Wandering Eyes

At Sha Tin on Sunday, Encouraging became the first ex-Michael Freedman horse to win of the 10 to run since the trainer’s return to Australia last month and another three go around at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. Encouraging won well for new trainer John Moore under Douglas Whyte, with the five-year-old notching his first win from 10 starts. But there certainly has not been a trend of horses improving once leaving Freedman’s yard, with the majority of those to run since the... View the full article

After 8 winners including easy wins for both the NAP and Next Best, the Picks From The Paddock are back to try and get your week off to a flier! Best Bet Of The Day 14:00 Lingfield Trainer Tom Lacey has been in excellent form in recent weeks, posting four wins from his last ten runners, and also has a fantastic strike rate when he has the champion jockey Richard Johnson in the saddle. They team up with He’s A Goer who returns to a left-handed track following a disappointing run when pulled up at Hereford last time out. His only career win came on good ground but it was over this trip and he has experienced testing conditions in bumpers last season so would be no surprise to see an improved run here. That said, Gary Moore has trained the winner of this race for the last two years and sends last years’ winner Clayton in a bid to win it again. He hasn’t been seen since finishing second over course and distance in January but does have a good record when fresh and will likely have been primed for this race so he has to be the selection to bring up the hat-trick for his trainer. Clayton (WIN) – NAP Next Best 13:30 Lingfield Paul Henderson has sent four chasers to Lingfield in the last three years and has emerged with two wins and two placed efforts for his efforts. His runner here is For Carmel who has been the model of consistency over the larger obstacles, making the frame in four from five including a victory at Newton Abbott when last seen over fences and two placed efforts on both prior visits to Lingfield. He had a pipe-opener over hurdles last month so should be spot on for this race and has winning form in testing conditions so should be capable of another bold performance now returning to fences. How’s My Friend finished last season with a hat-trick of victories but all three came in lower grades and doesn’t have the best of records when returning from a break so although is respected he may just need this, so the bigger danger could be Pray For a Rainbow who posted his only career victory over hurdles in heavy ground here at Lingfield and put in a promising run in second when last seen over fences. For Carmel (WIN) Lingfield 12:30 – Tribesmans Glory (WIN) 13:00 – Coded Message (WIN) 13:30 – For Carmel (WIN) 14:00 – Clayton (WIN) 14:30 – Ballyheigue Bay (WIN) 15:00 – Illtellmema (WIN) Musselburgh 12:15 – Nendrum (WIN) 12:45 – Thibault (WIN) 13:15 – Wolfcatcher (WIN) 13:45 – Civil Unrest (WIN) 14:15 – Liva (WIN) 14:45 – Arthurs Secret (WIN) 15:15 – Thyne For Gold Wolverhampton 15:30 – Mossy’s Lodge (WIN) 16:00 – Involved (WIN) 16:30 – Unforgiving Minute (WIN) 17:00 – She’s Got You (WIN) 17:30 – Beehaar (WIN) 18:00 – You’re Cool (WIN) 18:30 – Charlie D (WIN) 19:00 – Rubensian (WIN) The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Monday 10th December appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Injured jockey Tye Angland has been flown back to Australia, two weeks after a horror fall at Sha Tin. The Jockey Club, which has still not revealed the nature of his injuries, confirmed Angland had been moved out of the Prince of Wales Hospital on Monday morning. “Jockey Tye Angland was cleared by doctors for travel and repatriated to Australia on Sunday evening accompanied by his wife Erin and an attending doctor,” the Jockey Club said in a statement. “Tye arrived in Sydney... View the full article

WH Kok suspended for three days View the full article

Trainer Kevin Attard was going to win the 1 3/4-mile race. What was in question until the final strides was which of his two horses would cross the wire first. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday’s Insights features a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup winner Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}). 5.30 Wolverhampton, Cond, £5,800, 2yo, f, 7f 36y (AWT) Khalid Abdullah’s homebred CLERISY (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is a half-sister to last month’s GI Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) and debuts for Sir Michael Stoute in this distaffers’ test. Her rivals include Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s homebred firster Thakaa (Lemon Drop Kid), who is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to MG1SW Grand Couturier (GB) (Grand Lodge), representing Charles Hills; and The LAM Partnership’s Maerchengarten (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), who is an Ed de Giles-trained unraced half-sister to this term’s G2 Derby Italiano victor Summer Festival (GB) (Poet’s Voice {GB}). View the full article

Artilena scored her first stakes victory from off the pace in the $125,000 Ontario Lassie for 2-year-old Ontario-bred fillies Dec. 9 at Woodbine. View the full article

