Wandering Eyes

A 1/50th share in the Aga Khan Studs stallion Zarak (Fr) has been added to the Arqana December Online Sale. A breeding right to Haras de Bouquetot's Thunder Moon (Ire) has also been catalogued, as has a 1/40th share in National Hunt sire Castle Du Berlais (Fr). The auction takes place on Tuesday, December 17 from 3pm to 5pm, French time, with all 12 lots being shares or breeding rights in French-based stallions, including Hello Youmzain (Fr). The post Zarak Share the Highlight of Next Arqana Online Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New investors at the elite level of our sport are clearly being well briefed in the odds they need to overcome. But if nobody can have failed to notice one operation pronouncing itself “Resolute,” only gradually are people becoming as aware of another that had already been branded as “Determined.” As we'll see, a certain staunchness is not only innate to Matt Dorman of Determined Stud but has also been fortified by experience, some of it as challenging as life can throw at us. The upshot is a conspicuous sense of purpose, whether in business or beyond. Dorman could scarcely have started more modestly on the Turf, with a marginal stake in a $5,000 claimer with Phil Schoenthal in Maryland some 15 years ago. By the time he sold his business in 2020, however, he could execute an exponential leap long planned for his program, assembling as many as 20 broodmares that fall. Those and subsequent investments–including several in partnership with existing Bluegrass powerhouses–are gradually beginning to cycle through to wider attention. For instance, a Curlin colt co-bred with John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale was sold to Coolmore for $1.3 million at the September Sale. At the same auction, Dorman played up some of those winnings on a 410,000gns Twirling Candy filly for his racing division. Partnership interests on the track meanwhile include a piece of champion juvenile elect Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), and similar involvement in fellow Keeneland graduate Getaway Car (Curlin). (These two, 1-2 in the GI American Pharoah Stakes, proceeded to run 1-4 at the Breeders' Cup.) “There's a lot of action now,” Dorman acknowledges. “When we sold the company, it had a very big tax bill. And, right or wrong, the horse business is a great way to optimize your tax situation. Instead of doing it over three or five years, it made sense to do it in one or two. We bought a bunch of runners, hoping to improve their pages. But we also bought broodmares that we knew we could sell weanlings out of, so that we could get cashflow going in one year. At the end of the day, I'm a cash guy. Cash-on-cash return is important. Obviously it doesn't always work out, but you just have to deal with the highs and lows the same.” Dorman admits that it was difficult diverting from an initial commitment to his native state, albeit a few appropriate mares remain there. “We're hardcore Maryland, born and raised,” he says. “Originally I was going to build out everything there. But once I started ramping up, and got more experience, I realized how often these broodmares need the clinic–and that 30 minutes could decide everything. You can't buy four or five $800,000 mares and then run out of time because the clinic isn't close enough. Or you can, but it's not my kind of business plan. It was a great property, I loved it up there, but it didn't make sense.” By that stage, Dorman had already hit it off with Sikura and benefited from his counsel, reliably as sage as it is direct, as he scouted and passed up various Kentucky farms. Finally he found one, off Mt. Horeb Pike, that satisfied every specification. “Unfortunately Ed Hudon had passed away, but he'd done a great job with Sierra Farm,” Dorman explains. “And it was turnkey: 200-plus acres, barns, staff, everything. Compared to what I would've had to do in Maryland, it was a no-brainer.” Dorman had been introduced to Sikura by one of their mutual trainers over dinner. He remembers explaining what he was trying to do and Sikura just giving him a look. “You don't have any stallion shares,” he said. “You'll go broke on stud fees.” “I don't like to go broke on anything,” Dorman replied. “But how the hell do I get in? I'm from Maryland, up against all these Kentucky folks that have been around for generations. New money is always treated different.” But Dorman, within that category, was himself different. “I knew that when the self-made folks come in and want immediate change, that never ends well,” he reflects now. “So I've tried to take a longer-term approach.” Sikura said he'd look into what he had: maybe he could sell Dorman a share or two. Later that same night, he texted the names of two stallions and what the number would be. “I stayed up all night, built out a new spreadsheet, figured out a couple of assumptions,” Dorman recalls. “Some people answered calls in the middle of the night and at the end I'm like, 'This makes sense.' And then the tax consequences made it easier, too. So next morning I walked in the cafeteria, saw John, stuck out my hand and said, 'It's a deal.' And he's like, 'What are you talking about?' 