Wandering Eyes

Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino in Altoona will add an additional day of live horse racing to the 2024 schedule, on Thursday, Sept. 26, to make up for the Thoroughbred races canceled due to a storm on Monday, July 15. The additional card, scheduled for a 6pm CT post time, will be the first day of the final week of live racing on the 2024 schedule at Prairie Meadows. “There's a possibility of running as many as nine Thoroughbred races on Thursday, Sept. 26,” said Thoroughbred racing secretary Stuart Slagle. “We will take entries and draw for the added day on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.” The 2024 season at Prairie Meadows ends on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, with the Iowa Classic Night program which includes season-ending championship stakes races for both Iowa-bred Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. The post Prairie Meadows Adds Racing Date Sept. 26 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ellis Park wrapped its meet with another record-breaking year, concluding with a 20% increase in all-sources handle. A total of $72.7 million was wagered across the 25-day meet, surpassing last year's record by $12.2 million.View the full article

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 274 yearlings to its Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale, to be held on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland. The sale will begin at 11 am. “Midlantic Fall graduates have notched nearly 60 stakes wins or placings in 2024 alone, including a bevy of quality graded stakes winners,” said Paget Bennett, Midlantic Director of Sales. “Yearlings from the Midlantic region are well raised and their results on the racetrack bear that out year-after-year.” The front cover of this year's catalogue features recent graded stakes winners I'm Very Busy, Leave No Trace, Neecie Marie, and Post Time. Studlydoright, winner of the Tremont Stakes. over Belmont Stakes weekend, is pictured on the back cover. Sires represented include Bolt d'Oro, Candy Ride (Arg), Charlatan, City of Light, Great Notion, Hard Spun, Independence Hall, Karakontie (Jpn), Maclean's Music, McKinzie, Midshipman, More Than Ready, Munnings, Nyquist, Omaha Beach, Tiz the Law, Violence, and Vekoma. Midlantic Fall also offers yearlings from a wide variety of state-bred programs, including Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. The catalogue may now be viewed online, and will also be available in the equineline catalogue app. Print catalogues will be available this week. Fasig-Tipton will accept supplemental entries to the sale up until sale time. The post Midlantic Fall Yearling Catalogue Online appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Brunetti family's Red Oak Stable, which finds itself with plenty of the family, will offer a filly by Uncle Mo (hip 45) during Monday's first session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The yearling, consigned by Darby Dan Farm, is a half-sister to the operation's multiple Grade I-winning star Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) and to its Grade I-placed filly Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft). “We are selling this one, and we actually sold Goddess of Fire also, because we have so many from the same female line,” Red Oak racing manager Rick Sacco explained. “With the mare Ubetwereven (French Deputy)–who is the dam of King for a Day–and her foals, it's all the same family, and we have so many. It's a business and we just think it's a prudent thing to do.” Ubetwereven, acquired by Red Oak privately some 20 years ago, produced Feel That Fire (Lightnin N Thunder) in 2007 and that stakes winner produced Mind Control in 2016 and Goddess of Fire in 2019. Ubetwereven is also the dam of stakes winner Ima Jersey Girl (Lightnin N Thunder), who produced Gorgeous Girl (Liam's Map), second in the Red Oak colors in this year's Gasparilla Stakes, while the mare's son King for a Day (Uncle Mo) won the 2019 Pegasus Stakes for the operation. The hard-knocking Mind Control won the 2022 GI Cigar Mile, 2019 GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, and 2018 GI Hopeful Stakes, as well as five other graded events. He won 11 of 29 starts and earned over $2 million on the racetrack. Goddess of Fire was second in the 2022 GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes and GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and finished third in that year's 2022 GI Alabama Stakes. She was sold to Bass Stables following an allowance win at Gulfstream in January and was bred to Annapolis this year. Red Oak retains Feel That Fire's 2-year-old filly, My Crystal Ball (Uncle Mo). “She is with Todd Pletcher and she's a beautiful filly,” Sacco said. Of the mare's yearling, Sacco said, “She is a very pretty filly. The Feel That Fire foals are all typey horses, like Mind Control and Goddess of Fire. She is very pretty and very correct and excellent physical as far as vet exams and scopes. So she is perfect in that aspect. We are impressed with her.” Red Oak has already enjoyed success with Uncle Mo. In addition to King for a Day, the farm was also represented on the racetrack by 2018 GI Apple Blossom Handicap winner Unbridled Mo (Uncle Mo). “We were on that bandwagon very early with King for a Day and Unbridled Mo,” Sacco said. “We started out with Uncle Mo and his stud fee has obviously risen over the last couple of years. He's having a fantastic year. To me personally, there is nothing not to like about Uncle Mo.” Red Oak Farm was founded by John Brunetti, Sr. and had been operated by his sons John Jr. and Stephen following his death in 2018. The death of Stephen Brunetti in April has altered the farm's trajectory slightly, according to Sacco. “John Brunetti, Jr., Steve's brother, he is a traditionalist,” Sacco said. “He loves the game, he loves it the way his father did. Steve Brunetti was very passionate about breeding and the every day operations, where Johnny runs the entire company, the casino and the real estate division that they have. He loves it, but not to the extent that Steve did. So it's part of our business plan to sell some, where Steve Brunetti would never really sell horses. We are not going to have over 100 horses anymore, but we are going to continue with the very high-quality broodmare band. We've kept all of our best broodmares and will breed to high-quality stallions. And we will sell some horses.” The Brunetti name is also being carried on in racing by the next generation. “Steve, Jr. graduated from University of Kentucky last year,” Sacco said. “He works for the Brunetti organization in South Florida, he is part of the real estate division. Like his father, he is passionate and he does have a couple of horses. He's another one that really loves the game. He likes to go to the races and he's enjoying it, that's for sure.” Red Oak's next generation of equine stars is well on its way, as well. “We have Unbridled Mo's 2-year-old colt by American Pharoah [Intuitive Wisdom] at the track and getting ready to run,” Sacco said. “He's about a breeze away.” Unbridled Mo produced a colt by Curlin this year and was bred back to Into Mischief. “She has an absolutely outstanding Curlin weanling that we love,” Sacco said. “All of the reports from Darby Dan have been great. He's a special colt and a lot of people have gone to look at him. In my last visit there in July, he was very impressive. Curlin is having such a good year, we have entered him in the Keeneland November sale.” As for Mind Control, he retired to Rockridge Stud following his win in the 2022 Cigar Mile and his first foals are weanlings this year. “We love the bunch that we have,” Sacco said of Mind Control's first foals. “Physically, they are just very tough looking. He's not an overly big horse, a shade under 16 hands or right at 16 hands, and the foals are very muscular and strong looking. And, most importantly, correct. He is a beautiful-moving horse and ultra correct.” Sacco continued, “Mind Control bred 190 mares, he broke the New York record of all time for number of mares being bred in one year. So he's been very well-received.” The Keeneland September sale opens with Book 1 sessions Monday and Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m. Book 2 sessions Wednesday and Thursday begin at 11 a.m. Following a dark day Friday, the auction continues through Sept. 21 with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. The post Red Oak to Share the Fire at Keeneland September appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ellis Park Racing & Gaming's summer season wrapped another record-breaking year, concluding with a 20% increase in all-sources handle. This year, a total of $72.7 million was wagered across the 25-day meet, surpassing last year's record by $12.2 million. “We are thrilled with the results of this year's meet, both in terms of record-breaking handle and the outstanding quality of racing,” said Ellis Park general manager Matt Pressley. “We owe our success to the dedication of our staff, horsemen and women, horseplayers and our local community. Thanks to the continued investments from Churchill Downs Incorporated, Ellis Park is positioned for continued growth and success.” Over than $15.1 million in purses were awarded across 228 races-an increase of 7% from 2023, a record-breaking year with a 49% increase in purses. This year's meet ran one additional day compared to last year. (includes funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund) Jockey Jaime Torres led the rider standings with 21 wins from 134 starts. Torres, who also won this year's GI Preakness Stakes aboard Seize the Grey, split his time between Saratoga and Ellis Park this summer, earning $1.2 million in purses. Luan Machado finished just one win behind Torres with 20 victories and led all jockeys in purse earnings with $1.5 million. Cristian Torres finished third with 17 wins. In the trainer standings, Brendan Walsh and Steve Asmussen finished in a tie for first place, each securing 14 wins. Asmussen, who made 139 starts at the meet, earned $809,118 with his runners. Walsh, who won with 20% of his horses from 70 starts, led all trainers in earnings with $1.1 million, highlighted by victories in the $400,000 GIII Pucker Up Stakes with Waves of Mischief and the $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Nashville Derby with Cameo Performance. Godolphin dominated the owner standings for the second consecutive year, winning 12 of 24 starts and earning $604,712 in purses. Steve Asmussen finished a strong second with seven wins from 21 starts. Live racing will return to Ellis Park in early July 2025. For latest information about gaming promotions throughout the year, visit www.ellisparkracing.com. The post Ellis Concludes Record-Breaking Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Eighty of the 123 horses nominated for this year's G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup were bred in Europe. Only 18 of that group are still in training in either Britain, Ireland or France. Aidan O'Brien, who has not had a runner in the race since 2020, when Tiger Moth (Ire) finished runner-up to Twilight Payment (Ire), trained by his son Joseph, has six entered, led by the G2 Queen's Vase winner Illinois (Ire). Meanwhile his fellow Irishman Willie Mullins is planning to send back last year's favourite, the recent G2 Lonsdale Cup winner Vauban (Fr), along with Absurde (Fr) and Hipop De Loire (Fr). Dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Dermot Weld has entered Harbour Wind (Ire), while Henry de Bromhead has nominated the Ebor winner Magical Zoe (Ire). Jessica Harrington could be represented by Kinesiology (GB). Juddmonte's Arrest (GB) is in the mix for John and Thady Gosden, while Andrew Balding has put forward Night Sparkle (Ire) and Relentless Voyager (GB). Harry Eustace and Brian Ellison complete the list of British trainers and have entered Sea King (GB) and Onesmoothoperator respectively, while the sole French-trained entry is Delius (GB) for Jean-Claude Rouget. A total of 20 horses from outside Australasia have been entered, including two from Japan – Shonan Bashitto (Jpn) and Warp Speed (Jpn). Of the 80 who were bred in Europe, 48 carry an Irish suffix, 22 were born in Britain and 10 in France. The Australian and New Zealand breeding programmes are represented by 19 entries each, while three entries carry a USA suffix and two were bred in Japan. Among the European expats now trained in Australia are the Group 1-winning mares Via Sistina (Ire), Poptronic (GB), and Place Du Carrousel (Ire), who respectively sold for 2.7m gns, 1.4m gns, and €4.025m at last year's breeding stock sales. Ciaron Maher, who won the 2022 Melbourne Cup with Gold Trip (Fr) when training in partnership with David Eustace, has 16 entries for this year. They include the former Sir Michael Stoute-trained Circle Of Fire (GB), who was bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, and three-year-old Sayedaty Sadly (Ire), who was fifth in the Derby when trained by Andrew Balding. Sadly missing from the list of entries is Crystal Black (Ire), who is unbeaten in four starts this year for trainer Ger Keane, including the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot and the G3 Ballyroan Stakes. “He's had a bit of a setback and is going to go on his winter break,” said Keane of the six-year-old. “It's nothing serious, but you have to go by him and he wouldn't ready for it. He got a viral infection and his bloods were very low and he wasn't himself. You'd have to be pushing him to run in it, so it wouldn't be the right thing to do and it wouldn't be fair on the horse. “It's only a minor setback, so we'll put him away for the winter and see where we go next year.” The post European-breds Dominate Melbourne Cup Entries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Classic-winning jockey Hollie Doyle reached 1,000 career winners at Goodwood on Tuesday. Doyle, who won her first race 11 years ago, was aboard trainer David Simcock's Leyhaimur (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}) when winning the William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Fillies' Nursery Handicap over six furlongs. She had scored win 999 earlier in the card with Almaty Star (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the William Hill Most Top Price Runners Handicap for trainer Robert Cowell. “Never when I started off my career did I imagine I would ride this many winners,” Doyle told Racing TV. “I'm just really grateful for all the support I've had so far; from trainers, owners, my agent–they've done a great job for me so far, even though I'm probably a nightmare to work for. “Now all I can think about is the next thousand!” Doyle has enjoyed great success in the saddle, and set a new record for number of wins by a female jockey in 2019 with 116. She was aboard Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York last month en route to taking her ninth Group 1 win in Europe. The post Hollie Doyle Reaches 1,000 Winners At Goodwood appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Royal Ascot winner Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) has suffered an unspecified setback which will rule him out for the remainder of the season. His owner Wathnan Racing plans to return him to training for a four-year-old campaign. The winner of the G3 Jersey Stakes and G3 Craven Stakes, Haatem has also been placed in two Guineas for Richard Hannon, and was beaten just a head by his stable-mate Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. He was an intended starter in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois in Deauville in August but was withdrawn at the start after jockey James Doyle reported that he was unhappy with the colt as he went to post. Richard Brown, racing adviser to Wathnan Racing, said, “We've got to the bottom of what was troubling him that day and, the good news is, it's nothing serious. But it would be a race against time to get him back for the obvious end-of-year targets, so we've drawn stumps and hope to have him back in top form for the big mile races next season.” The post Haatem Set to Return at Four as Setback Curtails Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Graham Lee Vickers.Bet Leger Legends Classified Stakes will be run in honour of Graham Lee during the final day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster. A top-level winning jockey under both codes, Lee sustained life-changing injuries in a Newcastle fall last November. A JustGiving page was set up by Lee's daughter Amy, for the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) which has raised over £200,000. The race will see ex-jockeys riding to raise money for the IJF and the National Racing College. A charity golf event was also held on Monday. “There's a good turnout, which is good, and it's good to get out and do things like this to help him,” Lee's son Robbie told Sky Sports Racing. “He [Graham Lee] is doing OK. We've had a getaway at Oaksey House for the week and he's enjoyed that. “He's doing well and keeping his physio going constant, so he's not giving up. “It does help him getting a change of scenery and really gives him a reset and helps clear his mind.” Lee's friend and former weighing-room colleague Andrew Thornton is one of the organisers of the Leger Legends event and is pleased the race will carry Lee's name on Sept. 15. He said, “He's ridden 2,000 winners under both codes, it's remarkable.It's obviously very sad what happened, but we're all behind him and we're all doing what we can for him. “This event is for the National Racing College and also for the Injured Jockeys Fund and Jack Berry House. Graham benefits through that and gave us his blessing to call it that this year. “We've got past winners in Sammy-Jo Bell and Brian Harding taking part and Meg Nicholls is donning the silks again. “We've got Gerald Mosse coming over [from France] and Tom Scudamore, Dickie [Richard] Johnson is having another crack and we've got an Irish contingent coming over as well including Mark Enright, Bryan Cooper and David Mullins–a Grand National-winning rider.” The post Leger Legends Race To Honour Graham Lee appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Callum Shepherd has won his appeal against the Kempton stewards that imposed an 18-day ban last month. Aboard Thorntonledale Max (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) in a handicap, Shepherd was said to have failed “to take all reasonable and permissible measures on a horse which would have finished outright first” after rival Flavour Maker (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) dead-heated with Shepherd's mount. Shepherd “completely refuted” the allegation at the time and a British Horseracing Authority (BHA) independent panel met to adjudicate the decision on Tuesday morning. Shepherd insisted that his mount had lost “no momentum whatsoever”, and the panel was in agreement. “I look all the over the place, it looks bad and I would be the first to say it but it is unusual and completely unintended,” he said. Panel chairperson HH James O'Mahony said, “Whether or not there was an admitted or in fact a mistake is open to argument. “We accept the reality of life in sport and particularly in racing that things happen very fast and if every time a jockey made an error of judgement there was to be hearing about it, then hearings would go on every day and forever. So it is open to us to consider as we judge it the question of an acceptable explanation. “We find on the balance of probabilities there was a loss of rhythm and an imbalance that had some causal connection with the appearance and the fact of Mr Shepherd rising as he did above the saddle in the closing strides, and we were able to say that on the most infinitesimal and minute observation of the footage any number of times, from all relevant angles and with close noting of specific times. “We add that there was no apparent loss of momentum as far as the horse was concerned and finally we emphasise that this case is decided on its own facts and is in no way a precedent or a ruling on any matter of principle that may arise in future cases of this kind. “The sanction is, of course, quashed. “We add that in the time available to the stewards when they made their decision, they had nothing like the opportunity that we have had to examine the evidence in such detail.” The post Callum Shepherd Wins Appeal Against 18-Day Ban appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pleasant Acres' freshman sire Bodexpress has sired six winners to date and is among 11 North American freshman sires represented by a black-type winner.View the full article

