Wandering Eyes

Group 1 action continues this Sunday at Toyko Racecourse, which plays host to some of Japan’s top distaff milers in what appears a competitive renewal of the G1 Victoria Mile. Admire Lead (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) is the defending race champion, having inflicted a 1 1/4-length defeat upon Denko Ange (Jpn) (Meisho Samson {Jpn}) and Jour Polaire (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) 12 months ago, but is winless in four starts since. She has two runs in this term, a comebacking 12th to Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) in the G2 Tokyo Shimbun Hai over course and trip Feb. 4 and an improved fourth when not beaten far behind the in-form Miss Panthere (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) in the G2 Hanshin Himba S. Apr. 7. “Last year, I always had to watch that she wouldn’t lose condition, but this year she maintains it well,” said trainer Naosuke Sugai. “I’d say she’s in better shape than she was last year. In her last start, she didn’t go all out but finished only 0.1 seconds off the winner. She has ample chance of winning.” WATCH: Admire Lead winning the 2017 Victoria Mile Lys Gracieux was first-up for three months in the Tokyo Shimbun Hai and gave a typically strong account of herself last time at Hanshin when running on from midpack to take third in a blanket finish. “I thought the pace would be slow in the Hanshin Himba S., but she is not the most nimble of horses and the pace was even slower than I’d imagined,” said jockey Yutaka Take. “That hurt. Nonetheless, she ran well.” Miss Panthere carries a four-race winning streak into Sunday’s test, having bested Dea Regalo (Jpn) (Manhattan Cafe {Jpn}) in the G3 Kyoto Himba S. (1400m) prior to just outfinishing 54-1 Red Avancer (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Hanshin Himba. One of two American-breds in the field, Rabbit Run (Tapit) belied odds of 25-1 to beat Kawakita Enka (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in last year’s G2 Rose S. (1800m), but the $750,000 Keeneland September yearling was no better than ninth, beaten about 2 1/2 lengths, in the Hanshin Himba. View the full article

Theresa Sealy is the lead instructor for the Olds College Race Track Program, teaching grooms and exercise riders for careers on the backside. She works tirelessly on the backside throughout the year with the people there, looking after the backstretch horsemen’s group raising money and organizing events for members, doing the social media reporting and sending out the monthly newsletter. She is instrumental in groom, exercise and stable of the month programs and works with both the HBPA and CTHS to promote horse racing throughout Alberta. –Submitted by Maxine Anderson View the full article

We look at the origins of the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches lineup; they span the whole range from homebreds to foal to yearling pinhooks and breeze-up buys. COEUR DE BEAUTE (FR) (Dabirsim {Fr}) was a €30,000 graduate of Osarus’s September Yearling Sale. The dual black-type winner is the first stakes winner for her unplaced dam, but bigger riches are present further back on the page, her second dam being a sister to those good producers Listen (Ire) and Sequoyah (Ire). It is therefore the family of Henrythenavigator, Magician (Ire) and Cliffs of Moher (Ire). B-Haras De Grandcamp Earl. TEPPAL (FR) (Camacho {GB}) was picked up by Con Marnane from Arqana’s v2 Yearling Sale for €60,000 from the Ellon consignment and pinhooked at the same firm’s Breeze-Up Sale for €105,000 when bought by Blandford Bloodstock. George Strawbridge’s recent standout filly We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) appears under the third dam. B-Gestut Zur Kuste Ag. MISSION IMPASSIBLE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal out of the G1 Nunthorpe S. winner Margot Did (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and as a stakes winner and Group 1-placed already, has paved a promising path for the yearling full-sister that follows her. B-Premier Bloodstock. MOISSON PRECOCE (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) was a 40,000gns buy from Book 2 at Tattersalls October. She is closely related to the top-class sprinter Signs Of Blessing (Ire), who is a son of Lawman’s sire Invincible Spirit and who appears under her second dam. B-Mascalls Stud. WIND CHIMES (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) was signed for by Broadhurst Agency for €130,000 at Arqana August. The listed-winning 2-year-old is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Golden Fastnet (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). B-Ecurie Des Monceaux. RED LINE (FR) (Sageburg {Ire}) races as a homebred for breeder Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois. ELLTHEA (IRE) (Kodiac {GB}) was selected by Mark Gittins at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale for €88,000 from the Ballybin Stud consignment. She is out of the triple group winner Tropical Lady (Ire) (Sri Pekan). B-George Kent. MUSIS AMICA (IRE) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) is a homebred for Godolphin. She is a descendant of the GI Alabama, GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Delaware Oaks winner White Star Line (Northern Dancer), that $3-million mare being her second dam, and she is the second stakes winner produced by White Star (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) following Harland (GB) (Halling). ZONZA (FR) (Alex The Winner) was raced by co-breeder Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois on debut, after which Alain Jathiere bought her privately. Jathiere was joined in the ownership by Martin Schwartz and Gerard Augustin-Normand after the filly extended her record to three-for-three, and she now races for Schwartz and Jathiere. B-H Rousseau & J-P Dubois. COULD IT BE LOVE (War Front) with withdrawn from Keeneland September, and the half-sister to the champion 2-year-old and prolific young sire Uncle Mo now races in the colours of Magnier, Tabor and Smith. She broke her maiden by 6 ½ lengths at Dundalk at fourth asking on Apr. 10. B-Playa Maya Syndicate. SEA PROSE (FR) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was selected by Crispin de Moubray for €115,000 at Arqana’s August Yearling Sale. The runner-up to Musis Amica in the G3 Prix de la Grotte last month is from the immediate family of the group-winning siblings Johnny Barnes (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Albisola (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), as well as last year’s G1 1000 Guineas third Daban (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and the G1 St. James’s Palace-winning sire Most Improved (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). B-Ecurie La Boetie. CAPLA TEMPTRESS (IRE) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), at €26,000, is the least expensive of this field to have passed through a sales ring, having been bought by Jamie Lloyd from Pier House Stud at Goffs Orby. Capla Temptress was bought privately by Team Valor, likely for much more, after winning her first two starts, and she continued her upward trajectory with a win in Woodbine’s GI Natalma S. last fall. B-Pier House Stud. POLYDREAM (IRE) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is a homebred for Wertheimer et Frere and is out of their French listed winner and U.S. graded placed Polygreen (Fr) (Green Tune), and is the third stakes horse for the dam. BARKAA (FR) (Siyouni {Fr}) is a €66,000 graduate of Arqana’s v2 Sale, bought by MAB Agency from Ellon and was therefore from the same consignment as Teppal. Barkaa, winner of the G3 Prix Vanteaux on Apr. 8, is a half-sister to three stakes horses. B-Jean-Pierre Columbu. View the full article

