Wandering Eyes

Lexington-Fayette (Kentucky) Urban County Government's 12th District Councilmember Kathy Plomin will host an information session on the two industrial-scale solar farm proposals in rural Fayette County in the Haley Road/Winchester Road area next Monday, July 8 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Macdeonia Christian Church, 4551 Winchester Road, Lexington. Members of the Lexington-Fayette or surrounding counties who are interested in learning more about these potential developments are encouraged to attend. There will be important information on the status of the proposals, time for questions and public input, and information about how the public can weigh in with the LFUCG Planning Commission and the Public Service Commission. Eatern Kentucky Power Cooperative has submitted a proposal for a 400-acre industrial solar development on Winchester Road. That proposal is currently moving through the Kentucky Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities in Kentucky, according to the Alliance. EKPC is a not-for-profit generation and transmission electric utility with headquarters in Winchester, Ky. Silicon Ranch, a solar power company based in Nashville, has proposed a Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to permit industrial-scale solar facilities in the agricultural zones of the county. That proposal is currently moving through the planning commission. Approval would allow industrial solar farms in any agricultural zone with a conditional use permit, to be evaluated by the Board of Adjustment under limited conditions, according to the Fayette Alliance. For more information, visit the Fayette Alliance website. The post Information Session Monday for Fayette Industrial Solar Proposals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A week ago, the colt wasn't among the top 46 Thoroughbreds receiving votes; after Saturday's win he's fourth overall with 148 points, one more than Adare Manor. View the full article

The apparent strength of the Pimlico Special (G3), where Red Route One ran fourth, as well as his overall form and $1.6 million bankroll—will likely make him the favorite over 10 rivals July 6 in the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows. View the full article

According to reports, Kentucky Derby (G1) fifth-place finisher T O Password will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after sustaining fractures to both front legs in Japan.View the full article

The “Beat Byk NHC Challenge” will return this summer as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Steve Byk, host of the Thoroughbred radio news magazine “At the Races” on Sirius XM, partner to send one NHC Tour member to Las Vegas to compete in the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) next March. Now in its sixth season, the “Beat Byk NHC Challenge” will be held July 11 through Sept. 2. Each Thursday, Byk will select the weekend stakes races to comprise that week's promotion and announce them on “At the Races” and on his twitter page, @Steve_Byk. Listeners can visit https://www.ntra.com/beatbyk/ and can either use Byk's selection to win the featured race or try to 'beat Byk' by selecting another horse. All who correctly select the winning horse in each round will advance to a NHC “Beat Byk” online qualifier Sept. 14. The winner of the “Beat Byk” online qualifier will represent “At the Races” at the 2025 NHC Mar. 14-16, 2025 at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. NHC Tour membership is required to compete in the September NHC online qualifier. Complete rules for the Beat Byk Challenge can be found at https://www.ntra.com/beatbyk/. “Beat Byk is my favorite highlight of the summer season,” Steve Byk said. “It's important for there to be ways to get to Vegas for free and I'm delighted that so many players tell me Beat Byk has been a gateway to NHC and contest play in general.” The post Beat Byk Back for 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Canadian champion sprinter Hazelbrook (Bayern), in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify, and multiple stakes winner Lucky Girl (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) highlight the inaugural Inglis Digital USA July Sale. “We are excited to feature these two impressive entries in our inaugural sale as Inglis Digital USA,” said CEO Liza Hendriks. “The global demand for both buying and selling has been substantial, highlighting the international appeal of these two mares. They are the first of many high-quality listings to come, and we look forward to showcasing more in our July Sale and future sales.” The 6-year-old Hazelbrook, carrying her first foal, won the 2022 GIII Hendrie S. and GIII Ontario Fashion S. before earning the Soveriegn Award that season as Canada's top female sprinter. “Hazelbrook is a very commercial physical, balanced, and strong. Looking deeper into her race record, you will see that she had tremendous raw ability; she was a champion sprinter. She ran a five Ragozin, which would match many Grade I horses,” said Tom Ryan. “Breeding a mare of her ability to a stallion with no limitations in Justify made perfect sense to me. Speed and versatility crossed with the high-cruising speed that Justify possessed and is reproducing globally.” The 5-year-old Lucky Girl is being offered as a racing or broodmare prospect. Trained by Phil D'Amato, the bay mare won the 2023 Swingtime S. and 2022 China Doll S. and Lady of Shamrock S. She was fourth in the GIII Monrovia S. in April and in the Mizdirection S. in May and is nominated to the July 21 Osunitas S. at Del Mar. “We are excited to announce the forthcoming sale of an exceptional filly, celebrated for her impressive record of three stakes wins and a remarkable mile time of 1:34,” said James Keogh, whose Grovendale consigns Lucky Girl to the July sale. “Sired by the influential Exceed and Excel, renowned for his significant impact on broodmare pedigrees, she represents an unparalleled opportunity in both racing and breeding circles.” Entries