Wandering Eyes

Moira and Kieran Murdoch will have runners in three of the $60,000 ITM/Gib Winter Championship Finals at Ruakaka on Saturday, including a recent recruit who appears to be back on top of his game. Shamus (NZ) (Shamexpress) was previously a six-time winner up to Group Two level for New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock, who suggested he move to the Murdochs for a change of scenery earlier this year. Fifth and fourth in his first two appearances for his new stable, the Shamexpress gelding returned to his best form with a bold last-start win in the Northpine Waipu Cup (1400m) at Ruakaka on June 29. Shamus will line up in the ITM/Gib Sprinters’ Winter Championship Final (1400m) over the same course and distance on Saturday. “It was a very pleasing performance from Shamus last start,” Murdoch said. “He ran really well that day. Claiming 2kg off his back obviously made a big difference, and I think he appreciated the drier track too. “He’s been ticking over really nicely since that race. We’ll head up there again on Saturday and see how he goes. It’s a better field this time, but you’d expect that for a final. We’re happy with the build-up that he’s had.” Shamus was ridden to his last-start success by Ace Lawson-Carroll, who will switch from friend to foe on Saturday and will instead partner Malt Time (Adelaide) for his employers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy. “We’ve had to find a replacement because Ace is obviously committed to Malt Time, but I think we’ve got a good replacement in Triston Moodley,” Murdoch said. “He’s riding well and can claim 3kg.” The TAB rates Malt Time a $2.50 favourite for Saturday’s feature sprint, with Turn The Ace (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) at $4, Master Brutus (NZ) (Swiss Ace) at $4.60 and Shamus at $7.50. The Murdochs’ representative in the ITM/Gib 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m) is the promising Full Noise (NZ) (Turn Me Loose). The son of Turn Me Loose kicked off his career at Te Rapa on May 18, where he finished a close fourth over 1100m. Both of his subsequent starts have been at Ruakaka, where he found the line well for third placings behind the unbeaten Dan Vegas (NZ) (Per Incanto) on June 8 and June 29. With Dan Vegas absent from the line-up for Saturday’s 3YO Final, the TAB rates Full Noise a $5 equal favourite alongside Tide And Time (NZ) (Time Test). “All of his runs have been full of merit,” Murdoch said. “He seems to be improving with each run. “I’ve been very happy with him since his last race, and I think that the step up to the mile on Saturday will suit him.” The other runner at Ruakaka on Saturday for the Murdochs is Loose Change (NZ) (The Bold One) in the ITM/Gib Progressive Winter Championship Final (1600m) – a race for horses with no more than one win at nomination time. Loose Change is still a maiden after 17 starts, but he has recorded six placings and produced an eye-catching finish for fifth at Ruakaka two weeks ago. “Although he’s still a maiden, he’s run a number of very good races,” Murdoch said. “He drew the second-from-outside gate last time, so we decided to ride him quietly and he came home extremely well. He’s drawn better this time (gate seven), so hopefully he can settle a little bit closer and still produce that big finish.” Loose Change is rated a $9.50 chance in a market headed by The Exponent (NZ) (Shocking) ($3.90), Awhina (NZ) (Derryn) ($5.50) and Talentoso (NZ) (Tarzino) ($6). View the full article

Cambridge jumper Smug (NZ) (Complacent) will be seeking his first prestige jumps scalp when he heads to Trentham on Saturday to contest the Metroclad Limited Wellington Hurdles (3200m). The six-year-old Complacent gelding has been in pleasing form over hurdles, placing in his last two starts, including runner-up to Berry The Cash (NZ) (Jakkalberry) in the Waikato Hurdle (3200m) and third behind the Awapuni jumper and Taika (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m). Trainer Chris Wood is glad they won’t be met by Berry The Cash on Saturday, but holds plenty of respect for their rivals this weekend, including race favourite Taika. “He (Smug) has run home well both times,” Wood said. “There is no Berry The Cash this week but at the same time there are a few others that go pretty well. He is in with a nice chance, I just hope he does everything right and gets home safely. “He is heading down there in good order, he is happy, and he has worked up nice since his last couple of runs.” Following Saturday, Wood is eyeing a trip south across the Cook Strait for Riccarton’s Grand National Festival of Racing next month. “Everything going right, we will probably head to the Grand National,” he said. “We will try and fit another race in between times somewhere. Whether we go down there for the two days of the National meeting or just have the one run, we will work on that one.” Wood heads into the weekend in a buoyant mood, having recorded a victory earlier in the week at Cambridge’s Synthetic meeting with Alfriston (Jukebox), while stablemates Side Eye (Sidestep) and Boxmoss (NZ) (Vadamos) also picked up placings. “Side Eye went a good race, he only got beaten a nose for second, and I was quite impressed by Boxmoss, he flew home. He looks like a nice staying prospect for the future,” Wood said. “It was good to win the Garry Edge race (with Alfriston), that was a bit of a thrill. “It (polytrack) does keep a lot of horses racing. He is a horse that handles it, but it would just be nice if they ran a few more 75 races there. “He (Alfriston) will probably go back to Cambridge in a couple of weeks now.” View the full article

