Wandering Eyes

Comedian Tim Conway, who in 1987 helped launch the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund, died May 14 at the age of 85, according to NPR and other news outlets. View the full article

Gary Barber's War of Will, the lone probable Preakness Stakes (G1) starter on the Pimlico grounds during the morning hours of May 14, had a leisurely walk in the opposite direction around a wet, muddy surface under exercise rider Kim Carroll. View the full article

A list of the week’s television and radio coverage leading up to the Preakness Stakes (G1) May 18 at Pimlico Race Course. View the full article

Tim Conway, the actor, comedian and racehorse owner, has died at the age of 85, according to CNN. Wikipedia listed the cause of death as normal-pressure hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain. The family has asked that instead of gifts, donations be made to The Lou Ruvo Brain Center at the Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada, CNN reports. Conway was one of the stars of the Carol Burnett show, and won four Emmy Awards for his work on the program, one for writing and three for acting. A longtime fan of thoroughbred racing, Conway was a regular at the track, and owned horses as well. Along with Chris and Judy McCarron, he was the co-founder of the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund, named for the rider who died of cancer at the age of 37, and which provided funds for injured riders. He served as vice president of the board of directors of the Fund. Conway was born in Willoughby, Ohio and grew up in nearby Chagrin Falls. He wrote and starred in the 1986 comedy The Longshot about four friends who enjoy betting on horse racing and who get involved in a scheme to cash a big bet. His most famous racing skit was playing his long-running character Lyle Dorf as a jockey on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The post Actor, Racehorse Owner Tim Conway Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The York festival starts on Wednesday and it’s so nice having the flat back so we get this great midweek racing. On the opening day of the festival, Brando bids to go one better than last year in the Duke of York Stakes and a lot of fillies put their reputations on the line in […] The post York Preview – Wednesday appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Tipperary trainer Paddy Twomey is looking forward to saddling his progressive colt Decrypt (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday week. Though yet to be tested in stakes company in three outings, the 3-year-old gave the impression that he is very much a potential pattern performer when slamming his rivals in a conditions race at Cork on his seasonal reappearance last month under Billy Lee. That victory saw his rating rise to 105 and while that still leaves him well short of the market principals in the Guineas his owner/trainer is not concerned about the steep rise in class. “He’s very much on target for the Irish 2000 Guineas,” Twomey said. “I was happy with him at Cork – he did what I hoped he would do, and I’m looking forward to running him next Saturday. I don’t think the ground will really matter to him. He’s won on good to firm and good ground, so I’d not be worried about that,” he added. Paddy Twomey’s string is in fine form at the moment with Foxtrot Liv (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus})’s win in Killarney on Tuesday the trainer’s third winner from his last five runners. The post Decrypt On Course For 2000 Guineas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There have been positives and negatives that have come out of the reopening of the Curragh. The first thing to say is that it is a magnificent facility. I was very taken by the finish of the interior: it’s very classy. But there are some issues, especially that the owners’ and trainers’ facility is quite small, and that has received a lot of negative press. It’s obviously very important to look after the owners especially, and to make sure that their experience at the races is a good one. We have to make sure that they’re facilitated in the right way and I’m sure there’s enough scope within the facility to move it to a bigger area. There’s a bit of tweaking that needs to be done but I think that a little patience from people is required to give it a chance. We’ve seen teething problems with Ascot when it was built, and Longchamp in recent times, so we have to give these things a little time to settle in and for people to get their bearings. The pressure is on the management now to deliver and I’m sure they will address these issues. Guineas weekend has to go right to gain people’s confidence and get people back racing. It goes without saying that without the owners we have nothing. They are the people who are putting the major investment into racing, but we also want plenty of people to come racing. With this fabulous facility it is very achievable to lay on a enjoyable day for people to watch great racing on a great race track. But I think it should be addressed that for the average racegoer, the pricing is too high. I don’t want to see a divide between general racegoers and the corporate hospitality side. That divide seems to be growing and if that’s the case, racegoers will perhaps decide they can’t afford to attend. I think that point has been lost a little bit here. We need to get people coming back to the races to create an atmosphere and to enjoy good racing. It’s €25 for people to get in to the Curragh on Guineas weekend. If it’s then €8 to buy a burger and €4.50 for chips, it turns out to be an expensive day for a family. It was only €6 at Longchamp on Sunday for the French Guineas and at that price it’s more viable for people to bring their families. There’s no point having this superb facility only for it to be empty. I don’t want to sound negative, and I do call on the public to have a little patience as well. Anything that’s new will take a little time to settle down and I’m