Juddmonte Farms’s homebred globetrotter and champion turf horse Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) captured five Grade/Group 1 races and amassed earnings in excess of $9.5 million in his 24-race career which came to a close after a wildly successful run in the United States for trainer Chad Brown in 2016. With the percentage of turf races in America rising from 5% to 17% over the last 26 years, more and more international stars like Flintshire have been imported to the country and, concurrently, the breeding industry has warmed to the idea of standing turf performers at stud in recent years. With an open door for Flintshire to make his mark in America beyond his racing days, the team of Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms, SF Bloodstock, China Horse Club, Glen Hill Farm and Juddmonte joined together to stand the turf star at Hill ‘n’ Dale in 2017. Perhaps not coincidentally, he resides in the same stallion barn as 17-year-old perennial leading turf sire Kitten’s Joy (El Prado {Ire}), who remains the gold standard for American farms standing younger grass performers. How will Flintshire make his mark as a number of other credentialed turf stallions enter the market? With his first foals hitting the ground this spring, the TDN caught up with SF Bloodstock’s Tom Ryan to discuss his outlook for Flintshire, including the stallion’s potential as a “crossover sire” who can be effective on multiple surfaces. In a market that demands increased versatility among stallions, Ryan and company are hopeful that they hit a home run. TDN: What encouraged SF Bloodstock to invest in Flintshire as a stallion prospect? TR: It was a very simple decision, he was a very durable racehorse. He had 23 lifetime starts. He won $9.5 million. He raced in Dubai, France, Hong Kong, America, England, always at the highest level, and competed with some of the best in the world. TDN: Is it important to you that an organization with the reputation and international reach of Juddmonte opted to stay in with you on the stallion? TR: Absolutely. It was very important that Juddmonte stayed involved, and we feel very privileged to be partners with them. As we all know, they have the ability to support a horse like this with some of the best mares in the world. TDN: Can you discuss some of the top mares that Flintshire has bred? TR: We’ve bred some young, great stakes mares. And we’ve bred some older great stakes producers. Namely, we’ve bred Sumthingtotalkabt (Mutakddim), who is the dam of Lady Shipman (Midshipman), who was one of the best turf-sprinting fillies in this country. And we’ve bred Unfold the Rose (Catienus), who is the dam of Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy), so yeah, we’ve bred some really nice mares to him. TDN: What are your impressions of Flintshire’s first foals? TR: From what I’ve seen so far, his colts are just lovely and robust, and have strength throughout. And the fillies have a great elegance about their head and they’re just lovely moving foals. We feel there’s a uniformity about them that gives us confidence to breed more mares. TDN: We know that Flintshire will have a presence here in the States. Do you plan on selling any of his progeny in Europe? TR: For sure. We have two, we sent over two mares in foal to them this year. We sent over Danza Cavallo (Fr) (Sunday Break {Jpn}), who was second in the GI Flower Bowl S. She is due to foal this week. And we sent over a mare called Nikki’s Brown Miss (Big Brown), who has already foaled and had a very good colt. She’s actually a half-sister to Chocolate Martini (Broken Vow), who ran in the Kentucky Oaks. TDN: He’s a five-time Grade I winner with over $9 million in earnings. Is there a particular race of his that stands out to you? TR: I think the GI Manhattan S. in 2016 was the race that really, really stuck out to me. He came home like a freight train, you know? He came home :24, :23, :22, :21. This is a horse that got faster as the race went on, and not many can do that. TDN: Do you think there’s a lot more opportunity to stand turf stallions in Kentucky than, say, five or 10 years ago? TR: Yeah, I do believe that turf racing has upped its ante. I think people are enjoying turf racing more. But I do also have a very strong sense that it’s important to have a partnership structured where we’ve got the China Horse Club, we’ve got Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm’s support, we’ve got Glen Hill Farm’s support, we’ve got Juddmonte’s support, as well as the kind of marriage that SF brings to the table. So we can really get behind a horse like this and lift him up. TDN: We hear a lot about the value of a crossover stallion who can produce on both surfaces these days. Do you think Flintshire’s progeny have the potential to excel on dirt? TR: You look at this year’s Kentucky Derby and over half the field has a Northern Dancer influence, whether it’s the top or the bottom. You look at a horse like Medaglia d’Oro, you’re going back to Sadler’s Wells through El Prado. Nothing’s impossible, right? And he’s going to be given every chance to become all that he can. This horse ran globally, without drugs, and showed up time and time again. He shipped and racetracks didn’t matter–what was important to him was fast ground. And what we get a lot of in this country is fast ground. I think he’s a future leading turf star in this country, and let’s see what happens on the dirt. View the full article

The five richest stakes races May 12 are all at beautiful Belmont Park. View the full article

1st-NOT, £6,000, Cond, 5-11, 2yo, f, 5f 8yT, 1:00.11, gd. DAME GLADYS (GB) (f, 2, Mukhadram {GB}–Nurse Gladys {GB}, by Dr Fong), who was an Apr. 19 first-up second going a shade over five panels at Ripon last time, raced prominently after exchanging brushes with rivals at the break. Shaken up soon after passing the two pole, the 9-2 joint-favorite hooked up with The Last Party (GB) (Hellvelyn {GB}) and Capla Rock (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) for a final-furlong ding-dong and was driven out to deny the former by a short head in game fashion. Half-sister to a yearling filly by Swiss Spirit (GB), she becomes the first winner for Nunnery Stud resident and G1 Eclipse S.-winning freshman sire Mukhadram (GB) (Shamardal), whose advertised fee for 2018 was £7,000 (1st Jan., SLF). The bay is the third scorer from as many runners produced by an unraced daughter of the stakes-winning Flossy (GB) (Efisio {GB}), from a family which features MGISW US champion Steinlen (GB) (Habitat). Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $6,888. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Guy Reed Racing; B-Copgrove Hall Stud (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. View the full article

6th-BEL, $75K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 4:14 p.m. ET Chad Brown sends out a pair of pricey runners in DOMINANT STRATEGY (Bernardini) and Campaign (Curlin). A $520,000 KEESEP buy, Dominant Strategy makes his career bow in this spot for Klaravich Stables. Out of GSW Zardana (Brz) (Crimson Tide {Ire}), the dark bay is a half to SW Smart Transition (Smart Strike). This is also the family of Argentinian Group 1 winners Matthis (Arg) (Southern Halo) and My Lad (Arg) (Southern Halo). Woodford Racing went to $675,000 at KEESEP for Campaign, who finished second on debut behind GII Louisiana Derby runner-up and GI Kentucky Derby eighth-place finisher Lone Sailor (Majestic Warrior) in a sloppy off-the-turfer at Saratoga Sept. 3. He is out of the unraced Arania (Dynaformer), who is a half-sister to the late GISW and sire Arch (Kris S); GISW Acoma (Empire Maker); and UAE Horse of the Year Festival of Light (A.P. Indy). TJCIS PPs. —@CDeBernardisTDN View the full article

