Wandering Eyes

Unbeaten in three starts heading into a first black-type engagement in Wednesday’s G2 Sky Bet G2 Voltigeur S. at York, Khalid Abdullah’s Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) emerged with his perfect record intact and will now point to Doncaster’s Sept. 14 G1 St Leger, for which he is 2-1 ante-post favourite with the Classic’s sponsor William Hill. The homebred grey had previously annexed a May 17 maiden over 10 furlongs at Newbury and doubled up tackling the same trip in a June 21 Newmarket novice contest before easily dismissing inferior rivals in a July 4 handicap upped to 12 furlongs back at Newbury last time. Frankie Dettori was content to accept a lead and settled Logician six lengths off the pace through halfway in this 12-furlong test. Cruising closer on the bridle once into the home straight, the crowd’s 10-11 pick eased into a narrow lead approaching the quarter-mile marker and was not for catching once poaching a decisive advantage entering the final furlong, hitting the line with plenty in hand. Constantinople (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) could not match Logician’s late tempo, but was not unduly punished to finish 1 3/4 lengths adrift, with a further seven lengths back to his Aidan O’Brien stablemate and G1 Irish Derby third Norway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). “He’s a classy colt and has a lot about him, but he’s only won a maiden, a novice and a handicap so this was a bit of a leap in class,” admitted winning trainer John Gosden after claiming a fifth renewal. “He was a little green when he hit the front, but he’s a young horse who didn’t get to do much as a 2-year-old and he’s only had three runs so is still learning. I was delighted with the run, he took the occasion in his stride and is having a normal blow so that’s all pleasing. He’s entered in the St Leger, well talk to everybody and we’ll see how he is over the next ten days or so before any decision could be made.” Dettori, in the aftermath of also notching a fifth edition, was not so cautious in his appraisal of a possible Classic tilt and added, “He’s still learning, he won well and he’s got lots of potential. He’s also got a great attitude and I like him a lot. He had to knuckle down to race and gave me plenty so it was all good. When you win a trial like that you have to go for the Leger, for sure.” Logician is one of five winners from as many runners produced by Listed Snowdrop Fillies’ S. third Scuffle (GB) (Daylami {Ire}) and the homebred grey is a half-brother to MGSW GI E.P. Taylor S. runner-up Suffused (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Listed October S. placegetter Battlement (GB) (Dansili {GB}). He is also kin to a 2-year-old colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire), a yearling filly by Kingman (GB) and a colt foal by Time Test (GB). Scuffle is herself a daughter of MSW G3 Supreme S. third Tantina (Distant View) and thus a half-sister to G1SW sire Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) and G2 Temple S. victor and MG1SP sire Bated Breath (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Wednesday, York, Britain SKY BET GREAT VOLTIGEUR S.-G2, £170,000, York, 8-21, 3yo, c/g, 11f 188yT, 2:27.91, gd. 1–LOGICIAN (GB), 126, c, 3, by Frankel (GB) 1st Dam: Scuffle (GB) (SP-Eng), by Daylami (Ire) 2nd Dam: Tantina, by Distant View 3rd Dam: Didina (GB), by Nashwan 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £96,407. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $143,090. *1/2 to Suffused (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), MGSW-US, GISP-Can & SP-Eng, $697,248; and Battlement (GB) (Dansili {GB}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Constantinople (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–One Moment In Time (Ire), by Danehill. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-One Moment In Time Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. £36,550. 3–Norway (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Love Me True, by Kingmambo. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Southern Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. £18,292. Margins: 1 3/4, 7, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.90, 2.50, 10.00. Also Ran: Jalmoud (GB), Nayef Road (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post Frankel’s Logician Punches Leger Ticket at York appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In the first genuine clash of the generations, it was the 3-year-old crop who prevailed in Wednesday’s G1 Juddmonte International at York as Ballydoyle’s Japan (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) edged out Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in a thriller. Tracking stablemate Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in fourth early under Ryan Moore, the 5-1 second favourite joined battle with the Stoute-trained 11-10 market leader passing the two-furlong pole and gained the upper hand close home for a head success, with Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) a length back in third. 1–JAPAN (GB), 125, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire) 1st Dam: Shastye (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Danehill 2nd Dam: Saganeca, by Sagace (Fr) 3rd Dam: Haglette, by Hagley (1,300,000gns Ylg ’17 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Newsells Park Stud (GB); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £602,544. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr & GSW-Ire, 8-5-0-1, £1,289,674. *Full to Secret Gesture (GB), GSW & MG1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr & Ger, GISP-US, $746,427; and 1/2 to Sir Isaac Newton (GB), GSW-Ire, SW-Eng & GSP-Aus, $403,231; and Maurus (GB) (Medicean {GB}), SW & MGSP-Aus, $403,286. The post Galileo’s Japan Denies Crystal Ocean In International Thriller appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Betfair Australia chief executive Tim Moore-Barton is adamant integrity will not be compromised when the online betting exchange begins holding markets on Hong Kong racing from the start of the season – despite not being sanctioned by the Jockey Club.Betfair Australia announced on Wednesday it would offer its full range of products, starting from the Sha Tin meeting on September 1, meaning punters in Australia (and potentially other jurisdictions where Betfair operates) will legally be able to… View the full article

