Wandering Eyes

With the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and G1 1000 Guineas looming large, Deauville’s time-honoured trial, the G3 Prix Imprudence, offers the season’s first vital clues on Monday. Successful by 3 1/2 lengths in this venue’s G3 Prix de Cabourg over six furlongs in July, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Tantheem (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) surprisingly beat only one rival home on her only other start when favoured for the G1 Prix Morny over the same course and distance during the August festival and bids to get back on track. Fourth in the Morny but beaten just over a length, Martin Schwartz’s and Alain Jathiere’s Zonza (Fr) (Alex the Winner) is another who has winning pattern-race form at this venue having captured the five-furlong G3 Prix du Bois in July. She was fifth in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac tackling a mile at Chantilly on Arc day and may be more at home at this seven-furlong trip. There is a lurker in the field, with Al Shaqab’s narrow Mar. 2 debut Polytrack winner Talbah (GB) (Style Vendome {Fr}) trusted by trainer Nicolas Clement to justify his bold decision to pitch her into this grade. View the full article

Unbeaten records are always precious, but France’s joint-second top-rated juvenile of 2017 Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) now has to put his on the line as he re-emerges from his winter rest in Monday’s G3 Prix Djebel at Deauville. Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard’s bargain €10,000 private buy first advertised his mettle when scoring by five lengths in a 7 1/2-furlong conditions on soft ground here in August and was more dynamic next time when beating the useful Alba Power (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) by six in Saint-Cloud’s G3 Prix Thomas Bryon in October. Denied the opportunity to attempt a first top-level success in the protest-stricken G1 Criterium International back at the latter track, the bay who has put Stephane Wattel’s training career in the limelight could add further lustre to the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Again it is a British challenger who rates a serious threat and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}) had the class to beat the subsequent champion 2-year-old U S Navy Flag (War Front) in the G2 July S. at Newmarket prior to some fine efforts under resulting penalty. Third and fifth behind that rival in Newmarket’s G1 Middle Park S. and G1 Dewhurst S. during the autumn, he has stamina to prove. That is not an issue for Markus Jooste’s Woodmax (Ger) (Maxios {GB}), who was on the premises with some of Europe’s best when fourth in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at a mile on Chantilly’s Arc card. View the full article

The Grand National is arguably the most thrilling festival of racing on the planet and while many only associate the event with the big race on Saturday, for racing fans there is an additional 20 races over the three days featuring the very best horses, trainers and jockeys. The Grand Opening Day features no less than seven high quality races, four of those Grade 1, beginning with the Aintree Manifesto Novices and finishing with the Aintree Mares. If you are looking for some opening day tips then check out RaceBets ambassador Luke Harvey’s video preview below as he endeavors to guide you into some winning selections. 100% Deposit Bonus up to £50 50/1 For Sam Twiston-Davies on Blaklion to win the Grand National Grand National Festival Day 1 Schedule 13.40 – Manifesto Novices’ Chase 14.15 – Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle 14.50 – Betfred Bowl 15.25 – Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle 16.05 – Crabbie’s Fox Hunters Chase 16.40 – Red Rum Chase 17.15 – Mares Standard Open Grand National Bet Now The post Grand National 2018 Day 1 Betting Preview, Tips and Schedule appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

BARKAA (FR), f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Dentelle (Fr), by Apeldoorn (Fr). (€66,000 Ylg ’16 ARAUG). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand & Jose Bruneau de la Salle; B-Jean-Pierre Colombu (FR); T-Fabrice Vermeulen; J-Cristian Demuro. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1, €93,650. *1/2 to My Old Husband (Fr) (Gentlewave {Ire}), Ch. 2yo Colt-Svk, MSW-Fr, SW-Swi & SP-Ity, $216,685; Danse du Soir (Fr) (Nombre Premier {GB}), MSP-Fr, $141,193; and Dumnonia (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}), Ch. 2yo Filly-Svk, Ch. 3yo Filly-Svk & SP-Ity. Underestimated in Sunday’s G3 Prix Vanteaux at ParisLongchamp, Gerard Augustin-Normand and Jose Bruneau De La Salle’s Barkaa (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was clear best at the end of this early G1 Prix de Diane trial to reward takers of the 7-1 on offer. Registering a first black-type win in the Listed Prix de la Californie at a mile on Cagnes-Sur-Mer’s Polytrack Feb. 11, the bay raced behind the leading duo early taking a perfect tow. Asked to stretch by Cristian Demuro once straightened for home, she took control passing the quarter pole and powered clear of Soustraction (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to record a four-length verdict, with three lengths back to Princesschope (Fr) (Panis) in third. The 2-1 favourite Toujours (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) never featured and was beaten almost 10 lengths in fifth. View the full article