Undefeated Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Justify continued his preparations for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the May 19 Preakness Stakes (G1), when he galloped 1 1/2 miles May 11 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

A retreating tide at the European breeze-ups this spring has left many a pinhooker stranded on the mudflats. It seems all the more significant, then, that one current should still be flowing so strongly towards profit. At the premier British auction, the Tattersalls Craven Sale, the top lot has now been imported from the U.S. in eight of the last 10 years. This year, of course, it has helped that each and every member of Scat Daddy’s final crop should be a collector’s item. And there will probably never again be a home run to match the one pulled off at Arqana last year by Willie Browne and Jim McCartan, who turned a $15,000 Street Sense yearling into a €1.4-milllion 2-year-old. But it is hardly as though that example alone can account for the remarkable footprint of Kentucky-bred stock when that sale reconvenes in Deauville today: 30 out of a catalogue of 165, to be precise, or 18.2%. Renewed European interest in American bloodstock has doubtless been stimulated by results on the track: the success of American raiders at Royal Ascot, for instance, or Coolmore horses by outcross sires like War Front (Danzig) and Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) himself. With the likes of No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) and War Command (War Front) now starting their own stud careers in Europe, we are perhaps witnessing a new cycle in the kind of transatlantic transfusion that has always, from time to time, revived the breed. Whether what is happening at the breeze-ups anticipates a deeper integration remains to be seen. As it is, there does at least appear to be a warmer embrace at the 2-year-old sales either for American turf sires or “crossover” stallions. Take More Than Ready (Southern Halo), long established as capable-as at the Breeders’ Cup last autumn-of siring both the Sprint winner on dirt and the Juvenile Filly Turf winner. Last September, one of his daughters was led out unsold at Keeneland at $45,000. At the Tattersalls Craven Sale, Greenhills Farm sold her to Godolphin for 500,000gns. Last year, moreover, McCartan received £200,000 at Doncaster for a More Than Ready colt he had picked up for just $5,000 at Keeneland. And the year before Johnny Collins of Brown Island Stables turned round another of the WinStar stallion’s sons from $17,000 to $300,000. Little wonder, then, if the two More Than Ready colts selling in Deauville today should have been more ambitiously pinhooked, respectively as $90,000 and $160,000 yearlings. More Than Ready is only one of five WinStar stallions represented in the catalogue. “I think there’s two things happening,” says David Hanley, the farm’s general manager. “I think the feeling against American-breds has eased a little, partly due to these American horses coming over and winning at Ascot, like Tepin (Bernstein), and all Wesley Ward’s horses. By comparison with the number of European-breds in those races, the winning percentage is quite amazing.” “So that’s a factor. But I also think that over the last few years the 2-year-old sales in Europe have become much more reliant on the clock, like in America. So these pinhookers are buying [yearlings by] fast stallions, sires that get you speed like Speightstown, More Than Ready, Distorted Humor; Fed Biz is a fast horse. A lot of these horses they’re buying do also have turf on the page. But of course people are more inclined to buy something, and forget any bias, when they see a 2-year-old breeze fast.” What is so striking is that breeze-up consignors appear to be serving as a kind of import agency. Demand has been established by a convenience in supply. The question now is whether end users will start seeking even better value by cutting out the middle man. Collins has long specialised in turning round American yearlings to breeze in Europe. It was here in Deauville six years ago, for instance, that he offered a Medaglia d’Oro colt picked up at Keeneland the previous September for just €10,000. Mandore International gave him a nice profit at €170,000, but still secured a bargain as Mshawish proceeded to win Grade 1 races on both dirt and turf and is now standing at Taylor Made. “I suppose for a while there was a bit of a stigma about some of those American-bred horses,” Collins says. “That they had soundness issues and whatnot. But we get these ones to within six weeks of a run. If they’re after sticking it that long, everyone knows they’ll be good for training.” That, however, merely emphasises the standard logic of the breeze-up model. Another factor is the daunting quantity of stock to be sieved, above all at Keeneland’s marathon September Sale. “I stay 10, 11 days, definitely to Book 5,” Collins says. “It is exhausting, but you keep going on adrenaline until you get home and you crash. There’s a good few fellas doing it now, but you do have a great chance over there because of the sheer volume of horses. Your biggest job is just to get around and see enough of them. But there will be a patch here or a patch there, where you can nab a horse.” Mags O’Toole-purchaser of Great White Eagle (Elusive Quality) for $120,000 at Keeneland before he set a European record (for the time) at 760,000gns in the Craven Sale of 2013-said she agrees that the legwork is key. “It’s by far the hardest [sale to work], but everyone has a shot,” the agent says. “They’re great grounds and wonderful barns, but you literally cross into a different county to get to some of them! Yes, there are plenty of horses that cost $7,000 and you go look at them and think: ‘Actually you were robbed.’ And then it goes into the ring and makes £180,000 and you think: ‘How did that work!?’ But you’ll see others where you say: ‘Now why didn’t I see him?’ And then you see he was Hip 2914.” So what kind of horses are going to fall through the cracks? Collins, who first experienced the Kentucky scene in freelance trackwork, points to different vetting criteria. “I know from working there it’s a hard surface to train on, so those horses have to be ultra-sound [to stay in the U.S.],” he explains. “So there’s probably little things they can’t forgive, that we could live with.” “Training on a different surface, they hang everything on X-rays-even more than scopes,” agrees O’Toole. “If your mind is slightly set that this could be a Hong Kong horse, X-rays have to be pure snow. But we’ll take a chance on a horse with a flake, say; or in the knees, there’s changes, by Christmas he’ll be fine if you go easy. Only then he’s not a breeze-up horse, as you have to push on with them.” But the ultimate sorting mechanism, for the time being anyway, is an accessible pedigree. For now Norman Williamson of Oak Tree Farm, who has been pinhooking from Keeneland for 15 years, is unconvinced how far European horsemen will broaden their horizons. “Yes, when you’re into Books 3, 4 and 5, it takes a lot of sorting out,” he says. “But there are a huge amount of sires you can just pass through that won’t work out here. I’m not saying they wouldn’t work as racehorses-but they’d be no good for resale. If I’m standing out there with a sire nobody’s ever heard of, and maybe not a very good sire [overall], they’re going to say: ‘Well, we don’t want one of them. We want a Havana Gold (Ire) or a Kodiac (GB) or whatever.'” “Over the past few years we’ve had a lot of people come back and be very successful with their pinhooks, but it’s not simple. If you wanted a Scat Daddy last year, you had to give 200 grand at least. And if he breezes slow, you’re not going to get paid. You’ve always got to think of who you’re going to sell him to. Only one in 200 will do the fastest breeze. If he doesn’t, who are you going to sell to? So you’d be a little wary of some of the sires, or of a dirt pedigree. You can’t bring home a lovely horse and then have to explain who his sire is.” Conversely, of course, the European eye will pick out yearlings that hit a blind spot in the local market. “I have a lovely big War Front colt in Arqana, a half-brother to Pathfork (Distorted Humor),” Williamson says. “He didn’t reach his reserve in Book 1 [at $175,000] and I bought him privately afterwards. He’d have been sold in Europe. I still had to give a few quid for him, but he’s a proper horse by a sire that works here and with a proper pedigree.” “In Book 1 or 2 at Tattersalls, you have to give 80 or 100 grand to pick up a nice horse. Whereas out there you can buy a horse for $50,000 and be lucky. You do have to put in the work, otherwise it won’t happen. There’s a lot of looking, in a lot of heat-but there is value to be