Wandering Eyes

By Jonny Turner Craig Ferguson may have to clear a little space in his trophy cabinet before Sunday’s Wingatui trots. The reinsman has been driving in the best form of his career recently and has collected three Group 1 trophies recently including the Garrards New Zealand Derby on Friday night with We Walk By Faith. While the conditions on the Wingatui grass may be a world away from the electric atmosphere of elite races at Addington, Ferguson’s winning hopes still look good. The reinsman combines with two big winning threats in the Kia Ora Campers Pacing Cup (4.15pm) and the Icon Interior Construction Trotting Cup (5.31pm) on Sunday. Ferguson starts Nutcracker from his own stable on the back on a solid fresh-up fourth, also on grass, at Motukarara. The mare not only strips fitter for her Wingatui assignment, she has the advantage of starting from the front row, ahead of her key rivals who are off handicaps. “She is usually a good beginner, so being off the front should be a help to her,” Ferguson said. “If she can get away well and get a bit of cover, that would be her best go. “She seems to have come on from that first-up run and I have been quite happy with her.” “She’s gone well on the grass before too, so hopefully she’s a good chance.” Ferguson combines with the Amber Hoffman-trained Moment Of What in the Forbury Park Trotting Cup. The trotter ran to a slick victory at Ascot Park in his latest outing, beating Rata who has gone on to win at group 2 level at Addington since. The trotter is in the opposite position to Nutcracker, starting off 30m and giving some of his key rivals a head start. However, Ferguson does not think it is a big factor. “He has been beginning quite well, so I don’t think the handicap is too much of a worry.” “Hopefully, he can step away and make it up reasonably quickly.” “He looks well enough placed in that field and, he has shown he can do a bit of work and that he’s got speed to.” “He would have to be a handy chance.” Punters may see Moment Of What is unplaced in all three of his prior attempts on grass. Those efforts came in the first three starts of the horse’s career, when he was learning and making mistakes in his races. Ferguson takes a handful of drives outside of his cup assignments. Grass-track specialist Nyla looks the strongest chance among them in Race 8, the Taieri Wool and Skin (1998) Ltd Mobile Pace (4.44pm). View the full article

3rd-LRC, $39K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, 4:30 p.m. ET. The gone-too-soon Arrogate had a total of 325 foals of racing age, and in the current year his runners have made 800 starts and delivered 146 wins (18%). As a sire, the champion only had the chance to claim three crops and the last of them are now finishing up their 3-year-old season. At Los Alamitos on Sunday, TAIF is set for his unveiling under Arrogate trainer Bob Baffert. A purchase by Zedan Racing for $1.45 million at the 2023 OBS April Sale, the colt is out of unraced Destine (War Front), who is responsible for six foals, three of whom have raced and delivered two winners. Taif's extended female family includes champion Smoke Glacken (Two Punch), MGSW Smokey Glacken (Forestry) and MGSW Crown of Thorns (Repent). TJCIS PPS The post Sunday Racing Insight: Last Of The Debuting Arrogates As Pricey Taif Goes At Los Al appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Looking like a pro in the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay on Saturday afternoon it was Donut God (Into Mischief–Sweet Kisses, by Carpe Diem) who ran on nicely and captured his first black-type. After delivering a slop-skimming maiden-breaking score at Churchill Downs Nov. 14, the juvenile was tabbed as the clear favorite here. Donut God shot out of the gate from the bell. Not asked for much before entering the lane, the colt kept his cool even though second choice Naughty Rascal (Rogueish) tried to make a race of it in the final sixteenth. The Brian Lynch trainee won by 3/4 of a length. The final running time was 1:09.13. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. Sales History: $250,000 '22 FTKNOV; $400,000 '23 KEESEP. O-Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing LLC; B-Aaron & Marie Jones LLC (Ky); T-Brian Lynch. #5 DONUT GOD ($3.80) goes gate-to-wire to win the $125,000 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and improve to 2 for 2 in his young career. The 2yo son of Into Mischief (@spendthriftfarm) was ridden by @SamyCamacho1 and is trained by Brian Lynch. pic.twitter.com/G2zKlvToBI — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 7, 2024 The post Donut God Awfully Crisp In Inaugural Stakes At Tampa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sparkling in both prior starts, including a TDN Rising Star-earning performance at Churchill in September, Shadwell's Muhimma (Munnings–Princessa Carolina, by Tapit) added further luster to her shining profile while remaining undefeated in Saturday's GII Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct. A point-earning race for next season's GI Kentucky Oaks, the 2-5 favorite completed the nine-furlong distance in 1:49.84, faster than the colt equivalent one race earlier. A beat slow out of the gate, the $700,000 KEESEP yearling purchase quickly scooted to the front, clicking off splits in :23.94 and :48.24. Comfortably in front turning for home, she remained clear all the way home, scoring by a length over Ballerina d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro). Liam in the Dust (Liam's Map) was third. With the win, Coolmore sire Munnings swept both graded stakes for 2-year-olds on Saturday's card at Aqueduct. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $291,960. O-Shadwell; B-Three Chimneys (KY); T-Brad Cox. MUHIMMA ($2.80) stayed undefeated as @flothejock got her home first in the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct. The daughter of Munnings (@CoolmoreAmerica) is trained by @bradcoxracing. The Cigar Mile is next: https://t.co/KE0J71TrkF pic.twitter.com/Nbtn7aaTsi — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 7, 2024 The post Rising Star Muhimma Gives Munnings Juvenile Stakes Sweep at Aqueduct in Demoiselle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Flavien Prat notched his 79th stakes race of 2024 in piloting Tizzy in the Sky to victory in the $200,000 Go for Wand Stakes (G3) Dec. 7 at Aqueduct. Later, he would win a record-establishing 80th aboard Godolphin's Poster in the Remsen (G2).View the full article

Godolphin's Poster (Munnings–Pin Up, by Tapit) came into Saturday's GII Remsen Stakes with a pair of turf wins under his belt and he added his third career victory, also his first win on the dirt, while giving jockey Flavien Prat his record 80th stakes score of the season. A win in the Kentucky Derby-points earning test also gave Prat his 55th graded stakes triumph of the season, tying Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey. Unhurried in the early going, the 9-2 chance surveyed affairs as Tux (Tapit) led through an opening quarter in :23.95. Making some headway through a :48.59 half, Poster closed from four out approaching the quarter pole, swung out even wider turning for home and spurted clear in early stretch. Getting a little leg weary late, he had enough left to hold off the closing 9-1 chance Aviator Gui (Uncle Mo) in a photo finish. Tux rounded out the trifecta. Final time for the nine-furlong test was 1:50.37. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $254,128, O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin Harty. POSTER ($11.60) stays undefeated in an exciting rendition of the $250,000 Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct. The Eoin Harty trained son of Munnings (@CoolmoreAmerica) gives Flavien Prat his record 80th stakes win in 2024. @godolphin owns the colt who earns 10 @KentuckyDerby points. pic.twitter.com/RVgXlwlmLj — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 7, 2024 The post Poster Remains Perfect While Earning Stakes Wins Record for Prat in Remsen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John Stewart warned his doubters not to undermine the scale of his ambitions in racing after signing for Prix Rothschild runner-up Excellent Truth (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) for €1.6 million through Goliath's trainer Francis Graffard [Stamford Bloodstock] and bloodstock agent Ghislain Bozo [Meridian Bloodstock] on Saturday. It didn't take long for the champagne to be corked after Stewart made his mark on his first visit to the French sale ground with the addition of the highest-rated filly in the entire sale to compliment his $8 million haul at Tattersalls earlier in the week. He said, “She was number one on my list so she was going home with me, just like Vertical Blue [at Tattersalls]. I'm looking for horses to take to America that will dominate on the turf. I came over here specifically because I've won races all around the world but I haven't won any at Keeneland yet and it's my home track. I'm going to dominate there next year so I came up with this strategy to come over here. “All of these horses that I'm buying, I'm looking at their pedigrees to bring diversity back to the herd in Kentucky. We just exported, exported, exported for so long and there's really not a lot of people buying horses from Europe and bringing them back to America in large quantities. I think that's very important for all of us because Kentucky is very important to the global industry from a breeding standpoint and so I'm trying to focus on their pedigrees, only looking at horses that I think can win Graded races in America. That's what I'm here to do.” He added, “I think that's a very reasonable price. The thing about this industry is there's a handful of buyers that are buying these top-of-the market horses so that market has never been stronger. I'm an investor, that's what I do for a living. I own a private equity firm. When you're getting into something, it costs more money but it's less risky to buy higher quality assets. That's what I think of these horses as. And I'm indifferent to price on an individual horse because I buy so many horses. I look at this as a portfolio. Like