Co-trainer Katherine Coleman isn’t expecting any first-up fireworks from I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) or Chain Of Lightning when they kick off their respective spring campaigns in Saturday’s Group One Moir Stakes at The Valley. The stablemates are the highest-rated horses in the $750,000 sprint and while their co-trainer concedes their class can carry them a long way, she said they’re being trained to peak later in the spring. I Wish I Win is one of only two horses already locked into an Everest slot next month with the Trackside Media slot. Chain Of Lightning will jump from barrier four, while Luke Nolen will steer I Wish I Win from barrier five on Saturday. “I’d say it’s a little bit short for both of their best and neither of them come into it really screwed down,” said Coleman, who trains in partnership with Peter Moody. “We think both of them have improvement to come. “We want them to go there, have a nice hit-out and be hitting the line strongly. “We don’t want them to have a gut-busting first-up run.” I Wish I Win is rated the $4.80 third favourite in Sportsbet’s Moir market, behind Estriella ($2.70) and Lady Of Camelot ($3.80). Coleman said the son of Savabeel tuned up for his return with a solo gallop at Pakenham on Tuesday, which follows a jumpout win at Pakenham in mid-August. The gelding will use the Moir and the Manikato Stakes three weeks later to springboard into The Everest as he attempts to go one better in Sydney’s rich slot race. “Regular rider Luke Nolen was in the saddle (for his gallop on Tuesday) and he was happy with him and said the horse gave him a great feel,” she said. “It (his jumpout) might be a little bit deceiving, just the fact that he’s got that good residual fitness from his Queensland winter campaign, so he was more forward in that first jumpout than where we’ve seen him before. “In saying that, we have been very happy with how he’s come up for his spring campaign. “Last year he just didn’t have the ideal lead-up race but this maps out really well for him – he can go from the Moir, three weeks into the Manikato and then three weeks into The Everest. “We know that he loves three weeks between runs.” Chain Of Lightning was scratched from a Gr.3 race at Caulfield last Saturday and Coleman said she will again be monitoring the forecast over the coming days before committing to a start with the T.J. Smith Stakes winner. “She’s come back super,” she said. “We had her in at Caulfield on Saturday, but the track just came up a bit firm, which we know is not to her liking. “There looks to be a few showers of rain forecast late this week, so we’ll cross our fingers. “She doesn’t need a Heavy track, but she’d just like the sting out of it.” View the full article

