Wandering Eyes

By Michael Guerin As one door closes, another opens. That tells the tale of Cyclone Rebel, who caused a mammoth upset winning on debut at Alexandra Park on Friday night at $70 on the tote. The son of Bettors Delight had to be good too, overcoming a second line draw in the hands of Matty White to divebomb Andretti, whose drive from Andre Poutama to be trailing early from barrier eight deserved better. But the winner did what very few juveniles do, particularly in Woodlands Sires’ Stakes heats and trainer Tate Hopkins admits he was a touch surprised. “I have always liked him but you don’t really expect them to win like that on debut,” he told HRNZ. “When you see them draw the second line in a capacity field for a Sires’ Stakes heat, I’ll be honest I would have been happy to see him running on well for sixth or seventh.” Cyclone Rebel’s case was helped by a searing early speed as three of the favourites all got involved early but he still had to be excellent to win and he is bred to be good. He is the younger half brother to Cyclone Jordy (Art Major) who won the Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes at Alexandra Park last season before being sold for good money to West Australia where he has proven to be one of the best of his age. “At the time this horse was a yearling and the guys who own them, who have been great to deal with for a long time, decided if they were going to sell Jordy they wanted to keep this horse. “So a deal was done where Frank and Ann (Cooney) came in on this horses with the guys who bred him and they now all race him together. “But that meant he didn’t go through the sales so he isn’t Harness Millions eligible.” Hopkins of course worked for Frank Cooney for a long time and was then in training partnership with the popular horseman before Frank took a step back from the business after a race smash. Cyclone Rebel is the fourth foal of Cyclone Kate, who won 21 races here and in Australia for well-known owners Mark Lyon, former All Black Ant Strachan, trainer Gareth Dixon and the famous cricketing brothers Kyle and Heath Mills. “He is obviously very good and I suppose we have to start thinking about the Sires’ Stakes but I will need to give him a couple more starts first to see exactly where he is at,” says Hopkins, who is training 12 at the moment. While he came from a second line draw the night’s other big winners at Alexandra Park were all on the speed. Sooner The Bettor defied a weird odds drift to lead throughout in the main pace with Harrison Orange getting his timing spot on to beat Better Knuckle Up and Jeremiah, with a 26.8 second last 400m as they all prepare for the Spring Cup in a few weeks. Odds-on favourite Castana continued his great run of form after trailing for most of the main trot, things only getting a little tricky when Bolt For The Hill ran to the lead at the 400m but driver Taitlyn Hanara was able to get back to the passing lane to grab the win. And Shezsofast was able to use her speed to lead for most of her Dunstan Feeds Sires’ Stakes heat for the girls to post a 1:56.2 mile rate for the 1700m. View the full article

