Wandering Eyes

As we approach November of his first year with runners, freshman stallion McKinzie already has confirmed perhaps the most commercially important of his promising traits: grade 1 success as a sire of 2-year-olds.View the full article

A consequence of massive book sizes is that it has become even harder for a less obvious prospective stallion to break into the elite tier. However, just as many seemingly excellent stallion prospects over the years have failed to make the grade, and there is still scope for a stallion to succeed against the odds, to 'pull himself up by his bootstraps', to join the elite after having started out considerably farther down the ladder. One such has been the admirable Invincible Spirit (Ire), whose retirement from active service at the Irish National Stud at the age of 27 has been announced. Invincible Spirit was a very good horse and a very fast horse but, although he won a maiden race at Goodwood and the Hornblower Stakes at Ripon as a two-year-old, he didn't make the frame in a Group race until he was four and didn't show top-class form until he was five. In fact, notwithstanding that had won the G3 MacDonagh Boland Stakes at the Curragh as an autumn four-year-old in 2001 and the G3 Duke Of York on the first run of his five-year-old season in 2002, it was not until his final (and 17th) start that, as an autumn five-year-old, he properly secured his place at stud, which he did by landing a shock 25/1 victory in the G1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup. Invincible Spirit's pedigree was a big asset to him. Coming from a family which has served his owner/breeder Prince Faisal well, he was a son of the 1990 G1 Prix de Diane heroine Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}). Furthermore, his sire Green Desert was respected as a sire of stallions as well as racehorses. Consequently, a fee of €10,000 seemed reasonable when he began covering at the Irish National Stud in the spring of 2003 under the management of former CEO John Clarke. Latterly, his career was guided by John Osborne then Cathal Beale. It is probably fair to say that initially the general expectation was that his role would most likely be to help 'commercial' breeders to produce stock who might appeal to the market's seemingly insatiable desire for relatively inexpensive speed. In time, he would prove to be much, much more significant than that. Invincible Spirit got off to the best possible start by siring the winner of the Brocklesby Stakes in 2006, the first two-year-old race of Britain's new turf season going to the Bill Turner-trained Spoof Master (Ire), who had been bought for £15,000 at the previous autumn's St Leger Yearling Sale at Doncaster. In time, Spoof Master would go on to give his own little demonstration that Invincible Spirit was not merely a one-dimensional sire of precocious juveniles because he raced until he was nine. The collective results of Invincible Spirit's first juveniles were solid: within Great Britain and Ireland he was represented by 28 individual winners in 2006 who between them won 50 races. This was enough for him to sneak into the top 50 in the General Sires' Table, a very good achievement for a relatively inexpensive horse with only one crop representing him. This was reflected in his stud fee, which shot up to €35,000 in 2007. Within another 12 months, even that rapidly inflated figure was looking a terrific bargain. During the 2007 season, the seed really burst into flower. Getting a Classic winner in his first crop does not, of course, guarantee long-term success for a stallion, but it is as good a start as any. That is exactly what Invincible Spirit did, courtesy of Lawman (Fr) who landed the G1 Prix du Jockey-Club in the early summer of 2007, beating Literato (Fr) who went on to win the G1 Champion S. four months later. This triumph was sandwiched between wins in the G3 Prix de Guiche over 1800m and the G1 Prix Jean Prat over 1600m. Lawman himself went on to enjoy great success in his first few years at stud, with his first crop containing the 2012 G1 St. James's Palace S. winner Most Improved (Ire) and the 2013 G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Just The Judge (Ire) being the star of his second batch. Notwithstanding that his best son that year never raced outside France, Invincible Spirit finished in 16th place in the General Sires' Table of Great Britain and Ireland in 2007. He was given plenty of help by his second-crop daughter Fleeting Spirit (Ire) whose two-year-old season saw her successful over five furlongs in the G3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood and the G2 Flying Childers at Doncaster, as well as finishing second in the G2 Lowther Stakes at York and to subsequent G1 1,000 Guineas heroine Natagora (Fr) in the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Thereafter, Invincible Spirit became a permanent fixture in the upper reaches of the table. He broke into the top ten in 2008, when he finished seventh, and he remained in the top ten for 13 straight seasons with the sole exception of 2013, when he finished 11th. For the 2008 season his fee rose significantly again to €75,000 and, while this proved slightly hard for the market to swallow at the time, his continued success saw him standing for six-figure sums from 2015 to 2020 inclusive. Breeding in Ireland during that period was dominated, of course, by Galileo. That great horse won his first sires' championship in 2008 and then was champion sire in the 11 seasons from 2010 to 2020 inclusive. During these 12 years, Dubawi (Ire) finished second to him four times and Montjeu (Ire) twice. Otherwise, six stallions were runner-up. Invincible Spirit was one of these, finishing second in the table in 2014. That was the year of Kingman (GB), his best son who deservedly ended the year as Cartier Horse of the Year thanks to a splendid campaign during which he won four consecutive Group 1 races after suffering his only defeat when (inexplicably) finishing second to Night Of Thunder (Ire) in the 2,000 Guineas. Another son of Invincible Spirit finished fifth in that 2,000 Guineas, Charm Spirit (Ire), and he too enjoyed great success as the season went on, putting together a hat-trick of Group 1 mile victories culminating in his defeat of Night Of Thunder in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on QIPCO Champions' Day. Kingman does not rank as the most prolific of Invincible Spirit's 22 Group 1 winners. The fabulous Moonlight Cloud (GB) scored at the highest level six times, between 1300m and 1600m, and came very close to landing a Group 1 victory over six furlongs when failing by only a head to overhaul Black Caviar (Aus) in the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2012, a year in which her sire finished third in the General Sires' Table of Great Britain and Ireland, beaten only by Galileo and Montjeu. Having come so close to 2,000 Guineas glory with Kingman in 2014 and again the following year when Territories (Ire) finished second to Gleneagles (Ire), Invincible Spirit laid the ghost of those near misses to rest when Magna Grecia (Ire) won Britain's first Classic of 2019. Aside from his outstanding milers, Invincible Spirit has been represented by some wonderful sprinters including G1 July Cup winners Fleeting Spirit and Mayson (GB), G1 King's Stand Stakes winner Profitable (Ire) and the top-class sprinting juvenile Shalaa (Ire), successful in both the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park Stakes in 2015. As Invincible Spirit heads into his well-earned retirement, Kingman stands as his natural heir. Having retired to Banstead Manor Stud in 2015, he was an instant success, coming up with the G2 Coventry Stakes winner Calyx (GB) in his first crop. Even more notably, his second crop contained the five-time Group 1-winning champion miler Palace Pier (GB). He has subsequently gone from strength to strength, with his stars in 2024 including the Classic winners Elmalka (GB) and Sparkling Plenty (Fr) as well as the G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Friendly Soul (GB). Excellent a sire though Kingman is, he is not Invincible Spirit's most distinguished sire-son. That honour clearly falls to I Am Invincible (Aus), the most notable product of the four seasons during which Invincible Spirit shuttled to Chatswood Stud (Vic) in Australia early in his career. Although three-time Group 1 heroine Yosei (Aus) was a superior racehorse, I Am Invincible has become very special indeed. Like Invincible Spirit, I Am Invincible took quite a long time to register the high-class form required to secure a place at stud, which he did in Adelaide as a four-year-old in the autumn of 2009 when he won a Group 3 sprint before chasing home Takeover Target (Aus) in the G1 Goodwood Handicap. He finally retired to Yarraman Park Stud in New South Wales, where he has been a revelation, as can be deduced from the path of his stud fee, which started out at $11,000 before hitting a peak of $302,500 in 2023. As that meteoric rise implies, he is a wonderful stallion. He has been Australia's champion sire for the past three seasons and is adept at producing both top two-year-olds and high-class horses who hold their form for several seasons. He looks at least as likely as Kingman to keep Invincible Spirit's line going in the years to come, and that is really saying something. Invincible Spirit's influence will, of course, also flourish through his daughters. He is shaping up as an excellent broodmare sire, as his current sixth place in the table in Great Britain and Ireland confirms, with 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) being his best current representative in this respect. If that horse can win the GI Breeders' Cup Mile (or, indeed, if last year's GI BC Juvenile Turf Sprint place-getter Starlust (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) can win the GI BC Turf Sprint), they will follow in the footsteps of Invincible Spirit's grandson Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), successful in the GI BC Juvenile Turf in 2022. Invincible Spirit has been a key component of Europe's stallion ranks for years, during which time he has been a great friend to many breeders as well as a true stalwart for the Irish National Stud. A further boon of his popularity was that it encouraged Tally-Ho Stud to take a chance on his younger three-parts brother Kodiac (Ire) (Danehill) in 2007, despite that horse never having won a black-type race. Like his sibling, Kodiac has turned out to be a wonderful stallion. Invincible Spirit can now enjoy his retirement as we savour the fact that his name is likely to remain prominent in the pedigrees of good horses for many years to come. The post Invincible Spirit Earns Honourable Retirement at 27 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Malaysia continues to emerge as a leading racing jurisdiction, with many participants making the move to the growing region following the closure of Singapore and Macau. New Zealand Bloodstock has had a long-standing relationship with the major racing club in Malaysia, Selangor Turf Club (STC), and have worked closely with them again prior to the leading sale of two-year-olds, NZB’s Ready to Run Sale. As a result, STC have since announced another raft of bonus races for graduates of NZB’s Ready to Run Sale as well as incentives for their trainers to purchase at the leading sale of its kind. The added initiatives come just one year after the first running of NZB’s graduate races where Duma (NZ) (Too Darn Hot) made a stylish winning debut in the RM50,000 NZB Ready to Run Sale Trophy (1200m) just last month, and superstar Antipodean (NZ) (Derryn) won the RM100,000 NZB 3-Year-Old Trophy (1400m) back in July. Selangor Turf Club’s additional incentives announced for the 2024 Ready to Run Sale: A RM300,000 Open Championship for all graduates of NZB’s Ready to Run sales A RM150,000 race for graduates of the 2024 edition of NZB’s Ready to Run Sale Two RM70,000 Maiden races for NZB 2024 Ready to Run Sale graduates Two RM70,000 Novice races for NZB 2024 Ready to Run Sale graduates Plus, RM10,000 freight subsidy per horse purchased at the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale “We are happy that the Club has maintained a strong affiliation with NZB,” commented Selangor Turf Club Chairman, Tan Sri Datuk Richard Cham Hak Lim. “New Zealand horses have been performing very well and winning many races at the Club. “Each purchase has proven to offer good value for money. We hope to purchase more horses this year at the Sales during our yearly tour to Karaka.” NZB’s Director of Business Development Mike Kneebone has been working closely with Selangor Turf Club. “The new race series and sponsorships are a continuation of our support for Selangor, who we have been working with for more than 30 years.” “The STC have become vital participants in the success of our Ready to Run Sale and have been rewarded with outstanding graduates and results like current champion Antipodean.” “We look forward to hosting the biggest number of clients from Malaysia yet at the 2024 Sale. I am very proud of the work our team at NZB, NZTM and NZTE to give our vendors the best opportunity to sell their horses.” “The work by Chairman Tan Sri Richard, CEO Mike Fong and the committee to promote the sport in Malaysia is incredible. They are a very progressive and forward-thinking Club, and what a credit to thoroughbred racing globally they have become.” CEO of Selangor Turf Club, Dato Michael Fong believes the announcements to be a positive one for the emerging jurisdiction. “We hope the incentives and special races lined up for New Zealand horses would attract our trainers and owners to invest in bigger scale, to procure new horses at the upcoming NZB Ready to Run Sale.” “With the Club looking into hosting weekly racing and increasing prize money in 2025, it would certainly benefit the owners with bigger returns.” NZB’s subsidiary business NZB Airfreight has also been key to ensuring the transport of these purchases into Malaysia each year, which has historically been a difficult route logistically. And as a further incentive to Malaysian buyers, Selangor Turf Club is able to offer RM10,000 airfreight subsidies per horse purchased at the 2024 Ready to Run Sale to ensure their buyers have access to the world’s best two-year-old sale. The 2024 edition of the Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre on 20 and 21 November from 11am (NZT). For international enquiries, contact Mike Kneebone on +61 439 568 881 or email mike.kneebone@nzb.co.nz View the full article

