Wandering Eyes

What Queensland Derby 2024 Where Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 When Saturday, June 1, 2024 Prizemoney $1,000,000 Distance 2400m Conditions Set Weights 2023 winner Kovalica (5) | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (57kg) Visit Dabble The Group 1 Queensland Derby will headline a massive day of racing at Eagle Farm this Saturday, with a full field of 18 three-year-olds expected to line up in the $1 million feature. As it is the first meeting at Eagle Farm for the Queensland Racing Carnival, the rail will be in its true position, and the surface is expected to be in perfect order for the nine-race card. Chris Waller has won two of the last three editions of the Queensland Derby, and he will send four runners to this year’s race. The Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman team has accepted with Autumn Angel, who will be seeking to become the first filly to win the Derby since 2010. Queensland Derby 2024 odds Autumn Angel heads the Queensland Derby market at +130 with online bookmakers. The other two runners in single figures are last-start Rough Habit Plate winner Tanhauser (+320) and South Australian Derby runner-up Warmonger (+750). After claiming victory on his Australian debut, the Andrew Forsman-trained First Innings (+1700) sits on the fourth line of betting ahead of Saban (+2500) and Navy King (+2000), who will make their way from Victoria to run in the Derby. Queensland Derby 2024 speed map There don’t appear to be any specialist leaders in the Queensland Derby field, so it is expected that Navy King and First Innings will push forward from their middle barriers and take up the running. Gold Bullion, Kirikan and Shy Guy can settle in behind the leaders, with the likes of Agita, Tanhauser and Autumn Angel expected to hold forward spots from inside barriers. Warmonger, Encoder and Saban will settle at the back of the field and look to swoop down the outside in the home straight. Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 Queensland Derby. Queensland Derby 2024 preview & form Autumn Angel will seek history as she attempts to become the first filly to win the Queensland Derby since Dariana in 2010. After winning the Group 1 Australian Oaks at Randwick, the daughter of The Autumn Sun was given a five-week freshen before running second in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate on May 18. If Mark Zahra can get off the fence before the home turn, Autumn Angel should prove to be the superior stayer in this field. Unfortunately for connections of Warmonger, their gelding has once again drawn an outside barrier and will have to settle in the last few in the running. The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper showed in the South Australian Derby that he can run out a strong 2400m; however, he settles too far off the pace in his races. If Blake Shinn can somehow get the son of War Decree into midfield with cover, there is no doubt that Warmonger can figure in the finish. First Innings is coming off a good preparation in New Zealand and a very impressive win at Ipswich over 2180m. When racing over 2400m in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby, the Andrew Forsman-trained galloper was well beaten and dropped out in the concluding stages. With more experience under his belt, it is expected that he will perform better in his second attempt at Group 1 level and at the distance. Tanhauser was very good in the Rough Habit Plate, where he rounded up his rivals at the 300m before clearing out and winning by a length over Autumn Angel. However, the Chris Waller-trained gelding has yet to race over a distance further than 2000m, and that has to be a concern for his followers. Queensland Derby 2024 selections & best bets Selections: 18 AUTUMN ANGEL 2 WARMONGER 12 FIRST INNINGS 1 TANHAUSER $100 betting strategy $100 Win Autumn Angel (#18) @ +130 with Neds 2024 Queensland Derby Final Field 1. Tanhauser (3) T: Chris Waller J: Nash Rawiller W: 57kg F: 6241 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay/Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Luqyaa +320 -140.85 2. Warmonger (23) T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr J: Blake Shinn W: 57kg F: 6252 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: War Decree (USA) Dam: Princess Sapphire +750 +166 3. Encoder (18) T: Lee Freedman J: Damien Thornton W: 57kg F: x006 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown/Black Sex: Gelding Sire: Encryption Dam: Eight Below +5000 +1111 4. Gold Bullion (10) T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott J: Tim Clark W: 57kg F: 2928 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown/Black Sex: Gelding Sire: Savabeel Dam: Gold Rush +4000 +888 5. Navy King (13) T: Symon Wilde J: Craig Williams W: 57kg F: 7441 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: U S Navy Flag (USA) Dam: Eliza Blues +2000 +377 6. Kirikan (8) T: Chris Waller J: James Orman W: 57kg F: x700 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Tivaci Dam: Jammu +10000 +2222 7. Felix The Scat (22) T: Tony Gollan J: Kyle Wilson-Taylor W: 57kg F: x084 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Mendelssohn (USA) Dam: Miss Pocket Rocket +4000 +888 8. Sonofdec (21) T: Jay Hopkins J: Regan Bayliss W: 57kg F: x311 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Kermadec (NZ) Dam: Imperial Rule +2000 +444 9. Bullets High (14) T: Joseph Pride J: Tyler Schiller W: 57kg F: 5661 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Ace High Dam: Sororia +1700 +377 10. Agita (6) T: David Payne J: Jason Collett W: 57kg F: 0225 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Adelaide (IRE) Dam: Tramotane +2000 +444 11. Warialda Warrior (7) T: John Ramsey J: Jake Bayliss W: 57kg F: 7806 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Saxon Warrior (JPN) Dam: Romance Writer +7000 +1555 12. First Innings (12) T: Andrew Forsman J: Jim Byrne W: 57kg F: 1031 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Contributer (IRE) Dam: Dream Run +1000 +222 13. Shy Guy (4) T: Chris Waller J: Tommy Berry W: 57kg F: x873 Age: 3YO Colour: Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Saxon Warrior (JPN) Dam: Timid +4000 +888 14. Saban (16) T: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman J: Jamie Kah W: 57kg F: 2412 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Shamus Award (AUS) Dam: Striking Choice +2500 +555 15. Anderson Bridge (15) T: Chris Waller J: Vlad Duric W: 57kg F: 5674 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Savabeel Dam: Tricia’o +8000 +1777 16. Purveyor (11) T: Bevan Laming J: Michael Cahill W: 57kg F: 1049 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Merchant Navy Dam: Mystique +12500 +2777 17. Moonlight Magic (19) T: Andrew Forsman J: Michael Dee W: 55kg F: 5641 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Almanzor (FR) Dam: Japonica +2500 +555 18. Autumn Angel (1) T: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman J: Mark Zahra W: 55kg F: 1212 Age: 3YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Filly Sire: The Autumn Sun Dam: Angel Of Mercy +130 -333.33 19 (1E). Mannerheim (9) T: Chris Waller J: Ryan Maloney W: 55kg F: 2310 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Filly Sire: Dundeel (NZ) Dam: Miss Helsinki +10000 +2222 20 (2E). Misterckipchoge (5) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 57kg F: x902 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Ocean Park (NZ) Dam: Porotene Mhia +3000 +666 21 (3E). Saxon Brave (2) T: Daiki Chujo J: Noriyuki Masuda W: 231627kg F: 1 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Saxon Warrior (JPN) Dam: Manrose Hattan +20000 +4444 22 (4E). Kadavar (17) T: Chris Waller J: TBC W: 57kg F: 0930 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Tarzino (NZ) Dam: Arapaho Miss +10000 +2222 23 (5E). Kairos Louie (20) T: Christos Zintilis J: TBC W: 57kg F: 7310 Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Time Test (GB) Dam: Lucy Liu +20000 +4444 More horse racing tips View the full article