Harness Racing New Zealand is proud to unveil Paddock to Podium, a bold new breeding incentive. Starting on January 1, 2026 it is designed to reignite and grow our foal crop. The scheme offers a 5% credit to the listed breeder of all prize money won by NZ-foaled 2YO – 6YO horses finishing 1st to 4th in all races in New Zealand, other than in Group and Listed races. For Group and Listed races, $1000 will be split among the breeders of horses finishing 1st–5th. These credits can be used directly against stallion service fees and semen transport costs, helping breeders to reinvest and grow the next generation of champions. The total liability is estimated at $1.4m annually. “It isn’t just about funding though,” says HRNZ Chief Executive Brad Steele “it’s about securing the sustainability of our foal crops and ensuring we continue to produce world class progeny.” “It must be stressed than this is credit, not cash, reimbursing a breeder for stallion fees on a mare they own,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden. “The breeders of current racehorses will accrue the credits.” “This is about putting breeders back at the heart of our sport. If you left mares empty last year, now is the time to come back in. The more you breed, the more credits you earn,” says Peden. HRNZ is committed to the scheme annually for the next five years, budget permitting. For HRNZ “the breeder” is usually the person in HRNZ’s InfoHorse when the racehorse was born. For embryo transfer foals the breeder is the owner at the time of service. For breeding co-ownerships the credit will be allocated to co-owners according to their recorded ownership share, not to the breeding entity. For syndicates, trusts and companies the credit will be awarded to the entity. Paddock To Podium has been designed to work in tandem with other recent initiatives: 1. The Entain 2YO Bonus where owners get $8000 and breeders $4000 for any 2YO winning his/her first race. 2. The Fillies and Mares Credit Scheme where a $750 breeding credit (not cash) is attached to the mare for every win. It is capped at $6,000 and/or 8 wins. 3. The Silk Road series, with $250,000 in extra stakes, to encourage Fillies and Mares to continue racing before heading to the broodmare barn. 4. The Harness 5000 for horses bred to stallions whose stud fee was $5000 or less during the year of conception. They will be eligible to race in 12 $60,000 races at Ashburton on December as long as they have had at least five starts during the qualifying period. The Harness 5000 will be run annually for the next five years. “Schemes similar to this have been successful in France and Japan in maintaining breeding numbers. “Together these initiatives are a significant investment in our future,” says Peden, “to the order of $3.4m.” “This would be the biggest ever total investment made by HRNZ into NZ breeding,” says Steele. FAQs : How does it work? Credits, rather than cash, will be earned on 2YO to 6YO horses foaled in New Zealand, for each racing season. They can be applied to stallion fees (including semen transport costs). Breeders can use credit on any mare you are breeding – not just the dam of the horse that earned it. Breeders claiming reimbursement will apply online to HRNZ to use the credit. The process will be announced. Who will be affected? In 2025, over 600 breeding entities were active, and this scheme will impact thousands of horses and breeders across New Zealand. When can credits be used? Credits must be used within the two full breeding seasons of the calendar racing year they were earned. Earnings start 1 January 2026, so the last breeding season for the 2026 racing year credits is 28/29, i.e. claims received by 31 July 2029. What happens when breeders in a co-ownership arrangement enter into an informal arrangement from year to year on who breeds the mare? It is common practice for groups of co-owner breeders to make different informal ownership arrangements year to year for the breeding of a mare. For example, within an ownership group, the co-owners may take turn about to bred the mare. Or, one owner may drop out leaving the breeding that year to other co-owners. The proportion of ownership in these informal breeding arrangements may not reflect the underlying ownership percentages for the mare. The Paddock To Podium credits will be paid according to the underlying ownership percentages, not the informal arrangements. Breeders will need to change the ownership percentages at the time of breeding the mare before registering the foal if the credits are going to go to the rightful person. You can only claim credits for your share if you’re listed as an official breeder and at the HRNZ recorded percentage of ownership. What happens if there are special circumstances? 1. Packaged Services – If an invoice from the stud is for a stallion service fee included in a package of other breeding related services the stallion service fee component must be separately identifiable. 2. “Early Bird” Payments – If a breeder pays a stud farm under an “Early Bird” payment incentive scheme or uses frozen semen a breeder cannot make a claim unless they have a paid invoice and proof of a 42 day pregnancy. 3. Sale of an in-foal mare – If a breeder sells an in-foal mare, the breeder can apply to be reimbursed for the eligible costs for the 42 day positive in-foal mare. A buyer of an in-foal mare cannot claim Paddock To Podium credits for that mare’s pregnancy as the buyer did not contract the service that resulted in the pregnancy. 4. Loss of Pregnancy – If a pregnancy is lost, and a Paddock To Podium credit has been paid no further claim can be made for that mare if she is bred again. If the mare is not bred, HRNZ reserves the right to reclaim the paid credit from the recipient. What is the scheme going to cost? The total liability is estimated at $1.4m, if all credits are drawn down. HRNZ will closely monitor the draw down of credits and make the appropriate reserves provision. First payments will be in the 26/27 breeding season for credits from 1 January 2026. How long will Paddock to Podium be going for? Annually for five years, budget permitting. View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz Benjamin Butcher reached a special milestone at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night, driving one of his own horses to victory for the very first time. The achievement came with I Can Too, in the Xmas Packages On Sale Now @ Cambridge Raceway Mobile Pace. Despite an awkward draw on the outside of the mobile, Butcher pressed forward early to take the lead. From there, he rated the race perfectly and held off challengers to win by the narrowest of margins. For Butcher, it was a special moment and his seventh training success overall. “It’s been a long time coming, it feels good to get the monkey off of my back,” he said, “Me, Dad (David) and Zach have all had a winner in my colours now, so I’ll have to get it framed.” The gelding had shown promise the week before, and Butcher felt he had the right horse to seize the opportunity. “He went really well in the Winter Rewards last week, he was just unlucky and didn’t get a run,” he said. “It was only a small field last night and there wasn’t a lot of gate-speed, I was having to hang onto him so I thought, ‘I might as well press on.’ He’s such an honest horse and he got the job done, so that’s the main thing.” It wasn’t the only highlight of the night, with Butcher also training and driving Abman and Barbarossa to third-place finishes in their respective races. Both impressed their trainer with honest efforts. “I was a bit unlucky with Abman, we probably would’ve run into second if we’d gotten some clear air, but I’m very happy with the way he’s going and that he’s getting back to where I want him.” “Barbarossa’s just an old tradesman, a war horse. He never goes a bad race and he’s always thereabouts. He’s found the right grade where he should be in the money most weeks now. They both raced really well.” The win is even more meaningful given the adversity Butcher has faced. In August last year he was involved in a serious crash at Alexandra Park that sidelined him for months. “I started slowly working back with the horses about four months after the accident, it was the head injury that gave me the most grief,” he explained. “It’s one of those things that until you’ve had your own one it’s hard to understand what you have to go through. I’m still not 100 percent, I’m pretty good but I do still have the off day here and there. It’s a work in progress, but it will just be a time thing.” Now, Butcher is firmly back into his routine. He currently has five horses in his own name and is also looking after seven from his father’s team while he’s in Europe. “It keeps me busy enough, but Mike Berger has been giving me a hand in the mornings and that’s a massive help. We have a bit of a laugh and it’s quite enjoyable, he’s a good man.” Looking ahead, Butcher’s goal is straightforward. “I just want to keep doing the best I can for the owners who are giving me the opportunity to train their horses.” View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Laurence Hanrahan is hoping for a bit of beginner’s luck at Methven on Sunday. The meeting at Mt Harding is the opening grasstrack meeting of the spring. It is also his first meeting as Methven Trotting Club president, having recently taken over from Michael Heenan. It’s his first stint as president. “I’ve been on a committee a while,” says Hanrahan, “I’ve had a few breaks but it will be somewhere around the 20 year mark.” Hanrahan says he’s a bit nervous about the weather leading into Sunday’s 11 race card (starting at 11.34am) though the forecast for the day itself is encouraging with 17 degrees and no rain. “The track’s looking really good so we are hopeful things will go well” Hanrahan’s also come up with a “Horse of the Day” concept that will be rolled out at every one of their meetings. It sees one horse randomly drawn out before the first race of the day, with the winner receiving a bottle of wine. If the horse drawn then goes on to win its race it will receive a magnum of champagne plus $1000 will be given to the owner/owners, $300 to the trainer and $200 to the driver. “I spotted it at another club who were doing something similar so I thought I’d sit on it,” says Hanrahan, “the response has been very positive. Everyone loves it when you give stuff away!” “Plus the club is always open to new ideas and have been very supportive.” Hanrahan will also line up two starters, with Bautista in Race 4, the Bus and Truck Bodyworks Mobile Pace (12.55pm) and Elite Styx in Race 6, the Betavet (Junior Drivers) Mobile Pace (2.07pm). “Back in a Rating 35 Bautista will be very competitive and Elite Styx has her best draw for a while so hopefully she’ll get a good run.” Bautista is a $2.30 favourite while Elite Styx, who has drawn 3, is at $35, with the Brent and Tim White-trained Clonakilty a $2.50 favourite. To see the Methven fields click here View the full article

