig “The Whale” Thompson shares his thoughts on Hawera today. View the full article

Athenian Beauty (Corinthian–I'm Out First, by Allen's Prospect), whose 3-year-old son Speed King (Volatile) caused a 14-1, front-running upset in the GIII Southwest Stakes Jan. 25, is among the latest supplements to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale to be held Monday, Feb. 3 in Lexington. Catalogued as hip 413 and offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the 14-year-old mare is out of a winning daughter of four-time stakes winner and Grade III-placed Im Out First, whose MSW & GSP daughter Im A Dixie Girl (Dixie Union) is responsible for GI Met Mile and GI Los Alamitos Futurity-winning sire Mor Spirit (Eskendereya). This is also the family of GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes hero Great Hunter (Aptitude). Athenian Beauty is being offered in foal to Caracaro. Also supplemented to the sale as hip 411 is the 3-year-old filly Yatta (Yoshida {Jpn}). Offered by Bluewater Sales, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect, the dark bay daughter of Final Reward (Arch) hails from the female family of Kitten's Joy, Precious Kitten, Dreaming of Anna, etc. Yatta has placed twice at stakes level, including a third in the 2023 GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes. Also added to the sale are mares in foal to Authentic, Honest Mischief, Jackie's Warrior, and Keepmeinmind. The entries may be viewed here and in the equineline sales catalogue app. Print copies will be available on the sales grounds. The post Dam of Speed King Added To Fasig-Tipton February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Darley nominations manager Eamon Moloney has shared the high opinion that Charlie Appleby has held Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) in all winter and revealed that the colt's impressive victory at Kempton on Wednesday has resulted in a slew of calls from breeders either side of the Irish Sea booking in mares to his sire. Opera Ballo, who fetched €600,000 at the Arqana August Yearling Sale, won the same Kemtpon maiden that Appleby landed with subsequent 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) last year. The wide-margin win, which saw Opera Ballo handed a TDN Rising Star, came after The Padre (Ire) ran out an ultra-impressive winner of a 1m2f maiden at Dundalk for trainer Josh Halley, lighting the touch paper for what turned out to be a memorable day for Ghaiyyath supporters. Moloney said, “Everyone had been so positive about these back-end two-year-olds by Ghaiyyath and it had been somewhat expected that they'd come out at three and start to fulfill their potential, but it's a huge relief when it actually happens. I know that the Godolphin team thinks an awful lot of Opera Ballo and they expect big things. He's started out on that journey in the best possible way.” He added, “But since the sales in December, Charlie has been talking about Opera Ballo. He said he's definitely the best of them [the Ghaiyyaths]. We'd have been devastated if he'd have been beaten yesterday. Charlie has won that maiden a good few times and I think he has one eye on a similar route with Opera Ballo to what last year's winner took. I know the horse took time, but Charlie has always said that the horse showed a lot–he just needed to wait for him to come to himself.” All eyes in the Dundalk maiden earlier in the day were fixed on the Joseph O'Brien-trained Waterford Flow (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), who was sent off favourite but could only manage third behind the impressive winner The Padre. Not only is The Padre trained by Halley, but he is also owned by his family, and achieved a Timeform rating of 86 for that impressive debut performance. “The day just got better and better,” Moloney continued. “I was actually watching Joseph's in the Dundalk race and there seemed to be great word on him as well. All eyes were on him–he was a gorgeous foal sold by Ballinacurra Stud–and I'd say he is a decent horse. But as Tom Fogarty said to me about The Padre, 'he hacked up!' He looks a genuinely exciting horse in his own right for the Halleys.” Stanhope Gardens (Ire) remains the highest-rated performer by Ghaiyyath with his hard-fought second to Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Autumn Stakes resulting in a mark of 111. While better has always been expected from the progeny of Ghaiyyath at three, the Darley nominations team dropped the world-class multiple Group 1 performer's fee to €20,000 for the upcoming breeding season, which Moloney says has been well-received by breeders. “He had a really solid book but wasn't full. But since 3.30pm yesterday, everyone in England and Ireland has been on trying to book a mare into him. I would nearly be afraid to look at the list to see how full he is. We didn't need a huge amount more to get him where we want him but he's certainly there now. We like to be at 160 to 170 mares for these stallions that are well able to cover those numbers.” Moloney concluded, “In October last year, people were probably being a little bit harsh on Ghaiyyath. There were some people who were maybe expecting a little bit more from him. We