When Improbable (City Zip) trounced his opponents in Saturday’s GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity he received much deserved rave reviews. He endured a brief scare from stablemate Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man) before switching into another gear and drawing off by five. He is undefeated, a two-time stakes winner and now a Grade I winner. This is a very good horse. And he may not be Bob Baffert’s best 2-year-old. He might not be his fifth best 2-year-old. There’s nothing new about Baffert having a lot of quality juveniles in his barn, but he’s taken it to a new level this year. A ridiculous level. Baffert has had 13 2-year-old males break their maiden this year, a list that includes champion-in-waiting and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}). He’s also had seven 2-year-old fillies win a maiden race. No doubt, there’s more. There are 21 days left to go in 2018 and he proved last year with Justify that he can still win a GI Kentucky Derby with a horse that didn’t start until February. Baffert doesn’t have to win next year’s Derby, but it appears that he could show up at Churchill Downs with the greatest collection of talent any trainer has ever brought to Louisville. Here are the 13, and one person’s opinion on where they belong on the Baffert pecking order: 1) Game Winner: While some believe that Improbable is Baffert’s best 2-year-old, you can’t deny Game Winner first place. Not after all he has accomplished. He’s a three-time Grade I winner, the Breeders’ Cup winner, is undefeated and a future Eclipse Award winner. 2) Improbable: Would anyone be surprised if this horse were standing in the Derby winner’s circle on May 4? He struggled to break his maiden, winning by only a neck, but has been nothing short of sensational since. He won the Street Sense S. at Churchill by 7 1/4 lengths and looked like a potential superstar in the Los Al race Saturday. 3) Coliseum (Tapit): This horse hasn’t accomplished nearly as much as Game Winner or Improbable, but it appears his potential in unlimited. The colt’s owner, Godolphin, signed on with Baffert because winning a Kentucky Derby remains a major goal, and they came to the realization that their chances can only get better if they team up with the best Kentucky Derby trainer of modern times. Godolphin sent Baffert a handful of 2-year-olds and, reading between the lines, they sent ones they were very high on. Coliseum has run once, winning a Del Mar maiden by 6 3/4 lengths. 4) Roadster (Quality Road): This one is a bit of a sleeper. He was an impressive maiden winner in July at Del Mar and then came back to run third in the GI Del Mar Futurity behind Game Winner. Despite facing Game Winner, he was the 7-10 favorite that day. Baffert said the horse had a minor setback after that race and that he remains very high on him. 5) Magic On Tap (Tapit): By Tapit out of a Grade I winning mare, Aubby K, this horses is bred as well as a horse can be bred. He debuted Sept. 1 at Del Mar and won easily, by 2 1/4 lengths. The race was at 6 1/2 furlongs and this horse should only get better with added distance. 6) Tale of the Union (Union Rags): A New York-bred that costs $925,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic 2-Year-Old Sale, he smashed the competition in his debut on Aug 26. He won by eight lengths, covering the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.81. You have to wonder why he hasn’t run back, and he hasn’t had a published workout since Sept. 18. 7) Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man): Already a graded stakes winner, which he accomplished in the GIII Bob Hope S., he finished second Saturday behind Improbable at Los Alamitos. It was his first start around two turns, which could mean two things–this horse doesn’t want to go long or Improbable is just that good. 8) Metropol (Shackleford): Broke his maiden Oct. 10 at Santa Anita as the 7-10 favorite. He would be rated higher, but falls to the middle of the pack because he won by only three-quarters of a length over a horse that subsequently ran seventh in a maiden race. 9) Kingly (Tapit): Another whose breeding is off-the-charts good–he is a full brother to Mohaymen, a four-time Grade II winner, and a half brother to GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner New Year’s Day (Street Cry {Ire}). He debuted Dec. 1 at Del Mar and won by 3/4 of a length. What made no sense is that with his breeding and the Baffert brand, he went off at 4-1. The ones the barn really likes almost always go off as odds-on favorites. 10) Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile): Started off with a bang, breaking his maiden by 3 1/4 lengths at 9-10. But Baffert then decided to turn him into a grass horse. He ran second in the Zuma Beach S. and 14th in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Sorry, Bob, grass is not your forte. Time to put this one back on the dirt. 11) Cruel Intention (Smiling Tiger): The good news: he’s 2 for 2. The bad news: His wins have come in California-bred competition. 12) Count Di Luna (Liason): Broke his maiden by 1 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita in his lone appearance, but was completely dead on the board at 10-1. Baffert also used an apprentice, Assael Espinoza. Doesn’t sound like a horse the stable was very high on. 13) Dark Prince (Cairo Prince): Took him five starts to break his maiden and when he did it was in a maiden claimer on the grass. All Hail, Kukulkan That was an eye-catching performance turned in by Kukulkan (Mex) (Pointed Determined) in the Carribean Classic at Gulfstream. The Mexican Triple Crown winner made an almost Arazi-like move down the backstretch on his way to a 10 1/4-length win. He is now 14 for 14 and earned ($180,000) more in that one race than he did in all his prior starts ($152,484). But how good is he? His Beyer number was just a 71, which may or may not win a $25,000 claimer in the U.S. Gulfstream handled $9,617,173 on the card, a 9% increase over the inaugural Clasico Internacional del Caribe program. Yet, American racing fans are, apparently, still having a hard time betting the races for the foreign horses with any confidence. A week earlier, on Claiming Crown Day, Gulfstream handled $13.6 million. Saturday, the last two non-Caribe races handled a combined $2.2 million in the win, place, show, exacta, trifecta and superfecta pools. In the first two Caribe races, the total handle for those races for the same pools was $1.2 million. Nonetheless, there’s something to be said about creating big events at the track, even if they affect the betting. I have not been to a Clasico Internacional del Caribe program, but those who have say the atmosphere is as electric as you’ll find at any racetrack on any day. That’s something you can’t put a price on. It looks the Caribe Classic at Gulfstream is here to stay. Horse of the Year In recent days, the TDN has featured a series asking prominent people in racing who should be Horse of the Year. I figured Justify (Scat Daddy) would come out on top over Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky), but it wasn’t close. Though the poll was hardly scientific, it left me with no doubt that Justify will be named 2018 Horse of the Year. With one exception (Steve Cauthen), I compiled the reports, so I feel I’ve earned the right to have my own opinion heard. I will not only vote for Justify, I won’t even give it a second thought. In fact, as long as I’ve still got a vote and a pulse, I will vote for any horse than wins the Triple Crown. It is the ultimate achievement in this sport, and nothing else comes close. We can be a fickle bunch. Until American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) won the 2015 Triple Crown there were those who were convinced that feat was so difficult that it may never be achieved again. Remember all that talk about shortening the races and/or putting more space between them? So now that it took just three years for another horse to win a Triple Crown, to some people, it’s not that big of a deal? C’mon. Accelerate had a marvelous year and it took something of the magnitude of a Triple Crown winner to deny him what would have been a very deserving Horse of the Year. Yes, we all wish Justify continued to race after the Belmont, but that doesn’t take anything away from what was a sensational, albeit, brief campaign. A Horse of the Year campaign. View the full article

Gary and Mary West’s Final Jeopardy (c, 2, Street Sense–Addison Run, by Unbridled’s Song), a $110,000 Keeneland November weanling, bound home a much-the-best winner of his debut at Gulfstream Park Sunday. The bay colt, sent off at 4-1, was outfooted early and settled at the back of the field through an opening quarter in :22.35. Still last after a half in :46.44, he was angled to the center of the track at the top of the stretch and closed with a vengeance, soaring clear to win by seven lengths and completing the six furlongs in 1:12.90. Admiral Lynch (Super Saver) was second and Greater Cairo (Cairo Prince) was third. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,000. O-Gary and Mary West. B-Bloodstock Investment III (Ky). T- Jason Servis. View the full article

Salomon Del Valle's Margoth purchased a spot in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), confirming multiple graded stakes winner Gunnevera for North America's richest race Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

