Wandering Eyes

The emergence of the Victorian-based Taken (NZ) (Ardrossan) is another winning story for a New Zealand breeding and ownership group established to support the three-year-old’s young sire. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained son of Ardrossan made it four wins on the bounce when he carried 60kg to victory at Flemington last Saturday. He was bred by the Dewar Partnership, established to promote the Waikato Stud stallion through the early stages of his career. “Taken has come a long way and is out of a good staying family and has taken a while to mature,” bloodstock agent Bruce Perry said. The Dewar Partnership included Perry and wife Anna, David and Nicki Wilson from Auckland, Max Brown of Queenstown and Mt Maunganui resident Tony Joyce. The Perrys, Wilsons and Brown were also involved in Ardrossan during his racing days, which featured four wins including success in the Gr.3 Concorde Handicap (1200m) and a placing in the Gr.1 Waikato Sprint (1400m). “We’ve actually wound the Partnership down now, it’s done its job,” Perry said. “It was put together to help to get the horse up and going. We bought nine mares and bred from them and we’ve done really well, it’s been great. “We bred Beau Dazzler, who is a three-quarter brother to Taken and so is Toretto, and Sunday’s Serenade in Hong Kong with Jamie Richards has won a couple and a few other nice horses as well.” Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan) has won the Gr.3 Grand Prix Stakes (1800m) and Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1000m) for trainers Tony and Maddysen Sears while Toretto (NZ) (Ardrossan) is a two-time winner and multiple stakes placegetter for Hollie Wynyard. They are out of the Pentire mare Pwerfect, whose half-sister Katherine Wright is the dam of Taken. Another son of Ardrossan and Pwerfect was sold for $100,000 earlier this year at Karaka to trainer Johno Benner and has been named Butler Cabin. “He’s very happy with the way he’s going and we’ve got a lovely Ardrossan filly that we’re going to retain and probably race as a partnership,” Perry said. “We sold a number of the mares last year and the only one we kept was Pwerfect, who didn’t meet her reserve, and she’s in the Broodmare Sale with an early cover to Ardrossan. Taken began his career with Cambridge trainer Sam Mynott and was sold privately to Price following a trial win at Tauranga last season. “Hopefully, he will kick on for the stallion who had small early crops and his bigger ones will come on stream next season and the year after so we’re hoping he can go to another level,” Perry said. View the full article

Swift Delivery recorded his third career win June 22 at Woodbine Racetrack in an allowance optional claiming race for owners Gary Barber, Team Valor International, National Football League star Travis Kelce, Bruce Zoldan, and Steven Rocco. View the full article

Connections of Derby runner-up Lazy Griff will make a late decision regarding his participation in Sunday's Irish equivalent, with his attempt to go one place better hinging on how much rain falls at the Curragh in the coming days. Trained by Charlie Johnston, 50/1 shot Lazy Griff provided his Middleham Park Racing owners with a huge thrill when finishing second at Epsom, faring best of the rest behind Lambourn (Australia) for the second consecutive start after they also filled the first two places in the previous month's G3 Chester Vase. The son of Protectionist is available to back at around 12/1 for Sunday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, but Middleham Park Racing's Mike Prince revealed on Monday that he is far from a certain runner at this stage. He said, “It was good, good to firm this morning and we're in the same situation as applied at Epsom – we don't want to run him on fast ground. “We'll keep him in at the forfeit stage [on Tuesday] and then play it by ear. I've seen some forecasts suggest plenty of rain midweek, but others saying only two to three millimetres. All we can do is keep him in and keep monitoring – it keeps changing every time I look. “It will probably be the Grand Prix de Paris if he doesn't run. It's the German Derby next week or the Grand Prix the week after. Those are the options and France is more likely than Germany currently. He doesn't have to leave until Friday so we don't have to decide until declarations.” Prince added, “He's been fine since Epsom. Charlie's really happy with him and we're going to check in with Christophe [Soumillon, jockey], just to see what is what.” O'Brien Outlines Plans for Middle-Distance Colts Lambourn dominates the ante-post betting for the Irish Derby as he tries to become the eighth Epsom winner this century to follow up at the Curragh. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, he could be joined in the line-up by the Lingfield Derby Trial scorer Puppet Master (Camelot), who was a late withdrawal from last week's G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. “He's an absolute beauty to train,” O'Brien said of Lambourn when discussing his running plans on Monday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast. “He has a brilliant mind and is very sound, very uncomplicated. He goes in all types of grounds and he stays very well. “He doesn't need any help in a race. He'll do it himself and he's happy to get a lead. He's a Christian of a horse, really.” He added, “Puppet Master might go with him. He worked on Sunday and worked lovely, so there's a chance that he could go with him.” One horse who will not be lining up at the Curragh is Delacroix (Dubawi), with O'Brien confirming that the beaten Derby favourite is an intended runner in next month's G1 Coral-Eclipse instead. Similar comments apply to the stable's Prix du Jockey Club hero Camille Pissarro (Wootton Bassett), but an appearance at Sandown is expected to come too soon for last week's G3 Hampton Court Stakes winner Trinity College (Dubawi). “The Eclipse will probably come a bit quick for Trinity College, so we're probably thinking of letting Delacroix take that slot, along with Camille,” said O'Brien. “Trinity looks like he's a Group 1 horse now but, when the others are there, the timing means it fits in a little bit better for them. Don't rule out Trinity yet, but I'd imagine it will be the other two instead of him.” The post Epsom Runner-Up Lazy Griff Needs Rain to Run in the Irish Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz After getting things wrong at Alexandra Park on Friday night, Crazy is set to step out at Cambridge Raceway this evening, and local trainer Tim Hall is confident the quirky campaigner is ready to deliver—if he can keep his cool. The eight-year-old son of Crazed returned from a two-year Australian stint in January. Due to a lack of mobile racing for trotters here in New Zealand at that time, Hall made the decision to send him across the Tasman in search of more suitable racing opportunities after he developed a dislike for standing starts. “He was really good with stands in the beginning, but then he started to get a bee in his bonnet,” Hall said with a laugh. “That really limited him over here, as there weren’t many mobile starts for trotters at the time.” During his Australian campaign, Crazy raced in both Victoria and Queensland. Hall believes the experience was invaluable. “He came back in brilliant order, a much more mature and travelled horse,” he said. Since his return, Crazy has posted one win and three placings from 12 starts. Hall has been happy with his recent efforts. “I think he’s gone well in some good fields. His mobile form has been strong, and he’s been pretty consistent—at least for him.” Crazy hits the track tonight at Cambridge Raceway in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Mobile Trot (6:13 p.m.). Hall is cautiously optimistic, noting that success will come down to the gelding’s behaviour. “On paper, it’s a race where he can definitely earn some money,” Hall said. “His vulnerability is whether or not he does things right.” Hall is encouraged by how Crazy pulled up after Friday’s misstep. “He’s come through it well. Tony (Herlihy) looked after him when he made his mistake—didn’t chase him, just gave him a little hit out. He’s licked the bowl since then, so we’re hopeful.” View the full article

BloodHorse Interview: John RopesView the full article

