Wandering Eyes

Race favourite Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) ran out a determined winner of Sunday's G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse to become the first horse to defend the title for over a decade. It was the perfect way to bow out for Lemon Drop, who now retires to Darley Japan as the winner of 13 of his 18 career starts, with his other notable victories including the G1 February Stakes in 2023 when he was crowned the JRA Best Dirt Horse. The 16-strong field also included the latest winner of the February Stakes in Peptide Nile (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), latterly runner-up to Lemon Pop in the Listed Mile Championship Nambu Hai at Morioka in October, as well as the two horses who completed the frame in last year's Champions Cup, Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Lemon Pop broke alertly from his inside stall and was sent straight to the front by Ryusei Sakai, with Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) for company on his outside. By the home turn Lemon Pop had extended his advantage to around two lengths and the Hiroyasu Tanaka trainee kept going well from there to get the verdict by a nose from the fast-finishing Wilson Tesoro, with another length and a half back to Dura Erede in a carbon copy of last year's one-two-three. Dual G3 Sirius Stakes winner Hagino Alegrias (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) finished fourth ahead of Peptide Nile in fifth. “It was his last race and I'm glad that he was able to end his career with the best result,” Sakai said of Lemon Pop, who became the first horse to win the race in consecutive years since Transcend (Jpn) (Wild Rush) was successful in 2010 and 2011, back when it was run as the Japan Cup Dirt. “I wanted to ride him as smoothly as possible without any loss and was ready for any challenge. I thought we had won but wasn't quite sure because Wilson Tesoro came from behind with great speed, so I'm glad we were able to win. Lemon Pop is a strong horse–he has won six out of six Group 1-class races in Japan–and there's no other horse like him, and I'm proud to have been on his back.” 【 Champions Cup (G1), Chukyo, 1800m, 3yo&up, approx US$ 1.73m】 Winner: Lemon Pop(USA) J: Ryusei Sakai T: Hiroyasu Tanaka Sire: Lemon Drop Kid Dam: Unreachable#チャンピオンズカップ は、#レモンポップ が優勝！！ pic.twitter.com/FXWpTTtFcr — JRA World Racing (@JRA_WorldRacing) December 1, 2024 Pedigree Notes Lemon Pop is one of four winners from six to the races for Unreachable, whose multiple graded-stakes winning dam Harpia is a full-sister to the legendary Danehill. The mare, who was acquired privately by Chad Schumer for $50,000 after she was led out unsold at Keeneland November in 2020, is also the dam of a two-year-old Ontario-bred colt by Maclean's Music, who fetched $310,000 at Keeneland September last fall, but was bought back on a bid of €340,000 at this year's Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale. Sunday, Chukyo, Japan CHAMPIONS CUP-G1, ¥232,920,000, Chukyo, 12-1, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:50.10, gd. 1–LEMON POP, 128, h, 6, by Lemon Drop Kid 1st Dam: Unreachable, by Giant's Causeway 2nd Dam: Harpia, by Danzig 3rd Dam: Razyana, by His Majesty ($70,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Godolphin; B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY); T-Hiroyasu Tanaka; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥123,444,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. Dirt Horse & MG1SW-Jpn, 18-13-3-0, ¥760,200,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), 128, h, 5, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Chesutoke Rose, by Uncle Mo. O-Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings; B-Ryoken Farm (Jpn); ¥48,984,000. 3–Dura Erede (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Duramente (Jpn)–Marchesa (Jpn), by Orfevre (Jpn). (¥100,000,000 Ylg '21 JRHJUL). O-Three H Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥30,492,000. Margins: NS, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.20, 4.50, 41.60. Also Ran: Hagino Alegrias (Jpn), Peptide Nile (Jpn), Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn), Ater Astrea (Jpn), Peisha Es (Jpn), Gloria Mundi (Jpn), Mitono O (Jpn), Crown Pride (Jpn), Seraphic Call (Jpn), Mick Fire (Jpn), T O Drefong (Jpn), Gaia Force (Jpn), Suleyman (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video. The post Lemon Pop Defends Champions Cup Crown on Swansong appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bjorn Baker declared Overpass a "very special horse" after the 6-year-old extended his Ascot record to a stunning 4-for-4 with a dominant triumph in the 1,200-meter (about six-furlong) Winterbottom Stakes (G1) Nov. 30.View the full article

Amelia Green, 31, whose most recent racetrack job was as an assistant trainer to Todd Pletcher, wasted no time getting her own training career off to a fast as she won Sunday's first race at Aqueduct with her first ever starter. The win came with On Command (Omaha Beach) in a maiden special weight race. Green, a native of England, has served in several roles in racing, as a jockey, exercise rider, foreman and traveling assistant. One of her first stops in the U.S. was to work as an assistant trainer in California to George Papaprodromou. Most recently, she was in charge of Pletcher's string at Keeneland. Green also worked for trainer Sir Henry Cecil for four years, riding races for him as an apprentice. In the U.S., she rode from 2013 through 2015 and had nine winners from 148 starters. She took out her U.S. trainer's license shortly after this year's Breeders' Cup. “I don't think it's quite hit me yet,” she said. “It doesn't feel real yet. It is starting to hit me now I guess. Mostly, it was a relief. I am very happy for the owners [Lucky Hat Racing LLC and V Hop Racing] and the filly herself. She ran very well. I was quietly confident with her coming into this race. I didn't want to say anything out loud, but she had been training very well the last couple of weeks, so I was confident in the way she was coming into it and how everything was aligning and going right. But you never know until the final moment if it is actually going to end the way you hope it does.” Green is based at Belmont and plans to follow the New York circuit. She said she currently has four horses with “a couple more coming in this week.” “This filly winning will hopefully help me get some more clientele,” she said. To have someone like Pletcher as a mentor certainly helps. “He led by example with his dedication to his craft,” she said. “If you're there every day and you put in the work, you're going to get rewarded for it. If you work hard, you're always going to do well.” The post Former Pletcher Assistant Amelia Green Sends out Winner in Her First Try appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