'I'll buy those shares.' And ever since we've had a great relationship. John has an incredible eye and I have a moderate checkbook. It's a good combination.” As the program has matured, Dorman has also forged ties with Lane's End and Gainesway. Relationships, and doing his own due diligence, remain as key now as they have been throughout his business career. “I was always my own CFO,” he says. “When we brought in private equity, I did the deal. And I always drove sales.” All that said, the fundamental spur to the business he established was strictly personal. In 1996, one of Dorman's sisters was murdered by a man who had been released from a psychiatric hospital without the safety net of community care. In the hope of sparing other families such trauma, Dorman started developing an electronic health record for behavioral and mental health. “So, yes, we were mission-based,” he says. “I told my two remaining sisters, and my parents who were alive at the time, that we would not be saying anything for 10 years. But after that time we were like, 'Maybe there's value to the story.' That's when we started talking about it. But it's tough. We lost a baby sister that night. I was working for a little tech company at the time, Lockheed Martin, so knew a little bit about technology, and was just amazed that there was no follow-up after he was discharged. I have a nephew who doesn't have his mom. I saw what he went through, what my parents went through. There's a lot of things that are avoidable thanks to technology. So I thought maybe we can have some good come out of this.” Having started in a townhouse basement, Credible Behavioral Health expanded across 38 states and took Dorman somewhere he had never envisaged. A portion of the proceeds, along with an ongoing percentage of his successor enterprise, is devoted to a mental health foundation, while Dorman's wife runs the largest mental health and rape crisis center on the eastern shore of Maryland. Strictly in terms of the way the business thrived, however, can Dorman apply any lessons to the notoriously unpredictable world of bloodstock? “When you're building a software company, and trying to create stability, the concept of recurring revenue is big,” he explains. “When we're buying mares, looking for quality pages, we work on the principle of getting two live foals out of three– and that if one of those two can be a really good one, better again. “But also just thinking long-term. A lot of people are very focused on short-term trading. I understand that, if you're in sales, and you're a certain kind of farm. I think it's because we've more of a long-term vision that all of a sudden it's now getting real busy. And for both that recurring revenue, and having that vision, quality partnerships are big.” But internal relationships are equally important. The Kentucky farm is run by an “awesome” third-generation horseman in Scott Mallory; David Ingordo has become invaluable to the team; while 15 horses in training are divided between Mike Trombetta and Cherie DeVaux. One of the most cherished horses from the early days, developed by Schoenthal, was a $20,000 yearling that the novice Dorman insisted on buying in 2012. Sonny Inspired (Artie Schiller) won a bunch of stakes and nearly $650,000. Sonny Inspired | Maryland Jockey Club “Sonny's at the farm, just living the life,” Dorman says. “He's a great character, phenomenal with kids. When horses arrive on lay-up, he takes them in his paddock and tells them how they, too, can end up in retirement here. He was named for my father, whose gang nickname, growing up in Brooklyn, was Sonny.” Arthur Dorman was plainly the source of his son's inborn determination, besides also being his route into racing. “He was an eye doctor and served in the Merchant Marines and the U.S. Army during World War II,” Dorman recalls. “He was also a state senator for the first 37 years of my life. And in Maryland, politics and racing go hand-in-hand. He was very close with [Laurel supremo] Frank De Francis, we used to go to the track all the time and I just really enjoyed it. From right back then, in my goal book, it was like, 'When I hit this amount, I want to build out a racing stable.'” The turning point was the 2006 GI Kentucky Oaks. “We'd lost all our money,” he recalls with a chuckle. “I had 300 bucks left. And I put it all on Lemons Forever, who was the longest shot. And there we were, standing on our chairs, screaming as she turned for home. She paid a ton and I'm like, 'How's this work?' “I got more into reading the Form, and what struck me was the money people were paying for horses. The business model of getting people liquored up and excited, getting them betting? That's great, I respect the tracks for that. But the real business model is breeding. And when I started looking into it, I saw that it was great to have a racing stable, but what you really wanted was the broodmares. And that's a long game. You got to last the course. But it's a wonderful game if you can.” Now a family man himself, with four teenage sons, Dorman will always have a corrective whenever the vagaries of the Thoroughbred test that staunchness. Indeed, some of his horses are named in unobtrusive honor of the sister he lost. “She was very different than the rest of us, but she just had bad luck,” he reflects. “The rest of us are just very fortunate. We work hard, yes, but basically we're fortunate. Anyway hopefully we've made some good come out of it.” To have prospered via such tragedy naturally gives rise to complex emotions. But strictly in terms of discovering where his business skills could thrive, Dorman admits that selling the company left a different kind of void. “I failed miserably at being retired,” he says wryly. “Anybody will tell you that. And so I started another software company last year, this time an electronic health record in physical therapy. That's really important, too, especially to veterans.” In the end, everything Dorman does will always have a family inspiration behind it: whether a single night of tragedy, or the broader legacy of a patriarch who had always led by example. “My father was self-made and, unlike a lot of politicians, he was home every night,” Dorman says. “He was a doctor first and a legislator second. And very independent. That was back in the 'machine' days, but he did the right thing even when it would cost him. He was phenomenal. Didn't say a whole lot, but when he did, it meant plenty. And it was him that taught me you can do whatever you want. You just need a vision, to stay true to your word, and treat people how you want to be treated. If you can do all that, life gets easy.” The post Dorman ‘Determined’ To Play The Long Game appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

