Wandering Eyes

Following consultation with horsemen and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, and the approval of the New York State Gaming Commission, the 37-day Belmont fall meet will be held in its entirety at Belmont Park. On July 10, the New York Racing Association announced plans to conduct a portion of the 2019 fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack from Oct. 11 through Oct. 27 to ensure the continuity of racing operations in New York and best serve the interests of horsemen in light of the planned construction of a new arena at Belmont Park for the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders. However, with the current construction site preparation proving less impactful to racing operations than expected, NYRA, with the support of NYTHA and its members, will host the full fall meet at Belmont Park. “We’re pleased to be able to offer the entirety of the Belmont fall schedule at the facility where these races were meant to be run,” said NYRA CEO and President Dave O’Rourke. “This decision follows careful analysis of the nature of construction site activity and a series of productive meetings with horsemen.” Beginning Sept. 25, live racing on weekdays at Belmont Park will adjust from the current 3 p.m. post time to a 1 p.m. first post. Saturdays and Sundays will continue to feature a first post of 1 p.m. The post Fall Meet to be Run in its Entirety at Belmont Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-BEL, $75K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 5:37 p.m. ET Bob Edwards’ e Five Racing and Gainesway Farm teamed up to acquire TAP TO MY LU (Tapit) for $500,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and she debuts in this spot for trainer Chad Brown. The chestnut is the second foal out of the Gainesway-bred GI Test S. heroine Sweet Lulu (Mr. Greeley), who was purchased by Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm for $3 million carrying her first foal by War Front at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The resulting colt now named Habub was bought by Shadwell for $700,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September sale and is a winner in Europe. Out of GSW Successful Outlook (Orientate), Sweet Lulu is a half-sister to GSW Iron Fist (Tapit) and MGSW & GISP Anchor Down (Tapit), who now stands at Gainesway. Click here to view Tap to My Lu’s most recent work on XBTV. Brown sends out another well-related firster in W.S. Farish homebred Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}). The chestnut is a full-sister to Grade III winner Eagle and a half to MGSW Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags). Godolphin homebred Bell Court (Street Sense) makes her first trip to the post for conditioner Kiaran McLaughlin in this test. A haf-sister to GSW Snowbell (Tapit), she is out of GSW Burmilla (Storm Cat), who is a full-sibling to MGSW Magicalmysterycat. TJCIS PPs The post Daughter of Sweet Lulu Debuts at Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Jockey Club announced Thursday that it will work with Plusvital, an Irish-based company that is considered among the leaders in the study of equine genetics and the equine genome, in an effort to gather further information that will allow it to make a final decision on its proposal to cap the number of mares a stallion can be bred to at 140. A genome is an organ’s set of complete DNA, including all of its genes. The horse genome was not released until 2007, well after research was completed on the genomes for humans and other species. Plusvital’s research team, led by Chief Science Officer Professor Emmeline Hill, has extensive experience in Thoroughbred genomics research including investigating inbreeding. Professor Hill is a leading figure in the international equine genomics research community, having first discovered the “Speed Gene” in Thoroughbreds in 2007, and leads a research group at University College Dublin. “Pedigree information alone will limit the development of a complete picture around this,” Hill said. “Pedigree only tells you part of the story. It can be useful in highlighting trends in breeding practices, but it doesn’t have the resolution to reflect true genetic relationships. There are many studies that show using pedigree to base estimates for inbreeding are less accurate than genonomic measures. That’s because pedigree has no way of showing what genes are actually inherited from generation to generation. What genomics allows is a measure of the true genetic relationship between individuals.” Hill said she has already done much research involving genomes and Thoroughbred breeding but cannot release any information until her work passes the peer review process. Hill says that inbreeding, left unchecked, can become a problems for a species. She uses dog and cattle breeding as examples where inbreeding has had serious consequences. “The real problem with inbreeding is that it can have serious negative consequences in the population, which may not be apparent in the short term,” she said. “But it’s the long term and the vitality of the population that is the concern when inbreeding is a factor. Inbreeding arises generally when there is either very strong selection for favorable traits