George Strawbridge's Augustin Stables capped a trio of graded wins over the week at Del Mar when Will Then (War of Will) powered to a 2 1/4-length victory in the GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes at the seaside oval Saturday. The filly joined stablemates Mrs. Astor (Lookin at Lucky), who won the Nov. 24 GIII Red Carpet Stakes, and Truly Quality (Quality Road), who won the GII Hollywood Turf Cup Friday. All three homebreds are trained by Jonathan Thomas. “I really have to give kudos to Mr. Strawbridge and his breeding program,” Thomas said. “They are all three homebreds. It's an incredible thing for a breeder to accomplish, so we're just blessed to train for him.” Jonathan Thomas | Benoit Strawbridge purchased Mrs. Astor's dam, Causal (Creative Cause), for $400,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2015. The mare made just two starts before heading to the breeding shed and the 4-year-old Mrs. Astor is her first foal. Truly Quality is a grandson of Strawbridge's turf champion Forever Together (Belong to Me). His dam, Truly Together (Smart Strike), was third in the Augustin colors in the 2018 GIII Endeavor Stakes and she is also the dam of graded winner Mouffy (Uncle Mo). Will Then's dam Remember Then (Pulpit) was another yearling purchase by Strawbridge, who acquired her for $350,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September sale. Winner of the first three starts of her career in 2012 and 2013, she is also the dam of stakes winner Born Dapper (Union Rags). Will Then, a maiden winner over the Woodbine turf in October, was making just her third lifetime start when she upset the Jimmy Durante at 10-1. Of plans for the 2-year-old filly, Thomas said, “We need to look at the stakes schedule. I think there's a race [the $100,000 Blue Norther on Dec. 28] at Santa Anita going a mile. I think it makes complete sense to wheel back in that spot. The timing's good. She's lightly raced. I don't think she's a filly we shut down. She's just getting the hang of it.” The post Del Mar Fall Festival Graded Triple for Strawbridge, Thomas 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 will be reaching 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. When I was very young, we would go to the races, my dad, my mom, my brother and I. My dad liked to bet, so he wasn't passionate about racing. But I became passionate very quickly. I started reading the Racing Form at a young age. It became my favorite sport almost instantly. I'm not one of these guys who remembers the first time I was there or the first horse that I watched. I have no idea. I was not in a position to remember because I was so young at the time. We lived in Beverly Hills and would go to Hollywood Park a lot and to Santa Anita. We were there every opening day that I can think of. I got to see some incredible horses. I remember watching Spectacular Bid run. But when I think about horses, the first memory I strongly recall, for whatever reason, is being at Hollywood Park one day and there was a race with Ancient Title and Crystal Water in it. I just had a love for it. I was a big Bill Shoemaker fan. He was my favorite jockey. On the weekends, most people wanted to go to the Dodgers games, Rams games, Lakers game. I just wanted to go to the track. I am going to guess my father first started taking me around the time I turned five. The times I first really remember were when I was about eight. By the time I was nine, I remember being extremely disappointed because my dad wouldn't take me to see Seattle Slew in the Swaps Stakes. He didn't want to fight the big crowd. There were 70,000 people there that day and it was going to be a big headache. I remember vividly listening to that race on the radio. It was on a clock radio we had and I listened to Harry Henson's live call on KNX. When I think of the house we lived in at that the time, that's my most vivid memory, that race, listening on the radio, not eating dinner that night and being very sad because Seattle Slew lost. By the age of nine, I was completely into it. I would watch the replay shows and would listen to 'Horse and Jockey,' a race recreation show at the end of the day that was highly entertaining. The recreations were done by a guy named Jay Richards. I ended up meeting him after I was on TVG. He sent in an email. I asked if this was the Jay Richards. It was and we became close friends. For me, I loved the jockeys. I would get so many jockey autographs. I remember so many times meeting those jockeys at a very young age and how cool they were. I didn't really know it at the time, but that was an amazing colony of riders. They were always accommodating. Shoemaker, Chris McCarron, Eddie D., Don Pierce, they were all very nice to me. It's not that my dad didn't like racing, but he wasn't passionate about it. The reason I know that is that he didn't dig into the Racing Form like I did. He'd rather just play the picks made by the guy in the Los Angeles Times or play numbers. I loved the sport and trying to figure it out. By high school, I was reading the Racing Form regularly. I was very much into it, trying to figure out how to handicap. Then I became fascinated with the race callers. That's because at a young age I was an impersonator. I would go to the track and imitate the track announcers. Amazingly, that's how my race calling career got started. The post How I Got Hooked on Racing: Frank Mirahmadi appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There is three horse racing meetings set for Australia on Monday, December 2. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Tamworth. Monday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – December 2, 2024 Tamworth 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 2, 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 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. Recommended! Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 4 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 5 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. 6 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. Horse racing tips View the full article

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Australian multiple Group 1-placed Tutta La Vita (Aus) (The Autumn Sun {Aus}), purchased by John Stewart's Resolute Racing for A$3.2 million at the Inglis Chairman's Sale in May, is nearing her U.S. debut after working four furlongs in :49.34 (11/16) over the Tapeta surface at Gulfstream Saturday. Trainer Ignacio 'Nacho' Correas, IV said Sunday that the 4-year-old filly is being pointed to an entry-level optional claiming allowance following the Christmas holiday. “She's doing good. She's eligible for a one-other-than and she's going to run here on the 26th,” Correas said. “So far, so good.” The acclimation from Australian winter to North American summer was slower than anticipated for Tutta La Vita, pushing her first timed work to mid-September at Keeneland and scrapping plans to run at both Saratoga and in the Breeders' Cup. Tutta La Vita has breezed twice over the all-weather Tapeta surface at Gulfstream. She worked five furlongs in 1:00.84 Nov. 23 before her four-furlong work Saturday. On the board in three Group 1 events in her native Australia, including a runner-up effort in the G1 Storm Queen Stakes in March, Tutta La Vita owns a record of 1-3-2 from 12 career starts, all on turf. In her first outing for Resolute Racing, she was eighth in the May 25 G2 ANZ Bloodstock News The Roses last time out. “Mr. Stewart bought her and sent her to me. She ran some nice races in Australia. She has been working here like a good horse. We look forward to a good start in America and then a very good campaign in 2025,” Correas said. “The idea is to run her here and give her a start and go from there. She's training very well and doing very well, so we are very happy with her.” Correas also trains 6-year-old millionaire Didia (Arg) (Orpen) for Resolute and Merriebelle Stable. A two-time Group 1 winner in her home country, she has won four graded stakes in North America, including the GI New York Stakes in June at Saratoga. Most recently third in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Didia is being pointed to a title defense in the GII Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational next month at Gulfstream, a race she won by a neck as the favorite last January. “Didia is doing good,” Correas said. “She came out of the Breeders' Cup in very good shape. She's back working, and she is expected to make her comeback in the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf. That was a very exciting day for me and for everybody.” The post Tutta La Vita Nears U.S. Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lemon Pop capped off his career with a repeat victory Dec. 1 in the Champions Cup (G1) at Chukyo Racecourse.View the full article