for the Inglis Digital USA July Sale remain open through July 8. Bidding will open July 12 at 2 p.m. ET and will close July 17 at 2 p.m. ET at www.inglisdigitalusa.com. The post Stakes-Winning Mares Highlight Inglis Digital USA July Sale Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Connections of Ramatuelle are targeting an autumn campaign with the daughter of Justify after she finished third in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, deciding against a tilt at the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on Sunday. Trained by Christopher Head, Ramatuelle won the G2 Prix Robert Papin as a two-year-old and has since finished placed at the top level on three occasions. Runner-up to Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in last year's Prix Morny at Deauville, she preceded her Royal Ascot effort with another third-place finish in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket. The three-year-old is now set to drop back to seven furlongs when she makes her next intended appearance in the G1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Sunday, October 6, with an outing at the Breeders' Cup also on the agenda for later in the year. “The owners want to respect her and make the best programme ever for her,” said Head. “We are going to wait for the Prix de la Foret and then the Breeders' Cup. That's the idea [to drop her back to seven furlongs] and obviously the Breeders' Cup at the end of the season on the mile is pretty much going to suit her profile. “I think it is the best bet we can get with her for the season. She is full of speed and the mile might be a bit tricky for her at the end. So, everything says she's better at that type of distance.” The Adrian Murray-trained Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) will be another absentee from the Sunday's Prix Jean Prat, having failed to recover in time from the setback which ruled him out of Royal Ascot. A Group 1 winner as a juvenile when landing the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, Bucanero Fuerte was last seen winning the G3 Lacken Stakes on his first start of the campaign at Naas in May, with signs of travel sickness forcing him to miss Ascot when he was among the favourites for the G1 Commonwealth Cup. “We're thinking of the July Cup at Newmarket,” Murray said of future plans for the colt. “He won't be ready for France [Prix Jean Prat]. We're aiming for Newmarket but whether we will have him ready in time, I don't know. “He will have lost a good bit of weight and we're having to build him back up. We're hoping to have him there, but there's no guarantee. We have a lot of options for him if we don't get him to Newmarket.” The post Ramatuelle and Bucanero Fuerte Both Expected to Skip Prix Jean Prat appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A €210,000 daughter of Too Darn Hot (GB) headlined what was a predictably tricky two-year-old section to the Summer Sale at Arqana as the curtain definitively came down on the 2024 breeze-up season. It was Brendan Holland's Grove Stud who consigned the day one top lot, who was bought by bloodstock agent Arthur Hoyeau on behalf of MyRaceHorse. “She's been bought for MyRaceHorse and will go to the United States,” said Hoyeau. “She's a very interesting filly with lots of qualities and has the perfect profile to go to the States. She breezed well yesterday and we've had very positive feedback on her preparation. We're very happy.” The Tuesday sale-topper was sourced by Holland from the Book 1 session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 80,000gns. She is out of the winning mare Formidable Kitt (GB), who belongs to the well-known Chasemore Farm family and is a half-sister to black-type performers Arthur Kitt (GB) (Camelot {GB}) and Eartha Kitt (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). Formidable Kitt has already produced a classy type herself through Kitteridge (GB) (Camelot {GB}), who won her maiden at Newcastle before gaining black-type when third in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket earlier this year. Explaining how he ended up bringing lot 47 to the Summer Sale at Arqana, Holland said, “She wasn't ready for an earlier sale so we gave her the time and thankfully it has worked out. I didn't even enter her in any earlier sale than this. We were pretty confident coming here that she would go down well and, since we have bought her, we couldn't have wished for the sire to have progressed like he has. He's been having Classic winners and of course this filly's sister got black-type this year as well, so the whole thing has fallen into place.” He added, “It's unusual that something of this quality gets presented here at this sale. It was slightly by default but I just felt that she had a strong pedigree and, if she needed the time, she needed the time. We'd no choice but to come here and it has worked out in everybody's favour.” Renowned breeze-up handler Willie Browne of Mocklershill also featured among the top lots when selling a Kodiac (GB) colt for €52,000 to trainer Yann Barberot. Like Holland, Browne described this year's trade as respectable rather than memorable. He said, “We sold a Kodiac on behalf of a client but he actually lost money. Blarney got a touch there today, and fair play to him, but we were under no illusions whatsoever coming over here for this sale.” Browne added, “Tattersalls Ireland was a complete one-off this year. They had the people there to bolster up that sale and, consequently, they had a 90 per cent clearance rate. That was night and day compared to all of the other breeze-up sales this year. Outside of Fairyhouse, there was no middle and no bottom to the breeze-up market this year. “I had two or three horses who made a substantial amount of money and that steadied the ship but I wouldn't have made any money. Relatively speaking, I did okay. I didn't do too much damage but it has been a really tough year for a lot of people. I'd say I only washed my face.” Holland agreed with Browne's