sure it will come right if the Curragh management can be given a little time to get it right. Mehdaayih for me We’ve seen some very exciting horses coming through for the Derby, though it’s a bit of a shame that they are all from the one stable. I think John Gosden will win the Oaks with Mehdaayih (GB) (Frankel {GB}). I was lucky enough to be there last Wednesday at Chester when she won the Cheshire Oaks and she possesses what every good horse should have, and that is an explosive turn of foot. She’s bred to get the trip and I also think she’s the quickest filly in the race. For a big, rangey filly she got around Chester very well, so hopefully Epsom won’t pose any problems to her, and if she improves from Chester she’s the one I would want to be on. Aidan O’Brien has a very powerful stable but you have to give credit where it’s due. I know he has some of the best-bred horses in the world but there are other stables that have a similar number of horses and it’s not by chance that Aidan just keeps pitching up every year with multiple healthy, sound runners. That’s testament to how good a trainer he is, though I have to say I would like to see some competition for him. Let’s hope that Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) can put up a really good performance tomorrow and put himself into the mix and challenge the Ballydoyle squad to make a real race of it. Hamariyna (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) did very well on Sunday on Leopardstown. It probably wasn’t the strongest renewal of the Guineas Trial, but that doesn’t take away from her performance and she hit the line very well. On pedigree she will love going up in trip so I think she won despite the trip. She looks an improver. Whether the form of that is good enough to win a Guineas is probably debatable at the moment but I think she will come into her own going a mile and a quarter as the year goes on, and she is from a family that just keeps improving with age. I’m pleased to see Camelot (GB) really getting some good runners now. A year ago the vibes weren’t so good for him and this is one of the things that is wrong with our industry. It’s very quick to write off sires. Camelot is a horse who has proved that and, to me, he’s a horse who is really starting to stand out as a Classic sire. I think Australia (GB) is another who is going to do very well. There are some very good stallions coming through and two of them happen to be in Coolmore. I was lucky enough to see Camelot when he was racing as well as at the stud and I really don’t think that you could see a better Thoroughbred. If you were to draw the perfect racehorse, it’s him. He has real presence and is just a smashing horse. I’m glad now that he’s really starting to perform as a stallion. Touched by the response The reaction to my retirement really touched me. I appreciate that I had a good career and I am content with the fact that I achieved something, but like anything in life, when it’s final the reality hits you. It’s been all of my working life and until 14 months ago, being a jockey was everything. I thought I was totally prepared for it but when I made the announcement, it really hit me that it’s all over, and that was a little bit of a shock. It was a little bit hard to process but I have to remind myself why I’ve retired and then I realise the bigger picture and I know it was the right thing to do. It’s very easy to make a decision when you know it’s the right thing to do. It’s done now and I’m looking forward to moving on. Hopefully in the coming weeks I will have an idea as to what I’m actually going to do and I’m excited by the future. I realised in the last few days that I don’t want to rush into committing to something and then find that it’s not really what I want. I want to be sure that whatever I do, I do it as much for enjoyment as for anything else. My wife Frances has been drilling into me the fact that I need to take things a little bit easily while I’m recovering my strength from my second round of treatment. As I said last week, I want to get back to riding. I’m not prepared to stop riding horses and I’m trying to get myself fit again, but Frances keeps telling me to take my time. I can’t help but get a bit excited about getting back on a horse again. The sooner that happens the better. Mentally and physically that’s important for me. That’s the first goal and then we’ll take it from there. I really enjoyed my day on ITV Racing at Chester despite it being a miserable day weather-wise. They are a very professional outfit and made me feel very comfortable. I think it went well but it’s easy to speak about good racing and that is what we had there with two unbelievable performances from by Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Mehdaayih. Riding for a good cause I went to York on Tuesday to walk the course with Abi Stock, who will be riding in the Macmillan Charity Race on June 15. Unfortunately Abi’s dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer around the same time as I was and just before he passed away Abi spoke to her dad about riding in the race at York and he told her to go and do it. So she will be riding to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer and is now sponsored by SkyBet. I found out that she was doing a course walk, so I felt that it would be the right thing to do to come over and walk the track with her to lend some support. Fran Berry and I walked the track with her yesterday and gave her some advice on race riding, and hopefully she will do it very well on the big day. The post The Pat Smullen Column: Curragh Needs Chance To Put It Right appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This interview is one of a continuing series in the TDN in which current Godolphin Flying Start students interview former ones who have gone on to work in the racing industry. U.K. native Dan Blacker runs a stable based in Southern California. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, he graduated from the Godolphin Flying Start program in 2007. LH: How has the Godolphin Flying Start helped you in your career as a trainer? DB: For me, getting to know American racing and moving around the country was extremely beneficial. I got to spend time in California working with Richard Mandella and I really felt at home here. I never would have had the chance to experience all of that had I not been on the Flying Start. When you start training, it’s a huge leap of faith going from assistant trainer to trainer. It’s such a massive step and no one really knows it until you do it for yourself. Looking back on it now, I think spending those two years on the Flying Start really gave me the confidence to make that leap of faith to train in America. LH: Given the current situation in racing in California, have you had to make any adjustments in your business strategy? DB: Yes, I am feeling the pinch along with other trainers. I’m down on numbers right now and I think certain owners back East are just a little bit wary of sending two-year-olds out this way right now. I think we really need to do our own bit of promotion for California and get behind our industry. I, for one, want to be really positive that we have a strong future here and this is just a period of change that is pretty rough, but I think when we come out on the other side it may be better in the long run. California is setting an example that safer racing is possible and we can take pride in those advances as long as the horse population thrives. LH: How do you think the industry as a whole can try to change the public’s perception of racing, especially being in California surrounded by celebrity influencers. How do we get them involved? DB: That’s a good question, and when I first came out here it’s something that I always noticed. We have such a huge entertainment business and there’s so much money here in southern California. Why can’t we get more people interested in the sport? I think it is just so foreign for a lot of people and it is difficult to educate people to a level where they want to spend money on the sport. The main thing is to promote horseracing and educate people in a really positive way, but education is going to be an uphill battle that is going to need a lot of positive aspects. There are a lot of organizations really pushing that now like the I Am Horse Racing movement. These sorts of things are going to help in the long run, but it is a lot of work ahead of us. In my opinion, the most important thing to do right now is to reduce the number of breakdowns. I think we seem to be doing that, unfortunately, at some point, it is going to happen again, but right now we are doing great. The industry as a whole, the racetrack, trainers, and vets are working together, and it seems like it is making a difference and that is the most important thing moving forward in terms of improving the public perception. LH: In a slightly unrelated matter, having taken the Racing Official Accreditation Program while on the Flying Start, do you agree with the decision in the Derby and do you think America should shift to category 1 rules in the future? DB: The stewarding course helped us understand the job that the stewards have to do. It’s a very thankless job and a really tough position to be in to make those sorts of calls. It’s super subjective as we found out in the Derby. I think American racing is different–we seem to race a little tighter. I think there are lots of things we can do within the industry as a whole to make unilateral rules around the world in a positive way. I think you need to be flexible for certain things and there are things that might not work in America that work in Europe and Australia and vice versa. I think you need to be open to changes within that. The most important thing is safety and public perception and if you have to make the rules a little stricter in order for the rules to be more effective, then I’m for that. Liza Hendricks is from Unionville, Pa., and holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the College of Charleston. Before starting the Flying Start program, she worked in t.v. and simulcasting at the NYRA. The post Flying Start Q and A with Dan Blacker appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Arqana are increasing their sponsorship activities during the Deauville summer meet which coincides with the sales company’s flagship yearling sale in August. As part of their commitment Arqana have partnered with France Galop to provide a €13,500 bonus to the winner of six different 2-year-old races which essentially doubles the prize-money for these events. In addition, if the winner of each race is a foal, yearling, or 2-year-old graduate of Arqana, the owner receives a €10,000 voucher to spend at Arqana’s 2019 yearling sales or 2020 Breeze Up. Arqana will also sponsor the G3 Prix Chloe at Chantilly June 29 and the G3 Prix de Lieurey on at Deauville Aug. 15. Speaking of the increased investment Arqana’s President Eric Hoyeau, said, “This new partnership with France Galop is in line with our desire to contribute to the development of our breeding and to maintain the competitiveness of the French racing programme. The ‘voucher’ offered to the winning owners of the unraced juveniles in the six races at Deauville is also intended to congratulate and encourage our buyers before the yearling sales season. We all know how difficult these races are to win, so it is important to make a difference. We hope that these two initiatives will enhance the attractiveness of these events that are an important part of the Deauville meeting. Finally, we were keen to support the two group 3 races for 3-year-old fillies, that are key races in view to developing a quality broodmare band for French breeders.” The post Arqana Ups Deauville Sponsorship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Capsule looks at the jockeys expected to compete in the 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1) May 18 at Pimlico Race Course. View the full article