Close to 1,500 foals have changed hands at Goffs and Tattersalls over the past fortnight during what industry stakeholders have acknowledged to be a magic marketplace. This was the year to sell a foal with all of the key figures jumping dramatically at both sales houses. Not only were the pinhookers predictably strong after what was widely agreed to be an unexpectedly good end to the yearling sales, but a number of end-users–Godolphin, Yulong, Juddmonte and more–really stepped up to the plate at both sales. There were records broken at Tattersalls and Goffs and, the fact that the Wednesday foals in Ireland averaged just €14,178 less than the Orby Sale tells you everything you need to know about the strength of the foal sales. While there are still a number of foals set to sell at Arqana, it seems as though now is a fair time to press pause and take stock of some of the key themes that have emerged from the past fortnight. From top judges Philipp Stauffenberg, Eddie O'Leary and Joe Foley to consignors and stud owners, some of the big names of the industry have weighed in on what young sires to follow, market predictions and more. Philipp Stauffenberg, pinhooker When you think back to the foal sales at Goffs, the average was close to the Orby. That tells you enough. Then here at Tattersalls, if you go through the results at the high end of the market, it is dominated by end users. Because of the strength of the yearling market, obviously some people decided to try and land a punch at the foal sales. That makes life difficult for us pinhookers. But the trade was amazing. I bid very strongly on Chaldean (GB) as a foal. Loved him. I knew that it would be difficult to try and buy his sister [last Friday] and unfortunately I couldn't fend off other buyers when I opened her at 1 million gns! She actually was not for pinhooking, though–I have one client who is keen to buy a really top-class filly and he was willing to go to 2 million gns but we didn't have a chance. I am very happy with the horses I bought. My only regret was that I didn't pick up as many high-end foals as I'd have liked to. I still think I bought one of the nicest colts we saw at any sale in the Night Of Thunder (Ire) colt we bought at Goffs-he was just absolutely gorgeous. I would have liked to have bought two or three more high-end fillies in particular but I stretched myself out of my comfort zone for every one I did bid on and then they made even more to end-users. Looking at some of the younger stallions, I bought a Minzaal (Ire) out of a black-type mare at Goffs and I would give that stallion a big chance. From what we have seen of his stock, he is more or less the one who looks good. O'Leary: “If you see a bull calf you don't need to see the bull so I think people could breed to him blind.” | Tattersalls Eddie O'Leary, Lynn Lodge Stud You can get more than ever for the nice horse but less than ever for those that don't make the grade. The lesser horses are desperately hard to sell. I've never seen the floor of the market so low. It's all about the nicer horses. Why's that? Prize-money. Nobody wants the fun horse. The demand is for the high-end horses. Now the pinhookers are teaming up to buy the better calibre of horse and that's making them even dearer to buy. I bought 15 in Goffs and 11 here at Tattersalls. I sold yearlings by Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) and A'Ali (Ire) this year and found them to be lovely horses. I tried to buy foals by them again but I actually couldn't buy an A'Ali in the end. Of the stallions with first foals, Minzaal is doing well. Perfect Power is throwing horses much better-looking than he is. If you see a bull calf you don't need to see the bull so I think people could breed to him blind. He's throwing Kodiacs if you ask me. I think it's fair to say we were expecting a kick up the you know what coming into Book 1 but we didn't get it, largely down to Kia Joorabchian's involvement. We all seriously hope that Kia and Evangelos Marinakis have a good year next year and, who knows, they might bring even more people into the game. That will be important. Caoimhe Doherty, Forenaghts Stud The yearling sales were very strong but a lot of pinhookers did lose money. We bought two foals this year and four last year. We bought at a level–an Australia (GB) filly for €30,000 and a Naval Crown (GB) for €24,000. We're happy at that level and time will tell if we bought value or not. We have a Navan Crown filly at home at Forenaghts Stud and we think she's very smart. There's a lot of Dubawi about his stock and he's one I like. Barry Lynch, bloodstock agent I was mainly selling at the foal sales and we had a very positive experience. There was great footfall and, the horses who were good physically and were up to the market, they were very well received. We had Minzaal and Sioux Nation colts that sold very well around the mid-market level. Sioux Nation seems to be gone to another level and certainly seems to be exceeding expectations. He's got well-bred crops to run for him going forward and you'd hope that those horses will be prolific and he will continue on an upward trajectory. As for Minzaal, I have been a huge fan of his from the start and his foals have been very well received as well. The Blackbeard (Ire) foals seem to be strong, well-built horses and I liked the Persian Force (Ire) foals as well. They sold well and were well-supported. Tally-Ho Stud has a great system and a great history of making stallions. He's covered a good book of mares and will be given every chance. At the end of the day, the European yearling market is worth somewhere in the region of 300 million so, when Amo Racing come to play, that moves the market. There was obviously a knock-on effect. The other thing that stuck out to me at the foal sales was the broad spectrum of sires that sold well. There were some stallions in the mid-market, the likes of Cotai Glory (GB) and Gleneagles (Ire), that sold very well. I think that's a great sign of the market that it's not just the 60 grand and above stallions who sold well. David Cox, Baroda Stud People got a lot of money out of yearlings and were always going to reinvest. I knew it was going to be strong but seeing the end users coming in was very interesting. I thought Alex Elliott's comments after buying Chaldean's sister were interesting. He said, 'We bought her for 2.5 million gns but would probably have had to spend a lot more on her as a yearling.' That purchase made sense for Amo Racing. But, on the whole, it was great trade. I bought a few foals but played it fairly safe with the sires. We didn't get any first-crop sires but we did buy a Ghaiyyath (Ire) and I would be confident that we haven't seen the best of him yet. I was actually stabled beside the Perfect Power (Ire) colt who topped the sale on Saturday at 72,000gns and he stood out to me. Plenty of people seem to be talking about Minzaal and Blackbeard and we sold a couple of nice Persian Force foals at Goffs so he definitely has a chance. Oliver St Lawrence, bloodstock agent I'm not a major foal buyer but, the same as everyone else, I thought the Minzaals were very nice. Caturra (Ire) seems to be getting nice foals as well. I don't entirely understand how everyone seems to have forgotten how tricky the yearling sales were. I mean, we had some really tricky sales prior to Book 1. Everyone seems to think that Book 1 is the market but I'm not so sure. It will be interesting to see how some of these mares who aren't in foal to the right stallions sell this week. I think things could look a bit trickier after this week. There were some serious holes in the yearling market, particularly earlier in the year, and, at the later sales, you had to be by the right stallion. We obviously work closely with breeders through our nominations and we are getting more people than ever ringing us looking for foal shares to the bigger stallions. That's just the way it has gone. But there will be some value to be had if one is clever enough to source it. Anthony O'Donnell, Darley The one thing I took from the foal sales at Goffs and here at Tattersalls was the great energy that young pinhookers brought to the whole thing-and not just for the 10 or 20 grand foals, either. A lot of younger men and women partnered up to buy the better calibre of foals and that's what you need to be doing now because that window at the yearling sales appears to be getting smaller. Another thing I found interesting was, on the plane home from the foal sales the other day, I got speaking with a buyer who didn't manage to buy anything here. He hadn't planned on shopping at the mare sales but, because he didn't get a foal, he's back looking for a mare with a good cover so that's what you call thinking on your feet. Speaking with my Darley hat on, we have been genuinely delighted by the start that Perfect Power and Naval Crown have made. Not only have they sold well, but they have been bought by some brilliant people. That's exciting. Joe Foley: “Baaeed was the one for me.” | Tattersalls Joe Foley, Ballyhane Stud I wasn't surprised by the strength of the foal sales. How could you be? After Book 1, which had a knock-on effect at Book 2, there was always going to be a huge demand for foals that looked like they could be high-end candidates at the yearling sales. There are newer players who are after coming into the game and they want to compete with the top guys. To do that, they had to spend a lot of money. The market has risen accordingly and the elite horses at the elite sales have been hard to buy. One thing I would say is that the middle tiers were solid enough as well. Given everything that is going on in the world, it was okay. Now, it was hard work at times, don't get me wrong, but it was reasonable. I saw a lot of foals at Goffs and at Tattersalls and Baaeed was the one for me. They look like they are going to turn into better yearlings, which you wouldn't be surprised about. He was an exceptional racehorse and his foals didn't disappoint. The Perfect Powers are also very nice. He was a weapon of a racehorse and I've actually bought into three foals by him. The post ‘Trade Was Amazing’ – Industry Leaders Have Their Say On Fantastic Foal Sales appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A few minutes after his horse had strolled away for a 20-length win in the $300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) on Sunday, part-owner Peter Groidis struggled to talk of how his racing dream had come true. Groidis, who sourced 20-length winner Farag (NZ) (Sacred Falls) from New Zealand to win the race that commemorates one of Australia’s most famous World War I battles, struggled with his emotions in a post-race Racing.com interview as he put the victory in heavy going into perspective. “It’s about the horse and about the occasion,” he said. “You don’t get too many races in Australia where it means so much to the people of Australia. “If you are a patriotic Australian, and you love horse racing, this is the race to win. You can have your Melbourne Cup as there is no other race to win as a family.” Farag was certainly no fluke winner. His victory for jockey Will Gordon and local trainer Aaron Purcell was his seventh in 2024 for his connections. And by far his most impressive. On the line, after travelling like the winner for the entire trip, Farag ran clear to beat Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) by 20 lengths, with a further length to Glen Massey (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) in third place. Gordon had won the race previously with Wil John, but he said he would never tire of winning such a race. “It’s massive,” he said. “It’s such an historic race, It means a lot, like, the carryings-on before it with the silence and that firing and stuff, there’s a lot of meaning behind this race and it doesn’t go unnoticed at all, so it’s a credit to everyone for putting it together.” Purcell said he enjoyed the watch for much the entire 4600-metre journey. “I thought the horses from the pack would chase him down, but I was confident our horse wouldn’t stop, so I was happy to see him hit the front as I knew he’d be a hard horse to get past.” Farag was sold by breeder Bruce Sherwin as a unraced 3yo on Gavelhouse for $1000 to Shelley Wright who retains some ownership interest. View the full article

