Wandering Eyes

White Marlin winning on Melbourne Cup Day in 2022. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) has announced the addition of the Australian Heritage Cup (2800m) to this year’s Melbourne Cup program at Flemington. The new race, restricted to Australian and New Zealand-trained horses, will be the final event in a series of qualifiers held across the country, from Kalgoorlie to Queensland. The Australian Heritage Cup replaces the Benchmark 96 race traditionally held on the same day and will offer a boosted prize pool of $250,000, an increase of $100,000 from the previous event. “To have a runner on Melbourne Cup Day is a huge honour, and the Australian Heritage Cup will give Australian and New Zealand-based trainers the opportunity to be at Flemington on the biggest day of the year,” said VRC executive general manager racing, Leigh Jordon. “The race has always been a platform for young, progressive stayers to test their credentials at Flemington, with previous winners including The Map and White Marlin, and we expect another strong field this year.” The qualifying series kicks off with the Listed Kalgoorlie Cup (2300m) on October 5, followed by races at Caulfield and Warwick Farm on October 16, Launceston on October 18, Eagle Farm on October 19, and Morphettville on October 26. Horse racing news View the full article

Cox Plate-winning jockey, Damian Lane. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Damian Lane has confirmed he will ride Japanese contender Prognosis in this year’s Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m). On Friday, it was announced that the son of Deep Impact, trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida and owned by Shadai Farm, will travel to Melbourne for the prestigious race at Moonee Valley on October 26. Prognosis has secured three Group 2 wins and has placed at the top level three times, including back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Group 1 QEII Cup (2000m) in Hong Kong behind reigning Cox Plate champion Romantic Warrior. Prognosis is currently the second favourite for the Cox Plate at $5 with horse racing bookmakers. Horse racing news View the full article

2022 Everest winner, Giga Kick. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Following his first-up fifth-place finish in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) last weekend, trainer Clayton Douglas reported that stable star Giga Kick has pulled up well and will have a trial before his second-up run in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 5. The 2022 Everest winner and dual Group 1 champion finished three lengths behind I Am Me in the Concorde but remains aimed at next month’s $20 million Everest (1200m), despite not yet securing a slot. “All in all, I’m pretty happy,” Douglas told Racing.com regarding Giga Kick’s return to the track. “How the race was run probably took his dash away a bit and he flattened out around the 200 (metres), but he did actually sprint well in the last 50 (metres) and got through the line well.” Douglas added that Giga Kick will trial at Canterbury in two weeks. “That should screw him down for the (Group 2) Premiere Stakes. Ideally, he goes and wins that, and it’s on to The Everest.” Giga Kick is currently an $11 winning chance for The Everest with horse racing bookmakers. Horse racing news View the full article

A Monday order out of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit shot down a request for a rarely granted “en banc” procedure that the Horseracing and Safety Integrity Act (HISA) Authority and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had asked for last month. Had the long-shot legal maneuver been successful, it would have granted a rehearing before all of that court's judges to review a July 5, 2024, opinion issued by a panel of three that had declared HISA is unconstitutional because its enforcement provisions violate the private nondelegation doctrine. Because of the infrequency with which such rehearings are granted at the federal level, the court's denial of the en banc request should not have come as a surprise to any party in the 3 1/2-year-old legal odyssey to overturn HISA that has been spearheaded by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) and 12 of its affiliates The Fifth Circuit heard between 5,700 and 7,400 appeals in each of the last six years. Over that same period, that court granted only between four and 10 en banc requests per year, according to that court's most recent annual report. Yet the denial of the rehearing in the Fifth Circuit hardly means the end of the legal road for either side in the fight to firmly establish whether HISA is constitutional or not. Often, an en banc petition in a federal appeals court merely equates to a necessary legal formality to show the U.S. Supreme Court that a party has exhausted every procedural option at the appeals court level before asking the Supreme Court to resolve a case. Increasingly, that's where this case seems destined to end up. That's because for two months now, there have been conflicting opinions between two different federal appeals courts over HISA's constitutionality. The Fifth Circuit panel opined July 5, 2024, that not all of HISA is constitutional, while