Wandering Eyes

On the Sept. 15 episode of BloodHorse Monday, Louie Rabaut and Sean Collins on the start of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks trails, Frank Angst discusses opening week of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and we preview the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).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 runner in the Thoroughbred Daily News EBF Novice Stakes. 1.48 Punchestown, Mdn, 2yo, f, 8f 30yT WHITE SAND BEACH (Dubawi) debuts in a fascinating contest for Ballydoyle and is the fifth foal out of the triple Group 1 heroine Alice Springs (Galileo), making her a full-sister to Dubawi's Group-placed past TDN Rising Star Prettiest. She meets the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Lookingforarainbow (Justify), the daughter of the luminary Damson (Entrepreneur) who was third on debut behind Diamond Necklace at the Curragh. 2.25 Yarmouth, Novice, 2yo, 6f 3yT DIVISION (Kingman) is out 11 days after his impressive win at Haydock for Wathnan and William Haggas and will be a warm order to follow up despite his penalty. Entered in the Middle Park, the 800,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate, who is a full-brother to last year's G2 Lowther Stakes winner Celandine, faces eight maidens in this Thoroughbred Daily News EBF Novice Stakes. The post Alice Springs’ Daughter White Sand Beach Debuts at Punchestown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing Australia will go back to the drawing board this week after a bid to make four more NSW races group 1s was rejected by the Asian Racing Federation's Asian Pattern Committee.View the full article

C R K Stable and Grandview Equine's Baeza (McKinzie), third to Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes and a latest second to the divisional leader in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes, and Gosger (Nyquist), runner-up to Journalism (Curlin) in the GI Preakness Stakes and when last seen in the GI Haskell Invitational Stakes in mid-July, drew gates eight and nine, respectively, in a field of 10 for Saturday's $1-million GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing north and east of Central Philadelphia. The human connections of Baeza, the half-brother to the Classic-winning full-brothers Mage (Good Magic) and Dornoch, eschewed another trip back east for the GI DraftKings Travers in favor of the Pennsylvania Derby and the son of former 'TDN Rising Star' Puca (Big Brown) has registered no fewer than five breezes in Southern California since the Jim Dandy, including a six-furlong move at Santa Anita on Sept. 12 that was clocked in a race-like 1:11.60. Hector Berrios has the call for trainer John Shirreffs. Only a pair of improbable finishes from Journalism consigned GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes hero Gosger to the bottom of the exacta at Pimlico and again at the Jersey Shore two months ago. Since returning to trainer Brendan Walsh's Churchill base, the homebred has gotten in a half-dozen drills, most recently working a bullet five-eighths (1/40) in :59.60 on Sept. 12. Luis Saez is as the controls. Magnitude (Not This Time) upset the GII Risen Star Stakes in stunning fashion and was equally impressive in winning the Iowa Derby off an injury-enforced absence, but was beaten a country mile into third in the Jim Dandy after setting a fairly easy pace. Ben Curtis is back aboard. Fringe players include 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time), fourth in the Preakness and three-parts of a length behind Journalism in third in the Haskell; GIII Ohio Derby hero Mo Plex (Complexity), subsequently fourth in the Jim Dandy; and 'Rising Star' Big Truzz (Justify), a romping seven-length winner of the Ellis Park Derby Aug. 10. PA Derby 1. So Sandy 2. Altobelli 3. Magnitude 4. David of Athens 5. Happily Delusional 6. Goal Oriented 7. Big Truzz 8. Baeza 9. Gosger 10. Mo Plex — John DaSilva (@JohnDaSilva) September 15, 2025 The co-featured $1-million GI Cotillion Stakes has no future Horse of the Year in the mix–Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) gutted it out in 2024–but the 8 1/2-furlong test pulls together three previous winners at Grade I level. Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) ran the table in five starts last term and took the GI Kentucky Oaks second off the layoff May 2. La Cara (Street Sense) frolicked in the Saratoga slop, relegating Good Cheer to fifth and handing her the first loss of her career in the GI Acorn Stakes June 8 and she was a sound second in the GI Alabama Stakes last time, with La Cara only fourth to stablemate Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro). Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) gave her sire a sweep of the one-mile Grade I features for the juvenile set at Aqueduct last October in the Frizette Stakes and has been a slower burn this year, but exits a monstrous 15 1/2-length romp over champion Immersive (Nyquist) in the GI CCA Oaks on July 19. Saturday's marquee day of racing at Parx also includes the GII Gallant Bob Stakes, the marathon GIII Greenwood Cup Stakes and three stakes at listed level. Cotillion 1. Scottish Lassie 2. La Cara 3. Clicquot 4. Indy Bay 5. Not Too LAte 6. Ourdaydrraminggirl 7. Good Cheer 8. Dry Powder — John DaSilva (@JohnDaSilva) September 15, 2025 The post Classic-Placed Baeza, Gosger Drawn Side By Side In Pennsylvania Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Stu wore so many hats. He was a friend, employee, colleague to so many people. But I was the only one that got to call him my father-in-law. I will forever be grateful to share the same last name with someone that was so loved by his community. I will continue to be proud and carry our last name with honor. He also earned a new title as Grandpapa Stuburger in the last year. It does tear my heart knowing our current children or future children will not grow up knowing him, but I will cherish the memories they have made! Stu was always there to cheer Drew and I on. Whether it was about our marriage and foster journey, or just about the meal we were cooking him. He was our biggest fan. Some of my favorite memories with Stu were when he would come up to Cincinnati and we would go brewery hopping. Cincinnati has some really cool spots. This last winter we were lucky enough to travel to Bermuda. While the food wasn't the most impressive, we did go to The Hog Penny, and had the most satisfying dinner. We played multiple rounds of golf and just enjoyed the beautiful island. I am so glad we were able to celebrate Stu and Drew's 60/30 birthday year! I hope Drew and I can carry on his legacy in everything we do. I thank God he allowed me to be Stu's daughter-in-law. —Alexa Angus The post Stu Story #12 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The legendary Jimmy Cassidy never does things by halves. So when the dual Melbourne Cup-winning jockey decided to get involved in his first standardbred he went all in. “I’ve always wanted one so decided to give it a crack,” Cassidy said from Sydney. Not only did he put his money where his mouth was but agreed to a suggestion by his “great mate” Graeme Rogerson that the colt be called “Go Jimmy Cassidy”. The two-year-old qualified at Cambridge Raceway last week. The son of American Ideal was bought by Hamilton-based Rogerson Bloodstock for $42,500 from the 2024 National Yearling Sales. So how did the deal come about? “I’ve known Rogie since I was 11 years old – he helped me throughout my career, we are great mates,” says Cassidy. “I go to Rogie’s three to five times a year and stay with him and Deb and he’s always got horses strewn everywhere on his table and I saw this one and said ‘that’s a good looking horse'”. “I didn’t know if it was a trotter or a pacer or a galloper and he said ‘it’s a pacer'” “I said “I’ll take a share in it”, says Cassidy, “it was just a good-bodied horse.” And it was Rogerson who came up with the name. “He said ‘why don’t we call it Go Jimmy Cassidy and I said ‘you’re an idiot.'” Known as “Pumper” because of his distinctive up and down riding