Wandering Eyes

What Moe Races Where Moe Racing Club – Waterloo Rd, Moe VIC 3825 When Tuesday, September 23, 2025 First Race 1pm AEST Visit Dabble Racing in Victoria heads to Moe on Tuesday afternoon with a bumper nine-race program set down for decision. Following plenty of rain leading into the meeting, the track is likely to be in the Soft 7/Heavy 8 range, while the rail comes out 6m the entire circuit. The first race at Moe on September 23, 2025 is set to jump at 1pm AEST. Best Bet at Moe: Omamori Fresh off a dominant maiden win here over 2069m on September 4, Omamori looks ready to go on with it, rising to 2447m in this BM62. From barrier two, Ethan Brown can have the Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained gelding parked in the first four, and his Soft-track profile (4:0-2-1) says the give won’t worry him. With the rail out 6m and a smaller field engaged, the race shape should be kind to a handy, grinding type, and 60kg is acceptable at this level given his recent figures and upward trajectory. Best Bet Race 7 – #1 Omamori (2) 4yo Gelding | T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | J: Ethan Brown (60kg) Next Best at Moe: Blue Bandit Blue Bandit was excellent on debut when third at Mornington over 1200m and should take natural improvement second up. He draws out in 10 over the Moe 1217m, but with Jye McNeil aboard the four-year-old can roll forward or find a back to follow before letting down. He gets the same trip, carries the standard 59.5kg for the maiden, and brings race experience against a field with several lightly raced or new faces. If he begins cleanly, Blue Bandit looks the one they’ll have to get past this time. Next Best Race 4 – #2 Blue Bandit (10) 4yo Gelding | T: John Leek (Jnr) | J: Jye McNeil (59.5kg) Next Best Again: Mr Tickles Seasoned sprinter Mr Tickles profiles as a solid play in a busy 1017m BM56. He rarely runs a bad race at this trip (24:2-8-2) and handles Soft going (9:2-4-1). From barrier three, the six-year-old can park just off the speed and use his late strength, with a 1.5kg claim helping offset the 61.5kg impost. His recent runs — a Bendigo fourth, a synthetic win, and a close second — read well for this grade, and Moe’s short-course layout suits those who can hold a spot. Next Best Again Race 8 – #3 Mr Tickles (3) 6yo Gelding | T: Mitchell Leek | J: Emily Pozman (a1.5) (61.5kg) Tuesday quaddie tips for Moe Moe quadrella selections Tuesday, September 23, 2024 1-8-11-12 1 2-3-5-9 1-3-8-10-13 Horse racing tips View the full article

Twelve-time Champion Trainer Mark Walker, who ticked over 2000 career wins last year, added to his achievements at The Australian Jumps Racing Association (AJRA) 2025 AJRA Mosstrooper Awards, held on Saturday in Melbourne. The Mosstrooper Awards celebrate the very best in jumps racing: the horses, trainers, jockeys, ground staff, and all those that make jumps racing thrive. In a series of jumps races, Walker recorded the highest number of points to win the JJ Houlahan Championship – Champion Trainer Award. Walker has always had a soft spot of jumpers, highlighted by training some of the best in the past two seasons in Victoria, from the Te Akau stable at Cranbourne, and made history in August this year when becoming the first trainer to ever trifecta the prestigious Grand National Steeplechase (4500m), won by Leaderboard (Street Cry), followed by stable-mates The Mighty Spar (Savabeel) and Prismatic (Savabeel). In 2024, Walker had six wins and four seconds from 13 starts over fences last season, shared two wins apiece by Prismatic (Savabeel), The Mighty Spar (Savabeel), and Leaderboard (Street Cry), while the same trio were to the fore this season, with The Mighty Spar winning four steeplechases in a row and Leaderboard, the former Wellington Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m) and St Leger (Listed, 2600m) winner, notching three wins during the jumps season. “It was an honour to win the Jumps Trainer Award, especially named after the legendary Jim Houlahan, who was a true icon of the sport and Hall of Fame trainer,” Walker said. “It was a great day the Grand National day, the first time in history in Australia that the trifecta in the Steeplechase came from the same stable, and quite amazing because we only had the three jumpers going around throughout the season. “I’ve always found the jumpers to be great in helping to educate the yearlings and giving them confidence. We’ve always had a few jumpers over the years – not many – just a handful, and they’re great schoolmasters. “It’s a twofold thing, the enjoyment we get out of having a few runners through the winter, when we don’t have many for wet track racing on the flat, and it keeps up the staff’s enthusiasm through the long, cold, wet, winters, and also, as mentioned, the help in educating the young ones.” View the full article

Bold front running mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) will be out to light up The Valley once again when she chases back-to-back wins in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) on Friday night. Ciaron Maher’s eight-year-old will be first up since May and had Declan Bates in the saddle for her Monday morning gallop at the tight inner city circuit, with Maher receiving positive feedback from the Irishman. “He said he felt she was pretty relaxed for the first half of the gallop and wanted to rip down the second, so he was pretty happy,” Maher said. Pride Of Jenni has endured a topsy turvy time over the past twelve months. The three-time Group One winner won the Feehan Stakes last spring and was an emphatic winner of the Gr.2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) in the autumn, however, she has also suffered resounding defeats in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m), Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m), Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) during that period. Maher suggested though that Pride Of Jenni still had the zest for racing. “She’s a pretty easy read, she lets you know when she’s had enough,” he said. “All the signs are pretty good, but I suppose, older mare, you always want to see it.” Pride Of Jenni has had two jumpouts leading into her first up run for the spring, where the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) looms as a potential target for her. “She’s improving with each gallop and jumpout,” Maher said. “The first one she was a bit soft; her second trial she trialled a lot better. She’s come on nicely for that, Dec was pretty happy with her this morning. “She’s heading in the right direction.” View the full article

Superstar Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), the odds-on favourite for this year’s The Everest (1200m), has arrived safely in Sydney. The David Hayes-trained speedster touched down mid-morning on Monday in what was the biggest step in his quest towards the $20 million sprint at Randwick on October 18. The son of Shamexpress reportedly travelled well and Australian Turf Club racing manager Nevesh Ramdhani said it was a coup to have Hong Kong’s best horse in town for the Spring Carnival. “Absolutely, the ratings on this horse after his 13 wins have just been incredible,” Ramdhani said. “In the 10 years we’ve been doing it, I can’t remember another horse that has been rated as highly as he has. “It’s also building on the relationship we already have with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “That’s also a very important component of why we did it, to build and strengthen relationships between Sydney racing and Hong Kong.” Ka Ying Rising landed in Sydney a winner of 14 of his 16 starts, with two narrow second placings, and he has not been beaten since January last year. The five-year-old is the highest-rated sprinter, and one of the highest-rated gallopers in the world, with a peak Racing And Sports Rating of 132. To put that into perspective, Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) ran a 132 rating in last year’s Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) romp, while Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and Winx (Street Cry) retired with peak figures of 136 and 134 respectively. Shortly after arriving, he was transported to the Canterbury Quarantine Facility where he will serve his two-week isolation period before ramping up preparations for The Everest with a Randwick trial on October 7. Ka Ying Rising is the first of a number of international gallopers who will descend on Sydney this week with last year’s Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest (No Nay Never) and Sam Hawkens (Galileo) to arrive on Tuesday. Their stablemate Bullet Point (Advertise) is also coming, scheduled to land on October 14, in the same shipment as Panja Tower (Tower Of London), Seagulls Eleven (Galileo Gold) and Luther (Frankel). View the full article