the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals opined in a different case Mar. 3, 2023, that Congressional changes to the law in 2022 made HISA completely constitutional. When two federal appeals courts differ in their opinions like that, it's called a “circuit split,” and the Supreme Court generally takes heightened interest in resolving such conflicts. The Sept. 9 court order that said no to the en banc request did not address any of the HISA Authority's or FTC's arguments that had been articulated in their Aug. 19 filings. In a single sentence, the Fifth Circuit order simply stated, “Because no member of the panel or judge in regular active service requested that the court be polled on rehearings en banc, the petitions for rehearing en banc are DENIED.” Eric Hamelback, the chief executive officer of the NHBPA, had told TDN last month that he didn't believe the en banc petition would prove fruitful for the Authority or the FTC. On Monday, he reiterated his position after the denial of the rehearing was ordered by the court. “As I stated when this motion was originally filed, all this did was delay the inevitable,” Hamelback wrote in an email. “HISA remains unconstitutional. We can now safely say that 15 other federal court of appeals judges looked at this, and not one of them voted to review [the] decision and opinion. We look forward to the Authority and the FTC abiding by this decision promptly.” Hamelback wrote that he believes the next step will be for the closing mandate from the Fifth Circuit to be issued around Sept. 17. That will end the case in the Fifth Circuit and transfer it to back the originating lower court in Texas, which, if the lower court deems appropriate, will issue some form of to-be-determined relief to the plaintiffs. In the interim, while the case plays out in the lower court, Hamelback wrote that, “We would like to believe that [the] HISA [Authority] and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) will take the appropriate and proper action and cease and desist from any further unconstitutional and illegal enforcement activity until the Supreme Court has an opportunity to review this matter.” TDN asked the HISA Authority to comment on both the en banc denial and what the Authority's next steps might be. The request was acknowledged Monday afternoon by an Authority spokesperson, but TDN did not receive any statement for publication prior to deadline for this story. If the HISA Authority and the FTC do opt to petition the Supreme Court to take the case, the deadline for filing is Dec. 9. Last year, when the plaintiff states of Oklahoma, West Virginia and Louisiana similarly got denied in their Sixth Circuit request for an en banc rehearing after that Sixth Circuit panel upheld HISA's constitutionality, those plaintiffs then petitioned the Supreme Court to take the case. That request, too, got shot down, on June 24, 2024. But it's important to note that at the time the Supreme Court opted not to take up the Sixth Circuit case, the Fifth Circuit had yet to issue its unconstitutionality ruling. Once the Fifth Circuit's conflicting opinion was issued July 5, the Sixth Circuit plaintiffs in the Oklahoma, West Virginia and Louisiana case again asked the Supreme Court to reconsider hearing the case. “This case presents the exceptionally rare situation in which a significant 'intervening circumstance'–the opening of a circuit split on the constitutionality of a federal statute–has arisen within 25 days of this Court's denial of certiorari,” the Sixth Circuit plaintiffs wrote to the Supreme Court on July 18. “There is now a square, acknowledged conflict between the Sixth Circuit's decision [and] a contrary decision from the Fifth Circuit, which…presents a uniquely clean vehicle for the Court to resolve that conflict,” the Sixth Circuit plaintiffs stated to the Supreme Court. The post With Rehearing Denied, Supreme Court Showdown Over HISA Constitutionality Looms Increasingly Likely appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following a career as a trainer, Simon became a writer and podcaster, creating Going In Circles Media and advocating for what he saw as necessary changes to sustain the racing industry. View the full article

By Brigette Solomon Zachary Butcher hopes to be in for a good night with a book of six tidy drives at Cambridge Raceway tonight. With eight races programmed for tonight’s meeting, three of Butcher’s drives are early fixed price favourites with the TAB including Desistella (R6), who he also trains and co-owns, and the first starter Hadmeablast (R3) for the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan stable. “There’s some good form behind a few of them tonight and hopefully we’ll get a bit of luck too,” says Butcher. First up for the night Butcher drives Harleen Quinzel for Tuakau trainer George Stewart in Race 1, the All The News At Trackside.co.nz Mobile Trot over 2200 metres. The five-year-old mare has had several placings in the deep South but tonight will be her first start since coming North and from a mobile start. “She’ll need to do things right, but her trial last week was nice enough,” says Butcher. In Race 3, the Hire A Venue At Cambridge Raceway Mobile Pace, Butcher drives Hadmeablast, the first of two