Wandering Eyes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With one dominating win after another so far this season, it was time for a new challenge for the imposing 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). Her trainer Kenny McPeek gave it to her on Saturday when he announced that Thorpedo Anna will make her next start in the $1.25 million Grade I Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 24. McPeek made the announcement during the Fox Saratoga Saturday broadcast. “We are headed to the Travers, and I'm going to give you a list of reasons why,” said McPeek, who urged fans attending Travers Day who are rooting for Thorpedo Anna to wear pink to the races that day. “I spoke to David O'Rourke last Sunday or Monday, reached out to him, you know how do we approach this if we do this? I'm a big believer that the sport needs stars. It needs to be promoted, it needs to be lifted. She can do that and we're lucky that she's there to do that. The Alabama was a race that is going to be really boring if I run in it. Nobody is going to run against me, I'm pretty sure of that. She could go out there and knock out a third one for us, but I don't think that's a big enough challenge for her.” McPeek said that Thorpedo Anna had worked against future Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) all winter long. “She made him huff and puff on a regular basis. She helped him win the Kentucky Derby because she got him ready. He would come back and go, `woah, what is that?' And then she's worked against Gould's Gold (Goldencents) and he can't handle her at all. She gallops out way in front of him. So we're going to get a little bit of a barometer on that today (in the Jim Dandy). It's a challenge, it hasn't been done in a long time, she's a great eater, she loves what she does every day and she's here on what I'm going to call her home track now, with two wins over the track. So let's give NYRA a chance to prepare for everything, let's give the Alabama (time) to draw enough entries because it's still a great race and let's see if we can do something magical.” At 6:30 Saturday morning, McPeek schooled Thorpedo Anna in the starting gate at the Oklahoma Training Track. He said then that he would huddle with owners Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy B. Hicks and his wife Sherri (Magdalena Racing) later in the day before announcing the decision. Thorpedo Anna has won all four of her starts this year-all against fillies-by a combined 18 ¾ lengths. She was last seen winning the GI Coaching Club American Oaks by 41/2 lengths at Saratoga on July 20. She won with ease despite hopping at the start. “There is a little bit of added pressure,” McPeek said Saturday morning about running against males. “But she is such a superstar. She is so great to be around. (Jockey Brian Hernandez) hasn't laid the whip on her all year. We really don't know how good she is.” In her seven career starts, Thorpedo Anna has won six times. The last filly to run in the Travers was Wonder Gadot, who finished 10th, and last, in 2018. In the 154 prior editions of the Midsummer Derby, fillies have won it four times. It hasn't happened since 1915 when Lady Rotha did it. McPeek said he also considered keeping Thorpedo Anna with her own kind. The $600,000 GI Alabama is the biggest race for 3-year-old fillies on the Saratoga calendar. The Alabama, like the Travers, is run at 1 ¼ miles. “If we were to run her against the fillies, the Alabama probably would be a bit of a non-event, which is wonderful, I suppose,” McPeek said. “But is it good for the sport? The (Travers) purse is twice as much and I get five pounds. I'm not scared to do it.” McPeek said one of the reasons he schooled Thorpedo Anna in the starting gate was because of the start in the CCA Oaks. He said he will take her to the gate again a couple more times before the Travers. Thorpedo Anna is scheduled to work next Saturday, McPeek said. “I think it's fun doing this kind of stuff,” he said. “It just makes the sport more interesting, doesn't it?” The post Thorpedo Anna Will Run Against The Boys In The Travers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A panel examing "Establishing No-Effect Thresholds and the Importance for the Industry" was featured on the third day of the National HBPA conference July 26 at Prairie Meadows. View the full article

Blue Rose Cen looks to turn the tables on defending race titleholder Mqse De Sevigne and return to top form in the July 28 Prix Rothschild (G1).View the full article

In his first start since finishing third in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March, NAKATOMI (g, 5, Firing Line–Applelicious, by Flatter) earned Grade I glory stateside Saturday, upsetting even-money favorite Skelly (Practical Joke) to win the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga. The 7-2 shot was content to let the favorite off on a loose lead up the backstretch but, just as Skelly looked to have things put away off the far turn, Nakatomi surged up alongside past the furlong marker and cruised right on by to win. Skelly held for second while Twisted Ride (Great Notion) outran his 34-1 odds to fill the trifecta. Lifetime Record: 18-6-2-6. O-Qatar Racing LLC and Mrs. Fitriani Hay; B-Arnold Zetcher LLC & Crestwood Farm; T-Wesley A. Ward. Sales History: $18,000 wlg '19 KEENOV, $25,000 ylg '20 FTKOCT, $205,000 4yo '23 FTKHRA. NAKATOMI makes a huge comeback with a win in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) with @Tyler_Gaff aboard for trainer Wesley Ward and owner @Qatar_Racing. pic.twitter.com/QmvUYGY3p8 — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) July 27, 2024 The post Nakatomi Upsets Skelly In Alfred G. Vanderbilt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

3rd-DMR, $75K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 6:04 p.m. ET. The Three Amigos–Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman–send out yet another first timer trained by Bob Baffert in EMERALD BAY (Nyquist). Last year's top-priced yearling colt for his sire was taken home by the trio for $700,000 during Keeneland September. The juvenile is out of G. Watts Humphrey homebred and GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes heroine Romantic Vision (Lemon Drop Kid), who foaled a colt by City of Light Mar. 29. TJCIS PPS The post Sunday Insights: Nyquist Colt Looks To Shine At The Seaside Oval appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A pinch of seasoning produced a maiden-breaking recipe for Simulate (Kitten's Joy) Saturday in the opener at Saratoga Race Course. Making his second career start for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Simulate was in front from gate to wire on the inner turf course to win the $100,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds by a head over State's Rights (Constitution). The son of Camou (War Front), a half-sister to GI winner Lea, completed the 1 1/16 miles contest in 1:45.46. He paid $19.60 as the 8-1 fourth choice in the field of 10. Mott prepped the Claiborne Farm-Adele B. Dilschneider homebred on June 23 at Aqueduct and said that the no-factor sixth in a six-furlong sprint had him ready for round two. “We just wanted to get a race in him for experience,” Mott said, “because we knew we were coming to Saratoga and a lot of the horses that win in Saratoga have had a race under their belt.” Mission accomplished. Simulate got what he needed. “Yeah, absolutely,” Mott said. “It worked out today.” State's Rights, who finished well after stumbling at the start, and fourth-place West Beach (Omaha Beach) were the only horses in the race with a previous start. West Beach missed third by a neck. Simulate was Mott's sixth victory of the meet and his first in an open maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. Under Jose Lezcano, Simulate broke well from his inside post and grabbed the lead. They covered