Lucky Bay powers to his maiden success at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Lucky Bay was able to rectify a narrow defeat last start on the Cambridge Synthetic when putting away his rivals in the Cambridge Equine Hospital 1550 comfortably at Wednesday’s meeting. The son of Sweynesse is prepared at the course by Clinton Isdale and hasn’t been far away from breaking maidens since debuting in January, going down by a nose a fortnight ago to Aladdin Sane over the same distance. Lucky Bay entered Wednesday’s contest a $2.10 favourite and controlled terms from the outset under Opie Bosson, travelling strongly into the straight and never looked under much pressure as he pulled away by 1.5 lengths. Isdale has held a good opinion of the three-year-old and was pleased to see him deliver on that promise. “It was a good win. He’s just a big, raw horse who should’ve won a race by now, we did have bigger plans for him, but things just haven’t really gone his way being quite immature mentally,” Isdale said. “He did a couple of things wrong today and still won quite nicely which was good. “I’ll see how he pulls up now, but he might go to the paddock for a month, as he’s had a few runs this prep. I’d like to target the maiden at midnight race for him on the poly.” Isdale was referring to the four MAAT races held on the Cambridge Synthetic on July 24, each worth $35,000 in stakes for maidens as at midnight of April 30. Lucky Bay was bred by Novara Park and was passed in at the 2022 Ready To Run Sales, leading principal Luigi Muollo to retain ownership under his Explosive Breeding banner. “I’d like to thank Luigi Muollo for not only his continued support as an owner of mine, but also a great friend. He’s been really good through tough times,” Isdale said. Isdale will prepare a further two runners over the King’s Birthday long weekend, with last start winner Knight’s Realm lining up in the Rich Hill Stud 1200 at Pukekohe on Saturday. The Castledale four-year-old was taken down by other runner at Hastings in January and was freshened but has come back strongly this campaign and bolted in to break maidens over 1400m at Trentham on May 18. “He was very impressive at Wellington, he’s always had ability but just quite spooky, so it was pleasing to see him win like he did there,” Isdale said. “He’s come through it really well and he seems to like the wet tracks, which we’ll get at Pukekohe. “With the track being a Heavy 10, I thought it would be more like a 1400m race anyway so at least I know he’ll run the distance.” Another strong performer at his last appearance, Pontardawe will make his debut over the bigger fences in the Silver Fern Farms Maiden Steeplechase (3500m) at Te Aroha on Monday, following a third placing over hurdles behind two subsequent winners in Auld Jock and Run Jakko Run at Hawera. “I had originally entered him for a maiden steeplechase trial at Cambridge, which was abandoned due to numbers, so instead of running him in the hurdle trial, I thought he may as well go to Hawera and run for some money,” Isdale said. “That was the only reason why he went over the hurdles, but he ran third and was a touch unlucky. “He’s come through the run really well, the winner has come out and won by ten lengths at Woodville, and the second horse came out and won as well so I’m expecting a forward run from him on Monday. “He’s a lot better over the bigger fences, John and Karen Parsons had him down in the South Island for a prep, and it was John’s idea to send him back up as he thought he’d be a good chaser and he jumps really well.” Horse racing news View the full article

Up ‘n’ Gone (outside) winning at Cambridge on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Up ‘n’ Gone secured a sentimental win for trainer Reece Cole when recording his first victory in nearly two years in the Pryde’s Easifeed 1550 at Cambridge’s synthetic meeting on Wednesday. The eight-year-old gelding was originally raced by Cole’s late mentor Toby Autridge, and the win couldn’t have come at a better time. “It was really good to get that win today,” Cole said. “We are only seven days to the day since it’s been two years since Toby died. This horse is pretty special to all of us.” Following Autridge’s passing, his father Bob took over the handling of the gelding, who faced a limited future on the track before he found his groove on Cambridge’s polytrack. “Two years ago, when Toby died, he was one of the ones that was on the outer and we weren’t going to carry on with,” Cole said. “He ran 100 lengths last at Hastings one day and his next run was his last chance, and he only got beaten by a nose (on the polytrack), and then he won three in a row. After that he earned his place to stay.” The son of Castledale had been winless since those hat-trick of wins, and Cole was pleased to see him break that dry spell when beating the Stephen Marsh-trained Arrowette by a neck on Wednesday. “I thought he needed the run, especially drawing one from the outside,” Cole said. “Maria (Sanson) rode him in the best spot you could because he can be a bit niggly coming out of the gates and miss it, but she ended up in the perfect spot and everything panned out really well.” It was the third training win for Cole, who has held his trainer’s license for two seasons, and he is hoping to quickly add to that tally in the next week. Shocking Penny is set to line-up in the Dunstan Horsefeeds 2200 at Pukekohe on Saturday but is also nominated for the Te Aroha Cup (2200m) and 0-1 Win Hurdle (3100m) at Te Aroha on Monday. Cole is also set to head to Te Aroha with Meisho Toot and Saint Brigid. “I am not sure what I am going to do with Shocking Penny yet,” Cole said. “Ideally, I would like to run them all on Monday, but I will have a talk with the owner. She will end up hurdling, but I don’t think she will hurdle on Monday, I think she might need one more (run on the flat). “Meisho Toot is a big, staying filly that has taken a bit of time. One of my best mates and I own her. She should run well, she has shown a lot of ability. “Saint Brigid has gone a lot better than what her form suggests, out of a very good mare in Irish Heartbeat, and a wet track should suit.” Horse racing news View the full article

Gum Basher will contest the Henry’s Plumbing Ltd & Design Builders 1200m at Awapuni on Thursday. Photo: Race Images Palmerston North Gum Basher thrives on synthetic track racing over winter, and trainer Peter Didham is looking forward to seeing her return to her favoured surface in the Henry’s Plumbing Ltd & Design Builders 1200m at Awapuni on Thursday. The four-year-old daughter of Vespa is hard to get a line on at home, but Didham said she always brings her A-game to raceday. “She is a terrible trackworker but when it comes raceday she just tries her heart out,” he said. “There is not much of her, but she is pretty gusty and look at her form – she has had six starts on the poly for two wins, a second, third and a fourth. “She is always competitive, but it is a bit stronger field than I was expecting. I think the three $100,000 (All-Weather Champs) races have really put an injection into polytrack racing. “We have got horses coming from up north and I have got a couple staying at my place tonight. It is good to see them supporting the track. “The last raceday was good, I think we had seven local trainers have a winner each, and hopefully that continues tomorrow.” Didham said Awapuni’s synthetic track definitely has its place in racing over the winter months. “You have still got to try horses on there to see if they handle it,” he said. “I have got a couple of horses that don’t like it and horses like Gum Basher just thrive on