Purdon/Phelan trained runners for the evening. The two-year-old filly by Art Major was a trial winner on August 29 and has her first start here tonight. “Her trial a fortnight ago was good,” says Butcher, “she’s drawn the second line tonight (9) and I’ll be hoping to give her a good trip in running but it could be a bit tough with the ones outside us.” Up next is Boss Kenny in Race 4, the Oktoberfest Tickets On Sale Now Handicap Trot over 2700 metres. Trained by Zev Meredith at Cambridge, the gelding has run third in his last three appearances, all at Cambridge Raceway, and four of his five wins have been at this distance. “It’s my first time driving this horse so I don’t know much about him, but his form is good, and I think I’ll just be looking for an easy trip and having one run at them,” says Butcher. Butcher’s second drive for the Purdon/Phelan stable is Its Electrifying in Race 5, the Garrards Horse And Hound Mobile Pace over 2200 metres. “He’s a horse with a bit of speed and ability and should be capable of covering this field,” says Butcher, “I’ll be tucking him in for a cosy run and having one crack at them and I reckon he’s my best of the night.” The lightly raced two-year-old by Captaintreacherous starts in this race fresh up having last raced back in March where he was unplaced on both occasions. However his two workouts leading into tonight’s race have yielded good race form, with the gelding finishing third in his heat on August 29 behind Sugar Ray Lincoln and Captain Sampson, who took out the Colts and Geldings 2yo Sires Stakes Heat at Alexandra Park last Friday. Desistella, who Butcher trains from Pukekohe, lines up in Race 6, the Dunstan Horse Feeds Mobile Pace over 2200 metres. The three-year-old filly was a winner on debut and has had just two starts since and was unplaced on both occasions. However, Butcher confesses it was driver error last week and Desistella can be forgiven that run. “It was a terrible drive. I over drove her and she tired in the home straight,” says Butcher “She’s got a better draw tonight (2) and I’ll be opting to give her a nice easy trip and looking to really hit the line this week.” Butcher’s final assignment for the evening is the Arna Donnelly-trained Red Rackham who has been putting his best foot forward at Cambridge with three wins and a second in his last four starts on his home track. “He went great last week, and he’s been one of those horses who has taken a few races but really come to it now,” says Butcher, “there’s a couple of scratchings inside him which helps and I reckon I may be able to cross and lead on him.” The Vincent gelding starts from barrier position five after scratchings in Race 8, The Christmas at The Raceway Tickets on Sale Now Mobile Pace over 2200 metres. Racing action gets underway at 4:39pm and all racegoers on course once again have the chance to win a $250 cash prize plus be in the draw for a $4000 grand prize on September 24. View the full article

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm went to $2.2 million for Hip 169, a Gun Runner colt out SW & MGSP Princesa Carolina (Tapit), on Monday at the Keeneland September sale. The gray colt, foaled Apr. 17 and consigned by Four Star Sales, was bred by Three Chimneys Farm. The $2.2-million colt is a grandson of MGISW Pure Clan (Pure Prize), who Borges Torrealba Holdings purchased for $4.5 million at the 2012 Keeneland November sale. The post Whisper Hill Strikes for Gun Runner Colt for $2.2 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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A full-brother to Horse of the Year and champion sophomore filly Rachel Alexandra (Medalia d'Oro) realized a $1.35 million final bid from Epic Horses on Day 1 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington. Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consigned the Feb. 23 foal. Bred by Dede McGehee, Hip 112 is out of Lotta Kim (Roar), also responsible for GSP Dolphus and Gladys. Rachel Alexandra is also the dam of Grade I winner Rachel Valentina (Bernardini). The post HOTY Rachel Alexadra’s Brother Yields $1.35M at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features a TDN Rising Star who impressed on debut. 15.10 Leicester, Novice, £9,000, 2yo, f, 7fT FORMAL (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) made an instant impact on debut at Newbury in July and would have been a warm order for the G3 Prestige Stakes had the rain not come and forced her withdrawal. Cheveley Park's homebred daughter of the G1 Falmouth Stakes heroine Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) carries a TDN Rising Star tag into the autumn and is one of the most exciting juveniles that Sir Michael Stoute has had through his hands for some time. The post Dubawi’s Rising Star Formal Heads to Leicester appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With the action in full swing, a filly by Triple Crown hero American Pharoah realized a $1.35 million final bid from Amo Racing's Kia Joorabchian. Out of Grade III winner Just Louise (Five Star Day), the full-sister to MGSW and GISP Forbidden Kingdom was consigned by Paramount Sales. Bred by Springhouse Farm, Hip 97 represents the family of MGSW Sara Louise (Malibu Moon), the dam of GSP Nash and Sara