DEAUVILLE, France-Following a record-breaking opening day on Saturday, the tempo of the trade dropped down a few notches for the second session of Arqana’s December Breeding Stock Sale on Sunday. Nonetheless, the clearance rate remained solid for lower-level trade as of late at 74%. The total accrued for 198 sold was €5,260,500. The average and median both dipped slightly: 5.8% at €26,568 and 6.5% at €21,000, respectively. The draft of the Wertheimer brothers-who cull exclusively at Arqana each year-is perennially sought after, with prices reaching up to €450,000 on Saturday for their carefully cultivated families. Sunday’s top lot didn’t quite reach those heights, but nonetheless leading Czech breeder Jiri Travnicek has secured a mare with plenty to like on pedigree for €150,000 in Kapitale (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 479). The 10-year-old mare, who is carrying her fifth foal by Maxios (Ger), is a Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed half-sister to G1 Deutsches Derby winner and sire Kamsin (Ger) and G1 Preis von Europa victor Khan (Ger). Thomas Janda of Janda Bloodstock signed the ticket on behalf of Tavnicek, who around 10 years ago purchased a farm called Haras de Beaufay about an hour from Deauville. Having spent the last decade renovating the nursery, Tavnicek is now beginning to stock up on mares. “We tried to buy [on Saturday] but didn’t succeed so we are pleased to have been able to buy two today,” Janda said. “We like the family of this mare and the fact that she is a group winner by Dubawi. Her progeny may be destined to be sold so we are looking at commercial pedigrees.” Eric Puerari and Michel Zerolo of Haras des Capucines bred the multiple Grade I winner Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune {Ire}) and sold her on two occasions-as a yearling for €95,000 at Arqana August and as a broodmare prospect for $2.5-million at Fasig-Tipton through Zerolo’s Oceanic Bloodstock-so when Haras d’Etreham’s 7-year-old mare Bartira (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) (Lot 401) from the same family came up for sale on Sunday through Haras d’Etreham, the team found something they were plenty familiar with. Puerari and Zerolo went to €135,000 to ensure the mare, who is carrying to Dream Ahead, joins their paddocks. A one-time winner, Bartira is out of the G2 German 1000 Guineas winner Briseida (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and a half-sister to the German Group 3 winner Brisanto (GB) (Dansili {GB}). The second dam, Party Doll (Be My Guest), is the third dam of Zagora. Bartira is carrying her fourth foal and her first, Pappalino (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), was stakes-placed this year at two. Puerari said the team hadn’t began to imagine a mating yet. “We have to think about the mating; we have a hard enough time thinking about the matings for the mares we already have, let alone the ones we haven’t bought yet,” he quipped. “She’s from the family of Zagora, who we bred, so we know the family well and she has a good mating in her. It’s all positive for her; a nice young mare is not easy to get.” Capucines sold the sale-topping Lily’s Candle (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}) for €1.1-million on Saturday. Dschingis Secret (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) was certainly amongst the best of his generation in Europe, last year stringing together consecutive victories in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis, G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and G2 Prix Foy over Iquitos (Ger), Hawkbill and Cloth of Stars (Ire), respectively. The 5-year-old enters stud next year at Haras de Saint-Arnoult, and he gained a new member of his first book on Sunday when his owner Horst Purdwill and partners went to €100,000 through agent Chris Richner to secure the 4-year-old mare Waldfee (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) (Lot 343). The winning mare is currently in foal to Charm Spirit (Ire), and connections will be hoping she becomes as prolific a producer as her second dam Wurftaube (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), the dam of three stakes horses and the second dam of a further five, including G1 Irish St Leger winner Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), the dam of dual Group 1 winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) lit up the bid board during Saturday’s opening session of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale when her weanling filly by Dubawi (Ire) sold to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for €1-million, and it was a close relation to that G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner that made headlines on Sunday. Ecurie des Monceaux’s 3-year-old filly Aumale (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (Lot 366) fetched a much more modest sum of €90,000 from Australian-based agent John Foote on behalf of Cambridge Stud, but Foote reasoned that with a page like that, it is unlikely her value will ever drop. “She’s something that could be worth a lot more one day, and probably won’t be worth any less,” he said. Aumale was a 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling two years ago when scooped up by Mayfair Speculators and Monceaux, and she was a winner in the French provinces earlier this year for Nicolas Clement in the third of her six starts. She is the first foal out of Amber Silk (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), a winning full-sister to Just The Judge who was bought by Will Edmeades for 400,000gns at Tattersalls December in 2013. A year later, Just The Judge lit up that same sale when making 4.5-million gns from Qatar Racing and China Horse Club to dissolve the former’s partnership with the Sangster family, and the 8-year-old mare has this year gone a fair way towards repaying that investment. Prior to Saturday’s sale-topping foal, Just The Judge’s yearling colt by Dubawi had topped the Arqana August yearling sale at €1.4-million. “She’s a nice filly,” Foote said of Aumale. “She’s by Dansili and has a good pedigree. The half-brother was only beaten a nose first time out in Newmarket and the mother has been bred very well. We’ll just hope for the best.” Cambridge Stud has been busy buying mares through this weekend and last week at Tattersalls; they have bought six so far at Arqana and signed for seven in Newmarket. Foote said Brendan and Jo Lindsay-who purchased the famed stud from Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan earlier this year-are doing some culling and sourcing new mares for their suddenly expanded broodmare band. “Before they bought Cambridge, they had a good broodmare band of their own, but only about 25 mares,” the agent said. “They inherited 85 mares from the old Cambridge and they’re going to sell some of them, so they’re just restocking and getting some new blood and some European blood that suits New Zealand. But we’re just trying to buy a bit of value, and it’s working out pretty well. So we just have to hope they’re good-it’s the easy part buying them, we just have to hope they produce winners.” Haras d’Etreham announced last month that Wootton Bassett (GB) would next year stand for €40,000, double his fee of the past two years, on the back of a successful season both on the racetrack and in the yearling sales rings. Wootton Bassett–who had announced himself as a serious sire immediately with European champion 3-year-old and Etreham stallion barnmate Almanzor (Fr) in his first crop-added five new stakes horses and two new Group 1 horses in 2018 and had 12 yearlings sell for over €100,000. The stock of the G1 Jean-Luc Lagardere winner were popular at Arqana on Sunday, too: he was responsible for the day’s top-priced foal, Haras de la Louviere’s lot 522, bought by Jamie Railton for €120,000 out of the unraced Misty Night (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Wootton Bassett also had a colt (lot 399) sold for €70,000 to Mick Flanagan, while Saubouas Bloodstock bought another colt for €52,000. Another established French sire, Montfort & Preaux’s Le Havre (Ire), was similarly popular, with a filly foal bought by Margaret O’Toole for €76,000 (lot 454) and a colt sold for €50,000 to Charel Bloodstock. O’Toole also bought a Showcasing (GB) filly for €70,000. Zoffany (Ire) had a colt bought by Nicolas Lefevre’s Equos Racing International for €50,000. Coolmore’s dual Group 1-winning juvenile Pride of Dubai (Aus) may have been bred and raced Down Under, but his pedigree offers plenty of appeal to European breeders and this season has seen the shuttlers first-crop foals offered at the sales. His name was near the top of the sheets for foals at Arqana on Sunday after Philip Stauffenberg signed for a German-bred half-brother to the Norwegian Group 3 winner Fearless Hunter (Alhaarth), for €57,000. Pride of Dubai is by Street Cry, and leading European sires Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB) appear under his second dam. Other first-season sires with prominent results on Sunday were Darley’s Territories (Ire), who had a colt sell for €68,000, and Belardo (Ire), with a colt sold for €57,000. View the full article