After securing the Cranbourne Cup, Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit) will be given the opportunity to make it back-to-back prestigious country cups with his next start in the Listed $500,000 Ballarat Cup (2000m) on Saturday. Price is eagerly anticipating Globe having his first start over 2000 metres, as he thinks that’s the trip where he will make his mark in 2025. “I think 2000m for him won’t be a drama. That’s a good way for him to finish his spring campaign,” Price said. “He will have done a good job this campaign and we can reset for the autumn and that could be Sydney and Melbourne.” “I’m pretty confident he will get 2000m, but he’s going from 1600m to 2000m in two weeks. If he gets grabbed late, so be it,” Price said. He said Globe had had two starts over 1800m for two wins and he was looking forward to him racing over 2000m. Price pointed out that Globe, although a six-year-old gelding, has only had nine starts, for five wins, and he is treating him as a slow-maturing Kiwi-type. The co-trainer said with Globe’s rating of 100 he can still plot a path next year into some good ratings races with the right prizemoney. “I’m not in a big hurry to throw him into a Group 1One race. I enjoy winning with him. He will run in black-type races and down the track he could end up in a Group One,” Price said. He missed a lot of racing due to problems, which we couldn’t foresee, but he’s been given the chance to mature.” The co-trainer said it was a momentous effort for Globe to win the Cranbourne Cup as he wasn’t suited by the tight-turning circuit. “Cranbourne was never going to be his perfect track for such a big horse. He will be much better suited on the spacious Ballarat circuit,” Price said. Price said it was a proud moment for the stable with Globe getting back to his best to win the Cranbourne Cup after the gelding. “What he did was exactly what you wanted to see. He’s right back to his best after a period where we had several setbacks,” he said. Price gave backing-up Globe in the Eclipse Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield some consideration, but thought he would be better off waiting another week and not running on another tight-turning track. Meanwhile, Price said his star horses such as First Settler and Warmonger were still spelling but will return to work soon. View the full article

