Wandering Eyes

Zac Purton believes he needs a “miracle” to break Joao Moreira’s all-time record of 170 winners in a single season.Purton has enjoyed a career-defining season which has yielded 166 winners to date but he said he does not have the book of rides on Sunday at Sha Tin to take him to the record number.“The quality of my rides towards the back end of the season haven’t quite been there to push for it so unless a miracle happens it looks like it is going to be a little bit tough,” Purton said despite… View the full article

Cambridge Stud sire Tavistock was the star of the show on Saturday, with his progeny Travimyfriend, Tavirun and Bedford all successful at Caulfield, while his six-year-old son, Curragh, was a winner in Sydney. New Zealand Group One placegetter Travimyfriend broke through for his first Australian win since he and trainer Rachael Frost relocated across the Tasman last year and was sent out at the lucrative odds of $16 despite his good recent form. Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie You... View the full article

John Moore needs to turn back the clock to pinch an unlikely trainers’ championship off 10-time winner John Size at Sha Tin on Sunday.Moore trails Size by two winners heading into the season finale, but knows he has done it before from a similar position after he won four of the last six races on the same day in 2011 to beat Tony Cruz by two.Eight years down the track, Moore said it can be done again and takes 11 horses into the day.“Now history has to repeat itself, I have to go back to when I… View the full article

New Zealand Group One placegetter Travimyfriend has broken through for his first Australian win and given his trainer Rachael Frost her first Melbourne Saturday city success since her move across the Tasman. Frost relocated last year from New Zealand to Mornington where she trains a small team of horses including Travimyfriend and recent Sandown midweek winner Deep Euphoria. Travimyfriend was third in the Group One Haunui Farm Classic (1600m) in New Zealand in February last year while he had bee... View the full article

Tough as teak ten-year-old Gagarin proved the best stayer when he came from last in the early running to win the Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) at Trentham. The Kevin Myers-trained Pentire gelding wasn’t at his fluent best when jumping the first few fences in the 5500m contest but slowly warmed to his task as the field completed the first of three laps of the unique figure eight Trentham steeplechase course. Rider Mathew Gillies allowed his charge to bowl along behind his nine ... View the full article

A plan to use new front-running tactics on classy mare Another Dollar (NZ) (Ocean Park) proved a winning move at Doomben on Saturday. There were only six runners in the race and none of them had led at any of their starts Trainer Chris Waller's Queensland manager Paul Shailer realised the situation and instructed jockey Ryan Maloney to lead on the mare. It worked with Another Dollar beating her stablemate Savacool (NZ) (Savabeel) by 1-1/4 lengths with three-quarters of a length to Mongolian Wolf... View the full article

Fresh from securing a feature jumping double on their home track at Hastings last month, the training partnership of Paul Nelson and Corinna McDougal were at it again at Trentham on Saturday when No Tip took out the Anuka Smoker Wellington Hurdle (3400m). The lightly raced Mettre En Jeu seven-year-old was having just his ninth career run and only third over fences when he out-stayed his rivals on the brutal Heavy11 track conditions after a beautifully judged ride from Aaron Kuru. Kuru allowed No... View the full article

Local two-year-old Annie’s Song indicated she could be a filly with a big future after she made a winning debut over 1000m at Ruakaka on Saturday. The Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley-trained youngster was well supported off the back of a handy performance at the Avondale trials last month and delivered on that promise as she drove clear in the run home to win comfortably by a length and a quarter for rider Craig Grylls. “She’s going to make a lovely three-year-old, as on what she has done... View the full article

Each Saturday NTRA and BloodHorse provide a one-stop guide to the day's graded stakes races. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Click on links for full preview. View the full article

The end is in sight of the tense quarantine stand-off between Hong Kong and Australia.Australian authorities have requested to officially tour the Jockey Club’s Conghua training facility in mainland China, marking one of the final steps required to restore previous biosecurity regulations between the two jurisdictions.The Post understands the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) has written to Chinese officials requesting to visit the site and are awaiting a response… View the full article

Sticking with the best-laid plans, trainer Catherine Day Phillips and owners Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry were rewarded when Mr Havercamp rolled to the lead July 12 and posted a half-length victory over yielding turf in Saratoga's Forbidden Apple. View the full article