summary that a lot of handlers felt the going tough, particularly in the middle to lower end of the market, and stressed that there is a finite number of horses that can pass through the breeze-up system in a given year. “It [the market] feels tough and the consensus is that it was tough this year,” Holland explained. “The amount of money spent at the breeze-up sales this year was certainly on a par to last year but there was a slight increase in the number of horses offered. There was a similar amount of horses sold so that number has remained static. Like any other market, the breeze-up sector is a finite market and everyone within the sector and within the industry needs to be mindful of that.” The Summer Sale at Arqana will not be the only alternative that breeze-up consignors will have when it comes to offering horses that either missed a slot or failed to find a suitor at one of the earlier sales. Goffs is set to enter the market in 2025 while Goresbride has stated its intention to return to the breeze-up sector as well. Suddenly, from one breeze-up sale in Ireland, there could potentially be three, and Holland revealed that the Breeze-Up Consignors Association will be meeting to discuss this very proposition in the coming weeks. Asked how he would be approaching the yearling sales in light of this year's trade and considering the new dimension to next year's breeze-up circuit, Holland said, “I have no intention of changing anything drastically. We try to do things better every year. My numbers have stayed the same for over 10 years now-I never sell more than 25 horses. I'm the same as everyone else, I just try to buy the best horse I can for the money I have.” He added, “But there is plenty to think about ahead of next year. We are getting very close [to the limit of horses passing through the system] and there were roughly 1,100 breeze-up horses offered before this sale today and 750 of them were sold. “Those numbers are very similar to last year. Everyone is thinking about it [the two new sales] and it will be discussed formally amongst ourselves as an association in the coming weeks.” Of the 93 breeze-up horses offered on Tuesday, just 46 were sold, representing a clearance rate of 49%. The post Holland Ends “Tough” Breeze-Up Year On High With 210k Too Darn Hot Filly At Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

World Pool turnover on the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and Irish Derby Day as a whole posted new records on Sunday. Turnover from World Pool bet types on the Irish Derby rose four percent on last year to hit HK$35.4 million (€4.2 million). Across the nine races, the total value of bets placed reached HK$235 million (€28 million), up on last year's figure of HK$220.7 million (€26.3 million) on what was World Pool's second year in operation on Irish Derby Day. Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), said, “Once again we were treated to some brilliant racing on Irish Derby Day and it was fantastic to have all nine races from the Curragh available to our global customers as part of World Pool. The Irish Derby is a highlight of the Irish Flat season and we were pleased to see improved turnover on the race, 12 months on from World Pool's first involvement on Irish Derby Day, as well as over the day as a whole.” The post Irish Derby Day Records Highest Ever Turnover on World Pool appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Filippo Ezri and Jean-Pierre Djian's Une Pointure (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}–Whipcorse {Fr}, by Whipper), a Marcel Rolland trainee, backed up a debut third at Saint-Cloud last month with an impressive seven-length tally over six furlongs in Tuesday's Prix de la Verrerie at Chantilly. 3rd-Chantilly, €30,000, Mdn, 7-2, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:11.57, g/s. UNE POINTURE (FR) (f, 2, Dabirsim {Fr}–Whipcorse {Fr}, by Whipper), who hit the board going seven furlongs at Saint-Cloud in her June 4 debut last time, broke in mid division and moved forward to stalk the leaders in third after the initial skirmishes of this one. Tanking to the front approaching the quarter-mile marker, the 51-10 third choice was not for catching thereafter and romped clear under urging in the closing stages to defeat La Flute (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by an impressive seven lengths. The January-foaled bay hails from the family of Group 1-placed sire Carrowkeel (Ire) (Waajib {Ire}). Sales history: €77,000 Ylg '23 ARQAUG. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, €19,500. Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Filippo Ezri & Jean-Pierre Djian; B-Haras de Grandcamp, Christopher Hogg & Gerard L Ferron (FR); T-Marcel Rolland. The post Dabirsim Filly Romps To Impressive Success at Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bloodstock agent Rick Abbott has been named the judge for the 90th annual Maryland Horse Breeders Association Yearling Show to be held July 21 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. With his wife Dixie, Abbott operated Charlton Bloodstock for nearly 40 years, selling yearlings, weanlings and broodmares at the major sales around the country. Charlton, headquartered in Pennsylvania, was one of the region's top consignors for decades. In addition to selling horses for clients, Charlton became a busy breeding farm, boarding and foaling mares and, early on, even standing a stallion or two. “I've looked at a lot of yearlings over the years,” Abbott said of his bloodstock career. “I feel honored to be asked to judge the 90th anniversary of this show.” The Abbotts retired in 2016, sending their final Charlton consignment to that fall's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic yearling sale. The post Rick Abbott to Judge MHBA Yearling Show appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Entries are closing at noon on Thursday, July 4 for the next session of Irish EBF Barrier Trials. Operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) and backed