By Jonny Turner The business is done at home and now the attention turns to Addington. Brett Gray and Nathan Williamson were both in winning form at Wyndham on Thursday, pairing up to deliver Party Up Denario a deserved win. Now both trainers head to Addington on Friday night, taking up a powerful Southland squad between them. Gray starts the unbeaten Miki’s Deal in Caduceus Club Two-Year-Old Fillies Preludes which opens a great night of racing. Williamson takes a powerful team of five north including Off The Canvas, Palladium, Clotilde Wainwright, Dreams Are Free and Always Dreaming. Gray and Williamson can head north in winning form after Party Up Denario’s easy win in Thursday’s opener. The mare was a strong performer through the recent Southern Surge Series and franked that form when speeding to victory for owners the Mic & Dic Syndicate. “All of her runs this time in have had merit, so she deserved it,” Gray said. “She’s owned by a big syndicate who are keen on golf, so it was great for them.” “They’ve been patient with her, she had the one start last prep and she’s come back in bigger and stronger.” “She seems to have sharpened up to what the racing is all about now, too.” Williamson was back in the winner’s circle at Wyndham when She’s Crunchy extended her unbeaten record to four starts. The filly was scheduled to fly to Queensland this month to link up with her owners Steve and Donna Skilton. However, a flight cancellation means she headed to Wyndham as a lead-up to next week’s $50,000 Sires’ Stakes Harness 7000 event at Addington. This week’s Southland Attack at Addington starts with Miki’s Deal’s quest to also remain unbeaten. The filly won two Group 2 events in her only two starts in the spring and now she has a Group 1 target in Auckland to aim at. Gray is hopeful Miki’s Deal is in the kind of shape she needs to be to book her ticket north. “She seems to have come back really well.” “She is a lovely filly and very straight forward, nothing seems to faze her.” “It will be interesting to see how she measures up against the new fillies that are coming through.” “I have been really happy with her work and she seems really well.” Palladium and Off The Canvas have both trialled well for Williamson ahead of their debuts at Addington on Friday. Both Always Dreaming and Clotilde Wainwright take excellent Southern Surge form north for their assignments. Dreams Are Free is arguably the trainer’s biggest winning threat, but the pacer must overcome a wide draw against a quality field. The four-year-old comes into his Addington mission after an eye-catching ninth in the Kurow Cup. After missing away in what was his only start since December, the four-year-old made up plenty of ground in the home straight before running out of room short of the post. View the full article

Dual Group 3 winner One Look (Gleneagles), who won the Goffs Million as a juvenile, has been purchased by Wathnan Racing. Successful in the G3 Park Express Stakes at The Curragh in April, the former Connolly Racing Syndicate colourbearer ran second in the G2 Lanwades Stud Stakes to Porta Fortuna (Caravaggio) a month later. Unplaced in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, she bounced back in the G3 Meadow Court Stakes back at The Curragh in July for trainer Paddy Twomey. Richard Brown, Wathnan's Racing adviser, said, “One Look is a fine racemare, with plenty of options from a mile to 10 furlongs before she retires to stud. She's been very well campaigned and is enjoying a tremendous season. We're thrilled to have her.” The post One Look Bought By Wathnan Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jonathan's Way, whose promise last year as a juvenile included a debut win at Saratoga before a victory over Owen Almighty in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, has been retired from racing and will enter stud next year at Airdrie Stud.View the full article

