Wandering Eyes

Fresh off Monday’s news that Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) will remain in training as a 4-year-old, the triple-Group 1 winner has been snapped up by Aquis Farm for its Everest slot this October. Second choice in the wagering behind last year’s inaugural winner Redzel (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) in the A$13-million 1200-metre race, the Gerald Ryan trainee just landed the G1 All Aged S. on Saturday. “I’m delighted to get a slot in The Everest with Aquis,” owner/breed Bert Vieira told The Sydney Morning Herald. “I want to race him and show him off to the world and to get a spot in The Everest is the first part of that dream. Knowing Shane McGrath, the Aquis CEO, from his Coolmore days made the negotiations very easy and smooth and to be sharing this experience with Aquis will only make it better.” View the full article

5th-LCP, €25,000, Mdn, 4-24, unraced 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:18.53, gd. ENCHANTING SKIES (IRE), f, 3, by Sea The Stars (Ire) 1st Dam: Estefania (Ger) (SP-Ger), by Acatenango (Ger) 2nd Dam: Eirehill (Ire), by Danehill 3rd Dam: Elegie (Ger), by Teotepec (GB) Enchanting Skies (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was the BBAGS €500,000 sale topper in 2016, was well away to stalk the pace in second after the initial strides of this unveiling. Nudged along to loom large in early straight, the 22-1 chance cruised to the fore approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly under minimal coaxing thereafter to easily best My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}), herself a half-sister to recent GI Jenny Wiley S. heroine Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), by 3/4 of a length. She is the latest foal and eighth scorer produced by Listed Kolner Fruhjahrs Stuten-Preis placegetter Estefania (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), and is a half-sister to G1 Preis von Europa hero Empoli (Ger) (Halling), G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen third Ebeltoft (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) and the dual stakes-placed Eigelstein (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Her second dam Eirehill (Ire) (Danehill) is a winning half-sister to MG1SW multiple German and Italian highweight Elle Danzig (Ger) (Roi Danzig), herself the dam of seven stakes performers headed by MGSW G1 Preis der Diana runner-up Elle Shadow (Ire) (Shamardal). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €12,500. 1ST-TIME STARTER. O-Mayfair Speculators SARL; B-Gestut Ebbesloh (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

It is a richly symbolic journey that has come to be known, over the last 10 or so years, as The Walk. View the full article

John Moore has endured a disappointing season but is looking to Sunday’s spring features – and beyond – for a revival and on Tuesday floated the idea of an end of season trip to Japan for 2015-16 Horse of the Year Werther. Moore has won the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup fives times and the Champions Mile on six occasions, both records, but is down on his usual numbers as he tackles the two races in his third to last season as a trainer in Hong Kong. Beauty Generation has been a... View the full article

Money Boy managed to pull a good effort out at Sha Tin last time out but he has preferred Happy Valley all season and should take some beating there on Wednesday night in the Korea Racing Authority Trophy (1,000m). The John Size-trained gelding has been super consistent, if a rare winner, and gets a race set-up that will really suit his run-on style. Four starts ago, Money Boy (Brett Prebble) swamped his rivals late to win a Class Three over the distance at Happy Valley and there are... View the full article

Tommy Berry will make a race day decision on his health ahead of Happy Valley on Wednesday night after a heavy fall in a barrier trial on Tuesday, but the chance to reunite with top chance Sichuan Boss will provide some extra motivation. Berry hit the ground hard in a barrier trial incident at Sha Tin when Agree collapsed and died beneath him in the closing stages of a 1,200m trial on the all-weather track. The Australian walked away from the scary fall seemingly unscathed but was taken to... View the full article

The small fields for the three Group Ones on Sunday are symptomatic of a changing landscape, both in the spread of quality animals but also the attitudes of owners and trainers. The Jockey Club has been hard hit by illnesses and injuries and weather for its numbers. The popular wisdom is Aidan O’Brien’s three invitees for the day were not actually planning to come and were window dressing, although we have sources who assert that couldn’t be more wrong and a brutal winter in... View the full article

Zac Purton is at a loss to explain Time Warp’s listless last-start performance but trainer Tony Cruz is adamant his horse will bounce back to his relentless, front-running best in Sunday’s Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Time Warp will be chasing not only Horse of the Year honours but history as the first horse to win all three 2,000 metre Group Ones on the Hong Kong racing calendar in a single season. International Day success and a track record-breaking Gold Cup... View the full article