Gary Barber's War of Will, the lone probable Preakness Stakes (G1) starter on the grounds during the morning hours of May 14, had a leisurely walk in the opposite direction around a wet, muddy surface under exercise rider Kim Carroll. View the full article

Maybe we’re just paying a price for two such flawless, processional Triple Crown campaigns, so close to one another. Maybe we just needed reminding that Thoroughbreds, most of the time, obstruct rather than serve the neat, coherent destinies we try to shape for ourselves. This time round, admittedly, the cruelty of fate has been given a name and a face, as it were, by a panel of Churchill stewards–albeit doing their best under extreme pressure. Now that lawyers are getting involved, the one thing everyone can surely agree is that the second leg of the Triple Crown series could do us all a big favor if coming up with a redemptive narrative of some kind. Not, obviously, for either of the key Derby protagonists, whose absence leaves an expressive void at the heart of the Preakness; but for the whole sport. The cue, perhaps, for a hometown hero. After all, whatever peril to the sport’s future may lurk in a legal battle for the Derby–a prize, you fear, that may eventually come to seem as impossible to savour as a blanket of withered roses–then how much more literally existential is the threat to Pimlico, clinging by its fingertips to its defining legacy? Alwaysmining (Stay Thirsty) is Maryland-foaled and Maryland-based. In the era of the “super-trainer,” he is in the care of a former eighth grade science teacher who received her own racing education under old school horsemen Barclay Tagg and Jimmy Toner. He joined Kelly Rubley soon after his private acquisition by Gregory and Caroline Bentley’s Runnymede Farm to exploit the state program here, having started out in Kentucky. Gelded in the meantime, Alwaysmining has now won half a dozen consecutive starts at Laurel, gaining an automatic berth in the Classic when winning the Federico Tesio S. by 11 ½ lengths. His quest to become Maryland’s first winner since 1983 guarantees Alwaysmining plenty of interest, hopefully beyond the trade media too. Here, however, I’d just like to consider a family tree that also offers to take us all back to basics, on the bottom side; and can give a boost, on the top side, to racing on the nation’s opposite coast, which has lately had grave challenges of its own. Certainly you don’t get many pedigrees nowadays with Dr. Fager and Princequillo as close up as the third and fourth dams. Given that his first two dams are, conversely, by Anees and Golden Act, Alwaysmining’s maternal line is an appealing mix of totally neglected seams and Kimberley diamonds. Because that “fourth dam” is none other than Cequillo, who was of no account as a runner but instead put incredible resources into a breeding career that yielded 19 named foals between 1960 to 1982. Of these, all but one made the starting gate; one did so 109 times; and 14 were winners. They included Grand Splendor, whose daughter Killaloe–by Dr Fager, note–became the dam of Fappiano. Another daughter produced Ogygian, damsire of Johannesburg. So between Scat Daddy, Unbridled, Tapit and company, there won’t have been too many September sale-toppers in recent years without Cequillo somewhere in their pedigree. And that’s just through Grand Splendor. Loads of other elite operators emerge under Cequillo, none more interesting (especially to those of us who admire the work of his grandson Midnight Lute) than Quiet American. He is by Fappiano out of a grand-daughter (by Dr. Fager, again) of Cequillo. For those of you who share a curiosity that extends that far, Cequillo traces to the French matriarch Plucky Liege, who bred four different champion sires. Significantly, for present purposes, their success was multiplied as broodmare sires, most notably in the case of Sir Gallahad III. Nothing remotely provincial about Alwaysmining’s deeper family, then. Things have admittedly been quiet over the past couple of generations. The daughter of Cequillo by Dr Fager who appears as his third dam, Consequential, only won a couple of minor races and was cheaply culled by Tartan Farms. Her first foal did become the dam of Canadian champion juvenile Blue Finn (Empery), but her best runner-a Florida Oaks winner who ran fifth in the 1989 Kentucky Oaks-was by Golden Act, so she was sent back to that forgotten Cal-bred sire the following year. Stretch-running Golden Act had made the podium in all three legs of the 1979 Triple Crown, including when overhauling Spectacular Bid for second in a dramatic Belmont, before achieving Grade I success on turf. He was a son of Gummo, who was named for “the fifth” Marx brother and responsible in the same crop for Flying Paster, the West’s big Derby hope against Spectacular Bid. (Only fifth on the day, Flying Paster proceeded to a 14-year streak as the premier stallion in California. One of his daughters, moreover, produced American Pharoah’s broodmare sire Yankee Gentleman.) Golden Act’s daughter by Consequential, Che Sara Sara, was stakes-placed four times and produced a few largely modest winners. Typical of these was What Will Be, a four-time scorer by Anees (Unbridled), the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner whose stud career came to a tragic end halfway through only his third season. As a grandson of Fappiano, Anees introduces Cequillo top as well as bottom in What Will Be’s pedigree. And Cequillo’s influence is redoubled in the mating (arranged by Avla Pitts) that produced Alwaysmining, between What Will Be and Stay Thirsty. The latter’s sire Bernardini is out of a mare by Quiet American–who, as already noted, carries her 4 x 3. Stay Thirsty had launched only two crops onto the track before leaving Ashford for Lovacres Ranch in California at the end of 2017, even though he had finished top by wins, second by winners and fifth by earnings among sires of his intake. Those who took advantage of a $5,000 fee at his new home-and he entertained 125 mares, nearly doubling his final Kentucky book-were duly delighted to see him produce a first Grade I winner last year, in Mind Control’s Hopeful S. Nor is even his first crop done yet, the 5-year Coal Front having won the G2 Godolphin Mile this spring. Stay Thirsty, a Belmont runner-up himself and half-brother to another one, also has a copper-bottomed pedigree. His fourth dam was a half-sister to Prove Out, who not only beat Secretariat over a mile and a half but also Riva Ridge in the Jockey Club Gold Cup when it was run over two miles. Their dam, moreover, was a sister to Triple Crown winner Assault. So there’s a ton of staying power and class underpinning Alwaysmining’s sire, to complement the patrician antecedents in a maternal line that has only recently receded. True, all these attributes still need to be harnessed to some benign destiny. But perhaps we can glimpse its hand in the names of his dam and grand-dam. You may think these rather apposite–What Will Be, Che Sara Sara–as the luckless group who feel robbed of the Derby ponder their next move. I wouldn’t presume to tell them how they are supposed to feel or behave. But I do know that Doris Day died this week, at her home up the coast from Stay Thirsty’s ranch. And while her “Que Sera” was Spanish, rather than Italian, perhaps she could bequeath us all a fleeting return, on the track, to the harmonious, homey world she represented on the screen. Maybe that world never really existed. But there’s certainly some golden age blood behind this horse; and he’s trained by the girl next door. Will she be happy, will she be rich? Will she have rainbows day after day? Not every day; not with horses. But it might be nice, on Saturday, if the sun came out just for an afternoon. The post This Side Up: Hometown Preakness Hope appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Eddie Gregson and breeders/owners Arthur Hancock III and Leone Peters caused quite a stir when they skipped the Preakness Stakes (G1) with their 1982 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Gato Del Sol. View the full article

