Wandering Eyes

Kim Godwin Clark knows Thoroughbreds. Clark spent more than 25 years as an exercise rider and trainer in Maryland before launching Thoroughbred Placement Resources (TPR) in 2008. TPR is a nonprofit with the stated purpose of “improving the lives of Thoroughbred racehorses, both active and retired by providing training and rehabilitation while educating the public through the development of breed ambassadors.” “For the entire time that I was working on the track, I was involved in re-homing horses for myself and for other trainers. In 2008, I decided to do it formally and make it a full-time endeavor on our farm in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, “said Clark. “I have five to seven horses in-training to ride every day as well as some in various stages of rehabilitation.” Clark’s lifelong experience with, and love of, Thoroughbreds have fueled her intense focus on intuitive transitioning and high-level training to give each horse the best chance of exceling in the right discipline and becoming a high-profile breed ambassador. Her goal is to change the way that horse owners and show-riders view Thoroughbreds. To achieve that goal, she starts each horse with ground-work and takes her time to see how the horses develop and what they enjoy doing. Because she knows the racetrack routine so well, she is particularly adept at working out those habits learned at the track that don’t sit well with adopters and with developing new routines that will serve the horses and their new owners well into the future. “We keep the horses a little longer to give them a strong base,” said Clark. “Then, we train them to a higher level and get them in front of professionals who might be interested in them.” Clark has had remarkable success and has placed more than 1,000 horses. A significant percentage of them are competing at high levels in an array of disciplines. In 2012, she enjoyed the distinction of having one of her program horses, a 5-year-old mare, Constant Star (Fantasticat), chosen by Olympian Beezie Madden and her husband John for their “High Performance Winners” program. The mare was one of two chosen from a field of 140 to train with the Maddens. TPR produced Rocky Times, aka Houdini, a Four-star eventer, Doctor James, a Two-star eventer, and Mystical Harbor, a National Level Dressage competitor, in addition to a number of AA level jumpers and other notable competitors. Clark’s current high performer is an unraced gelding, Mystical Harbor (Harbor Man), aka Fellow. He came to TPR after being retired from training to race and failing as a riding horse. “He was spooky and too unpredictable for the young woman who took him off of the track,” said Clark. “On the first day I met him, he told me that he wanted to do dressage and he has exceled way beyond my expectations.” Fellow and Clark have been invited to learn and perform among the sport’s greats including FEI Dressage Judge Linda Zang. Fellow is competing at third level and ready to go to fourth level. Clark credits a strong base in dressage training as a key to the success of all TPR horses. “Dressage gives them the strength and the skill that they need to carry a person at all gates and be balanced and confident while going slowly,” said Clark. “A horse is less likely to run away or keep speeding up more than we want when he is balanced and comfortable going slow. “When I first started retraining horses full-time, I needed to learn more than just galloping. I was incredibly fortunate to have access to lessons and training with Elizabeth Madlener, who successfully competed at the highest levels of dressage on Thoroughbreds. She was long-listed for the Olympic team with two Thoroughbreds.” Over the years, Clark has also worked one-on-one with many of the most well-known names in show jumping world such as the Maddens, Joe Fargis and Anne Kursinski, all of whom sing the praises of Thoroughbreds in the show ring and are willing to take on Thoroughbreds who show potential, when they can. But campaigning any horse is very expensive. “Thoroughbreds are suited for the top of every discipline and showcasing their success in upper levels is always my goal,” said Clark. “This will eventually encourage more riders to buy and show Thoroughbreds. But to get there, we need more breed ambassadors and the best riders cannot usually take on such a project without a sponsorship partner. So, seeking sponsors or a sponsorship program for Thoroughbreds is something on which I am working constantly. Sponsorship at high levels with top riders will increase demand and quickly advance the cause of Thoroughbred aftercare.” Thoroughbred Placement Services is accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. For more information, go to www.goodhorse.org. Diana Pikulski is the editor of Thoroughbred Adoption Network. For more information go to www.Thoroughbredadoption.com. View the full article