Street. The post Filly by American Pharoah Brings $1.35M at Keeneland September appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A Tapit filly from the family of Arrogate sold for $1.2 million to Shadwell Farm Monday during the first session of the Keeneland September yearling sale. The gray Mar. 7-foaled offering is the first foal out of the winning Into Mischief mare Immediate Impact, who is a daughter of Bubbler (Distorted Humor), dam of champion and successful sire Arrogate. Consigned by Clearsky Farms as Hip 81, the filly was bred by her consignor. The post Tapit Filly Goes to Shadwell for $1.2 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A colt by Nyquist (hip 82) joined the million-dollar parade at Keeneland Monday when selling for $1.15 million. SF Bloodstock's Tom Ryan signed the ticket on the bay yearling, who is out of Impasse (Quality Road). The mare is a daughter of Tempus Fugit (Alphabet Soup) and was consigned by and bred by Candy Meadows. The post Nyquist Colt Brings $1.15 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hip 73, a Gun Runner colt out of GI Del Mar Oaks winner Harmonize (Scat Daddy), sold for $1.15 million to Chester Broman at Monday's opening session of the Keeneland September yearling sale. Consigned by Brookdale, agent, the colt is a half to recent GI Arlington Million runner-up Integration (Quality Road). The chestnut colt, a Mar. 23 foal, was the second yearling by Gun Runner to bring seven figures Monday, following a $1.5-million filly out of Dream Dancing (Tapit). The post Chester Broman Goes to $1.15 Million for Gun Runner Colt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A bay colt from the first crop of Charlatan sold for $1.4 million at Monday's opening session of the Keeneland September sale to Coolmore and Peter Brant. The Mar. 7 colt, consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, was bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Matt Dorman. He is out of MGISW Guarana (Ghostzapper), who was a $4.4-million purchase by Hill 'n' Dale at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Sold as Hip 70, the colt is from a deep female family. His young MGISW sire stands at Hill 'n' Dale. The post $1.4M First-Crop Charlatan Colt to Coolmore and Brant appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A dark bay filly by first-crop yearling sire Maxfield brought $1 million Monday at the first session of the Keeneland September yearling sale. John Stewart's Resolute signed the ticket for Hip 53, who is out of the unraced French Passport (Elusive Quality) and a half-sibling to GI Alabama Stakes and GI Ogden Phipps Stakes winner Randomized (Nyquist) from the same family as MGISW Got Stormy (Get Stormy). Consigned by Four Star Sales, agent, the $1-million filly and May 11 foal was bred by Cove Springs in Kentucky. The post John Stewart Buys First-Crop Maxfield Filly for $1 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of Ireland's top jockeys and trainers took part in a charity polo match hosted by the All Ireland Polo Club at Phoenix Park on Sunday. The event, sponsored by NFP, an Aon Company, and Matheson, raised vital funds for the Down Syndrome Centre and raised awareness for the Together Academy, two organisations committed to empowering children and young adults with Down syndrome. The matches featured jockeys Colin Keane, Gary Carroll, Sam Ewing, Jack Kennedy, Billy Lee and Keith Donoghue, with the trainers in opposition including Tony Martin, Gavin Cromwell, Fozzy Stack, Kate Harrington, Robbie Power and Ross O'Sullivan. The highest-scoring team was awarded Treo Eile gilets, while each participant received a Dublin Crystal plaque sponsored by Derville Meade in recognition of their participation. For more information about the event, visit www.downsyndromecentre.ie or www.togetheracademy.ie. The post Jockeys and Trainers Go Head-To-Head in Charity Polo Match appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A filly by Gun Runner (hip 24) got the Keeneland September Yearling Sale off to a quick start Monday when selling for $1.5 million to the bid of Chief Stipe Scharbauer. Consigned by Gainesway, the chestnut is out of Grade I winner Dream Dancing (Tapit) and was bred by John Oxley. The filly's 2-year-old half-sister Dreamaway (Flameaway) is now two for two after winning the Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park in July. The post Gun Runner Filly First to Seven Figures at Keeneland September appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The first of two days of trade at the Osarus September Yearling Sale concluded with a colt from the first crop of Haras de Bouquetot stallion Armor (GB) leading the way at €34,000. Sold to trainer Kevin Tavares from the draft of Haras de Montaigu, the session-topper is a half-brother to the juvenile winner Zabriskie Point (Fr) (Born To Sea {Ire}) out of the treble-winning Zafeen (Fr) mare Zabriska (Fr). A clearance rate of just 57% was the unfortunate feature of the opening day in La Teste de Buch, with only 47 of the 83 yearlings offered finding a buyer. Those sold brought turnover for the session to €438,000, with an average price of €10,012 and median of €8,000. At a sale which has previously been good to members of the breeze-up