Group One performer Rondinella pleased her connections with her 1100m trial at Taupo on Wednesday ahead of her trip across the Tasman in the coming weeks. She settled towards the tail of the field before being improved three-wide by jockey Vinnie Colgan and was strong to the line finishing third behind Aretha and Amarula. “We were very pleased with the hit-out, she certainly needed it,” said Robert Wellwood, who trains in partnership with Roger James. “She had a nice, natural blow. View the full article

Talented four-year-old Lincoln Falls has pleased trainer Lisa Latta as he readies for a new campaign. The son of Dundeel was strong through the line at the end of a 1000m trial at Foxton on Tuesday, finishing fourth behind Not Santa after coming from the tail of the field. A winner of two of his eight starts, Lincoln Falls finished fifth in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m), and the gelding will resume at Hastings on Saturday week in a rating 72 over 1300m. View the full article

Wellfield Stud stallion Vespa’s first crop of juveniles are starting to hit the track and are showing promising signs, with two trials winners on Tuesday. A Stephen Autridge-trained filly, out of two win mare Langara, won her 650m heat at Te Rapa by half a length, while the Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard-trained Piaggio looked impressive when taking out his 600m heat at Foxton by five lengths. “He’s a neat tidy horse with a fair bit of ability,” Benner said. “He looks like his sire an. View the full article

Cambridge trainer Murray Baker knows what it takes to plunder marquee races in Australia and the astute horseman, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman, is once again honing-in on lucrative spring targets across the Tasman. A select team of horses will target features in Sydney and Melbourne as Baker looks to add to his Australian Group One haul, which stands at an impressive 21, with Baker rating his squad on par with previous years. “I think they’re on target. Naturally, when they. View the full article

Trainer Bill Mott will send out the morning-line favorite in the $1.25 million Midsummer Derby in Juddmonte Farms' Tacitus, the Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up who drew post 6 at the Aug. 20 draw and was pegged as the 5-2 choice in a field of 12. View the full article

Hronis Racing's 4-year-old Higher Power, runaway winner of Saturday's $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar, has surged to the No. 5 spot in the latest Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings. View the full article

It is not unusual to see around half-a-dozen jockeys teaming up with a horse in the course of its racing career, but for Countofmontecristo, the record reads 11 in 22 starts thus far - and as many as nine different riders at his last 14 outings. The fact that Countofmontecristo has not greeted the judge for close to two years could be a strong hint why so many jockeys got to warm the saddle for only a fleeting time. The last of Michael Clements-trained and Joe Singh-owned galloper’s seven wins. View the full article

