Wandering Eyes

One wouldn’t think a $100,000 Grade III all the way on the west coast would be sufficient to entice European participation, but one would be wrong, at least in this instance, as a trio of pond-jumpers add intrigue to the Jimmy Durante S. for 2-year-old turf fillies Saturday at Del Mar. Slugo Racing’s Italia (Spa) (Pyrus) is a rare Spanish-bred runner to test American soil, breaking from the rail in this 13-horse heat. Dismissed at 35-1 in her debut Sept. 19 at Saint-Cloud in France, the bay finished full of run to get up by a neck for trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. Transferred to the Mike Puype barn and attracting the services of Mike Smith, she got a feel for the local turf course with a half-mile work around dogs in :49 2/5 (10/15) Nov. 18. Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal’s Thriving (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) won two of three to start her career before finishing off the board in her next two outings. Last seen running second by a half-length Sept. 14 at Salisbury in Great Britain, the Jeff Mullins trainee will race around turns for the first time here. Cedars of Lebanon (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) annexed just one of her first seven starts, but reeled off back-to-back allowance wins at Naas in Ireland Sept. 30 and Oct. 21. She adds Lasix for this spot and also took a test drive on the Del Mar lawn when covering three furlongs around dogs in :37 3/5 (1/3) Nov. 18. In addition to the trio of shippers, Pivottina (Fr) (Vision d’Etat {Fr}) and Monette (Fr) (Cockney Rebel {Ire}) each boast just one American outing after showing enough promise in France to make the cross-Atlantic journey. The former showed a strong late punch to be fourth in the GI Natalma S. Sept. 16 at Woodbine, while the latter just missed when second by a head in the GIII Matron S. Oct. 8 at Belmont. Of the local chances, modestly-bred Lakerball (Lakerville) rates a long look. Failing to distinguish herself in three dirt starts, the dark bay pulled off a 33-1 upset of the Surfer Girl S. Oct. 8 at Santa Anita and legitimized that run with a five-length conquest of the Pike Place Dancer S. Oct. 27 at Golden Gate. View the full article

The New York Racing Association has announced increased purses for its upcoming winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which begins Dec. 7. Purses for open maiden allowance races will be increased $8,000 and will now be worth $68,000 and, with a $5,000 increase, New York-bred maiden allowance events will now go for $60,000. First and second level New York-bred allowance categories will see ‘non-winners of one’ purses increased to $64,000 from $57,000, while ‘non-winners of two/$40,000 claiming’ purses are boosted to $67,000 from $59,000 a year ago. Increases have also been announced in certain claiming categories. “These purse increases represent our continued commitment to maintaining quality racing in New York on a year-round basis. The purse money offered at Aqueduct is competitive with, if not stronger than, amounts offered for top-flight racing across the country,” said Martin Panza, NYRA’s Senior Vice President of Racing Operations. “We value and appreciate our local horsemen that continue to support our live racing product into the New Year.” View the full article

Whether the market can maintain its breathless bull run in 2019 looks like becoming the $1-billion question so far as trade in transatlantic yearlings is concerned. Figures provided by The Jockey Club show an arc in aggregate sales across North America and Europe this year–up $66,763,974 to $942,688,570, a climb of 7.6%–steep enough, if maintained, to break 10 figures next year. Measured on such a scale, of course, the market bears little coherent analysis. These tables embrace every yearling sold from the 3,500,000gns son of Dubawi (Ire) who topped the bill at Tattersalls in October to the $8,000 gelding by Gold Aly–a son of Medaglia d’Oro and, according to the catalogue, sire of four crops of racing age, 11 foals, nine starters and five winners (55.5%: pretty good going, dude)–who was the last yearling to change hands at a sale in Arizona last week. The behaviour of individual tranches of the market is far more legible in year-on-year comparison of particular sales. But the headline growth is largely attributable to the top end of the American market, where three summer sales staged by Fasig-Tipton (July in Lexington, and the Select/New York-bred auctions in Saratoga in August) plus Keeneland’s September marathon between them achieved $85,027,900 growth this year. That fully accounted for a $79,551,813 gain in the overall North American market, itself representing a remarkable 17.4% on the 2017 gross. Granted a $12,787,840 drop in European transactions, a 3.1% decline on 2017, the top end of the American market also carried the gain in intercontinental figures. Any European trends that might be perceived across the past five years, however, need to be treated with extreme caution. On the face of it, the European market is worth less now than in 2014, and likewise the average. But currency conversion makes comparisons hopelessly skewed, sterling (and guineas!) having been holed beneath the waterline following the Brexit referendum of 2016. As noted here in a review of Tattersalls Book 1, while turnover this time was 34.3% higher than in 2014, conversion at the prevailing rate of exchange made the average lot worth $393,893 five years ago and $376,564 in 2018. Judged purely by its domestic ledgers, however, the premier Tattersalls catalogue amply complemented the boom continuing in equivalent auctions across the water, namely the Saratoga Select Sale and Keeneland’s elite sessions. With Goffs Orby and Arqana August only nudging turnover up and down, respectively, the dip in the overall European market instead traces to its lesser sales, many of which recorded diminished indices. This partly reflected the burning of so many fingers at the breeze-up sales this spring. John Boyce has demonstrated how–in persuasive contrast with the purely anecdotal and chronic complaints of vendors–post-recession growth in the European market, by average, has actually been sustained through the deciles. But today’s figures, showing increased catalogues and reduced clearance, do give some substance to the notion that the market cannot support such huge books recklessly assembled for unproven sires of ostensibly “commercial” profile–measurable, notably, in Ireland’s foal crop, which reached 9,689 in 2017 from 7,546 in 2012. In 2018, 6,890 European yearlings were viewed as commercial commodities–i.e. entered for a sale–compared with 6,062 in 2014. That is an increase of 13.7%. But while the rate of scratchings remained virtually the same, the clearance rate shrank from 83.54% to 78.48%. That translates to 1,350 unwanted yearlings, up a whopping 48.8% from 907 in 2014. The clearance rate at American sales is historically weaker than in Europe, but this year’s figure of 74.93% is the best in the last four years. The number of yearlings entering the commercial mill has increased by 9.3% since 2014, not quite as steep a rise as in Europe but from a relatively stagnant foal crop. Catalogue scratchings are also consistently higher than in Europe, but this is evidently becoming a much more serious issue–reflecting, perhaps, the ever greater power wielded by the sales vet. In 2018, withdrawals from North American yearling sales rose for the third time in four years (the one exception distinctly marginal). In 2014, 13.04% of hips failed to make the ring; this year, defections were up to 15.63%. There are, of course, 101 different reasons for a horse failing to make the ring, but something is definitely going on when you get close to one-in-six dropping out, just five years after the ratio was closer to one-in-eight. (Strictly: one in 6.4, from one in 7.7). I guess the nature of both beasts is that a vet will always cover his or her back, when so many things can go wrong even with a perfectly sound Thoroughbred. Time after time, however, you see people shrug their shoulders in the winner’s circle after a big race and explain that they were only able to afford the horse because nobody else would take a chance on his X-rays. Remember that the latest champion 2-year-old of Europe, where vets tend to be rather more indulgent, was never even offered for auction–as would normally have been his breeders’ policy–because a perceived issue would probably not have got him past a sales vet. And yet his younger brother was the most costly yearling sold in the world this year. So good luck trying to figure out where we stand with the 13,842 contemporaries, either side of the ocean, who changed hands for less. View the full article