The Chairman’s Trophy could not have been less like the mile feature races we’ve been seeing all season and that was the key to bringing former Group One star Beauty Only back from the wilderness and from the brink of retirement in a shock result. Not long ago, the Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Only would have been favourite for a race like the designated Champions Mile lead-up but the seven-year-old went out a 36-1 outsider before his old accomplice Neil Callan backed up some positive... View the full article

Beat The Clock didn’t do anything more than live up to the expectations of champion jockey Joao Moreira when he turned over the Hong Kong Sprint winner Mr Stunning in the Group Two Sprint Cup to throw down his own international credentials. Beat The Clock has been one of the many sprint finds for John Size this season, graduating quickly from a Class Two win in November to racing the very best two months later and his brilliant Group Two win on Sunday was the equivalent of tossing his... View the full article

As the usual round of big-race decisions rapidly approach for Joao Moreira, Neil Callan’s win on Beauty Only was a reminder that being without a seat when the music stops isn’t always the worst place to be in this game of musical chairs. Sometimes Hong Kong racing’s jockey merry-go-round just doesn’t matter and for all of the decisions Moreira has to make over the next few days – Beat The Clock or Ivictory in a Group One sprint, or choosing between Pakistan Star,... View the full article

CHILEAN (GB), c, 3, Iffraaj (GB)–Childa (Ire) (SW & GSP-Fr, $106,049), by Duke of Marmalade (Ire). (130,000gns Ylg ’16 TAOCT). O-Manton Estate Racing; B-Ed’s Stud Ltd (GB); T-Martyn Meade; J-Oisin Murphy. €40,000. Lifetime Record: SW-Eng, 5-3-0-0, €75,037. Last seen finishing sixth in a strong renewal of the G1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October, Chilean took to the newly reopened ParisLongchamp on Sunday to add to his prior black-type success in the Listed Ascendant S. at Haydock in September. Sent off at a generous 5-1 with domestic hopes placed mainly on The Niarchos Family’s exciting Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the bay raced freely in a close-up second throughout the early stages before being committed by Oisin Murphy at the top of the straight. Asserting inside the last 100 metres as the 8-5 favourite made inroads from behind, the British visitor hit the line with 1 1/4 lengths to spare, with Study of Man 3/4 of a length ahead of the fellow strong finisher Stable Genius (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). View the full article

There was something John Size-like about Frankie Lor Fu-chuen’s first-up winner Superich and now the first-year trainer is within sight of a Size record after his three-year-old’s soft debut win. Superich caned his rivals in a 1,000m Class Four with something in hand, and winning like many of Size’s progressive Private Purchase Griffins have over the years. The victory was Lor’s 44th of the season, equalling Caspar Fownes’ win total in his rookie campaign, and just... View the full article

The provincial circuit in the Australian state of Queensland is turning into rich territory for finding future Hong Kong horses and the John Moore-trained Solar Patch joined the list after a smart winning debut at Sha Tin. Given a smart ride by Sam Clipperton, Solar Patch didn’t surprise anyone but the punters who took the odds-on about Lean Perfection when he ran out a convincing winner of the Beijing Clubhouse Anniversary Cup, meaning Moore is assembling some very useful three-year-olds... View the full article