Leading rider Blake Shinn has reclaimed the ride aboard Antino (NZ) (Redwood) when the Queenslander goes second-up into the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday week. Trainer Tony Gollan confirmed on Tuesday that Shinn will reacquaint himself with the Memsie Stakes’ fourth placegetter at Flemington, after a somewhat luckless run for Jamie Kah at Caulfield, where he finished three-and-a-half lengths adrift of the winner Pinstriped. Shinn has ridden Antino three times in the past for a Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) win and a Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) second placing before they were again runners-up in the Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at The Valley last spring. Gollan told TAB Radio on Monday that he was pleased with Antino’s fresh effort despite the 10-time winner doing a few things wrong. “He just ambled out a bit and put himself on the back foot, which in this grade of racing, it makes it pretty hard,” Gollan said. “(Pride Of) Jenni went along at a nice clip then mid-race, which we expected, we were just chasing from way out under that sort of pressure, which was a bit of a shame. “I think there were positives in it – he closed the race off really well – but he just left himself too much work to do. “We are just going to tinker around a few things in the next couple of weeks with him and if anything, you would imagine going to the mile on the big track at Flemington will be far more suitable.” Gollan said he may ask for a barrier attendant to assist with Antino in the gates so he can jump cleanly. “I’ll just mix up things with him to make sure he’s 100 per cent,” he said. “We were really happy going into the weekend and we’ll probably have a late tail on him to help him jump that little bit better in the Makybe. “But we aren’t going to panic too much. “I thought for a horse that we think is going to get a mile and perhaps even further, particularly on the bigger tracks, it wasn’t too bad a first-up run. “Out of the Memsie, he has to be a top-four or five chance in the Makye Diva.” View the full article

