Wandering Eyes

Bucchero (Kantharos), whose half-dozen stakes winners to date include GI Woody Stephens Stakes hero Book'em Danno, will be available for inspection at an open house at Ironhorse Stallions on Dec. 13 at 58 Dunn Road, Stillwater, New York, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The only New York-based stallion to be represented by a Grade I winner this season and the current leading stallion in the state by progeny earnings, Bucchero is the sire of 100 individual winners, including Beauty of the Sea, successful three times in stakes company and also Grade III-placed in 2024. He is also the leading American-based general sire of all-weather runners, including Ironhorse homebred Cyclonite, who recently won for the second time in four synthetic tries at Kempton Park in England. Having begun his stallion career in Florida before covering his first mares in the Empire State in 2024, Bucchero has been booked to better than 100 mares for his first season at Ironhorse Stallions. Ironhorse is supporting the 12-year-old with no fewer than 10 mares purchased at Keeneland November and Tattersalls December. “We have had a strong response from individual breeders, both in state and those moving mares for the first time into the New York program, along with some larger breeders who have purchased lifetime breeding rights that we have made available on a limited basis, it is an exciting time to be breeding in New York,” said Harlan Malter, managing partner of Bucchero and Ironhorse Stallions. During the open house, visitors will have an opportunity to meet John Dowd, head of operations and bloodstock for Ironhorse Stallions. Light refreshments will be served. The post Bucchero To Feature At Ironhorse Stallions Open House Dec. 13 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Twenty-three horses have been catalogued for the OBSOnline 2024 December auction which begins Thursday, Dec. 12 at noon Eastern time and runs through Tuesday, Dec. 17, closing at noon ET. The catalogue includes 2-year-olds in training, horses with current winning form, broodmare prospects, in-foal mares and one weanling. The OBSOnline December catalogue includes mares in foal to Girvin, Roadster, Rogueish and First Dude. Also on offer are 2-year-olds by Classic Empire, Street Sense, Neolithic, Mendelssohn, Volatile, Audible, Authentic, Vekoma, Catalina Cruiser and Khozan, 3-year-old fillies by Collected, Flameaway, and Girvin and a New York-bred weanling by Mendelssohn. Potential highlights in the catalogue include: Hip 5, Collected Dreams (Collected), a winning 3-year-old filly whose year-younger full-brother Iron Man Cal won the Zuma Beach Stakes and went within a neck of winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 1; Hip 9, Mrs. Mendelssohn (Mendelssohn), a winner at first asking in October and recent runner-up in the My Trusty Cat Stakes; Hip 22, Cockeyed (Khozan), who broke his maiden by an impressive six lengths at Tampa Bay Downs Dec. 7. Each horse will have a walking video and radiographs for viewing. To create an account, register to bid and view the catalogue for the OBSOnline December Sale, click here. The post OBSOnline December Catalogue Includes 23 Horses, Goes Live Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Thirty-five years after setting up in the stallion business, Gay and Annette O'Callaghan's Yeomanstown Stud can look forward to an extra special Christmas celebration as the family toasts its homegrown hero Dark Angel (Ire), the 2024 champion sire of Britain and Ireland. For anyone who has watched the tenacity with which Gay works the sales in tandem with his sons David, Guy and Robert, and often with Peter back over from America, it is easy to predict that the celebration won't last long. For soon there will be mares to be foaled, and mares to be booked, not least to the farm's latest recruit, the G1 July Cup winner Mill Stream (Ire). Moreover, it is simply not the O'Callaghan way to sit around slapping each on the back. That said, there must be ample satisfaction in securing a first championship with a horse bred at the farm – from a mare sourced for just €12,000 – who went on to become a Group 1-winning two-year-old and was later bought back for stud duties. Since the stallion wing has been in operation, based at the family's Morristown Lattin Stud but now branded solely as Yeomanstown, only Coolmore, Darley and Juddmonte have stood a champion sire. Frankel (GB) broke the 31-year stranglehold of Coolmore when winning his first championship in 2021. Prior to that it had been passed between Sadler's Wells, Caerleon, Danehill, Danehill Dancer (Ire) and Galileo (Ire), with Sadler's Wells landing 14 of those titles and Galileo 12. Frankel is now a dual champion, with Dubawi (Ire) having been crowned champion in 2022, meaning that the title stayed in Britain for three consecutive years after a long drought. This, then, is a significant achievement as the laurels return to Ireland, but to Kildare rather than Tipperary. “He did it the hard way,” says Gay O'Callaghan of his champion after being herded, along with David, Guy and Robert, into a meeting room at Tattersalls during the mares' sale. Separating these men from the sale ring is no mean feat, so Gay's next line makes this interviewer's heart drop a little, when he adds, “He did it and nobody else did it for him. That's all I can say.” Encouragingly, though, he soon warms to the topic and is spurred on by his sons, the gang of four often completing each other's sentences, which is perhaps not completely surprising from a family which works as such a tight-knit pack. “I think what's especially good is the fact that he's a a sprinter-miler sire,” notes David. “Those 10, 12-furlong races generally have the bigger prize-money, so to be able to do it, generally just between six furlongs to a mile, it makes it extra special.” Gay adds, “You have to win twice as many races.” Fortunately, one of the hallmarks of Dark Angel's offspring tends to be their durability. He was himself kept pretty busy as a juvenile, running nine times from mid-April, with his four wins including the G1 Middle Park Stakes and G2 Mill Reef Stakes. His disappearance from the track after that season was no reflection on his ability, more on the lack of opportunities for three-year-old sprinters at the time. The racing programme has been enhanced in this regard in the intervening years, in part because of the consternation caused by Dark Angel's retirement to stud at the age of three back in 2008. “They're very sound. And they seem to improve from two to three, three to four,” says Gay of Dark Angel's stock. “I mean, if they have a reasonable amount of ability too, they seem to progress and progress on a year-on-year basis. “Take Charyn. From two to three to four, he got better and better. And I have no doubt if he raced next year, he would have won a Group 1 again.” While they agree that they would have loved to see Charyn continue his racing career as a five-year-old, the O'Callaghans, perhaps more than anyone, are aware of the balance that must be struck when it comes to retiring a stallion at the right time to optimise his popularity with breeders. “To rewind to the Dark Angel retiring at two for a second, it's a different landscape now, in so far as, within a couple of years, because of, say, Holy Roman Emperor and him – they were the two high-profile ones around the time – it forced a change in the racing programme,” says David. “The Sandy Lane went from a Listed race to a Group 2, the Commonwealth Cup was brought in, and all of a sudden there was a three-year-old [sprint] programme. Because what had been happening historically was the three-year-olds got swallowed up by the four-year-olds or the older horses for the season. And if they came out of it the other side, they could compete at four, but it actually was to their detriment, and trying to compete with those horses actually finished them. “So, for all that we got criticised, there wasn't a three-year-old programme, and if you'd raced as much as Dark Angel did at two, what were you supposed to do at three? Usually fellas just gave them one or two runs at three and waited until they were four. But we certainly weren't going to wait until the end of his four-year-old career. We needed a stallion.” Guy adds, “And with Dark Angel, obviously Gay had bred him, so we had a very close relationship with the horse, so he meant a lot to us, and it made sense in our minds straightaway. Whereas it shocked a lot of people at the time, for us it was just so obvious.” Another horse close to the family's hearts, Charyn (Ire), has very much been this year's poster boy for Dark Angel, with a season that combined that trademark toughness – kicking off on the opening day of the turf season at Doncaster – and including Group 1 victories at Deauville, Royal Ascot and on Champions Day. He too was bred by the O'Callaghan family, under the banner of Guy's Grangemore Stud. Charyn may now be ensconced at Sumbe's Haras de Montfort & Preaux, alongside another multiple Group 1-winning son of Dark Angel, Angel Bleu (Fr), but there should still be excitement to come from this particular family. Nurlan Bizakov of Sumbe also owns Charyn's two-year-old sister, who commanded 850,000gns at Book 1 last year, while the price for the current yearling climbed even higher. She was sold by Grangemore to Godolphin in October for 2.9 million gns. It may all look so easy now, with Dark Angel having bestowed much kudos on Yeomanstown in his tenure there, but as every stallion master will tell you, the only thing you know about stallions is that you don't know where the next good one will come from. The old maxim is that only one in ten makes it. “One in 20, I'd say,” chips in Guy. His father adds, “The first horse we ever stood was very successful, Common Grounds. Again, from a very humble beginning, covering 43 or 44 mares his first year because he raced in France, and there wasn't as much known about the French racing at that stage as there is now. So I know a few people went to see him, and they didn't like him. “I remember the day we went to see him, we had to stand up in a dung heap and get him to walk around us to see if he could walk or not. But anyway, he wasn't a great walker. But he was quite successful.” Bred by Stavros Niarchos, Common Grounds (GB), a son of Kris (GB), was France's champion two-year-old of 1987, winning the G1 Prix de la Salamandre and finishing runner-up in the G1 Prix Morny. He sired the Yeomanstown-bred Bad As I Wanna Be (Ire), who won the Prix Morny for Brian Meehan in 2000, the year Common Grounds moved to stand in Turkey. “I suppose that would be the biggest mistake we ever made, I think, was selling him,” Gay reflects. “But you learn from these things, because to have got him to that pitch and to sell him was a monumental mistake. I know we were offered a lot of money for him and we had a nice purse but it was still a huge mistake. “But, you know, he wasn't gone out the door when we knew it was a mistake, when we looked around to try and replace him. But anyway, that's history now.” Indeed it is, and the