Nepean takes one step closer to Derby View the full article

First Choice scores hard-fought win in Class 3 View the full article

Takaoka gets Golazo's quirks out of equation at fifth win View the full article

Big smokie El Chapo gives Shafrizal perfect wedding present View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings April 24 View the full article

Horses' body weights April 24 View the full article

More than just giggles if Whakaaria Mai scores View the full article

Early scratchings April 24 View the full article

The catalogue for the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale, scheduled for May 29-June 1, was released Tuesday morning. A total of 17 Group 1 winners or producers are slated to sell, including G1 Australasian Oaks winner Abbey Marie (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) and Miss Cover Girl (Aus) (Monashee Mountain), successful in the G1 Tattersalls Tiara. The latter is in foal to Capitalist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}). In 2015, the dam of G1 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) brought A$1.5 million. All of the leading stallions will be represented by in foal mares, among them champion sire Snitzel (Aus), I Am Invincible (Aus), Written Tycoon (Aus), More Than Ready and Pierro (Aus). In 2017, 716 lots sold for an 84% clearance rate and a gross of A$105,982,000. The top price was for lot 1240, Gregers (Aus) (Commands {Aus}), who went for A$1,750,000 to Riyue Trading from the draft of Burke Bloodstock carrying a foal by Written Tycoon (Aus). The average was A$148,020 and the median was A$80,000. “We are overwhelmed with the support that the vendors of Australasia have given the sale again this year,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch told ANZ Bloodstock News. “There will be so many opportunities for buyers across all levels of the market. This sale has produced so many elite results for both vendors and buyers–the dams of current day stars Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), Estijaab (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), Levendi (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}), Shoals (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Hiyaam (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) were all purchased here providing buyers with immediate returns on investment. The Gold Coast will again be the place to be in late May and June and we look forward to welcoming buyers from across Australia and the globe for a truly outstanding offering of bloodstock.” View the full article

Jessica Berry will join Team Valor International upon graduation in July from the Godolphin Flying Start program. The 24-year-old served an internship with the Central Kentucky racing stable after graduating with a B.A. in international relations from the University of San Diego. She also worked a stint in Australia with Arrowfield Stud. As part of her Flying Start experience, she worked for Ralph Nicks at Gulfstream Park, in marketing at Godolphin’s Dubai headquarters and at Crown Lodge stable in Australia. “I was very impressed with Jessi’s handling of the Stanley Bergstein Writing Award ceremony at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Lexington,” said Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin. “She arranged the entire event, including filling the seats with industry members as well as students from colleges, racing clubs and universities in the Bluegrass. I told her when she graduated from Flying Start that she always had a job at Team Valor. We are very excited that she has decided to join our team.” View the full article

Voters appear to be coming around to UAE Derby winner Mendelssohn, the only 3-year-old to move up in the latest NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll just 12 days out from the May 5 Kentucky Derby. 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. Tuesday’s Insights features a half-sister to GI Jenny Wiley S. heroine Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}). 12.40 Longchamp, Mdn, €25,000, unraced 3yo, c/g, 10 1/2fT BUGLE MAJOR (Mizzen Mast), who debuts for the Pascal Bary-Khalid Abdullah axis, is out of 2007 G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Conference Call (GB) (Anabaa) and is thus a half-brother to stakes-winning 2014 G1 Grand Prix de Paris third Teletext (Empire Maker). Seven-strong opposition features Godolphin’s Impulsif (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who is out of a winning half-sister to G1 Prix du Jockey Club-winning sire Anabaa Blue (GB) (Anabaa), representing Andre Fabre. 2.20 Longchamp, Mdn, €25,000, unraced 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT Gemini Stud’s MY SISTER NAT (FR) (Acclamation {GB}) is a half-sister to recent GI Jenny Wiley S. heroine Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), who also ran second in last term’s G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational. Rivals to the Francis-Henri Graffard trainee include Mayfair Speculators’ Enchanting Skies (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who topped the sheets at €500,000 as a BBAGS yearling and is a half-sister to 2014 G1 Preis von Europa victor Empoli (Ger) (Halling), from the Andre Fabre stable; and Alain and Gerard Wertheimer’s Bolshina (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained daughter of 1999 G3 Prix Perth victress Danzigaway (Danehill) and is thus kin to four black-type performers headed by GI Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile, GI Eddie Read H. and GI Frank E Kilroe Mile placegetter and MGSW sire Silent Name (Jpn) (Sunday Silence). 2.25 Yarmouth, Cond, £5,800, 3yo, 8f 3yT Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s homebred TAWHEED (IRE) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) is a half-brother to 2010 G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois-winning sire Makfi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). One of two entries from the Roger Varian stable, he encounters 11 rivals including Lael Stable’s Magical Sight (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who is a William Haggas-trained grandson of MGSW G1 Phoenix S. and G1 Prix de l’Abbaye runner-up Superstar Leo (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}). 2.55 Yarmouth, Cond, £5,800, 3yo, 8f 3yT John and Tanya Gunther’s WITHOUT PAROLE (GB) (Frankel {GB}) returns from a six-length debut score tackling one mile at Newcastle in December and is Frankie Dettori’s only ride on the eight-race card. The John Gosden incumbent is a half to 2016 GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile-winning sire Tamarkuz (Speightstown) and faces a cast of 10 in this sophomore bow. It includes Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), a half-brother to last year’s G1 Prix Jean Romanet victress Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), attempting to improve on three runner-up finishes for the Simon Crisford barn. View the full article

Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Gronkowski has incurred a slight infection and will miss his scheduled start in the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), his connections announced April 23. View the full article

Oaklawn raced 55 of 57 days after two weather cancellations in January for total handle of $209,695,403. The average total daily handle of $3,812,644 was up 15% over 2017. View the full article

Take a look back at the stallions which covered their first mares in 2014 and you’ll find that the highest-priced newcomers in Ireland were Declaration of War at €40,000, Dawn Approach at €35,000 and Camelot at €25,000. Over in Britain, Intello had the distinction of being the highest-priced freshman, at £25,000, with the next in line being Al Kazeem at £18,000 and Farhh at £17,500. Cityscape was some way down the pecking order at £5,000. There was good news for several of these over the last couple of weeks and the TDN’s table of second-crop European-based stallions now shows Camelot in a narrow lead over the deceased Society Rock, with Dawn Approach in a solid third place. Intello is still awaiting his first black-type winner of the year, but that should soon change. He is getting plenty of winners over middle distances and appears to have smart prospects in Young Rascal, a five-length winner of an 11-furlong maiden race at Newbury last Saturday, and Godolphin’s unbeaten Nordic Lights, winner of a 10-furlong novice stakes at Newmarket’s Craven meeting. I must admit that I was somewhat underwhelmed with Dawn Approach’s results with his first 2-year-olds last year. From a crop of 111, he failed to sire a single black-type winner, even though he had four individuals which were good enough to be placed at stakes level, including three at group level. Darley’s response was to reduce his fee from 2017’s €30,000 to €20,000. What made Dawn Approach’s rather quiet start all the more disappointing is the fact that he had been the champion 2-year-old of 2012, when he showed a wonderful blend of precocity and durability. Winner of the first juvenile race of the Irish turf season, he was already unbeaten in three starts by the time he lined up for the G2 Coventry S. He won that too, defeating Olympic Glory, to initiate New Approach’s sensational first-crop 2-year-old treble at the Royal meeting. By the end of the year Dawn Approach was still unbeaten, having added Group 1 victories in the National S. and Dewhurst S. It mustn’t be forgotten though that breeding racehorses is often a matter of compromise. Owners of big mares tend to look for a smallish stallion, and vice versa. If I remember rightly, the 15.2-hands Shareef Dancer was swamped with big mares when he initially retired to stud and this didn’t prove helpful to the G1 Irish Derby winner. Similarly, owners of backward or stoutly-bred mares which did little at two are wont to send them to stallions which possessed plenty of 2-year-old ability. Consequently, it isn’t always the stallion’s fault if his progeny fail to inherit a full measure of his precocity. It also mustn’t be forgotten that Dawn Approach wasn’t just a 2-year-old. He confirmed his champion status at three, with victories in the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James’s Palace S., and with a creditable second to Toronado in the G1 Sussex S. Therefore we should be prepared to see plenty of talented 3-year-olds by the Kildangan resident. His first group victory as a sire came via Godolphin’s French-trained Musis Amica, who recently landed the G3 Prix de la Grotte. This filly’s background supports my theories. Her dam White Star was by Darshaan out of a high-class daughter of Northern Dancer and was therefore bred to stay pretty well. Sure enough, White Star didn’t race at two before developing into a talented mile-and-a-half performer who was placed at Group 2 and Group 3 levels. White Star’s best previous winner was Harland, a smart 10-furlong winner who raced just once as a juvenile. Dawn Approach’s second black-type winner is Mary Tudor, who showed a likeable blend of talent and enthusiasm in winning the Salsabil S. over a mile and a quarter at Navan on Sunday. Although she was group-placed at two, this grey filly looks to be better suited by a mile and a quarter and the chances are that she will stay further. Her dam Antiquities was another who never raced at two, prior to developing into a useful performer at around a mile and a quarter. Antiquities’s sire Kaldounevees, who stayed at least 1 3/8 miles, was another who never raced at two. Rather surprisingly, Cityscape was the other second-crop sire who enjoyed a recent stakes double. I have