Wandering Eyes

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby was enjoying a top-notch night after saddling Spotify (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) to take the G3 Dubai Millennium S. at Meydan on Thursday, and the evening continued to improve as Scat Daddy filly Divine Image saluted in the $250,000 G3 UAE Oaks over 1900 metres. It was the first win in the race for Appleby, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was on hand to witness his stable’s successes. A bit reluctant to load, Divine Image perched in fifth in between horses as Swift Rose (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) secured a half-length lead past the stands the first time. Closely shadowed by Listed UAE 1000 Guineas heroine Silva (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Swift Rose was traveling easily and set fractions of :25.53, :49.75 and 1:14.36. Asked for her best effort 500 metres out, Divine Image was produced well out in the center of the track in upper stretch, collared Saeed bin Suroor trainee Swift Rose five jumps from the post and kicked on to win by a neck. Razeena (Malibu Moon), four wide the whole way, ran a brave race to take third another 3 1/2 lengths behind, while covering 16 more metres than the winner according to Trakus. “She was perfect away and I obviously asked her to get her position early,” said William Buick. “Coming into the first turn it is a short run, so I just took her back. She has a big stride and I just wanted to get her out running. Once I pulled her out, I was confident I was always going to get there. She is fiery and that is probably what makes her the filly she is. It is only her third run tonight and she is bound to improve on experience on every level.” Added Appleby of the Dec. 13 Chelmsford novice victress, “I have to say, turning in, I thought Hayley [Turner] had rode a nice race [on Swift Rose] and I thought she would skip away from the field, but once William got our filly leveled out, I was confident in the last furlong because she’d be running along strongly. The [UAE Derby] is certainly under consideration. I’d say she’s not flashy in what she does, but you can’t fault the way she gallops out there.” Divine Image was runner-up to the aforementioned Silva in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas testing the Meydan dirt for the first time on Jan. 31. Pedigree Notes… Divine Image is the 112th black-type winner and 69th group winner for her late Ashford Stud-based sire. Out of the MSP Sure Route, under her third dam is the GSW Motor City (Street Sense), in addition to MSW Winter Book (Any Given Saturday), and SW and G3 Sweet Solera S. third Satulagi (Officer). Three-time Classic-placed Star of Gdansk (Danzig Connection) is under the stakes-winning fourth dam Star Empress (Young Emperor {GB}). Sure Route foaled a colt by Union Rags in 2017 and a filly by Air Force Blue last year. She visited the latter stallion again last spring. Thursday, Meydan, Dubai UAE OAKS SPONSORED BY RANGE ROVER-G3, $250,000, Meydan, 2-21, 3yo, f, 1900m, 2:01.76, ft. 1–DIVINE IMAGE, 126, f, 3, by Scat Daddy 1st Dam: Sure Route (GB) (MSP-US, $201,163), by Ishiguru 2nd Dam: Shore Light, by Gulch 3rd Dam: Shawgatny, by Danzig Connection 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. ($195,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP; $125,000 Ylg ’17 FTKOCT; €360,000 2yo ’18 ARQMAY). O-Godolphin; B-Peter Magnier (KY); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $206,535. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: C. 2–Swift Rose (Ire), 126, f, 3, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Tulips (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. $50,000. 3–Razeena, 126, f, 3, Malibu Moon–Pink Palace, by Empire Maker. ($27,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP; $185,000 2yo ’18 OBSAPR). O-Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi; B-Anderson Farms Ont Inc (ON); T-Doug Watson. $25,000. Margins: NK, 3HF, 2. Also Ran: Habah, Al Hayette, Al Shamkhah, Starry Eyes, Silva (Ire), Dream With You (Fr), Mulhima (Ire), Dubai Beauty (Ire). Scratched: Lady Parma. Click for the Emirates chart, the Am Wager PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Emirates Video. View the full article