stud business is largely about looking forward, to the next crop of foals, the next batch of runners, the longed-for star act. For Yeomanstown, there is plenty on the horizon. Alongside Dark Angel stands the Classic-placed miler Shaman (Ire), by Shamardal, whose first three-year-olds will be in action in 2025, while Dark Angel's fellow Middle Park winner Supremacy (Ire), one of the first sons of the rising star Mehmas (Ire) at stud, will have his first crop of juveniles at the track. Then there's Mill Stream, who is about to embark on his first covering season. With a number of the top horses each year already under the control of major owner-breeder operations, it is becoming harder for the independent stallion farms to recruit new talent. So just how early in a racehorse's career are they put on the watch list? “I suppose once they get their first group win, and if they are by something good, you kind of follow along,” says Robert. “But you can't go buying a heap of maiden winners and Listed winners in the hope they're going to turn into something. You nearly have to wait until they actually win a Group 1. You can waste a lot of money quickly on promising looking horses that never do anything ever again. That's a high-risk strategy.” David adds, “A prime example would be Kind Of Blue at the end of the season. A lot of people would have loved the idea of him. And he had been knocking on the door. Somebody came in and bought him [Wathnan Racing] and he went and won the Group 1 the next day. So, it's a great success, but in so many of those cases, a horse with a similar profile doesn't win the Group 1 and all of a sudden, you're left carrying the can. The horse is not worth anything like what you may have paid for him. So, you know, well done to them. But it's a very risky business, buying them just before they do it. Inevitably, in the long run, you're better off to wait until it's done, and it makes them harder to buy, but not all that much, as in, potential is always worth an awful lot anyway. “So, it's so hard to get the balance right. But generally, once they have it done, at least there's no doubt. As opposed to, there's so many horses get close and don't quite get over the line.” Peter, Gay and Robert O'Callaghan | Tattersalls Gay speaks from experience when he notes, “I'd say the biggest problem is finding horses that will be sold, because there are two very big outfits that have huge power, and they inevitably turn up with a really good two-year-old or three-year-old. So, in that case, you're getting something that falls in the middle a little bit. Take Mill Stream – Peter Harris is a single owner and he's quite an elderly man now, so I thought he'd race him next year, and so did the trainer.” Mill Stream, just like Charyn, has unquestionably had his best season as a four-year-old, winning the G2 Duke of York Stakes and finishing third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes before his July Cup triumph. The most expensive yearling by his sire Gleneagles (Ire) in 2021 when sold for 350,000gns to Anthony Stroud by his breeder Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud, he was obviously a looker from the start. David says, “Most people actually remember him as a yearling here [at Tattersalls], because he made a big price. He was a very talked-about horse at the sale. “Gleneagles was a champion two-year-old, he was a precocious horse himself and won two Guineas. He was always going to get a few fast ones and this horse is from a very fast family on the dam's side. So, you know, he actually fits into that mould, because he's a big, beautiful horse with strength and scope, so hopefully he'll get the same kind of horses as Dark Angel was getting: sprinters who will stay a mile. You wouldn't imagine he would be pigeonholed as a five-furlong, six-furlong sprinter.” Peter Harris, who turned 90 in March, will also be returning to the breeding fold to support Mill Stream. The former trainer was also a highly successful breeder at his Pendley Farm, which boasts yet another Middle Park winner, Primo Valentino (Ire), as one of its star graduates for Harris. Robert adds, “Since we bought Mill Stream, we've met Peter Harris a few times and his enthusiasm is just amazing. He has a genuine passion for the game.” Mill Stream is out of the Hellvelyn (GB) mare Swirral Edge (GB), a winning two-year-old herself who notched a notable double when her sons Mill Stream and the G2 Richmond Stakes winner Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) won consecutive Listed races in Deauville on the same day in August 2023. The O'Callaghans picked up another member of her family at Tattersalls in July when buying Rare Jewel (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), out of the mare's half-sister Fashion Queen (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}) and in foal to Shaquille (GB), for 125,000gns. “It's such a very good family,” says David. “A lot of very fast, good-looking yearlings came out of that family. It's been on the commercial breeders' radar for a long time, so hopefully they'll appreciate it. And we're well invested in the family now.” Robert admits that, though the brothers may differ when selecting mares, foals or yearlings, when it comes to buying stallions they are “singing from the same hymn sheet”. David adds, “Well, if we can't agree on what stallion to buy, how are we going to expect to get support from the breeders? It kind of needs to be a no-brainer. So it has to make sense on every level for us, and then it will make good sense for them.” One thing that they can certainly agree on is that, no matter the flak they may have taken for it at the time, the best decision ever made by the Yeomanstown team was to bring Dark Angel back to the farm. Gay says, “I suppose basically he did it with a common or garden mares. He didn't have the blueblooded mares at his fingertips the whole time. He was made by small breeders. He didn't cover a lot of mares the first year, about 65, I think it was. There were some articles written, saying that he shouldn't have gone to stud, and that hurt us at the time.” Clearly still affronted by that response, he adds, “That did hurt. But he's 20 at the turn of the year, and he has earned it. He's been everything to us.” The post ‘He’s Been Everything To Us’: O’Callaghans Toast Dark Angel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 2024 Longines World Racing Awards will be held at the Savoy Hotel in London on Tuesday, January 21, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), in partnership with Swiss watch brand Longines, announced on Thursday. The ceremony will honour the highest-rated horse in the 2024 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, as well as the Longines World's Best Horse Race. Earlier this year Equinox (Jpn) was named the 2023 Longines World's Best Racehorse with a rating of 135, while the G1 Japan Cup, won by Equinox on his final start, was celebrated as the 2023 Longines World's Best Horse Race. The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are established by international handicappers according to the performance of the horses in top races. The highest-rated race is determined by averaging the rankings of the first four placed horses. The full list and further information on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings can be found here. The post Longines World Racing Awards Scheduled for January in London appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There was a pair of intriguing newcomers' events staged on Chantilly's Polytrack on Thursday and the fillies' contest saw a taking successful debut for the €700,000 purchase Tigress Of Gaul (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}–Lucerne {GB}, by Frankel {GB}). Sent off the 9-10 favourite for the mile contest, the joint-second highest-priced filly at last year's Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale tracked the leading quartet early under a patient Aurelien Lemaitre. Taking command with 300 metres remaining, the Tim Donworth-trained bay who is owned by Jose Aguirre-Moreno and her breeder Ecurie des Monceaux and whose dam is a half to Invincible Spirit's crack miler and sire Charm Spirit (Ire) asserted to score by 3 1/2 lengths from Cast A Gast (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}). Prix De Sandricourt @fgchantilly Chantilly – Inédites – Femelles – 2 ans – 1600m – 14 Pts – 30 000 € Tigress Of Gaul (Fr) (f) (Siyouni (Fr) @AgaKhanStuds – Lucerne (Gb) par Frankel?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Frankel (Gb)) Aurelien Lemaitre @lemaitre60LA Timothy Donworth @TDonworthRacing J…. pic.twitter.com/PdLxSkrGld — French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) December 12, 2024 The post Siyouni’s Arqana August Sensation Impresses On Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wind of Change was able to shed her bridesmaid tag at Ellerslie on Thursday just in the nick of time ahead of her looming trip across the Tasman. The four-year-old daughter of Deep Field had placed in all three of her previous starts this preparation but was finally able to be first past the post in the Cambridge Stud 1200 on Thursday. Under heavy showers, Wind Of Change jumped well from barrier four and was ridden with intention by jockey Kelly Myers to attain an early lead. Once making the front, Myers was able to control the tempo of the race and gave her charge some soft sectionals during the middle stages, which helped her see out the finish and score a half-length victory over the late closing Aquilifer. Pike was full of praise for Myers’ ride and said it was imperative Wind Of Change was able to relax during the middle stages of the race. “It was a great ride,” he said “She just needs those soft mid-race sectionals, which she got, and she waited on straightening as well and found a good kick. She deserved that, she has run really well, and it was a good, strong rating 65 race.” Myers was just as relieved to get the win, having been aboard Wind Of Change in two of her three previous placings. “She has been a bridesmaid a couple of times now and a really close finisher, so I am really pleased that we got the job done today,” Myers said. “She was able to get some nice, soft sectionals and I think 1200m is her absolute peak distance. When she hits that little bit of a rise at Ellerslie, it has just got her the last few times, so luckily enough she got those cheap sectionals and was able to get across the line first.” Australian targets now await Wind Of Change, who will be looking to add a Sydney victory to her record before heading to the broodmare paddock next year. “Matt (Goodson, owner) has got a share in Storm Boy, so she is going to head over to Sydney next week,” Pike said. “She will have a few runs in Sydney before the breeding season next year. If she can pick up a mid-week win in Sydney, that would be a benefit for her going forward as a broodmare. “Over the Christmas-New Year period is probably the weaker part of their racing as well, so she will be well placed over there over that summer period.” View the full article

