Wandering Eyes

The Curragh witnesses the first major clash of the generations on Friday, as Pink Dogwood (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) meets the year-older Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Juddmonte Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. The former, who was denied late on when second in the May 31 G1 Epsom Oaks, gives the impression she has yet to show her true worth and this drop back to the 10-furlong trip over which she captured the Listed Salsabil S. at Navan Apr. 28 should suit. Joined by last year’s G2 Ribblesdale S. winner and the multiple group 1-placed Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (Galileo {Ire}) and the May 6 G3 Athasi S. scorer Happen (War Front), she spearheads a strong Ballydoyle challenge. “Pink Dogwood is in good form and everything has gone well since Epsom with her. I couldn’t be happier at the moment,” Aidan O’Brien commented. “It was her first time over a mile and a half at Epsom and she quickened very well, but she just got caught close home. Whether it was greenness or the trip we’re not sure, but we’re very happy with her. She usually travels well and can quicken.” ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Wild Illusion was four-lengths second to Magic Wand in the Ribblesdale last June, but left that form behind over this trip when taking Goodwood’s G1 Nassau S. in August and the G1 Prix de l’Opera at ParisLongchamp in October. Her return sixth in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan back at the latter venue May 26 was disappointing, but Charlie Appleby is undeterred as she reverts to her own sex. “I was pleased with her first run of the season and her first run against the colts at Longchamp,” he said. “She was coming back to nine furlongs for that race as well and that race has really brought her forward. Preparations for the Curragh have gone well and for me, she is back to her ideal trip as a stiff 10 furlongs at the Curragh will really suit her really well.” Saif Ali’s Worth Waiting (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) comes here off a win on her seasonal bow in the nine-furlong G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket May 5, but she needs to improve on that form. “This race has been the plan for her all year and hopefully they get some decent ground,” trainer David Lanigan commented. “We were a bit suspect about her getting a mile and a half last year and Ted Durcan, who has ridden her in all her work, has always said she’s a mile-and-a-quarter filly. She showed plenty of toe at Newmarket and we’ve been pleased with her since.” Also on the Curragh card is the G2 Comer Group International Curragh Cup, where last year’s G1 Irish Derby winner Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) moves back up in trip after a spell over 10 furlongs which included a second in the G1 Mackinnon S. at Flemington in November. Running over the same track and trip over which he was second in the G1 Irish St Leger here in September, Lloyd Williams’ 4-year-old encounters a trio from Ballydoyle including the May 17 G2 Yorkshire Cup runner-up Southern France (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who stages a quick return having been sixth in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last Thursday. The G2 Airlie Stud S. for juvenile fillies over six furlongs sees Susan Magnier’s A New Dawn (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) back up two days after winning her maiden at Naas against the Niarchos Family’s May 24 course-and-distance maiden scorer Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). “She showed a really likeable attitude to win first time out and she has progressed nicely since then,” commented Alan Cooper, racing manager to Albigna’s owner-breeders. “We missed the entry for the race by a day, the entries closed just before she ran so we had to supplement her–hopefully it proves worthwhile. Jessica [Harrington]’s record speaks for itself, she did brilliantly for us last year with Alpha Centauri and knows what it takes.” Godolphin’s Listed First Flier S. scorer Ickworth (Ire) (Shamardal) who reared in the stalls and was left at the start of the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot last Wednesday. “It didn’t go to plan at Ascot for Ickworth,” trainer Willie McCreery said. “As the stalls opened she was down on her hunkers, it’s unfortunate but it can happen. The ground had gone against her anyway, she wants quick ground, so there was no harm done.” The post All Eyes On The Pretty Polly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