The 2025 renewal of the Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita will be contested as a non-listed Black-Type event, according to a Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association release Monday. Formerly a Grade III, the race has been downgraded since the distance was changed from 12 furlongs to eight furlongs. According to the TOBA grading committee, the race is considered a new race and must be run twice at its new distance as a non-listed Black-Type race before being eligible for grading. The post Tokyo City Cup to Run as Non-Listed Black-Type race in 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I had the profound privilege of serving as an assistant trainer at a barn that holds immense historical significance in horse racing. Every day, I was honored to work alongside a legend, D. Wayne Lukas, whose accomplishments are forever etched in the record books of the sport. As time moved on, even for a tremendous man like D. Wayne, who had reached his eighties, the graded stakes winners didn't come as easily as they did in his most celebrated days. Yet, his confidence remained as unwavering as ever. My journey began in a small town in Louisiana, where my love and passion for horse racing blossomed from a young age. While I never won the elite races that define the pinnacle of the sport, I proudly reached the winner's circle both as a jockey and a trainer. One day, at Churchill Downs, I decided to take a chance and knock on D. Wayne Lukas's door. It's true what they say: when one door closes, another opens. D. Wayne Lukas not only offered me a job but appointed me as an assistant trainer. This incredible opportunity unfolded at the grandest meets of the year, right there in his barn at Saratoga Racecourse. Working with D. Wayne Lukas provided me with an unparalleled education, one that extended far beyond my existing knowledge of horses. He taught me the intricate business aspects of the industry, the essence of leadership, and the correct way to conduct myself professionally. I knew horses, but business was new to me. Under his guidance, I learned how to run an elite organization, a true game-changer in our industry–Lukas Enterprises Inc. This journey brought unexpected experiences. Suddenly, I was saddling graded stakes horses–horses of a caliber I'd rarely encountered at the tracks I came from. Standing among the sport's best, I felt a new level of recognition. Walking through town, people knew my name, Keith Austin, on the strength of the reputation D. Wayne Lukas had meticulously built. He was not just a Hall of Famer, but, more importantly, a true gentleman. After the races settled and the dust cleared, back in that very barn, D. Wayne and I would often share conversations in his office. He'd even come to sit on the stairs, the same stairs that helped a man in his eighties mount his pony. We'd sit there for hours, talking about business, sports, and life. I'd listen to his stories, we'd tell jokes, and best of all, we'd laugh until our stomachs ached. I witnessed an individual with an incredibly strong will to win, but I also watched a man gracefully aging before my eyes. He once shared with me, “Do you know what keeps me going?” My immediate answer was, “The horses?” He responded, “You young people keep me going.” Another time, as I was returning from the track on a horse, he spontaneously said, “Keith, you're a very good horseman, but let's do it my way. It has worked for over 60 years.” I always treated him with the utmost respect. I never presumed to tell him what to do with his horses. Even when he eventually needed a walker, a truly fragile man, I continued to treat him as if he were as strong as Superman. What began as a professional relationship with D. Wayne Lukas eventually blossomed into a profound friendship, one that extended to include his wonderful wife, Laurie Lukas. Over many years, our connection evolved far beyond boss and employee. Wayne, you once told me that it was “you young people” who kept you going. To that, I'd reply that it's truly the wise who keep the young moving forward. I'm endlessly grateful for the door that closed in my past, leading me to a door that, in my heart, will forever remain open. You haven't closed your eyes yet, and that's precisely how I'll always remember you–full of life, wisdom, and an enduring spirit. The post Letter to the Editor: My Unforgettable Mentorship with D. Wayne Lukas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After 50 starts in which he thrilled racing fans in Texas and Oklahoma, trainer Mindy Willis announced June 23 that 10-year-old Sunlit Song has been retired.View the full article

It has been a strangely discombobulating week in some respects. It started in Westminster last Monday with the All-Party Parliamentary Group issuing its stark warning of the triple threat to the industry posed by potential betting duty harmonisation, affordability checks and an overdue Levy reform. This came on the back of an industry update in Newmarket the previous week at which the TBA chairman Philip Newton warned of a potential catastrophic collapse in the supply chain of young Thoroughbreds in Britain. Then, stepping through the golden gates of Royal Ascot, the Union Jack emblazoned across grandstand and bandstand, is to enter a sun-drenched racing fantasy land, where the roses are ever in bloom, champagne flows, prize-money soars into the many millions and the King dishes out trophies to the lucky few. Surely, nothing is rotten in the state of Britain? That these two scenarios exist side by side is a reminder of the fact that while waving the red, white and blue at the summit of British racing is undoubtedly something of which to be proud, the sands are shifting around base camp to an increasingly alarming degree. Royal Ascot is branded 'An event like no other', and that is patently true. Because let's face it, while other nations have their special days and festivals, where else does such pomp and circumstance go hand in hand with racing at its very best? Whether you're partying in the car parks or punting from the comfort of your own sofa, it is an unmissable, stamina-sapping five days. The King and Queen were in attendance for all five of those days. Their presence is vital, and the importance of their association to British racing cannot be understated. Continuity from the younger members of the royal family will be essential. In the lead carriage on the final day of the meeting, Their Royal Highnesses would doubtless have enjoyed sharing the voyage from the Long Walk to the Ascot parade ring with Sir Mark Prescott, one of the trainers on the royal roster. With Sir Mark's deep well of rip-roaring anecdotes on racing, hunting and all manner of topics, the journey will have sped by. Firsts for Many OTI Racing had both the first and last word at Royal Ascot. Terry Henderson's Australian syndicate has long enjoyed success both in Europe and in racing European-bred horses closer to home, and the victory of Docklands in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes set the tone for a meeting which somehow successfully combined the elite with the egalitarian. Docklands, whose sire Massaat stands for £3,500, and whose dam was bought by his breeder Richard Kent for £9,000, keeps the dreamers dreaming. His record at Ascot is something to behold: three of his four wins have been at the track, including when he provided his trainer Harry Eustace with a second Royal Ascot win in the Britannia Stakes two years ago. In seven runs at Ascot he has never been out of the first three, and he was second in the Queen Anne last year before handing Eustace his first Group 1 win when nosing out last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Rosallion (Blue Point). Eustace may well still be floating up there somewhere on cloud nine because this was a week in which his stable shone. As well as Docklands on the opening day, Divine Comedy (Le Havre) was beaten by less than two lengths when fifth in the Ascot Stakes, while La Botte (Too Darn Hot) lost out on becoming the trainer's second winner of the Britannia by just a neck when finishing second. Then came Time For Sandals, a second Group 1 winner in four days for Eustace and an important first at the top level for her young sire Sands Of Mali, who is alone among the second-crop sires in having two group winners for this season. The Ballyhane Stud sire currently leads the table for this division and has 4.9% black-type winners to runners. The breeding and training talents of Jim Goldie have hardly been a secret but his first Group 1 win with American Affair, a homebred for Goldie's close ally, Glasgow-based John McGrandles, provided another opening-day highlight. “I thought I would go to the fastest stallion that I could afford,” McGrandles explained of his decision to send American Affair's dam Classy Anne (Orientor) to Washington DC at Bearstone Stud, where he too is advertised