by the Irish EBF and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), Trials are open to unraced two-year-olds and three-year-olds, with the next session due to take place at Dundalk Stadium on Monday, July 8. The Trials at Dundalk are run over five, six and seven furlongs. Trials are principally staged to meet the strong demand from overseas for quality unraced thoroughbreds out of Ireland, with graduates having sold for significant sums on a regular basis. Trials are recorded, timed and made available to view online shortly after running on the ITM website and social media. A live stream is available on the ITM YouTube channel. For more information and to make an entry, click here. The post Entries for Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Dundalk Close on Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Most Thoroughbreds do not race beyond 1 1/4 miles. Then there's Michael Foster's Next.View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has released an extensive set of educational material in preparation for the revised rules under the Racetrack Safety Program which take effect July 8. Handbooks on the new rules can be found on the organization's web site and include information for veterinarians, stewards and trainers. Infographics on the site include material on air quality index protocal; intra-articular injections; medical therapeutic devices; prohibited practices; shockwave treatment guidelines; void claims; vet's list; and welfare and deprivation of care. The racetrack safety rules which begin July 8, can be viewed here. The post HISA Publishes Educational Material for Updated Racetrack Safety Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pierre Ng reclaimed the ascendancy in the rollercoaster tussle for the 2023/24 Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a crucial double at Sha Tin on Monday to edge two wins clear of Francis Lui. With only four meetings left in the season, Ng leads Lui 67-65 after Alexis Badel piloted Gangnam Star (NZ) (Telperion) to victory in the Class 5 Uncompromising Integrity Handicap (1400m) and Super Bonus (Bungle Inthejungle) won the Class 4 Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup Handicap (1200m) under Andrea Atzeni. “Brilliant. I’m quite happy. At this stage, I just have to keep going. Hopefully we get more winners in the next few meetings,” Ng said of the championship standings. “Andrea told me he lost his iron out of the gates (on Super Bonus), so luckily picked it back up. Luckily the pace wasn’t that fast – they did the first section in 24.35s, which is quite easy for him to roll along. “He was three-wide all the way, but he’s made improvement. He used to just stop or want to get away from horses in the straight, but now he’s more straightforward and finishes off hard.” Gangnam Star triumphed at his 12th start. “He took a bit of time to get his first win. He was very difficult from the start when he came to Hong Kong, so he needed time to get settled down. When we tried to run him (last October), he had a heart problem, so then we had to step back again and start him later on,” Ng said. “It’s good that he can find some confidence today to hit the front because he’s a thinker – he’s always thinking what to do and what not to do. He won well.” While Ng shared training honours with Chris So, Lyle Hewitson snared a treble with wins on So-trained pair Flying High (Office Bearer) and Parterre (Flower Alley) before saluting on Michael Chang’s Ching (NZ) (Frosted) in the Class 3 Better Future Handicap (1600m). “Just really happy, I came to the meeting thinking I had a decent book,” Hewitson said. “I didn’t think there was a standout but the cards fell in my favour and everything worked out really well. “To cap it off with Ching was great. He’s been a special horse to me in Hong Kong and, like Chris So’s horses, Ching was beautifully prepared and I was the lucky recipient.” Zac Purton logged a brace on a pair of promising talents – Bottomuptogether (Shamus Award), who is unbeaten after three starts following his searing win in the Class 3 Sportsmanship Handicap (1200m) and Amazing Fun (NZ) (Tivaci), who made an impressive debut with success in the Class 4 Racing Goes On Handicap (1000m) for Dennis Yip. Ridden quietly by Purton, Tivaci gelding Amazing Fun clocked 56.22s up the straight course. “He’s got ability, this horse. Early in the season I trialled him and he was very good but at that stage he didn’t relax,” Yip said. “After that he was ready to race, but he got injured. I put him in Conghua and told my son to teach him to relax in the morning. “The horse is now very relaxed and it’s lucky this race was there for him. When he passed the other horses, Zac said he didn’t know what to do and the horse was looking around a bit. He needs time to keep improving.” View the full article

Promising four-year-old Knight’s Realm (NZ) (Castledale) could book his ticket south to the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton next month if he performs up to expectations in the J F Grylls Memorial Classic (1400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The son of Castledale has be in a purple patch of form, winning two and finishing runner-up in two of his four starts this preparation, including carrying 60kg to victory over 1300m at Pukekohe last start. Trainer Clinton Isdale has plenty of time for the gelding and believes he is capable of featuring in the Winter Cup. “Knight’s Realm is a really exciting horse,” he said. “Every time we step him up, he just keeps on putting his hand up. Even the other day with 60 kilos was quite impressive. “This will tell us if we have got a horse good enough to go down for the Winter Cup.” Meanwhile, Isdale will head to Rotorua on Wednesday where he will be represented by last start runner-up Impressive Belle (Press Statement) in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1215m). “It was her first start for me the other day and she went nice enough,” Isdale said. “Hopefully she handles the wet track tomorrow