Wandering Eyes

NEWMARKET, UK — After a weekend of brutally cold winds and rain at Park Paddocks, summer decided to reappear to bless the final yearling viewing day at Tattersalls with warm sunshine. An omen of bright days ahead, perhaps? Or if you're not a fan of symbolism, a more concrete guide to what could be in store over the next three days of Book 1 of the October Sale may have been gleaned from a car park full to the brim by early morning on Monday as the crowd rolled in from a weekend in Paris. Some people are yet to recover from the shock of last year's Book 1, when more than 129 million gns was spent on 345 fledgling racehorses in the space of three heady sessions. It's a hard act to follow, for sure, but unlike last year, this season's yearling sales have been far more ebullient up to this stage already, with gains posted at pretty much all levels of the market and that robust top end seemingly as impervious to outside events as ever. Last year, it was the Frankel filly out of Aljazzi who ensured that Newsells Park Stud was once again in pole position on the vendors' list, and this time around the same team will present a full-brother to the sale-topper early in the proceedings as lot 15, just two lots after a first-crop daughter of Blackbeard from the same draft who was delivered the best possible update on Sunday when her half-sister Barnavara (Calyx) won the G1 Prix de l'Opera. Newsells Park again has strength and depth in its draft, as do the likes of the established names of the Castlebridge Consignment, Watership Down Stud and Highclere Stud among others. But for every behemoth there's a boutique draft, and this year's Book 1 includes a few first-time entrants. One of those is Rigsdale Stud, run by Barry Kennedy and Anna Murphy, who started the year well when winning the Next Generation Award at the prestigious ITBA Awards, and have a good end in store with the arrival of their first baby next month. While Murphy concentrates on that important job for the meantime, Kennedy is at Tattersalls demonstrating the hands-on approach which has already stood the couple in good stead. Rigsdale Stud's first Book 1 offering is lot 342, a Starspangledbanner half-sister to the Listed winner and G2 Queen Mary Stakes-placed Maria Branwell (James Garfield). “We bought the mare here at the July Sale some years ago for 6,000gns,” said Kennedy of the filly's unraced dam Princess Pearl (Teofilo) in between showing the yearling to a stream of viewers. “We always said to ourselves that the dream would be one day to sell a yearling at Book 1 so it is great to be here.” Kennedy and Murphy work full-time for Coolmore's Castlehyde Stud and Kennedy said that he is grateful for the support and encouragement of his colleagues. Last year, they sold a Footstepsinthesand colt out of Princess Pearl for 68,000gns at the Tattersalls Somerville Sale and, now named Ballybunion, he has already finished runner-up on just his second start for Michael Bell. Starspangledbanner -filly-300x218.jpg" alt="" width="578" height="420" /> Barry Kennedy with his Starspangledbanner filly | Emma Berry Rigsdale Stud's other select one-horse drafts at the sales this year have included selling a Sioux Nation colt at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale for £100,000 and a Harry Angel colt at the Goffs Orby Sale for €55,000. Another Book 1 debutant is Peter Nolan Bloodstock, the consigning name of husband-and-wife team Peter and Katy Nolan, who had a top-three finish at the recent Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale when selling a €165,000 Blackbeard colt to Ted Durcan. Blackbeard features among the Nolans' draft of three for Book 1, this time with a filly, along with a sleek, dark brown son of Ghaiyyath and a daughter of leading first-season sire Starman. “We've been involved more with Flat horses in the last four or five years,” said Peter Nolan, who also has a solid National Hunt background, while his wife Katy was well known in Britain as a point-to-point rider. “Katy was mad for doing more of this and I always liked the Flat and have bought horses for Noel Meade, but since herself came on board, we've concentrated a lot more on this. National Hunt is grand, but you have to keep them for longer, and you only have these boys for ten months. “We try to keep the numbers small. Two of these are pinhooks and one belongs to a client. The Ghaiyyath colt [lot 12] we bought as a foal from Dermot Weld, who also bred the stallion, and he's an absolute beauty.” Nolan added, “Katy used to work for Jenny Norris [of Norris Bloodstock] at the sales over the years and she always dreamt of having her own draft, so I'm delighted for her that she's here now.” Many of the world's leading owners and breeders have already gathered in Newmarket, with more big names expected for the start of the sale on Tuesday at 11am. If the pattern of trade follows that already witnessed in Saratoga, Deauville, Lexington, Ireland and elsewhere in Britain so far this year – and there is no reason to suppose that it won't – then vendors and buyers alike, and even bloodstock journalists, will be in for a frenetic week. The post Book 1 Debutants Living The Dream as Tattersalls October Gets Ready to Roll appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What has been a competitive yearling sales season makes a two-day stop in Central Florida with the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's October Yearlings Sale to be held Tuesday and Wednesday in Ocala. A total of 507 horses, including 48 supplemental entries, have been catalogued for the sale, with Tuesday's opening session featuring hips one through 258 and Wednesday's session offering hips 301 through 551. Each session begins at noon. “We're all anticipating a good sale, and it looks like a lot of people are coming into town,” said consignor Francis Vanlangendonck of Summerfield Sales. “A lot of people did not get horses bought and I've had a lot of phone calls from people wondering what I had.” With a hurricane bearing down on the region a year ago, sales officials were forced to make a last-minute scheduling change and moved the October sale up a day. A total of 297 yearlings sold at the reshuffled auction for a gross of $5,724,600. The average was $19,275 and the median was $10,000. A filly by Complexity brought the 2024 auction's top price of $150,000 when purchased by the Gladwells' Top Line Sales. Reoffered at this year's OBS March sale, the filly sold for $385,000. An Independence Hall half-sister to last year's sale topper will be offered Wednesday through Thoroughstock as hip 320. Vanlangendonck expects the pinhooking bench to be active again at this year's auction. “[The pinhookers] will be here looking and picking out the better ones,” he said. “It's going to be a good market for the horses that vet well and have good conformation.” The post OBS October Yearlings Sale Opens Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Marcstown Ltd and Andrew Rosen's 550,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate Sacred Ground (Kingman), a John and Thady Gosden-trained daughter of G1 Oaks and G1 Prix de Royallieu heroine Anapurna (Frankel), made a winning debut with a last-to-first effort in Monday's bettingsites.co.uk Betting Sites Fillies' Novice Stakes at Great Yarmouth. Trailing all four rivals after a sluggish break, the 11-8 favourite made headway under pressure to launch her bid approaching the furlong pole and was pushed out to deny long-time leader Food For Thought (Dubawi) by 3/4-of-a-length in ultimately snug fashion. Sacred Ground is the third of five foals and second winner out of the aforementioned Anapurna, herself kin to G3 Tetrarch Stakes runner-up Dynasty (Danehill Dancer) and Listed Hoppings Stakes third Very Dashing (Dansili). The February-foaled bay's second dam is stakes-winning G1 Fillies' Mile and G1 Yorkshire Oaks placegetter Dash To The Top (Montjeu). Sacred Ground is half to a yearling filly by Palace Pier, who is set to go under the hammer as Lot 25 during Tuesday's opening session of this year's Book 1 sale, and a weanling colt by Dubawi. Bred to be special! By Kingman and out of Oaks winner Anapurna, Sacred Ground makes the perfect start to her racing career with a taking performance on debut for John and Thady Gosden…@GTYarmouthRaces | @WilliamBuickX pic.twitter.com/ZGT6i9s6Su — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 6, 2025 The post Oaks Heroine Anapurna’s Daughter Sacred Ground Makes Winning Debut at Great Yarmouth appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