After nine years spent abroad, for the most part as a manager of Sheikh Mohammed’s global operations, Olly Tait returned to Australia on a permanent basis exactly a year ago last weekend. It was just over 12 months ago that Tait and his wife, Amber, jumped at the chance to purchase Twin Hills Stud in Cootamundra, a farm that Tait had a hand in running during his time with Darley and that was also nearby to where he grew up in rural New South Wales. With now a year under his belt, Tait has a chance to reflect on the opportunities and challenges of starting a new business in the booming Australian bloodstock industry, and indeed on Saturday he had something to celebrate when Levendi (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) won the G1 Australian Derby. Twin Hills Stud purchased the dam, Lipari (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}), in foal to More Than Ready for A$170,000 at last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. “It’s a year to the day [on Saturday] that we took ownership of the farm and it’s gone really well,” Tait summarized. “Overall we are where we thought we’d be, but probably the way we got through the first year, there are elements that have gone better than anticipated and there are elements that have not lived up to my expectations. But, overall we’re in a good spot.” “The strength of the business is the quality of the farm,” Tait said. “It’s on fantastic land and has wonderful facilities. We’re looking after a large number of nice horses for the clients, so that’s been really pleasing. I knew it was a good farm, but you have to get that message across and you have to get people to come with you on that. I think that’s happened. “Building a business from scratch is a challenging thing to do,” he added. “We’re facing the challenges that come with that, but it’s very clear to see the rewards that come with facing those challenges and building a business.” One of those challenges, Tait admitted, was standing stallions. Tait syndicated the locally raced Odyssey Moon (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), winner of the Inglis Nursery and second in the G1 Sires’ Produce S. at two before winning a Group 3 and three, and shuttled the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Bobby’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) from Lanwades Stud in Newmarket. “We stood two stallions that year and I think that was probably more challenging than we anticipated,” Tait said. “It’s a very competitive stallion market but I firmly believe stallions will always have a place in our business.” Tait said Bobby’s Kitten won’t return to Australia this year. “The number of mares he attracted was disappointing but I’m a great believer in the horse and I’m pleased to have some mares in foal to him myself,” he said. “Ultimately, stallions need to cover enough mares to be competitive.” He noted that shuttle stallions have experienced a decline in popularity in Australia in recent years, but warned against ruling out their use. “There’s no doubt colonial stallions are more popular than shuttle stallions; for instance in Bobby’s Kitten’s case, that’s reflected in his fee,” he said. “He was a Group 1-winning turf sprinter as a 3-year-old beating older horses winning America’s best turf sprint race. If that was his [racing] profile in Australia, he wouldn’t be standing at the fee he was standing at; he’d be a lot higher.” “There’s no doubt shuttle stallions are not as popular as they once were. When I started working for Darley in Australia shuttle stallions stood at a premium and local stallions stood at a relative discount. It’s been completely reversed now. But shuttle stallions have their place. People can be dismissive in saying, ‘you take Danehill out of it, what have shuttle stallions done?’ Well, you can’t take Danehill out of it. You can’t take Street Cry out of it. You can’t take More Than Ready out of it. They’re really good stallions who had a really positive influence on the breed here. There will be shuttle stallions that come here and continue to make it. At the moment the market dictates that it’s more challenging to stand them but people will continue to try and some will make it.” “Good stallions can come from anywhere. Odyssey Moon is a Group 3 winner, Group 1-placed by a very good stallion. I Am Invincible is a Group 3 winner, Group 1-placed, by a very good stallion. There are possibilities.” Tait applies that same cyclical theory to the current focus on breeding sprinters in Australia. While the breed Down Under has become almost completely speed-focused, and successful and recognized for it on an international level, he says there is no reason to think that won’t someday change. “It will evolve,” Tait said. “Sir Tristram and Zabeel dominated Australian staying races. That’s been taken over by European horses, but who is to say some locally bred horses won’t be in vogue in 20 years’ time? You look at Pierro, who is from the Zabeel sireline, and he’s had the Derby winner