11th-CD, $95K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 5:58 p.m. Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ CONFESSING (Scat Daddy), who topped last year’s OBS March sale at $875,000 after working a furlong in :9 4/5, was a well-beaten fifth over a sloppy Churchill surface in her 1 1/16-mile off-turf debut June 8. The half-sister to graded stakes winner Sharp Sensation (Sharp Humor), who tries the turf in this second start for trainer Steve Asmussen, had originally been targeted for a European campaign with trainer Ed Vaughan. “She was in Europe training, but wasn’t showing the zip that we thought she should,” explained Phoenix’s Tom Ludt. “We gave her a little time and thought the quicker early pace and Lasix would help her, so we gave her to Steve. She is going well and we hope to get her maiden win Friday.” TJCIS PPs Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency The post Friday’s Racing Insights: Scat Daddy Filly On Turf for Phoenix appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There was a buzz surrounding Stonestreet Stables’ newcomer Windracer (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) ahead of Thursday’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden and the 11-4 second favourite did not disappoint by making virtually all and denying Ballydoyle’s 11-10 favourite Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a neck. Sent to the fore by Shane Foley after the initial stages, having broken from a high number, the €240,000 Goffs Orby purchase who represents the Jessie Harrington stable had to work hard to see off her experienced rival but showed tenacity to come out on top. The Niarchos Family’s newcomer Innervisions (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was 5 1/2 lengths back in third in a maiden that is certain to work out well. “She’s a fine big filly and has been really pleasing us at home,” Foley said of Windracer, who had won a barrier trial at Naas. “She had never come off the bridle at home and done everything so easily, so this was the first time she had to. I was drawn 15 and I wanted to be positive and although it was not ideal being in front she is straightforward. I’d say the first two are smart fillies–they picked up right the way to the line. If she gets a slight bit of ease in the ground, she’ll be better again.” Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post Showcasing Filly a New Rising Star At The Curragh appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The annual jockeys versus horsemen charity basketball game, which benefits programs of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy, will be played Thursday, Aug. 1 at the YMCA in Saratoga. Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m. The jockeys’ team is coached by Angel Cordero, Jr., each year and trainers Todd Pletcher and Kiaran McLaughlin coach the horsemen. NYRA’s Mitch Levites will serve as the announcer. In addition, the event will feature several raffles and promotional merchandise for sale. “Every year this game enables fans to see some of their favorite jockeys and trainers in a fun and relaxed atmosphere,” said Humberto Chavez, the New York chaplain. “Besides all the fun the fans and players have, we are raising money for a great cause.” The post Jockeys Vs. Horsemen Basketball Game to be Held Aug. 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Caribou Club, Synchrony, and Holy Helena are some of the favored feature runners in the undercard races on the Queen's Plate card at Woodbine June 29 in a trio of turf battles View the full article