There are times when the best decisions are the ones you do not make. View the full article

Another brave effort for Lim's Cruiser in UK View the full article

Thompson, Zawari, S John suspended View the full article

For all the marvelous qualities rolled into a day at Saratoga Race Course, for more than a century and a half there has been one persistent and messy problem. View the full article

Dan Ward, a longtime assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, will operate a stable of his own at the upcoming Del Mar meet. The story was first reported by the Daily Racing Form‘s Steve Anderson. The TDN spoke to Hollendorfer’s attorney Drew Couto early Friday and he confirmed that Hollendorfer himself will not be entering any horses when entries are taken for the opening day card. Del Mar opens Wednesday and entries for the first card will be taken Saturday. Though Del Mar has yet to make any official announcements concerning Hollendorfer’s status for the meet, they did not allocate him any stalls. That does not necessarily mean that Hollendorfer could not at least attempt to enter horses to race at Del Mar, a move that could have brought the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) into the controversy. Couto said it was decided that, for now, that would not be the best course of action. “One of Jerry’s main concerns right now is making sure that his long-time employees are taken care of and that so are the owners who have been very loyal to him over the years. For now, that’s his main focus,” Couto said. In an earlier interview with the TDN, Couto maintained that Del Mar was likely to ban Hollendorfer because it was afraid of the “PR risks” involved with allowing him to run. “I have my trainer’s license, insurance and stalls at Del Mar and am ready to go,” Ward said via text. When asked about his feeling about taking over for Hollendorfer during difficult times, Ward replied: “His concern for his employees during this has given me even more respect for him than I even had before.” Ward added that he is not sure how many stalls he will have because some details still need to be worked out over horses that are co-owned by Hollendorfer. But he will have what is perhaps the stable’s biggest star, Vasilika (Skipshot). The mare, who has won four straight and 12 of her last 13, is being pointed for the GII Yellow Ribbon H. Ward has not started a horse under his own name since 1987, when he went two for nine. He was an assistant to Bobby Frankel from 1976 through 1998 and has worked for Hollendorfer since 2007. A similar situation has unfolded at the NYRA tracks, where Hollendorfer has also been denied stalls and not allowed to enter horses. Several horses that had previously been trained by Hollendorfer were turned over to another assistant, Don Chatlos. Hollendorfer was banned by The Stronach Group from its two California tracks, Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields, after a fourth horse of his had to be euthanized June 22 during a Santa Anita meet in which there were 30 equine fatalities. However, the CHRB took no action against Hollendorfer, meaning he is not serving or appealing any suspensions. Tracks have often used the rights given to private property owners to ban individuals without going through the norms of due process. Del Mar could be in a different situation because the land the track sits on is owned by the State of California. After the Santa Anita ban, Hollendorfer was permitted to stable and race at Los Alamitos. The post Former Hollendorfer Assistant Dan Ward to Operate Del Mar Stable appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Oisin Murphy was tickled pink after setting fractions to the second to nail a first group 1 of the year July 12 aboard Veracious in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket. View the full article

WAR FRONT COLT MAKES CAREER BOW AT THE SPA Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-SAR, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 2:45p.m. Claiborne and Adele Dilschneider’s IRKED (War Front) makes his first trip to the post for Bill Mott on Saratoga’s opening weekend. He is out of Grade II winner Vexed (Arch), who is a half-sister to fellow Grade II victress Sign (Pulpit). The Hall of Fame conditioner also sends out Peddlers Pride (Liam’s Map), a son of GSP Mr Hall’s Opus (Officer). Todd Pletcher also unveils the son of a Grade II winner in High Tide (Malibu Moon), who is out of Bauble Queen (Arch), who also produced GSW Blitzkrieg (War Front). TJCIS PPs SERVIS UNVEILS SON OF TONALIST 6th-MTH, $45K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 2:56p.m. Jason Servis saddles a firster from the initial crop of MGISW Tonalist in SIRLUVESHIMSELFALOT, who was picked up for $385,000 at EASMAY after breezing in:10 2/5. The chestnut is out of a half-sister to MGISW You (You The post July 13 Insights appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New Zealand-bred superstar Beauty Generation claimed the Hong Kong Horse of the Year award for the second year in a row at a sparkling ceremony held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel tonight, Friday, 12 July. A four-time Group One victor this term, Hong Kong’s best galloper was also named Champion Miler for the second consecutive year. Beauty Generation is the eighth horse to win back-to-back Horse of the Year titles in Hong Kong’s professional era, joining ot... View the full article