An extraordinary performance by Sister Ping (NZ) (Street Boss) at Cambridge on Wednesday has Chad Ormsby excited about the filly’s prospects for her three-year-old season. The daughter of Street Boss made her first start for Ormsby in the Waipa Earthworks (970m). The two-year-old was sent out as a $3.30 favourite against older opposition, but she appeared to have lost all hope when she reared at the start and was languishing five lengths behind the second-last horse. Sister Ping’s recovery had to be seen to be believed. She was still at the back of the field at the home turn, but jockey Kelly Myers angled her to the outside and she charged home to win by half a length. “That was a remarkable performance,” Ormsby said. “We expected her to go well, but to do it like that and come away with a pretty comfortable win in the end, it was quite amazing. You don’t often see them win like that.” Sister Ping races in the colours of Trelawney Stud’s Brent, Cherry and Faith Taylor. The chestnut filly was a $250,000 yearling purchase by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis, and she collected a placing from two starts for Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson before joining Ormsby’s Cambridge stable earlier this year. “She’s got a lot of talent,” Ormsby said. “We’ve been working along with her for quite a while. She’s been a bit of a problem child, but I think she’s starting to put things together now. “We should have a lot to look forward to in her three-year-old season. She’s already gone out for a spell. We’ll just play it by ear. Once she’s back in work, we’ll get a line on how she’s going and make a plan on what sort of races we target. “At this stage I think her distance might be around 1200m. She won’t have to go much further than that in the early part of her three-year-old season anyway, so that’s what we’ll look at to start with and then take it from there. I’m looking forward to it.” In the meantime, Ormsby has talented three-year-old Lord Weyburn (NZ) (Charm Spirit) resuming in Saturday’s Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m) at Ruakaka. The Charm Spirit gelding has recorded two wins and a second from nine starts so far. He was runner-up in a trial at Waipa on July 4, where black-type performer It’s Business Time (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) finished behind him in third. Michael McNab will take the mount on Lord Weyburn on Saturday, and the TAB rates him a $4.80 third favourite behind Fernandez (NZ) (Per Incanto) ($3.90) and local filly Dancing Dream (NZ) (Contributer) ($4.20). “He’s coming up really nicely,” Ormsby said. “I’m happy with him. He’s a bit of an overachiever and always seems to put his best foot forward. I think he’s ready to run a solid race first-up.” View the full article

An online purchase of $4700 has turned into more than $63,000 in stakes with synthetic specialist Doubtful Sound (Not A Single Doubt), who played another starring role in Friday’s $32,000 Red Nose Raceday 26 July Rating 65 (1600m) at Riccarton. The son of Not a Single Doubt began his career in the Cambridge stable of Tony Pike, for whom he won his second start and later finished fourth in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). He was subsequently sold on Gavelhouse.com and moved south to Suzy Gordon at Foxton, for whom he has recorded another three wins from 23 starts. Doubtful Sound travelled to Riccarton to win a $35,000 race on the synthetic surface in August of last year, and Gordon repeated that trick to great effect on Friday. Ridden positively by apprentice jockey Liam Kauri, the five-year-old settled on the outside of the front-runner Faytina (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) before moving forward to challenge that rival at the top of the straight. Doubtful Sound forged clear over the final 200m and crossed the finish line a length and a quarter in front of the strong-finishing Anneliese (NZ) (Vadamos). “He won it quite easily in the end, which was great to see,” said Gordon, who also shares ownership with Christine and Stuart Parkes, Karen Davis and Pauline and Todd McGuigan. “I was a little worried going into today, since it was only seven days since his last run at Awapuni. I wondered if two races in a week might be too much for him, but obviously it wasn’t. We’re thrilled with that.” Doubtful Sound has now had 31 starts for four wins and five placings, with three of those wins coming from just 11 starts on all-weather surfaces. “He seems to really enjoy the synthetic tracks, and especially that one down at Riccarton,” Gordon said. “I think he prefers it to the Awapuni track because it’s bigger. He’s a big boy and just struggles a little bit to get around a tighter track, so Riccarton suits him well.” Doubtful Sound is now set to get an opportunity to contest one of the brand-new $100,000 synthetic features that will be run in early August. Riccarton, Awapuni and Cambridge will each host one of the lucrative races, which are open to all horses that have had at least three starts on a New Zealand synthetic track since May of last year. “I’ll get him back home now and then I think it’s four weeks into those new $100,000 races,” Gordon said. “His three wins on synthetic tracks should mean he’ll make the field. “The Awapuni race is 1400m and the Riccarton one is only 1200m, which would be too short for him. It might have suited him a bit better if those distances were the other way around, but we might as well have a go at the Awapuni one. He’s already done a great job for a horse that cost us $4700, and a big performance in a race like that would make it even better.” View the full article

Mitre Peak (More Than Ready) made it two wins from her last three starts on Riccarton’s Synthetic track on Friday when powering home late to capture the Speight’s Summit Ultra On Tap 3YO (1400m). The three-year-old filly was the slowest away and settled at the rear of the field for apprentice jockey Niranjan Parmar. Parmar bided his time before setting his charge alight around the final turn and the daughter of More Than Ready needed the entire length of the straight to nab Motiontime (Showtime) on the line to win by a nose. Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson were pleased with the win and made special mention post-race of Te Akau Racing’s Ashley Handley and Hunter Durrant, who run their Riccarton barn. “She looked terrific in the coat and it was a really good run to win, so well done to Ashley and Hunter,” Walker said. “They’re two highly accomplished horse people, totally dedicated and professional, and we’re very fortunate to have them on staff. “They’ve helped manage the horses and staff for Sam and me in the South Island, and it’s all worked well to have that many wins from the stable there this season.” Owned by Fortuna Mitre Peak Syndicate, Mitre Peak was purchased for $60,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis at the Inglis 2022 Classic Yearling Sale in Sydney. “My heart went into my mouth when she was slowly away,” Fortuna Syndicate Manager Galvin said. “She seemed to travel well and on the corner I thought she was a chance to run in the money, but she really motored home down the straight. “It ended up being a good watch because she showed a very good turn of foot, so it was very pleasing and she’s beaten a good field.” Galvin believes the best is yet to come from the filly. “We don’t think Mitre Peak is the full deal yet because she still has quite a bit of furnishing, physically, to go,” he said. “For her to win a couple of races, as she’s done this time in, is very satisfying. “It was reported to us that her work had been good leading up to the race, we couldn’t fault her, but there were a couple more favoured in betting that appeared quite hard to beat. “We were confident that she was going to run well, but not completely convinced that she was going to beat the others, But in the end, she did. “We’ll see how she comes through it before making plans, but she will have to have a break at some stage. “She’s been performing well on the synthetic track, but it would be good to see her race on the turf again, especially down there (Riccarton) on the roomier track. “I think that in late summer and into the autumn she could really come into her own.” View the full article

