Wandering Eyes

The unbeaten Defence Minister (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has been supplemented by owners Wathnan Racing for Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury at a cost of £5,000. Last seen defying a penalty in decisive fashion at Haydock, Defence Minister is one of 19 horses in contention for the prestigious two-year-old contest as he tries to make it three wins from as many starts for his Qatari-born, Newmarket-based trainer Hamad Al-Jehani. G2 Gimcrack Stakes winner Cool Hoof Luke (GB) (Advertise {GB}) and Aidan O'Brien's G3 Round Tower Stakes scorer Ides Of March (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) are among the potential opposition at Newbury, but Richard Brown, Wathnan's racing adviser, is confident of more improvement from a horse who was bought by the team for €210,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-up Sale in May. “He's still quite green for a breeze-up horse and I still think he has plenty to learn and will come on again for that Haydock run,” said Brown. “He defied the penalty in style, though, and I think he had plenty in hand at the line.” Defence Minister is one of five individual winners for Al-Jehani since he sent out his first runners in Britain in May, with his overall record in 2024 now standing at six winners from 30 runners. “Hamad has done an absolutely tremendous job,” Brown said of the the trainer who set up in Newmarket earlier this year with a small team of horses owned by Wathnan. “He's only got 10 horses and he's done a phenomenal job coming in from Qatar and obviously having to learn the gallops and everything. He has surrounded himself with a great team and they're all doing a fabulous job.” Chancellor Team Eyeing Royal Lodge After Champagne Mishap The Mill Reef is one of several big two-year-old prizes on the horizon heading into the autumn and connections of Chancellor (GB) (Kingman {GB}) have been busy scouring the programme book for other options following his late withdrawal at Doncaster on Saturday. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Chancellor was already a two-time winner at Doncaster before his intended appearance in the G2 Champagne Stakes, but he was denied the opportunity to bid for a third success on Town Moor after he broke out of his starting stall and suffered a cut to his mouth. Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, reports Chancellor to be none the worse for that “frustrating” experience, with the G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, September 28 now under consideration for his next start. “Saturday was obviously very frustrating, but fortunately he seems fine afterwards,” said Richardson. “Rab [Havlin, jockey] reported that he was fine in the stalls and then another horse kicked out and he thought it was time to go. It was just one of those frustrating, unforeseen events that was very bizarre, but we move on. “We'll see how he is, but we'll have to consider the Royal Lodge–a Group 2 over a mile. He's got a couple of smart entries for later in the year that are still sort of pending, including the Futurity Trophy back at Doncaster, which is once again over a mile. “We'd like to get a run in before then, probably in the Royal Lodge or something like that.” The post Supplemented Defence Minister Features Among 19 Mill Reef Contenders appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lane's End Farm-based first-season sire Gift Box was off the mark in Europe on Monday when his son Ironico took the six-furlong conditions event for colts and geldings on the card. Runner-up over this trip at Deauville last month, the Fabrice Chappet trainee who carries the colours of Blu Racing travelled strongly held up off the early pace by Cristian Demuro. Staying on to get to the front with 150 metres remaining, the 9-10 favourite had 3/4 of a length to spare over Belvedere Palace (GB) (Calyx {GB}) at the line. A son of GII Nassau Stakes, GII Dance Smartly Stakes and GIII Maple Leaf Stakes-placed Involuntary (City Zip) and a half to the Canadian champion and GI Summer Stakes third Philip My Dear (Silent Name {Jpn}), the winner was a $20,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select July yearling and $160,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales March breezer. He is entered in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day. The post First Euro Winner For Gift Box At Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

'If Carslberg did weekends' was the caption on Tom Marquand's social media post beneath a photograph of the jockey with his wife, Hollie Doyle, after she had won her second Group 1 of the year aboard Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}). Marquand had himself lifted both of Leopardstown's Group 1 races the previous day with two of the best three-year-olds currently in training, Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio). Their mantelpiece may soon need reinforcement. There are few sports in which men and women take each other on directly but even with that proviso it is hard to imagine a more golden couple in world sport than Marquand and Doyle. The level of the latter's success in particular is such that it is now not even remarkable to see her win a Group 1. She has ten to her credit among her 1,000-plus winners and, at the time of writing, remains two wins ahead of her husband in the jockeys' standings for the year. They are two of only five riders in Britain and Ireland to be in three figures so far in 2024. As important as the Doyle-Marquand success on the track is how they comport themselves. Apparently utterly dedicated to their sport and the rigorous fitness required, they are also just very nice people. Nice can almost be a rather damning word, but at a time when it is more important than ever for all involved with horseracing to be mindful of the sport's image to the wider world, it is indeed rather nice to have two unofficial ambassadors who are both scandal-free and bloody good at what they do. An Autumn to Savour It helped to lay off the Carlsberg or any other form of alcoholic refreshment this past weekend in order to keep up with the ferocious pace of group races being served up on a variety of channels. On such a day of international importance it is maddening that the teams at the Curragh and Longchamp couldn't have come up with a way to present a longer gap between their main races of Sunday. The Arc trials didn't merely take place in Paris, however. Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) put his name firmly in the picture with his running-on third in the Irish Champion Stakes, as did the Irish Derby winner Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who was just a head behind him in fourth. The connections of hitherto Arc favourite Look De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) appear unconcerned with his lacklustre performance when third of five runners in the G2 Prix Niel in his first appearance since winning the Prix du Jockey Club on just the third start of his life. He has now been replaced at the head of the market by Sosie (Ire), who had the benefit of having won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris after finishing third to Look De Vega in the Jockey Club. Fifteen years after his sire Sea The Stars (Ire) closed out his own remarkable three-year-old season in the Arc, could Sosie give him a first winner in France's most important race, thus extending his trainer Andre Fabre's record to nine wins? Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) may yet have something to say about that, however. In a classy field assembled for the G1 Prix Vermeille, Juddmonte's four-year-old looked imperious in her victory over the Sea The Stars-sired duo of Aventure (Ire) and Emily Upjohn (GB), with the Group 1-winning three-year-olds Opera Singer (Justify) and Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) farther back in fifth and sixth. Ralph Beckett, whose tremendous season continues apace, appears to be itching to supplement Bluestocking for a return to Longchamp. It's not all about the Arc, obviously. Of the three top-rated horses in Europe so far this year Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug (Ger}) can't run in it and City Of Troy (Justify) won't run in it. The latter may only be seen in public once more in this part of the world when turning up for a precision-planned racecourse gallop at Southwell this Friday afternoon as part of his prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic. The German-bred Goliath will give his home fans something to cheer about in this Sunday's Preis von Europa in Cologne, very close to where he was born, before heading out to the Japan Cup. Meanwhile British Champions Day could be given a little extra sparkle with the prospect of Calandagan and Economics meeting for the first time in the Qipco Champion Stakes. Sorry Joe, Gotta Go It is unlikely that the transatlantic double of the White House and Doncaster's Town Moor has ever before been completed within 24 hours but Britain's prime minister Sir Keir Starmer managed just that last weekend. We've seen no official transcript of his meeting with Joe Biden but it was