Edited Press Release New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program has officially launched the Phase 2 Capital Campaign to expand operations at its Lexington, Kentucky facility at Mereworth Farm. In August, construction began on a new barn and office expansion, a project that will enable New Vocations to serve more retired racehorses as they transition into second careers. New Vocations has set a $1-million goal for the campaign, which will cover the expansion costs as well as additional capital improvements to the facility. The campaign was jump-started by a generous $300,000 lead gift from prominent and longtime Thoroughbred owner Margaret Smith, who enjoyed ownership in numerous successful horses including notable runners such as Cotton Blossom and Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice with Dogwood Stables and is currently a partner with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of visiting the New Vocations facility in Lexington, Kentucky, where I met founder Dot Morgan and her daughter Anna Ford,” Smith said. “I could not have been more impressed with the organization and the care provided at the facility. I'm honored to support their mission with a lead gift for the Phase 2 Capital Campaign and encourage other owners to join me in supporting this critical work of rehabilitation, retraining, and rehoming our equine athletes.” Added Ford, New Vocations' Thoroughbred Program Director: “We are so grateful for the incredible generosity of Mrs. Smith and for her commitment to aftercare. In less than a decade, thanks to the support of the Susan Donaldson Foundation and the Thoroughbred racing industry, our Lexington facility at Mereworth Farm has grown from 85 acres to more than 150. With a continual waiting list of horses in need, this expansion will allow us to meet the growing demand and provide even more Thoroughbreds with the care and transitional training they need to thrive in their next careers.” New Vocations currently serves over 600 racehorses annually from more than 70 racetracks and training centers nationwide. With this expansion, the organization aims to increase its capacity and provide critical rehabilitation, retraining, and rehoming services to even more horses. Supporters have a variety of opportunities to contribute, including naming rights for stalls and paddocks, dedication bricks along the facility's walkway, and other giving levels that directly support the expansion. For more information or to contribute to the campaign, click here. The post New Vocations Kicks Off Capital Campaign For Lexington Expansion appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The mission was simple: go to the Keeneland September Sale with half a million dollars and come back with a horse that could get to the Kentucky Derby. Easy, right? Tom Benson had been out of the sport ever since he purchased the New Orleans Saints back in 1985. But now it was 2014 and he was ready to get back in the game. He recruited three trainers he knew from the Louisiana circuit–Dallas Stewart, Al Stall and Tom Amoss–and laid out the assignment. The outcome surpassed even the most optimistic predictions. Amoss bought Mo Tom, from the first crop of Uncle Mo, for $150,000. The colt's GIII LeComte Stakes win was his ticket to the Kentucky Derby. Stewart's $145,000 purchase, Tom's Ready (More Than Ready), finished second to Mo Tom in the LeComte before joining him in the Derby starting gate. He later collected three more graded wins. Meanwhile, the colt Stall bought for $330,000 was only making his career debut on Derby weekend, but the son of Smart Strike went on to become Grade I-winning millionaire Tom's d'Etat. For Tom Amoss, the experience proved something of a revelation. Until then, the veteran conditioner had purchased only the occasional yearling. This was his first time seriously working the September Sale. “I fell in love with the process,” recalled Amoss. “I looked at it like a draft class for an NFL team or a recruiting class for a college football team. You recruit the athletes and then they're a part of your team. You develop them.” In the years since that first foray, Amoss has continued to focus on finding yearlings at Keeneland September that will one day join his stable. This summer, the program culminated in a Saratoga meet to remember, with three trainees earning 'TDN Rising Star' honors. It's Our Time (Not This Time), Big Dom (McKinzie) and Oscar's Hope (Twirling Candy) embody the kind of talent Amoss hoped to uncover when he first began shaping his recruitment model. “What I like about what we do is that there's a great deal of risk in buying yearlings and we're willing to stand with the client throughout that risk,” he explained. “If the horse is coming to my barn the following year, there's no traditional five percent charge. We're all in it together and it's as simple as a handshake between the client and myself.” Over the past decade, Amoss has found notable success picking out future winners on relatively modest budgets. Two years after selecting Mo Tom, he returned to Keeneland for Benson's GMB Racing. He purchased Lone Sailor (Majestic Warrior), an eventual Grade I-placed, Grade III winner, for $120,000. The next year he went to $70,000 for a daughter of Alternation who developed into 2019 GI Kentucky Oaks victress Serengeti Empress. “She was a real diamond in the rough,” Amoss recalled of the dual Grade I winner. “Her pedigree page was nondescript. With those three horses—Serengeti Empress, Lone Sailor and Mo Tom–you could look at the pedigree page and know they weren't going to be that expensive. We thought of it as value investing in terms of looking at a recruit and saying, 'Hey, we're not going to spend a lot here, but this is a prospect that could be a really valuable player.'” It's Our Time puts on a show in his career debut | Sarah Andrew “We're looking for athletes,” he continued. “When we get to the pedigree page, it's more about what's in the pedigree that says I'm going to have to pay either X or X squared.” Three years ago, Amoss assembled a buying team to expand his reach at the sales. Bret Sumja and Chris Richard had both learned under Amoss before launching their own stables, while Ron Faucheux had competed against Amoss on the Louisiana circuit before he retired from training in 2023. In their first year together, the quartet landed on Quickick, a filly from the first crop of McKinzie out of Graeme Six (Graeme Hall), who won the GIII Winning Colors Stakes under Amoss's tutelage in 2008. Purchased for $550,000 for Greg Tramontin's Greenwell Thoroughbreds, Quickick was twice Grade I-placed at two, including a third-place effort in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and she most recently captured the Iowa Oaks on July 5. Stable standouts like Quickick have underscored the guiding lesson behind Amoss's approach: success starts with athleticism. “The traditional way of looking at a Thoroughbred is always that you start from the bottom and work your way up,” he explained. “That's how most people do it and that's where the most cost is going to lie. If everybody is using the same formula, everybody is going to land on the same horses. I believe the way to look at a horse is from the top down. Certainly conformation is important, but there's conformation you can live with. A perfectly conformed horse that is not athletic is a horse that I'm not interested in.” That philosophy guided Amoss and his team last year at the September Sale, where they selected the three yearlings who have since emerged as Amoss's team of Rising Stars. Oscar's Hope, the stable's most recent winner, was purchased for $150,000 on behalf of Amoss's longtime owner Michael McLoughlin. Amoss said the colt stood out immediately, despite one obvious imperfection. Three TDN Rising Stars and a Breeders' Cup third-place finisher (left to right): It's Our Time, Quickick, Oscar's Hope and Big Dom | Sara Gordon “When the four of us went to look at him, he wowed you when he came out of the stall,” Amoss recalled. “He was so athletic-looking, but he turned out pretty good on one leg. You had to be willing to accept that. We talked it over and it was something we were comfortable with.” Even It's Our Time, for whom Amoss stretched to a $425,000 purchase for Elza Mitchum's Double Down Horse Racing, may have been taken off a few lists because of his size. “He was the smallest of the three,” Amoss reported. “We use Highlander Training Center outside of Dallas and every time I would go down there to evaluate them, I can remember my notes next to It's Our Time saying, 'Please grow.' And he did, but he's still on the smaller end of medium-sized.” It's Our Time's stature didn't keep him from securing a 17 3/4-length debut win. The son of Not This Time is now pointing for the GI Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct on Oct. 4. Meanwhile Big Dom, purchased at the same sale for Greenwell Thoroughbreds after RNA-ing for $160,000, is aiming for the GI Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland following his six-furlong debut win on Aug. 23. “This year has been quite remarkable, to be honest,” Amoss reflected. “I think one of the driving forces behind not only training horses but also working sales, at least for me, is fear of failure. It's very public. They keep score when you're training horses and quite frankly, they keep score at the sales too. Leaving Saratoga this week, I was really proud. I hate to say 'I,' because I was really proud of our stable and the buying team. Every one of those horses was picked out of the sale for our barn. That's a good feeling.” After closing out a banner meet, Amoss now sets his sights on Keeneland, targeting the next generation of star-worthy talent. The post Eyes Ahead: Amoss Targets New Talent After Saratoga Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainers Bob Baffert and Chief Stipe O'Neill are the only ones who have entered horses in the Del Mar Futurity, Baffert with four and O'Neill with two.View the full article