the first quarter mile in :24.38 and put themselves in an enviable position with a dawdling second quarter in :27.13. “They slowed the pace down,” Mott said. “The rail's out. They cut the corner. Speed's tough if they go slow enough in the first part. That was good.” Bill Mott and Jose Lezcano | Sarah Andrew Before going out to the paddock to saddle a horse in the second race, Mott watched two replays of Simulate's win. The pan and head-on shots gave Mott more insight into what he had seen live through his binoculars. “Just that he's got some acceleration,” Mott said. “He kind of re-broke off a slow pace. He turned for home and he asked him to kick and he gave him a few good strides where he accelerated. He got away from them and that's all it took.” Simulate also showed some grit when Warlander (Kitten's Joy) and then State's Rights served up some pressure. “He got hooked up at the quarter pole,” Mott said. “They ran to him.” Simulate spurted away a bit at the top of the stretch and then dug in approaching the wire. “I'm not overly surprised,” Mott said. “We've liked him in his training. He's done nothing wrong.” Two turns it is for #2 Simulate, who graduates at second asking in R1 at Saratoga for trainer Bill Mott with Jose Lezcano in the irons! The 2YO colt by Kitten's Joy went off at 8/1. pic.twitter.com/hzYCmQuc0G — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) July 27, 2024 1st-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 7-27, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.46, fm, head. SIMULATE (c, 2, Kitten's Joy–Camou, by War Front) tried six furlongs on debut at Aqueduct June 23 but ran a steady sixth at 11-1 odds. On the stretch out Saturday, the 8-1 shot, breaking from the rail, sought the lead from the opening strides and rated nicely up front through fractions of :24.38 and :51.51. Set down off the turn, he got a bit of early breathing room but then had to hold off a calvary charge of runners to the wire and just got the better end of a bob to win by a head over States' Rights (Constitution) in a driving finish. Simulate is the first winner out of an unraced half-sister to GISW and Claiborne stallion Lea (First Samuari). Camou has since produced a yearling filly by Catholic Boy but was barren to Blame for this year. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $55,675. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider (KY); T-William I. Mott. The post ‘Veteran’ Simulate Shows the Way in Saratoga Maiden Special appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bright Future (Curlin), a last out winner of the Salvator Mile Stakes at Monmouth June 15, posted his final work in preparation for next Saturday's GI Whitney, covering a half-mile in :48.75 (32/104) Saturday over the Saratoga Race Course main track. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, last year's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes winner went in company with MGSW and Whitney possible Charge It (Tapit). “He worked well and I'm happy with him,” Pletcher said. “Charge It also went well. I think Bright Future is training great and his works have all been solid. He's enthusiastic in his gallops.” Pletcher could also be represented in the Whitney by Crupi (Curlin). He made the grade two starts back with a strong victory in the GII Suburban June 8 and followed with a runner-up effort to Next (Not This Time)–the marathon division's clear leader–in the 1 3/8-mile GII Brooklyn July 5 at Belmont at the Big A. “We're leaning towards running, but we haven't committed yet,” Pletcher said. “I'll talk to the owners, and we'll see if we take a shot with him.” MGSW and last out GI Stephen Foster Stakes third Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) worked a half-mile in company in :49.97 (77/104) Saturday over the Saratoga Race Course main track in preparation for a possible start in the Whitney. “It was a good breeze. We had him sit off his workmate a little bit and just come up inside him and finish up together,” trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. “We let him go out a little bit on his own and we got that–just a chance to build his confidence and let him blow some air.” MGSW Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) breezed five furlongs in 1:02 (15/26) Saturday over the fast main track. Trainer Antonio Sano confirmed the chestnut for the Whitney after the solo breeze under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. “Yes,” Sano said regarding entering the Whitney tomorrow. “I hope the horse is good in the Whitney. No easy race, but our horse has a very good chance and I'll try.” He added, “I liked the gallop out. John Velazquez rode the horse very easy and let him loose in the last two furlongs.” The post Bright Future Leads Whitney Workers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Unraced since a gate scratch in the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes in March, Speak Easy (Constitution) returned to the races off a six-month layoff Saturday to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star'. A dazzling debut winner going seven furlongs at Gulfstream in January, the WinStar and Siena Farm-owned colt tossed up a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in a race that has since produced Sir Barton Stakes winner Corporate Power (Curlin) and GIII Ohio Derby victor Batten Down (Tapit). Shortened to six furlongs for his first start back, Speak Easy was outrun by runners on all sides from the middle of the gate and quickly found himself in the second flight while kept just to the outside of the field to avoid the kickback. A solo fifth into the far turn as Mariachi (Maclean's Music) paced the leaders, the 3-5 favorite had plenty to do to keep up but began to eat into the gap midway around the turn and fanned out five-wide past the quarter pole. Under only a shake of the reins from Irad Ortiz, Jr., Speak Easy began to gobble up the ground down the center of the track, drew past an embattled Mariachi at the sixteenth marker and won going away with his ears pricked on the line to stay perfect in his young career. The 11th 'TDN Rising Star' for WinStar stallion Constitution, who was a 'Rising Star' himself, Speak Easy is the second foal and only winner to date out of GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes third Fun (Harlan's Holiday) who was purchased by WinStar Farm for $400,000 at FTKNOV in 2017. Fun is a half to stakes winner Home Run Maker (Into Mischief) and to the dam of stakes-placed colt Open Road (Quality Road). She has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Geaux Amy (Improbable), a yearling Twirling Candy colt and foaled a filly by Jack Christopher this year before visiting Americanrevolution for 2025. #5 Speak Easy stays perfect in R4 at Saratoga, returning to the races off a 6-month layoff! This 3YO colt was piloted by @iradortiz for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners @winstarfarm and @SienaFarmKY. pic.twitter.com/ZxLcknbTjo — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) July 27, 2024 4th-Saratoga, $110,000, Alw, 7-27, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 6f, 1:11.17, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. SPEAK EASY, c, 3, Constitution 1st Dam: Fun {GISP, $128,729}, by Harlan's Holiday 2nd Dam: Home Run, by Empire Maker 3rd Dam: Ninth Inning, by Meadowlake Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $102,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com cataloguestyle pedigree. O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. The post Constitution’s Speak Easy Backs Up Dazzling Debut With ‘Rising Star’ Win At Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Christophe Soumillon delivered Goliath to perfection in the July 27 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot, becoming the first French-trained winner of the prestigious group 1 since 2006.View the full article