One of the concerns of the most recent breeding season was the relative dearth of stallions retired to stud, particularly in Britain, for 2025. That should not be a concern for the forthcoming year, with a number of retirements already announced and more likely to follow. Leading the charge, appropriately, is Juddmonte's Lead Artist, who arrived at Banstead Manor Stud last week and is available for breeders to view during the October Sales. In a year in which Night Of Thunder has surged ahead of his own sire to head the stallion table in Britain and Ireland it is no bad time to be retiring another son of Dubawi, and particularly one who hails from a signature Juddmonte family. When Prince Khalid Abdullah made the decision to purchase Sookera (Roberto) from Robert Sangster, he could hardly have known then the significance it would have for his burgeoning Juddmonte empire. The champion juvenile filly in Britain in 1977, Sookera's legacy continues to grow almost half a century later, chiefly through her diminutive granddaughter Hasili (Kahyasi), who became a cornerstone for Juddmonte. Three of Hasili's sons – the full-brothers Dansili, Champs Elysees and Cacique – have stood at Banstead Manor Stud on the outskirts of Newmarket and, just as importantly, her daughters have continued to prove their worth within the Juddmonte broodmare band. To date, there are 53 Group 1 performers among Hasili's descendants, and it is her final foal Responsible (Oasis Dream) who features as the granddam of Lead Artist through her Group 2-winning daughter Obligate (Frankel). That Lead Artist's first two dams are by current members of the Juddmonte stallion roster is the icing on what amounts to an enticing cake when introducing a new Group 1 winner to the roster. Though Lead Artist's fee is as yet undecided, it is fair to say that he will stand at a level which will make him accessible for a wide sector of breeders. “I think he's probably going to be a very commercial horse,” said Juddmonte's general manager Simon Mockridge as Lead Artist was shown to members of the press on Monday morning. “He's going to sit in that 10-to-20,000 range.” He continued, “For us, it's great to have him here. Purely and simply it's a continuation of that great line. We had so much success with Dansili and through [his son] Bated Breath even. It's just nice to have a [great] grandson back here. At one time we had the three brothers together, with Dansili, Champs Elysees and Cacique, and Cacique unfortunately probably could have been the best of the lot, but was sub-fertile.” Sent into training with John and Thady Gosden, Lead Artist was unraced at two owing to a fissure fracture of his knee but he broke his maiden in convincing fashion on his second start at three during York's Dante meeting. By high summer he had won the G3 Glorious Stakes before finishing second to Kinross in the G2 Park Stakes and then landing the G3 Darley Stakes over nine furlongs at Newmarket. Over the winter he contested Bahrain's G2 International Trophy, in which he finished second to Frankel's son Spirit Dancer. Lead Artist's four runs this season have resulted in just one victory, but it was a good one: in the G1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May, he had the Group 1 winners Rosallion, Notable Speech, Fallen Angel and Tamfana behind him when winning in the second-fastest time recorded for the mile contest. “He's got great balance,” Mockridge said. “The lovely thing about him is that has been all the way through from being a foal – he was quite a big foal when he was born, he was 132lbs, which is a good size. And he was always described, even then, with great balance, power, very strong, good head on him, and even all the way through his breaking career he was rated eight, so he was one of the top two or three of his cohort.” He added, “He's a very relaxed horse, nice temperament, easy to work with. I hope that he's going to be popular and, as we can see today, he's a very easy horse to like, and he's physically very correct, walks well, very nice horse. I think he'll suit a lot of people.” On a bright autumn morning with the sun bouncing off Lead Artist's dark bay coat, it is hard to disagree with Mockridge's assessment. As it's never too early to start thinking about next year's matings, if you find yourself with an hour to spare in Newmarket over the next fortnight, you can make up your own mind with a trip to Banstead Manor Stud. The post ‘It’s a Continuation of That Great Line’: Lead Artist Arrives at Banstead Manor Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Over the past decade, Baoma Corp. has become synonymous with elite horses competing at the sport's highest level. But for those who know Susan and Charlie Chu personally, it's their unwavering dedication to their horses that stands out most. “They take good care of their horses and protect them,” said the Chus' longtime trainer Bob Baffert. “That's why they do so well. They've had a lot of luck and a lot of success. They're not only great clients, but they're great friends of mine and they love racing.” “Susan cares more about the horse than the money and the achievement,” echoed Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura. “Whether they're Grade l winners or they haven't broken maiden, they're all the same for her. Their horses get the ultimate care, and if there is ever any question of if we should do one thing or another, they want to do what's very best for the horse.” It's no coincidence, then, that the Chus' passion for the animals has fueled Baoma Corp.'s rise. Year after year, their stable produces stakes-level quality. Natives of Taiwan, the Chus formed Baoma Corp. over 10 years ago. Since then, their colors have been carried by standout colts like 2016 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Drefong (Gio Ponti) and this year, MGSW and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile hopeful Nysos (Nyquist). But it has been the fillies who have defined the operation, several of whom have gone on to headline Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars Sale. In 2020, three-time Grade I winner Bast (Uncle Mo) sold for $4.2 million in foal to Justify. Last year, Private Mission (Into Mischief) brought $2.6 million and Eda (Munnings) went for $2.55 million. Now, it is Tenma's turn to step into the spotlight at Fasig-Tipton. The daughter of Nyquist captured the 2024 GI Del Mar Debutante and claimed three other graded races, establishing herself as one of the leaders of her division in California. “Tenma continues the line of Grade I-winning fillies that have been sold at Fasig-Tipton for the Chus,” said Boyd Browning. “It's nice to see people who make a commitment to the industry be rewarded with success. They certainly have done that for many years and hopefully for many years to come.” “When you consistently have top-quality offerings that win major races, there's a recognition from buyers that these horses come from a fine program,” added Sikura, who will be consigning Tenma. “The Chus have proven to have the ultimate class and win at the highest level. That's what international breeders and commercial breeders are looking for–horses with sales profile, racing performance, pedigree and physicality. Virtually all of their offerings have a consistent blend of all those things.” Like most of the Baoma Corp. recruits, Tenma was selected by the powerhouse buying team of Bob Baffert and agent Donato Lanni. Bred by Bobby Flay, she brought $850,000 as a 2-year-old. Tenma stretching her legs this summer at Del Mar | Horsephotos “One thing about Donato Lanni and myself when we are going to look for these fillies, we are looking for physicals first,” Baffert noted. “When you brought her out of the stall, she looked expensive. She's a beautiful physical and she's by one of the hottest sires in Nyquist. It was one of those things where the potential was there and it was up to me to get it out of her.” Making her debut last August at Del Mar, the filly broke a step slow but came flying around the turn and swept past rivals to win by a neck. Again in the Del Mar Debutante, she stalked the pace and picked off rivals, battling future Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) to win by nose. “Her class got her there,” Baffert said of both efforts. “We're proud of the fact that she showed that grit that you like to see in these fillies. All of my good fillies and mares have had so much grit and they know where the wire is. After that she won the GII Starlet Stakes. Looking back, I probably should have run her in the Breeders' Cup.” At three, Tenma extended her winning streak with a 6½-length victory in the GIII Las Virgenes Stakes and a more than two-length win in the GII Santa Anita Oaks. She later finished fourth in the GI Kentucky Oaks and third in the GIII Torrey Pines Stakes. “She had a little sickness so that's why we weren't able to run her more, but she always stayed sound and we just ran out of time,” said Baffert. “I think there's still much more improvement there because I think she'll get better with age.” Catalogued as a racing or broodmare prospect, Tenma will sell as Hip 164 at Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars. The filly's stakes-winning second dam, Twirl (Galileo {Ire}), is a full-sister to champion Ballydoyle (Ire) and four-time Group 1 victress Misty For Me (Ire), the latter the dam of U S Navy Flag and Roly Poly, both Grade I winners by War Front. Susan and Charles Chu celebrate Tenma's win in the 2025 GII Santa Anita Oaks | Benoit “Tenma's pedigree is really international in nature,” said Sikura. “And I think as good as this pedigree is, it's