Wandering Eyes

John and Clodagh McStay of Oaklawn Stud near the Curragh, have placed that 68-acre property up for auction on Oct. 25, The Irish Field reported. The stud, which has two yards–Oaklawn Stud and Carhue Stud–will go under the hammer from 3 p.m. at the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge, unless sold prior to the auction date. Originally the property of the O'Mahony family with a history dating back over 100 years, the property was developed by John's father, the late Michael McStay, and has been owned and managed since the late 1980s by John and Clodagh. A notable winner off of the property is G1 Irish Oaks heroine Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}). The land is organised into 23 divisions with an internal roadway system leading to all paddocks. The guiding price is €1.5 million. Jordan Auctioneers (Paddy Jordan/Liam Hargaden) (045 433550) are handling the auction. Earlier in October, Steve Parkin's 206-acre Curragh property will also be auctioned at Keadeen Hotel. Beginning at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 3, the parcel will be sold by Coonan Property and Raymond Potteron. The guiding price is €4.7 million. Parkin sold Clipper Logistics for almost £1 billion in May of 2022, and purchased Dullingham Park Stud in Newmarket last year. He earlier acquired Branton Court Stud. The post McStays Put Oaklawn Stud Up For Auction; Parkin’s Curragh Property To Be Auctioned Next Week appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The third annual Horse Racing Women's Summit (HRWS) presented by 1/ST and FanDuel TV returned to the West Coast where 125 gathered in Arcadia, California to attend panel discussions and engage in a variety of networking activities, the conference said in a press release on Saturday. After Wednesday's welcome reception, the group convened the next day at the Le Meridien Hotel with opening speaker Catherine Iste, Chief Administrative Officer for the Los Angeles Chargers. The first panel discussion followed, which was entitled “Peak Performance,” and featured Zoe Cadman, Karen Crouse, Samantha Huge and Emma-Jayne Wilson. “None of us gets to where we are alone,” said Crouse. “You have to find the people who are going to support you. And it's really important to get that support from outside of your primary realm.” The second panel centered around a discussion about “Women at the Helm,” and participants included Tracy Attfield, Vicky Leonard, Robyn Theodorakis and Dr. Alina Vale DVM, MS. The afternoon was highlighted by the Jane Goldstein Exemplary Leadership Award presentation. Jillian Tullock accepted the award on behalf of this year's recipient, Georganne Hale, Maryland Jockey Club's Vice President of Racing Development. After the luncheon, attendees reconvened for a keynote presentation and workshop, hosted by comedian and author Katie Goodman. On Friday, attendees took in Santa Anita Park for a special set of tours. The next HRWS event will be held Thursday, Oct. 31 at Del Mar and a handicapping contest that will benefit the HRWS Pay It Forward Program. Tickets can be purchased here. It has been an incredible weekend so far during our third annual #HRWS. So many amazing moments and memories were created! Thank you to the 120+ who joined us this year. Asha Mone pic.twitter.com/ISpbcc89lV — Racing Women Summit (@racingwmnsummit) September 27, 2024 The post Third Annual Summit Furthers Engagement And Investment For Women Of Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

If you didn't get your fill of stakes action on Saturday, this is the weekend for you. Five more graded stakes, including the 'Win and You're In' GII Miss Grillo Stakes, as well as the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, will take place on Sunday. 'TDN Rising Star' Virgin Colada (More Than Ready) will look to punch her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in a wide-open renewal of the Miss Grillo at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. A flashy come-from-behind debut winner over the lawn at the Spa July 21, she got going too late to finish second as the chalk in the P. G. Johnson Stakes upstate Aug. 28. No trainer has won the Miss Grillo more than Chad Brown. In addition to the aforementioned rail-drawn 7-2 morning-line favorite, Brown will have two more chances for a record- extending 10th win in the Miss Grillo with Sept. 1 second-out maiden winner Opulent Restraint (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and New York-bred debut winner Marvelous Madison (Caravaggio). The full field of 12 also includes the two-for-two Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes heroine May Day Ready (Tapit) and Catch A Glimpse Stakes upsetter Shifty (Medaglia d'Oro). The nine-race program at the Big A also features a fantastic showdown between GI Test Stakes winner 'TDN Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke) and three-for-three Nic's Style (Uncaptured) in the GII Gallant Bloom Stakes. A pair of graded stakes will share the spotlight at Santa Anita Sunday. The GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes includes Fort Bragg (Tapit) and Straight No Chaser (Speightster). A field of six will throw down two races earlier on the card in the GII Zenyatta Stakes. Most Wanted (Candy Ride {Arg}), the unbeaten half-brother to MGISW Life Is Good (Into Mischief), will put his three-for-three record on the line for trainer Brad Cox in the GIII Oklahoma Derby. He was a narrow winner of the Ellis Park Derby last out Aug. 11. Hurricane Clair (Silent Name {Jpn}) will be favored in the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Woodbine. She seeks to become the first filly to win the Breeders' Stakes since 2012. Hurricane Clair won the Wonder Where Stakes, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, last time out Sept. 8. The post Five Graded Stakes, As Well As a Canadian Classic, On Tap for Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