On the final day of the National National HBPA Conference at Prairie Meadows a panel entitled “Establishing No-Effect Thresholds and the Importance for the Industry” was led by practicing equine veterinarian and researcher Dr. Clara Fenger. She cited the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority's enabling legislation that HISA-covered horses “should compete only when they are free from the influence of medications …” (her emphasis added). Fenger's point: Testing many substances to limit of detection–if the lab can find it, it's a violation, no matter how tiny the amount and whether it impacts the horse's performance or not –actually goes against the federal law that set up the HISA corporation. She said HISA has justified not having more threshold levels by saying that certain substances have no business being in a racehorse at any level. Also on the panel were Dr. Thomas Tobin, a pioneer in equine testing, and Dr. Rob Holland, another equine practitioner who globally consults on infectious diseases. The discussion also featured horse trainer Ron Moquett, who shared his own story on environmental transfer. All four made the case that horse racing must adopt “no-effect” thresholds in racehorse testing for substances that are readily present in the environment. Such policy requires science-based testing levels, below which any trace level findings are disregarded because they have no pharmacological effect on a horse. Tobin for years has been using the term “irrelevant” findings. The National HBPA and its CEO Eric Hamelback have been the leading advocates for no-effect thresholds, saying it is unfair to sanction trainers and penalize their owners when horses are disqualified from purse money for the presence of a tiny amount of a substance they couldn't have prevented. The National HBPA currently has a petition before the Federal Trade Commission asking the federal agency, which is tasked with overseeing HISA, to enact such policies. Tobin has been working on no-effect thresholds since 1994. That work includes this year publishing documentation and recommendation of a methamphetamine threshold of 1 nanogram per milliliter of plasma. He referenced research published in 2019 that showed blood levels testing as high as 88.4 ng/mL with no signs of neuron-stimulation or cardio effect. A coalition of researchers that includes Tobin and Fenger has published research recommending testing thresholds for a dozen substances that have been showing up in horses seemingly through environmental or human transfer. As an example: One recommendation awaiting publication is for the heavily prescribed painkiller Tramadol, with Tobin observing a Kentucky trainer served a suspension for a finding of less than 3 ng/mL of urine. “There was absolutely no possibility of pharmacological effect,” Tobin said. “I have proposed that anything below 50 nanograms per mL of Tramadol as a metabolite in urine should not be considered of any significance.” Holland said every horse that races could potentially pick up trace levels of a prohibited substance from 20 to 30 different–and routine–contact points. Those might include not just the trainer or groom but a van driver, a horse drinking out of another horse's water bucket in the test barn, the prior horse in that stall in the receiving barn, pony riders and outriders, the test-barn employee known as the “pee-catcher”, veterinarians and many others. Even dogs and cats around a barn. Holland also said as part of an investigation into the risks of environmental contamination, they swabbed 12 stalls at a track that has a large yearling sale and all 12 tested for Dexamethasone and Acepromazine, which are not allowed to be in a horse's system for a race. He said one of the swabs was high enough that it would have triggered an adverse finding in a racehorse. Even with thorough cleaning, he said the honeycomb design of the stall floor mats made it impossible to eliminate all the dirt. “That stall should be subject to a $25,000 fine and two years where you can't compete,” Moquett joked, “if they treated the racetracks like they treat the trainers.” Dr. Rob Holland | Denis Blake/NHBPA Added Holland: “That's why we have to explain these things to people: There are things that are out of your control as a trainer. Like the stall they assign to you. You clean it the best you can, but sometimes you're still going to have a problem. And this is what the data is showing.” He said the diabetes medication Metformin, for which HIWU has called a number of adverse findings, lends itself to environmental transfer. Metformin is given daily to humans in large doses and is excreted in its original form. That's a problem given a backstretch habit of humans urinating in a stall when a bathroom isn't handy, he said. “The fact that 20 to 30 individual contacts could occur, and that's the No. 3 drug in the world to treat humans, your odds of getting urine environmental transfer are getting higher and higher with Metformin,” Holland said. “I give a lot of tracks credit. They saw there weren't enough bathrooms so they put Port-A-Potties everywhere. The problem with Port-A-Potties is how do you wash your hands?” Holland also is involved in a project testing the water at racetracks. “Metformin, caffeine, codeine, Tramadol–many of these medications at low levels are coming out of your water sources, because they can't get it out of the treatment plant areas,” he said. “We're building a database for this. It could have added meaning. If (your horse) came in contact with Metformin from an individual but you're also drinking low-levels in your water, that could be enough to get you over the threshold level for a test in a racing situation.” Moquett, who is on HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group, learned the hard way how easy it can be for a horse to pick up a substance banned for racing. He was cited in November by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) for his horse Speed Bias having a post-test finding for a local anesthetic. Through spending a lot of money and effort, Moquett was ultimately held blameless, though the horse remained disqualified from purse money. What happened is that Moquett had a different horse castrated in a stall nine days earlier, with the veterinarian using the same anesthetic to inject the testicles–all duly reported to HISA–before Speed Bias shipped in to run out of the same stall. Fortunately for Moquett, the track's barn video documented the effort the trainer's crew underwent to strip, clean and sanitize the stall–on three separate occasions, he said. Moquett said his big concern is the erosion of confidence in the sport by treating irrelevant levels of substances common in the environment as major rule violations. “We're trying to explain to the people in charge to set levels, to where you're not catching and accusing for things that have no effect on racing,” he said. Moquett stressed that trainers also must make it clear to employees that “it's not OK to urinate in the stalls. It's not OK to take your Red Bull in (the stall) with you. It's not OK to put your coffee cup in a feed tub…. I hate to say this, but if there's someone on Metformin for blood pressure (working for him or asking about a job), I'm going to have to try to find someone who may not be.” Fenger praised the National HBPA and its affiliates for providing funding for the threshold studies. Moquett encouraged HBPA affiliates to keep the money coming, saying, “Probably more than anything going on today, the work they're doing has the biggest effect on the outcome of our sport.” Regarding Purse Accounts: Trust But Verify The presentation called “Show Me The Money” featured Gunner LaCour, president of CHRIMS Inc., which specializes in pari-mutuel distributions, settlements, editing and reporting and the only independent provider of settlements in