The International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) has announced that progress has been made towards the identification of a new vaccine for African Horse Sickness (AHS). In conjunction with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), an IHSC working group has identified a vaccine candidate, classified as an inactivated multivalent DIVA AHS vaccine. The preliminary view of the IHSC group is that the vaccine candidate has the potential to be safe and efficacious, and may be used in endemic situations, as well as in outbreak situations in all ages and physiological groups. The working group has also assessed the potential market for a new vaccine and prepared a roadmap for the development of a vaccine. That roadmap proposes steps for the progression of the vaccine candidate’s development through to commercial production and effective future use. It is noted that the roadmap includes provision for a challenge study, which is considered as a necessary next step in order to demonstrate the ability of the vaccine candidate’s effectiveness against all nine AHS serotypes, and which will support regulatory registration of the vaccine. Upon announcing the news, Louis Romanet, chairrman of the IHSC said, “The IHSC believes that the development and production of a new AHS vaccine will be a major achievement, and will deliver a far-reaching positive impact on horse sports around the world. The FEI and the IFHA have invested significant time and resources to assist with the development of an AHS vaccine to this point. We now look forward to working with the industry, particularly in South Africa, in order to seek to prove up the vaccine candidate, and hopefully work through to development, production and widespread use. That will require more investment and time. However, we are confident that a new vaccine would be transformative for horse movements in and out of South Africa, which have been impacted by African Horse Sickness for too long.” The post Progress Made In Fight Against AHS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Champion jockey Zac Purton says he will be disappointed if he does not better his career-best season after securing back-to-back jockeys’ championships.The Australian set his personal best of 136 last season after going toe-to-toe with Joao Moreira until the last day of the term but has enjoyed life at the top alone this year, however he is still striving to grow his 118-win tally.With about 154 races remaining in the season, Purton is on target to ride another 34 winners at his current strike… View the full article