had.” Evidently European horsemen still need to open their minds to the versatility of what they perceive to be merely dirt pedigrees. For that to happen, however, they must renounce the kind of insularity and negativity that have caused them, in recent times, to be so prescriptive about turf or dirt blood. “I sold a couple of Norfolk winners that came out of Keeneland,” Collins notes. “South Central was by a horse called Forest Camp out of a Forty Niner mare, and then there was Bapak Chinta (Speightstown) [out of a Maria’s Mon (Wavering Monarch) mare]. So while I’d be looking for a turf-bred, if I like the horse enough I’d take a chance. To be honest, I think most horses handle turf anyway. It’s their natural surface, they’re brought up and grazed on it.” As Williamson observes, “the world has become a smaller place” anyway. A good horse can always go back to race on dirt in the U.S. once he has matured through a more lenient conditioning environment in Europe. Nor would he even have to demonstrate his ability as a racehorse: O’Toole notes that there were several Americans at the Craven Sale already eager to repatriate horses that might have been ridden in spurs and blinkers at a Florida breeze-up. She also sees an angle, for European investors, in the proliferation of synthetic tracks in Britain, France and Ireland relative to a decade ago. On the other hand, she sees “no point us in bringing a Tapit back here, doesn’t matter how good he is.” In many cases, however, sweeping presumptions about the antipathy of different sire-lines to a specific surface are based in hopelessly inadequate samples. What has made international sires of horses like War Front and Scat Daddy is opportunity. War Front’s success in Europe should guarantee particular interest in one member of Browne’s Mocklershill consignment: lot 126 is a three-parts brother to The Factor (War Front) by Data Link (War Front), who has joined his sire at Claiborne. He was unsold at $70,000 when sent to Keeneland last year. Yet as farm president Walker Hancock observes, the colt was entitled to straddle the domestic and international markets. “His dirt runners are what put War Front on the map,” says Hancock. “You had Departing, that we campaigned, and The Factor. Those two horses got him off to a really good start. He has this connotation as a turf sire but that’s not really true. I know there are a lot [of U.S. raiders] going over to Ascot again this year and if we continue to have success, they have no choice but to buy our horses. So these are very exciting times.” Hanley, at WinStar, acknowledges that European disenchantment over the American Thoroughbred partly reflected misgivings over medication. “I think the perception became that the breed [here] was flawed,” he says. “Because horses were going to stud that had raced on medication. And then there was some bad publicity about horses breaking down. I think that became a big factor in trying to sell horses from here to Europe: European trainers were of the opinion that this was not as good a product as they had.” Ultimately, however, prejudice threatened to throw out the baby with the bathwater. While many American horsemen continue to plead for the clarity of hay, oats and water, the fact is that many champions retire to stud in Kentucky with nothing to hide-and these offer breeders everywhere priceless assets of toughness, class and speed. Hanley urges the universality of trademark dirt qualities, that anyone should want to replicate. “There’s nowhere for these [dirt] horses to hide,” he says. “They’ve got to go fast and they’ve got to keep going fast. I think the quality of horses bred here is something the Europeans really shouldn’t be able to ignore. There are just too many nice horses that come out of America.” “We raise really good horses in Kentucky. It’s wonderful land, a great environment to raise horses. Historically, a lot of [important] horses came from here to Vincent O’Brien. That’s not to say they don’t raise good horses in Europe, of course not. But Kentucky is up there with anywhere, and I think it’s sad that everybody went away from them for a while. I think you’ll see it coming back now. And also we’re getting more and more big turf races here in America, with big purses. I think you’ll see more turf stallions stand here. It’s changing.” In time, then, perhaps the breeze-ups will turn out to have been a weathervane for wider cross-pollination. As it is, American sales companies can only be delighted by the industry and imagination of the breeze-up pinhookers. The more diligent will not confine themselves to Keeneland, Browne having for instance found today’s lot 136-a colt by Noble Mission (GB) (Galileo {Ire})-for $100,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Turf Showcase last September; while lot 51, a Scat Daddy filly, was found by Yeomanstown at the same firm’s October Yearling Sale for $125,000. Brendan Holland of Grove Stud meanwhile offers as lot 140 a colt by the same coveted sire, unsold at Saratoga last summer at $195,000. It was a Scat Daddy colt purchased for $200,000 at the Turf Showcase, moreover, who topped the Craven Sale at 900,000gns. Terence Collier, director of marketing at Fasig-Tipton, said he views these gains as the work of specialists and not the result of a wider awakening. “These people generally fall into a marketplace which has been lacking buying power,” he says. “So their presence has helped a sector of the market here. I think the 2-year-old market in England, Ireland and France has changed dramatically over the last five years, thanks to a few very successful, very specialised pinhookers who are fully qualified to be Thoroughbred horse trainers by any other name. They dominate the market and they’ve seen an opportunity, a trend obviously sparked by Scat Daddy.” “They’ve done spectacularly well with that sire, as well as with some of their other American pinhooks. And I see that trend continuing. For instance, if that horse of Con Marnane’s that won in France the other day [On A Session (GB) (Noble Mission {GB}), unsold at Doncaster last month] goes on and does very well, I have no doubt they’ll be back looking for more Noble Missions. It’s a very target-oriented market. I don’t think this is a floodgate opening.” “They do search for value. I don’t think turf stallions are ignored here but these pinhookers tend to have a bigger chequebook than most of the American buyers interested in them. They’re very welcome here; they’re helping a sector of the market that’s developing.” But Ed Prosser, Keeneland’s European representative, stresses the breadth of speculation on American yearlings last year. “Scat Daddy may have dominated the headlines but buyers invested in a refreshing variety of sires,” Prosser says. “The likes of Animal Kingdom, Bernardini, City Zip, Distorted Humor, Elusive Quality, Exchange Rate, Giant’s Causeway, Hard Spun, Hat Trick, Kitten’s Joy, More Than Ready, Munnings, Noble Mission, Orb, Stormy Atlantic, Street Sense, The Factor, Verrazano and of course War Front have all had juveniles making £70,000 or more this year.” “We’ve perhaps been guilty in the past of not promoting enough the success of US-sired runners in Europe. They provide a minuscule percentage of the racing population but a very significant proportion of the top performers. They have the precocity to breeze well and the durability to keep on running year after year. Hopefully people are gradually picking up on that. We sold significantly more horses to both breeze and race in Europe at last year’s September Sale, including to several new buyers and others returning after a long absence.” “With a catalogue in excess of 4,000 yearlings, the breeze-up buyers feel they can find good value. They also find the American consignors very straightforward to deal with, and are well aware that-compared to Europe-much fewer of the top racehorses run for owner-breeders. So you have a bigger chance of picking out a Group 1 horse at auction: Keeneland sold 15 of this year’s Kentucky Derby field.” “But we are well aware that they make a considerable commitment, in terms of both time and money, to come to Kentucky. And it’s as important to us as to them that their purchases work out both economically and on the racetrack.” The September Sale, of course, produced the sport’s new sensation, Justify (Scat Daddy)-whose owners include WinStar. And Hanley said he feels that even the Kentucky Derby winner sends a message to the wider world. “That horse would run on anything,” he says. “Who knows what kind of horse he would have been on the turf, being by Scat Daddy? He’s just a good horse. As was Northern Dancer, to win the Kentucky Derby on dirt. Scat Daddy obviously won a Grade I on the dirt, and he’s sired all those turf horses. A good horse is a good horse.” View the full article

