Wandering Eyes

The showmen are the backbone of the sales industry. From showing the horse to taking it to the ring, their hard work and knowledge are vital to every operation.View the full article

The son of Valiant Minister finished 1 1/2 lengths back in second in the Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races Aug. 23. Prior to that, the colt was a distant third in the Saudi Derby (G3).View the full article

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner–Luna Rosa, by Malibu Moon), one of the early-book favorites for this spring's GI Kentucky Derby following an impressive win in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and third-place finish as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall, could return to action in the GIII Perryville Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 19. Locked missed a pair of intended starts earlier this spring, including the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park Mar. 2, and was subsequently taken out of training by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher due to a knee injury. “Locked was sidelined prior to the Fountain of Youth with a rare injury to a ligament at the back of his left knee,” Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners President & Founder Aron Wellman said. “Some of the most renowned vets had never seen this type of injury before, and thanks to Todd Pletcher and his staff for catching some ever so subtle occasional missteps Locked took intermittently, along with modern medical technology, we were able to identify the issue before it became a more serious problem. We gave Locked ample time to heal and Ian Brennan and his team did their usual first-class job rehabbing Locked at Stonestreet Farm in Ocala before he returned to Todd at Saratoga in early August.” Locked has posted six workouts at Pletcher's Saratoga base, including a pair of four-furlong breezes in :50 (9/23) and :49.49 (19/71) over the Oklahoma training track Sept. 8 and Sept. 15, respectively. “He most recently really stepped up his game with a pretty serious half-mile move with a big-time gallop-out,” Wellman said. “We never want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but we're on the brink of circling a comeback race target. Locked is a Grade I winner, but he's still eligible for a 2x allowance. Unfortunately, unless there's an extra put up in New York or Kentucky, none of the current allowance races are at the right time or the right distance, so we may have to get a bit creative. “Although we know he wants two turns and then some, a race like the Perryville going seven furlongs against 3-year-olds is on our radar. We'd love to have Locked primed for the Pegasus World Cup in January, so if we use the Perryville to get him going it puts the Cigar Mile or the Harlan's Holiday in play as next steps to accomplishing our goal of the Pegasus.” Wellman concluded, “Naturally, this all hinges on Locked's cooperation. We know he has the talent, so it will all boil down to executing the game plan, but for now, we're very pleased with his condition and progress.” Hailing from the third crop of leading young sire Gun Runner, Locked was produced by a winning half-sister to MGISW Gabby's Golden Gal (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW & GISP Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). The Gun Runner/Malibu Moon cross is already responsible for GISW Sierra Leone and GSWs Shotgun Hottie and Runninsonofagun. Locked, a $425,000 Keeneland September yearling, is also bred similarly to MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner), who is out of a Flatter mare. The post Locked Gearing Up at Saratoga, Keeneland’s Perryville a Potential Comeback Target appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

If you are wondering why your horse was disqualified in a New York Racing Association race, there's now a place to which you can turn.View the full article

3rd-BAQ, $90k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 2:09 p.m. ET GUN BARREL CITY (Frankel {GB}), whose world-class sire needs no introduction, is set to become the latest starter from Mrs McDougal (Medaglia d'Oro), twice a winner at the graded level and third in the GI Just A Game Stakes on the grass when conditioned by Chad Brown for Mr. & Mrs. William Warren. Steve Young went to a sales-topping $1.6 million on behalf of the Basses at the 2018 Keeneland January Sale and the mare has excelled in her second career, producing last year's GII Twilight Derby hero Seal Team to the cover of War Front. Second dam Distorted Passion (Distorted Humor) was a three-time stakes winner and two-times graded-stakes placed, while her dam Arianna's Passion (Unbridled's Song) was also a black-type winner. TJCIS PPs 9th-BAQ, $90k, Msw, 2yo, 6fT, 5:15 p.m. ET Celestine (Scat Daddy) defeated the aforementioned Mrs McDougal into third in the 2016 Just A Game and she is represented by the debuting SILENT DREAMER (Into Mischief) in the BAQ finale. Trainer to her elite-level score by Bill Mott, Celestine was knocked down to Moyglare Stud for $2.55 million at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale, the third-dearest price behind Unrivaled Belle and Secret Gesture (GB). Celestine is a half-sister to MSW Haunted Heroine (Ghostzapper), the dam of the versatile GSW Law Professor (Constitution); and to MSW Silent Sting (Silent Name {Jpn}). TJCIS PPs 5th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 6:56 p.m. ET ADMIRAL DENNIS (Constitution), a son of SW Gulf Coast (Union Rags), was purchased by Albaugh Family Stable for $425,0000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale. A grandson of GIII Bourbonette Oaks third Sweet Success (Candy Ride {Arg}), the Mar. 1 foal is a full-brother to a yearling colt that was purchased by Spendthrift Farm and Bregman Family Racing for $500,000 during the opening week at this year's KEESEP sale. TJCIS PPs The post Thursday Insights: Bass Homebred Packs a Pedigree Punch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Precise Timing, Alex Cruz, and Justin Evans were the big winners as Emerald Downs wrapped up its 29th season of live racing Sept. 15.View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the HIWU “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 09/12/2024 Licensee: Robert James Gherardi, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Vet list medication violation for the presence of Firocoxib–controlled medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Kell's Kiss on 8/6/24. Date: 09/12/2024 Licensee: Bill Mott, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Flunixin–controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Authorize, who was euthanized after pulling up in a race at Aqueduct on 4/26/24. Read more on the story here. Pending ADMC Violations 09/18/2024, Christopher Fung, trainer: Provisional suspension for a medication violation for the presence of Clenbuterol–classed as a banned substance but permitted under tightly controlled circumstances–in a sample taken from Anointed King, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 8/20/24. 09/18/2024, Chris Englehart, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol–controlled medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Hypnocurrency, who won at Finger Lakes on 7/30/24. 09/18/2024, Jesse Compton, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Cannabidiol (CBD)–controlled medication (Class B)–in a sample taken from Sisaway Now, who finished second at Prairie Meadows on 7/14/24. 09/16/2024, Dawn Fontenot, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol–controlled medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Molly's Little Lue, who won at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 7/10/24. 09/12/2024, Dr. Nicola Hardgrove, veterinarian: Provisional suspension for possession of Arsil–a banned substance–for an event dated 7/23/24. 