Wandering Eyes

Trainer Todd Pletcher already holds a very strong hand heading into the GI Kentucky Derby, but he’s got one more ace up his sleeve in the form of GI Arkansas Derby favorite Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon). The ‘TDN Rising Star‘ will look to take his fourth trip to the winner’s circle Saturday in as many tries while adding to Pletcher’s already record four wins in Oaklawn’s signature event. The Robert and Lawana Low colorbearer bested a field that included Machismo (More Than Ready) sprinting first out at Gulfstream Jan. 13, and followed up with an easy two-turn Tampa optional claiming score Feb. 15. He was extremely impressive showing good stalking speed and a strong late kick in the GII Rebel S. here Mar. 17, reporting home 3 1/2 lengths to the good of 11-10 Solomini (Curlin). Solomini is as due for a break-out win as just about any horse in training. Second to Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) in the GI FrontRunner S. in September and ahead of that one but behind Good Magic (Curlin) when runner-up in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Bob Baffert pupil crossed the wire in front of stablemate McKinzie (Street Sense) in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 9, only to be placed third behind next-out GIII Lecomte S. winner Instilled Regard (Arch) in what was a controversial DQ. He was simply outrun on the day by Magnum Moon last time, and will need to pick it up for connections who own two Arkansas Derby trophies themselves with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) and the brilliant Bodemeister (Empire Maker). Rebel third Combatant (Scat Daddy) is one of three signed on for the meet’s leading trainer Steve Asmussen and, like Solomini, has been knocking on the door in stakes company for quite some time. “I think he’s been a little disadvantaged, just with the pace scenarios and his placement in the starting gate,” David Fiske racing manager for co-owner Winchell Thoroughbreds, said. “I think the circumstances have kind of conspired against him, going all the way back to [his second in the Springboard Mile at] Remington last fall.” Fiske added, “Hopefully, he can catch a break. I was telling somebody [that] if he were to run third and pick up $100,000, he would have almost half-a-million dollars next to his name and still be eligible for non-winners of two.” The Winchells and Asmussen will also be represented by two-for-two Tenfold (Curlin), who followed up a very impressive 5 3/4-length debut romp with a hard-fought optional claiming tally Mar. 18. ‘Rising Star‘ Quip (Distorted Humor) bypassed the GII Blue Grass S. last week after his owners’ likely Derby favorite Justify (Scat Daddy) stayed at home for a romp in the GI Santa Anita Derby rather than shipping here. He made his seasonal debut a winning one in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 10, and was flattered when runner-up Flameaway (Scat Daddy) returned with a similar effort in the Blue Grass and fourth-place Vino Rosso (Curlin) grabbed the GII Wood Memorial S. View the full article

Young Guns is a series where we endeavour to find out more about some of the young professionals in the industry. Today we speak with John Kennedy, manager, Castlehyde Stud-Coolmore Group. TDN: What was your path into the industry? JK: My father is a small breeder, and we have always had horses at home, so I suppose I grew up in the industry as much as anything. Following a stint in University College Dublin, I applied for the Irish National Stud course. The next six months flew by, I made friends for life and got great exposure which comes in handy on a daily basis. Sally Carroll and the team at the INS do an amazing job, it is easy to see why the course is held in such high regard within the Industry. TDN: Who has been the biggest influence on your career? JK: I’ve been lucky enough to meet some great people along the way and a good few have helped me get to the point I am now, Luke Barry, James Hanly and Maureen Stanhope to name but a few. However, it was my time at Yeomanstown Stud with the O’Callaghan family that was a pretty vital stage on my learning curve. It was hard work but a brilliant experience, they run a great show and it’s easy to see why they are so successful. TDN: What does your role involve? JK: It’s a varied role and one you would never get bored with. I can be doing any number of things on a daily basis- from being on the farm and carrying out all the day to day duties- checking the mares, assessing the new arrivals, stallion management and the paperwork, to actually being out and about at the sales or elsewhere. No two days are the same and it’s a huge team effort- I’m still relatively new at Castlehyde and the staff there have been a huge help in getting my head round everything. TDN: What challenges do you face in your role? JK: Like I said- every day is different and with horses they are always trying to test you with new problems so what new challenges do I face? The list is endless! TDN: What advice would you give your 16-year-old self? JK: Learn from the best but trust your own judgement at the same time. We work in an industry that is based on a lot of personal opinions so if you don’t back yourself then no one else will! Travel is an amazing thing, I was lucky enough to spend some time in Kentucky for sales and yearling prep. It was a great experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone that is in a position to do so. I would also stress the importance of hands on experience, that and experimenting with your own money are the best learning tools! TDN: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the industry and how would you solve it? JK: I think the breeding industry is generally in pretty good shape- I suppose one of the issues is attracting new owners into the game and getting new people to invest. Surely the best way to entice fresh investment is to actually advertise the success stories a bit better- the successful breeding and pinhooking results should be used in our shop window as one of our key advertising tools to inspire and sell the industry. TDN: What do you think horse racing’s perception is for the general public? JK: It’s evident that the general public’s perception of horse racing is that it is an elitist sport, and so not accessible to the man on the street. Horse Racing Ireland and Great British Racing are doing a lot to help with this topic and widen the sports appeal. Initiatives such as the two year old auction race programme are great incentives to allow smaller owners and trainers to be competitive. TDN: How would you attract more young people into the workforce? JK: I’d show them how a role in the breeding sector can be so varied. Young people generally have a desire to travel. A career in the breeding industry can take you to many different corners of the world, in many different roles, learning many different skill sets. It’s an industry that can offer you a brilliant lifestyle (trust me on this one!) and we should be using that angle as a selling point. TDN: Who is your favorite racehorse of all time and why? JK: Hurricane Fly. A solid source of income during the college years! He had a serious constitution and a will to win like no other. We all want to breed good looking, fluid moving horses but at the end of the day they have to perform on the track and he sure did that. TDN: Tell us something about yourself that not many people would know. JK: It’s not common knowledge but once or twice a year I really enjoy a pint! TDN: What would you like to achieve in the next 5 years? JK: To breed or pinhook a Royal Ascot winner and get to see more of my brother who is also busy carving a career for himself in the Sporthorse Industry! View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday’s Insights features maidens from Ireland and France. 1.35 Naas, Mdn, €17,500, 2yo, 5fT Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s LAND FORCE (IRE) (No Nay Never), a €350,000 Goffs Orby graduate, is a son of 2007 G3 Summer S. victress Theann (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) and is thus a half-brother to 2015 GI Rodeo Drive S. and 2016 GI First Lady S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Aidan O’Brien trainee faces five rivals in this unveiling. 3.30 Lyon-Parilly, Mdn, €16,000, unraced 3yo, 10fT Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard’s MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) (Frankel {GB}), a €200,000 Arqana August purchase, is out of the stakes-winning 2003 G1 Irish Oaks and GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf runner-up and debuts for Pascal Bary in this newcomers’ affair. His 16 rivals include Haras d’Etreham’s homebred gelding Germaniste (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), a son of 2006 G1 Prix Saint-Alary victress and G1 Prix de Diane second Germance (Silver Hawk), representing Fabrice Chappet; and Alain and Gerard Wertheimer’s homebred Sleep Walker (GB) (Kitten’s Joy), a son of 2005 G3 Prix d’Arenberg and G3 Prix Eclipse runner-up Sweet Travel (Ire) (Danzig), from the Andre Fabre stable. View the full article