Almanzor (Fr), the European champion three-year-old of 2016 and the star of the first crop of Wootton Bassett (GB), will continue his stallion career solely at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand. Bred by Haras d'Etreham, where he has served his northern hemisphere stud career for the past seven seasons, Almanzor has proved more successful in Australasia, where he is the sire of nine Group 1 performers including the Victoria Derby winner Manzoice (Aus). He was also New Zealand's leading sire of juveniles and leading first-season-sire in 2021 and 2022. “We have experienced an emotional ride with Almanzor, and he has been the symbol of a new dynamic within the stud, both from a breeding and stallion perspective,” said Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure. “His victory in the 2016 Prix du Jockey Club represented a major exploit and a great joy for the whole Etreham team. A magnificent individual, he immediately appealed to Jean-Claude Rouget who purchased him as a yearling for more than 16 times the stud fee of his sire. Thanks to his exceptional performances, Almanzor remains the best son of Wootton Bassett.” Among Almanzor's best performers in Europe are G2 Prix Niel runner-up Lassaut (Fr), the Group 1-placed Queen Trezy (Fr) and this season's G3 Prix de Psyche winner Almara (Fr). His first three crops each boast a ratio of over 45% winners to runners. He has 115 two-year-olds this year, 90 yearlings, and covered 80 mares in 2024. De Chambure added, “Despite these solid statistics, it must be said that his production in the southern hemisphere is more successful and the market there is more favourable to him. Therefore, after six seasons of shuttling, it is logical for us to accept the offer from Cambridge Stud which will allow the stallion to remain in the hemisphere where he is the most successful. We wish them continued success for the future, and we would like to express our thanks to all the shareholders and breeders who have supported Almanzor during his covering seasons at Etreham.” The post Almanzor to Remain in New Zealand appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Two key changes from the last New Zealand Cup lead-up to the next at Addington on Friday could have a huge impact on the result. The Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup is the next major Cup lead-up this Friday and the conditions look similar, a 2600m standing start with plenty of the same names as the Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase won by Dalton Shard two weeks ago. But there are two big differences. One is the return of former age group star Sherlock, who was backed in from $5 to $3.50 favouritism as soon as the market opened on Tuesday. And the other major change is the handicaps, with Ohoka Connor and B D Joe moving up from starting on the 10m mark in the Maurice Holmes Vase to being on the front line on Friday night. With both open class pacing races at Addington in the last two weeks being dominated by those handy and on the marker pegs that could be crucial if the Team Telfer pair can step on terms with the army of Diamond Racing (Team Dunn) horses in the field. The winner of the New Brighton Cup will qualify for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington on Tuesday, November 12 while the winner of Friday’s other feature, the Hickman Family Ordeal Cup will be guaranteed a start in the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot. The Ordeal also sees some handicapping differences from the last time many of these met, when Mighty Logan was able to beat stablemate Sunnys Sister in a mobile 1980m. They are part of a far bigger field on Friday and while the step up to 2600m should suit Sunnys Sister she does go back on to a 10m handicap, no easy assignment in a near capacity field. She still opened $4.50 favourite in a field that sees Paul Nairn step last-start winners Confessional and Tectonic into the big time. To see Friday’s Addington fields click here View the full article

Last Saturday, Group 1 racing kicked off in Victoria with the Memsie Stakes headlining a massive program at Caulfield, while Rosehill held feature races throughout the day. In this week’s edition of The Follow Files, we have found three horses that produced impressive runs early in their spring preparations. Caulfield Track rating: Good 4 Rail position: +3m entire circuit Race 8: Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) | Time: 1:44.97 Horse to follow: Que Tempesta (5th) Ben, Will & JD Hayes kicked off the spring preparation of Que Tempesta in the Heatherlie Stakes, which was his first Aussie run since coming over from Italy. Mark Zahra rode the son of Territories and allowed him to settle midfield throughout the 1700m journey. Although the five-year-old gelding was slightly held up at the top of the straight, he flew home to record the fastest last 200m section of the race. When to bet: Although Que Tempesta was held up and didn’t seem to handle the final corner well, his fresh run was a great trial for the Caulfield Cup. The Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup at Caulfield on September 21 looks like the ideal race for him next. Rosehill Track rating: Soft 5 Rail position: +2m entire circuit Race 6: Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) | Time: 1:02.98 Horse to follow: Tropicus (3rd) Tropicus returned from a four-month spell for his second career start in the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill, and he ran on nicely to finish third. Even though he was first-up, his last 200m was very strong. Tommy Berry allowed the colt to find his feet at the back of the field before getting out into clear air to fly home down the middle of the track. When to bet: It is expected that Anthony & Sam Freedman will take this guy to The Run To The Rose over 1200m next start and compete in the top three-year-old races throughout the spring. Race 7: Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) | Time: 1:15.79 Horse to follow: Iron Hawk (4th) Following a strong debut victory, Iron Hawk from the Gary Portelli stable has run into the very smart Autumn Glow in his next two starts, with his most recent fourth-place finish being the best of the two. The three-year-old colt settled near the back of the field over 1300m and had to make two runs in the final 400m in order to find space. Once he got going again, Iron Hawk let down with a withering burst and nearly nabbed third place. When to bet: It is clear this guy is crying out for further than 1300m, and if Portelli takes him to the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Rosehill on September 14, he will get every chance to win again. Top horse racing sites for blackbook features Recommended! The Better Bettors! Australian-owned and operated bookmaker! Join MarantelliBet Horse racing tips View the full article

Champion trainer Ciaron Maher said he is confident Pride Of Jenni’s much-anticipated spring campaign has not been derailed by a minor elevated temperature. Pride Of Jenni has emerged from her unplaced Gr.1 Memsie Stakes run with an imperfect blood picture, but Maher said that while her tests indicate a possible minor virus of some kind, her symptoms were mild and she appears to be bright just a few days after the race. “Her bloods have come back not perfect, but OK,” Maher said on Tuesday afternoon. “They (bloods) were very slightly out, but it would be hard to say it was the sole reason (for her defeat). “It probably wasn’t surprising that she got beat, but probably just the margin was further than I expected.” Asked if he feared the minor setback could harm her spring campaign, Maher was adamant: “No, not at all. It’s very minor. “It’s obviously a concern that I expected her to be very competitive and she wasn’t. But all other signs and everything else about her seem OK.” Maher would not be drawn on when Pride Of Jenni will step out next, but the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at The Valley on September 27 is most likely at this stage. He said Pride Of Jenni will have a more leisurely week ahead. “The process now is recovery,” he said. “A bit of ‘R and R ‘for a week and she’s got a program there,” he said. “We’ll be monitoring her closely over the week, but the signs are good. She seems bright enough and ate up and looks healthy.” Pride Of Jenni eased out to $2.90 by race time on Saturday and futures punters have now also taken a set against her. On the back of her flat Memsie run, Pride Of Jenni was a big drifter in the two big spring races she had been earmarked for. She is out from $3 to $6 for the Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick and from $4.40 to $8.50 in the Cox Plate. View the full article