The sky-high odds Knicks Go has provided his backers are about to become a thing of the past as the Maryland-bred figures to be the clear favorite against 13 others in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 24. View the full article

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables' Restless Rider will try to add to her already impressive 2-year-old season when she starts in the $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

Each year, the New York-breds have stepped up their game, becoming more popular and winning more frequently at the highest level. However, 2018 has been the best year yet for Thoroughbreds hailing from the Empire state, thanks to the exploits of Grade I winners Voodoo Song (English Channel), Audible (Into Mischief), Diversify (Bellamy Road), Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) and Fourstar Crook (Freud). “It’s special,” said Jeff Cannizzo, executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders. “This might arguably be one of the best years for the New York-bred program and it’s based on the racing. That’s what we’re striving for here, to take New York from a regional program and make it a national entity. It’s done so through racing and when you have horses like Mind Your Biscuits, Audible, Four Star Crook, Voodoo Song, Diversify, the list goes on and on. It’s Grade I horses running on every Saturday across the country. It’s a special year.” While this may be the program’s best year yet, it has improved in leaps and bounds over the past few decades. Longtime New York breeder Vivien Malloy, owner of Edition Farm in Hyde Park, New York, has seen marked improvement in the program in the 37 years she has been participating in it. “It’s been amazing,” Malloy said. “In the old days, when I started breeding in 1981, you’d see weanlings and yearlings come out of the field and go to the sale. It was awful, and then we started getting more and more professional, and wise, and prepping properly and the yearlings started selling really, really well. Not only that, but what they did on the racetrack. They weren’t just pretty faces. They won all over the world, every racetrack, every surface, Dubai, Japan, England. It’s just been truly amazing and I’m very proud of it myself.” There used to be a bit of a stigma against New York-breds and really any Thoroughbred not bred in Kentucky, but thanks to the exploits of this year’s Grade I-winning Empire-breds and their predecessors, like GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. victor Funny Cide (Distorted Humor), that stigma has been washed away. “There’s no doubt that the program has improved tremendously over the last 10 to 15 years,” said Christophe Clement, trainer of world record-setting NY-bred Disco Partner (Disco Rico). “We used to be, all of us, a little bit negative about New York-breds, which was a mistake. You can breed a top-class horse with a New York-bred today. You get some wonderful stallions standing in New York and also you have access to all the Kentucky stallions if you wanted.” The conditioner continued, “You have some top-class New York-breds, Diversify, Mind Your Biscuits, Disco Partner, and they prove that they can compete with anybody else in New York. The bottom line is the money. We’re giving more money to the program and it just shows that if you give the right amount of money, you can improve any kind of state program.” {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"2018: The Year of the New York-Bred","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/301655038.sd.mp4?s=be44f42a5d35b79544b813e1bd821db3959d2fa7&profile_id=164","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/281450037.sd.mp4?s=32d35ac734035791c9c8185a75c624d05695df60&profile_id=164","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} Not only has the stigma worn off, but now many trainers, like six-time leading New York-bred conditioner Linda Rice, are specifically seeking out native New Yorkers. “I do shop all the sales, but I do give extra credence to the New York-breds when I see them,” said Rice, who trains GI Fourstardave H. hero Voodoo Song. “This year was an incredible year for New York-breds with Diversify, Voodoo Song, and many others.” Trainer Gary Contessa also gives extra attention to New York-breds and has been a longtime participant in the program. “New York-breds are an incredible investment for any owner,” Contessa said. “When I get a new owner, I don’t go and buy him an open-company horse. I buy him a New York-bred, because the New York-bred racing is phenomenal. It’s such a tremendous, tremendous program. I think I’m correct in saying, there is no breeding program in the entire United States that can hold a candle to the New York-bred program. When you’re getting new people into the game, you can’t go wrong with a New York-bred. It’s a phenomenal investment. I try and get as many New York-breds in this barn as possible because I’m here year-round.” Rice has also chosen to stay in New York year-round, partly due to the NY-bred program and her success with those horses. “Well, when I decided to race in New York full-time, and make New York my home, I thought that the New York-bred program was something that I need to invest myself in and it’s worked well for me,” Rice said. “[Champion] La Verdad (Yes It’s True) is a New York-bred, [GSW & GISP] Hot City Girl (City Zip) is a New York-bred, Voodoo Song is a New York-bred. So, I could see early on in my career that this New York-bred program was pretty exceptional and thought, let me see if I can get involved. I’ve gone on to have great success with the New York-breds.” Rice continued, “I really changed my business to stay in New York year-round because I felt that the purses were good in New York, good enough to stay. Winter racing also has quite a few short fields. It certainly serves me well to stay in New York.” The purse structure for New York-breds has become a strong incentive for breeders, trainers and owners alike. “A New York-bred horse can run in New York [in state-bred company] and, by the time he breaks his maiden and wins one or two allowances, he’s already won $75,000 in purse money,” Malloy said. “So, of course, the New York-breds are going to be more in demand and more attractive.” Cannizzo expressed similar sentiments, saying, “The commercial and the sales market is driven based on the rates and opportunities for state-bred horses. That’s what makes New York-breds valuable, the fact that you have so many opportunities to race inside the state of New York for $40 million worth of purse money and another $9 million in the stakes program with 60 different restricted stakes here across the state.” He continued, “It makes it commercially viable to go out and buy a New York-bred. It seems like everyone seems to be wanting to have one these days, which is driving the commercial market. But it all starts with the racetrack. So, if these state-bred horses weren’t performing on a national scene, I don’t think you’d see the same things happening in the sales ring that are happening now.” The recent November sales are an example of the increased commercial interest Cannizzo refers to. GI Flower Bowl S. heroine Fourstar Crook summoned $1.5 million from Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida at the Fasig-Tipton November sale. Also, a New York-bred Tapit filly out of Eclipse-winning fellow Empire-bred La Verdad was the highest-priced weanling at the Keeneland September sale, selling to Mandy Pope and Three Chimneys Farm for $800,000. “It’s not only La Verdad, there are many, many good mares in New York,” said Malloy, who co-bred La Verdad’s aforementioned Tapit filly. “Before those mares used to always go to Kentucky to be bred, but now, we are getting better and better stallions in New York, and we’ve just doubled the amount of purse money for the stallion stakes.” Out of the five New York-bred Grade I winners this year, three of them are also sired by stallions who are either current or past residents of the state. “A lot of these horses that are Grade I horses, ironically, are New York-sired,” Cannizzo said. “Mind Your Biscuits is by Posse, Diversify is by Bellamy Road and Fourstar Crook is by Freud, who is a perennial leader here in the state. I think that the momentum is going to carry it forward. Nationally, we have so many different people that are interested in partaking in New York-breds. It’s the direction that we want to be going in. It’s very positive and I think there’s a lot of people that should be proud of this.” Michael Dubb, who campaigned Fourstar Crook, has competed at all levels of the sport and has been a major supporter of the New York-bred program. The four-time leading owner at Saratoga summed it up well, saying, “The New York-bred racing program is a great program and all the participants in it work really hard. They have fought and they have endured to get where we’re going for a long time. But, now we’re rising to the top and New York-breds can compete anywhere, on any field, at any time. There will be more and more New York-breds competing at the highest levels. New York-breds are the greatest and everybody around them is the greatest!” View the full article

Though Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) proved best as a heavy favorite in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, a handful of longshots followed him home, and two of those, the second and third finishers, return in a competitive renewal of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Saturday at Churchill Downs. KRA Stud Farm’s Knicks Go (Paynter) shocked the racing world when wiring the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at 70-1 Oct. 6 at Keeneland, but the gray proved that effort was no fluke in the Breeders’ Cup. Pressing and making the first move into a fast pace, which sapped second choice and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Complexity (Maclean’s Music) to the tune of a 20 1/4-length defeat, Knicks Go led to deep stretch of the Juvenile before ultimately finding the presumptive 2-year-old male champion a bit too much to handle while holding second at over 40-1. The $87,000 Keeneland September buy earned a field-best 90 Beyer for the effort. One length behind Knicks Go at the finish was Tommie Lewis, David Bernsen and Magdalena Racing’s Signalman (General Quarters). Bought for $32,000 as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling, the bay was second in the local slop on debut May 17 and graduated Sept. 1 at Saratoga before running second to Knicks Go in the Breeders’ Futurity. Well out of it early in the Breeders’ Cup, he put together a strong late run to fill the trifecta at more than 67-1. Todd Pletcher ships in with the potent one-two punch of Red Oak Stable’s King for a Day (Uncle Mo) and Robert LaPenta, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Dixiana Farms’ Current (Curlin). The former was third to the aforementioned Complexity on debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga before graduating impressively after dueling on a hot pace Oct. 4 at Belmont. The latter makes his main-track debut out of a seventh-place run in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. One start earlier, the $725,000 KEESEP pickup uncorked a big late rally to capture the GIII Bourbon S. Oct. 7 at Keeneland. Dunph (Temple City) gets the acid test for trainer Mike Maker. A dominant victor debuting Sept. 15 at Penn National for Joseph Besecker and trainer Timothy Kreiser, the dark bay was subsequently bought into by Three Diamonds Farm and paid quick dividends, cruising by 7 3/4 lengths in the Spendthrift Juvenile Stallion S. locally Oct. 28. View the full article

