Wandering Eyes

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

Harlech winning at Matamata on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) There was plenty of hype surrounding Harlech heading into his raceday resumption at Matamata on Wednesday and the exciting three-year-old duly delivered, taking out the Waharoa Transport CO(1995) Ltd 1200. The Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained gelding settled midfield for jockey Cameron Lammas before looming four-wide on the turn and easily accounted for his opposition in the home straight, winning by 1-1/2 lengths over Minnallines, with 1-1/4 lengths back to Striking in third. Gerard admitted to being slightly anxious heading into Wednesday, but was calmed by Lammas’ confidence and was delighted with the result. “He’s a nice horse and he trialled up nicely,” she said. “I was a little bit worried, but Cameron was so confident this morning and said I had nothing to worry about. “He has been full of confidence the whole way through, it was a nice win.” The victory marks an exciting season to date for Harlech’s sire Darci Brahma, with The Oaks Stud stallion also siring fellow three-year-old, and dual stakes winner, Catalyst. “Darci Brahma has just had an amazing season so far, he certainly did his job that year,” Gerard said. “I don’t know if he is a Catalyst, but we will be chasing him home.” The duo are set on a collision path towards the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November with Harlech likely to target the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa on Labour Day, prior to heading south. “He will come back here (Matamata) for the three-year-old 1400m (October 12) and then head to the Sarten and then fly to Christchurch, all going well,” Gerard said. The post Harlech too good at Matamata appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

After dominating other New York-bred fillies in her four starts on dirt, Newly Minted is entered in graded stakes company for the first time Sept. 21 in the $300,000 Charles Town Oaks (G3) at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. View the full article

Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner Probabeel. Photo credit: Trish Dunell Torrential rain in Sydney has put doubts over whether trainer Jamie Richards will start quality gallopers Probabeel and Avantage in their respective races at Randwick on Saturday. The Matamata horseman has flown over to Sydney where he will keep a close eye on track conditions (rated a Heavy 9 on Thursday) before making a final decision on whether they will start this weekend. Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner Probabeel is entered for the Gr.2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and Richards said he was happy enough with her first-up fourth-placing in the Gr.2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick. “I thought her first-up run was really nice over 1200m, which is short of her best,” he said. “I thought she kept up a good gallop and didn’t lose any ground. “She heads to the Tea Rose, it’s very testing ground, so we are just going to have a look at her today (Thursday) and tomorrow before we decide what we are going to do. “We don’t need to run, we can look at other options, but we just need to do the right thing by the horse and have a chat with Brendan and Jo (Lindsay, owners).” Richards is also set to line-up quality mare Avantage in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) after her first-up runner-up performance at Ruakaka last month. “She just had no luck,” Richards said. “She jumped a little bit slower and then rushed forward and spent a bit of petrol and then got attacked, so I didn’t think her first-up run was the worst. “She goes into the race in good order, but again it’s a heavy track so we will just have to wait and see. “There are also options for her in the next couple of weeks too. She could run in the Golden Pendant (Gr.2, 1400m) for fillies and mares next Saturday or we could have a look at another couple of options as well.” The post Sydney weather casts a cloud of doubt over Te Akau runners appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

