Daily News Wrap

Formidable Cup hand

Mark Newnham has a strong hand to play in the Listed January Cup at Randwick, including last-start winners Spirit Of Ridge (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Gone Bye (Al Maher).

They are both last-start course and distance winners while the third member of the party is Fulmina (Snitzel), who has been consistent of late and might he aided by the step up to 2000 metres.

Spirit Of Ridge has the leading form line of the trio following his victory in the G3 Summer Cup on Boxing Day and has performed on wet and dry tracks. He is likely to head for a short spell after Saturday and return for an autumn campaign.

Adelaide Cup goal

The G2 Adelaide Cup has been identified by trainer Patrick Payne as an ideal target for his promising stayer Defribrillate (NZ) (Shocking).

The lightly-tried 6-year-old has won six of his 10 starts, including a second-up victory in the Listed Lord S. at his most recent appearance.

Defribrillate will attempt to go back-to-back on Saturday in the Lexus H. and Payne expects him to go well again on a course the gelding has already been successful on.

Open for bidding

A bumper catalogue of 268 lots has been assembled for the Inglis Digital January (Early) Online Auction, which is now open and live for bidding.

The first online catalogue for 2021 includes 189 racehorses (76 race fillies), 47 broodmares (18 in foal, 15 with foals at foot), 22 racehorse shares and five yearlings.

The catalogue includes significant drafts of racehorses from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing, Ciaron Maher Racing, Hawkes Racing, Chris Waller Racing, Lindsay Park Racing, Bjorn Baker Racing and Ballymore Stables among others, as well as an offering of seven broodmares from Sun Stud.

Digital had its first Group 1-winning graduate in in 2020 when $22,500 graduate Bella Vella (Commands) won the Robert Sangster S. and a new record top lot was created when undefeated R. Listed Inglis Millennium contender Sneaky Five’s (Fastnet Rock) dam Small Minds (Canny Lad) sold for $410,000.

The final countdown of bidding for the January (Early) Online Auction begins from 3pm Wednesday, January 13.

Quality 2YO to trial

Exciting 2-year-old prospect Enthaar (Written Tycoon) will attract an abundance of interest when she steps out at the Werribee trials next Tuesday.

The filly was an untested winner on debut in the G3 Gimcrack S. at Randwick in October for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

That performance has Enthaar the pre-post favourite for both the G1 Blue Diamond S. and the G1 Golden Slipper S.

Meeting abandoned

The Coffs Harbour race meeting on Sunday has been abandoned due to the condition of the track following recent heavy rain.

Approximately 130 mls of rain fell in the past five days and Racing NSW Stewards deemed the track unfit for racing.

Following recent heavy rains in the Northern Rivers region, other venues within reasonable proximity of Coffs Harbour were also deemed unsuitable for racing.

Crack mare honoured again

Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who was retired from racing following a second victory in the G1 Japan Cup last November, has been named Japan’s Horse of the Year for the second time in the last three years.

She easily outpointed Triple Crown winners and unanimous champions Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), while champion sprinter/miler elect Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) garnered a single vote for HOTY.

Almond Eye, who was also the champion of her generation at three in 2018, was also named champion older filly or mare.

Saudi goal for Prince

After placing in his third consecutive G1 Melbourne Cup when third at Flemington, Saeed bel Obaida’s evergreen 8-year-old gelding Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) is to race on the Saudi Cup card in late February before heading to Dubai.

Prince Of Arran ran third behind Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Longines Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup card last year. First-up, though, is likely to be a prep race at Kempton, according to trainer Charlie Fellowes.

“He’s going to Saudi Arabia, provided everything is fine,” said Fellowes. “He’s come back in looking too well, but he didn’t go out until late. He’s come back with a proper belly on him, so I’ll have to get some proper work into him.”

Calumet, WinStar dominate

Kentucky’s Calumet Farm has led North America’s individual breeders list with 2020 earnings of US$9,768,957 (AU$12.57 million).

Calumet’s 479 individual starters visited the winner’s circle 336 times, with 289 seconds and 346 thirds out of 2587 starts.

The entity of WinStar Farm, LLC was just behind Calumet with earnings of US$9,234,344 (AU$11.88 million). Not including its various partnerships, WinStar’s 149 wins were derived from 1137 starts.

When tabulating partnerships, the roles were reversed with WinStar coming out on top. WinStar was part of breeding partnerships that took home US$11,713,732 (AU$15 million) in earnings and 254 wins from 1851 starts. Calumet was the runner-up with US$9,869,125 (AU$12.7 million) in earnings and 343 wins out of 2619 starts.

Up for the fight

Shaune Ritchie is heading into the Listed Japac Homes Marton Cup at Awapuni with The Good Fight (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) on Saturday in a buoyant mood.

His 6-year-old gelding heads into the race in a fresh state, after his fifth-placing in the G3 New Zealand Cup in November, and he said there are a number of factors leaning his way heading into the weekend.

“I think there are a few pluses going into this race,” said Ritchie, who trains in partnership with Colm Murray. “He goes well in a freshened state and he has come back from Riccarton fairly well.

“I think the cut in the ground is going to help him as well. He’s not at his best on the rock-hard tracks, that is why we have elected to go to Marton.”

Step toward NZ Oaks

A long-term plan to target the G1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks with Topkapi (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) takes further shape when she tackles Sunday's Listed Te Akau Gingernuts Salver at Ellerslie.

Trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie have long held the opinion that the Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced Topkapi was a bright staying prospect and after a fast-finishing last-start fourth at Rotorua, she steps up to her first middle distance test in Sunday's feature.

"She ran the fastest last 600 metres of that race the other day. She got back from a wide draw which made it hard, but she hit the line really nicely and Danielle (Johnson, jockey) said she has the makings of a really nice stayer," Ramsay said.

"She's stepping up in distance on Sunday which we think will really suit her. She relaxes well and she's getting better all the time. She's got the breeding to stay, being by Tavistock out of Dolmabache, who we trained.”

Feature targets beckon

Last-start G3 Eulogy S. placegetter Signora Nera (NZ) (Sweynesse) will be aimed at further black-type features, but trainer Allan Sharrock said what path the 3-year-old filly takes will become a lot clearer after racing at Awapuni on Saturday.

Her performance in the Spreading Rural Bulk 1400 will dictate whether she heads north to contest the Karaka Million 3YO Classic at Ellerslie on January 23 or the G3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold S. at Trentham a week later.

“We will just see how she races on Saturday and pick an option,” Sharrock said. “I am very happy with her. I think it was the run of the race last start.

“She was the only one who made ground, really. She is a nice filly and is going to get better with time, but she is doing a great job.”