the United States. LaCour, who started the company in California with the Thoroughbred Owners of California as a stakeholder, said that whether horsemen's groups opt to use his non-profit or another company, they should enlist a company that can provide daily audits to ensure horsemen are getting all the purse money to which they are entitled in an increasing complicated environment. LaCour said it's important for horsemen to know all their revenue streams and every aspect of those streams–or they risk literally leaving money on the table. He said roadblocks to achieving that knowledge can be lack of data, relying on a racing commission, alternative gaming revenue can be tougher to determine, lack of time and resources and simply long-standing relationships with tracks might make such accounting seem unnecessary. “All of these can lead to potential of distribution discrepancies, even if there is no intent,” he said. “Trust but verify. You can have these great relationships with these tracks… or maybe just get rid of the first two words, just verify. Make sure your horsemen are getting everything they're entitled to… Be proactive, instead of reactive. Know the data. If you understand your data, that's power. Make sure you're staying on top of it.” Allen Poindexter | Denis Blake/NHBPA 'Living Legend' Poindexter Interviewed Also on Friday during the National HBPA awards luncheon, Iowa HBPA executive director Jon Moss interviewed owner-breeder Allen Poindexter for the National HBPA's Living Legend series. Poindexter's runners include multiple stakes-winning horses at Prairie Meadows and other tracks across the country, with his stable earnings exceeding $18 million. In 1991, Poindexter started a plumbing, heating and air-conditioning business called Allen's Mechanical. “It was very successful from the start,” he said. “So, I was able to buy a horse out of the field, and his name was No Tomorrow. I took him to Oaklawn and got Scooter Dickey to be my trainer. We ran him the first time for $8,000 claiming. He went wire to wire with Pat Day aboard. So I was hooked. We ran him back for $16,000 claiming. He goes wire to wire once again. So, now I'm really hooked.” The post ‘No Effect’ Thresholds To Purse Accounts Round Out Final Day Of HBPA Conference appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

ASCOT, UK — By now, the breeding world is wise to the fact that we only realised almost all too late that Adlerflug was a stallion who should have been treated with the utmost respect. The team at Gestut Schlenderhan knew, but then they bred Adlerflug, who died in 2021 just months after he had been crowned Germany's champion sire for the first time and not long after Schlenderhan had celebrated its 150th anniversary. Adlerflug has been kind to Francis-Henri Graffard, who trained his son In Swoop, also for the Ullmann family of Schlenderhan, to win the Deutsches Derby and finish second in the Arc. This victory for another son, the largely unheralded Goliath, in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes takes it to another level, however. Nobody who follows international racing can be in any doubt as to the talents of Graffard, especially not the Aga Khan, who installed him at Aiglemont on the retirement of Alain de Royer Dupre. But he has kept on his own stable in tandem and has now produced what could be deemed a pivotal win for Baron Philip von Ullmann in England's summer middle-distance showpiece. Before Goliath had even returned to the winner's enclosure with his pronounced stringhalt gait, Philip was on the phone to his father Baron Georg von Ullmann, the previous owner of those famous colours which had been carried to glory around Europe and beyond by such illustrious names as Manduro (Ger), Shirocco (Ger), and Getaway (Ger). The dam of the last-named in that trio can be found as the fourth dam of the four-year-old Goliath. Succession matters here, both for horses and humans. Goliath's status as a gelding, which he shares with Graffard's Juddmonte International challenger Calandagan, will open up another debate for the breeding world. But that is a topic of discussion for another day, for this was a day of international glory which is yearned for at Ascot: a German homebred winner trained by a Frenchman and ridden by a Belgian. Moreover, this was a top-flight win for the next generation of the family which has, almost exclusively since 1869, presided over Schlenderhan, the former home of the great Monsun (Ger) and the oldest stud farm of its kind in Germany. Philip von Ullmann has just Goliath in training in France with Graffard and a two-year-old with Victoria Head, but he means business when it comes to maintaining his family name in the annals of racing and breeding. “I'm the sixth generation involved with the stud,” he said in the aftermath of what was viewed by those outside the camp as a shock win. “I'm hoping I can take it to the seventh, eighth or ninth generation.” It was two decades ago that Shirocco landed the Deutsches Derby for his father before going on to glory in the following year's Breeders' Cup Turf – the horse's first win with Christophe Soumillon in the saddle. Together they would also go on to win the Coronation Cup. Ullmann continued, “When we knew that Christophe was going to ride Goliath, I told him, 'Let's do it like 19 years ago in the Breeders' Cup.' But I can't believe it. My god, we always knew he was an amazing horse and for the first time he really got a quick pace. I'm speechless.” When the power of speech had returned and a giant trophy had been collected from the Queen, he added, “My parents are obviously very, very proud. A homebred horse, and by Adlerflug, who in my opinion was one of the three best stallions of the 21st century, just very underrated, and who left sadly too soon. Goliath showed that even on good to firm ground that he can get a top-class horse.” Graffard had spoken to TDN earlier in the week about his designs on both the King George and the Juddmonte International but he said in the winner's circle, “When I saw he was 28/1, I thought 'Oh my god, nobody believes in him'.” He did though, and so did Soumillon, who was literally riding high as he swung into the straight in a canter behind Auguste Rodin, Luxembourg and Rebel's Romance – the winners of 15 Group 1 races between them – whose jockeys were hunched in a hard drive for home. With Soumillon barely shifting until the furlong marker, Goliath sauntered past these weakening rivals as if out for a Sunday stroll. His rider, a little more restrained now than in his days of youthful arrogance, still could not resist a leisurely look over his shoulder as the winning post loomed, as if to say, “Where are you all?” Where indeed. Only Bluestocking could put up anything close to a challenge as she ran on resolutely from out the back to narrow Goliath's margin of victory to a little over two lengths. But that only tells half the story, for this was an absolutely joyous romp for the visitors from the continent. It may not have been what we expected to see, but it was nevertheless a wonder to behold. The post From David to Goliath appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Recommendation, ridden by Blake Shinn, wins the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) The Ciaron Maher-trained Recommendation ($1.40) justified the short quote with online bookmakers in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon, leading all the way to score an impressive two-length victory in the $200,000 feature. The four-year-old son of Shalaa put the writing on the wall first-up, demolishing his rivals by seven lengths in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on July 13, going on with the job to claim back-to-back victories to kick off the campaign. Blake Shinn took all luck out of the equation from barrier two, electing to lead up the small field of six from the outset, bounding forward to hold out Semillion ($6.50) for the early lead. He was able to hold them up at a steady clip in the middle stages, leaving Mrs Chrissie ($8.50) and Marble Nine ($11.00) to stalk from behind the leading pair, giving the top four turning for home every chance to take over in the final 400m. Recommendation was simply a class above, however, with Shinn pulling the whip to draw clear for a dominant victory, recording the gelding’s eighth win at start 18. 