09/12/2024, Joseph Davis, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–controlled medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Mr Discount, who won at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 7/6/24. Violations of Crop Rule One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race. Delaware Park Jose Batista–violation date Sept. 13; One-day suspension, $250 fine Jonathan Lloyd–violation date Sept. 13; Three-day suspension, $500 fine Fresno Adrian Castellanos–violation date Sept. 13; Two-day suspension, $500 fine Hawthorne Travis Wales–violation date Sept. 12; One-day suspension, $250 fine Horseshoe Indianapolis Andres Ulloa–violation date Sept. 12; One-day suspension, $250 fine Los Alamitos Edwin Maldenado–violation date Sept. 13; One-day suspension, $250 fine Remington Park Rene Diaz–violation date Sept. 13; Two-day suspension, $500 fine Ezequiel Lara–violation date Sept. 13; One-day suspension, $250 fine Thistledown Angel Diaz–violation date Sept. 12; One-day suspension, $250 fine The TDN also publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. California Los Alamitos Francisco Ramirez–violation date Sept. 15; Seven-day suspension, careless riding The post Weekly Rulings: Stewards and Commissions Rulings, Sept. 12-18 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The reputation of Yorkshire as the cradle of the Thoroughbred was reinforced through some of the key results of the Irish Champions Festival last weekend. Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) provided a reminder of the importance of his birthplace, the Reed family's Copgrove Hall Stud, where his broodmare sire, the Arc winner Peintre Celebre, had grazed as a youngster. His dam, the dual Group 2 winner La Pomme d'Amour (GB), a third-generation Guy Reed homebred, resides there still. Just a little farther south from Copgrove lives Deborah O'Brien, the breeder of treble Group 1 winner and star of the sprinting ranks, Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}). She may not keep her broodmares at home but as a resident of Goldsborough in North Yorkshire, O'Brien could hardly be closer to the roots of the Thoroughbred breed. It was at Goldsborough Hall that Captain Byerley stood his old war horse, The Byerley Turk, one of the three acknowledged foundation stallions. The Byerley Turk's male-line has all but petered out but he has nevertheless played an immensely significant role over the last three centuries in the development of the breed as we know it. O'Brien has now written her own chapter in the breeding history books, and it was one which she has carefully researched and painstakingly developed over four generations of Bradsell's female family. Members of that clan including Bradsell's dam Russian Punch (GB) (Archipenko) and his young sister by Oasis Dream (GB), are based at Bearstone Stud in Shropshire. “I must admit, the Byerley Turk's descendants haven't tended to mix well with my mares, despite the fact I would like to help out,” says O'Brien, who says that she “can hardly believe” that she is now associated with a horse such as Bradsell, whose roll of honour includes the King's Stand, Nunthorpe and Flying Five Stakes at the top level, plus the G2 Coventry Stakes. “Isn't he astonishing? He's absolutely marvellous. I love him to bits,” she adds. It was the Nunthorpe, in her home county, which gave the breeder the most pleasure, especially as she was invited into the parade ring beforehand by Oliver St Lawrence, who manages Victorious Racing for owner Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa. “Oliver was just so absolutely lovely,” she continues. “He said that we would be welcome to join them in the ring. And then of course, it was the celebrations afterwards, so it made it absolutely amazing. I actually got to touch Bradsell again. You know what it's like when you sell them young.” Bradsell had left O'Brien's ownership as a yearling, when sold through Bearstone for 12,000gns at Tattersalls. The following spring he was back in the ring, this time up at Doncaster, where he fetched £47,000 and joined the stable of Archie Watson. After his extraordinary nine-length win on debut at York a month later he changed hands again and, on his next start, became an important first Royal Ascot winner for his Bahraini owner. “It is a feature of the family that they all want to win, they all want to run. Some of them in a very limited way, but they all still try,” says O'Brien, and she would know, having bred his first three dams and raced them in her own colours, having first become involved in racehorse ownership through his fourth dam, Champenoise (GB) (Forzando {GB}). “He was bred to be quick. I've come to the conclusion, with the mare, that she's usually better with something speedy. She's got quite a lot of stamina in her own family. Archipenko was a mile-and-a-quarter horse, and she's got stamina back in the pedigree,” she says. Trained by James Given, Russian Punch, now 12, showed plenty of precocity herself, winning on debut at two in May and then twice more in her juvenile season, which ended with victory in the Listed Radley Stakes at Newbury. “I absolutely adore Russian Punch, because I lost her mother carrying the next foal. She'd only had two foals, and only one filly. So she was, and is, incredibly special,” she adds. “I got into the family originally as just a small partner in a share in Champenoise. Then she went to the sales, Michael Bell bought her, and we rolled in and joined into that partnership as well. And then she was sold for more than I could afford, went up to Ron Barr, who trained her, and I'd always said to them, 'If anything goes wrong, I'd love to have her back.' She got injured and I bought her back for the princely sum of a thousand pounds. “She bred me seven or eight winners, all very quick, but I wanted to improve each generation, if I could, within a reasonable budget. And, thank the Lord, I have managed to do exactly that. And, of course, every breeder's dream is to breed a stallion, isn't it?” That dream is doubtless close to being fulfilled as there are reportedly several offers in play for Bradsell when he graduates to his second career, which is hardly a surprise given his achievements to date. It hasn't all been plain sailing since Bradsell left the fold. His half-brother by Ulysses (Ire) fetched £150,000 at the yearling sales, but then Russian Punch lost her Twilight Son (GB) filly the following year and then had to be rested for a season. O'Brien does however have a special filly from the mare to spark a new dream. “She was conceived on Valentine's Day and born on our ruby wedding anniversary, so she's going nowhere, except to race of course, and she's already called Ruby Punch. Oasis Dream is a very good broodmare sire and she's a lovely specimen.” I just bumbled along quietly, and bred lots of winners, but not so that anybody really noticed me With Tasleet having been sold to stand in India, the mare is now in foal to another son of Showcasing (GB) in Soldier's Call (GB). It is a mating which has the Juddmonte full-sisters Hope (Ire) and Wemyss Bight (GB) on the top and bottom of the pedigree, a pattern which pleases the mathematician's eye of the breeder. “That was why I was doing it with Tasleet, to get that,” she says. “So I thought the closest thing I can do is use Soldier's Call. It's in the same place in the pedigree, and fingers crossed that might turn out to be good.” O'Brien admits that her broodmare band has “crept up to seven”, all of whom board at Bearstone, which she first visited when looking for a mate for Champenoise and decided upon Nureyev's son Tragic Role. “When I had spare time I'd go to the TBA library, which was my only resource at the time,” she says. “I think my interest in pedigrees grew a little from that, but also because I'm a mathematician by degree, and I just like the patterns and the thought process behind it. I don't follow any specific theories, but I just have a sort of gut feeling, looking at things, whether they're right or wrong, and I do go back about 10 or 12 generations. I