John O’Shea has provided James McDonald with seven of his 100 Group 1 victories and the trainer suspects those numbers can increase by one when McDonald rides for him in Saturday’s $2 million Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington. It has been more than eight years since the pair combined for a win at the elite level, when Hauraki took the Epsom Handicap at Randwick at a time when O’Shea was the head trainer for Godolphin Australia. “We’re due to have another nice race win,” O’Shea said on Tuesday. “We’re pleased to get him as I think he was holding out for the Godolphin horse (Broadsiding) and when it was announced he wouldn’t run, we picked him up. “We ran the gauntlet a bit, but it all turned out well.” McDonald rode King Of Thunder (NZ) (Tivaci) for the first time when he was a fast-finishing third in the G2 Vase (2040m) at The Valley, but he could not confirm his Victoria Derby intentions until he got word on Monday about Godolphin’s intentions with Broadsiding. King Of Thunder’s run for third in the Vase was an eye-catcher that hardly surprised O’Shea or training partner Tom Charlton given his encouraging lead-up runs and his capacity to run a trip. “He’s a genuine mile-and-a-half horse that would be best suited by a good tempo in the race,” he said. “That run (last Saturday) was that last step towards the Derby and he performed really well. “We’ll have no problems with the trip for him, so you’d expect him to go well.” O’Shea purchased the son of Tivaci out of a two-year-old Ready To Run sale in New Zealand for just NZ$50,000, with the trainer explaining the horse’s videos showed him to be star of the future. “To be fair, Mike Rennie from Waikato (Stud), they’d passed him in at the sale and he rang me up and said ‘He’s a nice horse’ so, after I watched a video of him, I said ‘Send it over’ and away we went.” If King Of Thunder was to win Saturday’s Victoria Derby, he would be one of the early favourites for the next year’s Melbourne Cup, but O’Shea said he is no longer keen on sending a young horse to that race. “I am not a fan of running four-year-olds in the Melbourne Cup, but we’ll go through the Derby process now and through the autumn and then give him a relatively light spring next year,” he said. “I’ve got a belief that the machinations of the race changed with the advent of the internationals. “In the old days, it was a natural progression for horses to come out of their Derbies and progress to the Melbourne Cup as four-year-olds. “But I think the internationals have shown they lack seasoning those four-year-olds and they were getting badly handicapped as well. “We’ll just take out time and they’ll get there (Melbourne Cup) when they are five or six.” View the full article

