Godolphin to offer breeding stock through Inglis Digital

Godolphin will offer 37 broodmares and four race fillies through the Inglis Digital July (Early) Online Auction.

Following a successful offering of tried horses in the June (Early) Online Sale, Godolphin has decided to trade its breeding stock through Inglis again in the July 10-15 sale.

G2 Light Fingers S. winner Obsequious (Lonhro) highlights the draft. She has already produced three foals to race, all of which are winners and is offered in foal to Frosted (USA).

Also on the line-up is Listed winner Zubbaya (Dubawi {Ire}), in foal to Hallowed Crown, one of a total of 28 pregnant mares on offer.

Each of the 41 Godolphin horses in the auction will be available for inspection by appointment at Godolphin’s Northwood Park property on Saturday, July 11, Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 between 10am – 2pm.

“Prospective buyers can buy with confidence and from our 41-strong consignment there are certainly offerings to satisfy a great variety of breeding objectives, be it purchasing mares with racing upside in the short-term or accessing bloodlines for the long-term," Godolphin’s Racing and Bloodstock Manager Jason Walsh said.

“We were very pleased with our racehorse sale with the June Inglis Digital Sale and we look forward to presenting another Godolphin draft online in the coming weeks."

Inglis Digital manager Nick Melmeth said it is a great opportunity to sell another quality draft from Godolphin.

“There are some particularly well-credentialled mares in the draft and people can buy from Godolphin with confidence knowing that in many cases the pedigrees will still be working for them for generations to come," he said.

“We have seen countless examples over the years of breeders securing life-changing mares from drafts such as these and hopefully we can reflect on more such instances from this draft in years to come.”

Entries for the sale close on Wednesday, July 8.

Public allowed back at Randwick from Saturday

General admission customers will be admitted back at the track at Randwick on Saturday.

Patrons are required to book tickets online at TheRaces.com.au and register their details ahead of Saturday’s Randwick meeting.

Group bookings of up to 20 people are permitted with all patrons required to follow social distancing protocols. They will need to remain seated except when placing a bet or ordering food and beverage products on course, or when visiting bathrooms.

“Public seating will be available within the Queen Elizabeth II Grandstand and in designated outdoor areas trackside during races,” the Australian Turf Club (ATC) release said.

“All patrons along with all racing participants will be temperature tested on arrival with the use of state-of-the-art thermal imaging cameras installed by the Australian Turf Club.”

Romancer rebound on cards

Trainer Grahame Begg is hopeful Romancer (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) can rebound off his below par effort last start and go one better than last year when he contests Saturday's Listed Seppelt Wines VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final at Flemington .

Begg said the 6-year-old had a tough run when 10th at Flemington two weeks' ago but had come through it well and was ready to again turn in his best effort.

"Romancer needs a better run than he got last time," Begg told Racing.com.

"He had a pretty tough run. He was three-wide outside the leaders and didn't have a lot of joy, but he's trained on really well since.

"He ran second in this race last year and he's obviously gone up in weight a bit. He had a soft draw last year (seven compared to 12 this year) but he's in great shape."

Schiller starts Newnham spell

Riverina-based apprentice Tyler Schiller began his three-month loan stint for Mark Newnham with one ride at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

Schiller finished fourth on the Newnham-trained Happy Candy (Smart Missile) and is set to became a regular fixture for Newnham in the coming months.

“He rode trackwork for the first time for us this week and he is a good young fella,” Newnham told Racenet.

"I got a call from him a few weeks ago after he had outridden his country claim.

“I originally rung his boss Phil Sweeney six or seven weeks ago and said if he was interested in coming on loan to me there would be a position available there.

“Robbie Dolan is finishing his time at the end of July and Tommy Sherry will be riding in town later this month so there was a position there.”

Schiller already has 89 winners to his name.

Headwater gets ninth winner

Vinery Stud's Headwater got his second winner in as many days and his ninth from his first crop when Mr Colorful won a 1000 metre maiden at Hawkesbury.

Mr Colorful, a $100,000 Magic Millions buy for George Moore Bloodstock, won at start number three for trainer Gary Moore.

His dam, Holder Sunset (Shamardal {USA}) was a three-time winner out of Group-placed filly Montana Sunset (More Than Ready {USA}), the half-sister to multiple Group winner Montana Flyer (Flying Spur).