style, Cassidy won over 100 Group 1 races in a colourful and highly successful career that included two Melbourne Cup wins. His “last to first” win with Kiwi in 1983 is racing folklore and was followed by his second with Might And Power 14 years later. He retired in 2015 aged 53 after a 36-year career and nearly 2000 winners. Over the years greyhounds and other horses have had names such as Jimmy the Pumper and King Cassidy and he knows he’s going to get some ribbing over this latest one, not that he’s worried in the slightest. “I’ve been copping it all my life mate.” Cassidy quickly got together his ownership group. It includes wife Vicki and some golfing mates (Cassidy is a 8 handicapper himself). “I syndicated it for him and I put a heap of my old mates in it from here in Sydney, a group of cotton farmers and others and we are just going to use it as a bit of fun.” Cassidy is already thinking about being trackside to see the youngster in the flesh. “Hopefully when he’s ready to go my mates who all play golf will come over and play some golf and then we’ll go to the races and watch him race.” “He had a bit of foot trouble but he’s got that right now, and he’s qualified – we’ll give him a couple of weeks and then start fresh.” And like his two-year-old namesake Cassidy is just taking it one step at a time. “It’s fun – if I do something I like to enjoy it. Whatever happens happens and that’s one of the great things about this game called racing.” View the full article

Jim Edgar, a moderate Republican who served two terms as the Governor of Illinois and a successful owner and breeder of Thoroughbreds in the Midwest, passed away on Sept. 14 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 79 years old. Appointed to the position of Illinois Secretary of State in 1981, Edgar was responsible for helping to toughen drunk driving penalties in the state and was also instrumental in successfully leading a legislative battle to mandate car insurance for Illinois motorists. Edgar was elected to his first term as governor in 1990 and won re-election four years later, winning all but one of Illinois's 102 counties, including Cook County (Chicago), historically dominated by the Democrats. According to Equibase statistics, Edgar began racing horses in 2003 and in 2005, won the Governor's Lady Handicap with the Tom Dorris-trained Illinois-bred mare Fighting Fever, which Edgar bred with Don Smith. As recently as this past July, Edgar was represented by the 3-year-old Indiana-bred filly Temple Paynter (Paynter), winner of the Indiana First Lady Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis for trainer Robert E. Dobbs, Jr. Over the course of his career, his horses amassed a record of 144-183-196 from 1,317 starters for earnings of $3,300,162. This past February, Edgar revealed he was fighting pancreatic cancer. “I've told many people I want to stay around,” he told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I've got a few things I want to do and see. I want to see great-grandchildren. I kind of like to see my horses do a little better than they've done. So I've got a lot to hold out for. But to be very truthful, if it ended tomorrow, I've had a great life.” Current Illinois Democratic Governor J. B. Pritzker paid tribute to Edgar, telling the suburban Chicago Daily Herald: “I was lucky enough to consider him a friend and mentor and have found myself drawing from his words of wisdom on countless occasions. His commitment to reaching across the aisle in service of the people of Illinois undeniably made our state better. “Now more than ever, we should channel that spirit and resolve to live as Gov. Edgar did: with honesty, integrity, and an enduring respect for all.” The post Former Illinois Governor, Thoroughbred Enthusiast Jim Edgar, Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There was a famous t.v. commercial in the 1970s where Victor Kiam tells the audience that he was a dedicated `wet shaver' until his wife bought him a Remington electric shaver. He was so impressed, he says, he bought the company. John Stewart knows how Kiam felt. “When I first got into the industry back in 2023, I was looking for tools and so I went through the traditional ones, nicks and all the different tools,” said Stewart. “And then I started going into pedigrees, looking at all the different products and doing research on the products. And then I found Pedigrees360.” In a meeting with the company's founders in 2024, he learned there could be an opportunity to purchase the company, and he closed the deal. Using AI and machine learning, Pedigrees360 identifies what is says are eight “clusters” that can help to identify both champions and unsuccessful horses, or what the site whimsically calls “slow 'uns.” The company's CEO, Mike King, said that the program looks at nine generations of a horse's pedigree. “Using a machine learning model trained on thousands of fast and slow horses, it builds a unique performance profile for each horse,” said King. “The system highlights bloodline combinations that are most likely to produce top performers and flags those that are less likely to yield champions. Unlike traditional nicking theories, Pedigrees360 goes deeper, drawing on the sixth to ninth generations of a pedigree to uncover insights that would otherwise remain hidden.” At the core of the Pedigrees360 site are the cluster graphs, with a horse's breeding or a potential match appearing on the graph under a traffic-light system. Each dot represents one of eight line-breeding attributes that their research shows are different in fast horses and slow ones. The traffic-light system makes this easy to interpret, its creators say. 1. Green = the attribute aligns closely with proven patterns in fast horses. 2. Yellow = neutral alignment. 3. Red = the attribute resembles patterns more typical of slow horses. The higher a dot appears on the page, the stronger that attribute is expressed. A green dot “off the chart” signals the strongest possible alignment with champion pedigrees. The cluster graphs are what first drew Stewart to the program. “I really liked the visualization of the tool,” said Stewart. and then started meeting with the team that founded it to understand more about it and how they were using the data.” “From the very beginning, Pedigrees360 set out to reimagine pedigree analysis, harnessing emerging technologies to apply proven methods with a level of depth and scale that was previously never possible,” said King. “This led to the development of a product grounded in line-breeding fundamentals, refined through advanced analytics to deliver sharper insights and stronger predictions which took to market in 2022.” The extension to nine generations is important, says King. “Pedigrees360 identifies the critical mass of key ancestor genetics that remains hidden within the deeper generations of a pedigree insights not visible in the first five generations alone,” he said. “The platform also allows users to run bulk mating analyses, streamlining the search for the best potential matches, and saving valuable time in the decision-making process.” The system is designed to serve both breeder and buyer. “Stud farms, major broodmare programs, and bloodstock agents have reported significant efficiency gains by running multiple stallions against their mare lists at scale,” said King. “The platform then highlights key ancestors within potential matings, showing not just who they are but where they appear in the pedigree.” “For buyers, Pedigrees360 simplifies purchase decisions at major sales,” he continued. “The enhanced Sales Catalogue feature allows users to filter, search, and shortlist potential purchases with precision. And coming in 2025, a further upgrade will extend this functionality to include breeding stock sales, expanding the scope of opportunities supported by Pedigrees360.” And they're just getting warmed up on sales functionality, said Stewart. “We're planning a pretty big upgrade in January to the tool that will really help people who are buying horses and going to the sale and customizing dashboard. Because when you go to a sale, you