Darwin jockey Vanessa Arnott, who started her career in Victoria in the 1990s, is every chance of posting her 300th win at Fannie Bay on Saturday. Picture: Caroline Camilleri (FotoFinish Racepix) Christmas might arrive early for Darwin jockey Vanessa Arnott on Saturday as she chases her 300th win at Fannie Bay. Arnott, from Mornington, debuted at Ballarat in August 1997. It was following a Top End holiday that she relocated to Darwin, making her Fannie Bay debut on the Rui Severino-trained El Suroso in May 2005. A week later, Arnott had that first win on Bart Merrall’s The Gabba. The former Victorian jockey, with 299 wins in the Top End, wasn’t aware the 300 milestone beckoned. “In hindsight, 300 probably doesn’t sound like that many wins considering how long I have been riding,” she said. “Considering we only have three meetings a month, it’s not bad, I suppose. “I still enjoy riding, but I have slowed down a lot. “Three rides in one day is enough for me in the wet season. “As you get older, the body takes longer to recover. “My weight is not great either, it’s always a battle and that’s very tiring. “I haven’t been taking rides under 56kg.” Jason Manning’s Bon’s Pride, Sabor and Motivated Miss, along with Angela Forster’s Kessler, are big hopes in their respective races for Arnott who turned 50 in January. Brazen Bon, Bon’s Pride’s full brother, debuts for Manning after arriving from Alex Rae’s Cranbourne stable. Bon’s Pride, formerly trained by Cranbourne’s Wayne Kelly, has starred in Darwin since November last year with six wins and five seconds from 1100-1300m in 13 starts. The five-year-old gelding by Bon Aurum carried 62kg en route to victory in the Magic Millions Top End Classic (1300m) on Darwin Cup Day. A narrow second over 1200m at BM76 level in September was followed by two wins in the top grade over 1200m in October and November. “He’s versatile – he can let them go, he can lead,” Arnott said. “Wherever he jumps, I just ride him like that which makes it easier. “He finished fourth in Darwin second up and was sixth over the mile in the St Patrick’s Day Cup in March.” Partnering Manning’s Snitzel’s Choice in the 2012 Darwin Guineas (1600m) has been the biggest of her 392 career wins. But, it is Noir De Rue, who lumped the big weights and retired as a 10-year-old following the Darwin Cup in August, who holds a special place in Arnott’s heart. “He could be back or forward, he was versatile and not one dimensional,” she said. “His ROANT Cup win during Carnival last year was unbelievable. “He backed up two weeks later and won the Chief Minister’s Cup by three lengths.” Horse racing news View the full article

Wind Of Change’s trainer Tony Pike. Photo: Nicole Troost Wind of Change was able to shed her bridesmaid tag at Ellerslie on Thursday just in the nick of time ahead of her looming trip across the Tasman. The four-year-old daughter of Deep Field had placed in all three of her previous starts this preparation but was finally able to be first past the post in the Cambridge Stud 1200 on Thursday. Under heavy showers, Wind Of Change jumped well from barrier four and was ridden with intention by jockey Kelly Myers to attain an early lead. Once making the front, Myers was able to control the tempo of the race and gave her charge some soft sectionals during the middle stages, which helped her see out the finish and score a half-length victory over the late closing Aquilifer. Pike was full of praise for Myers’ ride and said it was imperative Wind Of Change was able to relax during the middle stages of the race. “It was a great ride,” he said “She just needs those soft mid-race sectionals, which she got, and she waited on straightening as well and found a good kick. She deserved that, she has run really well, and it was a good, strong rating 65 race.” Myers was just as relieved to get the win, having been aboard Wind Of Change in two of her three previous placings. “She has been a bridesmaid a couple of times now and a really close finisher, so I am really pleased that we got the job done today,” Myers said. “She was able to get some nice, soft sectionals and I think 1200m is her absolute peak distance. When she hits that little bit of a rise at Ellerslie, it has just got her the last few times, so luckily enough she got those cheap sectionals and was able to get across the line first.” Australian targets now await Wind Of Change, who will be looking to add a Sydney victory to her record before heading to the broodmare paddock next year. “Matt (Goodson, owner) has got a share in Storm Boy, so she is going to head over to Sydney next week,” Pike said. “She will have a few runs in Sydney before the breeding season next year. If she can pick up a mid-week win in Sydney, that would be a benefit for her going forward as a broodmare. “Over the Christmas-New Year period is probably the weaker part of their racing as well, so she will be well placed over there over that summer period.” Horse racing news View the full article