DEAUVILLE, France—It’s been a good week for Arqana graduates, with the top lot of the 2016 August Sale, Magic Wand (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), having lifted the Cheshire Oaks on Wednesday, just ahead of the victory of Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in the Chester Vase. The sales action this weekend in Deauville focuses on the breeze-up scene and last year’s bestselling record-breaker at this particular auction changed hands for the same price as Magic Wand at €1.4 million. That colt by Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense came to be known as Walk In The Sun and though he didn’t start his racing career until January, he is unbeaten in his two starts to date for Phoenix Thoroughbreds and has recently moved from Jeremy Noseda’s stable to be trained by Martyn Meade. In every racing season there’s the opportunity to trot out the old chestnut about good horses coming from anywhere, and while Homerique (Exchange Rate) was hardly found in the bargain basement, this Classic prospect, already a winner and recently second to Luminate (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) in the G3 Prix Penelope, was well bought by Laurent Benoit at last year’s breeze-up for €75,000. Among Godolphin’s purchases that same day were Rastrelli (Fr) and Expressiy (Fr), a colt and a filly by Siyouni both plucked from the Church Farm and Horse Park Stud draft, both of whom are multiple winners, while Expressiy is also G2-placed and was runner-up to Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the listed Pretty Polly S. last weekend. There could also be black type on the way for the William Haggas-trained Pretty Baby (Ire) (Orpen), a €190,000 purchase and a wide-margin winner of her last two starts for Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. She runs in the listed Kilvington S. later today (Saturday), while Teppal (Fr) (Camacho {GB}), bought for €105,000, lines up in tomorrow’s G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. With 170 juveniles catalogued and two wildcards this year, Arqana could well have a record number of horses offered today—the previous high being 149 in 2012. In the intervening years numbers have been trimmed but Arqana, in common with its fellow sales companies, has had increased demand this year for places at what has been a very successful auction in recent seasons. Last year was the first time Arqana had sold a millionaire breezer—that distinction being held by Willie Browne’s Mocklershill draft—and the pinhooking sensation helped to push turnover up to a record high of €13,291,000. The average and median figures also broke new ground at €137,745 and €82,500 respectively. It has been widely acknowledged that things have been tougher all round at this year’s breeze-up sale and an increase in lots offered could threaten the clearance of 76% in 2017, which had fallen from 83% the previous year. Siyouni remains one of the most popular sires in France and he accounts for 10% of the catalogue, while there are 11 youngsters by second-season sire Dabirsim (FR), eight by freshman sire Olympic Glory (Ire). There will be very few opportunities remaining to buy a Scat Daddy 2-year-old but the late Coolmore sire has six on offer this Saturday, as outlined in our accompanying feature. In near-perfect conditions—much less taxing than the soft ground encountered earlier this season—the youngsters were put through their paces on the Deauville turf before a good crowd on Friday lunchtime. Vendors at this A-list sale will be hoping that trade is brisker for some of the more select members of their annual draft. Amy Marnane, whose family celebrated the first-start victory for this season’s unsold breezer On A Session (Noble Mission {GB}) at Lyon-Parilly on Thursday reported plenty of action on the sales ground at the Bansha House draft. She said, “We’ve been busy but then we were busy before the other sales, too. We’ll see.” Irish vendors dominate the list of consignors but among the home team is Paul Basquin of Haras de Saubouas, who was the leading vendor at the Osarus Breeze-up Sale last month and has nine to sell today. “We’re very happy with how the breeze went this morning—the ground was quite fast but it was lovely and they have all come back sound,” he said. “We’ve been busy throughout the day and there seem to be plenty of big buyers here but I imagine the market will be selective.” The first lot heads into the ring at 1pm local time. View the full article

Machtree (Kitten’s Joy) crossed the wire first in Woodbine’s Wando S. Apr. 21, but disqualified and placed fifth for interference in the stretch and he looks to rebound Sunday in the track-and-trip GIII Marine S. Prior to the Wando, the Mark Casse pupil had been campaigned on grass, winning a Gulfstream optional claimer Dec. 23 and finishing sixth in the GIII Dania Beach S. Feb. 3. Inge (Victor’s Cry), who inherited the win in the Wando, reappears in this spot, as does Tale of Vienna (Tale of Ekati), who crossed the wire third, but was disqualified to fourth. The morning-line nod goes to Archaggelos (Temple City), winner of the course-and-distance GIII Grey S. last term. The bay was last seen finishing a neck second in Aqueduct’s grassy Woodhaven S. Apr. 21. Also worth a look is Rose’s Vision (Artie Schiller), who enters off a pair of turf wins, most recently capturing a Keeneland allowance Apr. 12. View the full article