crowd, and was the source of Group 1 winners Trueshan (Fr) and Sands Of Mali (Fr), only Con Marnane got his name on the buyers' sheet from that particular group when selecting a colt by Goken (Fr) for €14,000. Marnane bought the aforementioned top sprinter and now first-season sire Sands Of Mali at Osarus in 2016 for €20,000. The sale continues tomorrow from 12 noon local time. The post First-Crop Armor Colt Leads Osarus appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ramatuelle (Justify) is reportedly on course to return to action in next month's G1 Prix de la Foret, having been off the track since finishing third in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Trained by Christopher Head, Ramatuelle won the G2 Prix Robert Papin as a two-year-old and has since finished placed at the top level on three occasions. Runner-up to Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in last year's Prix Morny at Deauville, she preceded her Royal Ascot effort with another third-place finish in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket. The three-year-old is now set to drop back to seven furlongs when she makes her next intended appearance at Longchamp on Sunday, October 6, with an outing at the Breeders' Cup also on the agenda for later in the year. “She's doing fine and she's preparing for the Prix de la Foret which will be her next race,” said Head. “She's had a bit of break because we have a programme running until the Breeders' Cup, so we will use the Foret as a preparation to go out there afterwards. “She's just a brilliant filly, a really, really nice daughter of Justify. She was a tremendous two-year-old who almost won the Guineas this season. Everything's great with her–so far so good.” One place behind Ramatuelle in the 1,000 Guineas was the fast-finishing Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), who took advantage of a drop in grade when getting off the mark for the season in last month's G3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown. That was her first start over a mile since her huge run in defeat at Newmarket back in May and a return to the Rowley Mile is now on the cards when she bids for a first top-level success in the Sun Chariot Stakes on Saturday, October 5. “She's come out of the race very well,” said trainer David Menuisier. “She hasn't had a hard race and is in good form. “It was a relief [to win at Sandown]. It was important to win the race and take it as a stepping stone to better things down the line. She has some very good form and is clearly a very quick filly. “I think it makes more sense to keep her over a mile as we speak, so we'll probably go for the Sun Chariot and maybe the QEII if she comes out of the race well.” The post Autumn Targets Confirmed for Star Fillies Ramatuelle and Tamfana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It's been a while, hasn't it? We can only apologise for the onslaught of the sales and some extra international travel pushing the Seven Days beat on to the back-burner, but we're home now, almost jetlag-free, and ready for this week's round-up. Quite a lot of Sunday mornings are spent trudging along the Devil's Dyke which separates Newmarket's Rowley Mile from the July Course. The dogs love it, but this walker felt a little wearier this past weekend at the thought that we've now switched back to the Rowley Mile for the autumn without it feeling like summer ever properly arrived. There were some good days on the July Course this year, of course, especially the celebration of the 80th birthday of legendary bloodstock writer Tony Morris in early August, but we're back across the ditch now, for what always feels like the more business end of racing, with the autumn maidens and group races for juveniles giving us some serious pointers towards next season's Classics. Let's not wish our lives away just yet, though. We've the St Leger and Irish Champions Festival to come this weekend, not to mention a good opportunity for a little flag-waving on Saturday night during the Last Night of the Proms, if that's what floats your boat. William Haggas will be hoping that it will be a case of Rule Britannia at Leopardstown as the exciting Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) steps into his first Group 1 contest in the Royal Bahrain Champion Stakes. Though bred and trained in Britain, he is of course Bahraini-owned, and undoubtedly it would be extra special for Shaikh Isa Salman Al Khalifa to win the race sponsored in his country's name. The Irish Champion Stakes will be boosted by the intriguing presence of Japan's Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who had a warm-up for his first European start with a racecourse gallop at Longchamp before racing on Sunday. Following his Irish foray, he will head back to Paris in a bid to emulate his brother Sottsass (Fr) by winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. His ever-intrepid trainer Yoshito Yahagi is not content simply with launching a raid on Europe's premier weight-for-age contest but he is also planning to take aim at the Breeders' Cup Classic with Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}). What an extraordinary double that would be, and Forever Young, who was plainly hampered when finishing such