10th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 5:25 p.m. ET. Bred by Speedway, LADY LIBERTY (Constitution) makes the races for Lael and trainer Cherie DeVaux. The $625,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling buy is out of MGSP Shayjolie (Indian Charlie). A half-sister to MGSW Mythical Power (Conagree), the first-time starter's dam also produced current 3-year-old GSP Jane Austen (Tapit), and a colt by Essential Quality, who Mike Repole took home for $500,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. Drawn for her unveiling, Whitman homebred Jewel Box (Street Sense) is trained by Ian Wilkes. The filly's graded stakes placed dam Ivory Empress (Seeking the Gold) is responsible for MGSP Bondurant (War Front), MGSW McCracken (Ghostzapper) and MGSW Four Graces (Majesticperfection). She also counts as a half-sister GISW Mea Domina (Dance Brightly). TJCIS PPS The post Sunday Racing Insights: Debuting Constitution Filly Lifts Her Lamp Beside The Twin Spires 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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Joseph O'Brien trainee Apples And Bananas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Simannka {Ire}, by Mastercraftsman {Ire}), fresh off a black-type breakthrough in last month's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at Deauville, continued on a winning roll with a battling victory in Saturday's Goffs Million at the Curragh. The 5-2 second choice was quickly into stride from the stands' side stall and gained an immediate advantage in this seven-furlong test. Comfortable on the front end until scrubbed along with a quarter-mile remaining, he was tackled by 9-4 favourite Antelope Canyon (Ire) (No Nay Never) entering the final furlong and refused to yield under a late drive to bravely deny that rival by a head in a ding-dong thriller. Apples And Bananas, a €130,000 Goffs Orby graduate, is the second of three foals and lone scorer from two runners out of Listed Lenebane Stakes third Simannka (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), herself produced by a winning half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning sire Sinndar (Ire) (Grand Lodge). The May-foaled bay, whose third dam is stakes-winning matriarch Sinntara (Ire) (Lashkari {GB}), is full to a yearling colt. Apples & Bananas wins a thrilling renewal of the @Goffs1866 Million for @JosephOBrien2 @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/fcrauxdfQq — Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 28, 2024 The post Wootton Bassett’s Apples And Bananas Prevails in Goffs Million Thriller appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Emulating his half-brother Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), Godolphin's Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}–Winters Moon {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) took a major stride forward to dominate Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Content to track the 4-5 market-leader Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) and the leader Dash Dizzy (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the Charlie Appleby-trained 11-4 second favourite who had been second in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York in August was sent forward by William Buick to take command approaching two out and surge to an emphatic four-length success. Whistlejacket, who was the sole Ballydoyle representative after the withdrawal of Ides Of March (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), held on for second by 1 1/2 lengths from Dash Dizzy. “He'd improved a lot since York, where he didn't get the rub of the green and the ground was an unknown today but he was impressive,” Buick said. “He's growing up all the time and is very versatile as to how races are run. He rides like a very quick horse and he could get further, but he looks a six-furlong horse to me.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1840029819142082791 The post Lope De Vega’s Shadow Of Light Wins The Middle Park For Godolphin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A colt from the first crop of GI A.G. Vanderbilt Handicap hero Lexitonian (Speightstown) realized a final bid of $115,000 from Noble Oaks to top the LTBA Breeders Sales of Louisiana Yearling Sale held Friday at the Louisiana Equine Sales and Events Center in Opelousas. Bred in Louisiana by Clear Creek Stud and Warran J. Harang and consigned to the single-session sale by Clear Creek Stud, hip 97 is a son of the unraced Spun Lace (Hard Spun), the dam of four winners from four to the races, including Zestina (Silent Name {Jpn}), a two-time stakes winner and third in the GIII Whimsical Stakes at Woodbine. Clear Creek Stud acquired Spun Lace for $40,000 in foal to Mucho Macho Man at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale. The 14-year-old mare foaled a Highly Motivated colt in Louisiana this past Apr. 16 and was bred back to Drain the Clock. From an original catalog of 170 yearlings, the auction house reported sales on 122 horses for gross receipts of $1,214,700, an average of $9,957 and median of $5,000. Thirty-four horses were unsold for a buyback rate of 21.8%. The average declined by 8.5%, while the median dropped by 16.7%. A total of 23 horses of all ages–14 mares, seven horses of racing age and two weanlings–sold for $42,700. Last year's sale was topped by a $90,000 colt by Anchor Down. Click here for the full results. The post Lexitonian Colt Tops Louisiana Yearling Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