it. “It is working out really well and we have got good, strong fields tomorrow.” Didham will also be represented by new stable acquisition Reprobate in the Pryda 1400. “He has only had one start for me, he had a couple of starts up north. We are still learning about him,” Didham said. “I ran him on the poly in his first start because he had gone a huge trial. I was really pleased with his first effort, we have spaced it on purpose, it has been a month between races. “He is a nice, big Ace High horse going forward and he will be going on the grass in the next couple of starts, we are just trying to sneak in a win on our home track.” Ruffhouse Rosie will also represent the stable in the Gary Dyer Painters And Decorators 2140, while stablemates Korolova and Moon Money will contest the Reilly Joinery & Spray Specialist Ltd 1000 and Carters 1400 respectively. “Moon Money was huge two starts ago when second, and last start she was a shade slow and got dug up and pulled her head off, so I would forget about that,” Didham said. “She is one of my best each way chances tomorrow. “Korolova is a speedy filly, but I was horrified by the nine draw, and I wasn’t going to run, but the owners have decided to have a run. 1000m, drawn nine, I can imagine us being in a really bad spot early.” With Awapuni’s main grass track undergoing remedial work over the last year, the local trainers have spent plenty of time on the road travelling to race at other tracks, and Didham said he is enjoying the reduced commute that comes with racing on Awapuni’s polytrack. “All the trainers at the gap this morning were talking about it. It is so nice at the end of the day to hop in the car and go five minutes home instead of two or three hours,” he said. “If we can get the track right here in the next year, have 30-odd meetings on our backdoor step will be great. A lot of our owners are here as well.” Horse racing news View the full article

Voyage Bubble wins the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup. Zac Purton believes Voyage Bubble’s uncomplicated racing manners will partially offset the challenge of tackling Romantic Warrior – and the cream of Japan’s milers – in the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday (2 June). Purton will travel to Tokyo on Thursday (30 May) to prepare for Sunday’s feature, which has drawn 18 high-class entries including a string of Japanese gallopers who have previously raced in Hong Kong, including Soul Rush, Namur, Elton Barows, Serifos and Geoglyph. Purton has twice ridden in the Yasuda Kinen previously, finishing sixth on Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Only in 2017 and ninth aboard Paul O’Sullivan’s Fellowship in 2010. With Romantic Warrior likely to vie for race favouritism, Purton believes Voyage Bubble can factor strongly after his last-start third under James McDonald in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on 28 April – when Elton Barows finished eighth behind Purton’s mount, Beauty Eternal. “His (Voyage Bubble’s) trial was good. 1000m was a bit sharp for him but he showed good speed as he does, went through the gears nicely and we let him gallop on through the line with the mile race in mind. He pulled up well,” Purton said of the gelding’s 1000m Sha Tin trial win on 16 May. “I’ve seen the (Tokyo trackwork) videos and he looks like he’s settled in well. He’s a pretty no-nonsense horse and he takes everything in his stride. I think it’s a suitable race for him and hopefully the track is OK. You need a lot of ability and it’s never easy to win in Japan – they’re very good at defending their own home turf. “I think he’s got a good style where he can race on-speed. He likes fast run races and we’re not guaranteed to get that, but if that’s the case he can clearly handle that. He can run beyond a mile – he’s been good up to 2000m – so the uphill straight and testing conditions shouldn’t be a hindrance for him. “He does a lot of things right and it’s not a vintage year. There’s no standout horse there at the moment, so it’s a good year to roll the dice and see how we go. Bring it on, let’s see what we get.” While Purton has the utmost respect for Romantic Warrior, he said: “Romantic Warrior has had a fairly tough season. He’s gone down to Australia and had to peak down there, then he’s come back to Hong Kong and had to peak a couple of times and he struck the wet track last time when he had to dig deep and lift himself off the canvas to win. “He’s jumped back on a plane and gone again so it’s a big ask for any horse to do that. He might be a little bit vulnerable at this stage in the season and hopefully we can capitalise on that if that’s the case.” Romantic Warrior’s trainer Danny Shum said the seven-time Group 1 winner is thriving in Japan. “He’s pretty good, he’s healthy, he’s happy and enjoying the environment,” Shum said. “It was the decision of the owner to come to Japan – he has been connected to Japan business-wise for a long time and wanted to bring his horse here – the Yasuda Kinen was the best option. “The Tokyo course is beautiful, it’s fantastic. I don’t see any problem for him running left-handed because he won in the Cox Plate (2040m) in Australia, so I’m confident that he can handle the track. “The strong point of the horse is that the world’s champion jockey James McDonald will be on board. He loves the horse and the horse loves him. “All the Japanese horses are very good, they conquer everywhere, in Dubai and in Hong Kong, so I was very happy that the JRA (Japan Racing Association) gave us the invitation to bring Romantic Warrior here.” Hong Kong horses have twice previously won the Yasuda Kinen – Bullish Luck for Tony Cruz and Brett Prebble in 2006 and Fairy King Prawn in 2000 for Ivan Allan and Robbie Fradd. The Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) will be run at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday at 3.40pm (2.40pm, Hong Kong time). Horse racing news View the full article

What Cranbourne Races Where Cranbourne Turf Club – 50 Grant St, Cranbourne VIC 3977 When Friday, May 31, 2024 First Race 5:15pm AEST Visit Dabble Victorian racing returns to Cranbourne Turf Club on Friday evening, with a competitive eight-part program set to kick off at 5:15pm AEST. After racing with the rail out +9m last week, it returns to the true position. The radar looks promising, with only scattered showers across the region, so expect the surface to be rated a Soft 5. Best Bet: Small Town Hero Small Town Hero held ground impressively on debut behind an ultra-dominant Baraqiel at Sale on May 5. The son of Shamexpress was beaten by four lengths while attempting to make every post a winner, and the six-length margin back to third suggests punters should be willing to trust the form. Gate three should allow Jake Noonan to slide across to the rail, and with no Baraqiel giving chase, watch for Small Town Hero to fend them all off in the shadows of the post. Best Bet Race 2 – #5 Small Town Hero (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Brett Conlon | J: Jake Noonan (59.5kg) Bet with PlayUp Next Best: Suances Suances gave a good account of herself on debut at Mornington on May 13 and didn’t have much luck. The filly by The Autumn Sun was held up for a run when the race went on, but she knuckled down to the task to secure some minor money. Watch for Will Price to land in the one-one from barrier three, and provided she gets even luck, Suances can make amends second-up. Next Best Race 4 – #11 Suances (3) 3yo Filly | T: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman | J: Will Price (57.5kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best Again: Godzilla Godzilla is finally starting to put it all together as he seeks his third win of the campaign. The trip to Victoria paid immediate dividends in his most recent start at Sale on May 19, with the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained galloper careering away to win by 3.3 lengths. The step up to 2025m appears ideal, and with this field exhibiting similar quality to what he defeated last start, expect another bold showing by Godzilla. Next Best Again Race 7 – #3 Godzilla (6) 3yo Gelding | T: Peter & Paul Snowden | J: Jordan Childs (59kg) Bet with Neds Friday quaddie picks for Cranbourne races Cranbourne quadrella selections Friday, May 31, 2024 1-3-4-10 1-2-3 2-3-4-7 1-2-4-5-9 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips
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David Hall has 36 wins this season. In the throes of another strong campaign, David Hall hopes to add further lustre to the 2023/24 racing season when he bids for Group 3 glory at Sha Tin on Sunday (2 June) with his stable’s three highest-rated horses – Invincible Sage, Flying Ace and Atullibigeal. Closing in on the career-best mark of 44 wins in a season he set last campaign, Hall has 36 victories this term with the clear highlight being Invincible Sage’s triumph in the HK$22 million Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on 28 April. That success propelled Invincible Sage to a rating of 118 and the four-year-old will carry 129lb for Hugh Bowman in Sunday’s HK$4.2 million Group 3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) while 106-rater Flying Ace will carry only 117lb for Alexis Badel. Hall hopes both gallopers can continue strong preparations. “Both horses have gone up to Conghua since the last race and have certainly enjoyed that. Invincible Sage had a nice trial the other day and had a good blow which is what he needed,” Hall said. “It’s a handicap race now and he’s got to give weight to a couple of his rivals but he still gets six pounds off the top weight (Victor The Winner, 135lb), so it might be the last chance to get a bit of advantage that way. “He’s in good shape and it’s going to be interesting to see how the weather plays and the barrier draw to see what sort of confidence we have. “Flying Ace has been running well all season and the handicap race is a good race for him and if he can just draw a barrier where he could pinch a couple of lengths rather than giving away a couple of lengths every time from a wide gate, that would help. “I’m looking forward to both horses on Sunday.” Hall will saddle 97-rater Atullibigeal in the HK$4.2 million Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy Handicap (1600m), searching for a third victory this campaign with the gelding. “He’s raced well all season and I just think he’s really looking for the mile now,” Hall said. “It’s going to be a very strong race with Galaxy Patch – on his best form, probably wins the race – and Beauty Joy is a class horse but he’s got the big weight (135lb) at the handicap. “It’s an interesting race but he (Atullibigeal) has raced well all season and he deserves his chance there. “I’m hoping the mile will help us improve a little more.” Hall starts Hong Kong Hall in the Class 3 Chung On Handicap (1200m, dirt) at Sha Tin on Wednesday night (29 May) as the gelding chases consecutive wins. “He’s been very lucky to have barrier one his last couple of starts and now he’s got a bit more difficult barrier (gate eight) and obviously it’s going to be questionable how the track is racing – he’s definitely an on-pace horse,” Hall said. “He’s found a liking for the surface. We were lucky enough to get a nice harrowed track last time, whether we’re going to get the same tomorrow night is all a bit of guess work. He’s in good form, the track and distance form is good and I’m sure he’s going to be competitive.” Hugh Bowman reunites with Telecom Fighters in the Class 2 Chun Shek Handicap (1650m, dirt). “The last time I rode him was on the dirt and he ran a gallant second,” Bowman said. “He’s in a situation where it’s hard for him to win because of his level (rated 99) but he’s racing very consistently and he gave me really good showing last time on the all-weather and looks to set up nicely for him again.” Sha Tin’s eight-race card starts on Wednesday night with the Class 2 Chun Shek Handicap (1650m, dirt) at 7.15pm HKT. Horse racing news View the full article

Race 3 STAPHANO AT NOVARA PARK CHAMPAGNE STAKES 2YO 1600m (Listed Race) STAR SHADOW (W Pinn) – Te Akau Racing Manager Mr. R Trumper advised Stewards, the stable was satisfied with the post-race condition of the filly, however, SHADOW STAR has now been sent for a spell. The post Auckland Thoroughbred Racing @ Pukekohe Park, Saturday 25 May 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 2 BRAESIDE FARM MAIDEN HURDLE 3000m JESKO (S Fannin) – Co-trainer Mr. S Fannin reported to Stewards, the stable was satisfied with the post-race condition of JESKO, and it their intention to carry on with the gelding’s current preparation. The post Woodville-Pahiatua Racing Club @ Woodville, Sunday 26 May 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Registration is now open for the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP)'s 50th Global Symposium on Racing, the world's largest racing conference, scheduled for Dec. 9-11 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort near Tucson, Arizona. A full agenda of topics and speakers will be released later this summer. To register for the symposium, get host hotel information, or to explore sponsorship opportunities, visit racingsymposium.com. The post 2024 Global Symposium on Racing Registration Open appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Penn National Race Course has its night in the spotlight May 31 as 10 3-year-olds compete in the $400,000 Penn Mile Stakes (G3T). Among those journeying to Grantville, Pa. are graded stakes winners First World War and Trikari.View the full article

The Week in Review On a day when there were three stakes races, two of them Grade I's, at Santa Anita, the biggest draw on the Monday card was a maiden, Eagles Flight (Curlin). He drew more fans to the paddock than were there for any of the stakes. That's what happens when you're making your first start and are a half-brother to the great Flightline (Tapit). Crank up the hype machine. Eagles Flight, sent off at 11-10, won by 2 3/4 lengths, drawing away with ease inside the final sixteenth. Flavien Prat, who also rode Flightline, was aboard. He covered the six furlongs in 1:10.07 and received an 89 Beyer figure. No, he's not the second coming of Flightline. But who is? It's going to be a long, long time until we see another horse who is that good. But Eagles Flight showed that he is a talented horse and should develop into a major stakes horse. “I was very happy,” winning trainer John Sadler said. “We got this one under our belt. He ran a good race and he got a lot of experience in one race. He was down on the inside, was off a little bit slow, got a chance to eat a lot of dirt. It was like three or four races worth of experience rolled into one.” Sadler believes we will not see the best of Eagles Flight until he gets him to go around two turns. “He will be better with more distance,” he said. “I think we will know his talent level when he gets stretched out to a mile. There are a lot of good horses that can win going short but that's not really their thing. This looks like a distance horse to me.” So far as the next start for Eagles Flight, Sadler hasn't thought that far ahead, but he said it will likely come in an allowance race. Flightline debuted on Apr. 24, 2021 in a six-furlong maiden race at Santa Anita. He was next seen in a Sept. 5, one-mile allowance race at Del Mar. “I haven't decided anything yet, but an allowance race will probably be next,” he said. “That sounds about right.” He said that one of the main differences between the early careers of Flightline and Eagles Flight is that the hype for Eagles Flight started well before his maiden voyage. “What's different