Shadwell homebred speedball Ertijaal (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a UAE highweight from five to seven furlongs, passed away due to colic on Nov. 15, Racing Post reported on Wednesday. A listed winner in Britain early in his career for William Haggas, the 7-year-old gelding was transferred to Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and campaigned strictly in the United Arab Emirates for the next four seasons. For Al Rayhi the popular bay won the 2017 G3 Meydan Sprint and defended his title this term when that race was lifted to Group 2 level. In addition, Ertijaal was runner-up in the 2016 Al Quoz Sprint, and ran third in the 2017 edition. The consistent runner won half of his 22 starts and earned $1,274,954. It’s devastating, not just for me and my whole team but also Sheikh Hamdan, for whom Ertijaal was a real star,” Al Rayhi told Racing Post. “He was certainly one of the most popular horses in the UAE and, over five furlongs, one of the fastest in the world.” View the full article

The first 2019 Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens Nov. 22 with a new wrinkle as bettors can select the option of "all 3-year-old fillies." View the full article

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables’ Grade I-winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ Restless Rider (Distorted Humor), fresh off a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, returns relatively quickly as the likely heavy favorite in Saturday’s GII Golden Rod S. A first-out graduate under the Twin Spires June 8, the gray repeated with authority when romping by 11 1/4 lengths in the local Debutante S. June 30 to earn her ‘Rising Star’ badge. Second in the GI Spinaway S. Sept. 1 at Saratoga, she rebounded from her first defeat to annex the GI Darley Alcibiades S. Oct. 5 at Keeneland. No match for likely champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) Nov. 2, she figures tough to down while dropping in class here. Chad Brown ships in Klaravich Stables’ Break Curfew (Into Mischief), a well-supported debut winner trying to stretch out her speed. Backed to 8-5 going six panels Oct. 24 at Belmont, the $220,00 Fasig-Tipton October pickup scored a convincing 3 3/4-length success. In a race without much early foot signed on, the bay will likely be gunned from her outside draw by Javier Castellano to make the early running. Michael House’s Gold Credit (Goldencents) took a bunch of play first out as well, but rallied from off the pace to earn her diploma after a troubled beginning at 3-1 Oct. 18 at Keeneland. She shows three maintenance breezes in Lexington for this first route foray. Impact Thoroughbred and Madaket Stables’ Reflect (Trappe Shot) looks to bounce back from a distant ninth in the Breeders’ Cup. Prior to that, the chestnut completed the exacta at nearly 12-1 behind Restless Rider in the Alcibiades. View the full article

A total of 50 horses–split evenly between those based locally and abroad–from seven different racing jurisdictions have been extended invitations to the HK$93-million Longines Hong Kong International Races to be held at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Dec. 9. Of the 50 entrants, fully 23 have already managed a win at the top level. The home team took down three of the four events last year, and Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko), Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) and Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) are back 12 months later looking to defend in the G1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m), G1 Hong Kong Mile and G1 Hong Kong Sprint, respectively. Only Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who stood his first year at stud in 2018, is missing, and it can be argued that the G1 Hong Kong Vase is the day’s most intriguing affair. A full field of 14 could go postward, including the Aidan O’Brien-trained Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), conditioned by Joseph O’Brien, and who between them have accounted for the last two runnings of the G1 Irish Derby. The form of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is represented by Waldgeist (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}), fourth at ParisLongchamp, the fifth-placed Capri, and Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), sixth at 100-1, while Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Rostropovich (GB) (Frankel {GB}) exit the G1 Melbourne Cup. The Cup, the day’s richest event at HK$28 million, looks a wide-open race. Time Warp looks to join California Memory (Highest Honor {Fr}) as back-to-back winners of the Cup, but the task will not be straight-forward. Japanese runners account for better than a third of the foreign raiders with nine runners across the races, and based on his strong runner-up effort in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) Oct. 28, Sungrazer (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will take some beating. The Classic-winning filly Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) and veteran Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) round out the island nation’s stiff challenge. Former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) gives the home team another live chance, while Northern Superstar (SAf) (Count Dubois {SAf}), the former MG1SW Edict of Nantes and now based in Hong Kong with Tony Millard, is an interesting entrant. The Mile very much goes through Beauty Generation, but the Japanese duo of G1 Yasuda Kinen hero Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) and Persian Knight (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), recent runner-up in defence of his G1 Mile Championship title, look formidable on paper. While there were no U.S.-based acceptors for the meeting, American owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson of Lael Stable will be represented One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who owns a win against the boys in the G1 Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend and was a close fifth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. G2 Summer S. hero Beat the Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) will carry the colors of the late Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s King Power Racing in trying to give Europe a rare win in the Mile. The Sprint looks to be dominated yet again by the deep bench of local sprinters, including the in-form Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) and last year’s runner-up D B Pin (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) in addition to Mr Stunning. Each of those is capable on its day, but the same could be said for Godolphin’s Fine Needle (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) if he performs to the level of his wins in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and G1 Sprinters’ S. Sir Dancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), a three-time group-winning sprinter this term, is the lone European participant in a race no horse from Europe has ever managed to win. Lim’s Cruiser (Aus) (Casino Prince {Aus}) is Singapore’s lone participant at the HKIR. “The Longines Hong Kong International Races is firmly established among a select handful of the world’s great international racing occasions,” said Andrew Harding, executive director, racing, for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “We expect to see excellence at this event and with strong contenders like Hong Kong’s own incredible Beauty Generation, Japan’s Fine Needle, and European stars including Waldgeist and Latrobe, we can expect another thrilling afternoon of sport on 9 December.” View the full article