Two columns back on Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky), I wrote this: “There’s been a bit of a trend lately for farms to stand accomplished horses by stallions that aren’t ‘big names.’ WinStar’s Tiznow (Cee’s Tizzy, by Relaunch) and Lane’s End’s Candy Ride (Arg) (Ride the Rails, by Cryptoclearance, by Fappiano) are older successful examples of this, but recent ones include Taylor Made’s California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit, by Pulpit) and Hill ‘n’ Dale’s Bayern (Offlee Wild, by Wild Again). Accelerate fits with this group.” There are at least 20 Kentucky-based stallions entering stud this year or with first foals no older than two that fit this pattern and except for California Chrome ($35,000 fee in 2019) and Accelerate ($20,000), none of them stands for more than $15,000. Most are Grade 1 winners and physical standouts, and they offer value because their sires don’t have the elite names that would jack up a stud fee. Based on past history, some of them may make it as stallions. For example, Tiznow, who stands for a Taylor Made/WinStar venture, started out at $30,000 and is a good comparison to California Chrome, while Army Mule (Friesan Fire) at $10,000 is a comp to, say, Candy Ride, who started out at $10,000 at Hill ‘n’ Dale, where Army Mule stands. There are too many successful examples of this type of stallion–and some of their sires may have been top horses who died young or were exported–to list them all, but here’s a random group from both here and abroad going back some 50 years: Dr. Fager (Rough’n Tumble), Damascus (Sword Dancer), Ack Ack (Battle Joined), Seattle Slew (Bold Reasoning), Blushing Groom (Fr) (Red God), Vaguely Noble (Ire) (Vienna {GB}), Caro (Ire) (Fortino {Fr}), Sharpen Up (GB) (Atan), Linamix (Fr) (Mendez {Fr}), Pivotal (GB) (Polar Falcon), Maria’s Mon (Wavering Monarch), Lord At War (Arg) (General {Fr}), Meadowlake (Hold Your Peace), Holy Bull (Great Above), Indian Charlie (In Excess {Ire}), Kantharos (Lion Heart), Scat Daddy (Johannesburg), Harlan’s Holiday (Harlan), Yes It’s True (Is It True), Midnight Lute (Real Quiet), and Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre). Icons such as Dr. Fager, Damascus, and Seattle Slew were always going to get their chances at stud at the top end of the game, but some horses, like Linamix–a leading sire in France–and Lord At War, an influential import, succeeded primarily because of the backing of their owners. That’s a valuable clue sometimes when deciding whether to back a horse like this. Linamix was a homebred for Jean-Luc Lagardere and won the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the French 2000 Guineas equivalent, in 1990. He had the race credentials but ostensibly not the right sire to make it. The owner engineered the stallion’s success by buying American mares specifically handpicked for his horse. Linamix, who traced back to outstanding sire Lyphard through his sire Mendez and grandsire Bellypha (Fr), was, during his time in the limelight, the last major sire of the Lyphard line in the Northern Hemisphere (Lyphard’s son Ghadeer {Fr} was an iconic stallion in Brazil). He was an unlikely candidate to carry the Lyphard line forward–as Indian Charlie, to use a recent example, was for the Caro line in North America–but sometimes the race record and physicality of the horse and the wherewithal of the owner backing him can trump the sire or the sire line. That was also the case with Lord At War. Bred in Argentina by Peter and Diane Perkins at the couple’s Haras San Francisco del Pila, Lord At War was a member of an even more obscure sire line than Linamix. Like Forli (Arg) before him and Candy Ride after, Lord At War was an undefeated champion in his native land, where he won the important Group 1 Gran Premio Joaquin S. de Anchorena before coming to the States. Based in California here, he was a multiple Grade l winner for the Perkinses before entering stud at Walmac Int’l in the mid 1980s. After a moderate start at stud, he was moved to his owners’ Wimborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, where the Perkinses orchestrated a successful career for the son of the little-known sire General (who, I believe, the owners stood at stud in Argentina). General was a European G3 winner by the top racehorse but mediocre sire Brigadier Gerard (GB) (Queen’s Hussar {GB}), whose own sire wasn’t a major stallion, either. This obscure line was kept alive internationally through Lord At War, whose influence nowadays is in the interior of pedigrees through his daughters, who have produced such as War Emblem and Pioneerof the Nile. Certain stud farms–Brereton Jones’s Airdrie and John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale are notable examples–have also been associated with similar types. Airdrie stood Indian Charlie for an initial fee of $10,000 in 1999 and saw the California-bred great-grandson of top sire Caro scale the heights before his premature death at 16. Indian Charlie left behind Uncle Mo, one of the top young sires in North America and an even better sire than his own sire. Hill ‘n’ Dale currently stands two successful horses that fit this profile: Midnight Lute, who started off at the farm, and Kantharos, who came to Kentucky after making his name in Florida. As noted earlier, Candy Ride began his career at the farm, and in the wings are Army Mule ($10,000), Bayern ($15,000), and Secret Circle (Eddington) ($5,000). All three are accomplished Grade l winners that would have stood for far more had their sires been big names, but Sikura, more than anyone else in Kentucky these days, it seems, has made a career going against the grain–something borne by necessity instead of preference, I’m sure. It takes a lot of money to chase the most desirable stallion prospects with the “right” sires affixed to them, but Sikura’s “Moneyball” approach and track record makes this trio worth the play at the stud fees. Sikura also started off the once-raced Maclean’s Music (Distorted Humor) at Hill ‘n’ Dale, and that sire’s first-crop Preakness winner Cloud Computing entered stud at B. Wayne Hughes’s Spendthrift this year for $7,500, along with Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) ($10,000). The farm also stands Danza (Street Boss) ($3,500), whose first crop races this year. Hughes has experience making inexpensive stallions. He started off the non-stakes winner Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy) for $3,000 in Maryland and Into Mischief (Harlan’s Holiday) for $7,500 at Spendthrift and now stands both for $75,000 and $150,000, respectively. The latter was part of Spendthrift’s “Share the Upside” program that allowed breeders to get a free lifetime breeding right to Into Mischief by breeding to him in his first two years, and that has obviously paid a huge dividend to those that participated. Into Mischief’s sire Harlan’s Holiday, by the way, was made at Airdrie before moving to WinStar, and he was the only notable stallion for the inexpensive Storm Cat horse Harlan–another unlikely link in carrying this illustrious sire line forward. The Storm Cat line has another surprising link in Gainesway’s Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein) ($10,000). Under John Gaines, Gainesway stood Vaguely Noble, Blushing Groom (Fr) and Sharpen Up, and in Karakontie, the farm now stands another European-raced import without an elite sire. He not only has the support of owner Antony Beck, but also of the horse’s breeder and owner, the Niarchos family’s Flaxman Holdings. His first foals will race this year and with the rising number of turf races in North America, he’ll have domestic opportunities that his illustrious predecessors at Gainesway didn’t have, plus Europe, where Flaxman primarily races. Like Flaxman, Canadian Chuck Fipke is an owner-breeder, and he has two new homebred sires at stud at Darby Dan in 2019, Bee Jersey (Jersey Town) ($5,000) and Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati) ($2,000). Both are by Fipke homebreds, too. Fipke has a powerful broodmare band and will support both horses–which is a positive for anyone else who wants to ride along–and his track record of making noise with his own horses speaks for itself. His current star, Seeking the Soul, is a son of his homebred Grade I winner Perfect Soul (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), and before that, Fipke had the gumption to support Perfect Soul’s unraced brother Not Impossible (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who delivered Queen’s Plate winner Not Bourbon for him. Bee Jersey, particularly, is an exceptional physical, the winner of the GI Metropolitan H., and from the family of A.P. Indy. Fipke turned down a significant offer from Japan to roll the dice with him here because he thinks that much of him. Bill Farish, who stands Candy Ride at Lane’s End, is a pragmatist and will readily admit that Accelerate would stand for twice the fee if he’d been a son, and not a grandson, of Smart Strike, who, importantly for Farish, was a top stallion who’d been made at Lane’s End. But he believes that Accelerate’s sire Lookin At Lucky, a champion racehorse, is underrated. The farm at one time also stood the Smart Strike stallions Curlin and English Channel, and Accelerate, aside from his physique and race record, is bred on the exact pattern of Curlin: Smart Strike/Deputy Minister. The bottom line is that these types of stallions offer Grade l race records and top physicals with discounts on stud fee, and history has shown that shrewd breeders can take advantage of price and sometimes go to the bank with them. Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks. View the full article