A satisfactory debut for Raaheeb (Sea The Stars) at Ascot on Friday would have sufficed, but Shadwell's brother to Baaeed and Hukum was in the winning mood to earn TDN Rising Star status. Almost certainly a work in progress if pedigree is any guide, the Owen Burrows-trained 7-4 favourite was sent to the front by Jim Crowley approaching the furlong pole and asserted for a 1 1/4-length verdict over Pompette (New Bay). “We liked him at home, but he's so sleepy–he almost tripped over himself in the parade ring and cantered down like an old horse,” his rider said after his debrief with Sheikha Hissa and the rest of the team. “He's very relaxed now and I thought if he won today it would be on pure ability, as he is a next-year horse. Today wasn't the be-all-and-end-all, but he's got some of his brothers' blood. Baaeed was a freak–he could have won over six furlongs–and Hukum was tough and the feeling I get off this fellow is he will be a nice middle-distance horse for next year.” Have we seen a potential star at @Ascot? Raaheeb is a full-brother to the brilliant Baaeed and makes the perfect start to his racing career with an impressive performance at the first time of asking!@OwenBurrowsRace | @JimCrowley1978 pic.twitter.com/z7ZrbhLLfY — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 5, 2025 The post ‘He’s Got Some Of His Brothers’ Blood’: Crowley Steers Baaeed’s Sibling Raaheeb To TDN Rising Stardom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rigney Racing's Jonathan's Way (Vekoma–Female Drama, by Indian Charle), impressive winner of his first two career starts, including the GIII Iroquois Stakes, has been retired from racing and will enter stud for the 2026 breeding season at Airdrie Stud, the Lexington nursery said in a release Friday morning. Bred in Ohio by Susan Anderson, the dark bay was knocked down to John Moynihan on behalf of Rigney Racing for $290,000 as a weanling at Keeneland November in 2022 and turned in a spectacular debut effort for trainer Phil Bauer going six furlongs at Saratoga in August 2024, overcoming trouble at the start and looping rivals en route to a 4 1/4-length victory and 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Stretched out to the one-turn mile for the Iroquois, Jonathan's Way led throughout to score by nearly three lengths as the favorite, accounting for the likes of future Grade I winner Sandman (Tapit) and GSWs Giococo (Not This Time), Magnitude (Not This Time) and Owen Almighty (Speightstown). Following an unplaced effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Jonathan's Way ran on gamely to be second in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. The day before he was set to make his sophomore debut in the GII Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds–won by Magnitude–Bauer alerted the media that Jonathan's Way would have to be scratched from the race due to an “unsatisfactory blood count.” The infection was treated but the colt developed life-threatening colitis that set him back for several months and contributed to further complications that ultimately led to the decision to retire him from racing. “As a racehorse, Jonathan's Way was a very special talent that, honestly, exceeded the ability of the best horses I have ever been around,” said Bauer. “He is an absolutely beautifully made horse and he translated that beauty to the way he moved on the track. He was poetry in motion. He was also the gold standard of class every day in the barn and as he battled through his illness. I don't believe we got to see the best of Jonathan's Way, but I do believe he has a great chance to show everyone how special he was through his stallion career.” Added Airdrie Stud's Bret Jones: “In our opinion, there is no ceiling on Johnathan's Way's potential at stud. Everyone who has spent time with this horse reveres him and anyone who has watched his races has to recognize his immense talent. Because of bad luck, he never had a chance to showcase that talent as a 3-year-old, but that fits the description of some of the most important stallions to stand at stud; from Not This Time and Dark Angel (Ire) today on back to Hail to Reason and Raise a Native. “He's by one of the most highly regarded young stallions in the world in Vekoma, out of an Indian Charlie mare who was an undefeated 2-year-old stakes winner and he was hand-picked by one of the best judges in the industry in John Moynihan,” Jones continued. “We made a commitment to Richard Rigney and his team that we would give him the support he deserves with our broodmare band and we can't wait to get started in honoring that commitment.” Jonathan's Way is available for viewing at Airdrie Stud throughout the Keeneland September Sale. His stud fee will be announced, along with the entirety of the Airdrie roster, at the sale's conclusion. The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Jonathan’s Way Retired To Airdrie Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan) delivered trainer Chris Waller his ninth Wyong Cup (2100m) victory when narrowly prevailing in the Listed feature from locally-trained Salt Lake City. The son of Ardrossan was ridden by James McDonald and heavily supported as he landed his fifth career victory from 18 starts, with a further eight placings. McDonald tracked eventual third Glory Daze (Cotai Glory) into the race and came off his back upon straightening to claim the prize. Victory in the Wyong Cup also makes the former Kiwi galloper eligible for the A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day. Saltcoats began his career in the Cambridge stable of Samantha Logan, where his three New Zealand starts produced a win in the Listed Auckland Futurity Stakes (1400m) and a placing in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1200m). He was subsequently sold to a syndicate headed by prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir, with breeder Lib Petagna retaining a share of the ownership and the consistent five-year-old has now advanced his career earnings to A$586,290. By Waikato Stud’s highly-promising young sire Ardrossan, Saltcoats is out of the lightly raced Savabeel mare Savanite, a half-sister to the Gr.2 Waikato Gold Cup (2400m) winner Singing Star, who in turn is the dam of Group Three winner Miss Selby (NZ) (O’Reilly). View the full article

Smart three-year-old Street Artist notched his first victory in impressive style when leading throughout to defeat a strong maiden field over 1000m at Mornington on Friday by nearly five lengths. The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained son of Super Seth has recently been gelded after showing raw ability but wayward tendencies at his first two starts as a colt, including a third placing behind stakes performer Express Call and subsequent Group Three winner Ferivia at Sandown on July 30. “If you could have scratched a horse for behavioural issues before a race, he would have been a prime candidate,” Sam Freedman said. “Before his second start at Sandown, he was a real handful out the back in the tie-ups. So we gelded him. He ran on a Wednesday and was gelded on Thursday, and he was under saddle by Saturday. “To the vet’s credit, Tom and all his staff, it has been a quick turnaround, probably the quickest we have had from being gelded to back to the races.” Street Artist was a well-supported $1.55 favourite off the back of an impressive jumpout and the rare booking of Mark Zahra at a Friday meeting was also a key indicator of confidence in the camp. “We have a pretty high opinion of him, he has always shown a lot of ability, and it was nice to see him produce,” Freedman said. “You don’t get Mark (Zahra) down the highway very often, so it was nice to get him down here to ride him.” Bred by Waikato Stud, Street Artist is by resident sire Super Seth, whom the Freedman’s trained to a stunning Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) win, coming from the clouds to defeat Alligator Blood. Out of Pink Graffiti, a half-sister to Group One winners Vision And Power and Glamour Puss, Street Artist was a $475,000 yearling purchase by Freedman and is raced by a syndicate headed by Yulong, which also includes Waikato Stud and a host of prominent names. “He was a beautiful type, he looked like a sharper type of Super Seth. He was probably Anthony’s (Freedman) pick of the sale,” Freedman said. “He and Tentyris (Blue Diamond runner up and Todman Stakes winner) have been the two we have ear-marked the whole way through. One had the brain for it as a colt and the other one didn’t but we hold this horse in high regard. We will plot a path through the spring and find a nice race for him.” Street Artist holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) on September 27. View the full article