My Denysse, a 35-1 longshot, won the My Dear Girl Division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Nov. 30 for trainer, owner, and breeder Ruben Sierra. The Venezuelan moved to the United States when he was 17, and now owns a farm near Ocala, Fla.View the full article

Report from JapanView the full article

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER View the full article

Pair clash with strong books at the city circuit’s nine-race card on Wednesday.View the full article

The Racing Integrity Board (RIB) has completed its review of the animal welfare audit program. Following valuable feedback from industry stakeholders we are introducing a revised system of steward’s inspections. This change underscores our commitment to addressing industry concerns and establishes an inspection model that emphasises practicality, enhances collaboration, and ensures a balanced and effective approach to compliance monitoring. At the same time, it reinforces our legislative responsibility to uphold high standards of animal welfare. By transitioning from the formal audit program to this more streamlined and cooperative process, we aim to maintain consistent standards, minimise disruption, and strengthen our partnership with the industry. Key Features of the New Approach Inspections · Stewards will conduct inspections both with or without prior notice to ensure standards are consistently met. · Inspections will be conducted respectfully, with discretion applied when key individuals, such as trainers or senior staff, are unavailable. In such cases, the inspection may be postponed. Practical and Efficient Process · The new inspections are distinct from previous audits, focusing on practical, targeted checks using a revised checklist. · This approach ensures efficiency while maintaining compliance with critical welfare and integrity standards. Focus Areas for Inspections · Maintenance of treatment records and medication practices. · Compliance of tack and equipment. · Verification of stable records in the code database (traceability). · Visual health and welfare assessments of animals. Collaborative Engagement · Stewards will work closely with trainers to address any areas needing attention, emphasising resolution and improvement over penalties. · The inspections are designed to minimise disruption to stable routines while maintaining a high standard of integrity. A Commitment to Continuous Improvement We recognise the value of open communication and ongoing dialogue with industry stakeholders. Your feedback is crucial to refining this process, and we encourage you to share your thoughts on how these inspections are implemented. Thank you for your cooperation as we implement these changes. If you have any questions or require further information, please contact the RIB at nick.ydgren@rib.org.nz. View the full article

The Kiwi challenge to win the Australasian Young Drivers Championships (AYDC) starts at Menangle in Sydney tomorrow (Tuesday). Crystal Hackett (above), Sam Thornley (below) and Kerryn Tomlinson will compete against Australia’s top talent over nine heats, with the opening two heats both over a mile, at 5.12pm and 6.22pm. All three will debut brand new driving suits for the occasion. For Hackett it’s her third AYDC while Thornley’s last appearance was in 2022 when he was leading for much of the championships, only to finish second. This will be Tomlinson’s first championships, though she did qualify in 2020 only for the event to be cancelled because of the pandemic. She is vying to follow in the footsteps of her sister Sheree, who won the AYDC in 2018. Representing New South Wales, Joshua Gallagher is the defending champion after winning last year’s championships in Queensland. The drivers competing in the 2024 Australasian Young Drivers Championship (in alphabetical order) : Corey Johnson (South Australia) Crystal Hackett (New Zealand) Ewa Justice (Victoria) Jacob Duggan (Tasmania) Josh Gallagher (New South Wales) Kerryn Tomlinson (New Zealand) Kyle Symington (Western Australia) Sam Thornley (New Zealand) Taleah McMullen (Queensland) Will Rixon (New South Wales) Tuesday night drives : Race 4 (Heat 1) – 5.12pm 1609m 2 Double Said – Sam Thornley 4 Specialize Lou – Crystal Hackett 11 Fiftyshades Cresco – Kerryn Tomlinson Race 6 (Heat 2) – 6.22pm 1609m 1 Silver Mystique – Kerryn Tomlinson 7 Cabana – Crystal Hackett 9 Our Chiquitita – Sam Thornley Schedule : Tuesday (Dec 10) – Menangle (2 Heats) Wednesday (Dec 11) – Bathurst (2 Heats) Thursday (Dec 12) – Penrith (2 Heats) Friday (Dec 13) – Newcastle (2 Heats) Saturday (Dec 14) – Menangle (1 Heat) – ID24 Finals night. We will have regular updates on hrnz.co.nz and across our social media channels. View the full article

Quality mare About Time returned to the winner’s circle at Ellerslie on Saturday and her trainer Lance Noble is hoping to continue that trend on Thursday with a trio of runners. A four-year-old owned and bred by Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud, About Time performed well in her three-year-old term, placing in the Listed Trevor and Corallie Memorial 3YO (1500m), before taking out the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m). After working through the distances this prep, she finally struck her favoured middle-distance trip in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Qualifier (2100m) and in the hands of Warren Kennedy, she found a comfortable position midfield. Kennedy eased off the fence turning for home and pinning her ears back, the mare found plenty in the straight to run down Final Return by a head. Noble was pleased with the performance, while praising the efforts of the starting crew at Ellerslie who kept the mare calm prior to the jump. “It was a good win, she’s just a handful at the starting gates which is a bit of a concern,” he said. “The guys at the starting gates do a fantastic job with her. “It was her first time back over ground this prep and she won nicely, so hopefully we can push on to the Dunstan Stayers Final on Boxing Day.” The daughter of American Pharoah is set to take her place in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Final (2400m) at the course in three weeks’ time, while the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) is also a possibility on New Year’s Day. “The Cup is more of an option at this stage, we’ll probably run her in the Dunstan, and if she came through it well, we might consider backing her up and she has backed up well before,” Noble said. “She does get in well in the Dunstan, so we’ll probably just target that.” The Cambridge Stud contingent will head back to the northern headquarters on Thursday with a trio of three-year-old fillies, including impressive last-start winner First Dance. At her third race-day appearance last time out, the Zousain filly made light work of her maiden rivals, and remaining at the 1200m distance, she could earn herself a black-type opportunity in the Cambridge Stud 1200. “Her last start was a very good run, she had a second then got a strong win at Ellerslie,” Noble said. “We gave her a couple of weeks off after that and she’s come back really nice and bright, she may need the run on Thursday but I think she’ll go pretty well, and there are some nice races over Christmas and New Years back at Ellerslie. “At the moment, I think the 1200 suits her, and if she went really well, we may look at the Auckland Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m) on Boxing Day.” Love Symbol and Venetian have both been nominated for the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1400m) and the Barfoot And Thompson (1400m), the latter in their own age group. Love Symbol has recorded two placings in her last two starts, with the step-up in distance expected to suit the daughter of Savabeel. “She’s been a bit of a work in progress, she’s wanted to over-race and do a few things wrong, but with a bit of practice, I think she’s learned what to do,” Noble said. “She’s put a couple of nice races together, so hopefully with the extra distance, she can go pretty close. “Venetian has had a few runs, she’s not big and robust at the moment, but I think she’ll run well. “We’ll give her a little spell after this meeting on Thursday.” View the full article