Drafted (Field Commission) broke his group duck in game fashion in Thursday’s 1200-metre G3 Al Shindagha Sprint at Meydan. Steered immediately to the outside as soon as the gates flew, the grey avoided all of the kickback as fellow Doug Watson runner My Catch (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) set the pace, dawdling through a :23.84 opening quarter. Given his head by Pat Dobbs, the gelding had improved to fourth around the bend and with a quarter mile to travel, ground his way into contention along the outside. Tato Key (Arg) (Key Deputy), a MGSW in his native land, surged to the head of affairs after five panels in :59.37, but Drafted kept finding to just edge that foe by three-quarters of a length on the line. Ibn Malik (Ire) (Raven’s Pass) closed steadily to take third, another 1 1/4 lengths behind. “In his last run, he was very unlucky,” said jockey Pat Dobbs. “He beat My Catch 6 1/2 lengths that day and had a lot of ground to make. He’s younger and on the way up. I got into the race a little earlier than [I wanted], but he ran really well. He has to warm up into it and [close ground]. I just get him out of the kickback for the first two or three furlongs and then half-way around, he picked up the bridle and did it himself.” Added Watson, “He just does not have that natural speed, but he tries every time for us and he has been a delight to train. The smaller field tonight probably helped him a little bit, because it kept him out of the kickback early, so he travelled a little bit better. It was a tough choice for Pat [to pick between Drafted and My Catch] because he thought if My Catch had drawn low, he might have gone with him, but I think he was always going to go with Drafted.” Drafted enjoyed a brace of wins over this strip last winter, but until Thursday, his career highlight was a win over track and trip first up in the Dec. 6 Listed Garhoud Sprint beating Ibn Malik and Raven’s Corner (Ire) (Raven’s Pass) in second and fourth, respectively. The 5-year-old was a gritty second to the latter and one better than stablemate My Catch after a troubled trip in the G3 Dubawi S. on Jan. 3. Pedigree Notes… Drafted is a son of Canadian champion sprinter Field Commission (Service Stripe) and is the first group winner and lone black-type winner for his sire. His third dam is a full-sister to Maelstrom Lake (Ire) (Auction Ring), who won the G1 Prix Robert Papin and ran second in the G1 Prix Morny. Irish champion juvenile filly and G1 Moyglare Stud S. victress Flutter Away (Ire) (Lomond) is also under the fourth dam. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Thursday, Meydan, Middle East AL SHINDAGHA SPRINT (SPONSORED BY JEBEL ALI PORT)-G3, $200,000, MEY, 1-31, NH3yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1200m, 1:12.34, ft. 1–DRAFTED, 126, g, 5, by Field Commission 1st Dam: Keep The Profit, by Darn That Alarm 2nd Dam: Profitably, by Olden Times 3rd Dam: Miss Cyprus (Ire), by Auction Ring 1ST GROUP WIN. ($19,000 RNA Ylg ’15 OBSAUG; $35,000 2yo ’16 OBSMAR; AED40,000 HRA ’17 GODSEP). O-Misty Hollow Farm; B-John Foster, Barbara Hooker & Field Commission Partnership (FL); T-Doug Watson; J-Pat Dobbs. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 11-5-4-1, $341,633. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Tato Key (Arg), 126, c, 4, Key Deputy–Tatiana Cat (Arg), by Easing Along. O-Yu Long; B-El Alfalfar (ARG); T-David Marnane. $40,000. 3–Ibn Malik (Ire), 126, g, 6, Raven’s Pass–Moon’s Whisper, by Storm Cat. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Musabbeh Al Mheiri. $20,000. Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 4 3/4. Also Ran: Nine Below Zero (GB), My Catch (Ire), Switzerland. DRC Video. View the full article