Clements upbeat Top Knight will run well first-up View the full article

“Inside the Winner’s Circle, Presented by Keeneland” is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland sales who have gone on to achieve success on racing’s biggest stages. While the Keeneland September Yearling Sale is just three weeks away and on the minds of many horsemen, it was a graduate of Keeneland’s newly reinstated April 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale who made headlines Saturday in the GI TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Classic winner Higher Power (Medgalia d’Oro) was purchased just four months ago from the April Horses of Racing Age section by David Ingordo, representing Hronis Racing LLC. The price was $250,000. When Ingordo and the Hronis Brothers’ trainer John Sadler scoured the catalogue for the April sale they were intrigued by a 4-year-old colt named Higher Power. He had shown good form while running at the Fair Grounds and Oaklawn for trainer Michael Stidham and had won his last race before going into the sale, a second-level allowance race at the Fair Grounds. And Sadler is known for doing his best work with older horses. The worst-case scenario was that they would have a horse who would be competitive in allowance races and lower-level stakes in California. But if Higher Power continued to develop and Sadler could find a way to improve him by a few more lengths, who knows what they would have? That question was answered in the Pacific Classic. Higher Power, sent off at odds of 9-1, won in commanding fashion, defeating runner-up Draft Pick (Candy Ride {Arg}) by 5 1/4 lengths. Flavien Prat was aboard for the win. Sadler also won the 2018 edition with Hronis Racing’s future GI Breeders’ Cup Classic and Eclipse Award winner Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky). The team now has a Grade I winner who, if he keeps improving, and with his pedigree, could become a stallion prospect after he retires. “The horse had a good pedigree. He is beautiful animal,” Ingordo said. “He was well cared for by the trainers who had him before the sale [Michael Stidham and Donnie K. Von Hemel]. And Mrs. Abercrombie [the owner of Pin Oak Stud] has a history of breeding really good horses. The pedigree, along with his physical and what he had achieved on the track made him desirable. Everything came together the right way.” Higher Power had never run on the grass before arriving in the Sadler barn and, ironically, one of the reasons he wanted to buy him was he thought he had potential on the turf. In fact, Stidham, who consigned the horse at the sale, called Sadler and suggested he take a look at Higher Power in part because he thought the horse had turf potential. After Sadler ran him on the dirt in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita, where he finished fifth, he did switch the horse over to the grass. He won an allowance race and then ran second in the Wickerr S. Sadler was thinking of staying on the grass and was looking at the GII Del Mar Mile, run the day after the Pacific Classic. But he was so impressed with the way the colt was working on the dirt, he decided to aim high. Higher Power | Benoit “He ran really well in Wickerr,” Sadler said. “I thought he was unlucky to lose, then he came out of the race in such good shape. He trained on the dirt here and had such a big work the weekend before the race that I thought I’d try the bigger race with the bigger purse.” “His work before the race was brilliant,” Ingordo said. “The horse was touting himself that he was going to run a big race.” For Sadler and the Hronis Brothers, this has become a familiar pattern. Perhaps no owner-trainer combination is better at developing older horses, and that’s a reason why they keep shopping for more. “The Hronises have an open mind,” Sadler said. “We don’t just do yearlings. We want a diverse portfolio. We want older horses that are running, because in any given year the 2-year-olds can take time to get ready and some of the yearlings we buy don’t really get to their best until three. I like to provide them with action and a lot of different horses and buying older horses is one way to keep the ball rolling.” Though Sadler believes that Higher Power could still be a top turf horse, he will keep him on the dirt for now. He said he will either run him next in the Sept. 28 GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita or train him up to the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 2. Should Higher Power never win another race, the Hronis, Sadler, Ingordo team made a smart buy at the Keeneland April sale, which will return in 2020 to again feature 2-year-olds and horses of racing age. It’s not every day you can find a future Pacific Classic winner available at auction, especially for a reasonable price. But the connections are most excited about the future. Higher Power will run next year and there’s every chance that we’ve not seen his best yet. “Time helps a lot of horses,” Ingordo said. “He just keeps improving and maturing and everybody is very hopeful he can finish out his 4-year-old year and have a good 5-year-old campaign. That’s something John is really big on. He likes the older horses and he likes to give them time and find horses where he believes their better days are ahead of them. “The industry focuses a lot of time, attention and money on 2 and 3-year-old racing. But then you have a horse like Higher Power, who may have missed his mark early on and maybe just now be coming into his own. With races like the [GI] Pegasus World Cup, the Saudi Cup, the [G1] Dubai World Cup and the [GI] Breeders’ Cup, who knows what this horse can accomplish down the road?” The post Keeneland Winner’s Circle: Higher Power May Have Bright Future Following Pacific Classic Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Promising galloper Dawn Patrol made a pleasing start to the new season for trainer Frank Ritchie, deadheating his 880m trial with Magnum at Te Rapa on Tuesday. “I was happy with that,” Ritchie said. “He is a bit burly and the track was hard work, he had a real blow afterwards too. I am pleased with him, he will improve a lot obviously.” Dawn Patrol won two of his six starts last season and placed in three stakes races, including a runner-up performance in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guinea. View the full article