Shaun and Emma Clotworthy will plot a path towards the $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) with their promising three-year-old Interplanetary, who put his staying prowess on display at Te Aroha on Sunday. A son of Time Test, Interplanetary finished fourth in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) as a juvenile and had been building into favourable distances this campaign, culminating in a narrow second behind Sweet But Psycho at the course on November 27. Returning to Te Aroha, the colt started a $2.20 favourite under Craig Grylls in the Bayleys Country 2200, easing back early to find the rail in the back-half of the field. The pressure came on at the 600m and Interplanetary was near-last turning for home, but Grylls hugged the rail and set out after Geetee Forty, who he caught with plenty left in store to win by 1 – ½ lengths. “He did it nicely, it wasn’t an overly strong field, but the manner in which he finished the race off made us happy,” Shaun Clotworthy said. “He’s an out and out stayer, his goal is to head towards the Derby and he’ll eat up the 2400m no problem. He’s a good tough horse, and being a colt, he eats up and thrives on work. We’re happy with him staying as a colt at the moment. “He’ll probably go to the paddock and have a break for a couple of weeks and we’ll map a plan through some of the Guineas races and into the Derby.” A $60,000 purchase by co-owner Leighton Howl at the 2023 Karaka Yearling Sales, Interplanetary is out of a Galileo mare Sirani, who won on three occasions over ground. On Saturday at Ellerslie, the Clotworthy’s stable star Malt Time lost no admirers with a solid performance in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m), finishing less than two lengths off Babylon Berlin in fifth. “That’s what we expected from her and she was good,” Clotworthy said. “It was basically a Group One sprinting field and she didn’t disgrace herself, she wasn’t far off them. “We were using that as a bit of a trial for her next race, so we’re happy with that.” Already a seven-race winner and multiple-Group One placegetter, Malt Time will be looking to add another feature victory to her record in her final racing preparation, having scanned in foal in Cambridge Stud’s young sire Hello Youmzain. The daughter of Adelaide holds an early nomination for the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) on January 11, but she may be saved for a tilt at the $600,000 fillies and mares feature on Karaka Millions Night. “She’ll probably go to Ellerslie on Boxing Day first, then on to the Thorndon Mile or Westbury Classic (Gr.2, 1400m), we’re not quite sure yet,” Clotworthy said. “It was always the plan (to get her in foal this year), Bill and Carrie (Borrie, owners) sent her to Hello Youmzain and she’s positive. I think she can race through to mid-March, so we’ll take it race-by-race and see how she goes in the next couple.” View the full article

David Hayes will set his elite speedster for the Centenary Sprint Cup before making a call on the Classic Mile.View the full article