to own up here to having always been one of Cityscape’s greatest admirers. He is a grandson of Sharpen Up, one of my all-time favourites, and he is by Selkirk, who sired more Group 1 winners–17–than any other son of Sharpen Up. Juddmonte was one of Selkirk’s main supporters during his long innings at Lanwades Stud and the association proved mutually beneficial. From something like 75 foals by Selkirk, the Juddmonte team bred eight group winners and a listed winner. That’s around 12% black-type winners and among them were the Group 1 winners Wince (1000 Guineas), Announce and Cityscape. Juddmonte also bought a Selkirk colt on one of its rare ventures into the sales ring and that colt, Leadership, went close to winning the G3 September S. for Juddmonte before being sold to Godolphin, for whom he won the G1 Gran Premio di Milano. Selkirk was an object lesson in why breeders should judge a horse’s conformation before he has had a chance to let down physically as a stallion. As a mature stallion Selkirk was an imposing individual, big and very powerful. But he looked much more refined and leggy while in training and he was arguably at his most impressive when on the move, with his long easy action. I always felt that Selkirk benefited from a well-made, broad-chested mare. Wince was sired from a daughter of the neat and muscular Lyphard and Selkirk also thrived with some of Juddmonte’s granddaughters of Mr. Prospector. Announce was produced by Hachita, a small strong daughter of Gone West, and Selkirk also thrived with mares by the strong, medium-sized, close-coupled Distant View. From six foals bred this way, he sired Tranquil Tiger, a Group 3 winner, and Cityscape, who retired with earnings equivalent to just over £3 million. Tranquil Tiger’s dam Serene View was just a minor winner but Cityscape’s dam Tantina was highly talented. Unfortunately, Tantina inherited Distant View’s distinctly offset knees. Although these ultimately compromised her career, it was not before she had won her first four starts, all over seven furlongs, including two listed races. One of her listed victories was gained by five lengths, to boost her Timeform rating to 115. Tantina was to have only six foals but her second foal was Cityscape and her third was the similarly talented Bated Breath. Juddmonte has two of her daughters. The first, Scuffle, was useful and is now the dam of Suffused, who went close to becoming a Grade I winner in North America, and the other is Bated Breath’s sister Abated, whose first living foal is the 2-year-old Iffraaj filly Abanica. I remember a visit to Ferrans Stud to view the Juddmonte yearlings in 2008. We found time to watch the 2:40 race from Salisbury, as it was expected to provide Cityscape with his first win at his second attempt. Win he did, with his winning distance of nine lengths suggesting that he could be something special. Just how special became clear a few years later, when the 6-year-old Cityscape ran away with the hugely valuable Dubai Duty Free at Meydan, scoring by more than four lengths. I was always left wondering what he might have achieved had his career not been compromised by injuries or setbacks. He was off the course for nearly a year after finishing sore in the G1 2000 Guineas. Fast ground then kept him on the side-lines in the summer of his 4-year-old season but he returned to win two races in the autumn, including the G3 Joel S. by seven lengths. Timeform rated him 127 on the strength of that display. Two more Group 3 wins came his way at the age of five, when his rating held steady at 126, and the consistent son of Selkirk maintained that level as a 6-year-old. A disappointing effort on his sole appearance at seven meant it was time for Cityscape to retire. With his younger half-brother Bated Breath having already joined the Banstead Manor stallion team, Cityscape was sold to stand at Overbury Stud in Gloucestershire. Like most new stallions, he was popular in his first season, with 89 mares producing 61 foals. Since then, though, his book has stood at 50 mares in 2015, 38 in 2016 and around 48 in 2017. Hopefully he will be covering a bigger book this year, as there seems sure to be plenty of late interest in him following his black-type double last week. He sired the G3 Fred Darling S. winner Dan’s Dream from Royal Ffanci, a Royal Applause mare who never raced after selling for 27,000gns as a yearling. And he sired The Broghie Man, who defeated three smart performers from the Aidan O’Brien yard in the Committed S., from Suelita, a four-time Italian winner by Dutch Art. Keep an eye out too for his progressive daughter Give And Take, who holds an Oaks entry. View the full article