Invincible Spirit (Ire), the sire of 22 individual Group 1 winners worldwide, has been retired from covering duties, the Irish National Stud announced on Wednesday. Now 27, Invincible Spirit was a fixture on the Irish National Stud roster of stallions for 22 consecutive seasons, starting in 2003 after his breakthrough Group 1 victory in the Sprint Cup at Haydock the previous autumn. As a racehorse he won seven of his 17 starts for trainer John Dunlop and owner-breeder Prince Faisal, with his other wins including the Duke Of York Stakes when it was run as a Group 3. The son of Green Desert was introduced at a fee of €10,000 and over time developed into one of the most influential sires of his era. In a statement, the Irish National Stud said, “He [Invincible Spirit] quickly demonstrated his ability to produce fast durable racehorses landing the freshman sires title in 2006, earning him a fee hike to €35,000 for the 2007 breeding season. His first Classic winner duly followed with Lawman winning the Group 1 French Derby, cementing his position among Europe's elite stallions. “Group 1 winners Fleeting Spirit, Mayson and six-time Group 1 winner Moonlight Cloud soon followed but it was Kingman who pushed him into the upper echelons of the stallion ranks. His win in the Irish 2,000 Guineas marked a first British/Irish Classic winner for Invincible Spirit as a sire and his fee increased to €100,000 for the 2015 breeding season. “Following four consecutive years of commanding a stud fee of €120,000 and a first British classic success with his son Magna Grecia winning the English 2,000 Guineas, he has stood the last two breeding seasons at a private fee.” The statement continued, “Invincible Spirit's claim as a sire of sires is demonstrated through the success of his son Kingman in the Northern Hemisphere and Champion Australian sire I Am Invincible in the Southern Hemisphere. “In later years he has become a broodmare sire of note with his daughters producing top class racehorses including Breeders' Cup winner Victoria Road, Classic winner Notable Speech as well as Group 1 winners and performers Desert Encounter and Flotus. He leaves an indelible mark not just on the Irish National Stud but on the entire breed.” Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale added, “It has been a great privilege for all of us at Tully to have been here during the reign of Invincible Spirit. He has been, unquestionably, the greatest stallion to have ever stood at the Irish National Stud. We are delighted to be able to retire him now on his own terms. He will live out his days being looked after by the same people, being turned out every day to the same paddock and being given the same exceptional care. He retires as a living legend.” The post Irish National Stud Stalwart Invincible Spirit Retired from Covering Duties appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Two more horses, a southern trotter and a northern pacer, have been confirmed for the $500,000 slot races on Addington Raceway’s Show Day Twilight races on Friday, November 15. After a brilliant win at Ashburton on Monday, Bring On The Muscle has been confirmed as being Tumby Park’s representative in the Majestic Horse Floats LP THE ASCENT while the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan-trained Better Knuckle Up will replace stablemate Cold Chisel in the Hill Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY for slot-holder Montana Park P/L. Tumby Park is the racing and breeding business run by Scott Whitby near Tweed Heads just on the New South Wales side of the border with Queensland. On Monday Bring On The Muscle looked no chance turning for home in the Group 3 Neumann’s Tyres Vipal Hambletonian 3YO Classic only to produce a storming finish to beat Empire City and Tyron Eros, who have already been confirmed in THE ASCENT. He has now won six from 16. Bred and raced by Jackie Barron, the Majestic Son gelding is trained by her husband Clark Barron. Better Knuckle Up, a winner of five from 13, finished third in the Garrard’s Sires’ Stakes Sophomore Classic on Monday behind Dreams Are Free and Jeremiah. He replaces stablemate Cold Chisel, the Northern Derby winner, who pulled up lame after Monday’s NZB Airfreight Flying Stakes. View the full article

Last year’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup winning trainer Jason Grimson won’t defend his title this year following the withdrawal of his two remaining contenders, Major Moth and Nerano. The pair ran way below their best in a free-for-all behind Aussie champion Leap To Fame at Menangle last Saturday night and will be freshened ahead of the up-coming NSW Inter Dominion series. Grimson had earlier ruled out defending NZ Cup champion Swayzee. Leap To Fame, a $1.55 favourite for the country’s biggest race on Tuesday November 12, will lead the Australian charge along with Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse. Talented Aussie-owned pacer Rock N Roll Doo has also been withdrawn after failing to fire in Monday’s NZB Airfreight Ashburton Flying Stakes. Those defections have seen the New Zealand Cup leaderboard take on a very different look this week. Mo’unga and Australian pacer Aroda have both moved up six places as a result. Mo’unga has gone from 22nd to 16th after winning the main pace, the Alan Gibson Handicap, at Addington last Friday night. The Regan Todd-trained pacer started like a rocket from his 20m mark, leading all the way before going clear by two lengths. He is still one place away from securing a start. Aroda is now in the field at 15th, after winning at Albion Park in Brisbane on Saturday night, while withdrawals have seen Beach Ball go from 16th to 14th. There are some other minimum re-shuffles inside the top 15, with the top seven places unchanged from last week. In this week’s rankings for the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion Trot, also on Tuesday November 12, Fiery Bandito is the main talking point. The Kirstin Green trained and driven Fiery Bandito was a brave second behind rising star Bet N Win in the Group 3 What The What Ashburton Trotters Sprint at Ashburton on Monday after being parked for the majority of the race. The Majestic Son five-year-old has subsequently gone from 21st to 14th in the rankings and inside the cut off. Maui, who finished fourth in the same race, has also improved significantly, from 24th to 18th. The two withdrawals this week were Tectonic and Australian-based trotter Gus. The final rankings will be released following next Monday’s Kaikoura Cup meeting. View them here View the full article

The new $200,000 Group 1 for the four-year-old pacers at Addington Raceway on Friday, December 6 will be known as The Christian Cullen. An on-line poll was held to decide the name of the race, and it was a close run thing. There were three finalists – The Christian Cullen, The Terror To Love and The Southern Cross. Voting on HRNZ’s Facebook page closed last Friday, with The Christian Cullen edging out The Southern Cross. “Christian Cullen seems an ideal fit for this new race,” says Addington Raceway Chief Executive Brian Thompson, “he was an outstanding four-year-old himself, and some of his greatest performances were seen here at Addington.” “So much so that of course there is a Christian Cullen Lounge here already!” As a four-year-old Christian Cullen was unbeatable. He won 12 from 12 including the 1998 New Zealand Cup, the Auckland Cup and the Miracle Mile. Harness racing’s pin up boy at the time, over all the Brian O’Meara-trained star won 22 from 31 starts and over $1.2m in stakes. “His four-year-old season was just perfection,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden, “to win 12 from 12 and over $750,000 in stakes was an incredible effort and it only seems right that there is a race like this to celebrate his achievements.” A competition was held to name the new 4YO Classic, with two people submitting The Christian Cullen. A “coin toss” confirmed the winner as well known Southland owner-breeder Paul Hailes. He will win two tickets to the Silks Lounge (including food and drink) or six tickets to the ZM On The Green on Cup Day and has the opportunity to be on the stage trackside to watch the race and presentation and then attend the Breckon Winning Owners’ bar with the winning connections. Now 29, Christian Cullen is spending his retirement at Dancingonmoonlight in North Canterbury but on December 6 it’s hoped he will be front and centre at Addington once again, leading out the field for the race named in his honour. View the full article