What Hamilton Races Where Hamilton Racing Club – Henty Hwy (Cavendish Rd), Hamilton VIC 3300 When Tuesday, December 10, 2024 First Race 1:30pm AEDT Visit Dabble A new week of racing in Victoria is set to get underway at Hamilton Racing Club on Tuesday afternoon, where a competitive eight-race meeting is scheduled. Clear skies in the leadup to the meeting and on raceday should mean that the Good 4 track rating at the time of acceptances should remain throughout the day. The rail remains in its true position, with action set to commence at 1:30pm AEDT. Best Bet at Hamilton: Chimed Chimed has put together two consecutive wins before finishing fourth at Moonee Valley over 2040m when beaten less than a half-length. The six-year-old gelding was forced to travel wide for the first half of the race and continually overraced, so he did well to be fighting out the finish. This is a bit easier, and considering he is already a Hamilton 2200m winner in his career, Chimed looms as the one to beat in the second leg of the quaddie. Best Bet Race 6 – #1 Chimed (8) 6yo Gelding | T: Symon Wilde | J: Will Gordon (60.5kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Hamilton: Tower Of Tuscany If his first two runs of the campaign are anything to go, Tower Of Tuscany is sure to appreciate the step up to 1600m third-up. The four-year-old gelding found his rivals a bit too sharp over 1400m in a much tougher maiden than this at Ballarat but looks to have found the right race to break maiden ranks in. Teo Nugent will look to find cover midfield, and if Tower Of Tuscany can have a back to follow into the race, he should be able to overhaul his rivals in the closing stages. Next Best Race 4 – #8 Tower Of Tuscany (12) 4yo Gelding | T: Mark & Levi Kavanagh | J: Teo Nugent (59.5kg) Bet with BlondeBet Best Value at Hamilton: Wichitall Wichitall is never beaten far in his races and looks a great each-way play with Picklebet in the Hamilton finale. The four-year-old gelding is a natural frontrunner and drawn barrier one under Jake Noonan, shapes as the leader in a race that lacks many speed influences. The slight concern is he is yet to run a drum through four runs at 1400m, but with an uncontested lead and a cheap sectional or two, Wichitall can give plenty of cheek out in front at a nice price. Best Value Race 8 – #8 Wichitall (1) 5yo Gelding | T: Symon Wilde | J: Jake Noonan (60.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Tuesday quaddie tips for Hamilton Hamilton quadrella selections Tuesday, December 10, 2024 1-2-4-7-8-9 1-2 1-3-10-12 5-8-10-11-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Race 2 JOIN TAB RACING CLUB 2100m CAN’T KACH ME (W Pinn) – Te Akau Racing Manager Mr. R Trumper advised Stewards, the stable was satisfied with the post-race condition of the mare, and it is their intention to continue on with CAN’T KACH ME’S current preparation. R Trumper further advised that in their opinion the mare may not have been suited to the synthetic track conditions and will now go back to being nominated for grass track racing. The post Canterbury Jockey Club @ Riccarton Park, Friday 6 December 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 4 MCDONALD REAL ESTATE MAIDEN 1200m TAMDIU (M McNab) – Stable representative Mr. R Mildon reported to Stewards, that on Monday 9 December, TAMDIU, underwent a veterinary examination with no abnormalities being detected and it is the stables intention to carry on with the mare’s current preparation. Race 7 HTL GROUP INSURANCE AND INVESTMENTS 1400m ZANTABULOUS (M McNab) – Te Akau Racing Manager Mr. R Trumper advised Stewards, ZANTABULOUS underwent a veterinary examination with no abnormalities being detected, however, the mare will undergo an exercising ECG examination later this week. Stewards will follow up on the completion of the examination. The post Taranaki TRI @ New Plymouth Raceway, Thursday 5 December 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 2 ARAWA PARK HOTEL MAIDEN 1230m CARAMEL SAUCE (W Pinn) – Co-trainer Mr. A Scott reported to Stewards, that on Thursday 5 December, CARAMEL SAUCE, underwent a veterinary examination which revealed the filly showing signs of being shin sore. A Scott further advised the filly has now been sent for a brief spell. The post Racing Rotorua @ Arawa Park, Wednesday 4 December 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 3 UZA BUS TWO YEAR OLD 1100m FURY OF FLIGHT (W Pinn) – Te Akau Racing Manager Mr R Trumper reported to Stewards, that on Saturday 7 December, FURY OF FLIGHT underwent a dynamic endoscopic examination which showed abnormalities with the colt. R Trumper further advised FURY OF FLIGHT, will undergo a wind operation early this week and then be sent for a spell. The post Levin Racing Club @ Otaki, Thursday 28 November 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Nadal. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham on December 21 is next for Nadal, but connections are already setting their sights on Group 1 sprints in 2025. The Ciaron Maher-trained sprinter demolished his rivals in last month’s The Meteorite (1200m), and while he is set to target both of Southside Racing’s $1 million slot races, assistant trainer Jack Turnbull revealed that the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 22 has been chosen as the four-year-old gelding’s first major sprint target for 2025. “It’s 62 days to the Oakleigh Plate after The Supernova. He can have a couple of weeks out in the paddock and he’s not going to lose fitness and he’ll be ready to go,” Turnbull told Racing.com. “Ciaron and I have said for a fair while he’s the best handicap sprinter we have this spring. “He’s always threatened to do what he did at Cranbourne, but until they do it, it’s only hearsay.” Turnbull added that Nadal’s combination of speed and maturity had helped bring everything together. “He’s a fast horse, but he’s better as a gelding. “He had time off because he had soft knees and it all came together at once.” Horse racing news View the full article

Rustic Steel. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Rustic Steel will return to what is arguably his favourite distance as he aims to give his trainer, Kris Lees, back-to-back victories in Saturday’s Group 2 The Ingham (1600m). The seven-year-old has won half of his six starts over a mile, and Lees expects him to relish the Randwick journey following a solid fifth behind Briasa in The Hunter (1300m) last month. That performance came just nine days after Rustic Steel claimed the Listed Ladies Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury, with Lees admitting that the distance drop dulled the gelding’s finishing sprint. “He still ran well, but it was always a risk coming back in trip with a quick turnaround,” the trainer said. “He will head to The Ingham and he’ll run well. It has been the logical target for him this time in.” Rustic Steel finished 2.9 lengths behind stablemate Loch Eagle in the corresponding race last year, and he is proven over the Randwick mile, having won the 2022 Big Dance (1600m). While The Ingham will mark his first start in almost a month, Rustic Steel has remained in top condition with a recent barrier trial win on Newcastle’s Beaumont track and will be partnered by Josh Parr, who also rode him to victory at Hawkesbury. Horse racing news View the full article