stocks. I may buy one horse and I may end up paying 500,000 more than I wanted, but then I may buy one for 500,000 less, and so then I just look at the overall spend. It's a different way of thinking about it.” “Every time my horses have run against his horses, I've won,” – John Stewart There are plenty of words one could use to describe Stewart, who has blown into the racing game this past year similarly to the hurricane-like weather that took over the sale ground on Saturday evening. Punchy might well be one of those words. “I'm just getting started,” he said. “I have a really big plan. Anybody that thinks that I did a lot in 2024 has no idea what I'm doing in 2025. I'm just trying to bring attention to horse racing globally. I make a lot of statements about what I'm going to do and things like that. It's not being arrogant, I'm just trying to get people to take notice that there's people investing in the industry when a lot of other people are saying that the industry is dying and all those different things and I just don't believe that.” In the past week alone, leading American-based owners Mike Repole and LNJ Foxwoods expressed their dissatisfaction with Stewart's all-in approach to bloodstock separately. The 55-year-old revealed that those interactions actually spurred him on to spend more this week. He explained, “When I started my private equity firm, I didn't [and still doesn't] have a finance degree. So everybody told me that nobody is ever going to invest in you because you don't have a finance degree. I went and had 350 meetings to get 22 people to say yes so I thrive on people telling me no. What has happened in the last 24 hours [with the spat on X], I actually doubled my intentions of what I was going to do. “Because the way I'm going to do it, I'm going to let my horses speak on the track and I'm going to let them win the races. I got called out by somebody [Repole] last year. He said I didn't know what I was doing-come on, I'll give you a tour of the winner's circle when I come to the track. He didn't know it but I'd bought Pounce at the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale. Just 10 days later my horse beat his horse in a Group 3. Then I beat his horse in the New York Stakes in a Grade I. Every time my horses have run against his horses, I've won.” He added, “I'm not trying to bid him up, but at Saratoga I purposely positioned myself right behind him so I could keep an eye on exactly what he was doing. He was the one making statements about bidding me up and you really can't bid me up.” Stewart also spent a combined €1,050,000 through his own Resolute Racing on Flamme Rouge (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Tazara (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}). His 6,265,000gns spend at Tattersalls was headed by 3.2 million gns buy Vertical Blue (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), with the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner understood to be staying in training with Graffard. On plans for his recent additions, he concluded, “I use a variety of trainers. My team will sit down and digest these and then we'll have to take a look at them and see which ones suit them. Village Voice is going to Chad Brown and then Vertical Blue is staying here. Chad Brown wanted that horse bad.” Asked who was helping him buy at Tattersalls, given all of his bidding was done online, he said, “Francis is checking stuff out for me. I had other people as well. The Coolmore guys. When I'm not there, I'll have someone else looking at the horses and telling me what they think. We're giving them a list and then we have of course the vets and that kind of stuff that help us.” The post “I’m Just Getting Started” – Stewart Lays Down Gauntlet To His Doubters At Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

How did we get hooked on this sport? We all have stories about how our love affair developed and blossomed. The TDN reached out to numerous notable people in the industry to get their stories to find out how they got hooked and stayed hooked on the sport. Rocco Landesman, Broadway Producer and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts I've always been an excitement junkie. I love the risk, love the adrenaline you get from that. I've had a career in the Broadway Theater and there's nothing riskier than that. I was in high school in St. Louis. There was no pari-mutuel wagering in Missouri, but there was in Illinois. East St. Louis had two tracks, Cahokia Downs and Fairmount Park. A friend of mine in high school loved going over there and playing the horses. I guess when you're 16, 17, they can't call you a degenerate horseplayer. You're not old enough. He brought me one day. Of course, the worst thing that could happen, happened. I won. I'm sure everybody begins with the same story. They go to the track for the first time and win money and you think to yourself 'they're giving away money here, this is the greatest.' We started going to Cahokia Downs fairly regularly. The racetrack is an ecosystem of its own; it's a world unto itself. The colorful