What Rockhampton Cup Day 2024 Where Callaghan Park Racecourse – Reaney St, North Rockhampton QLD 4701 When Saturday, July 13, 2024 First Race 12:09pm AEST Visit Dabble The $150,000 Rockhampton Cup will headline the second day of the Rockhampton Jockey Club Winter Racing Carnival this Saturday afternoon. With good weather forecast across the weekend, the track will improve from the Soft 5 rating on Thursday and racing should begin on a perfect Good 4 surface. The rail will remain in the +2.5m position for the entire circuit, with racing set to kick off at 12:09pm AEST. Rockhampton Cup tip: Sneak Preview Following three wins in his last four starts last preparation, Sneak Preview is yet to win this time in, but the David Vandyke-trained gelding appears to be getting closer after three starts. This eight-year-old gelding finished fifth behind Princess Rhaenys in Benchmark 90 grade at Eagle Farm, and he will appreciate the easier level of racing in the feature event. From barrier six, Justin Huxtable can settle midfield off the rail and get to the outside of runners by the 400m mark before finishing off strongly. Rockhampton Cup Race 7 – #3 Sneak Preview (6) 8yo Gelding | T: David Vandyke | J: Justin Huxtable (56.5kg) +700 with Dabble Best Bet at Rockhampton: More Stylish More Stylish will put her unbeaten start to her career on the line in the opening event as the John Wigginton-trained filly attempts to improve her record to three wins from as many starts. This daughter of Better Than Ready proved way too good for her rivals on resumption from an 18-week spell at this track over 1100m last start, running away with a dominant 2.8-length win. This girl will gain the services of Robbie Dolan here, and if she shows a similar turn of foot to her first two victories, More Stylish will win again. Best Bet Race 1 – #3 More Stylish (3) 2yo Filly | T: John Wigginton | J: Robbie Dolan (57kg) +150 with Picklebet Next Best at Rockhampton: Adiella Adiella has only tasted defeat once from her four starts to date, and her last start victory over 1300m at Warwick was the best of her career. After settling behind the speed, this John Dann-trained filly peeled off the leader’s heels and took over at the 100m mark before clearing out to win by two lengths. With a strong win over 1300m and 1400m in her last two, expect Adiella to have no problem with the extra distance and prove too good for her rivals once again. Next Best Race 5 – #4 Adiella (13) 3yo Filly | T: John Dann | J: Les Tilley (55.5kg) +400 with Neds Saturday quaddie tips for Rockhampton Cup Day Rockhampton quadrella selections Saturday, July 13, 2024 3-5-6-9 1-2-4-12 1-2-14 1-2-3-4-6-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Doubtful Sound winning on the Riccarton Synthetic on Friday. Photo: Race Images South An online purchase of $4700 has turned into more than $63,000 in stakes with synthetic specialist Doubtful Sound, who played another starring role at Riccarton. The son of Not a Single Doubt began his career in the Cambridge stable of Tony Pike, for whom he won his second start and later finished fourth in the Group 3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). He was subsequently sold on Gavelhouse.com and moved south to Suzy Gordon at Foxton, for whom he has recorded another three wins from 23 starts. Doubtful Sound travelled to Riccarton to win a $35,000 race on the synthetic surface in August of last year, and Gordon repeated that trick to great effect on Friday. Ridden positively by apprentice jockey Liam Kauri, the five-year-old settled on the outside of the front-runner Faytina before moving forward to challenge that rival at the top of the straight. Doubtful Sound forged clear over the final 200m and crossed the finish line a length and a quarter in front of the strong-finishing Anneliese. “He won it quite easily in the end, which was great to see,” said Gordon, who also shares ownership with Christine and Stuart Parkes, Karen Davis and Pauline and Todd McGuigan. “I was a little worried going into today, since it was only seven days since his last run at Awapuni. I wondered if two races in a week might be too much for him, but obviously it wasn’t. We’re thrilled with that.” Doubtful Sound has now had 31 starts for four wins and five placings, with three of those wins coming from just 11 starts on all-weather surfaces. “He seems to really enjoy the synthetic tracks, and especially that one down at Riccarton,” Gordon said. “I think he prefers it to the Awapuni track because it’s bigger. He’s a big boy and just struggles a little bit to get around a tighter track, so Riccarton suits him well.” Doubtful Sound is now set to get an opportunity to contest one of the brand-new $100,000 synthetic features that will be run in early August. Riccarton, Awapuni and Cambridge will each host one of the lucrative races, which are open to all horses that have had at least three starts on a New Zealand synthetic track since May of last year. “I’ll get him back home now and then I think it’s four weeks into those new $100,000 races,” Gordon said. “His three wins on synthetic tracks should mean he’ll make the field. “The Awapuni race is 1400m and the Riccarton one is only 1200m, which would be too short for him. It might have suited him a bit better if those distances were the other way around, but we might as well have a go at the Awapuni one. He’s already done a great job for a horse that cost us $4700, and a big performance in a race like that would make it even better.” Horse racing news View the full article