and the Oaks winner in his first crop. Who knows. He might be the influence on stamina. I don’t think we need to beat ourselves up about it [breeding fewer horses with stamina]. People will always find a way to try to have the best horses, and if people are willing to invest large sums of money on horses in Europe to win those races, the best of luck to them.” Tait’s international experience and reputation should stand him in good stead with Twin Hills, but he is respectful of the challenge of gaining market share in a competitive industry. “The one thing I probably underestimated was starting a business on Apr. 7 of last year and getting ourselves into the market,” he said. “You have to build a brand, and a brand takes a long time to build. The time it will take to build that brand is not a short period of time.” The Australian racing and bloodstock industries are largely considered the envy of other global racing jurisdictions, and Tait pointed to a strong purse structure, a good culture for ownership and public enthusiasm for racing as reasons for the current optimistic outlook. “The general state of the economy is always the most influential driver of the Thoroughbred industry, and the Australian economy is going well, as is the world economy,” he said. “At a more micro level, the development of racing, particularly in New South Wales, and the increased returns to participants that have come into place the last five to 10 years have been hugely positive. If you have a horse that wins in Sydney on a Saturday you’re winning a meaningful amount of money relative to the costs. When you’re winning A$100,000 minimum for a Saturday race, that’s a multiple of what it costs to have a horse in training for a year. In the comparable jurisdictions, that equation is not as good.” “I think there is a broader interest in racing [in Australia] than there are in other places and that then manifests itself in wagering, ownership, and then the breadth of ownership because of the culture of syndication. That makes for a very healthy industry. What we don’t have is the mega-wealth that you get in Europe and America. Luckily, some of that wealth finds its way to Australia by way of overseas investors that are interested in the business here, but we don’t have that depth of wealth that exists in America and Europe, and that’s an advantage they have there.” Tait said that while there are opportunities to take elements of the industries in other jurisdictions and try to implement them elsewhere, it is important to recognize that for the most part these involve deeply ingrained cultures, and change isn’t likely to be easy or immediate. “You can always take the best ideas, but it takes time to implement things,” he said. “You have to have the right people leading it and you have to have people with a willingness to change, which doesn’t come easy; people don’t like change. There are things we could do better in Australia, there are things that could be done better in America or Europe or wherever, but the people who are influential are doing the best job they can. I use the term ‘a culture of syndication’; a culture by definition takes a long time to develop. So to say we want to emulate in Europe and America what happens in Australia with regards to syndicates, that’s not an easy thing to achieve in a short period of time.” “I felt living in America at times that people within the industry would talk the industry down, which I found frustrating,” he said. “You look at the Kentucky Derby, and there is no other race in the world where you have a combination of the race for the industry and the race for the public. The Golden Slipper is the most important race for the industry here, but the Melbourne Cup is the most important race for the public. The Kentucky Derby is an incredible event, and if you have a sporting event that you can get 170,000 people to, which they do at the Kentucky Derby, things are going quite well.” Twin Hills Stud will debut as a consignor at Thursday’s Chairman’s Sale, selling the well-related Shantha’s Girl (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) in foal to American Pharoah, and Tait said selling at public auction will be part of the business plan going forward. “We’re only selling a small number of horses at the sales this year, and we’ll have yearlings next year,” he said. “We have some nice yearlings on the farm that we’re looking forward to offering. Like anyone in the business we’re trying to build up a good clientele who enjoy working with us to try and achieve what their goals are, so if people are wanting to sell commercially we’re delighted to do that for them.” “Australia is in many ways the envy of the world in terms of the way the business operates and there are so many different factors that go into that,” Tait said. “But I think it’s important we’re not too self congratulatory and don’t rest on our laurels and continue to promote what we do and continue to make sure we are a really effective industry.” View the full article