Carol Culp, wife of the late Thoroughbred trainer Harvey Culp, passed away Apr. 11 at home and surrounded by family and loving friends. Carol was the first female to receive a license as an exercise rider on the tracks throughout New England in the early 1950s. Well known throughout the Midwestern tracks for her great smile and loving personality, she was passionate about the sport of racing, and even more passionate about the people who devoted their lives to these magnificent animals. Carol always had time to speak with the people who made the business tick, from the hot walkers, to the trainers, veterinarians, and owners. The Hall family has extensive ties to the Thoroughbred industry. Carol’s father Norman was a full-time horseman who was a frequent judge at the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden, a Thoroughbred breeder and Huntsman for the Norfolk Hunt Club. The Norman Hall S. at Suffolk Downs was run annually in East Boston in his honor. Three of Carol’s four siblings continue to be involved in the horse industry. Dr. Pete Hall is a veterinarian who was stabled at Monmouth Park for over 25 years before “retiring” to join the Keeneland selections team. Dr. Hall was the attending veterinarian for Holy Bull. John Hall worked with Taylor Made Farm for over 20 years where he and his team raised the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah during his yearling year. Holly Hall runs an equine boarding facility at the location of the original Hall Family homestead in Massachusetts. Bill Hall may not have walked the path of a horseman, clearly the brains of the bunch, as he became a highly esteemed Geophysicist. Carol’s legacy lives on as generations of her family continue to be involved in the horse industry. She is survived by her daughters Charlene (Tony) Weber of Dousman, WI and Cathleen (Louis) Martin of Rush, CO, five grandchildren and siblings Bill (Ruth) Hall, Dr. Pete (Patty) Hall, John (Devi) Hall, and Holly Hall. Carol will be remembered for her selfless nature, embracing love and devotion to her faith and family. All of five foot in stature, she may have been little, but she was fierce. Her heart was truly bigger than she was. A celebration of her life will be held on July 28 at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Norfolk, MA. View the full article

You certainly know the given name Ogden and the surname Phipps, but you may not know much about this particular Odgen Phipps. He is Ogden Phipps II, the 40-year-old son of Odgen Mills “Dinny” Phipps, who passed away in April, 2016. Going back to the late 1800s, the Phipps family has been a visible and integral part of the sport. That is not about to change as Ogden Phipps II has filled the void left by his father’s passing and is clearly intent on seeing to it that the famed black and cherry silks continue to be a major force in horse racing. Ogden Phipps II is our guest on this week’s Thoroughbred Daily News podcast, brought to you by Taylor Made. Click here to listen. View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro) could provide a good gauge for the relative quality of this year’s sophomore fillies based at Oaklawn and Fair Grounds as she ships from the latter to contest the GIII Fantasy S. Friday. A convincing winner of the GII Demoiselle S. in December, the Gary Barber pupil has come up a bit short in each subsequent try, and was most recently third beaten 3/4 of a length in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 24. The fleet-footed Amy’s Challenge (Artie Schiller) earned huge figures for a pair of Canterbury Park wins last term, and defeated talented ‘Rising Star’ Mia Mischief (Into Mischief) in the local Dixie Belle S. Jan. 20. Mia Mischief came back to air by 8 1/4 lengths in the Purple Martin S., while Amy’s Challenge stretched out for the Mar. 10 GIII Honeybee S., and settled for second in between Cosmic Burst (Violence) and Sassy Siena (Midshipman) after setting extremely swift splits. Harbor Lights (Shackleford) might be worth a long look. A debut winner at Ellis in August, she was off the board in her next two attempts, but resurfaced to score impressively over track and trip in a Mar. 15 optional claimer. View the full article

Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel's European champion Lady Aurelia will face nine rivals April 14 when she kicks off her 2018 campaign in the 22nd running of the $100,000 Giant's Causeway Stakes at Keeneland. View the full article

Dragic (Broken Vow) quickly went to the front and never looked back to earn her cap and gown Thursday at Keeneland. The $100,000 Keeneland September purchase broke swiftly as the 4-5 favorite from her rail draw and led the field into the far turn. She was met with a challenge by Lorrie G (Mineshaft) at the quarter pole, but shrugged that off in the stretch before holding Lady Apple (Curlin) at bay in the final strides for the score by a length, stopping the clock for the 4 1/2 furlongs in :52.39. Dragic is a daughter of GII Forward Gal S. heroine Letgomyecho (Menifee) and is a half to GSW J Boys Echo (Mineshaft). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Steven M. Bell B- Betz J Betz Burns CHNNHK Magers CoCo Equine. T-Wesley Ward. View the full article