“Robby, why don't we just take one?” After a long delay sitting on a tarmac leaving Kentucky for the Timonium 2-year-old sale, Stuart Angus and I arrived to find an understaffed rental car counter, with a line that appeared to be hours long. He figured we could short-circuit the process by getting in a car and bluffing our way through the gate agent. It nearly worked; the agent's hand hovered over the button to raise the gate, before she said, “Oh, you need a rental agreement, not just a reservation.” Undeterred, as I sheepishly returned the car to where we found it, Stuart found a passing lot agent, put his arm around him, and practically dragged him to the preferred desk. “My man Robby just needs a car. You can do it for us.” Sure enough, we were soon on our way. It perfectly encapsulates Stuart: a little mischievous, but with the salesmanship to get any deal done. What started out as a professional relationship, as Stuart was our account manager at Taylor Made, soon developed into something much deeper, as Stuart and I quickly bonded over our East Coast upbringings, interest in great food, and mostly importantly, a shared affection for good-natured ribbing. All of the mornings spent looking at horses at Watercress, shedrow observations at sales, and back-ring strategy sessions made me a better horseman, but it was the car rides, dinners on the road, and post-sale beers by the popcorn machine that made me a better man. I took every chance I could to introduce Stuart to my friends from outside of the thoroughbred business, who all were as captivated as I was. He became part of our family, joining us last Thanksgiving and serving as my daughter's emergency contact at school. He was a larger-than-life figure, one of those guys that whatever story you heard about him, you just assumed it was true. On that same Maryland trip, I got to see Stuart not in his traditional Taylor Made role, but as a civilian. Walking around the sale grounds, it felt like I was with royalty. Pinhookers, agents, and barn staff alike, all were thrilled to see Stuart. It was because he had a way of making everyone feel like the most important person in the room when he talked with them. It's the same reason that his passing has not just affected those of us closest to him, but our spouses, children, and friends outside the business. I am going to try to hold on to that piece of Stuart the most, especially when having a beer by the popcorn machine. The post Letter to the Editor: Stu Story #5 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Challenge, presented by GaineswayView the full article

What Doomben Races Where Doomben Racecourse – 75 Hampden St, Ascot QLD 4007 When Saturday, September 6, 2025 First Race 11:58am AEST Visit Dabble Racing in Queensland returns to Doomben on Saturday with a competitive nine-race meeting scheduled. With perfect conditions forecast, the track will likely be a Good 4 come the opening affair, despite it being a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances. The rail comes out 2.5m the entire circuit, with the opening event scheduled to commence at 11:58am AEST. Best Bet at Doomben: Bunker Hut Sydney visitor Bunker Hut appeals as one of the better plays of the day in the second leg of the quaddie. He gets the rails draw and a crucial 3kg claim for Jace McMurray, which brings him in light enough to use his tactical speed without burning petrol. His profile screams “third-up improver”, and he’s run well around stronger company than many of these. If the inside is holding, the map is ideal: box seat, track the leader, shoulder out at the corner. With a clean break and even luck in transit, Bunker Hut will prove too classy late. Best Bet Race 7 – #4 Bunker Hut (1) 5yo Gelding | T: Michael Freedman | J: Jace McMurray (a3) (59.5kg) Next Best at Doomben: Sunrays Sunrays returns in a QTIS 3YO 1200m that sets up perfectly for him. He’s drawn to stalk from gate eight, gets the 1.5kg claim for Emily Lang, and brings metro-grade figures that comfortably top this field. The Kelly Schweida-trained colt is tractable, quick out of the machines, and has already handled give in the ground — exactly what you want at Doomben when the rail’s out a touch. With match fitness from recent work and a map to land in the first four, Sunrays should kick clear late. Next Best Race 4 – #1 Sunrays (8) 3yo Colt | T: Kelly Schweida | J: Emily Lang (a1.5) (60kg) Best Value at Doomben: Four Ace Lightly raced and still on the up, Four Ace looks beautifully placed in the Class 3 1350m. He resumed with a tidy win and now draws the pole to control his own luck — a big tick at this circuit. Jake Bayliss can hold the fence behind the speed, angle off the leader’s hip at the 600m, and use the gelding’s sustained kick to put a margin on them before the chase begins. He meets a few honest types, but his ceiling looks higher than Class 3 and the map screams “economical run” at a big price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Value Race 6 – #3 Four Ace (1) 4yo Gelding | T: Corey & Kylie Geran | J: Jake Bayliss (59.5kg) Doomben Race-By-Race Tips – September 6, 2025 Race 1 – 2-3-5-8 Race 2 – 1-6-7-2 Race 3 – 2-3-4-9 Race 4 – 1-5-3-2 Race 5 – 18-2-5-10 Race 6 – 3-5-4-10 Race 7 – 4-2-8-6 Race 8 – 3-8-3-2 Race 9 – 17-10-5-2 Doomben quaddie tips – Saturday 6/9/2025 Doomben quadrella selections Saturday, September 6, 2025 3-4-5-10-16 2-4-8 2-3-6-8-11 2-5-10-17 Horse racing tips View the full article

Race 2 PAKURANGA HUNT “VALE LAMU” HURDLE 3100m BILLY BOY (J Parker) – Trainer Ms. J Rathbone reported to Stewarts, she was satisfied with the post-race condition of BILLY BOY, and it is the intention to continue his preparation. Race 4 HOWDEN INSURANCE PAKURANGA HUNT CUP 4300m LEITRIM LAD (E Farr) – Trainer Mr. E Green advised Stewards, he was satisfied with the post-race condition of LAITRIM LAD, and it is his intention to carry on with the gelding’s current preparation. The post Racing Te Aroha @ Te Aroha, Sunday 31 August 2025 appeared first on Racing Integrity Board. View the full article

Race 5 STALLION TENDER NOW OPEN RATING 75 1200m MAKABAR (S Weatherley) – Co-trainer Mr. M Pitman advised Stewards, MAKABAR has been retired from racing. The post Canterbury Jockey Club @ Riccarton Park, Saturday 30 August 2025 appeared first on Racing Integrity Board. View the full article

Race 6 TAKE IT EASY TOURS 1600m ZANZIBAR (J Riddell) – Trainer Mr. A Forsman reported to Stewards, he was satisfied with the post-race condition of the gelding, however, ZANZIBAR has now been sent for a spell. The post Wanganui Jockey Club @ Wanganui, Saturday 30 August 2025 appeared first on Racing Integrity Board. View the full article