There is plenty of anticipation heading into Matamata’s Wednesday meeting, with local trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley set to unveil exciting filly Gossip (NZ) (Proisir). The daughter of Proisir topped last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Online Yearling Sale when purchased out of Fairdale Stud’s draft by Gary Harding for $110,000, and she is living up to her billing so far, winning both of her trials to date. She is set to make her debut in the Pam Gerard – Ballymore Racing 1200, for which she is rated a $1.65 favourite by TAB bookmakers ahead of the Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie-trained Shavasana at $5. “I am looking forward to seeing her run,” Briar Weatherley said. “It is probably not ideal being on a Heavy track, but she has had two trials now on them and has gone well both times. Hopefully she can get the job done tomorrow.” Gossip is nominated for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November, and Weatherley said her early spring performances will dictate which path they take with their filly. “We are going to take it one race at a time with her,” she said. “She is not a very big filly, there is not a lot of her. She is a November foal, so she still lacks a bit of maturity and is on the weaker side. “She is nominated for the 1000 Guineas, but we will just get through tomorrow and reassess after that. She will tell us whether we press on to those races or put her aside and wait until after Christmas and let her develop.” A race prior, stablemate I’m Pedro (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) will be out to break maiden ranks when he contests the Waharoa Transport Co. (1995) LTD 1200. “Two starts ago he ran really well at Pukekohe where he was just beaten on a Heavy track,” Weatherley said. “Last start at Taupo, I just think the track was too good for him. He finished fifth but he probably just wants it wet, and he is going to get that wet track again tomorrow. “With a bit of luck, I think he can be right there.” Meanwhile, Weatherley was happy enough with the way Group Three winner Arby and stakes winner Ess Vee Are competed in their respective 1300m trials at Cambridge Synthetic on Tuesday. “Arby (NZ) (Proisir) has trialled twice now and went over a bit further today,” Weatherley said. “He is probably better suited going the other way around. We will look to kick him off over a mile first-up, he is quite a dour stayer. We have no real set plans with him at the moment. “I am really happy with Ess Vee Are (NZ) (Shocking). He has trialled well both times. He put himself right there today and travelled quite keen and was very happy and full of himself. “We are not 100 percent sure about whether or not we are going to start him over 1400m or a mile first-up. We are waiting for the better tracks for him. Both him and Arby like Good tracks, so we don’t really want to rush to get them out on these bad tracks at the moment. It shouldn’t be long until the weather turns. “The New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) is his main aim at this stage. It definitely looks a nice race for him, so we will just plot a path to get him to the New Zealand Cup and go from there.” While both horses could be in for a big spring, Group One-winning stablemate Pier has been ruled out of racing until next year. “We are scratching our head with him at the moment,” Weatherley said. “He has just had a bit of a niggly issue and at this stage we are going to be putting him aside for three to six months and give him a bit of time again.” View the full article

Te Akau trainer Mark Walker joined Racing Pulse on Tuesday morning after Quintessa’s impressive win in the Cockram in Melbourne and four winners in New Zealand on Saturday. View the full article