have to find some way to filter the horses. You can't go to Keeneland and look at 4,000 horses. Nobody can. You have to have some way to filter them down. And so we can take their criteria and filter through the horses and help them have a better shortlist.” Stewart said that the company has already attracted several large, global clients, and has a big international following. He envisions future upgrades which will turn Pedigrees360 in a comprehensive tool for anyone's business, helping users to not only plan matings and evaluate bloodstock, but to decide where to run their horses. Said Stewart, “I want to turn it into a complete 360 tool.” The post Stewart: `I Liked Pedigrees360 So Much, I Bought the Company’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The team at Thoroughbred Daily News is proud to sponsor, in association with the British EBF, the opening race of Yarmouth's three-day Eastern Festival on Tuesday. Nine two-year-olds will go to post for the six-furlong Thoroughbred Daily News EBF Novice Stakes, headed by Division, the sole previous winner in the line-up for James Doyle and William Haggas. A running-on second when making his debut at Windsor last month, the son of Kingman showed the benefit of that experience when justifying short odds at Haydock next time, making all to win by three lengths in the style of a colt going places in a hurry. That breakthrough success also saw Division become the third winner from as many runners out of the Listed scorer and G3 Summer Stakes third Pepita (Sir Prancealot), with the others including last year's G2 Lowther Stakes heroine Celandine, also by Kingman. Whereas Celandine sports the silks of owner-breeder Rockcliffe Stud, Division was an expensive yearling purchase for Wathnan Racing when fetching 800,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1. A Group 1 entry in the Middle Park suggests this colt is thought capable of rewarding that investment somewhere down the line, albeit he probably won't need to improve to double his career tally on Tuesday. For context, that performance at Haydock earned him a Timeform rating of 89p, whereas his chief rival on form, King Of Chaos (Showcasing), is rated just 72. At least the form shown by King Of Chaos last time looks better now than it did when he was declared on Sunday morning. Beaten less than five lengths in a Salisbury novice back in June, after pulling too hard, he finished behind none other than Zavateri (Without Parole), Sunday's unbeaten winner of the G1 National Stakes. The fourth and fifth from that race have also won since, while George Scott will be hoping a recent gelding operation can eke out further improvement from this breeze-up buy. Of the rest, Cheveley Park's Lifeguard (Mehmas) and Shadwell's Shahik (Showcasing) both need to leave behind underwhelming debut efforts, likewise Fine Art Dealer (Blue Point), a stablemate of Division, and James Fanshawe trainee Obsidian Verse (Lope Y Fernandez), who is out of a full-sister to the stable's multiple Group 1-winning sprinter The Tin Man (Equiano). Then there's the two newcomers in the line-up, Ballybunion (Footstepsinthesand) and My Shagaf (Sioux Nation). My Shagaf, the only filly in the field, was picked up for 100,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 2 and is out of a half-sister to the G2 Queen Mary Stakes heroine Ceiling Kitty (Red Clubs), while Ballybunion is a half-brother to the Listed scorer and Queen Mary third Maria Branwell (James Garfield). He was a 68,000gns purchase at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale. Four years ago this novice went the way of Light Infantry (Fast Company), a six-and-a-half-length winner on his racecourse bow. Trained back then by David Simcock in Newmarket, he went on to be placed in five Group 1s on European soil, before moving to Australia where he's won a pair of top-level prizes for Ciaron Maher under the name of Light Infantry Man. It all started for him in the delightful surroundings of Great Yarmouth, like so many other top-class performers both before and since. From the legendary Dubai Millennium in 1998 to Europe's champion two-year-old Shadow Of Light just last year, you never know where those formative steps on a racecourse might lead. Only time will tell there's another superstar lurking in Tuesday's line-up but, with the weather looking set fair, it's guaranteed to be a terrific day to kick off the popular Eastern Festival. Why not come along for the seaside air, the fish and chips and, of course, to see our very own Alayna Cullen Birkett present the prize to the winners of the Thoroughbred Daily News EBF Novice Stakes? The post Exciting Division Headlines the Thoroughbred Daily News EBF Novice Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There was much consternation when only three new Flat stallions retired to stand in Britain for the 2025 season. It remains to be seen whether this was a blip, but if it becomes a trend then obviously it is cause for concern. It is easy to understand why, in an increasingly commercial sphere, breeders would either flock to the proven elite (for those with mares good enough and pockets deep enough) or to the next first-season sire on the block who may be forgiven for a year or two until we know whether he can do the job well or only passably. In this racing season in particular, however, we have had frequent reminders of those stallions who can get you a Group 1 winner while not necessarily breaking the bank with his covering fee. Naturally the top-tier stallions Sea The Stars, Frankel, Dubawi, Wootton Bassett, Kingman, Night Of Thunder, Camelot, Too Darn Hot and Siyouni all feature on the list of Group 1 sires in Europe this year, but so too do Australia (sire of Lambourn and Cercene), Almanzor (Gezora), Massaat (Docklands), Washington DC (American Affair), Golden Horn (Trawlerman), Sands Of Mali (Time For Sandals), Territories (Lazzat), Gleneagles (Calandagan), Polish Vulcano (Hochkonig), Wooded (Woodshauna), Cable Bay (No Half Measures), Brametot (Nicoreni), Make Believe (Sajir), and Mohaather (Big Mojo). To that list we can now add Sergei Prokofiev and Without Parole, whose respective sons Arizona Blaze and Zavateri each played their part in adding some valuable variety to an excellent Irish Champions Festival. From the latter group, leaving aside Territories, Almanzor and Cable Bay, who were not standing in Europe this season, nine of the remaining 10 were available for £10,000 or less, with Gleneagles being the outlier to a degree at €20,000. We are edging towards the time of year when stallion announcements start to be made, followed by the unveiling of fees. Though the figures are yet to be officially announced, there has reportedly been another drop in covering numbers this year in Britain and Ireland of around 10 per cent. Stallion owners will undoubtedly be thinking hard when it comes to pricing their sires, and breeders too should think hard about where the value lies. Is it worth running the risk of your mare being one of several hundred to be covered by a particular stallion if you end up with an ordinary-looking individual? Granted, it is also a gamble to use an under-the-radar sire and then risk being denied a sales slot simply because of the vagaries of fashion. Inevitably, if a crystal ball is not to hand, it comes down to believing in your own stock and, if the market doesn't like them, being prepared to put horses into training and proving them all wrong. Clearly, though, for those thinking a little outside the box, the cheaper stallions don't necessarily mean smaller returns in the long run. Gunther Graduates Making Their Mark Eight days apart in 2015, John and Tanya Gunther welcomed foals by Frankel and Scat Daddy to their breeding operations in Britain (at Newsells Park Stud) and Glennwood Farm in Kentucky. The first to be born became known as Without Parole after he had been retained by his breeders at 650,000gns at Book 1 of the October Sale at Tattersalls and put into training with John Gosden. The Scat Daddy colt was sold for $500,000 at Keeneland September and raced for a partnership which included