Wandering Eyes

There are three horse racing meetings set for Australia on Tuesday, January 7. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Taree. Tuesday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – January 7, 2025 Taree Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on January 7, 2025 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! Join BlondeBet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH? full terms. 3 Next Gen Racing Betting Picklebet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. Recommended! 4 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 5 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble You Better Believe It Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Bet365 Signup Code GETON 6 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

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'Free Rein,' the award-winning docuseries produced by Woodbine Entertainment that brings viewers into the races and behind the scenes to follow leading jockeys and trainers on their quests to capture Canada's most prestigious racing titles, will return for a second season on Jan. 10. “Creating high-quality and accessible content about horse racing, like 'Free Rein', is crucial to the growth of the sport,” said Woodbine-based trainer Santino Di Paola. “I'd love to see more young people interested in racing, and this is the way to connect with them.” Among the storylines during the second season are the rise of jockey Pietro Moran ad he follows in the footsteps of his father–a former rider–Ryan and Kelsey Munger's relocation from South Africa to Greater Toronto and a behind-the-scenes look at King's Plate Day. “The passion and grit required to find success in horse racing makes for so many compelling stories,” shared 'Free Rein' producer Alanna Nolan. “Our team is so proud to share these stories with both our new and well-acquainted audiences.” The fourth episode of Free Rein's first season, 'The World-Class Women of Woodbine', was recognized with a 2024 Hashtag Sports Award. The episode, featuring world-leading female jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson, focuses on the strong presence of women and the unique way that men and women compete alongside one another in horse racing. Other award-finalists included the LPGA, Fox Sports, PUMA, Clemson Athletics and The Players' Tribune. Following the release of the first episode of season two, new episodes will follow every three weeks. 'Free Rein' can be streamed free of charge on Woodbine's new YouTube page dedicated to storytelling that brings fans closer to the action. Subscribe to the page by clicking here. WATCH: Free Rein Season 2 Teaser The post Award-Winning Docuseries ‘Free Rein’ Returns For Second Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Winter weather in Bensalem, Pa., continues to wreak havoc on live racing at Parx Racing as the track canceled its Jan. 6 card because of snow.View the full article

Racing to School reported on Monday another record year of participation and events in 2024, through work designed to deliver relevant learning and careers information to diverse groups of young people. In its 23rd year, Racing to School engaged over 17,000 young minds across 456 events, with the support of racing venues and organisations nationwide. Alongside existing ambassadors such as Hollie Doyle, Oisin Murphy and ITV Racing's Leonna Mayor, the education charity also welcomed leading National Hunt jockey Rachael Blackmore as an international supporter last year. John Blake, chief executive of Racing to School, said, “It is a huge tribute to our small team that they have again grown participation, while maintaining the quality of the programmes, evidenced by the evaluation from our young people and their teachers and tutors. “We also attribute this progress to our generous donors, in particular the Levy Board and all the racecourses who are enthusiastic partners in connecting with young people in their communities. “Identifying beneficiary needs and how racing can offer unique solutions and opportunities is the guiding principle to this work, and as we reach our 250,000th participant later this year, the ambition is to continue to grow in innovative ways through collaboration across the sport.” The post Racing to School Posts Another Record Year of Engagement appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