and I am hoping she will be thereabouts.” The Cambridge trainer will head south to line-up two runners at Awapuni’s Synthetic meeting, including Mirabella (NZ) (Sweynesse) and San Simeon (NZ) (Zacinto). “Mirabella is a nice two-year-old,” Isdale said. “She trialled up really well ahead of her two-year-old races, but she was probably a bit immature, and I probably should have been a bit more patient with her. “She trialled up really well at Cambridge two weeks ago and she will have 52 kilos on her back after Jess Allen’s claim, and she will be hard to beat. “San Simeon has come from Tim and Margaret Carter. He has had a bit of jumping and swimming just to try and keep him off the track and hopefully the jumping can spark a bit of a return to form for him.” Isdale will round out the week at Tauranga on Sunday where he will line-up Storms Ahead (NZ) (Astern) in the 2100m maiden. “He went down to Otaki first-up for me and Jonathan Riddell said he didn’t give him the best of rides, but the horse kept coming and the horse would be hard to beat next start,” Isdale said. “He ran second the other day at Pukekohe with Wiremu (Pinn) on and it was quite a pleasing run.” View the full article

A trip to Ashburton on Thursday will be an important step towards next month’s Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) for exciting three-year-old Riviera Rebel (NZ) (Pure Champion). The son of Pure Champion has hardly put a foot wrong this season, winning two and placing in five of his nine starts, including a placing in the Listed Southland Guineas (1600m). He has run in the money in his last four outings and trainer Graham Eade is hoping he can continue his purple patch of form in the Green Fencing (1600m) at Ashburton on Thursday. Eade is looking forward to seeing how his charge handles the long trek north from his Riverton base, and said Thursday’s outcome will be a deciding factor in whether they press on for the Winter Cup. “He is just getting better with age,” Eade said. “It is his first time away and if everything goes well, he should be thereabouts. “I could have put him in the three-year-old race, but I opted to go for this race because it will probably be a bit stronger, and I wanted to see where he was at. “We are still humming and hawing (about the Winter Cup), but I just don’t want to be too hard on him in his three-year-old prep. “If he comes through this and we think he is capable, we will probably have a crack.” He will be joined in the float trip north from Riverton by stablemate Ataahua Pipedream (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) who will contest the Gallagher Insurance (1200m). The Rip Van Winkle gelding was victorious two starts back at Ascot Park before finishing ninth at Oamaru last month. “He is quite capable,” Eade said. “On his day he has got a good turn of foot and is hard to beat. He just makes up his own mind, if he feels like it, he can run a bit. “We don’t know what happened last start, whether it was the track. He is a funny horse, he likes Invercargill and Riverton, but he picks his tracks.” Eade has won five races to date this season and more than $150,000 in prizemoney, and he is excited about his stable’s prospects next term. “We only train a few and it has been quite a good season,” he said. “I have got The Tui Toiler, he has recently come to the barn as Stephen Blair-Edie has finished up training and he has handed him off to us. We will just take him one step at a time.” View the full article

The participation of White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) in Saturday's Coral-Eclipse at Sandown hinges on how the Group 1 scorer comes through a crucial gallop on Wednesday, according to George Murphy, assistant trainer to his father John. White Birch got the better of Aidan O'Brien's Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on his most recent start but missed the rematch in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. He will face another Ballydoyle big gun in this year's Derby winner City Of Troy (Justify) if declared for Saturday, but Murphy explained that there are some hoops to jump through at home first. Murphy said, “The plan is to go to Sandown and he will have a breeze tomorrow [Wednesday] and he will have his blood done in the morning again, with a decision made after midday. Hopefully we will be able to go and we're really looking forward to it.” White Birch will have to concede 10lb to City Of Troy as well as the other three-year-olds in the mix, which include Clive Cox's Ghostwriter, Roger Teal's French 2,000 Guineas runner-up Dancing Gemini and Brian Meehan's Royal Ascot scorer Jayarebe. The post Crucial Gallop Awaits White Birch Before Murphy Camp Commit To Coral-Eclipse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Riding A Dream Academy, which was set up in 2021, has been integrated into the British Racing School (BRS) in Newmarket. Initially supported by the Racing Foundation and with a mission to help young people from ethnic or disadvantaged communities to become involved in British racing, the academy will continue to support these groups through its riding-based programmes. These include taster days, residential weeks and a year-long Scholarship. Khadijah Mellah, co-founder of the Academy said, “We are very grateful to the British Racing School who have delivered all of our programmes through their world-class team of instructors. Together, we have introduced hundreds of young people from underrepresented communities into racing, with many now working in the sport. By working even more closely, I am excited about the scope we will have to introduce even more young people to this amazing sport.” The director of the academy, Naomi Lawson, will now be based at BRS. She said, “We are incredibly excited to be formally joining The British Racing School which has been absolutely instrumental in the success of the Academy. The partnership marks an exciting new chapter for the Academy, offering unparalleled opportunities to grow the numbers of young people we work with from underrepresented communities, whilst continuing to support racing in becoming more diverse and inclusive.” The post Riding A Dream Academy joins the British Racing School appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