The 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner breezed Dec. 8 at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

The year's final Australian group 1 proved another feather in the cap of trainer Ciaron Maher after Light Infantry Man defied a wide gate to seize an elusive elite-level victory in the $1.5 million Northerly Stakes (G1) going 1,800 meters at Ascot.View the full article

The 2024 season Awards night will see an important change to the age group and major awards and a new award recognising Club Contribution. The awards, celebrating the best performers and performances of the 2024 season, will be held at Addington Raceway, on Saturday, February 8. Next year’s awards will feature some important changes, with Australian-trained horses being eligible for age group and major awards. They will be judged on their performances on this side of the Tasman only. The age group and major awards will be decided by a voting panel. The panel will include representatives from the TAB, the media and major clubs as well as an Awards Sub Committee. The sub committee, compromising a diverse line-up of industry leaders, will also decide the Broodmare, Stallion and Breeder and Owner of the Year. Nominations are now open for three awards, with the public invited to submit people for the following : Stablehand of the Year – nominate here Nominated by trainers with reasons why they deserve to be nominated They will be assessed on work attitude, going the extra mile, having the horse’s best interest at heart and overall performance Unsung Heroes Award – nominate here This award is to recognize the contribution to racing by a person who continually contribute to our sport. They are not the big winners of major races but the people who keep our industry going. They are not paid for what they do or get the acknowledgement they deserve. They are quietly competing behind the scenes. Anyone may nominate someone for these awards. A Canterbury/West Coast, Southland and North Island winner will be named if applicable Club Merit Awards – nominate here (Clubs only) Contribution to administration of harness racing, or a club role, a commendable effort over a long period of time Nominations to be sent in by Clubs All regions will be awarded Seven Club Merit certificates will be awarded to those who have contributed in a Club role as part of the sport over a long period of time. A number of awards will be decided by public voting and there will be regular updates on www.hrnz.co.nz and HRNZ’s social media channels. The list of finalists for all the age group awards will be released in early to mid January. From there the Trotter, Pacer and Horse of the year will be decided. The awards on the night will be: 2YO Trotting Filly Of The Year 2YO Pacing Filly Of The Year 2YO Trotting Colt or Gelding Of The Year 2YO Pacing Colt or Gelding Of The Year 3YO Trotting Filly Of The Year 3YO Pacing Filly Of The Year 3YO Trotting Colt or Gelding Of The Year 3YO Pacing Colt or Gelding Of The Year 4YO Trotting Mare Of The Year 4YO Pacing Mare Of The Year 4YO Trotting Entire or Gelding Of The Year 4YO Pacing Entire or Gelding Of The Year 5YO & Older Trotting Mare Of The Year 5YO & Older Pacing Mare Of The Year 5YO & Older Trotting Entire or Gelding Of The Year 5YO & Older Pacing Entire or Gelding Of The Year Trotting Broodmare Of The Year Pacing Broodmare Of The Year Trotting Stallion Of The Year Pacing Stallion Of The Year Breeder Of The Year Owner Of The Year Leading Junior Driver Leading UDR Junior Driver Leading Driver Leading Trainer Trotter Of The Year Pacer Of The Year Outstanding Contribution to Life After Racing Best Moment Of The Season Horse Of The Year Newcomer to Training Stablehand Of The Year Unsung Heroes Club Merit Awards Cadet of the Year Cadet of the Year Runner Up Outstanding Contribution to Harness Racing Tickets for the awards night will be available from January 6, costing $130 each (including food and beverage package). For more information contact courtney@hrnz.co.nz View the full article

Harness Racing NZ has welcomed proposed changes that would give TAB NZ the exclusive rights for online racing and sports betting in New Zealand. Racing Minister Winston Peters said the Government will shortly introduce legislation to amend the Racing Industry Act 2020. “This is welcome news for everyone involved in the New Zealand harness racing industry,” says Harness Racing Chief Executive Brad Steele. The introduction of the so-called “legislative net” is aimed at stopping millions annually going to offshore racing and sports betting operators. “We are already seeing the fruits of our new growth strategy launched this year, and this will enable us to accelerate the pace and continue to connect Kiwis through exciting racing, iconic events and the love of our horses,” says Steele. “Since the start of the new racing season, Harness has seen double digit growth across all core metrics, with starters numbers up 12%, weekly wagering customers up 16%, and total turnover on harness racing up over 13% and with horses being exported to Australia and America slowing significantly with owners cashing in on the home-grown opportunities to race locally.” “It is not widely understood that our harness racing industry is an important employer in regional centres throughout New Zealand. It’s not just trainers, drivers, stable-hands – it’s a whole ecosystem that includes animal feed suppliers, equine equipment, veterinary services, transportation, catering and so much more.” The Bill will now go through the select committee process. “We congratulate the Minister on today’s announcement, which will allow TAB NZ to provide sustainable support for the industry – and those who benefit from it – for years to come”, Steele says. View the full article