The Spring Festival at York is coming up on the horizon and this is always a fantastic festival, packed with exciting races. The top contests include the Duke of York Stakes (Wednesday 16th May) and the Yorkshire Cup (Friday 18th May). Let’s take a look at some of the horses we are very-likely to see in action at the Knavesmire, next week. Duke Of York Stakes Tasleet Age: 5 (Foaled March 19th, 2013), Sex: Bay Horse, Breeding: Showcasing – Bird Key (Cadeaux Genereux), Trainer: W J Haggas, Owner: Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum This William Haggas-trained speedster was campaigned at the very highest level, last year. He started at Leicester, over 7 furlongs in the Richard III Stakes, where he could only run 2nd to Home Of The Brave. He was then dropped back in trip for this race last year and saw-off a field that included Magical Memory and The Tin Man. Haggas could see he had something special on his hands and sent Tasleet to Royal Ascot for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, where The Tin Man showed a marked improvement to quicken over the last 100 yards and deny him by a neck. Next time ou, he ran poorly when folding and finishing last of 10. Jockey Jim Crowley said “It was a strange race, they went very slow. With Aidan O’ Brien having a pacemaker I was surprised how slow we went early on”. Tasleet then finished the season with two 2nd places, firstly at Haydock in the Sprint Cup (behind Harry Angel) then at Ascot in the Champions Sprint Stakes behind Larissa Breeze. Haggas said after Haydock “we’re going to have to come up with a way of beating Clive (Cox)’s horse” he managed that but found another too good at Ascot. He has had the winter ponder over those performances and get Tasleet back to winning ways. Harry Angel (IRE) Age: 4 (Foaled February 8th, 2014), Sex: Bay Colt, Breeding: Dark Angel (IRE) – Beatrix Potter (IRE), Trainer: C G Cox, Owner: Godolphin This well-built colt won once as a 2-year-old, before moving on to complete an excellent 3-year-old campaign. He started it a little inauspiciously, by misbehaving in the stalls at Ascot, however even though he pulled hard he still took second place behind Reach High. In the Sandy Lane Stakes, he trounced the field – making all and driven out he left the field toiling in his wake. Godolphin then used him as their representative in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and after leading into the final furlong, Harry Angel was just outpaced by the market leader Caravaggio. It was then off to Newmarket for the July Cup and again he was a shade keen, but managed to score by just over a length. The Sprint Cup at Haydock was his next objective and the ground was bottomless that day, but he ploughed through the mud to win by 4 lengths from Tasleet and The Tin Man. The Dark Angel colt completed his season at Ascot in October contesting the Champions Sprint Stakes, where he ran 4th after leading a furlong out. That race came after a hard season and he was probably over the top. Jockey Adam Kirby said after the July Cup “He’s gone from a boy to a man with every race and I can’t express how good he is”. Clive Cox’s star went on to be named Cartier Champion Sprinter and 3rd highest rated 3-year -old for 2017. Brando Age: 6 (Foaled May 3rd, 2012), Sex: Chestnut Gelding, Breeding: Pivotal – Argent du Bois (USA) (Silver Hawk (USA)), Trainer: K A Ryan, Owner: Mrs Angie Bailey This gelding truly came of age as a 4-year-old, winning the Coral Charge at Sandown and then the Ayr Gold Cup where he got the better of both Growl and Hoof it. Trainer Kevin Ryan then decided to leave handicap company behind and aim at some bigger prizes, starting with the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket last year. Brando duly obliged, beating Ornate by a length, but he finished stone last in this race last year. The horse was then given 2 months off, when Ryan had to shut down his yard due to a bout of Equine Herpes, but he came back a different animal and ran 3rd in the July Cup with Caravaggio and The Tin Man behind. Brando burst a blood vessel that day, so connections were forced to give him a break. It was onwards and upwards from there, as he went to Deauville for the Maurice De Gheest and promptly dispensed with his rivals. The heavy going at Haydock, in the Sprint Cup, was unsuitable didn’t favour him next time out and he ran down the field. He was sent back to France, but the soft going at Chantilly in the Prix Forest proved too much for him. His final run of the year, in the Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot (again on soft going), was a disappointment and he could only secure 6th place. However, he did not get a clear run that day and did well to get within 4 and a half lengths of the winner. Brando came out this season looking a picture of health and defended his title in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket, running on strongly to beat Sir Dancealot. This fine victory bodes well for the coming season and he should go well in this contest. Limato (IRE) Age: 6 (Foaled February 8th, 2012), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Tagula (IRE) – Come April (Singspiel (IRE)), Trainer: H Candy, Owner: Mr Paul G Jacobs Unbeaten in 4 starts as a 2-year-old, culminating in the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar, Henry Candy’s star certainly burst onto the scene. There was more to come in the following year, with wins at Ascot and Doncaster, but it was his 4-year-old career that drew the world’s attention. Limato won the July Cup at Newmarket and the Prix de la Foret at Chantilly, on Arc day. He completed that season finishing 6th in the Breeders Cup Mile, in Santa Anita, which was perhaps a race too far. He started last season with an unusually uncharacteristic run, at Meydan, where he finished 10th and was then kept off racing due to unsuitable ground conditions for most of the rest of the season. The next time Limato was seen out was in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, at Ascot, where he was badly hampered by The Tin Man and finished 3rd. After this setback, the horse was sent to Headquarters for the July Cup where he was runner-up. The Lennox Stakes at Goodwood was next on the agenda and after having every chance a furlong out Limato finished 4th, less than a length behind the winner Breton Rock. Henry Candy said after this run “His defeat in the Lennox was 80% down to the ground, which was riding soft. …I don’t see any problem with him handling the Rowley Mile as he is light on his feet. We are toying with trying him over a mile again next year, we will go wherever the ground is right”. Limato was successful that day and should have no problems dropping back to 6 furlongs for this race – providing the ground is right. The Tin Man Age: 6 (Foaled February 19th, 2012), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Equiano (FR) – Persario (Bishop of Cashel), Trainer: J R Fanshawe, Owner: Fred Archer Racing – Ormonde The Tin Man’s overall record of 7 wins from 16 runs shows what a consistent horse Jams Fanshawe’s gelding is. His first victory came 2nd time out, as a 3-year-old at Doncaster, leading to 2 more wins during that campaign. As a 4-year-old, there were 3 more wins including a great run to take the Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot – where he won going away in his final race of the year. He came out for his first race in 2017 in this very encounter, but the Equiano-sired gelding could finish only 5th. It was a different story next time out at Royal Ascot, in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, where he struggled for room but switched decisively- coming home with a rattle over the last 100 yards and leaving Tasleet, Limato and Librisa Breeze in his wake. The Tin Man survived a stewards enquiry for taking Limato’s line that day and it must have been a close decision. Following this, he flopped in the July Cup at Newmarket (finishing 8th) but put up a far better run next time at Haydock Park in the Sprint Cup. On a dull day and in heavy going, Tom Queally got a great performance out of him although he was never going to catch Harry Angel and he finished 3rd – keeping on well in the final furlong. His final entry of the year was in the Champions Sprint Stakes, at Ascot, where he finished 5th. The Tin Man was due to run in Hong Kong, in December, but arrived with a temperature and was deemed unfit to take part. The HKJC veterinary official stated “after discussion with Mr. Fanshawe the horse will not be suitable to compete in the race and has been withdrawn from the Longines Hong Kong Sprint”. Apparently he is now fit and ready for the battles that lie ahead. View Latest Ante-Post Betting Odds