At €65,000, St Mark's Basilica (Fr) was the most expensive horse to retire to stud in 2022, with a racetrack performance and pedigree that justified the fee. After all, he was the world-champion three-year-old, European champion two-year-old and Cartier Horse of the Year, with a race record that included five straight Group 1 wins, from the Dewhurst at two straight through to the Irish Champion Stakes the following autumn. By Siyouni (Fr) out of the Galileo (Ire) Group-winning mare Cabaret (Ire), he is a half-brother to the Classic winner Magna Grecia (Ire). As expected, St Mark's Basilica's first yearlings were in demand at Arqana August, the first major yearling sale on the European calendar, with nine selling for an average of €406,666, establishing him as the runaway leader among first-crop yearling sires. And there's still lots to come; there are 20 more catalogued in Book 1 at Goffs Orby, and another 16 in Book 1 at Tattersalls. It's also of interest to note that St Mark's Basilica's full-sister appears in Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, offered as lot 107 by Norelands Stud, where the mare is boarded by Australian breeder Bob Scarborough. In the wake of his performance at Arqana, St Mark's Basilica appears to be well on his way to living up to the pre-sales reviews for his yearlings. Ecurie des Monceaux's Henri Bozo, who topped the sale with a €1.7 million St. Mark's Basilica filly, brought three fillies by the sire to the sale, averaging €850,000 per. “St Mark's Basilica was a very impressive performer,” said Bozo. “He was exceptional. He showed early, early quality, early speed. He won the (G1) Dewhurst, the (G1) French Guineas and the (G1) French Derby, which is a stallion-making race, and the (G1) Eclipse. He was a top-class two-year-old, and the best three-year-old in Europe. So he was an obvious horse that we were going to use and we sent him four mares the first year.” One of those mares was Prudenzia, the dam of G1 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Montjeu) and G1 Mackinnon Stakes winner Magic Wand (Galileo {Ire}). “The St Mark's Basilica–Prudenzia yearling has been outstanding since she was born here. She was a very easy mover with a lot of quality, a very good mind, and a lot of power in front. She was a queen, really. We all agreed that we were very happy to show strong support to St Mark's Basilica. Coolmore had been great supporters of Prudenzia's progeny over the years. So it was a pleasure to support him with a top-class mare.” Michel Zerolo compared St Mark's Basilica's offspring to those of Nureyev prior to the sale, and came away with one, a filly from Haras d'Ellon for €200,000. “In general, they have good balance, athleticism, a very expressive head with a wide forehead and good eye,” said Zerolo. “The sort of horse that I like. From the looks of them, they look to be precocious. Maybe not Royal Ascot precocious, but definitely two-year-olds and I would expect them to be milers.” Of the filly he purchased, he said, “She was a very good mover. Not overly big, but very athletic. It's a family that I have had good luck with. So the whole thing attracted me.” Other buyers of his yearlings included Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi; Al Shaqab, which spent €775,000 on two fillies; Mandore International; and Hubert Guy. “The St Mark's Basilicas were overall really nice yearlings,” said Guy, who bought lot 114 for €90,000, and who lost out on lot 160 when he went to €225,000 and was purchased by Al Shaqab. “The colt I bought looked exactly like a good Siyouni. He walked extremely well, and he has a lot of growth ahead of him, so I thought he would have brought much more in the October sale, and when he balances out, he's going to be a lovely horse. There are a lot of similarities between his yearlings and the Siyounis. They are very straightforward in the look, in their eyes. Very good movers, like Siyounis. Athletic, and neither too big nor too small.” David O'Loughlin, Coolmore's Director of Sales said he saw his maternal grandsire in him. “There is a lot of Galileo in them,” he said. “He has the most magnificent head, which is always a trait of the Galileos. When he's walking, he has that Galileo walk, that lovely, graceful, extended action and Galileo gives so much quality to his produce. And like Galileo, he was a tough horse. But Galileo got beaten in the Irish Champion stakes. And so St. Mark's Basilica went one step further.” With three dozen more getting ready to go through the ring in the next two weeks, can the sire keep up the momentum? O'Loughlin said he's hopeful. “Look, I'm very I'm very excited about St Mark's Basilica,” he said. “I hate that expression `ticks all the boxes,' but he reminds me of horses like Sadler's Wells and Galileo. You know those proper horses with a lot of class, who were tough and could win a lot of good ones, with the physical and the pedigree to match. And they're pretty unique. They only come along every few years. So fingers crossed he can get the business done for us.” The post After Arqana Bonanza, St Mark’s Basilica Yearlings Head for Orby, Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Successful in the G3 Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown and second in The Curragh's G2 Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs, the Silverton Hill Partnership's Hotazhell (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}–Azenzar {GB}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) showed that a strongly-run mile holds no fears as he conquered Saturday's G2 Beresford Stakes back at the Kildare venue. Positioned off the pace set by Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Trinity College (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) by Shane Foley, the 2-1 joint-favourite wore down that rival a furlong from home before asserting to beat Tennessee Stud (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Windlord (GB) Dubawi {Ire}) by 3/4 of a length and half a length respectively. “He did everything the hard way there–he was a bit free coming down the hill and had to learn to do different things–but when he gets to the front he pricks his ears and doesn't do that much,” trainer Jessica Harrington said. “He is very straightforward at home, it's just when he gets to the races he could get hot but he was okay today. The plan at the moment is to go to Doncaster for the Futurity Trophy and he goes on anything other than good-to-firm. He will go on good-to-firm, but he's better off with ease in the ground at the moment.” Hotazhell – too good in the G2 Beresford Stakes @curraghrace | @Jessica_Racing pic.twitter.com/r21C49Ekle — Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 28, 2024 The post Too Darn Hot’s Hotazhell Wins The Beresford For The Silverton Hill Partnership appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes was billed as a heavyweight bout between unbeaten 'TDN Rising Stars' Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}–Quiet Reflection {GB}, by Showcasing {GB}) and Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and