Southern stayer Capo Dell Impero (NZ) (Ghibellines) retained his title as the king of Cromwell on Sunday, going back-to-back in the feature event of the carnival, the Happy Hire Cromwell Cup (2030m). The son of Ghibellines was successful in the race 12 months ago defeating Jon Ol Rocco, and coming into this year’s edition, the pair were both tasked with the 60kg topweight, an impost decreased on Capo Dell Impero by Ruvanesh Muniandy’s three-kilogram claim. Capo Dell Impero drew barrier three and swiftly got in the trail of his stablemate Burgie and Jon Ol Rocco, settling three-back on the fence. Patsys Lass was positive from the outset and dictated the early pace, stacking up the field before they fanned wide turning for home. Muniandy had been biding his time on Capo Dell Impero and had plenty to do at the 300m, but the gelding was all class, powering between Jon Ol Rocco and Noble Knight to take the Cup by three-quarters of a length. In his second season of race-riding, Wingatui-based Muniandy was delighted to pick up a prized local race in front of a big crowd. “It’s very exciting, I’m really happy with that,” he said. “It was my first time riding at Cromwell last year, and this is my first win here. “I wanted to follow the stablemate (Burgie) into the straight, then I went to Plan B. When I asked him to run, he just keeps sprinting, he’ll never stop and never give up.” The Good 3 surface had been well-suited to the seven-year-old, who is trained by Brian and Shane Anderton. “That was a great run, he’s always carrying a lot of weight and at the corner today I thought we may have been a bit far back, so it was a pretty good effort to get there,” Shane Anderton said. “He’s always got a good finish on him, the three kilos today made a big difference and was probably the winning of the race. “In the end, he got a nice run and he hit the line really strong. It was great.” The victory was Capo Dell Impero’s eighth from 32 starts, taking his career earnings over $230,000. His rating prior to the Cromwell meeting was 92, meaning races such as the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m) are on the radar of the Andertons going forward. “He’s hard placed in the handicaps so we’re going to have to pick some nice races,” Shane Anderton said. “A race like the White Robe later on possibly, and some other nice races in the autumn, we’ll just pick our way through.” Out of a two-win Gallant Guru mare Gallant Babe, Capo Dell Impero is an older full-brother to stablemate Mayor Of Norwood, who has won four races and over $130,000. The family also includes Patrick Erin, winner of the Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) and Gallant Boy, a winner of 15 races including the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m). View the full article

Talented North Canterbury galloper Tumuch (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) showed his class at Cromwell on Sunday, going against the pattern of the day to claim the KB Contractors Open (1400m). A member of the in-form John and Karen Parsons stable, who picked up their fifth winner of the two-day carnival, Tumuch came into the contest as a scorching $1.70 favourite, reflective of his recent form with two top performances over New Zealand Cup Week behind Mazzucato and The Entertainer. Having just his 13th start and ninth with Leah Hemi in the saddle, Tumuch showed little early pace and settled at the tail of the field and three-wide early. Riding with confidence, Hemi was patient and allowed the gelding to find the rail before tracking wide on the turn, and despite the course typically favouring front-runners, Tumuch stormed down the outside and was far too good, taking the win by 1 – ¼ lengths to Tap ‘n’ Go and Firoden. The Parsons watched Tumuch from home in Balcairn and they couldn’t have been happier with the son of Satono Aladdin. “The performance was second-to-none today,” Karen Parsons said. “We didn’t expect him to be that far back, but anyway, that’s okay. Our only plan for him now is to have a nice week off down there. “I’m very crook and John stayed home to look after me, but watching the horses, it’s been amazing.” The five-year-old is owned by John Parsons alongside Peter Lyons, and he has now recorded four wins and $117,130 in stakes in a light career. The Parsons have had a multitude of success with the gelding’s family, with his dam, an unraced Captain Rio mare Pamela Place, a half-sister to former stable stalwart Camino Rocoso, a winner of 15 races including the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m). El Ultimo, a full-brother to Tumuch, also broke his maiden on the first day of the Cromwell Carnival. View the full article

All 28 overseas raiders are settling in at Sha Tin, while The Boom Box makes an instant impression.View the full article

In-form trainer moves into second in the premiership thanks to wins from Sing Dragon, Talents Ambition and My Wish.View the full article

Consistent sprinter backs up from Wednesday win to seal Sunday three-timer for top local jockey.View the full article