Impressive debut winner Refusetobeenglish(NZ) (Churchill) will continue his racing career in Hong Kong after confirmation on Thursday he has been sold for an undisclosed sum. A new Hong Kong-based trainer is yet to be named for the three-year-old son of Churchill, who was heavily backed on debut at Cranbourne last month before he strode away for a three-and-a-half-length victory. Bloodstock expert Shane McGrath, who purchased Refusetobeenglish out of a two-year-old ready to run sale for $120,000, confirmed the private sale, with plans for the horse to soon enter quarantine for his trip to Hong Kong. McGrath also played a large part in the purchase for just $47,500 of Blue Diamond winner Hayasugi, who is recovering from a serious hoof ailment that almost took her life. He said her prospects of a racetrack return had improved in recent weeks. “In another month, we’ll get her back in,” he said. “There’s no reason why she wouldn’t (get back to the races) but we’ll have a good look at her in four-to-six weeks and decide whether we sell her, breed with her or race her on.” McGrath also purchased and races three-year-old Stanley Express, who won the Showdown on debut before things didn’t go right for him during the spring. “He’s just come back into pre-training,” McGrath said. “He had a setback at Moonee Valley and that was it for the spring, which was a shame because we thought he was a Coolmore (Stud Stakes) horse. “We haven’t lost faith in his ability, but just the prep didn’t work for him.” McGrath said another three-year-old filly he purchased as a yearling, Vestas, is being aimed at the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on the Gold Coast next month. View the full article

Joe Pride says Lekvarte(NZ) (Reliable Man) is a different mare over the Randwick mile and her record backs it up. Class gelding Private Eye might be the top seed of Joe Pride’s three runners in the $2 million The Ingham, but he has cautioned punters not to discount the outsider of his trio. A last start winner of the Festival Stakes, Private Eye is a $9 chance while stablemates Estadio Mestalla ($14) and Lekvarte ($23) are at double-figure odds. Lekavarte has an outstanding record over the Randwick mile, where she has won four of her six starts including the Group 3 Angst Stakes in October. She then went to Melbourne where she wasn’t disgraced in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), finishing sixth to Atishu(NZ) (Savabeel), before an unplaced effort in The Gong (1600m) where the backmarker was disadvantaged in a leader dominated race. “It really didn’t suit her. Thankfully she has come through it really well and the three weeks between runs for her is lovely. She appreciates that,” Pride said. “She will be under-rated there on Saturday and she will run really well because she seems to be able to do this, she goes elsewhere and then whenever she comes back to the Randwick mile you see her at her best again. “I wouldn’t underestimate her at all on Saturday.” While the bulk of Lekvarte’s higher-level form has been in fillies and mares’ grade, Pride says she’s had limited opportunities to show her wares in open company, especially at stakes level. “Going through the grades she definitely beat the boys,” he said. “But to be fair to her, she has done most of her racing against the mares, as they do, so I’m not sure how much opportunity she has had to do that. “She is a genuine Group Two level mare so I don’t see that as being a problem for her.” View the full article

Promising three-year-old Retrostar(NZ) (Vespa) headlined an impressive winning treble for Andrew Forsman at Tauherenikau on Wednesday. Retrostar was making just his third appearance to the races and the first since late August, where he won his maiden convincingly on the Cambridge Synthetic over 1550m. Despite the ease of that victory, the son of Vespa was underrated in the market and did himself no favours early, jumping away slowly to settle at the tail of the field. The tempo was ramped up at the 800m, with Gohugo taking over, while leading apprentice Lily Sutherland began to circle the field aboard Retrostar, and with plenty still to do at the 200m, the gelding flew over the top of his rivals late to score by three-quarters of a length to Hickory Jack. Forsman was rapt with the performance, having anticipated the gelding may need a distance further than Wednesday’s 1400m journey to be back in the winner’s circle. “It was a great effort, he’d had a couple of quiet trials leading into it and we thought he may need the run,” he said. “I think with what happened mid-race, with a bit of tempo put into it, Lily had to go back and he was really strong late. He impressed me to be honest, I thought it might take him until we got back up to a mile to see that sort of an effort. “It was a great performance from a three-year-old against older horses.” Retrostar’s part-owner Paul Stopforth outlaid $35,000 to purchase the gelding at the 2023 Karaka Yearling Sales, an investment that makes him eligible for a much bigger prize come January 25, with the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) on Forsman’s radar. “I thought we may go to the three-year-old mile on New Year’s Day at Ellerslie, having just had the three race-day starts, getting a look around Ellerslie would give him some good exposure and he is a Karaka Millions eligible horse,” Forsman said. “We’ll just have to work out whether we do that, or consider going to Wellington instead, the Levin Classic (Gr.2, 1400m) is an option.” Earlier on the card at Tauherenikau, Forsman entrusted the country’s top apprentice with Sabots D’or, a lightly-raced mare having her fifth start in the Happy Birthday Rob (Chalky) Calder (1600m). A contrast to her stablemate, Sabots D’or began positively and took up the pacemaking role early, with a break-away on the home turn proving to be the winning move by Sutherland, holding out the charge of Zaravela by a long head. A $220,000 investment by Forsman and Andrew Williams Bloodstock at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2022, Sabots D’Or has been a late-maturing mare and Forsman was pleased to see her reward patient connections. “She’s just taken a lot of time, when we bought her, which feels like a long time ago now, she’s just kept growing and changing shape,” Forsman said. “We’ve tried to do things with her, but she clearly hasn’t been mature and been able to cope with it all. “I’m very grateful to a good ownership group, they’ve been very patient to this point and hopefully now, they can start to be rewarded.” Forsman’s perfect afternoon was completed by Unequivocal, a Pencarrow Stud mare aiming to secure a place in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Final (2400m) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie. Unequivocal would have to take out the Rating 65 middle-distance contest to do so and she did just that in dominant style, settling back before pouncing on the lead at the 200m and storming clear by an extending 3 – ½ lengths. “We were aiming to go down there to gain points for the Dunstan Final on Boxing Day, so it’s worked out really well,” Forsman said. “It’s a hard thing to do, doing a two-day trip and staying overnight and she handled it all very well. It was a very soft win in the end, I just love the fact that the longer the race went, the more dominant she looked.” Bred at Pencarrow Stud and owned by Sir Peter Vela, Unequivocal is a daughter of Brighthill Farm stallion Eminent. View the full article