Headwater now has the third most number of Australian winners of any first-season stallion, behind Spill The Beans (12) and Pride Of Dubai (10).

Jockeys association moves on foreign riders

The NSW Jockeys Association has put forward a proposal which is set to make it harder for international riders to ride for extended stints in New South Wales.

Fairfax reported that the jockeys representative body met with Racing NSW officials on Monday and put forward a proposal to place a ban on international apprentices and long-term riding contracts for senior international jockeys.

“With 200 jockeys and apprentices currently licensed, they state that there is no shortage of riders,” the report said.

“The association states that some visiting jockeys will stay for a few months and reap the rewards of the high levels of prizemoney and conditions in our state but, in reality, only the high-profile riders bring promotion to our industry.

“They take back with them fees and prizemoney that could be earnt by our NSW jockeys, some of whom leave the industry early due to reduced opportunities.”

Sense of better things to come

Sense Of Honour (Pride Of Dubai) will be auditioning for feature 3-year-old races in the spring when she contests the AAMI Next Generation Sprinters Series Final at Flemington on Saturday.

The talented 2-year-old, trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, won on debut at Sandown back in January before finishing fourth first-up at Moonee Valley last time.

The Phoenix Thoroughbreds-owned filly looks set for better races should she measure up on Saturday.

"She's a really nice filly that we hope to get deep into the spring with," Kent Jnr told Racing.com of the $340,000 yearling purchase.

"She was really good with her first-up run at The Valley and she's going particularly well."

Coleman on Cole's mind

Matamata horseman Cody Cole has a trio of chances of continuing his good run on the 12-race card at Te Rapa on Saturday, but his thoughts are with injured jockey Michael Coleman.

Cole and Coleman had forged quite a partnership in recent times and the trainer was saddened to learn of the serious injuries Coleman suffered in a mishap this week which will possibly end his career.

“I haven’t been training long but Mickey has been riding for me the last two seasons and has been a massive help,” Cole said.

“He is a brilliant bloke and it is really unfortunate to see this happen and it could potentially be the end of his career as a jockey.

“We have quite a nice strike rate together, he has had six wins and six placings from 21 rides for me.

"He has been awesome. He comes and rides work and he doesn’t have to but he just enjoys it."

Cole's chances are highlighted by 5-year-old mare Vainglory (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), who won at Counties a fortnight ago and is a leading chance for the BGP Battlers Cup with Sam Weatherley in the saddle.

He also has Nancy Spain (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) on debut in the Te Rapa Event Centre - Open Again and saddles up Pearl Davone (NZ) (El Hermano {NZ}) in the G1 Turf Bar Mdn.

Qualifiers confirmed for Breeders' Cup

Headlined by three automatic qualifiers for the G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and three “Win and You’re In” starting positions at York’s Ebor Festival in Britain, the Breeders’ Cup announced its August schedule of Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races Wednesday.

There will be 16 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races in August, beginning August 1 with two races at Saratoga Race Course and one at Del Mar. Saratoga will host the G1 Whitney S., which will give the winner an automatic berth into Classic, as well as the G1 Personal Ensign S., providing the winner a spot in the starting gate for the G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Later that day at Del Mar, the second automatic berth into the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint will be awarded to the winner of the G1 Bing Crosby S. The following day, August 2, Del Mar will host its “Win and You’re In” for the Distaff, the G1 Clement L. Hirsch S.

The rest of the August schedule with corresponding Breeders’ Cup events are as follows: the August 8 - G1 Ballerina S. at Saratoga (Filly & Mare Sprint), August 15 - G1 Alabama S. at Saratoga (Distaff), August 16 - G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville in France (Mile), August 19 - G1 Juddmonte International S. at York in Great Britain (Classic), August 20 - G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York (Filly & Mare Turf), August 21 - G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York (Turf Sprint), August 22 - G1 Fourstardave H. at Saratoga (Mile), G1 TVG Pacific Classic (Classic) and G2 Del Mar H. (Turf) at Del Mar, August 23 - G1 Darley Prix Morny at Deauville (Juvenile Turf Sprint), August 29 - G1 Sword Dancer Invitational S. at Saratoga (Turf) and G2 Pat O’Brien S. at Del Mar (Dirt Mile).