Wandering Eyes

Wexford Stables’ red-hot form across a stable of talented three-year-olds in recent months has built widespread anticipation over which of their talented stars would emerge to represent the Matamata barn in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m). Training partners Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have ended speculation, making the decisive move to select hugely promising galloper Checkmate (NZ) to fill their slot in the inaugural running of the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race. Checkmate has made a big impression in just five appearances to the races, notching three victories including the Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m) and an open three-year-old 1500m last Sunday at Ellerslie. “Checkmate is a horse that gets around Ellerslie, which is important. He’s won at the trip and just ticked a lot of boxes,” Lance O’Sullivan said. “He should acquit himself well, we’re happy with him and his condition, although he’ll have another run before then. We’re still undecided where (he will race next), we have a couple of options to work through, but the horse will tell us what he needs. “He’s a nice horse for the race and one of many chances,” he said. A former Champion Jockey and multiple Group One-winning trainer, O’Sullivan is looking forward to seeing what the NZB Kiwi does for an industry he has spent most of his life immersed in, and more importantly, having the Wexford brand play a major role. “It’s exciting to have the biggest prizemoney in the Southern hemisphere for three-year-olds, who would’ve thought that would happen?” O’Sullivan said. “It’s great for the industry, it’s new and creates a lot of interest. “It’s important for Wexford, we wanted to be a part of the big dance and to have two horses in the race, it’s fantastic.” The O’Sullivan and Scott partnership already has Sought After (NZ) in the feature under Waikato Stud’s slot, while fellow three-year-old stable performers including Sethito (NZ), Hankee Alpha (NZ), Prosegur (NZ) and Cheaha (AUS) also feature in futures markets for the race. O’Sullivan hopes others in the stable will get their opportunity now that the son of Mongolian Khan has been locked in. “That was one of the reasons why we went early,” he said. “We have some nice horses there and we felt it was best to state who we were going to take in case anyone else had any interest in the others. “It’s nice to be able to produce horses that warrant running in the big event. It’s going to be a very exciting day.” Owned and bred by Okaharau Station, Checkmate currently holds equal favouritism for the NZB Kiwi at $8, alongside Australian-trained Evaporate (NZ) and star colt Savaglee (NZ). Other confirmed runners for the race include Damask Rose (NZ) (Te Akau Racing), Domain Ace (NZ) (Canterbury Jockey Club), Evaporate (TAB) and Sought After (Waikato Stud). The NZB Kiwi will be run on Champions Day on 8 March at Ellerslie Racecourse. View the full article

While the win of Banker’s Choice (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) at Moonee Valley recently may have got under the guard of punters, it wasn’t totally unexpected by the gelding’s trainers. Prepared by Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson, Banker’s Choice registered his first win in just over two years when successful on December 28 and will chase back-to-back wins in the TAB Australian Cup Race Day 29 March (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday. “It was good to see him win again,” Thompson said. “We had been really happy with him at home. All the way through he had been working well, and we had been expecting him to run better, but he had been a little disappointing. “Even last prep he raced well without winning. He ran third in a Toorak and his form had been good, but just this prep he had been disappointing. “It was good to see him bounce back last start and hopefully it gives him a little bit of confidence going forward.” Banker’s Choice had been winless since taking out the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) in December 2022, accounting for Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel), but had been placed in Stakes company in between those victories. Consequently, Banker’s Choice paid the price for that consistency being forced to run in races that were potentially outside his class range. Having raced in Stakes races through the spring, without success, Banker’s Choice dropped to benchmark 100 grade with his win at Moonee Valley last time, the same grade he’s racing in on Saturday, which sees the gelding lining up against Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) placegtter Okita Soushi. “For this time of year, it’s quite a strong race, but at his best, he can mix it with the best of them,” Thompson said. “I suppose he’s been a victim of his own good form in some respect because he’s just kept that high benchmark rating. “It’s hard once they get up there, they don’t drop too quickly, but we’re not the only ones having to deal with it. “It can be frustrating. No one is out to try and play games, but you’re only doing harm by the owners’ in not dropping them a little bit faster than they do. “It would give every horse a chance because a lot of horses get to that high benchmark where it makes it a little tricky and hard to win, so often they just need to be in that one grade lower. “Hopefully that win last time gives him that little bit of confidence and we can see him win again.” View the full article

Katie Margarson will join The Jockey Club as a trainee clerk of the course next month. Having served as the longtime assistant to multiple Group race-winning trainer and father George Margarson at Graham Lodge Stables in Newmarket, in recent years Katie has broadened her experience in the racing industry by working as an assistant to the clerk of the course on race days at Goodwood and by working as a presenter for Ladbrokes. In her new role as a trainee clerk of the course, Margarson will be working at Huntingdon and Newmarket racecourses, reporting to The Jockey Club's head of racing in the East region, Andrew Morris, who is clerk of the course at both venues. Margarson said, “I am thrilled to be joining The Jockey Club as a trainee clerk of the course on February 10th. “I have wide-ranging experience right across the racing industry and am used to dealing with a wide range of stakeholders, so I hope my new role should play to my strengths. “Having been based in Newmarket for many years I am especially pleased that I will now spend a significant part of my time working at the town's two world-famous racecourses.” The post Katie Margarson Joins The Jockey Club as Trainee Clerk of the Course appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin If last month’s Alexandra Park Group 1 form stacks up as it should at Cambridge on Friday night then One More Moment is the mare to beat in the $50,000 Dunstan Waikato Breeders Trot at Cambridge. The race continues the new wave of support for trotting fillies and mares, coming off the back of the $100,000 Queen Of Diamonds at Alexandra Park last month. One More Moment caused a huge upset winning that Group 1 for young trainer Zev Meredith but proved that was no fluke when finishing fourth in the far stronger National Trot on New Years Eve, beating by Muscle Mountain, Kyvalley Hotspur and Oscar Bonavena. Any one of that trio would be backed as if unbeatable in tonight’s race and just as importantly rivals tonight American Muscle and Virginia Clowers finished behind One More Moment in that race off level marks yet have to concede her a start tonight. “I was thrilled with her fourth in that race and it showed that she is up to the open class horses,” says Meredith, who will return to drive the mare himself tonight. “She actually got held up a bit across the bend that night and was making ground on Oscar late, even if he did do a lot of work after his early break. “I gave her a few days off after that and she has come back great. Her work five days was as good as she has ever worked.” It is a big, even field tonight but One More Moment’s two efforts last month suggest she is the horse to beat albeit Meredith has one reservation. “I don’t love the fact she is drawn one on the 20m mark because she could get locked away but with it being over 2700m even if she does there should be a gap later. “So I think she has to be hard to beat.” The favourite is Belle Neige, who also had a big December at The Park, winning twice including trotting a 1:56.6 mile to win her Golden Gait final and was even better downing stablemate Halberg over tonight’s 2700m distance last start in a slick 3:27.9. If she repeats that sort of time tonight she will be hard in a race with plenty of depth. The other best race of the night is the fourth heat of Provincial Pacers series (Race 7) which has plenty of gate speed and brings together recent winners from Alex Park, Cambridge and Manawatu. View the full article

By Michael Guerin John Dunn has a warning for punters expecting more premiership heroics from the country’s top stable this year. Because while the Robert and Jenna Dunn stable have a big hand in the feature race at Blenheim on Friday, stable No.1 driver John says their start to the new year could be a lot quieter than some punters expect. “Even though we just won the premiership the last few months we have had plenty of bad luck,” he told HRNZ. “We have had some horses get injured like Charlie Brown, who has got a knee issue and some of the good trotters have needed a break for niggly problems. “Sundees Sister is just coming back in and she could be a good horse for us but we won’t be having a big booming start to the year.” The Dunn stable also has horses who are victims of their own earlier success, evidenced by the feature race today, the $15,000 Dennis Denuto Marlborough Cup Prelude. The stable have three starters but Whos Delight and Bryce’s Meddle are on 30m handicaps over the 2400m while course specialist Double Time is off 20m. “It is making it really hard these handicaps,” says Dunn. “These days when even lower grade horses step and run so fast when you are off 20m it can be impossible to win and we have two horses off 30m here, which is really, really hard to overcome. “We all know they can still win if they have luck and maybe the leaders go slower but sometimes in these races it actually becomes impossible. “And that makes it really hard on the horses as you don’t want them doing that every week.” While Double Time won this race and the Cup two days later at this meeting last year, Dunn says pressed for the stable’s best chance it would still probably be Whos Delight. “He was okay the other day at Nelson but we all know he is a pretty good horse at his best. “But as I said, the way the handicaps are if they step and run off the front line he could be chasing all the way as it is only 2400m.” There is good depth to the race, with a case to be made for almost any of the 10 starters. The meeting sees a good mixture of horses extending their grass track campaigns from The Coast three weeks ago through to more Canterbury type horses, a prime example being the main trot, the $15,000 Seddon Shield Series Trot. Again it is 2400m so the chances of backmarkers like Masterley and Eurokash will depend on the tactics of those on the front line and how hard they want to run. Two horses who could start the day better for the Dunns early on are Volstone, a trotter with plenty to learn but who should be better for recent experince in race 1. And Copenhagen Girl in Race 2 shouldn’t be a maiden for long but does cop a second line draw over 1850m mobile. View the full article