Owner Chuck Zacney had quite the run in 2005 when Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet) won the GI Preakness S. and GI Belmont S. and was named champion 3-year-old male. He’s had a good horse here and there over the next many years, but nothing like the duo he’s ready to launch in the major races for 3-year-old fillies and colts next year. He’s the co-owner of both GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) and undefeated GII Remsen S. winner Maximus Mischief (Into Mischief) and, yes, he’s dreaming of a GI Kentucky Oaks–GI Kentucky Derby double. Can you blame him? Zacney was this week’s guest on the TDN Podcast, presented by Taylor Made. TDN: After two ridiculously easy wins at Parx, what were you hoping to find out in the Remsen with Maximus Mischief, and what did you find out? CZ: We knew it would be another learning experience, so I guess the first thing was the distance, adding two furlongs from the seven-furlong race. The most important thing that we saw was the way he acted in the paddock area. He was a true professional, and then he went to the racetrack and showed it there. So, we were very, very happy the way he relaxed. (Jockey) Frankie (Pennington) got him to relax, and then he won impressively by 2 1/4 lengths. We were very, very happy. And that was pretty much what we were expecting and hoping for in the Remsen. TDN: If you get to the GI Kentucky Derby, Bob Baffert is likely going to be waiting there for you with what seems like about 10 horses. There are several other good horses in the East Coast and the Midwest. These things tend to sort themselves out over time, but as we’re talking here in the first week in December, where do you think he belongs among the soon-to-be 3-year-old crop? In your mind, is he number one? Does he have to do a little more to prove he’s as good as, say, Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg})? CZ: I certainly think he needs to do a little more to be number one and be better than Game Winner, but as of right now, he is three for three. I consider him a top five 2-year-old. Going into next year, like I say, we’re going to be patient with him. And we think he’s going to do really well down in Florida, and he’s certainly going to face some really stiff competition. So we’ll get a much better gauge then, but going into next year, I consider him a top five. It’s not a bad place to be sitting. TDN: Sometimes these things are difficult to put into words, but can you describe the ride and the thrill that Afleet Alex took you guys on? CZ: It was incredible. We put a group together and went to the sale. [Trainer] Tim Ritchey picked out the horse and 30 days later, he’s in his first race, which is pretty much unheard of. He won his first race by 11 1/4 lengths and his second by 12. We go up to Saratoga and we’re the favorite in the Sanford. And I remember (co-owner) Joe Lerro and I standing in the paddock area and I’m looking up and saying to Joe, ‘Can you believe we’re 3-1 here at Saratoga?’ So it was a great ride, and then we won the (GI) Hopeful after that. We just had so many great moments. But once again, it was just a great experience sharing it with (jockey) Jeremy (Rose) and Tim and the partnership. And then at the end of 2004, we got Alex’s Lemonade Stand and Liz Scott involved, and it really was special. Alex meant a lot to a lot of different people. We were getting letters from parents who had kids with cancer. One of the things very few people know– and once again, this was Tim Ritchey’s idea–prior to each big race, Kentucky, Maryland, and New York, we went to a children’s hospital and visited the kids there and talked about Afleet Alex and gave out hats and buttons. It was all about giving back. And seeing these kids, you walk into a room and you see them with tubes and you know their prospects are not really good. But they had the biggest smiles, and that makes you realize how lucky you are. There were lots of good memories there, and who knows, maybe we’re on to another good ride with Maximus. TDN: You guys were very new to the game when you bought Afleet Alex. You jumped into the sport, and the next thing you know, you won two Classic races. Were you guilty, as many people have been in that situation, of thinking, “Gee. This is easy”? CZ: Oh, absolutely. Smarty Jones certainly got me going, the juices flowing. And here we come into the game, and we’re winning two-thirds of the Triple Crown. But the funny thing is we had a nice little claiming group together. At one point, I think we won seven or eight races. We were winning everything at Delaware Park too. I mean, we were red hot, and we’re looking at each other like, ‘What the heck is going on? This is an easy game. I can’t believe more people aren’t doing this.’ So it was a great ride, and as the game goes, you get a little chilly. Just make sure you’re not too chilly for too long. But sure, looking back, you kind of think, ‘Why us?’ Having all this luck, all this success so early, when you hear and read about so many people who have been in the game many, many years and did not even sniff some of the success that we had. TDN: Between Afleet Alex and your 2016 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss), you didn’t have much success. You spent quite a bit of money trying to find the next Afleet Alex. How frustrating was that? You learned the other side of racing, of what a tough game it can be. So tell us a little bit about that experience. CZ: Like I said, we thought it was easy, and the partnership started to break up and go away. But I stayed in the game and continued to spend. I was lucky. My business was doing well, so I was able to spend. But we really were not seeing a whole lot of success on the racetrack. One of the things that I started to realize is not only how tough the game is, but I guess how the injuries were really the toughest part of it. Whether you’re spending $20,000 on a horse or $300,000, and then all of a sudden, they’re not even getting to a race. It happens in training, and you’re scratching your head, thinking, ‘What am I doing wrong?’ So that is really the frustrating part. But I think it really is amazing–things happening in groups. We started out hot. Really got cold for a number of years, and then all of a sudden, I would say from 2016 through now, things are going really, really well. So I’m again thinking, ‘Why am I so lucky?’ View the full article