Jockey Derek Leung Ka-chun knows he was lucky to walk away from a sickening fall relatively unscathed last week so he is just grateful to be riding again seven days on.The 30-year-old fell from Gameplayer Emperor 300m from home during last Wednesday’s dirt meeting at Sha Tin after the horse broke its leg as he loomed up to win.The incident saw Leung catapulted into the dirt, but the quick-thinking jockey was able to brace for the impact.“It wasn't as scary as other ones because I had time to… View the full article

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike experienced Group One success with The Bostonian in the Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on Saturday and less than 24 hours later stablemate Simply Sacred continued Pike’s winning ways when taking out her 1685m Ipswich assignment by three lengths. Pike was pleased with the three-year-old filly’s performance, but believes they are racing against the clock to tackle the big Classic races in Brisbane in the coming month. “She has always given us the impression that she is a ... View the full article

Cory Parish reflects on his SA Derby winning ride on Qafila... View the full article

Cambridge Stud has recognised the wider industry’s move to provide support to breeders, with the announcement of their 2019 stud fees. A number of studs have reduced fees to enable breeders the opportunity to make greater commercial returns. Cambridge Stud have responded in kind by reducing the stud’s flagship stallion Tavistock to a fee of $50,000+GST for the upcoming season, down $15,000 from last year. Tavistock has enjoyed success at Group One level in Australia, Hong Kong... View the full article

The catalogue for the 2019 Karaka May Sale has been bolstered by three supplementary entries – a weanling and two broodmares to be offered at the end of each session they are catalogued in. Westbury Stud have added a fifth weanling to their May Sale draft in Lot 241– a filly from the first crop of their Victoria Derby-winning stallion Tarzino. The filly is out of Cabal (NZ) (Carnegie), a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Second Coming (NZ) (Oa... View the full article

Jumping just may have resurrected the career of talented stayer Gobstopper. The full-brother to former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther has been out of form since winning the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) back in 2017, but his runner-up performance in the Gr.3 Rotorua Cup (2200m) at Arawa Park showed he is back to his best. Trainer Andrew Campbell admitted to being frustrated with the six-year-old son of Tavistock, but said recent schooling over fences has given the gelding a new lease on life... View the full article

Bullish Boss has Count Cruising ahead of Kranji Mile View the full article

Le Grange launches Rocket Star and Zoffspeed in 2YO series View the full article

Jason Waddell plans to be back in raceday action for the beginning of the new season as he awaits surgery on his right leg. Currently one of the top 10 jockeys in the country, Waddell has been off the scene since a spate of suspensions, including a couple for his ride on Vernanme in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on March 2. His careless riding suspensions, covering a total of 28 days for three separate incidents, ruled him out until April 19 and with his leg surgery date set a... View the full article

David Archer had already scaled some of racing’s highest peaks with his 10-time Group One winner Mufhasa, but last weekend he was right back at the summit. The Archer family’s home-bred star Bostonian, who races as The Bostonian in Australia, scored a stunning upset victory in Saturday’s Gr.1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) in Brisbane – beating a field featuring the elite Australian sprinters Osborne Bulls and Nature Strip. “Days like that are what you live for in racing,” Archer said. “Al... View the full article