There are eight horse racing meetings set for Australia on Friday, January 17. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Gold Coast, Canterbury and Pakenham. Friday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – January 17, 2025 Gold Coast Racing Tips Canterbury Racing Tips Pakenham Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on January 17, 2025 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! Join BlondeBet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH? full terms. 3 Next Gen Racing Betting Picklebet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. Recommended! 4 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 5 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble You Better Believe It Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Bet365 Signup Code GETON 6 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

What Ascot races Where Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 When Saturday, January 18, 2025 First Race 1:04pm AWST Visit Dabble Ascot will host a very competitive nine-race meeting this Saturday afternoon. With perfect summer weather forecast in the lead-up, the track is expected to remain in the Good range after being rated as a Good 4 at the time of acceptances. The rail will be in the +3m position for the entire circuit, with the first race scheduled to jump at 1:04pm AWST. Best Bet at Ascot: Rocking Society Although two of his three wins have been by narrow margins, Rocking Society has been racing in career-best form this preparation. The Jason Miller-trained gelding brought up the hat-trick with a narrow victory over Alskan at this track over 2200m on January 4. Drawing barrier three and dropping back to 2100m are two positives for Rocking Society, and with even luck, he should record his fourth straight victory. Best Bet Race 5 – #2 Rocking Society (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Jason Miller | J: Lucy Fiore (60kg) +100 with Neds Next Best at Ascot: Bonjoy Jason Miller and Clint Johnston-Porter will combine with Bonjoy for the sixth straight start, coming off a narrow victory in the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic on December 14. The four-week freshen for this daughter of Maschino should only be seen as a positive, and now that she returns in a weaker grade, the +250 on offer with PlayUp looks like a great price. Expect Johnston-Porter to settle Bonjoy towards the back of the field before getting her out to the middle of the track to let down with a strong finish. Next Best Race 8 – #4 Bonjoy (6) 5yo Mare | T: Jason Miller | J: Clint Johnston-Porter (58kg) +250 with PlayUp Best Value at Ascot: Starring Knight Another galloper who enters Saturday’s meeting on a win streak is the Daniel & Ben Pearce-trained Starring Knight, who has won his last two starts at Geraldton. The son of Shooting To Win has proven too strong for his rivals in recent runs, winning by two lengths over 1213m and just under a length over 1400m. From barrier two, Starring Knight can settle in the one-one position and receive a perfect run throughout. Best Value Race 7 – #8 Starring Knight (2) 6yo Gelding | T: Daniel & Ben Pearce | J: Shaun O’Donnell (57kg) +1200 with BlondeBet Saturday quaddie tips for Ascot races Ascot quadrella selections Saturday, January 18, 2025 2-5-7-10 1-4-6-8 1-4-6 5-6-9 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

It was perhaps inevitable once he had attained multiple champion status as a stallion, that Savabeel should join his sire Zabeel and grandsire Sir Tristram in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Completing a sequence that is unique in this country, the Waikato Stud-based 23-year-old will be inducted at the 2025 Hall of Fame function in Hamilton in May, 11 years after his own sire was inducted and 17 years after the breed-shaping stallion who founded the dynasty half a century ago. Sir Tristram was an inspired choice by Hall of Fame breeder Sir Patrick Hogan as Cambridge Stud’s foundation stallion in 1976. As a stallion the Irish-bred son of Sir Ivor was to far outstrip his moderate racing record and write a new chapter in New Zealand and Australian breeding. Similarly, Hogan got it completely right in 1991 when he selected the Australian Guineas winner Zabeel as Sir Tristram’s heir apparent, and in turn Waikato Stud’s Garry and Mark Chittick could not have made a better choice in 2005 than Zabeel’s Cox Plate-winning son Savabeel. With a race record of three wins that also included the Gr. 1 AJC Spring Champion Stakes and his dam the New Zealand Oaks winner Savannah Success, Savabeel was always going to have a premium on his head. When he joined a roster that included the champion home-bred O’Reilly and Australian Guineas winner Pins, he didn’t come cheaply with a syndicated price tag of $10 million and an introductory fee of $35,000. That investment has been more than repaid as Savabeel has gone on to dominate New Zealand stallion ranks through the opening decades of the 21st Century. Just last Saturday at Trentham, his three-year-old son Savaglee had his first start since winning the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November and recorded another easy win in the Gr. 2 Levin Classic In the next race on the Trentham card, Savabeel’s five-year-old daughter Provence became his 35th Group One winner with her victory in the Thorndon Mile. Statistical analysis is unavoidable in comparing the three key players in this remarkable stallion dynasty. The final crop of Sir Tristram’s 1,264 foals sired across 21 breeding seasons were born in 1997, and from an exact 1,000 who raced, 686 were winners, 130 at stakes level and 45 of them at Group One. Zabeel’s 23 seasons at stud up to 2013 resulted in 1,896 foals, of which 1,525 raced and 1,112 won races. Of that total 166 became stakes winners and on the score of individual Group One winners he bettered Sir Tristram by one with 46. In the case of Savabeel, who completed his 20th season at stud late last year, his tally is still running. Up until his 2022 crop comprising a total of 1,752 foals, 1,346 have raced and 988 are the winners to date of 3,118 races. Of those 148 are stakes winners, 99 of them are Group winners and his 35 Group One winners have won a total of 58 races at that level. “He’s ticking over at around a dozen stakes winners per season, so with decent numbers still coming through there’s a good chance he can break Zabeel’s record for individual stakes winners,” says Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick. “How ever you measure his achievements, Savabeel has done a phenomenal job for us and everyone who has supported him – for the whole breeding industry in fact, it would be fair to say.” Stories of chance and good fortune abound in the horse world and Savabeel’s path to Waikato Stud is one of those, dating back to the latter stages of his three-year-old season, as Chittick recalled. “I had inspected him couple of times when he was in training with Graeme Rogerson – the first time in Melbourne after he had won the Cox Plate and finished second in the VRC Derby, then again in the autumn at Rogie’s Randwick stable. “He was a very good-looking horse with obvious performance and pedigree, although we knew he would be on a lot of studs’ watch-list. Then late one afternoon back home I got a call from Bruce Perry to tell me that there was a deal taking shape on Savabeel. “My comment to Bruce was there’d be a fair bit of money involved and he responded ‘Yeah, they’re talking $10 million’. Savabeel and handler Ryan Figgins Photo: Trish Dunell “Doing our sums and broken down into 50 shares, that would be $200,000 per share, which translated to a service fee of $35,000. We would take half the horse, Bruce said Lib (Petagna) would be in and he was confident other breeders would be keen as well. “The first call I made was to Garry,” Chittick continued, “with the intention of getting him to ring Rogie for a heads-up on how we might be able to make it happen. It became almost comical when he explained to me he was in a bit of bind, as Nelson and Megan Schick (of rival stud Windsor Park) were Garry and Mary’s dinner guests, so I told him he’d better go outside and make the call. “Rogie’s first comment to Garry was that he thought the money might have been a bit much for us, which is why he hadn’t touched base in the first place, but when he said he could vouch for 25 per cent with the likes of (part-owner) Max Whitby staying in, we realised we could do it. “It was quite incredible how it all came about – Garry got back to me and said it’s your turn to get off your backside and on the phone, so after calling just about everyone I could think of who might be interested, we had him syndicated within 24 hours.” Not only was $10 million a clear record for a stallion going to stud in New Zealand, but the syndication conditions were also a first. Standard syndications allowed shareholders two service nominations per share during each of a stallion’s introductory years, then one per share thereafter. However the Savabeel deal was for a lifetime right to two services per year, something that sweetened the deal for prospective investors. A primary intention of the two-service clause is to underwrite a stallion’s book with shareholders’ mares, but that still wasn’t sufficient to guarantee Savabeel’s numbers at a crucial stage in his stud career. “He got off to a good start with books between 120 and 130 in his first three or four years, then the demand dropped right off, partly due to a certain impatience for his early runners to perform, plus the economy was still bogged down in the GFC. “That was only temporary though – he got his first stakes winner, Queen Sabeel, in the last two-year-old stakes race of the 2008-09 season (the Northland Breeders’ Stakes), he got his first Group One win with another first crop member, Scarlett Lady, in the Queensland Oaks, and that spring from his second crop Sangster won the VRC Derby.” Such was the impact of that burst of form and further headlines, in the space of 12 months Savabeel’s book more than doubled from a career-low 85 mares in 2010 to 190. He was away and hasn’t looked back since, complete with his fee climbing incrementally to eventually land in triple figures. Graeme Rogerson’s history with Savabeel is longer than anyone’s, dating back to his purchase of the Success Express filly who became known as Savannah Success. On the track she won eight races, headed by the Gr. 1 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham and Gr. 1 Ansett Australia (Vinery) Stakes at Rosehill. “She was a lovely filly, all class,” the Hall of Fame trainer recalls. “I raced her with Jon Haseler (of Queensland’s Glenlogan Park Stud) and when we put her to stud I bought Jon out. Her first foal was a colt by Danehill and then she had the Zabeel colt who made her famous. “I sold the mare to Gerry Harvey in-foal to Danehill and with Savabeel at foot, and I liked him so much I formed a partnership that included Max Whitby and we bought him back for $400,000 at the Magic Millions Sale.” At the time Rogerson was operating stables on both sides of the Tasman and Savabeel was to do all his racing in Australia, winning on debut over 1000m at Randwick as a late summer two-year-old and finishing third that autumn in the Gr. 1 Champagne Stakes behind champion juvenile Dance Hero. After three placings at the start of his three-year-old campaign, he won the Gr. 1 Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m at Randwick and three weeks later took on the older horses for victory over Fields Of Omagh and Starcraft in the W S Cox Plate. He backed up a week later to finish second to Plastered in the VRC Derby. Savabeel’s final campaign began with a second placing to Elvstroem in the Gr. 1 CF Orr Stakes, but after failing to recapture his best form he was retired as a rising four-year-old. “We had four or five different parties wanting to buy him, but all credit to Garry and Mark for pulling the deal together and giving him such a fantastic opportunity,” Rogerson says. “He’s been a great horse from day one, I love going across to Waikato Stud to make a fuss of him and it’s been such a privilege to train so many good horses by him. “I bred another two mares to him this year, Max (Whitby), who raced his first Group One winner Scarlett Lady, has stuck with him all these years too, it’s been fantastic.” Mark Chittick speaks with similar awe of the champion stallion, in particular his range if success from Group One-winning two-year-olds to classic and cups winners. “That’s the amazing thing about him, how he can throw horses that win at all ages and at such a range of distances. With devoted stallion grooms like Dave O’Leary and now Ryan Figgins caring for him over the years, he’s had an ideal existence, which includes keeping in trim on the treadmill we put in specially for him when he was about 17 years old. “Sons of his like Cool Aza Beel and Embellish have taken no time to prove themselves at stud and our young horse by him, Noverre, has kicked off with some excellent results just last week at the Magic Millions. “No two ways about it, he’s a legend – that will be his legacy.” *The 2025 NZ Racing Hall of Fame Induction Dinner is scheduled for Sunday May 11 at SkyCity, Hamilton. For further information and tickets go to www.racinghalloffame.co.nz– Dennis Ryan, Raceform View the full article