it was the former who emerged on top with a scintillating performance dropped in trip for the six-furlong test. Lake Victoria had attained 'TDN Rising Star' status in her June 28 debut over seven furlongs at the Curragh before notching a pillar-to-post victory in last month's G3 Sweet Solera Stakes and went postward as the 6-4 favourite returning off a 1 1/4-length success in the Curragh's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. The eventual winner was swiftly into stride and headed the smaller stands' side group of three, racing in an overall second, through the early fractions. Inching ahead at halfway, she was shaken up heading into the dip and powered clear in impressive fashion to outclass G1 Prix Morny third Daylight (Fr) (Earthlight {Ire}) by three lengths, becoming a record-breaking fifth winner of the contest for Aidan O'Brien. Arabian Dusk (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) was a half-length away in third, herself 1 1/4 lengths in front of the free-pulling Babouche. Pedigree Notes Lake Victoria, full-sister to a yearling colt and weanling colt, is one of her sire's 35 Group 1 winners and the first produced by G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup heroine Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), whose first foal is G2 Dante Stakes third Bluegrass (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Quiet Reflection was a 2.1-million guineas purchase at Tattersalls' 2017 December Mares sale. She is a granddaughter of Listed Hilary Needler Trophy victrix Clare Hills (Ire) (Orpen), herself out of a half-sister to the dam of G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up Fear And Greed (Ire) (Brief Truce), and hails from the family of GI Kentucky Derby-winning sire Alysheba (Alydar). Lake Victoria – different gear in the G1 Cheveley Park Four runs Four wins G1 Cheveley Park Stakes G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes 5⃣ A record-breaking fifth win in the race for Aidan O'Brien pic.twitter.com/LNPJGmobCr — Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 28, 2024 The post TDN Rising Star Lake Victoria Powers to Impressive Cheveley Park Triumph at HQ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Gredley Family's homebred Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko–Eva Maria {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who had placed in both G2 Superlative Stakes and G3 Acomb Stakes, was rewarded for those earlier efforts with a decisive success in Saturday's G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket. The February-foaled bay, who lined up as a solid 4-1 chance, broke swiftly and stalked the tempo in second until beyond halfway. Easing to the fore going well approaching the quarter-mile marker, he quickened in style emerging out of the dip and kept on strongly, despite rolling around in front up the hill, to defeat G3 Solario Stakes third Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) by 1 1/2 lengths in game fashion. Game, set & match for Wimbledon Hawkeye who lands the G2 Royal Lodge @JPOwenRacing | @NewmarketRace | @the_doyler pic.twitter.com/ICRxVwUWpZ — Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 28, 2024 The post Kameko’s Wimbledon Hawkeye Makes Black Type Breakthrough in the Royal Lodge appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Matamata is set to host the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) for the second time in three years after a slippery track forced the abandonment of Saturday’s blockbuster race meeting at Hastings. The second day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival had promised so much, with quality fields set to compete under blue skies. But a short burst of rain late on Friday afternoon created a slippery layer on the surface of the track, which was rated Good4 on Friday and Soft5 on Saturday morning. The effects of that moisture were easy to see in the opening race on the card, the MacTaggart Family Gratitude Stakes (2100m). The Kevin Myers-trained Just Charlie clearly slipped, free of any interference, while rounding the turn out of the home straight. The meeting was initially put back by one race while a Verti-Drain was deployed to that section of the track, but a delegation of jockeys and trainers were still not confident that the track would be safe for racing and the meeting was abandoned. “The Hastings track had a full renovation earlier in the year and was in absolutely beautiful condition for the first day of the carnival, so this has probably come out of the blue a little bit,” New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s chief operating officer Darin Balcombe said. “From what we can see, there was 1mm to 3mm of rain yesterday afternoon, which is probably the worst thing that could have happened, and it’s obviously just formed a bit of a slippery layer on top. We can’t say for sure until we have a full review of what’s happened, but that appears to be what the issue is. “It’s a situation we desperately need to avoid. It’s very frustrating and we’ve got to make sure that things like this don’t happen. “The track manager here, Bryce Mildon, is a very good operator and this issue has really come out of left field. “What we’re going to need to do now is thoroughly test the track and see whether the possibility of being back here for the last day of the carnival in two weeks is a reality.” In the meantime, the remainder of Saturday’s abandoned meeting has been rescheduled to be run at Matamata on Wednesday. That includes the Arrowfield Stud Plate and the Gr.2 AHD Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m). Both of those feature races were also relocated to Matamata in 2022, when severe weather forced a complete washout of the Arrowfield meeting originally scheduled for Hastings. “We looked at the possibility of coming back on Sunday and rescheduling the Woodville meeting, but at this stage we wouldn’t be comfortable that we could turn the track around, make sure it’s safe and get that testing in before sending the riders back out there,” Balcombe said. “We also looked at staging the meeting at Hastings on Tuesday, but horses going back home to the north and then coming all the way back again, it wouldn’t be a possibility to do that.” New nominations will be required for all of Wednesday’s races aside from the Arrowfield, which was an early-entry race. Preference will be given to horses that were originally accepted for the Hawke’s Bay meeting. Nominations for this new meeting will close on Monday at 9am, with withdrawals closing at midday the same day. The Cambridge meeting which was scheduled for Wednesday will now run on Thursday. Nominations remain open for this meeting until 9am Monday. The Matamata meeting scheduled for next Saturday will now be run at Tauranga. View the full article