very likely to get better in a significant way with graded winners all over the world. Her pedigree suggests that she could be dirt or turf, therefore she is an international type of prospect which is really unique.” “The really interesting thing about Tenma when you look at her broodmare sires and her pedigree page is that she's out of a Tapit mare who is out of a Galileo mare who is out of a Storm Cat mare,” Browning added. “You're talking about generational talents. You combine that with one of the leading sires in North American in Nyquist, it's quite an impressive collection of genetics.” Coming off an exceptional year in 2024 with four Grade I winners, Nyquist is on track for another strong season. Two weeks ago, Johannes and Cavalieri, both Grade I-winning progeny, stamped their presence as leaders of their divisions ahead of the Breeders' Cup by securing Grade II scores at Santa Anita. Baoma Corp. has enjoyed strong results with Nyquist. Nysos, a four-time graded stakes winner who most recently claimed the GII San Diego Handicap, joins Tenma as one of the Darley's sires leading earners this year. Baffert is hoping that wherever Tenma's next chapter takes her, it might eventually lead back to his barn. For now though, he said the star filly has already delivered on every expectation. “I wouldn't mind having her back,” he said with a grin. “But a Grade I winner by Nyquist, it's a home run out of the park especially with her physical. Everybody knows that the horses we buy have to have great physicals to get in this barn. We're looking for fillies that have a chance to compete at the top level and she never missed a beat. She was everything that we thought of and the dream came true.” The post Passion Breeds Success: Tenma Next Fasig-Tipton Star for Baoma Corp. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ceistiu, the dam of this year's Royal Ascot and Qatar Goodwood Festival winner Merchant, will be offered at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale, which takes place from November 21-22. The daughter of Vocalised is a full-sister to the multiple Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Steip Amach, while her half-sisters include the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes winner Ceisteach (New Approach) and Fidaaha (New Approach), the dam of last year's G1 National Stakes winner Scorthy Champ. The nine-year-old Ceistiu, who is in foal to Mehmas, the sire of Scorthy Champ, will be consigned by Clare Manning's Boherguy Stud on behalf of breeder Jim Bolger. “We're looking forward to offering a most attractive young mare – already the dam of a highly exciting Group winner in Merchant and from a very happening pedigree,” said Bolger. “She is also in foal to an exceptional stallion, Mehmas.” Trained by William Haggas, Merchant was a dominant winner of the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot, before taking the step up to Group company in his stride with a narrow defeat of Wimbeldon Hawkeye in the G3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. The son of Teofilo was due to put his Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe credentials to the test in September's G2 Prix Niel at ParisLongchamp, but those plans had to be shelved after the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned colt suffered a setback. Goffs chief executive Henry Beeby said, “Merchant looks an extremely exciting prospect for the future after his Ascot and Goodwood victories, and the chance to buy his dam, in foal to the brilliant Mehmas, is hugely appealing. We are grateful to Mr Bolger for once again entrusting Goffs with a mare of this calibre, which follows a number of successful collaborations over the years, not least with the likes of Banimpire who topped Goffs November at €2.3 million. “The Goffs November Sale has long been a leading source of Group 1 producers, and this year's catalogue, featuring Ceistiu alongside outstanding drafts from HH Aga Khan Studs, Godolphin, Moyglare and so many more, is shaping up to be another unmissable event for international buyers.” The post Ceistiu, Dam of Royal Ascot and Group Winner Merchant, Heads to Goffs November appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Social media influencer Griffin Johnson and XBTV analyst and host Zoe Cadman will co-host Thoroughbred Charities of America's Bash at the Breeders' Cup presented by Churchill Downs Incorporated Oct. 31 at the Del Mar Hilton. The evening will offer savory bites, handcrafted cocktails, live music, and a live auction to benefit the TCA. Tickets to the event are availabe here. Live auction items to be offered will include a Del Mar racing package, a box at the Whitney Stakes in Saratoga, a box at the Blue Grass Stakes, a stay at the Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, 2026 Breeders' Cup tickets, and a two-night stay at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. To preview auction times, click here. Email Erin Halliwell at ehalliwell@tca.org to bid by phone. In addition to Churchill Downs Incorporated, other sponsors of the Bash include Rocket Ship Racing, Haymarket Farm, DJ Stable, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Always Dream Foundation, Candy Meadows Farm, Little Red Feather Cares, Machmer Hall, Herringswell Stables, Tito's Vodka, Maker's Mark, Teremana Tequila, and Jackson Family Wines. Media sponsors include TDN, BloodHorse, Paulick Report, and the Horse Racing Radio Network. Thoroughbred Charities of America was formed in 1990 to raise and distribute funds to charities in the Thoroughbred industry that provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. This year, TCA granted over $1 million to 98 approved charities working within Thoroughbred retraining, rehoming and retirement; backstretch and farm worker services, research and equine-assisted therapy. The post Griffin Johnson, Zoe Cadman to Host TCA Bash at the Breeders’ Cup Fundraiser appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Half Yours has been backed heavily to win the Caulfield Cup after a fast finishing fourth in the Turnbull Stakes. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) Two horses have been handed weight penalties for the $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) which will be held on Saturday week, following their respective victories over the weekend. Ciaron Maher’s Royal Supremacy, winner of The Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday, rises from 51kg to 52.5kg in the weight scale having received a penalty of 1.5kg for the Caulfield showpiece. Dominant Group 3 Bart Cummings (2500m) winner Valiant King, who ran ninth in last year’s Caulfield Cup for Chris Waller, rises from 51kg to 52kg in the weight scale having received a penalty of 1kg for this year’s edition. The penalties see Royal Supremacy and Valiant King progress to 26th and 27th respectively in the Caulfield Cup order of entry with both horses currently $15 with racing betting sites behind race favourite Half Yours (52.5kg), who ran a slashing fourth in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on Saturday. Half Yours is now the $3.50 favourite for the Caulfield Cup, after opening as long as $27 with Picklebet. Both Royal Supremacy and Valiant King also hold entries for the $10 million Melbourne Cup (3200m), with Valiant King securing the fourth live golden ticket into the race that stops a nation alongside Parchment Party, Deakin and Revelare thanks to his Bart Cummings victory. Although both horses remain at 51kg in the iconic race due to the 2kg difference in weight scales between the two Cups this year, the penalty effectively applies against the weight-for-age scale so Royal Supremacy progresses to 32nd in the order of entry. “It was an easy win for Royal Supremacy on Saturday, he moved into the race effortlessly at the top of the straight and was too strong through the line for his rivals,” said David Hegan, Racing Victoria’s (RV) Head of Handicapping. “As a result, he was worthy of a reassessment and takes a 1.5kg Caulfield Cup penalty to rise off the limit of 51kg to 52.5kg while moving up seven spots to 26th in the order of entry. “This places him one spot in the order behind Birdman who carried 1.5kg more than Royal Supremacy in the Metropolitan, but would meet him on level weight terms for that 2.6 length defeat. “In the Bart Cummings, off the very strong pace set by Gilded Water, many were found wanting in the latter stages of the race but Valiant King was the exception, barnstorming from the back of the field to win by an expanding 2.75 lengths on the line. “His runaway victory earns him a 1kg Caulfield Cup penalty off the limit of 51kg to 52kg while moving up 10 spots to 27th in the order of entry. “Neither horse takes a weight penalty for the Melbourne Cup and while Valiant King secured ballot exemption on Saturday, Royal Supremacy does progress up the order nine places from 41st to 32nd given that he is now 9kg below the weight-for-age benchmark for an older male. “Both horse’s true Melbourne Cup weights based on handicap form would now be 50.5kg and 50.0kg respectively, however with the minimum lifted to 51kg this year they were already handicapped on the limit weight and thus their weight won’t change. This takes into account the fact that Caulfield Cup weights are 2kg higher than Melbourne Cup weights this year due to the topweights.” Bart Cummings placegetters Torranzino (second) and Gilded Water (third) both also improved their chances of gaining a start in the Melbourne Cup by passing the first elimination clause and moving up to 48th and 50th respectively in the order of entry. View the full article