Juddmonte Farm’s Tacitus (Tapit), an unlucky runner-up in both the GI Belmont S. and GII Jim Dandy S., drew post six in a 12-horse field and was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s GI Runhappy Travers S. at Tuesday’s draw in Saratoga Springs. W.S. Farish’s Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) was made the second choice at 4-1 and drew post two, while the other horses in single digits are Rupp Racing’s Owendale (Into Mischief), who pulled the rail at 6-1, Michael Lund Petersen’s Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man), also 6-1 from post seven, and Jim Dandy winner Tax (Arch), at 6-1 from the far-outside post. The full field, with jockeys assignments from the rail out, is as follows: Owendale (Geroux), Code of Honor (Velazquez), Highest Honors (Saez), Laughing Fox (Santana), Everfast (Chuan), Tacitus (J. Ortiz), Mucho Gusto (Talamo), Chess Chief (Smith), Lookin At Bikinis (Castellano), Scars Are Cool (Gaffalione), Endorsed (Rosario) and Tax (I. Ortiz, Jr.) The post Tacitus Draws Six As Favorite in 12-Horse Travers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A guide to television and radio horse racing coverage during Travers Week, compiled by America's Best Racing. View the full article

Stormy Liberal, the two-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), is scheduled to run in the $700,000, Runhappy Turf Sprint (G3T), one of five graded stakes to be held at the upcoming Runhappy Meet at Kentucky Downs. View the full article

Zeuss Bromac. Traveling 2624kms is a long way to go to drag race your stablemate up a short straight in search of group one glory. But that is the unusual situation Zeuss Bromac and Perfect Stride find themselves in in the A$300,000 Breeders Crown juvenile boy’s final at Melton on Saturday night. Of course Zeuss Bromac and Perfect Stride aren’t technically stablemates. The former is the first horse trained by young gun driver Zac Butcher while Perfect Stride is trained by Ray Green. But Butcher actually works for Green and his Lincoln Farm’s bosses so Zeuss Bromac is trained at the same stable, eats the same food and basically lives the same stable life. Butcher, as the stable driver, has even driven Perfect Stride in his ealry races. And yet here they are two unlikely favourites in one of the richest juvenile pacing races in the world. Perfect Stride only ended up at the Crown after a mid-season lull that saw him left with petrol in the tank to race into August and is owned by huge-spending NSW couple Emilio and Mary Rosati, who are never scared to travel their horses to the best races. Zeuss Bromac is an even more unlikely Crown story, being a maiden in June and Butcher’s first horse. But since arriving in Australia, together naturally, they have both been very good in their heats and semi finals of the Crown and then their chances got massive boosts at Saturday night’s barrier draw where Perfect Stride drew the ace and Zeuss Bromac barrier four. That suits both as Perfect Stride, even though he led to win his semi final, is a better follower and Zeuss Bromac is the stronger horse better suited to leading and rolling. So there is a very real chance the two South Auckland babies could end up lead-trail in the group one and while they will still have to stave off high-class local Be Happy Mach, he has the handicap of starting from the outside of the second line. “I think if they lead and trail, which would probably be ideal, then they are going to give the locals a good go,” said Green, who won the Crown two years ago with King Of Swing. “I’d love to win it again and it would be great for Emilio and Mary because they put so much money into the game. “But I honestly think our best chance is trailing because he loafs a bit when he leads but he sprints very sharply coming off another horse’s back. “Would we beat Zac’s horse coming off his back up the sprint lane at Melton? I think we would go close. I’d love to think so. “But if we had to get beat, and I don’t want to, there is nobody I’d rather lose to,” laughs Green. Bookie have already taken money for Zeuss Bromac as the possible lead-trail scenario became more evident and while Be Happy Mach is enormously better performed than the Kiwis, Breeders Crown are notoriously hard to win sitting parked when the other favourites lead and trail. So the two South Auckland unofficial stablemates could be each others greatest ally on Saturday night. Right up until they become each others greatest rival. View the full article