3rd-Meydan, $100,000, Cond, 1-31, NH3yo & SH3yo, 1400mT, 1:24.29, gd. GOLDEN JAGUAR (c, 3, Animal Kingdom–Golden Sunray {SW-US}, by Crafty Prospector) set a new race record of 1:24.29 in the $100,000 Meydan Classic Trial at Meydan while preserving his perfect ledger after a 3 1/4-length debut win at Jebel Ali on Jan. 11. Leaving from a horror gate in stall 15, the chestnut was able to sit near the tale of the field, but was unfortunately punching the breeze three deep without cover for the backstretch run. Angled into the eight path as the field straightened, the blinkered sophomore answered rider Connor Beasley’s every question and looked in with a chance–if he was good enough–a quarter mile out. Godolphin colt Nashirah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) had taken command, but his lead was brief, as he conceded to Golden Jaguar, who was pressed by Irish Trilogy (Ire) (Gregorian {Ire}) to his inside. Inside the final 100 metres, the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate runner leveled off nicely to win by two lengths. Irish Trilogy held on for second by a neck from GSW Sporting Chance (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) who had made up ground up the inner as the finish line neared. “It was really impressive the way he did it, to be honest, because everything went wrong,” said hoop Connor Beasley of his mount who was trying the turf for the first time. “He was obviously drawn quite wide and he half clipped the gates again. I had to take my time [with him]. Once I pushed the button, he went about his job really well. For a horse that is having his second run, he hit the front far tooearly, but he was a very willing partner and he galloped right through the line. Very impressive.” Added Amer Abdulaziz who represents Phoenix Thoroughbreds, “We owe it to [trainer] Ahmad bin Harmash, who picked out and bought all these good horses for Phoenix Ladies and has done a great job with them. It shows you how good [Golden Jaguar] is, to win on dirt [at Jebel Ali] and now on turf today.” The winner is a half to GIII Winning Colors S. third Golden Domer (Quality Road) and his dam was covered by Will Take Charge last spring. Golden Sunray is a half-sister to the dams of GSW & MGISP Bolo (Temple City), as well as Canadian champion and GI Kentucky Derby hero Mine That Bird (Birdstone) and three-time Grade I winner Dullahan (Even the Score). Sales history: $90,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP; $60,000 2yo ’18 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $80,423. DRC Video. O-Phoenix Ladies Syndicate; B-William J Betz & Peter V Lamantia (KY); T-Ahmad bin Harmash. View the full article

This week is a recap of Bernardini's win in the April 29, 2006 Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack. The recap, written by Paul Volponi, ran in the May 6, 2006 magazine and carried the headline, "It's Not Too Late." View the full article

The Board of Directors of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) held its first meeting of 2019 Wednesday, with the newly seated board re-electing Thomas J. Gallo, III, founder and managing owner of Dream Maker Racing, Thomas J. Gallo III Sales Agency, LLC and owner of Blue Stone Farm, as Board President. Mallory Mort of Gallagher’s Stud was re-elected as NYTB Board Vice-President. Vivien Malloy of Edition Farm was likewise re-elected for another term as NYTB Secretary/Treasurer. All three NYTB board officers will serve two-year terms concurrent with their two-year tenure on the board. Additional Directors: Scott Ahlschwede, D.V.M. H. James Bond Seth Gregory Daniel P. Hayden Michael Lischin Joanne Nielsen Suzie O’Cain Joan M. Taylor, DVM Director Emeritus: Chester Broman View the full article

Zalim Bifov homebred Silva (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) made it back-to-back wins with an emphatic victory in the 1600-metre Listed UAE 1000 Guineas at Meydan on Thursday. It was the Pia Brandt trainee’s first try on dirt in four starts, after rolling a pair of fives over the Chantilly turf and all-weather on Oct. 16 and Nov. 13, respectively. She eked out a neck victory going 1900 metres at Deauville on Dec. 14 in her warm up for this first black-type try. One of the quickest into stride, Silva settled in a close up fourth against the fence as Lady Parma (Exchange Rate) was pressed by Muthhila (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Moving into a clear-cut third under Oisin Murphy on the turn, Silva took dead aim on Lady Parma at the 500-metre mark and took over with 300 metres remaining. From there she drew off impressively to win by 9 3/4 lengths. The rallying Divine Image (Scat Daddy), who missed the break, just nipped Lady Parma by a head for second, while Dubai Beauty (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was a length back in fourth. “It was a good job from my agent to pick her up and the trainer has done a super job,” said Murphy. “It was my first ride for Pia Brandt. I gave her a good run up and she jumped and she probably avoided all the kickback. Her next assignment might be tougher, but that was a great result.” Silva is a half-sister to G3 Prix Sigy hero Fas (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) out of the winning Sotka (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), who was placed at the listed level in France. Her dam, a half-sister to Irish highweight and MG1SW sprinter Sole Power (GB) (Kyllach {GB}), has a 2-year-old filly by No Nay Never, a yearling colt by Kingman (GB) and was bred back to that Juddmonte sire in 2018. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-0. DRC Video. O/B-Zalim Bifov (Ire). T-Pia Brandt. View the full article