Sailor Jack produced an impressive trial win at Awapuni on Monday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Sailor Jack impressed trainers Shaun and Hazel Fannin with his trial victory at Awapuni on Monday, and they have their fingers crossed their home track will be back in commission for his first major test of the season. The five-win gelding took out his 1400m heat in the hands of Chris Dell, beating a handy field, which included last-start Group One winner Quintessa. It was the eight-year-old gelding’s fourth trial this time in, with his trainers searching for better footing. “We were really happy with him,” Hazel Fannin said. “This prep, we would have liked to have had him to a race by now, but there has been a lot of rain around, so we have had to wait a little longer than we expected, but he is still coming to hand really nicely. “It was a pretty tidy field today, so we were rapt with how he went.” More: How to bet on NZ horse racing Fannin is looking forward to Sailor Jack resuming in the next fortnight, with the Power Farming Feilding Cup (2100m) at Awapuni’s scheduled meeting on November 1 his first major aim of the spring. “We will look to kick him off in the (rating) 75 mile next Sunday at Waverley,” she said. “Waverley always plays really well, so that should suit him regardless of the weather. “All going to plan with the Awapuni track, he’ll hopefully go to the Feilding Cup two weeks after that.” Awapuni’s newly renovated grass track still needs to be given the green light to return to racing, with Monday’s trials playing an integral part in that process. The Palmerston North track has been out of commission for two years, having initially been set to return to racing on ANZAC Day earlier this year. However, that meeting was abandoned following a slip in the opening race. The track subsequently underwent further remedial work, with RACE calling on the expertise of Flemington track manager Liam O’Keefe to assist in that process. A set of trials took place at the Palmerston North venue in August, and while the club were pleased with the way the track handled those trials, a track inspection a week later confirmed the track needed more time. Fannin was pleased with how the track handled the trials on Monday and is hoping it is in line for a return to racing next month. “There is a lot more grass on it,” she said. “We will wait to see what the powers at be decide with the track, but it seemed to hold up well. “There is still a bit of shiftiness in the track, but there is improvement since the last time it was open for galloping compared to this time coming back to the trials. “It would be nice to be back at the home track, it is less travel for owners and bringing costs down for them is always a big bonus. It would be great to be back racing here as soon as we can.” View the full article