He has options in Australia, America and Japan, but the veteran handler may keep his superstar on home soilView the full article

What Eagle Farm Races Where Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 When Wednesday, July 3, 2024 First Race 11:58am AEST Visit Dabble Queensland horse racing will return to Eagle Farm this Wednesday for the second time in five days as the Brisbane Racing Club hosts a very competitive nine-race program. Although the track was rated as a Good 4 at the time of acceptances, there is a lot of rain forecast to fall in the area on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it is expected that the meeting will begin on a Soft or Heavy surface. The rail will be pushed out to the +9m position for the entire circuit, with the first race scheduled to jump at 11:58am AEST. Best Bet at Eagle Farm: Battlefield Following an impressive runner-up finish behind Navyonthehighway first-up, Barry Lockwood and Robbie Dolan will combine with Battlefield once again second-up. The son of Deep Field drew a wide gate (10) and had to settle at the rear of the field before attempting to loop the field in the final 600m, but he ran out of ground over 1200m. That winner has gone onto run well in metropolitan grade last Saturday to frank the form, and if Battlefield can settle closer over 1300m, he can go one better here. Best Bet Race 7 – #4 Battlefield (5) 3yo Gelding | T: Barry Lockwood | J: Robbie Dolan (56.5kg) +260 with Picklebet Next Best at Eagle Farm: Set To Shine Set To Shine has finished second in both starts this preparation and her most recent placing was the best of the two, after the Tony Gollan-trained mare was made to settle three-wide for the trip over 1200m at Doomben. Even though the daughter of I Am Invincible travelled wide and covered more ground than her rivals, she finished her race off strongly and was only beaten by a head on the line. Unfortunately, Set To Shine has drawn a wide barrier here, but if Angela Jones can push forward and settle off the fence, she will prove hard to hold out late. Next Best Race 8 – #7 Set To Shine (11) 4yo Mare | T: Tony Gollan | J: Angela Jones (56kg) +400 with Neds Best Value at Eagle Farm: Chermside It was easy to like the debut of Chermside at the Sunshine Coast when the Paula Barron-trained filly ran home nicely to finish second after doing a lot wrong in the final 400m. The three-year-old filly drew the ace barrier on that occasion, and it appeared as though she didn’t like racing inside of runners before wobbling around when under pressure. With the benefit of one run under her belt and now that she draws barrier 13 of 13, Chermside should be able to settle worse than midfield before running home strongly down the outside. Best Value Race 1 – #6 Chermside (13) 3yo Filly | T: Paula Barron | J: Robbie Dolan (56kg) +1100 with Dabble Wednesday quaddie tips for Eagle Farm races Eagle Farm quadrella selections Wednesday, July 3, 2024 2-6-7-8 1-3-4 1-2-7-8 1-3-6-10-11-15 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Early trans-Tasman discussions have encouraged Shaune Ritchie to aim at Australasia’s top staying prize with his distance specialist Mahrajaan (Kitten’s Joy). The Cambridge-based horseman trains the six-year-old with Colm Murray and all roads will lead to the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in the spring. Mahrajaan emphatically ticked the stamina box last preparation with victories in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) and the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m). “He is definitely going to be set for the Melbourne Cup and I’ve spoken to the Victorian handicapper, he said based on nine of the last 10 Cups he would get a run off his rating,” Ritchie said. “That’s unless there is a massive influx of English horses, which there hasn’t been lately due to the sensitive veterinary exams etc. and no free rides, they have to pay their own way. “That’s probably good for the race as it gives Australian and New Zealand horses eligibility into it so he would be unlucky not to get a run.” Process of elimination has also been a major factor in placing the focus on the Flemington feature. “What choice have we got? He would be weighted out of the New Zealand Cup, the Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) and probably the Auckland Cup so it’s our main goal,” Ritchie said. “To have a runner would be something very special, but we’re not foolish enough to suggest that if his form is woeful we would press on. “We are mindful though that his form can be pretty average leading up to the two miles and it’s not until he gets there that he excels. “The only race that would suit him in his lead-up is the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (Gr.2, 2500m) at set weights and penalties.” Mahrajaan is likely to have a couple of domestic outings before he departs for Melbourne. “At this stage, we’ll give him two runs at Ruakaka and then go over,” Ritchie said. “I’d also be keen to run him in the Bart Cummings (Gr.3, 2500m) as I would want him to have a look at Flemington, he seems to go well on those roomier tracks like Riccarton and Ellerslie. “We fully understand how hard it would be to win a race like the Cup, but it’s a huge opportunity for the owners.” An American-bred son of Kitten’s Joy, Mahrajaan was purchased by Ritchie out of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale for 75,000gns and he will be returning to England on another buying mission next week. “I’m going to the July Sale to try and buy a similar horse because of how well we’ve done with him and there’s interest in getting another one,” he said. “That will be fun and hopefully we can buy a horse of similar profile. We got this one in the hope of getting into a Melbourne Cup and it’s great that