undoubtedly a little less wild than some of the statements made by Biden's presidential predecessor Donald Trump in his debate with Kamala Harris last week. If Biden bunged Starmer a tenner to put on Illinois (Ire) in the following day's St Leger then he will have got a good run for his money but ultimately no return as that particular Galileo (Ire) colt gave way to another from that same penultimate crop in a ding-dong battle for the world's oldest Classic. It was Jan Brueghel (Ire) who – no pun intended – trumped his stable-mate to give Aidan O'Brien his eighth St Leger. “He's such a slacker,” said no-one ever about O'Brien, but he will have to pull his socks up if he is to overtake the extraordinary St Leger record of John Scott, who trained 16 winners of the race between 1827 and 1862. It is noteworthy that Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) became only O'Brien's second and third winners of Group 1 races in Ireland this year, but the trainer has been busily mopping up Group 1s elsewhere. City Of Troy's haul at Epsom, Sandown and York, along with top-notch victories for Content (Ire), Opera Singer, Luxembourg (Ire), and the aforementioned Jan Brueghel and Kyprios, have given O'Brien what is surely an unassailable lead in the trainers' championship in Britain with earnings in excess of £7.2m, despite having only had 26 wins in the country this year. Sea The Stars vs Wootton Bassett It is hard to decide on who was the stallion of the week but we may have to award a tie to Sea The Stars and Wootton Bassett (GB). Sosie was the standout for the former, whose daughters Aventure and Emily Upjohn both ran placed in the Vermeille, while Hanalia (Ire) took another big step forward with her victory in the G2 Blandford Stakes. The Aga Khan-bred, who is trained by Johnny Murtagh, hails from the same family as Sea The Stars's Derby winner Harzand (Ire) and could be seen next in the G1 Prix de l'Opera. These successes followed on from the G2 Doncaster Cup win on Friday of Sweet William (Ire), Philippa Cooper's half-brother to the Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Wootton Bassett has now stood for four seasons in Ireland, with his starting fee there of €100,000 having doubled for this year. It is worth recalling that he started his stud career in France at a fee of €6,000 and dropped to €4,000 in those difficult years three and four. That is all but a dim and distant memory, and with his first Irish-conceived crop now two-year-olds this season, his results make for encouraging reading. He has had 25 juvenile winners so far from 59 runners at a strike-rate of 42%. That group includes eight black-type winners, two of which shone over the last weekend. Green Impact (Ire) won the G2 Champions Juvenile Stakes for his breeder Marc Chan, whose good day got even better an hour or so later when the admirable Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) landed his ninth group win in the G2 Park Stakes. Ireland's Champions Festival had got off on a great footing for Wootton Bassett when Chantez (Ire) won the Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes for Newtown Anner Stud. Over in France, the five-year-old Topgear (Fr) won the G3 Prix du Pin for Christopher Head, who is on record saying that he thinks another Wootton Bassett, the juvenile Maranoa Charlie (Fr), is the best horse he's had in his stable, which has also housed the multiple Group 1 winners Big Rock (Ire) and Blue Rose Cen (Ire). A red rosette must also be handed to Kameko, who became the first of the European freshman sires to notch a Group/Grade 1 winner. New Century (GB), now the winner of three of his five races, including the Listed Stonehenge Stakes, and trained like his sire by Andrew Balding, struck in the Summer Stakes at Woodbine, beating Godolphin's Al Qudra (Ire) (No Nay Never). Paint it Tartan If you were a tweenager of the mid-1970s and you weren't wearing cut-off tartan trews with a poster of Les McKeown taped to your bedroom wall then you really weren't living at all. There is only one mystery, and that is why it's taken so long for someone to name a horse Bay City Roller. Almost half a century on from Bye Bye Baby becoming the biggest-selling single of 1975, the band's name could be back near the top of the charts via a hardy-looking colt who claimed Saturday's G2 Champagne Stakes for George Scott. It was a memorable weekend for his owner Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa of Victorious Racing, who was also represented by Bradsell, winner of the G1 Flying Five, a day later. Neither owner nor trainer is old enough to have been a Bay City Rollers fan, but the colt ran first in the colours of Clive Washbourn, who has doubtless enjoyed a seventies disco or two in his time and presumably gave the New Bay (GB) colt the memorable name which makes him an instant hit with this column. Remarkably, the Bay City Rollers are still touring, with not quite the original line-up as in the band's heyday, but they didn't have such a good week as George Scott, who also landed Sunday's G3 German St Leger with Prydwen (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Regrettably, the band's tour van was stolen in Walsall on Thursday night but the loot within shouldn't be too hard to identify. “We woke up in the morning for a bit of breakfast and the van had disappeared,” the Bay City Rollers' singer and keyboard player John McLaughlin told the BBC. “It's heartbreaking because our gear's obviously all painted tartan.” Hip Hooray for Jim Goldie Jim Goldie was hors de combat last week, having had a new hip installed, but his recuperation will doubtless have been aided by the achievement of a notable handicap double at Doncaster. At opposite ends of the distance spectrum, the Scottish trainer displayed his versatility by landing both the Mallard and the Portland, with eight-year-old Faylaq (GB) and four-year-old American Affair (GB). Faylaq owns one of the smartest pedigrees on show throughout the whole of the St Leger meeting, being by Dubawi out of the Arc winner Danedream (Ger), and having been bred by Teruya Yoshida. American Affair, who runs again this weekend in the Ayr Gold Cup, is of more humble genetic origins but will undoubtedly be close to the trainer's heart. Goldie, who co-owns him with Barraston Racing, bred American Affair and his dam Classy Anne (GB), who is by the same stable's former star sprinter Orientor (GB). Granddam Class Wan (GB) (Safawan {GB}) was also trained by Goldie. The trainer is on course to have his best season yet in his 30th year with a licence. Another tough sprint handicapper, Jordan Electrics (GB), has been his most prolific scorer this year, his seven wins having improved his rating from 72 to 101. Like Faylaq, he is now eight, but that pair is outdone in seniority by arguably the stable's best known resident, the admirable Euchen Glen (GB). The son of Authorized (Ire) is now 11 but notched his 13th win at Ayr in June. He landed his first stakes race at the age of seven, when most Thoroughbreds are already considering retirement, and now has three Group 3 victories to his credit. Stayer or sprinter, Goldie can certainly keep them sweet. The post Seven Days: If Carlsberg Did Couples appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As Winston Churchill famously said, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man,” and when it comes to Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, the statement certainly rings true. Located in the heart of Saratoga Springs, New York, less than five miles down the road from Saratoga Race Course, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit serves as a haven for both humans and retired racehorses alike, working in partnership with local certified therapists to provide equine-assisted therapy to those in need of professional support. The unique facility, where the healing power of being in the company of horses is on full display, was founded in 2018 by Dr. Erin Christopher-Sisk, a psychologist, and her husband, Jim. The idea was born from Christopher-Sisk and her husband's love of animals, while the purchase of the farm in 2015 was inspired by their own growing herd of retired Standardbred racehorses as they learned about the importance of responsible retirement for both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. “Erin was very interested in the connection between the animals and her clients. She saw it from a very early day with her dogs at her practice, so she started taking her clients to see the horses. In 2015, she and Jim bought this farm so they'd have a place to put their horses. At the same time, it actually gave them an ability to expand her practice, which had already been growing organically as the need was tremendous,” said Kim Weir, who joined THS in January 2024 as the Director of Strategic Growth. Christopher-Sisk is the founder and clinical director of ECS Psychological Services, based in downtown Saratoga and also out of the farm, which provides counseling services for children, adolescents, adults, families and couples with a wide variety of mental health approaches available. With her perspective as a psychologist and a passion for aftercare, Christopher-Sisk knew that the