Saratoga Springs, NY–On Mariano Rivera Day at Saratoga Race Course Friday, it was tough to tell who was more appreciative, the guest of honor or the crowd that gathered to salute the New York Yankees legend. Rivera, 49, will be back in upstate New York next week to be formally inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. He is the first player to be a unanimous selection. The New York Racing Association brought Rivera for Saratoga for the second day of its 2019 season and near the end of his remarks he invited the crowd to make the 77-mile trip to Cooperstown for the ceremony on July 21. Before the race for New York-breds carrying his name, Rivera chatted with two of racing’s Hall of Fame jockeys, John Velazquez and Angel Cordero, Jr. After making the trophy presentation to James Ryerson, trainer of the winner, Conquest Hardcandy, he signed a program for Ryerson. During the short program between races, NYRA presented Rivera with framed jockey silks, replicating his Yankees home pinstriped jersey with his number 42. “It’s a privilege and an honor for me to be in your presence, to be in front of you,” Rivera said. “You are the best. You guys pushed me to a different level. You were there in tough times, in great times, in the difficult times.” Following his visit to sunny Saratoga, he headed back to New York to Yankee Stadium where fans attending the game against the Toronto Blue Jays would receive a Mariano Rivera Captain America Bobblehead. “You believe that? They have a Captain America bobblehead,” Rivera said during a press conference at the track. “Back home when I was in Panama when I was 20 years old, if someone would tell me, ‘Mariano, in 29 years from now, you are going to have a bobblehead in Yankee Stadium about Captain America, I would tell you, ‘man, you are crazy.'” Rivera said that a 2013 bobblehead promotion during his final season with the Yankees “was a disaster. The truck got in late, they had a line circling Yankee Stadium and people were upset.” Though he was a starting pitcher in the minor leagues–including a nine-game stint in 1994 when he was 3-0 with the Albany-Colonie Yankees based about 25 miles from Saratoga–he became baseball’s greatest relief pitcher. He spent all 19 seasons with the Yankees, was a member of five World Series champion teams and had a record 652 saves in the regular season and 42 in the playoffs. When Rivera became eligible for the Hall of Fame this year, he made history by being named on every ballot cast. “I don’t consider myself better than anybody else,” he said. “I’m privileged that I was able to play the game for so long and respect the game and do my best for my team … All the great players who are in the Hall of Fame, for me being the one that was the one that was unanimous, there’s no words to describe it. All I can say is thank God, because it’s amazing. From Babe Ruth to the great generation of baseball players… Me, being the one…. That won’t change my life, but it’s great. It’s just something that I’ll treasure. Being the first one, hopefully they’ll be many others, but I am the first one. Just thank God for that.” The post Mariano Rivera Honored at The Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There is noteworthy stakes action all over the map Saturday, July 13, but handicappers may be forced to sit on their hands or tread cautiously in several instances. View the full article

Hawera trainer Paul Moseley has no reason to doubt his consistent galloper Mauna Kea heading into Saturday’s El Cheapo Cars Whyte Handicap (1600m) at Trentham but admits his mind has been working over-time pondering what might prevent the son of Per Incanto from claiming the lion’s share of the $40,000 stake. From the testing Trentham track to second-up syndrome and the looming shadows of top-rater Dolcetto and improving race-rival Our Bandit, Moseley doesn’t ooze the confidence of t... View the full article