Funny how the brain, and sometimes soul, reacts to the passing of an era or a legacy. Sometimes one tosses hands up, turns eyes skyward, and thanks the most favored ruler(s) of the cosmos. At other times the passing may not grab one’s attention at first, but of a sudden (like meeting a deadline), it pops into the brain and the “little grey cells,” to paraphrase Hercule Poirot, start to process. Such is the case with the passing last month of Thunder Gulch and Elusive Quality, two accomplished racehorses and sires whose imprints are large, and who owe their existence to their two remarkable sires, Gulch and Gone West, respectively. The latter two had the distinction of being born in a year that perhaps rivaled international anxiety almost as much as Y2K would sixteen years later: 1984. George Orwell’s somewhat poorly projected apocalyptic year notwithstanding, this crop of American-bred colts was a sight to see on the racetrack. You had Alysheba, champion at three and winner of the 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, who was upset in the Belmont S. by Bet Twice. You had Capote, juvenile champion of the previous year, and Java Gold, who won Grade I races at two and three. Then there was Cryptoclearance, seemingly indestructible multiple graded winner at three, four and five, and a bevy of others who etched their skills into racing fans’ psyches–Afleet, Ascot Knight, Homebuilder, Leo Castelli, Lost Code, Pentelicus, Polish Navy, Seattle Dancer and Slew City Slew. Quite a crew. This correspondent had the honor and privilege of watching most of them closely on the backstretch as well as on the track–a member of that crop bred, syndicated and managed by your correspondent by name of Omar Khayyam was stabled at Belmont Park and had the moxie to finish a close fourth to Leo Castelli, Gone West and Shawklit Won in the GIII Colin S., a major Belmont Stakes prep. These were very good horses, and our ownership group did not need the perspective of time to drop our collective jaws at the end of that race. What struck us during those heady days was how different-looking most of these horses were from each other and, upon further inspection, how their pedigrees matched up. Interestingly, this was the era in which Mr. Prospector established himself as an epochal sire, and four of his sons were Afleet, Gone West, Gulch, and Homebuilder, who all had the same versatile racing profile; while his son Fappiano was represented by distance-loving Cryptoclearance and the speedball Pentelicus. Mr. Prospector’s great Raise a Native sire-line rival at stud was Alydar, the sire of Alysheba. Later, the perspective of time and the introduction of biomechanical analysis has given an eyebrow-arching insight into why only two of these colts went on to establish sire lines of their own–and how we have come to witness the end of one as the other goes from strength to strength. (Caveat: Cryptoclearance’s son Ride the Rails begot Candy Ride (ARG), but that was a one-off, so to speak.) From a pedigree perspective, the money was always on Gone West, even though in truth most considered Gulch to be a better racehorse (look up the records). The pedigree bias was clearly because of their dams’ families. Gone West’s dam was Secrettame, a nice but not spectacular stakes winner by Secretariat, Mr. Prospector’s contemporary who by 1984 was considered somewhat of a disappointment as a sire. Secrettame brought one of the great heritages to the breeding shed: Her siblings included Tentam and Known Fact, outstanding milers on opposite sides of the Atlantic and very good sires. Their dam traced to Alope, whose daughter Aloe gave us Knight’s Daughter, she responsible for Round Table and Monarchy, a very influential sire and broodmare respectively. On the other hand, Gulch’s pedigree was more street-fighter than cricketeer. His dam Jameela was one of the toughest fillies of the late 20th Century, winning 27 of 58 starts including 17 stakes–including a pair that were Grade Is in New York. She was by Rambunctious, a son of Rasper II whose line included that stallion and two other hard-knockers on the track and at stud in Rock Talk and Talc, stalwarts of the Maryland and New York breeding programs, respectively, in the 1980s. Beyond Jameela, however, the family highpoints were mostly local Mid-Atlantic in scope. However, what Jameela and her tribe brought to the battle was pugnacity. One could watch her be challenged and imagine she was ready to knock her rivals off their stride without touching them, much as an accomplished roller derby queen might approach the task. Her son was no slouch in that respect, often nailing rivals who might arch an eyebrow at the upstart and then simply huff a “by your leave.” An examination of the hidden reasons these two established themselves as the sires-of-the-crop lies in their biomechanical profiles. This may be a tough sell to many who saw Gone West and Gulch daily on the track or who visited the breeding sheds at Claiborne and Lane’s End respectively: They were the same size, had basically the same dimensions in their measurements, and were as close to being fraternal twins by Phenotype as one could hope to get. They also were very close in size and scope to the same group of stallions–such as Exclusive Native, Lypheor, Buckaroo and Wild Again–who are the “average-sized” horse that blends best with mares of varying physical types. O.K. then, one might say, how come it appears that last year’s retirement of Gulch’s classic-winning son Point Given and last month’s passing of Thunder Gulch have ended Gulch’s male line while Gone West is still going strong through Elusive Quality and Speightstown? Part of the reason might be pedigree, part of the reason might be marketplace dynamics, part of the reason might be that the Gulch line was more diverse in size and Phenotype, while the Gone West line adhered more to the average. No matter what the reason, few observers at the time would have bet these two in an exacta on who would lead their exceptional crop into the stallion success record books, Mr. Orwell aside. Bob Fierro is a partner with Jay Kilgore and Frank Mitchell in DataTrack International, biomechanical consultants and developers of BreezeFigs. He can be reached at bbfq@earthlink.net. View the full article

Naas gets a second chance to host Friday’s G3 Alleged S. after last Sunday’s scheduled meet was abandoned, and the delayed proceedings provide an early opportunity for last year’s G1 Irish Derby and G1 St Leger hero Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Epsom Derby runner-up Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a renewal where Galileo (Ire) is responsible for four of the five runners. The former is burdened with the concession of five pounds and more to his rivals, and trainer Aidan O’Brien is confident he’ll come on significantly for the outing. “Capri is in good form, he’s just ready to start and will improve a lot from the run,” commented O’Brien. “The [heavy] ground is far from ideal, especially starting off [the season], but we need to get him out. Cliffs of Moher is going to improve a lot also and we’re obviously worried about the ground for him too. He’s just ready to start off, but will turn inside out after the run.” Ballydoyle is also responsible for G3 Ballysax S. and G3 Derrinstown Derby Trial placegetter Yucatan (Ire) (Galileo {Ire) and the field is completed by Qatar Racing Ltd’s dual stakes-placed Cannonball (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and September’s Listed John Musker Fillies’ S. victress Beautiful Morning (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). View the full article