creation of Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga (THS) was not only the ideal scenario to provide a safe landing for retired racehorses, but to also grow her services by opening a door to a unique therapeutic experience for her clients. Equine-assisted psychotherapy, the main program offered at THS, encompasses a range of treatments that involve licensed mental health professionals and local clinicians that oversee activities with horses to promote physical and mental health. “Equine-assisted psychotherapy involves no riding at all. The horses are in sanctuary. It's not that we can't ride them, it's that we don't even need to ride them. What we're doing with our therapist is really playing into two key elements of all horses, but particularly racehorses, which is that first and foremost, horses are the largest domesticated prey animals in our society and they're always going to be wired that way. They're always assessing the humans around them in terms of 'are you friend or foe'?” said Weir. “The therapy that happens here, so much of it really comes right to that one thing, which is how are those people in the paddock feeling? And the horses are the best mirror of that.” A typical equine-assisted psychotherapy session takes place out in the paddock with the horses, who are completely free to wander about, with a therapist and equine specialist overseeing and working with the client. This not only brings the client out of their comfort zone, though still in a controlled environment, but also provides a unique opportunity for the client to project and explain their feelings while working through a variety of tasks that develop a foundation for coping and problem-solving in everyday life. “It's really subtle what happens here, but it's also extremely powerful because it's that replicability that the horses give you that you can take into the world. That's sort of the crux to it,” said Weir. Tasks may include simply approaching the horse, putting a halter on or grooming them, which all set a client up to work through that scenario and talk through the process of doing it. It's the hands-on aspect, along with providing a unique outdoor setting, that makes equine-assisted psychotherapy completely distinctive when compared to traditional talk therapy. For Kassondra and Randy Torchetti, who spent three years utilizing traditional talk therapy before making the transition to equine-assisted psychotherapy, the value of therapy sessions on the THS farm, in the company of the horses, is immeasurable. Meg Koloskie, Alex Bailey, Rachel Hodgson and daughter Lindsey, Naomi Rotondo, Kim Weir | Sara Gordon “I struggle with generalized anxiety and the horses kind of bring that out in me, not when we're watching them from a distance, but having to be up close and trying to accomplish a task with them is anxiety-producing for me. So, it's helpful for me to work with them in that setting, where it's causing a lot of anxiety, because I have to face situations every day that I have work through with a lot of anxiety. It helps me transition that into real world circumstances,” explained Kassondra Torchetti. “In equine therapy, you're involved in an activity so it's not so much pressure on forcing the conversation. It comes naturally in the activities that we participate in with the horses. At first, we don't necessarily know how [our therapist] is going to correlate the activity to our life, she just gives us the task, but then we complete the task and she loops it back into something that we worked on in counseling. We didn't have to have a super deep conversation but we're still getting hands-on experience and transferring it over. It's unique, it's honestly hard to put into words.” Kassondra and Randy Torchetti attest that talk therapy saved their marriage, but equine-assisted psychotherapy has exponentially enhanced it. “It's totally different because you don't have to be in a terrible spot to benefit from it. We have such a healthy relationship after doing the talk therapy, but we still find so much value in the equine therapy.” Other programs at THS include HorsePlay, a unique and enriching experience that allows participants to simply spend quality time with the horses; TeamBuilding, which gives groups the opportunity to engage in a series of personalized exercises with the horses; and Military and Veteran Services through The Freedom Rein Project, offering groundbreaking equine therapy for members of the Military community. With over 20 therapists and nearly 30 horses, including two miniature horses, THS is accredited by both the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. Not only are the programs at THS unique, but so are the horses, as the majority of them have retired from a first career in racing. “They are examples of racing at its best, in our mind, as they had owners who said 'this horse can't race anymore,' or many of them had a second career after racing and they said 'this does not need to be the final stop on their journey,'” said Weir. “Their owners said, 'This horse has done all he can with someone on his back,' and that is usually a vulnerable moment because once they can't be ridden, they become theoretically less useful, but that is only theoretical. We find them incredibly useful as therapy animals. “The 29 horses here are each telling a story of what it looks like to have owners who really, really care and have given them a chance to be their best selves.” Members of the THS herd, both Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds, serve as an outstanding example that defies the stigma that retired racehorses are 'hot-headed and difficult to work with.' In fact, THS believes that horses that previously raced are the best kind of therapy animals. “Being around people is what racehorses are good at. They've been handled since the time they were born and we're continuing that trajectory through their later stage of life,” said Weir. “What you're seeing here is horses being horses. Putting horses in a herd environment where they're outside and sort of remembering their environment, you see they are innately peaceful animals and it is really fun to show that. “We are an example of a healing and calming environment. When the horses feel healthy and safe, they're very calm. That's also what we're teaching people. If you can feel safe, you can be very calm.” Weir has also witnessed a remarkable symbiotic relationship when it comes to veterans and the retired racehorses. “Service members give their lives for their job, their whole heart, body and soul, and often their families and friends go on that journey with them and its high stakes. So do racehorses. When a [military member's] service is over, everything is different. They have to relearn how to be in society, and that's exactly what our horses had to do. They've had to learn how to be herd animals again, how to live outside, and what we're doing is giving them a second or third career to remember that they have just as much value, even though that one job is done. Our retired racehorses can teach that to veterans who have had to relearn how to come back into society, how to connect with one another and their families, and to know that they too can be safe and peaceful. There is something very magical about these two populations helping each other.” Now in its sixth year, the THS is calling 2024 a year of transformation and growth, having recently unveiled a new state-of-the-art indoor arena and group therapy space. The new building was constructed with grant funding awarded to THS through DASNY, New York state's capital project development authority, through the Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program (NICIP). “We aren't growing in terms of adding more programs. We love the programs that we have, but we're trying to water the garden. We have the seeds planted, with the horses and therapists, and we have a beautiful garden bed, which is this new arena. Now, we're just going to add the sunshine and the rain with more therapy programs, more TeamBuilding programs, more HorsePlay programs, and as a facility that is located in beautiful upstate New York, we can now do that without weather having an impact,” said Weir. Sitting at a table beside the pond, overlooking the paddocks of horses contentedly grazing and dozing as clients make their way out to them for afternoon sessions, it's easy to understand why THS exists as a sanctuary for all who visit. And though the facility is based in Saratoga Springs, the gates of THS are open to any and all who seek a healing haven of their own. “This farm is meant to be a place of health, healing and wellness for the horses and the humans who come here to visit,” said Weir. “Our goal as an organization with all these pieces in place is simply to serve more people in our community. More children, families, veterans, active military families, and anyone out there in the world that needs healing. We are here to help and that's what we really want the world to know as we are going into this next chapter for the organization.” The post Therapeutic Horses Of Saratoga: A Haven For Both Humans And Retired Racehorses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chantilly's card on