Elite New Zealand racehorse Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) has made a perfect start to the next chapter of his career, capturing Saturday’s Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) in his second start for new trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman. Desert Lightning was a five-race winner and million-dollar earner in New Zealand for the now-retired training team of Peter and Dawn Williams. He finished fourth in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old and second in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at three, then went to a new level last season with scintillating wins in the Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) and the inaugural $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). The Pride of Dubai gelding made his debut for Moody and Coleman with an eye-catching third in the Listed Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 7, and he was right at the peak of his powers second-up on Saturday. Jockey Luke Nolen had Desert Lightning handily placed in third, then pounced at the top of the straight. The five-year-old sprinted to the lead before the 200m mark and dashed clear. Craig (Territories) and Magnaspin (Magnus) launched strong late bids, but Desert Lightning kept kicking and held them at bay by a length. “I was very pleased with what he did first-up in a sprint race at Moonee Valley under a big weight,” Nolen said. “His work through the week suggested he’d bounced through that run well and would be a big chance in this race. He still has a bit of improvement left in him too, so I don’t think this is his ceiling.” Desert Lightning has now had 20 starts for six wins and seven placings, earning A$1.23 million for Sarah Green and Ger Beemsterboer’s Barneswood Farm. “We’ve been really pleased with how he’s progressed since his first-up run, and we still think he’s got a bit more to come, which is exciting,” Coleman said. “He’s a really, really nice horse. We’re incredibly thankful to the connections for putting him in our stable. “He’ll head towards the Toorak (Gr.1, 1600m) now. Provided he takes the improvement that we still think he’s got to come, he’s an exciting prospect for a race like that. The mile looks like it’s really his sweet spot as far as distances are concerned, so that race stands out as the obvious target. “He’s a bit of a quirky boy. He took a little while to settle in at our stable, but he’s been doing everything right lately and we’ve been very pleased with him.” Desert Lightning was bred by the Mahoenui Partnership and was offered at Karaka as a yearling by Little Avondale Stud. Peter and Dawn Williams bought him for $150,000. The dam of Desert Lightning is the unraced High Chaparral mare Isstoora, who has been represented by three winners from four foals to race. View the full article

Love Poem propelled herself up the fixed-odds market for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) with a dominant first-up performance at Te Rapa on Friday. The highly talented Snitzel filly was a stakes placegetter in all of her three starts as a two-year-old. She was runner-up to Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) on debut in the Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m), then finished third behind Captured By Love and Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). In her only other start, she ran second to Domain Ace (NZ) (Swiss Ace) in the Listed Star Way Stakes (1200m). Love Poem took a big step down in class for her three-year-old debut in Friday’s NZB Mega Maiden Bonus Series Maiden (1200m), and she was sent out as a $1.50 favourite. She duly asserted her superiority, tracking the front-runner Super Scheme (NZ) (Super Easy) before moving through her gears in the straight and striding clear to win by three and a half lengths. “She won really well,” trainer Stephen Marsh said. “The margin makes it look like a pretty good win, but I think her performance had even more merit than you might think at first glance. She got into a nice spot, but then the horse in front was just wanting to run her off the track a little bit. For her to overcome that, pull away and win so easily was very pleasing to see.” Love Poem’s four-start career has now produced a win and three placings, earning $64,875 for owner Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock. Marsh is working backwards from the New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 16, for which the TAB now rates her a $10 third favourite behind Alabama Lass ($3) and Captured By Love ($4). “Love Poem is always a filly that’s shown a lot of class,” Marsh said. “She performed very well in stakes company last season against some of the better two-year-olds. It’s great to see her come back so much bigger and stronger at three. “She’ll go to the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) now, and then carry on into the 1000 Guineas.” Love Poem is by Snitzel out of the Lonhro mare Madrigals, who is a full-sister to the multiple Group One winner and quality sire Pierro. Love Poem is one of two winners out of Madrigals, the other being the Australian Group Three winner Estriella. Marsh was also pleased with the performance of another of his promising three-year-olds, Kiwi Skyhawk (NZ) (Contributer), who produced a big late finish for fourth in Friday’s SJC Foundation 3YO (1200m). “He was really good,” Marsh said. “We think he’s going to make a real Derby (Gr.1, 2400m) horse. “We freshened him up after his last-start win, and we were basically using Friday’s race as a trial. He produced exactly the type of performance we were looking for. “He’s an exciting horse and I’m looking forward to getting him down to Christchurch too. He’ll be a nice chance in the 2000 Guineas.” The TAB rates Kiwi Skyhawk a $16 chance in a 2000 Guineas market headed by Age Of Discovery (NZ) (Savabeel) ($4), Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) ($5) and Sought After (NZ) (Tivaci) ($8). View the full article