silks, the backstretch life, the characters. You enter a whole world when you go to the racetrack and the whole thing was magical for me. I later became a horse owner and have had a lifelong love affair with horse racing. I never lost that when I went to college in Madison, Wisconsin. Very often I would drive down to Chicago to go to Arlington, Sportsman's or Hawthorne. I went to a conference for writers once in Vermont, so I would drive to Pownal to go to Green Mountain. Wherever I was, I'd find a racetrack and we would go. I love not only the excitement of it, but the entire world of racing, a world unto itself. I've always been entranced and seduced by that world and I still am. One of the down sides of having digital access is that I don't go to the track nearly as much as I used to. Today, I am going to play the Fair Grounds on my computer. With the advent of slots and with places like Gulfstream being part of retail developments, a lot has changed, but not for the better. I still enjoy it. I still enjoy going to Saratoga, Monmouth, the racetracks that have kept a lot of their character. I'm doing to it more casually now. It's hard to find the time to do the handicapping work and following all the trips and all the details of the past performances. I use the Ragozin sheets, which are useful, but so many people use Ragozin and Thoro-Graph now that it's hard to find much of an advantage in that. When the Ragozin sheets first came out, I had friends who were early adopters of the sheets and they had an advantage. Now with everybody having the same data, it's much harder to have an edge. So these days, I do it much more as a recreation without much expectation of it being any kind of a business. I should add that contributing to the excitement of those early days at Cahokia was that there was a fantastic race caller there who added a lot of excitement. His name is Dave Johnson. I feel like I've spent my whole life with Dave Johnson because when I moved east to New York I feel like Dave came with me. That's when he became the race caller at the NYRA tracks. I feel like my life at the races has been pretty much parallel to Dave. That's's been a fun part of it. We've had a lifelong friendship and he's been an investor in some of my shows. It's been a great friendship. The post How I Got Hooked On Racing: Rocco Landesman appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As expected, Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) (lot 200) caused quite a stir in the Arqana ring, and the 2024 G1 Prix de Diane scorer will join the Coolmore partners' fold, after selling to Oceanic Bloodstock on behalf of MV Magnier and associates for €5,000,000. Consigned by Haras de Bouquetot, the bay, also successful in the Prix de Sandringham and third in the G1 Nassau Stakes and G1 Prix de l'Opera, is a full-sister to G3 Jersey Stakes hero Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), who was second in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. The female family features fellow Diane heroine Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) and her G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)-winning daughter Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}). She was bred by Jean-Pierre Dubois. The post Oceanic Bloodstock Signs €5-Million Ticket For Sparkling Plenty On Behalf Of MV Magnier And Associates appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Selections for Wingatui today Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! Race Jonny Turner Racing Journalist Race 1 12.58pm 6 Tarragindi 1 Almighty 4 Niamh 8 Birch Race 2 1.24pm 1 Donald Trot 7 Miki’s Beauty 4 Cold Pursuit 10 Janaka’s Delight Race 3 2.00pm 5 It’s A Pleasure 4 Jay R Tolkien 8 Prosperity 1 Crackasky Race 4 2.38pm 6 Airwaves 3 Haley Robyn 7 Paradise Valley 1 Avenger Race 5 3.05pm 6 Blithe 12 Our Superfund 4 Top Pocket Chance 14 Markthewarrior Race 6 3.39pm 9 Forever Arden 6 Havarti Arden 2 Lily’s A Star 1 Asta Race 7 4.15pm 3 Nutcracker 12 South Seas Rock 8 Still Rockin 4 Hacksaw Ridge Race 8 4.44pm 3 Hazer 1 Lou’s Deal 10 Flying Bird 6 Nyla Race 9 5.13pm 8 Moment Of What 3 Styrax 5 Julie Jaccka 7 Superfast Ronnie Race 10 5.39pm 7 Bobbies Rock 2 Insarchatwist 5 Rightazz 10 Sinai Sermon View the full article

Alex Elliott was in action for G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte heroine Classic Flower (GB) (Calyx {GB}) (lot 191) at €1,800,000 to take the lead at Arqana. The chestnut, consigned by Haras de Beaumont, was purchased on behalf of MV Magnier and White Birch Farm. From the same family as multiple stakes winner and multiple group-placed Bahia Breeze (GB) (Mister Baileys {GB}), Classic Flower changed hands for 45,000gns as a Tattersalls December foal in 2021 when purchased by Arthur Hoyeau. She was bred by Petches Farm, Ltd. A new top lot at #VentedElevage as @AlexElliott secures Group 2 winner and multiple Group performer CLASSIC FLOWER (lot 1️⃣9️⃣1️⃣) for €1,800,000 on behalf of MV Magnier & @Whitebirchfarm. She was offered by @HarasBeaumont. pic.twitter.com/ZPY44bQWGZ — ARQANA (@InfoArqana) December 7, 2024 