Sister Ping winning at Cambridge on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) An extraordinary performance by Sister Ping at Cambridge on Wednesday has Chad Ormsby excited about the filly’s prospects for her three-year-old season. The daughter of Street Boss made her first start for Ormsby. The two-year-old was sent out as a +230 favourite with horse betting sites against older opposition, but she appeared to have lost all hope when she reared at the start and was languishing five lengths behind the second-last horse. Sister Ping’s recovery had to be seen to be believed. She was still at the back of the field at the home turn, but jockey Kelly Myers angled her to the outside and she charged home to win by half a length. “That was a remarkable performance,” Ormsby said. “We expected her to go well, but to do it like that and come away with a pretty comfortable win in the end, it was quite amazing. You don’t often see them win like that.” Sister Ping races in the colours of Trelawney Stud’s Brent, Cherry and Faith Taylor. The chestnut filly was a $250,000 yearling purchase by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis, and she collected a placing from two starts for Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson before joining Ormsby’s Cambridge stable earlier this year. “She’s got a lot of talent,” Ormsby said. “We’ve been working along with her for quite a while. She’s been a bit of a problem child, but I think she’s starting to put things together now. “We should have a lot to look forward to in her three-year-old season. She’s already gone out for a spell. We’ll just play it by ear. Once she’s back in work, we’ll get a line on how she’s going and make a plan on what sort of races we target. “At this stage I think her distance might be around 1200m. She won’t have to go much further than that in the early part of her three-year-old season anyway, so that’s what we’ll look at to start with and then take it from there. I’m looking forward to it.” In the meantime, Ormsby has talented three-year-old Lord Weyburn resuming at Ruakaka. The Charm Spirit gelding has recorded two wins and a second from nine starts so far. He was runner-up in a trial at Waipa on July 4, where black-type performer It’s Business Time finished behind him in third. Michael McNab will take the mount on Lord Weyburn on Saturday, and is rated a +380 third favourite behind Fernandez (+290) and local filly Dancing Dream (+320). “He’s coming up really nicely,” Ormsby said. “I’m happy with him. He’s a bit of an overachiever and always seems to put his best foot forward. I think he’s ready to run a solid race first-up.” Horse racing news View the full article

Smug will contest the Wellington Hurdles (3200m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Cambridge jumper Smug will be seeking his first prestige jumps scalp when he heads to Trentham on Saturday to contest the Wellington Hurdles (3200m). The six-year-old Complacent gelding has been in pleasing form over hurdles, placing in his last two starts, including runner-up to Berry The Cash in the Waikato Hurdle (3200m) and third behind the Awapuni jumper and Taika in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m). Trainer Chris Wood is glad they won’t be met by Berry The Cash on Saturday, but holds plenty of respect for their rivals this weekend, including race favourite Taika. “He (Smug) has run home well both times,” Wood said. “There is no Berry The Cash this week but at the same time there are a few others that go pretty well. He is in with a nice chance, I just hope he does everything right and gets home safely. “He is heading down there in good order, he is happy, and he has worked up nice since his last couple of runs.” Following Saturday, Wood is eyeing a trip south across the Cook Strait for Riccarton’s Grand National Festival of Racing next month. “Everything going right, we will probably head to the Grand National,” he said. “We will try and fit another race in between times somewhere. Whether we go down there for the two days of the National meeting or just have the one run, we will work on that one.” Wood heads into the weekend in a Buoyant mood, having recorded a victory earlier in the week at Cambridge’s Synthetic meeting with Alfirston, while stablemates Side Eye and Boxmoss also picked up placings. “Side Eye went a good race, he only got beaten a nose for second, and I was quite impressed by Boxmoss, he flew home. He looks like a nice staying prospect for the future,” Wood said. “It was good to win the Garry Edge race (with Alfriston), that was a bit of a thrill. “It (polytrack) does keep a lot of horses racing. He is a horse that handles it, but it would just be nice if they ran a few more 75 races there. “He (Alfriston) will probably go back to Cambridge in a couple of weeks now.” Horse racing news View the full article

Shamus will contest the Sprinters’ Winter Championship Final (1400m) at Ruakaka on Saturday. Photo: Race Images Moira and Kieran Murdoch will have runners in three of the $60,000 ITM/Gib Winter Championship Finals at Ruakaka on Saturday, including a recent recruit who appears to be back on top of his game. Shamus was previously a six-time winner up to Group Two level for New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock, who suggested he move to the Murdochs for a change of scenery earlier this year. Fifth and fourth in his first two appearances for his new stable, the Shamexpress gelding returned to his best form with a bold last-start win in the Northpine Waipu Cup (1400m) at Ruakaka on June 29. Shamus will line up in the Sprinters’ Winter Championship Final (1400m) over the same course and distance on Saturday. “It was a very pleasing performance from Shamus last start,” Murdoch said. “He ran really well that day. Claiming 2kg off his back obviously made a big difference, and I think he appreciated the drier track too. “He’s been ticking over really nicely since that race. We’ll head up there again on Saturday and see how he goes. It’s a better field this time, but you’d expect that for a final. We’re happy with the build-up that he’s had.” Shamus was ridden to his last-start success by Ace Lawson-Carroll, who will switch from friend to foe on Saturday and will instead partner Malt Time for his employers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy. “We’ve had to find a replacement because Ace is obviously committed to Malt Time, but I think we’ve got a good replacement in Triston Moodley,” Murdoch said. “He’s riding well and can claim 3kg.” Horse racing bookmakers rates Malt Time a +150 favourite for Saturday’s feature sprint, with Turn The Ace at +300, Master Brutus at +360 and Shamus at +650. The Murdochs’ representative in the 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m) is the promising Full Noise. The son of Turn Me Loose kicked off his career at Te Rapa on May 18, where he finished a close fourth over 1100m. Both of his subsequent starts have been at Ruakaka, where he found the line well for third placings behind the unbeaten Dan Vegas on June 8 and June 29. With Dan Vegas absent from the line-up for Saturday’s 3YO Final, Full Noise is a +400 equal favourite alongside Tide And Time. “All of his runs have been full of merit,” Murdoch said. “He seems to be improving with each run. “I’ve been very happy with him since his last race, and I think that the step up to the mile on Saturday will suit him.” The other runner at Ruakaka on Saturday for the Murdochs is Loose Change in the Progressive Winter Championship Final (1600m) – a race for horses with no more than one win at nomination time. Loose Change is still a maiden after 17 starts, but he has recorded six placings and produced an eye-catching finish for fifth at Ruakaka two weeks ago. “Although he’s still a maiden, he’s run a number of very good races,” Murdoch said. “He drew the second-from-outside gate last time, so we decided to ride him quietly and he came home extremely well. He’s drawn better this time (gate seven), so hopefully he can settle a little bit closer and still produce that big finish.” Loose Change is rated a +850 chance in a market headed by The Exponent (+290), Awhina (+450) and Talentoso (+500). Horse racing news View the full article