It was perhaps inevitable once he had attained multiple champion status as a stallion, that Savabeel should join his sire Zabeel and grandsire Sir Tristram in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Completing a sequence that is unique in this country, the Waikato Stud-based 23-year-old will be inducted at the 2025 Hall of Fame function in Hamilton in May, 11 years after his own sire was inducted and 17 years after the breed-shaping stallion who founded the dynasty half a century ago. Sir Tristram was an inspired choice by Hall of Fame breeder Sir Patrick Hogan as Cambridge Stud’s foundation stallion in 1976. As a stallion the Irish-bred son of Sir Ivor was to far outstrip his moderate racing record and write a new chapter in New Zealand and Australian breeding. Similarly, Hogan got it completely right in 1991 when he selected the Australian Guineas winner Zabeel as Sir Tristram’s heir apparent, and in turn Waikato Stud’s Garry and Mark Chittick could not have made a better choice in 2005 than Zabeel’s Cox Plate-winning son Savabeel. With a race record of three wins that also included the Gr. 1 AJC Spring Champion Stakes and his dam the New Zealand Oaks winner Savannah Success, Savabeel was always going to have a premium on his head. When he joined a roster that included the champion home-bred O’Reilly and Australian Guineas winner Pins, he didn’t come cheaply with a syndicated price tag of $10 million and an introductory fee of $35,000. That investment has been more than repaid as Savabeel has gone on to dominate New Zealand stallion ranks through the opening decades of the 21st Century. Just last Saturday at Trentham, his three-year-old son Savaglee had his first start since winning the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November and recorded another easy win in the Gr. 2 Levin Classic In the next race on the Trentham card, Savabeel’s five-year-old daughter Provence became his 35th Group One winner with her victory in the Thorndon Mile. Statistical analysis is unavoidable in comparing the three key players in this remarkable stallion dynasty. The final crop of Sir Tristram’s 1,264 foals sired across 21 breeding seasons were born in 1997, and from an exact 1,000 who raced, 686 were winners, 130 at stakes level and 45 of them at Group One. Zabeel’s 23 seasons at stud up to 2013 resulted in 1,896 foals, of which 1,525 raced and 1,112 won races. Of that total 166 became stakes winners and on the score of individual Group One winners he bettered Sir Tristram by one with 46. In the case of Savabeel, who completed his 20th season at stud late last year, his tally is still running. Up until his 2022 crop comprising a total of 1,752 foals, 1,346 have raced and 988 are the winners to date of 3,118 races. Of those 148 are stakes winners, 99 of them are Group winners and his 35 Group One winners have won a total of 58 races at that level. “He’s ticking over at around a dozen stakes winners per season, so with decent numbers still coming through there’s a good chance he can break Zabeel’s record for individual stakes winners,” says Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick. “How ever you measure his achievements, Savabeel has done a phenomenal job for us and everyone who has supported him – for the whole breeding industry in fact, it would be fair to say.” Stories of chance and good fortune abound in the horse world and Savabeel’s path to Waikato Stud is one of those, dating back to the latter stages of his three-year-old season, as Chittick recalled. “I had inspected him couple of times when he was in training with Graeme Rogerson – the first time in Melbourne after he had won the Cox Plate and finished second in the VRC Derby, then again in the autumn at Rogie’s Randwick stable. “He was a very good-looking horse with obvious performance and pedigree, although we knew he would be on a lot of studs’ watch-list. Then late one afternoon back home I got a call from Bruce Perry to tell me that there was a deal taking shape on Savabeel. “My comment to Bruce was there’d be a fair bit of money involved and he responded ‘Yeah, they’re talking $10 million’. Savabeel and handler Ryan Figgins Photo: Trish Dunell “Doing our sums and broken down into 50 shares, that would be $200,000 per share, which translated to a service fee of $35,000. We would take half the horse, Bruce said Lib (Petagna) would be in and he was confident other breeders would be keen as well. “The first call I made was to Garry,” Chittick continued, “with the intention of getting him to ring Rogie for a heads-up on how we might be able to make it happen. It became almost comical when he explained to me he was in a bit of bind, as Nelson and Megan Schick (of rival stud Windsor Park) were Garry and Mary’s dinner guests, so I told him he’d better go outside and make the call. “Rogie’s first comment to Garry was that he thought the money might have been a bit much for us, which is why he hadn’t touched base in the first place, but when he said he could vouch for 25 per cent with the likes of (part-owner) Max Whitby staying in, we realised we could do it. “It was quite incredible how it all came about – Garry got back to me and said it’s your turn to get off your backside and on the phone, so after calling just about everyone I could think of who might be interested, we had him syndicated within 24 hours.” Not only was $10 million a clear record for a stallion going to stud in New Zealand, but the syndication conditions were also a first. Standard syndications allowed shareholders two service nominations per share during each of a stallion’s introductory years, then one per share thereafter. However the Savabeel deal was for a lifetime right to two services per year, something that sweetened the deal for prospective investors. A primary intention of the two-service clause is to underwrite a stallion’s book with shareholders’ mares, but that still wasn’t sufficient to guarantee Savabeel’s numbers at a crucial stage in his stud career. “He got off to a good start with books between 120 and 130 in his first three or four years, then the demand dropped right off, partly due to a certain impatience for his early runners to perform, plus the economy was still bogged down in the GFC. “That was only temporary though – he got his first stakes winner, Queen Sabeel, in the last two-year-old stakes race of the 2008-09 season (the Northland Breeders’ Stakes), he got his first Group One win with another first crop member, Scarlett Lady, in the Queensland Oaks, and that spring from his second crop Sangster won the VRC Derby.” Such was the impact of that burst of form and further headlines, in the space of 12 months Savabeel’s book more than doubled from a career-low 85 mares in 2010 to 190. He was away and hasn’t looked back since, complete with his fee climbing incrementally to eventually land in triple figures. Graeme Rogerson’s history with Savabeel is longer than anyone’s, dating back to his purchase of the Success Express filly who became known as Savannah Success. On the track she won eight races, headed by the Gr. 1 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham and Gr. 1 Ansett Australia (Vinery) Stakes at Rosehill. “She was a lovely filly, all class,” the Hall of Fame trainer recalls. “I raced her with Jon Haseler (of Queensland’s Glenlogan Park Stud) and when we put her to stud I bought Jon out. Her first foal was a colt by Danehill and then she had the Zabeel colt who made her famous. “I sold the mare to Gerry Harvey in-foal to Danehill and with Savabeel at foot, and I liked him so much I formed a partnership that included Max Whitby and we bought him back for $400,000 at the Magic Millions Sale.” At the time Rogerson was operating stables on both sides of the Tasman and Savabeel was to do all his racing in Australia, winning on debut over 1000m at Randwick as a late summer two-year-old and finishing third that autumn in the Gr. 1 Champagne Stakes behind champion juvenile Dance Hero. After three placings at the start of his three-year-old campaign, he won the Gr. 1 Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m at Randwick and three weeks later took on the older horses for victory over Fields Of Omagh and Starcraft in the W S Cox Plate. He backed up a week later to finish second to Plastered in the VRC Derby. Savabeel’s final campaign began with a second placing to Elvstroem in the Gr. 1 CF Orr Stakes, but after failing to recapture his best form he was retired as a rising four-year-old. “We had four or five different parties wanting to buy him, but all credit to Garry and Mark for pulling the deal together and giving him such a fantastic opportunity,” Rogerson says. “He’s been a great horse from day one, I love going across to Waikato Stud to make a fuss of him and it’s been such a privilege to train so many good horses by him. “I bred another two mares to him this year, Max (Whitby), who raced his first Group One winner Scarlett Lady, has stuck with him all these years too, it’s been fantastic.” Mark Chittick speaks with similar awe of the champion stallion, in particular his range if success from Group One-winning two-year-olds to classic and cups winners. “That’s the amazing thing about him, how he can throw horses that win at all ages and at such a range of distances. With devoted stallion grooms like Dave O’Leary and now Ryan Figgins caring for him over the years, he’s had an ideal existence, which includes keeping in trim on the treadmill we put in specially for him when he was about 17 years old. “Sons of his like Cool Aza Beel and Embellish have taken no time to prove themselves at stud and our young horse by him, Noverre, has kicked off with some excellent results just last week at the Magic Millions. “No two ways about it, he’s a legend – that will be his legacy.” *The 2025 NZ Racing Hall of Fame Induction Dinner is scheduled for Sunday May 11 at SkyCity, Hamilton. For further information and tickets go to www.racinghalloffame.co.nz– Dennis Ryan, Raceform View the full article