Pedigree pundits usually use the word “taproot” to refer to broodmares whose tail-female descendants have produced numerous successful runners. Phil Hager cleverly used the commonly known phrase to launch his new bloodstock agency in July 2018. Hager brings years of industry expertise and hands-on experience to Taproot Bloodstock. 30-year-old Hager grew up on one of the Bluegrass’s most storied properties–Idle Hour Farm. Hager is the son of David Hager, formerly of Idle Hour Farm and 2009 Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Club Farm Manager of the Year, and great-nephew of Idle Hour founders Julian and Margaret Hager Rogers. In her own name, Mrs. Rogers bred full brothers Ribocco and Ribero, back-to-back winners of the Irish Derby and English St. Leger in 1967 and 1968, respectively. Hager and his 26-year-old twin sisters, Hunter and Claire, grew up in Paris, Kentucky, on the Idle Hour property. They watched their father breed graded stakes winners like Custom for Carlos (More Than Ready), Go Noni Go (Get Stormy) and Lovely Bernadette (Wilburn), prep yearlings for sales, and break horses. Like many other youngsters reared on family farms, Hager was put to work in the stables at an early age. “I think I always loved horses, for sure,” Hager said. “I don’t know I thought for sure I’d make my living in it until I got into high school or college.” Hager attended the University of Kentucky, majoring in business to round out his existing equine education. “Horses like Custom for Carlos, when they were running, that obviously piqued your interest a lot,” Hager said. “I remember, we had a couple yearlings sell really well at the sale, and that always piqued your interest, too, because the farm obviously is a lot of work and you kind of get in the routine of doing the same thing over and over again.” During college summer breaks, Hager prepped yearlings for trainer Neil Howard and Brian Graves at Gainesway Farm. He also interned at Fasig-Tipton and worked for well-known bloodstock agent David Ingordo, learning how to create a short list under Jeanne and April Mayberry. Of his time working with Ingordo, Hager said, “The cool thing about David–David is a guy that doesn’t talk a whole lot. He’s very serious, but he was a very good teacher if you learned to listen.” To understand what he was looking for in a yearling, Ingordo would allow Hager to inspect his own “short, short list.” Hager recalled, “That kind of ingrains in your mind: ‘That’s what kind of horses you need to be buying.'” During his time working with Ingordo, the boss purchased such standouts as Bodemeister and Paynter. Hager read as much about pedigrees as he could and consulted experts like his godfather, pedigree expert Ken McLean, formerly of Overbrook Farm. In January 2011, he began work at the McLean family’s Crestwood Farm in Lexington. “I helped sell kind of everything that they had there [like stallion seasons], but I also helped recruit some stallions,” Hager said. “Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic) was a horse that I helped bring in.” Hager seeks out good racehorses that might fly under the radar price-wise and can produce good breed-to-race runners for breeders. Turf star Get Stormy, for example, might not seem like the most commercial horse. “We saw him run at Keeneland quite a bit and he was just a good racehorse, obviously, but he had a lot of speed and I know that was one thing we liked about him,” recalled Hager, who eventually reached out to Get Stormy’s trainer Tom Bush. “We had a very good conversation. At the time, they had a couple options of where to stand him.” Hager also recruited Texas Red, a GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile-winning son of Afleet Alex who brings pedigree and performance to the table. Though certainly not the most regally bred horse, the colt is ideal for Crestwood’s price range and breed-to-race ethos. “Because we don’t have a huge budget to go after the champions of a generation, things like that, we kind of have to find horses that fly under the radar a little bit,” Hager said. “Texas Red is a very nice-looking horse. Obviously he had a ton of talent, won the [2014] Breeders’ Cup Juvenile easily and then came back and won the [2015 GII] Jim Dandy S. He had a couple setbacks, unfortunately–that probably cost him.” In 2013, Hager left Crestwood for several months to work for trainer Bill Mott, soaking up the presence of stable stars such as Royal Delta and Ron the Greek. Along with Mott’s assistants– including his close friend and Mott’s son, Riley–Hager would work grueling hours of 4:30 a.m. to seven or eight at night. “When I was working for [Mott] and the Saratoga sales were coming up, I asked Bill, ‘Would you care if I went after training to look at yearlings over there?'” recalled Hager, who eventually proved his sales acumen to the Hall of Fame trainer and became his buyer at the sales. The snowball effect continued through his association with Mott, with Hager expanding his client base to add Jerry Crawford of Donegal Racing, Christophe Clement and George Isaacs of Bridlewood. “Obviously, that would have never happened if it were not for Bill taking a shot on me, so it meant a lot,” Hager said. Soon enough, Hager decided it was time to go out on his own and, with the launch of Taproot Bloodstock, has been able to focus in on horses that offer affordability and athleticism. Throughout his young career, Hager has taken his mentors’ lessons to heart. “In this business, you can go a long way by just being humble and honest and keeping your head down and working hard,” Hager reflected. “I think that’s really probably the most important thing, especially working under people like Neil Howard at Gainesway and Bill Mott and even at Crestwood. Guys like that–they do most of their talking with their horses and their work ethic.” View the full article