said to ourselves, 'let's make him commercial,' and, from Stanhope Gardens onwards, he had a slew of very good maiden winners in Europe. We probably could have left him at €25,000 but we felt we'd give everyone a chance at €20,000. It keeps it very affordable and everyone who supported him so far are rowing back into him. So hopefully we're looking after the people who supported him.” The post ‘Charlie Appleby Said He Was The Best Of The Ghaiyyaths – We’d Have Been Devastated If He Was Beaten’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Full-year statistics for 2024, released on Thursday by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), showed increases in the key metrics of attendances, commercial sponsorship and on-course betting. Attendance figures for the first six months of 2024 were 1.5% behind the corresponding period of 2023, which HRI attributed to a combination of bad weather, adverse ground conditions and an extraordinary number of rescheduled fixtures. However, the end-of-year figure of 1.24 million is up 0.5%, with strong returns from the Irish Champions Festival, Listowel Festival, Navan Racing Festival and Christmas Festivals at Leopardstown and Limerick contributing to the growth. Meanwhile, commercial sponsorship in 2024 rose by 7.9% to €6.8 million, with EBF sponsorship totalling €2.9 million (up 7.4%). Total on-course betting, including Tote, rose to €84.1 million, an increase of 4.5%, while bookmaker betting on-course went up by 5.6% to €73.7 million. The end-of-year statistics for 2024 also show marginal increases in the areas of prize-money, racehorse ownership, the owner retention rate and the numbers of horses in training. However, total entries, total runners and average field sizes were slightly behind where they were in 2023. One notable dispersal sale in 2023 contributed to a record figure of €231.5 million for bloodstock sales at public auction and this figure fell back to €197.8 million last year on a more normal schedule of sales. Suzanne Eade, CEO of HRI, said, “The early months of 2024 proved to be very challenging with considerable disruption to the fixture list, but we can be happy that many of the significant figures bounced back as the year progressed. “Wet weather had a telling effect on fixtures and the numbers of entries and runners in the first half of the year, while a remarkable absence of rain for a prolonged period in the autumn certainly impacted on those numbers again as the return of significant numbers of horses to the track was delayed. “However, the overall figures once more show that the Irish racing and breeding industry is strong and facing up to any number of challenges. It was good to see how well the attendance figures held up, despite a number of key fixtures being blighted by the weather, and betting figures recovered well having been behind when the six-month figures were published in early July.” Click here for the 2024 Irish Thoroughbred Racing Industry Statistics Table. The post HRI Announce Increases in Attendances and On-Course Betting in 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The first foal by the Grade I-placed 'TDN Rising Star' Loggins (Ghostzapper–Beyond Blame, by Blame), a colt, was born Jan. 23, 2025, at Endeavor Farm in Midway, Kentucky. The bay is the fourth produce from his dam, Coal Creek Farm's 12-year-old My Heart Goes On (Albertus Maximus), a two-time stakes winner of better than $132,000. Third dam One for You (Dayjur) produced a pair of black-type winners, including the filly Una Palabra to the cover of Ghostzapper's 'Rising Star' son McCraken, and was herself a half-sister to two full stakes winners. “He's a really nice and handsome colt with a great frame and build to him,” said Endeavor Farm's Laura Haag. Bred in Kentucky by Popatop LLC, Loggins fetched $460,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling in the summer of 2021 and blew the doors off his rivals on Churchill debut in September 2022, graduating by 8 1/2 lengths while covering the 6 1/2 furlongs in a smart 1:15.87, good for a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. Favored in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity when trying two turns for the first time on three weeks' rest, Loggins set a strong early pace and fought on tenaciously to finish a neck second to 'Rising Star' Forte (Violence) while posting a 91 Beyer. Forte would go on to take the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and champion 2-year-old honors. Loggins was raced by a partnership including Spendthrift Farm LLC, Steve Landers Racing LLC, Martin S. Schwartz, Michael Dubb, Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing Stables, Kueber Racing LLC, Big Easy Racing LLC and Winners Win. Loggins is standing the 2025 breeding season at a fee of $7,500 at Hill 'n' Dale Farms. The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Loggins Represented By First Foal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced on Thursday that its chair, Joe Saumarez Smith, has made the decision to step down from his role with immediate effect, having been advised by his oncologist that he has leptomeningeal metastases. Senior independent director David Jones, who has