Danon Fantasy (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) came from off the pace to win the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over a mile on Sunday. The Danox Inc. colourbearer was giving rider Cristian Demuro his third Japanese Group 1 win, one better than trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida. Dropping back to sit third last through the first half-mile in :47 flat, the 8-5 crowd’s pick began to rally with a quarter mile to travel. Angled widest of all barring second choice Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}), she had moved into third with 200 metres remaining. In charge 50 metres from the line while still dogged by Chrono Genesis, Danon Fantasy held firm to win by a half-length. Beach Samba (Jpn) (Kurofune) was a neck back in third, three parts of a length to the good of Schon Glanz (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). “The filly was relaxed and when I saw the second favorite come outside us after the fourth corner, I told her it’s time to go, we have to fight, and she responded really well,” said Demuro. “She responds very quickly and has a very good turn of foot. She’s a good horse and I think she will have a very good chance in the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) next year.” A ¥90,000,000 yearling out of the JRHA Sale in 2017, Danon Fantasy played the bridesmaid in a 1600-metre Tokyo newcomer race on June 3, but has been flawless since, breaking her maiden at Hanshin on Sept. 16, and taking the G3 KBS Kyoto Sho Fantasy S. at Kyoto on Nov. 3. Pedigree Notes… One of 123 black-type winners and 103 group winners for her Shadai Stallion Station-based sire, Danon Fantasy is the 39th Group 1 winner. Life for Sale, who won twice at the top level in her native land, has a yearling colt by Heart’s Cry as her last listed produce. Life for Sale is out of Brazilian MGSP Doubt Fire (Brz) (Ski Champ), a half-sister to South African MGSW & G1SP Ilsanpietro (Brz) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}), Farenheit (Brz) (Spend a Buck), a GSW & G1SP in Brazil, and Brazilian SW & GSP Olympic Leader (Brz) (Know Heights {Ire}). Her fourth dam is Brazilian Oaks heroine Dimane (Brz) (Janus {Arg}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Sunday, Hanshin, Japan HANSHIN JUVENILE FILLIES-G1, ¥125,140,000 (US$1,111,421/£873,453/€975,855), Hanshin, 12-9, 2yo, f, 1600mT, 1:34.10, fm. 1–DANON FANTASY (JPN), 119, f, 2, Deep Impact (Jpn) 1st Dam: Life for Sale (Arg) (MG1SW-Arg, $199,227), by Not For Sale (Arg) 2nd Dam: Doubt Fire (Brz), by Ski Champ 3rd Dam: My Little Life (Brz), by Ghadeer (Fr) 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥90,000,000 Ylg ’17 JRHAJUL). O-Danox Inc.; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Mitsumasa Nakauchida; J-Cristian Demuro; ¥66,288,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Chrono Genesis (Jpn), 119, f, 2, Bago (Fr) 1st Dam: Chronologist (Jpn), by Kurofune 2nd Dam: In This Unison (Jpn), by Sunday Silence 3rd Dam: Rustic Belle, by Mr. Prospector O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥26,368,000. 3–Beach Samba (Jpn), 119, f, 2, Kurofune 1st Dam: Fusaichi Airedalre (Jpn), by Sunday Silence 2nd Dam: Rustic Belle, by Mr. Prospector 3rd Dam: Ragtime Girl, by Francis S. (¥56,000,000 Ylg ’17 JRHAJUL). O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥16,184,000. Margins: HF, NK, 3/4. Odds: 1.60, 2.60, 7.20. Also Ran: Schon Glanz (Jpn), Pourville (Jpn), Meisho Shobu (Jpn), Tanino Mission (Ire), Savoir Aimer (Jpn), Red Anemos (Jpn), Tolochenaz (Jpn), Meisho Keimei (Jpn), Rosen Krieger (Jpn), Win Zenobia (Jpn), Love Me Fine (Jpn), Glacier (Jpn), Jodie (Jpn), Belles Soeurs (Jpn), Star Quartz (Jpn). Click for the Racing Post chart. JRA Video. View the full article

Salomon Del Valle’s Margoth has purchased a spot in the $9-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, confirming MGSW/MGISP Gunnevera (Dialed In) for the Jan. 26 fixture at Gulfstream Park. Gunnevera, who finished third in the 2018 renewal of the Pegasus, was last seeing finishing second behind Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 3. “I’m paying all the money myself,” said Del Valle, a Venezuelan businessman who entered Gunnevera in a partnership in last year’s Pegasus. “I’m happy to be in the race.” “I have a good chance,” added Antonio Sano, who trains Gunnevera at nearby Gulfstream Park West. “He just got beat by a length in the Breeders’ Cup. Maybe, there will be more speed in the Pegasus. One more chance. It’s in my house.” View the full article

The New York Racing Association announced Dec. 9 that the running times of three one-mile races on the main track, including the Go For Wand Handicap (G3), have been adjusted. View the full article

Following a review of the Dec. 1 GI Cigar Mile H. card at Aqueduct, in conjunction with Teletimer, the official timing system for New York Racing Association (NYRA) racetracks, the running times of three one-mile races on the main track, including the GIII Go For Wand H., have been adjusted, it was announced Sunday. The Teletimer system initiates timing of each race when the first runner crosses the timing beam, however, due to an auxiliary starting gate incorrectly parked on the outside fence of Aqueduct’s main track during the first half of the card, the beam was not engaged resulting in the first three one-mile races being timed directly from the gate, without the customary run-up which on Dec. 1 was 54 feet from the starting gate to the first beam. Race 2, a maiden special weight for juveniles won by Kentucky Wildcat (Tapit) which was originally timed in splits of 25.85, 49.82, 1:15.30 and 1:41.41, is now corrected to 24.68, 49.14, 1:14.01 and 1:40.17. Race 3, a $25,000 claiming event for older horses won by Stronger (Bodemeister) which was originally timed in splits of 26.08, 50.55, 1:16.62 and 1:42.92, is now corrected to 25.13, 49.78, 1:15.37 and 1:41.77. In Race 6, the Go For Wand, Marley’s Freedom (Blame) earned a neck score in a race originally timed in splits of 25.27, 48.56, 1:13.34 and 1:38.35, which is now corrected to 24.52, 48.14, 1:12.14 and 1:37.50. The issue was identified and rectified prior to the running of the GI Cigar Mile H. won by Patternrecognition (Adios Charlie). View the full article

I voted for Accelerate No. 1 in the NTRA poll, but that’s only because, in that poll, I tend to move horses that are not active down the list. You’re going to see campaigns like Accelerate had again. Over the last 15, 20 years, we have seen horses that have had similar campaigns. I don’t know when, or if, we’ll ever see anything again like what Justify did. Look at all he accomplished over a 112-day period. I know that everybody is knocking the 3-year-old crop, but at beginning of year people were saying it was one of the better crops we’ve seen in a long time. It seems to be the theme every year, people knocking the 3-year-old crop. Accelerate came around in the wrong year. Just one loss for Justify probably would have switched my vote to Accelerate. Even losing the Santa Anita Derby might have swayed me. I am big on the fact he was undefeated. Hazleton is an Eclipse Award voter View the full article