we’ve got this far. “I used Jason Smith, who works for Cambridge Stud, last time and he follows the European form extensively. He selected 12 to 15 horses and we selected Mahrajaan out of those so I’ll use his services again.” It won’t be all business for Ritchie, who will be accompanied by his 15-year-old daughter Delta. “It will be a great experience for her and we’ll try and shoot down to London for a day or two,” he said. “She’s 15 and at that stage they are learning to spend, so I might have to win the Melbourne Cup to pay for it all.” Ritchie will also realise a long-held ambition with a sporting date in the United States. “I’m going to New York and not that I’m a big baseball fan, but I love the atmosphere of the big stadiums,” he said. “The New York Yankees are playing the Boston Red Sox and I’ve got some dugout tickets behind the home team. “I’ll probably be the only bloke sitting there at Yankees Stadum in an All Blacks jersey.” View the full article

Mauritian hoop Kevin Kalychurun is enjoying being back in New Zealand where he picked up his third win of the season from just 18 starts when victorious aboard Ghazzah (Akeed Mofeed) at Hastings last Saturday. It was the second consecutive win for the pair and Kalychurun was just as pleased about picking up a placing with outsider Arbitrate in the last race on the card. “It was the second (win) in a row (with Ghazzah), so it was good. He is a pretty tough horse and he tries hard,” Kalychurun said. “It was great to get a third on one of the outsiders of the year in Arbitrate in the last, who was paying $66.70 for the win and $11.80 for the place. On that run, she should get somewhere in a midweek meeting.” Kalychurun initially arrived in New Zealand in 2011 and enjoyed his time as apprentice under Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler. His most memorable association was with the Sally McKay-trained Showemup, who he guided to his first stakes victory in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) and placed in the Listed Gore Guineas (1335m), Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m), and Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m). “I was lucky enough to be with Kelvin Tyler who loves apprentices on a wet track, and that is what you get down south,” Kalychurun said. “Getting that first stakes win with Showemup was great.” While Kalychurun enjoyed his initial stint in New Zealand, he wasn’t a fan of the cold winters in the deep south and elected to take up a lucrative riding contract in China in 2018. “I was in China in 2018 and 2019 for five months,” he said. “China is still on the way up, but I enjoyed my time there and the money was too good to turn down. “I was trying to get away from New Zealand’s winter, that is why I went to China. Donna Logan helped me to get the contract because she used to train for one of the owners who had horses in China, and he was looking for a lightweight rider.” Kalychurun intended on returning to New Zealand, but that plan was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he was able to finally make his return last year before once again heading home to renew his visa. “I went away and then I couldn’t come back into the country because of COVID, so I was riding in Mauritius,” he said. “I was in Mauritius last year trying to sort out my visa to come to New Zealand. “I am back in New Zealand working for Robbie Patterson, we have a big team and are pretty busy. I am looking forward to spring and summer racing. “He is a good fella to work for and we have got a lot of nice horses that I am looking forward to.” Kalychurun is hoping to finish the rest of the season off strongly and he already has an eye towards next term. “This season I started a bit late, but I would like to get another two wins for the rest of the season,” he said. “Next season I would like to get 20 winners and I would like to ride in some Group races.” View the full article

Terry Kennedy had a successful outing at his home track of Wingatui on Sunday, winning the last three races in the track’s final meeting of the season. Kennedy picked up an early placing with Anticipate (NZ) (Ghibellines) in the Rating 80 contest, and his winning roll commenced with three-year-old filly Sacred Mist (NZ) (Sacred Falls) collecting her maiden over 1400m in a rails-hugging ride by Dan Subramaniam. While the field fanned out across the straight, the daughter of Sacred Falls saved ground through the inside and pulled away from Perfect California to score by 1-½ lengths. “She actually went through the ground well and won with a wee bit in hand,” Kennedy said. “She’ll probably go to Oamaru on the 20th, then go out for a spell and come back to be ready after Christmas.” Sacred Mist was a $25,000 purchase by Kennedy out of Waikato Stud at the 2022 Karaka Yearling Sales, and was out of an eight-time winning race mare Galaxy Miss (NZ) (Tavistock). Kennedy’s race-to-race double was completed by Hakaharry (NZ), a son of Highly Recommended who had been knocking on the door for his breakthrough success with eight placings from 18 starts. Partnered by local apprentice Ruvanesh Muniandy, who picked up a treble of his own at the meeting, Hakaharry settled back in the field early before being set alight nearing the home turn and couldn’t be run down. “He’s always promised to win a race and did it alright on Sunday, hopefully he can carry on now and win another couple,” Kennedy said. “He’ll probably just have another one or two runs before going out.” Kennedy and Subramaniam combined in the last to salute with Miss Belle (NZ), the Belardo mare thriving in the heavy conditions to storm over the top of Mininjagirl, who hung late under pressure which proved detrimental to her chances. After starting her career with Roydon Bergerson in Awapuni, Miss Belle was purchased by Mosgiel residents Syd and Shona Brown for $6,000, the pair also having been successfully involved in the standardbred industry. Kennedy applauded the efforts of Subramaniam, who posted his two first winners since returning