Race 4 VALLEY D’VINE RESTAURANT HANDICAP 1400M MAKE TIME (L Sutherland) – Stable representative Ms. E Haworth advised Stewards, the stable was satisfied with the post-race condition of MAKE TIME and it is their intention to carry on with the gelding’s current preparation. The post Hawkes Bay Racing Inc @ Hastings, Saturday 6 July 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 1 CHRIS GOMMANS & SONS CONTRACTING MAIDEN 2140m TOWROPE (S O’Malley) – Stable representative Mr. S O’Malley reported to Stewards, Mr. B Thurlow was satisfied with the post-race condition of TOWROPE and it is the stables intention to continue on with the gelding’s current preparation. The post Manawatu Racing Club @ Awapuni Synthetic, Friday 5 July 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 9 JOHN YOUNG FAMILY 2200m SOLIDIFY (B Rogerson) – Trainer Mr. G Rogerson reported to Stewards, upon returning to the stable SOLIDIFY underwent a veterinarian examination which included x-rays, with no abnormalities being detected. G Rogerson further advised the SOLIDIFY and has now been sent for a spell. CHARLBURY (K Myers) – Trainer Ms. C Cameron advised Stewards, CHARLBURY was examined by the Veterinarian on Monday 8 July, which revealed no abnormalities, however, C Cameron further advised CHARLBURY has been lightly freshened with swimming and will continue with the mare’s current preparation. The post Waikato Thoroughbred Racing @ Te Rapa, Saturday 6 July 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

The title odds may be in favour of the veteran handler on Sunday, but his former protégé won’t go down without a fightView the full article

In her second race on the July 11 card at Woodbine, Emma-Jayne Wilson passed Julie Krone's all-time earnings record of $90,126,584 for a female jockey. Wilson earned US$31,596 for winning race 4, raising her career earnings to $90,152,742.View the full article

Though chaos reigned early in the Schuylerville Stakes, Dylan Davis gave The Queens M G a perfect trip en route to a win in the opening day feature July 11 at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Kyle Cameron reckons he’s due a change of luck – and he’s hoping it might come at Addington tonight. In 2024 he’s had two wins and a total of 33 placings as a driver and one win and 11 placings as a trainer. “I just can’t a win a race,” he laughs, “we’re all around it and keep losing on the winning post but they’re going good races and the dam has got to break sometime.” Tonight he will take three of his own horses to the races – Wuhan, Brett’s Mate and Style Council – and also drive Judgement Bay for trainer Chris McDowell. Wuhan will get his night underway in Race 3, the Avon City Ford Mobile Pace. After a brave second fresh up, the Gold Ace four-year-old finished eighth last Friday after getting clear late. “He kept trucking last week and I think he’s up to it this week, he’s an each way chance.” Wuhan has drawn 11 tonight behind the Bob Butt-trained Showtym Girl and is currently at $13 and $3.50 FF with C C Arden the $2.40 favourite. “Fingers crossed he should be handy and not have to do too much work off the gate.” Brett’s Mate is a “definite chance” in Race 4, the Continental Event Hire Trot (6.28pm). The winner of two from 12 has been well supported during the week and is a $4.20 second favourite behind last start winner Sonoma Tyron. Last week he finished sixth behind Mr Love after being held up at the 400 metre mark. “It looks a weaker field than last week and I haven’t done much with him this week but he’s another each way chance,” says Cameron, “though Sonoma Tyron was good last week.” Judgement Bay is Cameron’s “roughest chance of the night” in Race 8, Downbytheseaside Making A Splash Mobile Pace for the 3YO and older Fillies and Mares. “She drew nine last week and we went back and we were never in the race, tonight she’s drawn 12 so we’ll be relying on luck, it’s hard to predict where we’ll end up in the run.” Obsession ($4FF)and Major Sweetart ($4.50) are the two favourites. Cameron says his best chance of the night is the consistent Style Council in Race 10, the Gold Band Taxis Pace (9.09pm). Second in his two most recent starts the five-year-old has drawn two and is currently at $7.50 and $2.40. “He’s the fourth favourite but I think he’s my best winning hope for the night.” Last start, in a junior drivers’ race, Style Council sat parked and then loomed as the winner, only to be nabbed by Sky Rocket and Olivia Thornley on the line – and that sort of sums up Cameron’s year so far. Race 1 gets underway at 5.02pm. View the full article