2nd-TAM, $27.5K, Opt. Clm., 3yo, 1m 40yds, 1:16 p.m. Wertheimer and Frere homebred SPINOFF (Hard Spun) looks to get his sophomore season started off on the right hoof here. A debut winner at Gulfstream June 23, the chestnut checked in third in the GII Saratoga Special S. when last seen Aug. 12 and tries to two turns for the first time in this test. Out of GISW Zaftig (Gone West), the Todd Pletcher pupil is a half to SP ‘TDN Rising Star’ Rugbyman (Tapit). His second dam is GISW Zoftig (Cozzene), who produced GISW Zo Impressive (Hard Spun), the dam of GSW ‘TDN Rising Star’ Souper Tapit (Tapit). TJCIS PPs View the full article

Mythical Magic (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) completed a Godolphin/Charlie Appleby clean sweep of the three Meydan group races on Thursday, as he drew off by three lengths in the G2 Zabeel Mile over a good turf course. The 1600-metre $250,000 affair was the second consecutive group victory for jockey William Buick, who had piloted Divine Image (Scat Daddy) to a win in the G3 UAE Oaks one race earlier. Sitting in fourth two back and two deep as Top Score (GB) (Hard Spun) towed the field down the backstretch, the 4-year-old gelding improved to third on his own merits and drew within a length of new leader Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) through five panels in 1:00.25. He edged up to even terms with that foe a quarter mile from home and, given a few right-handers, asserted to score by three lengths. Century Dream held second, three-parts of a length better than fellow Appleby trainee First Contact (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). “It was an excellent performance,” said Buick. “He’s a beautiful, imposing horse and he’s getting things together now. His last run over seven furlongs in the Al Fahidi Fort was obviously an eye-catching run. Century Dream was the horse to beat without a question, but I think Mythical Magic had a fitness edge with a run under his belt.” Added Appleby, “I thought he would come forward. He went to his girth there and stayed on nicely in the Al Fahidi Fort and we thought the step up in trip was going to suit. We’ll have a chat [about the Dubai Turf]. He could maybe go to Australia for the Doncaster, but obviously we’ll get back and regroup and see where we are. Very pleasing night. When you’re on the kind of roll that we’re on now, the confidence certainly flows throughout the stable.” A winner of the Listed Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville in August of 2017 prior to placing in the G2 Champagne S. and G3 Horris Hill S. later that year as a juvenile, Mythical Magic played the bridesmaid in the Listed Prix Millkom at La Teste de Buch last September and was second in the Listed Prix Matchem at Saint-Cloud on Oct. 5. The bay was runner-up to Century Dream in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort on Jan. 24 when making his Meydan debut. Pedigree Notes… After winning the Zabeel, the 140,000gns TATFOA grad is the 31st group winner for his sire Iffraaj, as well as one of 65 black-type winners split between both hemispheres. The ninth foal from his winning dam, Mythical Magic is a half-brother to G3 Nell Gwyn S. heroine Esentepe (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and four other winners. Mythie, a half-sister to Prix Saraca victress Mytographie (Fr) (Anabaa), foaled full-sisters by Gleneagles in 2017 and 2018. Under the third dam is G3 Prix Perth scorer Malaspina (Ire) (Bellypha {Ire}), as well as SW and GI Sword Dancer Invitational H. third L’Hermine (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Thursday, Meydan, Dubai ZABEEL MILE SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS-G2, $250,000, Meydan, 2-21, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:36.39, gd. 1–MYTHICAL MAGIC (IRE), 126, g, 4, by Iffraaj (GB) 1st Dam: Mythie (Fr), by Octagonal (NZ) 2nd Dam: Mythologie (Fr), by Bering (GB) 3rd Dam: Mondovision (Fr), by Luthier (Fr) 1ST GROUP WIN. (140,000gns Wlg ’15 TATFOA). O-Godolphin; B-Peter Kelly and Ms Wendy Daly (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. $150,000. Lifetime Record: MGSP-Eng, SW-Fr, 9-3-3-2, $305,867. *1/2 to Esentepe (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), GSW-Eng, $150,934. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Century Dream (Ire), 126, h, 5, Cape Cross (Ire)–Salacia (Ire), by Echo of Light (GB). O-Abdulla Belhabb; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Simon Crisford. $50,000. 3–First Contact (Ire), 126, g, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Vanishing Grey (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). (€300,000 Wlg ’15 GOFNOV). O-Godolphin; B-Peter McCutcheon & Andrew Rosen (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. $25,000. Margins: 3, 3/4, HD. Also Ran: Wootton (Fr), Marinaresco (SAf), Janoobi (SAf), Comin’ Through (Aus), Championship (Ire), Top Score (GB). Click for the Emirates chart, the AmWager PPs. Emirates Video. View the full article