previously deputised for Saumarez Smith, has assumed the role as interim chair of the BHA ahead of the formal handover to incoming chair Lord Charles Allen on June 1. Saumarez Smith, who became chair of the BHA in June 2022, having previously been on the Board since 2014, will continue to remain available to assist with the transition of chair process. He said, “I am very disappointed to step down as chair of the BHA board but, now the cancer has spread to my brain and I have been told that my lifespan is pretty limited, I feel it would be very unfair on horse racing if I did not hand over the reins immediately. “I have thoroughly enjoyed both being on the BHA board for over a decade and being chair for nearly three years. It has been an immense privilege to have such a senior role in a sport I have loved since the age of eight. “I did not want to stay on and make decisions that were potentially open to later challenge if questions were raised about whether the cancer had impaired my abilities. “David Jones will do an excellent job in the interim and I think Lord Charles Allen will do a fantastic job with his highly impressive track record and enthusiasm for the sport.” Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the BHA, added, “It is a great sorrow to all of us that Joe has had to step down so suddenly because of his ill health. “He has been an outstanding chair and Board member of the BHA for more than a decade. But more than that, he has been a passionate, dedicated and powerful ambassador for the sport and British racing owes him a huge debt. “Having worked with Joe for more than a decade his wise counsel, personal support, and pure love of the sport will be deeply missed.” The post Joe Saumarez Smith Steps Down as Chair of the BHA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Letters to the EditorView the full article

Owing to a donation by James and Shari Ough, prize money for the Thoroughbred Makeover will be increased by $25,000 over the next five years, beginning with this year's event, officials at the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced Thursday. This will allow payouts through 10th place for the new championship format that debuts this year, which welcomes back the top 10 highest-placed horses in the Retiring Racehorse division for a championship round of competition. Total prize money for the Thoroughbred Makeover will increase to $139,000 as a result of the Oughs' donation. “We are so very excited to support the Retired Racehorse Project in its efforts to drive demand for retired racehorses,” said James Ough, an entrepreneur, sports information publisher, former sports broadcaster, and a lifelong fan of the Thoroughbred on and off the track. “Helping to incentivize participation in the Thoroughbred Makeover is an obvious choice, and we look forward to October.” Shari Ough is a racehorse owner and breeder. In addition to expanded prize money, opportunities abound for 2025 participating trainers to recoup some of the expenses of participating in the competition. The ASPCA Right Horse Scholarship will offer reimbursement of stabling and first discipline fees for up to 50 eligible horses adopted from Right Horse partner organizations at a total value of $20,250. The RRP has confirmed the return of the Make the Makeover fundraising campaign, through which trainers can earn back their registration fees; over $9,000 of registration fees were refunded to trainers who met their fundraising goal in 2024. The organization anticipates the renewal of an estimated $30,000 in special awards, and several past connections and aftercare organizations, including both adoption groups and businesses, are offering direct incentives for their former horses that are pursuing the Thoroughbred Makeover. “Bringing a horse through the aftercare phase and into its next career is a significant investment, and without demand from capable riders, the whole aftercare ecosystem will stall out,” said RRP executive director Kirsten Green. “Our staff has been working diligently to secure a variety of opportunities to offset costs for the trainers participating in this process, and we're deeply grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Ough for their commitment to this effort.” This year's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, takes place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington from Oct. 8-11. The post Prize Money For Thoroughbred Makeover To Rise appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and his wife Leona will be honored with the newly renamed John Hendrickson and Marylou Whitney Award by the New York Race Track Chaplaincy (NYRTC). The award recognizes the couple for their longstanding support of the New York backstretch community and will be presented at NYRTC's 18th Annual Fundraising Brunch to be held Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, at Saratoga National Golf Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. “Johnny and Leona have demonstrated a deep commitment to the backstretch community and they continue to set a tremendous example for others to follow,” said Ramon Dominguez, President of the Board of the NY Chaplaincy. “We are proud to honor them