Everyone in racing understands that adding the Triple Crown trophy to your collection is about the most difficult thing that one can accomplish in this sport. But that’s no longer the case. One can easily be yours. All you need is an eBay account and the willingness to part with $500,000. The 1978 Triple Crown trophy given to the late trainer Laz Barrera after Affirmed swept the series is currently available on eBay where the seller is asking for $500,000 or ‘best offer.” It’s also been featured on the television show Pawn Stars and was the subject of a TMZ report in 2015. The seller is a company called Memory Lane Inc. “It’s such an exciting piece of memorabilia within our industry and within the horse racing industry,” said Memory Lane owner Dan Wulkan. “Nothing like this has ever come to market before. So why not be part of the lineage of a Triple Crown winner, something that has only happened 13 times in history.” How the trophy got from Laz Barrera, who died in 1991, to Pawn Stars to eBay remains a mystery. Wulkan probably knows some of the answers, but there’s only so much that he’s willing to divulge. He said the story begins when Barrera’s family decided to sell the trophy because it needed help paying medical bills. “The family sold it years ago because they needed money,” he said. “I don’t want to get too personal with that because I know it’s a sensitive subject. They needed the money. They sold it. Thank God they had this item that allowed them to raise the money for their medical bills. If they didn’t, they would have been in real trouble.” But who did they sell it to and who now owns the trophy? Wulkan said that his company does not actually own the trophy but is selling it on behalf of a client. He declined to name the person Memory Lane is representing. According to a TMZ report written in 2015, the trophy was owned by a “famed sports collector” named Timothy Robins (not the actor) who was looking to sell the trophy for $1 million. It was listed briefly on the website of Heritage Auctions in 2018 and was offered for $225,000 with a reserve price set at $125,000, which was not met. The trophy appeared in the public eye once again earlier this year when it was featured on a episode of the popular reality show Pawn Stars. Someone identified only as “Patrick” showed up at the Las Vegas pawn shop and asks for $500,000 for the trophy. Pawn Stars employee Corey Johnson calls in none other than Wulkan to help him appraise the value of the trophy and Wulkan reaches the same figure as Patrick, $500,000. There is an some attempt at reaching a price somewhere in the middle, but Johnson’s best offer is $225,000. Patrick never budges from his $500,000 asking price and no deal is made. Who is “Patrick” and is he actually Robins or just an actor? How did Wulkan go from someone brought in to advise a potential buyer of the trophy but now is representing the seller? Reality shows can be scripted. How much of what went on within that pawn shop was realistic or something thrown together to make for an interesting five minutes of television? Again, Wulkan is reluctant to reveal much, if any, information. “It went from the family to a couple of different people, and it’s an iconic piece of memorabilia,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything to be gained from knowing names, where the seller lives or how they got it.” Wulkan’s company sells a wide variety of sports memorabilia, much of it very valuable. He said that even with an item as rare as a Triple Crown trophy and something that has never, to the best of anyone’s knowledge, been put up for sale, he has learned to come up with what he believes is a fair price. “I think you get a gut feeling,” he said. “There’s no formula out there to say, for example, it’s got three corners and a bottom and it’s so many inches, therefore it’s worth $50,000. There may be no formula out there to appraise something like this, but it is very easy to appraise those types of things. I’ve been doing this since I was about 10 years old and we’ve dealt with trophies and cards and signed contracts, whether it’s in baseball, basketball, football, hockey, boxing or non-sports memorabilia. I have dealt with everything under the sun.” Will anyone meet the $500,000 asking price or come anywhere close to it? That remains to be seen. Wulkan said many of the people acting as potential buyers make unrealistically low offers or chide him that the trophy’s owner will not simply donate it to a museum. “It’s easy for someone to say you should donate it,” Wulkan said. “That’s like saying that the people who live in the house where Honus Wagner grew up should donate it so that it can be turned into a landmark, then just move out and get nothing. No one would do that. You already live in that home and that’s where your bed is.” While Wulkan is adamant that the trophy’s owner will not just give it away, he does agree with those who believe its final landing spot should be a place like the Kentucky Derby Museum or the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. “I think what I’d love to talk to my client about is a scenario where an individual comes forward and they want to donate it to a museum,” he said. “I think he’d be willing to listen if an offer came in from someone who had that in mind, even if it wasn’t for $500,000. It would still have to sell for something substantial enough so he could recoup his investment to earmark it into other collectibles. I think if the public really wants that trophy to go to a museum then someone or a group of people should come together and buy it and donate it so it’s somewhere where everyone can see it.” In the meantime, the 1978 Triple Crown trophy can be seen on cyberspace, with a for sale sign hanging over it. It is a racing treasure still looking to find a home. The post The Latest Landing Spot For Racing’s Most Cherished Trophy: eBay appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The upwardly mobile Bellewstown Racecourse is the latest Irish track to sign off on a significant capital development project. As the Meath track prepares for its annual summer festival next week – which is now a four-day meeting – plans have been announced to invest over half a million Euros in developing permanent stabling facilities. Up to now the Bellewstown committee has had to rent temporary stabling facilities for runners but soon after next week’s festival is put to bed work is to begin on building 110 permanent stables. The track is benefitting from a contribution of €221,000 through the HRI Racecourse Capital Development scheme and commenting on the plans Kevin Coleman, Bellewstown racecourse manager, said, “The management, chairman and committee of Bellewstown Races are delighted with the news and wish to thank Horse Racing Ireland for their help, support and guidance through a very detailed application process. Bellewstown is a small rural track and this development is very positive for us going forward. The new stable blocks will ensure the best of facilities for horses, stable staff and officials.” HRI Chief Executive, Brian Kavanagh, added, “The board of Horse Racing Ireland is delighted to approve capital development grand aid to Bellewstown and this announcement is timely as it comes just ahead of the racecourse’s four-day July summer festival. To date over €21.7 million has been provided in grant aid to 22 racecourses around the country, supporting over 100 different projects aimed at improving customer and industry facilities. Critically, each approved project provides construction work and secures local employment, further emphasising the vital role of racecourses and the wider racing and breeding industries as contributors to the local economy.” The post New Stable Block For Bellewstown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Nearly two months after winning the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes at Churchill Downs, Rookie Salsa will return to the Louisville track for the $125,000 Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) June 29, the first graded stakes of the season for juveniles. View the full article