What 2024 Golden Eagle Where Rosehill Gardens Racecourse – Sydney, NSW When Saturday, November 2, 2024 Prizemoney $10,000,000 Distance 1500m Conditions Four-Year-Old, Set Weights 2023 winner Obamburumai (2) | T: Keiji Yoshimura | J: Joshua Parr (56.5kg) Visit Dabble The sixth renewal of the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) headlines the action at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon, with a capacity field of 20 set to do battle in the four-year-old feature. After tasting success last year with Obamburumai, the Japanese have sent two live chances down under, including long-standing favourite Ascoli Piceno who has been on the drift since copping a horror draw in barrier 17. Throw in two more European raiders amongst the list of 16 local hopes and we’re left with a mouthwatering clash in what’s sure to be one of the highlights of the spring. Will the Japanese prove too classy once again? Or is there an upset brewing in the 2024 Golden Eagle. 2024 Golden Eagle odds The Chris Waller-trained Joliestar has been installed as the $5.00 favourite with horse racing bookmakers after drawing barrier 11 on Tuesday evening and continues to firm on the back of her eye-catching performance in the Everest (1200m) on October 19. Ascoli Piceno has eased to $5.50 on the second line of betting, while undefeated French galloper Lazzat rounds out those at single figures at the $6.50 quote. The likes of Tom Kitten ($10.00) and Stefi Magnetica ($10.00) have garnered some early support, while Southport Tycoon ($12.00) is the big drifter after drawing gate 15. 2024 Golden Eagle speed map There appears to be a lack of genuine early speed in the 2024 Golden Eagle, however, the Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald-trained Ostraka made every post a winner in the Group 3 Silver Eagle (1300m). Expect him to go forward alongside Lazzat, with the pair leading out of a moderate tempo. Tom Kitten can be positive from stall two, with Encap (1), Kintyre (3) and War Machine (7) to be ridden handy towards the speed. Jolistar (11), Port Lockroy (9) and Craig (5) will make up the mid-field cohort, while the likes of Ascoli Piceno (17), Skybird (16) and Southport Tycoon (15) will have no choice but to drag back towards the rear of the field in search of cover. Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 Golden Eagle. Recommended! The Better Bettors! Australian-owned and operated bookmaker! Join MarantelliBet 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Golden Eagle 2024 preview & form The Yoichi Kuroiwa-trained Ascoli Piceno is every bit as good as Obamburumai and must be considered the one to beat in this year’s Golden Eagle. The daughter of Daiwa Major has never missed the frame in her six-career starts, including a sensational victory in the Keisei Hai Autumn (1600m) at Nakayama on September 8 before heading to Australia. The poor barrier means punters are getting a fair price to find out, and with the ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira in the saddle, trust Ascoli Piceno can get the right run in transit to claim the 2024 Golden Eagle. It’s hard to place the Jerome Reynier-trained Lazzat, however, the son of Territories is undefeated for a reason. He’s strong on all conditions and has a favourable pattern to be up on speed in his races. He’s a Group 1 winner in France and could easy prove too classy for this lot. For that reason, punters should be willing to keep him safe. Tom Kitten appears the best of the local hopes in this race after storming through the wire behind the likes of Ceolwulf and Pride Of Jenni in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 19. He made a good account of himself in weight-for-age company and looks well-placed back to his own age group. Gate two should allow Ben Melham to get the gun run throughout, and if he’s good enough, Tom Kitten should figure in this. Craig will be attempting to replicate the likes of I’m Thunderstruck (2021) and I Wish I Win (2022) as the only galloper coming through the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m). He was no match for Antino on that occasion, but was one of the best of the beaten brigade to suggest he can make some noise in this at a big each-way price. Golden Eagle 2024 selections & best bets Selections: 19 ASCOLI PICENO 12 LAZZAT 3 TOM KITTEN 13 CRAIG $100 betting strategy $45 Win Ascoli Piceno (#19) @ +450 with Neds $35 Win Lazzat (#12) @ +550 with Playup $20 Win Tom Kitten (#3) @ +900 with Picklebet Golden Eagle 2024 final field No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Southport Tycoon Ciaron Maher Craig Williams 15 57.5kg 2 Veight Tony & Calvin McEvoy Harry Coffey 18 57.5kg 3 Tom Kitten James Cummings Ben Melham 2 57.5kg 4 Ostraka Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Chad Schofield 13 57.5kg 5 Griff Ciaron Maher Dylan Gibbons 6 57.5kg 6 Encap Gary Portelli Jason Collett 1 57.5kg 7 Xidaki Peter Snowden Tom Sherry 10 57.5kg 8 Chrysaor Chris Waller Regan Bayliss 14 57.5kg 9 Kintyre Gary Portelli Reece Jones 3 57.5kg 10 War Machine Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson Jay Ford 7 57.5kg 11 Port Lockroy Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Adam Hyeronimus 9 57.5kg 12 Lazzat Jerome Reynier Antonio Orani 12 56.5kg 13 Craig Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Nash Rawiller 5 56.5kg 14 Lake Forest William Haggas Cieren Fallon 8 56.5kg 15 Stefi Magnetica Bjorn Baker Zac Lloyd 4 55.5kg 16 Joliestar Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 11 55.5kg 17 Makarena Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes Tyler Schiller 20 55.5kg 18 Skybird Mitchell Freedman Beau Mertens 16 55.5kg 19 Ascoli Piceno Yoichi Kuroiwa Joao Moreira 17 54.5kg 20 Corazon Beat Shizuya Kato Tommy Berry 19 54.5kg Horse racing tips View the full article

Te Akau principal David Ellis has extended his buying arm to Europe with the recent purchase of three-year-old stakes-winning colt Bright Stripes at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in England. A winner of four races, Bright Stripes was victorious in the Listed Coolmore Stud Tetrach Stakes (1600m) in May at the Curragh, and was secured by Ellis for 145,000 guineas (NZ$316,000 approx.) out of Stragrane House Stables’ draft. Bright Stripes will continue his racing career under the care of Te Akau trainer Mark Walker out of their Cranbourne barn, and the trans-Tasman horseman is excited about his stable’s new acquisition. “We put a lot of time and effort into the sale and were delighted to be able to purchase him online,” Walker said. “We were looking for a prospect that could run from a mile (1600m) to a mile and a half (2400m) in Australia, and to target some really good races there. “His form is very, very good, and strong form has come from the races he’s been in and among the opposition he’s been against. “We asked a few form experts in the UK to assess him for us and we were actually pleased to get him for under our budgeted price. “He vetted extremely well, which was important to us, and we vetted him to the highest Hong Kong international standards. “We think he’s a really exciting prospect for the Australian stable, and the plan is now for him to be gelded in England, and then he’ll come out to Australia. “Gelding him straight away will give him the best chance of acclimatising to Australian conditions, where we’ll give him a light autumn preparation before concentrating on some nice spring races next season. “We’re thrilled to be able to purchase a stakes winner from the UK, and think he’s an exciting prospect.” Bright Stripes is not the first horse obtained by Ellis in Europe, after buying very successful galloper Torcedor in France. Ellis purchased Torcedor for 70,000 Euro (NZ$115,000) at the 2013 Deauville Yearling Sales in France, and racing in the Te Akau colours he was owned by Sir Patrick Hogan, Sir Peter Vela, Mohammed Moussa, and Laurie Laxon. Torcedor won five races, including the Gr.3 Coolmore Vintage Crop Stakes (2800m) and Gr.3 Longines Sagaro Stakes (3208m), while also finishing second in both the Gr.1 Goodwood Cup (3218m) and Gr.1 Irish St Leger (2816m), and second in the Gr.2 British Champions Long Distance Cup (3208m). View the full article

Wexford Stables look to have another exciting youngster on their hands following Hankee Alpha’s (NZ) (Proisir) impressive debut victory in the Donaghys Uddermax 1200 at Te Aroha on Wednesday. The three-year-old daughter of Proisir was fair away from the gates and settled at the rear of the field for jockey Lynsey Satherley, who gave her an economical trip along the rail. Satherley continued to take the shortest path home with her filly and made up significant ground on her rivals when rounding the final bend and Hankee Alpha soon found herself in the lead. She continued her momentum and built a healthy advantage, eventually running out a comfortable 6-1/2 length victor over Adelante. Purchased for $35,000 by bloodstock agents Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman out of Highline Thoroughbreds’ 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft, Hankee Alpha was entrusted to the care of Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, who have taken a patient approach with her education. She had six trials for the Wexford team, who have long held a high opinion of the filly, which was realised in her dominant debut performance. “We have been on a wee journey of educating her and the team has done a really good job at home of keeping her settled in,” Scott said. “We said to Lynsey today to let her get into a rhythm and get her breathing because we know she has got really quick feet. When she goes, she can really let down. “She has got a good future in front of her and in any ground she quickens well. We have got high hopes for her.” Scott was full of praise for Satherley post-race, and said she was the perfect rider to continue her education on raceday. “She is a really good horsewoman and a good horse rider,” he said. “It took a bit of a ride today on this filly because she is not the easiest and we just wanted to make sure we had steady hands on her, teach her and give her a good confidence building experience. “She will take any amount of improvement out of today.” Satherley was rapt with the result and believes a bright future is instore for Hankee Alpha. “I am very lucky to be on her,” she said. “It was a super effort, she is a lovely filly that is really well mannered and did everything I asked. To go out and do it like that is pretty cool. “She has got a big stride for a little horse, but she travelled easy. She is a lovely filly going places.” View the full article