Consistent southerner The Good Shepherd(NZ) (Power) will be out to turn the tables on a classy mare at Ascot Park on Saturday when he contests the Howley Joinery Handicap (1400m). The seven-year-old has found a strong vein of form this preparation for trainer and regular rider Lee Callaway, winning at Oamaru before recording a close-up placing behind Third Decree. Most recently, he was run down late at the Invercargill course by The Grey Goose(NZ) (Reliable Man) in the Winton Cup (1400m). The Grey Goose will be among his main rivals in Saturday’s open handicap, and while Callaway has guided the gelding’s fortunes throughout the season, he has called on Daniel Bothamley to take the ride on this occasion. “He ran really well there last time, he drew a wide barrier so I had to push forward and go to the front,” Callaway said. “He got it quite easy out in front and fought on really well. “I’m putting Daniel Bothamley on him on Saturday, I have to ride at 54 kilos and the horse will have to carry five kilos of dead weight if I rode him. I don’t think he’s the horse that wants the dead weight and Daniel’s a really good, patient rider. “Over the 1400 at Invercargill, I think he needs that patient rider to have the last go at them.” While four of The Good Shepherd’s seven career victories have come on heavy tracks, Callaway indicated a Good track is now welcomed by the son of Power. “I wouldn’t put him on a really hard track, but I don’t think he’s a real heavy-track horse anymore,” he said. “Since he’s gotten a bit older, he enjoys the drier surface.” Callaway will take the ride on both of his other runners at the meeting in Empress Suiko(NZ) (US Navy Flag) and Pete’s Pride, with the latter coming off a last start win at the venue on November 24. “Daniel rode him last time and I’ll ride him on Saturday, as he’s got another he’s been riding a bit in that race,” Callaway said. “He won nicely and did it quite easily last start, if he can perform up to that, I think he’ll be thereabouts. He’s always been consistent and going good races, with a nice draw he’ll be a chance.” Empress Suiko will drop back in distance in the Creation Signs Maiden (1400m), the U S Navy Flag mare chasing her elusive maiden success. “She went really well and has come through it well. I would’ve liked to go over a mile before stepping up to 2000m, but there’s no 1600m races and I feel she can still be competitive over the 1400,” Callaway said. “She’s still learning a lot and in her last couple of runs, she’s learnt a lot more. I think she can be competitive.” The Waikouaiti horseman has a quartet of outside rides during the meeting, noting Albazinga(NZ) (Belardo) (Marquee and Party Hire Handicap, 1600m) and Lovelock(NZ) (Sacred Falls) (Nigel Robertson Building Southland Crystals, 2200m) as key chances. “I’ve got another three or four rides, they’ll all be thereabouts,” he said. “Albazinga was a little bit disappointing last time, but over the 1600 and if she can put her best foot forward, I think she can be a very good chance. “Lovelock ran second last start, so I definitely rate him a chance, he’s been racing very honestly and I get along with the horse well.” View the full article

Top mare Snazzytavi(NZ) (Tavistock) is ready to kick off her summer campaign, which will revolve around further Group One weight-for-age opportunities. Under the guidance of Matamata trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, the Cambridge Stud-raced daughter of Tavistock has swiftly moved through the grades to establish herself as an elite level performer. An effortless winner of the Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m) earlier this year, she went to another level in the spring to romp away with the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m). Snazzytavi subsequently enjoyed time out and has pleased Richardson with her progress since rejoining the stable ahead of her return in Saturday’s Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa. “We tipped her out for a freshen up and she’s had a quiet trial and she’s a very happy horse,” he said. The five-year-old won her 1000m heat at Taupo last month in the hands of regular rider Warren Kennedy who will be aboard again at the weekend. “She’ll go on to the Zabeel Classic (Gr.1, 2000m) and then we’ll aim at the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr.1, 2000m),” Richardson said. “What we do in between times I don’t know yet, maybe she could go back to a mile or we’ll trial her.” The stable will also have another black-type contender at Te Rapa with Rocababy(NZ) (El Roca) to step out in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m). The El Roca mare has been in good touch this preparation with a runner-up finish on the course three runs back before she copped a torrid run when unplaced in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m). She then headed to Ellerslie at the end of last month and rounded off strongly to finish second over 1300m. “She’s going very well, I’m really happy with her but it is a strong field,” Richardson said. English jockey George Rooke has retained the ride after handling Rocababy in her last two appearances. On the undercard, Mi Bella(NZ) (Per Incanto) and Darci’s Angel(NZ) (Darci Brahma) will give the team a decent hand in the Comag Plumbing, Drainlaying and Roofing Hamilton Handicap (1300m). The former deservedly broke her maiden last time out at Te Aroha following successive placings while Darci’s Angel most recently ran fifth at Tauranga and subsequently finished runner-up behind stablemate Snazzytavi at the Taupo trials. Richardson said the pair were hard to split with Kennedy to again partner Per Incanto four-year-old Mi Bella while Matt Cartwright will be aboard the Darci Brahma’s daughter Darci’s Angel. View the full article

Mike Breslin will enjoy a delayed celebration of his milestone victory at Tauherenikau during the week. The Awapuni horseman saddled his 500th domestic winner on Wednesday when the promising Sevenayes(NZ) (Vespa) accounted for his Rating 75 opposition, but the timing meant it passed without an appropriate toast to the occasion. “It was a twilight meeting, so we took the horses off the truck when we got home at 9.15pm and then back at work at 4.30 the next morning,” Breslin said. “I quite like a nice red wine, so I’ll probably open a good bottle on Saturday night and celebrate that way.” Breslin has yet to strike at the top level, but he’s gone close on several occasions. “I’ve had lots of handy horses and Dancing Daze was a really good one who could have won anything,” he said. “She did win a Group Two (Championship Stakes, 2100m) and Lance O’Sullivan rode her and said she could win a Group One, but she had a few issues after that. “I’ve never had a Group One winner, I’ve had a few placings, and that niggles me a bit I suppose, but it is what it is and you can only do the best you can with the horses you’ve got. “Win wise, Golden Harvest (nine) and Heni (11) were both really good as well.” Breslin has also enjoyed success across the Tasman with one of his football theme-named representatives. “I had a Thorn Park horse called Klose who won first-up at Rosehill and then he got a virus and went in the wind,” he said. “I’ve got a close relation to him named Crouch, I come from a football background and have had a bit of success naming horses with soccer connotations.” Miroslav Klose is the leading all-time German goal scorer with 71 while Peter Crouch netted 22 times for England. “I also had a horse called Leeds (five wins) and that’s the team I’ve supported since I was eight,” said Breslin, a former National League player whose father Paddy represented New Zealand.” Breslin will now look forward to Sunday’s meeting at Trentham to advance his winning tally and tipped Colorado Star (Taylor Property Plus Handicap, 2100m) and Rushin Home (Rothley Maiden, 1300m) as his best chances. A creditable sixth in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) two runs back, Colorado Star most recently finished eighth and less than four lengths off the winner Whangaehu in the Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m). “Last season, we had a few niggles with his feet and now he’s a sound and happy horse,” Breslin said. “His run in the Thompson was really good and he pulled too hard in the Wanganui Cup, he ranged up and then it took its toll. “He needs a little bit of give in the track and I wouldn’t keep a nine-year-old going if I didn’t think he could come back, he’s not too far off the mark.” The lightly tried Rushin Home was fourth at Otaki after making the running before she drew an outside gate last time out and made late ground to finish seventh on heavy going. “She’s a filly I’ve got a bit of time for, a wet track didn’t help her at Tauherenikau last time and I think she’s a progressive type and who should be hitting the line well,” Breslin said. View the full article