For this third part in our series on value sires in Europe, we are approaching the level where the word value perhaps becomes more meaningful in that we are dealing with stallions in the €10,000 to €19,999 fee bracket. In this mid range, some sires are passing through, either on their way up as popularity and commercial demand soars, or dropping in fee during the sometimes notoriously difficult years in a stallion's career. Notably that often comes in the third and fourth seasons at stud when they are no longer shiny and new but have not yet had runners to affect reputations, either positively or negatively. New on Parade Let's deal first with some new arrivals. As has been discussed in these pages already, the British Flat stallion ranks have only three new names for the 2025 season, and two of those fall within this price bracket. Few studs can bask in the reflected glory of establishing one of the modern wonders of the stallion scene in quite the way Cheveley Park Stud can in regard to its homebred hero Pivotal (GB). From £6,000 in 1997 to a high of £85,000 a decade later, the son of Polar Falcon provides a perfect reminder of how top-class stallions do not always enter stud at an elite fee. This year, Cheveley Park has welcomed Vandeek (GB) to its roster and indeed his sire Havana Grey (GB) looks very much to be following that example of his fellow Group 1-winning sprinter Pivotal. Havana Grey started at £8,000 and was as low as £6,000 though this third and fourth seasons. Then came his first runners, of which the G1 Middle Park Stakes and G1 Prix Morny winner Vandeek was the standout performer. He now becomes one of two young sons of Havana Grey at stud, along with the Irish National Stud's Shouldvebeenaring (GB), and starts out at almost double the opening fee of Havana Grey himself at £15,000. Vandeek had created a bit of a stir even before he made it to the racecourse, when topping the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale of two years ago. He was bought by Anthony Stroud on behalf of KHK Racing for 625,000gns after reportedly clocking the fastest breeze. Thereafter he proved that that eye-catching spin up the Rowley Mile was no fluke, remaining unbeaten through his four juvenile starts for Simon and Ed Crisford, including the G2 Richmond Stakes prior to his Group 1 triumphs. It was disappointing to see him race only twice at three, but he added third-place finishes in the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes and G1 July Cup before his retirement. Vandeek's dam is the non-winner Mosa Mine (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) but there are a couple of other stallions not too far away in his pedigree. Granddam Baldemosa (Fr) won over a mile and is a Lead On Time half-sister to the classy Balbonella (Fr) (Gay Mecene), winner of the Prix Robert Papin when it was still a Group 1 and later fourth in Miesque's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches during a career which stretched to nine wins in France and America. At stud she produced the champion sprinter and notable stallion Anabaa, as well as Key Of Luck. Joining Vandeek in Newmarket is Bradsell (GB), who represents another branch of Bahrain's Al Khalifa family in Shaikh Nasser's Victorious Racing. Being pitched in at £10,000 seems a fair starting point for this clearly tough sprinter who twice bounced back from injury to add to his admirable record on the track. It was only last year that the National Stud launched new stallion Mutasaabeq (GB), who, by September, had been sold to stand in India. Bradsell will undoubtedly prove more popular, though his own sire Tasleet (GB) was, similarly, dispatched to India for the 2024 breeding season after five years at Shadwell's Nunnery Stud. Out of the Listed-winning Archipenko mare Russian Punch (GB), Bradsell is his family's star performer by a wide margin but a star he undoubtedly was on the track. Announcing his presence with a nine-length win at York on debut, earning a TDN Rising Star in the process, he went on to win the G2 Coventry Stakes before sustaining a fracture when finishing fourth in the G1 Phoenix Stakes. By the following June he had won at Royal Ascot for the second time, claiming the first of three Group 1 triumphs in the King's Stand Stakes. Returning at four after ten months off the track, he won another three times, including the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five. There is a strong case to be made for Henry Longfellow (Ire) at his opening fee at Coolmore of €15,000. For a start, he was an unbeaten Group 1 winner at two, and only a neck separated him (from Rosallion) in attempting to land his second Group 1 in the St James's Palace Stakes. Admittedly, his three-year-old season did not pick up from there, despite another placed finish in the G1 Prix du Moulin, but let's not forget his pedigree. His dam is the sensational Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner of the Oaks, 1,000 Guineas, Pretty Polly, Nassau and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, and at two the Fillies' Mile and Moyglare Stud Stakes. Lo and behold, that seven-time Group 1 winner is now a Group 1 producer at the first attempt, thanks in part to Henry Longfellow's sire Dubawi (Ire), whose sons at stud include Night Of Thunder (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB). There there is the July Cup winner Mill Stream (Ire), who joins the champion sire Dark Angel (Ire) at Yeomanstown Stud at €12,500. A sprinter from the Galileo line (think Havana Grey), in this case a son of the versatile and well-bred miler Gleneagles (Ire), Mill Stream's speedy dam-line includes his own half-brother, G2 Richmond Stakes winner Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), and the G2 Flying Childers winner Wunders Dream (Ire), who is a half-sister to his granddam. Runners to Come The first crop of Mehmas (Ire) included the Group 1 winners Supremacy (Ire), who has his first runners this year and whose fee places him in the next chapter of value sires, and Shadwell's Minzaal (Ire). The latter remained in training as a four-year-old and therefore will have his first yearlings appearing at the sales later this year. His 45 weanlings sold last year averaged approximately €65,700, which was more than four times his initial fee of €15,000. Now, the Derrinstown Stud stallion has been trimmed