The road to Riccarton Park has not been an easy one for Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel), but the colt indicated he is right on track with a stunning performance in Wednesday’s transferred Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Aroha. Savaglee, alongside a number of other runners in the race, has fallen victim to a pair of abandonments, firstly with the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) which was rescheduled to Matamata, then the Sarten, which was set to be run on Monday at Te Rapa. The adaptable colt overcame the first hurdle in winning the Hawke’s Bay Guineas narrowly over So Naïve and Captured By Love, and the trio headed the TAB market again on Wednesday, with the filly closing the short-priced favourite at $1.80, over Savaglee ($5.60) and So Naïve ($6.50). Savaglee flew his outside barrier draw and settled outside of the early leader Erin Go Bragh, with So Naïve in close quarters to the inside. The colt loomed large turning for home and hit the front early, leaving Captured By Love and Whiskey ‘N Roses to hunt him down, but he was too strong in the finish and held off the latter by 1-½ lengths. Pam Gerard, who trains Savaglee out of Matamata, admitted there has been plenty of frustration in the camp through his campaign, but couldn’t be prouder of her colt. “I don’t think he’s done a thing wrong really,” she said. “He’s gone in a bit under the guard, there’s always been a better horse out there, so they tell us. “I don’t think he could do any more than he’s done today. He’s just a good, honest colt. He wants to get out there, he wants to race. They’ve had two trips away where we’ve gone to nothing, but he just keeps backing up.” Since the son of Savabeel won when resuming at Taupo, Gerard has made it no secret that the ultimate goal for the spring was the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), to be run next Saturday in the south. “It was always a goal and losing a race meeting means you are two days closer to where you want to be,” she said. “You have to turn your horses around and be healthy and keep them in the right state of mind, which was a worry especially when it started raining, that you may have too hard of a run. But he’s just killed them today. He’s done it easy. “You just want your plan to go to plan, but we’ve just got to deal with it and accept it and move forward.” Spratt currently sits in an enviable position of holding the rides of both the 2000 Guineas and Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) favourites in Alabama Lass and Savaglee, with the latter now the $2.40 top-elect over Captured By Love ($3). “He’s a really smart little horse, from out there we were actually going to go back, but as soon as he jumped with them, I wasn’t going to pull him back,” she said. “He settled beautifully and kicked on. I wasn’t too worried about the track easing as he doesn’t mind the bite out of it. “At the top of the straight I was travelling really well, but halfway up, he started pricking his ears and not pulling up, but just having a look around. I was a bit worried they were going to come and bomb us, but as soon as I gave him a little tickle behind the saddle to put his mind on the job, he dug again. It was very impressive. “Hopefully it’ll be a good week (at Riccarton).” Bred by Waikato Stud, Savaglee was purchased by The Oaks Stud for $400,000 at the 2023 Karaka Yearling Sales, of which he has earned back $371,225 with five wins from 11 starts. With victory today, Savaglee has put himself firmly in NZB Kiwi (1500m) calculations, with the Sarten being one of several NZB Kiwi bonus eligible races. In addition to the base $3.5 million prizemoney for March’s NZB Kiwi, an additional $1 million in bonuses is up for grabs. To be eligible for a share in the $1 million bonus pool (1st – $600,000; 2nd – $250,000; 3rd – $150,000), a horse must win one of the bonus eligible races, and also run a top three placing in The NZB Kiwi held on Champions Day (8 March 2025). View the full article

High-class sprinter Babylon Berlin put a challenging season behind her with an impressive return to the Te Awamutu trials on Tuesday. Babylon Berlin has been a leading light for Ben Foote’s stable since she debuted as a three-year-old, performing consistently up to Group One level, including a trio of elite-level placings behind top-class mares Imperatriz and Levante in her five-year-old season. The daughter of All Too Hard picked up where she left off in the new term, winning the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) last November before finishing second to Sacred Satono in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m). From there, the remainder of the season was far from smooth-sailing, with Babylon Berlin undergoing a wind operation following an uncharacteristic run in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m). After recovering from surgery, the mare then sustained an injury to her eye, ruling her out of the remaining features through the summer period. On a fact-finding mission at Te Awamutu, Foote had simple instructions for senior hoop Vinnie Colgan and was thrilled to hear his report after Babylon Berlin comfortably won her Open 850m heat in the fastest time of the day. “I just wanted to see if her heart was still in it really,” said Foote, who trains in partnership with son Ryan. “I said to Vinnie to let her do her thing and see if she will pull you into it. He came back and said she felt a million dollars, he was really happy. “It’s probably taken her a little while to turn a corner with her coat, but in the last couple of weeks in particular, she’s turned a corner and all the signs are really good. “We think she’s back to her old self, so let’s hope so.” Foote confirmed the mare would return to Te Rapa next Saturday and attempt to defend her crown in the Legacy Lodge Sprint before targeting the new Champion Sprint Series, which includes the Counties Bowl, Gr.3 Concorde Handicap (1200m), Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) and the Railway across the coming months. View the full article

What Wyong Races Where Wyong Race Club & Function Centre – 71-73 Howarth St, Wyong NSW 2259 When Thursday, October 31, 2024 First Race 1:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble Provincial racing returns to Wyong on Thursday afternoon, with an ultra-competitive eight-part program set for decision. The rail is out +4m for the entire circuit, and with the only rainfall anticipated to hit the course later in the afternoon, punters can expect a Good 4 surface prior to the opening event at 1:15pm local time. Best Bet at Wyong: Shalaa Gold The Bjorn Baker-trained Shalaa Gold has undergone a gelding operation during his 161-day spell. It seems to have focused the son of Shalaa, who went on to score impressively in a barrier trial at Rosehill on October 18. Adam Hyeronimus will look to dictate terms from barrier one, and provided Shalaa Gold can pinch a couple of lengths on his rivals in the middle stages, he will take plenty of beating. Best Bet Race 2 – #6 Shalaa Gold (1) 3yo Gelding | T: Bjorn Baker | J: Adam Hyeronimus (56.5kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Wyong: Jolly Good Fellow Jolly Good Fellow got a pass mark at Warwick Farm on October 16, hitting the line well over 1400m to get within 1.2 lengths of Iceman. With a bit more fitness on his side this time, the 1630m should be an ideal setup for the son of Zousain. Zac Lloyd sticks aboard from barrier one, and with Jolly Good Fellow likely to stalk the leading pair throughout, watch for him to charge down the centre of the course to claim his maiden victory. Next Best Race 1 – #7 Jolly Good Fellow (1) 3yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Zac Lloyd (56.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Best Value at Wyong: Emery Emery never got clear at Hawkesbury on October 10 and should’ve finished much closer than the four-length margin may suggest. The daughter of Almanzor was disappointed for a run throughout the straight, only getting through her gears when it was all over. Stepping back to 1000m does appear to be a minor negative, but if she can show off her explosive turn of foot, Emery can figure at an each-way price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Value Race 3 – #7 Emery (8) 3yo Filly | T: Sara Ryan | J: Regan Bayliss (55kg) Bet with Dabble Wyong quaddie tips – 31/10/2024 Wyong quadrella selections Thursday, October 31, 2024 2-4-5-10 1-4-5-7 1-5-6-7 3-4-5-6 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip (Quaddie Link from Boombet needed^) Horse racing tips View the full article