the China Horse Club under the name of Justify. We all know what he did on the track, and 10 days after Justify secured his Triple Crown, Without Parole gave the Gunthers a memorable day at Royal Ascot when winning the G1 St James's Palace Stakes. What reflected glory these two stallions still heap on their breeders. On Saturday, Scandinavia battled hard to take the St Leger, following fellow Justify colts City Of Troy and Ruling Court in becoming a British Classic winner. The following day, the name Gunther appeared again as the breeder of the plucky little chestnut colt named Zavateri, who bowed neither to size nor reputation when it came to digging deep to see off three colts from Ballydoyle in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. Without Parole's two crops of racing age, conceived at Newsells Park from fees of £10,000 and £8,000 respectively, number less than 100. He had 52 foals in his first crop and 42 from his second. Of the 56 to have raced to date, 27 have won (48 per cent), including the Group 3-placed Fiery Lucy and Listed-placed Sea To Sky from his first crop, while current juvenile Genchev was third in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes on debut behind the previous winners Daytona and North Coast. The unbeaten Zavateri is of course Without Parole's star performer, jumping from his Salisbury novice win in June to the G2 July Stakes and G2 Vintage Stakes to become a Group 1 winner. The Dewhurst beckons and, as a descendant of the great Zarkava, Zavateri has the family behind him to allow owners Mick and Janice Mariscotti and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton to dream of next year's Classics. Sergei Prokofiev Calls The Tune The statuesque Sergei Prokofiev retired to stud at the same time as Without Parole, joining Whitsbury Manor Stud at an opening fee of £6,500. A son of Scat Daddy, his best victory came in the G3 Cornwallis Stakes over the minimum trip, and over that same distance he is now a Group 1 sire after his son Arizona Blaze took Sunday's Flying Five Stakes for Amo Racing. David Egan and Kia Joorabchian celebrate Arizona Blaze's win | Racingfotos An admirably tough colt, Arizona Blaze, who was bred by Andrew Bengough and Partners, had been his sire's first winner on March 18, 2024, and he ran a further eight times last year, never finishing out of the first four and beating subsequent Classic winner Camille Pissarro when winning the G3 Marble Hill Stakes. In his final start of last season he was a close second to Magnum Force in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. This year, four of his eight starts to date have resulted in victory and he now has a deserved Group 1 tag against his name. Sergei Prokofiev is also responsible for the Listed winner Enchanting Empress and four other black-type earners, but arguably his most impressive horse of this campaign after Arizona Blaze has been Song Of The Clyde. An £85,000 yearling from Goffs UK by his trainer Clive Cox, the Middleham Park Racing colour-bearer has earned £438,790 from five starts this year, chiefly from his victory in the Harry's Half Million at York, and he was also runner-up last week to Calendar Girl, a daughter of Advertise, in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes. Burke's Shining Example While Aidan O'Brien had to concede the National Stakes to Eve Johnson Houghton, narrowly missing out on making Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) a Group 1 winner like his half-brother Vandeek (Havana Grey), the master of Ballydoyle did collect three of the weekend's top-level contests. With the help of Tom Marquand, he landed the St Leger for the third consecutive year and ninth time in total with the aforementioned Scandinavia, the Irish Champion Stakes with Delacroix (Dubawi), and the Moyglare with Precise (Starspangledbanner), whom he and his wife Annemarie also bred. Karl Burke laid down the most impressive challenge for Britain at the Irish Champions Festival, with Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot) claiming her fourth Group 1 victory in the Matron Stakes, Convergent (Fascinating Rock) winning the G3 CMG Group Stakes and Royal Champion (Shamardal), Venetian Sun (Starman) and Al Qareem (Awtaad) each finishing third in the Irish Champion, Moyglare and Irish St Leger respectively. Burke and his jockey Clifford Lee also scooped €135,500 for the victory of Alparslan (Dandy Man) in the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Stakes. Burke's five runners in five Group 1 races over the weekend sets an example to plenty of other major stables. Fruitful Partnerships Last year's spending spree by Amo Racing at the yearling sales also saw the emergence of a new partnership between Kia Joorabchian's operation and Al Shaqab Racing. One of their joint-acquisitions was Aylin, from the first crop of St Mark's Basilica, for 600,000gns from Yeomanstown Stud. Another promising young individual from Karl Burke's stable, Aylin posted her second win when taking the G2 May Hill Stakes on Thursday and will likely bid to go a grade higher in the G1 Fillies' Mile. Along with Amo Racing's Group 1 strike with Arizona Blaze, Al Shaqab has also enjoyed a major winner in its own right of late courtesy of the G1 Prix du Moulin win of the homebred Sahlan (Wootton Bassett). Another partnership which has been in clover of late is that of Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy. Following a treble on September 6 with Old Borough Cup winner The Reverend, Crown Of Oaks and Dash Of Azure, the duo was represented on the opening day of Doncaster's St Leger meeting by the victory of the progressive stayer Santorini Star in the G2 Park Hill Fillies' Stakes. The daughter of Golden Horn is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Lope De Vega) and was bred by Olivia Hoare from Livia's Dream (Teofilo), whose female-line ancestors include the 1980 Oaks winner Bireme (Grundy), who also features as the great granddam of another Oaks winner, Talent (New Approach). The William Haggas-trained Santorini Star will in time make a lovely addition to the burgeoning broodmare band of her owners, as will the G1 Prix Morny winner Venetian Sun, who leads the charge for the Bloom and McAleavy team this year. Gold-Star Performers This may not happen any more, but in the schooldays of the 1970s children used to be awarded a gold star for doing something well, or perhaps for not misbehaving. Not so long ago, the daughter of a friend of this column used to be awarded stickers on a kitchen chart if she had got through a whole week without biting anyone. We saw said child at her grandmother's 80th birthday party recently and she appears to have grown out of such behaviour, so the reward charts clearly have a place in civilised society. It is not known whether Convergent and/or Al Riffa are prone to biting people, but they may be forgiven if they are, particularly after their respective gold-star performances at the weekend. Convergent and Clifford Lee, third left | Racingfotos Convergent was simply a joy to watch – and perhaps even more so after the winning post than before. Some excellent camera work followed him bowling on round the bend at Leopardstown after he had won the G3 CMG Group Stakes in convincing fashion for owner-breeder Newtown Anner Stud, who also bred and raced his sire Fascinating Rock. Convergent had previously come within a squeak of adding his sire's name to the list up above, when beaten a short-head in the G1 Deutsches Derby, and it would be no surprise to see him bag his own top-level win before too long. The G1 Champion Stakes and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Fascinating Rock, whose sire Fastnet Rock died last week, has been at Burgage Stud for the past four seasons and was advertised at €2,000 this year. Al Riffa, too, deserves a big gold star for his menacing win in the G1 Irish St Leger, three years almost to the day after he had won the G1 National Stakes on the equivalent card of 2022. The son of Wootton Bassett didn't feature much the following year, running only twice at three, and it would have been