to €12,500. Of course, using him this year means that resultant offspring will be eligible for sales after his first runners have appeared so, yes, there is risk involved for those breeding commercially, but that doesn't change the fact that he was a consistent performer across three seasons, only finishing out of the first three twice in 11 starts, with his wins including the G1 Sprint Cup and G2 Gimcrack Stakes. At the same stage in his stud career is the durable and classy Stradivarius (Ire), who has remained at £10,000 in his first three seasons. He is unlikely to have winners as early as Minzaal or some of the other more precocious types among his intake, but it will be a surprise if he doesn't have a decent smattering of juvenile winners by the end of 2026 with the promise of plenty more to come as his runners mature. He remains an intriguing prospect as a stallion, and a deserved star attraction for the National Stud. Mishriff (GB) should have been a stud contemporary of the two above but was forced to miss his first covering season with a foot injury. Hence, he only started out last year at €17,500 and has now been trimmed to €16,000 at Sumbe. If his first foals are as good looking as he is, the Prix du Jockey Club and Juddmonte International winner from the family of Kodiac (GB) and Invincible Spirit (Ire) will be off to a good start. The fee for Native Trail (GB) exactly mirrors that of Mishriff to date. A burly son of Oasis Dream (GB), the European champion two-year-old of 2021 became a Classic winner in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. While Native Trail is at Darley's Kildangan Stud, over at Dalham Hall Stud the operation has Triple Time (Ire), who remains at his opening fee of £10,000. This looked good value a year ago and it bears repeating here. Triple Time, a Group 1-winning miler and son of Frankel (GB), is from a family which has barely been out of the news in recent seasons. His decorated dam Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) has not only produced four group winners herself, but two of her daughters are the dams, respectively, of last season's Group 1 winners Rosallion (Ire) and Inisherin (GB). Another Group 1-winning son of Frankel at a similar price is Onesto (Ire), who hails from the Juddmonte family which spawned Dansili (GB), Cacique (GB) and Champs Elysees (GB), not to mention their three Group 1-winning sisters. Now at €12,000 in his second season at Haras d'Etreham, Onesto's Group 1 strike came in the Grand Prix de Paris, and he was a close-up third in the Arc as well as finishing second to Luxembourg (Ire) in the Irish Champion Stakes. Promising Beginnings Among the younger sires with runners, two in this tier have particularly caught the eye. Shadwell's Mohaather (GB) was slowly away last year with his first two-year-olds but his season gathered notable momentum to the extent that he was joint-third with Sands Of Mali (Fr) and Hello Youmzain (Fr) on number of winners (21) in Europe. His three stakes winners were led by the G3 Molecomb winner Big Mojo (Ire) and it will be interesting to see how his three-year-olds fare. Mohaather, though lightly raced, was a group winner in each of his three seasons to race, with his greatest success coming in the G1 Sussex Stakes at four. He is back up to £15,000, having been available at €12,500 last year. France's leading first-season sire of 2023, City Light (Fr), continued to build on that early promise last year, and he was eleventh overall in France's general sires' table with only two crops of racing age. By Siyouni (Fr), he certainly sires plenty of winners. His best to date is the G3 Prix Miesque winner Mimos (Fr) among his eight black-type performers from 164 foals in total from his first two crops. Even at his raised fee €10,000 (from €7,000 in his first five seasons), City Light remains good value and is definitely a stallion to keep an eye on. Proven Quality In the 'been there, done that' sector of this fee bracket one could make a case for a number of names, particularly for owner-breeders. Yes, some of these stallions are getting longer in the tooth, but Oasis Dream (GB) at £15,000 and Iffraaj (GB) at £10,000 both stand out as value selections, as does the 2014 Derby, Irish Derby and Juddmonte International winner Australia (GB). There are few better-bred and -performed stallions available at €10,000. Golden Horn (GB), too, while more generally aimed at the National Hunt market these days, keeps coming up with decent Flat performers and was responsible for a third of the runners in last year's Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. He has remained at £10,000, while his Overbury Stud neighbour Ardad (Ire) has been held at his fee of £12,500 for four seasons now. His yearling average for 87 sold last year was just shy of £42,000 and his juvenile runners of this year represent the first year in which he had more than 100 foals in one crop – 153 to be precise. Cotai Glory (GB) retired to stud in the same year as Ardad and they have each had a standout Group 1 winner in Perfect Power (Ire) and The Platinum Queen (Ire) respectively – in both cases bred by Tally-Ho Stud and trained by Richard Fahey. Cotai Glory's list of stakes winners now runs to 16 and includes last season's unbeaten G2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Powerful Glory (Ire). Guess what: he too was trained by Fahey, though Con Marnane can claim the breeding honours this time. Cotai Glory still warrants plenty of support at Tally-Ho at his highest fee to date of €15,000 (up from €12,500). Value Sires Podium Bradsell The National Stud, £10,000 Admirably tough, this top sprinter should be a decent commercial prospect at this opening fee. Henry Longfellow Coolmore, €15,000 The Group 1-winning son of Dubawi and Minding will surely not be overlooked at this enticing introductory fee. Triple Time Darley, £10,000 Good value last year, he remains so this time around, with his family credentials having been further enhanced in the interim. The post Value Sires Part III: Commercial Selection Box appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Sierra Leone returned to the worktab Jan. 6 at Payson Park Training Center in Indiantown, Fla. with an easy three furlongs in :37 4/5 as he begins preparations for the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1).View the full article