Bendigo Cup Day 2024. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Bendigo Cup Day 2024 is arguably one of the best country racedays each year and a nine-race meeting set down for decision at the Bendigo Jockey Club on Wednesday, October 30, 2024. The Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) is set to jump at 4:10pm AEDT. With plenty of key form races heading into the Melbourne Cup Carnival, catch up on all the race replays, results and dividends provided by top horse racing bookmakers here. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Race 1 – 3YO Maiden Plate (1000 METRES) Race Replay & Results Place No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Fixed Odds (W) Fixed Odds (P) 1st 7 Always Enuff Shane Nichols Zac Spain $11.00 $2.80 2nd 3 Hot Digity Boom Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Michael Dee $2.30 3rd 11 Jasmin Rouge Clinton McDonald Jamie Kah $1.70 4th 16 Treasureflight Matt Cumani Eoin Walsh Exotic Bet Type Results Dividend Quinella 7-3 $46.80 Exacta 7-3 $112.40 Duet 7-3 $12.70 Duet 7-11 $8.00 Duet 3-11 $5.80 Trifecta 7-3-11 $520.10 First Four 7-3-11-16 $27,930.40 Race 2 – BM64 Handicap (1100 METRES) Race Replay & Results Place No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Fixed Odds (W) Fixed Odds (P) 1st 4 Coeur De Lyon Tom Dabernig Jarrod Fry $12.00 $1.90 2nd 1 Snappy Secret Danielle Chapman Jason Maskiell $1.40 3rd 9 Sociable Anthony & Sam Freedman Declan Bates $1.20 4th 5 Fragile Love Mathew Ellerton Damian Lane Exotic Bet Type Results Dividend Quinella 4-1 $24.30 Exacta 4-1 $44.90 Duet 4-1 $4.90 Duet 4-9 $3.50 Duet 1-9 $2.80 Trifecta 4-1-9 $108.50 First Four 4-1-9-5 $162.40 Running Double (1,2) 7-4 $145.10 Race 3 – BM64 Handicap (2400 METRES) Race Replay & Results Place No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Fixed Odds (W) Fixed Odds (P) 1st 9 Hollandia John Moloney Daniel Stackhouse $5.50 $2.00 2nd 10 Jenny The Beaver Ben O’Farrell Billy Egan $2.90 3rd 6 Foix Ciaron Maher John Allen $2.10 4th 2 Off His Roca Andrew Bobbin Tom Prebble Exotic Bet Type Results Dividend Quinella 9-10 $31.90 Exacta 9-10 $62.20 Duet 9-10 $10.70 Duet 9-6 $5.10 Duet 10-6 $12.70 Trifecta 9-10-6 $363.80 First Four 9-10-6-2 $4,843.00 Running Double (2,3) 4-9 $111.50 Race 4 – BM64 Handicap (1300 METRES) Race Replay & Results Place No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Fixed Odds (W) Fixed Odds (P) 1st 6 Blackberry Bomb Simon Zahra Thomas Stockdale $7.50 $2.30 2nd 3 Treat Him Right Matt Cumani Eoin Walsh $2.10 3rd 2 Harry’s Yacht Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin Harry Coffey $1.60 4th 4 Wainman Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes Jordan Childs Exotic Bet Type Results Dividend Quinella 6-3 $32.70 Exacta 6-3 $72.30 Duet 6-3 $9.70 Duet 6-2 $6.50 Duet 3-2 $4.30 Trifecta 6-3-2 $274.20 First Four 6-3-2-4 $1,220.10 Running Double (3,4) 9-6 $51.80 Race 5 – BM70 Handicap (1300 METRES) Race Replay & Results Place No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Fixed Odds (W) Fixed Odds (P) 1st 13 Floozie Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Blake Shinn $2.90 $1.40 2nd 10 Vienna Vixen Ciaron Maher Ethan Brown $2.10 3rd 6 Alectrona Tony & Calvin McEvoy Harry Coffey $1.70 4th 8 Moor Mumm Dan O’Sullivan Jaylah Kennedy Exotic Bet Type Results Dividend Quinella 13-10 $10.10 Exacta 13-10 $19.50 Duet 13-10 $4.40 Duet 13-6 $2.90 Duet 10-6 $5.60 Trifecta 13-10-6 $65.80 First Four 13-10-6-8 $345.30 Running Double (4,5) 6-13 $27.20 Early Quaddie 4-9-6-13 $3,758.80 Race 6 – BM70 Handicap (1600 METRES) Race Replay & Results Place No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Fixed Odds (W) Fixed Odds (P) 1st 5 Notabadbuy Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Ethan Brown $26.00 $6.00 2nd 3 Sure Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Beau Mertens $1.40 3rd 12 Howlin’ Rain Cindy Alderson Carleen Hefel $2.10 4th 1 Vivideel Tony & Calvin McEvoy Harry Coffey Exotic Bet Type Results Dividend Quinella 5-3 $38.00 Exacta 5-3 $63.80 Duet 5-3 $14.10 Duet 5-12 $33.40 Duet 3-12 $3.30 Trifecta 5-3-12 $533.60 First Four 5-3-12-1 $3,549.10 Running Double (5,6) 13-5 $55.00 Horse racing news View the full article

Derby Day at Flemington promises another chapter in trainer Chris Waller‘s dominance, with his mare Atishu leading the charge in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). A two-time Group 1 winner, Atishu seeks her third elite-level victory. Waller previously conquered the Empire Rose Stakes with Red Tracer (2013) and Shillelagh (2018). Last year, Atishu […] The post Waller’s Atishu Favourite for Empire Rose Stakes 2024 at Flemington appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article

Flemington roars back to life for VRC Derby Day this Saturday, featuring the electrifying Group 1 $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) for three-year-old sprinters. Ciaron Maher looks set to continue his stellar spring carnival with the clear favourite in Coolmore Stud Stakes betting at Ladbrokes, Growing Empire. This Zoustar colt, piloted by Mark Zahra, […] The post Growing Empire Poised to Conquer Coolmore Stud Stakes 2024 appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article

The curtain rises on the Melbourne Cup Carnival this Saturday with Derby Day at Flemington. The Group 1 $2 million Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m) takes centre stage, featuring a talented, capacity final field of three-year-old stayers vying for classic glory. Leading the charge is Anthony Cummings‘ star colt El Castello. Fresh off his impressive victory […] The post El Castello Leads the Charge from Wide Out in Victoria Derby 2024 Field appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article

The Cox Plate Carnival at Moonee Valley took the spotlight across the weekend, while Randwick, Doomben and Ascot held strong cards on Saturday afternoon. In this week’s edition of The Follow Files, we have found three runners that produced strong performances without winning and are worth adding to your blackbook with your chosen bookmaker. Randwick Track rating: Good 4 Rail position: +5m 1600m-W/Post & +3m remainder Race 9: Listed Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) | Time: 1:27.30 Horse to follow: Territory Express (2nd) Territory Express was heavily backed with horse racing bookmakers before the Five Diamonds Prelude and nearly saluted for his followers over 1500m. Unfortunately, the Paul Niceforo-trained gelding missed the kick by two lengths and was made to work early to hold a position back in the field. Zac Lloyd chose to stick to the inside rail before working his way between runners to finish off strongly. The winner, Iknowastar, was tiring in the final 100m and with Lloyd getting everything out of Territory Express, he lunged on the line but missed by a nose. When to bet: After two big performances to kick off this preparation, Territory Express appears ready to peak third-up in the Five Diamonds on November 9 at Rosehill. Race 6: Group 3 Craven Plate (1800m) | Time: 1:49.29 Horse to follow: Arapaho (4th) Following an underwhelming performance first-up, Arapaho found some form and produced a bottler second-up in the Craven Plate over 1800m. The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding has performed at his best over 1800m and further, so it is expected that his run will bring him on nicely. The son of Lope De Vega settled at the back of the field and struggled to get a run at the top of the straight; however, once he got into clear air, he charged home for fourth place. Considering how well he ran through the line, Arapaho will appreciate a rise in trip third-up. When to bet: Given his rating of 109, Arapaho will have to find a Listed or Group 3 contest over 2000m or further in his next start. If Bjorn Baker can find a race with a similar race shape to last Saturday, he will go very close to winning. Moonee Valley Track rating: Good 4 (up to Good 3 after R5) Rail position: True entire circuit Race 7: Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) | Time: 1:09.13 Horse to follow: I Am Unstoppable (2nd) I Am Unstoppable has been given two incredibly tough tasks in his first two starts for new trainer Ciaron Maher at Warwick Farm and Moonee Valley. First-up, the son of I Am Invincible settled last and flashed home but couldn’t pick up the winner over 1000m before being set a similar task over 1200m second-up. Mark Zahra had to go back from barrier nine of nine, and even though he was very strong late, there was no chance of him catching Baraqiel in the home straight, who had over three lengths on him turning for home. When to bet: Ciaron Maher will no doubt have a race in mind for I Am Unstoppable over the Melbourne Cup Carnival and wherever he goes, he will be hard to beat. Top horse racing sites for blackbook features Recommended! The Better Bettors! Australian-owned and operated bookmaker! Join MarantelliBet 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Horse racing tips View the full article