What Randwick Races Where Royal Randwick Racecourse – Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031 When Saturday, December 14, 2024 First Race 12:30pm AEDT Visit Dabble Royal Randwick is the destination for metro racing on Saturday afternoon, with a bumper 10-part program set for decision. The Group 2 Ingham (1600m) headlines the action, with the $2 million feature granting the winner ballot exemption for the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in the autumn. The rail is in the true position the entire circuit, and with the track is rated a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances and only light rainfall predicted in the lead-up, don’t expect that rating to shift on race-day morning. All the action is scheduled to get underway at 12:30pm local time. The Ingham Tip: Port Lockroy The Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald-trained Port Lockroy returns to Sydney after claiming the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 23 and warrants respecting at the each-way price with horse racing bookmakers. The son of Better Than Ready was given the perfect steer by Clint Johnston-Porter on that occasion and gets a very similar setup drawn in gate three with Tyler Schiller in the saddle. He’ll look to stalk his rivals from the one-one, and provided he can give his customary kick turning for home, Port Lockroy should get every chance to secure back-to-back wins. The Ingham Race 8 – #3 Port Lockroy (3) 4yo Horse | T: Annabel Neasham & Adrian Bott | J: Tyler Schiller (58kg) +900 with Neds Christmas Cup: Sea King It’s hard to go past Sea King in the $200,000 Christmas Cup (2400m) as he makes his debut for the Matthew Dunn barn. The European import produced an enormous effort in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 5, with the son of Sea The Stars getting back to near-last from barrier one before attempting to circle the field from an impossible position. He was a dominant winner of the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) prior to that performance, and simply put, if he can replicate that effort, Sea King should prove too classy for this lot. Christmas Cup Race 7 – #3 Sea King (3) 5yo Gelding | T: Matthew Dunn | J: Nash Rawiller (59kg) +220 with BlondeBet Best Bet at Randwick: Jewellery As highlighted in the Follow Files, Jewellery is worth forgiving after returning first-up at Rosehill on November 30. The daughter of Lonhro was dragged back towards the rear of the field after bombing the start and had no luck in the concluding stages, barely coming off the bridal in the final furlong. It was a glorified barrier trial, and although her second-up record doesn’t read well only finding the frame once in three starts, trust that Jewellery can take the necessary improvement to claim the Randwick finale. Best Bet Race 10 – #9 Jewellery (10) 5yo Mare | T: James Cummings | J: Zac Lloyd (58kg) +450 with Picklebet Best Value at Randwick: Infancy The Kris Lees-trained Infancy continues to race without luck, closing off well in her latest start behind Niance at Caulfield on November 16. Jason Collett will have no choice but get back from barrier 11, but with the likes of Eagle Nest and Brudnell to set a genuine tempo, it should allow the four-year-old mare to wind-up down the centre of the course. She’ll need luck if she’s going to knock off a few of the more fancied runners, but at the $13.00 with Playup, Infancy gets the verdict in the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m). Best Value Race 9 – #9 Infancy (11) 4yo Mare | T: Kris Lees | J: Jason Collett (54kg) +1200 with Dabble Saturday quaddie tips for Randwick Randwick quadrella selections December 14, 2024 2-3-12 1-2-3-6-20-21 4-5-6-7-9 3-9-11-16-17-18 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Here are my bets with BoomBet. Click the link to add my bets straight to your betslip: =BetShare Horse racing tips View the full article

What Darwin Races Where Fannie Bay Racecourse – Dick Ward Dr, Fannie Bay NT 0820 When Saturday, December 14, 2024 First Race 2:47pm ACST Visit Dabble It’s the Darwin Turf Club’s last meeting before Christmas with 43 horses accepting for the five-event program. Upwards of 20mm has fallen in the Top End since last Friday’s meeting, with showers set to continue and a top temperature of 33C come Saturday. The rail will be in the true position, and Fannie Bay will once again be a good dirt surface. Best Bet at Darwin: Rhesus Despite finishing sixth in the NT Derby (2050m) on July 20, Rhesus has impressed in the Top End since arriving from James Cummings’ Sydney stable. Victory in a 1200m maiden and a second over 1600m against 0-58 opposition in June was followed by a third in the Darwin Guineas (1600m) on July 6. The four-year-old gelding had two close seconds over 1000m in the 0-58 ranks and 1200m at Class 2 level in November. The 1300m trip is ideal for the son of Lonhro. Best Bet Race 2 – #1 Rhesus (5) 4yo Gelding | T: Phil Cole | J: Raymond Vigar (60kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Darwin: Bon’s Pride Bon’s Pride is arguably the best horse running around in the NT as he eyes three straight wins at the top level. The son of Bon Aurum takes on decent opposition in a highly competitive seven-horse field, and the 60.5kg should not prove a burden. Bon’s Pride managed to win the Magic Millions Top End Classic (1300m) on Darwin Cup Day on August 5 with 62.5kg. From 13 starts in 13 months at Fannie Bay, the five-year-old gelding boasts six wins and five seconds. Next Best Race 3 – #1 Bon’s Pride (5) 5yo Gelding | T: Jason Manning | J: Vanessa Arnott (60.5kg) Bet with BlondeBet Best Value at Darwin: Sabor Sabor produced an eye-catching third over 1200m at 0-70 level on October 19. He was eight lenghts last passing the 800m, the seven-year-old gelding was still tailed off at the home turn before producing a withering final 350m to finish 3.3 lengths behind Mr Have A Chat. The son of Lonhro wasn’t sighted in his first two Fannie Bay starts, but he had respectable form in Queensland, and perhaps his mojo has finally returned. Best Value Race 1 – #3 Sabor (2) 7yo Gelding | T: Jason Manning | J: Vanessa Arnott (59.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Saturday quaddie tips for Darwin Darwin quadrella selections Saturday, December 14, 2024 1-2-6 1-5-7 1-2-3-5 2-3-5-6-7 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

What Caulfield Heath Races Where Caulfield Racecourse – Gate 2, Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145 When Saturday, December 14, 2024 First Race 12:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble The Heath track at Caulfield is set to host a Saturday metropolitan meeting for the very first time, with 10 races carded this weekend. After racing with the rail was out 5m on Thursday, it returns to its true position to take advantage of some fresh ground. The track will remain a Good 4, with the first race at Caulfield Heath set to jump at 12:15pm AEDT. Best Bet at Caulfield Heath: Miraval Rose Miraval Rose is set to enjoy the drop in grade second-up when she steps up to the 1200m. The four-year-old mare was beaten a length behind classy types Kin and Pharari on November 16 in the Listed Village Stakes (1100m) and will no doubt take great benefit from that run. Saffie Osborne will look to land in the one-one from barrier seven, and as long as the Grunt mare sees clear air on the home turn, she should prove too hard to hold out. Best Bet Race 6 – #3 Miraval Rose (7) 4yo Mare | T: Grahame Begg | J: Saffie Osborne (57kg) +200 with Neds Next Best at Caulfield Heath: Spirit Of Camelot Spirit Of Camelot has strung together two smart victories on the Parks track at Morphettville, stalking the speed on both occasions before unleashing a strong finish. With race favourite Flying Fizz expected to lead, Todd Pannell will have this girl stalking her main rival throughout, and barring any bad luck, Spirit Of Camelot should be winning again. Next Best Race 4 – #6 Spirit Of Camelot (3) 4yo Mare | T: Michael Hickmott | J: Todd Pannell (56.5kg) +280 with BlondeBet Best Value at Caulfield Heath: Buffalo River It is now or never for Buffalo River, with the nine-year-old gelding seemingly facing his easiest assignment in some time. The natural frontrunner was forced to work early in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) and was beaten a fair way out, although he battled on nicely to finish within three lengths of the winner. He has just one placing from four cracks at the trip, but under a well-rated steer from Declan Bates, Buffalo River looks the wrong price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Value Race 8 – #2 Buffalo River (6) 9yo Gelding | T: Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson | J: Declan Bates (58.5kg) +1000 with Picklebet Saturday quaddie tips for Caulfield Heath Caulfield Heath quadrella selections Saturday, December 14, 2024 3-5-8-9 4-6-11-13-14-15-17 2-3-10 5-7-9-12-14 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

South African jockey believes Caspar Fownes-trained gelding can boost his claims for first leg of four-year-old series.View the full article

A current and updated Feature Race Calendar is now available on the hrnz website. It is from January 1, 2025 to July 31, 2025. It can be viewed here View the full article