Three years ago, John Sikura was blown away by how breeders responded to Hill 'n' Dale's new sire Charlatan, a multiple Grade I-winning son of Speightstown who bred 222 mares in his debut season. Sikura didn't expected to see demand quite like that again anytime soon, but he admits that he has been proven wrong since another Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' recently arrived at Hill 'n' Dale. Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo-Borealis Night, by Astrology), winner of the 2023 GI Pacific Classic Stakes, will stand for $30,000 in his debut season and according to Sikura, has been swamped with requests since the day he arrived. “I thought Charlatan would set the standard for Hill 'n' Dale as far as initial popularity, an extremely popular horse, but the interest in Arabian Knight has even exceeded that in his first year, which I didn't foresee coming,” Sikura admitted. “He's been sold out well before the breeding season starts and we'll try to hand select maybe a few more mares that we'll have to have, but he's probably the most popular horse that we've ever had come to stud.” What has sent breeders running to see this Hill 'n' Dale newcomer? Sikura said that Arabian Knight has always had the right look, dating back to when he sold for $2.3 million as a 2-year-old to Zedan Racing. The following year, after the colt had put in a dazzling 7 1/4-length debut win at Keeneland and another victory in the GIII Southwest Stakes, Sikura dropped in to Bob Baffert's barn to get a good look at the promising son of Uncle Mo. “Bob said, 'I'm going to show you the perfect horse,'” Sikura recalled. “He pulled the horse out and sort of went head to toe explaining, 'Look at his angles. Look at his shoulder. Look at his bone. Look at his presence.' He said, 'If you can get a template of this horse in your mind, that's the best kind of horse you can ever buy.'” After a six-month layoff and a third-place performance in the GI Haskell Stakes, Arabian Knight earned his signature Grade I victory at Del Mar, where he became the first 3-year-old since Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in 2014 to beat elders in the Pacific Classic. “Winning the Pacific Classic, beating older horses, is a hard thing to achieve,” noted Sikura. “I really think the horse probably was not a true mile and a quarter horse. As a miler, I think he had the ability to beat any horse. So to continue on and show that bravery and repel all comers going a mile and a quarter, I think that was a real testament to not only his ability, but his will and his grit and his determination to get to the line first.” While injuries plagued his next two starts, the brilliance Arabian Knight showed in his three career victories combined with the opportunity to access sought-after bloodlines has assembled an appealing package for breeders. Arabian Knight will stand for $30,000 in his debut season | Sara Gordon Arabian Knight will begin his stud career on the heels of the sudden and tragic loss of his sire Uncle Mo, who was already defining himself as a sire of sires before his passing this past December. While his son Nyquist saw his stud fee jump from $85,000 to $175,000 in 2025 after producing four Grade I winners last year, Caracaro had three stakes horses from his first crop of 2-year-olds in 2024 and Yaupon and Modernist will both have their first crops enter the starting gate this year. Along with Arabian Knight, young sires Golden Pal, Mo Donegal and Kingsbarns round out the latest sons of Uncle Mo to begin their stud careers in Kentucky. “Tragically, we lost [Uncle Mo] too soon, but I believe his influence will be perpetuated through his sons,” said Sikura. “He was such a great breed-shaping stallion both in the sales ring and on the racetrack. It's an honor to stand a Grade I-winning son of Uncle Mo with all the attributes he has here. We hope Arabian Knight is one of the chosen few to carry on this great legacy of Uncle Mo.” “We're supporting the horse and our loyal shareholders that have been with us and other stallions are in as well,” he continued. “Stonestreet is participating, which is a great thing. To see so many breeders say, 'Wow, I just need to breed that horse,' that was a great source of reassurance because while you always have hope and expectation that your horse will be popular, there's always a reason someone can critique your horse. But in his case, it's been really overwhelming, almost unanimous support for him, which is great for the horse and great for the farm.” The post Sikura Says Arabian Knight the Most Popular New Sire in Hill ‘n’ Dale History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The race will be held March 22, with a special first post at 12:45 p.m. ET. As a marquee stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Jeff Ruby Steaks awards qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale. View the full article