With six of the eight runners in Thursday’s G3 Dubai Millennium S. at Meydan carrying the Godolphin blue, the odds were always very much in favour of Sheikh Mohammed’s stables, and in the end it was Charlie Appleby’s Spotify (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) who made it two on the bounce at the carnival, turning back a late drive from Saeed bin Suroor’s Racing History (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Racing as a homebred for breeders the Wertheimer brothers through his first three seasons, Spotify had been twice Group 3-placed at three and was fourth in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains. He picked up a listed win at Cagnes-Sur-Mer over the all-weather just about a year ago and was picked up by Godolphin for €250,000 at Arqana’s Arc Sale after finishing third in the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte. Transferred from Christophe Ferland to Charlie Appleby, Spotify resurfaced at Meydan on Jan. 24 with a turf handicap victory and was dropped back a quarter-mile here. The bay took command down the backstretch under James Doyle and was never headed, although Racing History, after racing on his heels throughout, put in a valiant effort in the lane. The elder Racing History diminished the margin to a short head on the line, but still Spotify appeared to be holding him strongly. “It was a great ride by James on the front end,” said Appleby. “He got him into a nice rhythm. The horse digs deep when they come to him. Full credit to him. We thought he came forward from that last start and coming back in trip would suit. “That might be his carnival wrapped up for him. We will point him to a European campaign. As always, we’ll get them back and see how they are and regroup. We had a strong team of horses in there and it was always going to be a tactical race and James got his fractions right on the front end.” Pedigree Notes A member of the first of two French-conceived crops for the Australian champion sire Redoute’s Choice (Aus), Spotify is out of the four-time group winner Gwenseb (Fr) (Green Tune). He is one of four stakes winners for that mare, who is also responsible for multiple Group 3 winner Attendu (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}), the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein and G2 Prix de Sandringham victress Impassable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the listed-winning Foreign Tune (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Gwenseb has a 2-year-old colt by Oasis Dream (GB) named Thirsty (Ire) and a yearling filly by Dark Angel. Thursday, Meydan, Dubai DUBAI MILLENNIUM S. SPONSORED BY JAGUAR-G3, $200,000, Meydan, 2-21, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:05.55, gd. 1–SPOTIFY (FR), 126, h, 5, by Redoute’s Choice (Aus) 1st Dam: Gwenseb (Fr) (MGSW-Fr, $297,177), by Green Tune 2nd Dam: La Popesse, by St. Jovite 3rd Dam: Madonna Sprite (GB), by Saint Cyrien (Fr) 1ST GROUP WIN. (€250,000 HRA ’18 ARQARC). O-Godolphin; B-Wertheimer Et Frere (FR); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. $120,000. Lifetime Record: SW & MGSP-Fr, 14-6-1-2, $383,739. *1/2 to Foreign Tune (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), SW & GSP-Fr, $161,614; Impassable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), MGSW-Fr, $269,064; Attendu (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}), MGSW- Fr, $292,686. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: F. 2–Racing History (Ire), 126, h, 7, Pivotal (GB)–Gonbarda (Ger), by Lando (Ger). O-Godolphin; B-Darley (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. $40,000. 3–First Nation (GB), 126, g, 5, Dubawi (Ire)–Moyesii, by Diesis (GB). O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. $20,000. Margins: SHD, 1HF, NO. Also Ran: Team Talk (GB), Oasis Charm (GB), Muzdawaj (GB), Vintager (GB), Connect (GB). Click for the Emirates Racing chart. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO. View the full article

The single-day Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale showcased sales topper Wide Receiver (Ire) (Sholokov {Ire}) (lot 36), who was knocked down for £410,000, the joint second highest price for a point-to-pointer. Consigned by Cormac Farrell’s Leamore Horses, the Feb. 10 Cragmore debut winner, who won his lone start by eight lengths, went to Tom Malone and Gordon Elliott. The 4-year-old gelding was originally purchased for €25,000 out of the Tattersalls Derby Sale last June. Wide Receiver was one of 10 lots to make six figures on Thursday, with lot 34, Ferny Hollow (Ire) (Westerner {GB}) taking second-place honours at £300,000 from Colin Bowe’s Milestone Stables. Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins were the buyers of the wildcard entry who powered home a 15-length winner in a maiden point-to-point at Knockanard on Feb. 17. That buying duo also struck for Deploy The Getaway (Ire) (Getaway {Ger}) (lot 17) from the yard of Donnchadh Doyle of Monbeg Stables for £200,000. Yet another first-out winner in a point-to-point, this time at Tallow on Feb. 10, the gelding is from the same family as Grade 1 winner Special Tiara (GB) (Kayf Tara {GB}). The last-named’s price was equaled later in the session by Fado des Brosses (Fr) (Balko {Fr}) (lot 31). Out of a half-sister to to listed National Hunt victress Sarah des Brosses (Fr) (Freedom Cry {GB}), the 4-year-old gelding demolished a Belharbour point-to-point at first asking by 15 lengths on Feb. 3. Consigned by Pat Doyle’s Suirview Stables, he caught the eye of Evan Williams. “It is a true testament to this sale that for the second year running it sells the joint second highest-priced point-to-pointer on record,” said Tattersalls Director of Horses in Training Sales Richard Pugh. “But these results don’t come without the success on the track which has been evident by recent graduates. Just 12 months previous, the current Cheltenham Champion Bumper favourite Envoi Allen was purchased at this sale.” View the full article

