Yanagida passes away
The New Zealand racing community were mourning following the tragic passing of Japanese jockey Taiki Yanagida after the young rider was unable to recover from serious injuries suffered in a fall in New Zealand last week.
Yanagida has been in a coma at the hospital since last Wednesday after a hard fall at Cambridge Jockey Club.
Vale Taiki Yanagida | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
The 28-year-old was riding Te Atatu Pash (NZ) (He’s Remarkable {NZ}) when the horse came down on top of him 250 metres from the post, causing serious head and spinal injuries.
Yanagida had remained in a critical condition in hospital over the past week and sadly succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday.
His mother and sister had travelled over from Japan to be bedside in recent days.
Yanagida the first jockey to die in a race fall in New Zealand since Rebecca Black at Gore in December, 2016.
Mr Brightside ready for Lawrence task
The Lindsay Park-trained Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) will kick off his latest campaign in the G2 PB Lawrence S. at Caulfield on Saturday.
“He has his final piece of work tomorrow morning and that should have him spot on to make his return,” co-trainer Ben Hayes told Racing.com.
“Everything is on track. Of course, he’s not going in 100 per cent wound-up and there will be good improvement out of it, but we expect him to run well.
Mr Brightside (NZ) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“We gave him a good break and he’s come back so well and he’s doing everything right. He’s not the greatest trackworker so he doesn’t give us too much of a guide on how he’s going at home, but he really wakes up on raceday.”
Mr Brightside’s second race is likely to be the G2 Feehan S. at The Valley on September 3.
Cannonball out to cement Coolmore credentials
Connections of Cannonball (Capitalist) will be hoping the colt can show he deserves his spot in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. and he will attempt to cement his claim on the Group 1 when he lines up in the G3 Vain S. at Caulfield on Saturday.
"He had a very easy jump-out, so he'll go to the 1100 metres at Caulfield and then we'll work out a plan after that," co-trainer Anthony Freedman said.
"He's obviously a short-course horse and there's not a lot for those horses unless they make it through to the Coolmore.
"Whether it's a Blue Sapphire (we go to), run in that sort of race and then you might take your chances in the Coolmore if your form warranted it."
McDonald eyes bonus with Star Patrol
Trainer Clinton Mcdonald has praised Racing NSW for their announcement last week of a $6 million bonus enticing the state's sprinters to remain at home and will be hoping to bag some of the riches on offer with his star sprinter Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner).
If all goes according to McDonald's plan, Star Patrol could be racing for a $1 million bonus as the winner of the G1 Manikato S. at The Valley and the G1 Champions Sprint at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Both those races carry total prizemoney of $5 million as well the $1 million bonus.
"I love Peter V'Landy's, he's good, outstanding, he's good for racing," McDonald said of last week's $6 million Racing NSW bonus announcement. “It makes our $1 million bonus look a little insignificant, but I'd be happy to win it.
"At the end of the day, Victoria against NSW, the thing is it's good for owners. They're the ones putting their hand in their pocket. Yearlings are expensive, training fees are expensive, and you need those good money races."
Memsie on the cards for Lightsaber
Peter Moody is likely to kick off Lightsaber’s (Zoustar) campaign in the G1 Memsie S. at Caulfield on August 27, the trainer revealed after the 4-year-old partook in a 990-metre trial at Cranbourne on Tuesday.
A Group 2 winner as a 2-year-old, the son of Zoustar finished second in last season’s G1 Australian Guineas and he will attempt to add a first Group 1 to his record early on in his preparation.
“He’s in good order but he’s a bit like me, he’s in a bit too good order at the moment,” Moody told Racing.com. “He’s had a couple of jump-outs at home, but I just needed to give him a trip away.
“He’s an older entire now and he’s carrying a bit around the girth so a trip out here to Cranbourne, be it on Heavy ground, which he doesn’t enjoy, the gallop and the trip away from home will do him the world of good.
“He’s just about ready now (to start his campaign) and I’ll probably look to race him at the end of the month (August 27) and probably a race like the Memsie.”
Endresz to transfer ownership of Alligator Blood
Allan Endresz says plans are in place to transfer 100 per cent ownership of Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) to a 'prominent' industry identity in a bid to allow him to race this spring.
It comes after Alligator Blood, and horses Endresz owns the majority share in, were banned from racing in Victoria due to his status as an undischarged bankrupt.
Alligator Blood | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Endresz had proposed to RV stewards that he gift 15 per cent of the horse to Living Legends, allowing him to become a minority owner in the horse, however it was confirmed on Tuesday that Racing Victoria did not accept the proposal, forcing the owner to give up 100 per cent of the ownership of the multiple Group 1 winner.
Vert de Grece relocates to New South Wales
Promising stallion Vert de Grece (Ire) has relocated from Geisel Park in Western Australia and stands this spring at Brisbane Meadows in the Southern Highlands of NSW.
With his oldest crop having just turned four, Vert de Grece has made a promising start to his stud career with five winners from his first two small crops and two of them are stakes-placed horses in She’s Greysful and Tizzle Top.
“We feel his progeny are only just getting started and there’s a lot to come for this well-credentialed son of Verglas,” said Fiona Mylan of Brisbane Meadows.
“Vert de Grece offers local breeders a Group 1-winning juvenile that has already produced 2-year-old winners and black-type performers from small books of mares. He’s Danehill free, so that is also a big tick for us moving forward.”
Vert de Grece will stand for a fee of $4400 (inc GST) this spring.
Can’t Go Wong off to Hong Kong
Group 2-placed 4-year-old Can’t Go Wong (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) will continue his career in Hong Kong with trainer Frankie Lor.
The former Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained entire won twice at Sandown last summer before going on to run second in the G2 Alister Clark S. at Moonee Valley in March.
Deauville Legend to tackle Melbourne Cup
Australian owner Bon Ho has confirmed that his British stayer Deauville Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will run in the G1 Melbourne Cup this spring.
Trained by James Ferguson in Newmarket, the gelding won the G3 Bahrain Trophy S. in July, while he was last seen running second in the G3 Gordon S. at Goodwood, beaten 1.75l by fellow G1 Melbourne Cup aspirant, Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}).
Deauville Legend’s next start will be in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York on August 17 before he is then prepared for his trip to Australia.
Welwal to join Waller’s stable
French Group 3 winner Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) will join the Chris Waller stable and be aimed at this year’s edition of the Golden Eagle.
Al Shaqab will retain ownership of Welwal in Australia and Al Shaqab Racing’s French representative Rupert Pritchard Gordon told Jour de Galop that while there are a plethora of options for the colt, the Golden Eagle would be the main aim.
“Welwal has gone to Chris Waller with the aim of racing in the Golden Eagle in October at Rosehill,” Pritchard Gordon said.
“The Golden Eagle is over 1500 metres but that should suit him. However, he must take his journey well. We hope he acclimatises well.”