Graded stakes winner Call Paul will tangle with several good-looking up and comers in the seven-furlong Swale Stakes View the full article

Anthony Delpech, who won every major Grade 1 event in South Africa at least once, including the Durban July on four occasions, has announced his retirement from competitive race riding effective immediately, turftalk.co.za reported. Delpech, who will turn 50 on Feb. 10, recently returned to riding work after a 10-month recovery from injuries suffered in a fall at Turffontein last April. He had successfully worked a few horses at the Summerveld training centre, suggesting that a return to the saddle might not be too far in the offing. However, recent advice from doctors have forced a change of plans. “As I noted last week, everything was fine, except for a burning sensation in my right leg, but my doctor on Tuesday recommended that I never get on horseback again,” Delpech told Turf Talk. He said the burn in my leg is caused by pressure on the spine which will only get worse, it will be aggravated and potentially result in permanent damage if I push it and force myself to return to the jockeys’ ranks. “I tried everything I could, including a strict exercise regime and all the medical help I could find, I experimented with everything including oxygen and biokinetics. My physio thought last week that it would be a good idea to ride work, it would help the healing process but, as it turned out, it exposed the dangers that remain and my doctor believes it will be in my best interest not to pursue this any further. “He said my neck had healed completely, but my spine was damaged. I’d be putting myself and others in danger if I were to ride in races again. I spent Wednesday contemplating this and I haven’t spoken to many people, it is terrible for me.” For all his success at home, it was Delpech’s time in Hong Kong that put him on the map internationally, thanks in no small part to his association with Vengeance of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). Trained by South African David Ferraris, Vengeance of Rain validated 2-1 favouritism in the 2005 Hong Kong Derby before besting the Mike de Kock-trained Greys Inn to lead home a Zabeel exacta in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Delpech shoved Vengeance of Rain across the line to win the 2005 G1 Hong Kong Cup (video) and in 2007, became the first Hong Kong-based galloper to score in Dubai, defeating Oracle West (SAf) (Western Winter) in the G1 Sheema Classic (see below). “I wish to thank the many owners and trainers who supported me throughout my career, especially Mike de Kock for whom I rode for the last 10 years and Mary Slack the last two years,” Delpech said. “Thanks also to all the racing fans for their support and encouragement.” WATCH: Anthony Delpech wins the 2006 Sheema Classic aboard Vengeance of Rain View the full article