Monday featured some promising juveniles and none more so than the Aga Khan's filly Rayevka (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}–Rayisa {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) lit up the six-furlong fillies' conditions event with a scintillating display to become her sire's fourth TDN Rising Star. Narrowly denied on debut by Juddmonte's Better Together (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) at Deauville last month, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained homebred was in command from the outset strong in the hands of Maxime Guyon. Never in any danger out on her own, the 1-2 favourite was able to register a five-length success from another Juddmonte newcomer in Arctic Summer (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}). Her final two splits were an impressive 10.89 and 11.01 and her final three furlongs were completed in 33.56, all in hand. The dam Rayisa was a smart juvenile for Mick Halford, beating Snowfall's dam Best In The World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in her maiden before finishing third behind that blueblood in the Listed Staffordstown Stud Stakes. The post The Aga Khan’s Blue Point Filly Lights Up Chantilly, New TDN Rising Star appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Andre Fabre trainee Nitoi (Siyouni {Fr}–Lady Zuzu, by Dynaformer), a half-brother to G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern and G1 Hong Kong Vase hero Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}), justified 8-5 favouritism with a 2 1/2-length victory in Monday's Prix de la Maniguette over nine furlongs at Chantilly. Prix De La Maniguette @fgchantilly Chantilly – Maiden – 2 ans – 1800m – 7 Pts Nitoi (Usa) Maxime Guyon @maximeguyon_off (Siyouni (Fr) @AgaKhanStuds – Lady Zuzu (Usa) par Dynaformer (Usa)) Andre Fabre @WertheimerSales @WertheimerSales pic.twitter.com/ul6wz2umjt — French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) September 16, 2024 2nd-Chantilly, €30,000, Mdn, 9-17, 2yo, c/g, 9fT, 1:54.26, sf. NITOI (c, 2, Siyouni {Fr}–Lady Zuzu {MGSP-US, $112,615}, by Dynaformer) was well away and asserted for an early lead in this debut. Holding sway throughout, the 8-5 favourite was nudged along when threatened by Bellagio (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) passing the quarter-mile marker end lengthened clear under urging inside the final 300 metres to defeat that rival by 2 1/2 lengths. Nitoi is the fifth of six foals and fourth scorer out of GIII Regret Stakes and GIII Edgewood Stakes placegetter Lady Zuzu (Dynaformer), herself a half-sister to multiple Grade III-winning GI Turf Classic and GI Manhattan Handicap second Optimizer (English Channel). The February-foaled bay is a half-brother to G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern and G1 Hong Kong Vase hero Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}) and a yearling colt by Uncle Mo. Lady Zuzu was bred to Justify this year. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €15,000. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (KY); T-Andre Fabre.. The post Siyouni Half-Brother to Junko Makes Winning Debut at Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. will host its annual general membership meeting and educational seminar Sunday, Oct. 13 at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Saratoga Springs. The event, which features a free dinner and cocktail hour for attendees, will run from 5-8 p.m. This year's seminar topic will focus on equine financial management. Attendees will learn about stallion syndication deals, evaluations, and farm business management. The seminar, sponsored by the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund, will feature Mark Toothaker, stallion sales manager for Spendthrift Farm, Len Green, Founder & Chairman of The Green Group, and Chris Trusso who previously led the Greenwich, New York branch of Farm Credit East before his retirement earlier this year. “We are focusing our educational meeting this year on the business of the thoroughbred business. We are thrilled to offer the opportunity for New York breeders to learn from the insight and expertise of our speakers including Mark Toothaker, the legendary Leonard Green and Chris Trusso. They have a lot of knowledge to share about equine business management, equine banking and the perspectives behind stallion evaluation and syndication deals,” said NYTB President Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, D.V.M. “We encourage everyone to register and attend.” All are encouraged to RSVP by Friday, Oct. 11 by clicking here. The post NYTB Educational Seminar To Feature Len Green, Mark Toothaker And Chris Trusso 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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Ricky Yiu believes emerging talent Sunlight Power (Capitalist) can continue a sharp rise and eventually join the city’s elite after the gelding’s stunning win at Sha Tin on Sunday (15 September) as Zac Purton dominated the meeting with a quartet. Ridden by Jerry Chau, Sunlight Power travelled three-wide before surging clear of his rivals to win by two lengths and easing down before the line to notch his fourth win from 15 starts. The authority of the performance fuelled the wily Yiu’s hopes he has another quality galloper on his hands. Clocking 1m 21.17s to land the Class 3 Yiu Tung Handicap (1400m), 74-rater Sunlight Power will be next aimed at Class 2 contests before Yiu considers even loftier targets after shouldering 129lb with ease today. “I wish I could tell you how good he can be, but I’m aiming high. I think he can get to over 100 (in the ratings) but I can’t tell you how high he can go because he keeps on improving,” Yiu said. Sunlight Power is a graduate of the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock sale where he was sold from the draft of Kilgravin Lodge for $320,000 to Yiu and Bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne. View the full article

Eye-watering loot on offer in the world’s richest race does a fair bit more to get the juices flowing than the prospect of another cookie-cutter local campaign.View the full article

It has been a while between drinks for the connections of Loch Katrine, but the consistent stakes-winning mare collected a deserved success in the Kidney Kids Founder Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa on Sunday. The daughter of Ardrossan showed promise early in her career when winning the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) as a juvenile, but was winless through her three-year-old season, albeit finishing in the first four on eight occasions. She continued her honest form line through to the new season, with a third and a second finally culminating in Sunday’s performance, where she was well-liked in the market closing at $3.10. Opie Bosson’s sole ride of the afternoon, Loch Katrine jumped positively from her wide gate (11) and travelled forward comfortably in the heavy conditions, with breakaway leader Vaantana setting up a strong tempo. Maintaining her position wide on the course, Loch Katrine cruised up to the pacemaker and found the lead effortlessly at the top of the straight, continuing to find plenty under Bosson to hold out Hanalei Star by a length. Based out of Matamata, Autridge has been training Loch Katrine for more than 12 months, after Daniel Millar prepared her to the Listed success. “It was good to win a decent race with her because she’s that honest, she always tries and has been close just about every start, while being unlucky at times,” Autridge said. “When Daniel decided to give up his trainer’s license, a couple of the owners are good friends with Opie’s father and he told them to give me a call, so they did. “It’s great for the horse and her owners to win a nice race. “We go into a Rating 75 now, so we’ve just got to look at the weather. There’s a race coming up at Hawke’s Bay, but it’s usually good weather there, so there is another at Matamata the week after. “We’ll just be looking and waiting.” Bred by Colette Hosking, Loch Katrine was initially purchased for $6,000 at the 2022 Karaka Yearling Sales, before being sold for $1,300 via gavelhouse.com to Paul Sullivan, who shares in the ownership alongside Annie Phillips, Dave Paterson and Bruce Browne. Her Zenno Rob Roy dam, Cong’er, was a five-race winner, including the Listed Karaka Classic (1600m). Earlier in the meeting, Autridge was pleased with the performances from both Caitlyns Wish and Still Bangon, with the latter having her first appearance since the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in March. During her three-year-old term, Still Bangon was a winner of the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m), and placed in both the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2050m) and Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m). She kicked off a new campaign in the Rating 75 1400m event, finishing four lengths adrift of a very in-form Lux Libertas. “I was very happy with her, she came into it fresh-up and just ran out of puff against some fit winter horses,” Autridge said. “She’s pulled up pretty well, so we’ll be looking for a similar sort of race at a mile somewhere for her.” Caitlyns Wish finished sixth in the open sprint contest won by Lazio, bringing to a close what has been a successful winter period for the Belardo mare. “It was another good, honest run from her, she’s gone to the paddock now and she’s done a great job,” Autridge said. “I think she’s won three this time in from 10 runs, so she deserves a break.” View the full article