don't use somebody to help me, I do it myself.” O'Brien continues, “I'm not hands-on with the horses, so that's really my big input. The plan: where they go, and why they go. “I believe in all of the mares. I believe they can all produce good horses, if I get it right. Sometimes, like with Champenoise, you have to develop the family before what's in the history comes out again. I thought the world of Archipenko and I was really upset when he died, because I had grand plans. I think, again, blood will out. It doesn't always do it for that individual, but it will come out somewhere else.” The careful planning has certainly been rewarding for the breeder, if not in the most obvious commercial sense. She says, “I am actually still slightly unbelieving of it, and completely overwhelmed, but he has undoubtedly changed my life. My social calendar suddenly erupted when Bradsell won the Coventry. Ascot do the breeders' lunch, which was absolutely amazing. For breeders to get acknowledged like that is fantastic. And then all the big studs invite you to all sorts of occasions, and I've never really thought about anything like that at all. I just bumbled along quietly, and bred lots of winners, but not so that anybody really noticed me.” The horse who made sure people did sit up and take notice was named after the “cocktail king” and inventor of the Russian Punch, Dick Bradsell. There was no particular fizz to the young colt, however, who is described by O'Brien as “uncomplicated”. She says, “He didn't stand out from the crowd but he had a lovely physique, and he got in the Somerville Sale that year. I thought he should net me 20,000, which would have been a profit, and he made 12,000, which wasn't. I still joke that I'm the only one that never made any money out of him. I think a lot of people passed over him because he wasn't big.” She has three yearlings heading to Book 3 of the October Sale in a few weeks, including a Mohaather (GB) filly out of Tawaasul (GB), a Ulysses half-sister to the Listed Rockingham Stakes winner Vintage Brut (GB), and a Mattmu (GB) colt from the same family. “The way the market is at the moment this year doesn't give huge confidence, but I hope they find good homes and go to good trainers. That's all I can really ask,” she says. “I owe a lot to Archie and Hollie [Doyle], because Bradsell ended up in the right place to be a good horse. I love seeing him and Hollie together. They're a pair of pocket rockets. “I always thought he'd make a nice sprinter, but I'm bowled over by how good he is. I'd been trying to breed a good horse, obviously, as we all do, and trying to find the pedigrees to do it, but you never know which way the genetic dice will roll.” The post Breeding Bradsell: ‘He has Undoubtedly Changed my Life’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This week's radio and television schedule for racing from America's Best Racing.View the full article

Group 1 winner Anmaat (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), who won the G2 Prix Dollar in the autumn of 2022, is targeting the race again prior to a crack at the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot, trainer Owen Burrows revealed. The Shadwell runner, who was second in the G3 Gordon Richards Stakes and a winner of the G1 Prix d'Ispahan both in 2023, went missing for 439 days afterwards. He resumed with a victory in the G3 Rose Of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock on Aug. 10, and had been a potential candidate for the G1 Irish Champion Stakes, but did not participate. “Anmaat's going to go to the Prix Dollar on Arc weekend,” he said. “That's the plan for him, and then if all went well he could go for the Champion Stakes a few weeks later. We'll get France out of the way first and keep our fingers crossed. “We felt the Irish Champion would have been throwing him to the wolves a little bit, he's a Group 1 winner already but we liked the idea of giving him the Group 2 race and then, all being well, he could back it up two weeks later. “We're really pleased with how he is, he's in a really good place so fingers crossed he can stay there for the next two weeks and go in the form he's in at the minute.” The post Champion Stakes Is The Long-Term Target, As Anmaat Aims For Another Prix Dollar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

To many, no doubt, her genetic contribution is by now too attenuated to merit attention. At the very least, however, it must be acknowledged an impressive coincidence that the winners of both the GIII Iroquois Stakes and GIII Pocahontas Stakes–whose shared value, as reconnaissance for the Classics over the same track next May, is recognized by allocation of the first starting points–should share as sixth dam the Darby Dan foundation mare Golden Trail. The Golden Trail dynasty entwines such productive lines as those branded by Memories of Silver, Sunshine Forever and Brian's Time. Foaled in 1958, Golden Trail had completed a modest racing career when acquired by John W. Galbreath from the Isabel Dodge Sloane dispersal in 1962. Sloane had bred Golden Trail by sending a half-sister to her 1958 Acorn Stakes winner Big Effort to Hasty Road–a sire who ultimately recycled his tremendous constitution primarily through his daughters, none more so than the one who produced Forego. Golden Trail would prove another luminous example. Jonathan's Way | Coady Media Galbreath eventually “married” Golden Trail to Graustark, who sired 11 of her last 12 foals (from 17 overall). But that charismatic horse was only born the same spring that Golden Trail was mated with Olympia to produce her second foal, On the Trail. While the latter never made the racetrack, she opened an early conduit for the Golden Trail blood as dam of Darby Creek Road (whose 1:20.40 over 7f at Saratoga has now survived a 46th summer) and second dam of that splendid influence, Dynaformer. Though On the Trail herself remained an eligible date for Graustark, they only had a single foal together. That was Regal Road, who has already achieved distinction as third dam of Monarchos–and now comes to notice as fourth dam of Jonathan's Way (Vekoma). The Iroquois winner is the latest discovery for Rigney Racing by John Moynihan, who emboldened his clients to go to $290,000 for an Ohio-bred weanling when discovering him in the Brookdale consignment at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale. He was bred by Turfway trainer Susan Anderson from Female Drama (Indian Charlie), one of just three broodmares at her lay-up farm near Milford, Ohio. This branch of the dynasty had seemed to go fairly cold by 1998, when Darby Dan culled a dual winner by Dixieland Band out of Regal Road's daughter by Roberto. But she promptly produced a dual Group 1 winner in Argentina and subsequently Female Drama, who won both her juvenile starts at Belmont (a maiden and a sprint stakes) before failing to consolidate at three. Female Drama has entertained a fairly mixed range of suitors and, while all six of her starters have won, it is to Vekoma's credit that she has now produced a much brighter talent. We'll give him some consideration in the next item. As for Pocahontas winner La Cara (Street Sense), she traces to Golden Trail's second foal by Graustark, Java Moon. Herself winner of the GIII Comely Stakes, Java Moon has become celebrated as the link between Golden Trail and one of the most cherished families in the Darby Dan story: she recurs as granddam of Memories of Silver (Silver Hawk); third dam of Winter Memories (El Prado {Ire}); and fourth of To Honor and Serve and Angela Renee, both by Bernardini, Grade I winners all. La Cara | Coady Media The latter pair were out of the stakes-winning Deputy Minister mare Pilfer, whose Grade II-placed dam Misty Hour (by Miswaki out of Java Moon's unraced daughter by Nijinsky) had been sold by Darby Dan as a yearling. Pilfer was cashed out to Three Chimneys for $1.95 million after the rise of To Honor and Serve, but his two most accomplished siblings turned out to be already