Former northerner Martell and heavy-track specialist Vamos spearheaded a dominant Sunday afternoon at Gore for trainer Kelvin Tyler. The Riverton horseman scored a winning treble on the eight-race card, alongside three runner-up placings and two fourths from his eight starters. He got off to the perfect start in the opener with homebred More Sass, who put away a maiden field comfortably over 1100m. More Sass, like her well-performed sister Lady Sass, has a few quirks, so Tyler was rapt to see a more professional display from the now four-year-old. “She’s got loads of ability, but unfortunately the brain doesn’t quite follow sometimes,” Tyler said. “After last year, we gave her a good break to let her mature mentally, and she has come a long way. “Her work has been really good, but you never quite know what you’re going to get with her. It wasn’t too strong of a maiden field, so it was good to see her do that. “I have a couple of Ancient Spirit’s by the mare (Lady In Charge) who are ticking away quietly, but the family all have similar traits, not as bad as More Sass, but they have a bit of cheekiness amongst them. “It’s just a matter of managing her as best we can, hopefully she can keep going forward from here.” Later in the day, it was the turn of Martell, who joined Tyler’s barn after performing up to open class in the North Island for Jim Collett. He showed that ability first-up winning at Wingatui earlier in the month, and stepping out in the Advance Agriculture Open 1100, he was patiently ridden by apprentice Floor Moerman and hugged the inside rail to pick up the leader in the straight and kick clear by 1-3/4 lengths. Tyler was surprised to see the son of El Roca starting at a price of $4.80, knowing the ability he possesses. “I’m not a betting person, but I couldn’t believe the odds, he’s a really good horse and showed that again on Sunday,” he said. “We’ll just stick down this end of the country going forward, there are some nice races coming up and he’ll go to Invercargill in a couple of weeks, there’s a good race there (Open 1200m). As long as the tracks have plenty of give in them and he’s going well, we’ll carry on.” Tyler bookended the programme with a quinella in the Kevin Doyle Memorial Open 1800, which by the 500m, was clearly going to be a battle between Vamos and stablemate Prince Alby. Prince Alby looked to be cruising up to Vamos, who had led throughout under Moerman, but when she asked for an effort, race fitness was on his side and the gelding extended the margin to eight lengths, with nearly 20 lengths back to Call Me Al in third. The win followed Vamos’ 14-1/2 length romp in a Rating 75 over 2000m at Riccarton last month, and Tyler had expected the son of Vadamos to have the edge on his other runner on this occasion. “His work has been unreal and he loves wet tracks, and he just had that race fitness over Alby,” he said. “I couldn’t really see him getting beaten and he just wants to run and keeps running. “We put the visor blinkers on for the Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m) and they probably just went a bit quick for him in that, but they’ve certainly worked well for him since. As long as the tracks have a bit of give in them, Vamos will stick down here and possibly drop back for a mile race at Invercargill. “Alby is coming up quite nicely and still has to strip his coat a bit, so he’ll have plenty of improvement to come out of that. He is hopefully on the path for the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m).” Tyler had been at Trentham on the previous day with Freddie Time, who put in another strong effort in Rating 75 grade to finish third behind progressive type Ma Te Wa, the winner dictating the tempo throughout. “It was a great run by Freddie, but to be honest, I was sitting in the stand shaking my head thinking why was no one taking on the leader, just to sprint up the straight” Tyler said. “They all should’ve been taken in the room and fined really. “His run was massive coming from where he did and he’s coming up really nicely. There’s a nice 75 mile race at Otaki on the 11th, he’ll take a bit of improvement from Saturday and should go a good race there. “I shoot up there (Otaki) once a month or when it’s close to a race, but Howie and Lorraine (Mathews) do a fantastic job, I don’t have a worry in the world. They love him and he’s happy up there, it’s a great connection that we’ve got.” Tyler will be back on the road this week, with King Of The Castle taking on the Waimakariri Businesses North Canterbury Cup (2000m) on Saturday at Riccarton and Fourofus also making the trip for the 3YO SW+P (1400m). “The stable is going well, so hopefully we get a bit of luck up there,” he said. View the full article