easy to have written him off as a decent juvenile who didn't go on. But go on he has, to pick up last year's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and now this season's G2 Curragh Cup and Irish St Leger en route to attempting to give his trainer Joseph O'Brien a third win in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November. As both his jockey's first and most recent Group 1 winner, Al Riffa must hold a special place in the heart of Dylan Browne McMonagle. Let's give him a gold star too. The post Seven Days: Every Sire Has His Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Celebrating its 30th year, the Horse Farm Workers' Educational Assistance Fund has awarded 26 scholarships for 2025-26 to children of full-time horse farm workers in Central Kentucky. Some 808 annual scholarships have been awarded since the inception of the program, totaling $1,718,470. The Fund was founded by Rob Whiteley of Liberation Farm, Tom Evans of Trackside Farm and Fred Seitz of Brookdale Farm. Scholarships are granted for education or skill training after high school and are based upon financial need, merit, biographical essays and personal interviews. Scholarships are also available for full-time horse farm workers in central Kentucky who wish to take equine related training or courses to help them be more knowledgeable and effective while working with Thoroughbred horses. Six Horse Farm scholarship recipients have additionally distinguished themselves for academic achievement as Pollard Scholars at the University of Kentucky. “In pursuit of their dreams, many of our scholars work 20 or more hours per week at one or two jobs while carrying a full course load,” said Evans, the president of the Fund. “Our main goal is to award enough money so that they can focus on their studies and make school their number one priority without incurring a huge burden of long-term student loan debt.” He continued: “Investing in these young people is also an investment in the industry. Many of our scholars after successfully completing their studies have returned to pursue careers in the Thoroughbred industry. Several have already distinguished themselves (including a Director of Racing at a major North American track). Many who have chosen careers outside the industry have made their mark as professionals in nursing, education, social work, theology, and business.” Qualifying parents of scholars have been employed full-time for at least 3 years by one of the following Central Kentucky Thoroughbred farms: Benson Farm, Betz Thoroughbreds, Fallbrook Farm, Gainesway Farm (2), Godolphin @ Gainsborough (2), Godolphin @ Jonabell (2), Godolphin @ Raceland, Hermitage Farm (5), Monticule Farm, Mt. Brilliant Farm, Runnymede Farm, Shadwell Farm, Shawhan Place Farm, Spendthrift Farm (2), Winchester Place Thoroughbreds and WinStar Farm (3). “Our horse farm scholars and parents are an industry treasure,” said Whiteley. “Farm workers are the backbone of the breeding industry and therefore the foundation of the entire Thoroughbred industry. The parents of these scholars have instilled an incredible work ethic in their children. Year after year, these outstanding young people impress the Board with their ability, motivation, energy, enthusiasm, and accomplishments. Quite a few of our scholars are the first in their families to pursue education beyond high school, and some could not do so without our financial assistance.” Click here for additional information or to make a donation to the Fund. The post Horse Farm Workers’ Educational Assistance Fund Awards 26 Scholarships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Coolmore boss John Magnier has lost a High Court case over the sale of the 750-acre Barne Estate in County Tipperary. High Court judge Mr Justice Max Barrett concluded that a sale had not taken place between Magnier and the owner of the Barne Estate, Richard Thomson-Moore. He commented, “I am satisfied that neither the alleged land-sale agreement nor the alleged option agreement were ever concluded. Nor do I see any breach of the exclusivity agreement to arise. It follows that all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs will be and are respectfully refused.” The estate was put up for sale in July 2023. Magnier claimed that he and Thomson-Moore concluded a sale on the evening of August 22nd, 2023, and that the hand shake agreement was a binding commitment. However, Mr Justice Max Barrett said he is satisfied that no such sale had taken place. Magnier claimed he had secured a deal to buy the estate for €15 million. Thomson-Moore and his wife Anna deny that the deal was agreed, instead, saying the meeting at Magnier's home was equivalent to a sale agreed and was still subject to contract. Their legal team stated that such a claim was confirmed by the fact Magnier's team sought an exclusivity agreement lasting four weeks until the end of September which meant that the Thomson-Moores could not speak to any other bidder. After the exclusivity agreement lapsed, New York-based Maurice Regan came in with an offer of €22.5 million, which is 50 per cent above what Magnier had offered. The Thomson-Moores accepted that offer. It has been reported that the legal costs for this case are expected to run into millions of euros. The post Coolmore Boss John Magnier Loses High Court Case Over Sale Of Barne Estate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lady Of Spain will put her unbeaten record on the line in either the Sun Chariot Stakes or the Prix de l'Opera, with Roger Varian keen to test the waters at the highest level with the daughter of Phoenix Of Spain. Both high-class contests take place on the same weekend, meaning the Carlburg Stables handler is able to make a late call with the progressive four-year-old, who delighted her team when making it five-out-of-five in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes last time. Varian said, “She's in good form and has come out of the race at Sandown really well. We'll look to step up to Group 1 company next and she'll be left in the Sun Chariot and she'll be left in the Prix de l'Opera – they're both on the first weekend in October and we'll make a decision on whether we stick to a mile or go up to a-mile-and-a-quarter nearer the time.” He added, “She looks fantastic and is moving well, but we haven't tested her in any strong work since she won the Atalanta, so it will be interesting when we do if she gives us a sharper impression to encourage us to stay at a mile or if we fancy going up to 10 furlongs. “I don't think either will be a problem and I'm sure she'll have the stamina for 10 furlongs, but at the same time she was very good at Sandown over a stiff mile and on soft ground, she was very strong through the line, so both remain very strong possibilities. “These are the decisions you want to be making and she looks a good one and hopefully she continues her progression.” The post Group 1s Are Calling For Roger Varian’s Unbeaten Lady Of Spain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie–Bernadreamy, by Bernardini), a dual Grade I winner at two, is expected to make the final start of his career in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile before entering stud in 2026 at Eric and Tamara Gustavson's Spendthrift Farm. “We are excited about Chancer McPatrick,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. “We've had good luck with precocious Grade I winners from the first crop of emerging sires–of course, that was the formula with Into Mischief when he came to stud. “It takes a pretty special 2-year-old to win on debut at Saratoga, win a race like the Hopeful in the second start, and win another storied race like the Champagne in the third start. Chancer McPatrick is also a tremendous physical, and we believe breeders are really going to like what they see on the end of the shank.” Bred in Kentucky by Rigney Racing LLC, the bay colt was sold for $260,000 through the Denali Stud consignment at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton July Sale and made for a successful resale when hammering to