Looking back on L and N Racing' recent success, co-owner Mike Levinson said the past several weeks have been crazy. View the full article

A year after a spike in equine catastrophic injuries at its spring meet, Churchill Downs saw those injuries greatly reduced at the corresponding meet in 2019. View the full article

A star studded line up of New Zealand’s best pacers and broodmares will vie for titles at next month’s Otago Harness Racing Awards in Dunedin. Classy youngsters Princess Tiffany and Ultimate Sniper will take on home town favourites Eamon Maguire and Majestic Man and northerners Speeding Spur and Havtime in the Best Otago Owned Horse category. Bethany, the dam of Lazarus, One Over Kenny, the dam of Ultimate Stride, and Foreal, the dam of Field Marshal with square off with 100-win producer, Fleet’s Pocket, in the Broodmare Excellence category. Each of those broodmare’s owners, Gavin Chin, Lex and Heather Williams and Syd and Shona Brown are finalists for Otago Breeder Of The Year alongside Archie Affleck. Winners of the breeding awards and the Otago Horse Of The Year will be announced at a gala evening at Forbury Park on September 14. A massive total of 23 titles will be awarded in age group trotting and pacing and training and driving categories. Winners of the age group trotting and pacing awards will be eligible to be crowned Otago’s horse of the year. Big race performers Cracker Hill, Ultimate Stride, Majestic Man and Jess Jaccka look to be some of the strongest contenders for the overall title. More than one significant contribution award will industry members at the Otago awards. Former champion thoroughbred trainer Dave O’Sullivan will be the guest speaker at the awards. Tickets are available by contacting Lisa Butler at the Forbury Park Trotting Club on lisa@forburypark.co.nz or 03 455 2154. View the full article

KATE Gath already boasts her best season, but hopes to take it another level on Breeders Crown night at Melton. Gath has smashed her PB with 152 wins and there’s been plenty of quality amongst them, most notably an Inter Dominion and string of other Group 1’s aboard Tornado Valley. But the extra dimension of this season has come as a bit of a surprise to Gath. “It’s been the outside driving opportunities which have been the pleasant surprise,” she said. “It’s been great to get drives for a few different stables, obviously Emma (Stewart) and Clayton (Tonkin) being on some fantastic horses. “That’s been a big part of what’s certainly been my best season. Not only have I driven more winners than ever before, but I’ve been in more big races as well. “I think that says some great things about our sport … that at 36 years of age I’m having by far my best season and getting more opportunities than ever. In so many other fields, it gets harder for women as they get older.” Gath has drives in three of the Group 1 Breeders Crown finals on Saturday night: Majestuoso (Race 6, 3YO colts and geldings trot); Demon Delight (Race 7, 3YO colts and geldings pacing final) and Pacifico Dream (Race 8, 2YO colts and geldings pacing final). She’s also down to drive Jo Dina in the 2YO pacing fillies’ final if the first emergency gains a start. Gath will also take the reins on major players Maraetai in the Group 2 4YO entires and geldings final as well as Nostra Beach in the Group 2 4YO mares’ final. In a sign of the career shift for Gath, only Majestuoso is trained by her and her husband, Andy. “It’s a great book of drives on a fantastic night of racing,” Gath. “It’s terrific to be part of it, especially with so many good drives.” Majestuoso gave Gath her latest Group 1 win in the Victoria Trotters’ Derby at Maryborough last month and is a $2.20 favourite to win his Crown final. “I was probably a tad easy on him after the Derby win because he’s had to the two staying races back-to-back. Even though he was beaten, he still got very close and fought it out well,” Gath said. “It’s a good field, but thankfully most of our main dangers, including All Cashed Up who beat him in the heat, are drawn the back row with us. “The shorter 2240m trip compared to the Derby distance is a bit of a leveller, but he’s so fast this guy. He’ll be very hard to beat.” Gath can’t wait to drive Demon Delight for Stewart and Tonkin again. “He’s got everything this horse. He’s so versatile. We knew he was tough and then he comes out and shows that sort of speed to win from back in the field last week,” she said. “He never seems to draw well for me, but it’s great to have options and be able to drive him according to how the race is run. He’s such an exciting horse.” View the full article