One of the many problems confronting racing the world over appears to be the difficulty of attracting young people into the sport in a hands-on role. While there remains an over-supply of would-be racing managers and bloodstock agents, trainers worldwide will tell you that young people just don’t seem to want to work within stables any more. An hour or two spent in the company of Cliff Lines could, though, change all that. A universally-respected trainer based in Exning on the northern edge of Newmarket Heath, Lines, 83, saddled his final runner on Wednesday when 4-year-old gelding Catapult (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) scored a fitting and emotional victory in a handicap at Lingfield, thus bringing the curtain down on a 69-year career within the sport. As he reflects on his seven decades in racing, he avows, “I’ve had a great life; I couldn’t have had a better one.” Born in February 1935 in Edinburgh (where his father, a soldier in the Scots Greys, was stationed) Lines grew up in south-west London, whither his father, having joined the RAF, had been transferred. The family had no racing connection. However, the mother of one of his school-friends (“he had brains – he went to university and ended up a professor”) made the familiar remark which has prompted so many boys to join the game over the years: “You’re small: you should be a jockey.” As it happened, Lines’s mother worked in Job’s Dairy, where one of her colleagues was an ex-jockey. On the Lines’s behalf he wrote to Noel Murless, who was training at Beckhampton at the time, and the young Cliff Lines was duly packed off to Wiltshire at the age of 14, one of 22 apprentices in the stable. Another of the indentured youngsters was a local boy from nearby Calne called Clive Brittain who, of course, went on to become one of Newmarket’s leading trainers, famous as the first British-based handler to send out both a Breeders’ Cup winner and a G1 Japan Cup winner. In the autumn of 1952, Noel Murless moved from Beckhampton to Warren Place, Newmarket. Cliff Lines was mid-way through his apprenticeship at the time (having signed on for an initial five years, a term which was subsequently extended to seven) and Newmarket has been his home more or less ever since. During his apprenticeship, he rode a couple of winners for Murless (one owned by The Queen, the other by Sir Victor Sassoon) and he still harboured aspirations to be a jockey once his apprenticeship had finished. Consequently he moved away for three years to further this ambition, spending two years with Joe Hartigan in Cheshire and one with Toby Balding in Hampshire. The story behind this foray, incidentally, bears re-telling. “I was riding a lovely 2-year-old filly every day. I thought she would be very good. But there was one lad in the yard, a good friend of mine, who kept on at me that I should give it another go race-riding, and he kept telling me that he could fix up a job for me with Joe Hartigan. Finally I agreed, and off I went. It was only later that I wondered whether perhaps he had had an ulterior motive because I found out that he rode the filly in all her work for the rest of her career.” The filly in question, it turns out, was none other than Petite Etoile (GB) (Petition {GB}) who, of course, still ranks as one of the greatest fillies ever to have graced the British turf. His race-riding dream having finally died, Cliff Lines returned to Newmarket after word was passed to him at Newbury races one afternoon that there was a job with a house available for him if he wanted it, working in Lagrange Stables for Major Lionel Holliday, then one of Britain’s leading owner/breeders. Major Holliday employed a succession of private trainers. Dick Hern was at the helm when he arrived, and subsequently Walter Wharton held the post. Lines spent six years there, initially working for Hern (for whom he rode the 1962 St Leger winner Hethersett (GB) (Hugh Lupus {Fr}) in his work) and subsequently for Wharton. He reflects, “Major Holliday was a very good man and an excellent employer. It was a very good job and I would have stayed there forever if he hadn’t died.” Following his employer’s death, however, the stable was gradually wound down and Lines returned to Warren Place, where he remained one of Murless’s key members of staff until the trainer’s retirement at the end of the 1976 season, riding most of the stable’s greatest horses in their work including 1967 Derby winner Royal Palace (GB) (Ballymoss {Ire}). As the autumn of 1976 drew to a close, Newmarket was rife with rumours that nine-time champion trainer Murless, who had already announced that he would retire and hand over the stable to his son-in-law Henry Cecil, would carry on training half a dozen horses for one reason alone: to prepare the brilliant J O Tobin (Never Bend) for the following season’s Classics. When Murless eventually decided to stick to his original plan, J O Tobin’s American owner/breeder George Pope decided to bring the colt back to the States as he didn’t want him trained in England by anyone else; and he asked Lines, who had ridden the colt in all his work as a juvenile, to accompany him. Lines relates, “I had accepted a job with Michael Stoute but I asked him if that could be put on hold while I went with J O Tobin, and he kindly agreed. He would definitely have won the 2000 Guineas if he had stayed in England, and the Derby too if Lester could have ridden him, but off we went to California. We were in John Adams’s barn in Santa Anita and he started off really well, winning the Swaps S., but unfortunately when we went to New York it just didn’t suit him. He was never happy there and didn’t relax, didn’t thrive.” Cliff Lines joined Michael Stoute on his return to England, taking up the post as head lad in the trainer’s main yard, Freemason Lodge. However, it is as Stoute’s principal work-rider that Lines is arguably best remembered, partnering not only the wide-margin 1981 Derby winner Shergar (Ire) (Great Nephew {GB}) in his work but also many other high-class horses including Sonic Lady (Nureyev), Shareef Dancer (Northern Dancer) and Hard Fought (Ire) (Habitat), the latter coincidentally owned by Major Holliday’s son Brook. In 1987, however, Lines submitted to the urge to be his own boss, buying Marsh Stables in Exning and setting up as a breaker and pre-trainer, with Michael Stoute as his principal client. When the pre-training went a bit quiet a few years later, he took out a trainer’s license to augment that business, and it has been as a trainer that Lines has played his most recent role in the racing game. For the past eight years he has been operating out of Hethersett Stables, the property which he built after selling the bulk of Marsh Stables while retaining a couple of paddocks. Cliff Lines’s energy and enthusiasm belie his years, and it has only been in the past year that he has stopped riding his hack at exercise with his small string. However, the lot of a small trainer is not an easy one, as he reflects: “I’m lucky as I have two very good riders who have been helping me out, but staff is a big problem for all trainers nowadays. And the finances too. Everything costs so much nowadays. I looked after a horse of The Queen’s who won a little race at Thirsk in 1956 or ’57, and the prize money was £500. Now we’re racing for £2,000, and it’s 60 years later.” Cliff Lines and his wife Sue are such popular figures within Newmarket that they will still be firmly on the radar, both locally and also in Malaysia where his son Richard has been champion trainer for the past eight years. If Cliff has seen the world in his racing life (which he has), Richard has done so even more. Having divided his apprenticeship between one-time Murless assistant William Hastings-Bass (now Lord Huntingdon) in Newmarket and Neville Begg in Sydney, Richard then rode successfully as a jockey in Australia, Macau and Singapore before becoming a trainer, initially in Penang and latterly in Kuala Lumpur. The retirement of Cliff Lines really is the end of an era. Times change, but the training of racehorses basically remains the same. In an age in which we seem to be struggling to attract youngsters to work in the sport, it is so heartening to hear him look back on nearly 70 years in the game and reflect, “I wouldn’t have changed it for anything.” View the full article