The post Alex Elliott Strikes For €1,800,000 For Classic Flower On Behalf of MV Magnier And White Birch Farm 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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Zoffany (Ire) mare Tres Magnifique (Fr) (lot 188), best known as the dam of G1 Sun Chariot Stakes heroine Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), was purchased by MV Magnier for €1,400,000 at Arqana. Gestut Etzean offered the 11-year-old mare, who is carrying a full-sibling to the Sun Chariot winner and G1 Prix de Diane third. Tres Magnifique, herself, is a half-sister to GI Beverly D Stakes herone Sea Calisi (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}) and two more stakes winners. TRES MAGNIFIQUE, dam of G1 winner Tamfana, sells as Lot 188 with Gestut Etzean at @InfoArqana Vente d'Elevage! She is once again in foal to Soldier Hollow. Learn more: https://t.co/jts9hinL1l pic.twitter.com/xSJlPqBCRr — TDN (@theTDN) November 28, 2024 The post Hammer Falls At €1,400,000, As MV Magnier Buys Tres Magnifique, Dam Of Tamfana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lot 180, G1 Preis der Diana runner-up Spanish Eyes (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}) sold for €1,300,000 to Hannah Wall at Arqana. Out of G1 Premio Lydia Tesio heroine Sortilege (Ire) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), the bay was consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux. The 3-year-old filly is a full-sister to G3 Premio Guido e Alessandro Berardelli winner Sirjan (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}). Bred by Gestut Karlshof, Spanish Eyes was a €95,000 buy-back out of the Arqana October Yearling Sale in 2022. The post Hannah Wall Signs For Spanish Eyes At €1,300,000 At Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mauricio Delcher Sanchez sent G3 Prix de Psyche heroine Excellent Truth (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) through the ring at Arqana, and the G1 Prix Rothschild runner-up was knocked down for €1,600,000 to Stamford Bloodstock/Meridian Bloodstock on behalf of John Stewart's Resolute Racing, as the first millionaire of the 2024 Vente d'Elevage. Sold as lot 171, the daughter of Moment Of Truth (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is a half-sister to the Group 3-placed Memo De L'Alguer (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}). Bred by Sandra Russell, the 4-year-old was a €52,000 purchase out of the Goffs Orby Sale in 2021 by Montgomery Motto. The seven-figure mark has been broken at the #VentedElevage as Group winner and Group 1-placed EXCELLENT TRUTH (Lot 1️⃣7️⃣1️⃣) sells for €1,600,000 to Stamford Bloodstock & @MERIDIAN7 on behalf of @resracingky. She was offered by Mauricio Delcher Sanchez. pic.twitter.com/srCy8S2dc3 — ARQANA (@InfoArqana) December 7, 2024 The post Excellent Truth Joins The Resolute Team, After Stamford Bloodstock And Meridian Bloodstock Pay €1,600,000 At Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sam Agars VOYAGE BUBBLE - R7 (2) Underrated miler can show the world just how good he is Jay Rooney VOYAGE BUBBLE - R7 (2) Drawn to get a perfect run and this consistent miler looks the one to beat Jack Dawling FAMILY JEWEL - R6 (8) Progressive youngster can take another step forward from favourable draw Phillip Woo FAMILY JEWEL - R6 (8) Still improving and can return a winner for a third time Shannon (Vincent Wong) PACKING ANGEL - R2 (7) Been knocking on the door and gets a chance to break through here Racing Post Online CHARMING LEGEND - R9 (6) Australian import won well last start and looks hard to beat today Tom Wood MASTER PHOENIX - R2 (6) Great debut run from the rear and goes to 1400m, big hopeView the full article

There’s not much that hasn’t been said about Ka Ying Rising this week, but now it is time for action.View the full article

Classy sprinting mare Mrs Chrissie (NZ) (Per Incanto) kicked off a new campaign on a winning note with a powerful come-from-behind performance in Saturday’s A$150,000 Ballarat Volkswagen Tonks Plate (1100m) at Ballarat. The Benchmark 100 handicap was the first start since July for Mrs Chrissie, whose previous campaign produced wins at Caulfield and Sandown as well as a third in the Gr.3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) and a last-start fourth in the Gr.3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m). Mrs Chrissie was sent out as a $2.90 favourite on Saturday and delivered in style in the hands of Craig Williams. The six-year-old deviated from her usual on-speed style and settled back near the tail of the field for most of the race, then was angled out to the centre of the track in the home straight and began to unwind. Mrs Chrissie produced a turn of foot that none of her seven rivals could match, bursting to the lead and drawing clear to score by two and a half lengths. “The race didn’t work out as we thought it might have pre-race,” Williams said. “But I had the right horse, well-weighted, well-prepared first-up today, and it was pretty easy for me. I just kept her out of trouble, simple and smooth, and