Biosecurity should be a year-round concern for any farm, equine competition venue or other location in which horses are kept, but recent outbreaks of communicable diseases around the world have horsemen on heightened alert. More recently, an outbreak of equine influenza in an active training yard prompted the cancellation of racing at tracks throughout Britain. More locally, nine horses have now been confirmed positive for equine influenza after being stabled at the World Equestrian Center, an equestrian competition venue in Columbus, Ohio. Several other horses who had recently competed at the facility were diagnosed with the virus once they returned to their home base in Indiana. Endemic to most countries throughout the world, equine influenza is a highly-contagious airborne virus that causes respiratory issues in horses. It can be spread by horses in close proximity, but can also be spread by people who work with horses via clothing and stable equipment and by horses coming in contact with surfaces that have not been properly disinfected, such as in trailers or stalls/barns. “Equine influenza is considered by many to be the most contagious equine disease, so it’s important to pay attention to all entries on your farm, such as trucks, people, suppliers and such, but ironically the virus is not very resistant in the air and long-term on surfaces,” said Camille Vercken of Equiways, an international equine biosecurity consulting company based in France. “Direct contact between horses is the biggest threat, but materials and people can carry it as well, so often the biggest risks come from horses in close proximity at the races and during training, transport, at the sales and in the breeding shed– everywhere horses meet and see each other within a cough’s reach.” Horses are required to be vaccinated for equine influenza to be stabled at most major venues throughout the U. S., including racetracks and U. S. Equestrian Federation-sanctioned events, however much like the flu vaccine for humans, the vaccine only covers the most common strains of the disease. It also cannot unequivocally prevent the disease; however it can lessen the clinical symptoms, effects and duration of the disease. “This virus can mutate quickly and vaccination is not as efficient in the case of mutation, but it still greatly reduces the probability of the severity of the sickness when horses become infected,” said Vercken. Typically, horses infected with equine influenza first present with a fever, which is when they are also shedding large quantities of the virus into the environment and are most contagious. Soon thereafter horses can develop depression, loss of appetite, weight loss, a dry cough and decreased body condition. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, it can take the respiratory tract 50 to 100 days to fully recover. Returning a horse to work prior to full recovery can jeopardize a horse’s long-term health. “The results of an equine influenza infection can be devastating,” said Vercken. “It can take an adult horse out of work for weeks, can cause temporary infertility in stallions due to the fever, and can be fatal to foals and young stock due to threat of pulmonary infections. Common sense biosecurity is key, such as not sharing equipment from one horse to the next, cleaning hands between horses and, of course, vaccination. Close monitoring, including taking temperatures twice a day, for early detection remains one’s best ally at times like these, in order to ensure immediate measures are taken if a horse becomes infected.” View the full article

The British government has confirmed that horses being transported from EU member countries to the UK after March 29 will be able to travel under the regulations currently in place, but equine traffic going in the opposite direction could be halted unless Britain is granted listed status by the European Commission. The government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on Thursday issued guidance pertaining to the movement of horses between EU countries in the case of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit. With just 36 days remaining before Britain is to leave the EU, uncertainty remains as to the manner of its departure, with the potential for Britain to exit without a deal with EU member states becoming an increasing concern. This lack of clarity naturally affects not just the sport of horseracing but breeders looking to move mares for cover during the height of the breeding season. Free movement of Thoroughbreds between Britain, Ireland and France is currently allowed under the Tripartite Agreement (TPA), which Britain will no longer able be able to benefit from after it ceases to be a member of the EU. However, if Britain leaves the EU with a deal then the TPA would continue throughout the agreed transition period until the end of 2020. The statement from DEFRA read, “Leaving the EU with a deal remains the government’s top priority. This has not changed. We are continuing with our ‘no-deal’ preparations to ensure the country is prepared for every eventuality. “The UK has already committed to allowing continued movement on all equine animals from EU member states to support the industries that rely on these animals and ahead of major horseracing events, such as the Grand National Festival at Aintree. “The government is continuing to negotiate with the European Commission on securing listed status for the UK, which would enable the continued movement of equines to EU member states. The guidance published today is designed to give the owners of horses and other equine animals as much time to prepare for these new processes and factor in any extra travel time they may require when travelling to and from the EU.” The key concern now for the racing industry will be that the UK is granted listed status by the European Commission after its departure from the EU on March 29. Movement of horses from the UK to the EU will not be possible after that date until listed status is secured. “Delivering a negotiated deal with the EU remains the government’s top priority, but it is our job to responsibly ensure we are prepared for all scenarios, including no deal,” said Animal Welfare Minister David Rutley. “This guidance will help businesses and owners prepare for life after 29 March if we do leave without a deal. However, it is in the interest of the EU to reciprocate our commitment on the movement of horses. This will ensure horseracing and competition events across the continent can continue to be attended by all of Europe’s top equine talent.” Since the EU referendum in June 2016, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has been working closely with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and France Galop in presenting racing’s case to the governments of the three nations. “DEFRA have submitted the application and the EU has indicated that it will act quickly to list the UK for entry of live animals to the EU but none has yet been given,” said Ross Hamilton, Corporate Affairs Manager for the BHA. “We’d obviously be keen to see a deal, which would avoid any disruption given that the transition period extends to the end of 2020.” Britain agreeing to a deal with the EU before departure, or a delay to Article 50 deferring its departure date, are also the preferred options from the perspective of Irish horsemen, according to Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of HRI. He said, “If either of those two options occur the Tripartite Agreement will effectively continue through the transition period. In the case of a no-deal Brexit, we obviously hope that Britain will be listed in the highest category to allow horse movement to continue. Horses coming into Ireland would have to go through Border Inspection Posts and will require health certificates, and that would obviously entail extra red tape and extra costs. To lose out on the transition period would be very disappointing.” The majority of horse transport between Britain and Ireland is conducted via ferry and only two Border Inspection Posts exist in Ireland, at Dublin and Shannon airports. A third is currently under construction at Dublin’s ferry port. Speaking on behalf of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, Chairman Julian Richmond-Watson said, “We fully support the government’s welcome and pragmatic position to allow continued equine movement under current systems from EU member states to the UK in a no-deal scenario.” In the event of a no-deal Brexit, DEFRA has advised that after March 29 horses travelling from the UK to the EU may need to undergo additional blood tests, which will need to be carried out within 30 days or less of travelling to satisfy EU regulations. Owners should consult a vet at least six weeks before the planned date of travel. All horses will also need an Export Health Certificate and some equines will also need a government-issued travel ID document in addition to an existing equine passport. A full list of the guidelines issued for a no-deal Brexit can be found here. View the full article