on the ground: Angela Renee, then a weanling, went on to win the GI Chandelier Stakes before herself being sold for $3 million; while Elnaawi (Street Sense) had run a promising third on his sole juvenile start, later becoming a Grade I-placed stakes winner. Nonetheless Three Chimneys could retrieve their investment in Pilfer by selling the colt (naturally by Bernardini) she had been carrying in utero for $750,000 as a yearling, plus two subsequent full-sisters for $1.5 million and $500,000. The latter transaction was made by Tracy Farmer. While his filly, named Cara Caterina, could not eke out a win from eight maiden starts, Farmer sent her to Street Sense for her first cover. Her dam, remember, had given the Darley stallion Elnaawi, while the same cross with a Bernardini mare had just produced Maxfield. The result is La Cara. It was Cara Caterina's sire who prompted our recent reflections on broodmare sires, after daughters of Bernardini produced the winners of both the juvenile Grade Is closing out the Saratoga meet. The subject could be seamlessly resumed after this race, both La Cara and runner-up Liam in the Dust (Liam's Map) being out of Bernardini mares. La Cara, indeed, is an absolute poster girl for the whole phenomenon: her second and third dams by Deputy Minister and Miswaki. Whatever she may yet achieve on the track, La Cara will surely make a broodmare. Vekoma On His Way It's a nice problem to have, for sure. But the astounding purses at Kentucky Downs are such that we have now seen the freshman standings skewed by a single performance. Of course, we've become used to similar distortions of the general sires' list when earnings are bloated by desert plunder in the first weeks of the year. Admittedly Into Mischief is so dominant that he has absorbed that challenge very comfortably. This year, in fact, he took the additional precaution of himself siring the G1 Dubai World Cup winner, and as a result will soon break his own record on his way to a sixth consecutive title. (He's up to $27 million already in 2024, closing on the $28.5 million he banked two years ago.) But for now the venerable Mineshaft still clings to second, his three black-type scorers happening to include the G1 Saudi Cup winner, who accounts for 80 percent of his bank. The situation is nothing like so extreme with Tiz The Law, whose son Tiztastic has catapulted him to the top of the freshman table by winning the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile, a listed race carrying a first prize 3.5 larger than the GI Hopeful Stakes a few days previously. Having already pocketed $150,000 in an allowance at Kentucky Downs, Tiztastic has contributed half the earnings so far accumulated by the first crop of Tiz The Law. To be fair, in working from a somewhat narrower base than some peers with 82 named foals, the Ashford stallion has made a perfectly respectable start overall. Besides his premier earner, nine of his other 29 starters are off the mark, including Out On Bail, winner of the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga. But while Complexity is the one still punching above weight, alone boasting two graded stakes and three stakes scorers, last weekend was unmistakably a landmark one for the horse who has for now inserted himself between him and Tiz The Law. Vekoma | Autry Graham While Vekoma has the biggest armada of the class, with 140 named foals, he need not seek too far beyond his own stall for evidence that sheer weight of numbers won't always guarantee a flying start. And his 19 winners from 47 so far through the gate now include Jonathan's Way, the GIII Iroquois Stakes winner whose antecedents are discussed above. The same day, moreover, Vekoma only just missed the GI Natalma Stakes when Vixen was foiled by a neck. The son of Candy Ride (Arg) retired with a highly commercial profile, as a GI Met Mile/GI Carter Handicap winner, out of a single-turn Grade I scorer from the family of Street Sense and Mr. Greeley. His rather eccentric action did not discourage a staggering debut book of 222 mares, with another 408 through the revolving door across the next two seasons. Nor did the consequent congestion of the market prevent him converting a $20,000 opening fee into a $60,000 median for 102 sold from 120 yearlings offered last year. His positive start on the track has been reflected in the prices so far commanded by his second crop, headlined by $625,000 and $600,000 transactions at Keeneland last week. Vekoma is making the familiar farm model function well, then, with breeders trading potential catalogue inundation for an accessible fee, and has been kept in the game at $15,000 the last couple of years. It's still early days, of course. But that's just as well for one or two of his peers, and you'd certainly rather be where this horse is right now. His own template, having excelled at four after a long post-Derby layoff, suggests that his stock should thrive with maturity. Even as it is, with six stakes performers to date, he's matching all his quantity with strong hints of quality. Taking the Blame One More Time Returning to broodmare sires, Saturday was another day of precocious achievement in that sphere for Blame when his daughter Complicated produced And One More Time (Omaha Beach) to win the GI Natalma Stakes at Woodbine. And One More Time | Michael Burns Claiborne could duly celebrate a further upgrade for the $300,000 War Front filly out of Complicated they purchased at Saratoga in August. Even since the sale, the page had been decorated by a first graded success (a valuable Grade II at Kentucky Downs) for the mare's sophomore Simply In Front (Summer Front), who had finished runner-up in the Natalma last year. With their 4-year-old sibling Honor D Lady (Honor Code) having already done her bit, romping in the GII Delaware Handicap in July, Complicated can be credited with a pretty extraordinary achievement: graded stakes wins from three consecutive foals within barely two months. Of her two previous foals, incidentally, one was unraced and the other, Churchtown (Air Force Blue), is a stakes winner who missed a Grade II podium by a nose last summer. All these have been bred by William Harrigan and Mike Pietrangelo. We can't attribute all this success exclusively to Blame, for whom Complicated's trio are among 14 graded stakes winners already as damsire. For she extends a distinguished Phipps line, having left that program on retirement from the racetrack for $110,000 at the Keeneland November Sale of 2016. Her dam Consequence (El Prado {Ire}) was a Grade II-placed stakes winner on turf out of millionaire Educated Risk (Mr. Prospector), herself half-sister to a still more accomplished racemare in champion Inside Information (Private Account). Live Oak Plantation will duly have factored her residual value into the $750,000 they gave for And One More Time at Saratoga last year. Whatever help he has received from Complicated, of course, Omaha Beach can gratefully incorporate And One More Time into a snowballing second campaign, not least at Woodbine where he recently provided King's Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness. Omaha Beach finished behind three cheaper neighbors in Spendthrift's private race for the freshman title last year, but the cream has risen with their first sophomores and he now tops the second-season sires' table, whether cumulatively or this year, on most indices. This class has admittedly fallen short of historic standards, in their aggregate of graded stakes winners, but Omaha Beach is consolidating with 21 black-type performers overall at 15 percent of named foals. In terms of his synergy with Blame, there's a striking echo between the pair. For a start, both are out of Seeking the Gold mares. But Omaha Beach is additionally by Danzig's son War Front, while Blame's sire Arch is out of a Danzig mare. Running From the Law Not that War Front himself is done just yet, the noble veteran notching his 25th elite scorer last weekend through Full Count Felicia's runaway exhibition in the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes. War Front | Claiborne Fast as she went, she wasn't ever going to stop with so much elite European staying blood to draw upon. Her dam is a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to three female nuggets in Moonstone (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), L'Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), and her sister Cerulean Sky (Ire), runner-up in this same race 25 years ago. Their dam Solo de Lune (Ire) was by one of the dourest influences in the modern breed, Law Society. He would today be treated as commercial poison, but other stars out of his daughters include Classic winner/producer Love Divine (GB) (Diesis {GB}); champion Japanese sire Manhattan Café (Jpn) (Sunday Silence); and dual French Classic winner Brametot (Ire) (Rajsaman {Fr}). The post Breeding Digest: Twin Trails Lead To Churchill Gold appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Victories to Sweet Briar, Forever Glorious and Brave Star kick-start the veteran handler’s 2024-25 campaign.View the full article