or there is a disproportionate use of related bloodlines. What it does is it can reduce genetic diversity in a population and lead to what is known as inbreeding depression. This means that in highly inbred regions of the genome, it’s been well-established that these highly inbred regions of the genome are associated with a high proportion or mutations or deleterious mutations. This is something known as mutation load.” Hill said she has reached no conclusions concerning whether or not there is an inbreeding problem in the American breeding industry. Her primary point is that her research and the science that is now available will be of help answering that question. “I can’t say if there is a problem or not as a result of inbreeding,” she said. “That would have to be looked at a level of inbreeding against traits that would be of concern in the industry. That is something that has been done in cattle breeds and other breeds and is something that should be done with Thoroughbreds. It is a welcome development to see the approach be taken to explore this issues. It allows the provision of objective information in this regard, so I am very encouraged to see the value of a data-driven approach is being considered and that genomics has a place here as a tool to explore this issue.” The Jockey Club announced Sept. 6 that it was considering a rule to limit the number of mares a horse can be bred to because it was “concerned with the narrowing diversity of the Thoroughbred gene pool.” It noted from 2010 the number of stallions bred to 140 mares or more was 24 and that it now stands at 43. As for mares, the Jockey Club reported that by 2019, 7,415 mares (27% of the total) were covered by stallions with books of more than 140, a threefold increase. “The combination of these changes has resulted in a substantial increase in the percentage of foals produced by a discrete segment of stallions–signaling a worrisome concentration of the gene pool,” the Jockey Club said in a press release. Yet there have been no obvious signs that inbreeding has been affecting the breed in a negative way. Hill said that while that may be so, it is vital to stay ahead of the issue and make sure inbreeding does not get to the point where it becomes a problem, perhaps an irreversible problem. “In the short term it might appear that the status quo is acceptable,” she said. “But problems like this can be like icebergs. What you see can of an iceberg from above the water might appear to be something you can navigate around. But what is under the water might be 100 times bigger and trying to get around that, steering around that, might be very problematic. I’m not in a position to say if inbreeding right now is or is not a problem. We believe inbreeding levels are increasing. There is data out there that already shows this. From scientific literature already available there are multiple examples of the negative consequences of inbreeding. It is prudent of this industry to monitor this and manage it in the population in such a way that, if it is not a problem already, that it does not become a problem.” The post The Jockey Club To Employ Genomics Expert to Evaluate Merits of Proposal of Caps on Stallions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Should G3 Craven S. winner Skardu (GB) (Shamardal) come through his test in next Friday’s G2 Joel S. in good order, the 3-year-old could be on a plane to Australia for the inaugural A$7.5-million Golden Eagle on Nov. 2. “He’s a smart horse and we’re very tempted to come,” trainer William Haggas told Sky Sports Radio. “I’m planning to run him in a Group 2 next Friday and should everything go well and I’m happy with him, he’ll be on the plane to Sydney. He’s shown a lot of decent form on fast ground which is one of the reasons for coming, but I think he’ll cope with slowish ground.” Abdulla Al Khalifa’s Skardu broke his maiden at first asking in his lone start at two, and followed up with a first-up win in the Craven in April. He was third behind Magna Grecia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 2000 Guineas and has subsequently run fourth in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, the G1 St James’s Palace S. and G2 Celebration Mile. The post Skardu In Line For Golden Prize appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Hugo Palmer said Powerful Breeze (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) has emerged from her victory in the G2 May Hill S. at Doncaster last week in “tremendous” form and could be supplemented for the Oct. 11 G1 Fillies’ Mile. “She’s come out of the race super–she’s very well and looks tremendous,” said the Newmarket trainer. “I hope we’ve got a very nice filly to look forward to for next year, and if I was making the decision today, I would be going for the Fillies’ Mile.” The cost to supplement Powerful Breeze would be £40,000. “That could change before I have to make the decision, of course,” Palmer admitted. “It’s a gorgeous, sunny day today–it’s like summer is still here–and I really couldn’t be happier with her. But the weather might change, and she might start to go in her coat in the next couple of weeks, so we’ll see.” The post Powerful Breeze Possible For Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