Reigning juvenile male champion Good Magic took home the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland April 7 and added 100 points to his Road to the Kentucky Derby total. View the full article

In an unusual running of the $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) April 7, which saw favorite Enola Gray break slow, and a back-and-forth exchange of leaders, Beau Recall flew home from off the pace to score her first graded stakes victory. View the full article

In an unusual running of the $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) April 7, that saw favorite Enola Gray break slow, and a back-and-forth exchange of leaders, Beau Recall (IRE) flew from off the pace to score her first graded stakes victory. View the full article

You had an Eclipse Award winner redeem himself and score a decisive win in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S., and even he couldn’t hold center stage for more than 50 minutes or so. Good Magic (Curlin) had barely cooled out from his win at Keeneland when along came the freakishly talented ‘TDN Rising Star’ Justify (Scat Daddy), who won the GI Santa Anita Derby with aplomb and likely cemented the role of GI Kentucky Derby favorite. Good who? That’s the kind of day it was and the kind of prep season it has been. These 3-year-old monsters keep coming, one after another, strutting their stuff and pumping their chests and racing like they are in a hurry to get to the Hall of Fame. Audible (Into Mischief), Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), Good Magic, Justify, Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon), even Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro), who hardly disgraced himself when second in the Santa Anita Derby. The next level down, which includes horses like GII Tampa Bay Derby winner Quip (Distorted Humor), GII Louisiana Derby hero Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy) and Solomini (Culrin), is also loaded with good colts. This is as deep and as talented a group of Kentucky Derby contenders as most of us have seen in our lifetimes, and it very well could be the best group to ever converge on Churchill Downs for America’s favorite horse race. Derby experts will tell you that the 1957 Kentucky Derby may have been the best ever when it came to the quality of the field. The second, third and fourth-place finishers (Gallant Man, Round Table and Bold Ruler) all made it to the Hall of Fame and the race winner Iron Liege might deserve to be in there, as well. Claiming that the 2018 group is the best ever might be a bit of hype and it’s certainly speculation, but it’s undeniable that this crop of Derby-bound 3-year-olds is spectacular, and that point was again driven home Saturday. The festivities started with the GII Wood Memorial S., which was just a nice race. That’s not going to cut it in this year. Trainer Todd Pletcher, who is loaded, won the race with Vino Rosso (Curlin). It was a good showing after he was flat when fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby and kicked off a huge day for John Gunther’s small breeding operation. Gunther is also the breeder of Justify. The Wood featured some pretty healthy bumping between Vino Rosso and runner-up Enticed (Medaglia d’Oro), but the stewards made the right call by not taking Vino Rosso down. A Wood winner has not come back to win the Kentucky Derby since Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000, a streak that appears certain to continue. Good Magic hadn’t embarrassed himself when third in the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S., but it was not the type of performance most expected from a horse that had won the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his prior start. That’s why, for him, the Blue Grass represented a fork in the road. Would he be the horse who had won the Breeders’ Cup or the horse who had little kick in the Fountain of Youth. If the result were the latter, he was not going to be a factor in the Kentucky Derby. Whatever happened in the Fountain of Youth happened. Good Magic was back on his game Saturday, winning by 1 1/2 lengths. It was not an explosive performance, but it was more than good enough. In most any other year, with his credentials, he would be a solid Derby favorite. This year, he could be third of fourth choice. Then came the main event. Justify has been the talk of the sport since his electrifying maiden win Feb. 18 at Santa Anita. From that day on, no one has doubted his talent, but he didn’t exactly fit the profile of a Kentucky Derby winner. He did not race at two, did not race around two turns until March, winning an allowance, and the Santa Anita Derby was his stakes debut. He presented trainer Bob Baffert with a challenging situation, but Baffert has managed it marvelously. None of which meant he had to win the Santa Anita Derby. The opposition included Bolt d’Oro, a two-time Grade I winner as a 2-year-old, the winner of the GII San Felipe S. (via disqualification) and a horse that might have come into yesterday’s race undefeated had he not had a terrible trip in the Juvenile. Justify was done facing tomato cans. He was stepping into the ring with a heavyweight who packed a knockout punch. And Justify, a winner by three lengths, had no problem beating him. What he has accomplished in the span of 48 days…horses just don’t do that. Yet…I still must point out that he had a dream trip in the Santa Anita Derby. After competing in two five-horse races, he lined up against just six opponents and the crafty big-race rider Mike Smith undressed his rival jockeys. Justify was left alone on the lead through fractions of :23.96 and :47.85 and the only horse who presented even the slightest challenge at any point in the race was Bolt d’Oro. There will not be seven horses in the Kentucky Derby and he will not get to an uncontested lead through fractions more befitting a $12,500 claiming race somewhere. Justify deserves to be the Derby favorite, no matter what happens in the one remaining prep, the GI Arkansas Derby, which figures to be another very good race. But that doesn’t mean he has to win and it doesn’t mean he is the best horse. We are just eight days removed from an afternoon when Audible looked very good winning the GI Florida Derby and Mendelssohn left us breathless in his win in the G2 UAE Derby. I can’t tell you who will win the Kentucky Derby. I can tell you it will be a horse who will go down as one of the best in modern times. Of that, I am sure. You beat this bunch and you are something extra special. View the full article

Vino Rosso fought past Enticed in the Aqueduct Racetrack stretch, then survived an objection and inquiry regarding a bumping incident in the lane to capture the Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets (G2) April 7. View the full article

Despite getting squeezed at the start, the Speightstown colt used a rush along the outside to win the $250,000 Bay Shore Stakes (G3). View the full article

Midnight Bisou had been plenty impressive in her racing career prior to the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G1), but what she did April 7 was above and beyond any of her past performances. View the full article

MIDNIGHT BISOU (f, 3, Midnight Lute–Diva Delite, by Repent) will head to Churchill next month as one of the likely favorites for the GI Kentucky Oaks after an eye-catching victory in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Saturday. Running second last early as Thirteen Squared (Liaison) clocked early fractions of :23.47 and :47.63, the 3-5 chalk circled the field to move into contention on the backstretch run. The dark bay swept to the lead in the stretch and rolled clear down the three path to win by three lengths in 1:44.79. GII Sorrento S. winner Spectator (Jimmy Creed) made a solid run for second. Winning rider Mike Smith scored a Grade I double, having captured the GI Santa Anita Derby two races earlier aboard undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Justify (Scat Daddy). Missing by a nose to recently sidelined Grade I winner Dream Tree (Uncle Mo) in her first two starts, including the Nov. 18 Desi Arnaz S., Midnight Bisou earned her diploma with a decisive victory in the GII Santa Ynez S. going seven panels here Jan. 7. The $80,000 OBSAPR buy followed suit with a 2 1/4-length defeat of Thirteen Squared in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 3. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0. O-Bloom Racing Stable & Allen Racing; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Bill Spawr. View the full article

Multiple graded stakes winner Finley'sluckycharm won the $300,000 Madison Stakes (G1) April 7 at Keeneland and retained her spotless record in Kentucky. View the full article

Chin's copybook ride on Webster vindicates Meagher View the full article

Ideal conditions see Siam Sapphire sparkle again View the full article

Classic-bound Zac Kasa jogs in View the full article

Placais-Takaoka lose a Star to win a Sun View the full article

Nova Vocal makes himself heard loud and clear on debut View the full article