John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto, agents for Flanagan Racing, for $725,000 at last year's OBS April Sale. Turned over to Chad Brown, Chancer McPatrick was favored on Saratoga debut and found himself well back early on before unleashing a furious stretch rally to score by a length, earning 'TDN Rising Star' honors. After brushing the gate and having Flavien Prat lose an iron at the start of the Hopeful, Chancer McPatrick finished full of run to prevail by a half-length and he validated 1-2 favoritism in the Champagne, drawing clear to win by daylight. He joined the likes of Practical Joke and Jackie's Warrior as horses to win both of the New York circuit's major juvenile Grade I contests. Runner-up on seasonal debut in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby this past March, Chancer McPatrick won the July 24 Curlin Stakes ahead of a wide-trip fourth when last seen in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes on Aug. 23. “Chancer McPatrick showed tremendous ability from the first time I worked him as a 2-year-old,” said Brown. “He won both the Hopeful and Champagne which is extremely difficult to do. The only other horse I was fortunate enough to do that with was Practical Joke, so that's pretty good company. Chancer McPatrick is a very correct, athletic colt with a lovely temperament. I thought he ran super last time out in the Jerkens, he just needed a little bit further. He's doing well and we're going to train him up to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.” Bred on a similar cross to Grade I winner and promising young sire Maxfield, dual Grade I winner La Cara and fellow GISW Speaker's Corner, Chancer McPatrick counts GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes heroine and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Dream Empress (Bernstein) as his second dam. He has amassed a record of 4-1-0 from nine starts and earnings to date of $727,875. A stud fee will be set at a later date. The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Chancer McPatrick To Stand At Spendthrift 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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They’ve had to settle for a dominant jockeys’ premiership winner for the past few seasons – and likely will in 2025-26 as well – but Hong Kong racing fans could be in for a midseason stoush for the ages if the stars align in the next couple of months. With The Standard reporting on Monday that Joao Moreira could be set for a return to Hong Kong as Caspar Fownes’ stable jockey and James McDonald believed to be one of a string of riders confirmed for winter stints in Hong Kong, eight-time champion...View the full article

Harness Racing New Zealand’s 2025 Blue September campaign is gearing up for its busiest week so far. The first Big Blue Drive (BBD) will take place all over the country from Thursday through to Sunday. It is all about encouraging people to donate to the cause and raise as much money as possible for prostate cancer research. Thursday will see dual meetings at Winton and Cambridge, with the latter hosting “Blokes’ Night”. Tickets are $70 and include food from the Burger Bistro menu, a drink on arrival and a variety of on-course activities. To see more click here On Friday there’s racing at Addington and Auckland including the $110,000 Group 1 Caduceus Class 2YO Fillies Classic at Alexandra Park. Racegoers embracing the Blue theme at both venues will be in the running to get spot prizes while stables who get involved will go into the draw to win a morning tea shout courtesy of HRNZ. All they need to do is email their photos to kim.butt@hrnz.co.nz. On Saturday everyone who has donated to the cause so far this month will get the opportunity to win prizes. All they have to do is comment on a HRNZ Facebook post to automatically go into the draw. The prizes are : 1. Two tickets to Harness 5000 meeting thanks to Ashburton Raceway. Each prize will entitle both people to a meal and drinks for the day. They will be seated with the sponsors for the day and have a view of the finishing post. 2. Two tickets to The Infield on Cup Day 3. A WDC (World Driving Championship) Merchandise Pack 4. A special hamper full of goodies The weekend will finish up with a big day at Motukarara on Sunday. The annual Blue Bolt is always a highlight. It pits all 11 ambassadors against each other in a 100 metre sprint down the home straight. On what is a very family-friendly day at Banks Peninsula, there will also be two Blue September Invited Drivers races. At the halfway mark, the campaign is at $18,141. The annual fund-raiser for the New Zealand Prostate Cancer Foundation has had a strong start, with $12,000 raised during the first week, followed by another $6000 last week. In all there have been 25 wins by Blue September ambassadors so far. Money is raised every time one of them wins a race thanks to their individual sponsors and contributions from HRNZ and the clubs. Josh Dickie, Tony Cameron, Robbie Close and Sam Thornley all picked up their first wins for the campaign over the last few days, with Close’s coming in Friday’s feature at Addington, the Listed $50,000 Woodlands Stud Series Stakes Harness 7000. The country’s leading driver Blair Orange has the most individual wins, with seven, followed by John Dunn and Matthew Williamson on five. To see more about the Blue September campaign click here Or contact : courtney@hrnz.co.nz View the full article

By Adam Hamilton A key pointer to the Group 1 Renwick Farms Dominion Trot will play out in country Victoria tonight. Pre-post favourite and TAB Trot winner Arcee Phoenix will clash with Brisbane Inter Dominion heat winner and finalist Parisian Artiste in a trial. It will be the second time in the space of six days the pair have clashed at the trials. Parisian Artiste led throughout from a standing-start to beat a softly driven Arcee Phoenix at Melton last Tuesday. And they may even clash again at Menangle when they return to racing. In the quest to get standing-start race experience before the Dominion, they could tackle the $30,600 Menangle Trotters Cup, a 2300m discretionary handicap. Parisian Artiste’s trainer Alex Ashwood said Menangle was almost certain. “That’s the plan if he trials as well as we expect again at Bendigo,” he said. “He’s pretty forward and will be ready to go after this next trial.” Like Arcee Phoenix, who last raced when he won the Brisbane Inter Dominion final at Albion Park on July 19, Parisian Artiste hasn’t started since finishing fifth in that same race. Connections of both star trotters are close and have booked flights to Addington for the two feature trotting races in NZ Cup Week. “He’s a stronger stayer and likes the stand (start), so we think the Dominion will suit him,” Ashwood said. In an exciting twist, Ashwood said Parisian Artiste could have extended stay in NZ. “We’ve got in mind staying after Addington and taking him up to Auckland,” Ashwood said. The key target would be the $100,000 Group 1 National Trot at Alexandra Park on New Year’s Eve. “It’s an attractive option because we know he goes so well in that direction,” Ashwood said. “He does all his work that way home and trots better and with less gear than he has to wear in the races here.” View the full article