A return to middle distance racing has Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott confident that Charles Road can produce an improved performance two weeks out from his main Sydney spring target. Myboycharlie six-year-old Charles Road, who races as Sir Charles Road in Australia, steps up to 2000m in Saturday’s Gr.3 Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick after unplaced runs over shorter distances in his lead-up races. Charles Road produced an eye-catching run for seventh resuming in Sydney over 1400m before finishing last of 14 in the Gr.2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick a fortnight ago after getting back in running in a race won off the front by Samadoubt. “We’re really pleased with how the horse is coming up and how he’s racing. His results have been a little disappointing but his races have been good,” Scott said. “Both runs, he’s just lacked a little bit of luck. He just needs galloping room to allow him to wind up. But those runs have been beneficial to him and his fitness levels are starting to rise and he’s getting closer. “We believe the horse is coming up well and he should be in for a good preparation. We’re pleased with the way the campaign is going but we’ve now just got to start figuring a little closer to those photo finishes.” Charles Road was also accepted for Friday’s Gr.3 Newcastle Cup (2300m) with jockey Andrew Adkins engaged for both races, but O’Sullivan and Scott felt the Randwick feature was a more suitable option. A winner of six of his 33 starts and placed in last year’s Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick, Charles Road has raced at 3200m four times, including a seventh-placed finish in last year’s Melbourne Cup at Flemington, so the step up in distance on Saturday should be more suitable, even accounting for a likely heavy track. “We’d dearly like to think he’d start to become a lot more competitive this weekend,” Scott said. “Hopefully the ground is not going to be too bad. We’re a bit worried about the track. They’ve had a lot of rain in Sydney, though he has handled wet ground in the past. “He looks great and now stepping up to 2000m, he’s certainly in the right condition that he’s going to race a lot more competitively. We couldn’t be happier with the way he’s coming to hand and working going into Saturday. We’re confident that he should perform well. “First run over ground, they are always vulnerable and especially him doing that on wet ground but he’s forward enough to be competitive and we’re two weeks out from the Metrop. “That’s the race we’re targeting for him to run his best race and that will be the race which will determine which way we go.” The Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick on October 5 is not only Charles Road’s Sydney spring aim but will play an important role in whether he can secure a place in this year’s field for the Gr.1 $A7.75 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 5. “We’ve got to sneak up the weights a wee bit more. He’s around about 55 (on the entry order) but that’s about where he was last year and they fell away in front of him,” Scott said of the Flemington showpiece. “We’re hoping he can sneak up the ladder and he’s obviously got to prove he’s racing well enough to be in those races. We’re pleased with him but he’s just got to find a bit of form.” The post Charles Road set to relish step up in distance appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article

The September 18 edition of the TDN Writers’ Room podcast is now available by clicking here, or by visiting the TDN Podcast section of Apple or Spotify Podcasts. This week, the writers–Joe Bianca, Alan Carasso and Bill Finley–talk about the story about the Justify Scopolamine positive, the three-year-old picture, the upcoming Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Stakes at Parx, and next year’s Derby picture. Plus, we talk on the phone with trainer Chad Brown about the Cotillion favorite, Guarana. Opinions are in no short order. The post TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Now Available appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Winning Derby duo takes aim at Raffles on way to Gold View the full article

Incredible to stay? Mom's the word for Bailey View the full article

Early scratchings September 20 View the full article

A colt from the first crop of Grade I winner Outwork (Uncle Mo) topped the closing session of Book 4 Wednesday when selling for $220,000 to trainer Keith Desormeaux, who signed the ticket under the name Charles Marquis. Hip 2727 was consigned by Warrendale Sales on behalf of breeders Todd and Chad Frederick and Carl Potter. Warrendale led all consignors with 15 yearlings grossing $965,000. “It is two brothers keeping the legacy going for their dad,” said Warrendale’s Kitty Taylor. “The father, Varrett Frederick, recently passed away. They are very much involved in the business. I sold for the dad, I sold for the grandad. They are great people with a farm in Georgetown and have bred some very good horses.” She continued, “Keith Desormeaux bought the horse and he bought Exaggerator off of us as well. I believe Ciaran Dune was the underbidder. He is a big, strong colt and he sold very well. If they vetted and were big, good-looking colts, you were rewarded.” The yearling colt is out of Westside Tapstress (Lookin at Lucky), who is a half-sister to GSW Discreet Hero (Honour and Glory). Outwork’s first foals have been well received at the yearling sales this year. Ten yearlings by the WinStar stallion sold for $1.075 million at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale, topped by a $300,000 colt. He was also represented by a $500,000 filly at the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Sale. “I think people like him,” Taylor said. “They like to buy horses by WinStar sires. They have a great program with good stallions. They don’t overbreed their stallions and their numbers are reasonable. They also support their stallions. He is a first-crop horse and when they see these first-crop horses that look fast, they like to buy them.” A total of 290 yearlings sold for $12,880,500 Wednesday with an average of $44,416 and a median of $35,000. “I thought it was very strong today,” said Taylor. “We sold horses for $150,000, $170,000. Fillies might have struggled a little more than colts in this book. There were end users there, but not quite as many and not as many people there for fillies right now.” The highest priced filly of the session was Hip 2614, a daughter of hot young sire Constitution, whose first crop has hit the ground running on the racetrack this year. Consigned by VanMeter-Gentry Sales, she was purchased by R.A. Hill and Oracle Bloodstock for $190,000. Keeneland September continues through Sunday with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. The post Outwork Colt Tops Book 4 Closer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Without Catholic Boy, seven horses were entered in the Kelso Handicap (G2), but one of them is cross-entered in another stakes Saturday and another can top that by being in the entries for three races. View the full article

Back from injury, grade 1 winner Glorious Empire (IRE) 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