Five of the nation's top riders have been nominated for the 76th George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award at Santa Anita Park, which recognizes accomplishments on and off the track.View the full article

The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks purse has been raised to a record high $777,000, making it the richest race in the history of Turfway Park, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Monday. Set to run Saturday, Mar. 22, the marquee day of the Turfway season will feature a 12:45 p.m. ET first post and tickets have now been released for sale. As part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the contest awards qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale, which makes it a vital path to a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May for many runners on the outside looking in. Since 1980, 77 Kentucky Derby starters have taken the Jeff Ruby route, including most recently GISW Rich Strike (Keen Ice), who finished third in the 2022 running and later went on to wear the blanket of roses. The 2024 edition produced eventual GI Preakness Stakes hero MGISW Seize the Grey (Arrogate)–who also finished third–and showcased GSW West Saratoga (Exaggerator), the runner-up who was recently purchased privately to continue his career in Dubai with trainer Chief Stipe Watson. “Raising the Jeff Ruby Steaks purse to $777,000 reflects Turfway Park's ongoing commitment to elevating our stakes program and showcasing top talent on the Road to the Kentucky Derby,” said Matt Shehadi, general manager of Turfway Park Racing & Gaming. “This record-setting purse underscores the Jeff Ruby Steaks as the centerpiece of our season, continuing its legacy as a key test for Derby hopefuls.” Jeff Ruby Steaks Day will also contest the Listed Bourbonette Oaks, a championship series race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, on a busy afternoon that includes four other Listed and graded races. The post Jeff Ruby Stakes Purse Increased to Record High for Turfway Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Five names have been released as the nominations for the 76th George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award with a winner to be named in February, Santa Anita Park announced via press release. Kendrick Carmouche, James Graham, Brian Hernandez Jr., Juan Hernandez, and Alfredo Juarez comprise a group which will be voted on by their peers nationwide. Named for a man who was not only one of the greatest 'big-money' riders of his era but also revered by his peers as a fierce competitor and consummate professional, the Woolf Award honors riders whose career and personal character earned esteem not just for the individual but the sport as well. It may only be won once. The 2024 recipient was Junior Alvarado and the 2025 winner will become the 76th jockey dating back to Gordon Glisson in 1950 to earn the honor. The post 2025 George Woolf Nominees Released, Winner Announced in February appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Progressive four-year-olds from the Francis Lui and Pierre Ng yards headline the Post’s ratings for the first leg of the Classic Series.View the full article

Trainer bids to continue his recent dominance in the city circuit’s sole Group race on Wednesday.View the full article

Mad Max winning at Otaki on Monday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Eye-catching galloper Mad Max delivered on the promise he showed early in his career with a rewarding maiden victory for Andrew Forsman at Otaki on Monday. The son of Savabeel was an impressive juvenile triallist and debuted in Australia before returning to his homeland in late 2023 where he finished out of the placings twice as a well-backed commodity. Forsman opted to give Mad Max a lengthy spell before returning to the races in November, where he boomed home on two occasions to narrowly go down to Mi Bella and Power Of Three. His inexperience was evident on Boxing Day at Ellerslie when over-racing last start, but from the jump in Monday’s McMillan Equine Feeds Maiden (1200m), he settled beautifully for in-form apprentice jockey Lily Sutherland. Front-runner Aveta put a space on the field turning for home, but Mad Max was winding up and found a good kick in the straight, keeping up a strong gallop to hold off Just A Drop by three-quarters of a length. Forsman was pleased with the result, indicating plenty of patience had been exercised since purchasing the gelding back at the 2022 Ready To Run Sales. “It was nice to see him kind of put it together today, he’s still quite raw and has a far bit to figure out yet, but I think keeping him to shorter distances with tempo on in the race should help him,” he said. “He’s certainly been a test of patience, but the owners have been great, and to be fair, he had strengthened and matured a lot this preparation. “I think the time we gave him has certainly helped, now he just needs a bit of confidence in his racing and he’s slowly getting there.” Bred by Waikato Stud, Mad Max is raced by an ownership group that includes the Zame Partnership, who will have their brightest talent Aegon lining up in Saturday’s Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham. Aegon has earned more than $2 million in stakes in a jet-setting career, with his Group 1 success coming in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) of 2020. After his form tailed off recently in Australia, Forsman opted to bring the gelding home, resulting in a narrow second placing to Meaningful Star in the Group 3 Great Northern Challenge Stakes (1600m) in November. “We’ve just kept him ticking over, he had a quiet trial the other day at Tauranga to keep him up to the mark, once he’s up and race-fit you don’t need to do too much with him,” Forsman said. “He seems to be coming along really well.” Aegon is among the favoured runners for Saturday’s contest, currently sitting a $6 third favourite behind Marotiri Molly ($4.50) and Sharp ‘N’ Smart ($5). His younger stablemate Kitty Flash will take on the three-year-old feature, the Group 2 Levin Classic (1400m), earlier on the Trentham card. The lightly-raced filly has made a good impression in her five-start career, winning two on the bounce before placing behind Alabama Lass in the Group 2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). Kitty Flash then journeyed south to Riccarton for the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) where a soft surface wasn’t to her liking, finishing seventh. The Tauranga trial, which also featured Aegon, was her first public appearance since the Guineas, and Forsman was more than satisfied with what she produced. “She went really well in her trial, she was a bit fresh going into it, which is why we opted to go there,” he said. “She may be a touch vulnerable fitness wise going into this, but we know on class and in a fresh state, she should run really well. “We’ll see what happens on Saturday, but my gut feeling says that she may be best kept to 1400m, perhaps a mile. She’s quite sharp and has natural speed, I don’t know whether she’s really going to get further than that, but she’ll also tell us that off the back of her next couple of runs.” In futures markets dominated by glamour colt Savaglee at $1.80, Kitty Flash is the clear second-elect at $4.50. Horse racing news View the full article