2024 Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes Replay – Recommendation Stable representative Jack Turnbull was on course to dissect the victory and suggested the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) and Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) could be viable options throughout the spring. “I was just having a chat to Ciaron (Maher) there,” said Turnbull. “Possibly a Bobbie Lewis given he’s won like that over six (furlongs) maybe we plan ahead towards a race like the Manikato if he was to run another figure like he did last start. “If we want to do that we can give him a breather. It’s not a long time off, he won’t go out for long, and keep that residual fitness.” Blake Shinn was impressed with his mount as he gave his post-race assessment, suggesting the 1200m was a query prior to Saturday’s win. “He’s a real genuine horse this fella,” said Shinn. “I had some reservations coming into today at a strong 1200m with pressure applied, but he ticked that box today. We were able to get a nice easy time in front and I was able to rate him around the bend, not push the button too early and therefore he ran the race out well. “He was getting a little tired the last 50m, but I think the run we had in transit helped him run the 1200m out today and get the job done. “I just think he had a class above them. I think if it was stronger opposition we might’ve got found out today. I think his last three or four runs at 1200m he’d been beaten, so I was very mindful of that coming into today. “We beat the opposition, he’s shown that he can run 1200m in the right circumstances, but he’s four years old and rising five. He’s come into his own now and there’s some good races in him.” Recommendation is now a $21.00 chance with online betting sites for the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) on September 27. Horse racing news View the full article

Virtually ignored ahead of Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, Philip Baron Von Ullmann's Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}–Gouache {Ger}, by Shamardal) had a sting in the tail for his revered fellow contenders as he dominated the Ascot feature. Only second in the course-and-distance G2 Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained 4-year-old thrived off the strong pace set by the Ballydoyle contingent and was travelling notably powerfully under Christophe Soumillon straightening for home. Committed 1 1/2 furlongs out, the 25-1 shot bounded clear for an emphatic 2 1/4-length success from Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}), with another 3 1/4 lengths back to Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in third. The 7-4 favourite Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was a well-beaten fifth, having held every chance turning for home. Wow! Goliath produces a superb performance to land the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at @Ascot for @CSoumillon and @GraffardRacing… pic.twitter.com/QQxDcNl7zk — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 27, 2024 The post King George Shock as Goliath Prevails for France appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Shadwell's Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}–Adhwaa {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) was highly tried after posting a career high in last term's G2 Sky Bet York Stakes, finishing just off the podium behind Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in September's G1 Irish Champion Stakes and last month's G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes on seasonal return, and secured back-to-back renewals in a tactical affair on the Knavesmire. The Owen Burrows trainee employed patient tactics and raced under a firm hold, behind all three opponents, through the initial fractions as King's Gambit (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) led at a crawl. Easing into third at the top of the straight, the 9-4 joint-favourite made continued headway under pressure and was driven out inside the final quarter-mile to deny the long-time leader by a half-length nearing the line. The 10 1/4-furlong heat became a four-furlong sprint, with fellow 9-4 joint favourite Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) unable to strike a telling blow and finishing 3/4-of-a-length back in third, a half-length in front of Royal Rhyme (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). “He's an absolute star and he'd be better off with a faster pace, but everything that ran in that race would have been,” said Burrows. “Two furlongs down I thought that he was going to come and win and a furlong down I thought maybe second, but he just kicked in. He's so game and such an honest horse. The manoeuvre [taking closer order] on the bend was probably the difference between winning and losing. If they'd have kicked where he was sat [at the back] I don't think he'd have got there and that was a great move from Jim [Crowley].” Looking ahead, the trainer added, “I'll have to have a chat with Sheikha Hissa [about the G1 Juddmonte International], but he obviously does love it here. It's the third time he's won here, so it does suit him. We'll see what everybody thinks and then make a plan.” Alflaila digs in deep in the closing stages to land the Group 2 @SkyBet York Stakes for the second year in a row, in the hands of @JimCrowley1978 for @ojburrows74 pic.twitter.com/kmnfpbeS2P — York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) July 27, 2024 Pedigree Notes Alflaila, one of his sire's 62 pattern-race winners, is one of three winners from as many foals out of Listed Montrose Fillies' S. runner-up Adhwaa (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Adhwaa's dam, Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Hammiya (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), also produced Listed Nereide-Rennen victrix Shaqira (GB) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) and is the leading performer for Listed Prix Herod winner Albacora (Ire) (Fairy King), herself a half-sister to G3 Prix de Saint-Georges winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Pont-Aven (Ire) (Try My Best). Pont-Aven produced a quartet of black-type winners headed by dual G2 Prix du Gros-Chene victrix Sainte Marine (Ire) (Kenmare {Fr}), G2 Gimcrack S.-winning sire Josr Algarhoud (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) and the stakes-producing Listed winners Traou Mad (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and Cap Coz (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}). Saturday, York, Britain SKY BET YORK STAKES-G2, £135,000, York, 7-27, 3yo/up, 10f 56yT, 2:20.36, g/f. 1–ALFLAILA (GB), 134, h, 5, by Dark Angel (Ire) 1st Dam: Adhwaa (GB) (SP-Eng), by Oasis Dream (GB) 2nd Dam: Hammiya (Ire), by Darshaan (GB) 3rd Dam: Albacora (Ire), by Fairy King O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-Owen Burrows; J-Jim Crowley. £76,559. Lifetime Record: 16-7-3-0, $532,227. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–King's Gambit (Ire), 125, c, 3, Saxon Warrior (Jpn)–Pure Symmetry, by Storm Cat. (125,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Mohammed Jaber; B-Roundhill Stud (IRE); T-Harry Charlton. £29,025. 