is that the spotlight was on the horse from the first jump,” the trainer said. “That's what is a little bit different. Flightline, people got worked up on him after his first couple of starts. With this one, there's a brighter light on him from the beginning. But I'm used to that. Everybody says is this a lot of pressure? No. What's stressful is when they can't run and this horse can run. He's going to be a nice horse. “It was really cool because there were a lot of people there and it was a great day of racing at Santa Anita. That was a hot maiden race. The horse with the numbers (Santarena) was second. It was a fun day.” With more fun to come. My Annual Rant About the Pennine Ridge S. Okay, so maybe there are more pressing issues in racing, but I still fail to understand how NYRA ever named a race after Pennine Ridge (Cure the Blues) in the first place and why they won't change it to recognize some horse or person more deserving of the honor. The fact is Pennine Ridge just wasn't a very good horse. He was 9-for-46 lifetime and his biggest win came in the 1994 GII Jamaica H. He won four stakes in all, including two Grade III's and a listed race. But the real problem is how he ended his career. Nine of his last 12 starts were in claimers, including the final four of his career. He bowed out on Nov. 18, 1998, finishing fourth in a $40,000 claimer at the Meadowlands. It has been suggested to me that NYRA named the race the Pennine Ridge because the horse, before he hit the skids, was owned by former NYRA Chairman Allan Dragone, who passed away in 2006. Dragone is an important figure in the history of the New York Racing Association, so here's how you can fix the problem and still honor Dragone–just rename the race the Allan Dragone S. Problem solved. The Met Mile Belongs on Memorial Day NYRA has done a superb job with Belmont Stakes day. By adding numerous major stakes to the card it has become the best single day of racing in the country outside of the Breeders' Cup. But there has been a price. The weeks leading up to the race and following the race don't have any sizzle, and the biggest problem is the Memorial Day Card, which used to feature the GI Met Mile. The Met, always one of the best races of the year, alone turned the day into a big event. This year, on Memorial Day the feature was the GII Wonder Again S., which was run as the second race. It's just another stakes race. You can have it both ways. Put the Met back on Memorial Day and it won't be that missed on Belmont Day because there are so many big races. Maybe they could move the Wonder Again to Belmont Day to fill the void. Oops This was a weird one. On the overnight, in the condition book, in the program and in the Daily Racing Form, Monday's first race at Belmont at the Big A was listed at 5 1/2 furlongs. Then they went out and ran it at five furlongs. It seems that in the track program, the diagram showing the circumference of the track had the race starting at 5 furlongs, and that's why they placed the gate at the five-eighths pole…even though every other piece of information clearly stated that the race was to be held at 5 1/2 furlongs “Monday's first race at Belmont at the Big A was run at the incorrect distance of five furlongs due to a program diagram error,” said NYRA Vice President of Communications Pat McKenna. “The race was written at 5 1/2 furlongs for 2-year-old maidens, however due to an outside-vendor issue the corresponding race graphic in the program portrayed a five-furlong race. The five-furlong race was won by War Tax with Jose Gomez up for trainer Carlos Martin. “This is a highly unusual scenario and despite the correct distance being written in the program, on the overnight and across wagering platforms, the race was unfortunately contested at the incorrect distance. NYRA will review its protocols to ensure this scenario does not present itself again.” Sometimes all it takes to fix these issues is a little common sense. Somebody must have noticed that the gate was in the wrong place. Just move the gate back a half furlong and make an announcement that the diagram in the program is incorrect. The vast majority of bettors no doubt believed they were betting on a 5 1/2-furlong race. Would the outcome have been any different if it were run at 5 1/2 furlongs? Maybe. Maybe not. But the bettors deserved to have the accurate information made available to them regarding the distance of the race. The crew of stewards, led by New York Gaming Commission Steward Braulio Baeza, Jr., dropped the ball. The post Eagles Flight Passes First Test, and the Best May Be Yet to Come 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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Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features Ingot, a son of dual Group 1 winner Integral (GB). 19.42 Kempton, Novice, £9,900, 2yo, 7f (AWT) INGOT (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) takes centre stage in an intriguing novice, being the fifth foal out of Cheveley Park Stud's G1 Falmouth S., G1 Sun Chariot S. Duke of Cambridge S. winner Integral (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}). In the care of the Gosdens, who campaigned his listed-placed half-brother Fundamental (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), he encounters Godolphin's Cavallo Bay (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}), a Charlie Appleby-trained son of the GI Natalma S. winner La Pelosa (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}). HOW THEY FARED 18.45 Tipperary, Mdn, €12,000, 2yo, f, 5fT Truly Enchanting (Ire) (No Nay Never), the daughter of the Oaks-placed Alluringly (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), earned TDN Rising Star status on debut with a power-packed performance. The post Wednesday’s Observations: Son of Integral Debuts at Kempton appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Todd Mostoller, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (PHBPA), painted a dire economic picture of the state's Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing industries on Tuesday when he told commissioners at the monthly meeting of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission (PHRC) that the 20-year-old legislative funding mechanism for purses has become “cannibalized” by increased competition among casinos that is harming the state's Race Horse Development Fund (RHDF). “The business model that was created by Act 71 [the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004] that incentivized hundreds of millions of dollars of investment, by my members and members on the harness side, is being destroyed,” Mostoller warned commissioners. “And that destruction is not slowing down, it is only increasing. “We're impacted from a purse standpoint,” Mostoller continued at a different point. “The breeders are impacted; the breeders get 16.67% of the RHDF. We've seen the foal crop drop from 1,700 to the neighborhood of 500 that is projected this year. So every participant in the industry, both Thoroughbred and Standardbred side, is impacted.” Mostoller explained that his sounding of the alarm bell was meant to educate commissioners about what is going on as the state ponders reexamining Act 71 with reference to games of skill. As a state regulatory agency, the PHRC itself is powerless to make direct changes to the statute-established RHDF. But Mostoller said at the May 28 meeting that he wanted commissioners to be familiar with the same pitch he has been making to legislators over the past three or four months. “We didn't feel the commission really understood the issue and why we continue to see a decrease in race dates,” Mostoller said. “I can tell you, Hollywood Casino, I lose two race days a month from cannibalization, year over year. And it's only accelerating,” Mostoller said. “You guys are acutely aware that we continue