Town Cryer (inside) and Wingman during an exhibition gallop at Otaki on Monday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) The Roydon Bergerson-trained pair of Town Cryer and Wingman readied for their weekend Group assignments at Trentham with an exhibition gallop at Otaki on Monday, and their handler is heading into Saturday with a spring in his step following their hit-out. “They worked very well,” Bergerson said. “It was good, strong work and they both hit the line strongly, so I am very happy. They had a good blow afterwards, so they should be right for Saturday now.” The Awapuni trainer said he was keen to take advantage of Otaki’s grass track in the lead-up to Saturday, with his home track’s turf surface still under renovation. “We have done it before (exhibition gallop the week of a feature race), so we are trying to stick to a good formula,” Bergerson said. “We haven’t got a grass (track) at home to work them on and I think that sometimes when you want to give them a good gallop you probably have to be on the grass instead of the poly. They jar up quite a bit if they are on the poly too often.” Wingman has shown a lot of promise to date, with the three-year-old son of Swiss 
Ace winning two and placing in one of his three starts to date, and has duly earned his first crack at stakes level in Saturday’s Group 2 Levin Classic (1400m). “He has been ticking over nicely at home,” Bergerson said. “He has had a couple of gallops in company and one by himself. He doesn’t take much work, he is a pretty good winded horse. He has come along really nicely, I am very happy with him. “He is a promising horse going forward, we just hope he can run in the money on Saturday and hopefully secure a slot for the race (NZB Kiwi).” Bergerson is looking for an improved run from his Group 1 performer Town Cryer in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), with the mare having finished 11th and fifth respectively in the in the Group 1 Mufhasa Classic (1600m) and Group 2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) in her last two outings at Trentham. Bergerson said he had weighed the option of heading north to Ellerslie for the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) on New Year’s Day but elected to stay closer to home with his charge. “1400m is not her go really, so we were trying to get her ready for this Thorndon,” he said. “We didn’t want to go all the way to Auckland and back. We thought about the Rich Hill Mile, but she would have had to carry topweight, so we decided to stay at weight-for-age and then back her up in the Thorndon, which ideally fits.” Town Cryer is currently at a win quote of $21 with horse racing bookmakers for Saturday’s Group 1 feature, while Wingman is rated a $12 winning hope in the Levin Classic, with that market dominated by Savaglee at $1.80. Horse racing news View the full article

Donna Logan will resume her training career in New Zealand at Ruakaka on Tuesday. Photo: Trish Dunell Donna Logan will return to her old stomping ground of Ruakaka on Tuesday to resume her training career in New Zealand after plying her trade in Singapore for the last seven years. Racing ceased in Singapore following their last race meeting on October 5, and Logan elected to return to New Zealand, but opted to base her training operation at Byerley Park in South Auckland rather than return to her former base at Ruakaka. “It’s absolutely amazing to be back,” Logan said. “I love it at Byerley Park, the horses are so happy, and we are happy. “Byerley Park was a very good option. Ellerslie isn’t far and that is where the money is, and the airport is close, so if we are good enough, we can go overseas. They were big attractions.” While Logan would have loved to have returned to Ruakaka, she said the amount of travel involved from the Northland township was too much of a hurdle. “I loved Ruakaka, I had a wonderful time training there, but once you are based in a place like Singapore and you race and train in one place, I was quite despondent to think that I am going to have to do all of that travel again,” she said. “I have done a lot of it (travel), I missed a lot of kids’ sports, I sacrificed a lot for that travel, so Byerley Park seemed a sensible option.” Logan said she is also appreciating the greenery of her homeland after living in a city state for the best part of the last decade. “We probably didn’t appreciate how much we missed the green paddocks and the lawns and trees. We really appreciate it now after being away from it,” she said. While Logan hasn’t returned to train at Ruakaka, she is rapt that she is having her first runners at the Northland venue on Tuesday. “It is funny that it has panned out that I am kicking off in Ruakaka,” she said. “It just fitted in and it wasn’t until we did the noms that I thought ‘oh my god, I am going back to my old turf’.” Logan is set to line-up debutants Likava and White Mask for Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvey, who Logan said has been a big supporter of hers on her New Zealand return. “Gerry is amazing, he supports a lot of people in New Zealand, and I am very grateful to have his support, he is a great man for our industry,” Logan said. Four-year-old mare Likava will line-up in the Northland Business Systems (1200m), while Logan is weighing up between the Wangaripo Valley Free Range Egg Cup Race (1400m) and Lion Red (1400m) with White Mask. “White Mask is a very nice three-year-old that is going to get up over ground,” Logan said. “Whatever she does tomorrow she is going to take a tonne of improvement, and as she steps up in distance, she is only going to get better and better. “Likava is older, a four-year-old now, but she has shown me enough to think that she will go a reasonable race. She is a first starter, so they have been very patient with her. “Both horses were pre-trained for me before I got here and I am grateful to the people who pre-trained them for me, it has given me the opportunity to kick-off the mark a lot quicker than I would have otherwise.” Meanwhile, Logan was pleased to be reunited with her Singapore stakes performed mare Istataba last month. The Argentinian-bred daughter of Treasure Beach placed in the Singapore 3YO Classic (1400m) and two editions of the Singapore Gold Cup for Logan, and earned more than S$536,000 in prizemoney. Logan is excited to have her bolster her New Zealand team, and she is already eyeing some stakes targets with her mare. “Istataba arrived in New Zealand on the 20th of December. She is the only horse from Singapore,” Logan said. “She ran third in the Singapore Gold Cup two years running for me, and she will be set for our Cups staying races.” Horse racing news View the full article