It's not yet nine o'clock and the office is almost empty, as good as new. Pascal Bary saw his last horses leave the day before, and he's offering one of his last employees their pick of the framed victory photos still displayed on a shelf. Almost 45 years after obtaining his licence, the trainer with six French Derbys to his name is packing his bags. The yard is still bustling because his boxes will now be occupied by Mario Baratti, who is steadily climbing the ranks of Chantilly trainers today and has filled the stalls that his predecessor had emptied over the weeks. It's just as well. “The horses in the boxes of this stable today are no longer mine, but the yard remains full, lively, so that's okay,” explains Bary. “It's great! I love the horse as an animal. I need them. To see them, to touch them, to take them out, to breathe them in. I can't imagine not seeing them any more. There will always be horses in my life.” Over the past few years, Bary has gradually reduced his activity. He sold his annex yard, going from 120 horses at the peak of his career in the 2000s to around 40. The number of his runners has continuously decreased and, with it, the number of winners too. The announcement of his retirement will therefore not have surprised his Chantilly neighbours. The French public may not have had time to notice, preoccupied as it is with the winner of the next tiercé. The career of a great trainer, barring unforeseen circumstances, often goes gently into the good night. In the last two years, only Feed the Flame (Kingman), winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Paris in 2023, then third this year in the G1 Prix Ganay and the Coronation Cup before finishing second in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, has kept him at the top. He was unfortunately pulled up in the G2 Qatar Prix Foy while preparing for a second Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. It's an exit from the track that is both cruel and unfair, as much for the class of the horse as for the trainer and his owner, Jean-Louis Bouchard. However, Pascal Bary's decision to stop his activity came a little earlier. “I really started thinking about it after Feed the Flame's Grand Prix de Paris,” he confides. “I told myself that the horse would have a good four-year-old season and that afterwards, I could leave.” The charm of entrepreneur Jean-Louis Bouchard's silks, dark green with pink epaulettes, worked almost to the end. Together, he and Bary won four Prix du Jockey Clubs with Celtic Arms (1994), Ragmar (1996), Dream Well (under the colours of Maria Niarchos, breeder of the colt and partner with Jean-Louis Bouchard) then Blue Canari (2004), who would win the very last edition of the French Derby when run over 2,400m before its shortening to 2,100m, still in force today. With the exception of Dream Well, none of these horses had great success at stud, which did not diminish their trainer's admiration. “Most of Jean-Louis Bouchard's colts were chosen and bought, with the help of Gérard Larrieu, for this race, during their careers,” he explains. “Celtic Arms was a very good horse. He had run in the Morny at two, then won the Condé, and the Lupin before the Jockey Club, but he had no pedigree. As for Ragmar, he was beaten by a short-head at two in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud by Polaris Flight, whom he beat, again by a nose, in the Jockey Club the following year. These two horses, six months apart, ran true to their respective form. Ragmar was a real racehorse. The horses from the Niarchos family or Khalid Abdullah, on the other hand, were primarily homebreds. It's not the same perspective. It is also thanks to Dream Well's victory that I received foals from the Niarchos family afterwards. Until then, after François Boutin, they were mainly dispatched in Britain. It was Dream Well that brought us together.” Training is instinctive, you can't learn it.There is experience, of course, and a lot of observation The legacy of François Boutin, with whom Pascal spent nearly four years after a season with Sir Mark Prescott and before setting up on his own, does not shine through this remarkable series of successes in the Prix du Jockey Club. Indeed, after numerous places, the previous trainer of the Niarchos family only won one edition of the French Derby, in 1993, a few months before his parting, thanks to Hernando. However, in the 11 years that followed, Bary saddled five Jockey Club winners, then none for 14 years, until 2018 with Study of Man. One could seek in this gap a difficulty in adapting to the new distance of the race, but it is undoubtedly rather a circumstance corollary to the stable organisation, and not a consequence of it: a trainer makes do with what he gets. Moreover, in the meantime, Divine Proportions (2005) and Senga (2017) also won the G1 Prix de Diane (also run over 2,100m). One season, in 2004, Pascal Bary had in his yard, that is to say at the foot of his house, three champions: Six Perfections, Denebola and Divine Proportions, soon replaced by the phenomenal Natagora. The eleven Classic winners saddled by Bary, with the Royal-Oak of Ice Breeze, winner of this French St Leger in 2017, and the Poules d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000) of Bluemamba (2000) and Divine Proportions (2005), should not overshadow Pascal Bary's remarkable success with juveniles, which was the signature of François Boutin, and before him of his own apprenticeship master, Étienne Pollet. Moreover, it was with an extraordinary two-year-old that Bary's career really took off. In 1982, he saddled the two-year-old Deep Roots, winner of the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville in the colours of Corine and Patrick Barbe. The colt was one of the three yearlings he received the previous autumn… “I started with a runner in a claiming race in my father's colours who was immediately claimed!” he laughs. “I also ran a lot of claimers, especially with Jean-Louis Bouchard. It was a very fun time. There were many more claimers on the French programme than today. When I started, I never imagined for a moment winning so many races. Well, it didn't even cross my mind. And then afterwards, things happened gradually. With Deep Roots, there was no need to ask any questions. He won his first race easily. Then, he was demoted to third place in the Prix du Bois. Then we were narrowly beaten in the Papin and he won the Morny. A pretty straightforward path, really. He was a super racehorse, a real two-year-old. I hadn't really asked myself the question, but I was training for that, to win big races.” And to win big races, you certainly need good horses, but you also need to know how to handle them, which is not written in any manual of the perfect trainer, which, it seems, does not exist anyway… “Training is instinctive, you can't learn it,” he says. “There is experience, of course, and a lot of observation. Both on the track and in the box, all the time. It's a job that prevents you from doing anything else. You don't have the time because a horse's career involves thousands of little details to sort out. Yet, while being omnipresent, you have to try to keep some perspective. If it's not going well, wait. Adapt and try to understand. The faster you understand them, the less you need to work them, and the less you damage them. Horses don't all need the same routine, but they do need a routine. They need a routine that is their own. So I've spent my life worrying about the details, for every one of them. I arrived first in the yard, I left last, and I loved every bit of it. I still love it, but I don't have the same energy any more. It's a demanding job, and I was lucky to have a good family environment, a very balanced life. I didn't need anything else.” Bary with Study Of Man, his sixth Prix du Jockey Club winner | Scoop Dyga With a record like his, it would be unbecoming of Pascal to mention regrets, but what emerges from his reflections today is a satisfaction which, at the moment of changing his life, is unusual, and yet not feigned. “Because everything seemed easy to me, from the beginning,” he explains. “I loved my job and I started training easily. Sometimes you have doubts, but overall, I've had the best job in the world. I'm at home, among my horses, it's like a dream to wake up here with Denebola, Six Perfections, Divine Proportions, Blue Canari in your boxes… Seeing them every morning, coming back from Deauville with half the catalogue about to head into your yard, it's more work, but these are great moments. Our environment has changed, of course, and if I'm no longer fashionable, I still work the same way. Besides, that's probably one of the reasons why I'm stopping: because I don't want to change. Sir Mark Prescott, from whom I learned the basics of the trade – and English! – probably hasn't changed much in his way of working either! Maybe I should, but I don't want to, I don't need to.” Back outside, Mario Baratti's staff are doing their work and Pascal Bary is settling the final details of his departure. Even once his horses have left, there are still many details to be settled before the big departure. Despite everything, the sun is shining, everything is gleaming, and it's a bad day to be sad. “Yesterday, the weather was bad, but today, it's magnificent, look!” says Bary, pointing to the garden, the high hedge, the horses passing behind, in a small wood, and beyond, barely visible under a winter-blue sky, the vast expanse of Les Aigles. We understand better then why Pascal he to stay a few more years in the house at the yard, why he says of his career that it unfolded “like a dream”. The next day, however, for his departure to a house dear to him in the Dordogne, snow began to fall on the northern half of France, and notably on Chantilly. The road south like a blank page for Pascal to write a new story. The post ‘It Was Like a Dream’: Pascal Bary Reflects on Storied Career appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rider Penalties J Doyle | Te Aroha 27 November; failed to make weight; fined $100. S Khetoo | Central Otago 29 November; careless riding; suspended 2-7 December inclusive. M McNab | Auckland 30 November; careless riding; suspended 8-13 December inclusive. G Rooke | Auckland 30 November; careless riding; suspended 8-13 December inclusive. H Grace | Wanganui 30 November; careless riding; suspended 8-15 December inclusive. L Kauri | Wanganui 30 November; use of whip; fined $250. W Pinn | Wanganui 30 November; broke riding engagement; fined $200. L Kauri | Wanganui 30 November; medical clearance required. B Murray | Otago 1 December; careless riding; suspended 2-7 December inclusive. B May | Otago 1 December; use of whip; suspended 8-14 December inclusive. Trainer Penalties N Mitchell | Central Otago 29 November; neglect in saddling; fined $400. E Turner | Central Otago 29 November; late rider declaration; fined $50. B & R Foote | Te Aroha 27 November (heard Auckland 30 November); used an unlicensed person; fined $100. T Rae | Otago 1 December; incorrect gear; fined $100. Horse Penalties FLEMING | Te Aroha 27 November; late scratching after becoming fractious in barrier; must complete trial. ROCKBURN | Levin 28 November; epistaxis; stood down for 3 months and veterinary clearance required. WAIHAHA FALLS | Levin 28 November; lame; veterinary clearance required. SHE’S AN ACE | Central Otago 29 November; epistaxis; stood down for 3 months and veterinary clearance required. CIRCUS TRIX | Auckland 30 November; difficult to load; must complete trial. THE STORYTELLER | Auckland 30 November; epistaxis; stood down for 3 months and veterinary clearance required. PERFECT JUNE | Wanganui 30 November; lame; veterinary clearance required. ITS DORIS | Wanganui 30 November; epistaxis; stood down for 3 months and veterinary clearance required. NOM DE PLUME | Wanganui 30 November; cardiac arrhythmia; veterinary clearance required. WHO’S COMPLAININ | Wanganui 30 November; dislodged rider in preliminary; stood down until further notice. General Race 8 at Wanganui JC meeting of 30 November was abandoned due to lack of an ambulance vehicle. The post 25 November – 1 December 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