Quality filly Sethito produced a timely and satisfying victory for Waikato Stud when she impressively bridged the gap to black type company at Ellerslie. Bred and raced by Garry Chittick, the three-year-old daughter of resident sire Super Seth added significant performance to her illustrious pedigree when she romped home in Saturday’s Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m). The addition of blinkers by trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott had the desired result outcome at her previous start at Taupo where she was a runaway maiden winner and the chestnut followed up in style at northern headquarters. Sethito’s success also boosted the profile of her half-brother by Savabeel, who will be sold by the Matamata nursery during the Book 1 session of the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. “It was obviously a fantastic result on every level and extremely satisfying for (father) Garry, he owns her and paid a fair bit of money for the mare,” Mark Chittick said. “We all paid a fair bit for Super Seth and when you make these investments you have a few challenges on the way through, which we’ve had. “To see her win like that was just great and absolutely brilliant for Garry, he’s been in the game pretty much his whole life. “It’s great for him in these latter years to have a filly that looks a top-level racehorse, it certainly put a big smile on his face.” Sethito is a daughter of the Thorn Park mare Suavito, who won on eight occasions including the Gr.1 Orr Stakes (1400m) and the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) from Nigel Blackiston’s stable and was subsequently a private purchase. “I was trying to recall how it came about and I’m pretty sure Nigel rang me out of the blue and said she was going to be sold, Garry walked in the office and I told him and it went from there,” Chittick said. The farm sold Sethito’s brother last year for $325,000 to John O’Shea Racing and James Bester Bloodstock and have remained in the ownership group of the two-year-old named Stratford. The younger half-brother by multiple champion sire Savabeel will be offered at Karaka next month as Lot 337. “To be honest, we’ve had a good type out of the mare and a not so good type, but like Sethito, he’s definitely one of the better ones,” Chittick said. “She went back to Super Seth this year and went in foal early but unfortunately lost the pregnancy, and we tested her last week and she’s back in foal to him.” A Group One-winning son of Dundeel, Super Seth has produced a quartet of stakes winners including Linebacker who won last season’s Gr.2 Baillieu Handicap (1400m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Champagne Stakes (1600m). Sethito, Poetic Champion and Super Photon are other black-type success stories while two-time winner Feroce was second in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m). “Super Seth had another good winner (Bollon) in Australia on Sunday and we couldn’t be happier how he’s travelling along, he’s 8.3 per cent stakes winners to runners which is just massive,” Chittick said. View the full article

New Zealand has been synonymous with producing quality middle-distance and staying thoroughbreds, but now it can lay claim to the best sprinter on the planet after Ka Ying Rising took out the Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The Kiwi-bred gelding has been a dominant force since making his debut in Hong Kong in December last year, posting eight wins from his 10 prior starts, including three at Group level, and he was duly backed into $1.10 favouritism for Sunday’s sprint feature. However, things didn’t go to script for the son of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress, who was slow away and jockey Zac Purton had to get busy on the four-year-old early to make up the deficit, urging him forward to sit outside California Spangle. He was quickly met on the outside by Victor The Winner, who continued to apply pressure throughout, but Purton kept a cool head and sat quietly on Ka Ying Rising until the 300m mark where he asked his charge for his best, and he quickly responded. The David Hayes-trained gelding put several lengths on his rivals in a few bounds, but the pressure from the middle stages began to tell and Helios Express and Satono Reve began to close late. However, Ka Ying Rising was able to call on his brilliance to hold on for a half-length victory, much to the delight of his adoring Hong Kong fans. While they were in full voice as Ka Ying Rising thundered down the Sha Tin straight, back in Marton, New Zealand, his breeder Fraser Auret was also at full volume when cheering him home. Group One success is nothing new to Auret, who has posted multiple elite-level victories as a trainer, but he was over the moon to add Group One-winning breeder to his name on Sunday. “It was a massive thrill,” he said. “It is just one of those joys and it has been a fairytale.” That fairytale began five years ago when Auret decided to head into the breeding game and he struck gold at this first attempt, resulting in the now Group One sprinting sensation. Fresh off the victory, Auret said winning a Group One as breeder gave him the same rush as his Group One victories as a trainer. “It gives you the same euphoria,” he said. “It was the same sort of pride there as when we trained our first Group One winner. “At that elite-level, we all know how hard it is to get there and the journey that is involved. “It seems like it was just the other day that we turned up in the truck at Windsor Park to pick him up as a foal. It has been really fantastic all the way through.” While proud of producing the world’s best sprinter, the ever-humble Auret said he is delighted to continue New Zealand’s proud breeding record on the global stage and help change the narrative that it can also produce world-class sprinters. “We (New Zealand) have always punched well above our weight in terms of results, and we haven’t necessarily been looked at as producers of top sprinters, but there you go,” he said. Auret is also hoping Ka Ying Rising’s success can entice more Kiwis to enter the thoroughbred breeding industry and help bolster the foal crop. “Our foal crop has dwindled a fair bit in recent years here in New Zealand. I just hope that this is a good advertisement (to breed),” he said. “With the smaller foal crop, I think it is actually a wonderful time for anyone to get involved in our industry.” Ka Ying Rising was raised and educated at Auret’s Marton property, and he is proud that a product of provincial New Zealand has made it to the peak of world racing. “From Marton to the big smoke, it is really that pinch yourself moment,” he said. Ka Ying Rising left a strong impression on Auret from the moment he laid eyes on him as a foal when picking him up from Windsor Park Stud, near Cambridge, with his family, and their initial impression of the horse has now come to fruition. “We still laugh with the kids because the day that we went to pick him up he was running around the paddock like a mad thing and our middle son, Oscar, said ‘Dad, we better call him Rocket because he is running around the paddock so fast’. As it turns out, he really is a rocket,” Auret said. While Auret lost Ka Ying Rising’s dam Missy Moo a couple of seasons ago, he still has plenty to look forward to with her only other progeny, Ka Ying Glory, who is making an early impression on trainer David Hayes in Hong Kong. “He (Ka Ying Glory) was a magnificent horse, and it is such a shame that we lost the mare so early in the piece,” he said. “In saying that, I have always said that horse welfare is first and foremost and as she got more and more pregnant with Ka Ying Glory, she was getting lamer and lamer with the arthritis that she had in her back leg (and ultimately had to be euthanised). “Obviously, he (Ka Ying Glory) has got big shoes to fill but he will certainly leave his mark because he never put a foot wrong and showed a tremendous amount of ability as well.” The son of Letham Stud principals Nigel and Adaire Auret, thoroughbred breeding was a focal point of Auret’s formative years, and while he elected to go down the training path, he said he has now well and truly caught the breeding bug, and his broodmare band has quickly grown. “I have watched Mum and Dad be quite successful in the breeding arena over a 40-year span. One of their earlier bred horses (Pompeii Pearl) went on to win a Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, so I have certainly seen the better side of breeding,” he said. “It (breeding) is a long timeframe and investment before you know what you have got. In saying that, it is safe to say that I am being converted pretty quickly. “We have got five mares that have gone to stud this year, so we have certainly gone on from the one mare we started with.” Auret is hoping Ka Ying Rising can continue on his upward trajectory and quickly add to his elite-level tally, with his trainer David Hayes now eyeing the Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin next month before possibly looking to extend his charge over a mile. “We will see how he pulls up, but the initial one (target) will be the Group One sprint in late January, six weeks between runs, and after that we will make the decision on whether we go for the mile or not,” Hayes said. View the full article