she was too good for them. “The plan was actually to be right on the back of the speed, but there was much speed for my horse today. She was happy further back, so I just trusted her. She was pretty dominant. She probably showed another string to her bow, that she’s not just an on-speed horse. “She was well placed in this race. If you take Recommendation (Shalaa) out of those Group races in the winter, she ran really well at weight-for-age. Recommendation is in Hong Kong tomorrow, so it just shows you that he’s a pretty high-end sprinter. For her to come back into this handicap race and have that luxury of dropping down in weight, it was a really nice race for her today.” The Ciaron Maher-trained Mrs Chrissie has now had 20 starts for six wins, seven placings and A$408,125 in stakes. “She was really good,” assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said. “I didn’t expect her to be in the position she was, rear of the field, but it just goes to show that as a mare matures, they can be ridden differently. “She doesn’t always get the beginning right, and she didn’t really have that zest early today, but she was pretty dominant late. She was well in at the weights, especially with the scratchings of the horses up front, and sets herself up for a good programme. “Black type is the key for her now. She’s placed at that level, but we need to get that win, and I’d say for a mare, you’re either the Christmas Stakes (Listed, 1100m) or possibly the Black Pearl (Listed, 1200m), but the Christmas Stakes being 1100m is ideal.” Mrs Chrissie was bred by Chris Doak and Rosie Ealden and was exported to Australia as an unraced two-year-old. She is out of the O’Reilly mare Turf Fire (NZ), who herself won nine races and placed in the Gr.3 Stewards’ Stakes (1200m). Turf Fire is the dam of three winners from seven foals to race, headed by Mrs Chrissie and fellow black-type placegetter Don Carlo (NZ). Mrs Chrissie’s four-year-old full-sister Grassburn (NZ) has placed twice in six starts to date for the Maher stable, while Turf Fire’s final foal was an unnamed Super Seth filly born in 2021. View the full article

Freewheeling Kiwi-bred I’mintowin (NZ) (Contributer) maintained his perfect record this preparation with another all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$160,000 James Squire Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill. The five-year-old Contributer gelding led all the way for a first-up victory over 1400m at Kembla Grange on November 23, mastering a testing 62kg topweight on a Good3 track and running record time. The step up in class for a Benchmark 94 handicap on Saturday saw I’mintowin better placed at the weights with 56.5kg, but the track conditions presented a very different challenge. Persistent rain throughout the afternoon led to a series of downgrades, eventually going all the way to down a Heavy10. But despite the very different circumstances, the result was the same as I’mintowin ran his rivals into the ground. Drawn second from the outside in a scratchings-ravaged field of seven, I’mintowin and jockey Tim Clark wasted no time in striding forward and taking the lead. They dominated the race from there, finding a second wind when challenged in the straight and pulling away again to beat Ang Pow (Flying Artie) and Konasana (Dundeel) by almost three lengths. I’mintowin has now had 14 starts for four wins, five placings and A$345,318 in stakes. “This was a very different track to the one he won first-up on, so it’s great to see his versatility,” said Adrian Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse. “I think staying at 1400m might have helped him today on this testing track. “No doubt, the best part of his race was that last furlong. I momentarily thought he might be in a bit of trouble at the top of the straight, but once he balanced up and really got into stride, he was powering away from them late. “He’s a horse that naturally is always pretty strong within himself. He does plenty of work. He’s very competitive, even when he works on his own at home. He works himself fit pretty quickly. That’s something that we have to manage throughout his preparations and in his racing style as well. It’s a matter of trying to contain him, and our staff at home have been putting a lot of work into that. “We’ll potentially go up in distance now. These first two runs have given him a good grounding for stepping up to the mile next start. I wouldn’t be afraid to test him over further than that as well. He has such a great cruising speed, and if he’s able to sustain that over a bit further, that opens up a lot more options.” I’mintowin was bred by Masterpiece Enterprises Ltd and is by Contributer out of the three-time winning Castledale mare Beguile (NZ). I’mintowin began his career with six starts in New Zealand from the Byerley Park stable of Peter and Dawn Williams. He was a maiden winner at Avondale in November 2022, then finished third in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), fourth in the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) and ninth in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) before being privately sold into Australian ownership. View the full article