for £3,500. Adam Houghton discussed with Goldie his decades-long association with American Affair's family in TDN some weeks ago, and if you missed it, it's well worth a read, via this link. Diversity the Hallmark of a Memorable Meeting Continuing the theme of good horses coming from varied sources, it was a notably good Ascot for graduates of the lesser heralded Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. Both Time For Sandals and the G1 Coronation Stakes winner Cercene were bought at Fairyhouse in 2023 for €35,000 and €50,000 respectively, while two years earlier, when the sale had to be moved to Newmarket owing to Covid restrictions, Docklands had effectively passed through the same sale for £16,000. Three Group 1 winners for not much more than €100,000 is not bad going at all. Since her appearance at public auction, Cercene has had cheque books waved in her direction on showing early promise for Joe Murphy. We'll hear more about her trainer later this week in TDN but it was clear from the moment that the daughter of Australia crossed the line how much of a popular result this was among the Irish racing fraternity in particular. Thanks to the intervention of her owner Shane R Stafford, who took a larger share in the filly to ensure that Cercene would remain in training with the Murphy family, the filly gave her connections a truly memorable day, which included sharing the Royal Ascot podium with the King. Cercene's victory was just the latest success at Ascot for an equine family which has long been associated with Fulke and Gaie Johnson Houghton, who bred and trained her second and third dams Roo (Rudimentary) and Shall We Run (Hotfoot). Four years ago Cercene's half-brother Perotto (New Bay) won the Britannia Stakes for Marcus Tregoning and, prior to that, Accidental Agent (Delegator), also a descendant of Roo and trained by the Johnson Houghtons' daughter Eve, won the G1 Queen Anne Stakes. Eve Johnson Houghton was back among the winners this time around when claiming the Windsor Castle Stakes for a second time with Havana Hurricane. She won the same race four years ago with Chipotle, and both her winners are sons of the late Havana Gold, bought respectively as yearlings for 9,000gns and 10,000gns. In an emotional aftermath to the race, the trainer's thoughts understandably turned to her father, who died in February at the age of 84. He would no doubt have been immensely proud to see the family's Woodway Stables continuing in such a successful manner. Elite Forces John and Thady Gosden wrested the Royal Ascot trainers' title from Aidan O'Brien and had arguably the three most impressive Group 1 winners of the week, led by Field Of Gold. Any time the three Guineas winners of Britain, Ireland and France meet is special indeed, and Field Of Gold stamped his superiority over Henri Matisse and Ruling Court, just as his sire Kingman had done over Night Of Thunder 11 years earlier. If Field Of Gold continues to plot the same course as his illustrious sire, all eyes will be on the Sussex Stakes next month. The Gosdens' old foe Night Of Thunder turned friend when supplying the next day's Group 1 winner Ombudsman, an emerging force in the middle-distance ranks who had only started his racing career in the same week a year earlier. Now he's a Prince of Wales's Stakes winner. The first of four winners at the meeting in the Godolphin blue for three different stables, Ombudsman was followed into the winner's circle the next day by the mighty stayer Trawlerman, who also broke the Flat Group 1 duck for his sire Golden Horn in the Gold Cup. Trawlerman and the G2 Hardwicke Stakes winner, his fellow seven-year-old Rebel's Romance (Dubawi), are both geldings, as are American Affair and the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Lazzat (Territories). None of them will therefore leave their mark on the breed, but they will on the sport, and that is an important consideration. Detractors of Flat racing will point to the fact that its best horses are merely shooting stars – burning brightly across the scene momentarily and then gone. There's a reason for that, of course, but what we are guaranteed by a sound gelding with enough talent is that he will stick around long enough to become beloved of the sport's fans. Witness the reception given to Rebel's Romance at Ascot on Saturday following his 18th win in six different countries. Wathnan's Winners There was no messing around for Wathnan Racing, whose buying team had been out in force in recent weeks to build the team of Royal Ascot runners to 38. Five of those ended up in the winner's circle: Lazzat (G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes), Crimson Advocate (G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes), Haatem (Listed Wolferton Stakes) Humidity (Listed Chesham Stakes), and French Master (Ascot Stakes). Of those, Haatem was the sole winner not having his first run for Wathnan at this year's Royal Ascot – he had been bought a year earlier, prior to winning the G3 Jersey Stakes. It is easy to imagine that in the coming years Wathnan Racing will switch its focus more towards being an owner-breeder operation. Indeed, the outfit already has a stallion, Isaac Shelby, and some broodmares based at Newsells Park Stud. In the meantime, its buying sprees leading into the royal meeting in particular have started to resemble racing's equivalent of the football summer transfer window. All three of Wathnan's Group 1 winners in Europe to date have come at Ascot, Courage Mon Ami having started the ball rolling in the Gold Cup two years ago, and Kind Of Blue taking last season's Qipco British Champions Sprint. In America, the team has also enjoyed Grade I success with Subsandor. Wathnan Racing's Humidity may have been the most aptly named horse during a roasting hot week but the Ulysses colt was also noteworthy for the fact that his full-brother Holloway Boy had won the Chesham three years earlier on his racecourse debut. The duo was bred by Cheveley Park Stud, who retained Humidity at 120,000gns when he was offered at Book 2 last year. He was subsequently sold to his new owner after his own successful debut at Newbury's Lockinge meeting in May. Bragging Rights Through The Price Range While Europe's most expensive stallions Dubawi, Frankel, Wootton Bassett, Kingman, No Nay Never, Lope De Vega and Night Of Thunder all got their names on the scoresheet with at least one winner at Royal Ascot, it is worth reflecting that 29 different stallions provided the 35 winners across the week. They range in covering fee from £350,000 down to a hundredth of that price, as noted above for the sires of two of the Group 1 winners. Another two Group 1 winners were by Golden Horn and Australia, who were available for £10,000/€10,000 this year. No Nay Never led all comers as the sire of two of Aidan O'Brien's three juvenile winners Charles Darwin (G2 Norfolk) and True Love (G2 Queen Mary) as well as Rockliffe Stud's homebred Never Let Go, one of two winners of the week for Ed Walker and Kieran Shoemark in the Sandringham Stakes, and Never So Brave, who took the Buckingham Palace Stakes for Andrew Balding and Saeed Suhail. Breeding is a tough game, whether you have champagne or lemonade pockets, but, year in and year out, we see big-race results for small-time stallions. This makes the sales polarisation, both by selection teams and purchasers, hard to fathom and harder for breeders to make choices in the best interests of their mares. And Finally Last word here must go to Simon Sadler of TBT Racing, whose colours are becoming ever more prevalent on runners from the Ed Walker stable, which continued its fine run of form through Royal Ascot. Sadler, who won the Jersey Stakes with 25/1 shot Noble Champion (Lope De Vega) and was second in the Coventry with 80/1 outsider Do Or Do Not (Space Blues) is donating all prize-money won at Ascot to a pancreatic cancer charity. That's more than £120,000 going the way of a very deserving cause. Good on you, Simon. The post Seven Days: A Royal Ascot of Diverse Delights appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Submissions for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's Calendar Photo Contest will be accepted through July 28 and the winners will be announced October 2025. Winner receives a Tipperary Helmet of Choice and a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance swag bag. Additionally, 12 winners receive a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance swag bag. All winners will receive a free calendar. The Calender photo contest prizes are sponsored by Tipperary Equestrian. For officials rules of the