It was perhaps inevitable once he had attained multiple champion status as a stallion, that Savabeel should join his sire Zabeel and grandsire Sir Tristram in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Completing a sequence that is unique in this country, the Waikato Stud-based 23-year-old will be inducted at the 2025 Hall of Fame function in Hamilton in May, 11 years after his own sire was inducted and 17 years after the breed-shaping stallion who founded the dynasty half a century ago. Sir Tristram was an inspired choice by Hall of Fame breeder Sir Patrick Hogan as Cambridge Stud’s foundation stallion in 1976. As a stallion the Irish-bred son of Sir Ivor was to far outstrip his moderate racing record and write a new chapter in New Zealand and Australian breeding. Similarly, Hogan got it completely right in 1991 when he selected the Australian Guineas winner Zabeel as Sir Tristram’s heir apparent, and in turn Waikato Stud’s Garry and Mark Chittick could not have made a better choice in 2005 than Zabeel’s Cox Plate-winning son Savabeel. With a race record of three wins that also included the Gr. 1 AJC Spring Champion Stakes and his dam the New Zealand Oaks winner Savannah Success, Savabeel was always going to have a premium on his head. When he joined a roster that included the champion home-bred O’Reilly and Australian Guineas winner Pins, he didn’t come cheaply with a syndicated price tag of $10 million and an introductory fee of $35,000. That investment has been more than repaid as Savabeel has gone on to dominate New Zealand stallion ranks through the opening decades of the 21st Century. Just last Saturday at Trentham, his three-year-old son Savaglee had his first start since winning the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November and recorded another easy win in the Gr. 2 Levin Classic In the next race on the Trentham card, Savabeel’s five-year-old daughter Provence became his 35th Group One winner with her victory in the Thorndon Mile. Statistical analysis is unavoidable in comparing the three key players in this remarkable stallion dynasty. The final crop of Sir Tristram’s 1,264 foals sired across 21 breeding seasons were born in 1997, and from an exact 1,000 who raced, 686 were winners, 130 at stakes level and 45 of them at Group One. Zabeel’s 23 seasons at stud up to 2013 resulted in 1,896 foals, of which 1,525 raced and 1,112 won races. Of that total 166 became stakes winners and on the score of individual Group One winners he bettered Sir Tristram by one with 46. In the case of Savabeel, who completed his 20th season at stud late last year, his tally is still running. Up until his 2022 crop comprising a total of 1,752 foals, 1,346 have raced and 988 are the winners to date of 3,118 races. Of those 148 are stakes winners, 99 of them are Group winners and his 35 Group One winners have won a total of 58 races at that level. “He’s ticking over at around a dozen stakes winners per season, so with decent numbers still coming through there’s a good chance he can break Zabeel’s record for individual stakes winners,” says Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick. “How ever you measure his achievements, Savabeel has done a phenomenal job for us and everyone who has supported him – for the whole breeding industry in fact, it would be fair to say.” Stories of chance and good fortune abound in the horse world and Savabeel’s path to Waikato Stud is one of those, dating back to the latter stages of his three-year-old season, as Chittick recalled. “I had inspected him couple of times when he was in training with Graeme Rogerson – the first time in Melbourne after he had won the Cox Plate and finished second in the VRC Derby, then again in the autumn at Rogie’s Randwick stable. “He was a very good-looking horse with obvious performance and pedigree, although we knew he would be on a lot of studs’ watch-list. Then late one afternoon back home I got a call from Bruce Perry to tell me that there was a deal taking shape on Savabeel. “My comment to Bruce was there’d be a fair bit of money involved and he responded ‘Yeah, they’re talking $10 million’. Savabeel and handler Ryan Figgins Photo: Trish Dunell “Doing our sums and broken down into 50 shares, that would be $200,000 per share, which translated to a service fee of $35,000. We would take half the horse, Bruce said Lib (Petagna) would be in and he was confident other breeders would be keen as well. “The first call I made was to Garry,” Chittick continued, “with the intention of getting him to ring Rogie for a heads-up on how we might be able to make it happen. It became almost comical when he explained to me he was in a bit of bind, as Nelson and Megan Schick (of rival stud Windsor Park) were Garry and Mary’s dinner guests, so I told him he’d better go outside and make the call. “Rogie’s first comment to Garry was that he thought the money might have been a bit much for us, which is why he hadn’t touched base in the first place, but when he said he could vouch for 25 per cent with the likes of (part-owner) Max Whitby staying in, we realised we could do it. “It was quite incredible how it all came about – Garry got back to me and said it’s your turn to get off your backside and on the phone, so after calling just about everyone I could think of who might be interested, we had him syndicated within 24 hours.” Not only was $10 million a clear record for a stallion going to stud in New Zealand, but the syndication conditions were also a first. Standard syndications allowed shareholders two service nominations per share during each of a stallion’s introductory years, then one per share thereafter. However the Savabeel deal was for a lifetime right to two services per year, something that sweetened the deal for prospective investors. A primary intention of the two-service clause is to underwrite a stallion’s book with shareholders’ mares, but that still wasn’t sufficient to guarantee Savabeel’s numbers at a crucial stage in his stud career. “He got off to a good start with books between 120 and 130 in his first three or four years, then the demand dropped right off, partly due to a certain impatience for his early runners to perform, plus the economy was still bogged down in the GFC. “That was only temporary though – he got his first stakes winner, Queen Sabeel, in the last two-year-old stakes race of the 2008-09 season (the Northland Breeders’ Stakes), he got his first Group One win with another first crop member, Scarlett Lady, in the Queensland Oaks, and that spring from his second crop Sangster won the VRC Derby.” Such was the impact of that burst of form and further headlines, in the space of 12 months Savabeel’s book more than doubled from a career-low 85 mares in 2010 to 190. He was away and hasn’t looked back since, complete with his fee climbing incrementally to eventually land in triple figures. Graeme Rogerson’s history with Savabeel is longer than anyone’s, dating back to his purchase of the Success Express filly who became known as Savannah Success. On the track she won eight races, headed by the Gr. 1 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham and Gr. 1 Ansett Australia (Vinery) Stakes at Rosehill. “She was a lovely filly, all class,” the Hall of Fame trainer recalls. “I raced her with Jon Haseler (of Queensland’s Glenlogan Park Stud) and when we put her to stud I bought Jon out. Her first foal was a colt by Danehill and then she had the Zabeel colt who made her famous. “I sold the mare to Gerry Harvey in-foal to Danehill and with Savabeel at foot, and I liked him so much I formed a partnership that included Max Whitby and we bought him back for $400,000 at the Magic Millions Sale.” At the time Rogerson was operating stables on both sides of the Tasman and Savabeel was to do all his racing in Australia, winning on debut over 1000m at Randwick as a late summer two-year-old and finishing third that autumn in the Gr. 1 Champagne Stakes behind champion juvenile Dance Hero. After three placings at the start of his three-year-old campaign, he won the Gr. 1 Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m at Randwick and three weeks later took on the older horses for victory over Fields Of Omagh and Starcraft in the W S Cox Plate. He backed up a week later to finish second to Plastered in the VRC Derby. Savabeel’s final campaign began with a second placing to Elvstroem in the Gr. 1 CF Orr Stakes, but after failing to recapture his best form he was retired as a rising four-year-old. “We had four or five different parties wanting to buy him, but all credit to Garry and Mark for pulling the deal together and giving him such a fantastic opportunity,” Rogerson says. “He’s been a great horse from day one, I love going across to Waikato Stud to make a fuss of him and it’s been such a privilege to train so many good horses by him. “I bred another two mares to him this year, Max (Whitby), who raced his first Group One winner Scarlett Lady, has stuck with him all these years too, it’s been fantastic.” Mark Chittick speaks with similar awe of the champion stallion, in particular his range if success from Group One-winning two-year-olds to classic and cups winners. “That’s the amazing thing about him, how he can throw horses that win at all ages and at such a range of distances. With devoted stallion grooms like Dave O’Leary and now Ryan Figgins caring for him over the years, he’s had an ideal existence, which includes keeping in trim on the treadmill we put in specially for him when he was about 17 years old. “Sons of his like Cool Aza Beel and Embellish have taken no time to prove themselves at stud and our young horse by him, Noverre, has kicked off with some excellent results just last week at the Magic Millions. “No two ways about it, he’s a legend – that will be his legacy.” *The 2025 NZ Racing Hall of Fame Induction Dinner is scheduled for Sunday May 11 at SkyCity, Hamilton. For further information and tickets go to www.racinghalloffame.co.nz– Dennis Ryan, Raceform View the full article