New King (GB) (lot 710) became the second-highest priced horse in the history of the Tattersalls July Sale when selling to Australian-based agent James Harron for 450,000gns. Consigned by Jamie Railton as agent, the well-bred son of Frankel (GB) appealed on paper, having brought his official rating to 102 with an impressive eight-length win over nine furlongs last time out. In fact, he was the reason for Harron’s presence in Newmarket. He said, “I haven’t been to this sale for a few years and I specifically came for this horse. European horses have been doing extremely well in Australia, especially in the last few years, and Timeform is a very handy guide for us in sourcing suitable horses.” New King was bought for a group of existing clients, though his future trainer and a potential campaign have yet to be decided. Explaining his appeal, Harron commented, “He’s a lovely horse– he’s not overly big but has very good form and is highly rated by Timeform. If you compare him to horses exported from Britain to Australia, he fits the profile of those who have done very well previously. We all know how difficult it is to get horses like this and he has been very well-managed.” Last year’s July Sale was a tough act to follow, particularly with fewer horses offered this year, but in spite of this figures increased across the board. Strong trade over the three days saw 93% of lots find new homes; bettering last year’s 87%. They contributed to an increased total aggregate of 12,748,800gns, while the average improved by 11% to 23,830gns, and the media grew by 20% to 12,000gns. At the conclusion of sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony reflected, “This has been another strong renewal of the Tattersalls July Sale. Two lots selling for more than 400,000 guineas for the first time at this fixture, a record July price for a filly in training and improved figures in all the key indicators of turnover, average, median and clearance rate are about as many positives as one could wish for.” Mahony said he was delighted by the variety of buyers active. “Domestic British and Irish buyers have been prominent and every sector of the market has been further boosted by international demand, which has included the sale-topping 450,000gns 3-year-old colt New King, who was purchased by leading Australian based bloodstock agent James Harron, the prolific buying of our loyal buyers from the Gulf region and a particularly strong contingent of buyers from Greece,” he said. “There have been buyers at Park Paddocks this week from more than 30 different countries and it is a source of pride that many of them would view Tattersalls as their primary, if not only, source of Thoroughbreds year-after-year.” Jono Mills was among those who tried but failed to secure the top lot, but gained some compensation when buying the next most expensive horse, listed winner Inverleigh (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) (lot 824), for 350,000gns. Offered by Michael Downey, who owns the 3-year-old in partnership with Kildaragh Stud’s Antoinette Kavanagh, the colt ignited a hard-fought bidding duel with Dubai trainer Ahmed bin Harmash, who was standing with Amer Abdulaziz of Phoenix Thoroughbreds. The resulting price repaid Kavanagh and Downey’s faith in Inverleigh, who they had originally bought as a foal for €30,000. “He didn’t make the yearling sales,” explained Downey. “Peter Kavanagh’s son Roderic always said he was good, from the day he broke him, but when he didn’t breeze well, we decided to retain him.” He quickly rewarded connections, winning on debut before running consistently in stakes contests. Commenting on Inverleigh’s career to date, Downey said, “Ger Lyons did a fantastic job with him and he’s always run very well–he only once ran out of the placings at stakes level. He was second in a Group 3 last time out and his form is very strong.” So why part with him? “We’re traders, we’re dealers,” explained Downey, adding, “We thought we’d sell him at the July Sale when he had some mileage left in the tank for someone else.” Gassim Mohammad Ghazali claimed top honours on the buyers sheet, with his 18 purchases totalling 1,316,000gns. Contributing to his haul was 160,000gns buy Make A Wish (Ire) (No Nay Never) (lot 735), who won a seven furlong handicap on the Coral-Eclipse undercard on her final start for Simon Crisford. Standing alongside the leading Qatari trainer, agent Will Douglass commented, “She ran very nicely at the weekend. Those races are hard to win, especially on the Eclipse undercard. She’ll qualify for a lot of races in Qatar, so hopefully we can squeeze a bit more out of her. She’s by a good sire in No Nay Never, plus you would expect her to like firm ground, which is obviously important for us.” The Kevin Prendergast offering Sam Langford (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) (lot 821) will join Make A Wish at Ghazali’s stable, with the recent maiden winner valued at 92,000gns in the ring. The 3-year-old finished third on debut and was narrowly denied next time out, before scoring over a mile by 3 1/2 lengths. Mags O’Toole forced Oliver St. Lawrence to 130,000gns for four-time winner New Show (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) (lot 862A), his fifth purchase of the week for Fawzi Nass. The 4-year-old’s appeal was obvious, the agent explained. “He was a lovely looking horse and ticked all our boxes, right up to the outside ring, where he showed a very sensible attitude.” Offered by trainer Michael Bell’s Fitzroy Stables as a wildcard, New Show is a son of top race mare Music Show and has proven form on good-to-firm ground. Among St. Lawrence’s other purchases on the day was the Jamie Railton-consigned Wiretap (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), catalogued as lot 711 and for whom he parted with 75,000gns for. Trained by David Simcock, the June winner brought his official rating to 83 when upped in class last time out when he finished third. From the same consignment came lot 708, Military Law (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), also owned and bred by Qatar Racing. Nasir Askar, who operates in Dubai as Oasis Stable, was the successful purchaser at 110,000gns and his racing manager commented on their newest recruit, “He has been running very well, especially last time out, and with his rating he will qualify for the Dubai Carnival. We believe he has a good chance of suiting racing in Dubai and will dream of running him on World Cup night.” A 2-year-old winner over a mile, Military Law was last seen winning a competitive handicap over the same distance in June. Trained by John Gosden, he is a half-brother to listed winner Marina Piccola (Ire), whose son French King (GB) won Doha’s valuable local Group 1, the Amir Trophy, before posting back-to- back Group 2 victories in Germany. Later in the afternoon, Nasir Askar went to 60,000gns for lot 743, Scat King (Ire) (Scat Daddy), consigned by Richard Hughes’s Weathercock House Stables. The 3-year-old gelding had primarily raced on the all-weather and gained his maiden win at Southwell by six lengths in April. Another bound for sunnier climes is Count Calabash (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) after selling for 100,000gns to bloodstock agent Paul Harley, acting on behalf of Abdul Rahman Fahd Al Bawardi’s Emblem Stables. Harley, who previously trained in Germany, explained what drew him to lot 794: “He’s been bought to go to Saudi Arabia, where they race on dirt, so his high all-weather rating of 102 was a big draw. The 5-year-old factor was a concern, but with his form on the all-weather, he could be a very good horse in Saudi Arabia.” Harley also mentioned that the bay came highly recommended by trainer Eve Johnson-Houghton, who added Fearless Warrior (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) to her string earlier in the day at a cost of 90,000gns. Consigned by Jamie Railton as lot 709, the half-brother to two stakes winners won his maiden as a 2-year-old before finishing second in a valuable 10-furlong contest at Newmarket. The post Figures Rise At Tattersalls July appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