The New York Racing Association announced that Gallery Racing's champion sprinter Runhappy will return in 2019 as title sponsor of the grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes, as well as the grade 1, $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap. View the full article

One thing Rodolphe Brisset doesn't worry about with Quip is effort, and with that in mind the trainer plans to find the right spacing of races for the son of Distorted Humor who is scheduled to make his 4-year-old debut Feb. 23. View the full article

Liam the Charmer carries American hopes in the $1 million His Highness The Emir's Trophy Stakes Feb. 23 at Al Rayyan Racecourse in Doha, Qatar, where he'll face an expected 14 opponents including two-time race winner The Blue Eye. View the full article

Kathleen O'Connell is bidding to become the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby (G1) winner after 7-1 Well Defined controlled the $250,000 grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths Feb. 9 at Tampa Bay Downs. View the full article

Super Steed emerged in good order from his upset victory in the Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 18 at Oaklawn Park and will return to the track in the next few days to begin preparations for the Rebel Stakes (G2) March 16, trainer Larry Jones said. View the full article

15:45 Exeter Annie Mc was an impressive winner at Chepstow last time out, sitting patiently at the back of the field before breezing through to lead at the second last and open up a winning margin of eighteen lengths with relative ease. A 10lbs rise will make things more difficult but it was hard not to […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Friday 22th February appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

The Lone Star Park Racing Club is currently taking memberships for the 2019 Thoroughbred Season which opens Thursday, April 18 and runs through Sunday, July 21. View the full article

Liam the Charmer carries American hopes in the $1 million His Highness The Emir's Trophy Stakes Feb. 23 at Al Rayyan Racecourse in Doha, Qatar, where he'll face an expected 14 opponents including two-time race winner The Blue Eye (GB). View the full article

Unlike other American horses prepping for a trip to Dubai this year, Stormy Liberal's final Southern California start ahead of the March 30 Al Quoz Sprint (G1) won't be any kind of audition. View the full article

This week is the stakes report on the March 7, 1987 Southwest Stakes win by Demons Begone that ran in the March 14, 1987 magazine. View the full article