Champion and ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Unique Bella (Tapit) will be an extremely short price in Friday’s GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn Park. The grey won five of six last season, capped by a win in the seven-panel GI La Brea S. Dec. 26 that ultimately landed her an Eclipse Award for top female sprinter. But her prowess around one turn certainly doesn’t mean she can’t handle two bends or this nine-furlong trip. She was the early GI Kentucky Oaks favorite last year thanks to route romps in the one-mile GII Las Virgenes S. and GIII Santa Ysabel S., and the nine furlongs of this event didn’t look like it’d be any kind of obstacle when the grey crushed her competition by nine lengths and earned a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure on seasonal debut in the Feb. 10 GII Santa Maria S. Forced to miss the GI Santa Margarita at home due to a cough, the daughter of 2010 GI Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled’s Song) will be shipping away from her California home for the first time and might have some wet weather to contend with. Unbridled Mo (Uncle Mo), second choice on the morning line at 5-1, annexed the GIII Houston Ladies Classic and GIII Doubledogdare S. in an abbreviated two-race 2017 campaign. She was fourth in the GIII Royal Delta S. over a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Feb. 19. Four-time Grade II winner Farrell (Malibu Moon) was the best of three returnees from the Mar. 17 GII Azeri S.-she finished third. View the full article

In this ongoing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses, the latter of which plays host to the final prep for next month’s G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)–the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) over the metric mile and a quarter: Saturday, April 14, 2018 9th-NKY, ¥19,000,000 ($177k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800mT HOLIDAY MODE (c, 3, Point of Entry–Ski Holiday, by Harlan’s Holiday) posted narrow runner-up efforts in his first two trips to the post late last year before breaking through with a powerful front-running success Jan. 20 (gate 1). The first foal for his dam, a stakes winner and Grade III-placed on turf, Holiday Mode descends from the family of GISW Creaking Board (GB) and is bred on the same cross over Storm Cat responsible for ‘TDN Rising Star’ Analyze It. B-Shimokobe Farm (KY) 11th-HSN, Arlington Cup-G3, ¥72m ($671k), 3yo, 1600mT A debut second going 1400m last November, AIR ALMAS (c, 3, Majestic Warrior–Nokaze, by Empire Maker) added an extra furlong and was the easy winner of a course-and-distance maiden when last seen Dec. 2 (gate 5). The added real estate should suit, as the colt’s third dam includes Glorious Song, Saint Ballado, Devil’s Bag and MGSW & MG1SP Danon Ballade (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). B-Sekie & Tsunebumi Yoshihari (KY) Sunday, April 15, 2018 6th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($128k), Allowance, 3yo, 2000mT AMERICAN WORLD (c, 3, Kitten’s Joy–Limonar {Ire}, by Street Cry {Ire}), a $350K KEESEP yearling purchase, finished a close third in his second career appearance in November, then broke through with a decisive, eased-down success in his sophomore debut Jan. 13 (gate 6). A half-brother to SW & GSP Mokarris (More Than Ready), the chestnut is also kin to a 2-year-old colt by Noble Mission (GB) that fetched $125K at KEESEP last fall and is cataloged as lot 160 at next week’s Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale. B-St Elias Stables LLC (KY) 11th-NKY, Satsuki Sho-G1, ¥210m ($1.96m), 3yo, 2000mT Koji Maeda homebred GENDARME (c, 3, Kitten’s Joy-Believe {Jpn}, by Sunday Silence) hasn’t missed the top three in his four starts to date, including a victory in last year’s G3 Daily Hai Nisai S. (see below, gate 3). He figures to find some improvement off a comebacking third to champion Danon Premium (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho over track and trip Mar. 4 (video, gate 3). His champion dam has also produced MSW & G1SP Faridat (Kingmambo), SW & GSP Fiducia (Medaglia d’Oro) and Elisheva (Smart Strike), an allowance winner last weekend at Fukushima. B-North Hills Co Ltd (KY) View the full article

In three attempts at Group 1 level, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Prompt Response (Aus) (Beneteau {Aus}) has been beaten by no greater margin than three-parts of a length, and comes into Saturday’s G1 Coolmore Legacy S. having won twice at Group 2 level from her last four starts this preparation. Having never won at the track or at the distance, her last start 1500m victory over Oregon’s Day (Aus) (Domesday {Aus}) and Dixie Blossoms (Aus) (Street Sense {USA}) has her ready for her fourth attempt at an elite level win. Successful in the G1 Coolmore Classic before beaten three-quarters of a length into fifth in a blanket finish in the G2 Emancipation S. behind Prompt Response, the Ron Quinton-trained Daysee Doom (Aus) (Domesday {Aus}) has to overcome her draw of barrier 17, but if she can get across when they jump away from the gates, the 5-year-old likes to lead and should be in it for a long way. With a different racing pattern of getting back and running on, stablemate Dixie Blossoms has drawn to the immediate inside of Daysee Doom and after a narrow third over 1600m at Group 1 level in the spring behind Shoals (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Corey Brown looks to have a great chance of winning the final Group 1 of The Championships. Catalogued to be sold at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in late May, Andrew Noblet’s Group 1-winning mare Silent Sedition (Aus) (War Chant {USA} will be looking to further add to her already impressive broodmare value, and after her narrow third in the G1 Coolmore Classic on Mar. 17, the 5-year-old mare has since won a barrier trial by three lengths in readiness for Saturday. The Ken Keys-trained Spanish Reef (Aus) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) comes into the race off wins at her last three, twice at black-type level highlighted by an impressive two-and-three-quarter length win over 1600m in the G2 Sunline S. last start, the 4-year-old, while never having raced at Group 1 level, looks ready to give this race a shake if her form is anything to go by. View the full article