with this prestigious award.” The annual award was originally known as the Marylou Whitney Award but it was renamed by the chaplaincy after the sudden passing of her husband John Hendrickson on Aug. 19, 2024. “Like his late wife, John had a special place in his heart for the backstretch community and we thought renaming the award in this way was a fitting tribute to his legacy of humanitarian spirit,” Dominguez said. Velazquez, who also serves on the board of directors of the NYRTC, has been an active member of The Jockeys' Guild and currently serves as the co-chair of that body. Leona Velazquez has served on the board of the Belmont Child Care Association and her family has been active for several decades in a variety of backstretch organizations. The post NYRTC To Honor John and Leona Velazquez appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Let's acknowledge straightaway that this cursory look at some (and only some) of the major regional programs can represent little more than a gesture of respect. As a rule, after all, we're talking about stallions that serve an almost exclusively local market, and those that do so best will have a corresponding local reputation that scarcely needs amplifying. Moreover the same caveats apply, here, as to our recent survey of Kentucky options: namely, that the one or two we single out are purely subjective picks; and, above all, that you all know your own mare and what kind of partner will complement her best. That said, everyone needs to salute the great job done by so many farms and horse professionals across the nation, who are meeting the same daily challenges as the famous Bluegrass farms, only with lesser resources. FLORIDA Something definitely seems to be afoot with WIN WIN WIN (Ocala Stud $8,500), whose first two crops have averaged $59,200 and $49,500 at the yearling sales, off a $5,000 conception fee. He lit the fuse with his very first yearling into the ring in 2023, a $150,000 colt at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale. Another son then brought $250,000 at Keeneland September. But then Win Win Win reached astonishing heights when a filly blitzed a quarter in :20 1/5 at OBS in March, prompting no less a judge than Donato Lanni to top the sale at $1.8 million for Zedan Racing. As 'TDN Rising Star' Nooni, that filly duly proceeded to win the GIII Sorrento Stakes-on the very same day that a $12,000 filly, Win N Your In, had become their sire's first stakes winner over at Gulfstream. His sales success had already prompted Win Win Win's book last spring to catapult to 140 from 77, so those paying a higher fee this year can expect plenty of action to keep up the value. His stock should keep consolidating, too: having been seduced into stretching out for the Triple Crown trail, Win Win Win won his Grade I in the Forego Stakes at four. This son of Hat Trick (Jpn) could be emerging from left field in meeting the imperative to repatriate Sunday Silence blood. ROGUEISH ($2,500 Solera) made little impact as freshman in 2023, admittedly from a very small footprint. But it was a different story last year, when he had 11 winners from just 16 starters including stakes scorer Naughty Rascal, who has since got his sophomore campaign off to a great start (awarded the Pasco Stakes). Bearing in mind some of the paydays Rogueish has achieved at the juvenile sales–up to $220,000–and his excellent pedigree, perhaps he flashed something pretty significant in the brief window he was allowed (derailed after a sensational debut). He's by Into Mischief out of a graded stakes winner by the notable broodmare sire Rahy, and has a Grade I-placed daughter of Danzig as third dam. AWESOME SLEW ($4,000 Ocala Stud) came up with a flagbearer from his debut crop when Awesome Strong swept three stakes in the Florida Sire series as an unbeaten juvenile, and from his second emerged Hades to win the GIII Holy Bull Stakes a year ago. A hard-knocking millionaire with a bunch of one-turn Grade I podiums, Awesome Slew's first four dams are all stakes winners (three at graded/group level) and producers. Nine black-type performers from an aggregate 99 named foals is terrific at this level, likewise 51 winners from 78 starters to date, and he's author of a $700,000 home run at the juvenile sales. The genes of NEOLITHIC ($5,000, Pleasant Acres) have been upgraded since his retirement by dual Grade II-winning half-sister Travel Column (Frosted) and he's proved very effective at recycling them, with another excellent campaign in 2024. His 50 winners from 76 starters included 11 black-type operators headed by Grade II-placed Tepin Stakes winner Dancing N Dixie. NEW YORK BUCCHERO ($10,000 Ironhorse Stallions) illustrates the limits to this exercise. His fee would put him close to the bargain basement in Kentucky, yet makes him top dollar in New York. So calling him value depends where you're sitting. But it would be churlish not to acknowledge his body of work to date, now extending to a Grade I winner in Book'em Danno. Though best known as a turf dasher, Bucchero was versatile–also a stakes scorer on dirt, he won at 5 1/2 furlongs and past a mile–and is closely related to another sprinter to have straddled different surfaces in World