What Tamworth Races Where Tamworth Jockey Club – 28 Britten Rd, Taminda NSW 2340 When Monday, December 2, 2024 First Race 1:55pm AEDT Visit Dabble The Tamworth Jockey Club is the destination for a seven-race meeting on Monday afternoon in country NSW. Showers are forecast for the region on the weekend, but a 32 degree day is forecast for raceday, meaning the Soft 5 rating at the time of acceptances is likely to remain. The rail sticks to its true position, with the first race set to jump at 1:55pm AEDT. Best Bet at Tamworth: All Hunky Dory Former Hong Kong galloper All Hunky Dory looks poised to strike first-up from a long spell. The lightly-raced four-year-old gelding has not been seen in almost three and a half years, but his recent trial work leading into this run suggests he is going good enough to break maiden ranks. He finished second at Happy Valley at his last fresh run, and with Jean Van Overmiere likely to have All Hunky Dory stalking the speed throughout, he should prove too good on his Australian debut. Best Bet Race 3 – #1 All Hunky Dory (1) 8yo Gelding | T: Adam Duggan | J: Jean Van Overmiere (59kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Tamworth: Judge Jack Judge Jack put three lengths on his rivals at the Tamworth 1200m when on debut on November 5 and can go on with the job as he steps up to the 1400m. The three-year-old gelding was too good for a weak maiden, but the way he put his rivals away suggests their may be a bit of class under his bonnet. Mollie Fitzgerald will look to land a forward position from barrier 10, and as long as the pair do not get caught wide in running, Judge Jack can keep his unbeaten record intact. Next Best Race 4 – #6 Judge Jack (10) 3yo Gelding | T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | J: Mollie Fitzgerald (a0) (57.5kg) Bet with BlondeBet Best Value at Tamworth: Star Bling The Lou Mary-trained Star Bling put in an eye-catching run at Scone on November 11 after making up a stack of ground from the rear of the field. Drawn barrier four on Monday, Mikayla Weir has the opportunity to settle a touch closer to the speed. If the Star Turn progeny can replicate her turn of foot she produced first-up, Star Bling looks a great each-way at the price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Value Race 6 – #12 Star Bling (4) 4yo Mare | T: Lou Mary | J: Mikayla Weir (55kg) Bet with Picklebet Monday quaddie tips for Tamworth Tamworth quadrella selections Monday, December 2, 2024 1-6 1-2-3-8-9 1-3-11-12 1-2-3-4 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Dog Penalties HOMEBUSH ZOE | Christchurch 25 November; cramped; stood down for 28 days and must complete trial. HOMEBUSH YOGI | Christchurch 25 November; cramped; stood down for 28 days and must complete trial. KING KOBORI | Geraldine 27 November; failed to pursue the lure; stood down for 28 days and must complete trial. GO HELEN | Christchurch 29 November; unsatisfactory performance; must complete trial. IS THAT TOBY | Christchurch 29 November; failed to pursue the lure; stood down for 28 days and must complete trial. General Race 10 Southland GRC on 27 November was declared a no-race after the lure lost power. The post 25 November – 1 December 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Driver Penalties R McIlwrick | Invercargill 27 November; careless driving; fined $250. Z Butcher | NZ Metropolitan 29 November; crossed reins to perform celebratory gesture; fined $200. J Lee | NZ Metropolitan 29 November; late to arrive at starting area; fined $200. G O’Reilly | NZ Metropolitan 29 November; medical clearance required. L Whittaker | Akaroa 30 November; use of whip; suspended 1-15 December inclusive. Trainer Penalty S & A Telfer | Auckland 29 November; incorrect gear; fined $100. Horse Penalties DARE DEVIL | Invercargill 27 November; atrial fibrillation; veterinary clearance including ECG required and must complete trial. RUBY SEDDON | Invercargill 27 November; late scratching on veterinary advice; veterinary clearance required. HEARTBREAK HOTEL | Auckland 29 November; broke in running; must complete trial. HOT AND DANGEROUS | NZ Metropolitan 29 November; broke in running; must complete trial. MISS YO | NZ Metropolitan 29 November; displayed unsatisfactory manners prior to start; must complete mobile start trial. STRAIGHT FLUSH | Akaroa 30 November; broke in score-up; must complete mobile start trial. PENNY WEIGHT | Methven 1 December; broke in running; must complete trial. JUST CHARLIE | Methven 1 December; broke at start; must complete standing start trial. Protests TARRAGINDI | NZ Metropolitan 29 November; excessive galloping in home straight; disqualified from 2nd. MISS YO | NZ Metropolitan 29 November; displayed unsatisfactory manners prior to start; declared a non-runner. EVIDENTLY | Akaroa 30 November; denied a fair start; declared a non-runner. THE HIGHLANDER | Akaroa 30 November; denied a fair start; declared a non-runner. The post 25 November – 1 December 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Blake Shinn is on a mission to give a Australian trained horse its first victory at Hong Kong’s biggest meeting of the year since Falvelon’s success in the 2001 Hong Kong Sprint (1000m). The leading Victorian hoop will fly back into Hong Kong on the eve of the Longines Hong Kong International Races for important rides at Sha Tin in two of the four Group One features on Sunday, December 8. Well known to Hong Kong racegoers, Shinn is confident that Antino (NZ) (Redwood) is a genuine chance in the Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Mile (1600m) for trainer Tony Gollan, while he will also be reunited with David Hall, who saddles Invincible Sage in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Both Antino and Invincible Sage are already winners at the elite level, with Antino fresh from a six-and-a-half-length victory two starts back in the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield. In his most recent start when Shinn was suspended, the six-year-old gelding was partnered by Mark Zahra to a narrow second placing in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) behind Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) at Flemington. “I am very excited, especially to be going over there on an Australian horse representing Australia,” said Shinn, who was lauded for his Toorak ride on Antino when, after settling last, he made his move at the 700m and hit the lead at the home turn before running away to a devastating victory. “It’s been a race on the forefront of the connections’ minds and to be going over there with him and the form he is in, I’m sure he is going to do everyone proud. Shinn said Antino was absolutely brilliant when he won the Toorak and is hopeful he can emulate that run, while he hasn’t discounted the chances of Invincible Sage who he describes as a quality sprinter on his day who will be lining up for his fourth run this campaign. Winner of the Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin in April, the gelding finished five lengths behind David Hayes’ sprinter Ka Ying Rising in the Gr.2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at his most recent start at Sha Tin on November 17. Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) broke the track record that day as he further enhanced his claim as the world’s best sprinter and Shinn described him as phenomenal and the most exciting sprinter in the world at the moment. While mindful that the Hayes-trained horse is the one to beat, Shinn said Invincible Sage’s most recent run indicated to him that the gelding is now hitting peak form. “Fourth-up now into the sprint, hopefully he can run a career best. I would say the favourite (Ka Ying Rising) will be hard to beat but hopefully we can get some prizemoney,” he said. “It’s also great to be riding for David Hall, who supported me a lot when I was there.” After a successful riding stint in Hong Kong, Shinn announced in early 2022 he would not renew his licence and planned to return to Melbourne where his family is based. Shinn will be kept busy on the day with rides on the undercard for Jamie Richards, Douglas Whyte, Caspar Fownes and Mark Newnham. “For them to show their support and give me rides, it means a lot,” he said. “I’m grateful to all those trainers.” View the full article