The UK’s largest racecourse group Arena Racing Company (ARC) has been given a taste of how badly its reduction in prize-money has been received with two novice races at Lingfield’s Saturday meeting attracting a combined total of one declared runner. Both Class 5 events with an advertised total prize fund of £4,500 each, the 1m novice stakes, which had received 18 entries, became a walkover at the declaration stage–the Nick Littmoden-trained Greybychoice (Ire) being the sole intended runner–while the five-furlong contest will have no runners. Particularly embarrassing for ARC is the fact that these two races are on one of its highest-profile cards of the year featuring the G3 Betway Winter Derby. Britain’s winningmost trainer Mark Johnston told TDN on Thursday morning, “I had two runners entered for the same race. I looked at the prize-money and I regretted entering. I took one to Chelmsford instead, where the prize-money was more than 50% better, and the other one will be entered for a median auction maiden at Southwell worth £8,000. It’s getting to the point where it’s embarrassing to take horses to some of these races. I’ll be monitoring the prize-money levels closely before entering.” Just less than a year after the British Horseracing Authority was able to announce a significant increase in prize-money for grassroots level racing, ARC let it be known in December that it would slash £3 million from its prize-money budget for 2019 as a response to the British government’s decision to cut the maximum stake on FOBT machines in betting shops from £100 to £2. Bookmakers have estimated that around 4,000 betting shops may close as a result of this, which would lead to a significant shortfall in the media rights payments received by racecourses, currently calculated on a ‘per-shop’ basis. This decrease in ARC’s executive contribution to prize-money in lower-grade contests–affecting Class 4, 5 and 6 races on the Flat–means that the company is unable to ‘unlock’ extra funding made available to racecourses through the Race Incentive Fund (RIF) and the Appearance Money Scheme (AMS), which were introduced from the start of 2018 to extend prize-money payments to placed horses. In ARC’s case, this is believed to amount to around £4.5 million. In a statement released in December, ARC’s Chief Executive Officer Martin Cruddace said, “The British racing industry is today in a considerably different position than when we underwent the funding review of 2017 which came about as a direct result of the increase in Levy income to the sport, itself a result of the Levy being extended to cover online betting companies. “Today, however, the well-publicised impact of betting shop closures on racecourses’ media rights income has already started to take effect, and will only increase in the months and years to come. As a result of this, ARC simply cannot continue to support our current levels of executive contribution to prize-money and unlock all qualifying races, as was the case throughout 2018. We fully understand the importance of prize-money across the industry, and do not take such a decision lightly.” It is a decision which has been greeted with frustration by a range of owners and trainers. Phil McEntee, who deliberately targets the all-weather season for his small Newmarket-based string with notable success, said of the lack of support for Saturday’s races, “This is clearly a stand against ARC. Prize-money levels aren’t acceptable and it’s good to see that some of the bigger trainers who had runners entered have not declared for the races. This isn’t just about the smaller owners and trainers but it does hit the smaller yards harder. We’ve had five winners on the all-weather so far this season and the extra money that is available for placed horses and through the AMF really does make a difference to my owners and to my staff. It trickles in and helps the business model.” With 16 racecourses in its portfolio, including four of Britain’s six all-weather tracks, ARC stages more than 500 race meetings each year and in 2013 it launched the £1 million All Weather Championships Finals Day on Good Friday. The introduction of Europe’s richest non-turf race meeting was designed to encourage owners to keep more Flat horses in training through the winter, though recent cuts may end up having the opposite effect. Laurence Bellman, who has 15 horses in training in Britain, admits that he has considered retiring several of his string. He said, “I am in that category where I have a lot of all-weather runners. I love my horses and I’m not in this for the money but I don’t want to be running for less than we were last year, and I imagine 100% of owners feel the same. “I still have a great time having a winner at Southwell, or wherever it is, and I love to go racing to watch my horses, but as an owner I feel we can’t take a decrease in prize-money–none of the costs of having a horse in training have decreased.” View the full article

This week is the stakes report on the March 7, 1987 Southwest Stakes win by Demons Begone that ran in the March 14, 1987 magazine. View the full article

The Champion Hurdle is the first championship race of the week and on the face of it, the race looks weak. Obviously, Buveur D’Air is the horse to beat having taken the last two renewals of the race but he not invincible as Verdana Blue proved in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. Nicky Henderson has […] The post Champion Hurdle 2019 Preview appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Addressing your thoughts, questions and statements about Hong Kong racing. Have something to say? Send a tweet to @SCMPRacingPost.The club would like to clarify that it has not been involved in any discussions with the Kaohsiung City government regarding their plans to develop horse racing – Jockey Club statementThe Jockey Club rarely makes public statements in response to media reports, so it is notable there have been two in the past three weeks distancing itself from anything to do with… View the full article

18:10 Wolverhampton Boom The Groom may well be in the twilight of his career but even at the age of eight connections felt a wind operation would aid the geldings chances. A recent third at Chelmsford shows he’s still got a tonne of ability left and although this is a step up in class it […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Thursday 21th February appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Tony Millard’s rising sprint star Refined Treasure returns to the races at Sha Tin on Sunday and the South African says the four-year-old is “going very nicely” as he looks to regain the momentum that saw him win three on the trot last season.After being badly hampered on debut in January last year, Refined Treasure then strung together three impressive wins up the Sha Tin straight, prompting Millard to suggest the horse “could be anything”.But the gelding has had some issues since that purple… View the full article

Australian raider Comin’ Through will need to take a step up from his first effort in Dubai if he is going to combat the might of Godolphin in the Group Two Zabeel Mile at Meydan on Thursday.Having his first start since coming 12th to superstar Beauty Generation in December’s Group One Longines Hong Kong Mile, the Chris Waller-trained gelding just ran out of puff in the Group Two Al Fahidi Fort (1,400m), finishing seventh.That race was dominated by Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, who had the… View the full article