of Trouble (also a son of Kantharos). His pedigree does have plenty of dirt seeding, so it obviously serves his cause for his first millionaire to have won the GI Woody Stephens Stakes, but his stock is proving highly effective on synthetics. Book'em Danno was among half a dozen stakes winners in 2024 for Bucchero, whose overall aggregate stands at 109 winners from 159 starters. He's moved home more than once, but the direction of travel remains onward and upward, with another three-figure book last spring and a synthetic circuit at Belmont set to greet his NY-breds. Nearly as blatant is the promise of HONEST MISCHIEF ($7,500 Sequel), whose first crop included winners of both $500,000 divisions of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct in December. And one of those, who was winning his third black-type prize, had already done his job for his breeders by raising $260,000 as a Timonium 2-year-old. There aren't many stallions anywhere with a pedigree superior to this son of Into Mischief and Honest Lady, Toussaud's daughter by Seattle Slew, and the loyalty of 90 mares when “on the bubble” last spring should maintain this early momentum. SLUMBER ($7,500 Rockridge) has achieved some celebrity as sire of two graded stakes winners from tiny volume–Fluffy Socks just retired but was still going strong at six in 2024, with her fourth graded stakes success and fourth Grade I podium–and he duly came up with an unbeaten stakes winner from his latest juveniles. MARYLAND Great Notion continued to rule the roost in 2024, with a seventh consecutive state championship, but there's a younger gun to watch in BLOFELD ($5,000 Murmur Farm). Gun is the word, too, as the son of Quality Road shares a fourth dam with Gun Runner himself. Blofeld is blowing the doors off in his ratios to date, with eight black-type winners and 16 such performers from just 69 starters to date–58 of whom are winners. His five stakes winners in 2024 included unbeaten juvenile Silver Kiss, whose third black-type success in the Best of Ohio John W. Galbreath Stakes was registered by 11 lengths. Blofeld himself was a model 2-year-old-unbeaten through his Saratoga debut and two starts at Grade II level, including the Nashua by five–and while he evidently had his troubles thereafter, he put it all together for a big number in the GII Gulfstream Park Handicap. So here you have a very commercial track profile underpinned by one of the best families around (dam stakes winner by Storm Cat, granddam dual graded stakes winner), duly hitting impressive percentages through his first four crops. MOSLER ($2,500 Country Life Farm) is another with a resonant profile: a seven-figure yearling by War Front, as half-brother to dual Grade I winner Contested (Ghostzapper), he was a useful dirt sprinter even before switching to turf for his stakes wins. Eight of his 65 starters last year earned black type, including Quint's Brew-who hit a 99 Beyer winning a Laurel stakes by six on his recent reappearance. PENNSYLVANIA Lots of action at Mountain Springs Farm, with the arrival from Kentucky of Enticed and state stalwart Uptowncharlybrown. The latter was accompanied by a horse with lower profile in EASTWOOD ($2,000), but he deserves a second look after mustering 11 winners and three black-type horses from just 15 starters across his first three crops. That's obviously a fragile footprint but he'd be entitled to consolidate. By Speightstown out of a Deputy Minister mare (whose half-sister was Grade I-placed), he was a $240,000 weanling (also changed hands for $800,000 as a sophomore) and, while he owed his graded-stakes podium to a short field, showed legitimate caliber as a smart allowance sprinter. Though rookies seldom represent “value,” you have to love a son of Tapit coming to Pennyslvania with none other than Better Than Honour as third dam. TYSON ($3,500 Stone Jug Farm) was a champion in Canada who ran third in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup despite a messy trip. He's out of a Smart Strike half-sister to the dam of Arcangelo (Arrogate) (herself by Tapit) and looks potentially well found as a $175,000 auction purchase at Keeneland last November. A strange world we live in, where he can be such an accomplished racehorse and yet valued lower than he was ($250,000 RNA) as a yearling! One young sire that maximized limited opportunity in 2024 was PAT ON THE BACK ($3,500 Bonner Hill), the hardy son of Congrats who won the GII Kelso Handicap. He only had four first-crop starters but two of them ended the year pretty freakishly in running 1-2 in the Wait For It Stakes at Parx. At the other end of the spectrum, the venerable WEIGELIA (private, WynOaks Farm) and SMARTY JONES ($3,500 Equistar) have shared a three-in-four winner ratio through their careers, at six percent stakes scorers to named foals. And while very few mares have lately favored veteran RIMROD ($1,500 Castle Rock Farm), he has come up with one or two decent talents over the years and you wouldn't mind keeping a filly by a Danzig half-brother to Selkirk! LOUISIANA AURELIUS MAXIMUS ($2,000 Red River Farms) has seized the moment with first-crop sensation Secret Faith, who dominated state-breds in her six-for-seven juvenile campaign (entered at Delta Downs Sunday). Most emphatic of her five stakes wins was a 14-length rout at Evangeline Downs in August, but she was again in a different league in the filly division of the Louisiana Futurity. And guess what, her only defeat–by a head, miles clear of the third–was by another daughter of the same sire in Blue Fire. With a third black-type winner from just 18 starters to date, Aurelius Maximus is a most intriguing prospect. Failing to meet his reserve at $625,000 as a yearling tells you plenty about both his physique and page, and he showed glimpses of corresponding ability in a staccato career (fourth in the GI Champagne Stakes, neck second in the GII Fayette Stakes as an older horse). He's obviously throwing a nice type–Secret Faith herself made $75,000 as a yearling, Blue Fire $100,000–and his page would be fully deserving of the Bluegrass: by Pioneerof The Nile out of a graded stakes-winning daughter of A.P. Indy and champion Queena (Mr Prospector). (Meaning that his third dam is… Too Chic!) CALIFORNIA No disguising the challenges faced by this circuit, but that should not allow anyone to underplay the work of GRAZEN ($6,000 Eclipse). It might seem pointless to highlight a state champion, but he remains underrated at ringside and should not be confined to “regional” status in the perceptions of programs operating on a wider scale. Once again Grazen edged out his pricier rival Stay Thirsty for the 2024 title by progeny earnings, from considerably fewer starters, and he continues to show metronomic consistency as a stakes sire. Another seven black-type winners brought him to 26 overall, at 9.4% of named foals, and smart juvenile Sabertooth was desperately unlucky not to become his fifth graded stakes winner. Grazen has been joined in the same barn by his son TOUGH SUNDAY ($2,500 Eclipse) who gave a startling hint that he might be an effective conduit for his genes when just five starters in 2024 included four winners-including two at stakes level! One of those, moreover, has just been disqualified for interference after passing the post first in the Cal Cup Derby. The post Regional Value Sires For 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sam Agars YOUNG CHAMPION - R6 (5) Smart galloper is ready to return to winning ways with the blinkers going on Jay Rooney PACKING HERMOD - R8 (1) Ran the fastest final 200m of the day last start and looks well placed here Jack Dawling ENDEARED - R11 (7) Dominant last-start winner can take another step forward from an inside gate Phillip Woo HAPPY TOGETHER - R4 (2) Classy galloper is poised to strike after a big effort last start Shannon (Vincent Wong) EMBRACES - R9 (3) Won impressively over this C&D last start and looks hard to beat Racing Post Online ENSUED - R4 (6) Returns to his winning trip and can produce a victory with Zac Purton aboard Tom Wood YOUNG CHAMPION - R6 (5) Is knocking on the door and has trialled well with the blinkers onView the full article

A productive week of shopping at Karaka has helped to put up-and-coming horseman Nick Kneebone on a path towards New Zealand’s training ranks. Kneebone made eight purchases under the Patella Bloodstock banner during New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale. He secured five yearlings from Book 1, including a Capitalist colt for $460,000, a Satono Aladdin colt for $400,000 and a St Mark’s Basilica colt for $360,000. He followed that up with another three Book 2 yearlings, signing off with a $125,000 colt by Shamexpress late on Thursday afternoon. Patella Bloodstock’s total spend was $1,680,000 across the five days of the sale. “It’s been really good,” Kneebone said. “We’ve managed to secure eight horses, seven colts and a filly, and we’re really happy with what we’ve come away with. “The plan now is to take them down to Cambridge and get them ready, either to be traded on to overseas or to go into training here.” Nick Kneebone signed for Lot 1082 on Thursday, a colt by Shamexpress Photo: Megan Liefting That is a part of the thoroughbred world that Kneebone himself is keen to become immersed in. The 27-year-old is a son of long-time auctioneer and NZB’s director of business development Mike Kneebone, but he has also gained valuable experience in stables across the Tasman. “I spent seven years at Randwick with John Sargent, and then had a stint with Jim and Greg Lee as well. “I’m happy to come here now and give it a crack at a time when it looks like New Zealand racing is on the up. The prize-money increases have been great news for the industry here in recent times and I’m very keen to be a part of it.” Kneebone’s initial target is to prepare some horses for the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November. “To kick things off, I think it’s a good idea to trade a few horses,” he said. “I’ll get them ready for the Ready to Run Sale, see how that goes and then take it from there. “I’m hoping to have a property in Cambridge locked in soon, ideally around late March, when the horses are getting broken in and we’ll be looking to start getting them up and running.” – NZ Racing Desk View the full article