2018 G1 Investec Derby hero Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who was sidelined with an injury in July, is on the mend and will winter in Dubai before a possible clash with two-time G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), according to Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby. “Masar has not been seen since the Derby, but he is doing well in his recuperation,” said Appleby. “He will go to Dubai again and winter out there, but he won’t be running out there. We are looking forward to getting him back on track.” Appleby was complementary of Juddmonte’s rising 5-year-old mare and added, “It is great for racing that Enable stays in training, as she has obviously had a light campaign this year with only having the three runs. From our point of view, for us, and for racing, to have the chance to take her on is exciting and hopefully their paths will cross.” View the full article

Godolphin’s MG1SW Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) will stay in training in 2019, trainer Charlie Appleby confirmed on Thursday. Landing the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on her final start at two, the three-time Group 1 winner finished fourth in the G1 1000 Guineas on her return ahead of filling the runner-up spot in both the G1 Oaks at Epsom and G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot. The decision to drop Wild Illusion back to a mile and a quarter proved a turning point following top-level victories in the G1 Nassau S. and G1 Prix de l’Opera, before she signed off the year with a second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs earlier this month. Appleby said, “Wild Illusion is staying in training next season and for sure it is nice to have these good older horses. She lost nothing in defeat in the Breeders’ Cup and ever since her third run she has only raced at Group 1 level, except when running in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot. We will see how she is in the spring and what progress she is making, and then look at what races we will take in. She is good at a mile and a quarter and I don’t see any reason why we should take her out of that sphere, as she has proven herself at the highest level over that trip.” View the full article