What Wodonga Races Where Racing Wodonga – Hamilton Smith Dr, Wodonga VIC 3690 When Tuesday, September 16, 2025 First Race 12pm AEST Visit Dabble Wodonga is the destination for racing in Victoria on Tuesday, with a competitive eight-race meeting set down for decision. With showers on the forecast, the track is likely to hold its Soft 5 rating that it was given at the time of acceptances, while the rail will be in its true position the entire circuit. The opening event at Wodonga is set to commence at 1:30pm AEST. Best Bet at Wodonga: Vegas On Fire Vegas On Fire has been racing consistently and now gets a perfect map from barrier two to box seat behind a genuine speed. Her last few efforts read better than the figures suggest given tempo and pattern, and this is no harder. Liam Riordan reunites and knows her well; a soft 5 also brings her right into the mix. If she sees daylight on straightening, her late strength can tell with the lightish impost. Best Bet Race 8 – #7 Vegas On Fire (2) 6yo Mare | T: Shawn Mathrick | J: Liam Riordan (58.5kg) Next Best at Wodonga: The Wizard King The Wizard King is humming along and finds a very winnable BM62. He’s built a terrific platform with a strong win at Wangaratta on August 23 before adding another win at Mildura on September 6. From gate 11, Liam Riordan can slide across to land just off the speed — ideal at Wodonga, where momentum counts turning for home. He handles edge out of the track and stays at the same weight, which looks a plus in this company. Next Best Race 5 – #7 The Wizard King (11) 6yo Gelding | T: Shawn Mathrick | J: Liam Riordan (60kg) Best Value at Wodonga: French Lolly French Lolly is a lightly raced sprinter who gives the impression he’ll measure up sharply in 0-58 grade. He won stylishly on the Pakenham synthetic two back and comes here on the back of a sound second, and now draws to stalk the map from barrier eight with Jake Duffy sticking. His profile says he’s versatile enough to absorb pressure at 1100m and still quicken, and a slight give in the ground should be no issue. With several rivals searching for form, the four-year-old can press forward, control the race in transit and be hard to get past late. Best Value Race 6 – #5 French Lolly (8) 4yo Gelding | T: Olivia Osborne | J: Jake Duffy (62.5kg) Tuesday quaddie tips for Wodonga Wodonga quadrella selections Tuesday, September 16, 2025 6-7-8 1-3-5-6-7 1-3-10 1-6-7 Horse racing tips View the full article

Sadhbh scored a popular win at Te Rapa on Sunday when she broke through for her maiden victory in the Zappy – Send Couriers? Shipzappy.com 1500. The five-year-old daughter of Darci Brahma was bred and is raced by renowned racing photographer Trish Dunell, who was delighted to see her win while on the tools at Te Rapa. Dunell has taken a patient approach with her mare, who has just had the seven starts and has really come of age this preparation, placing in all three of her starts this time in before her weekend triumph. Punters took note and backed her into $2.80 favouritism, and she didn’t disappoint, with jockey Opie Bosson taking the shortest way home to score by a nose over Intoxicated, giving former The Oaks Stud stallion Darci Brahma the quinella. Trainer Pam Gerard was duly pleased to get the win and said she will improve over more ground. “She probably needed blinkers on, which we put on her today, but you won’t see the best of her until she steps up to 2000m,” she said. “Opie said he was niggling her along the whole way, but once he gave her one behind the saddle she took off. “She needs a better track too, but the weather has been pretty wet up here in the north and she’s been toughing it out to place on Heavy10 tracks. “The ability’s always been there, but she’s been such a big filly and mare we’ve just had to wait for her. “She’s learning to settle and run on, so is working it out to be a racehorse. She’s still got some filling out to do but come the autumn I think she’ll be pretty competitive in some nice races up in trip. “I’m really pleased to have won a race for Trish. She’s bred a really nice mare from a lovely family and just loves her horses to bits.” Sadhbh is regally bred, being out of Giant Mystique, a half-sister to former Singapore Horse of the Year War Affair, and is the dam of Group One performer Charles Road and stakes performer Cavallo Veloce. “She (Sadhbh) was the last one, having lost the mum, so I was never going to sell her,” Dunell said. Sadhbh has taken plenty of time to mature, having three starts as a three-year-old before a 16-month hiatus from racing and she returned in June a more developed horse and has run accordingly. “She is quite tall and she just keeps on growing, even now,” Dunell said. “But she is just lovely.” Dunell is excited about the future with her mare, particularly when she gets over further ground. “She is really going to be a stayer,” she said. “After that race, the girl who looks after her said that you wouldn’t have known she had a race at all, she was just so settled, and you couldn’t even hear her breathing she was so quiet.” Dunell has also enjoyed recent success across the Tasman, with full-sisters Spylark and Halliwell tasting success for trainers Dane Smith and Jessica Tzaferis respectively, the latter having posted four successive victories over winter. View the full article

Trent Didham has become the fourth generation in his family to become a trainer after joining his father, Peter, in partnership earlier this month. The Awapuni horsemen have lined up four horses together in the last week, recording two runner-up results at Awapuni’s synthetic meeting on Sunday, a day that had three generations of the family on track. “It was pretty cool to do it (commence training) with Dad in partnership, I am pretty proud,” Trent Didham said. “Grandad was there as well (on Sunday), which was good. He trained a few and took a few to Australia, and even his father before him was a trainer.” Born into the industry, the 27-year-old has always been destined to follow his forebears into the industry. “I have always been around it. Robbie Hannam is my uncle, so I was born into it,” he said. “I grew up, until I was five, at Awapuni where Dad was the track manager and then we moved out to Wellfield (Lodge, stud farm),” Didham said. Growing up at Wellfield Lodge helped lay a strong foundation for a career in the industry for Didham, but he said racing was always where his passion lay. “It was good to get a base with the stud work, but the racing side of the industry was what I was always interested in,” he said. While Didham has spent the majority of his working life under the tutelage of his father, he has spent several years across the Tasman working for some of Australia’s leading trainers. “I worked for just under a year for Mick Price and two years for John O’Shea,” he said. In-between those stints, Didham’s father raised the idea of entering a training partnership, but Didham felt like he had more to learn before heading down that path. “The idea was put forward by my old man a couple of years ago, but I said to him I wasn’t ready, and I wanted to work for someone overseas again,” he said. “I went and did that and then decided to come back and give it a crack.” The father-and-son duo are still in search of their first victory and they are hoping it will come this weekend when their promising four-year-old Lucullan resumes at Trentham. The son of Rich Enuff has won one and placed in three of his four starts to date and opened his preparation with a pleasing 800m trial win at Waverley earlier this month. “Lucullan will kick-off his campaign this Saturday and he is one to look out for,” Didham said. “His main target is the Stewards (Listed, 1200m) down south. “We will get through Saturday and hopefully he will head towards that.” View the full article

Running Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) first-up in the Gr.2 The Shorts (1100m) has never been Plan A for trainer Brad Widdup but after missing a scheduled start in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) due to a setback, he is resigned to pitting his charge against some of the country’s best sprinters. A key lead-up race to The Everest (1200m) on October 18, The Shorts is also being targeted by Gr.1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m) winner Briasa (Smart Missile), who has been trialling superbly, along with the likes of Joliestar (Zoustar), Private Harry (Harry Angel) and Headwall (Dream Ahead). Jedibeel was scratched from the Concorde Stakes last week due to a light ankle strain and Widdup felt next weekend’s The Shorts (1100m) shaped as an even stiffer target. “Very hard race,” Widdup said. “That is why it was very frustrating not to be able to run him last week. I’m not saying he would have won that race, but he drew well and it looked a good race for him. “This race is going to be ten times harder. We are under no illusions there but we have to kick him off somewhere and I’d rather stay at home in Sydney, get him going and then we can work it out from there.” Jedibeel was given a solo exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill on Saturday by jockey Kerrin Mcevoy, who will partner him in The Shorts. Widdup described it as a “tick over gallop” and said it was preferable to taking the gelding back to the trials off a setback. “We wanted to get him away from home and just do a little bit of work,” he said. “It was a nice little hit-out today. I will probably need to do a little bit more during the week and then hopefully he can acquit himself well next week.” View the full article