Cambridge trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray are hoping to spend plenty of time on the road this spring with a pair of The Oaks Stud’s representatives. The training partnership earned a winning treble across the weekend, with two of those carrying the familiar Oaks silks, headlined by Tajana’s gutsy victory in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The $150,000 contest was pinned as a match race between the Darci Brahma filly and rising star Lollapalooza, and it proved to be just that, with the former coming out on top by a nose. Ritchie said Tajana had pulled up well from the race, with their focus now turning to the Gr.2 Windsor Park Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) back at Ellerslie on October 18. “We’ve got the luxury at our stable of having a quarter-acre paddock per horse, so she could go and stand under a willow tree and have mates all around her,” he said. “They stay that much more supple and they tend to eat up when they’re outside, and the recovery is fantastic. “She’s eaten up since the race and we’ve got a good window of four weeks before the Soliloquy Stakes, which is lovely, because at the 1400m, she needs to be on the fresh side.” Ritchie had questioned whether the seven furlongs would be too sharp for his filly, and while he is still of that belief, the Soliloquy is a necessary step towards the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 53rd New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November, where she holds equal-favouritism with Lollapalooza. “I still think 1400 is nowhere near her optimum trip because she relaxes so well, but you’ve got to take your stepping stones through the fillies races before you can get over further,” he said. “I think the key with keeping her fresh is keeping that speed in her legs, which helps her let down very quickly over the 1400m. As she gets further into her campaign, I’m sure 1400m will be too short.” Those white and blue silks were to the fore again at Te Aroha on Sunday, with stablemate Tempest Moon breaking maiden status in the Waitoa Haulage Maiden (2200m). The daughter of Turn Me Loose found her sweet spot at the 2200m, keeping up a strong gallop in the straight to hold off History Maker for amateur rider Abhay Seesa. Ritchie had been waiting for a suitable trip for the five-year-old, who now he hopes to qualify for the A$304,000 Jericho Cup (4600m), a race the stable won in 2023 with Nassak Diamond. “She’s a real dour staying mare, she reminds me a lot of Nassak Diamond who we won the Jericho Cup with in the same colours a couple of years ago,” he said. “The distance races in the lower grades have never really been far enough for her, but now that she can get to 2200m-plus, and maybe even that 3000m race down in Christchurch, if she can win that it’s qualifying race for the Jericho Cup. “The Jericho is a fantastic trip to be part of, I would advise anyone with a horse capable of going to go and enjoy the week. They lay it on thick and it’s a great tribute to the veterans and the light infantry through town.” The southern qualifier will be run at Riccarton on October 25, with the winner earning an automatic place in the iconic Warrnambool feature on November 30. Another late-blooming five-year-old, Giveusawink, completed their successful weekend when winning the Frac Club (1600m) at Te Aroha. A full-brother to the stable’s Group One-winning filly Jennifer Eccles, Ritchie said Giveusawink has the ability to match his breeding but has struggled to put it together on raceday. “That was his 10th start and he’s still doing the silly things, like deciding when he’s going to quicken up or not and making things difficult for Jonathan (Riddell, jockey),” Ritchie said. “If he actually relaxed and decided to be a racehorse, he would be well past maidens by now. “We know he’s got so much ability and he’s a beautiful horse. He’s got some very resilient owners in him who have stuck with us, because the talent is there, but it’s also extremely frustrating. “It’s not something we can train out of him, we just have to wait, so perhaps now we’ll back him up over the next couple of weeks so that he has regular racing and hopefully taking that edge off him.” The stable will look to continue their momentum into the new week, with several runners headlined by Tuxedo taking on Saturday’s Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa. The Group Two winner stuck on bravely to finish a close-up seventh in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie earlier this month, but Ritchie is under no illusions about the challenge he now faces against stiff weight-for-age competition over a mile. “You see horses like El Vencedor, Legarto and the two Te Akau mares galloping between races at Ellerslie, they are hardened, strong weight-for-age horses that have been there,” he said. “We are dealing with a four-year-old, that I have no doubt at five or six with some more maturity to him will catch up to that level, as many of those did as well. I think he’s going to be a good weight-for-age stayer in the future, but that may be six or 12 months away. “Which is why, after the weekend, we will assess the race and perhaps look at the Karaka Million four-year-old race ($1 million Aotearoa Classic) over a mile because we’ll be back in our own age group. I think that could be the right race for him this season. “In saying that, he’s working with us, he’s eating well, but he just lacks that touch of strength that you need sometimes to win at weight-for-age level. We’re sure he’s going to run well or we wouldn’t be running him, but we need to know exactly where we sit on Saturday. “A little bit of rain in the forecast won’t hurt him either.” The son of Tivaci is currently a $12 hope for the second leg of the triple crown, with Legarto leading the market at $3.80. View the full article

Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling. The family offered the stunning looking youngster under their Wentwood Grange banner at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Classic Sale where he left the ring with a A$70,000 price tag. “He was absolutely beautiful as a yearling and, hand on heart, the only horse that I’ve loved that much that I cried when he was sold, he was my all-time favourite horse,” Hawkins said. The son of Vadamos has since earned more than 10 times his purchase price, with seven wins from the Randwick quarters of John Thompson. With Your Blessing posted his latest and most important success on his home course on Saturday when he broke through at stakes level in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m). He had previously placed in the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m), the Gr.3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) and Gr.3 Show County Quality (1200m). “He’s been knocking on the door and really stepped up this year and he’s come out and performed very well in good quality fields,” Hawkins said. “They’ve looked after him and been really patient and every campaign he’s better and stronger.” With Your Blessing is out of the Darci Brahma mare Super Trouper, who was successful on five occasions. “We bred her and raced her down the line with Kevin Hughes, she was very, very fast and had a lot of ability but we just couldn’t get black type with her,” Hawkins said. “She’s got a filly by the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) winner State Of Rest, who stands at Newgate, and she was covered the other day by Switzerland. “We took a bit of a gamble but loved the physical and paper mating. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong, so we’ll see.” With Your Blessing continued a hot recent run of success for the Waikato operation. Wentwood sold the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) winner Quintessa on behalf of Peachester Lodge owners Graham and Linda Huddy at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $170,000 to Te Akau’s David Ellis. They also offered the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) winner Affirmative Action at Karaka where he was bought for $115,000 by Ballymore Stakes, Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman. The son of Yes Yes Yes had been a A$40,000 pinhook at the Inglis Weanling Sale by Odyssey Bloodstock. “It’s been a great start to the new season and let’s hope it carries on,” Hawkins said. The farm also bred and sold Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) placegetter Intention, winner of last season’s Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m). A $65,000 yearling buy for trainer Mike Breslin and InToWin Syndication, she is a daughter of Bivouac and the unraced Snitzel mare Beela Hudood. “She’s got a cracking Super Seth filly, who will head to Karaka next year, and she’s in foal to Noverre,” Hawkins said. View the full article

Melbourne Cup aspirant Trav secured his plane ticket across the Tasman with a pleasing performance over 2100m at Ellerslie on Saturday. It was the Bulls gelding’s first appearance at the Auckland track since winning the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) on Champions Day in March, and his run was very similar to that triumphant performance. Reuniting with Cup-winning hoop Masa Hashizume, Trav settled at the rear of the field, where he enjoyed an economical passage before being presented wide at the turn where he once again showed a good turn of foot to eat into the frontrunners’ lead to finish fourth, just three-quarters of a length off winner Diamond Jak. Trainer, co-breeder and co-owner Raymond Connors was pleased with the run and said it has given him the confidence to press on with his Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) plans. “We were happy enough with the way he went,” Connors said. “He seems to have come through it alright, so I think we will have to have a go now and carry on with the plan and see where we end up.” The six-year-old son of Almanzor currently sits in 53rd place in order of entry for the Melbourne Cup, with an allocated weight of 51kg, and two Melbourne Cup ballot-exempt races are now firmly in the crosshairs. “We have pencilled in for him to fly over next week,” Connors said. “We will start him in The Bart Cummings (Gr.3, 2500m, at Flemington on October 4), see how he goes and make a decision after that. “It is a big step up over there obviously.” Trav will likely be joined in the race by fellow New Zealand-trained Melbourne Cup aspirants Mark Twain and (Mister) Wolfgang, who currently sit 46th and 47th in order of entry, while Te Awamutu mare La Crique is already assured of a start in 14th place, with an allocated weight of 54.5kg. Connors is hoping for a strong performance from Trav in his opening Australian assignment, and if he performs up to expectations, he will be given another chance at gaining an automatic spot in the Melbourne Cup in the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 22. “There are obviously plenty of options for him over there, but If he runs well, the Geelong Cup is his next target most likely,” he said. View the full article