17:50 Newcastle Today’s NAP seem very much out of left field and will leave many readers scratching their heads. Despite the forecasted puzzled looks there is method in the madness when siding with likely outsider Tathmeen. The old saying “horses for courses” has been around as long as I can remember but it’s true with […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Thursday 31st January appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Trainer Paul O’Sullivan is hoping some good fortune can turn his season around, with the New Zealander debuting a pair of promising types on Saturday. After a slow start to the season, O’Sullivan has strung together three wins in four meetings and looks to be building a strong team for the second half of the term. Along with a host of young horses, O’Sullivan has also received the former Tony Millard-trained gelding Gorgeous King, who will step out for just the second time... View the full article

Addressing your thoughts, questions and statements about Hong Kong racing. Have something to say? Send a tweet to @SCMPRacingPost. Very lucky I got to witness Douglas Whyte’s last ride at Happy Valley – @EricSzeHK Wednesday night was just an entrée into what we will be the main show at Sha Tin on February 10 for when the 13-time champion officially hangs up his saddle. (As an aside, the phrase “13-time champion” is written into every story about Whyte, so much so... View the full article

A last-to-first victory, especially in a graded stakes, can bring a variety of opinions. Was it talent driven? Was it trip driven? For Sham Stakes (G3) winner Gunmetal Gray, we might get a better idea in the Feb. 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3). View the full article