Growing Empire heads the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes market. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) The Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) will be one of three Group 1 races that will feature on Flemington’s VRC Derby Day program this Saturday afternoon, and a field of 14 runners is expected to do battle down the famous 1200m straight. As expected, many of Australia’s top trainers have a runner engaged in the 2024 Coolmore Stud Stakes, with the likes of Ciaron Maher, Chris Waller and James Cummings training the key market favourites. Leading the market with horse racing bookmakers is the Group 1 Everest placegetter Growing Empire ($4.20), who already has two Group 1 placings to his name and has been nothing short of impressive in his first racing preparation. The Ciaron Maher-trained colt will regain the services of Mark Zahra, who is seeking to remain unbeaten aboard the son of Zoustar in four rides. Hailing from the Godolphin yard, Traffic Warden ($4) will enter the Coolmore fresh off an unfortunate scratching at the barriers prior to The Everest. The son of Street Boss will be five weeks between runs, and his last start runner-up finish behind Broadsiding in the Group 1 Golden Rose reads very well for this $2 million contest. Switzerland ($5) put pay to his rivals in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes at Rosehill on October 12, and he appears to have found his outstanding two-year-old form when he won three on the bounce and headed into the Golden Slipper as one of the key chances. The two fillies entered in the Coolmore sit on the fourth and fifth lines of betting, with Lady Of Camelot ($8) and Bellatrix Star ($13) well-respected in the market. Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott have entered Lady Of Camelot in three straight open-age Group 1 races to kick off her campaign, and now she will drop back to her own age group after finishing fourth in The Everest, only a head off Growing Empire. Mark Walker and Blake Shinn will combine with Bellatrix Star, who has taken the sprinting ranks by storm since making her way over from New Zealand. The daughter of Star Witness brought up a winning hat-trick with her barnstorming finish in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield to beat the older horses in her ninth career start. The chances don’t end there, as First Settler ($15) and Bittercreek ($34) are also expected to feature prominently at double-figure odds with online racing betting sites. The Coolmore Stud Stakes will be race six on the Flemington card and is scheduled to jump at 3:40pm AEDT. 2024 Coolmore Stud Stakes Final Field 1. Growing Empire (9) T: Ciaron Maher J: Mark Zahra W: 57kg F: 1123 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Zoustar Dam: Miles Of Krishan +260 -153.85 2. Coleman (6) T: Matt Laurie J: Ethan Brown W: 57kg F: x662 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Pierata Dam: Sboog +1400 +300 3. Traffic Warden (3) T: James Cummings J: Jamie Kah W: 57kg F: 2×12 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Street Boss (USA) Dam: Efficiently +300 -125 4. Bittercreek (13) T: Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin J: Ben Allen W: 57kg F: 2×71 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Snitzel Dam: Rose Of Cimmaron +3300 +700 5. Switzerland (8) T: Chris Waller J: James McDonald W: 57kg F: 8×91 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Sntizel Dam: Ms Bad Behavior +400 +100 6. First Settler (10) T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr J: Michael Dee W: 57kg F: 1121 Age: 3YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Colt Sire: Written Tycoon Dam: Graciousness +1400 +300 7. Bodyguard (2) T: Peter Snowden J: Hugh Bowman W: 57kg F: 40×9 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: I Am Invincible Dam: Tumooh +4000 +800 8. Gatsby’s (7) T: Chris Waller J: Damian Lane W: 57kg F: 1425 Age: 3YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Colt Sire: Snitzel Dam: Miss Charming +2500 +500 9. Stoli Bolli (5) T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes J: Luke Currie W: 57kg F: 2413 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Deep Field Dam: Champagne Boom +2500 +500 10. Yoshinobu (1) T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald J: Jamie Mott W: 57kg F: x113 Age: 3YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Colt Sire: Written Tycoon Dam: Total Attraction +3000 +600 11. Enriched (14) T: Michael Freedman J: Jye McNeil W: 57kg F: x163 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay/Brown Sex: Colt Sire: I Am Invincible Dam: Miss Atom Bomb +4000 +800 12. Gallant Son (12) T: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman J: Luke Nolen W: 57kg F: 1×24 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown Sex: Colt Sire: Written Tycoon Dam: Plucky Belle +3000 +600 13. Lady Of Camelot (4) T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott J: Tim Clark W: 55kg F: x374 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Written Tycoon Dam: Miss Debutante +700 +160 14. Bellatrix Star (11) T: Mark Walker J: Blake Shinn W: 55kg F: 5111 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Star Witness Dam: Alana’s Party +1200 +270 Horse racing news View the full article

Josh Parr and El Castello after winning the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au The time-honoured Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) headlines the action at Flemington on Saturday afternoon, with a capacity field of 16 three-year-olds set to do battle for the $2 million prize. The Anthony Cummings-trained El Castello holds the call with horse racing bookmakers as a $3.90 favourite for the event after an impressive victory last Saturday in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick. Joshua Parr takes the reins once again after claiming Group 1 glory but may have his work cut out slotting in for cover after drawing barrier 18 on Thursday morning. Red Aces is on the one-week backup after claiming the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) and gets a terrific opportunity to claim back-to-back wins after drawing barrier four. The Dundeel colt shares the second line of betting at $7.50 alongside King Of Thunder, who will be looking to turn-the-tables after finishing third in the Vase last weekend. James McDonald gets legged aboard the Tavaci gelding for the first time and should gain an economical run throughout the journey from barrier one. Hong Kong-based hoop Hugh Bowman returns to Australia and has booked the ride aboard Keeneland ($9.00), while the Ciaron Maher barn will be represented by Saint Emillion and appears the best of those at double-figure odds. The chances don’t end there, with the likes of China Sea and Goldrush Guru sure to have plenty of admirers at the big odds available. The Group 1 VRC Derby is the second leg of the Flemington quaddie and is scheduled to get underway at 4:20pm local time. 2024 Victoria Derby Final Field 1. El Castello (18) T: Anthony Cummings J: Joshua Parr W: 57kg F: 1111x Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Castelvecchio Dam: Word Games +250 -142.86 2. Red Aces (4) T: Nick Ryan J: Jamie Mott W: 57kg F: 120×1 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Cardiac +600 +140 3. Keeneland (11) T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young J: Hugh Bowman W: 57kg F: 31124 Age: 3YO Colour: Black Sex: Gelding Sire: Almanzor (FR) Dam: Savabeel Star (NZ) +900 +188 4. Goldrush Guru (15) T: Andrew Gluyas J: Jamie Kah W: 57kg F: 12211 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: American Pharaoh Dam: Glam Guru +1200 +260 5. Saint Emilion (6) T: Ciaron Maher J: Tim Clark W: 57kg F: 1173x Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Snitzel Dam: Kylikwong +1300 +260 6. Kingofwallstreet (10) T: Matt Cumani J: Michael Dee W: 57kg F: 127 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Our Girl Raquie +1700 +320 7. Politely Dun (5) T: Danny O’Brien J: Damian Lane W: 57kg F: 41332 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Politeness +1600 +300 8. King Of Thunder (1) T: John O’Shea & Tom Charlton J: James McDonald W: 57kg F: 37132 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Tivaci Dam: Sheezababe (NZ) +650 +160 9. Tenbury Wells (14) T: Tenbury Wells J: Blake Shinn W: 57kg F: 51162 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Fastnet Rock Dam: Dowager Queen (NZ) +1700 +320 10. Peru (2) T: Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson J: Declan Bates W: 57kg F: 66638 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Brazen Beau Dam: Salamati (GER) +12500 +2025 11. China Sea (7) T: John Sargent J: Mark Zahra W: 57kg F: 269×0 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Fastnet Rock Dam: Rippled (GB) +1500 +275 12. Hot Too Go (13) T: Danny O’Brien J: Jordan Childs W: 57kg F: 2227x Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Too Darn Hot (GB) Dam: Gogo Grace +4500 +775 13. Scary (8) T: Emma-Lee & David Browne J: Luke Nolen W: 57kg F: 53120 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Shocking Dam: Never Ever (NZ) +3400 +600 14. Oxford Blue (16) T: Julius Sandhu J: Ethan Brown W: 57kg F: 313 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Fiorente (IRE) Dam: Stockpin (NZ) +2500 +475 15. West Indies (17) T: Mark Walker J: Craig Newitt W: 57kg F: 414x Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Fastnet Rock Dam: Anchovy (IRE) +8000 +1250 16. Autumnheat (12) T: Matt Cumani J: Eoin Walsh W: 57kg F: 53944 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Too Darn Hot (GB) Dam: Autumn (NZ) +10000 +1550 17 (1E). War Ribbon (3) T: David Payne J: John Allen W: 57kg F: 1223x Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Calyx (GB) Dam: Motion of Power +1900 +350 18 (2E). Cecchetti (9) T: Matt Cumani J: Daniel Stackhouse W: 57kg F: 437x Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Fiorente (IRE) Dam: Vandancer (NZ) +10000 +1550 Horse racing news View the full article