to decline in race days at both Penn National and Presque Isle.” Mostoller framed his case by asking the rhetorical question of why are race dates in decline if the news media is full of stories about Pennsylvania's flourishing overall gaming industry? He then supplied his own answer: The advent of online gaming and the issuance of Category 4 “satellite casino” licenses have taken a huge revenue bite out of the RHDF's sole source of funding, which comes from 18% of gross revenue at Category 1 (gaming at racetracks only) slot terminals. Some of Pennsylvania's satellite casinos and online gaming entities are owned by the very same corporate parents that operate the state's horse-track racinos, although Mostoller did not venture off into this aspect of the problem during his presentation. Mostoller did say that the RHDF has been in contraction since achieving its high-water mark of $280 million in the fiscal year 2011-12. “The problem is we have seen that number decline considerably. And why is that?” Mostoller asked. “Well, there's been legislative actions that have transferred [$50 million annually for four years] out of the fund [to shore up a state budget shortfall]. But the real issue now is cannibalization. The gaming market in Pennsylvania has changed dramatically since 2017,” which is when Category 4 licensees and internet gaming were first permitted. “At the Category 1 facilities, cumulatively, we have seen a decrease of almost half a billion dollars in gross terminal revenue on slot machines,” Mostoller said. “And it's important that we talk about slot machines, because that's the only revenue that we get. We don't get revenues from any of the sports [betting], any of the table games. It's slot machine revenues only. “When they created the Category 4 casinos, they put facilities within the demographics of the existing Category 1 facilities,” Mostoller continued. “A perfect example is Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. We now have York, which is 20-25 miles to our south. We now have Morgantown. We now have Shippensburg, and soon-to-be State College. Well there's only so many gaming dollars to go around. And what we've seen, strictly at Penn National, is we've seen a decrease of $100 million in gross terminal revenue since fiscal year 2011-12.” Mostoller said those downward-spiraling Penn figures match what is happening on a larger scale statewide. “I think COVID had a huge role to play in people moving to the online gaming thing. Nobody had predicted that. But that's reality,” Mostoller said. Mostoller then noted that the projected amount for the RHDF in the 2024 fiscal year is only about $17 million higher than it was in 2020. “If that doesn't slap you in the face a little bit to the problem that we're having, I don't know what does,” Mostoller said. “I mean [because of the pandemic] we were basically shut down, for month upon month, every Category 1 facility. And yet we are on pace to only beat that year by $17 million.” PHRC chairperson Russell Redding, who also serves as the state's Secretary of Agriculture, asked Mostoller, “What's the answer? You need [to come up with] more money, but there's only so many options to find the money.” Mostoller replied that there are currently “discussions of regulating games of skill. If the Gaming Act is opened, there are certainly ways that our industry can be 'made whole' [via] the promise that was made in the original act. “The original act was a business model that worked,' Mostoller said. “People invested hundreds of millions of dollars in that business model. That [model] is now in the process of being destroyed. And if we were to get back to the high-water mark, which we believe [would] give the industry the stability and the incentive [to move forward], the original promise of Act 71 would be fulfilled… “The Gaming Act being opened, in conjunction with games of skill, may be a mechanism,' Mostoller summed up. “We're not here to solve the problems. We're simply letting people know of the issue and what the problem is so that they firmly understand it.” Mostoller said his efforts at educating legislators about what's at stake for the racing industry is important because there has been substantial turnover among elected officials since Act 71 first passed two decades ago. Redding estimated that legislative turnover could be as high as 70%. “When you talk about what was sort of the business model and the expectation of the [original Gaming Act] agreement, you have to go all the way back and build up to the point of what the drivers are, the problem, and then the potential solutions,” Redding said. “Because there aren't folks who fully appreciate how we got here.” The post PHBPA: ‘Cannibalization’ of Slot Revenue ‘Destroying’ Horse Biz Development Model appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jaime Rodriguez won twice on the Memorial Day holiday program May 27 to clinch his first riding title at Pimlico Race Course, while Brittany Russell left with her third straight leading trainer crown at the Preakness Meet.View the full article

Siena Farm and WinStar Farm must have thought highly of their Gun Runner colt to bestow the name World Record on him, and his maiden victory May 27 at Churchill Downs may have confirmed that they were right to set their expectations high.View the full article

After being vanned off following his 2 1/4-length victory in the $201,000 Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G2) May 27 at Santa Anita Park, Mr Fisk was diagnosed with a condylar fracture.View the full article

Jaime Rodriguez won twice on the Memorial Day holiday program May 27 to clinch his first riding title at historic Pimlico Race Course, while Brittany Russell left with her third straight leading trainer crown at the prestigious Preakness Meet.View the full article

Almost certainly bred for further than the five furlongs she started over on Tuesday evening, Ballydoyle's regally-bred Truly Enchanting (Ire) (No Nay Never–Alluringly, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) duly overcame in the style of a top-class prospect to earn TDN Rising Star status in the Visit Tipperary Fillies Maiden at the Limerick Junction track. Niggled along early by Ryan Moore to keep tabs on more precocious rivals, the daughter of the Oaks third Alluringly and half-sister to the G2 Kilboy Estate S. winner Lily Pond (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) really began to find her stride inside the last two furlongs. Powering through the testing ground to overhaul the Joseph O'Brien-trained Oxford Rock (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) with 150 yards remaining, the 100-30 shot hit the line strong with 3 3/4 lengths to spare with the experienced Shamrock Breeze (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) giving some context a further 2 1/2 lengths away in third. Truly Enchanting, who becomes the ninth TDN Rising Star for her sire, boasts as her fourth dam the great Urban Sea (Miswaki). From a true Epsom family, she promises to get at least a mile but it is notable that No Nay Never's prior TDN Rising Stars include Little Big Bear (Ire), Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Aesop's Fables (Ire), all of whom were at their best over sprint trips. Ryan was delighted with her and said she'd have no problem getting six and that she could get seven,” Aidan O'Brien said. “She was green early, but Ryan said they didn't go mad early which have her a chance. We'll see how much she comes on, as she's a little bit laid-back at home so she could come on plenty. The [G3] Albany is possible.” Nice debut Truly Enchanting, who is from the family of Sea The Stars, is strong at the finish as she opens her account in taking fashion. Bred to be good, she looks like a filly who will learn plenty from this first day at school.