David Eustace is hoping the likes of Sports Legend and Amazing Award can kick-start his season as he looks to break his duck at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening. The 34-year-old is the only trainer without a win to his name this campaign, with the only other maiden for the season, Pierre Ng Pang-chi, getting off the mark at Sha Tin on Saturday. The slow start was something that Eustace was expecting, however, and after securing a strong haul of 36 winners in his first season in Hong Kong, the...View the full article

By Mike Love Rangiora trainer Tom Bamford can breathe a sigh of relief – at least for now – after Rakero Rocket showed he is on track for the second Tuesday in November with yesterday’s Alabar Methven Cup win. The five-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding has given Bamford a few sleepless nights recently with a few things not lining up how he would’ve liked. “It’s been well documented he had a bit of trouble after his trial leading into his first run. I spent a lot of time trying to patch him back up,” said Bamford in a post-race Trackside TV interview. “He had too hard a trial and may have had a bit of a bug or something that knocked him. We’d been real happy with him this week. His blood and heart rate have been good so we were confident.” Run in mud, the Group 3 event was blown wide open with the scratching of hot favourite Akuta due to the weather and track conditions. The eight horse field raced mainly in single file with Rakero Rocket making a flyer from the tapes quickly diminishing his 10 metre handicap to lead briefly before settling for the trail behind Who’s Delight. Driver Gavin Smith then played the patient game, conserving energy in the treacherous conditions until scooting up the passing lane. It briefly looked like the southern visitor Wag Star was going to run away with it, but Rakero Rocket found a stronger kick to take the win by a neck from Wag Star and Who’s Delight running third. “The start was key and he got into a good spot. Everyone knows he’s a class horse, so I’m glad he was able to show it again.” Immediate plans for Rakero Rocket appear to be somewhat cemented, presuming his race recovery is sound. “We will go to the Canterbury Classic then Ashburton or Kaikoura. This takes a bit of pressure off now.” Rakero Rocket, the winner of the first ever Group 1 Christian Cullen last year, has now nine from 26 starts. He is currently at $41 on the futures market for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington on Tuesday, November 11. Other highlights on the day saw Swannanoa trainer Brendon Hill claim his 300th training success when Patiro took out the Methven Panel & Paint Mobile Pace with his son Seth Hill in the bike. Brendon Hill trained 21 winners when in a brief partnership with Mark Jones while his other 279 winners solo, including Monkey King’s two New Zealand cups (2009 and 2010) while his first training success was Brendan Marc at Alexandra Park in 2001. Ricky May drove a hat-trick of winners (Magical Max, Kairaki Spur and Rockcent) while Matthew Williamson scored a double (Carlin and Practical Magic). View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Zoe Cobb was a casual follower of Mach Shard during his racing days – now they are the best of mates. The Waikato-based Cobb acquired the multiple Group 1 winner shortly after he retired this year and they have already had success in the Show Ring and have some big targets ahead. “It is the kindest and most gentle horse you would ever meet,” Cobbs says, “he’s been an absolute pleasure.” She first spotted Mach Shard with HRNZ re-homer Jo Ferguson at the North Island Standardbred Championships. “I said to her ‘I’d take him in a heartbeat. He’s just a lovely lovely horse.” She didn’t expect anything to come out of it until Ferguson took her up on her offer weeks later. “I went to Hamilton and hadn’t been on him for five minutes and I said ‘I’ll take him’,” says Cobb. “Shady”, as he’s known, is Cobb’s fourth standardbred. She used to work at trainer Nicky Chilcott’s place and it’s there where “she fell in love with them”. During his racing career Mach Shard raced from a 2YO to a 10YO, on both sides of the Tasman. In 2024 he produced some of the year’s greatest moments with his back to back Group 1s in the Taylor Mile, paying $155, and then the Messenger a week later for Crystal Hackett. A $200,000 sales purchase he ended up winning 20 races and bankrolling $843,000. “I did follow him a bit especially after those two big wins,” says Cobb. Now his life is more sedate at Cobb’s place just outside Cambridge. “For a free-legged pacer he trots beautifully in the saddle – he hasn’t got quite the canter yet, his legs get confused!” Their debut together was the Harness To Hack event at the Equestrian Centre in Hamilton at the end of March. “He won the In Hand, the Ridden, and the Musical Equitation in the pleasure section, he was second in the dressage and was Champion Standardbred in his section.” But then things had a turn for the worse with Shardy getting an intestinal issue which saw him off the scene for six weeks. Once back though he was Champion Standardbred at the Winter Dressage Series in Hamilton and they went on to win the In-hand and they were Reserve Champion Standardbred at the Bonanza Breed Show. Then in late September the combo competed at their very first A and P Show (Te Aroha Hack and Hunters at Waihou). “He was foot perfect. We came away with three placings which I was very happy with.” They will go to November’s Waikato A and P show next and Cobb has big plans longer-term. “I’d like to see him progress in the show ring and be an open horse and compete against the standies potentially at HOY (Horse of the Year) in a couple of years and also progress up the levels in dressage.” View the full article

Mick Price has not overestimated Globe’s (NZ) (Charm Spirit) ability by considering a start in this Saturday’s Gr.1 The Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield, but the trainer sees advantages in the $1 million Group One for his gelding. The seven-year-old son of Charm Spirit was one of just nine entries for the 2000-metre weight-for-age event when they closed at midday Monday. Taking on the likes of Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) and Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock) will be a major step up on the open handicaps in which he has been beaten this time in, but he looks the race’s lone leader, which is what appeals to Price and his co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr. “That’s the attraction for Globe, that he gets left alone,” Price said. “He’s not as good as the others, but it doesn’t matter. He’ll bowl along in front, he’ll give plenty of cheek.” The Might And Power will be Globe’s first test at Group One level and his first start in Stakes company since finishing second-last in the Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) in April. The seven-year-old’s only run at 2000m came in last year’s Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m), in which he finished third behind Berkeley Square (Territories). After resuming with a second placing over 1523m at Moonee Valley on August 23, Globe was fourth over 1700m at Flemington on September 13 before being nabbed late by Charterhouse (Charming Thought) at Sandown on September 27. He hasn’t been beaten any more than half-a-length in any of those runs. Globe is also among the entries for the $2m Gr.2 Hill Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill, but Price said he would only consider heading north if there was the likelihood of a wet track. While there is a chance of rain Monday and Tuesday, fine and sunny conditions are expected through until Saturday. Price and Kent also have Hezashocka (NZ) (Shcoking) among the Might And Power entries, but they are not committed to a start with that gelding. Light Infantry Man (Fast Company), Attrition (Churchill) and Kingswood (Roaring Lion) – who are all among the Hill Stakes entries – are among the other nominations for The Might And Power, joined by Charterhouse and Whisky On The Hill (Ribchester). The Might And Power is one of three Group One races at Caulfield this Saturday, accompanied by the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas and the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap, both over 1600m. View the full article

Sailor Jack impressed trainers Shaun and Hazel Fannin with his trial victory at Awapuni on Monday, and they have their fingers crossed their home track will be back in commission for his first major test of the season. The five-win gelding took out his 1400m heat in the hands of Chris Dell, beating a handy field, which included last-start Group One winner Quintessa. It was the eight-year-old gelding’s fourth trial this time in, with his trainers searching for better footing. “We were really happy with him,” Hazel Fannin said. “This prep, we would have liked to have had him to a race by now, but there has been a lot of rain around, so we have had to wait a little longer than we expected, but he is still coming to hand really nicely. “It was a pretty tidy field today, so we were rapt with how he went.” Fannin is looking forward to Sailor Jack resuming in the next fortnight, with the Power Farming Feilding Cup (2100m) at Awapuni’s scheduled meeting on November 1 his first major aim of the spring. “We will look to kick him off in the (rating) 75 mile next Sunday at Waverley,” she said. “Waverley always plays really well, so that should suit him regardless of the weather. “All going to plan with the Awapuni track, he’ll hopefully go to the Feilding Cup two weeks after that.” Awapuni’s newly renovated grass track still needs to be given the green light to return to racing, with Monday’s trials playing an integral part in that process. The Palmerston North track has been out of commission for two years, having initially been set to return to racing on ANZAC Day earlier this year. However, that meeting was abandoned following a slip in the opening race. The track subsequently underwent further remedial work, with RACE calling on the expertise of Flemington track manager Liam O’Keefe to assist in that process. A set of trials took place at the Palmerston North venue in August, and while the club were pleased with the way the track handled those trials, a track inspection a week later confirmed the track needed more time. Fannin was pleased with how the track handled the trials on Monday and is hoping it is in line for a return to racing next month. “There is a lot more grass on it,” she said. “We will wait to see what the powers at be decide with the track, but it seemed to hold up well. “There is still a bit of shiftiness in the track, but there is improvement since the last time it was open for galloping compared to this time coming back to the trials. “It would be nice to be back at the home track, it is less travel for owners and bringing costs down for them is always a big bonus. It would be great to be back racing here as soon as we can.” View the full article