With a victory aboard the debuting Perfect Lady Bee (Bee Jersey) in Thursday's fourth race at Woodbine for trainer Roger Attfield and owner/breeder Charles Fipke, jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson became the highest-earning female jockey in history, surpassing the record of $90,126,584 previously held by Hall of Fame rider Julie Krone. Wilson began the day just over $11,000 shy of the record and began chipping away with a runner-up effort in the afternoon's opening event, a $25,000 claimer going seven furlongs on the synthetic track. Wilson had no mounts in the next two races before eclipsing the mark in the rained-off six-furlong maiden allowance. Chasing One Front War (War Front) into the final furlong, Wilson drove Perfect Lady Bee past in the late stages to score by 3/4 of length. “To capitalize and break this record with a win for these connections, you couldn't have written a storybook any better,” said an emotional Wilson. “I'm trying really hard not to show too much emotion. I'm so used to putting my emotions in the backseat to ride races and be completely focused one race to the next, but this one means so much to me.” Krone, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000, has been a close follower of Wilson's career. “Somehow I had seen her riding and I just like sent her a compliment or something, and then that perpetuated into calling her,” Krone said. “We ended up talking about really cool things…about our love for horses, of course, but then we started talking about some of the adversity she was up against at the time. I told her she was such a good rider, and that her horsemanship will always take her through any challenges. “She's a great female jockey, but the way I see it, she's a great jockey, period.” “Julie has been a true supporter of mine right from the get-go,” said Wilson, who was shown a special video message from Krone after the record-breaking win. “Even when she got wind of the potential of me breaking the record this year, she's been messaging me relentlessly to show her support and it's an absolute honour to share this record with her. “This is to show how well the industry has come since she started to show what equality and sportsmanship is and what it means.” A Sovereign and Eclipse Award-winning apprentice in 2005, Wilson became the first of her sex to win a Queen's Plate aboard Mike Fox (Giant's Causeway) in 2007. Wilson has frequently showcased her talents on the world stage, including a trip to Hong Kong in 2008, and helped the Girls' Team to victory in the 2015 Shergar Cup in England. Over the course of her career, Wilson has won 1903 races, including 129 stakes and 39 graded events. Emma-Jayne Wilson eclipses Julie Krone as the all-time highest-earning female jockey as she wills #2 PERFECT LADY BEE ($8.60) to the wire in Race 4 at @woodbinetb. @EJWilson81 was aboard the three-year-old Bee Jersey filly for trainer Roger Attfield and owner Charles Fipke. pic.twitter.com/NARggrMP6c — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) July 11, 2024 The post Wilson Breaks Record To Become Highest-Earning Female Jockey appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Chris Nash-trained Son Of Bielski winning the St Patrick’s Day Cup (1600m) at Fannie Bay in March. Picture: Caroline Camilleri (Darwin Photography Professionals) The general consensus up north is that Son Of Bielski or Wolfburn are likely to win the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) at Fannie Bay on August 5. Chris Nash’s Son Of Bielski and Gary Clarke’s Wolfburn are in super form and will meet for the first time in the $60,000 Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) at weight-for-age level on Saturday. It’s the Darwin Cup Carnival’s Day 2 feature, and although both horses will also battle it out for favouritism, they will have a host of Darwin Cup contenders breathing down their neck. Son Of Bielski, a seven-year-old gelding, debuted for Clarke last September when he finished fifth over 1100m (BM54), but since then he has won six straight. In October, the son of Dissident saluted over 1300m (BM54 and 0-64) before decimating his rivals by 4.5 lengths over 1600m (0-70). Returning in March, Son Of Bielski was a narrow winner over 1300m (BM76) carrying 54.5kg before winning the St Patrick’s Day Cup (1600m) at 0-76 level lumping 60kg. A foot abscess prevented the gelding from contesting the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) in April. He returned three weeks ago to seal victory by 3.5 lengths over 1300m (BM76) with a powerful finishing burst in the home straight. After kick-starting his career in New Zealand before winding up in Victoria with former Darwin trainer Stephen Brown, now based at Seymour, the gelding ended up with Murray Bridge trainers Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea. In 30 starts, he managed three wins and nine minor placings. Wolfburn, a five-year-old gelding, started his career in NSW for Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker, and in 13 starts, he managed six minor placings before relocating to Darwin. In five starts, which included victory on debut over 1200m and a second in his final appearance over 1600m, the son of Snitzel won the Darwin Guineas (1600m) and was second in the NT Derby (2050m). He then had four starts for Phillip Stokes for a win over 1600m (BM56) at Murray Bridge before returning to the Top End last year for two wins, which included the $50,000 Bridge Toyota Cup (1600m) at 0-76 level. In his two other starts, Wolfburn was third in the Darwin Cup and fourth in the ROANT Gold Cup (1300m). Two starts back in SA failed to bear fruit, but on his third sojourn to the Top End, it’s been a win over 1200m in April and 1300m in May before leading all the way two weeks ago when he overcame Darwin Cup aspirants in the ROANT Gold Cup. On Saturday, Son Of Bielski jumps from gate four and Wolfburn has drawn barrier nine. Last start, Son Of Bielski clocked 1.14.61 and Wolfburn posted 1.14.85 for the 1300m. Meanwhile, Kerry Petrick’s Venting, who won this year’s Alice Springs Cup, will be aiming to keep his NT Triple Crown hopes alive on Saturday. Should Venting, who pipped Wolfburn in the 2022 NT Derby, win the Chief Minister’s Cup and the Darwin Cup he will secure a $100,000 bonus for connections, but gate 12 is a hindrance. Former Irish galloper Bear Story will make his Top End debut in the Chief Minister’s Cup for Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer, a three-time winner of the Darwin Cup with Hawks Bay (2011 and 2012) and Royal Request (2017). Horse racing news View the full article

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In her second race on the July 11 card at Woodbine, Emma-Jayne Wilson passed Julie Krone's all-time earnings record of $90,126,584 for a female jockey. Wilson earned US$31,596 for winning race 4, raising her career earnings to $90,152,742.View the full article