@Ballydoyle | @coolmorestud pic.twitter.com/RRcjuXFT5L — Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 28, 2024 . The post Truly Enchanting A New TDN Rising Star For No Nay Never appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Imagine a world in which British racing's problems have been solved. There is plenty of prize-money to go round, at least 12 runners in every race, attendance figures are up, the Cheltenham Festival has returned to three days and the Derby to a Wednesday. Okay, let's not be completely fanciful. The four-day Festival is here to stay, as is the Saturday Derby, but if you spend an hour in a room with Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale, you may leave it feeling that some of the other items on the wish list are achievable. He's not living in dreamland. As a man with a financial background Truesdale has a grip on the checks and balances and, a compelling talker, he is refreshingly candid when it comes to admitting that changes have to be made to ensure the ongoing health of some of the key Jockey Club fixtures. He is also prepared to put his own shoulder to the wheel to address some of the threats to sport in general. Over the last year or so, Truesdale has led the counter-attack to the disruptive behaviour and baseless claims of the pressure group Animal Rising, as well as galvanising the industry to get behind his petition to lobby government to rethink their plans for affordability checks on punters. He is a man of deeds as well as words, which is just as well considering that the 15 racecourses owned by the Jockey Club stage a significant portion of racing's crown jewels, including the Derby and Oaks, both Guineas, the Grand National and Cheltenham Festival. Beyond that, it owns training grounds in Newmarket, Lambourn and Epsom, as well as controlling the National Stud and the charity Racing Welfare. The Jockey Club is a significantly different entity nowadays to when it was set up in 1750 by some of the major owner-breeders of the day who also had significant influence in society and government. Until 2006, it served as racing's regulator before the formation of the independent Horserace Regulatory Authority (HRA), which later merged with the British Horseracing Board (BHB) to become the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). The Jockey Club now operates on a corporate basis but with any gains from its commercial interests being reinvested into the sport. It remains though, to some extent, a private members' club. Some of those 187 members recently, and mostly anonymously, expressed their discontent with the paid executive through a report in the Racing Post, their concerns exacerbated by the recent fall in attendance and turnover from the Cheltenham Festival. As far as racecourse groups go, it is in an exceptional position as one which, while seeking to modernise, must also be a keeper of the flame when it comes to preserving the racing traditions held dear by a significant portion of the sport's diehard fans. The Jockey Club is not alone in referring to “significant financial headwinds”, as it did recently when announcing a cut in prize-money across its courses for 2024. Though the total prize-money remained at a record level, with £31.1 million on offer, £750,000 had to be trimmed from the original planned outlay which had been announced in January. People's demands are changing. Whether we like it or not, there's a generation growing up that have a different outlook on the world. “The whole sport needs to realise that, yes, the breeding is important, yes, what we do day-to-day on the racecourse and in yards is important, but fundamentally the commercial ecosystem depends on eyes being on it and people betting on it. The Jockey Club and the business that it's turned into has had to evolve more quickly in the last 30 years than it's ever had to,” says Truesdale, whose chief executive role was made permanent in January 2021 following the controversial departure of his predecessor, Delia Bushell, the previous August. The Northern Irishman had joined the Jockey Club in 2013 as group finance director. “People's demands are changing. Whether we like it or not, there's a generation growing up that have a different outlook on the world. It doesn't mean for a second that the future of horseracing is in any way compromised, but horseracing as a sport needs to adapt. “You look at what's happened in rugby and in Formula 1. I'm a massive cricket fan and it looks very different to what it did 30, 40, even 15 years ago. T20 and then the Hundred have revolutionised cricket. I'm not saying we need a T20 version of racing, but the point I'm trying to make is that we have to adapt to the world around us.” He continues, “But at the same time we've absolutely got to respect the traditions of this sport. I'm a proper sporting traditionalist. I'm a Test cricket man. I am not necessarily a three-day Cheltenham Festival man, but I'm definitely not a five-day man.” With the jumps season in the rear-view mirror, the Derby, arguably the most famous Flat race in the world, is now looming on the horizon. This time last year Truesdale headed to the High Court on the Jockey Club's behalf in order to gain an injunction to stop protestors disrupting the Derby as they had when forcing a 15-minute delay of the Grand National at Aintree. Animal Rising now appears to have sunk, but the Derby, along with the major jumping festivals, is not without its detractors and, again according to the Racing Post, the Derby Festival could be in for a bit of a reshuffle in the coming years. Truesdale has been a willing 'talking head' on the sport's behalf. “I'm absolutely passionate about getting the really good stuff about racing and our big messages, especially on welfare, across,” he says. “[On Grand National day] I spoke to BBC Radio 4, GB News, Sky News, Talk TV – none of them were supporters. We have this platform on those big events to get the message across about the importance and the size of racing as an industry, what it contributes, and the brilliant days out it offers, and at the heart of it all, the fact that this sport is open and welcoming to everyone, because I genuinely believe it is. “When I bring friends racing for the first time, it's very different to what they expect. All of this is about perception, and I actually think all the business with Animal Rising this time last year, gave us even more of a platform to accentuate that. “People are absolutely entitled to their views on the sport, and there'll be 20-odd per cent of people whose minds will never change, but there is a big chunk of persuadable public in the middle, who definitely want to engage, who definitely have interest, who want to find out more, but who want reassurance, especially on welfare.” Truesdale points to the cost-of-living crisis as a factor in the decline of attendances, and how rising costs have also affected the Jockey's Club's business. Add to this unwelcome scenario the spectre of affordability checks and a perfect storm is swirling around British racing at a time when progress on prize-money levels, at the higher levels at least, is being attempted through the advent of 'Premier' racing and other initiatives. “Some of our online betting revenues, at the end of 2023, were down 20 per cent from 2022, and that's on better field sizes as well. As field sizes have increased, you'd expect engagement interest and, therefore, online betting. There's a clear statistical relationship between the two, so you'd expect, all things being equal, online betting revenues to go up. We all know what's happening, with some punters being caught in affordability measures going off into the unregulated market,” he says. “It's having quite a significant impact, and what that really means is that, as effectively a consumer leisure business, we are having to be very discerning about what we spend and