After a 14-month absence from the racetrack, It’s Business Time (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) is ready for her return. The Mark Walker stable has decided on a softer first-up for It’s Business Time when the New Zealand mare makes her long awaited racetrack return. Having also been entered for the Group 3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) on Saturday’s Sandown card, It’s Business Time will instead run in the John Moule Handicap (1200m) and bypass a meeting with stablemate Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award). Walker’s assistant-trainer in Melbourne, Ben Gleeson, said the decision was based on where the mares are at ratings wise while also noting It’s Business Time had not raced in 14 months. It’s Business Time came to Melbourne to compete last spring, but a number of niggling issues stopped her from starting. “She had an eye issue that come out of nowhere,” Gleeson said. “She hasn’t had a lot of luck since being here, but her owners have been patient, especially as she was up and winning a few a jump-outs and showing that she would have been a spring contender. “She’s been off a long time now, hence she’s had three jump-outs. She’s won two of them impressively, but it will be a big effort if she can win first-up, 60 kilos, off a 14-month break. “She can run a good race, but I think she will be better when she gets to 1400 metres and a mile.” It’s Business Time has won six of her 10 starts, with three minor placings, and Gleeson said the move to Melbourne was about taking the next step. “She came over Stakes placed in New Zealand, and it was all about making that step up over here,” Gleeson said. “If she can run a big race, it will open her up to the Mannerism Stakes and those mares’ races over 1400 metres to a mile over the autumn.” Gleeson is looking forward to the return of Quintessa in the Bellmaine Stakes and hopes she can continue her excellent first-up record. Quintessa won the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield first-up last campaign. “She’s built up really well and has followed a similar path to last preparation when she won first-up which a lot of people didn’t expect,” Gleeson said. “First-up she’s had four starts, won three and run second once, and at 1200 metres, she’s had four runs and run second. “She’s got very good credentials, but she’s probably going to be ignored in the market because of her big weight.” View the full article

A productive week of shopping at Karaka has helped to put up-and-coming horseman Nick Kneebone on a path towards New Zealand’s training ranks. Kneebone made eight purchases under the Patella Bloodstock banner during New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale. He secured five yearlings from Book 1, including a Capitalist colt for $460,000, a Satono Aladdin colt for $400,000 and a St Mark’s Basilica colt for $360,000. He followed that up with another three Book 2 yearlings, signing off with a $125,000 colt by Shamexpress late on Thursday afternoon. Patella Bloodstock’s total spend was $1,680,000 across the five days of the sale. “It’s been really good,” Kneebone said. “We’ve managed to secure eight horses, seven colts and a filly, and we’re really happy with what we’ve come away with. “The plan now is to take them down to Cambridge and get them ready, either to be traded on to overseas or to go into training here.” Nick Kneebone signed for Lot 1082 on Thursday, a colt by Shamexpress Photo: Megan Liefting That is a part of the thoroughbred world that Kneebone himself is keen to become immersed in. The 27-year-old is a son of long-time auctioneer and NZB’s director of business development Mike Kneebone, but he has also gained valuable experience in stables across the Tasman. “I spent seven years at Randwick with John Sargent, and then had a stint with Jim and Greg Lee as well. “I’m happy to come here now and give it a crack at a time when it looks like New Zealand racing is on the up. The prize-money increases have been great news for the industry here in recent times and I’m very keen to be a part of it.” Kneebone’s initial target is to prepare some horses for the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November. “To kick things off, I think it’s a good idea to trade a few horses,” he said. “I’ll get them ready for the Ready to Run Sale, see how that goes and then take it from there. “I’m hoping to have a property in Cambridge locked in soon, ideally around late March, when the horses are getting broken in and we’ll be looking to start getting them up and running.” – NZ Racing Desk View the full article