a close third in the Kentucky Derby, is a colt who should be taken seriously when he returns to American soil at Del Mar. The Hundred Club That's all to come, however, and in the immediate rear-view mirror there has been plenty to get excited about over the last week. First of all, let's hear it for Kodiac (GB), the hard-knocking hero of Tally-Ho Stud, who reached the notable milestone of 100 stakes winners on Saturday. Symbol Of Strength (Ire) brought up the century in the G3 Sirenia Stakes and, fittingly, the Adrian Keatley-trained filly was bred by the O'Callaghan family of Tally-Ho, where Kodiac has stood since retiring to stud in 2007. When TDN visited Tally-Ho Stud back in early 2023 we couldn't persuade Tony, Anne, Roger or Henry O'Callaghan to pose for a picture with their star resident, who is now 23. “We don't do that sort of thing” was very much the message given in reply to this request, but there was no doubting the fondness and regard in which the son of Danehill is held in Mullingar. “He'll always be king,” said Tony at the time. “He would be our king, anyway. We'll be forever grateful.” Eight Group 1 winners feature in Kodiac's Hundred Club, with his most recent of those coming only last month when the Juddmonte homebred Babouche (GB) got the better of Whistlejacket (Ire) in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes. Trained by Ger Lyons, the filly is entered for this weekend's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, and the form of her most recent success was boosted when Whitslejacket went on to win the G1 Sumbe Prix Morny eight days after he had finished second on the Curragh. Kodiac has been joined at Tally-Ho by his son Good Guess (GB), the winner of the G1 Prix Jean Prat who has just completed his first covering season. Elsewhere Kodiac's sons Hello Youmzain (Fr), Ubettabelieveit (Ire), Best Solution (Ire), Nando Parrado (GB), Ardad (Ire), Prince Of Lir (Ire), Kodi Bear (Ire) and Coulsty (Ire) are among those populating other studs in Britain, Ireland, France and Germany. Which one will carry the torch through the next generation is anyone's guess, but they have big shoes to fill. Wiener Wald Legacy Continues to Grow The Forman Hardy family's Car Colston Hall Stud may be famed in one sense as the breeder of the small but mighty Soldier Hollow (GB), who was twice Germany's champion sire, but it is another family which has provided the stud with some spectacular results for decades. Almost 30 years ago, Alex Scrope bought the Woodman mare Wiener Wald, then three and in foal to Silver Hawk, for $210,000 on behalf of Nicholas and Jane Forman Hardy at the Keeneland November Sale. The foal she was carrying became known as Argent Du Bois, who later found fame as the dam of dual Grade 1 winner Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), while her daughter Saint Elena (GB) (Efisio {GB}) is the dam of Reckless Abandon (GB) (Exchange Rate), who pulled off the Middle Park-Morny Group 1 double. Five black-type-earning siblings of Argent Du Bois include the G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Crowded House (GB) (Rainbow Quest), but it is the unraced mare, Fair Daughter (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who has provided this high-achieving family with its latest Group 1 winner, Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}). Eyes had been diverted by the presence of Charyn (Ire) and Notable Speech (Ire), both Group 1 winners on their last start, in the Prix du Moulin, but one can never completely rule out horses carrying the white cap of Godolphin's second colours. The five-year-old Tribalist, already a Group 2 winner, both this year and last, for Andre Fabre, slipped the field when sent on to make the running under Mickael Barzalona, and is likely now to take in the Prix de la Foret en route to the Breeders' Cup Mile. He joins Cape Cross (Ire) and Summoner (GB) on the list of horses to have won Group 1 mile races for Godolphin in the white cap with royal blue jacket. Tribalist's win completed a memorable weekend for the 10-year-old Fair Daughter, whose three-year-old filly Fair Point (GB), also by Farhh, won the British EBF Premier Fillies' Handicap at Ascot off a mark of 87. Wiener Wald, herself a granddaughter of Terlingua, the dam of Storm Cat, died earlier this year at the age of 32. Her legacy during her own extraordinary lifetime was already immense and it will undoubtedly only continue to grow in the years to come. Champions Day Next for Montassib It has been quite the year for the older geldings, and Montassib (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) added his name to the list of Group 1 winners when getting the better of the youngster Kind Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the Haydock Sprint Cup. The six-year-old has had a bit of a stop-start career, having won on debut at two and then disappearing from action for more than a year until returning 598 days after this first triumph to win his next two starts at four. “He missed all of his three-year-old season with a heart condition,” said Montassib's trainer William Haggas, who also trains the close third in the Sprint Cup, Unequal Love (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). “He's still lightly raced