Half Yours ridden by Jamie Melham winning the Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. (Photo: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) Following his dominant win in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield last Saturday, which secured him a golden ticket into the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), Half Yours has been handed a 1.5kg weight penalty for the $5 million Caulfield showpiece. As a result of his penalty, Half Yours – who is co-trained by the father and son team of Tony and Calvin McEvoy – rises to 52.5kg in the weight scale for the Group 1 feature, which will be held at Caulfield on Saturday, October 18. With his 3.5-length defeat of Berkshire Breeze, Half Yours became the fourth horse after Bankers Choice, Kovalica and Saturday’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) winner Sir Delius to earn Caulfield Cup ballot exemption. Team McEvoy’s lightly-raced five-year-old is now the joint $6 Caulfield Cup favourite with horse racing bookmakers alongside Chris Waller’s Underwood Stakes runner-up Buckaroo, who was assigned the joint topweight of 59kg alongside Light Infantry Man. Half Yours also holds an entry for the $10 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) and, although he remains at 51kg in the iconic race due to the 2kg difference in weight scales between the two cups this year, the penalty effectively applies against the weight-for-age scale so he progresses from his previous mark of 60th in the order of entry to 47th place. “Half Yours won the Naturalism Stakes in effortless style, and the dominant nature of his performance by an expanding margin is worthy of a reassessment in both cups,” said David Hegan, Racing Victoria’s (RV) Head of Handicapping. “In the Caulfield Cup, he takes a 1.5kg penalty from his previous minimum weight of 51kg, which was the same penalty handed to the 2022 Naturalism winner Smokin’ Romans when he was also on the minimum weight in the Caulfield Cup. “In the Melbourne Cup, his true weight based on his handicap form would now be 50.5kg, however with the minimum lifted to 51kg this year he was already handicapped on the limit weight and thus his weight won’t change. This takes into account the fact that Caulfield Cup weights are 2kg higher than Melbourne Cup weights this year due to the topweights. “As Half Yours is now 9kg below the weight-for-age benchmark for an older male in the Melbourne Cup, he moves up the order of entry to 47th. To guarantee a start in the Melbourne Cup, he will likely need to gain a further penalty or win a golden ticket race.” Another move made over the weekend was by Kris Lees’ imported stayer Adelaide River, who is part-owned by seven-time Melbourne Cup winner Lloyd Williams. Following his narrow runner-up finish behind Birdman in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick, Adelaide River (54kg) has now passed the first elimination clause for the Caulfield Cup and moves from 66th to 32nd in the updated order of entry. As the Kingston Town is run under set weights and penalties, the Chris Waller-trained Birdman is not eligible to receive a penalty after breaking through for the first time in Australia. Only the winners of Group or Listed handicap races of 1600m or further can be penalised in the Caulfield Cup. This applies in the Melbourne Cup also, along with the winners of Group or Listed non-handicap races of 2300m or further – which the Kingston Town was not. On Friday, the Australian Bloodstock-owned Royal Supremacy boosted his chances of getting a run in the Caulfield Cup when he finished second in the Group 3 Newcastle Cup (2300m), thereby passing the first elimination clause and moving from equal 76th to 58th place on the order of entry. Horse racing news View the full article

By Adam Hamilton Top Aussie trainer Jess Tubbs is looking forward to unexpectedly early return to New Zealand. It will be an emotional return for Tubbs, who will do it alone this year, instead of sharing the load with her husband Greg Sugars, who tragically died in his sleep in April. Together they had one of their biggest thrills in the game when former champion trotter Just Believe won the Group 1 Dominion at Addington last November. They campaigned former Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse and then three-year-old Hes From Heaven in NZ at the same time. Hes From Heaven finished fifth in the inaugural $500,000 Velocity slot race at Addington on November 15. “I didn’t think I’d be going back so soon, but along comes Tracy The Jet and changed all that,” Tubbs said. Tracy The Jet is a three-year-old trotting filly with 10 starts netting five wins and a second. She will be a starter in the Majestic Horsefloats ASCENT at Addington Raceway on Show day, November 14 along with fellow Aussie trotter Gatesys Gem. The $500,000 slot race has attracted a capacity 10 slot-holders, as has the pacing equivalent THE VELOCITY. Tracy The Jet won her first two starts of 2025 before a terrific second to Gatesys Gem in the Group 1 NSW Trotters’ Oaks at Menangle on May 10. She’s since won all three starts back at Melton, including feature victories in The Holmfield (August 16) and last Saturday’s $125,000 Nutrien Sales final. She’s gone to a new level and packs lethal early gate speed. “(Owner) Dom (Martello) was keen to tackle NZ and bought a slot in the Ascent for her to run in, so that’s the target,” Tubbs said. “Races like this don’t come along too often, so we’ve got to have a shot at it.” It means sacrificing a tilt at Tracy The Jet’s another obvious big Aussie target, the Vicbred series at Melton. “The Vicbred heat is on the same day as The Ascent, so it’s out,” Tubbs said. “The Vicbred final is only worth $60,000, so it’s worth changing course.” Gatesys Gem, who beat Tracy The Jet in the NSW Oaks and then upstaged the boys in the Group 1 NSW Trotters’ Derby, has been secured in THE ASCENT by Aussie trotting giant Duncan McPherson of Aldebaran Park and Yabby Dams’ Pat Driscoll. Gatesys Gem hasn’t raced since that May 17 win in the NSW Derby. She boasts eight wins and three seconds from just 12 starts. The daughter of Aldebaran Eagle looked sharp winning a Geelong trial last Monday night, beating other high-class three-year-olds Watts Up The Hill and Commodus. Tracy The Jet and Gatesys Gem have big hoofprints to follow after the freakish Victorian Keayang Zahara thrashed her Kiwi rivals in last year’s inaugural Ascent. View the full article