contest, click here. To submit an entry, click here. The post TAA Calendar Photo Contest Open Through July 28 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sandi Morris is the 2016 Olympic silver medalist, current world leader, and American outdoor record holder in women's pole vault, and appears, and brings an interesting close to Season One of The Boundless Podcast. In the episode, Morris sits down with Dr. Ferrin Peterson, a professional jockey, veterinarian, and former pole vaulter herself. The two dive into the mindset it takes to stay at the top, bouncing back from injury, and what it really means to bet on yourself–again and again. Now training at the University of Louisville, Sandi has her eyes set on the world record and LA 2028. Like all the episodes in the series, her story is one of resilience, reinvention, and relentless pursuit of greatness. To watch the podcast on YouTube, click here. Or, click here to listen to it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The post Olympic Silver Medalist Sandi Morris Closes Out Season 1 of Boundless Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Helping to create what he now calls “a monster” weighs heavily with Dr. Chris Cahill. Actually, he has a way to put it back in the cage. But let's not get ahead of ourselves; let's first remind ourselves how it all happened. Cahill came to Lexington from Texas for the 1974 breeding season as a $75-a-week rookie veterinarian at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee. One of his main duties was as standby in the Gainesway breeding shed. Albeit then standing “only” 14 stallions, John Gaines was still ahead of the curve in requiring a vet in attendance for every cover. One evening Cahill arrived and was told that Gaines wanted to meet him. He found the boss sitting on a countertop smoking a cigarette. “Just tell me what you do here,” Gaines said. “What am I paying you for?” “Well,” replied the young man. “I'm trying to keep from being bored.” And he told Gaines how he would take a dismount sample from each stallion, put it under a microscope, grade its concentration and motility, investigate anything unusual. He was also keeping a file on each mare, data he could revisit to learn about those that didn't get in foal. “Basically just keeping myself busy,” he said. “You're not being charged extra.” After a year, he returned to Texas A&M to teach surgery and reproduction. One day he was scrubbing up for surgery when his secretary came on the intercom. “A call, Dr. Cahill.” “Well, take a message. Who is it?” “John Gaines.” “I'll take the call.” Having only ever had that single conversation, Gaines wanted to hire Cahill. He'd added another seven stallions, wanted to move Joe Taylor into the office. Cahill could take over the day-to-day remit while also serving as resident veterinarian. Cahill's wife was eight months pregnant with their second child, and they had just moved into a new home. He took the job. “But I'll tell you one thing,” he told Gaines. “I know what I don't know and I'm not afraid to say it. If I get in a jam, I'll go find somebody that's smarter than me.” Gaines respected that. For one thing that Cahill didn't understand, however, nobody had convincing answers: why were these stallions being confined to 45 mares? “Hard to believe now,” Cahill reflects. “But at places like Claiborne and Darby Dan, if they doubled a stallion–let him breed two mares in one day–they'd give him the next day off. So I told Mr. Gaines, 'Let me tell you something I learned in vet school. A stallion kicks out 10-to-15 billion sperm per ejaculate. So in the Quarter Horse business, breeding artificial, the research went: how many times can I cut that up before the pregnancy rate comes down? Is it the same with 100 million as 12 billion? After that, the next question is: can you breed a stallion into a sperm deficit, to the point where he starts shooting blanks? But to me, it was a waste to breed to 45 mares.” Gaines immediately began throwing bonus seasons (to use or sell) into 40-share syndications, typically every other year, producing a 65-mare book. Lyphard's shareholders received three in five years, putting him at a giddy 78. The whole community was shocked. Moreover, Gaines could now raise his bids for new stallions. “Everyone thought we were crazy,” Cahill recalls. “Even Lloyd's of London. They were going to quit insuring fertility. They paid off one year on two stallions that failed in Europe, and their vets told them they'd been breeding too many mares. I flew to London and showed them the records I was keeping on every stallion: morning, noon, night covers; which mares got in foal, from which cover, which had live foals. I guess I got through, they kept insuring us.” During those heady years, Gainesway spiraled to four times as many stallions as before. “That was probably my biggest achievement, standing 52 stallions and breeding 22 mares an hour through that shed,” Cahill reflects. “I just didn't know any better, I was a complete innocent, but that meant I didn't have any preconceived ideas.” They had stallions crammed everywhere, needed more space. Cahill suggested developing the old dairy out back. “And who are you going to put over there?” replied Gaines. “There are no second-class citizens here. Every shareholder, every horse, gets treated alike-whether it's a $2,500 or $200,000 cover. Because you never know what's just walked into that barn.” Instead they designed a whole new stallion complex, plus a second breeding shed. “Everybody in the business is waiting for us to fall on our butts,” Cahill told the architects. “This has to work.” Taylor, of course, was a tremendous mentor in his own right. “I know for a fact he's in heaven now-because he never fired anybody!” Cahill says with a chuckle. “We were very different in management style. Joe was conciliatory. Back then, our main workforce was Eastern Kentucky. There was a lot of illiteracy. Some farms tied ribbons the same color on the halters and the stall door, so that they'd know where each horse went. And Joe would take any ne'er-do-well off the street. He wanted to sober them up, change lives. “And some were good horsemen, wanted to learn. Others were very rough. But if they got in a fight, Joe would raise his voice a little and say, 'Now I want you all to get along and work this out.' And turn around and leave. That was it. A real people person. I don't pretend to be. Especially in the stallion operation, I'd rather hire somebody who wants my job, somebody sharp and hungry.” What an education for a young man, under two authentic Bluegrass legends! To this day he cherishes Gaines aphorisms. Cahill was so bewitched by Blushing Groom that he urged loading him with their own mares. Gaines looked at him and said: “Chris, you know that old saying? Use other people's money.” In this instance, other people's mares. “Anyone who thinks he can make a stallion with his own mares is a fool.” Credit: Horsephotos “All business,” Cahill says. “That's all he ever was. I never saw John Gaines pat a horse, talk to them, give them a carrot. When Blushing Groom arrived, it may have been a week before he walked down to look at him. His last race, I'd asked, 'You going over to watch?' He said, 'Chris, you should know by now: I don't care if I never go to another horserace. A horserace is completely out of my hands. I have no control. You go.' To him, horses were a commodity. He could have done the same thing with hogs, wool, whatever he put his mind to.” The biggest learning curve came when Gainesway and Spendthrift inadvertently imported CEM, with Lyphard and Caro, from France. “I always tell people I had hair until 1978,” Cahill says. “You haven't lived until you bring an exotic disease into America. That will age you. There wasn't a mare bred in Lexington the whole of March. Everybody taking a shot at us. If we'd had another outbreak, they were shutting our doors, and we had maybe 38 stallions in. Think of that. And I'm 28 years old. We got through it. But you learned who your friends were-and your enemies. I made some of both!” Nobody worked harder than Gaines, and he expected everyone to work just as hard. After seven years, Cahill was burned out. It was time to get to know his family again, and they spent a decade in Jackson Hole. But then they returned and today, even in semi-retirement, Cahill remains both participant and shrewd observer of the Bluegrass scene. (His son and daughter have found their own vocations here, too, at Town and Country Farms and Castleton Lyons respectively.) As such, we must surely heed his anxieties about the way book sizes have mushroomed since