An appeal hearing at the France Galop headquarters on Thursday saw Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire} keep his victory in the Sept. 8 G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. The connections of Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), runner-up by a nose, had contested the result and filed an appeal of the stewards decision to leave Circus Maximus up, arguing that their rival had drifted in the final furlong and a half and taken Romanised off his racing line. They also argued that a bump caused Romanised to change leads at a crucial stage before he re-rallied to just miss the win. Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore, trainer and jockey of Circus Maximus, attended the hearing along with Alan Cooper, racing manager to part-owner the Niarchos Family. Attending on behalf of Romanised were his trainer and jockey Ken Condon and Billy Lee as well as Rupert Pritchard-Gordon representing owner Robert Ng. The post Circus Maximus Keeps Moulin Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Back from injury, grade 1 winner Glorious Empire is entered for his season debut Sept. 21 in the $200,000 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) on the turf at Laurel Park. View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend, with all the action at Hanshin Racecourse: Saturday, September 21, 2019 5th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($124k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT LOTUS LAND (f, 2, Point of Entry–Little Miss Muffet, by Scat Daddy) looks to give his young sire a sixth Japanese winner from as many runners. A Jan. 31 foal, the dark bay is out of a winning half-sister to MSP Emma Darling (Hennessy) and hails from the extended female family of GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Brocco (Kris S.). Among Point of Entry’s other Japanese winners is the Dr. Naoya Yoshida-bred South Blue Grass (Point of Entry), a maiden scorer last month at Niigata. B-Dr Aaron Sones & Dr Naoya Yoshida (KY) Sunday, September 22, 2019 3rd-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($124k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m COSMO IGEL (JPN) (f, 2, Munnings–Subtle Aly, by French Envoy) is a daughter of 2007 GIII Schuylerville S. victress Subtle Aly, who was acquired by Big Red Farm for $85K at Keeneland November in 2016. The May-foaled chestnut is a half-sister to GSW & GISP Subtle Indian (Indian Charlie) and SP Shane Doan (Stay Thirsty) and counts GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint heroine Very Subtle (Hoist the Silver) as her third dam. Big Red Farm was the stallion home of dual Classic winner I’ll Have Another. B-Big Red Farm PERLE D’OR (JPN) (f, 2, Will Take Charge–Purple {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), a $90K in utero purchase at KEENOV in 2016, is a maternal granddaughter of Irish highweight Necklace (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), victorious in the 2003 G1 Moyglare Stud S. and third in the 2004 GI Beverly D. S. A ¥22-million ($192,940) purchase out of the 2017 JHRA Select Foal Sale, her third dam includes champion European stayers Kayf Tara (GB) and Opera House (GB). B-Tobino Bokujo 5th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($124k), Newcomers, 2yo, 2000mT SATONO PHARAOH (JPN) (c, 2, American Pharoah–Conquest Harlanate, by Harlan’s Holiday) will look to give his Triple Crown-winning sire a second winner in as many weekends following Clepat’s victory last Sunday. The colt’s dam was the Sovereign Award-winning 2-year-old female of 2014, with tallies in the GII Natalma S. on the turf and in the GIII Mazarine S. on the synthetic and was acquired for $450,000 at Keeneland January in 2016. Conquest Harlanate produced Satono Pharaoh Feb. 11 and has produced colts by the late Deep Impact (Jpn) in each of the last two seasons. Christophe Lemaire has the call. B-Shimokobe Farm The post Notable US-Bred & Sired Runners in Japan: Sept. 21 & 22, 2019 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Four days removed from Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal)’s nine-length romp in the G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. at The Curragh, trainer Charlie Appleby said his star 2-year-old is doing well and that no decision will be made on future plans for at least a week. “He came back from Ireland on Sunday night and he’s fit and well, thankfully,” the Newmarket-based Appleby said. “I spoke to His Highness [Sheikh Mohammed] straight after the race, and we both agreed we’d leave it a week or 10 days before we firmed up any decisions and give him chance to get back into his usual routine. We’ll make a final decision in the middle of next week. He’s had five runs, and he’s a Group 1 winner, so there is no pressure to run him again this year. But at the same time, the [G1] Dewhurst [S. on Oct. 12] is a lovely race to win, and at the moment there is no reason not to run him. We’ve all enjoyed the ride so far, and long may it continue.” Appleby swerved the topic of comparing his budding star to past luminaries. “There has obviously been a lot of talk about it since Sunday, but thankfully the horse doesn’t read the papers,” he said. “It’s up to other people to analyse his performance and compare him to other horses. From my point of view, I just feel very privileged to be able to train a horse like him.” Appleby insisted that despite going unbeaten in five outings, which have also included the Listed Chesham S. and the G2 Vintage S., Pinatubo is not one to show much at home. “As I’ve said all year, he’s not a horse who would catch your eye at home,” the trainer said. “He just eats, sleeps and drinks and goes about his business. I think there have been a few raised eyebrows after I’ve said that, and then he goes and does what he does on a racecourse, but he never shows me anything like that in the mornings. We always thought he was a nice horse, but I’ve never hyped him up because there really was nothing to hype up. He just goes up the gallop and joins his lead horse and doesn’t do much after that. You could set your watch by him.” Appleby noted that the bay typically shows signs of stalling in his races before finding another gear. “James [Doyle] said when he rode him in the Vintage he was a bit worried at one stage, but then he just changes gear and off he goes,” Appleby said. “Sunday was the first time William [Buick] has ridden him on the racecourse, and I told him not to be worried if he wasn’t travelling at halfway. William said afterwards he was niggling him along between the three and the two, but then when he put him in the gap he picked up and found another gear–he doesn’t do that at home.” The post Appleby Basking In Pinatubo Performance appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Test Stakes (G1) winner Covfefe tops a compact field of six 3-year-old fillies in Saturday's $125,000 Dogwood Stakes—the featured event on an 11-race program at Churchill Downs, as she preps for the Breeders' Cup World Championships. View the full article