The Jean Claude Rouget trained Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) who lowered the colours of Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in the G1 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly earlier this month will take a mid-season break from racing. The Peter Brant owned colt will be trained with the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as his main aim and will take in an autumn trial beforehand. “He’s fine and is still in work,” his trainer said. “The plan is for the autumn – the [Prix] Niel and the Arc. The Niel will be his next race,” Rouget added. Sottsass has yet to race over further than ten furlongs but is bred to cope with the Arc trip and Rouget foresees no problems on that front, especially as his half-sister Sistercharlie (Ire), who is by a speed influence in Myboycharlie (Ire), won the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf over a mile and three furlongs last year. “Normally, I think he will get the trip,” Rouget said succinctly. The post Mid-Season Break For Sottsass appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There were numerous moments to savour at Royal Ascot this year in terms of stallion achievements. The great Galileo consolidated his position atop the overall leader board adding a seventh Group 1 winner in the form of Circus Maximus, who dropped back in distance to take the St James’s Palace S. in what has so far looked like an indecisive 3-year-old miling division. In fact, the top-rated 3-year-old this year according to Timeform is the Kingman colt King Of Comedy (126) who finished an unlucky second to Circus Maximus and whom the Timeform organisation expect to be very competitive in the G1 Sussex S. Galileo also sired his 23rd individual Royal Ascot stakes winner when Japan took the G2 King Edward VII S. in impressive style and could yet emerge as the leader among his generation among the stayers. He was also represented by Hermosa, Waldgeist and Magical, all of whom were placed in Group 1 company. Galileo’s Royal Ascot Group 1 winners are an impressive bunch, featuring dual Gold Cup winner Order Of St George, three winners of the St James’s Palace in Frankel, Gleneagles and Circus Maximus, Coronation S. heroines Lush Lashes and Winter, plus Prince Of Wales’s S. winner Highland Reel and Queen Anne scorer Frankel. Even his juveniles are forward enough to be competitive. His daughter Cuis Ghaire won the six-furlong G3 Albany S., while two runnings of the Listed Chesham S. fell to his offspring when Maybe (2011) and Churchill (2016) took the seven-furlong juvenile feature. The outright winning sire at Royal Ascot in 2019 by number of stakes winners was Galileo’s younger half-brother Sea The Stars. Not only did his Stradivarius follow up in the Gold Cup, his top-class son Crystal Ocean finally earned Group 1-winning status in the Prince of Wales S., something that his level of form (Timeform 129) had promised to do for some time. His other stakes winner was Star Catcher who took the G2 Ribblesdale S. for fillies. Two more sires matched Galileo’s two stakes winners, perhaps the more surprising of the two being Bated Breath. This son of Dansili was responsible for G3 Albany heroine Daahyeh and Space Traveller, who took the G3 seven-furlong Jersey S. Given that Bated Breath stands for a comparatively modest £10,000 and has sired eight stakes winners (3%), two major winners at the Royal Meeting was a resounding success for the Juddmonte sire. He’s building of his own sire’s proud record at the Royal meeting – Dansili’s tally of 10 stakes winners is second only to Galileo and Sadler’s Wells at present. It’s the same number as his brilliant grandsire Danzig and one more than his sire Danehill. Shamardal’s outstanding season – he has more European stakes winners than any other sire – continued through Ascot and he produced three winners, two at stakes level. And what an exciting pair they are. Blue Point earned an increase in his Timeform rating to 131 following his rare double in the top five- and six-furlong races of the meeting. The King’s Stand-Diamond Jubilee double has not been completed since Choisir in 2003. Blue Point is the only horse ever to win three