Rubylot, Pray For Mir and Prestige Always reign supreme at Sha Tin.View the full article

In the absence of his more experienced countryman, the Australian jockey steps in to pilot Daily Trophy to victory.View the full article

James Cummings’ champion Too Darn Hot colt Broadsiding etched his name in the Golden Rose Stakes history books with a first-up thriller defeating the fellow Godolphin-raced Traffic Warden in the million-dollar Rosehill feature on Saturday. Last season’s Group 1 Champagne Stakes – J.J. Atkins interstate double winner became the first three-year-old to take out the […] The post Broadsiding Wins Historic 2024 Golden Rose in First-Up Thriller appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article

Track inspection prior to abandonment of the meeting at Hastings on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Matamata is set to host the Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) for the second time in three years after a slippery track forced the abandonment of Saturday’s blockbuster race meeting at Hastings. The second day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival had promised so much, with quality fields set to compete under blue skies. But a short burst of rain late on Friday afternoon created a slippery layer on the surface of the track, which was rated Good 4 on Friday and Soft 5 on Saturday morning. The effects of that moisture were easy to see in the opening race on the card. The Kevin Myers-trained Just Charlie clearly slipped, free of any interference, while rounding the turn out of the home straight. The meeting was initially put back by one race while a Verti-Drain was deployed to that section of the track, but a delegation of jockeys and trainers were still not confident that the track would be safe for racing and the meeting was abandoned. “The Hastings track had a full renovation earlier in the year and was in absolutely beautiful condition for the first day of the carnival, so this has probably come out of the blue a little bit,” New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s chief operating officer Darin Balcombe said. “From what we can see, there was 1mm to 3mm of rain yesterday afternoon, which is probably the worst thing that could have happened, and it’s obviously just formed a bit of a slippery layer on top. We can’t say for sure until we have a full review of what’s happened, but that appears to be what the issue is. “It’s a situation we desperately need to avoid. It’s very frustrating and we’ve got to make sure that things like this don’t happen. “The track manager here, Bryce Mildon, is a very good operator and this issue has really come out of left field. “What we’re going to need to do now is thoroughly test the track and see whether the possibility of being back here for the last day of the carnival in two weeks is a reality.” In the meantime, the remainder of Saturday’s abandoned meeting has been rescheduled to be run at Matamata on Wednesday. That includes the Arrowfield Stud Plate and the Group 2 AHD Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m). Both of those feature races were also relocated to Matamata in 2022, when severe weather forced a complete washout of the Arrowfield meeting originally scheduled for Hastings. “We looked at the possibility of coming back on Sunday and rescheduling the Woodville meeting, but at this stage we wouldn’t be comfortable that we could turn the track around, make sure it’s safe and get that testing in before sending the riders back out there,” Balcombe said. “We also looked at staging the meeting at Hastings on Tuesday, but horses going back home to the north and then coming all the way back again, it wouldn’t be a possibility to do that.” New nominations will be required for all of Wednesday’s races aside from the Arrowfield, which was an early-entry race. Preference will be given to horses that were originally accepted for the Hawke’s Bay meeting. Nominations for this new meeting will close on Monday at 9am, with withdrawals closing at midday the same day. The Cambridge meeting which was scheduled for Wednesday will now run on Thursday. Nominations remain open for this meeting until 9am Monday. The Matamata meeting scheduled for next Saturday will now be run at Tauranga. Horse racing news View the full article

Tyler Schiller and Amor Victorious after winning the Group 2 Shannon Stakes. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Bjorn Baker and Tyler Schiller have combined with Amor Victorious ($8.50) to claim victory in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon, stamping his authority for a possible tilt towards the Five Diamonds (1800m). It was a front-running masterclass by Schiller taking all luck out of the equation, sliding forward to lead throughout from barrier five. No one wanted to take on the son of Caravaggio for the early lead, allowing Schiller to dictate terms in the middle stages, and although there was some pressure by the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Bases Loaded ($4.40), the five-year-old responded well under the urgings of Schiller. Punch Lane ($15.00), New Endeavour ($26.00) and Osipenko were finishing off well, while the short-priced favourite Celestial Legend ($3.80) was a shade disappointing after missing the start. 