In his first year as a Blue September ambassador, Harrison Orange has been a standout performer during week three of the campaign. The 18-year-old secured a win at Cambridge on Thursday night (Conrad H), two at Auckland on Friday night (Two Jules and Sooner The Bettor) and then a fourth win in as many days with his victory in the Junior Drivers’ race at Motukarara yesterday (Scarlett’s Legacy). He has now five for the month making him fourth overall of the 11 ambassadors/drivers involved. Father Blair Orange, the country’s leading driver, had another two wins at Addington on Friday night to take his total to nine. That’s equal top with John Dunn, who continued his great run of late with another four wins at Addington on Friday. Matty Williamson is third, on six wins. The two Blue September Invited Drivers’ race at Motukarara yesterday were won by Sam Thornley (Prince Teka) and Tony Cameron (Swift Guy) while Jonny Cox had his first win for Blue September with Ideal Conqueror, who he also trains. From Thursday to Sunday the first Big Blue Drive was held. It is a concentrated campaign to encourage everyone to donate money to the cause. With a week to go, $28,532.20 has been raised for the New Zealand Prostate Cancer Foundation so far. There have been 40 wins in total, with money raised every time a Blue September driver wins during the month with funds raised through their own individual sponsors. There are also contributions from clubs and HRNZ ($100 per win). Among the highlights over the weekend was the annual Blue Bolt. It pitted all the ambassadors against each in a 100 metre sprint down the home straight at Motukarara. As always it was full of hijinks and only some of the field playing by the rules! To see the Blue Bolt click here There are just five meetings left : Cambridge (Thursday), Auckland and Addington on Friday and then Timaru and Gore on Sunday. For those wanting to donate click here View the full article

By Mike Love Millionaire trotter Oscar Bonavena has firmed in favouritism for the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot following his jaw-dropping win at Motukarara yesterday. After starting off the back mark of 30 metres, driver and co-trainer Mark Purdon had no option but to bide his time in the Group 3 Elite Stride DG Jones Memorial Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup. It wasn’t until the 450-metre mark that Purdon angled the Majestic Son eight-year-old to the very outside. He then produced a devastating turn of foot to move his opposition down, winning by an ever increasing eight and a half lengths from Paris Prince and Cody Banner. “He felt enormous,” said driver Mark Purdon in a post-race interview on Trackside. The win was Oscar Bonavena’s second in the race, having won it in 2023 with Olivia Thornley in the bike. It was his 36th career victory, bringing his earnings up to $1.3 million. It was Purdon’s third training success in the race, with I Can Doosit winning in 2012. “I was hoping we were going to get more of a drag into the race before having to make a move. I could see Johnny (Dunn) doing his best to skip away at the right time.” Dunn had set the tempo for most of the race with I Dream Of Jeannie and skipped away about the 400m mark, putting a decent six or seven-length gap on them. “When I asked him to run, he just felt terrific,” says Purdon. “He’s in great order and really loving the racing. He’s really in the zone, and it’d take a good horse to beat him on his merits.” It was Oscar’s second win in a row following his Ordeal Cup win at Addington earlier in the month which secured his place in the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion on IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day on Tuesday, November 11. At the time he was installed a $4 favourite to win his second Dominion (the first being in 2023). After yesterday’s extraordinary performance his odds have now shortened to $2.80. Australian visitor Arcee Phoenix is next at $4.50, just ahead of Bet N Win ($4.60). View the full article

Every month HRNZ has a breeder and owner of the month award. It is selected randomly with the only proviso being that their horse must have won a race during the month. Lynne Paterson was awarded Owner of the Month after Confessional’s win at Addington on August 22 while Vin Devery was named Breeder of the Month following Share A Dream’s success at Winton on August 3. Owner of the Month – Lynne Paterson Lynne Paterson had the perfect excuse not to see Confessional’s win at Addington in the flesh – she was holidaying in Italy. She did however watch it live on-line. “It was fantastic, it was a great win as he had been out for so long after an injury and first run back into it he made it look easy.” Winning by nearly three lengths, Confessional had not started since October last year. Bred and raced by the Patersons along with Birchbrook Breeding (David and Catherine Butt) Confessional is by Father Patrick out of Habibti, who the Patersons and Butts also raced. She had 16 wins including victory in the 2013 New Zealand Trotting Derby. “She was so exciting to have racing and now Confessional is doing a great job,” says Paterson, “we are looking forward to the season ahead with him.” “I ended up getting into the horses through my hubby (Bolty). It started with Burn Up quite a few years back with Rodger and Jill Austin and have had a few others along the way and we have some younger ones waiting to go.” “We plan on continuing breeding with Habibti – she is off to Muscle Hill – this year and we are waiting for Astound to foal.” The plan is also to breed from 11-race winner Resolve (Andover Hall – Habibti) this year. “They are a great family to be breeding out of with lots of fun years ahead,” says Paterson. Breeder of the Month – Vin Devery Now a three race winner, Share A Dream is by Art Major out of Follow The Dream and is the dam’s third and most successful foal to date. Follow The Dream is one of three broodmares Vin Devery is breeding from, along with Chapel Gate and outstanding producer Christian Dreamer. Among her progeny have been superstar mare Amazing Dream, a multiple Group 1 winner with 20 wins in Australasia before heading to North America, and Chase The Dream (13 NZ wins). The Deverys have long been a stalwart of Southland harness racing. Vin himself has been breeding horses for half a century, initially with his brothers Allan and Ray. HRNZ records show he has bred around 100 horses in total. As well as Amazing Dream and Chase The Dream his other star performers include Western Dream (14 wins) and age group champion Honkin Vision (16 wins) . Devery, who is now “nearing 80”, plans to keep breeding up to three foals a year. Plaques have been sent to both our winners – congratulations. View the full article

Following a period of consultation and feedback from owners, licence-holders, and other stakeholders, the trial of adjusted mobile starts over 2600m and 1980m at Addington Raceway has been adopted permanently. The initiative, which involved horses filing further back when approaching the mobile arm, began on 6 June 2025 and was trialled through July and August. HRNZ thanks everyone who contributed their feedback during the trial period. View the full article

Comedy kicks clear under Liam Kauri to take out the Manawatu Toyota and John Turkington Forestry LTD 2100 at Trentham. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Improving stayer Comedy knocked off a Rating 75 victory at just the second time of asking with an impressive performance at Trentham on Saturday. The Harvey Wilson-trained seven-year-old was among the better-backed runners in the Manawatu Toyota and John Turkington Forestry LTD 2100, but punters were picking a two-horse race between Group 3 162nd New Zealand Cup (3200m) hopefuls McKhan and Just Charlie, closing at $3.50 and $3.30 with betting sites. Continuing his association with in-form apprentice jockey Liam Kauri, Comedy jumped well from barrier three and settled one off the fence in the back half of the field, while McKhan and Tai pushed forward to contest the early lead. McKhan took up his usual pacemaking role and dictated the tempo in front, and while there was a host of chances turning for home, Comedy looked to be travelling sweetly for Kauri and found the front at the 200m. The son of Mongolian Khan kept finding in the closing stages and powered through the line, while the favourite Just Charlie struggled to find clear air and was unable to challenge until late in the contest, finishing fourth with a strong So Call Me and Deadly Pony filling the placings. Kauri, who has already ridden 12 winners in the seven weeks of the new NZ racing season and is one victory off losing his three-kilogram claim, had been confident in his mount a long way from home. “He was bolting a long way out and when I asked him to go, he didn’t want to stop,” he said. “He was strong through the line. “I didn’t want to get buried on the fence, the way the track is playing you don’t want to get caught napping.” The 26-year-old has guided Comedy to three wins and three placings from nine starts, and Wilson was pleased to see Saturday’s race pan out just as they had planned. “He was in the perfect position, he’s better to be out a little bit and we were happy at the top of the straight,” Wilson said. The Waverley horseman, also known for his prowess preparing jumpers, said schooling and farmwork had been involved in the gelding’s preparation, crediting his wife Ann with the success. “He does a bit around the farm, he’s schooled a couple of times with Nicole Sinclair and he’s galloped well lately,” he said. “Ann looks after him, I just do what I’m told and it works very well.” Bred by the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry (NZ) Ltd, Comedy has earned over $108,000 for the Wilsons with four victories and nine placings from 27 attempts. View the full article