KILDARE, Ireland—Once the thinner air of the upper tier of the foal market is reached, only the bravest pinhookers remain to do battle against those owner-breeders with a longer-term plan. The beauty of the Thoroughbred business is that each year at least one new player will emerge, intent on spending some serious money for the best bloodlines available, and thus it proved in the transaction of the most expensive foal sold at Goffs this week. The breeder and the vendor of the Kingman (GB) filly in question are names which resonate beyond their Irish homeland. Paddy and Helena Burns produced the daughter of Juddmonte’s rising star at their Loughtown Stud and entrusted Jacqueline Norris to conduct the consigning duties. Norris’s Jockey Hall Stud has a well earned reputation for excellence and duly featured in two of the top five lots of the session, including the €350,000 market leader, and ended the sale as leading consignor by average. On the other side of the deal, the buyer remains unnamed but Seville-based agent Francisco Bernal of Outsider Bloodstock was able to divulge that his Spanish client is prominent in the world of sport-horse breeding and is launching a fledgling venture into the Thoroughbred world. On her behalf, Bernal has bought three horses so far and he intimated that he will continue in this endeavour next week at Tattersalls. The Kingman filly will be sent to France before eventually going into training for her new owner. Jacqueline Norris said of lot 600, “The Kingman filly was a queen. I’m thrilled for her breeder Paddy Burns. My team has done a wonderful job all week in difficult weather.” Burns bought the filly’s dam Splashdown (GB) (Falbrav {Ire}) from her breeders Luca and Sara Cumani of Fittocks Stud last December for 145,000gns. Now 12, Splashdown was successful both on the track and in the paddocks for the Cumanis, winning the listed Ballymacoll Stud S. in their colours and breeding, to date, three winners including G3 Solario S. winner Aktabantay (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the useful multiple scorer Baydar (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}). For Norris, the day wasn’t just a success as a consignor, but also as a breeder in her own right when selling a Sea The Stars half-brother to the listed winner and G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Mind Of Madness (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}). Lot 593, a son of the the winning Oasis Dream (GB) mare Sioduil (Ire), was purchased by Camas Park Stud for €290,000. “We had a lovely update yesterday as the 2-year-old half-sister [Reticent Angel] won again. I bred this colt so obviously I’m delighted,” she said. Hard Act To Follow “It has been as hard as ever to buy the good ones but there were more falling through the cracks than in recent years,” was the assessment of Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby as he drew breath between the close of the first section of the foal sale and the start of the mares’ sale. The daily clearance rate at Goffs has risen from 59% to 73% to a much more buoyant 84% on the closing day of Part 1, during which 161 of 191 foals offered found a buyer. This brought the overall clearance for the three days to 72%—markedly down on last year’s 81% when the sale was headed by a €1.1 million weanling. Figures overall were ahead of the trade seen in 2016. The aggregate last year had leapt by 43% to €25,515,750, so this year’s tally of €20,311,000 represented a 20% shortfall from that lofty figure. The average fell by 11% to €42,315 but the median saw a rise of 4% to €28,000. Wednesday’s trade added exactly €12 million to the overall takings. This too was down by 20%, as was the final-day average of €74,534. The median was €52,000 (-12%). Beeby continued, “Last year’s Part 1 Foal Sale was always going to be a hard act to follow as it recorded big rises in each area and was headed by the rarity of a millionaire foal sale topper. So we have seen a sale that is still ahead of 2016 but it must be accepted that one of the key messages to be taken away from the sale has been the lower clearance rates, especially on day one. This mirrored the commercial yearling sales and, as we pointed out a few weeks ago, should be a clear indication that the market is increasingly polarised.” He added, “So the good ones have sold very, very well with several extremely happy breeders, especially throughout today, and we are grateful to them all for their ongoing support as it is they who make the sale such a success each year along with the huge group of buyers that descended on Kildare Paddocks from Saturday morning. Indeed, we have rarely seen the place as packed and the barns were just so busy for the last five days to illustrate the ongoing hunger for the best-bred foals on the market, and following so many excellent pinhooking results from last year. The advance in the three-day median also shows that there has been more consistency in the top half of the sale where there was the most activity. “We now turn our attention to two days of breeding stock and look forward to another day of foals on Saturday mindful of several great pinhooking stories from last year’s Part 2 sale.” A Merry Notion For Galileo The younger stallions may have had their chances in the spotlight but come the most prestigious day of the Goffs November Sale it was the turn of Europe’s heavy-hitting brothers to take a dominant role in proceedings. A quartet of Coolmore-bred weanlings by the champion sire Galileo (Ire) sold nowhere near as well as their pedigrees suggested they should, but leading the pack was a three-quarter sister to the 2016 Derby winner Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {GB}) (lot 709). The May-born filly was bought by Hugo Merry at €300,000. “It was just a notion, really, but I’ve bought her for myself, Jane [Allison] and a friend of ours,” he said. “How often are you able to buy into a pedigree like this? Galileo is a very good broodmare sire and the mare does it every time.” Jim Bolger, as noted for his breeding achievements as he is for his training exploits, not to mention his contribution to the early success of Galileo, bought lot 570 for €160,000. The first foal is a daughter of the unraced Replete (GB) (Makfi {GB}), herself out of the champion racemare Banks Hill (GB). With Juddmonte’s late blue hen Hasili (GB) as her third dam, the young Galileo foal’s pedigree is