A strong pace and a deteriorating Heavy10 track made Saturday’s A$160,000 TAB Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill a test of stamina and toughness, and promising New Zealand-bred mare Be Real (NZ) (Iffraaj) rose to the occasion. The grey daughter of Iffraaj had made a good impression winning at Newcastle on November 2, but then finished only sixth when well supported in a 2000m race on a Good3 track at Kembla Grange three weeks later. Trainer Brad Widdup was confident that Be Real could bounce back on rain-affected ground on Saturday, and once again the punters got in behind the four-year-old and backed her into second favouritism at $3.70. Be Real was patiently ridden by Tyler Schiller and settled in the second half of the field as Morryl Moral (Lope De Vega) opened up a big lead heading down the back of the track. The chasers closed the gap as Morryl Moral began to tire coming around the home turn, and Be Real warmed into her work right in the middle of that group. Good Banter (NZ) (Tavistock), Be Real, Bullets High (NZ) (Ace High) and Kenyada (Kermadec) soon swallowed up Morryl Moral and surged ahead in the straight, and it was Be Real who found the most through the final 150m and edged ahead of the other three to win by just under a length. Bullets High finished second and Good Banter was third, completing a New Zealand-bred trifecta. “I was pretty confident with her today,” Schiller said. “When they were going a good gallop, I knew she’d be strong late. “We probably weren’t hoping for a track as wet as this, but she handles rain-affected ground well. She’s done a good job and quickened up well. I thought I was home from around the 200m.” Be Real has now had 13 starts for four wins, four placings and A$198,825 in prize-money. A full-sister to the nine-time Australian winner Sir Ravanelli (NZ), Be Real was bred by Chequers Stud and is by Iffraaj out of the Ishiguru mare Stardom (NZ). Be Real was a trial winner at Taupo in March of last year before being sold privately into Australian ownership. View the full article

Champion jockey Opie Bosson moved to the brink of a Group One milestone with an outstanding ride on Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed) to take out Saturday’s TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham. The $400,000 weight-for-age feature was the 99th win at Group One level for Bosson, who returned to riding this week after taking a two-month break for personal reasons. Ladies Man was only his fourth ride back. “That’s 99 Group One wins now, and I probably should be up around 110 by now if I kept my life on track,” Bosson chuckled. “But that’s life, isn’t it? It’s great to get this win today.” Bosson’s triumphant comeback was mirrored by his mount Ladies Man, who went into the TAB Mufhasa Classic on an eight-race winless streak dating back to his win in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings in October of last year. But trainer Allan Sharrock put blinkers on for Saturday’s big race, and the Zed gelding was right back at his brilliant best. After settling in eighth place, Bosson brought Ladies Man across heels at the home turn and angled him to the outside of the track. Hot favourite La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) strode to the lead in the straight and looked home for all money, but then Bosson kicked Ladies Man into overdrive. He charged up alongside the star mare and the pair locked horns through the final 100m, with Ladies Man taking the upper hand to win by a neck. La Crique finished almost three lengths in front of the third-placed Perfect Scenario. “Allan Sharrock is an amazing trainer, and the blinkers going on today made a big difference,” Bosson said. “Credit to La Crique, who really kicked again when I got to her. I thought I would go past her quite easily, but it turned into a tough battle. “I was just trying to get a nice track into the race coming up to the turn. Puntura (NZ) (Vespa) was a little bit all over the place just in front of me, but I managed to get across his heels. Once we got balanced up at the top of the straight, I thought we were home easily until I saw La Crique kick again. But we got there in the end. “I think 2000m is more his go, but he’s classy enough to perform like he did today over the mile.” Ladies Man is a half-brother to Sharrock’s Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Ladies First. Sharrock paid $60,000 to buy Ladies Man from the draft of breeders Grangewilliam Stud at Karaka 2019. From 31 starts, Ladies Man has recorded eight wins and 14 placings and has earned $896,656 in prize-money. Sharrock will now point the seven-year-old towards the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, for which the TAB rates him a $6 equal second favourite alongside La Crique and El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking). Last-start Livamol Classic winner Snazzytavi (NZ) (Tavistock) is the $3.50 favourite. “Opie’s ride was a 10 and a half out of 10 today,” Sharrock said. “He’s