a young veterinarian first opened a new horizon for Gaines. After all, this is a man who recalls John Magnier's eyes lighting up over dinner, back in 1977, when he elaborated the veterinary thinking behind Gainesway's breakout on books. But now, Cahill admits, the revolution has lost its way. With many fees slashed mid-season, it was clear this spring that a single-year stampede is not a sustainable model. Acknowledging that The Jockey Club's attempt to take control was always doomed, Cahill instead suggests that the farms themselves take responsibility. “Nobody's more of a free-market capitalist than me,” he emphasizes. “But breeding 200-plus mares is absurd. Anybody who ignores this, they're fooling themselves. I was personally witness to 35,000 covers. I had mares I sent home because they were too mean. I had slow breeders, fast breeders, everything in between. I've seen it all. But I never had a horse refuse a mare. But right now I need both hands to count the farms here in Lexington that are sending mares home. I'm not talking about 25-year-old stallions, I'm talking about young horses. And it's all about management.” Cahill's solution is an expression you won't have heard before. “A semen cartel,” he says. “Just like the oil guys do. It can't be done through outside regulation. That's been tried in other breeds, and never stands up. Everybody screams about restraint of trade. But those breeds have been ruined because they went to artificial insemination, overbred the commercial, in-vogue horses, and never gave a chance to the rest. “So the big farms need to get together and put a number on it, let's say 125. Any farm worth their salt should be getting 80 percent live foals on the ground. If they're not, something's wrong. When I was with Gaines, we pushed 90 percent every year. Like I said, management. “But then let's set a second number, say 100. That's the maximum you can register. Say you end up with 106 live foals. I promise you, you contact everyone and go around and look at those foals, there'll be six that would love to waive a stud fee, or take a free season.” Easier not just on stallions, Cahill says, but on their management–and on the pocket. “It's absurd, the amount of veterinary work just to get a mare pregnant now,” he contends. “Because people know they have one shot. So they're treating every mare like the five percent 'problem' mare that I used to deal with. Mares are no different today than in 1970. Back then, if I had 100 mares, I might have five that I did extreme things like lavage, hormone therapies, and so on. But now people are using all the extras because they're afraid not to.” And, speaking of being afraid, he sees farms today needing to pay for a stallion before his stock get anywhere near a starting gate. “But I learned to look at things from a John Gaines perspective,” he says. “And if only one-in-eight stallions becomes any kind of success, we're really trashing our gene pool with all these lesser ones that have no business reproducing.” He believes that his proposal would not only spread mares more evenly across rosters, but also restore the kind of regional/overseas variegation formerly so influential in Kentucky. And he recalls working with Nelson Bunker Hunt, who only ever sold half the shares in a stallion and tried to ensure those went to end-users. “I wish the big farms would get together on this,” he says. “Say to the industry: 'We got a new day here. This is what we're going to do and we hope the other farms jump on board.' You're always going to have some outlier that says, 'No, I'm breeding 200, I'm going to get my money now.' Well, you'll make him look like an ass. But nobody wants to take the first step. Somebody needs to admit it's time for a reset.” The post Cahill Resets His Own Revolution appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has revealed that D. G. Van Clief and Josh Pons have been named to the Hall of Fame committee as chairs of the Contemporary Nominating Committee and the Pillars of the Turf Committee, respectively. With the new Hall of Fame committee chairs in place, Museum leadership is reportedly beginning an evaluation of the overall nomination and election process, including a review of the contemporary Hall of Fame voting panel. The current procedures may be found here. Van Clief, who previously served as chair of the Pillars of the Turf Committee, succeeds the late Edward L. Bowen as chair of the nominating committee and has served the sport in a variety of capacities for decades. Bowen held the chair position from 1987 through 2024 before passing away in January. “I am honored to assume duties as Hall of Fame Nominating Committee Chair and look forward to working closely with fellow Committee Members, National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Chair Charlotte Weber, our Trustees, and the management team to ensure the results of our process embodies complete integrity, stands the test of time, and reflects well on our historic sport,” Van Clief said. “Former Committee Chair Ed Bowen was the consummate racing historian and is greatly missed, but I am fortunate to be joining a committee which possesses such a high degree of knowledge and expertise. I am confident this will be an enjoyable challenge.” Pons is a third-generation Maryland horseman who owns and operates Country Life Farm and Merryland Farm with his brother, Mike Pons. He has served on the Pillars of the Turf committee for the past two years and is a Museum advisory trustee as well as being a two-time Eclipse Award-winning writer, among many other accolades. “The process of selecting inductees annually through the Pillars of the Turf category begins with the Hall of Fame mission statement–'to honor the sport's most accomplished participants,'” Pons said. “The roster of worthy participants is rich and lengthy. I anticipate that my role will be to provide context to the nominees' history. Then it's a juried committee selection. I look forward to the process and working with the committee.” The post D. G. Van Clief, Josh Pons Named Hall of Fame Committee Chairs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Curragh Racecourse, with their sponsor Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai, will honour the late Kevin Prendergast by running the International Stakes in memory of the legendary trainer. The Group 3 contest takes place this Saturday, the second day of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival, and will be titled “The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai International Stakes in honour of Kevin Prendergast”. Prendergast, who died last week at the age of 92, trained on the Curragh for over 60 years, with his big-race victories at the track including consecutive editions of the International Stakes with Mustameet in 2006 and Decado in 2007. The post The Curragh’s International Stakes to be Run in Honour of Kevin Prendergast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On Monday, Racing Victoria announced changes to the original 2021 veterinary protocols for horses competing at the Spring Carnival. “The protocols have served to arrest an alarming trend and been a catalyst for the last four Spring Racing Carnivals and Melbourne Cups being conducted without serious injuries,” said Racing Victoria CEO Aaron Morrison. “After each Carnival the protocols are evaluated to consider their application, ongoing suitability and any potential enhancements based on stakeholder feedback, our learnings, data and new technology. What remains unchanged is that every international horse will have to pass a CT scan to compete here. However, we're taking a more pragmatic approach with the volume of scans for those horses not entered in the Cups or Cox Plate.” He added, “Our goal remains to deliver world-class racing, whilst ensuring the safety of horses and riders. We look forward to working with international and local connections to maintain the recent positive trend.” The key changes include: International horses that do not hold an entry for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate or Melbourne Cup will only be required to undertake one mandatory pre-travel Computed Tomography (CT) scan and won't be required to have further CT scans before each race in Australia. Such horses will remain subjected to other protocols including multiple pre- and post-travel physical veterinary inspections. Where a horse in this cohort undertakes pre-travel Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), it must undergo its mandatory CT scan in Australia prior to racing in Victoria. Where reasonably practicable, international horses