Matamata horsewoman Chelsea Burdan will line-up her first runner as a trainer this week, albeit a few years earlier than anticipated. The 23-year-old former jockey’s riding career was cut short three years ago through injury, and while disappointed she can no longer compete in the saddle, she is looking forward to trying her hand at another aspect of the industry. “It (training) is something that I have always wanted to do, as well as being a jockey,” Burdan said. Burdan recorded 63 wins in the saddle over four seasons before breaking her collarbone in a race fall at Waverley in December 2020, which resulted in multiple surgeries and subsequently brought an end to her jockey dream. “I had a fall that ended my career and I wasn’t able to come back (riding) due to too many complications with my shoulder,” Burdan said. “I broke my clavicle in 2020, so I had quite a bit of time off with that and had surgery. I rebroke it twice. They (surgeons) left it to see whether it would heal on its own and eventually it got cleared. “They thought it had healed, so I made a return and rode four winners over three months and I was having a lot of pain during that time. I went back and had it looked at again, and it turned out it hadn’t healed, and it had broken more and had separated completely. “I always thought that with the number of surgeries I have had on my collarbone I would be sorted, but I have had four surgeries now and they just can’t seem to get it right.” Burdan said she really enjoyed her time in the saddle, where she was presented the Most Promising Apprentice Jockey Award following her first season of riding and won the 2019-20 Linda Jones Trophy for Most Outstanding Female Apprentice, and admits it is still a tough pill to swallow that she isn’t out competing on raceday. “It took a good 18 months to get over it and realise I wasn’t able to go back,” she said. “I do miss it. I get a bit sad watching the races, I try not to watch too many because I do get quite upset about it still.” Burdan has tried to find a silver lining and, in the process, has launched a successful pre-training and breaking in business, and is excited to take the next step in her career by becoming a trainer. “I started the breaking in and pre-training business in January 2022,” she said. “I have been going with that for a while and towards the end of last year I decided I wanted to look at getting my trainer’s licence.” With a view to training, Burdan kept a close eye on gavelhouse.com earlier this year to try and find a suitable candidate for her racing team, and she took a liking to a three-year-old Wrote filly and was rapt to secure her with a final bid of $600. “I liked her breeding and the family seems to be doing alright. I thought you can’t go wrong with $600, you might as well give it a go,” she said. Burdan named the filly Stumblin Ona Dream (NZ) (Wrote) and after three trials she is set to make her debut in the Waharoa Transport Co. (1995) LTD 1200 at Matamata on Wednesday. Burdan is more hopeful than confident ahead of lining up her first starter, but she is looking forward to returning to compete on raceday, albeit this time cheering from the sideline. “I am more nervous than anything,” she said. “I think the (Heavy10) track will be too testing for her. I just really want to see her get back in the field and then run on. In all of her trials she has jumped and led, which just doesn’t teach her anything. I was going to trial her again, but I have elected to run her at the races. It will be good to get a line on her and see where we are at.” Burdan is currently working a race team of three, but said she is kept very busy with her business as well as preparing for showjumping events. “I have three racehorses in work, but I do a lot of pre-training for the likes of Wexford, Te Akau and a few other small clients,” she said. “I have about 19 in work, so it keeps me pretty busy. I have still got my showjumpers as well.” Progeny of Ribchester complete Burdan’s three-strong racing team, and she said she is particularly taken by a juvenile filly she purchased for $5,000 out of Leanach Lodge’s New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft earlier this year. The filly is out of Fun Seeker, a half-sister to dual Group One winner Lizzie L’Amour, and Burdan is hopeful she can make it to the races later this season. “She has had two preps and she has shown plenty, she is just taking a little while maturity-wise,” Burdan said. “She has just been tipped out for a spell this week for a couple of weeks. She is one that we definitely like and she is a late two-year-old, early three-year-old prospect. She is a lovely horse.” Showjumping has been a lifelong passion for Burdan, and she continues to enjoy competing with a couple of off the track thoroughbreds. She qualified for Horse of the Year earlier this year but was unable to compete due to undergoing surgery in March, and she said she is hungry to head to next year’s event. “I have two ex-racehorses, Spellcraft and Cyclonic King, so I tackle the thoroughbred series with them,” she said. “We qualified this year, but I wasn’t able to make it to Horse of the Year with my injury. It is something that I am looking at chasing hard this year, as well as the racing.” Spellcraft and Cyclonic King are not the only retired racehorses under Burdan’s care, with Group One performer Battle Time a clear favourite in her stable. The 12-year-old grey gelding had a pleasing career on the track, winning eight races, including the Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m), and was runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Diamond Stakes (1200m) for trainers Tim and Margaret Carter. Burdan rode the son of Battle Paint on 13 occasions and developed a soft spot for the Group One performer. “He was very good to me,” she said. “He is now the pony here at home. I was very lucky to get him when he retired. He helps out with the breakers and teaching people how to ride.” Burdan is looking forward to having her name in the racebook for the first time as a trainer on Wednesday and is hoping to grow her racing team in the near future. “It is nice to still be able to stay in touch with the racing game,” she said. “I don’t have any big goals of training a lot of horses, but I would like to step up to around 10, just to have a nice amount in work. “I am enjoying what I am doing and at the end of the day I am giving it a go, and I am happy with that.” View the full article

This week on the Guerin report, Michael sits down with James McDonald in a two part interview to discuss his career, his wins from around the world, his best horses, and the period that changed his life. Plus we look ahead to the Hawke’s Bay Spring Racing Carnival. Guerin Report – Ep. 1, Ft. James McDonald (youtube.com) View the full article

Star youngster Velocious (Written Tycoon) will have the opportunity to redeem herself on a better surface at Hastings on Saturday. Much was expected of the daughter of Written Tycoon when she opened her three-year-old campaign at Taupo last month, but she produced an indifferent display when she trailed in fourth in a five-horse field. Trainer Stephen Marsh is hoping improved underfoot conditions in the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) will turn her fortunes around on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay carnival. “All of her best runs have been on Good tracks, the three times she has been beaten have been on rain-affected tracks,” Marsh said. “She probably needed that Taupo run a bit more than we initially thought as well. We will get a much better line on her on Saturday.” Last season’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) winner will again be partnered in the Gold Trail by Craig Grylls, while Joe Doyle will continue his association with stablemate Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth). The Super Seth colt will bid to add to his black-type record when last season’s Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1200m) winner lines up in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m). Super Photon suffered his first defeat when he finished runner-up at Taupo behind Savaglee. “He has come through that first-up run very, very well and he just had a little bit of mucus found after the race,” Marsh said. “We feel he is a big improver, he’s scoped clean and his bloods are clean. He hasn’t missed a beat and 1200m on a better track will be ideal for him.” Marsh’s other runner at Hastings will be three-time winner Merchant Queen (Merchant Navy) in the Vet Services Equine Hawke’s Bay Premier (1200m). “I really rate her and she’s a fast improver from Taupo. Her work has been very good and, again, back on a better track she’s ready to go,” he said. Last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) winner El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) will head in the opposite direction this weekend for his resuming run in the open 1400m Open Handicap at Ruakaka. “He’s in good shape, but he never does much first up. The trip to Ruakaka and the run will fit him up nicely and he’ll go to the middle leg (Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate, 1600m) at Hawke’s Bay,” Marsh said. Meanwhile, Nest Egg (NZ) (Reliable Man) will be back in action in the Robert Bruce Clothier Memorial (1600m) at Matamata on Wednesday with Tegan Newman in the saddle. “He probably won’t like the track (Heavy10), but we need to get the mileage under his belt for another crack at a New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m),” Marsh said. The son of Reliable Man finished runner-up in last season’s Riccarton staying feature after winning the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) on the first day of the carnival. View the full article