Swedish jockey Annie Lindahl has swiftly made her mark on the New Zealand racing scene, guiding home her first winner at Riccarton Park on Wednesday. Having just her seventh ride in the country, Lindahl partnered the John Blackadder-trained Quick Story in the Racecourse Hotel and Motor Lodge Rating 65 (2000m) at the midweek meeting, the mare rated a $30 hope despite a close-up second at her most recent start. From barrier eight, Lindahl found the one-one position aboard Quick Story and with plenty to offer in the home straight, the daughter of What’s The Story kicked away to win by two lengths to Devil In Disguise. “To get a winner down here is huge for me, now I’m keen to get many more,” Lindahl said. “That winning feeling is what we all are racing for. “I thought the horse had a chance after her last race, I’d watched the replay and she ran really well. The plan was to sit in behind the leaders and she broke well from the gates, so we ended up where we wanted to be. “The race went really smoothly all the way from there, she was travelling well into the straight and when I pushed the button, she really fired off and finished strongly. “It was nice to sit on a horse that was so well prepared, it was a pleasant job to do and great to get over the line first.” An accomplished rider partnering over 160 winners, the 27-year-old has plied her trade in a number of European countries, as well as time spent in the United States of America. “I started pony racing, then I got picked up by a trainer asking if I wanted to be an apprentice,” she said. “I started my apprenticeship in 2015 with Hans Adielsson while I was still in high school, I’ve had support from many different trainers since then, but he really got me started. “Hans and Walter Buick helped me get to Todd Pletcher’s in America, I went there to get more experience during the winter when there isn’t much racing back home. “I did three winters there and got on some very nice horses, I learnt a lot. I got to ride a race for Todd which was amazing.” Lindahl had seen a glimpse of New Zealand racing through fellow Swede Ulrika Holmquist, and a connection to sisters Hanna Orting and Sophia Nolan gave her the opportunity to experience the industry herself. “I knew Hanna Orting, she’s also from Sweden, so I got in touch with her and asked if there was a possibility of coming over here and finding a job,” she said. “She got me in touch with her sister Sophia and Derek, then I got a working holiday visa, booked my ticket and came over here. “I’ve also seen Ulrika has been here before and she was here last year, so I’ve seen a bit of New Zealand racing on social media. “I’ve been here for two months and I’m really enjoying it, it’s nice to be in a warm place and see the sun while it’s winter back home.” Lindahl has travelled around plenty of the Kiwi countryside in that time, riding in the far north at Ruakaka, before being a part of the iconic Kumara Gold Nuggets meeting on the West Coast of the South Island. “It’s a new experience of racing for me, New Zealand has both smaller and bigger tracks and you need to adjust for everything,” she said. “On the smaller tracks, it’s quite speedy, and out on the big tracks, they seem to wait a bit more. “The riding is more competitive down here, they ride a bit tighter, and you have to ride smarter. Back home, you can get away with small things that you probably wouldn’t down here. “Everyone has been very welcoming, which makes it easier to like a new place.” The Swedish racing circuit will recommence in April and Lindahl is hoping to make the most of her time in New Zealand before returning to her homeland. “The season at home starts in April, so I’m planning to stay until around the end of February and early March,” she said. “I haven’t booked a ticket home yet, so I’m not completely set on a date. “I really just want to experience as much as I can and grow as a rider, learning more things and get better. I always want to be better, I think there is always something new to learn and I’m always keen to learn more. That’s my main goal.” Connor Harrison will be managing Lindahl’s rides during her New Zealand stint, he can be contacted at 021 276 8067. View the full article

Raymond Connors hoisted the Wellington Cup aloft in 2013 following Blood Brotha’s win, and this year he is hoping he can get his hands on the silverware once more. Traditionally a two-mile test, Blood Brotha’s victory came in one of the seven editions of the race conducted over 2400m before it returned to its customary 3200m distance, and winning the iconic race in front of a sizeable Trentham crowd was a memorable one for the Bulls farmer. “It was a good day, there wasn’t much in it, but he managed to get across the line first,” Connors said. “It’s good to say that you have won it. “It was a big day, there were a lot of people there and hopefully it will be another big crowd this year. Normally Wellington Cup Day gets a good crowd.” Blood Brotha was a standout stayer for Connors, with the son of Danzighill recording seven other victories and earned more than $600,000 in prizemoney, including two editions of the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m), Gr.3 Metropolitan Trophy (2500m), and placed in the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m), Gr.2 Avondale Gold Cup (2400m), Metropolitan Trophy, Listed New Zealand St Leger (2500m), and was fourth in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m). “He took us to Aussie where we raced him in the Sydney Cup. He was a good horse and we had a lot of fun with him,” Connors said. “He wasn’t that far away in the Chairmans and was probably unlucky not to win that, and then he ran fair (for fourth) in the Sydney Cup. I was hoping he would go a bit better, but at least he was competitive, and he paid his way. It is good to be able to take a horse over for a race like that. “We retired him on the farm, he’s still here but is starting to show his age (19) a bit now.” Heading into this year’s edition of the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m), Connors is more hopeful than confident with his contender Trav, who is rated a $23 winning chance with TAB bookmakers. The five-year-old son of Almanzor will be tested for the first time over two miles this weekend, where he will carry the 53kg minimum with veteran hoop Lisa Allpress in the saddle. “It is good to have another runner in it,” Connors said. “He has been a little bit disappointing but hopefully the extra distance will help. He has been getting back in his races, so I don’t know what to make of him to be honest. “Lisa was happy with him last time. He is fit enough and if he is any good, he should run well. “It’s a question mark as to whether he will get the distance. The way he races you would say he will, but you don’t know. “There are a few handy ones there, but anyone can win it.” The market is headed by Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) runner Interpretation, with the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding at a $3.20 win quote with TAB bookmakers following his fresh-up runner-up result in the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on New Year’s Day. Trav will be joined on the float trip to Trentham by stablemate Our Daymo, who will be chasing the $350,000 purse on offer in the Race With Te Akau Remutaka Classic (2100m). “He’s fit and ready to go,” Connors said. “He does like a bit of ease in the ground, but he should run well, he is pretty honest.” Connors said it is nice to be competing for $750,000 in prizemoney in the two races on Saturday, and he is hoping one of his representatives can cause an upset and secure the lion’s share of the spoils on offer. “It is nice to have horses in a couple of good races like that,” he said. View the full article