Longtime Southern California-based trainer Eddie Truman died the morning of Dec. 11 at the age of 77. Truman's passing was confirmed Wednesday afternoon by his older brother and former jockey Jerry Truman.View the full article

What Moonee Valley Races Where Moonee Valley Racecourse – Gate 2 Feehan Ave, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039 When Friday, December 13, 2024 First Race 6:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble Friday night racing in Victoria heads to Moonee Valley for a fifth consecutive week, with an eight-race program scheduled. Clear skies are forecast in the lead-up to the meeting, so the Good 4 track rating should stick. The rail will be out 5m for the entire circuit, with the first race set to begin at 6:15pm AEDT. Best Bet at Moonee Valley: Apache Song Apache Song put a space on her rivals in BM64 company at the Moonee Valley 1200m on November 29. Having crossed from a wide draw, the Sioux Nation mare managed to dictate terms before kicking clear and winning by 4.3 lengths. From barrier six, Adam McCabe will likely look to lead the field up again, and in a race where she should be able to dominate proceedings once more, Apache Song looks the goods in the Moonee Valley finale. Best Bet Race 8 – #2 Apache Song (6) 6yo Mare | T: Michael Trotter | J: Adam McCabe (60.5kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Moonee Valley: Big Me Big Me broke his Australian maiden in style when returning from a spell at Bendigo. The Nick Ryan-trained sprinter put 2.3 lengths on his BM64 rivals on a Heavy 9 and did so despite being forced to travel wide without cover. He draws perfectly in barrier five, and as long as the gap comes at the right time, Big Me should win this. Next Best Race 6 – #4 Big Me (5) 6yo Gelding | T: Nick Ryan | J: Craig Williams (60.5kg) Bet with BlondeBet Best Value at Moonee Valley: Diwali Diwali produced a massive run in defeat when finishing third behind Roaring Engine on December 6. The four-year-old gelding settled towards the rear of the field on his first crack at 2500m and hit the line strongly, picking his way through the field inside runners. This is no harder than what he faced a week ago, and with fitness on his side, Diwali presents great value with horse racing bookmakers. Best Value Race 4 – #5 Diwali (8) 4yo Gelding | T: Lindsey Smith | J: Fred Kersley (60kg) Bet with Picklebet Friday quaddie tips for Moonee Valley Moonee Valley quadrella selections + Friday, December 13, 2024 Field 4-5 1-2-6-9 2-6 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Snazzytavi will contest Saturday’s Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Top mare Snazzytavi is ready to kick off her summer campaign, which will revolve around further Group One weight-for-age opportunities. Under the guidance of Matamata trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, the Cambridge Stud-raced daughter of Tavistock has swiftly moved through the grades to establish herself as an elite-level performer. An effortless winner of the Group 3 Easter Handicap (1600m) earlier this year, she went to another level in the spring to romp away with the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m). Snazzytavi subsequently enjoyed time out and has pleased Richardson with her progress since rejoining the stable ahead of her return in Saturday’s Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa. “We tipped her out for a freshen up and she’s had a quiet trial and she’s a very happy horse,” he said. The five-year-old won her 1000m heat at Taupo last month in the hands of regular rider Warren Kennedy who will be aboard again at the weekend. “She’ll go on to the Zabeel Classic (Group 1, 2000m) and then we’ll aim at the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Group 1, 2000m),” Richardson said. “What we do in between times I don’t know yet, maybe she could go back to a mile or we’ll trial her.” The stable will also have another black-type contender at Te Rapa with Rocababy to step out in the Group 3 J Swap Sprint (1400m). The El Roca mare has been in good touch this preparation with a runner-up finish on the course three runs back before she copped a torrid run when unplaced in the Group 3 Counties Bowl (1100m). She then headed to Ellerslie at the end of last month and rounded off strongly to finish second over 1300m. “She’s going very well, I’m really happy with her but it is a strong field,” Richardson said. English jockey George Rooke has retained the ride after handling Rocababy in her last two appearances. Horse racing news View the full article

What Canterbury Races Where Canterbury Park Racecourse – King Street, Canterbury NSW 2193 When Friday, December 13, 2024 First Race 6pm AEDT Visit Dabble Metro racing returns to the bright lights of Canterbury Park Racecourse on Friday evening, with a massive eight-part program set for decision. The rails reverts to the true position the entire circuit, and while the track rated a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances, sunny skies forecast in the lead-up should allow an upgrade into the Good range prior to the opening event at 6pm local time. Best Bet at Canterbury: Sounds Unusual Sounds Unusual producing a promising debut at Newcastle on December 1, charging through the line over 1500m. The son of Unusual Suspect was only getting warm in the final furlong, suggesting the immediate step up in trip should be ideal heading into this second-up assignment. The booking of Nash Rawiller shows intent from the stable, and with gate five allowing the pair to produce a sweeping run turning for home, Sounds Unusual appears poised to go one better. Best Bet Race 1 – #3 Sounds Unusual (5) 4yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Nash Rawiller (59kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Canterbury: Husk Husk returns after a 152-day spell and brings some quality form-lines to this BM72 contest. The three-year-old filly finished alongside Manolo Bling at the end of last preparation, who would go on to frank the form in the spring, closing on the heels of Belatrix Star in the Listed Cap D’antibes Stakes (1100m) at Flemington. Her trial suggests she’s returning in supreme order, and with barrier two allowing Tyler Schiller to land in the one-one, Husk appears primed to make a first-up statement at a good price with BlondeBet. Next Best Race 5 – #8 Husk (2) 3yo Filly | T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | J: Tyler Schiller (56.5kg) Bet with BlondeBet Best Value at Canterbury: Goodlucktome The Ciaron Maher-trained Goodlucktome has undergone a gelding operation during his 152-day spell, and based on his recent trial, it may have done the trick. The son of Written Tycoon looked to be trucking in behind a wall of horses at Hawkesbury on November 14, leaving punters with the impressive there was plenty left to give in the concluding stages. Barrier eight could be tricky to overcome, but provided Jason Collett can find some cover, Goodlucktome appears primed to break his maiden status. Best Value Race 2 – #2 Goodlucktome (8) 3yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Jason Collett (57.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Friday quaddie tips for Canterbury Canterbury quadrella selections December 13, 2024 4-5-8-10-12 1-3-6-8-10 1-2 1-2-8-10 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