VAUVILLE, France—Nowhere in Europe is the stallion business expanding more quickly than in France and for 2019, just as for this year, there will be more than 30 stallions retiring to stud across the country. Among the best credentialed of the new intake is Haras du Quesnay’s Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper), who retires on the back of a season in which he won the G1 Prix Moulin de Longchamp and G1 Prix d’Ispahan as well as finishing runner-up to Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois. Quesnay is currently enjoying a dream opening run to the stallion career of Anodin (Ire), the leading first-season sire in France for 2018. The Wertheimer-bred brother to Goldikova (Ire) has strong ties to the stud, not just through his trainer Freddy Head but also his late sire Anabaa, and the links run deep with Recoletos, too. His dam, Highphar (Fr), an unraced daughter of another Quesnay stalwart Highest Honor, was born and raised at the Normandy farm for Spanish breeder Dario Hinojosa. “It’s really exciting to see the blood of Highest Honor coming back on the farm, like the blood of Anabaa coming back with Anodin,” says Vincent Rimaud, manager of Haras du Quesnay. “These things have worked before and we should all keep in mind that it’s long-term work, that these lines should not be abandoned, and that they are going to be, I think, very useful with all the bloodlines we have around.” A tall, elegant horse with scope, Recoletos demonstrated enough pace to appeal to the desires of an increasingly commercial marketplace, developing into a top-class miler at four having done most of his winning over farther as a 3-year-old. His one brief appearance at the back end of his juvenile season was enough to give him the racecourse experience to burst onto the scene the following spring. Winning his maiden first time out that year in March over 1m3f, he landed his hat-trick of victories when winning the G2 Prix Greffulhe by two and a half lengths from the subsequent dual Group 1 winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). The pair would meet again on their next start when running second and third behind Brametot (Ire) (Rajsaman {Fr}) in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club. Rimaud continues, “Recoletos is a very exciting new prospect for us. It’s really great to stand a double Group 1 winner this year in France. He’s also placed in the Le Marois, second to the great Alpha Centauri, and he was third in the Jockey Club. He won some races that are, to me, but I think also to many people, the races to make stallions. The Moulin at Longchamp over a mile is a great race to win, and the Jacques Le Marois, even being second. Anodin was second in that race at four years old also, and he’s doing very well for us.” He adds, “Pedigree-wise, he’s by what I think is an extraordinary stallion, Whipper, who won Group 1s at two, and three, and four, all in Deauville, and his lines are very interesting. The blood he’s carrying, with Mr Prospector, and Kenmare on the mother’s side, I think, is going to suit many, many mares around, and not only in France. Everyone from Europe should come and see this horse.” With the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale still in full swing in Deauville just a few minutes’ drive from Quesnay, Rimaud is hopeful that international breeders in town for the sale will take the chance to see Recoletos in the flesh. “Hopefully he will attract both sides of the market; commercial breeders and breeders that want to race,” he says. “I think the important thing is that he would suit some mares that are commercial, and the breeders should really pay attention to this. I’m really looking forward to seeing, at the end of this week, who is really interested in the horse.” For owner-breeder Dario Hinojosa, Recoletos may have been the highlight but he was only one of two Group winners for his dam last year. His 3-year-old half-sister Castellar (Fr) (American Post {GB}), also trained by Spanish ex-pat Carlos Laffon-Parias, won three races, including the G3 Prix Cleopatre and G2 Prix de la Nonette. And for next season, it will be worth following the progress of Recoletos’s unraced full-sister Villalar (Fr). “I’m not going to say the best is yet to come because you never know, but Carlos is very happy with the 2-year old,” Rimaud says. “So we’re going to hear a lot, hopefully, in the future with the progeny [of this family].” View the full article

The message for any prospective visitors is clear – you have to bring your best to Sha Tin if you want to win at the Longines Hong Kong International Races. On a landmark day, the internationals were cast aside as the home team swept the four Group Ones for the first time. Fittingly, the loudspeaker belted out Queen’s We Are The Champions after Hong Kong completed the set as 86,501 (mostly) parochial fans swayed along to the melody. There were two stand-out stars as Zac Purton and... View the full article

HONG KONG–A crowd of 96,388 gathered on a crisp December afternoon Sunday to witness a series of firsts at the Longines Hong Kong International Races. When Glorious Forever (GB) (Archipenko) crossed the line first in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup under a head’s-up and tactically perfect ride from Wednesday’s Longines IJC champ Silvestre de Sousa, it marked the first time in the history of the event that horses based in Hong Kong had swept all four races. World’s top-rated miler Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) and Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) successfully defended their titles in the G1 Mile and G1 Sprint, respectively, but in a particularly strong year for the locally based stayers, it was the narrow victory from Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire})–just the third in the race by a Hong Kong-based horse–that paved the way. “This is a dream result and it is extremely satisfying to see the depth and quality of Hong Kong horses rising to the fore to win four Group 1 races against top-class overseas challengers,” said Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “It is an amazing achievement and I will stress again that we have only 0.7% of the world’s horse population here in Hong Kong.” This year’s HKIR attracted 24 horses from six overseas jurisdictions, including runners trained by the likes of Andre Fabre, Chris Waller, Sir Michael Stoute and Aidan O’Brien and owned by such global giants as His Highness the Aga Khan, Godolphin, Juddmonte and Coolmore. “If you look at the quality of horses we have seen today, we have to be very satisfied,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “We had 21 individual Group 1 winners and seven horses rated 120 or above; Japan sent a very strong team of nine contenders and we are extremely happy that we have again attracted horses from some of the world’s top class trainers.” Second-season conditioner Frankie Lor won not only his first HKIR event with Mr Stunning, but a second with Glorious Forever about two hours later. Karis Teetan (Mr Stunning) and de Sousa (Glorious Forever) added their first HKIR victories to their already impressive CVs. Attendance for Sunday’s races was a little more than 2,000 more than last year, while turnover for the 10-race program was HK$1.605 billion (£161.3 million/€180.2 million/A$285.1 million/US$205.3 million). Commingling turnover was HK$258 million. “This is our highest turnover ever for this day, which is a tremendous result,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “And commingling was a record, too, with a figure of HK$258 million being 30% more than last year. That total does not include more than HK$215 million turnover which was bet in Japan on the four international races, and this all shows that there is a great international interest in Hong Kong racing among customers across the globe. He added, “Offering world-class sport is essential to help racing grow and one of the innovations that is coming out of this tremendous commingling turnover is that we will have the World Pool invested here in Hong Kong, which shows the liquidity we have in our pools and the confidence in our technology.” View the full article

More than 86,000 people flocked to Sha Tin on Sunday for the Hong Kong International Races, the culmination of a six-day extravaganza. Right in the middle of the action was reporter Patrick Blennerhassett, taking in the sights, sounds, colourful people and, of course, the hats. See below for the results: View the full article

