Epaulette’s Sunday double
Former Darley stallion Epaulette sired two winners on Sunday afternoon, beginning with the Reece Goodwin-trained 5-year-old mare Princess Tina breaking her maiden at Traralgon.
Later in the afternoon at Newcastle, 3-year-old filly Gendarmerie stuck on well to win at Newcastle. Trained by Lee and Cherie Curtis, it was her second victory in as many starts after she opened her account at Hawkesbury on November 9.
Blanc De Blanc holds on
Smartly bred 2-year-old filly Blanc De Blanc (I Am Invincible) justified her $1.10 favouritism on debut at Newcastle on Sunday - but only by the narrowest of margins. Holding off the persistent challenge of Saltaire (Star Turn) on her inside, she prevailed by 0.23l.
Blanc De Blanc is out of the winning mare Another Sunday (Redoute’s Choice), who is a three-quarter sister to three stakes winners, including King's Legacy and Not A Single Doubt.
In the colours of the James Harron Bloodstock Fillies syndicate, Blanc De Blanc became a fourth juvenile winner for her sire this season, and she was purchased by the agent and his trainer at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $360,000.
Moore’s magic in Japan
British jockey Ryan Moore produced an exceptional and patient ride to guide Vela Azul (Jpn) (Eishin Flash {Jpn}) to victory in the G1 Japan Cup at Tokyo (2400 metres) on Sunday evening, a first Group 1 victory for the Kaoruhiko Watanabe-trained 5-year-old.
Picking a path through horses as he stuck towards the rail side, Moore only hit the front in the final 50 metres of the feature race, and defeated G1 Japanese Derby winner and pre-race favourite Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) by 0.75l. A neck away in third was Damian Lane aboard Weltreisende (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}).
Foal trade reaches new high at Tattersalls
A pair of colts by the young Darley and Shadwell stallions Masar (Ire) and Mohaather (GB) shared the top spot on the final day of foal trade at Tattersalls which brought the curtain down, not just on a record week for weanlings but also a record year for Tattersalls – and that's before the mares' sale even begins.
The average and median for the fourth session were both up on last year, with a total of 2,267,750gns (AU$4,264,500) added to the overall tally from the sale of 150 foals. For the sale as a whole, the aggregate of 35,255,050gns (AU$66,298,000) represented an increase of 13 per cent on last year's trade, with the average up by 11 per cent at 47,386gns (AU$89,110) and the median by 4 per cent to 26,000gns (AU$48,800). From a larger catalogue of 1173 foals, of which 983 were offered and 744 sold, the only figure to drop was the clearance rate, which was down to 76 per cent from 81 per cent.
Commenting on a week led by a million-guinea Kingman (GB) foal from Whitsbury Manor Stud, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Strong yearling sales will always drive demand for foals and the extraordinary strength of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales has been followed by a Tattersalls December Foal Sale which has achieved significant increases in average and median as well as a record turnover in excess of 35 million guineas (AU$65.8 million).”
Mares get underway at Tattersalls
The Tattersalls December Mare Sale kicks off in Newmarket on Monday (local time), and includes the new Sceptre Sessions, which will take place on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 - featuring the highest quality race fillies and broodmares on offer.
After withdrawals (at the time of writing) there are 894 lots set to go under the hammer, which include some veritable stars such as dual Champion and four-time Group 1 winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), two-time Group 1-winning miler Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Group 1 sprinter Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) and the beautifully bred Group 1 winners La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) and Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).
Amongst the Sceptre Sessions are some proven, elite broodmares including Roger Sez (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}), dam of G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar), Desert Berry (GB) (Green Desert {USA}), dam of G1 Epsom Derby winner Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Luzia (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), dam of G1 Sun Chariot S. winner Fonteyn (GB) (Farhh {GB}). The covering sires on offer in the Sceptre Sessions reflect the quality of mares, featuring elite stallions such as Dubawi (Ire), Frankel (GB), Lope De Vega (Ire), No Nay Never (USA), Sea The Stars (Ire), Siyouni (Fr) and Wootton Bassett (GB).