Mark Purdon. Not many trainer-drivers would gift away a near certain group one winning drive. But then again, not many horseman get to experience them as often as Mark Purdon. Purdon was set to cross the Tasman to Victoria this week to partner $1.15 favourite Princess Tiffany in the A$200,000 Breeders Crown three-year-old filly final but has instead retained Luke McCarthy as the driver. McCarthy partnered Princess Tiffany when she was surprisingly beaten in her heat of the series two week ago but was aggressive as she smashed her rivals in her semi final at Bendigo last Saturday. With some key rivals underperforming and missing the final and Princess Tiffany drawing barrier three she will be seen as past the post by most punters. Purdon was initially going to head to Victoria to train both Princess Tiffany and stablemate Jesse Duke this week and drive both in their finals. But Jesse Duke looked a tired horse when he dropped out in his semi final on Saturday and missed his final so the Harness Jewels winner will have a spell and be sent to North America for new trainer Chris Ryder. “I was going to go over but Poi (traveling foreman Matt Bowden) has got her right and Luke has been very good driving for us for a long time so I am happy to leave him on,” said Purdon. “So we will stay home where we have a big team and concentrate on them and watch the race on television.” Princess Tiffany’s form rollercoaster over the last fortnight has summed up her season where her best has been brilliant but her worst average, with Belle Of Montana usurping her as our best filly. Ironically, if Princess Tiffany wins this Saturday and adds the Crown to her NSW Oaks win she might be voted Australia’s best filly even though she isn’t ours. Meanwhile, Purdon’s big-name stars like Thefixer, Spankem, Chase Auckland and Ultimate Sniper are working down well to a trials resumption early next month and to start racing in October as the prepare for the New Zealand Cup and Auckland Inter Dominions. As for the Crown at Melton on Saturday night, New Zealand also have favourites in two-year-old male trotter Ultimate Stride and three-year-old trotting filly Liberty Stride while the A$300,000 male juvenile pace draws have fallen perfectly for Zeuss Bromac and Perfect Stride who can now test the favoured locals. View the full article

Simon Smith. It’s a case of one goal down and on to the next one for Simon Smith after he scored his first win as a driver with Rocknroll King at Oamaru on Sunday. The 20-year-old wasted no time in registering his maiden victory in the sulky by producing a well-judged front running steer in just his fifth drive. Smith admitted he got a big thrill the 4yr-old, trained by his employer Robert Dunn, strode past the winning post clear in the lead. “It was a big thrill getting that first one out of the way,” the reinsman said. “It just took a few drives, which was good.” Smith does not plan to rest easy after scoring his first driving win. As well as the securing more drives and racking up more driving wins, the horseman will chase his first win as a trainer. “I have got two or three to do of my own in work,” Smith said. “I have a wee 2yr-old, who is a three-quarter brother to Wainui Creek by Betterthancheddar, who goes alright.” “I have also got a couple of trotters for my old man, who go alright.” Having stock bred or raced by his family should be a big asset to Smith’s stable. Smith’s parents, Marty and Vanessa Smith, are co-breeders and co-owners of New Zealand Trotting Derby winner Lotamuscle. The junior driver’s grandfather, Peter Smith, is the breeder of all time trotting great Lyell Creek. Smith’s training and driving career started at Woodend Beach and it is unlikely to move elsewhere in the near future. Smith said he had thoroughly enjoyed his experiences, which have led to him landing a job with John Dunn at Robert Dunn’s South Island base. “I started off with Davey and Catherine Butt, I was just a boy and they got me in to the game,” Smith said. “I did six months with Regan Todd and then Johnny asked me if I wanted a job with him.” “We are all sort of a family at the beach.” “I lived with Davey and Cath for a while and Regan was like a bit of a brother to me.” Smith was at St. Bede’s college before he tried his hand at harness racing. He competed in trials for around a year before getting his junior driver’s licence at the start of the new season. View the full article