HONG KONG–Jockeys Zac Purton and Joao Moreira treated the Hong Kong faithful to a battle for the ages in the 2017-2018 jockeys’ premiership, with Purton just gaining the upper hand after a protracted battle. Moreira, untouchable in his years in Hong Kong, elected not to renew his licence for 2018-2019 in an attempt to permanently join the ranks in Japan, but having failed to pass the first part of the entry exam, decided to return to Hong Kong. Having engaged in some memorable head-to-head tussles in years past, the two put on a show in the final 200 metres of Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, with Purton extracting just enough stamina from Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) to outstay Japanese filly Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Ire}). Irish raider Eziyra (Ire) made it a Teofilo 1-3 with a highly creditable effort in third. Crocosmia (Jpn), a daughter of 2001 Vase winner Stay Gold (Jpn), jumped away alertly from gate 1 and set the pace as expected, while Purton allowed Exultant to go forward from the 10 hole to force whatever element of pace there was in the race. ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal), a market drifter, settled just ahead of midfield on the fence, while Lys Gracieux found herself at a tactical disadvantage, with only two behind her at the midway stage. Crocosmia rolled along at her own pace down the side in what was emerging as a sit-sprint affair, but Exultant was poised just to her outside and Lys Gracieux was steered to the outside of Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to deliver her challenge into the lane. The filly, in receipt of a four-pound sex allowance, ranged up outside of Exultant nearing the 200m mark and indeed poked her head in front, but Exultant loves a fight and dug back in along the inside for a narrow victory. “Joao had the momentum,” Purton said. “But my bloke just seemed to be loafing along a little bit and as Joao came to me he actually rolled in and bumped my horse–that seemed to fire him back up and he found his second wind then. “He’s just an out and out stayer and we decided to put him up on the pace today against a quality field and just let him grind it out,” the Australian continued. “He’s the type of horse that if he’s going to get into a fight in the last 200 metres over a distance like this, you’d like to be on his back.” Third to Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) in the 2016 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, Exultant was third as the favourite in last year’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and stretched out to this distance to win the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup H. by a half-dozen lengths last May. Second to Pakistan Star in the G1 Champions & Chater Cup after setting the majority of the pace, the bay was fourth to Time Warp (Archipenko) in the G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1800m) Nov. 4 and prepped for this with a runner-up effort to Eagle Way (Aus) (More Than Ready) in the G2 Jockey Club Cup Nov. 18. The win was the first in the Vase for trainer Tony Cruz, giving him a full set of wins at the HKIR. Cruz said he would consider sending Exultant away from Hong Kong in the second half of the season. “The [G1] Sheema Classic in Dubai would be a possibility,” he said. “I’ll have to decide with the owner, but we’ll definitely make some entries overseas and consider those.” Of the foreign visitors, Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was bothered in upper stretch by Pakistan Star and did well to be fifth, while G1 Melbourne Cup third Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) was awkwardly away from the outside and finished a respectable eighth, one spot in back of Rostropovich. Mirage Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) showed no speed from his double-digit gate and never reached contention, finishing last of the 14. Pedigree Notes: A 16th worldwide Group 1 winner for his sire, Exultant is out of a winning half-sister to Irish highweight Caspian Prince (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and to Italian champion Spirit Quartz (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Exultant’s third dam was a full-sister to German highweighted Winter Quarters and was responsible for SW Jonquil (Ire) (Machiavellian). Contrary is the dam of the 3-year-old gelding Irish Agent (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and has no listed subsequent progeny. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG VASE-G1, HK$20,000,000 (£2,004,715/€2,258,375/A$3,498,006/US$2,556,057), Sha Tin, 12-9, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:26.56, gd. 1–EXULTANT (IRE), 126, g, 5, by Teofilo (Ire) 1st Dam: Contrary (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire) 2nd Dam: Crystal Gaze (Ire), by Rainbow Quest 3rd Dam: Jumilla, by El Gran Senor *1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Eddie Wong Ming Chak & Wong Leung Sau Hing; B-Ballygallon Stud Limited; T-Tony Cruz; J-Zac Purton; HK$11,400,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Ire, 18-6-5-2, HK$26,485,150. *Formerly Irishcorrespondent (Ire). Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. 2–Lys Gracieux (Jpn), 122, f, 4, Heart’s Cry (Jpn)–Liliside (Fr), by American Post (GB). O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; T-Yoshio Yahagi; J-Joao Moreira; HK$4,400,000. 3–Eziyra (Ire), 122, f, 4, Teofilo (Ire)–Eytama (Ire), by Dubai Destination. O-His Highness The Aga Khan; B-His Highness The Aga Khan’s Studs SC; T-Dermot Weld; J-Christophe Lemaire; HK$2,000,000. Margins: NK, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 9-2, 5-1, 36-1. Also Ran: Eagle Way (Aus), Waldgeist (GB), Pakistan Star (Ger), Rostropovich (Ire), Prince of Arran (GB), Salouen (Ire), Crocosmia (Jpn), Latrobe (Ire), Ruthven (Aus), Red Verdon (GB), Mirage Dancer (GB). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. View the full article

I’ve covered some big events, but it’s tough to compete with some of the staggering numbers that come out of the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR), the culmination of a racing extravaganza spread over two of the city’s most iconic venues. Sunday’s event at Sha Tin racecourse drew 86,501 fans to the mecca of Hong Kong racing with another 9,887 cross betting at Happy Valley. It takes place in December of every year. Fans flock from all over the world, and bets... View the full article

HONG KONG — Hong Kong owners are a fickle lot, sometimes making what appear to be dramatic changes, even in the face of success. Such was the case with Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), who never set a foot wrong for trainer John Size, including a victory in last year’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, but nevertheless was turned over to Frankie Lor, Size’s former assistant who had a unbelievable run in his first year out on his own in 2017-2018. Having his third run this preparation Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin, the 6-year-old stalked the pace of favoured Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), wrested command from that one in the stretch and–as he did 12 months back–just held off a late flourish from former stablemate D B Pin (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) to join the likes of Silent Witness (Aus) (El Moxie) and Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) as back-to-back winners of the Sprint. Sacred Kingdom (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) and Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) were also dual winners. Hot King Prawn, who got just the better of Mr Stunning when in receipt of five pounds in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint three weeks ago, jumped OK, but was rousted along by Joao Moreira as Mr Stunning held a spot underneath before coalescing and allowing the favorite to stride into the lead after a furlong. With Karis Teetan taking a good hold, G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize hero Ivictory (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) took up the task of pressing the pace outside Hot King Prawn, allowing Teetan to get some cover behind those two through the middle stages. Ivictory looked to be traveling well into the lane, but was soon running on empty, and Mr Stunning set his sights on the lead at the 300m. Hot King Prawn ran out of gas at the furlong grounds, succumbing to the pace pressure, and Mr Stunning hit the front at the 150m and held sway late. Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus), third in the Jockey Club Sprint when first-up since his third in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize in late May, ran on well for third. It was also a first Group 1 success in Hong Kong for jockey Karis Teetan. “He had a lovely trip through the race and I’m just so happy,” the Mauritian said. “It’s incredible. I’ve never felt like this. It’s the first time I’ve heard the crowd shouting like this. I just knew when I pressed the button he was going to go. He felt different today, felt so good. The win was the first of two on the day for Lor, in his sophomore season. “I’m very happy,” Lor said, “Karis did a great job out there. It took me a long time to get a trainer’s licence, so I need to try my best to keep going and train more Group 1 winners. I think John (Size) might also be happy because I worked for him and he was a great boss.” Pedigree Notes: With Fervour, who was bought back on a bid of $160,000 out of the Derry Meeting Farm draft at the 1998 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, was winless in her 11 career starts for prominent owner George Strawbridge and was purchased by Australia-based John Foote Bloodstock for 65,000gns in foal to Diktat (GB) at Tattersalls December in 2003. Having produced two minor winners from her first four to race Down Under, she was sold for just A$6,000 in foal to Purrealist (Aus) at the Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale in 2013. Two months later, Mr Stunning fetched A$110,000 as a weanling at the Inglis Great Southern Sale before maturing into an NZ$250,000 NZB Premier Yearling the following January. Barren to Purrealist that year, With Fervour’s final foal is the 4-year-old Mossman filly With Faith (Aus). Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG SPRINT-G1, HK$20,000,000 (£2,004,715/€2,258,375/A$3,498,006/US$2,556,057), Sha Tin, 12-9, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.85, gd. 1–MR STUNNING (AUS), 126, g, 6, by Exceed and Excel (Aus) 1st Dam: With Fervour, by Dayjur 2nd Dam: Fran’s Valentine, by Saros (GB) 3rd Dam: Iza Valentine, by Bicker (A$110,000 Wlg ’13 INGGSW; NZ$250,000 Ylg ’14 NZBPRE). O-Maurice Koo Win Chong; B-Makybe Racing & Breeding (Vic); T-Frankie Lor; J-Karis Teetan; HK$11,400,000. Lifetime Record: 22-11-6-2, HK$45,847,350. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. 2–D B Pin (NZ), 126, g, 6, Darci Brahma (NZ)–Pins ‘N’ Needles (NZ), by Pins (Aus). (NZ$200,000 Ylg ’14 NZBSEL). O-Samuel Wong Yin Shun; B-Mrs K N & W E Calder; T-John Size; J-Sam Clipperton; HK$4,400,000. 3–Beat the Clock (Aus), 126, g, 5, Hinchinbrook (Aus)–Flion Fenena (Aus), by Lion Hunter (Aus). (A$70,000 Ylg ’15 INGMAR; NZ$200,000 2yo ’15 NZBPRE). O-Merrick Chung Wai Lik; B-Miss J Henderson (NSW); T-John Size; J-Ryan Moore; HK$2,000,000. Margins: 3/4, 3/4, HF. Odds: 13-5, 11-1, 69-10. Also Ran: Little Giant (NZ), Born In China (GB), Ivictory (Aus), Lim’s Cruiser (Aus), Fine Needle (Jpn), Hot King Prawn (Aus), Winner’s Way (Aus), Sir Dancealot (Ire). Scratched: Pingwu Spark (NZ). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. View the full article