Te Akau Racing will hold a strong hand on Proisir Plate Day at Ellerslie on Saturday, particularly in the age group features. Exciting three-year-old Hostility will kick-off his spring preparation in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m), for which he is a $2.70 favourite with TAB bookmakers. A $1.65 million New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale purchase by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, the son of I Am Invincible impressed as a juvenile, finishing runner-up in both of his starts, including the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). He has returned as a three-year-old with two trials, including victory in his 800m heat at Ellerslie last week, and trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are hoping to see him fire first-up on Saturday. “I am excited to see him back at the races,” Sam Bergerson said. “He has trialled twice now and I thought his trial at Ellerslie was really good. “It is hard to get a line on him because he is such a laidback colt and has been going through the motions a little bit, so blinkers go on tomorrow. “Off his two-year-old form, I suppose he deserves favouritism, and we think he has improved both physically and mentally from two to three.” He will be joined in the race by stablemate He Who Dares, who is also first-up after a pleasing two-year-old season, which included a second placing in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) and fifth placing in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). “He is certainly not out of it,” Bergerson said. “He has drawn barrier one, Gryllsy (Craig Grylls, jockey) knows him really well. “He went up there last Thursday for a gallop at Ellerslie and worked really nicely with older stablemate Cool ‘N’ Fast. “He has got a good, positive racing style, which I think is really going to suit tomorrow. “He worked with Hostility here (Matamata) on the course proper on Wednesday and it was very hard to split them off their work. He is very forward in the coat, so I am confident he will run really well there tomorrow.” In the fillies’ corresponding race, the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), the stable also leads the market with In Haste at $3.80. The daughter of Snitzel will carry the TAB Cancer Society Daffodil Day silks, and if victorious, will raise $2,000 for the charity. She won and finished runner-up in her two juvenile starts and was victorious in her first hit-out as a three-year-old over 1100m at Taupo last month, and Bergerson is confident of seeing an improved performance this weekend. “She should improve from that first-up effort at Taupo,” he said. “I think the better track suits her as well. Opie (Bosson, jockey) said she got away with it at Taupo but struggled in the ground (Heavy9). “I am looking forward to seeing her on a better surface (rated a Soft5 on Friday morning). She has tidied up in the coat. We haven’t had to do too much with her from Taupo. She is not a big, robust type of filly, she doesn’t take a lot of work. “She goes in in good order tomorrow albeit in a very strong race, so we will get a good line on her.” Stablemate Queen’s Evidence will make her first appearance in the North Island in the race, with all three of her two-year-old starts occurring out of Te Akau’s Riccarton base, including a last-start runner-up effort in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m). “She has a different form line, with the South Island form there, but I thought her trial at Te Awamutu was pleasing and she certainly warrants a shot at black-type first-up,” Bergerson said. “She is nice and forward and her work has been really good. I am excited to see her back at the races.” Bergerson will also have his eyes on his own filly, Too Sweet, who will line-up in the race for his father, Roydon Bergerson. The Satono Aladdin filly arrived at Bergerson’s Matamata stable on Friday, a place she frequented a lot as a juvenile when campaigning in the north. “She has done the trip a couple of times, so she should cope with that,” he said. “She had a bit of a quiet trial. “Unfortunately, she has been plagued by bad barriers her whole life, which doesn’t change much on Saturday (11).” Te Akau will also have a two-pronged attack in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m), courtesy of Qali Al Farrasha and Quintessa. “I am excited to see both of them kick-off for hopefully exciting spring campaigns,” Bergerson said. “Qali has got a really good record at Ellerslie. 1400m is a bit short of her best, but she is fresh and well and goes into the race in good order. “Quintessa is back from an Australian campaign, so I am excited to see her back on New Zealand soil. She has had that one trial at Te Rapa but galloped really nicely up there at Ellerslie on Thursday. “Quintessa is going to need a lot of luck form out there (barrier 16), but I am confident she is going to run a lot better than her odds. She is going in bright and well and we think we couldn’t have her any better. Off her best form, she is certainly capable.” Meanwhile across the Tasman, Te Akau Racing’s exciting three-year-old filly La Dorada will test her talent against some of Australia’s best sprinters in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on Saturday, where she will carry just 50kg. She impressed as a juvenile in her homeland when winning the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and Te Akau are hoping she can continue her golden run into her three-year-old season. “She is arguably one of the best two-year-olds of last season,” Bergerson said. “She has got to take that next step now, but Mark (Walker) and the team are really excited. “With the barrier draw (11), they are going to need a lot of luck. You will probably see her settle in the back half of the field. Hopefully it is a really good springboard for an exciting spring campaign for her. “They will know a lot after Saturday, and hopefully it can culminate with a Thousand Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) over there. “It is an exciting day for the team on both sides of the Tasman.” View the full article

Controversy marred Ceolwulf’s (NZ) (Tavistock) return in the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) but trainer Joe Pride has taken a philosophical view of Chad Schofield’s ride, backing horse and jockey to make amends at Randwick. Schofield was criticised on social media for scouting wide on Ceolwulf around the home turn as eventual winner and runner-up, Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) and Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio), saved ground closer to the inside. Ceolwulf flashed home to finish fourth, beaten 2-1/2 lengths, and while Pride said Schofield may have taken a different option if given his time again, he was equally adamant it was an on-the-spot call made for the right reasons. “It was a first-up run and he was playing the percentages,” Pride said. “Normally coming out wide on heavy tracks without getting kick back is the thing to do. It was a split second decision. “Chad was the first one to put his hand up and say it was the wrong one. That’s racing, we move on and here we are second-up. “The inside draw on Saturday will hopefully make Chad’s job a little bit easier and I can’t wait to get to the races with him.” Ceolwulf will have his next start in the Gr.2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick and is a dominant even money favourite. Pride is heading there bullish, saying that while the result might not have been perfect first-up, he couldn’t fault the horse’s performance and that has given him confidence Ceolwulf can return to the form he showed last year when winning a brace of majors. “It looked like the Ceolwulf of last spring,” he said. “He’s got a really distinctive galloping action and it just looked exactly like it did when he won the King Charles (III Stakes, (Gr.1, 1600m)) and the Epsom (Handicap (Gr.1, 1600m)), the way he was stretching out.” View the full article