Windsor Park Stud graduate Grinzinger Belle produced another quality first-up performance at Flemington to add to her stakes record. The Danny O’Brien-prepared representative was successful in last season’s Gr.3 Vanity Stakes (1400m) off a break and successfully resumed in the Gr.2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. She is a mare close to the trainer’s heart as he guided her sire Shamexpress to victory in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) before he retired to Windsor Park. The Cambridge nursery also celebrated the impressive debut victory of homebred Age Of Discovery at Riccarton, which earned the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained three-year-old a $14 quote for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). “Grinzinger Belle has come back bigger and stronger and that was her first time on an off track, so she’s pretty versatile and classy,” Windsor Park General Manager Steve Till said. “She looks like she’s got a very good spring ahead of her.” Grinzinger Belle is the first foal of the Rip Van Winkle mare Ripsomemore, a half-sister to Golden Parachute who won seven times in South Africa including the Gr.3 Kenilworth Chairman’s Cup (3200m). Their dam is the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) winner Maxamore and a family that has produced Wild Night, Play That Song and Maxam, also Group Two winners. “Bruce and Maureen Douglas were Mapperley and Windsor Park clients and they bred Maxamore and bred and raced Maxam and when they retired from breeding we took the family over,” Till said. Grinzinger Belle was sold to Victorian owner John Wheeler during New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $32,000 and has now won more than A$450,000. “Ripsomemore had a Turn Me Loose filly last season, who is entered for Karaka but we may have to re-evaluate things and one we may keep now,” Till said. “She’s got a Vanbrugh filly on her and has been served by Savabeel.” Meanwhile, Age Of Discovery was a $625,000 Karaka purchase last year for Te Akau chief David Ellis, who had also bought his winning brother Espionage for $825,000 in 2020. Their dam is the Fastnet Rock mare Bayrock who has proved to be an inspired buy for Windsor Park, having secured the sister to multiple Group One winner and sire Merchant Navy for A$140,000 at the Inglis Broodmare Sale. “It’s such a good family in Australia, and has been for decades, and part of the reason we bought into it,” Till said. “Merchant Navy hadn’t come up at the stage we bought Bayrock and that subsequently gave her quite a lift. Top fillies like (Gr.1 Thousand Guineas winner) Joliestar have ensured the family has kicked on very strongly. “There’s another filly that Ben Kwok races called Bay Of Zea that won on Sunday (at Seymour), Liam Howley trains her so it’s a family that keeps on giving. “Now, Age Of Discovery looks like he’s going to shape up to be a very good horse. “He was such a good type that Rodney (Schick) said to David Ellis that he would be happy to be in the Stallion Syndicate that the colt is part of, so he retained a small share.” All three of Bayrock foals to race by Savabeel have been successful and includes the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes (1400m) winner Hindaam. Bayrock’s filly by the multiple champion stallion was sold at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$500,000 with the China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy signing the ticket. “Her combination with Savabeel has been exceptional, she missed last year to him and is going to go to Paddington this season,” Till said. Paddington is a four-time Group One winning son of champion sire Siyouni who is on his first shuttle run to Windsor Park. View the full article

New Zealand Cup week at Riccarton Park in November could prove to be an exciting one for The Oaks Stud. Farm principal Dick Karreman’s blue and white silks were already favoured to feature prominently in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), but now they may also be a major contender in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) seven days later. Homebred filly Raziah has put her hand up for the three-year-old feature following her win in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton Park, shortening her price in the 1000 Guineas TAB futures market to $10. The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams was rapt with the result and he is excited for what the spring has instore for the Tony Pike-trained filly. “She was very tough,” he said. “We thought she might have been a bit underdone for that, but she is certainly going to enjoy getting out in trip a bit. “It is hard to line up the form when you go down there, but the three-year-old fillies I have seen so far are very fast and I am not sure too many of them are really going to like 1600m at Riccarton. “We are in the mix (for the 1000 Guineas), but there is a long way to go. She is very consistent and if she can keep improving, she will be thereabouts.” Raziah is by The Oaks Stud’s former stallion Niagara, who now stands at Vicki Wilson’s Hawke’s Bay property, and is out of Justa Secret, who is also the dam of last season’s Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) winner Drakaina. “Niagara has been very underrated,” Williams said. “He has done a good job but with stallions they are either in or they are out, there isn’t much middle ground.” Raziah’s family has had a number of strong results on the track of late, with Antrim Coast, who is out of a full-sister to Justa Secret, winning last season’s Gr.2 Alister Clarke Stakes (2040m) after finishing runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). The former Stephen Marsh-trained gelding is now in the care of Flemington trainer Steve Richards, and is set to make his return in the coming weeks. “Antrim Coast isn’t far from kicking off his campaign in Australia, he will start in the Seymour Cup (Listed, 1600m) in about three weeks,” Williams said. “We will aim low and see where he takes us. He is going to a Listed and a Group Three, and there is a good race for him on Melbourne Cup Day. “He is pretty highly rated, and we are able to place him a bit better in Australia where there are a lot more options, that is the only reason for leaving him there.” Meanwhile, Williams has received positive reports from trainer Pam Gerard since Savaglee’s runner-up effort in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings earlier this month, and they are looking forward to returning to the Hawke’ Bay venue on Saturday-week to contest the Gr.2 AHD Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m). “He has come back a lot longer and stronger. He has grown up a lot from two to three, which most Savabeels do,” Williams said. “He has taken the right steps physically and mentally. It is a long way to go (to the 2000 Guineas), but we are hopeful with him.” View the full article

Grangewilliam Stud stallion Zed, the sire of 11-time Group One winner and Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) heroine Verry Elleegant, has passed away, aged 22. “He suffered a bout of colic and the only option was surgery,” Grangewilliam Stud principal Mark Corcoran said. “At his age, we just didn’t want to do that to him and unfortunately, we made the decision to euthanise him.” The well-bred son of Zabeel had just four starts on the track before initially joining the stallion roster at Little Avondale Stud. He then spent time in the South Island where he was serving Clydesdale mares at Erewhon Station before his progeny started to make a strong account of themselves, encouraging Corcoran to enquire about standing him at his Waitotara farm in 2013. The son of Zabeel produced the fairytale comeback as a sire, producing 187 individual winners, 17 at stakes level, and three Group One winners in Survived, Ladies Man and most notably, Verry Elleegant. “I didn’t have much in the way of stallion firepower at the time and I was looking for a horse. I noticed that the stock of Zed were just starting to perform on the race tracks,” Corcoran said. “I approached Sam Williams, who did a really good job of kicking off his career at Little Avondale, and we came to an arrangement to stand him here. “Not long after we had done the deal and we got him here, Zed popped up with some stakes horses like Survived and Ambitious Champion. “He served a massive book that first year we had him (168 mares) and I think he was the busiest horse in New Zealand that year. “It just went on from there and it is a story that people love. He was sacked to the back blocks covering Clydesdale mares and he came back and left a Melbourne Cup winner along with a lot of other really good horses.” Verry Elleegant’s achievements in Australia put Zed’s name up in lights, winning