What Eagle Farm Races Where Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 When Saturday, January 18, 2025 First Race 12:13pm AEST Visit Dabble Brisbane Racing Club will host a 10-race card at Eagle Farm this Saturday afternoon. The track was rated as a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances, and with some rain forecast in the lead-up to the meeting, expect a genuine Soft surface throughout the day. The rail will be in the +1m position for the entire circuit, with the opening race scheduled to jump at 12:13pm AEST. Best Bet at Eagle Farm: Provance Provance has gone from breaking his maiden to winning a Class 2 Handicap at Ipswich in his second racing preparation, and he looks to be a talented galloper. The David Vandyke-trained colt settled behind the leader over 1200m before taking over on the home turn to career away with a dominant 2.7-length win. With a lot of speed expected in this contest, Vlad Duric can settle Provance in the box seat from barrier three and receive the run of the race. Best Bet Race 7 – #3 Provance (3) 3yo Colt | T: David Vandyke | J: Vlad Duric (59.5kg) +250 with Dabble Next Best at Eagle Farm: The Inflictor Following two strong wins that included his victory in the $300,000 Gateway, The Inflictor had to settle for second place over 1200m at the Sunshine Coast in his most recent run. The Craig Cousins-trained gelding travelled three-wide for the entire trip without cover but still had the tenacity to battle on gamely. Now that the son of Under The Louvre rises to 1400m again, The Inflictor can settle in the first six and find a back to follow around the home turn before letting down with a strong finish. Next Best Race 9 – #8 The Inflictor (6) 4yo Gelding | T: Craig Cousins | J: Cejay Graham (55.5kg) +550 with Neds Best Value at Eagle Farm: Streak Of Winning The aptly named Streak Of Winning is yet to face defeat from two career starts, following back-to-back victories at the Sunshine Coast over 1000m and 1200m. The son of Spieth is a lightly raced four-year-old gelding, and even though he is still learning, the Stuart Kendrick-trained galloper has produced two impressive wins. Kyle Wilson-Taylor has chosen to stick with the up-and-coming sprinter, and if they can get into a forward position with cover from barrier 13, Streak Of Winning can bring up a hat-trick at +1600 with the top Australian bookmakers. Best Value Race 6 – #11 Streak Of Winning (13) 4yo Gelding | T: Stuart Kendrick | J: Kyle Wilson-Taylor (58.5kg) +1600 with Picklebet Saturday’s quaddie tips for Eagle Farm races Eagle Farm quadrella selections Saturday, January 18, 2025 2-3-14 2-3-5-6 4-8-9-16 3-8-9-10-13-16 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Superstar jockey returns to Sha Tin on Sunday before heading to Dubai for Romantic Warrior’s assault on the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m).View the full article

Trainer will tick off another little milestone in his career in the city when he saddles up Victor The Winner this Sunday.View the full article

What Flemington Races Where Flemington Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria When Saturday, January 18, 2025 First Race 12:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble For a second straight Saturday, metropolitan racing in Melbourne heads to Flemington, where a 10-race meeting is set down for decision. Despite their being no black-type races on the program, plenty of key runners are set to grace the track with autumn Group races on the horizon. The rail comes out 9m the entire circuit on a track rated a Good 4, with the first race set to jump at 12:15pm AEDT. Best Bet at Flemington: Samangu Samangu has strung together three smart victories to begin this campaign, including last time at Pakenham when falling in over 1200m. The trip clearly saw her out late, so the step back to the 1100m looks ideal for the Written By mare. This is her first look up the Flemington straight, but in a sprint that lacks any other speed influences, the race looks perfectly set up for Craig Williams to dictate terms and have Samangu’s rivals chasing her from barrier to box. Best Bet Race 4 – #5 Samangu (5) 4yo Mare | T: Grahame Begg | J: Craig Williams (58kg) +190 with Neds Next Best at Flemington: Wiggum There is no doubt that Wiggum should have won over the 1200m at this track last Saturday, and on the quick backup, should be going one better in similar company. The son of Rich Enuff was crucially held up for a run until the 200m mark, but once clear, exploded late, only to go down by a head to Shesallshenanigans. Blake Shinn takes over from apprentice Taylor Johnstone, and from barrier four looks to gain an ideal run in transit behind the lead. With even luck this time around, Wiggum should be winning. Next Best Race 6 – #8 Wiggum (4) 4yo Gelding | T: Travis Doudle | J: Blake Shinn (57kg) +340 with BlondeBet Best Value at Flemington: The Western Front The Western Front simply got too far back to feature in the finish over 1800m at his first look at Flemington, but with that experience under his belt, he looks a great each-way play with Picklebet in the last. The son of War Decree had strung together a couple of nice victories at Geelong and is poised to bounce back to form. If Daniel Stackhouse can have this guy settled midfield with a touch of cover, The Western Front should be close enough to unleash a winning burst down the heart of the track. Best Value Race 10 – #17 The Western Front (9) 4yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Daniel Stackhouse (58kg) +1200 with Picklebet Saturday’s quaddie tips for Flemington Flemington quadrella selections Saturday, January 18, 2025 1-2-3-7 3-10-13-15 4-6-7-8-12 5-8-12-14-16-17 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

What Rosehill Races Where Rosehill Gardens Racecourse – James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142 When Saturday, January 18, 2025 First Race 12:30pm AEDT Visit Dabble Metro racing returns to Rosehill on Saturday afternoon, with the Listed January Cup (2000m) headlining a bumper 10-race program. The rail moves out +3m the entire circuit for the meeting, and with significant rainfall forecast leading into the weekend, punters can expect a worsening Soft 7 circuit for race-day. All the action is scheduled to get underway at 12:30pm local time. January Cup Tip: Osipenko Osipenko appeared the winner last time out in the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) at Randwick on Boxing Day, only to be denied in a head-bobbing finish alongside Tavi Time. It was the best run of the preparation by the son of Pierro, suited by the drop in grade and stepping out to the 2000m for the first time in the campaign. He needs to peak again heading into this Listed contest, and although he needs to lug the top weight of 59kg to victory, Osipenko should have the class to put away this lot. January Cup Race 7 – #1 Osipenko (2) 5yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (59kg) +180 with Neds Best Bet at Rosehill: Wodeton We could have a new Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) favourite with horse racing bookmakers after the opening event, with the Chris Waller-trained Wodeton set to make his debut. The Wootton Bassett colt has oozed class in his two official barrier trials, with his latest piece of work at Warwick Farm on January 3 particularly catching the eye as James McDonald had the two-year-old under a stranglehold throughout. Watch for McDonald to slot in somewhere mid-field with cover, and provided Wodeton can replicate his trial form on race-day, this guy should justify the short price with BlondeBet. Best Bet Race 1 – #6 Wodeton (7) 2yo Colt | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (57kg) -111.11 with BlondeBet Next Best at Rosehill: Cigar Flick Cigar Flick looks supremely placed in this BM88 contest after back-to-back luckless performances in Queensland. The daughter of Churchill has figured consistently in much tougher assignments, including a runner-up placing behind Danny’s St Darci in the Listed Just Now Stakes (1300m) at Eagle Farm two starts back. James McDonald should get the perfect run from barrier four, and although Cigar Flick has been a costly commodity for punters this time in, this talented mare should finally repay the faith. Next Best Race 8 – #5 Cigar Flick (4) 4yo Mare | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (58.5kg) +320 with Picklebet Best Value at Rosehill: Lethal Thoughts Lethal Thoughts impressed returning from a 105-day spell at Geelong on January 4 and should strip fitter heading into this second-up assignment. The five-year-old was slow away first-up, with Saffie Osborne forced to drift back towards the rear of the field, leaving the son of So You Think too much work to do in the concluding stages. Anna Roper gets the chance to hold a position from stall one this time around, and provided he can handle the testing conditions, Lethal Thoughts must be considered a major player at the each-way price with Dabble. Best Value Race 9 – #4 Lethal Thoughts (1) 5yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Anna Roper (a3kg) (59.5kg) +800 with Dabble Saturday quaddie tips for Rosehill Rosehill quadrella selections January 18, 2025 1-5-6 2-3-4-5-6-11 1-3-4-7-12 2-5-7-9-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Mr Brightside and Craig Williams return to scale after winning the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Melbourne Racing Club chairman John Kanga has announced plans to have Caulfield ready for CF Orr Stakes Day on February 8, following last Tuesday’s fire in the Norman Robinson Stand. “At the moment, we are still under emergency orders from the local council, so we haven’t been able to get access to the building other than for restoration works,” Kanga told Racing.com. “As soon as that is handed over—and we anticipate that should take about seven days—it wasn’t a difficult decision to move the two meetings.” The January meetings, including the Blue Diamond Previews and three other black-type races on January 25, have been transferred to Sandown. Kanga also provided updates on the longer-term plans for the venue. “The two bars will definitely be out until spring at this stage from what we can tell, and that’s the safest way to do it to allow us to rebuild them to get them as good as they were, if not better,” he explained. In the interim, the club will create new experiences for members. “We will improvise and have some beautiful marquees out the front and temporary installations for our Medallion Bar. “What that will mean is getting our members closer to the track, as we anticipate having marquees right up to the fence.” The club’s main focus will be restoring key facilities. “Our priority is to get the Norman Robinson Stand up and away and to refurbish the Rupert Clarke Stand,” Kanga said. “What we are going to do is still bring the mounting yard back for the Blue Diamond, and the bigger works we anticipate undertaking post-Spring Carnival.” Horse racing news View the full article