certainly replete with black type. Flash Conroy signed for lot 680, the Galileo half-brother to G2 Lowther S. winner Besharah (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) at €170,000, while the half-brother to rising young Australian stallion Zoustar (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) was led out unsold at €85,000. Big Stars Come Out With 17 weanlings catalogued, it was always likely that Galileo’s half-brother Sea The Stars (Ire) would feature prominently as Part 1 of the foal sale swung into top gear and he was indeed represented by a run of high prices through the day. As previously mentioned, Jacqueline Norris’s colt was the most expensive of the stallion’s offspring, and of the six to sell for six figures, there was also success for Oak Leaf Stud, run by Willie Pilkington, which sold lot 590 for €220,000 to Jamie Railton. “It’s hard to find a Sea The Stars filly with that sort of profile. I like the Distorted Humor mare, it all worked for me,” said the pinhooker. Pilkington, who bred the filly from the unraced Shared Humor, a full-sister to the Group/Grade 3-winning duo of Slow Pace and Funny Duck, added, “It’s what you dream of really, we’re over the moon. You never really know what’s going to happen but she made more than we expected. I have’s stopped smiling since she left the ring.” Gay O’Callaghan of Yeomanstown Stud also picked up a pricey duo of Sea The Stars colts, going to €260,000 for a son of the G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein victrix Pollyanna (Ire) (Whipper) (557) from Stanley Lodge, and later buying lot 719, a colt out of the listed-placed Hot Sauce (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) for €195,000 from Highfort Stud. Another colt for whom it would be fair to have Classic aspirations is Oaklawn Stud’s Sea The Stars son of Stealth Missile (Ire) (603), an Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-sister to the G1 Darley Irish Oaks winner Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}). He was knocked down to Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud for €240,000. Excitements Mounts For Muhaarar Shadwell’s Muhaarar (GB) was one of the most successful freshman sires at last year’s foal sales and a member of his second crop (lot 730) became the most expensive colt foal sold at Goffs this year when eliciting a final bid of €320,000 from Stephen Collins, representing Shadwell’s Irish operation at Derrinstown Stud. The result was another feather in the cap of his breeders Sonia and Anthony Rogers of Airlie Stud who have tasted Group 1 glory on the track this season with Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) and bought the dam of the Muhaarar colt at this sale 12 years ago for €56,000. Now known as Kate The Great (GB) (Xaar {GB}), she was a winner at two herself and has bred five winners, including G3 Bengough S. winner Eastern Impact (Ire) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and Group 3 runner-up Miss Katie Mae (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). “He has the looks, the walk and the pedigree,” said Collins. “Obviously we have a lot of stock by the sire at Shadwell and next year is a really big year for him but we’re really excited.” Even at this early stage of his stud career, the Shadwell team on both sides of the Irish Sea could be forgiven for feeling further excitement in the case of young Derrinstown resident Awtaad (Ire), whose first foals have been given a notably warm reception this week. Twenty-one of the 23 offered at Goffs have sold for an average price of €61,286, with a top price of €170,000 coming for a colt (544) bred by Des Leadon and Mariann Klay of Swordlestown Little. The half-brother to dual Hong Kong Group 3 winner Dinozzo (Ire) (Lilbourne Lad {Ire}) was bought by Shadwell, but a range of pinhookers have also been sweet on Awtaad’s weanlings, including Mick Fitzpatrick, Charlie Vigors, Tally-Ho Stud, Mags O’Toole and Eddie O’Leary. Angelic Trio On the rostrum, he’s Nick Nugent, but as breeders the Goffs auctioneer and his wife Alice and listed as Sir Nicholas and Lady Nugent and the couple struck sales-ring gold once again via their ultra dependable broodmare Noyelles (Ire) (Docksider). The 14-year-old’s Dark Angel (Ire) filly, a sister to the prolific stakes winner Lily’s Angel (Ire) and half-sister to listed victrix Zurigha (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), brought the hammer down at €300,000, but thankfully for Nugent that hammer was in one of his colleague’s hands as he watched from the sidelines. John McCormack was the successful bidder on behalf of an unspecified owner who wishes to race the filly, and the youngster will eventually make a worthy inclusion to any broodmare band. The unraced Noyelles is herself a half-sister to three stakes winners, including In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), whose broodmare career has been enhanced season after season of late thanks to her Group 1-winning offspring We Are (Ire), With You (GB) and Call The Wind (GB), all of whom have raced for their breeder George Strawbridge. Commenting on the attributes of lot 545, who will remain in Ireland, John McCormack said, “She’s a lovely filly by a proven sire and from a proven mare. Dark Angel just goes from strength to strength. You can’t cheat the market. When a stallion keeps moving up it’s usually merited. “This is a very deep, active family. The relations down the page are very appealing.” Glacken View’s Dark Angel half-brother to G3 Silver Flash S. winner Jack Naylor (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) (695) was another to make the leader board and sold for €250,000 to Darley Japan’s Harry Sweeney under the name Paca Paca Farm. Sweeney signed for seven foals during the three days for a total of €510,000. Tom and Alexandra Whitehead of Powerstown Stud, who sell foals under their Altenbach Bloodstock banner, also enjoyed a good result via a Dark Angel weanling (lot 753) late in the session. The couple’s homebred first foal out of the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. runner-up Magical Fire (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}), herself a half-sister to G2 German 1,000 Guineas winner Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), sold to Jamie Railton for €220,000. The first of two days of breeding stock sessions gets underway at Kildare Paddocks at 10am. View the full article