Tough when winning the G1 Tancred S. (2400m) over Ambitious (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) last start, the Liam Howley-trained Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) is in a purple patch of form, which should see him good enough to be the first G1 Melbourne Cup winner since the great Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King (Ire}) in 2004 to take out the Sydney Cup as well. Contesting his fifth consecutive Sydney Cup, having finished second on two occasions as well as fourth, there would be no more worthy winner of the A$2-million contest than the Chris Waller-trained Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) (Yamanin Vital {NZ}), and after working home well at a big price for third in the Tancred last start, the rising 10-year-old looks capable of another big run in the race. A stablemate to Almandin, 6-year-old Aloft (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the one at the weights to watch, carrying just 51kgs on his back. A winner over 2600m last time in the Listed Roy Higgins Qty, where he defeated Fanatic (NZ) (Shocking {Aus}) by a length, with the runner-up next winning the G2 Adelaide Cup on her next start, the Liam Howley-trained runner is already a winner over 3219m at Listed level and looks to have everything in his favour here. With only 52kgs on his back, Richard Freedman’s Auvray (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) has two wins over 3000m and although he failed in the 2016 Sydney Cup, he heads into Saturday’s race in a lot better form, and owners the China Horse Club could be in for their first Sydney Cup winner. Battling it out down the Randwick straight in the G2 Chairman’s Qty, the New Zealand-based visitor Sir Charles Road (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and Ventura Storm (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) both drop significantly in weight here over the 3200m, which should see both capable of playing their hand when it counts. View the full article

With three of the last four winners of the G1 Australian Oaks (2400m) coming through either the New Zealand Derby or the New Zealand Oaks, three of Saturday’s runners come through those form lines, but this year’s G1 Vinery Stud S. over 2000m could prove a better pointer to the result. Won impressively by Mick Price’s Hiyaam (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), the G1 Vinery Stud S.-winning filly looks to have the right attributes heading into the 2400m, having also finished a pleasing third in the G1 VRC Oaks over 2500m during the spring. Charging late as she so often does, Chris Waller’s Unforgotten (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was just under two lengths behind Hiyaam in second last time out, but the start prior over 1500m, finished ahead of her, indicating that the Vinery one-two could finish the same here. Dominant in the G3 Lowland S. (2100m) and the G1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Savvy Coup (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) looks to be another one capable of giving a New Zealand-bred their fifth consecutive victory in the race through her strong staying prowess. A winner of the G2 Wakeful S. during the spring before fourth in the G1 VRC Oaks five days later, the John Sargent-trained Luvaluva (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) comes into Saturday’s Oaks off the back of two impressive Group 3 victories over 1600m and 2000m and should be ready fourth up for the 2400m. Failing as the short-priced favourite in the G1 VRC Oaks, Aloisia (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}) has had somewhat of a quite preparation compared to the spring, but heads to the Oaks after a third behind Hiyaam and Unforgotten. Likely to start one of the outsiders of the 13-horse field, Nigel Blackiston’s Naivasha (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}) is coming off a seven-length win over 2100m at just her third start, showing improvement each time she has step up in trip, and could be a horse for the future. View the full article

With A$4-million in prizemoney on offer, Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), the world’s greatest racehorse, will face the largest field she has raced against since September last year in an attempt to equal Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus})’s unbeaten run of 25 consecutive race wins, as well as record back to back running’s of the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. Second to Winx in the G1 George Ryder on Mar. 18, before making the G1 Doncaster H. his own last start with a two-length victory, triple Group 1 winner Happy Clapper (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}) looks ready to achieve his fourth Group 1 second placing to the Champion mare. Set to have his third Australian start, the Anthony Freedman-trained Ambitious (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), has two wins over the 2000m, most recently when defeating dual Japanese Horse of the Year Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}) and if the drop back from a last start second in the G1 Tancred S. over 2400m poses no issue, a forward showing would not surprise at all. Dropping back to his more preferred 2000m trip, Gailo Chop (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}) has seven wins at the trip, including two back in the Ranvet S. on Mar. 24, and the Mark Zahra-ridden gelding is in with place claims. A stablemate to Gailo Chop, the Darren Weir-trained Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}) is remembered as running Winx to a narrow margin in last year’s G1 Cox Plate and as a winner over 2000m in the G1 Australian Cup, jockey Blake Shinn should be able to ensure the 5-year-old gets a good run in transit and looks ready for an improved run up to his right trip. The interesting runner in the race is the Ken Condon-trained Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy {USA}), an international who has come over for the race and is having his first Australian start. Beaten with ease at his past two starts behind the world class-Cracksman (GB) (Frankel ({GB}) and Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), his two starts prior to those were a win in the G2 York S. and a narrow Group 3 second to Johannes Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a horses well-known to Australian’s, having had three Group 1 starts here for a most recent second in the Melbourne Cup. View the full article

Some eight years ago, Green Lantern Stables’ homebred Karelian (Bertrando) came from just off the pace to score by a little more than a length in the GI Maker’s Mark Mile. The Masson family operation is in line for another victory in the race–now known as the Maker’s 46 Mile–Friday afternoon in the form of Karelian’s homebred half-brother Frostmourne (Speightstown). A stakes winner at two, the dark bay padded his resume with victories in last year’s GII Penn Mile ahead of a six-length romp in the GIII Kent S. Fourth to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) in the GIII Hill Prince S., Frostmourne made a victorious return to action with a one-length optional claiming success at Gulfstream Mar. 16. Speaking of senior citizens, Hogy (Offlee Wild) is a known commodity in Lexington, albeit at turf sprints, where he has placed three times combined in the GII Shakertown S. and GII Woodford S. But making his 50th trip to the post last time and trying a mile for the first time in 2 1/2 years, the 9-year-old former claimer steamed home to take the GIII Canadian Turf S. by a widening 3 3/4 lengths. Heart to Heart (English Channel) is the likely speed of the speed in here and also has an admirable record over the course, with an allowance tally and back-to-back runner-up efforts in this event. He earned a richly deserved top-level success last time in the GI Gulfstream Park Turf S. Feb. 10, but will be kept honest by the likes of Om (Munnings) and perhaps the rail-drawn Nileator (Pioneerof the Nile). “We space his races and he tells us when he’s ready and when he’s not,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “He’s been a lovely, sound horse throughout his career, so we’ve been blessed with that. He’s just a horse that with racing and time and maturity seems to have gotten better and better.” Ballagh Rocks (Stormy Atlantic), a close fourth in this event last year and third in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile in the fall, is not without his chances, nor is California shipper Next Shares (Archarcharch), who popped a 102 Beyer in a half-length defeat in the GI F.E. Kilroe Mile S. at Santa Anita Mar. 10. View the full article