for his age and he's an absolutely charming horse. He's rare in that he's an Exceed And Excel who wins on soft ground.” He added, “We also had his dam Felwah and [her sire] Aqlaam.” Felwah (GB) was bred and raced by Khalil Al Sayegh, an associate of the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, and it was in his same colours that Montassib started his own career before being switched to his present ownership group after treatment and rest for his heart problem, which thankfully appears to have been resolved. Haggas confirmed that Montassib will head straight to the QIPCO British Champions Sprint at Ascot in October. Worth Studying Man With leading performers Rosallion (Ire) and Big Evs (Ire), last season's champion first-season sire Blue Point (Ire) has rightly been the recipient of much praise, but another reminder to keep an eye on his contemporary Study Of Man (Ire) was served on Saturday when Kalpana (GB) romped home in the G3 September Stakes to win by almost five lengths. Champions Day seems to be the Juddmonte filly's next port of call after she became the third group winner from the Lanwades resident's first crop which numbered just 55. He had 66 foals the following year. Those three group winners from 58 runners put him at the head of his class on a 5.2% strike-rate and Study Of Man now has a total of nine black-type performers (15.5%). Kalpana has done little wrong in seven starts for Andrew Balding. She has won four of those races, including the Listed Glasgow Stakes one run before her group win. Those two stakes victories have each been posted with a winning margin of more than four lengths, though visually her most impressive win to date was at Newmarket with a 10-length strike in a handicap in the spring. The runner-up that day was Align The Stars (Ire) who is now rated 102. Kalpana has never been out of the top three, and took third behind Port Fairy (Ire) in the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. Her dam is the Listed winner Zero Gravity (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a full-sister to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Zambezi Sun (GB). Two of Study Of Man's busiest performers have been The Crafty Mole (GB) and Allonsy (GB), rated 75 and 87 respectively, with the former having won five of his 11 races and Allonsy having won four from 10 starts. And it doesn't take a genius to work out that, as they are out of mares by Archipenko and Sir Percy (GB), both The Crafty Mole and Allonsy were bred by Kirsten Rausing, who is also the owner-breeder of his Listed winners Francophone (GB) and Lingua Franca (GB). Of that intake of stallions, Calyx (GB) is another to note, in particular for his high winners-to-runners strike-rate, which currently stands at almost 59%. He's had two Group 2 winners in Europe — Persian Dreamer and Classic Flower — plus the GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes winner Zona Verde (Ire) at Del Mar, while Purple Lily (Ire) was runner-up in the G1 Irish Oaks. Charlie in Charge “I can say that he is the best I have trained so far, no doubt.” These are bold words from the man who, in his relatively short training career to date, has already had the multiple Group 1 winners Big Rock (Ire) and Blue Rose Cen (Ire) through his hands, not to mention Ramatuelle. But this is Christopher Head's opinion of Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who confirmed the early impression of his Arqana Series de Poulains win in Deauville last month with an eight-length rout in the Prix des Aigles at Chantilly on Saturday. Admittedly the latter was conducted in very soft ground and with only four runners, so we'll see how well this particular race works out in due course, but it was hard not to be impressed anew by the winner. Maranoa Charlie, who is out of a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to Group 1 winner Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), remains engaged in Thursday's G3 Prix des Chenes but also holds an entry for the G1 Criterium International at the end of October. Last Word We can't leave without mention of Quinault (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the undisputed king of Stuart Williams's stable. The four year-old has won three consecutive Listed races since August 4, most recently picking up Sunday's Garrowby Stakes at York. That takes his tally to 1o wins in just 19 starts. The one-time runaway is now very much a reformed character and is fast becoming a favourite of this column. The post Seven Days: Tribalist the Latest Star for Wiener Wald Family appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Richard Hannon has decided not to run Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) again this season, with the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot being nominated as his first major target of 2025. The three-year-old was due to contest the Sussex Stakes after he'd established himself among the best of his generation with back-to-back top-level victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh and St James's Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting, but he was forced to miss Goodwood after being found to be suffering from a respiratory infection. Hannon is now looking