G1 sprints at Royal Ascot. Moreover, one wonders what he has to do to earn the 133 rating assigned to arch rival Battaash this year, a horse he has beaten in all three races they’ve met. We now know that he won’t have that opportunity as the top class 5-year-old has been retired and will take up stud duties at Darley next spring. Shamardal’s visually most impressive winner of the week was juvenile Pinatubo, who lowered the 2-year-old course record when winning the Chesham by more than three lengths. The performance was rated the best by a 2-year-old in 2019 by Timeform who awarded the winner a rating of 112p. The Godolphin colt looks to have a bright future in the upcoming juvenile group races. Among the sires with one stakes winner at the Royal meeting, there were a number of firsts, most notably for Coolmore’s Gleneagles, who was responsible for Windsor Castle S. hero Southern Hills and for good measure he also sired Chesham third Highland Chief. Slade Power’s second-crop daughter Raffle Prize provided him with his first-ever group winner when winning the G2 Queen Mary S.. Meanwhile the aforementioned Choisir made his presence felt at Royal Ascot yet again, this time through his sire son Olympic Glory, who enjoyed his first-ever group success when his talented daughter Watch Me landed the G1 Coronation S. from hot favourite Hermosa. No Nay Never’s G2 Coventry success with ultra-smart 2-year-old Arizona, was also his first Royal Ascot success as a sire. Farhh’s Move Swiftly – winner of the G2 Duke of Cambridge – was his first winner at that level in Britain and she is one of six stakes winners (at a remarkable rate of 18.8 % to runners) from the Darley sire’s small first crop. Cheveley Park Stud’s Pivotal was the leading broodmare sire of the meeting. His three stakes winners – Advertise, Defoe and Raffle Prize – just pipped Galileo’s two. And although his total of four Royal Ascot stakes winners so far is a long way short of the standard set by Sadler’s Wells (19), it’s quite possible that Pivotal could get there one day. Leading Sires of BTWs At Royal Ascot Name YOB Sire BTW GALILEO 1998 Sadler’s Wells 23 SADLER’S WELLS 1981 Northern Dancer 12 DANSILI 1996 Danehill 10 DANZIG 1977 Northern Dancer 10 DANEHILL 1986 Danzig 9 DANEHILL DANCER 1993 Danehill 9 DUBAWI 2002 Dubai Millennium 9 GREEN DESERT 1983 Danzig 9 OASIS DREAM 2000 Green Desert 9 SHIRLEY HEIGHTS 1975 Mill Reef 8 MONTJEU 1996 Sadler’s Wells 7 RIVERMAN 1969 Never Bend 6 SCAT DADDY 2004 Johannesburg 6 The post Royal Ascot’s Broad Spread Of Stallion Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wesley Ward isn’t the only trainer unleashing impressive debut maiden winners in bunches. Hurricane Highway (g, 3, Quality Road-Stormy Kiss {Arg}, by Bernstein) kicked off a banner three-day weekend for Arlington Park’s perennial leading trainer Larry Rivelli with a front-running, nine-length victory at first asking going six furlongs over the all-weather in last Friday’s nightcap (video). The $95,000 OBSAPR juvenile (:10) earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure for the eye-catching effort. The dark bay’s versatile dam Stormy Kiss, a Group 1 winner in her native country, annexed Saratoga’s GII Honorable Miss H. sprinting on dirt and came within a neck of capturing the two-turn grassy GIII Beaugay H. at Aqueduct. Hurricane Highway, also a $10,000 KEENOV weanling, $80,000 OBSOCT yearling and $15,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February graduate, was bred in Kentucky by the Marchanta Syndicate. “He’s a nice horse,” Rivelli said. “He wasn’t really developed as a 2-year-old, so we turned him out and gave him some time. We always liked him, he’s always trained really well. He continued, “Going forward, being by Quality Road out of a Bernstein mare, I’m thinking maybe a little bit longer on the turf might be his deal. I might try to earmark him for one of those Mid-America triple races in Chicago here at Arlington [GIII American Derby July 13; GI Secretariat S. Aug. 10]. Maybe try to win an ‘A other than’ first at Ellis–he’s a Kentucky bred–and go on from there.” A trip to Canada for Woodbine’s $100,000 My Dear S. July 6 and $100,000 Victoria S. July 7 could be