3–Passenger, 137, c, 4, Ulysses (Ire)–Dilmun, by War Front. O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd; B-Flaxman Holdings Ltd (KY); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £14,526. Margins: HF, 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.25, 2.50, 2.25. Also Ran: Royal Rhyme (Ire). Scratched: Ancient Rome. The post Dark Angel’s Alflaila Retains G2 York Stakes Title in Game Fashion appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bouncing back from her disappointing effort in the G3 Musidora Stakes, George Strawbridge's Friendly Soul (GB) (Kingman {GB}–In Clover {GB}, by Inchinor {GB}) relished the drop to a mile to boss Ascot's G3 Longines Valiant Stakes on Saturday. Only seventh in that York Oaks trial in May, the homebred half-sister to the group 1 winners With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) who had previously impressed when taking Newmarket's Listed Pretty Polly Stakes earlier that month was soon in front under Kieran Shoemark. Extending her advantage in the final furlong, the John and Thady Gosden-trained 100-30 second favourite hit the line strong with three lengths to spare over the 4-year-old Doom (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Friendly Soul rockets home! A cracker of a ride from @KShoemark from the front to grab the Valiant Stakes at @Ascot… pic.twitter.com/YI622xtrYy — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 27, 2024 The post Kingman’s Friendly Soul Rebounds in the Valiant appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Compensating for her agonising reversal in the Royal meeting's G3 Albany Stakes, Al Shaqab Racing's acquisition Simmering (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}–Cashla Bay {GB}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) got up late to break her maiden in style in Saturday's G3 Princess Margaret Stakes back at Ascot. Third on debut at York behind the high-class Arabie (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}) prior to her standard-setting Albany performance behind Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), the 11-8 favourite was held up early by Ryan Moore who had already ridden the opening race's winner. Staying on strongly as Mandurah (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) took over inside the final two furlongs, the star of the Ollie Sangster stable overhauled Betty Clover (GB) (Time Test {GB}) close home for a neck success, with half a length back to Tales Of The Heart (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in third as the tiring Mandurah ended up fourth. “It's a real privilege to have Al Shaqab in the stable and great to get off to a good start for them,” Sangster said. “She's a filly we've always held in high regard and this is a fantastic result. We've got a small team and everyone works really hard.” Simmering comes to the boil late on to grab the Princess Margaret Stakes at @Ascot for Ryan Moore and @OllieSangster… pic.twitter.com/1wxz2TVX15 — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 27, 2024 The post Too Darn Hot’s Simmering Justifies Al Shaqab Investment in the Princess Margaret appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Emerging four-year-old Rhapsody Chic (NZ) (Sacred Falls) extended his winter winning sequence to four with an impressive performance in Saturday’s A$130,000 Sportsbet Feed Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield. The son of Sacred Falls was born in New Zealand and was a winner on debut at Matamata last winter before crossing the Tasman, where he placed in all of his first four starts. The gelding collected his first Australian win in a Benchmark 64 handicap at Seymour in late May, and he never looked back from there. Rhapsody Chic has gone on to win a Benchmark 70 at Sandown, a Benchmark 78 at Randwick and Saturday’s Benchmark 84 at Caulfield. Rhapsody Chic was only a $5.50 third favourite against a form-filled field on Saturday, but jockey Jye McNeil gave him an ideal run in midfield. McNeil was able to get on the back of The Open (Deep Field) as that highly rated favourite strode forward to challenge the leader at the home turn, and it became a two-horse race from that point on. Rhapsody Chic quickened smartly to move up on the outside of The Open with 150m remaining. That rival found a bit more and fought back hard, but Rhapsody Chic gradually got the upper hand and prevailed by a neck. “You’re usually happy to have gate three, but with this race being so late in the day, there was a bit of a concern when the rain came today,” McNeil said. “Fortunately we were able to get the best run I could have hoped for. “The key with him was getting him out of the barriers, which he’s had issues with in the past. He put himself in a great position today. When it came down to a battle in the straight, I knew he’d give me everything he’s got. “I wanted to get on the back of The Open at the turn and get a bit of a trail into the race, which I was able to achieve, and then we got over the top of him late. That horse was in for the fight, but my horse dug deep and was able to get the win.” Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman and racing in the colours of syndicators Roll The Dice Racing, Rhapsody Chic has now had nine starts for five wins, four placings and A$227,949. Sam Freedman has not been surprised by Rhapsody Chic’s progress this winter. “Coming into this preparation, we were very confident that he’d come back well,” he said. “He’s a typical Kiwi – tough and genuine, and he likes to get his toe into the ground. Those runs he had on firm decks hardened him up, and he’s really come into his own this winter with some give in the ground. “It’s never easy to win four races in a row, so it’s a real credit to all of our team. “Today was a bit of a test to see where he could get to. He’s shown that he could potentially be a nice chance from down in the weights in a good handicap at some stage, whether it’s in the spring or the autumn. In the right track conditions, he’s very capable.” Rhapsody Chic was bred by Blandford Lodge owners Helen-Gaye and Graham Bax. He is by Sacred Falls out of the Pour Moi (Montjeu) mare Boho Chic (NZ), who is a half-sister to Singapore’s Champion Two-Year-Old, Three-Year-Old and Four-Year-Old Better Than Ever (French Deputy). Kurtis Pertab paid just $700 to buy Rhapsody Chic as a weanling from a Gavelhouse.com auction in May of 2020. Pertab later offered him at the 2021 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, where he failed to meet his $25,000 reserve. Rhapsody Chic remained in Pertab’s Matamata stable and won by three lengths on his home track last June in his only New Zealand start before being purchased privately by Roll The Dice. View the full article

Formerly a rising star of Western Australian ranks, lightly raced eight-year-old Showmanship (NZ) (Showcasing) returned to the winners’ circle for the first time in almost two years in Saturday’s A$150,000 Sportsbet Race Replays Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield. The son of Showcasing races in the colours of leviathan Perth owner Bob Peters. He made a sensational start to his career with victories in seven of his first eight starts including the Listed Chandler McLeod Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in September of 2020. Showmanship had almost two years off the scene after that, then returned in 2022 with a placing in the Listed Wangoom Handicap (1200m) in May and a win in the Gr.3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Randwick in August. He was later unplaced in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield before another two-year lay-off. Now in the care of Pakenham trainer John Leek Jr, Showmanship finally returned to action earlier this season with a fourth in the Listed Doveton Stakes (1200m) and unplaced finishes in the Wangoom Handicap, a 1400m handicap at Sandown and the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) in Sydney. Showmanship was an overlooked $20 outsider for his first attempt over 1600m on Saturday, but