The last couple of years have been a test for apprentice jockey Elen Nicholas, who has spent a significant amount of time on the sidelines with injury, but she returned with renewed vigour this year and was rewarded at New Plymouth on Saturday when recording her 100th win in the saddle. The expat Welsh horsewoman was two wins shy of the milestone heading into the Taranaki meeting and was duly thrilled to pilot home the first two winners on the card, Tulsa King and Our Time Keeper, at odds of $12.70 and $45.90 respectively, to reach the mark. “I knew I wasn’t far away (from 100 wins) but because I didn’t expect those two horses to win, they were real outside chances and neither of them had much form, it was a bit of a surprise,” she said. “I remember when I first started riding point-to-points back in the UK and I thought if I could ride a winner that would be great, and then I did, and then I thought if I could ride 10 winners that would be my life goal, so it is great to have reached 100.” It was a rewarding moment for Nicholas, who had contemplated retirement after her last injury, which required several surgeries and a long recuperation period. “It was a surreal moment because I had a real think about whether or not I was going to come back after the last injury,” she said. “I try not to dwell on the injuries, but I have had something like seven surgeries on one of my legs, so I am proud that my body has overcome that and is functioning.” Nicholas has utilised expertise from around the world in her rehabilitation, including an instrumental figure from her homeland. “I work with a guy in the UK, James Adams, who specifically works with jockeys and equestrian riders for fitness, but I have used him for rehab and fitness,” she said. “He is pretty good at getting people back to 100 percent and he understands the demands of raceday riding.” During Nicholas’ time out of the saddle, she worked in other jobs which gave her a new perspective and love for riding. “I had a couple of different jobs and went over to Aussie to work at the sales,” she said. “I approached Hana and Sam Beatson (Riversley Park) to help them out with cards and I really enjoyed it. “I worked for Newhaven Park in Australia and did a couple of sales for them on the cards. It is really fun because you meet a lot of people and a lot of big trainers in Australia you would never normally meet. “I didn’t have to come back riding, there were opportunities to explore other avenues, but I came back because I wanted to and I really missed it.” That renewed vigour has been reflected in Nicholas’ results, with the 29-year-old hoop having won 12 races to date this season, placing her in third position in the National Jockeys’ Premiership behind injured leader Michael McNab (17) and Opie Bosson (13). “I am pinching myself,” Nicholas said. She added two wins to her season tally at Te Rapa on Sunday, with the highlight being riding Notabadspillane to win the Norris Ward McKinnon 2200 for her partner, trainer Shaun Phelan, and father Brad Nicholas, who part-owns the five-year-old. “That was really nice to get the win on Notabadspillane as my Dad has a share in him,” she said. “That’s my first win on a horse Dad has got a share in, so that was really cool.” Nicholas has come a long way since riding in her first point-to-point race in Wales more than a decade ago, and she is pleased she made the move to New Zealand and followed the advice of riding mentor Noel Harris to pursue a career in the saddle. “I started riding back in Wales and I was 18 when I won my first winner in a point-to-point race,” she said. “I rode three point-to-point winners and then I came out here and rode for Paul Nelson over jumps. “I only rode one jumps winner in New Zealand and then Noel Harris said I should get my weight down and ride on the flat because I would make more opportunities for myself as an apprentice than being a jumps jockey, so I followed his advice.” Nicholas is enjoying her time in New Zealand and said it reminds her a lot of her homeland. “This country is a little similar to Wales with the countryside,” she said. “It has better weather, but it has a similar climate, and it felt like home away from home.” Of her 102 wins to date, a couple stand out above the rest for Nicholas. “Suliman winning the Taumarunui Gold Cup was quite special because it was for Paul Nelson, who was the first person I worked for in New Zealand,” she said. “I also had a really good partnership with a horse called Hit The Road Jack and I had a few wins on him that were quite special. I think I lost the first part of my claim on him.” Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Nicholas said she has two main goals. “Staying injury free is the main thing,” she said. “And I would love to win a stakes race, that would be the cherry on top.” View the full article

Well-related filly Spark showed she has inherited a good measure of the family talent with a bold debut performance in black-type company at Riccarton. The daughter of Time Test overcame the outside barrier to finish a gallant fourth in Saturday’s Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) for co-trainer, breeder and owner Guy Lowry. “We do rate her very highly and she had to do a bit from the wide draw,” said Lowry, who trains with Leah Zydenbos. “We weren’t worried about the ability, we were just worried about her greenness, given how little she had done.” Spark had trialled twice last month at Foxton, winning the second of them with an eye-catching frontrunning display. “She has showed up plenty and we’ll get her home and put her out for three weeks,” Lowry said. “We’ll work out a plan and maybe look at some of the three-year-old fillies’ races over Christmas.” Spark is a daughter of the No Excuse Needed mare Flare, who is out of a three-quarter sister to the former two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Ambitious Dragon. He spent a short period with Lowry, whose father Pat bred the multiple Group One winner, before relocating to Tony Millard’s stable. The family also features Lowry’s Listed Feilding Gold Cup (2100m) winner and seven-time stakes placegetter Mohaka. Spark is a half-sister to Candle, a three-time winner for Lowry before adding two more victories from Richard Didham’s Riccarton stable. “We still own her and hopefully she can get some black type for us down there,” Lowry said. Meanwhile, talented mare Bedtime Story will take another step toward her return at Tuesday’s trials at Foxton where she won an 850m open heat last month. “You’ll see her first-up in the fillies and mares’ race at Hawera (Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders Stakes, 1400m),” Lowry said. The Per Incanto five-year-old has four wins to her credit and has only finished out of the top four twice in 15 appearances. Bedtime Story was spelled following her runner-up finish in the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) off the back of a third in the Listed Anzac Mile (1600m). View the full article

Still on a high after a breakthrough win on Sunday, Lyle Hewitson is eyeing a Class Two success aboard Steps Ahead at Happy Valley on Wednesday night in a bid to add to his momentum. The South African jockey booted home his first winner since returning from wrist and ankle fractures suffered in a nasty race fall in June when Metro Power bolted in at Sha Tin on the weekend. The David Hayes-trained gelding led all the way to notch his first Hong Kong triumph, clocking a slick 55.33 seconds up the...View the full article