next for a pair of Rivelli’s flashy 2-year-old debut winners with a year-end target of the $1-million GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Rivelli saddled Big Drink of Water (Soldat) to a respectable fifth at 18-1 in last year’s inaugural running at Churchill Downs. Vincent William (g, 2, Iqbaal-Yogi’s Polar Bear, by Lucky Lionel) “broke like a rocket,” per Arlington Park track announcer John G. Dooley, and, despite swerving in deep stretch after receiving a reminder from jockey Chris Emigh, never gave them a chance, running away to score by 4 3/4 lengths in his unveiling Saturday (video). Bred in Florida by Wesley Ward, the gray stopped the timer for 4 1/2 furlongs over the main track in a swift :51.84, good for a strong 83 Beyer Speed Figure. He is a half-brother to Yogi’ssplashofgold (Touch Gold), who finished second in the GIII Kentucky Breeders’ Cup S. as a 2-year-old. After a heavy downpour late in the card Sunday, Angelcents (f, 2, Goldencents-Pomeroy Angel, by Pomeroy) followed suit as the 1-2 chalk in the nightcap with a devastating 5 3/4-length wire-to-wire tally (video). Wrapped up late, the $250,000 OBSMAR purchase (:20 2/5*) completed 4 1/2 furlongs over the synthetic in :51.90. She earned a 72 Beyer Speed Figure. Angelcents, also a $28,000 RNA as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling, was bred in the Sunshine State by Angela Ingenito. “In the mornings, if you had asked me who I thought would win heads up, I would say her,” Rivelli said of his pair of promising juveniles. “You never know when raceday comes–it’s a whole different ball game–but I would at least think they are equal as far as talent-wise in my eyes. The fact that I liked them both a lot is probably worth more than whatever Beyer they ran, but I guess we’ve got to go by something, right? He added, “Vincent William will be on the same path as Angelcents, but we have a pretty nice fallback with him being a Florida-bred and a Florida-sired horse. They write some big race toward the end of the year down there [Florida Stallion Series], so we’ll have some options.” The aforementioned Rivelli trio all carried the aquamarine-and-black silks of Patricia’s Hope LLC, the nom de course of Vince Foglia. “We were pretty high on all three of those horses,” Rivelli concluded. “I would’ve been really disappointed if they didn’t all win, especially with the spots that they were in. Vince is one of my closest friends. We’ve had good luck together buying young horses and he lets me do my thing. He’s a great owner and an even better friend. It’s a rarity in this game to have a relationship like that. He makes it easy to do my job.” The post Rivelli Firsters Come Out Rolling appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Eight horses have been declared for Saturday’s G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh. Five of those will represent Ballydoyle and as expected G1 Investec Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) leads the charge. He will be partnered by Ryan Moore with Donnacha O’Brien jocked up on stable-mate Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) who bids to emulate his sire who won the race in 2014. The Ballydoyle squad is completed by Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Norway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Il Paradiso (Galileo {Ire}). Kevin Prendergast’s Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) looks the chief threat to deny Aidan O’Brien a 13th win in the race while Jim Crowley will have his first ride for Dermot Weld when he teams up with Sheikh Hamdan’s Rakan (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Jim Bolger, who won the race with Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in 2013 and with St Jovite (Pleasant Colony) in 1992 will be represented by his home-bred Guaranteed (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). The post Eight Declared For Irish Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This week is a recap of the Aug. 26, 1989 Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course won by Summer Squall. The recap, ran in the Sept. 2, 1989 magazine and was written by Bill Finley. View the full article