Co-trainer Tom Charlton has a novel take on Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) being dealt an early slice of bad luck by drawing an outside gate for his Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) return at Randwick. “One way of looking at it is we’d rather get it out of the way early,” Charlton said. “It’s his first-up run and it’s a run that is going to get him to his next couple of runs so it’s not the end of the world by any means. “He’s got good improvement from Saturday.” As is the case for many of his Tramway Stakes (1400m) rivals, Linebacker’s primary targets fall deeper in the spring. The Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner is being aimed towards the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in October when he will be hoping for a measure of redemption following a luckless eighth in the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) over the same course and distance last autumn. The Epsom will be a fork in the road and determine whether Linebacker is freshened for the Golden Eagle (1500m), which is Plan A, or possibly put on a Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) path. “It’s an option. You could make a good case for him potentially getting to 2000 metres and he is shaping that way,” Charlton said of the Cox Plate. “All roads lead to the Epsom but we could consider going up in trip if needed, if the 1500 was looking a bit sharp for the Golden Eagle.” While Linebacker is expected to improve on whatever he produces first-up, he does have a strong fresh record and the stable has advised stewards he will be ridden positively from the outside gate. Meanwhile, the Brad Widdup-trained Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) will take on the likes of Group One winners Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Inancto), Mornington Glory (Shalaa) and Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick after being scratched from the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) in Melbourne. The gelding claimed the Gr.2 Challenge Stakes over the Randwick 1000-metre course first-up in the autumn and Widdup is keen to see how he measures up on Saturday. “He’s at the pointy end now. There is no hiding and ducking and weaving with him,” Widdup said. “I’ve got to see how he competes and go from there. “He’s not one of those horses you can put in a race and be overconfident with but if he gets the right sort of run he can be very dynamic. “He’s a good first-up horse and he is in pretty good order.” Jedibeel is owned by Mulberry Racing which has secured an Everest slot for the first time this year. View the full article

The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes concede the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) will not be an easy assignment for Oak Hill (NZ) (Per Incanto), but the stable is confident the sprinter can turn around his form. A first-up winner over the 1000m journey at Moonee Valley last month, Oak Hill returns to the track and trip for Saturday’s Group One contest looking to put behind him a disappointing fifth of seven when sent out favourite at his most recent outing. That was in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) and Ben Hayes said the stable had subsequently changed up Oak Hill’s training program to have the sprinter not as fresh going into Saturday’s race. “We trusted him into the race, keeping him fresh, and he raced fresh,” Hayes said. “This time, we’ve changed our training a little bit into this race. He’s been working well at home, he’s been super relaxed. “You’re always learning with horses, and we trusted him. We trusted him into his first-up run and he was nice and relaxed and then we just wanted to keep him happy for last time with only two weeks between runs. “I think with that last run, and a gallop on Monday, you will see a totally different horse.” Hayes said Mark Zahra was a victim of circumstance at The Valley last time, but at the same time he was happy to have Blake Shinn back aboard the sprinter after the jockey guided Oak Hill in his first two wins for the stable. And Hayes is not put off by drawing out in gate 11 in the 14-horse field. “I think the wide draw is good for him,” Hayes said. “There is good speed in the race. He’ll hopefully get in that three-wide line with a bit of cover. “Last start, he missed the start a bit, ran up bums and was a little bit aggressive, plus he’s a momentum horse. “He was building up momentum and then he got held up and had to go again. When horses over-race early, then they get their momentum stopped, it’s very hard for them to go again. “It’s a hard race, but if he gets the right run, I think he will be in the finish.” View the full article

Erin Leighton will continue her comeback to raceday riding when she heads to Otaki on Saturday to pilot debutant Sea Wolf in the AR Painters Maiden (1400m) for employer Roydon Bergerson. The 33-year-old hoop’s name had been absent from the racebook for three years following injury, but she made her return last Saturday at Wanganui where she had two rides, and scored a placing aboard the Bergerson-trained Our Giulia. Leighton is rapt to be back in the saddle on raceday, admitting she missed the thrill of competition. “I love it. I am thrilled to be back,” she said. After years of rehabilitation, Leighton was told last year by surgeons that she would never ride again, but she showed grit and determination to double down on her rehabilitation and proved that initial prognosis wrong. “I never thought it was going to be possible, but I finally got there,” she said. “It has been about three years (since I last rode at the races). I broke my back in a raceday fall and it took four months to get over that. “Not long after I got back riding trackwork I busted a shoulder and had to have that operated on, which hasn’t been super successful. “At Christmas last year they said I would never ride again. The surgeon kept wanting to follow the injury to see how it would eventuate and the last time I went up there he couldn’t deny the rehab I had done and the muscle I had built. Every position he tested me in I was strong enough, so he signed me off to ride again.” While her shoulder injury has impacted Leighton’s range of motion, she has adapted her riding style. “I am pain free, but I have had to change the way I use my right arm, and that goes for trackwork and even living every day, there are a lot of things I can’t do with that arm anymore,” she said. “As far as the riding position, it works perfectly fine, I have just had to adjust. I have been riding a lot of trackwork all year and have figured it out.” When she was given the news that she would never ride on raceday, Leighton began to think about her career out of the saddle and elected to head to Massey University in Palmerston North to pursue a career as a veterinarian. While studying, she began to work for local trainer Roydon Bergerson, who she said has been instrumental in her return. “After they told me I couldn’t ride again, I started thinking about what else I would like to do and I decided I would go to university, and I thought I would pay for my uni fees by riding some trackwork,” she said. “I started riding for Roydon Bergerson and got the bug again. I went to the races a few times for him strapping and I thought I would rather ride them. “I thought I would try intense rehab and see how I go, and I finally got there. Roydon has been a massive supporter, so that has been fantastic for me.” This Saturday will be in stark contrast to this time last year for Leighton, who was presenting on horseback for Trackside at Hasting’s Tarzino Trophy Day. “Last year I was at the Group One day working for Trackside, and that was a lot of fun, but I would much rather be riding at the lesser meeting than presenting at the bigger meeting,” she said. “It was a really good learning curve for me. I am naturally pretty shy, so having to put myself out there like that was good for me.” Leighton is looking forward to riding Sea Wolf at Otaki and said she will be suited over more ground in time. “She has had a stack of trials,” Leighton said. “I think she wants to stay a bit, even though she is only small. She is quite a nice shape and the more ground she is getting over, the better feel she is starting to give. “I think she will hopefully handle the wet track tomorrow, but it is a big ask. She is brave and pretty tough, so I think she will do her best no matter what.” Looking ahead to Sunday, Leighton will hop aboard two favourites at Woodville, including Turn It Up in the Pahiatua Ladies 1200 and Wingman in the Woodville 150YR Milestone 1400, both for Bergerson. “Turn It Up is an interesting horse, but she is really tough and fast,” Leighton said. “She loves to run, which is half the problem, because you have got to try and put a lid on her all of the time. “She loves her job and she will try extremely hard. I think she will get through the conditions and she is pretty fit for the job, so she should be right there. “Wingman is a question mark. If they get all of that rain he may be scratched. But I am very grateful to get on him, he is one that has got a bit of gas, and it will be good to get some speed under me. I think he will be really hard to beat if he does line-up.” View the full article