Caitlin Rennie is all smiles after Joejoeccinni gives her a first win at Te Aroha on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images). There was no disguising what winning Sunday’s time-honoured Duke Of Gloucester Cup (2200m) meant to amateur rider Caitlin Rennie as she crossed the line victorious aboard Joejoeccini. Joejoeccinni was paying $5 to win with horse betting sites before the Duke of Gloucester Cup, behind Autumn Beauty ($3.40) but Rennie showed her ability with a strong ride, to upset the favourite and beat home In A Pickle and Smokin Mo. The 21-year-old had partnered the Sam Mynott-trained galloper in a similar event at Te Aroha at the end of August when finishing into third, and chasing her first success in the saddle, her mount was well-backed closing second favourite behind Autumn Beauty. Rennie allowed Joejoeccini to stride forward from the gate and sat outside the leader in Leprekhan early, before easing back in the one-one alongside Carignan. The pace was genuine along the back straight and there was challengers lined across the track as they turned for home, with Joejoeccini and Rennie hitting the front early. In A Pickle and series leader Abhay Seesa looked the big danger coming through the centre and Smokin Mo was powering down the outside, but Rennie lifted her charge in the shadows of the post, pumping her fist in the air as they took the iconic event by half a length. She was all smiles returning to the winner’s circle, having her parents and well-known racing identities Kim Clapperton and Andy Rennie on course to celebrate the result. “I couldn’t be more thrilled, it’s super special to have Mum and Dad here today, which is probably the most important thing,” Rennie said. “Sam (Mynott) has supported me from the minute I got there, she set this horse up for this race and it’s a massive honour to be able to pull it off for her.” While Rennie was delighted to take the race described by visiting race caller Ric McIntosh as the ‘Melbourne Cup for Amateur Riders’, it was also a sense of redemption for the young hoop, having had a difficult ride aboard stablemate Linkin Park at the Te Aroha meeting on Friday. “I had a bit of making up to do after Friday’s performance, so I’m glad to get this one across the line,” she said. “It still looked pretty rough in the last 100, but we got up on the line and that’s the main thing. The horse tries so hard, it was a bit wet for him last time but he still gave it his all for third, and today he’s dug deep.” Mynott, who prepares the five-year-old out of Cambridge, couldn’t have been happier for Rennie. “We’ve redeemed ourselves now, I’m stoked with that,” she said. “We put a plan in motion a couple of months ago with this horse, and it’s her (Rennie) first win, so it’s awesome for the whole team. “I said to either land in the one-one or sit outside the lead, and it’s a long straight so be patient. She’s ridden it out, it was a good finish and she’s worked hard for this, so I’m really proud of her. “It’s pretty cool, I’ve still got a bit of the shakes, so we’ll be having a drink tonight for sure.” While Seesa had to settle for second in the feature, he won the Waitoa Haulage Maiden (2200m) aboard Tempest Moon earlier in the card, and secured the series title with four wins from 11 rides across the season. View the full article

Jesko wins the Ben and Ryan Foote Great New Zealand Steeplechase (6200m) at Te Aroha on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) This season’s breakout steeplechaser Jesko put the icing on top of a phenomenal jumping campaign when outstaying his rivals in the inaugural Ben and Ryan Foote Great New Zealand Steeplechase (6200m) at Te Aroha on Sunday. The son of Atlante started the season as a maidener over the bigger fences, but under the guidance of co-trainer and rider Shaun Fannin, the gelding swept through the ranks seamlessly with victories in the Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m), Wellington Steeplechase (4900m) and Koral Steeplechase (4250m), before a game second behind Captains Run in the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) in early August. He was set for a much-anticipated rematch with Captains Run in the feature, but the National winner was scratched late in the week, leaving Jesko a clear favourite at $2.90 ahead of Run Jakko Run ($5.40 with AU bookies) and Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4300m) winner Nedwin ($5.60). Jesko has often found himself in the pacemaking role this year but it was his stablemate Fourty Eight who broke quickly from the barriers, skipping over the first of 25 fences and leading the field into a marathon three laps of the Te Aroha course. The experienced field put on a beautiful display of jumping through the first two laps, albeit a couple of those racing keenly, which began to tell as runners began to tire in the final circuit. Fannin had remained close to the speed aboard Jesko and he was right in contention along the back straight, where Nedwin had taken over and looked to be travelling boldly, before dipping on landing and dropping Hamish McNeill at the fourth-to-last fence. Jesko needed a little bit of encouragement from Fannin to pick up near the 800m, but as he always does, the gelding found another gear and hit the lead a long way from home. His main danger was one of the outsiders, Mr Fabulous, who gave a sight under Bella Oliver, but Jesko showed his class late, navigating the final two fences and powering to the line to score by 4 ¾ lengths. Mr Fabulous put in a career-best effort to finish second, with 2021 Northern winner Te Kahu returning to near his best form in third. Fannin added a first Great New Zealand crown to his six Great Northern wins in the saddle, and this was undoubtably that little bit more special, having prepared the gelding alongside his wife Hazel Fannin. “It’s something out of this world, he hasn’t been an easy horse the whole way through,” he said. “We always had a bit of confidence that he would stay and he jumped well at home from the start. “He was quite keen for the first couple of laps and dropped the bridle at the worst possible time down the back, but I gave him a couple and he picked up underneath me. When Nedwin fell, he scooted past him and off we went again. “I was worried I might’ve been left in front a long way out, but carrying the 70kgs, you’ve got to keep them up to the mark there and he was tough in the finish. “It’s only his first season this year, so you’d think they’ll only get better with the more they do.” Hazel Fannin, also a successful jockey in her own right, watched on with pride as the pair took the lion’s share of the $200,000 stake. “It’s a real testament to how tough this horse is, the last six weeks have been an uphill battle so I’m so proud of him,” she said. “As I’ve said before, he’ll always come off the bridle at about the 800 and then finds again, and we always thought he would see out this distance, so it’s nice to see that he did. “The greatest thing about him is his jumping ability, he just skips through his fences, he can get it a bit wrong and still accelerates away. It’s just exciting to have a horse as good as him in the stable.” Jesko gained a large following through the season, particularly with fractional syndication company The FRAC Club coming into his ownership group, and the Te Aroha crowd was packed with supporters of the eight-year-old. “It’s gone to another level this season with the FRAC Club, and we’ve brought on Graham Bruton and Matt Hill in Australia, I’m sure he’ll be watching closely,” Shaun Fannin said. “What a wonderful story with all the people involved and we’ve got so many people here to enjoy it with us, which makes it all the more special.” Bred by Goodwood Stud, Jesko was purchased by Fannin for just $3,300 in late 2021, and four years later, the gelding has accumulated $355,350 in prizemoney with nine victories in 27 starts. New Zealand racing has a large breeding industry surrounding it, with many of the world’s top stayers having been born here. View the full article

