Buffolo heads CHC in the U.S.
China Horse Club has been restructured, Eden Harrington, has confirmed to TDN. Instead of a singular COO, a position previously filled by the U.S.-based Michael Wallace, the China Horse Club now has key representatives in each of its three major regions. The heads of Australasia, Michael Smith, and Europe, Matt Holdsworth, were promoted from within the company, but their U.S. representative is a new hire, Fabricio Buffolo.
Fabricio Buffolo | Image courtesy of Boomer Bloodstock
“Over the last two years, the world has been heavily impacted by the pandemic and we, quite fluidly, moved our management team around the world,” said Harrington. One thing we realised in this post-COVID world we are in, is that we do see a heightened importance in having dedicated people in each region to assist our members and partners there, as well as, address and adapt to regional opportunities and issues. We have shifted our structure slightly so we have that focus.”
He continued, “The other component is with the addition of Mr. Fabricio Buffolo, we actually expanded our focus from just the U.S. to all of the Americas because of his background and connections in the Caribbean, Latin America, Central and South America.”
Holder suspended for five months
Current South Australian Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership leader Jason Holder has been outed for five months by stewards after testing positive to a banned substance.
The suspension, which was handed down on Thursday, came after he returned a positive reading following a random test at trackwork last month.
Holder, who pleaded guilty, was issued with a second charge for attempting to submit a substitute sample when asked to present for further testing at Racing SA’s offices later that day.
Flemington the new home for Inglis Sprint
Inglis’ richest race for 3-year-olds, the $750,000 Inglis Sprint, will be run in Melbourne for the first time this year with the contest a new addition to the Australian Guineas Day on Saturday, March 5.
Flemington has hosted the $500,000 Inglis Dash since 2016 but both the Inglis Sprint and the Inglis Dash have been combined in 2022 to bring together a strong group of gallopers to the famous straight six.
Rocketing By, winner of the 2021 Inglis Sprint | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“The Inglis Race Series is synonymous with producing outstanding racehorses like Nature Strip, She Will Reign, Extreme Choice, Wild Ruler and Mossfun to name a few and the Inglis Sprint has played a huge role in the success of the series over many years,” CEO of Inglis Bloodstock Sales Sebastian Hutch said.
“In moving this race to Melbourne and strategically placing it a week before the Newmarket Handicap, it gives a 3-year-old a dream opportunity to race in two huge prizemoney races on consecutive weekends and set themselves up for a life at stud."
Godolphin unveil promising staying prospect
Godolphin may have unveiled an exciting staying prospect after well-bred Tavistock (NZ) gelding Tipitina (NZ) saluted by 0.7l by on debut at Scone on Friday.
The James Cummings-trained 3-year-old proved too classy for The Mystery Guy (Vancouver) and Pirrama (Bernardini {USA}) in the 1400-metre contest.
A Godolphin homebred, Tipitina is out of G2 Wakeful S.-winning, G1 VRC Oaks runner-up Zydeco (Zabeel {NZ}), making him a half-brother to the G3 CS Hayes S.-placed, G1 Australian Oaks fourth placegetter Chenier (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
Raymond’s Turaath to realise true potential
Maddie Raymond is forecasting a big autumn carnival for stable star Turaath (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) with the class mare set to tackle both the G1 CF Orr S. and the G1 Futurity S. at Caulfield.
The G2 Let’s Elope S. heroine will use Saturday’s G2 Australia S. at Moonee Valley as another key fitness run ahead of next fortnight’s CF Orr after returning in superb order when finishing 1.6l fifth in the G3 Standish H. at Flemington on January 15.
Maddie Raymond
“We know she’s going to be better over a little bit further than the 1200 metres but I think she needs a couple of runs under her belt to prepare for the grand finals,” Raymond told RSN.
“She can stay up for a while, so you can get her ready for a grand final while still expecting a couple of runs at her peak.”
Forbidden Love ready for Anamoe challenge
Richard and Michael Freedman are refusing to run scared of boom colt Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) and will send Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) around in Saturday’s G2 Expressway S. after the Group 1-winning mare finished alongside Nature Strip (Nicconi) in a recent Rosehill trial.