SYDNEY, Australia–The Chairman’s Sale of Elite Breeding Prospects picked up the sales action in Sydney on Thursday the day after the conclusion of the Easter Yearling Sale. While the Easter sale showed some polarization the Chairman’s sale was markedly tougher, with a clearance rate of just 58% at the end of the day’s trade casting a dark cloud over proceedings. The Chairman’s sale was inaugurated last year and was deemed a success, with 70 sold (86%) from 93 catalogued over the evening session, including three seven-figure lots. With more than double catalogued this year, 105 were sold for A$24,010,000, at an average of A$228,667 and a median of A$160,000. There was one seven-figure sale on Thursday (Editor’s Note: Inglis continues to update the statistics on its website post-sale with private sales). Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster was quick to admit the sales company had got the timing of the sale and the selection criteria wrong. “We introduced the Chairman’s Sale last year with a view that we wanted to assemble and offer a catalogue of elite breeding prospects and we were quite strict about the selection criteria for that sale,” he said. “We kept the catalogue at a manageable level to be held the day after the Easter yearling sale. We had 90 in the catalogue and had quite a strict standard of foals and mares. They sold really well, we had a fantastic sale.” “This year, there were two things we should have done: with a catalogue of 200, we should have moved the sale back a day and given everyone a bit more time to inspect the foals and mares. We weren’t expecting 200, we were thinking we’d get another 90 and just offer an evening session, but it’s ended up being a more challenging day with so many to offer.” “The second thing would be that I don’t think we’ve maintained the standard of the foals and mares in the catalogue, so that has affected the clearance rate. There is plenty for us to improve upon when it comes to this format next year. We did talk to vendors about their preferred time for this sale and a lot of them said, ‘just keep going after the yearlings like you did last year.’ I think we should have changed it and given everyone a day’s break when the catalogue got up to 200. We made an error and that’s affected the overall feel of the sale; we’re happy to admit that we can improve in the future.” The sale included a mix of race fillies, mares, foals, and stallion seasons and shares, with mares filling the top eight prices. A A$150,000 Pierro colt topped a very selective foal section, while Phoenix Thoroughbreds spent A$575,000 on a lifetime breeding right to I Am Invincible (Aus) to top that portion of the sale. Yulong Loads Up… Yuesheng Zhang’s Yulong Investments has made a significant commitment to Australia in recent years, including the development of his Yulong Park breeding and training establishment and the purchase of quality stock to fill it. Zhang will add two more gems to his 80-strong Australasian broodmare band after signing in quick succession for the young Group 2 winner Gypsy Diamond (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) (lot 67) (a sale-topping A$1.35-million) and her dam, Gypsy Tucker (Aus) (Zabeel {NZ}) (lot 68) (A$800,000), at the Chairman’s sale on Thursday. Both mares were offered as part of the unreserved reduction of Finemore Thoroughbreds and Planette Thoroughbred Trading. Gypsy Diamond was a winner three times at group level and was Group 1-placed, and was sold in foal to I Am Invincible (Aus), having produced a Brazen Beau (Aus) colt in 2016 and having slipped when in foal to Tavistock (NZ) last year. Her 13-year-old dam, who has produced three winners from three to race, was sold in foal to Snitzel (Aus). They descend from the same family as the great producer Fanfreluche. “Gypsy Diamond was a great race-performing mare and she’s in foal to I Am Invincible, so the chance of coming back through the sales ring and getting a good return is great,” said Yulong’s Sam Fairgray. “What Mr. Zhang is trying to achieve here in Australia is building a good commercial broodmare band for the future when we eventually stand stallions, so we’ll have a good broodmare band we can support them with.” “We really like the pedigree with Redoute’s Choice, Zabeel, Mr. Prospector; there are so many things that will work with Australian stallions within that pedigree,” he added. “She’s a lovely young mare and a great type of mare and it’ll be great to have her in our broodmare band.” Of Gyspy Tucker, Fairgray added, “We have several Zabeel mares on the farm and she has produced Gypsy Diamond. There are a couple other fillies in the family that have gone to stud so the family will keep on improving. I know both of them well as when I was at Arrowfield we had Gypsy Tucker there when she went to stud and foaled down Gypsy Diamond.” The market across both this week’s Easter Sale and Chairman’s Sale showed some polarization at the top end, and Fairgray said, “I think the way the market is you have to branch out to get these sorts of quality mares. As we’ve seen in the sales ring and the way racing is in Australia at the moment and the international interest, the industry is so strong at the moment. Being able to access mares of this quality and add them to our broodmare band will be good for our future. I think the industry has become a lot more educated on what’s required for yearlings and mares and so forth. People are zeroing in on the certain individuals that have the right pedigrees, are the right type and have the right performance to be able to get a return.” The scope of Yu Long encompasses breeding to race and sell, and the farm offered its first consignment at the Inglis Premier sale last month. “There are 80 broodmares in our band and 20 of them are based in New Zealand as we’re shareholders in Preferment, a son of Zabeel that stands over there,” said Fairgray. “We’re wanting to grow that to 120. We have over 100 racehorses here. It’s all about getting those quality horses. Mr. Zhang has a real passion for the horse and the industry and just in the short time I’ve worked with him it’s fantastic to see his real passion for the horses. When he comes to the farm he goes out and pets them and loves them. He actually knows every horse on the farm when he goes there even though he’s not there that regularly, he can name every weanling, who it’s by, who it’s out of, who the mare is in foal to; it’s as much a business as passion for him.” Sun Bloodstock picked up another daughter of Gypsy Tucker, Here Comes Gypsy (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}), in foal to Gypsy Diamond’s sire Not A Single Doubt (Aus) for her first covering, for A$260,000. Yulong bought seven total mares on Thursday for a cumulative A$4.12-million. That haul also included the A$500,000 Veruschka (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 162), who had also featured at Tattersalls October in 2015 when bought by Coolmore connections for 2.1-million gns. The unraced filly is out of Loveisallyouneed (Sadler’s Wells), herself an unraced full-sister to Group 1 winners Yesterday (Ire) and Quarter Moon (Ire). Global Pedigrees Under The Hammer… Veruschka wasn’t the only well-related European-bred mare offered on Thursday; there were a handful of opportunities to buy into such coveted families at the sale. Paul Fudge of Waratah Thoroughbreds spent 450,000gns on the Oasis Dream (GB) filly My Sanctuary (GB) as a weanling at Tattersalls in 2012 and exported her to race in Australia. The bay picked up two wins to bolster her impeccable pedigree–she is a daughter of the German champion stayer Albanova (GB) (Alzao) and a half-sister to three stakes winners–and My Sanctuary is now headed back to her country of birth after Dermot Farrington secured her for A$600,000 on behalf of Paul Makin. Catalogued as lot 106, My Sanctuary was sold in foal to More Than Ready for her first mating. Fudge was dispersing his breeding stock at the Chairman’s sale but he is not leaving the industry, preferring to focus instead on racing going forward, and indeed he bought a colt by Shooting To Win (Aus) during the foal session on Thursday evening. Debbie Kepitis has the current queen of Australian racing in her racing stable in the great mare Winx (Aus), and Kepitis added a gem to her boutique bloodstock business, Woppitt Bloodstock, when securing the impeccably bred Posing (Medicean {GB}) (lot 117) for A$500,000 on Thursday. Originally a 260,000gns Tattersalls yearling purchase by Demi O’Byrne in 2013, Posing was a winner in four starts for Coolmore connections and was offered by that operation at the Chairman’s Sale. The 5-year-old mare is a granddaughter of the great producer Magnificient Style (Silver Hawk), the dam of Group 1 winners Nathaniel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Great Heavens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Playful Act (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and the matriarch of almost countless other black-type winners. Posing was covered by Frankel (GB) for her first mating before being exported to Australia. “I saw Frankel race and I loved him, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to buy him, basically, and it’s a very nice mare with a great pedigree that we’ll be able to breed here to all sorts of stallions,” Kepitis said. “It was partly to buy the Frankel but also to get the overseas pedigree.” Kepitis, herself the daughter of the legendary Thoroughbred breeder Bob Ingham, has eight mares as part of Woppitt Bloodstock. She races Winx in partnership with Peter Tighe and Richard Treweeke. “Winx I race as myself, but I have a bloodstock business that I have broodmares, racehorses; it’s a very small team that I just run more for fun but with a business mind to it. I’m only small at the moment, I myself have eight mares and I produce to race and sell, but primarily I’m a racer. I like racing, but to make the business work I do sell my progeny as well.” Another mare with a standout European pedigree on Thursday was Yarraman Park’s Pivotal (GB) mare Solar Moon (GB) (Dubai Sunrise) (lot 140), and Paul Willetts went to A$625,000 to take home the 6-year-old mare in foal to I Am Invincible for her third mating. Solar Moon is a granddaughter of Colorado Dancer (Shareef Dancer), and therefore her dam, Dubai Sunrise (Seeking The Gold), is a full-sister to Dubai Millennium. An Invasion Of Mares… Last year’s G1 Sires’ Produce S. winner Invader (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who enters stud this year at Aquis Farm, had a few high-quality suitors enter his first book during Thursday’s sale. Aquis went to A$750,000 for the 3-year-old Acqume (Aus) (Sepoy {Aus}) (lot 171). The current-season stakes-placed filly is out of the stakes-placed Acquired (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), a half-sister to the stakes winner and producer Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) (Stravinsky), and Aquis confirmed she would visit Invader this year. Acqume was a A$350,000 yearling. Invader has another confirmed mate from the sale in Moqueen (Aus) (Uncle Mo) (lot 102), who was bought by Andy Williams on behalf of an undisclosed client. Aquis, part of the partnership that raced Invader to a win in last year’s G1 Sires’ Produce S., will stand the stallion in partnership with Phoenix Thoroughbreds. Aquis had earlier in the session secured a close relation to Acqume in the Fastnet Rock (Aus) filly Sia (Aus) (lot 137) for A$780,000. Coolmore had sold Sia, a daughter of the Group 2 winner Hips Don’t Lie and a full-sister to stakes winners Ennis Hill (Aus) and Lake Geneva (Aus), to Damion Flower for A$1.1-million at Easter two years ago and the filly raced for a partnership including those two entities and broke her maiden first-out at two last year. Aquis could not confirm what stallion the filly would visit. Trade Tough For Foals… The selective nature of the sale became quickly apparent early in the day when just 12 of 30 weanlings offered changed hands. Tops amongst them was a Pierro (Aus) half-brother to the Singapore stakes-placed Desert Fox (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) (lot 30) knocked down to New Zealand’s Lyndhurst Farm for A$150,000. The colt’s value was likely helped by the fact that the Golden Slipper-winning sire is in current hot form and has produced an Oaks and a Derby winner from his first crop. Pierro is well in front as Australia’s leading second-season sire. The foal session began with the first foal to be offered at public auction by the G1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver (Aus), a stablemate of Pierro at Coolmore Australia. The colt from Rothwell Park (lot 13), a half-brother to the Group 2-placed Moreau (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), was bought by Gippsland Bloodstock for A$130,000. Two foals were catalogued by another first-crop Coolmore sire, Pride of Dubai (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), but they were passed in at A$130,000 and A$100,000. The third six-figure lot was a A$105,000 colt from the second crop of Darley sire Shooting To Win (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) (lot 38). The half-brother to the stakes-placed Hair Trigger (Aus) (Smart Missile {Aus}) was bought by agent Dermot Farrington on behalf of Paul Fudge, who will race the colt. Shooting To Win is the winner of the G1 Caulfield Guineas and is a full-brother to fellow first-crop yearling sire Deep Field (Aus), who stands at Newgate Farm. The buybacks during the foal session included a Snitzel filly with a reserve of A$350,000; An I Am Invincible filly with a A$200,000 reserve and a colt by the same sire with a A$150,000 reserve. Dermot Farrington also signed for the top offering from the stallion shares/breeding rights portion of the sale when acting on behalf of Phoenix Thoroughbreds to secure a lifetime breeding right to I Am Invincible (Aus) for A$575,000. I Am Invincible sits second to Snitzel on the Australian general sires’ table with five crops of racing age and is the sire of four Group 1 winners. I Am Invincible had five seven-figure yearlings at the Easter sale and was second to Fastnet Rock by average. Phoenix, as it has done globally, has been making steady inroads into the Australian industry and was also active as both a buyer and a seller at Easter. Phoenix, through David Lucas’s Lucas Bloodstock, sold seven for A$1.63-million at Easter and bought an I Am Invincible filly for A$500,000. Phoenix has thus far had one runner in Australia from its first batch of 10 2-year-olds, Hard As (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}), a winner on debut on the Sunshine Coast in February for trainer David Vandyke. Phoenix has about 22 broodmares Down Under and owns 25% of last year’s G1 Sires’ Produce S. winner Invader (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who enters stud this year at Aquis. “Our Southern Hemisphere operation is mostly focused on the breeding side so we’re trying to be strong with stallion shares and with broodmares,” said Phoenix’s Amer Abdulaziz. “We also have 2-year-olds and we’ve tried to buy some yearlings but some of them we liked were very highly priced so we passed on them. But the focus going forward is going to be the broodmares and stallions.” “So far with stallions we have 25% of Invader and the share we bought today in I Am Invincible, but we’re looking for other opportunities,” he added. “If the right opportunity comes along we’ll definitely pursue it.” (Click here for a TDN feature on Phoenix’s global operations). First Pharoah Mares Offered… Eight mares in foal to American Pharoah for his first Southern Hemisphere crop were offered at the Chairman’s Sale but even they were not immune to the day’s sticky market, with just three finding new homes. They were: Lot 104, My Conclusion (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}), a 10-year-old daughter of the New Zealand Classic winner Clean Sweep (NZ) (End Sweep), bought by Kingstar Farm for A$50,000; Lot 120, Prontezza (Aus) (More Than Ready), a daughter of the G1 Robert Sangster S. winner Rostova (Aus) (Testa Rossa {Aus}) bought by Yu Long for A$370,000; and Lot 129, the stakes-winning Sebring Sally (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}), bought by Belmont Bloodstock for A$400,000. The sales action continues at Riverside Stable on Sunday with the three-day Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale. View the full article