must undergo a CT of all distal limbs in their home country prior to entering pre-export quarantine to travel to Australia. MRI of the distal limbs will only be permitted where a CT scan is not reasonably accessible. Standing CT technology is available in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, France and Germany. Japan and Ireland remain without high-quality standing CT technology commensurate with that in Australia. For international horses competing in Victoria and local horses in the Melbourne Cup, where a mandatory CT scan has identified a potential issue, a follow-up Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan will now be accessible, time permitting, to further assist in determining the horse's suitability to race. To afford an opportunity for PET scanning, the window for horses entered in the Melbourne Cup to present for their compulsory pre-race CT scan has been extended, now opening prior to the Caulfield Cup. All Melbourne Cup acceptors must be in Victoria in sufficient time for their physical veterinary inspection on the day prior to the race. This inspection will no longer be permitted interstate. The post Racing Victoria Change Import Protocols Ahead of Spring Carnival 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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Now a two-time winner at Royal Ascot, Crimson Advocate has shown the versatility of American breeding on one of racing's biggest international stages.View the full article

After a phenomenal few months for Waikato Stud’s stallion roster, the world-renowned nursery will offer six select progeny of those high-flying sires at this week’s NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka. Quality offerings from Waikato Stud at the National Weanling Sale are nothing new. Their previous graduates include this year’s catalogue cover horse Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel), who was a $35,000 purchase in 2020. He has gone on to earn A$917,650 from a 22-start, eight-win career to date, including a victory in the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick in March. The 2025 Waikato Stud draft is made up of the progeny of three big names from their stallion roster – Savabeel, Super Seth and Ardrossan. Savabeel, who was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame last month, leads the New Zealand premiership by more than $2.5 million and is guaranteed his 10th champion sire title this season. He has also won the Centaine Award (combined progeny earnings worldwide) and Dewar Award (combined Australian and New Zealand progeny earnings) nine times each. He is the sire of 1006 winners from 1372 runners, with 151 individual stakes winners including 35 at Group One level. Ardrossan has only three crops of racing age and has sired 33 winners from 75 runners to date, six of them at stakes level including this season’s Group winners Yaldi (NZ), Beau Dazzler (NZ) and Ardalio (NZ). Super Seth But the stallion everyone has been talking about in recent times is Super Seth, who is having one of the greatest second seasons ever seen in New Zealand. Since the beginning of March, he has sired Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) winner Feroce (NZ), Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner Linebacker (NZ), Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner La Dorada (NZ) and Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) winner Maison Louis (NZ). His service fee has soared to $75,000 for the upcoming season. The NZB National Weanling Sale catalogue already featured the progeny of all three stallions, but the addition of Waikato Stud’s six supplementary entries has given the catalogue a substantial late boost. Lot 137 is a Savabeel colt out of Coolist, who is a daughter of Capitalist and the Group Two performer Sassy ‘N’ Smart (Smart Missile). Lot 137 Lot 138 is an Ardrossan colt out of the four-race winner Genius (NZ) (Savabeel), who is the dam of four winners from four foals to race. This colt’s half-brother Andalus (NZ) (Almanzor) was runner-up in the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) in 2023. The Super Seth colt catalogued as Lot 139 is out of the Savabeel mare Queen Leonora (NZ). Herself a three-race winner, Queen Leonora is a blood sister to stakes winner Synchronize (NZ) (Savabeel) and closely related to Group One winners Legs (NZ) (Pins), Guyno (NZ) (O’Reilly), Tiptronic (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Sixty Seconds (NZ) (Centaine). Lot 142 Lot 140 is an Ardrossan filly out of a three-quarter-sister to the Group Two Kewney Stakes (1400m) winner Do Ra Mi (NZ) (Savabeel). Lot 141 is a colt by Savabeel out of a half-sister to the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) runner-up Victory Magic (NZ) (Savabeel). The last member of the Waikato Stud draft, Lot 142, is a colt by Super Seth out of Wintour (NZ). The unraced Savabeel mare is a blood-sister to Australian Group Two winner and Group One placegetter Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel), while the third dam is multiple Group One winner Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat). “We’ve sold some quality weanlings through this sale over the years, with Jedibeel obviously a recent highlight, and we’re keen to support the sale again this year with a selection of what was a really good crop of foals this season,” Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick said. “They are some particularly strong and forward weanlings that we think can be offered for sale, giving buyers some good opportunities while also helping to manage our numbers leading into the yearling sales next season. Mark Chittick “We think a bit of them, so they’ll have reserves and they won’t be sold if they don’t make what we think is fair. “Our stallions are all going extremely well, none more so than Super Seth over the last few months – he’s been absolutely incredible. This sale is a great opportunity for people to get into the progeny of some proven and extremely hot sires.” All weanlings offered are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Millions Series. Graduates can compete for a share in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), followed by the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) as well as the new $1m Mega Maiden Series comprising of 40 non-Saturday maiden races located throughout New Zealand. Buyers wishing to attend are able to book their stays at the DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka hotel onsite here or by emailing travel@nzb.co.nz for assistance. View the catalogue here. The catalogue can also be viewed on the Equineline app for iPads/tablets, or the Thoroughworks mobile app. For more information, contact Bloodstock Sales Manager Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email kane.jones@nzb.co.nz, Sales Representative Patrick Cunningham on +64 21 512 466 or Patrick.Cunningham@nzb.co.nz or Andrew Buick at +64 27 555 0640 or email Andrew.Buick@nzb.co.nz. View the full article

Hong Kong-based trainer David Hayes has welcomed changes to the Spring Carnival protocols announced by Racing Victoria on Monday, declaring his star galloper Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) a likely challenger for the 2026 Gr.1 Champions Sprint (1200m) on the final day of Melbourne Cup Week. The Australian Hall Of Fame trainer had campaigned against international horses that were not contesting the Caulfield or Melbourne Cups or Cox Plate having to have a further CT scan before each new race in Australia. The newly announced RV change to drop that requirement effectively means that after undergoing an initial pre-travel scan, horses such as Ka Ying Rising won’t be required to have another in the weeks between races such as The Everest and Champions Sprint. Hayes said from Hong Kong on Monday that while he has already made plans for this year with Ka Ying Rising, around The Everest, other Sydney bonus races and then the Hong Kong Sprint in December, that likely won’t be the case a year later. “We’ve now got plans in place for this year, which will see him stay in Sydney, but I would love to get this horse to Flemington to race and so in 12 months’ time, that will be the likely plan,” he said. “I’m really pleased the changes have been made as it would have been very difficult for a travelling horse with all the things they have to deal with, to have another scan.” Hayes said Ka Ying Rising, who has won 13 of his 15 starts, including his past 12 in a row, is under light work in ready for the spring, with the world’s premier sprinter likely to have one run in Hong Kong before his Everest tilt. View the full article