an incredible 11 Group One races at a variety of distances, including the Australian Oaks (2400m), Winx Stakes (1400m), Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) (twice), Caulfield Cup (2400m), and her crowning success, the 2021 Melbourne Cup (3200m), which provided Corcoran with a memory he’ll never forget. “He’s certainly been a great ambassador for Grangewilliam and having a superstar like Verry Elleegant put us in the spotlight,” Corcoran said. “Zed has left us with many special memories. My family and local friends will all fondly remember sharing the excitement we had in our garden during COVID cheering Verry Elleegant home to win the Melbourne Cup. “He’s kept the mares coming in the front gate over the years and kept us going through some tough times and we’re in a place now where we’ve got some really nice stallions around us and a lot of that is thanks to Zed.” Alongside the phenomenal mare, Ladies Man, the winner of the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), and Survived, winner of the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes (1400m), headlined the success of Zed in his homeland. The versatility of Zed was exemplified with the success of Zed Em, a million-dollar jumping star who won 17 races, including three editions of the Von Doussa Steeplechase (3250m) and the iconic Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m). On the day of his passing, Zed was once again in the forefront of the jumping scene, with his son Lord Spencer winning the Great Northern Hurdles (4200m) at Te Rapa for JJ Rayner. “He’s always been consistent and left those tough, hardy horses. They have plenty of his sire Zabeel in them and he left staying qualities,” Corcoran said. “He sired the winners of most of the major Cups in New Zealand and obviously it’s the same with the jumping races. “His progeny won pretty well all the major jumps races in Australia and New Zealand, with Zed Em winning in excess of A$1 million in prizemoney, while Affluential looks a rising star and only yesterday Lord Spencer won the Great Northern Hurdles.” The legacy of Zed will live on, with the longevity and nature of his progeny ensuring he will be a part of New Zealand racing for many years to come. “There’s certainly a nice volume still to come through as he covered books of 77, 51 and 46 over the past three years, so there should be some nice horses to look forward to,” Corcoran said. “The great thing with them is they’re probably going to be around for a long time yet. As we know they take time and are still racing as nine and 10-year-olds, so we should be hearing about Zed for a long while to come.” View the full article

What Wodonga Races Where Racing Wodonga – Hamilton Smith Dr, Wodonga VIC 3690 When Tuesday, September 17, 2024 First Race 12:55pm AEST Visit Dabble Action in Victoria heads to Wodonga on Tuesday afternoon, where a stacked nine-race meeting is set down for decision. With clear skies forecast, the Soft 5 rating will likely be upgraded to a Good 4 at some point throughout the day, and with the rail in true position, there should be no excuses for fancied runners. The Wodonga Races on September 17 are set to commence at 12:55pm AEST. Best Bet at Wodonga: Coffin Dodger Resuming from a 16-week spell, the Allan & Jason Williams-trained Coffin Dodger should prove too good for his maiden rivals. The four-year-old began his career with consecutive runner-up performances prior to a disappointing run before heading to the paddock. The son of Sidestep has trialled up nicely, and if Coffin Dodger brings his best, he should bury his opposition. Best Bet Race 2 – #4 Coffin Dodger (13) 4yo Gelding | T: Allan & Jason Williams | J: Thomas Stockdale (59.5kg) Bet with PlayUp Next Best at Wodonga: Immortal Shield Immortal Shield simply got too far out of his ground last time out at Pakenham on the synthetic, and on his first start on the turf, the son of I Am Immortal can bounce back. He won in style over 1200m two runs back when putting five lengths on his rivals when leading throughout, and drawn out wide in barrier 14, it is likely Blaike McDougall will roll forward and take up the running. As long as he doesn’t get trapped wide from the sticky draw, Immortal Shield should prove a bit too good for his rivals. Next Best Race 8 – #8 Immortal Shield (14) 3yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Blaike McDougall (59.5kg) Bet with Dabble Next Best Again at Wodonga: Thunder Force Thunder Force only just held off Keeneland at Benalla over 1612m when breaking his maiden, but is set to gain every favour in running as he steps into BM64 company. The four-year-old gelding stalked the speed throughout, and despite winning by the barest of margins, the Night Of Thunder progeny put a further 4.4 lengths on his rivals to suggest the top two were worth following. Liam Riordan will likely hold the rail just behind the leaders, and with even luck, Thunder Force can go on with the job on Tuesday. Next Best Again Race 6 – #7 Thunder Force (2) 4yo Gelding | T: Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | J: Liam Riordan (59kg) Bet with Picklebet Tuesday quaddie tips for Wodonga races Wodonga quadrella selections Tuesday, September 17, 2024 6-7 1-2-3-4 6-8 3-5-10-11-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Fresh from Sunday’s impressive win with Sunlight Power, the veteran handler heads to city circuit on Wednesday night with several hopes.View the full article

Underwood Stakes contender, Fawkner Park. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Fawkner Park is set to return in Saturday’s Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield, using the race as a stepping stone towards bigger targets like the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October and the Group 1 Japan Cup (2400m) in November. Trained by Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald, the six-year-old gelding last raced during the Queensland Winter Carnival, claiming victory in the Group 2 Q22 (2200m) and the Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) prior to that. “He’s going super, and it’d be lovely to knock over a Group 1 early,” part-owner Nathan Bennett told Racing.com. “Chatting to Annabel [on Friday], and he’s going to go there to give us a real show. He’s ready to win and he’s not there just to make up the numbers. “He worked on the course proper at Geelong having an exhibition gallop, and he did it with ease. “He worked with Gear Up, joined him in the straight, and was good through the line. He only had a light gallop, but that’s topped him off, and he’s ready to go.” Horse racing news View the full article

Caulfield Guineas Prelude contender, Feroce. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Dominic Sutton is eager to see how Feroce performs in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on Saturday, as the race will help shape the gelding’s spring campaign. Feroce, a son of Super Seth, gave Sutton his first win as a trainer with a victory at Pakenham in March, followed by another success over 1200 metres at Caulfield. His recent form includes a fourth-place finish in the Listed Anzac Day Stakes (1400m) and a seventh in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m). “I’ve always felt that he’s a horse that will get out over further than 1400 metres,” Sutton said. “We’ve just had to teach him to harness his speed a little bit early as he can be an aggressive type of horse early when he wants to be, but I think the 1400 metres will suit him down to the ground.” Sutton added that Feroce would need to put in a strong showing in the Prelude to justify a shot at the Guineas, though he’s mindful of not overtaxing the developing gelding. “He’d need to run a pretty bold race in the Prelude to warrant going on to the Guineas, and the mile will probably see him out at this stage. I don’t want to give him a too taxing spring as he’s still developing.” Looking ahead, Sutton mentioned several options beyond the Guineas. “There is the Carbine Club Stakes during Cup week on the radar as a run after if we do go to the Guineas, but we’ve still got to take the right steps. “If we decide to bypass the Guineas, there’s lots of races around the fringes that we could look at. “There’s even the Sandown Guineas later in the spring. It’s pretty much an open book at this stage.” Horse racing news View the full article