Last year’s Australian champion sire Snitzel (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) is well on his way to a second consecutive sire title with over A$26 million in progeny earnings and 25 stakes winners to date this season, and his 2018 fee at Arrowfield Stud in New South Wales reflects his continued success, as he will stand for a new high of A$220,000. Already responsible for four Group 1 winners and 10 A$1-million plus yearlings since Aug. 1, the bay is joined on the Arrowfield roster by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Pariah (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}–Secluded {Aus}, by Hussonet). The dual Group 3 scorer will commence stallion duties for A$22,000 James Harron and Arrowfield announced on Monday. Bred by Arrowfield, Pariah was purchased by James Harron for A$700,000 at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, and was sent to training duo Peter and Paul Snowden. A winner at first asking in the G3 Canonbury S. at Rosehill in 2017, the bay was runner-up in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude and in the G1 Blue Diamond S., before adding the G3 San Domenico S. as a 3-year-old two starts later. Overall, Pariah retires with two wins in nine starts and $418,094 in earnings. “Our mission at the yearling sales is find stallions of the future, and Pariah’s profile was impeccable,” said bloodstock agent James Harron. “Physically he was a truly outstanding yearling, by the pre-eminent sire of sires in Redoute’s Choice and from an exceptional colonial speed family. He fits all of our criteria as a hugely exciting stallion prospect and we will be supporting him heavily at stud with top-class mares.” “Snitzel (Aus), Not A Single Doubt (Aus), Stratum (Aus) and Beneteau (Aus)–all by Redoute’s Choice, all outstanding 2-year-olds; all outstanding sires,” said Arrowfield’s John Messara. “Pariah is in the same mould. Pariah has a very committed syndicate and will start life as a stallion with a better book of mares than Snitzel, Beneteau Not A Single Doubt.” Snitzel’s sire, roster stalwart Redoute’s Choice (Aus) (Danehill) will command A$137,500, but his book is strictly limited. Not A Single Doubt (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus})’s fee rises to A$99,000 on the back of 14 stakes winners this season, including G1 Caulfield Guineas hero Mighty Boss (Aus). First-season sire Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) has already sired Group 3 winner Irukandji (Aus) and will stand for an unchanged fee of A$27,500. Arrowfield’s Japanese trio of Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}), Real Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Mikki Isle (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will stand for A$33,000, A$19,250, and A$13,750, respectively. Shuttle stallions Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) at A$33,000 and Olympic Glory (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) at A$16,500 will stand for unchanged fees, while Scissor Kick (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus})’s fee has been set at A$16,500. View the full article

Led by record-setting GI Arkansas Derby and GII Rebel S. days, Oaklawn Park reported an 11% increase in total handle during its recently-concluded 2018 season. An estimated crowd of 64,500 turned out Apr. 14 to watch undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) capture the GI Arkansas Derby, contributing to a total handle of $16,159,771 on the 12-race card, a figure that broke the previous single-day record of $15,133,537 set on Arkansas Derby day in 2000. Four weeks earlier, 37,500 saw Magnum Moon capture the Rebel on a day that handled $10,771,984, the highest non-Arkansas Derby Day yield in the 114-year history of the track. “Despite missing two days due to weather in January and 16 inches of rain in February, we are extremely excited to have ended the meet with a double-digit increase in handle,” General Manager Wayne Smith said. “It’s a testament to the great product we were able to put on the track this season. I want to thank the owners, trainers and jockeys who put on the greatest show in racing. I also want to thank our entire management team and staff for such an incredible season. Most of all, a huge thank you goes out to our fans for their continued support.” The Hot Springs oval raced 55 of 57 days for total handle of $209,695,403. The average total daily handle of $3,812,644 was up 15% over 2017. Export handle also saw the big gains during the 2018 season, growing by 15% to $175,125,149 despite racing two fewer days than 2017. Oaklawn will start a new tradition in 2019 when it opens Friday, Jan. 25 and continues its season through Saturday, May 3, marking the first time that the track has raced after Arkansas Derby Day. The 2019 Arkansas Derby will be run Saturday, Apr. 13. View the full article