Now! Yorkshire Cup Stradivarius (IRE) Age: 4 (Foaled February 28th, 2014), Sex: Chestnut Colt, Breeding: Sea The Stars (IRE) – Private Life (FR) (Bering), Trainer: J H M Gosden, Owner: Mr B E Nielsen This beautifully proportioned chestnut was a revelation for John Gosden last year. His 2-year-old career was pretty inauspicious and he won just once out of 3 starts. Last year, he came out at Beverley in April and positively hacked-up – winning by 6 lengths over 9 furlongs. From there it was off to Chester for the May meeting, where he ran Here And Now very close despite giving him 13 lbs. It was decided to up him in distance and he ran in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. After looking in trouble, Stradivarius managed to find a gap and beat Count Octave by a neck. The chestnut colt was now looking like a 2-miler, so he was sent to Sussex for the Goodwood Cup Stakes where with a tremendous run he beat Big Orange by almost 2 lengths. He was dropped back in distance to run in the St Leger at Doncaster and finished a very creditable 3rd, going down by under a length to Capri. The horse completed his season over 2 miles at Ascot in October, in the British Champions Long Distance Cup and again finished third after hanging right in race won by Aidan O’Brien’s Order Of St George. Gosden said, after the Leger “he ran a blinder in what was probably the best Leger run in a long time. He is a grand horse and will be a lot of fun in the Cup races next year”. Idaho (IRE) Age: 5 (Foaled March 14th, 2013), Sex: Bay Horse, Breeding: Galileo (IRE) – (Danehill (USA)), Trainer: A P O’Brien, Owner: Mr M Tabor, D Smith & Mrs John Magnier The well-traveled Idaho is one of the stars of Aidan O’Brien’s stable. The Galileo colt won as a 2-year-old, over a mile at The Curragh, which boded well for the rest of his career but his 3-year-old campaign was somewhat disappointing – yielding just one victory (the Great Voltiger Stakes, at York). Idaho placed in both the English and Irish Derbys, finishing behind Harzand on both occasions. In the St Leger, he faltered and unseated Jamie Hefferman when odds-on favourite to win the race. Idaho completed his campaign in the Canadian International Stakes, where 5th place was disappointing after he started as favourite once again. He opened 2017 with a run in the Coronation Cup, at Epsom, but was never a threat and finished 6th. In the Hardwicke Stakes, over 12 furlongs, he won in style – beating Barsanti by half a length and finishing strongly. Sent to Ascot for the King George, in July, he could manage only 3rd to Enable. A trip to the USA was next on the agenda, but Idaho finished down the field at Saratoga. Then came the Prix De l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly and in race full of incident, he could manage only 10th after setting the early pace. O’Brien’s inmate then went back to Canada, for the International Stakes, but again disappointed his many fans. He continued racking up the air miles and went to Tokyo for the Japan Cup, but could finish only 5th. Idaho’s 2018 campaign started in Dubai (the Sheema Classic), but could only finish in 8th place. Connections will be pleased with his commanding victory in this week’s Ormonde Stakes, however. Torcedor (IRE) Age: 6 (Foaled April 20th, 2012), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Fastnet Rock (AUS) – Magnolia Lane (IRE) (Sadler’s Wells (USA)), Trainer: Mrs J Harrington, Owner: Te Akau Torcedor(Mngr David Ellis) Originally bought for just €70,000, as a yearling, he has proved to be a very shrewd investment for Te Akau Racing. Torcedor didn’t run as a 2-year-old, but as a 3-year-old won twice at the Curragh over 10 and 12 furlongs for David Watchman. He had 3 runs as a 4-year-old without success before his trainer’s retirement came in 2016. Torcedor was then passed to Jessica Harrington’s stable and won his first two races for her at Leopardstown and Navan, both over 1m 6f. In June, the gelding crossed the Irish Sea to run at Royal Ascot in the Gold Cup and although unfancied ran a decent 5th- just over 9 lengths behind the winner Big Orange. It was then back to The Curragh, for the Irish St Leger, where he was 2nd and well-beaten behind Order Of St George. In his final contest of the season, he went to Ascot for the British Champions Long Distance Cup and was again runner-up to the same horse – although this time by just half a length. Stradivarius then traveled to Dubai and ran at Meydan, in the Gold Cup, finishing a very disappointing last but he bounced back from that setback on his return to the UK and triumphed in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot. He made all that day under Colm Donoghue and was shaken up 2 furlongs out, before going on to win easily from Time To Study. Harrington said, prior to the Sagaro Stakes “we’ve put a line through Dubai. I’d say it was the travelling. It might have been a bridge too far. He likes the track at Ascot so we’re hoping for a big run”. She certainly got that and connections should have high-hopes for the season. Desert Skyline (IRE) Age: 4 (Foaled April 27th, 2014), Sex: Chestnut Gelding, Breeding: Tamayuz – Diamond Tango (FR) (Acatenango (GER)), Trainer: D R C Elsworth, Owner: C Benham/ D Whitford/ L Quinn/ K Quinn This gelding started well as 2-year-old, winning two races at Kempton and Newmarket – after which he was put away for 6 months to prepare for his 3-year-old campaign. David Elsworth’s charge started that at Newmarket, in May, going down by a nose to Grey Britain in a close finish. He once again showed his fighting qualities at Epsom, in a 1m 2f handicap, where he stayed-on strongly to finish 3rd behind Drochaid. He was then upped in class and distance for the Queens Vase, finishing a reasonable 6th and seeming suited by 1m 6f. The Bahrain Trophy was his next challenge and Desert Skyline ran a very good race – running on in the final furlong, although going down a length to Raheeen House. At Goodwood, the gelding ran really well behind Stradivarius and Big Orange but did not have the pace to get fully on terms. He then made the trip across the Channel to Deauville, but was unfortunate to come up against the gifted Marmelo. Elsworth now had the Doncaster Cup in his sights and the horse got his head in front at the business-end of the contest and held-on for a famous victory. He finished the season in the Ascot Long Distance Cup, but could finish only 9th and looked a tired animal. Desert Skyline made his seasonal reappearance in the the Sagaro Stakes, at Ascot, finishing 3rd behind Torcedor. Rare Rhythm Age: 6 (Foaled January 27th, 2012), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Dubawi (IRE) – Demisemiquaver (Singspiel (IRE)), Trainer: C Appleby, Owner: Godolphin This lightly-raced Godolphin 6-year-old is to be tried at longer distances this season, after wintering in Dubai. His early career was mainly based around Newmarket, Ascot and Sandown, so perhaps connections think it’s time for him to spread his wings a little more? As a 2-year-old, he had a couple of races at Headquarters over a mile – winning one of them. From there, he had a quiet season in 2015 with again only a brace of outings. The first of these was back at Sandown, where he was soundly beaten in a race won by Dartmouth. Following that, he returned to Newmarket and won easily from Not Never. His trainer, Charlie Appleby, knew by now his optimum trip was over the longer distances and sent him to Royal Ascot for his only run of the year in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes, where Rare Rhythm ran down the field after being hampered 2 furlongs out. The horse then had a 12-month break, during which he was gelded, before returning to Ascot in 2017 and running in the same fixture – romping home by 2 and a quarter lengths from Appeared, at long odds. The following month, he moved on from that victory into Listed company in the John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes at York and after being joined for the lead 2 furlongs out was driven out to draw clear over the last 100 yards. He has been to Dubai for the winter and raced twice, firstly beating Vazirabad at Meydan over 1m 6f then running third to the same horse over 2 miles in the Dubai Gold Cup in March. Godolphin will now aim Rare Rhythm at the major cup races this season, after his exploits in Dubai during the spring. View Latest Ante-Post Betting Odds Now! Betting With RaceBets Get ready for what promises to be another spectacular Spring Festival, at York. Open an account with RaceBets and we’ll match your first deposit with bonus cash – up to a maximum of £50! (T&C’s apply) The post Duke Of York Stakes & Yorkshire Cup Preview appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