After a phenomenal few months for Waikato Stud’s stallion roster, the world-renowned nursery will offer six select progeny of those high-flying sires at this week’s NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka. Quality offerings from Waikato Stud at the National Weanling Sale are nothing new. Their previous graduates include this year’s catalogue cover horse Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel), who was a $35,000 purchase in 2020. He has gone on to earn A$917,650 from a 22-start, eight-win career to date, including a victory in the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick in March. The 2025 Waikato Stud draft is made up of the progeny of three big names from their stallion roster – Savabeel, Super Seth and Ardrossan. Savabeel, who was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame last month, leads the New Zealand premiership by more than $2.5 million and is guaranteed his 10th champion sire title this season. He has also won the Centaine Award (combined progeny earnings worldwide) and Dewar Award (combined Australian and New Zealand progeny earnings) nine times each. He is the sire of 1006 winners from 1372 runners, with 151 individual stakes winners including 35 at Group One level. Ardrossan has only three crops of racing age and has sired 33 winners from 75 runners to date, six of them at stakes level including this season’s Group winners Yaldi (NZ), Beau Dazzler (NZ) and Ardalio (NZ). Super Seth But the stallion everyone has been talking about in recent times is Super Seth, who is having one of the greatest second seasons ever seen in New Zealand. Since the beginning of March, he has sired Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) winner Feroce (NZ), Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner Linebacker (NZ), Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner La Dorada (NZ) and Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) winner Maison Louis (NZ). His service fee has soared to $75,000 for the upcoming season. The NZB National Weanling Sale catalogue already featured the progeny of all three stallions, but the addition of Waikato Stud’s six supplementary entries has given the catalogue a substantial late boost. Lot 137 is a Savabeel colt out of Coolist, who is a daughter of Capitalist and the Group Two performer Sassy ‘N’ Smart (Smart Missile). Lot 137 Lot 138 is an Ardrossan colt out of the four-race winner Genius (NZ) (Savabeel), who is the dam of four winners from four foals to race. This colt’s half-brother Andalus (NZ) (Almanzor) was runner-up in the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) in 2023. The Super Seth colt catalogued as Lot 139 is out of the Savabeel mare Queen Leonora (NZ). Herself a three-race winner, Queen Leonora is a blood sister to stakes winner Synchronize (NZ) (Savabeel) and closely related to Group One winners Legs (NZ) (Pins), Guyno (NZ) (O’Reilly), Tiptronic (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Sixty Seconds (NZ) (Centaine). Lot 142 Lot 140 is an Ardrossan filly out of a three-quarter-sister to the Group Two Kewney Stakes (1400m) winner Do Ra Mi (NZ) (Savabeel). Lot 141 is a colt by Savabeel out of a half-sister to the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) runner-up Victory Magic (NZ) (Savabeel). The last member of the Waikato Stud draft, Lot 142, is a colt by Super Seth out of Wintour (NZ). The unraced Savabeel mare is a blood-sister to Australian Group Two winner and Group One placegetter Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel), while the third dam is multiple Group One winner Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat). “We’ve sold some quality weanlings through this sale over the years, with Jedibeel obviously a recent highlight, and we’re keen to support the sale again this year with a selection of what was a really good crop of foals this season,” Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick said. “They are some particularly strong and forward weanlings that we think can be offered for sale, giving buyers some good opportunities while also helping to manage our numbers leading into the yearling sales next season. Mark Chittick “We think a bit of them, so they’ll have reserves and they won’t be sold if they don’t make what we think is fair. “Our stallions are all going extremely well, none more so than Super Seth over the last few months – he’s been absolutely incredible. This sale is a great opportunity for people to get into the progeny of some proven and extremely hot sires.” All weanlings offered are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Millions Series. Graduates can compete for a share in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), followed by the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) as well as the new $1m Mega Maiden Series comprising of 40 non-Saturday maiden races located throughout New Zealand. Buyers wishing to attend are able to book their stays at the DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka hotel onsite here or by emailing travel@nzb.co.nz for assistance. View the catalogue here. The catalogue can also be viewed on the Equineline app for iPads/tablets, or the Thoroughworks mobile app. For more information, contact Bloodstock Sales Manager Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email kane.jones@nzb.co.nz, Sales Representative Patrick Cunningham on +64 21 512 466 or Patrick.Cunningham@nzb.co.nz or Andrew Buick at +64 27 555 0640 or email Andrew.Buick@nzb.co.nz. View the full article

The Taplin name has been absent from New Zealand racebooks over the past couple of years, but that all changed on Saturday at Tauranga when emerging apprentice Jack Taplin rode his first winner aboard Pacifico. Indentured to Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, Taplin had ridden Group One winner Mercurial and Group One performer Harlech on his opening day at the races at Te Rapa and then came close to breaking through during the week at Cambridge, with a runner-up result aboard Billy Lincoln. Prepared by Andrew Forsman, Pacifico was Taplin’s sole ride at the Tauranga meeting, starting second-favourite behind Monday Melody in the Michael Montgomery Memorial (1600m). With the advantage of the inside draw and a four-kilogram claim, Pacifico found the lead with relative ease. Having crossed from a wide draw, Maldini sat outside the leader through the mid-stages, but was directed wide in the straight by Michael McNab, while Taplin hugged the rail and went for home on Pacifico. It came right down to the wire, but Pacifico had the edge late to deliver for Taplin and his father Ian, who was on course. “He jumped away well enough and cruised up to the front,” Taplin said. “I spoke with Mr Forsman and we watched the race beforehand and made a decision to stick to the rail. With the four kilos off, it definitely helped. “It was awesome and pretty extraordinary to have Dad over here, he came over last week for my first ride and he thought, ‘bugger it, I’ll stay’, because I had Billy Lincoln on Wednesday, who we thought would go really close. “After that, he decided to just stay on again for Saturday, and he was over the moon with excitement.” The 21-year-old was born and raised in Southland, with his mother Kerry Taplin training thoroughbreds for over 20 years, accumulating 177 wins domestically, 60 of those in partnership with Ian. They prepared horses, often with names associated with ‘Tap’, from their dairy farm at Isla Bank. In mid-2022, the couple decided to pursue their dream of breeding and training horses in Australia and relocated to the Sunshine Coast, where Taplin became more involved in the industry. While working for his parents, he was also closely associated with Sheila Laxon and her Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Knight’s Choice. “I was around the horses growing up down south and rode trackwork when I was younger, then when I was about 16, I stepped away from the racing for a few years,” Taplin said. “I really got back into it when we moved over to Australia, working for Sheila Laxon and my parents. I rode Knight’s Choice in trackwork for a long time and I took him down to Sydney for the Golden Eagle (A$10 million, 1500m), so seeing him win the Melbourne Cup was pretty awesome. “For Mum and Dad, there have been a few standouts, including the Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m) in New Zealand with Ritani. I’d actually flown back from Australia that day and surprised them on course, and she won. “A couple of years ago, we took a horse (Tapildoodledo) down