to Wingatui this season. “He rides trackwork for me most mornings, and when the jockeys ride work you put them on,” Kennedy said. “It was good to see him kick home a couple of winners because he tries hard, he’s fit and he’s a quite a good rider.” With racing completed at his home course this term, Kennedy will be keeping a small team of runners while following his daughter and in-form apprentice jockey Jaylah closely from across the Tasman. “I may have one or two going to Christchurch over National week, but we don’t race a lot over winter,” he said. “It gets pretty hard to train with the frosts, if you want to gallop you sometimes can’t until about 11 o’clock in the morning. Plus, travel to Christchurch is quite expensive so you have to have the right sort of horse to take them up there. “Jaylah’s riding gives us something to watch, she’s got a big following in New Zealand which is good and she’s doing exceptionally well. She’s got a ride tomorrow and five or six at Sandown on Wednesday after having an eight-day suspension. “I think she’s five behind Celine Gaudray in the Victorian apprentice premiership, so we’re hoping she can get a few more winners in the next month and possibly get the win. We’ll be heading over to the awards on the 10th of August.” View the full article

The 2024 National Online Breeding Stock Sale is now live on Gavelhouse Plus, with a high-quality catalogue that includes the Group Two winner and Group One performer Llanacord (NZ) (Contributer). Llanacord was bred by Simms Davison, who offered her under his Mapperley Stud banner in Book 2 of Karaka 2019. Kevin Hopson bought her for $15,000 and later sent her to the Rangiotu stable of his stepson Stephen Nickalls, who also had a share of the ownership. Llanacord turned that $15,000 price tag into almost $220,000 in a career that her connections will never forget. “She’s been absolutely wonderful,” Nickalls said. “The ride that she’s taken us on and the opportunities that she’s given us have been beyond what we could have imagined. We are a small, family-run stable, and to share that journey with my mother, stepfather, wife and kids, it was amazing. We’ve been very lucky and we’ll never forget the journey we had with her. “Kevin is 80 now and has decided against breeding from her himself. He wants to race – that’s what he buys horses for. He said to me that by the time her progeny are old enough to go to the races, it might not be as easy for him to go along and see them run. “So we thought we’d put her up for sale and give a breeder a great opportunity to have a really good go with a fantastic young mare. “We think she’ll be a lovely mare for someone. She’s just the sweetest horse to do anything with. My eight-year-old daughter leads her in and out and does a lot with her – we have a lot of photos of them together. “She’s a maiden mare who will be ready to be covered nice and early in the spring. “We’ll always have that connection there and will follow her closely, but it’s time to pass her on to someone else.” Llanacord’s outstanding three-year-old season saw her perform at stakes level on both sides of the Tasman. She won the Group Two Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings in early March 2021, then finished third behind Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham later that month. Nickalls ventured across the Tasman in the autumn, finishing second in the Group Three SA Fillies’ Classic (2500m) at Morphettville in Adelaide. “She was an absolutely amazing three-year-old for us,” Nickalls said. “When Kevin sent her to us to train, he said his one condition was that he wanted to get her to the Oaks. Things like that are pipedreams for little stables like ours, but we actually made it there. A busload of people came along to support us at Trentham. It was really wonderful. “And it all happened because Kevin used to drive the bus for Stu Hale’s yearling tours, so he got to watch all the parades, and he just fell in love with her. He bought her for $15,000 and sent her to Glyn Brick to break her in and do all the early education with her. Glyn sadly passed away and she came down to us as a late two-year-old. She took us on a ride you don’t get to experience very often.” While Llanacord had her best season as a three-year-old, she later collected six placings as an older mare including in the Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m) and the $80,000 Royal Descent Stakes (1600m) on Auckland Cup Day at Pukekohe. She finished fifth in the Group Three Balmerino Stakes (2000m) and Group Three Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m), sixth in the Group One Livamol Classic (2040m) and seventh in the Group One Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m). “We were never afraid to have a crack at the big guys, and we kept doing that with her as an older horse,” Nickalls said. “She was beaten by about a length when she ran fifth in the Balmerino, and she wasn’t far away in a number of other races. “She had a cut on a hock that held us up after her placing in the Wanganui Cup, and there were a few little setbacks that kept giving us problems along the way and she never quite performed to her best as an older mare. “But we’ll always have those special memories of what she did for us at three.” Llanacord is out of the winning Golan mare L’Accord (NZ), who is a half-sister to the Group One winner Ad Alta (NZ) (Kenfair) and closely related to the multiple Australian Group winner Zanna (NZ) (Pentire). Llanacord will be among the first daughters of Contributer to retire to stud, but several other High Chaparral stallions are making their mark as broodmare sires. Daughters of So You Think (NZ) have so far produced five stakes winners headed by the Golden Slipper (1200m) heroine Fireburn (Rebel Dane), while Dundeel (NZ) is the broodmare sire of six winners and two stakes winners from only 14 runners to date. The first lot of the 2024 National Online Breeding Stock Sale will close from 7pm on July 10 on Gavelhouse Plus. View the full article