Shaun Parker, formerly chief stipendiary steward for the National Horseracing Authority of South Africa, has been appointed head of stewarding for the British Horseracing Authority. He will take up the role this autumn. Parker began his stewarding career as a stipendiary steward in 1995 before becoming deputy chairman of stewards in Johannesburg. After a stint as a stipendiary steward in Britain from 2006 to 2007, Parker returned to South Africa where he took up his most recent position. The BHA’s head of stewarding role includes responsibility for management of the BHA’s stewarding team and for overseeing strategic development with the objective of ensuring that British racing delivers the highest possible standards of race day regulation. Brant Dunshea, chief regulatory officer for the BHA, said, “British horse racing is a world leader amongst racing nations, and it is crucial that its most senior steward is of a calibre worthy of the role. That is exactly what we have with Shaun. Not only does he have an appreciation of the rich history of British racing having previously worked here, he also brings with him extensive experience as a leading regulator with a major international jurisdiction, and a genuinely international reputation. Our thanks go again to Paul Barton, who has recently retired from the role of head of stewarding, for his years of dedicated service to the sport.” The post Parker Named BHA Head Of Stewarding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities will host its annual International Conference of Horseracing Authorities at its Paris, France headquarters on Oct. 7. Horse welfare and public perception will be the main topics of conversation. The morning session of the conference will feature an international panel moderated by media presenter Rishi Persad and featuring John Gosden (by pre-recorded interview), retired French trainer Criquette Head, Japanese assistant trainer Yoshitake Hashida and Ezequiel Valle, a director of Argentinian stud farm Haras Firmamento. During the afternoon sessions, UK Member of Parliament and former UK Sports Minister Tracey Crouch will deliver the keynote address on horse welfare and public perception. Other speakers during the afternoon include Dr. Rick Arthur, the equine medical director of the California Horse Racing Board; Brant Dunshea, the BHA’s chief regulatory officer; and Dr. Brian Stewart, the head of veterinary regulation, welfare, and biosecurity policy for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. The conference will be steamed live on the IFHA’s website, with replays available in the days following the event. The post IFHA Conference To Focus On Welfare, Perception appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In conjunction with Tom Hall's Look Back feature in BloodHorse Daily, BloodHorse.com each Thursday presents historic race stories from the pages of the magazine. View the full article