Adverse weather has forced multiple Group One winner Quintessa to take an unorthodox route to next Saturday’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), with the mare appearing at the Awapuni trials on Monday afternoon. Prepared by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson at Matamata, Quintessa got her preparation off to a flying start winning the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m), but she was scratched from the second leg of the triple crown (Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile, 1600m) at Te Rapa, avoiding the heavy surface. With a task of getting her to the Livamol three weeks later, Bergerson nominated the mare for the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), but withdrew before acceptances, opting to head across to Awapuni for a hit-out over 1300m. In the hands of stable rider Opie Bosson, Quintessa settled at the tail of the field through the running, while stablemate Midnight Blue strode to the top for Samantha Collett. Bosson asked her for an effort turning for home and she responded well, striding up to finish second behind Sailor Jack. Bergerson was pleased with what he saw from the daughter of Shamus Award, who didn’t trial in her usual blinkers. “It’s been a pretty tough time of it with the weather lately, so it was a good opportunity to get on a reasonable surface,” Bergerson said. “Opie was really happy with her trial, she’s pretty lazy without the blinkers on but we wanted to keep them up our sleeve for raceday. I was pleased with how she hit the line and she went past the post a bit as well, so that should bring her on nicely. “The trip away will do her the world of good, it’s a fine line getting her fit but keeping the speed in her legs and soundness as well, she takes a bit of managing. “Hopefully that will catch us up a bit fitness-wise, I’m looking forward to Saturday-week with her.” In an ideal world, Bergerson would like to give her another gallop on better ground before heading to Ellerslie but recognises that may not be a reality. “I’d be happy if the weather picked up and I could get some nice work into her on good tracks at home, but unfortunately it’s just that time of year and it’s tough for everyone,” he said. “She’ll have another nice hit-out next week.” It was similar circumstances for Midnight Blue, who was set to resume in the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) but will look elsewhere to kick off his campaign. “He was meant to be in the Matamata Cup on Saturday, but with the rain, we wanted him to have a nice hit-out on a decent surface as well,” Bergerson said. “A trip away is good for the old boy to get him thinking and that’ll bring him on a bit too. “It would’ve been nice to kick him off on his home track, but he can potentially kick off at Ellerslie in a few weeks’ time in an Open race, then there are some nice races over Christmas if he comes up well.” A nine-year-old by So You Think, Midnight Blue joined the Te Akau Racing stable in late 2023 and placed in the Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m) and Taupo Cup (2000m) last term. View the full article

Bulb General continued his electric form in Hong Kong to bring loftier targets into play for the son of Embellish. Trained by Jamie Richards, he completed a hat-trick of victories when he put away his Class 3 rivals with ease over 1200 metres at Sha Tin in the hands of Zac Purton. The four-year-old is taking winning strides toward the lucrative Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the Hong Kong Classic Mile, Hong Kong Classic Cup and Hong Kong Derby. “We’ve got some nice targets for him if he keeps progressing. He doesn’t overtax himself, and I think most of the better ones are a little bit like that, so we’ve got plenty to look forward to,” Richards said. “The plan would be to step him up (in trip) at some stage. The Classic Series would be the plan; we’ve got a long way to go but he’s progressing well and he’s winning with a bit of authority, so hopefully he can keep cracking on.” Bulb General also had to overcome a wide barrier to continue his winning run of form. “He had a pretty poor gate (12), I was hoping to get into a nice spot, and he moved into it and did the job nicely,” Purton said. “It didn’t feel like he was getting away from them the way that he did, so that was good sign. “He goes up in grade again and hopefully he can continue the path that he’s on.” Bulb General was bought out of Cambridge Stud’s Book 1 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $175,000 by Richards and Andrew Williams Bloodstock and was a juvenile trial winner at Te Rapa before relocating to Hong Kong. Richards prepared Bulb General’s sire Embellish to win the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in his previous role as head trainer for the powerful Te Akau operation in his native New Zealand. Standing at Cambridge Stud, Embellish has had four runners in Hong Kong for three winners, including Fortune Whiskey and Chateau le Peche, while Ocean Impact looks a winner in waiting. Bulb General is the first winner for the Fastnet Rock mare Stylish Achiever who has since produced another son, Bellish Boy, and is back in foal to the son of Savabeel. Stylish Achiever is out of the Gr.3 Irwin Stakes (1100m) winner and Gr.1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) third Flying Object. Bulb General’s rise through the grades has also elevated Richards to fifth on the trainers’ premiership after eight meetings with six winners and five placegetters from 32 starters. View the full article

Darren Danis is developing a knack for making a comeback from career-threatening injuries, but he is hoping his run of serious injuries is now at an end. In 2017, Danis broke his back in a race fall, but made a relatively quick recovery, returning to raceday riding just eight months later, while last November, he was met by a similar fate when involved in an incident at the Waipa trials where he sustained a fractured C4 and C5 vertebrae, leading to a lengthy time on the sidelines. It has been a slow and steady road to recovery, and for a time Danis wasn’t sure if he would make a return to the saddle, but the determined rider did just that at Matamata last month, and was rewarded with his first win aboard the John Bell-trained Muscovado at the Waikato venue on Saturday. “When we got close to the line, he gave me his all and we both really wanted it,” Danis said. “When we got across the line in first it was just a relief. “It’s a lot of weight off my shoulders. All of that hard work, perseverance and grit finally paid off. “It’s been good to be back and it’s just good to be out there with the rest of the jockeys.” While pleased to be out competing once again on raceday, Danis said his return took a little longer than anticipated. “I was meant to come back in August but unfortunately my neck was still giving me quite a bit of problems,” he said. “I wasn’t getting much flexion and I couldn’t really turn my neck a certain degree. “I was progressing from a riding perspective with jumpouts and track work, but being in the aerodynamic position of a jockey and trying to look upwards, I couldn’t really do that at the start. “The bones were just too jarred up and stiff, so we had to go back to the drawing board and find a better plan for the next couple of months to get it moving right again and to come back as soon as possible. “I have worked with the people at Matamata physio, Recharge therapy in Cambridge and my chiropractor. They are all good at what they do and each of them helped the progress of getting my flexion back. I had to do it religiously and they were really good and helped a lot. “I am still seeing them. It has to be an ongoing thing.” Danis said while recuperating from his physical injuries was tough, the mental side of his recovery was even harder, with the Matamata hoop battling with thoughts of retirement throughout his rehabilitation. “After breaking my neck, I was contemplating whether I should come back, but it is just the love for the game,” he said. “I don’t blame the horses for anything, it is all just part of the journey.” His partner, promising apprentice jockey Hayley Hassman, has played a big part in his recovery, and Danis said they have supported each other, with Hassman having also been sidelined with injury earlier this year. “We have helped each other out through that period where we both needed the support,” he said. Danis is hoping to continue his winning momentum, and he is excited for the challenge of trying to re-establish himself among the competitive northern riding ranks. “I want to find my own rhythm and spark again,” he said. “I will keep riding and keep my head up, work hard and see what the season brings.” View the full article