Isthmus. (Photo by Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) Isthmus, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained mare, is being prepared for a potential trip to the UK for the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting. The four-year-old I Am Invincible mare last raced on November 2, claiming victory in the Group 3 Furphy Sprint (1100m). Before heading overseas, she is set to contest the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) and the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) this autumn to secure her spot. “She did really well in her break and she strengthened right up and seemed to move well this morning,” co-trainer Sam Freedman told Racing.com after Isthmus won an 800-metre jump-out at Caulfield Heath on Wednesday. Freedman emphasised the importance of Isthmus’s upcoming performances. “It’s form-based, so she needs to measure up at the top level over the course of this carnival, and if she does, (part-owner) Jonathan Munz is very keen to get her over there (to Royal Ascot).” “We had a chat with (part-owners) Arrowfield in Queensland as well, and they are on the same page that if her form warrants it, that certainly she could get a trip over.” Horse racing news View the full article

What Pakenham Races Where Southside Racing Pakenham – 420 Nar Nar Goon – Longwarry Rd, Tynong VIC 3810 When Friday, January 17, 2025 First Race 5:30pm AEDT Visit Dabble Pakenham Racecourse is the destination for Friday night racing in Victoria for another week, with an eight-race meeting set down for decision once again. The track has come up a Good 4 at the time of acceptances, while the rail will be out 9m the entire circuit like it was last Friday night. The first event is set to jump at 5:30pm AEDT. Best Bet at Pakenham: Chicago King Chicago King has been knocking down the door to break his maiden and may not get a better chance than what he does on Friday night. The Street Boss gelding made a mess of the start at Cranbourne, and despite finishing second beaten under a length, the three-year-old gelding was always going to find it tough to win. If Shane Foley can get him out of the gates cleanly, Chicago King should have no issue in finding a nice spot midfield throughout. Armed with a nice turn of foot, the 1600m looks ideal for Chicago King third-up. Best Bet Race 5 – #3 Chicago King (5) 3yo Gelding | T: Anthony & Sam Freedman | J: Shane Foley (58kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Pakenham: Malletier The Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained Malletier justified his short price with horse racing bookmakers when breaking maiden ranks at Wangaratta. The three-year-old gelding was able to dictate terms throughout and won by close to two-lengths with a fair bit left in reserve. The son of Nicconi looks to have a bit of class about him and if Billy Egan can find the rail from barrier eight, or at worst, sit outside lead, Malletier should prove too hard to run down once again. Next Best Race 3 – #10 Malletier (8) 3yo Gelding | T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | J: Billy Egan (57.5kg) Bet with BlondeBet Next Best Again at Pakenham: Pacific Cross Pacific Cross received no luck last time out at Mornington and comes back to Pakenham looking to right those wrongs in the finale. The four-year-old mare was shuffled towards the back of the field on the home turn, and despite working home strongly when finishing second, beaten 1.5 lengths was never a winning hope from that point. From barrier eight, Billy Egan will look to have her in the moving line throughout, and when asked for an ultimate effort, Pacific Cross should be able to build through the gears and blouse her rivals. Next Best Again Race 8 – #6 Pacific Cross (8) 4yo Mare | T: Mike Moroney & Glen Thompson | J: Billy Egan (58.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Friday quaddie tips for Pakenham Pakenham quadrella selections January 17, 2025 3-12 8-9-11-12 1-2-3-8-9-11 6-10 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Jordan Childs returns to the mounting yard aboard Samangu after winning at Pakenham. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Samangu, a four-year-old mare trained by Grahame Begg, will aim for her fourth consecutive win this campaign when she lines up in an 1100-metre race at Flemington on Saturday. The Written By mare’s latest success came at Pakenham in December, following a maiden victory at Ballarat and a front-running triumph at Caulfield Heath. Begg is confident in her chances, particularly with her draw in barrier five. “It’s the perfect draw,” the trainer remarked. “She’s free-running, naturally fast, but it’s not easy leading all the way, especially at Pakenham. “I think it was pretty well displayed that day how hard it was to lead and win, and it doesn’t matter what distance you’re running over. “The horses which were up there with her, they dropped off, so she put up a good performance, and the form has been franked also.” Samangu has been given a light preparation since her last race, which Begg believes will stand her in good stead. “She’s freshened up nicely and had a week down on the water treadmill and a bit of R & R, and we’re very happy with her,” he said. “We don’t have to throw her in the deep end just yet, so we’ll try to keep on building her record up.” Horse racing news View the full article