A hate figure for Hong Kong’s anti-government protesters has suspended his horse from races until the ongoing social unrest ends for the sake of the city’s “long-term stability and tranquillity”.Outspoken pro-establishment lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu and the co-owners of Hong Kong Bet announced they would stop racing the horse a day after the Jockey Club cancelled a race meeting at Happy Valley just hours before it was meant to start on Wednesday night.The Jockey Club cited fears anti… View the full article

Business as usual was the predominant message from trainers and jockeys at trackwork on Thursday morning, but there was also a sense of uncertainty hanging in the air at Sha Tin.While everyone wants to get on with the job after Wednesday night’s Happy Valley races were lost because of safety concerns, the current climate means the coming weeks could be anything but run of the mill.There is hope this Saturday’s meeting at Sha Tin will go off without a hitch, but the National Day card on October… View the full article

Danny Shum Chap-shing’s hot start to the season has one of his main rivals staring down the barrel of second place at Sha Tin on Saturday.The local trainer has started the 2019-20 season as well as ever and takes a seven-strong team to the races in an attempt to kick clear atop the trainers’ championship, albeit early in the year.Shum will saddle up last year’s beaten Hong Kong Derby hopeful Harmony Victory in the Class Two Pok Oi Centenary Cup Handicap (1,600m) as he looks to pick up where he… View the full article

The beginning of SuperCoach Racing isn’t far away, so, to test-run our brand new game, I thought I’d make a mock team ahead of the weekend’s racing in Melbourne (Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield) and Sydney (George Main Stakes at Randwick) to see how I might fare. View the full article

Trifolium will contest the Gr.3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Marton trainer Fraser Auret has a lot of time for three-year-old filly Trifolium and is looking forward to watching her compete in the Gr.3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday. The daughter of Krupt won two races as a juvenile before a brave runner-up performance first-up in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui earlier this month. “She is a lovely, professional type of filly and she has certainly done everything she has been asked of to date,” Auret said. He was delighted with her last start performance at Wanganui, particularly given the circumstances leading into the race. “I couldn’t be happier with her run,” Auret said. “Unfortunately she was entered for the races at Taupo and they were cancelled. She is quite a gross doing filly and she normally takes a fair bit of work to get fit. “Where her fitness was at, she was certainly a bit vulnerable and she did have a really good blow. She has come on really nicely with the run.” Trifolium will jump from barrier two with last season’s premiership-winning jockey Lisa Allpress aboard and Auret said her performance in the race will dictate her spring plans. “It is a big step up in class on Saturday, there is no doubt about that. “I think she definitely deserves her chance there and she is aided by a lovely gate as well, which I think will certainly help. “She does hold a nomination for the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), but whether she could stretch out to that distance we are not really sure at this stage. “It’s just a case of get through Saturday and make some plans from there.” Auret is also looking forward to stablemates Monrecour and Darscape Princess resuming next month. The six-year-old mares have both spelled well according to Auret and have pleased their trainer in their two trials at Foxton this month. “I am really happy with how both of those mares are coming along,” he said. “Darscape Princess was pretty disappointing last preparation, but she did have little niggles and reasons behind that. “She has had a really good holiday and I am really thrilled where she is currently at. “Monrecour was second in the Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 2000m) last season and she has spelled really well as well. “At this stage they are both looking likely to head to the Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1400m) on October 12.” The post Trifolium on a trail for gold appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