Shamal has crossed the Tasman to compete in this weekend’s Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) at Ballarat. Hunterville trainer Ken Duncan has stepped into new territory with his fine steeplechaser Shamal set to race at Ballarat on Sunday. Duncan will start the nine-year-old Zabeel gelding in the Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) with regular rider Buddy Lammas in the saddle. “It’s the first time I’ve had one over here in Australia so it is all part of a learning curve,” Duncan said. “I’ve always wanted to bring one over, but never had one good enough. I mightn’t have another this good so we’re having a go.” Shamal spoilt his good record this winter when being pulled up in the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) at Riccarton last start, but took no harm from the race. “It was just too wet for him,” Duncan said. “He was too far off the leader (It’s A Wonder) and was never going to catch him. When he got tired Buddy pulled him up. “This race has always been in the back of my mind and I’m happy with him since he arrived last Wednesday. “He schooled last Friday no trouble and he’ll be going home for a spell after this one and we’ll look at next year.” Duncan is grateful for the hospitality shown to him during his stay at Ballarat, but has had a quick education on the Ballarat weather. “At the moment it’s as bad here as it was at Christchurch,” he said. “He even worked in snow. Hopefully it will improve before Sunday.” Last year Shamal won the Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton and was third in both the Great Northern Steeplechase (6300m) at Te Aroha and the McGregor Grant Steeplechase (4000m). He started the current jumps season with a double at Te Rapa, including the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) then after finishing fourth in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase (4800m) he bounced back with another Te Rapa win, beating It’s A Wonder, who went on to win the Grand National Steeplechase recently by 23 lengths. Lammas has been Shamal’s regular rider since winning on him at Awapuni last winter in the lead-up to the Grand National Steeplechase and he is looking forward to Sunday’s assignment. “As long as the track doesn’t get too wet he should be a good chance,” Lammas said. Lammas will head to Melbourne on Saturday night after riding that day at Ellerslie, where his mounts include Old Countess in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4900m). Old Countess recaptured her best form last Sunday when winning the Wanganui Steeplechase (4100m) for the second year on end. “Last year she went on from winning the Wanganui Steeplechase to finish third in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup and she should be a good chance on Saturday,” Lammas said. “Pete and Jess (Brosnan) have got her back to her best.” While Duncan is in Ballarat with Shamal, stablemate Alfie Dee (another of Lammas’ regular mounts) is being prepared for his attempt to add the Great Northern Hurdle (4190m) at Ellerslie on September 7 to his last-start narrow win in the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) at Riccarton. Alfie Dee had notched his first jumps win at Awapuni last month in his final lead-up to the Riccarton feature and had he shown form earlier in the winter he, too, could be in Melbourne. “Possibly I should have brought him over,” Duncan said. “I did think about it, but when I was making these plans he wasn’t going good enough. He’s just come right lately. “He can have a crack at the Great Northern (Hurdle) and he might get his chance next year.” View the full article