he turned back the clock and made a triumphant return to form in the hands of jockey Damian Lane. Showmanship was slow to leave the starting gates and settled at the tail of the field, but he warmed into his work down the side of the track and began to make eye-catching progress through the field. The favourite Jimmy The Bear (Jimmy Creed) hit the lead and looked the winner at the top of the home straight, but Showmanship emerged as the danger on his inside. That pair fought out a tight tussle to the finish, and it was Showmanship who found that little bit more to claim a narrow win. The third placegetter finished five and a half lengths behind the first pair. Showmanship has now had 16 starts for nine wins, a placing and A$520,350 in stakes. “It’s fantastic,” Leek said. “He’s a beautiful horse. He’s had a lot of problems along the way. “He was able to really let down today in that rain-affected ground. I saw him weaving his magic through the field just before the home turn, and I realised we might be actually going to win a race with him. It’s just fantastic. “We worked him up the rise on Tuesday and we’ve just swum him since. We rarely put a saddle on him and just try to keep him happy. “Now that we’ve got him back in winning form, hopefully we might get suitable track conditions again, convince Damian Lane to ride him again and see if we can repeat this result.” Lane was having his first raceday ride on the rising nine-year-old. “I was hoping to settle a little bit closer than he has been lately, but he began poorly so I had to go straight to Plan B straight away,” he said. “But he always travelled well and I was quite confident a long way out. He was picking up very strongly from about the 600m. “One advantage of settling in that back and inside position is that I had the opportunity to cut through the field, rather than having to loop around. “Credit to John. He’s done a great job to turn this horse around.” Bred by Haunui Bloodstock, Showmanship was purchased by bloodstock agent John Chalmers, on behalf of Bob Peters, out of Haunui Farm’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale draft for $145,000. Out of the Don Eduardo mare Khales (NZ), Showmanship is a sibling to stakes-placed La Mouline (NZ) (Showcasing) and a half-brother to Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) winner Bahana (NZ) (Elusive City). View the full article

Fans of sporting art can look forward to a special lecture at the National Horseracing Museum (NHRM) in Newmarket to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the birth of renowned equine painter George Stubbs. Given by former NHRM director and art historian Christopher Garibaldi on Wednesday, September 11, the lecture looks at the life and work of Stubbs, with specific reference to his equestrian subjects, which include the famous painting of Whistlejacket, which hangs at the National Gallery. Tickets for the evening, which begins at 6pm in the John Lambton Rooms, are £15 per person and can be booked via the NHRM website. The post NHRM Hosts Lecture on George Stubbs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The decision to buy Victory Roll (NZ) (Belardo) for just A$2250 has paid dividends for the new connections of the Kiwi-bred three-year-old, who scored a hard-fought win in Saturday’s A$120,000 TAB Highway Plate (1800m) at Randwick. After starting his career with four unplaced starts in Queensland, the Belardo gelding was offered in an Inglis Digital online sale in March and was purchased by Goulburn trainer Pat Murphy. Victory Roll has won three of his six starts since then, banking more than A$90,000 for his new owners. “One of his owners, Jimmy Bergin, suggested I buy him,” Murphy said. “He told me he’d stay all day and the best was yet to come and he was spot on. “He paid us back when he won his first start at Wagga and now he’s added a Goulburn win and a Highway victory, so we’re over the moon. There’s still plenty more to come too.” Victory Roll was ridden to Saturday’s win by Rachel King, who slid her mount forward to sit on the outside of the leader before going for gold at the home turn. Victory Roll took a clear lead into the straight, but he looked vulnerable when the well-supported County Kilkenny (Fast Company) loomed on his outside with 200m remaining. Victory Roll responded to that challenge and lifted again, holding on to win by a head. “When County Kilkenny came at me, I thought I still had something to give,” King said. “Having the blinkers on, he just needed to get a sight of the horse. I let him drift out towards him, and when he got sight of him, he found again.” Victory Roll was bred by Transtasman Breeders Pty Ltd and has continued a remarkable season for the former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo. Since August 1 last year, Belardo’s southern hemisphere crops have produced 69 winners from 146 runners, including stakes winners Belardo Boy (NZ), Golden Path (NZ), Belardi (NZ) and Southern Warrior (NZ). The dam of Victory Roll is the Redoute’s Choice mare Invisible Coin, whose five winners from six foals to race also include the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) winner Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino) and Listed placegetter Bitcoin (NZ) (Tarzino). View the full article

Enigmatic galloper Reign It In (NZ) (Scared Falls) returned to winning form after a frustrating twelve-month period for both the horse and his trainer Roydon Bergerson when he took out the Levin Truck Services-sponsored Open 1200m at Otaki on Saturday. The five-year-old son of Sacred Falls had won the corresponding event at the meeting in 2023 but since then his form had tapered off badly as Bergerson tried to coax him out of the slump. A promising first-up sixth at Woodville back in May had Bergerson encouraged his charge was on the way back to his best however he managed to beat just a combined two runners’ home in his next two starts. Bergerson wasn’t sure what to expect on Saturday but breathed a huge sigh of relief as Reign It In sat three wide outside the pacemakers Old Town Road (NZ) (El Roca) and Tavis Court (NZ) (Tavistock) before angling to the outside fence for apprentice Jim Chung, who had been aboard in last year’s victory. In a desperate finish Reign It In stuck his nose in front at the right time to defeat a brave Prioress (NZ) (Proisir) with Tavis Court battling well for third. Bergerson was shaking his head afterwards as he discussed the temperamental nature of the horse. “I wouldn’t like to play cards with the bugger,” Bergerson said. “He has always had ability and he got the job done today as he deserved it. “He just needed to get on a heavy track, and I did say to Jim just ride him the same way you did last year. “I had said to my kids he should be winning open handicaps every second week when the tracks get heavy and thank god he has today.” Chung was beaming as he expressed his thanks to Bergerson for giving him the ride on the horse. “I am so happy to ride a winner for Roydon,” he said. “Today I tried to do the same thing as I did last year. The track is really good (for the horses) as it’s heavy and I just had to get him rolling quite early and he did it.” Owned by the Reign It In Racing syndicate, which includes a number of Bergerson’s family, Reign It In has now won five of his 31 starts and over $129,000 in prizemoney. The win was also the first leg of a treble on the day for Chung who was also successful aboard Farravallo (NZ) (Belardo) and Make Time (NZ) (Makfi) later on the programme. View the full article