just so silky. It makes a big difference when you’ve got someone like him on in a Group One race. In a lot of my Group One wins, I’ve had guys like Opie, James (McDonald) and Leith (Innes) riding. You need those top jockeys. “The blinkers seemed to spark the horse up a little bit today. I’ll wait and see whether I leave them on for the Zabeel. He seemed to travel generously in them today and didn’t overdo things. “He’s a mile and a half horse really, but he’s just a proper horse. We’ll be going to the Zabeel Classic with a little bit of confidence now. “The O’Learys and the Stanleys are great people to train for, and I’m also really grateful for all the work that my staff, vets and blacksmiths have done to get this horse here today. I’m thrilled for everyone.” View the full article

There are six horse racing meetings set for Australia on Sunday, December 8. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Hawkesbury, Werribee & Sha Tin (HK). Sunday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – December 8, 2024 Hawkesbury Racing Tips Werribee Racing Tips Sha Tin (HK) 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 December 8, 2024 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

Northerly Stakes winner Light Infantry Man when winning during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. (Photo by Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) The Ciaron Maher-trained Light Infantry Man ($12) has dominated his rivals in Saturday’s Group 1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot. Having finished 10th when favourite in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) a fortnight ago, the son of Fast Company was sent around at an each-way quote and made amends in fine fashion. Sent forward from barrier, Ethan Brown had the five-year-old gelding settled outside natural frontrunner Marocchino throughout. On the back of a softly run 1800m affair, the race was run to suit Light Infantry Man perfectly, and when asked to quicken early in the home straight, he put a couple of lengths on his rivals in quick fashion. Outside of $151 shot Admiration Express, there was to be no dangers in the shadows of the winning post as the former European added a second win on Australian soil after saluting during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. 2024 Group 1 Northerly Stakes Replay – Light Infantry Man https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ascot-2024-Group-1-Northerly-Stakes-07122024-Light-Infantry-Man-Ciaron-Maher-Ethan-Brown.mp4 Horse racing news View the full article

Five-year-old galloper contests Sunday’s Group One Longines Hong Kong Mile.View the full article

I’mintowin winning at Rosehill Gardens. Photo: Bradley Photos Freewheeling Kiwi-bred I’mintowin maintained his perfect record this preparation with another all-the-way win at Rosehill. The five-year-old Contributer gelding led all the way for a first-up victory over 1400m at Kembla Grange on November 23, mastering a testing 62kg topweight on a Good 3 track and running record time. The step up in class for a Benchmark 94 handicap on Saturday saw I’mintowin better placed at the weights with 56.5kg, but the track conditions presented a very different challenge. Persistent rain throughout the afternoon led to a series of downgrades, eventually going all the way to down a Heavy 10. But despite the very different circumstances, the result was the same as I’mintowin ran his rivals into the ground. Drawn second from the outside in a scratchings-ravaged field of seven, I’mintowin and jockey Tim Clark wasted no time in striding forward and taking the lead. They dominated the race from there, finding a second wind when challenged in the straight and pulling away again to beat Ang Pow and Konasana by almost three lengths. I’mintowin has now had 14 starts for four wins, five placings and $345,318 in stakes. “This was a very different track to the one he won first-up on, so it’s great to see his versatility,” said Adrian Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse. “I think staying at 1400m might have helped him today on this testing track. “No doubt, the best part of his race was that last furlong. I momentarily thought he might be in a bit of trouble at the top of the straight, but once he balanced up and really got into stride, he was powering away from them late. “He’s a horse that naturally is always pretty strong within himself. He does plenty of work. He’s very competitive, even when he works on his own at home. He works himself fit pretty quickly. That’s something that we have to manage throughout his preparations and in his racing style as well. It’s a matter of trying to contain him, and our staff at home have been putting a lot of work into that. “We’ll potentially go up in distance now. These first two runs have given him a good grounding for stepping up to the mile next start. I wouldn’t be afraid to test him over further than that as well. He has such a great cruising speed, and if he’s able to sustain that over a bit further, that opens up a lot more options.” Horse racing news View the full article