Snitz (blue cap) runs at Eagle Farm with Matt Dunn hoping he is can be a late Kosciuszko call-up. Murwillumbah trainer Matt Dunn has not given up hope the stable can have a runner in the Kosciuszko despite missing out in the original draft. Dunn hopes his runners Snitz and La Scopa will show at Eagle Farm on Saturday that they should have been snapped up for the Kosciuszko and are ready if there are any withdrawals. The $1.3 million Kosciuszko will have 14 runners at Randwick on October 19. It is run along the lines of a sweepstakes with members of the public buying tickets in a draw and the 14 successful entrants getting to select a horse for the race. Dunn’s horses are eligible for the race because he is based in country NSW. “We thought we would try something different this year and offer the choice of the stable,” Dunn said. “We thought rather than declare one horse six weeks out a slot holder could pick our stable and then wait until the week before for a final selection. “In that way you avoid a horse breaking down or losing all form. We actually have nine horses, including La Scopa and Snitz, who would be ideal for the race. “If there is an unfortunate late withdrawal we might get picked up.” Snitz will run in the Cascade Handicap (1200m) and La Scopa in the TAB Handicap (1200m). “Both ran well at their last starts so I would them to be thereabouts on Saturday,” Dunn said. He has taken the blinkers off Snitz who drops in class. The post Dunn still has hopes of Kosciuszko place appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

Everest favourite Santa Ana Lane is in doubt for one of his major lead-up races because of Sydney’s rain. Trainer Anthony Freedman has delayed Santa Ana Lane’s trip from Melbourne for Saturday’s Group Two Shorts at Randwick. Santa Ana Lane was scheduled to travel overnight on Wednesday but Freedman said he would leave the decision until Thursday afternoon. Randwick is in the heavy range for Saturday’s meeting which also features the Group One George Main Stakes. Santa Ana lane is favourite for the $14 million Everest on October 19. The Premiere Stakes at Randwick on October 5 is an option. The post Santa Ana Lane in doubt for Shorts appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

In an hour and a half discussion that launched the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program speaker series Sept. 18, a pair of racing surface experts and a track executive applauded the racing industry's recent commitment to horse safety. View the full article

Off the back of a last-start win at The Valley, lightly raced Tofane is set for a return to stakes racing in the Gr.3 How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield. Tofane, a New Zealand-bred daughter of Ocean Park, has been installed second favourite for Saturday’s race for mares at $7.50, with in-form Pippie the clear-cut favourite at $2.30. Tofane was runner-up in the Gr.2 Euclase Stakes (1200m) in Adelaide for three-year-olds last season at her fourth career start and Moroney has held ambitions to run her in some of the Group races for mares this spring. She earned her chance to return to stakes grade after winning second-up at The Valley on September 7, beating the promising Chris Waller-trained Haut Brion Her in a benchmark race over 1200m. “It was a nice win,” Moroney said. “She still looked a bit wintry that day – and she still is a little bit – so I think she is still going to keep improving. “The other filly (Haut Brion Her) looked as if she didn’t handle the Melbourne way of going but our filly got around The Valley even better than I thought she would, actually.” Moroney is looking to stretch Tofane out to 1400m, where he believes she will be better suited, after Saturday before hopefully getting to the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes over 1600m later in spring if she can keep stepping up. “Pippie is going to be pretty hard to beat on Saturday and it’s definitely a class rise for her, but I think if you took a line through her run at Morphettville (in the Euclase), it was a pretty strong race there too,” Moroney said. The post Tofane chasing stakes victory at Caulfield appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