No industry gathering at which Thoroughbred executives discuss pricing issues is immune from the intertwined topic of death and taxes. In the pari-mutuel world, that means talking about takeout, or, more specifically, how the disparate fees that different classes of bettors must pay for the privilege of placing wagers are killing off smaller-scale casual horseplayers. A Wednesday panel discussion at the Global Symposium on Racing hosted by the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program in Tucson was the latest Thoroughbred confab at which the takeout issue got batted around like a piñata. But instead of just griping about the problem, a session titled “How Do We Keep Racing Relevant in the Evolving Wagering Landscape?” yielded one very specific suggestion from an economics expert who is also a Thoroughbred owner and horseplayer about how two of the nation's premier boutique-meet tracks could get others in the industry to follow along with lowered takeouts. Marshall Gramm, a professor and chair of the Department of Economics at Rhodes College in Memphis, outlined how Keeneland Race Course and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, in particular, could both be best positioned to experiment with lower takeout rates. In this current era of pari-mutuels, the setting of takeout rates is complicated by opaque contractual agreements related to host fees–the charge advance-deposit wagering (ADW) outlets pay to track operators for the right to import a simulcast signal–plus betting-volume rebates that are individually negotiated and paid by tracks and ADWs to computer-assisted wagering teams (CAWs). CAWs are largely anonymous individuals or entities that are permitted to tie sophisticated wagering technologies directly into tote systems to bet vast sums in the final moments before a race's start that try to take advantage of pari-mutuel market inefficiencies that the general public can't see. Gramm began his takeout riff by responding to an audience member's postulation that tracks like Keeneland and Del Mar might be the least incentivized to lower takeouts, because casual horseplayers seem to flock to those signals regardless of the rates imposed upon them. On the contrary, Gramm responded, he believes those two meets have the most to gain from experimenting with lowered takeouts. “They're the ones who have to do it. The smaller tracks, the ADWs won't let them. If a smaller track reduced takeout, [the ADWs] would make them reduce host fees, so they can't do it,” Gramm said. “Churchill Downs having a higher takeout on [GI Kentucky] Derby weekend?” Gramm asked rhetorically, “I totally get it. That's totally understandable. The Derby's a 20-horse field” and a product that's very much in demand, he said. “But Keeneland is in such a unique position–they don't own an ADW, but they have real market power. So if I were Keeneland, here's what I'd do: I'd lower takeout, especially on tris, supers [and other exotic bets to] 18 %. I'd keep host fees the same.” “All you lose,” Gramm continued, “is the margin on your on-track players. The CAWs, they're getting their rebates cut. But their effective takeout's the same. And then you could go and advertise, 'Hey, we have the lowest takeouts, across every pool, in the country.'” “TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRA Bets, they may not like it. But they're not going to cut your signal off. So [Keeneland] and [Del Mar] have a unique opportunity to actually experiment with lowering [the] takeout, and you don't have to move your host fee along with it. I would love to see that happen.” Gramm said he has “tried to press this point” to industry leaders, using the 18% rate for exotics as a number that might be more palatable to bet-pricing executives even when he believes that actual takeout rate should really be several points lower than that. “I'd love it to be 14-16% across the board, and I'd like to lower the [pricing] gap between [CAW] teams and recreational players,” Gramm said. Marshall Gramm | Lucas Marquardt Wouldn't the big-volume CAW teams balk at having their rebates cut, and thus walk away from horse betting? Gramm didn't buy that reasoning. “They're looking at their takeout rate, not the size of their rebate. In fact, the teams should benefit, because if takeout comes down, people will bet more and more into those pools, and they'll churn more. So it's a win/win,” Gramm said. “That would be my message to Keeneland and Del Mar. Let's give it a try. Let's see what would happen. And give it a try over a sustained period of time. Don't do it one meet and say it didn't work; [that lowering] takeout doesn't work. You've got to give it time,” Gramm said. “And remember, there are all sorts of other factors. It's not like we're looking at this in a vacuum. Any sort of theory would say if you lower price, it's going to increase handle. Other factors may be driving handle down. But here is a way that you can have your cake and eat it too,” Gramm said. At a different point in the discussion, panelists were asked to gaze into their crystal balls and predict what the biggest change in horse racing's betting landscape might be five years from now. Matt Feig, the chief operating officer of NYRA Bets, said the “exasperation of the seasonality of our sport” will be a challenge that needs to be addressed. “We're kind of seeing it now, where you get into the fall, which used to be really robust from a wagering standpoint,” Feig said. But now, Feig explained, “there is some stagnation that's happening in [the third quarter of the year]. And that's something that needs to be looked at from an industry standpoint, [by] making sure that we align our track schedules and content to look at the new landscape. Because what's happened three years ago, four years ago, isn't the same any more with the different wagering opportunities that are out there, especially in the fall. “It's going to be important to make sure that horse racing is aligned from a content-filler [standpoint],” Feig summed up. “But also, we have to make sure that we're not on top of [pro and college football] and kind of drowned out by it.” Nelson Clemmens, the owner and chief executive the simulcast service provider AmWest Entertainment as well as a Thoroughbred owner and breeder, touched upon the consolidation and reduction of racetracks as a troublesome trend. “Five years from now, if the worst happens–and we know the dynamics within the industry–we might not have an 'A' track west of the Mississippi,” Clemmens said. “I trust it won't probably be that dire. But the way that we operate, our industry has to [restructure into] a more aligned industry.” Zach Taylor, the North American director of sales for the technology and tote services firm Global Tote, said that, “It's a very real possibility that maybe some tracks aren't here [in five years]. But if it's done in a measured way, organized and planned out, it could very well be a boon for the wagering industry.” Gramm said that one way or another, five years from now will be a benchmark for horse racing, because that time frame will represent roughly a decade since the national legalization of sports wagering. Sports betting initially was proclaimed to be a positive for the racing industry because it was assumed that many tracks would get sports betting licenses, and separately, horse racing would be able to ride the wave of sports betting to a higher profile. But racing's relationship with sports betting–which does not generate direct revenues earmarked for purses like pari-mutuel horse betting does–could turn out to be having an erosive effect on the Thoroughbred industry. “Will we look back on this, and this will be another one of those things that we hoped was going to change the game, like American Pharoah winning the Triple Crown [in 2015] and the [2002] Seabiscuit book [by Laura Hillenbrand]?” Gramm asked. “Or will [sports betting] be something that we'll be able to capitalize on?” The post Different Slicing of Takeout Pie Could Equate to a Way for Tracks to ‘Have Your Cake and Eat It Too’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In what is believed to be a world record for a Thoroughbred auction conducted exclusively online, Fasig-Tipton's December Digital Sale closed its two-day run Wednesday evening with gross sales of $10,031,000. With more than 1,200 bidders registered, 401 horses changed hands at an average of $25,015. “We're ecstatic over the results of the December Digital Sale, and over 2024 overall,” said Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron. “We've done over $10,000,000 in sales over the last few days, with more than $45,000,000 in gross over the year. We couldn't be happier that buyers and sellers are putting that level of trust in Fasig-Tipton Digital.” In 2024, Fasig-Tipton's digital platform has grossed just over $45,500,000. During the year, 1,417 horses have sold from 1,789 offered, equaling a 79% clearance rate. Wednesday's session topper was Allez Marie (Unbridled's Song) (hip 337), who sold for $750,000 to Three Chimneys Farm. A daughter of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly (Summer Squall) and producer of four stakes horses as well as Dec. 1 Churchill maiden winner Running Away (Gun Runner), she is in foal to Elite Power and was consigned by Three Chimneys. Other top sellers Wednesday included $510,000 purchase and Three Chimneys-consigned Lovely Carina (Pioneerof the Nile) (hip 314), also signed for by Three Chimneys and in foal to Nyquist. Dream Big Racing LLC paid $450,000 for Girls Secret (Giant's Causeway) (hip 308), in foal to Constitution and dam of GSW & MGISP Will's Secret (Will Take Charge). “The team at Fasig-Tipton made selling Take Charge Tressa and Girls Secret a very streamlined, easy process,” said Case Clay, who consigns as Case Clay Thoroughbred Management, agent. In addition to the aforementioned Girls Secret, he also consigned Take Charge Tressa (War Front) (hip 335), a full-sister to MGISW and young sire Omaha Beach and a half-sister to champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway). In foal to Tapit and already a graded producer, the mare sold for $320,000 to Solis/Litt. “It is a very user-friendly platform on which everyone is participating. The sellers were happy with the sales results.” Tuesday's results can be seen here. The digital sale included horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, broodmares, broodmare prospects, weanlings, and yearlings. Full results from both days of the Fasig-Tipton December Digital Sale are available here. The post Fasig-Tipton’s December Digital Sale Sets World Record appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article