By Brigette Solomon After a year on the sidelines with a shoulder injury, junior driver Alicia Harrison is excited to finally be returning to the drivers’ ranks at day one of Hawera’s grass track meeting on Friday. “It’s been exactly 12 months since I’ve driven at the races with last year’s Hawera meeting being the last I drove at and I’m really looking forward to getting back out there,” says Harrison. The 28-year-old, who is employed by Steve and Amanda Telfer at their Ardmore stable, had been off to a good start in the 2024 season having posted two winners and multiple placings from just 26 starts. However, an unfortunate incident at work one morning resulted in serious damage to her right shoulder. “I was leading a young colt and he got a fright and leapt forward dragging me with him as I hung on to him,” says Harrison, “basically it damaged the cartilage in the shoulder socket and tore a ligament that helps move the arm up and down. The surgeon said it was basically partially dislocating constantly and surgery was the only option to repair it.” With a waitlist of a few months, Harrison had her surgery in May and confirms it has been a success after a long recovery period. “After the surgery it was straight into physiotherapy every week, and it wasn’t until about November that I was allowed to begin doing light duties and get back to some normality although I didn’t start driving horses again until a few weeks ago,” said Harrison, “I’m now fully back into trackwork and trials and my shoulders feeling strong again.” Harrison has three drives, including Iron Brigade who starts in the Taranaki Steelformers Stratford Cup Handicap Pace (3.35pm). “I think he’s a pretty good chance provided he steps away well from the stand, he had no issues at trials last week and won his heat nicely,” says Harrison. “He’s had a bit of a freshen up since last racing but was racing some nice horses and going well in December.” The four-year-old by Art Major put in some solid performances at Alexandra Park last month finishing third behind Duchess Megxit in the three-year-old Golden Gait Final on December 20 and third again on New Years Eve beaten only a head by race winner Invisible. In heat two of the Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial Series, Harrison drives Akatea (5), one of two Telfer trained runners in the field, the other being Lewey Maguire (6). Harrison is a previous winner of the series, taking out the inaugural running in 2022. “Akatea looks well placed in this field and has previously been racing in some nice fields,” says Harrison, “she’s best driven for one run so I’ll be looking for a sit today and she’ll hopefully have too much speed for them in the finish.” The Art Major mare had mixed form throughout December finishing a solid fourth in the three-year-old Golden Gait Final, followed up by a well beaten fifth place some 10 lengths off the winner in the Sires Stakes Fillies & Mares Classic on New Year’s Eve. “She’s another that has been freshened and will likely benefit from the run today but I’m looking forward to driving her as we have a good record together for a win and a few placings.” Harrison also drives the Danielle Green trained Shirley Bassey in Race 5, the Silver Fern Farms/Carrfields Livestock Mobile Pace. Racing action gets underway on Friday at 12.13pm View the full article

Veteran handler rates consistent galloper ‘a better chance this time’ in Group Three feature on Lunar New Year card.View the full article

What Ascot races Where Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 When Saturday, February 1, 2025 First Race 11:19am AWST Visit Dabble Ascot will host a massive 11-race meeting this Saturday afternoon, with the opening event scheduled to jump at 11:19am AWST. With hot and dry conditions forecast for the rest of the week, expect a Good surface throughout the day. The rail will be in the +7m position for the entire circuit. Best Bet at Ascot: Bonjoy Bonjoy has been impressive in both of her last two victories, claiming the Listed Starstruck Classic by a narrow margin before recording a dominant win over 1500m last start. The Jason Miller-trained mare has compiled a formidable record, with 10 wins and four placings to her name from 17 starts, and she is racing in career-best form. If Clint Johnston-Porter can replicate his ride on Bonjoy from last start against a similar field, she will prove too good once again. Best Bet Race 10 – #3 Bonjoy (6) 5yo Mare | T: Jason Miller | J: Clint Johnston-Porter (56kg) Next Best at Ascot: Stormageddon Although Stormageddon only has two wins from 16 career starts, the Michael Grantham-traned gelding has been racing very well of late, recording three straight placings. Previously, the son of So You Think stormed home from the back of the field over 2100m to finish a narrow second behind stablemate Noteworthy. The +190 with Picklebet isn’t a massive price to find out if Stormageddon can break his run of outs, but if he produces a similar performance, he will prove hard to beat. Next Best Race 6 – #7 Stormageddon (1) 4yo Gelding | T: Michael Grantham | J: Clint Johnston-Porter (55kg) Best Value at Ascot: Ruler Rocket Ruler Rocket has started to find some form this campaign, following two top-four finishes in his previous three starts, with his last start being the best of those. The Bruce Watkins-trained gelding was made to travel three-wide without cover throughout the 1200m journey but still battled on gamely to finish third, beaten 1.1 lengths. With the aid of Brayden Gaerth’s 2kg claim and a class drop for this run, Ruler Rocket gets his best chance to record his first win of the preparation. Best Value Race 7 – #1 Ruler Rocket (9) 5yo Gelding | T: Bruce Watkins | J: Brayden Gaerth (a2) (60.5kg) Saturday quaddie tips for Ascot races Ascot quadrella selections Saturday, February 1, 2025 1-2-3-7 7-8-10 3-4-6 2-3-7-8 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article