Purton on fire in Hong Kong
Zac Purton rode a five-timer at Sha Tin on Sunday, reaching 50 seasonal winners in the fastest time in Hong Kong racing history. He completed the feat aboard 4-year-old gelding Sweet Encounter (NZ) (Toronado {Ire}), trained by John Size.
The feature race of Sunday’s meeting, the 1600-metre The Chevalier Cup H. worth HK$3.8 million (AU$720,000), was taken out impressively by Keefy (All Too Hard). Trained by Frankie Lor, the 4-year-old gelding streaked away to win by 3.5l under Derek Leung, completing a double for the jockey.
Also snatching a double was Hugh Bowman, who has now had four winners since beginning his three-month stint two weeks ago. He won the opening race with We Are Hero, a 5-year-old son of Headwater, for trainer Manfred Man, before claiming victory on Solar Winds (Zoustar) later on the card for trainer Caspar Fownes.
Tycoon to Karaka Million
After spearheading Te Akau’s trifecta in the 2-year-old maiden at Te Rapa on Saturday afternoon, Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) will now be aimed at the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO (1200 metres) at Pukekohe on January 21.
“He’s a nice horse going forward and I think the first four horses home have actually all got potential,” Walker said.
“Tokyo Tycoon is quite a light-framed horse, so he’ll probably only have one more run ahead of the Karaka Million.”
Te Akau principal David Ellis purchased Tokyo Tycoon from the draft of Rich Hill Stud at Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, paying NZ$125,000 for the now gelding. A half-sister to Tokyo Tycoon, by Vadamos (Fr), will be presented by Rich Hill Stud at next year’s version of the sale, catalogued as Lot 24.
Charm Stone to stay put
It has been confirmed that G3 Ottawa S. winner Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) will not take on the $2 million R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast, and stay in her home state to tackle next year’s Blue Diamond Series.
The 2-year-old filly was an impressive, 1.75l winner of the Ottawa S., having placed third in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. on her first outing.
“I think it’s very, very hard to train a Magic Millions winner out of Victoria, the record would say that,” managing owner Sheamus Mills told Racing.com.
“There has been two trained out of South Australia in the last 20 years and that’s been it; Augusta Proud and Sunlight.
“Sunlight had a couple of runs that way and was a very high-class horse… I’d pray that Charm Stone might be as good as Sunlight, but you have to be realistic, and to win a Magic Millions out of Victoria is a very difficult thing.”
Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Charm Stone was a $1.55 million purchase at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA), and is out of the dual-Group 3 winner Najoom (Northern Meteor), making her a sister to dual-Listed winner Najmaty.
Patience the key to Faithful
Stakes races are on the cards again for Faithful Feat (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) following the 5-year-old mare’s win in handicap company at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Faithful Feat posted a 3.5l victory in the 1300-metre event on Saturday and was last season only narrowly beaten in the G2 Westbury Classic.
“We’ve held this mare in high regard for such a long time and the other day we thought we had her around the mark but she came to the end of it without a trial,” trainer Peter Lock said.
“She is a very good horse and I just hope she carries on with it.
“She came through the race exceptionally well. At this stage our plan is to head to the (G3) J Swap Sprint (1400 metres) at Te Rapa in two weeks’ time,” Lock said.
“It is a NZ$100,000 race and hopefully she gets a better draw this time.”
A second attempt at the Westbury Classic is on the agenda for Faithful Feat, who also holds a nomination for the G1 Thorndon Mile.
Bookmakers protest at Queensland
A raising of the Point of Consumption tax, due on December 1, has led to at least one major corporate bookmaker threatening to remove all Queensland products from its homepage, citing a lack of communication on the issue by racing officials.
Major bookmakers have form on the issue, as earlier this year an announced increase of the tax from 15 to 20 per cent led to a blackout of Queensland racing on their sites, during which turnover fell by at least 30 per cent.