Fresh off receiving the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award at a special ceremony on Friday night, expat Kiwi hoop James McDonald etched his name in the record books at Sha Tin on Sunday when he partnered local hero Romantic Warrior to their third successive triumph in the Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m). McDonald had his eye in at the renowned Hong Kong International Races meeting, having ridden Voyage Bubble to victory in the Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in the race prior, and he was intent on repeating the dose on Romantic Warrior. The Danny Shum-trained six-year-old jumped away well from the ace barrier and McDonald was able to hold their advantage on the fence before handing up to Wingspan, but he quickly navigated his charge into the coveted one-one position where Romantic Warrior enjoyed an economical trip. The son of Acclamation loomed ominously three-wide at the turn and entered a duel with Tastiera, but he dispatched his rival with 150m to go and ran out a comfortable 1-1/2 length victor over a fast-finishing Liberty Island, giving McDonald the opportunity to stand in his irons as they crossed the line to salute the historic victory. McDonald was understandably ecstatic to end his memorable week in the best possible fashion. “That was unbelievable, I’m so proud of this horse,” he said. “He’s just been remarkable and it’s some effort by Danny (Shum) and his team. “The Japanese (horses) put it to him but with no luck. He’s the best, forget the rest, he’s the best. “He’s been flying, and anyone could ride him because he’s that easy, but I’m the lucky one. He’s the horse of a lifetime.” A proud New Zealander, McDonald likened Sunday’s result to a pressure moment for his national rugby team. “This was our moment to create history, and it felt like I was lining up for the winning kick for the All Blacks. It was a pinch me moment,” he said. Further international targets now await Romantic Warrior, who won the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) in Melbourne in 2023 and the Gr.1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) in Tokyo earlier this year, with trainer Danny Shum eyeing the US$20 million Gr.1 Saudi Cup (1800m) in Saudi Arabia in February, where he believes he has some unfinished business in that part of the world. “He’s the best, but I have to take another bigger challenge to go to Dubai and Saudi Arabia, just because I haven’t been to Dubai for 25 years,” Shum said. “At that time, I was assistant trainer for Mr Ivan Allan, I had a new experience. I will make sure the team that go there are in the best form. “The owner, Mr Peter Lau, said it’s a once in a life chance to take the challenge in Saudi Arabia for the top prizemoney in the world. We are experimenting with dirt, but I’ve tried him in an all-weather trial with a pacifier and he was quite good.” McDonald, who is currently undertaking a short-term riding contract in Hong Kong, has been in a reflective mood following a memorable week and said he is grateful for all the support he continues to receive from his homeland. “I know for a fact that we are so well loved in the racing community over there (New Zealand) and we have so much support, which I am extremely grateful for,” McDonald told Trackside. “I can’t do it without where I started, and that is from a 10-year-old boy riding around a Kaipaki track, it is pretty crazy. I thank everyone that has been a part of my journey.” View the full article