The $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing attracted one of the stars of the Triple Crown. Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey is among a field of 11 as he looks to get back on the winning track after losses in his past two starts.View the full article

The events comprising the Henry Cecil Open Weekend I Newmarket on Sept. 21-22 were revealed on Wednesday. A total of 26 trainers will open their yards to the public, while there will also be the My Pension Expert Racing Personality Show Jumping Competition and the My Pension Expert Shetland Pony Grand National among other events. In addition to raising money for the events charity partners–Newmarket Housing Trust and Racing Welfare–the open weekend is also part of National Racehorse Week. Access to the British Racing School, the Injured Jockeys Fund's fitness and rehab centre – Peter O'Sullevan House, Jockey Club Rooms, Rossdales Equine Hospital and Godolphin Lifetime Care at Woodditton are available on Saturday, Sept. 21. Visitors can also learn about the breeding process and meet the resident stallions at The National Stud however tours are now sold out. At 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, visitors are invited to attend the main sales ring at Tattersalls to learn about the oldest firm of horse auctioneers in the world and hear from an auctioneer on how he sells high priced bloodstock. Beginning at 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, over a quarter century of trainer will open their yards, including Louise Allan, Hilal Kobeissi, Martin Dunne, Patrick Owens, George Margarson, Simon Pearce, Jack Jones, James Horton, Ben Brookhouse, William Knight, Stuart Williams, Sir Mark Prescott Bt, Amy Murphy, Dylan Cunha, Tom Clover, James Tate, Alice Haynes, James Ferguson, Harry Eustace, Charlie Fellowes, George Scott, Kevin Philippart de Foy, Marco Botti, Michael Bell, Simon and Ed Crisford and John and Thady Gosden. General admission to the National Horseracing Museum (NHRM) costs £5 per day during the Henry Cecil Open Weekend when you show your Open Weekend wristband. The Charlie Hills trained former champion sprinter, Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), will be at the museum over the weekend for guests to meet on the hour from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Also on Sunday and beginning at 8 a.m. until 8:45 a.m., fans can see horses gallop on the Warren Hill Gallops sponsored by Tattersalls, among them G1 Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). For a weekend wristband purchased in advance on the Henry Cecil Open Weekend website, the price is £15, while it is £20 per person when purchased over the weekend. Children aged 16 years and under are free. Charlie Fellowes, chairman of The Henry Cecil Open Weekend, said, “We are delighted to be welcoming visitors back to Newmarket for the Henry Cecil Open Weekend. Our revised format will be introduced for the first time this year which has seen unprecedented support from trainers opening their doors on a biannual basis, we hope visitors will enjoy the action packed two days we have in store as there really is something for all the family to enjoy. “Named in honour of the great Sir Henry Cecil this weekend is all about celebration. We hope people will join us to help raise as much money as possible for our two fantastic charities, The Newmarket Housing Trust and Racing Welfare.” The post Details Of The Henry Cecil Open Weekend Revealed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be in attendance to present awards and promote horse care at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, Sept. 28, for the inaugural California Crown Day, the non-profit said in a release Wednesday. Following the running of the Unzip Me Stakes presented by the TAA, winning connections will be presented with a branded blanket and gift bag in the winner's circle, and a check presentation will be made from 1/ST to the aftercare organization. “This event spotlights the best of California racing, and collaborating with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance provides a great opportunity for race fans and participants to learn more about the mission to support Thoroughbreds after racing,” said Nate Newby, general manager, Santa Anita Park. TAA will also present the Best Turned-Out awards, which are sponsored by LRF Cares, for the entire card. “Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is thrilled to be part of the inaugural California Crown,” said Emily Dresen, director of funding & events. “Presenting the Best Turned Out awards with LRF Cares is a great way to showcase the importance of horse care both before and after the track.” The post TAA To Attend Santa Anita Park’s California Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Juddmonte's hitherto untested Cosmic Year (GB) (Kingman {GB}–Passage Of Time {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) was scratched from a fast-ground maiden at Newbury last month and rewarded connections' patience with a stunning debut display to attain 'TDN Rising Star' status in Wednesday's Sir Michael Stoute Farewell And Thank You Novice Stakes. The Harry Charlton trainee was usurped in the betting market by Amo Racing's Rock D'Oro (Bolt D'Oro), who had chased home subsequent G2 Champagne Stakes victor Bay City Roller (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) on debut, and stalked that rival in second for most of this seven-furlong contest. Looming large on the bridle with a quarter-mile remaining, the 5-2 second favourite seized control entering the final furlong and powered clear in emphatic style to register a hugely impressive 6 1/2-length success. Cosmic Year (Kingman) makes an impressive start to his career with a convincing debut win under @oismurphy for @HarryJCharlton @Sandownpark | @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/YxjfS7E6DU — Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 18, 2024 Cosmic Year is the 12th of 13 live foals and eighth scorer out of G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud heroine Passage Of Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}), herself a full-sister to G2 King Edward VII Stakes-winning sire Father Time (GB) and a half to G1 Falmouth Stakes victrix Timepiece (GB) (Zamindar). The February-foaled homebred is kin to dual Group 2-winning sire Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who placed three times at the highest level, dual Group 3 winner Tempus (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and to the dam of G3 Princess Royal Stakes victrix Time Lock (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Passage Of Time has a yearling filly by Dubawi (Ire) to come. 3rd-Sandown, £10,000, Nov, 9-18, 2yo, 7fT, 1:30.93, gd. COSMIC YEAR (GB), c, 2, by Kingman (GB) 1st Dam: Passage Of Time (GB) (G1SW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Eng, GISP-US, $651,668), by Dansili (GB) 2nd Dam: Clepsydra (GB), by Sadler's Wells 3rd Dam: Quandary, by Blushing Groom (Fr) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £5,400. *Full to Tempus (GB), GSW-Eng & Fr, $305,944; and 1/2 to Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), MGSW & G1SP-Eng, MGISP-US, $830,948. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Harry Charlton; J-Oisin Murphy. The post Kingman’s Cosmic Year Powers to TDN Rising Stardom at Sandown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The G3 Sunline Vase, a 2100-metre race at Ellerslie in New Zealand, will now be sponsored by Malih Al Basti's Al Basti Equiworld Dubai, the company announced on Wednesday. Now worth NZ$250,000 (€139,560), the race will take place on Champions Day at the course, Mar. 8. Al Basti Equiworld also includes sponsorship of the New Zealand Jockeys' Association, the NZ$1-million (€558,240) G1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), NZ$650,000 G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and best turned-out prizes at both Riccarton Park and Wellington. “We are delighted to be extending our long-standing sponsorship in New Zealand to the northern region,” Al Basti Equiworld founder and owner, Malih Al Basti said. “We are pleased to be partnering with Auckland Thoroughbred Racing and excited to be part of their thrilling new Champions Day meeting.” The post Al Basti Equiworld Expands New Zealand Sponsorship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Horseracing Museum today announced the launch of the second year of the Awards for Young Writers on Horseracing, open to people aged between 11 and 25 living in the UK. The Awards are sponsored by the Wilmington Trust and separated into two age categories: 16-25 – up to 1,200 words 11-15 – up to 700 words The winner of the under 16s category will receive £250 in prize money, while £500 will be awarded to the winner of the under 26s section. The winning entries will be published in full by the Racing Post and all finalists receive a Certificate of Participation. Last year's winner in the under 16s category was 11-year-old Charlotte Cornish, whose piece A Second Chance covered the retraining of racehorses and met with wide acclaim. Submitted essays will be judged by specialists from the media and horseracing industry, including David Milnes from the Racing Post, Oli Bell and Rishi Persad from ITV Racing, and Josie Reed from the Wilmington Trust. A prize ceremony for shortlisted entries and winners will be held at the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket in spring 2025, with invitees being given a complimentary family pass to the museum. The closing date for entries is midnight on January 14, 2025. To enter or to find out more, email essayprize@nhrm.co.uk or visit the National Horseracing Museum website. The post Call for Competition Entries for Budding Young Horseracing Writers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What Cranbourne Races Where Cranbourne Turf Club – 50 Grant St, Cranbourne VIC 3977 When Thursday, September 19, 2024 First Race 1:30pm AEST Visit Dabble A competitive eight-race meeting awaits punters at Cranbourne on Thursday afternoon. While the track was a Good 4 at the time of acceptances, a rainy forecast means the meeting could be held on a Soft surface. The rail comes out 7m for the entire circuit, with racing set to get underway at 1:30pm AEST. Best Bet at Cranbourne: Delivering Delivering has not finished worse than second in each of his last four starts. The four-year-old gelding simply couldn’t bridge the gap from the rear of the field in speed-dominated affair at Sandown last time out, although he did well to go down by just two lengths to Freak Of Nature. If John Allen can land midfield with cover, Delivering can bring up a second win at start 12. Best Bet Race 7 – #4 Delivering (8) 4yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher | J: John Allen (59kg) +240 with PlayUp Next Best at Cranbourne: King West King West proved too slick for his rivals at the Cranbourne 1200m in maiden company. He settled outside the lead and had enough in reserve to hold out his rivals, and it should be a similar story this time with Mick Dee sticking on the three-year-old gelding. As long as King West doesn’t get caught wide from barrier nine, he should be good enough win again in this BM64 affair. Next Best Race 6 – #8 King West (9) 3yo Gelding | T: Enver Jusufovic | J: Michael Dee (56.5kg) +280 with Bet365 Next Best Again at Cranbourne: Lady Potato Head Lady Potato Head has been game in defeat on all three starts to begin her career. The Boom Time mare has been run down inside the final 100m in each of her last two races, but from barrier one and with blinkers on for the first time, she looks the goods. Daniel Stackhouse will look to hold the rail, and with a cheap sectional or two, Lady Potato Head will prove hard to run down. Next Best Again Race 3 – #6 Lady Potato Head (1) 4yo Mare | T: Phillip Stokes | J: Daniel Stackhouse (57.5kg) +500 with Neds Thursday quaddie tips for Cranbourne races Cranbourne quadrella selections Thursday, September 19, 2024 2-4-5-10 4-8 2-4 5-6-11-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips
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Te Akau Racing were unstoppable at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday, with their quartet of winners including an exciting return of promising three-year-olds Legally Binding and Cantatrice. Before the younger contingent took the spotlight, synthetic specialist Stonybreck added a sixth victory on the course in the “All The News At Trackside.co.nz” (1500m), backing up his success on August 28. In the hands of rising apprentice Rihaan Goyaram, the son of Tavistock was slow away but travelled strongly throughout the running, and as he loomed around the corner, the win never looked in doubt as he cruised to the line by an extending 3 ¼ lengths. Sam Bergerson, who trains Stonybreck in partnership with Mark Walker at Matamata, was complimentary of Goyaram’s efforts aboard the 58.5kg topweight. “Obviously he’s got a fantastic record here, the (weight) claim helped because we stayed in Rating 75 grade, and up in trip really suited him today as well,” he said. “We told Rihaan to stay out of trouble and that he should be good enough, and he was against a field small in numbers. He kept him balanced and he was strong through the line.” In the Saddlery Warehouse 1300, Rule Of Law (NZ) (Justify) kicked off a consecutive treble for the stable and jockey Wiremu Pinn, settling outside of the leader from barrier four and showing a strong will to win in the closing stages, holding out Spielberg by a neck. The win was a second for the son of Justify, who has been lightly raced since his debut 12 months ago. “He looked in a bit of trouble and probably hit a flat spot, but to be fair to the horse he picked himself up and was really strong through the line,” Bergerson said. “He’s strengthened up nicely this time round, hopefully he can go through the grades this season, and we think that up in trip will really suit him as well.” It was the turn of Microphone filly Cantatrice in the following contest, the Sastratech 970, showing a sizzling turn-of-foot to match her early speed to romp in by four lengths, ahead of her stablemate Puzzle Master. Having just her second race-day appearance, Cantatrice debuted on the soft track in April, but showed a clear favour for the fast surface on the synthetic under Pinn. “She was super impressive when trialling here a couple of weeks ago and she’s trained on since,” Bergerson said. “It looks like she’s a filly that enjoys the synthetic (track), or just needs fast ground, and the shorter 970m trip really suited her. “There were a few boxes ticked today and after she jumped well it was a very positive win.” Completing the four-timer was Legally Binding, showing a similar dash in the early stages to take up the pace making position in a field of five. The son of Exceedance led the field into the home turn and was never headed, holding tough from Anton by a long neck. The victory was a reward for patience from the stable, following his debut as a juvenile in March. “He trialled really well leading into his debut run last season at Matamata, but unfortunately pulled up amiss and we gave him a really good break,” Bergerson said. “He trialled super here a fortnight ago, another one that has trained on well since then, and although he beat a (small) light field, the plan was to be positive and Wiremu did the job perfectly. “He’s a pleasure to have around the stable. He’s like an old hack, just mopes around for the riders and goes about his business, and he seems to love being a racehorse.” The victories took Walker and Bergerson to 23 wins this season, seven ahead of second-placed Kevin Myers in the early stages of the New Zealand Trainer’s Premiership. View the full article