Jerry Chau pilots Sunlight Power to a brilliant win. Ricky Yiu believes emerging talent Sunlight Power can continue a sharp rise and eventually join the city’s elite after the gelding’s stunning win at Sha Tin on Sunday as Zac Purton dominated the meeting with a quartet. Ridden by Jerry Chau, Sunlight Power travelled three-wide before surging clear of his rivals to win by two lengths and easing down before the line to notch his fourth win from 15 starts. The authority of the performance fuelled the wily Yiu’s hopes he has another quality galloper on his hands. Clocking 1:21.17, 74-rater Sunlight Power will be next aimed at Class 2 contests before Yiu considers even loftier targets after shouldering 129lb with ease today. “I wish I could tell you how good he can be, but I’m aiming high. I think he can get to over 100 (in the ratings) but I can’t tell you how high he can go because he keeps on improving,” Yiu said. Notching his second four-timer from only three meetings so far this season, Purton scored aboard Chris So-trained duo Devas Twelve and Super Win Dragon, Mark Newnham’s Super Infinity and David Hall’s Charmander. With nine wins from 24 rides, Purton boosted his Hong Kong career haul to 1,749, leaving the Australian only 64 victories shy of 13-time champion Douglas Whyte’s record of 1,813. “It’s a good way to start the season. I’m pushing for a little bit more support out there if I can get it. So, hopefully the other trainers want to train a few winners as well and we can work together,” he said. Purton, 41, figured in two running doubles – the first aboard Super Infinity and Charmanderer. Newnham was delighted with the performance of Super Infinity, a son of Star Witness. “He’s still not a finished product, but good enough to win today,” Newnham said. “I think at the moment, I’ll just hold him back to 1200 (metres). He’s not doing enough right yet, I think, to step up. “Even today, Zac had to sort of force him into a position, which was good for today and to get the job done, but I think as he matures and gets another couple of starts under his belt, he’s probably a horse who’s a better chaser.” With four wins across three meetings, Newnham has laid the foundations for another strong campaign. “I’m very happy. We’ve got some quite nice horses like this horse that weren’t over-exposed last season so they’ve got wins in them,” he said. Purton provided Hall with the first leg of a stable double atop Charmander before combining with Harry Bentley and Mr Energia. “He’s (Mr Energia) always shown ability but he hadn’t shown that ability in races, but the blinkers have transformed him,” Hall said of the Swiss Ace gelding who finished fifth in a Sha Tin 1050m trial on 3 September. Purton linked up with So in consecutive races, scoring on Devas Twelve before Super Win Dragon posted his fifth course and distance triumph. “He (Devas Twelve) did a nice job last season as a young horse, he progressed with every run and got that win and then he went over the top – he’d had enough and then he got a break during the off-season and he’s come back a better horse,” Purton said. “He raced against his normal pattern today and still got the job done at his first start this season. He did a good job.” Magic Control became the first horse this season to claim a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million when the former Australian sprinter dominated from the front under Matthew Chadwick for Cody Mo. Clocking 55.74s over the straight course, the Sioux Nation gelding lived up the reputation he created in Australia where he was a three-time winner for Matt Laurie when known as Archo Nacho. The gelding’s best Australian victory came in the Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in October. “It’s nice to achieve the first winner of the season and this is a great horse to get it with. You could see from his win overseas that he’s a very good horse. Even in his latest trial he went very easily with Ka Ying Rising, who is a Group winner. He just followed him nicely without too much pressure and kept going,” Mo said. Family Jewel provided Caspar Fownes with his first win of the campaign with victory under Hugh Bowman. Setting a new class record of 1:33.70, the Time Test gelding impressed Fownes. “I’m very happy to see that, it was a good effort. I’m surprised they ran that time and the track is very hard but he handled it well. He ran very well last start and he was unlucky,” Fownes said. “I think this horse is quite nice so hopefully he can continue to improve.” Pierre Ng, runner-up in last season’s trainers’ championship, matched So and Hall’s feat in slotting doubles. Ng notched his first victory of the term with Gale Saga, who gave Matthew Poon his fourth win of the season, and then struck again with Team Happy under a positive ride from Angus Chung. “Very happy with the double. It seems a little bit late but it’s a good start to the season and hopefully we can keep going to the end again,” Ng said. Horse racing news View the full article

WA jockey Kyra Yuill enjoyed a fruitful day in Alice Springs on Sunday, finishing with two wins. Local trainer Dan Morgan, Darwin jockey Sonja Logan and Bunbury rider Kyra Yuill claimed winning doubles at Alice Springs on Sunday. Former Top End jockey and trainer Carl Spry, now based in Townsville, also had a win in his first Pioneer Park appearance since September 2019. Morgan tasted success for the first time this season with Garrucha and Barocco Bar, both with Logan in the saddle. In a 1000m 0-70 affair, Garrucha ($1.85 fav) made it four wins and a second from five previous starts when hitting the front at the 800m before overcoming Hurn Court ($6) and Tango Stepz ($7) by 5.7 lengths. Barocco Bar ($3.80), spelled after winning the Tennant Creek Cup (1600m) on May 18, got to the lead turning into the back straight before hanging on with his 61.5kg impost to pip Nasty Streak ($14) and Dip Me Lid ($21) by 0.2 lengths over 1400m in BM54 company. Yuill employed similar front-running tactics aboard Lisa Whittle’s Omoplata and Paul Gardner’s Governor ($11). Omoplata ($8) hadn’t raced since February, but that proved no barrier after hitting the front at the 900m before smashing Flash Fiorente ($8) and Ginger Creek ($3.50) by seven lengths over 1200m in 0-58 grade. Just like Omoplata, Governor ($11) jumped from the inside gate and shared the lead before edging clear at the 600m to prevail by a length from Augusta Moon ($10) and Taormina Duchess ($21) over 1000m in Class 2 company. Governor was a last-start 10th at Ballarat for Melody Cunningham on August 13 after posting just two career wins for fellow Ballarat trainer Patrick Kearney. For Yuill, who rode in Darwin on Saturday, it was just her third win from 19 starts in five Alice Springs visits after cracking the ice aboard Gardner’s Hello Carol on May 5. After making his first appearance at Fannie Bay on Saturday since March 2020, Spry marked his return to Central Australia in style when Kerry Petrick’s The Girl’s Boy ($13) finished strongly along the fence to salute by 1.2 lengths from Real Divine ($4.20) and Another Val ($3.50 fav) in a 1400m BM54 affair. The last time Spry had success at Pioneer Park was in July 2019, when he partnered Leanne Gillett’s stablemates Duvet and Razor Beer. Terry Gillett’s $2.50 hope Beau Factor made it three wins in four weeks when he took a sit in open company over 1400m before unwinding in the home straight to topple a gallant Princess Pancakes ($8) and a disappointing Altar Boy ($1.95 fav) by 2.5 lengths. Kevin Lamprecht’s $10 prospect Travanti, back after two Darwin starts for two fourths in June, trailed the leaders by five lengths passing the 800m before eventually clicking into gear to seal an effortless win over Quick Return ($7) and Get Out Mick ($13) by two lengths in 0-58 grade over 1200m. Horse racing news View the full article

Running four-wide, Gunny Highway lost a few strides to his rivals but with nearly a furlong until the wire, the gelding caught the leaders and pulled away for a two-length triumph in 1:37.94. View the full article

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued ahead of its 2023 edition as Book 3 concluded Sunday night with a colt by Maxfield leading the way when selling for $575,000. Through the two Book 3 sessions, 526 yearlings sold through the ring for a gross of $83,880,000. The section's average was $159,468–up 4.7% from a year ago–and the median was $130,000, an increase of 13.04%. Ten horses sold for $500,000 or more, compared to 13 hitting that mark a year ago. During last year's Book 3 section, 562 yearlings sold through the ring for $85,565,000 for an average of $152,251 and a median of $115,000. With trainers Bob Baffert, Chad Brown and Mark Casse among the first-week shoppers still on the grounds as Book 3 concluded, Sunday's session marked a transition for the 12-day auction, according to Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales Agency. “Yesterday and today, to me, it felt a little bit thin like a lot of horses didn't have quite punch above the reserve,” Taylor said. “They were getting done, but it was right there and you had to be careful with your reserves. But I think the market was still fair. Sunday, to me, seems like sometimes it's a transitional day. Some of the people are almost done and maybe they are just bidding on a few select horses. And then some of the people who are really coming for Book 4 are maybe up here around the ring and they are dabbling and maybe buying a few in the back ring. But it's kind of a transition day.” Through six sessions, 1,166 yearlings have grossed $336,408,000. The cumulative average of $288,515 is up 8.15% from the same point in the 2023 auction and the median is up 5% at $210,000. The buy-back rate is 28.51%. It was 26.08% last year. “I think the sale has been very, very good,” Taylor said. “I think Keeneland has done a great job of bringing in buyers from all over the world. There has been a ton of European breeze-up people that have bought a lot of horses from us, so getting them over here and getting them