our operating model. And that's where the customer experience becomes really important because if people have got less money to spend, they're making choices about what they spend it on, so we've got to be totally focused on that.” The Jockey Club's courses include Newmarket, Epsom and Cheltenham The launch of Premier racing, for which racecourses have to ensure at least £20,000 for Flat races run within that window, has caused some disquiet among some of the smaller, independent tracks and the Jockey Club is not immune to those concerns either. Indeed, with its reduction of prize-money in April came the handing back of five Premier fixtures. Along with some big-name courses, the Jockey Club also owns smaller tracks such as Huntingdon, Market Rasen and Exeter, which enjoy loyal local support. “We assess performance of every individual fixture and obviously, therefore, every individual racecourse,” Truesdale explains. “It's not a secret that Cheltenham and Aintree together are very significant commercial drivers for us. But every racecourse has to stand on its own two feet in terms of its underlying financial performance, if not its capital requirements. We absolutely have to be growing the top end and investing in that, and I'm very much a fan of making sure that that's properly accentuated, but we've also got to be thinking about the day-to-day grassroots as well. Because we all know that a significant chunk of people who come racing, not to the big festivals, but day-to-day, come within a 25-mile radius. “So we've got to keep investing in the racing, and by that, I don't just mean prize-money, which is a big part of that, but I'm also thinking about ground, safety measures, owner experience, jockey experience. Without the core product, you have nothing.” The core product, many would argue, begins with the breeders, who are key not just to the racing fixtures but to the continuation of the National Stud. “We are well placed to understand that whole ecosystem and, therefore, understand the importance of prize-money, which is why, even with the change we've made [recently], we're still at record levels,” he says. “But that is ultimately dependent on our commercial success or otherwise. British breeding depends on having the best stallions in this country, and the best stallions are only going to be in this country if we're rewarding owners on the track. We totally get that. That's why we have to ensure that we're investing enough in the top end of our programme. As an industry, we're at times guilty of spreading the jam a bit too thinly. “That will inevitably have already involved some pretty painful decisions, and we're no different when it comes to where we're investing, and not just at the National Stud, but in our whole business.” From a financial risk point of view, [buying a stallion] is the biggest decision that the stud makes. That's the one that, if it goes wrong, it can affect the whole business. The National Stud currently stands five stallions, the star name, with his own plaque on the adjacent roundabout, being Stradivarius (Ire), whose first foals have been arriving this season. Alongside him are Time Test (GB), Rajasinghe (Ire), Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), and new recruit Mutasaabeq (GB). “We're not scared to be in a position where we're just standing them, as we are for Stradivarius, and Bjorn [Nielsen] has been incredibly generous and helpful with his bonus scheme, and Phil Cunningham the same in supporting Rajasinghe, whose strike-rate is fantastic,” says Truesdale. “Time Test has got two big years ahead of him with his two biggest crops to run and he has probably been the template for how it can work at a level.” Bought from his breeder Juddmonte Farms, Time Test has also shuttled to New Zealand and the National Stud has already recouped its outlay on him. “You've got to be out within the first three years,” Truesdale says. “From a financial risk point of view, [buying a stallion] is the biggest decision that the stud makes. That's the one that, if it goes wrong, it can affect the whole business. So we've got to be very discerning in our selection and get it right, and we've then got to get the right ownership model and spread the risk.” Lope Y Fernandez, who will have his first runners in 2025, is a good example of this practice as he is owned in partnership by the National Stud with Coolmore and Whitsbury Manor Stud. He adds, “We don't don't need to be bringing in a new stallion every year, but we have assembled probably the best roster that we've had certainly in my time here. And credit to Anna [Kerr] and Joe [Bradley] and Teddy [Grimthorpe] and the whole team for that, because it's not an easy market to play in.” While the National Stud is to some extent multi-faceted as a commercial stud farm, place of learning and tourist destination, Truesdale says that yet more could be done to exploit the hidden gems of racing. “Yes, by all means, come to a race day but if you do that, you're only scratching the surface,” he says. “Go to a gallops morning, go to a yard, go to an open day, or National Racehorse Week. “I think, as a sport, we've got far more scope for behind-the-scenes insights, the brilliant spectacle of a morning when the horse is training. You can't go to Liverpool's training ground to watch them train, but you can come to watch horses on the gallops and you can go into studs and yards, within reason.” Adopting the unofficial role of racing's Mr Brightside following the recent exit of Rod Street from Great British Racing, Truesdale cites 100 days of annual terrestrial TV coverage and the fact that racing remains the country's second-biggest spectator sport as reasons to be cheerful. “Lots of other sports would kill for that,” he says. “Our job is to get people onto racecourses more often and that means we've got to be more nimble and more flexible in pricing, especially when people are struggling to pay their energy bills. We offered staged payments for the first time this year on Cheltenham tickets, and at Aintree, too.” He admits, however, that there have been some “really tough conversations” in regard to funding, particularly through the changes incurred by the launch of Premier and Core fixtures from January 1. “I do think after the two-year trial it's going to need a reasonably significant re-evaluation. There'll be bits of it that work and bits of it that don't work,” he says. “We had an aspiration to try and get Premier fixtures at every racecourse, so we've had to make some difficult decisions there. Ultimately, that comes back to prize-money, and is driven by our commercial performance. It's no secret that our commercial performance at Cheltenham was not what we wanted it to be. It wasn't a catastrophe, by any means, but we invest in prize-money at the margin, so when the margin comes back a little bit, then we're looking at our entire cost space and the prize-money [cut] is actually just a small part of what we've done more widely. It's the last place I want to go, but you have to be pragmatic about these things and you have to run the business sustainably. Ultimately, that's my job.” With a background working for major firms such as Ernst & Young and British Gas, Truesdale asserts that the Jockey Club has the “best quality of people I've ever worked with, anywhere”. He adds, “I look at the passion and commitment of the people we've got at the Jockey Club now. It's fantastic. It doesn't mean that we don't need to change and evolve in how we operate but, fundamentally, it's the people I work with that keep me going. Despite all of the challenges, if you can't enjoy it, genuinely, you should be somewhere else. And I do really enjoy it.” The post Nevin Truesdale: ‘Racing Must Adapt to the World Around Us’ 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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