2024 Group 2 Shannon Stakes Replay – Amor Victorious It was all about the winner in the end, however, with Bjorn Baker confirming post-race that the Five Diamond would be the major spring target for Amor Victorious. “It was a great win,” said Baker. “Thanks to the owners, they’ve been really patient, Darby Racing of course. We like to put our horses up there and it worked out really well today. “We’ve had a bit of a frustrating run, a lot of placings. Someone said it was an easy watch, I said ‘no it wasn’t, it’s a heck of a long straight’. “His first two runs, he was up against some good horses and at the time he probably didn’t look as good as he can. I even debated whether we ran him today. “I had a talk to Scott (Darby) and he was like ‘it’s up to you’. He was full of beans and we thought with the blinkers on that might just sharpen him up a bit. “We’ve got some good races for him now, we’ve got the Five Diamonds Prelude maybe into the Five Diamonds. It was good to see him do that.” Tyler Schiller confirmed post-race that the saddle shifted at the start, giving more credence to the victory. “Straight out of the gates, I reckon (the saddle shifted),” said Schiller. “He jumped really sharp, did everything right and pretty much I just rode to Bjorn’s instructions. I just quickened up from the 600 and try to get them chasing. He did a great job to tough it out and I thought he was very brave. “I could just feel that the saddle was back further. “I could still put my irons where I could. So I was comfortable but I was just happy that the horse underneath me kept travelling. “I haven’t ridden for him for a while so it’s good to get a winner for Bjorn as well. The team is going great and they’re doing a great job.” Horse racing news View the full article

What Alice Springs Races Where Pioneer Park Racecourse – Stuart Hwy, Connellan NT 0870 When Sunday, September 8, 2024 First Race 2:35pm ACST Visit Dabble The annual Alice Springs meeting after the AFL grand final takes place on Sunday afternoon, with the five-event program attracting 44 acceptors. The Red Centre received just over 4mm of rain during the week, but it will be mostly sunny on Sunday with a top temperature of 31C. The rail will be in the true position, and Pioneer Park will be a good dirt surface. BEST BET: Omoplata Omoplata boasted two wins from 19 Red Centre starts before the six-year-old gelding produced a stunning last start performance two weeks ago. Returning from a seven-month spell, he was slow out of the inside gate over 1200m (0-58) before gaining momentum along the fence and hitting the front at the 800m. Skipping three lengths clear at the home turn, the son of More Than Ready found another gear to seal an emphatic win by seven lengths. Omoplate carries an extra 3kg, but has drawn a decent barrier and should prove hard to beat. Best Bet Race 1 – #5 Omoplata (2) 6yo Gelding | T: Lisa Whittle | J: Stan Tsaikos (58kg) Bet with Bet365 NEXT BEST BET: Talent Quest Talent Quest is aiming for five straight wins this weekend. Arriving from Victoria, the son of Your Song debuted in July last year and had four minor placings from seven starts before saluting over 1100m (0-58) on November 11. The six-year-old gelding returned from a spell in July and was victorious over 1000m (BM54) before taking out the $40,000 Red Centre Winter Series Final (1200m) at BM66 level. Talent Quest stormed home over the concluding stages to seal a narrow win over 1000m (0-64) three weeks ago. Next Best Race 2 – #1 Talent Quest (5) 6yo Gelding | T: Will Savage | J: Hannah Le Blanc (a3) (60kg) Bet with Neds BEST VALUE: Real Divine Real Divine looked like sealing victory in the home straight before having to settle for second place over 1400m (BM54) a fortnight ago when backmarker The Girl’s Boy swooped late. The six-year-old mare rarely runs a bad race and boasts four wins and six minor placings from 20 starts in the Alice. The daughter of Real Saga – an early $14 quote with horse racing bookmakers – is not without a chance as she eyes her first victory since April. Best Value Race 5 – #8 Real Divine (2) 6yo Mare | T: Kerry Petrick | J: Paul Denton (56kg) Bet with PlayUp Sunday Alice Springs quaddie selections Alice Springs quadrella selections Sunday, September 29, 2024 1-3-4 1-8-9 1-2-3-4 1-3-7-8-10 Horse racing tips
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James McDonald and Broadsiding after winning the Group 1 Golden Rose. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Broadsiding ($2.15) has created history at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon, being the first galloper to claim the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) first-up in its 46-year history. The James Cummings-trained three-year-old was heavily backed prior to the jump to suggest the son of Too Darn Hot was wound-up for the event, and the now three-time Group 1 delivered for favourite backers. James McDonald produced a patient steer aboard the superstar colt, sitting back towards the rear of the field to save every ounce of energy for the concluding stages. He was aided by a strong tempo throughout the journey, with the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained trio of Storm Boy ($5.00), Mayfair ($23.00) and Anode ($23.00) all launching across to claim the early lead. Storm Boy showed out in the final 400m but was running on empty as a wall of challengers emerged, including Broadsiding’s stable Companion Traffic Warden ($6.50), who looked to be doing enough to secure victory in his own right. Despite 105 days off the scene, it was Broadsiding getting the upper hand in the shadow of the post, however, claiming an historic victory, and giving Godolphin their first Golden Rose winner since Bivouac won the stallion making race in 2019. 2024 Group 1 Golden Rose Replay – Broadsiding It’s the 50th Group 1 winner trained by James Cummings as he spoke glowingly about his stable post-race. “Thanks, but it takes a village to run a racing stable and it doesn’t matter if it’s Leilani Lodge from 10 years ago or Godolphin now,” said Cummings. “I’ve got three great stables that are able to get their fingerprints all over horses like these. I owe it to them. “This race has been around five minutes. It hasn’t been done before (winning first-up), well it’s been done now. “I had no trouble getting Anamoe ready for a Winx Stakes over seven furlongs first-up. Plenty of good horses can do that. “The thing is, he’s by Too Darn Hot, he’s a European bred horse with a European style, and chasing over six furlongs would not have been his go. He was in the right race fresh up and that’s just our stable having the confidence to know our horses. “As for the other horse, evidently he took great benefit from the first-up run. He’s gone enormous this afternoon and he continues to prove that he’s in for a blistering preparation, Traffic Warden.” James McDonald claimed his 99th Group 1 winner in the process and couldn’t have been happier in his post-race assessment. “He’s got way more (ability) than we can ever imagine,” said McDonald. “Mate, he’s just a cool dude. The moment I’ve sat on him in the Fernhill, to see his development from race to race to race is just incredible. And he’s dead-set, he hasn’t gone up step by step, he’s skipped a couple. “He’s that kind of horse. He was feeling the pinch 100 (metres) from home and just the fighting qualities in this horse, the turn of foot, the will to win, he’s just a marvellous horse.” Horse racing news View the full article