HONG KONG — Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}), recently recognized as the top-rated miler in the world in the most recent Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, enhanced his already-lofty reputation Sunday at Sha Tin, successfully defending his title in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile with a highly impressive three-length defeat of the swan-songing former G1 Dubai Turf victrix Vivlos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) ran home well for third. Drawn two from the outside, Beauty Generation was outsprinted early by Nothingilikemore (Aus) (Husson {Arg}), but ultimately overtook that one, only to once again cede the lead, this time to the Chris Waller-trained Comin’ Through (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who speared through to take it up midway down the backstretch. With Zac Purton supremely confident in the saddle and in no hurry whatsoever, Beauty Generation gradually made his way back towards the head of affairs and was in front for good passing the 1000m. Going in an even rhythm on the circle, Beauty Generation broke clear in upper stretch and drifted out towards the middle of the track into the final furlong, but had the race in safe keeping and won as much the best. Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), ridden by Purton to win the 2016 Mile, missed the break and came home nicely to grab fourth money for the Kwok family. “His best attribute is he has got a very high cruising speed, he’s very comfortable rolling along at that speed and he can kick off it,” said Purton. “For the horses back in the field they’re already struggling to go the pace and when you’ve got to try and reel him in, it’s not an easy thing to do.” Purchased to race in Hong Kong as a Derby prospect, Beauty Generation was third to his ill-fated stablemate Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) in the Derby, but has undergone a dramatic transformation as a miler. Winner of last year’s Mile in front-running fashion, he added the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup and G1 Champions Mile to earn Horse of the Year honors. Imperious in four previous tries this year, he was exiting a had-to-see-it-to-believe it defeat of Southern Legend in the G2 Jockey Club Mile Nov. 18, where he drifted out late owing to some foot issuess, but nevertheless won with authority. “Obviously he had a little bit of a setback and with the feet issues going into his last run when he ran off the track,” Purton added. “You never want those things going into a Group 1 race so they do play on your mind a little bit. But once I worked him late this week and he felt good in his work, John Moore asked me to come in yesterday morning to give him a canter on the big track. When I got off him I felt pretty relaxed and I slept pretty well last night.” Moore will now consider some overseas targets for Beauty Generation and nominated the Dubai Turf as a future objective, assuming he can convince the horse’s somewhat reluctant ownership. “If we’re going to prove him we’re going to have to do it on the world stage: We’ve done it here; home ground; that’s the advantage; he’s done it easily,” the conditioner commented. But it may not be that straight-forward. “The owner and his father are of the opinion that they don’t come back the same horse when they travel, but I’m trying to convince them that that’s not the case with the way that I travel my horses,” Moore said. “There’s a few little tricks there to make sure. I’ve won the Shaheen and had a few placings over there. I know the venue very well and I believe he could travel. If everything goes to plan, he could win there.” Pedigree Notes: Beauty Generation is one of two foals from his dam to make the races and is kin to a Oct. 13-foaled filly by Tavistock (NZ) that is cataloged as lot 443 during Book 1 of the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sales. Stylish Bel was most recently covered by Tavistock’s G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 VRC Derby winner Tarzino (NZ), who stands at Westbury Stud. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG MILE-G1, HK$25,000,000 (£2,305,519/€2,597,133/A$4,022,811/US$2,939,445), Sha Tin, 12-9, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.52, gd. 1–BEAUTY GENERATION (NZ), 126, g, 6, by Road to Rock (Aus) 1st Dam: Stylish Bel (Aus), by Bel Esprit (Aus) 2nd Dam: Stylish Victory (Aus), by Durham Ranger 3rd Dam: Romantic Peace (Aus), by Mikado (Aus) (NZ$60,000 Ylg ’14 NZBSEL). O-Patrick Kwon Ho Chuen; B-Nearco Stud Ltd; T-John Moore; J-Zac Purton; HK$14,250,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year & Ch. Miler-HK, G1SP-Aus, 26-13-3-4, HK$62,878,220. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. 2–Vivlos (Jpn), 122, m, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Halwa Sweet (Jpn), by Machiavellian. O-Kazuhiro Sazaki; B-Northern Farm; T-Y Tomomichi; J-William Buick; HK$5,500,000. 3–Southern Legend (Aus), 126, g, 6, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Donna’s Appeal (Aus), by Carnegie (Ire). (A$280,000 Ylg ’14 INGEAS). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-Corumbene Stud (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Douglas Whyte; HK$2,500,000. Margins: 3, NK, HF. Odds: 1-2, 57-1, 39-1. Also Ran: Beauty Only (Ire), Persian Knight (Jpn), Nothingilikemore (Aus), Mozu Ascot, One Master (GB), Singapore Sling (SAf), Fifty Fifty (NZ), Beat the Bank (GB), Comin’ Through (Aus), What Else But You (Aus), Inns of Court (Ire). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. View the full article