The first of the Aussie horses are here, a change for SENZ radio, and two NZ records at Ashburton all feature in this week’s News Briefs. The Aussies have landed The first of the Australian visitors for IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup week have landed. The Jess Tubbs-trained quartet of Just Believe, Better Eclipse, One Over All and He’s From Heaven were due to touch down at 8am today. Superstar trotter Just Believe will go straight to the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington on Tuesday, November 12 while One Over All and Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse will race at Kaikoura next Monday (November 4). He’s From Heaven will race for slot holder Entain in the $500,000 Hill Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY at Addington’s Show Day twilight race meeting on Friday, November 15. Millwood Nike to be a mum Superstar mare Millwood Nike is in foal. Retired with a tendon injury after winning all 17 of her starts, Millwood Nike was recently purchased by Breckon Farms and she has been based at their Ohaupo property in the Waikato for the past month or so. It’s now been confirmed she is in foal to Art Major and reportedly adapting very well to her new life. SENZ to become Sport Nation New Zealand’s only dedicated sports radio and audio platform is evolving, with SENZ rebranding to Sport Nation from November 19. The rebrand marks a new chapter for the station, reflecting its commitment to being the Kiwi voice of sport – by Kiwis, for Kiwis. Sport Nation will continue to deliver the same comprehensive sports coverage, offering fans access to all the sports Kiwis love, 24/7, from local legends to international events, as well as bringing the latest and greatest from the racing world. Keeping it in the family Merlin’s win the NZB Airfreight Ashburton Flying Stakes capped off a good few days for broodmare star Imaginary Bet and Southland breeders Todd and Fleur Anderson. The now 12-year-old mare has had seven foals. A $1m plus earner Merlin (Art Major – Imaginary Bet) is by far the most successful and high profile of them. His win on Monday followed half brother Magician (Captaintreacherous) winning at Addington on Friday night, while his full sister Captains Mistress was second in her Sires’ Stakes heat at Ashburton on Monday and Merlin’s full brother Durrant was third in a race at Invercargill on Sunday. All four were bred by the Anderson’s Taffy Limited. Two NZ records at Ashburton Two New Zealand records were set during Ashburton’s Labour Day meeting on Monday. Dreams Are Free took out the Garrard’s Sires’ Stakes Sophomore Classic when the Nathan Williamson trained and driven colt got the perfect trail behind favourite Jeremiah to win by more than a length in 1:59.2. That lowered the New Zealand 3YO colts and geldings record over 1700 metres set by Hadron Collider, who won in 1:59.5 at Cambridge Raceway in April this year. And Got The Chocolates, driven by John Dunn, eclipsed the 2YO Colts and Geldings 1700m mobile record when he won the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stake Heat in 1:58.1. That was just under Franco Indie’s record of 1:58.2, also set at Ashburton, in 2021. Big leads in respective premierships With two months of the year to go the drivers’ and trainers’ premierships are looking pretty clear-cut. In the drivers Robert and Jenna Dunn are poised to win another premiership with 126 wins in 2024, 22 ahead of nearest rivals Steve and Amanda Telfer while Blair Orange, on 157 wins, has a sizeable 36-win buffer over John Dunn. Sam Thornley (52) has a nine win lead over Carter Dalgety in the junior drivers’ race. Surgery notification requirements As the Accountable Person you are now responsible for informing HRNZ of any Notifiable Surgeries that a horse in your care has had. The Notifiable Surgeries feature is now available online through your My HRNZ login. If you login online or to your My HRNZ app, and then go to My Horses, you will find the Notifiable Surgeries feature available here. It is straight forward and easy to use. It is a requirement that HRNZ is notified of any surgeries as soon as practical. You will be required to : · Name the Horse · Date of the procedure · Name of Vet · Choose the surgery/procedure A video tutorial on how to use the app can be found here In the case of a horse being gelded, HRNZ must be notified within 5 days. Club News : Methven The Methven Trotting Club action resumes on Friday November 1 with a twilight meeting scheduled to start at 3 pm with the last likely to go about 7.30 p.m. The track is likely to be in first class order on the back of forecasted rain a week prior to the meeting. The programmed is based around lower tier horses and most of the races are short distance. The club in conjunction with the Canty Owners Association will once again provide a BBQ and drink for owners, trainers and stablehands over the last few races. This has been very popular with connections and many thanks to Nigel and Brenda Armstrong for their selfless efforts. View the full article

By Brigette Solomon Cambridge trainer Nicky Chilcott has rounded out the year’s final Trot into Tuesday meeting at her home track with a winning training double. “It was a great night, I was rapt with the horses and a few of their owners were on course to enjoy it which was awesome,” said Chilcott. Chilcott’s first winner of the night was Katies Princess who took out the Flair Junior Drivers Trophy Mobile Pace driven by stable employee and junior driver Leah Hibell. In a confident drive by Hibell, Katies Princess was sent forward off the mobile and after some early work eventually found the lead over Baileys Pitch. From there Hibell rated the mare well and despite some pressure down the back from the parked Heaven High, Katies Princess was too good, letting down to score the win by 1.75 lengths. “It was fantastic for her owners the Messengers who made the trip up from Inglewood to watch her tonight and it was a great drive from Leah, she showed confidence out there and drove her really well,” said Chilcott, “Leah’s won five races on her now and has developed a good association with the mare.” The five-year-old mare by Raging Bull now has seven lifetime wins to her name and earnings just shy of $60,000. Later in the evening, Chilcott drove Alwaysbesecret to her maiden victory taking out the Garrards Horse and Hound Mobile Pace for Fillies and Mares. “I actually thought she would have won a race sooner but it has taken her some time to get the hang of racing despite running a few places on the way,” said Chilcott, “this was her third week in a row racing which was the only question mark but it turned out to be her best run yet.” From a starting draw of four, Chilcott sent Alwaysbesecret forward to lead and remained in front from there on out. In the home straight Spirited Peggy who had trailed the winner, issued a strong challenge up the passing lane and at one stage looked to head Chilcott’s horse, but Alwaysbesecret rallied and fought hard to win by a head. “She is still a bit weak yet and probably about 12 months away from being the full package but it’s great for the owners that we’ve been able to have some fun with her and get a win,” said Chilcott, “she’ll probably head to the paddock for a spell now.” Peter Ferguson also scored a winning driving double last night winning race 1, the Blue Water Waikato Handicap Trot with Crackerjack for trainers Dylan and Jo Ferguson. His next win was with Ruby Ridge in the Christmas At The Raceway Handicap Trot for the Pukekohe-based training partnership of Peter and Vaughan Blanchard. It was the Majestic Son mare’s 10th lifetime win. View the full article

The countdown is on for the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) this Saturday at Rosehill, with the barrier draw adding another layer of intrigue to this year’s race. Japanese trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa attempts to achieve a historic feat with Ascoli Piceno, the early favourite at $4.80 in Golden Eagle 2024 betting at Ladbrokes despite her […] The post 2024 Golden Eagle Field & Betting Preview appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article

Cicero Farms' homebred 3-year-old filly Hope Road, winner of three straight races by five or more lengths, has been made the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3), which kicks off the stakes undercard Nov. 2 at Del Mar.View the full article