Perhaps the different running styles of Maximus Mischief and Mihos will clash somewhere in the stretch of the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull Stakes (G2) Feb. 2 at Gulfstream, a 1 1/16-mile race that has attracted 10 3-year-olds. View the full article

Perhaps the different running styles of Maximus Mischief and Mihos will clash somewhere in the stretch of the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull Stakes (G2) Feb. 2 at Gulfstream, a 1 1/16-mile race that has attracted 10 3-year-olds. View the full article

Early scratching February 1 View the full article

Mister Yeoh takes on the Masters in Fortune Bowl View the full article

Tougher task for Absolvido this Sunday View the full article

Fashion Faux Pax, a gate-to-wire winner of Tampa Bay Downs' Sandpiper Stakes, appears ready to step up to graded company in the Feb. 2 Forward Gal Stakes (G3). Gulfstream Park's seven-furlong race is a prep for the March 2 Davona Dale (G2) at a mile. View the full article

Fashion Faux Pax, a wire-to-wire winner of Tampa Bay Downs' Sandpiper Stakes, appears ready to step up to grade 3 company in the Feb. 2 Forward Gal Stakes. Gulfstream Park's seven-furlong race is a prep for the March 2 Davona Dale (G2) at a mile. View the full article

With impressive Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner War of Will already in their string, owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse are on a fact-finding mission with Our Braintrust in the $250,000 Withers Stakes (G3) Feb. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

The latest bill in a decades-long string of legislative efforts to legalize pari-mutuel horse wagering in Georgia was filed on Wednesday. In a change of tactics from similar bills that failed in recent years, this year’s version does not tie the sport to any racino/casino gaming and focuses strictly on creating a mixed-use Thoroughbred venue that would host boutique seasonal meets and other non-racing events. According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which first broke the story, the Rural Georgia Jobs and Growth Act filed by Republican Senator Brandon Beach pitches horse racing as “an economic development boon for struggling rural communities, which could see the creation of a new industry surrounding the raising of racehorses.” “Each racehorse can have a ripple effect of creating more than 20 jobs,” Beach told the ABC. “This legislation provides my colleagues with a clear vision of the benefits of horse racing facilities, including new revenue streams to keep up with increasing demand for education funding.” Beach told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this week that, “We need to be in the equine industry. There’s more to it than racing. There’s horse farms and hay farms and breeding and auctions.” The stumbling block to getting parimutuel laws enacted in Georgia–as it has been for the past 30 years–has nothing to do with a lack of enthusiasm for horses. The difficulty has always been rounding up enough elected officials who are willing to support expanded gambling in a state where moral objections to it run high and religious conservatism carries considerable clout. Dean Reeves, president of the Georgia Horse Racing Coalition, told the ABC that his group is committed to building “world-class facilities that would benefit the state and serve as an asset to local communities. Our industry wants to be a part of a solution that gives rural Georgia an economic boost while also providing new revenues for the entire state,” he said. The ABC reported that legalizing parimutuel betting in Georgia requires a constitutional amendment that would be subject to a statewide referendum. View the full article

The two grass stakes scheduled for Feb. 2-3 at Santa Anita Park will be moved to Feb. 9 because of heavy rain storms expected to hit Southern California during the week and through the weekend. View the full article

Shergar’s former work rider Cliff Lines ended a 70-year career in racing with a winner, as Catapult (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) made every yard of the running in the sunracing.co.uk Maiden H. at Lingfield. Lines was regarded as one of the best work riders in the business and was employed by Sir Michael Stoute and Sir Noel Murless, among others. With his 84th birthday next month, Lines–who started out as an apprentice in 1949–has decided now is the time to retire and with Hollie Doyle in the saddle the well-backed 4-1 joint-favourite defied a wide draw to make all. “After I saw the way he jumped I was confident he’d win,” Lines told Sky Sports Racing. “Hollie gave him a great ride, it’s her first winner for me. I was reasonably confident coming here, we just thought the draw was bad, but it turned out good. It’s a great ending, terrific.” View the full article