Caloundra trainer Stuart Kendrick put aside a disappointment early in the day to produce another promising young horse at Doomben. Kendrick got his second long-priced winner in a week when Soldiers ($21) beat Couldn’t Refuse ($1.70) by a short head in a Maiden Plate (1350m). The day started poorly for Kendrick when he had to scratch his Group One performer Eric The Eel, who had a poor blood count. “His blood indicated he might be fighting off something so we didn’t want to risk him,” Kendrick said. “He can have a trial next week and then go to Doomben on Saturday week.” But things brightened considerably when the New Zealand-bred Soldiers improved lengths on his first start to emerge as a possible smart horse. Soldiers races in the colours of Glen and Lisa Morton who bred him from the Australian Derby-winning stallion Nom Du Jeu. They also bred and raced another Nom Du Jeu horse in Ted who was sold to Hong Kong where he raced as Ping Hai Star and won the Group One Derby. “Soldiers has been a real problem child but we gave him a good long spell and he has started to live up to the early opinion we had of him,” Kendrick said. It was been a good start to the season for Kendrick who has had nine winners including I Dream Of Green at $21 at Doomben last Saturday. The post Kendrick soldiers on for a change of luck appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

Political unrest in Hong Kong has forced officials to abandon a race meeting at Happy Valley amid concerns about public safety. The Hong Kong Jockey Club has abandoned Wednedsay night’s meeting because of “the imminent threat to the safety of racegoers, jockeys and employees, and to the welfare of racehorses”. “In organising race meetings, the club always puts safety as a top priority,” a club spokesperson said. “It is our responsibility to ensure that racehorses, racegoers, jockeys and employees are safe at all times. “The club has been monitoring the situation in Hong Kong closely. It has conducted a thorough risk assessment of the race meeting tonight and concluded that it should be cancelled in order to preserve the security and safety of people and horses. “Our concerns are tied to potential social unrest in the vicinity tonight, the very real threat of a disturbance or possible violence at Happy Valley Racecourse, and uncertainty regarding transportation in and around Happy Valley and Causeway Bay for racegoers, jockeys and employees and horses entering or leaving the racecourse throughout the evening.” Tensions have been high in the former British colony for the past three months beginning with the Extradition Bill, since withdrawn, which would have allowed people to be sent from Hong Kong to mainland China for trial. The post HK races off because of political unrest appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

Soda winning at Matamata on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) The father and son team of Darryn and Sam Weatherley combined at Matamata to record their first win together with Soda in the Transport Mechanical Waharoa Ltd 1400. Soda jumped from her inside barrier to settle midfield for Sam Weatherley where she remained until she was asked to improve at the 400m mark. She took the lead with 150m to go and didn’t look back, winning by three-quarters of a length over Palamedes, with one length back to Te Akau Dragon in third. Sam has recently returned from a stint riding in Sydney for leading trainer Chris Waller and he was delighted to record his first win for his father on his local track. “It’s a big thrill,” Weatherley said. “When I was riding before, Dad didn’t have any runners, now he has taken it up a bit more seriously and has got a few more in work.” Soda was in fine form heading into the race with a win and five consecutive placings and trainer Darryn Weatherley was pleased with her heading into Wednesday’s assignment fresh-up. “Her work the other day was outstanding,” he said. “She’s a pleasure to have around, I would love to have ten more like her. “We had a soft draw (barrier one), so I thought we could get a nice, soft run. Sam rode her a treat.” Weatherley was delighted for owners RBC Racing and believes they have an exciting future ahead with the mare. “She is out of a Zabeel mare and she has just got better and better (with time),” he said. “She is only little but she has got a big heart. I think she will keep on improving. It’s very special for the connections as well because they sponsored the day today.” The post Father and son combine for win appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article