Buyers passed over War Machine as a younger horse and his Masterton breeders and part-owners continue to count their blessings that he returned home after two tours of the Karaka sale ring. The New Zealand-bred son of Harry’s Angel was offered by Ardsley Stud at both New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale and Ready to Run Sale and failed to attract the expected interest. “We always liked the horse and put what we thought was a realistic value ($100,000) on him,” Ardsley’s Jim Wallace said. “Everybody thought he was too small, but I think he’s big enough.” War Machine has since grown in stature, firstly from the stable of the late Michael Moroney, and now with Ben, Will and JD Hayes, with his victory in Saturday’s Gr.2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) earning him a crack at the A$20 million The Everest (1200m). He will run in the Coolmore slot and joins fellow Wairarapa-bred Jimmysstar, part-owned by breeder Little Avondale Stud, in the Randwick feature on October 18. Bred by MDJ Bloodstock, War Machine has now won seven of his 14 starts and banked more than $2.6 million. The five-year-old was purchased by clients of Moroney’s stable after a trial win at Foxton with Wallace and son David remaining in the ownership group. “MDJ is David and his late wife Madelaine and myself and my wife Mary,” Wallace said. “He showed us an awful lot as a young horse, and he was very impressive when he won his trial. “Steven Pinfold, who is a long, long-time family friend, was there and he put the deal together very quickly and is still involved and more or less manages the horse for us. “He’s a genuine racehorse with class, I might be persuaded to go over now (for The Everest).” War Machine is out of the Hussonet mare Caserta, a A$40,000 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale buy whose five foals to race have all been successful. She also has an unraced Darci Brahma three-year-old gelding named Vanvitelli. “We sold him earlier in the year to the Hayes stable, he’s had a couple of trials and is out spelling. He’s a lovely horse,” Wallace said. “There’s a two-year-old by Satono Aladdin, who we have just sold the majority of to MyRacehorse. They bought 60 percent of him and David and I have still got a bit of him.” Ardsley will also offer a daughter of In The Congo, a Group One-winning son of Snitzel, and Caserta at Karaka. “She’s a lovely filly too, and the mare is on the point of foaling any day now to Per Incanto and she will be going back to him,” Wallace said. View the full article

Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) hopeful Wolfgang will return to New Zealand after finishing at the tail of the field in Saturday’s Gr.3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington. Wolfgang, who races as Mister Wolfgang in Australia, won the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) and New Zealand St Leger (2500m) last term, then crossed the Tasman for a campaign towards the time-honoured race staged in early November. His co-trainer Peter McKay was pleased with his progress through his first two runs but pulled pin when his charge performed below expectations in the Bart Cummings, which offered a golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup for the winner. “It’s disappointing, we were looking forward to it and he was definitely going to get into the (Melbourne) Cup, he only needed five or six to come out,” he said. “We were getting a bit excited thinking he would be in the race with a couple of good runs in the lead up. “I thought his second run over there was good and he was coming on well, but he just didn’t put in at all on Saturday. “He had a quick, hard blow straight after the race then recovered really quick, which is generally a sign that their hurting somewhere or if it was heavy, that they didn’t handle it. But, it was a good, firm track and he trotted up well yesterday (Sunday).” While disappointed, McKay and his son Shaun (training partner) are now targeting a defence of his Wellington Cup crown, which will be run for $400,000 on January 31 at Trentham. “We’ll get him home, reassess things and then go on a programme towards Wellington Cup,” he said. “There’s a few races to take him down that path.” Back at home, the McKays were pleased to pick up a winner earlier in the week at Tauranga, with Just Call Me Jonny kicking off his campaign in winning fashion over 1400m. “Last season he was coming along nicely and going some good races, and he’s furnished up nicely this time around,” McKay said. “Without getting bullish, we were pretty happy with his work and thought he could win, which I wouldn’t normally say. “Now he can step up another grade and he’ll follow some of these Rating 75 races on Saturdays, he’s capable of getting through his grades and ticking along quietly. “He’s going to be a nice longevity horse, the type that will keep racing through, possibly a couple of the little summer cups races would suit him.” View the full article

Pierre Ng Pang-chi is confident he has Galaxy Patch on target to defend his Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m) crown on October 19 when the classy miler takes on a star-studded field headlined by Voyage Bubble and My Wish. An emerging talent with six wins in his debut season, highlighted by a Group Three double in the Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) and Premier Plate (1,800m), Galaxy Patch comfortably accounted for prolific Group One winner Voyage Bubble in last year’s Sha Tin Trophy before showing...View the full article

According to her rider, Barnavara is a filly who wears her heart on her sleeve. In contrast, the man on top may well have had his heart in his mouth in the dying strides as Barnavara conquered the Prix de l'Opera (G1).View the full article

Ka Ying Rising will trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning, with the HK champion pictured winning the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup in February Photo: HKJC. Champion Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising and The Everest favourite will have a barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning. Ka Ying Rising is looming as the unbackable favourite for the AUD $20million feature at $1.70 with bookmakers, and the trial is likely to be his only hit-out ahead of the October 18 slot race. Reigning Hong Kong Jockey of the Year Zac Purton will fly into Sydney for the trial, with Australian trainer David Hayes, who now trains out of Hong Kong set to also be at the course proper. Ka Ying Rising’s trial will feature several other key horses with big Spring’s on the agenda, with Chris Waller’s trio Angel Capital, Fangirl and Joliestar all set to partake, while Ben, Will and JD Hayes will take on their famous father’s horse with Mr Brightside. Fan Girl and Mr Brightside are two of the favourites for the King Charles III Stakes , which will also be run at Randwick on October 18, with Pride of Jenni the bookie’s elect at $3.50. The Australian Turf Club has announced that all media and spectators on course will be treated to a free breakfast, following Ka Ying Rising’s trial, while Hayes and Purton are also expected to speak. View the full article