C Two Racing Stable and Mathis Stables' THE QUEENS M G (f, 2, Thousand Words–Show Queen, by Grindstone) gave her freshman sire (by Pioneerof the Nile) a second juvenile stakes winner Thursday afternoon, returning $91 to her backers for a convincing victory in the Listed Schuylerville Stakes on opening day at Saratoga. The dark bay triggered a similarly hefty mutuel when graduating at first asking at Keeneland in April, but she flopped home last of seven as the 21-10 favorite behind Whatintheliteral (Lord Nelson) in the June 6 Astoria S. after being acquired privately by these connections and the betting public jumped ship in large numbers. Drawn gate 11, The Queens M G and the rest of the Schuylerville field were forced to stand in the gate for several minutes while 'TDN Rising Star' and 5-2 second choice Complexion (Complexity) played up in the stalls, tossing jockey John Velazquez on a few occasions. But the $3,500 Fasig-Tipton October bargain was away alertly once the gates flew back and sat three wide in the breeze behind an opening quarter in a flashy :21.89. Going nicely on the turn, The Queens M G rolled up outside favored Viggiedal (Vekoma) in upper stretch, surged to the lead with better than a furlong to travel and went on to score by about two lengths. Sherbini (Cairo Prince), whose auction-restricted graduation at Churchill June 16 looked that much better when Strong State (Tom's d'Etat) won her maiden earlier in the day, was a country mile back in the early stages, but was full of run through the line to round out the exacta. Long Neck Paula (Uncle Mo), excluded from the Astoria by the stewards, also came from far back and held third just ahead of the late-running Carmen's Candy Jar (Vino Rosso). Whatintheliteral stumbled badly at the break, casting Javier Castellano to the ground. The rider hopped right up and he and horse appeared to emerge uninjured. Slang (Omaha Beach) was eased out of the race at an early stage and ultimately dumped jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., who was also uninjured. Slang was vanned off the track. Thursday, Saratoga SCHUYLERVILLE S., $175,000, Saratoga, 7-11, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.31, ft. 1–THE QUEENS M G, 120, f, 2, by Thousand Words 1st Dam: Show Queen, by Grindstone 2nd Dam: Talent Queen, by Elusive Quality 3rd Dam: Parade Queen, by A.P. Indy ($3,500 Ylg '23 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-C Two Racing Stable and Mathis Stable LLC; B-T.F. VanMeter, Samuel Hernandez, Jesus Torres, Justin Vinalay (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Dylan Davis. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $144,380. 2–Sherbini, 120, f, 2, Cairo Prince–Shady Violence, by Violence. ($8,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $5,000 Ylg '23 OBSOCT; $40,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Tina Casse, Gerald Hunsicker, Rocky Top Stable (Ventura) and Ventura, James; B-Pike Place Racing & Roger Keith Long (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $35,000. 3–Long Neck Paula, 120, f, 2, Uncle Mo–Take Charge Paula, by Take Charge Indy. ($325,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $500,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Will Stroud; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. $21,000. 'TDN Rising Star' Margins: 2 3/4, 3 3/4, HD. Odds: 44.50, 7.70, 6.40. Also Ran: Carmen's Candy Jar, Aoraki, Viggiedal, Complexion, Dreamgirl, West Memorial, Slang, Whatintheliteral. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Huge upset in the Schuylerville! THE QUEENS M G, the 2YO daughter of @spendthriftfarm stallion Thousand Words, pulls off a big win under @DavisJockey for trainer @SaffieJosephJr at 44-1 odds! pic.twitter.com/4DAT1bH6Q1 — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) July 11, 2024 The post Thousand Words’s The Queens M G Causes A Schuylerville Boilover appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NYRA's "Saratoga Live" show, which partners with FOX Sports network, welcomes a handful of new changes and segments to the popular broadcast. View the full article