Coolmore colt Public Attention (NZ) ( Written Tycoon) will be out to earn his place in the Caulfield Guineas on Saturday, when the grey son of Written Tycoon steps up to 1400 metres in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude. A debut winner at Caulfield late in his two-year-old season, the colt who is owned in partnership with the likes of the Huddy, Kepitis and Vella families, will need to turn the tables on the likes of Angel Capital and Sergeant Major, who beat him home first-up at The Valley. “They do need to keep coming up if you are going to run in a Caulfield Guineas, there is no messing about,” said Mick Price, who trains the colt in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr. “But his work is good and the horse seems nice and bright.” Price, however, thinks the rise in trip and being away from the tight Valley circumference will play into his colt’s hands this weekend. “The Valley was always going to be a concern over 1200 metres,” he admitted. “I had this great idea of him drawing out and getting off the speed and finishing off, but of course he drew in and got into trouble, so his run wasn’t too bad. “Goes into 1400 metres, where he will be suited.” Ethan Brown has been booked to continue his association with the colt. Price and Kent Jnr will also be chasing black type with impressive last-start winner Hurricane Georgie set to tackle the Listed Jim Moloney Stakes. In Sydney, the team will have Amenable contest the G3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) first-up with blinkers back on for Chad Schofield. “He has trained on well … he usually goes good fresh and it will be a nice track for him and he’s going super,” Price said. The Epsom or Toorak Handicap are possible targets this spring, with Price suggesting the horse will not be stretched beyond 1600m. Golden Path will also run at Randwick on Saturday, with eyes towards the Hill Stakes on October 12. “He’s had a break and we want to run 2000 metres about six weeks between runs, so he will be doing a good job if he was to put another win together,” he admitted. “But this race tops him off for the Hill Stakes, which is a $2 million race which he will be cherry ripe for.” View the full article

It’s been a month of firsts for Erin Leighton, with the former jockey completing her first shift on horseback as a presenter for Trackside at Hastings earlier this month before cheering home her first winner as an owner at Matamata last Friday. Leighton recorded 41 wins in the saddle over seven seasons as a jockey, but said she felt nervous for the first time on race day when watching the Danica Guy-trained Cleat (NZ) (Rios) head out onto the track to contest the KR Bell Electrical (1200m) last week. “I never get nervous on race day,” she said. “I wasn’t nervous pre-race but once that lead rope was unclipped and it is just up to the jockey, that is when I got a little bit nervous.” The seven-year-old gelding jumped away well for jockey Masa Hashizume and the pair went straight to the front where they were able to dictate terms throughout and score a three-quarter length victory. “I never thought I would enjoy anything more than riding on race day but that was right up there with it,” Leighton said. “He had shown quite a bit in track work, so it was nice to get a maiden win with him and he did it with a bit of confidence and quite stylishly.” Leighton purchased the son of Rios off gavelhouse.com in conjunction with Guy for $4,200 and has enjoyed the process of getting him back to the track after a two-year hiatus. “I have been working with Danica for the last five years and she stood Rios,” Leighton said. “I got to know Rios really well and I have broken in and worked a lot with Rios’ progeny through Danica’s stable. She follows all of Rios’ progeny out of interest. “He (Cleat) came up for sale on Gavelhouse and she knew what the Rios’ need, they don’t want real wet ground, and they don’t want to go over a trip. “She needed the horse like a hole in the head, but I was really keen, and I said for her to buy him, and I will pick him up and get him going, and get him under saddle again because he had been out of work for two years. She agreed to it, and we were able to buy him, and we all fell in love with him. “He did a lot of dressage to start off with, just to try and get him a bit stronger.” Cleat is set to return to the races at Hastings next month and Leighton is hopeful he can quickly add to his win tally. “We will have a crack at a couple of Saturday races now,” she said. “We are going to try and have a crack at the MAAT 1400m on the last day at Hawke’s Bay. It is obviously a big step up but we thought he ran really well.” While Leighton will be at Hawke’s Bay cheering on Cleat, she will be doing so from horseback at the track presenting for Trackside. Injury had curtailed Leighton’s jockey career, and it was while campaigning horses in Australia for Wexford Stables that she saw an opportunity to take another career direction within the industry. “I got to know a few of the Entain crew through my trips to Australia with Wexford horses,” she said. “I was really keen to explore that side (broadcasting) of racing and they were willing to give me an opportunity, so I was grateful for that. “I am training at the moment and the long-term goal is to have me doing the post-race jockey interviews on horseback. They have quietly started to step me up and teach me, and I am starting to talk to the camera a little bit. It’s a bit nerve-racking, but I have had some really good support through Trackside and Entain. “They are a really good bunch of people to work with. Entain is exciting because they are fresh and new, and there are a lot of young guys in there that want to do the right thing by racing. “All of the Trackside presenters have been really helpful too. It is a really good environment and I am excited to have a go at that.” Leighton said that while it was hard to come to terms with the end of her jockey career, she said it has opened up other avenues within the industry, and she is excited about the future. “I had shoulder surgery that has failed, so I don’t think I will ever stand up to riding full-time again,” she said. “It took me ages to come to the decision of not going back to the races at all as a jockey, but closing the door on that has opened the door to other things. It needed to happen, but it was tough to take. “I didn’t want to leave the industry, but I didn’t quite know where I fit in. Doing this job (presenter) is really cool because it means that I get to look at horses and do the form, which I used to really love doing as a jockey. I get to yap about horses, which is probably my forte. “I would love for it to turn into something more. I have just got to work hard, learn as much as I can, and see where it can take me.” View the full article