Check out the great racing offers available from horse racing bookmakers on Monday, September 22. Enjoy bonus back deals and other promotions to boost your betting experience. Explore these specials from top online bookmakers and get more value from your bets. Top Australian racing promotions for September 22, 2025, include: Today’s horse racing promotions Blonde Boosts! Elevate your prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Eligible Customers Only. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Copycash – Get Copied. Get Paid. Get paid $0.10 every time someone uses Copy Bet to copy your bets. Eligible Customers Only. Login to Dabble to Claim Promo Bet Boost | Monday Thoroughbred Meetings Get a bet boost on thoroughbred races around Australia on Monday. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Daily Exotic Boosts Boost your exotics by up to 20%. Available on Exactas, Quinellas, Trifectas & First Fours. Excludes Quaddies. Check your vault for eligibility. Login to Unibet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% winnings in cash Max Payout $2000. Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds win bets on Australian thoroughbred races only. Excludes boosted, multi, live and bonus bets. PlayUp T&Cs apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector | If Your Horse Drifts, You Get The Bigger Price Only available on Australian Horse Racing Fixed Price Win bets placed from 8am AET the day of the race. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au find these racing offers? HorseBetting.com.au reviews Australia’s top horse racing bookmakers to share the best thoroughbred promotions for September 22, 2025. Bookmakers are always competing, so if one doesn’t have a deal, another usually does. Rely on HorseBetting.com.au for daily racing bonuses and betting specials. Get better value with competitive odds and offers for existing customers. Just log in to your betting account to see what’s available. For extra help picking winners and using your bonuses wisely, check out our daily free racing tips. View all horse racing promotions View the full article

Jockey Hugh Bowman has landed a winning double at Sha Tin on Sunday, before the meeting was cancelled beause of rain. Picture: HKJC. An abridged Sha Tin race meeting on Sunday was cut short due to the deterioration of the track in torrential rain, but not before Hugh Bowman secured an imposing double that took him to five wins for the season. The Australian jockey got off to the best possible start after landing the opener in yielding conditions, the Class 5 Kowloon Tsai Handicap (1800m), aboard Hakka Radiance (130lb) for trainer Danny Shum, who moved level with Caspar Fownes at the top of the trainers’ rankings. Five-year-old Hakka Radiance held on gamely in driving rain under a late challenge from Yeaboi (120lb) to secure his first win in Hong Kong. More: Hong Kong racing “I was able to get him into a nice flowing rhythm and he appreciated the softer conditions, too,” Bowman said. “He really did let go on that softer ground, but it was vital: the fact he was able to get into a good, consistent gait throughout the race.” The second leg of his double was a contender for ride of the day as the 45-year-old emerged from the back of the field, swinging wide on Solid Win (132lb) before blazing through the centre of the track to take the Class 4 Kowloon Bay Handicap (1400m) by a length after a final-50 metre tussle with The Heir (128lb) under Vincent Ho. It represented a first win of the season for trainer Ricky Yiu. “I didn’t expect to be quite so far back,” Bowman said. “But if I didn’t do that, I was going to be wide and covering a lot of ground. “When he started to come into it, he picked up with quite a bit of purpose and I went out to the middle of the track where there was some fresh ground – that wasn’t the plan, it just unfolded – and he went to the line with a bit of authority. So two good winners.” Trainer Cody Mo picked up a double of his own when Motor (127lb) claimed the Class 4 Sam Shing Handicap (1200m) smartly under Derek Leung, who inched to 499 Hong Kong winners. A front-running ride delivered Motor’s first win from six starts. After coming off Mazing Grace’s (124lb) heels with 250m to go, he powered past him and landed the win by a length-and-a-half from Winning Champion (125lb). “This horse was bred in Ireland, so the (wet) track is good for him,” Mo said. “For this season, I put the blinkers on and he’s more focussed. He has improved a lot and I hope he can keep going.” Mo’s second win came courtesy of Emblazon (125lb), who rattled home in the Class 4 Yi O Handicap (1200m), with Jerry Chau getting off the mark for the campaign in Hong Kong. The burgeoning partnership of Fownes and Ellis Wong continued to flourish when the pair combined with Sky Trust (132lb) to scoop the feature race, the Class 3 KPMG 80th Anniversary Cup Handicap (1200m). Well-positioned in the slipstream of early leader Wonderstar (126lb), Wong shifted Sky Trust out at the 300m mark and quickly put a length on his rival. “His work had been good,” Fownes said. “Good preparation leading into the race and obviously, he’s handled the wet conditions today, that’s been very beneficial to him. “Ellis put him in a beautiful position; the horse did the rest, so it was good,” he said. “He’s a very versatile horse, and if you train them right, you can run them over shorter distances.” An imperious showing from Precision Goal (128lb) gave David Hayes his fourth winner of the season in the Class 4 Ting Kau Handicap (1650m, dirt), with Luke Ferraris delivering a fine front-running performance on the son of Tavistock. Good Good (126lb) provided a pleasant surprise for John Size and Brenton Avdulla when he landed the Class 4 Kau To Shan Handicap (1600m) at $13 with betting sites. After making all, the five-year-old son of Savabeel was forced to dig deep for his scalp in the final 200m during a spirited battle with the well-fancied Pearl of Pang’s (128lb). Mojave Desert (129lb) backed up a third-place finish last week for Mark Newnham perfectly in the Class 3 Pat Sin Leng Handicap (1650m, dirt). Given every chance after a patient steer stalking the leaders along the rail under Andrea Atzeni, he strode clear to salute by two lengths from Endeared (125lb), punching on in second. New Forest (125lb) made it two in the first three for Newnham. “He’s a good back-up horse because he does well in between,” Newnham said. “He’s versatile enough distance-wise on the all-weather, and he loves that stalking position from the inside barrier. “He’s been a good horse since he joined the stable, and there are more wins in him, especially on this surface,” he added. “He ran well on Happy Valley for me another time, so I’m not saying he’s just going to race on the all-weather, but while his form’s this good, I’ll keep him there.” The Happy Valley race meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, has been cancelled because of safety considerations with the approach of Super Typhoon Ragasa. View the full article