A thrilling victory for ghostly grey Hula Beat (NZ) (Redwood) in Saturday’s feature race at Te Rapa, the Callinan Family Taumarunui RSA Gold Cup (2200m), has provided trainer Stephen Marsh with a much-desired goal that he set himself at the start of the 2023-24 racing season. His stable topped $5 million in stakes won for the first time in his training career to date, a massive achievement in its own right, however Marsh had made no secret of his desire to hit the three-figure mark in wins for the third season in a row. With runners at both Otaki and Te Rapa on the day it took until the sixth event on the Te Rapa card for Marsh to strike and it was a close-run thing as Hula Beat held out race favourite Diamond Jak (NZ) (Jakkalberry) by just a head with last year’s winner Enchanted Elle (NZ) (Jakkalberry) close up in third. Superbly handled by apprentice Ace Lawson-Carroll, who was having his first ride aboard the five-year-old gelding, Hula Beat settled well back in the early running before making ground between runners approaching the home turn. Lawson-Carroll squeezed him expertly between runners at the 300m and he shot to the front before holding out the late run by Diamond Jak to claim his fifth career victory. Marsh was all smiles as he described the atmosphere during the race from a large group of his friends and supporters who had gathered at Te Rapa with him. “We have had a few people here on course and in the box with us and it’s fair to say it erupted a bit,” Marsh said. “It does mean a lot as it was going to be a tough battle and I’m rapt for the team and everyone involved. “It’s just nice to go out with this for the year as I would hate to end on 99 wins. “This horse has been going really well and we wanted him to go back (in the running) which he did. “It was a beautiful ride by Ace, and I said to him just get his breathing right and he did. I was worried he would get squeezed out of a gap, but he rode a beautiful race, a mature race. “I’m not one for going the early crow and Allan Sharrock went twice and said we were home, so I nearly jumped in his arms after the race. “It was actually a bit tighter than I thought but the place erupted after the decision which is just great.” Marsh was unsure of where he would take the son of Redwood next although he was certain the promising stayer could improve further. “I will get today over and done with, but he has had a brilliant campaign,” he said. “He got a bit crook early doors but has come back well. “He loves the wetter tracks, and he loves Te Rapa and going left-handed although he has won going right-handed at Te Aroha, so we will just keep him going through (the grades).” Bred and raced by Gerry Harvey under his New Zealand Thoroughbred Holdings banner, Hula Beat is the last foal of unraced Zabeel mare Limbea (NZ). His granddam Dancing Hula (NZ) (Three Legs) is a half-sister to multiple Group One winner Love Dance (NZ) (Kaapstad) while he is also closely related to Gr.1 Railway Handicap (1200m) placegetter Tip The Wink (NZ) (Stravinsky). The victory took his career record to five wins from 23 starts and over $112,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Apprentice rider Lily Sutherland followed her pre-race instructions perfectly to land rugged four-year-old Opawa Jack (NZ) (War Decree) an impressive winner of the Open 1600m event on the card at Otaki on Saturday. The Chrissy Bambry-prepared galloper had won three of his six starts in his current campaign and came into the event off the back of a win over the same distance at Wanganui earlier in the month. Sutherland and Bambry had walked the track prior to the first race and hatched a plan to have her guide the son of War Decree wider in the home straight to capitalise on potentially firmer footing than was available against the inside rail. Sutherland followed instructions to perfection as she set up a muddling pace on the $3.10 race favourite and angled to the outside fence rounding the home bend. Eventual runner-up Sacred Pearl (NZ) (Sacred Pearl) followed her out there and the pair settled down to a decent tussle with Opawa Jack maintaining a strong gallop to land the major prize in the contest. Bambry was thrilled with the victory for a horse she believes has plenty more in store for him. “I didn’t know if there was a heap of speed in the race, but Lily knows him well and we walked the track this morning looking for the best ground and that’s exactly where she went,” Bambry said. “He still has a lot of maturing to do but he has come on heaps in this prep and he’s a good one.” Sutherland gave plenty of praise to her mount who she believes will be even more potent on a firmer surface. “He just bowls along at his own speed in front and he was going good enough to come out (wide),” she said. “He doesn’t like a wet track but is just going so well at the moment and I just tried to get as far out as I could for better ground as it’s pretty wet today.” Sutherland is in a decent fight for the National Apprentice Jockey premiership title with Niranjan Parmar as they go toe to toe with just two race days in the current season to go. Tied at the start of the day on 50 wins apiece the victory aboard Opawa Jack put Sutherland in front early in the day with racing left to come at Waverley on Sunday and Tauranga on Wednesday. Bred by southern racing legend Brian Anderton and his late wife Lorraine, Opawa Jack is out of the Nom Du Jeu mare Serve De Aunt (NZ) and has now won six of his 23 career starts. View the full article

Dusty Road (NZ) (Shamexpress) gave Graeme Cameron his first taste of Group One racing last year, and the Cambridge owner-trainer is keen to shoot for the stars again after a dominant performance in Saturday’s Woods Contracting (1400m) at Te Rapa. Cameron arrived at Te Rapa on Saturday with eight training successes to his name, three of them from Dusty Road. That highly talented son of Shamexpress has also taken on some of New Zealand’s best with a midfield finish in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) as a three-year-old, followed earlier this season by a sixth in the Gr.3 Spring Sprint (1400m) and a fifth in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). The Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on September 7 is firmly circled in Cameron’s calendar this spring, and what he saw from Dusty Road on Saturday did nothing to change his mind. Sent out as a $2.10 favourite for Te Rapa’s $40,000 open sprint, Dusty Road broke well from the starting gates and quickly took up a prominent position on the outside of the leader, Dubai Diva (Pride of Dubai). Dusty Road pounced at the home turn and kicked away by more than two lengths. Eased down in the last couple of strides by apprentice jockey Liam Kauri, Dusty Road crossed the finish line a length ahead of the late-finishing Fonteyn (NZ) (Swiss Ace). From 21 career starts, Dusty Road has recorded four wins and five placings, earning $120,515 for Cameron and his wife Jacky. Dusty Road is now rated a $31 chance on the TAB’s Tarzino Trophy market, which is headed by Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) ($3.50), Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto) ($4.50) and Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) ($6). “I don’t know if I’m going over the top or not, but I’m looking at the Tarzino,” Cameron said. “I think he deserves a go in that race. We’ll go straight there, rather than running in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr.2, 1200m). “This horse is just a ripper. I think the 4kg claim did wonders for him today and it was a really good win. “We looked at Otaki today as well, but I thought this race really suited him. It’s just down the road, and he’ll be back in his paddock in an hour.” Saturday’s victory was also a notable result for the 25-year-old Kauri. The Central Districts apprentice has now outridden his 4kg claim with the 10th win of his career. “It’s good to finally lose the 4kg claim, it’s been a bit of a struggle but should be easier from here,” he said. “I didn’t really have to do anything today. I just sat on him. He jumped out of the gates himself and sorted himself out. I barely even had to steer him around the corners. He did it all himself.” View the full article