My Lips Are Sealed winning the Group 3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) A long-standing breeding partnership has come up trumps again with a daughter of Ace High their latest success story. Rich Hill Stud and Scott Williams’ Bloodstock Resources bred My Lips Are Sealed, who triumphed in Saturday’s Group 3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) at Trentham, where the four-time winner finished a close second in last season’s Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m). Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, My Lips Are Sealed was sold through Rich Hill’s 2022 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $160,000 to Te Akau’s David Ellis. “Scott has had a long and successful association with Rich Hill and bred Zarita, who was a dual Group 1 winner by Pentire,” John Thompson said. Williams also bred Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Efficient and top sprinter Babylon Berlin, who is from the family of My Lips Are Sealed. “We bought her granddam What Can I Say about 25 years ago,” Thompson said. “Bob Vance trained her and she was a great wet-tracker, she beat a field including Tie The Knot and Might And Power one day in the Warwick Stakes (Group 2, 1400m).” They purchased What Can I Say after the Khozaam mare had produced a couple of foals in Australia, including multiple Group 2 winner and two-time Group 1 placegetter Only Words. “The first foal we bred was a stakes winner called Gibraltar Campion who was by Rock Of Gibraltar and sold at Karaka for $500,000,” Thompson said. “We also sold a Zabeel filly out of What Can I Say for $500,000 at Sydney Easter and then she had six colts in a row,” Thompson said. “Fortunately, when she was about 21 or 22 we got her in foal to Tavistock and she had a filly, which we retained.” That was My Lips Are Sealed’s mother Tellmeaboutit, who was unraced. “We trialled her and she didn’t really set the world on fire, so we decided to breed from her,” Thompson said. “My Lips Are Sealed was her second foal and she was the top-priced yearling from Ace High’s first crop. “We had her first foal by Vadamos (Vai Vai Vai) leased in Australia and she won a trial really nicely but in her first race day start she broke her pastern and had to be euthanised.” Tellmeaboutit’s third foal by Proisir named Talktomebaby sold for $240,000 at Karaka last year. “Ciaron Maher has got her and has showed promise, she had an early race and pulled up shin sore, so they gave her a break and she’s back in work now,” Thompson said. “Tellmeaboutit has now got a Satono Aladdin filly at foot and she’s back in foal to him.” Horse racing news View the full article

What Taree Races Where Manning Valley Race Club – Racecourse Dr, Taree NSW 2430 When Tuesday, January 7, 2025 First Race 1:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble Country racing returns to Taree on Tuesday afternoon, with the Manning Valley Race Club set to play host to a competitive eight-part program. The rail is placed in the true position for the entire circuit for the meeting, and with no significant rainfall forecast in the lead-up, punters can expect the surface to start with a Good rating as racing gets underway at 1:15pm local time. Some showers are predicted to hit the course throughout race day, however, so there may be a downgrade into the Soft range at some stage. Best Bet at Taree: Hoo Haa Hoo Haa was no match for Summer Soiree at Wyong on December 21, and although the 8.3-length defeat doesn’t look flattering on paper, the Denman mare was clearly the best of the beaten brigade. She was the last one turning for home on that occasion, showing a blistering turn of foot to suggest she’s wound up for this second-up assignment. She should take closer order drawn in barrier two, and provided Jean Van Overmeire can land in the one-one, Hoo Haa should finally crack her maiden at start 20. Best Bet Race 3 – #7 Hoo Haa (2) 4yo Mare | T: Mark Cross | J: Jean Van Overmeire (55kg) +250 with Neds Next Best at Taree: Starry Jack The Brett Dodson-trained Starry Jack caught the eye returning at this course and distance on December 22, closing to within a half-length of Once A Lady. He usually takes plenty of improvement after a first-up performance, posing a formidable second-up record of three starts for two wins and another minor placing to his name. There doesn’t seem to be much speed on paper, and with Siena Grima attempting to dictate terms from stall three, watch for Starry Jack to give a bold sight when asked for the ultimate effort. Next Best Race 5 – #1 Starry Jack (3) 5yo Gelding | T: Brett Dodson | J: Siena Grima (2kg) (62.5kg) +500 with BlondeBet Best Value at Taree: Spacetime Legend Spacetime Legend represents terrific each-way value with horse racing bookmakers as he debuts for the Joel Wilkes barn. The Dundeel gelding failed to make an impression across his five starts last preparation, with provincial company proving a shade too classy for the lightly raced three-year-old. His recent barrier trial victory at Gunnedah on December 20 suggests he’s a new horse under the tutelage of Wilkes. Andrew Gibbons is likely to land in the ideal stalking position, and if he does, Spacetime Legend should get every chance to secure his maiden victory at a big price. Best Value Race 7 – #9 Spacetime Legend (3) 3yo Gelding | T: Joel Wilkes | J: Andrew Gibbons (57.5kg) +1300 with Picklebet Tuesday quaddie tips for Taree Taree quadrella selections January 7, 2025 1-3-5 1-2-3 4-8-9-10-14 3-5-6-11 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