Addressing your thoughts, questions and statements about Hong Kong racing. Have something to say? Send a tweet to @SCMPRacingPost.And the winner is … The Champion Awards Judging Panel has elected the final nominees for The Hong Kong Jockey Club Champion Awards 2018-19. Notice how Beauty Generation is out on his own in the Miler category – @HongKong_RacingThe Jockey Club announced the finalists for its Champion Awards this week and the winners just seem to pick themselves.The six judges (Jockey… View the full article

Trainer Caspar Fownes says training a horse for Canto-pop superstar Aaron Kwok Fu-shing does not bring any extra pressure ahead of the return of his speedster Dancing Fighter at Sha Tin on Monday.The three-year-old won his only race start in December, with Kwok attracting plenty of attention after the victory, but Fownes was forced to back off his preparation after he pulled up sore.Such was Kwok’s fanfare, the Jockey Club was forced to wheel out its biggest public relations effort of the… View the full article

Terra Sancta (NZ) (Pierro) returns to her favourite Australian track as she strives to end a run of outs at the Sunshine Coast. Terra Sancta will be having her fourth start for the winter carnival in Saturday's Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m). The mare has not won since June last year when successful at the Sunshine Coast but she has been placed several times in New Zealand since. Trainer Tony Pike, who claimed two Group One wins with The Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) during the carnival, felt Terra... View the full article

There will be an air of excitement at Ruakaka on Saturday when Drops of Jupiter makes his debut in the Racing Sunday August 11 (1600m). The three-year-old son of Echoes of Heaven is a half-brother to Kiwi-bred Hong Kong superstar Beauty Generation, who is currently the highest rated active racehorse in the world. A winner of seven Group One races, including the Hong Kong International Mile (1600m) and Champions Mile (1600m) for the past two years, and on a nine-race winning streak, Beauty Genera... View the full article

Only Ken Duncan really knows just how tough Shamal is. And that's not just the courage the Zabeel eight-year-old gelding showed during his recovery from a tendon injury that threatened his career as a four-year-old. Or the tenacity he displayed in grinding out a win over subsequent Manawatu Steeplechase (4200m) winner Gagarin when he claimed the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) at Te Rapa last month when not fully fit. "They don't get any tougher," the Hunterville sheep farmer and trainer said when ... View the full article

Group One winner Sacred Elixir returned to New Zealand from his former Hong Kong base on Wednesday morning and a scan has revealed positive signs that the injured son of Pour Moi will make a raceday return in his homeland. Formerly trained in New Zealand by Cambridge conditioner Tony Pike, Sacred Elixir won three Group races for owners Raffle Racing, including the Gr.1 JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m), and finished runner-up to Prized Icon in the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) before joining Tony Cruz’s ... View the full article

Shafrizal feels 'pet horse' Red Claw will be tested this Friday View the full article

Aramco still in sparkling form ahead of comeback View the full article

After a closing second in Singapore's Silver Bowl three weeks ago, Sacred Croix will be bidding to go one better in the S$400,000 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) on Sunday. The inaugural Silver Bowl (1400m) is the new first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, replacing the Stewards’ Cup, which has been lengthened up to a mile and is now slated as the second Leg towards the grand final the Singapore Derby (1800m) on July 21. A son of Savabeel, Sacred Croix came with a searching run under regu... View the full article

Flying Quest arrowed wide down the home straight at Happy Valley on Wednesday to land the night’s trophy contest, the Class 3 Manawatu Racing Club Challenge Trophy Handicap (1650m). The David Hall-trained galloper flopped out of gate nine and was soon four lengths detached at the tail with Matthew Poon scrubbing along. But, up ahead, race favourite Win Win had pushed through a sharp first section of 27.58s to secure the lead and followed with a second sectional of 23.10s. That was all to the v... View the full article

One year after a front-end score in the Princess Rooney Stakes (G2), Stormy Embrace will try to defend her title in the $250,000 sprint for fillies and mares 3 and older June 29 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article