The 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup is shaping up to be an exhilarating race, with 123 stayers from around the world vying for the prestigious title following the official nominations. The race will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at Flemington Racecourse. This year’s Melbourne Cup features a strong potential contingent of international horses from […] The post 123 Nominations Taken for Lexus Melbourne Cup 2024 appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article

Vauban has been nominated for the 2024 Melbourne Cup. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) 123 horses have been nominated for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 5, with 25 representatives coming from Europe, Japan, and New Zealand among the list of possible gallopers to make the trip down under for the race that stops the nation. Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien leads the charge with six runners nominating for the first Tuesday of November, highlighted by recent Group 3 Irish St. Leger Trial Stakes (2800m) winner Grosvenor Square ($15.00), firming into favouritism with horse racing bookmakers after storming away by 20 lengths at the Curragh on August 17. Illinois, Jan Brughel, Point Lonsdale, The Equator and The Euphrates have also been nominated on behalf of Coolmore, with Tower Of London a notable omission amongst his star-studded list of stayers. Willie Mullins has nominated three gallopers this time around, with Vauban and Absurde ready to have their second tilt in the Melbourne Cup after being defeated by Without A Fight last year, while Hippo De Loire has been added into the mix after a luckless effort in the Ebor Handicap (2800m) at York on August 24. Fellow Irish trainer Dermot Weld could be embarking on a Melbourne Cup return in the form of Harbour Wind, looking to achieve his third win in the race, and his first since Media Puzzle conquered the great race in 2002. The 2024 Ebor winner Magical Zoe is among the list of nominated runners and is ballot exempt for the Melbourne Cup provided the Henry De Bromhead barn elect to head down under. Other notable European nominations include the John & Thady Gosden-trained Arrest, while the Andrew Balding barn has included Night Sparkle and Relentless Voyager among the list of possible travellers, while the French could be represented in the form of Delius (Jean-Claude Rouget). Meanwhile, Kinesiology (Jessica Harrington), Onesmoothoperator (Brian Eillison) and Sea King (Harry Eustace) all hold nominations representing the UK. The Japanese have two nominations in this year’s Melbourne Cup, with Shonan Bashitto (Naosuke Sagai) and Warp Speed (Noboru Takagi) both possible contenders to replicate the feat of Delta Blues (2006). New Zealand-based trainers have nominated a total of five possible chances to come across the ditch, with Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray represented by Mahrajaan and Nereus, while punters could see the return of the Graeme & Deborah Rogerson-trained Sharp ‘N’ Smart on Australian shores. Other New Zealand nominations include Good Oil (Andrew Forsman) and Trust In You (Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley). Horse racing news View the full article

What Sunshine Coast races Where Sunshine Coast Turf Club – 170 Pierce Ave, Caloundra QLD 4551 When Wednesday, September 4, 2024 First Race 12:35pm AEST Visit Dabble Sunshine Coast Turf Club will host its second meeting in four days, with a very competitive eight-race program set down for decision this Wednesday afternoon. The track is expected to stay in the Good 4 range, as per the initial rating, while the rail will be pushed out to the +9m position. The Sunshine Coast races on September 4 are scheduled to kick off at 12:35pm AEST. Best Bet at Sunshine Coast: I Saw The Light I Saw The Light returned from an 18-week spell at Ipswich on August 19, when the Jack Bruce-trained mare worked home nicely to finish second behind Isle Ornsay. This daughter of Divine Prophet is yet to finish outside the placings from four starts, and the rise to 1400m second-up should only help. From barrier five, James Orman can settle behind the speed, and with a similar finish to last start, I Saw The Light will prove hard to beat. Best Bet Race 6 – #6 I Saw The Light (5) 5yo Mare | T: Jack Bruce | J: James Orman (58kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best at Sunshine Coast: I Am Artie Following two dominant wins at this track and trip, I Am Artie gets a very good chance to bring up a hat-trick in the penultimate race of the day. Last time out, the son of Artie Schiller led every step of the way and won by 2.8 lengths. With one other speed influence in this contest, I Am Artie can push forward and settle outside the leader before kicking clear at the top of the home straight. Next Best Race 7 – #6 I Am Artie (12) 5yo Gelding | T: Paul Jenkins | J: James Orman (59.5kg) Bet with Dabble Best Value at Sunshine Coast: Sebring Girl Sebring Girl returns to her home track after back-to-back seconds and a third-place finish in her previous three starts. The Stuart Kendrick-trained mare led the field up to the 200m mark at Doomben last start and was only run over late, going down by just under half a length over 1615m. With the aid of Cody Collis’ 3kg claim, Sebring Girl gets in with a light weight and should prove hard to run down. Best Value Race 3 – #3 Sebring Girl (2) 5yo Mare | T: Stuart Kendrick | J: Cody Collis (a3) (57.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Sunshine Coast quaddie tips for Wednesday Sunshine Coast quadrella selections Wednesday, September 4, 2024 1-2-5-11-12 5-6 1-6-9-10 1-3-9-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article