Desert Lightning wins the Group 3 Sandown Stakes. Photo:Bruno Cannatelli Elite New Zealand racehorse Desert Lightning has made a perfect start to the next chapter of his career, capturing Saturday’s Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) in his second start for new trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman. Desert Lightning was a five-race winner and million-dollar earner in New Zealand for the now-retired training team of Peter and Dawn Williams. He finished fourth in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old and second in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at three, then went to a new level last season with scintillating wins in the Group 1 TAB Classic (1600m) and the inaugural $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). The Pride of Dubai gelding made his debut for Moody and Coleman with an eye-catching third in the Listed Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 7, and he was right at the peak of his powers second-up on Saturday. Jockey Luke Nolen had Desert Lightning handily placed in third, then pounced at the top of the straight. The five-year-old sprinted to the lead before the 200m mark and dashed clear. Craig and Magnaspin launched strong late bids, but Desert Lightning kept kicking and held them at bay by a length. 2024 Group 3 Sandown Stakes Replay – Desert Lightning “I was very pleased with what he did first-up in a sprint race at Moonee Valley under a big weight,” Nolen said. “His work through the week suggested he’d bounced through that run well and would be a big chance in this race. He still has a bit of improvement left in him too, so I don’t think this is his ceiling.” Desert Lightning has now had 20 starts for six wins and seven placings, earning A$1.23 million for Sarah Green and Ger Beemsterboer’s Barneswood Farm. “We’ve been really pleased with how he’s progressed since his first-up run, and we still think he’s got a bit more to come, which is exciting,” Coleman said. “He’s a really, really nice horse. We’re incredibly thankful to the connections for putting him in our stable. “He’ll head towards the Toorak (Group 1, 1600m) now. Provided he takes the improvement that we still think he’s got to come, he’s an exciting prospect for a race like that. The mile looks like it’s really his sweet spot as far as distances are concerned, so that race stands out as the obvious target. “He’s a bit of a quirky boy. He took a little while to settle in at our stable, but he’s been doing everything right lately and we’ve been very pleased with him.” Horse racing news View the full article

What Dubbo Cup Day Where Dubbo Turf Club – Merrilea Rd, Dubbo NSW 2830 When Sunday, September 29, 2024 First Race 1pm AEST Visit Dabble Dubbo Turf Club is the destination for NSW racing on Sunday afternoon, with a massive eight-part program set for decision on Dubbo Cup Day. The $150,000 feature has Big Dance (1600m) eligibility up for grabs, and with 140 acceptors across the entire meeting, it should be a terrific day of racing. The rail is in the true position the entire way around, and with no rainfall forecast to hit the course proper, punters can expect a Good 4 surface. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 1pm local time. Dubbo Cup Tip: Hollywood Hero Hollywood Hero appears to peak third-up in the campaign after two impressive performances in metro company. He was smashing the line in his most recent start at Randwick on September 21, just running out of time over the 1400m. The son of Sacred Falls drops 3.5kgs from that BM78 contest, and with Ashley Morgan set to do the steering from gate five, Hollywood Hero should be within striking distance as he steps up to the 1600m for the first time this preparation. Dubbo Cup Race 7 – #3 Hollywood Hero (5) 5yo Gelding | T: Bjorn Baker | J: Ashley Morgan (58.5kg) Bet with Neds Best Bet at Dubbo: Ahellbenda Ahellbenda has been crying out for a step up in trip after finding the 1000m and 1100m too sharp at Hawkesbury in back-to-back starts. The daughter of Hellbent has been doing her best work late to suggest the 1400m should be ideal, and with fitness on her side third-up into the campaign, she appears perfectly placed by the Bjorn Baker barn. She can take closer order from gate five in this capacity field of 14, and with even luck turning for home, Ahellbenda should prove hard to hold out. Best Bet Race 2 – #6 Ahellbenda (5) 3yo Filly | T: Bjorn Baker | J: Rachel King (55.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Next Best at Dubbo: Broadway Follies Broadway Follies got the head down where it matters most at Bathurst on September 15. It took the Bjorn Baker-trained filly the entire straight to build into her work, eventually getting by The Impeckable in the final 50m. This BM58 contest has much more depth than what she faced last time out; however, with Zac Lloyd being legged aboard from barrier two, Broadway Follies should get every chance to prove she is a progressive type and better than country grade moving forward. Next Best Race 4 – #12 Broadway Follies (2) 3yo Filly | T: Bjorn Baker | J: Zac Lloyd (55.5kg) Bet with Dabble Sunday quaddie tips for Dubbo Dubbo quadrella selections September 29, 2024 1-2-3-5-6-19-20 2-3-5 1-3-5-6-7-11 3-6 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Third-season Hong Kong trainer continues push for elite-level success at Nakayama.View the full article