Well-bred filly Sister Cynane promises to continue Wexford Stables’ successful partnership with the three-year-old’s owner. Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have forged a Group-winning association with Eugene Chuang’s Asian-based operation Hermitage Thoroughbreds, with their latest representative to open her season at Taupo. A high-priced yearling, Sister Cynane finished runner-up in her only appearance as a juvenile and will bid to go one better when she resumes in Friday’s Press Statement At Novara Park Maiden (1200m). “Lance and (brother) Paul built the relationship and we’ve had a wonderful run of success with them and we’re hoping this filly can carry that on,” Scott said. Their flagship performers have been the Group One winners Rocket Spade (New Zealand Derby, 2400m), Willie Cazals (Livamol Classic, 2040m) and Summer Passage (Sistema Stakes, 1200m). Multiple Group winners and top-flight placegetters Dragon Leap and Spring Heat have also added to the victory roll. “Dragon Leap’s been knocking on the door in the big ones and we’re not saying that he can’t do it yet either,” Scott said. “He’ll run in a few weeks’ time at Rotorua and hopefully he can pick up a feature sprint through the summer. “He had a bit of a setback before the Foxbridge (Gr.2, 1200m) and he’s back as well as ever.” Sister Cynane boasts a rich pedigree as a daughter of I Am Invincible and the Gr.1 Tatt’s Tiara (1350m) winner Prompt Response and came with a A$1.3 million price tag from the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. “We were patient with her through to the back end of her two-year-old season,” Scott said. “We’ve brought her up nice and steadily and gave her a quiet trial and she’s forward enough to be competitive. We think she’s got stacks of ability and will only get better as the season goes on.” Sister Cynane is one of a number of young horses the stable will be represented by in maiden events at Taupo. “The likes of Sethito, Sought After, Tristar, Checkmate and Smart Love have all got good levels of education at barrier trials and learned to settle and done the necessary work to have them competitive on race day,” Scott said. “We’re looking for them all to hit the line well and get their campaigns underway and all of them are nominated for the Guineas (at Riccarton), so they’ve got to put the performances together to proceed down there. “We took all of our first starters down to Taupo 10 days ago for a gallop to familiarise them.” Meanwhile, the stable’s Gr.1 Railway (1200m) winner Waitak will bypass the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings following his resuming fourth in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and fifth in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m). “His run at Te Rapa was a big one in really soft ground and at Hastings he was solid and we tipped him out after that for a wee chance to freshen,” Scott said. “Those two races may have come a little too quickly for him, so he’ll head to Rotorua for the weight-for-age race (Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes, 1215m). “We think he’ll sprint much better fresh and we’ll keep him short of the seven furlongs (1400m) for the next wee bit.” View the full article

Talented Kiwi stayer Trust In You (NZ) (Sweynesse) has crossed the Tasman on a Cups pursuit and is set to make his Australian debut in Saturday’s Gr.3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick. The son of Sweynesse was a prominent figure in the top distance races throughout last season, winning the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Final (2400m) and backing that up with a stunning display in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth Cup (2400m) a week later. He finished a creditable sixth in each of the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) to complete the season, and on his return, the gelding has given trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley enough confidence to push onto a potential tilt at the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 5. “His two runs have been good, in the first he just didn’t really handle the track at Ruakaka, then his second was really good, he didn’t handle the track there (Matamata) either, but he got home quite nicely,” Cooksley said. “He’s definitely going to improve off those two races.” The Byerley Park training partnership were spoilt for choice when considering which race to kick-off with, but they have selected the Kingston Town Stakes, favouring the 2000m range ahead of the A$1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) and Gr.3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m). Arriving in Sydney last Sunday, Trust In You has settled in well to life at Randwick according to Cooksley, and will be ridden by Reese Jones in Saturday’s contest. “He’s come over on Sunday, he’s done a bit of pacework and seems to have settled in,” he said. “This is the first time he’s really travelled and he’s doing well, he hasn’t lost any weight and eating all his food. “He’ll race on Saturday in the Kingston Town Stakes as it suits at the 2000 metres, then he’ll go on to the Metropolitan after that. “It really just depends, after the Metropolitan (Gr.1, 2400m) he’ll probably run in the St Leger Stakes here, and if he’s going well, he’ll probably go to Melbourne. If not, we’ll just head back to New Zealand and race there over the carnivals.” View the full article

What Kembla Grange Races Where Kembla Grange Racecourse – Princes Highway, Kembla Grange NSW 2526 When Thursday, September 19, 2024 First Race 1:40pm AEST Visit Dabble Provincial racing heads to the Illawarra on Thursday afternoon, with Kembla Grange Racecourse set to play host to a quickfire seven-part program. The rail moves out 3m between the 1100m marker to winning post, while the remainder is in the true position. The track is currently rated a Good at the time of acceptances, and with no rain forecast in the lead-up, participants should be assured it stays in that range. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 1:40pm local time. Best Bet at Kembla Grange: Admitted The James Cummings-trained Admitted returns after a 316-day spell and appears ready to strike first-up after undergoing a gelding operation. The son of Brazen Beau couldn’t have been more impressive in a recent trial at Randwick on September 9, cruising through the wire under his own steam behind the likes of Need Some Luck and Punch Lane. Zac Lloyd takes the reins and will be attempting to lead from barrier seven, and although it’s been a lengthy layoff for the three-year-old, Admitted should prove too classy for this lot. Best Bet Race 4 – #6 Admitted (7) 3yo Gelding | T: James Cummings | J: Zac Lloyd (57kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Kembla Grange: Great White Shark Great White Shark appears perfectly placed dropping back into provincial company after a luckless effort at Warwick Farm on September 4. The son of I Am Invincible never got a crack at his rivals on that occasion, held up behind a wall of horse with a furlong left to travel. Stepping up to the 1500m second-up should be ideal, and with the key appointment of ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira, Great White Shark can finally break his maiden status at the fifth time of asking. Next Best Race 6 – #4 Great White Shark (7) 3yo Colt | T: Chris Waller | J: Joao Moreira (57kg) Bet with Picklebet Best Value at Kembla Grange: The Act The Act faded on debut after trying to sustain his run off a hot tempo at Hawkesbury on September 1. The debutant never shirked the task to stay within a length of his rivals, but was never in realistic contention after doing so much work early. Andrew Adkins should be able to slide across from barrier five with relative ease second-up, and provided he can give a bold kick as he’s shown in his barrier trials, The Act should take a power of beating in this maiden contest. Best Value Race 3 – #2 The Act (5) 3yo Colt | T: Brad Widdup | J: Andrew Adkins (58kg) Bet with Dabble Thursday quaddie tips for Kembla Grange Kembla Grange quadrella selections September 19, 2024 3-4-6 1-6-7-8-11-12 4-5-6-9-11 1-3-6-10-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article