It was an emotional victory Jan. 5 for trainer Michael McCarthy and owner Reddam Racing as Look Forward, the last winner trained by the late Ben Cecil, earned her first stakes victory in the $101,500 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

The four finalists for the ‘Stevie Golding at Harcourts – People’s Choice’ Best Moment of the 2024 Season have been found and now it is time to have your say as to what the best moment was for the season. The finalists are: – Samantha Ottley becoming the first female driver to drive 100 winners in a 12 month season – Tom Bamford’s first Group 1 win with Rakero Rocket in The Christian Cullen – Crystal Hackett’s first Group 1 win on Mach Shard in the Group 1 Taylor Mile paying over $150 for the win – Beetastic winning the Group 1 Caduceus Club 2YO Fillies Classic You can view each of the moments and vote via this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KM9SQDD Please note you must vote using the link above..any comments on this page will not count Voting closes on Tuesday 14th January at 3pm and the winner will be announced at the HRNZ Awards on the 8th February. View the full article

A solution has been found to two harness racing trials/workouts “black spots”. Effective immediately, Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) has finalised agreements with two videographers to provide footage of the North Otago trials at Oamaru, and the Mt Hutt workouts at Mt Harding Racecourse in Methven. “We have been very mindful for some time that both North Otago and Mt Hutt have not been covered,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden, “they were black spots in our trials and workouts coverage.” Now action from both venues will be uploaded to the HRNZ website as quickly as possible after they have been run. “Given a large number of horses attend both trials and workouts at these venues, it is critical that we provide such footage to allow punters to make an informed and confident decision when placing their bets,” says Peden. “It will also help owners unable to attend the meetings to keep updated on their horses’ progress and provide opportunities for Entain to use the footage at various times, including race previews.” The first of the Mt Hutt workouts will be on January 18 while North Otago (Oamaru) kicks off on January 22. View the full article

Group 1 winner, Ceolwulf. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Dual Group 1 winner Ceolwulf is poised for a return to action in next month’s Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. The four-year-old gelding was last seen securing back-to-back victories in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) within two weeks in October. His trainer, Joe Pride, believes Ceolwulf has developed significantly during his time off. “I’m really happy with him,” Pride said. “The aim is to run in the Apollo on the 15th (of February). He’s just going along really nicely. He’s put on a heap of weight. “He seems like a bigger, stronger horse. How many times have you heard that from a trainer? But he does and he is actually, because he was racing at low 480s and he’s now 520 kilos. “So he’s going to trim down a little bit before he goes to the races, but there’s not an ounce of fat on him. “He’s coming up really well. I’m scary excited. Because as exciting as it is, it’s scary having a horse that good.” Ceolwulf’s progress has Pride cautiously optimistic as the gelding prepares to take on what promises to be a competitive renewal of the Apollo Stakes. Horse racing news View the full article

Mrs Chrissie. Photo: Racing Photos Last-start runner-up in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1100m), Mrs Chrissie, is likely to bypass this Saturday’s Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m), with trainer Ciaron Maher opting to target either the Listed Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield or the Listed Durbridge Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville, both scheduled for January 25. “Knowing her, 1000 and 1100 (metres) are her best trips, and if we can space her runs, which we like doing, we do,” said Maher’s assistant, Jack Turnbull. “There’s a race in Adelaide on the same day and one at Caulfield; she’ll be in one of the two. “She’s stakes-quality, obviously, but if we can just get that win it will be good. “We’ve got her, we’ve got a sibling, the owner’s still got the mare, so it adds a lot more to the picture.” Looking ahead, Turnbull mentioned that a potential tilt at the Group 1 Sangster Stakes (1200m) is on the radar, though the stable remains grounded in their immediate goals. “Pie-in-the-sky, you would say a grand final could be a Sangster – you might have a crack at six furlongs in mares’ company – but we are very realistic, and the ownership group is much the same. “If we could win a Listed or Group 3 in mares’ grade, that’s number one (goal), and then we could potentially look at a Sangster.” Horse racing news View the full article