A yearling son of Authorized (Ire) (lot 632) provided some late fireworks to top the third and final session of the Arqana Autumn Sale on Wednesday. The topper, consigned by Haras de la Perelle, brought €72,000 on the bid of Jean-Marie Callier acting for Bertrand Le Metayer. Out of a half-sister to top stallion Monsun (Ger) (Konigsstuhl {Ger}), the January-bred is also a half-brother to GSP Beaulieu (Ire) (Motivator {GB}). “He is a very classy horse with all the right credentials to make a good horse over jumps,” said Jean-Marie Callier. “I have bought him on behalf of Bertrand Le Metayer and he will stay in France.” Second dearest on the day was a yearling colt by the red-hot No Nay Never (lot 574). Snapped up by Con Marnane for €52,000, the yearling is a member of the Haras des Capucines draft. He is out of the Group 3-placed Folle Allure (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}), herself a half-sister to MGSW and G1 Gold Cup placegetter Nysaean (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells)and MSW Charme Slave (Fr) (Sicyos). For Wednesday’s session of Flat-bred yearlings, 138 horses sold from 177 offered for a clearance rate of 78% and a gross of €1,130,500. Both the median and average increased compared to 2017, with the former sitting at €6,000 (+9.1%) and the latter at €8,192 (+7.1%). Cumulatively, 426 horses (76.9%) found new homes from 554 offered and an aggregate of €7,733,800. The average remained identical at €18,154 and the median was up an encouraging 12.5% to €9,000. “The yearling market has been undoubtedly selective, what has become a general feature of many an auction this season,” said Arqana’s Eric Hoyeau. “Even at the very end of a session, as we have seen today, there is good money for the horses who fit the buyers’ criteria. However, these criteria tend to be as restrictive as ever and one can’t shy away from the fact that trade is more complicated in the lower tiers of the market. Monday saw a very international bench for the horses in training, from every corner of Europe to America, Australia, Northern Africa and China, which I think speaks positively of the appeal of the French racing industry.” View the full article

The New York Racing Association announced Nov. 21 purse increases across a number of categories for the upcoming winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

Peter Brant’s DEMARCHELIER (GB) (c, 2, Dubawi {Ire}—Loveisallyouneed {Ire}, by Sadler’s Wells) looked to have too much to do with as little as an eighth of a mile to race, but, despite racing greenly on his incorrect lead, shaded six seconds for his final 110 yards to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat to become a ‘TDN Rising Star.’ Not surprisingly bet down from his morning line of 7-2 into 2-1 favoritism by post time, the attractive bay colt broke alertly from gate one, then settled back into a midfield position three back the fence beneath Javier Castellano. Traveling on the bridle through the middle stages, the 425,000gns Tattersalls October yearling acquisition came around a rival while gaining ground on the swing for home, was angled out sharply around Juddmonte Farms’ second-time starter Seismic Wave (Tapit) leaving the eighth pole and grabbed that one right on the wire. Sea of Hope (Quality Road) finished a strong third on his debut, while Lisbon (Quality Road) rallied boldly three deep on the turn and lacked room at a crucial stage in the waning stages. Demarchelier is out of an unraced full-sister to Irish highweight and 2003 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Yesterday (Ire) as well as fellow champion and G1SW Quarter Moon (Ire), dam of G1SW Diamondsanrubies (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Peter Brant; B-Newsells Park Stud; T-Chad Brown. View the full article

The Weatherbys Bloodstock Sales Review 2018 Part 1, which comprises European yearling sale results, is now available, Weatherbys announced on Thursday. A total of 410 stallions were represented in the Part 1 review, with yearlings selling across 32 different yearling sales worldwide. Dubawi (Ire) led all sires with the most expensive yearling sold in 2018 at 3.5 million guineas for a colt out of Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). In January, Weatherbys will release their Bloodstock Sales Review 2018 Part 2, which covers all horses sold throughout the year-including foals and mares. Between the two reviews there are sale details available of over 14,000 horses. Copies of Part 1 are available at www.bettrendsshop.co.uk and priced at £18 (including p&p). View the full article