Guy Heveldt, Jayne Ivil and Emily Murphy review the past week of racing including features from Ellerslie, Whanganui and Otaki. Andrew Scott joins the panel to reflect on Wexford’s strong team of three-year-olds and a look at Bjorn Baker’s big day in Australia. Weigh In, December 1 View the full article

Cambridge Stud mare Dazzled (NZ) (Pierro) was bound for the broodmare paddock this year, but after failing to get in foal, she is making a big impression on the track with a powerful victory in the NHR Group 1300 at Ellerslie on Saturday. Prepared by the stud’s private trainer Lance Noble, Dazzled had performed well in her first two starts this preparation, finishing fifth and a close-up second to Shoes on both occasions. Stepping into open company, the daughter of Pierro was among a condensed market as the $6.60 fourth-favourite, with Pour The Wine on top at $4.50. In the hands of Warren Kennedy, Dazzled jumped positively but allowed a rush of on-speed runners to dictate the early pace, as she settled back near the tail of the field ahead of Pour The Wine. Kennedy angled towards the centre of the track turning for home and the mare had plenty of ground to make up, but she lived up to her name in the final 200m, surging to the line to score over Rocababy by a long head, with Pour The Wine the same margin back in third. Noble was thrilled with the performance and praised Kennedy’s ride, which was one of three winners for last season’s premiership-winning hoop on the card. “It was good, she’s had a couple of lead-up races and ran a good second last start,” Noble said. “She seems to go better when she gets a bit of room and Warren rode her very well, when she gets to the outside she can really let down. “It was very pleasing.” Dazzled was bred by Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, as the final foal out of their late mare Capital Diamond. Now a winner of three races and $116,890 in stakes from just 11 starts, Dazzled is a half-sister to talented race mare Gift Of Power, who won 11 races including the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1000m), Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and Listed Levin Stakes (1200m). While this campaign was set to be her last, Noble is pleased to have Dazzled still in his racing team, with the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final (1500m) and the Westbury Stud Royal Descent Stakes (1400m) both on her radar back at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. “She went to the stallion twice, unfortunately she didn’t get in foal, which means we can keep racing her all the way through,” he said. “While the Stud obviously wanted to get her in foal, I’m quite happy she’s not and she’s going really well. “Potentially we may go to the final, but there’s also a 1400m fillies and mares race on Boxing Day as well which might suit. We haven’t really stepped her up further than 1300, so we’ll just see. It will be one of the two.” View the full article