Forbidden Love | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I value Tommy’s (Berry) judgment, he came back in after the trial and said it was the best she’s felt so I took a lot of encouragement from that,’’ Michael Freedman told Racing NSW.
“But barrier trials are one thing and racedays are another. I think if she can reproduce something like that, while Anamoe looks a good thing on paper, I think she can run well.”
Marabi on the money
Ben Allen expects boom mare Marabi (I Am Invincible) to cement her star status when she faces her biggest task to date in Saturday’s G2 Australia S. at Moonee Valley.
The talented young hoop, who partnered the undefeated Greenwich Stud-owned mare to her first four victories, will reunite with the lightly raced 5-year-old after missing her first stakes success in the Listed Christmas S. on Boxing Day.
He said the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained mare seems to be more effective over 1200 metres, raising some concern ahead of next month's 1100 metre G1 Oakleigh Plate, a race that she is now ballot exempt for thanks to her Christmas S. win.
Marabi
“I’ve had two gallops on her (in the lead up) the second-last one I was happy with, but I don’t really go off her track work as a guide to see how she’s going as she’s a raceday horse,” Allen told RSN.
“She’s very quick over six furlongs. She’s able to get in front, she relaxes and build. Over the shorter trips she probably has a bit more pressure on her, whereas over the 1200 metres she lands a bit more comfortably.”
Ojai ready to fly
Godolphin filly Ojai (Exceed And Excel) is capable of overcoming a ‘challenging map’ in Saturday’s G3 Widden S. at Rosehill, according to James Cummings.
He told SENTrack that the classy juvenile has strengthened since finishing third in last November’s Golden Gift and is fit enough to win on resumption.
Ojai will jump from barrier nine of 10 and will be partnered by star hoop James McDonald.
Conteki has the class
Chris Parnham is confident his decision to partner the low-flying Miss Conteki (Eurozone) over Clairvoyance (Nostradamus) will pay dividends when the pair clash in Saturday’s Listed Scenic Blast S. at Ascot.
The reigning Australian Jockeys’ Premiership winner was aboard the Simon Miller-trained galloper when she stormed home to take out last fortnight’s Listed Miss Andretti S. and finish 2.2l better Clairvoyance, who faded over the concluding stages in her first run since April last year.
Chris Parnham
“She’s in really good form. Her last two wins have been outstanding, she came from a long way back in both of them and made up a lot of ground to win,” Parnham told RSN.
“She’s going to be a long way off them and will probably look like she can’t win at some stage, but she can rattle off a really fast last 200 metres.
“Obviously, getting off Clairvoyance last start was a little bit of a hard decision, but it worked out for me in the end and hopefully it works out for me again.”
Royal Performer gearing up for Herbie Dyke defence
Royal Performer (GB) (Medicean {GB}) will have one final hitout at Ellerslie on Sunday before he prepares to defend his crown in the G1 Herbie Dyke S. at Te Rapa on February 12.
The 9-year-old gelding will be forced to carry 62kgs in the HR Fiskens and Sons LTD 1400-metre race and while the distance is well short of his best, trainers Jenny and Bob Vance felt it was the best option ahead of the weight-for-age feature.
Royal Performer (GB) after his win in the G1 Herbie Dyke S. in 2021 | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“The race will obviously be too short for him, but I have got to get a race into him before the Herbie Dyke,” Bob Vance said.
“I didn’t think it was the right thing to take him all the way down to Wellington. If he runs a nice race, I will be happy. It will just top him off for two weeks' time at Te Rapa.”
Sweden bans the whip
Jockeys in Sweden will no longer be able to use the whip for encouragement with its use banned from the beginning of the new racing season on April 10.
The Swedish racing authority, Svensk Galopp has published a new rule that will allow jockeys to carry the whip but only use it to ‘ward off a dangerous situation’.
“The use of the whip in Sweden has been discussed for years. The regulation have changed gradually and the foam-padded sticks were introduced some years ago, but it is time to ban the use of the whip completely as the whip use in horse racing simply does not belong in 2022,” the Scandinavian Racing Regulations Committee’s project manager Helena Gartner said.