engaged, I think it's a good sign for our breeders that those guys want American horses and they think they can do well at the breeze-up sales. That's been kind of a bright spot.” Looking ahead to the auction's second week, Taylor added, “I thought Book 3 was good, but my hope is that Book 4 is even stronger, that there is new blood coming in and it's going to kick on and go from there.” The Keeneland September sale continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m. Maxfield Colt for the Amigos Trainer Bob Baffert, still on the grounds shopping through Book 3 at Keeneland, and bloodstock agent Donato Lanni went to $575,000 to acquire a colt from the first crop of Maxfield on behalf of the 'Three Amigos': Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman Sunday. Out of Bible Belt (Pulpit), the dark bay colt is a half-brother to graded-placed Hardworkcleanlivin (Colonel John). Bred by Bill Thompson, Jr., he was consigned by Indian Creek. “Bob is here and the three amigos are all here,” Lanni said. “It's nice to have them here. The Maxfields have been selling really well. They are all beautiful. And we all liked this colt. He was a must-have.” The Three Amigos were buying their second yearling by Maxfield. They also paid $575,000 for a colt by the sire consigned by Burleson Farms (hip 1108). Through six sessions, has had 41 yearlings sell for an average of $275,366. He was represented by pair of million-dollar yearlings in Book 1. Maxfield Colt a High for Thompson Bill Thompson, Jr., breeding Thoroughbreds since 1996, sold his highest-priced yearling Sunday at Keeneland when his colt by Maxfield sold for a session-topping $575,000 to Three Amigos. “That exceeded my expectations,” Thompson admitted. “I was hoping that we might be $250,000 to $300,000, so this certainly exceeded my expectations.” Breeder William Thompson Jr. | Keeneland The session topper is out of Bible Belt (Pulpit), a mare Thompson purchased for $15,000 at the 2011 Keeneland January sale. Maxfield is in the midst of a breakout sale with his first-crop yearlings at Keeneland. Of the decision to send his mare to the Darley stallion, Thompson said, “Maxfield was a stallion that I had the opportunity to see at the racetrack when he was in his racing days. [Trainer] Brendan [Walsh] was really kind to take him out and let us see him. And I was impressed with his disposition, the way he carried himself. That's the difficult thing to ascertain about a potential mating. What is the horse's demeanor? That's so important, I think, not only for the sales, but also for the racetrack. They've got to have that demeanor and confidence that they don't get addled. So I like to pay attention to what I observe of them and Maxfield was such a standout individual from the way he carried himself.” Thompson has six mares that he boards at Winsom Farm in Paris, Kentucky. “I had horses when I was younger–Quarter Horses, just riding horses,” Thompson recalled. “But I was really interested in the Thoroughbred world. I bought my first mare in 1996 and had the good fortune to breed to Saint Ballado in his second year and that yearling went on to do very well. I sold her well here at Keeneland. So what do you do? Get some money, buy a couple more mares. So that's where I am today.” Asked what it was like to watch his high-selling yearling go through the ring Sunday, Thompson said, “It feels rewarding because there are so many things that can go wrong. I lost two foals this year. It's a difficult game, but when everything lines up and you have a success like this, it just feels terrific.” Nyquist Colt to Wathnan Racing A colt by Nyquist (hip 1813) is joining the expanding U.S. stable of Wathnan Racing after bloodstock agent Case Clay made a final bid of $550,000 to secure the yearling Sunday at Keeneland. The dark bay is out of stakes-placed Slimey (Quality Road) and was consigned by Knockgriffin Farm. “He really just caught my eye,” said Clay. “He has a lot of presence and is a beautiful mover.” The Wathnan Racing of the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani burst on the European racing scene last summer when winning a pair of races at Royal Ascot. The operation returned to win four races at the royal meeting this year. Hip 1813, a colt by Nyquist | Keeneland Clay has been shopping for Wathnan at the yearling sales over the last month as the operation expands its U.S. roster, which already has seen graded success with Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify)'s win in the GIII Phillip H. Iselin Stakes “In America, they are looking to buy two-turn dirt horses, colts and fillies,” Clay said. “There are 13 in training at the moment and so far at Saratoga and September sale, they have bought 14—11 here [at Keeneland] and three at Saratoga.” Wathnan's purchases at Keeneland have included a colt by Gun Runner (hip 235) for $800,000 and a colt by Not This Time (hip 4) for $675,000. At Saratoga, Clay's three purchases on behalf of Wathnan included a filly by Tapit (hip 160) for $850,000; a colt by Into Mischief (hip 55) for $850,000; and a second filly by Tapit (hip 135) for $500,000. Fitzgerald Hits Another Book 3 Home Run Jim Fitzgerald's Knockgriffin Farm hit a pinhooking home run when topping the second Book 3 section in 2023 with a $900,000 son of Constitution he had purchased for $100,000 at Keeneland January eight months earlier. Fitzgerald did again Sunday at Keeneland when selling a colt by Nyquist for $550,000 to Case Clay Thoroughbred Management. The yearling was purchased for $95,000 at Keeneland this past January. “He just had an overall range about him,” Fitzgerald said. “The way he moved as a weanling, I thought there was just so much potential there. He grew up exactly as I thought he would. I think his better days are ahead of him. He's really started to come into himself now and I think Case Clay bought a really nice horse.” Of the colt's price tag in January, Fitzgerald said, “I was a little surprised by it, but he had a lot of maturing to do. And sometimes you get a bit lucky. And obviously I got lucky, especially with Nyquist, who is probably one of the hottest sires around right now.” Casse Celebrates with More Shopping By any measure, Mark Casse had a good day at the race Saturday. The trainer saddled the top three in the GI Natalma Stakes, the top two in the GI Woodbine Mile and south of the border captured the GIII Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. Casse wasn't on hand at any of those races, however, as he shopped the Keeneland September sale. “It's funny,” Casse said at the sales pavilion Sunday. “I think we've won the Natalma eight or nine times and the Summer four or five times. I think that was our third Woodbine Mile. I haven't been to any of them. It's always the week of the sale. I tell everybody, that book has been written. I am trying to buy next year's winners.” Asked how he celebrated the racetrack success Saturday, Casse said, “We went out to dinner with some friends. We were going strong, trying to buy horses and watch races. This is always an interesting week.” Casse had a knockout summer with his 2-year-olds at Saratoga and the babies continue to perform with And One More Time (Omaha Beach), Vixen (Vekoma), and Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) sweeping the trifecta in the Natalma and La Cara (Street Sense)'s win in the Pocahontas. “We had a wonderful year with our 2-year-olds,” Casse said. “We started a new plan at the beginning of the year. We bought yearlings, but then we got them ready at our training center, so we had a good group ready early. We got them started. I think that's the key. You look at a filly like La Cara who won the Pocahontas, she started a couple of times before she even won. So it takes some of those horses a few starts.” Tynan Makes the Scene at Keeneland Ronan Tynan took time away from his teaching duties at University of Kentucky to take in the sales at Keeneland Sunday, but the Irish tenor, who breeds and races in his native country, found bidding competitive. Ronan Tynan | Keeneland “I teach two weeks each semester at University of Kentucky,” Tynan, said. “I have a stud farm in Ireland and in the past I've bought horses here, but it's very good sales this year. Holy moly.” Asked if he had bid on anything Sunday, Tynan admitted, “I saw a beautiful filly by Street Sense and she attracted my attention hugely, but then she detracted my attention because she flew. I tell you what, if this is an indication of the way things are going, it's going to be hard to get something within the realm of my pocket. But it's fantastic.” Tynan will be hoping the action is as competitive in Ireland when he turns to the selling side of the sales. “I breed and race,” Tynan said. “The year before I had eight winners, last year I had seven or eight. This year, not so good, but you have years like that. I have foals for the sales in Ireland. I'm a little worried about how it goes. Ireland is not America. I think Europe may be near a recession, not near the top, but the tier below it.” The post $575K Maxfield Colt On Top as Book 3 Concludes with Increases 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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