forward to what Rosallion might be able to achieve as a four-year-old, with the likelihood of soft ground this autumn one of the key factors behind the decision to draw stumps for the campaign. “I think that is correct [that he will not run again this season],” Hannon told Nick Luck's Daily Podcast. “He's got nothing to prove now. He wasn't right for Goodwood and he would have run terrible. He had a lung infection, we put him on antibiotics, and after three weeks he was bang ready to go again. The ground has gone now so let's look forward to next year–look forward, not back. “I just think he's had a long break and he gets pretty big. He'd need loads of work beforehand and 99 per cent of the time it is very soft ground on Champions Day. I would hate to finish the season on a bad note. “I would much rather the winter went much quicker looking at a St James's Palace and an Irish Guineas winner.” “He's definitely staying in training next year,” Hannon added. “He's the dream horse really and he's a pleasure to have about. “His big race will be the Queen Anne and there's obviously the Lockinge, maybe the Sussex. There's all those big races, maybe the Breeders' Cup as well.” The post All Roads Lead to Royal Ascot Return for Rosallion with 2024 Season Finished appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) has been supplemented by owners Valmont and Newsells Park Stud for Saturday's G1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster at a cost of £50,000. Last seen filling the runner-up spot in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks, You Got To Me is one of 10 horses in contention for the final Classic of the season as she tries to emulate Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), the last filly to win the race when successful in 2015. Like Simple Verse, You Got To Me is trained by Ralph Beckett, who is optimistic of another bold showing in the St Leger from one of his star fillies, having also saddled his Oaks winners Look Here (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) to finish third and second, respectively. “I don't think stamina will be an issue and she seems in good shape,” said Beckett. “We're conscious that her best form is on good ground or faster and it looks like being that at the weekend if the forecast is correct. It felt like a good fit for her. “We've been first, second and third with fillies in the Leger. I wouldn't say we've always got it right, but it is certainly not a race that holds any fears, for sure.” Aidan O'Brien is responsible for five of the remaining entries. They include ante-post favourite Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who emerged as the stable's number one contender after it was reported that Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is more likely to run in Saturday's G1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown instead. Los Angeles defied a Group 1 penalty for his Irish Derby win when narrowly denying Illinois in the G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last time. The unbeaten Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), last seen winning the G3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, and Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a wide-margin winner of last month's G3 Irish St Leger Trial Stakes at the Curragh, also feature in what is potentially a very strong Ballydoyle challenge. Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was last of five runners in the Great Voltigeur last time, completes their quintet of possible runners as O'Brien seeks an eighth victory in the St Leger. Of the rest, Deira Mile (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) both bring Classic form to the table from earlier in the season. Deira Mile was narrowly beaten in a Listed race at Windsor last month when making his first appearance since finishing a staying-on fourth in the Derby at Epsom, while Sunway was runner-up to Los Angeles in the Irish Derby before finishing a respectable fourth in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. “He is all on track,” trainer David Menuisier said of Sunway. “We are very pleased with him and we have confirmed him this morning. Everything has gone as we would have liked and we are really looking forward to running him on Saturday.” Andrew Balding's progressive Wild Waves (Ire) (Crystal Ocean {GB}) and Charlie Johnston's three-time winner Align The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) complete the list of possible runners, with Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) a notable absentee. An update on Godolphin's X account read, “Ancient Wisdom will not be confirmed for the @DoncasterRaces St Leger Stakes at today's five-day stage. The horse is in good form, but will instead be aimed at an autumn campaign with his favoured ground conditions.” The post Supplemented You Got To Me Features Among 10 St Leger Confirmations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Not only did the lightly-raced Howard Wolowitz nail down a victory in the $1,176,600 Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G1T) Sept. 7, but Kentucky Downs will pick up the Breeders' Cup fees should the 3-year-old colt draw into the World Championships.View the full article