to Sydney for the Tulloch Stakes (Gr.2, 2000m), it was the lead-up to the Derby and a Group Two. We’d set him up for the race and he managed to win at Rosehill, which was a huge thrill.” Laxon was the first to present the idea of an apprenticeship to Taplin, and after assessing his options, returning to his home country appealed, albeit with a big shift in climate. “About two years ago, Sheila asked me how light I was, and I was quite light, so she said ‘why don’t you be a jockey?’,” he said. “I thought I’d give it a go, but in Queensland, it takes a long time to get the paperwork and everything through to become an apprentice. Dad knows Rick Williams really well, so he gave him a ring and because Rick has horses with Stephen, he pointed us in his direction, which was a big help. “I’ve been here for about two months and I don’t mind the cold, so it’s not too bad, but it is a hell of a difference coming from a very, very hot summer in Queensland over the last six months or so. “It’s a bit of a shock to the body, but I’m getting used to it now.” Taplin hopes to continue his winning momentum at Pukekohe on Wednesday, with three rides secured across the meeting. The first of those, Intoxicated, will represent the Marsh barn in the Stella Artois 1600, while Ortega lines up in the Trackside.co.nz 1400. “I’ve got three rides at Pukekohe at the moment, then I’ll speak to Stephen in the morning about whether I’ll go down to Trentham or up to Ruakaka on Saturday,” Taplin said. “I’ve ridden both horses quite a lot in trackwork and Intoxicated is probably my best chance of the day, he’s working well and is in good form. Ortega won a couple of starts ago and she’ll be a fair chance as well, she’ll relish the ground there.” Completing his book of rides is Arjay’s Flight, a Shaun Phelan-trained gelding contesting the Horizon By SkyCity 1600. View the full article

Bernie’s Ego scored a popular victory at Te Aroha on Sunday when taking out the Bottle O Maiden (1150m) for trainer and part-owner Frank Neill. The Te Awamutu horseman had been pleased with the eight-year-old son of Ego heading into the weekend, but wasn’t confident of a positive result over the short trip, which was shared by punters, who let him drift out to $41.80 at the jump. However, Bernie’s Ego belied those odds when storming home late out wide in the hands of apprentice jockey Joe Nishizuka to score by three-quarters of a length over Eligius, much to the delight of Neill. “I knew he was well, but I didn’t think he would win over that distance,” he said. “He proved what I thought he had all the way along. He has shown a bit of talent, but I have never been able to get it out of him properly.” A homebred, Neill has taken his time with the gelding, who had a hiatus from racing after making his debut three years ago, and Neill is delighted his patience has paid off. “He bled, so he had 12 months off,” Neill said. “He is not a big horse, but he has got a big stride on him. It was great to get the win yesterday.” Neill is kept busy with his job as the Waipa track manager, but enjoys maintaining a hands-on role with horses, something he has enjoyed since his youth. “My father had a horse when he went sharemilking and I have been on a horse since I was in nappies,” he said. “I rode track work for the old man and held an amateur (jockey) licence for a little while but only had the one race ride. I enjoyed being on the back of a horse. “I was a fitter, welder, fabricator and I always had a horse, then the job of track manager was offered to me at Waipa and I accepted it and I have been here for five years.” Sunday’s victory was Neill’s seventh career win, and first since the 2017/18 season, with Bernie’s Ego’s half-brother Bransome giving Neill the majority of those wins. “I bred him, and he is a half-brother to Bransome that ran around a couple of years before him,” Neill said. “Bransome had crook feet and getting three wins in a row with him was very rewarding.” With Bernie’s Ego’s maiden win now under his belt, Neill is hoping he can quickly add to his tally. “We might go to Tauranga in a fortnight, depending on the track,” he said. View the full article

Expat Mauritian jockey Abhay Seesa made the perfect start to his riding career at Te Aroha on Sunday when winning the JT Carter Plumbers Amateur Riders (2200m) aboard Dancin In The Dark for his employer Ralph Manning. Seesa has been working for the Cambridge horseman for the last couple of years, and he was excited to bring up his first win for Manning. “I was very excited as it was my dream,” Seesa said. “To get my first win with my first ride was great, and it was great to get the win for my boss. A big thanks to my boss, who has supported me and continues to support me.” Seesa was confident of a bold showing from his charge, and he was delighted that came to fruition at the Waikato track. “I was quite confident because the horse was working really well at the stable and my boss was also very confident,” Seesa said. “He told me not to try and go too wide and I followed his instructions.” While loving life in the saddle, a career as a jockey wasn’t always at the forefront of Seesa’s mind, admitting his passion for horsepower lay elsewhere when growing up. “My involvement with horses came out of nowhere,” he said. “I didn’t plan on becoming a jockey because my biggest passion when growing up was cars. “When I was 15-years-old, one of my cousins told me that I have got good weight and stature to be a jockey, so I said I would try. “When I rode my first horse, I was thinking that if I became a jockey, it would be fun, and I would have a good future. I started to really like it, and it became another passion of mine. “I dropped out of school when I was 16-years-old and I started working with horses (in a racing stable) as ground staff in 2019. I worked in that role for a couple of years and started riding track work in 2021.” Seesa was hopeful of attaining his jockey licence in Mauritius, but became frustrated with the process and his father raised the idea of pursuing his chosen vocation elsewhere. “We were talking about other countries and I wasn’t particularly into the idea because I wasn’t ready to leave my family,” he said. “But Dad spoke with my boss, Mr Ralph Manning, on Facebook and I arrived in New Zealand in January, 2023.” While initially against the idea of moving abroad, Seesa is loving his time in New Zealand and was thankful he made the move. “I love it, even being away from family,” he said. “It’s a beautiful country and racing is really good here.” While intent on gaining his apprentice licence this year, Seesa elected to apply for his amateur jockey licence in order to gain raceday riding experience before commencing his apprenticeship. It is a well-worn path, recently showcased by in-form apprentices Hayley Hassman and Amber Riddell, and Seesa is hoping he can benefit from the added experience. “I was meant to get my apprentice licence this winter, but I have only had 17 trials, which isn’t enough, so I missed out on this intake, and they proposed for me to get my amateur licence,” he said. “I was feeling ready to ride in a race, so I applied for the amateur licence, and I got it three days before my first ride. “It (amateur riding) is great to get more experience. When I become an apprentice and riding in races I won’t be panicked, I will be confident about my ride, and I won’t be nervous.” Seesa continues to have his sights set on commencing his apprenticeship, but said he will focus on the amateur ranks, with the view of transitioning to the professional ranks next year. View the full article

Jamie Richards has copped the two extremes of the barrier draw for Wednesday night’s Happy Valley fixture but he was relieved to see Seasons Wit come out unscathed with the inside gate for the Class Three St George’s Challenge Cup (1,000m). His speedster has relished the drop back to the minimum distance in his past two starts after plying his trade over further for most of this campaign. All four of his wins have come over Wednesday’s course and distance and he returned to form with a bang when...View the full article

Harry Bentley heads to Happy Valley on Wednesday night in strong form and in the midst of one of his best months of the season after snaring Sunday night’s Sha Tin finale aboard Flying Fortress. Flying Fortress’ victory in a hot Class Three Amethyst Handicap (1,400m) was Bentley’s fourth for June and left him on the verge of breaking into the top 10 in the jockeys’ premiership with 29 successes for the season. “It was a great result. He’s been running well, obviously having won a couple of...View the full article