Beginning this coming January, Irish breeders are required to notify Weatherbys Ireland General Stud Book within 30 days of the birth of a Thoroughbred or non-Thoroughbred foal born in Ireland and bred for racing, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Wednesday. The birth notification will be triggered automatically by the submission of DNA (blood and markings), and there will be no additional fees for notification of birth within the 30-day window. This notification, in addition to being mandatory, is integral to the welfare and traceability for the equine industry and will assist in the proviso for life after Brexit, particularly with regards to the free movement of equidae. “The move to a 30-day foal notification is an important step in ensuring that we have full lifetime traceability of all Thoroughbreds for health and welfare reasons,” said Jason Morris, Director of Racing, HRI. “HRI warmly welcomes its introduction which has the widespread support of the industry.” “The ITBA welcome the 30-day foal notification as a positive move that will assist in our efforts for the Codes of Practice and the High Health Horse Concept to be used as the basis of continued, uninterrupted free movement of Thoroughbred horses post Brexit,” added Shane O’Dwyer of the ITBA. View the full article

Tampa Bay Downs kicks off its 2018-19 season Nov. 24 with growing optimism about its well-supported racing, although off the track, the results of a state vote earlier this month likely will make it more difficult to bring in added gaming. View the full article

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association launched its Next Generation Apprenticeship Scheme “Supporting Employment Programme” on Nov. 14 with the aim to attract young workers to the Irish Thoroughbred industry. The TDN’s Alayna Cullen sat down with ITBA CEO Shane O’Dwyer to find out more about the new programme. AC: Tell us about the new scheme that you have launched? Shane O’Dwyer: The ITBA Next Generation Apprenticeship Scheme is designed to provide employment and support career development within the Thoroughbred industry. In addition, it seeks to assist with the growing concerns towards recruitment and skilled staff in this sector. Stud farms offer a multitude of experiences in a single year from mares and foals to stallions and yearlings. Throughout the placement apprentices will learn basic skills required to work on a stud farm whilst being mentored both personally and professionally by both the employer and the ITBA. The apprenticeship will also offer a number of seminars and workshops to ensure each candidate is given every opportunity to learn and develop their knowledge within the year. We feel this is an invaluable experience for those wishing to develop a career in with the breeding of Thoroughbreds. AC: Why did you decide to launch this scheme? SO’D: At present there are huge concerns with staff shortages in the Thoroughbred industry and over the last few months members have highlighted the difficulty with recruiting entry level staff. The scheme was developed to encourage workers to the breeding sector whilst providing attractive opportunities to work in this rewarding industry. Stud work offers a multidimensional learning experience with foaling and sales prep as main highlights. We have had great support to date from our stakeholders and are looking forward to it commencing in January. AC: How does it differ to the previous apprentice programme that you ran? SO’D: It differs from the previous apprentice programme in that it is geared towards young people who are eager to enter the workforce and gain “on the job” learning and training. The previous scheme was primarily geared towards third level graduates. AC: What are your aims for this programme? SO’D: Our aim is to provide opportunities for individuals to develop a career in the Thoroughbred industry. Together with a mentoring system and regular workshops each apprentice will have a structured and rounded learning experience. Furthermore, there will be the opportunity to continue working in a stud and further develop a career. AC: What are you looking for in applicants? SO’D: Applicants must have a genuine interest in rural activity and in particular working with horses. Enthusiasm and competency are key attributes that will maximise learning outcomes. Suitable applicants will undergo an induction in early January before being placed on a stud farm for the remainder of the year. The programme is due to commence on the 21st of Jan. 2019 and will offer up to 10 applicants a year paid employment on a stud farm. AC: How do people apply and where can they find out more information? SO’D: To apply for the scheme simply download the application form from our website www.itba.ie or via social media @ITBAnextgen. When complete, forward it on to icrosse@itba.ie or post it to ITBA, Greenhills, Kill, Co. Kildare. Application close on the 7th Dec. 2018. A selection process will then take place with the induction course due to take place before the start of the programme. To find out more information log on to www.itba.ie or phone ITBA HQ on 045 877543. View the full article

Moments after prevailing in a stretch-long duel to secure the biggest stakes win of his career, Trigger Warning suffered what would prove to be a catastrophic injury. View the full article

It went down to the last race of the night, but Matthew Poon Ming-fai secured the coveted final spot for next month’s Longines International Jockeys’ Championship – a pretty neat trick given he wasn’t even riding. The talented 23-year-old was forced to watch Wednesday night’s Happy Valley meeting from the sidelines because of suspension and must have been on the edge of his seat while biting his nails – pick a metaphor – heading into the Class Three... View the full article

When the eyes of the racing world focus in on the Longines Hong Kong International Races next month, all the attention will be on local hero Beauty Generation as he looks to affirm his position as one of the best horses on the planet. The Jockey Club on Wednesday released the list of 50 horses set to compete at Sha Tin on December 9 and John Moore’s superstar – a three-time Group One winner and Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year – is clearly the main attraction for... View the full article

Pakistan Star will need to not only turn his own form around but defy history if he is to take out the Longines Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) next month with the quirky gelding needing to break a long run of outs for local horses in the race. Hong Kong horses have a woeful record, winning just twice in its 24-year history, with Europeans frequently taking out the HK$20 million event. Along with the 10 internationals Pakistan Star – who will be ridden by William Buick – has to fend off, he... View the full article