OTI Racing’s triple Group 1 winner Gailo Chop (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}) has aggravated an old tendon injury and is out of next weekend’s G1 Doomben Cup, for which he was favourite. The injured tendon is the same one that saw the 7-year-old gelding out of action for 18 months between 2016 and 2017. “We’ll get it assessed first properly but he’s out of the Doomben Cup,” OTI’s Terry Henderson told Racing.com. “It was the same leg as last time but we just don’t know the severity of it just yet. The early prognosis is that it’s a lesion in the scar tissue of the old healing. So it’s same place and same area but it’s too early to be too definitive on any way forward.” View the full article

Tony Cruz’s Romantic Touch can become the first horse to sweep the interport series in more than a decade when he steps out in Saturday’s Class One Hong Kong Macau Trophy (1,400m) at Sha Tin. According to the record books, the last horse to win both legs in the same year was Helene Pillaging – another Cruz trainee – back in 2005, but that is not entirely accurate. In 2007, the Joe Lau-trained Crown’s Master took out the Taipa race and then three weeks later was... View the full article

Zac Purton is out to further eat into Joao Moreira’s championship lead at Sha Tin on Saturday and he can kick off the meeting in style with debutant Victorious Leader. The Australian trails the Magic Man by eight winners with 18 meetings remaining for the term and while he “only” has seven rides on the 10-race card, all of them are strong chances according to the early markets and he opened up as favourite for the Jockey Challenge. The Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained Victorious... View the full article

The Golden Age has made a name for himself as a front-runner in Hong Kong but he might have to change tack in Saturday’s Class One Hong Kong Macau Trophy at Sha Tin. Tony Cruz’s four-year-old came fifth in the Hong Kong Derby over 2,000m last start, third in the Classic Cup over 1,800m, with wins over both that trip and 1,650m in his first two runs of the season. He drops back to 1,400m for this event and leading might not be an option with the likes of Calculation and Marvel Tribe... View the full article

There are plenty of important races to look forward to, on Saturday. Barsanti takes on Sir Michael Stoute’s Mirage Dancer, in the Listed Buckhounds Stakes (Ascot 2:50pm). The Victoria Cup (Ascot 4:00pm) is a prestigious handicap. Keyser Soze, Louie de Palma and Silent Attack are already finding friends in the market. Frankie Dettori will be on-board Stream Song, in the Listed Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes (Lingfield 1:55pm), while Corelli is the great Italian’s mount in the Listed Derby Trial Stakes (Lingfield 2:30pm). Richard Hannon will have high-hopes for Tajaanus, in the Group 3 Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes (Lingfield 3:40pm). The Grade 3 Swinton Handicap Hurdle (Haydock 3:10pm) was won by John Constable in 2017 and Evan Williams’ inmate will be among those lining-up, for this year’s renewal. The Listed Spring Trophy Stakes (Haydock 4:20pm) will feature the likes of So Beloved, Mubtasim and Roger Charlton’s Makzeem. The Listed Kilvington Stakes (Nottingham 3:50pm) is for fillies and William Haggas’ Pretty Baby is expected to go close. Further UK action takes place at Hexham, Thirsk and Warwick. In Ireland, the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes (4:30pm) is the feature contest at the Curragh. Good luck, if you are having a bet on Saturday! View All Race-Cards Now! The post Saturday Big Race Preview – Ascot, Lingfield, Haydock & Nottingham appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

The visiting contingent for the Hong Kong Macau Trophy has been slashed in half with Mister Kaopu and Victory Megastar testing positive for a prohibited substance ahead of Saturday’s race at Sha Tin. All four of the contestants from Taipa submitted urine samples upon arrival in Hong Kong and it has been established the results from those two James Moore-trained horses came after treatment from a registered vet before departing Macau. The administration of medication to Mister Kaopu and... View the full article

Lim's Reform hands CK Ng unexpected comeback win View the full article

Yulong Xiong Hu strikes at right time View the full article

What a Horse for his lucky owners View the full article

Nimitz still at sea, but back all guns blazing View the full article

Miss Dusty shows clean set of heels View the full article

Five overseas jockeys riding at Kranji Mile meeting View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings May 11 View the full article