Quintessa pictured after winning the Group 1 Proisir Plate. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Adverse weather has forced multiple Group One winner Quintessa to take an unorthodox route to next Saturday’s Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m), with the mare appearing at the Awapuni trials on Monday afternoon. Prepared by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson at Matamata, Quintessa got her preparation off to a flying start winning the Group 1 Proisir Plate (1400m), but she was scratched from the second leg of the triple crown (Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile, 1600m) at Te Rapa, avoiding the heavy surface. With a task of getting her to the Livamol three weeks later, Bergerson nominated the mare for the Group 3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), but withdrew before acceptances, opting to head across to Awapuni for a hit-out over 1300m. In the hands of stable rider Opie Bosson, Quintessa settled at the tail of the field through the running, while stablemate Midnight Blue strode to the top for Samantha Collett. Bosson asked her for an effort turning for home and she responded well, striding up to finish second behind Sailor Jack. Bergerson was pleased with what he saw from the daughter of Shamus Award, who didn’t trial in her usual blinkers. “It’s been a pretty tough time of it with the weather lately, so it was a good opportunity to get on a reasonable surface,” Bergerson said. “Opie was really happy with her trial, she’s pretty lazy without the blinkers on but we wanted to keep them up our sleeve for raceday. I was pleased with how she hit the line and she went past the post a bit as well, so that should bring her on nicely. “The trip away will do her the world of good, it’s a fine line getting her fit but keeping the speed in her legs and soundness as well, she takes a bit of managing. “Hopefully that will catch us up a bit fitness-wise, I’m looking forward to Saturday-week with her.” In an ideal world, Bergerson would like to give her another gallop on better ground before heading to Ellerslie but recognises that may not be a reality. Quintessa has shorted from $18 into $8 with betting sites in recent weeks to win the Livamol Classic, with the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Waitak the bookie’s elect at $3.50. “I’d be happy if the weather picked up and I could get some nice work into her on good tracks at home, but unfortunately it’s just that time of year and it’s tough for everyone,” he said. “She’ll have another nice hit-out next week.” It was similar circumstances for Midnight Blue, who was set to resume in the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) but will look elsewhere to kick off his campaign. “He was meant to be in the Matamata Cup on Saturday, but with the rain, we wanted him to have a nice hit-out on a decent surface as well,” Bergerson said. “A trip away is good for the old boy to get him thinking and that’ll bring him on a bit too. “It would’ve been nice to kick him off on his home track, but he can potentially kick off at Ellerslie in a few weeks’ time in an Open race, then there are some nice races over Christmas if he comes up well.” A nine-year-old by So You Think, Midnight Blue joined the Te Akau Racing stable in late 2023 and placed in the Group 3 Taranaki Cup (1800m) and Taupo Cup (2000m) last term. View the full article

Bulb General was heavily backed and won impressively at Sha Tin on Saturday. Photo: HKRW Bulb General continued his electric form in Hong Kong racing to bring loftier targets into play for the son of Embellish. Trained by Jamie Richards, he completed a hat-trick of victories when he put away his Class 3 rivals with ease over 1200 metres at Sha Tin in the hands of Zac Purton. The four-year-old is taking winning strides toward the lucrative Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the Hong Kong Classic Mile, Hong Kong Classic Cup and Hong Kong Derby. Bulb General was paying $1.40 to win with betting sites on Saturday and Richards said the relaxed nature of the horse had him confident leading in. “We’ve got some nice targets for him if he keeps progressing. He doesn’t overtax himself, and I think most of the better ones are a little bit like that, so we’ve got plenty to look forward to,” Richards said. “The plan would be to step him up (in trip) at some stage. The Classic Series would be the plan; we’ve got a long way to go but he’s progressing well and he’s winning with a bit of authority, so hopefully he can keep cracking on.” Bulb General also had to overcome a wide barrier to continue his winning run of form. “He had a pretty poor gate (12), I was hoping to get into a nice spot, and he moved into it and did the job nicely,” Purton said. “It didn’t feel like he was getting away from them the way that he did, so that was good sign. “He goes up in grade again and hopefully he can continue the path that he’s on.” Bulb General was bought out of Cambridge Stud’s Book 1 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $175,000 by Richards and Andrew Williams Bloodstock and was a juvenile trial winner at Te Rapa before relocating to Hong Kong. Richards prepared Bulb General’s sire Embellish to win the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in his previous role as head trainer for the powerful Te Akau operation in his native New Zealand. Standing at Cambridge Stud, Embellish has had four runners in Hong Kong for three winners, including Fortune Whiskey and Chateau le Peche, while Ocean Impact looks a winner in waiting. Bulb General is the first winner for the Fastnet Rock mare Stylish Achiever who has since produced another son, Bellish Boy, and is back in foal to the son of Savabeel. Stylish Achiever is out of the Group 3 Irwin Stakes (1100m) winner and Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) third Flying Object. Bulb General’s rise through the grades has also elevated Richards to fifth on the trainers’ premiership after eight meetings with six winners and five placegetters from 32 starters. View the full article

Darren Danis returned successfully from injury aboard Muscovado recently. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images). Darren Danis is developing a knack for making a comeback from career-threatening injuries, but he is hoping his run of serious injuries is now at an end. In 2017, Danis broke his back in a race fall, but made a relatively quick recovery, returning to raceday riding just eight months later, while last November, he was met by a similar fate when involved in an incident at the Waipa trials where he sustained a fractured C4 and C5 vertebrae, leading to a lengthy time on the sidelines. It has been a slow and steady road to recovery, and for a time Danis wasn’t sure if he would make a return to the saddle, but the determined rider did just that at Matamata last month, and was rewarded with his first win aboard the John Bell-trained Muscovado at the Waikato venue on Saturday. “When we got close to the line, he gave me his all and we both really wanted it,” Danis said. “When we got across the line in first it was just a relief. “It’s a lot of weight off my shoulders. All of that hard work, perseverance and grit finally paid off. “It’s been good to be back and it’s just good to be out there with the rest of the jockeys.” While pleased to be out competing once again on raceday, Danis said his return took a little longer than anticipated. “I was meant to come back in August but unfortunately my neck was still giving me quite a bit of problems,” he said. “I wasn’t getting much flexion and I couldn’t really turn my neck a certain degree. “I was progressing from a riding perspective with jumpouts and track work, but being in the aerodynamic position of a jockey and trying to look upwards, I couldn’t really do that at the start. “The bones were just too jarred up and stiff, so we had to go back to the drawing board and find a better plan for the next couple of months to get it moving right again and to come back as soon as possible. “I have worked with the people at Matamata physio, Recharge therapy in Cambridge and my chiropractor. They are all good at what they do and each of them helped the progress of getting my flexion back. I had to do it religiously and they were really good and helped a lot. “I am still seeing them. It has to be an ongoing thing.” Danis said while recuperating from his physical injuries was tough, the mental side of his recovery was even harder, with the Matamata hoop battling with thoughts of retirement throughout his rehabilitation. “After breaking my neck, I was contemplating whether I should come back, but it is just the love for the game,” he said. “I don’t blame the horses for anything, it is all just part of the journey.” His partner, promising apprentice jockey Hayley Hassman, has played a big part in his recovery, and Danis said they have supported each other, with Hassman having also been sidelined with injury earlier this year. “We have helped each other out through that period where we both needed the support,” he said. Danis is hoping to continue his winning momentum, and he is excited for the challenge of trying to re-establish himself among the competitive northern riding ranks. “I want to find my own rhythm and spark again,” he said. “I will keep riding and keep my head up, work hard and see what the season brings.” View the full article