Leading G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas candidate Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is on course for a racecourse gallop next week in Newmarket ahead of his Classic date over the same Rowley Mile on May 5. Trainer Mark Johnston had originally planed to give Sheikh Hamdan’s son of Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) a few away days to work on grass but one such trip to Pontefract was abandoned earlier this month when that meeting fell foul to the inclement weather. Giving an update on last year’s G3 Tattersalls S. winner Johnston’s son Charlie said, “We had a few back-up plans after Pontefract was abandoned, but obviously we haven’t had any turf racing on the Flat for nearly two weeks now. He hasn’t had chance to have that away-day, but he worked at home last Saturday and we were very, very happy with him. Joe [Fanning] came in and sat on him and everyone was delighted.” On galloping plans for next week at Newmarket Johnston continued, “The plan is still for him to go to the Craven meeting next week for a racecourse gallop. We haven’t firmed up which day he’ll go yet, but hopefully that will give Jim [Crowley] an opportunity to sit on him and Sheikh Hamdan an opportunity to see him, if he’s there.” It is 24 years since Mark Johnston won his only 2000 Guineas when Mister Baileys (GB) (Robellino) scored in 1994 and should Elarqam achieve Guineas glory he would be emulating both his parents Frankel (GB) and Attraction who won their respective Guineas’ in 2011 and 2004. That significance is not lost on Johnston junior who added, “The Guineas is less than four weeks away now and we’re counting down the days.” View the full article