Deauville’s August yearling sales came to a close with positive returns across many of the indices, and the first yearling to break the six-figure mark during the Arqana V.2 Sale on Tuesday was also the sales topper, as a filly by Shalaa (Ire) (lot 393) brought €135,000. The bay attracted the attention of Alec Waugh of BHB for Isabelle Corbani and Jedburgh Stud. Waugh accordingly shelled out €135,000 for the Haras de la Louviere-consigned half-sister to G3 Prix Noailles second More Than a Dream (Ire) (Halling). “We already have a filly by Shalaa at the stud, and he’s a stallion that we believe in–the mating is one that we like a lot,” said Waugh of the March-foaled bay. “She’ll become a broodmare at the end of her career. We haven’t decided on a trainer yet.” Shalaa also had yearlings from his first crop sell earlier during the August Sale for up to €600,000 and €280,000 for colts and fillies for €260,000, €250,000, €230,000 etc. Figures on Tuesday stood at an aggregate of €4,096,000 for 111 sold (79.9%) from 139 offered, with four more yearlings finding new homes compared to the 2018 edition from a slightly bigger catalogue. The average rose to €36,901 (+11.7%), and the median also improved to €31,000 (+14.8%). Lot 384, a Haras de la Cour Blanche-consigned daughter of GI Breeders’ Cup Mile runner-up Anodin (Ire), fetched €80,000 a little earlier in the afternoon on a bid of Pierre-Yves Bureau on behalf of Wertheimer et Frere. A colt by Anodin topped last year’s V.2 sale at €140,000. The bay, out of a half-sister to French listed winner Indigo (Fr) (Falco), is a granddaughter of G3 Prix de Meautry victress Blanche (Fr) (Loup Solitaire). She is also a half-sister to Blanche Doree (Fr) (Havana Gold {Ire}), who ran second in the Listed Prix Finlande this year. “We like to support our stallions and she’s a lovely filly that we really like,” said Bureau. “I’m delighted to have bought her from her breeder, who has been a big supporter of all our stallions. Hopefully she’ll be a good filly.” A daughter of Wootton Bassett (GB) attracted the eyes of Jean-Marie Callier and Bertrand Le Metayer, who went to €110,000 on behalf of Haras du Thenney. Lot 403, a member of the Haras d’Etreham consignment, is out of an unraced daughter of SW Darkara (Ire) (Halling), but more importantly was produced by a Manduro (Ger) half-sister to the dam of European champion 3-year-old Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). The filly shares the same breeders with the last-named G1 Prix du Jockey Club and English/Irish Champion S. hero. “This is a filly that we liked the most today,” said David Salabi. “We like to support Wootton Bassett, as we also have shares in him. She is a very good-looking filly. As we’re also buyer her for her breeding potential, the fact that she is the same cross as Amanzor was a big plus.” No Nay Never has gone from strength to strength as his first 3-year-olds build upon their juvenile momentum, and, as a result, a Haras des Capucines offering proved popular on Tuesday. The daughter of the winning Great Trip (Lemon Drop Kid) (lot 423) was knocked down for €120,000 to the bid of Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency for Middleham Park Racing. Her MGSP second dam Sweet Travel (Ire) (Danzig) is a full-sister to French Group 3 winner Iron Mask. This is the extended family of GSW and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere bridesmaid Sofast (Fr) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), Gold Beauty (Mr. Prospector) et al. “She’s a 2-year-old type and a very nice filly,” said de Watrigant. “I’ve been very lucky for them–I bought [listed winner] Boitron (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and [MSP] Tigre du Terre (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) for them, so they were happy to give me another chance to buy another horse for them.” Just 10 lots later, Laurent Benoit of Broadhurst Agency added a colt by the same sire (lot 433) from Haras du Logis Saint Germain and he, too, hammered at €120,000. A representative of the same family as G1SW Zelzal (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and GSW Ibiza (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}), the bay will most likely be reoffered as a juvenile. “He’s by a good stallion and should be sold back here at the Breeze-Up Sale,” Benoit commented of the son of Ida the Fox (Cosa Vera). Veteran Kendargent (Fr) was the sire of record of Lovera (Fr) (lot 432) and the bay miss, who brought €105,000 from Pascal Bary, benefitted from the exploits of her year-older full-sister Kenlova (Fr). That filly, a €60,000 V.2 buy for Bary last term, has now placed twice at Group 3 level, running third in the July 27 G3 Prix Six Perfections after filling the same spot in the June 29 G3 Prix du Bois. Haras de Colleville consigned the daughter of listed victress Ice Love (Fr) (Three Valleys). Amanda Skiffington had signed for several noteworthy lots during the August Yearling Sale including lot 129, a Kingman (GB) colt out of Miss Plimsoll (Arch) for €850,000, and she was back in action for lot 481, a Haras de la Louviere-consigned son of Sir Prancealot (Ire) out of the placed Rainbow Vale (Fr) (Moss Vale {Ire}) for €90,000. Rainbow Vale’s half-sister, the stakes-winning Rainbow Crossing (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) is responsible for Group 3 winner Al Jazi (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), as well as the SP dam of Soffia (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}). The last-named won the G3 Sapphire S. on July 21 after earlier saluting in the G3 Ballyogan S. the month previous. The post Shalaa Filly Tops Arqana V.2 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article