The enduring appeal of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is reflected in reports from France Galop that advance ticket sales are ahead of the same point in any of the last five years, with particularly strong interest from British and Irish racegoers.View the full article

Jockey Kazushi Kimura rode his 1,000th winner Sept. 20 when Tee N Off won the fifth race at Los Alamitos Race Course.View the full article

Champion Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who has a pair of GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf wins on his impressive resume, will return to U.S. soil to contest the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct Racetrack next Saturday. A $14-million earner for Godolphin, the homebred enters off a victory in Germany's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin Stakes at Hoppegarten, an effort that followed a respectable third for the second consecutive year in Europe's top 12-furlong race of the summer, the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. On Saturday, Rebel's Romance seeks his 20th career victory and ninth at the top level. The Charlie Appleby trainee also looks to improve upon a disappointing odds-on fourth in this race two years ago, as well as become the first foreign-trained winner of the Hirsch Classic since Aidan O'Brien's Cape Blanco (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2011. Rebel's Romance, guided by Frankie Dettori on Saturday, will be joined by another Godolphin color bearer in El Cordobes (Ire) (Frankel {GB})–a $2.3 million purchase as a Tattersalls yearling. With four wins from 10 starts, the 4-year-old flexed his ascending form last month when taking the GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer at Saratoga. “The plan has been to send the pair of them over and they're both in good order,” trainer Charlie Appleby said. “Obviously, El Cordobes is slightly younger, but both he and Rebel's Romance come in off the back of nice successes in their last runs. Hopefully that gives us a little confidence that one of them will be picking up the prize.” As for the American contingent, entries include, GSW Redistricting (GB) (Kingman {GB}), GISP Rebel Red (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and MGISW & 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel). MSW Bank Frenzy (Central Banker) and Le Gris (City of Light) are entered for the main-track only. The post Champion Rebel’s Romance Back On U.S. Soil For Saturday’s GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Having owned horses for about 40 years in Brazil and Uruguay, Ricardo Felizzola always dreamed of racing in America. Thanks to No Bien Ni Mal, he is now a graded winner in the United States after just two starts.View the full article

Classy 2-and 3-year-old New York-breds will be featured in four stakes events Sept. 22 at Finger Lakes.View the full article

For C R K Stable, owned by Lee and Susan Searing of Claremont, Calif., the celebration actually started the day before the GI Pennsylvania Derby won by Baeza (McKinzie). The Searings own Baeza, who is trained by John Shirreffs, in partnership with Grandview Equine. His victory came just 27 1/2 hours after the stable unveiled a horse who could potentially be better than Baeza. Yes, 'TDN Rising Star' Englishman (Maxfield) was that impressive. The son of a first crop sire, he annihilated a field of maidens at Churchill Downs winning by 7 1/4 lengths, covering the seven furlongs in 1:21.35, just two-fifths off the track record held by 2013 GI Filly & Mare Sprint winner Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band). She established the new record for seven furloughs on the dirt at Churchill Downs when winning the 2012 GI Humana Distaff Stakes. Englishman earned a 97 Beyer, which is third best among all 2-year-olds this year and that mark puts him behind Grade I winners Brant (Gun Runner) and Ted Noffey (Into Mischief)–also owners of 'TDN Rising Star' badges. It wasn't just the time. He broke sharply but was pressed down the backstretch by $1.4-million OBS April grad Tagermeen (Into Mischief), who was the 9-5 favorite in the race. At the top of stretch, he took off, leaving Tagermeen in his tracks. Englishman was geared down inside the final sixteenth, no longer being asked for his best run by jockey Jose Ortiz. Lee Searing's C R K had a stellar weekend | Benoit None of this came as a surprise to trainer Cherie DeVaux. “We felt he was really talented,” DeVaux said. “We saw that from the start, the breaking process when April Mayberry had him before we started working him. He tipped his hand when he worked from the gate. He went in 59 2/5, but it was basically just a gallop for him. We were hoping he would run well, but I don't think anybody could have expected to see what he did on the track. “Yes, he was the most impressive 2-year-old maiden winner I've ever had. You have to consider that he's just a 2-year-old and really not had not had the screws tightened totally on him.” His debut came too late to make the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. “Running in the Breeders' Cup this year is not the goal for him,” she said. “He has a bright future ahead of him. He's going to develop and we'll have to see how far he can carry that speed. We'll probably just wait until Churchill opens back up and go from there.” She said options include the GII Kentucky Jockey Club or a one-turn allowance race under the Twin Spires. “We'll look at the Churchill condition book when it comes out and weigh all our options,” she said. Englishman was purchased by April Mayberry for $400,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September sale and is own solely by C R K. Mayberry buys for the Searings and breaks their yearlings before sending them on to their future trainers. DeVaux may soon unveil what could be another star 2-year-old residing in her barn. She is the trainer of Nymue (War Front) an unraced 2-year-old filly out of Zenyatta (Streeet Cry {Ire} and her last foal. Zenyatta has not produced a winner from five previous foals. But DeVaux has high hopes for the filly, who was bred by Ann Holbrook Moss and the Jerome S. Moss Trust. Englishman cools off after a hot start to his career | Horsephotos Nymue recorded her first workout on Aug. 5 at Saratoga, going four furlongs in :50.08. But she has not drilled since Aug. 23. “She just had a little setback,” DeVaux said. “She's almost 17 hands so she's had some problems you get early on with such big horses. We just have to push her forward and then wait for the body to catch up. We're just in one of those spells.” DeVaux likes what she has seen so far. “Physically, she's the spitting image of Zenyatta,” DeVaux said. “They look exactly the same, the same big black coat with a blaze. You can definitely tell she is Zenyatta's daughter. She's going to be a two-turn filly because she's just so big. When she does run its going to be two turns. She doesn't have speed but she carries it. She has huge strides and carries her stride throughout. When we get her back breezing it will be exciting to know that we're getting close to a race.” The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Englishman Kicks Off Huge Weekend For C R K Stable appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article