The Stronach Group (TSG) has told Florida industry stakeholders they can guarantee racing at Gulfstream Park only through 2028 if a proposed bill to decouple Thoroughbred horseracing from casino licenses passes the state legislature. In a closed-door meeting with the Florida horsemen and women Wednesday morning—a recording of which was obtained by TDN—Keith Brackpool, a former TSG executive now reportedly working in an advisory capacity for the company, also warned that “if there's no decoupling, then there's no guarantee of when we will continue to race,” according to the recording. The stance has caused trepidation throughout the industry that Gulfstream's days are numbered. “We can close down whenever we want to,” Brackpool also warned at a different point in the recording. Several times throughout the recording, Brackpool discussed how the legislation was needed to help attract investors for redevelopment opportunities at the property, like a new casino and hotel. Brackpool also repeatedly emphasized the real estate value of the Gulfstream Park property, which is believed to be in the region of 245 acres (about 140 acres of which is reportedly used for horse racing purposes). “There are no racetracks in highly coveted developed urban areas,” Brackpool said at one point on the recording, discussing the long-term future for the racetrack. “You're looking at land here worth several million dollars an acre. And the reality is, nobody can continue to race on land that is worth several million dollars an acre without appropriate redevelopment, at the very least, surrounding the horseracing property,” said Brackpool. Earlier this month, 1/ST Racing and Gaming—which sits under TSG corporate umbrella—issued a statement saying it had the support of the state's horsemen's group for the “decoupling” legislation. The law as it stands right now requires Gulfstream Park to run live racing to operate its casino. In this current deal, the horsemen and women are guaranteed a slice of casino revenues for purses. At one point during the meeting, one of the attendees asks the crowd (made up of trainers, owners and breeders) how many of them support House Bill 105. According to the recording, there was no show of support for the decoupling legislation. According to the recording, Brackpool said that he sat down with the horsemen's organization in August and “guaranteed in writing” the following details if the decoupling legislation passes: That TSG would continue to pay the current share of revenues from the casino into the purse account. That TSG would pick up “a large part” of the state horsemen and women's workers' comp premiums. “And we agreed to donate a significant amount of handle to the aftercare program,” said Brackpool. The annual slice of casino revenues to purses is reportedly around $6.2 million. The additional monies that TSG offered (including workers comp and aftercare support) would increase the amount to $7.5 annually. Brackpool did not specify for how long those written guarantees were for, according to the recording, though he did repeatedly mention how any successful passage of the decoupling legislation would only guarantee racing at the facility through 2028. According to the recording, when pressed about the future of the facility after 2028 (even if the legislation passed), Brackpool posited that for horseracing in the state to survive, racing operations might have to switch from Gulfstream Park to a different venue. “Should the track move to another urban location? Should we move to a more remote location near a breeding facility? Those are the things we need to consider at this stage,” said Brackpool, according to the recording. At times, Brackpool's responses appeared to lead to some confusion. While the decoupling legislation has been framed as a means to entice investors for a new casino, Brackpool also downplayed the potential revenues from such a new casino. “What I am saying to you is that the 140, 150 acres that is used by racing in this vein, is worth so much more than any income from the casino,” Brackpool said, according to recording. “If we did not decouple, then we would look at development opportunities that did not include a casino,” Brackpool said. “The casino is no easy money,” Brackpool added, warning of the possible advent of iGaming. He also raised the possibility of residential redevelopment. A little later in the recording, Brackpool was pressed about some of the company's ventures in other states like Maryland, which has seen, among other things, ownership of Pimlico Race Course transferred from TSG to the state and the establishment of a year-round training facility for Maryland's horsemen and women operated by an industry run non-profit. In response, Brackpool mused about Gulfstream Park, “this may well be a case where private ownership of a horseracing facility doesn't make any sense,” he says on the recording. Since TSG issued its statement on Jan. 7 saying that it had the support of the state's horsemen's organization for the bill, the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association came out against the legislation. And those present at Wednesday's meeting also appeared opposed to such a move. “Let me just tell you right now, if you all focus on the casino as being the issue that's going to force this family to continue to race, that will be one of the mistakes that in 20 years from now everybody will be talking about,” said Brackpool when pressed about the proposed casino, according to the recording. Trainer Dale Romans replied: “In three years they'll be talking about it, it sounds like to me.” The post Brackpool to Florida Stakeholders: `There Are No Racetracks in Highly Coveted Developed Urban Areas’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's 5-year-old millionaire Newgrange has been elevated to the main field on the final invitation list for the $3.015 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm Lexington, Ky – The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale concluded its three-day run Wednesday in Lexington with figures largely in line with its four-day 2024 edition. Through three days, 685 head grossed $33,444,900 for an average of $48,825 and a median of $22,000. The average increased 6% and the median rose 47% from last year's four-day sale when 831 horses grossed $38,330,300 for an average of $46,126 and a median of $15,000. The buy-back rate was 26.34% this year compared to 22.84% a year ago. “I think it was a good sale,” said Keeneland's Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “I think we have to look at it in the context of the different format. So if you look at the through-the-ring numbers from last year's four days to this year's three days, we had a much higher median. It was just $22,000 from $15,000, but significant, showing the lower end of the market had some substance to it. The RNA rate was a tick up. The average was up a tick. We offered about 14% fewer horses and we are down 14% on gross. So really things were in step with last year.” Post-sale transactions saw 38 horses sell for an additional gross of $1,681,000, bringing the total auction gross to $35,125,900 for an average of $48,584. In 2024, 33 post-sale transactions sold for $2,289,000 for a total gross of $40,619,300 and an average of $47,013. That steadiness of the market is a positive for the industry, according to Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “What is encouraging is that there is nothing overheating or depressed,” Lacy said “It's very steady and consistent. The sellers, for the most part, have been very happy with the way the market has been. It's fair. It's very fair. And you can't ask for more than that. Consistency is the key. Increases are great, but consistency is very important.” Hip 1301, Lil Drummer Girl | Keeneland Lil Drummer Girl (Street Sense), a 3-year-old unraced broodmare or racing prospect (hip 1301), brought the top price of Wednesday's session when selling for $200,000 to Iapetus Racing. Consigned by Denali Stud on behalf of River Bend Farm, the filly is out of Beat the Drums (Smart Strike) and is a half-sister to graded winner Dynamic One (Union Rags). “[The market] was solid for the catalogue that was here,” said Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales Agency. “Quality maiden mares are very difficult to buy. We had a lot of clients that were shopping for those. There was a mare that just brought $200,000 and we followed her up. We thought maybe she was going to bring half of that. Then we thought maybe she was going to be 75% of that. And then she ended up bringing $200,000.” Taylor continued, “As far as the mares are, you see the shrinking foal crop. And one of the reasons you're seeing the shrinking foal crop is the carrying costs and the upkeep of these mares that are under $75,000, it's not making sense [financially] for a lot of people. So there's this flight to quality. And even in our own customer base, we're having customers that used to buy those kind of mares. Now, instead of buying a mare for $100,000, they'd rather partner with some people and buy a leg of a mare for $100,000 and buy a $400,000 mare. I think the carrying costs are really what's keeping the market a little depressed at those lower levels.” Hip 951 in the ring | Keeneland Short yearlings by Tiz the Law topped the third session of the January sale, with a colt by the Coolmore stallion (hip 912) consigned by Hunter Valley Farm bringing a final bid of $160,000 from Najd Stud and a filly by the GI Belmont Stakes winner (hip 951) consigned by Mulholland Springs selling for $110,000 to Dixiana Farm. Najd Stud, the breeding and racing operation of Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz, purchased 17 head at the three-day sale for a gross of $696,000 and an average of $40,941. The Saudi operation, fourth leading buyer at the auction, led a deep bench of international buyers who worked through snow, ice and frigid temperatures to participate in the sale. “There were a lot of international buyers,” Lacy said. “More so from Europe than we've seen or expected, and great participation from the Middle East, and Australia. There was activity from Japan. There was great, broad-based support, which is great. The weather didn't stop anybody. It obviously adds a little extra challenge, but it didn't stop anyone from being here. I want to thank our crew and consignors and agents who went out there and worked the sale because it was a little challenging leading up to it just to get the place ready. We are just really proud of the crew that got the grounds ready and the consignors and agents that got here.” Through three days, 360 short yearlings sold at this year's January sale for an average of $44,055 and a median of $25,000. A colt by Tapit was the auction's top-priced yearling when selling for $400,000. During the 2024 January sale, 382 short yearlings sold through the ring for an average of $38,866 and a median of $12,000. An additional 22 were post-sale transactions, bringing the average to $37,774. Three yearlings sold for $400,000. There were 48 six-figure yearlings in this year's sale, compared to 42 in 2024. Keeneland's Cormac Breathnach and Tony Lacy Wednesday | Keeneland “I think the single biggest positive was the yearling market was really tough to buy in,” Breathnach said. “There are a lot of reasons to feel good about the yearling market for next year based on what we saw here. That plays into the international participation because we hear from people from other countries who are interested in diversifying into pinhooking and different opportunities in the U.S. because the market has been solid and the racing product and purses are good. It all feels like it has positive momentum. And there are always ways to find value in the market. It's a very large market here and they like that.” Both consignors and buyers continued to remark on familiar themes in the January market. “It's the same trend as usual,” said Gabriel Duignan of Paramount Sales. “The ones they are on are selling good, but the bottom end is sticky. It's a January sale and it's probably what I expected. It's not easy to buy and it's not easy to sell. If you follow one up that you really like, there is a lot of competition. If you are trying to sell one that isn't hitting, it's tough going and you better be realistic. I think that's where we are.” Asked for his impression of the market at Keeneland this week, bloodstock agent David Ingordo said, “We weren't shopping that hard, but we always look. I thought anything that was perceived to be quality brought a good price, so I don't think it's a lack of interest. Short yearlings were tough to buy. There was a lot of interest in those. The mares, it wasn't the deepest catalogue we've ever had in January, so what was good brought prime plus and broodmare prospects that you could breed to what you wanted, or if she was in foal to a nice horse, it brought good money. I just think this was a good sale to move some horses along.” The post ‘Consistency Is Key:’ Keeneland January Sale Produces Steady Results appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Vlad Duric. (Photo by Ross Holburt/Racing Photos) Vlad Duric is set to have his first ride in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on Friday, partnering with the Donna Stanbridge-trained Secret Sort in the prestigious $3 million event. The Victorian-born jockey, who spent nearly 15 years in Singapore, returned to Brisbane last year. After dealing with a persistent knee injury, he has recently resumed riding. “I took three months off with my knee problems,” Duric explained. “It took a little while to get up to fitness again, to be honest, being that little bit older, and I don’t really want to be having that long off again. “But in the last couple of weeks, I’ve really tightened up and I’m starting to feel really bouncing and good, which is great.” Secret Sort broke his maiden at his second start in November, followed by a third-place finish in the Listed Phelan Ready Plate (1110m) and a fourth in the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes (1200m) on December 21, where Duric was in the saddle. Reflecting on the latter performance, Duric said, “He’s very fast out of the machine. He showed a lot of speed at his first few starts, but they wanted me to ride him from behind the other day. “He got into that position nicely but then got stuck back on the inside and didn’t get a lot of room in the straight.” Describing the young colt, Duric added, “He’s a very well-educated, bombproof two-year-old, but he’s just a little on the small side, so that’s the only thing with him. “But he’s going to make his own luck and be there, and you know he could definitely pick up a fat end of the cheque.” Horse racing news View the full article