5th-Saratoga, $90,000, Msw, 7-12, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:04.67, ft. VAST (f, 2, Lea–Enth, by Seeking the Gold) became the second winner for her freshman sire (by First Samurai) when she gamely prevailed in her career debut at the Spa. Dismissed at odds of 12-1, the homebred burst out of the barrier and vied for the early lead with Pure Wow (The Factor) through a first quarter in :22.67. Hugging the rail around the turn, she appeared to be momentarily defeated before digging in and finding another gear into the lane. The bay came out and brushed with a rival inside the eighth pole before being straightened out by her rider Junior Alvarado, driving to the wire to finish a half-length in front of a closing Good Shabbs (Munnings). Hailing from the family of GI Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame (Arch), Vast is a half-sister to Sower (Flatter), MSW/MGSP, $299,890 and a yearling filly by Runhappy. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O/B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider (KY); T-William I. Mott. The post Lea Gets Second Winner at the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New Jersey’s Monmouth Park has announced plans to hike all purses by five percent beginning July 20, which is also the day of the GI Haskell Invitational S. and five other black-type events. All races will see the purse increase through the meet’s end Oct. 27. “Our numbers have been strong despite losing the equivalent of a full card of racing due to weather,” said Dennis Drazin, Chairman and CEO of Monmouth’s parent company, Darby Development. “This is the first increase in purses during the meet that Monmouth Park has offered in quite some time. It’s another indication that everyone involved–owners, trainers, and our patrons–has responded positively to the $10 million purse subsidy provided by the state.” The purse increase is in addition to Monmouth’s average purses of nearly $500,000 daily. The post Monmouth Park Raises Purses by Five Percent appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article