This year's BMW Hong Kong Derby form gets its first true test when Exultant and Ruthven step out in the Class Two Kowloon Cricket Club Centenary Cup (2,200m) and both horses' jockeys believe the extra distance will bring out their best. Exultant was third and Ruthven fourth behind Ping Hai Star and Singapore Sling in the Derby and will be tested against older horses as connections look towards the Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup over 2,400m at the end of... View the full article

On the pace was the place to be at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, with the light bias that we see as often as not when the rail goes back in and that made the effort of Jolly Gains an eye-catcher in the second race. The A course at Happy Valley is very fresh ground on the inside and often – not always but often – looks to give some help to horses racing forward and against the inside and the second event was the race that suggested it was in play to at least some extent on... View the full article

In-vogue Italian jockey Alberto Sanna isn’t content with just gaining a licence extension through to the end of this season and hopes his lightweight status can help him push for a full-time place on the competitive Hong Kong roster. Sanna arrived via a successful stint in the Middle East that included a jockeys’ championship in Bahrain and runner-up finish in Qatar, which, while impressive, is a left-field résumé for a club jockey. After a short fill-in stint last... View the full article

POLICE will investigate the attempted sabotage of Thursday’s Kilmore race meeting after two steel rods were discovered protruding from the track. View the full article

POLICE will be called in to investigate “a diabolical act” after two steel spikes were found driven into the racetrack forcing a meeting at Kilmore to be abandoned. View the full article

POLICE will be called in to investigate the circumstances that led to a race meeting at Kilmore being abandoned. View the full article