A director of an independent accounting firm hired by the Arizona Racing Commission (AZRC) to audit the financials of Turf Paradise as part of the track's three-year permit application testified at a Thursday meeting that if $24 million in federal and state subsidies from the COVID-19 pandemic gets backed out of the equation, Turf Paradise has operated at a net loss for the past three years. Sean Tanner, a certified public accountant who specializes in forensic accounting with Keegan Linscott & Associates, further told the AZRC that based upon projections supplied to the accounting firm by the track itself, Turf Paradise remains on a path to lose money for at least the next three years, too. “When we look at that trend, there is some concern about the long-term viability of the business if it continues to operate as it is,” Tanner said. “A business cannot operate with recurring losses year after year after year. The business is actually projecting losses for 2025 and 2026, [so] that would be six years of recurring losses through the longest date for which we have projections.” This new, on-the-record financial uncertainty surrounding Turf Paradise's ability to operate–when coupled with two decades of disagreements between the Arizona racing community, the commission, and controversial track owner Jerry Simms–led to the AZRC on July 11 to vote 2-1 to grant Turf Paradise its three-year racing permit, but only on conditional terms based upon a final report from the auditor that the commission deems acceptable, plus mandatory, ongoing reviews of the track's financials at one-year intervals. Tanner said at the outset of his testimony that his firm's audit of Turf Paradise is not yet complete, but that he had a solid-enough idea of the track's financials to advise the commission of the preliminary findings. Tanner was allowed by the commission to speak at length and in a straightforward, uninterrupted manner about the heretofore hazy financial state of Turf Paradise. But when the accountant reached a point in his report where he wanted to make public the net worth of Simms, which is a mandatory part of the track's permit application, Simms abruptly interjected and told the commission he wouldn't consent to his personal finances being read into the record, a request to which the AZRC consented. The interruption by Simms provided the type of drama that has come to be expected at AZRC meetings in recent years. Simms and Arizona horsemen have had an acrimonious business relationship since Simms's family took over the track in 2000, and the seemingly never-ending squabbles have roiled in the courts and at commission meetings. In just the past five years alone, an extraordinarily long pandemic closure, plus prolonged fights over off-track betting (OTB) privileges, simulcast signals and how the horsemen's purse money can be used have all been topics of heated debate. Turf Paradise has also been plagued by safety issues and was under scrutiny from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) Authority last year regarding extensive repairs needed to bring the main-track rail up to spec. In 2023, Simms said he was finally going to walk away from what he termed a longtime money-losing business endeavor. But two mystery-shrouded sales of his 213-acre, 68-year-old Phoenix track purportedly fell through within months. Thus, in 2024, Turf Paradise operated an abbreviated Jan. 29-May 4 meet. The track, which is the lone remaining commercial licensee in Arizona, is scheduled to conduct a more traditionally scheduled, 105-date meet starting this November that is expected to run through next May. “From a financial perspective, Turf Paradise did reflect positive net income for 2021, 2022 and 2023,” Tanner testified. “However, that net income was really created or supplemented by incentive monies that Turf Paradise was able to obtain in association with various COVID relief programs. “In total during those years, Turf Paradise received about $24 million between those various, different programs,” Tanner said. “Those monies are non-recurring, meaning that they're not an indicator of what one could expect on a go-forward basis for the business. When you back those dollars out, Turf Paradise showed net losses of $2.9 million in 2022, $3.4 million in 2023, and for the first three months of 2024, a loss of $1.4 million.” Yet Tanner also pointed out that in addition to those non-recurring subsidies, Turf Paradise does project to have about $2.7 million in offsetting, non-recurring annual expenses coming off the books in the near future. The chief expense that Tanner said could be on the verge of going away is about $2 million per year that Turf Paradise has recently spent on litigation that involves a nearly 15-year feud between brothers Jerry and Ron Simms over control of the track. “That litigation is now in appellate court and awaiting a judgment,” Tanner said. “So management does expect those expenses to be discontinued, or very much so limited, on a go-forward basis.” Another $700,000 that soon could be off the track's books is that annual amount in HISA assessments that is anticipated to transfer over to being the state's financial obligation. As for the near term, Tanner said it's a positive that Turf Paradise has $2.4 million banked for operational expenses for the upcoming November season. “Our concerns about a November race [meet] are limited based on those results,” Tanner said. “But our concerns about long-term viability would have to be addressed through restructuring efforts that management and ownership would carry out to turn around the operating losses that continued for the last 3 1/2 years and look like they're going to continue through year-end and are projected to continue in 2025 and 2026.” There's one other important aspect to consider in the Turf Paradise equation, Tanner underscored: whenever Turf Paradise has looked like it's in trouble financially, Simms has stepped up to write checks to keep the track afloat. “Mr. Simms has historically provided loans to Turf Paradise when needed,” Tanner said. But, the accountant continued, Simms “could choose not to. And if the company continued to lose money and didn't have enough cash in the bank, then really, that would be an operational concern, and a concern about the ability of the business to continue.” Tanner then reminded the AZRC that as part of the application process, the net worth of majority owners has to be disclosed. “Am I okay to talk about that?” he asked the commission. That's when Simms, who had been silent up until that point, interrupted. “No, no! This is Jerry Simms,” he said via telephone link to the meeting. “And there's an awful lot of people on this [public meeting videoconference]. And I would strongly ask you not to disclose my [finances]. But I have made [provisions] that I would make available money as the track needs it, and have done that for many years.” Warned by AZRC chair Kandace French Contreras that he would later have his turn to speak, Simms was asked to stand down. But the auditor acceded to his request not to divulge the personal financial information contained in the application. “I didn't want him to say that, and then I can't unring the bell,” Simms said by way of apology for speaking out of turn. Eventually, after Tanner concluded his report, Simms began his rebuttal by pointing out to the commission that Turf Paradise is hardly unique among American racetracks in terms of facing financial woes. He noted that even high-profile tracks are routinely in the news for not being able to operate without significant subsidies. Simms then explained that his growth strategy at Turf Paradise is based on opening up more OTB locations, from which he said Turf Paradise derives 80% of its business. “Those are like retail stores. We need to grow the OTB system, and we are,” Simms said. “And as far as the business, I seed it,” Simms said. “You know, when it needs money, I write checks. I'm going to protect my investment, and I'm going to write checks. When the company needs money, as the auditor said, we didn't put a rosy future out there. Our projections are very realistic. It could get better, by more OTBs and other things, but the numbers are what the numbers are, and I have continued to feed it, and will continue. I don't think anybody in Arizona racing needs to be worried.” Simms continued: “The auditor mentioned restructuring. I don't know what he means. Restructuring has a bad sound to me. I've never, in 24 years [since owning Turf Paradise], needed restructuring. And in my entire business career–I'm 78–I never had a loss. I never had a restructuring. I never had any kind of negative things occur. And this will continue to be financially strong [even if I have to keep] writing checks. That is what I have done and will continue to do. I make a commitment to this commission and to people in this industry, the horsemen, and to the state, that I will continue to do that. So that's as clear as I can tell you.” But AZRC chair French Contreras wanted additional clarity from Simms about whether those loans would be considered liabilities that Turf Paradise would have to pay back to Simms if he ever sold the track to someone else. “Yes, yes they are,” Simms confirmed. “Upon a sale, I would be repaid.” The commission then went into an executive session for 40 minutes to debate the issue of granting Turf Paradise a three-year permit. When they reconvened, AZRC vice-chair Tracy Olson made a motion to table any action on the permit until the commission received the full accounting audit. The motion died for lack of a second. French Contreras then motioned to approve the permit under the conditions stated earlier in this story. Commissioner Chuck Coolidge seconded and concurred in the voting with the chairwoman, while Olson voted no, stating, “only because I would like to see the financial statements.” So the motion passed, with Simms later thanking the commission for the conditional permit. The post Audit: Years of Losses at Turf Paradise, But Track Stays Afloat From Personal Loans Simms Eventually Wants Repaid appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article