Ready to Run graduate wins on debut
The Andrew Forsman-trained Fortunate Son (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) kicked his career off on the right note winning on debut at Arawa Park on Tuesday. The 3-year-old gelding, ridden by Opie Bosson, defeated Part Time Lover (NZ) (Swiss Ace) over 1400 metres.
Fortunate Son is a graduate of last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, where he was offered by Curraghmore and purchased by Aspen Thoroughbreds for NZ$70,000. He is from the Pins mare Pinstripe (NZ), a dual winner and half-sister to the G2 Shannon S. winner Firebolt (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
Jigsaw back to best?
Cindy Alderson is hopeful her talented sprinter Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) is back to his best. However, she admits she is concerned about the 61kg the Group 2 winner will carry in his defense of Saturday’s Apache Cat Classic on his home track of Cranbourne.
“I was really pleased with him this morning (Tuesday), he showed that he’s come on nicely since that strong race that he ran in at The Valley (Manikato),” Alderson told Racing.com.
Jigsaw | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Hopefully the drop back in class on Saturday will help him. He’s probably better suited back in grade, but a bit of weight to carry, although he’s earned it by the fact that he won five races last preparation.
“It has taken a long time for his coat to turn around and it’s finally here now, so maybe even though there was never any indication that there was anything wrong with him, maybe there was something holding him back.”
Rielly has Sydney Cup dream
Pakenham-based trainer Gemma Rielly is dreaming of running in next year’s G1 Sydney Cup with her progressive stayer Claidheamh Mor (Dundeel {NZ}).
The 5-year-old gelding has won nine races, including five this preparation with his biggest success to date coming in last Saturday’s $500,000 Country Cup Series Final at Caulfield.
Rielly told RSN927, “We’re getting ahead of ourselves here, but let’s do that because it’s free to dream. But if the Sydney Cup happened to look like it was going to be heavy, I’d venture that way with Claidheamh Mor.”
Arnel joins the Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria Board
On Tuesday, Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria announced Ryan Arnel had joined the board. Arnel is the owner and manager of Stonehouse Thoroughbreds in Eddington. Arnel had previously held roles at Qatar Bloodstock before visa issues saw him return to Australia and purchase the property that would become Stonehouse.
Ryan Arnel | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Victoria is important to me, everything we do at Stonehouse is based around the Victoria sales. The business, being a broodmare agistment and yearling preparation farm, it then relays as being based around Victorian stallions. Anything that happens in Victoria is critical to our small business,” Arnel said in a TBV press release.
“Coming on to the Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria board is something that has been spoken about for a while. I already sit on the board for a farm supplier business that supplies around 70 per cent of the Victoria breeding industry. I feel like I have a good connection with the younger generation and the up and comers in the industry. Most importantly, I can represent the small breeders. I have a good affiliation and connection with the small breeders of Victoria, and they make up a lot of our client base here on the farm.”
Moor to team up with Forgot You
Victorian-based hoop Daniel Moor has headed to Perth to partner Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel) in Saturday’s G1 Railway S., the opening event of Western Australia’s The Pinnacles.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained talent was partnered by Moor early in his career. However, Blake Shinn has been in the saddle of late.
“Blake Shinn has been suspended, but I’ve got a good association with Forgot You,” Moor told RSN.
“The mile might be a touch short in the Railway, but the 1800 metres of the Northerly two weeks later is probably more up his alley.”
Moor will ride at Moonee Valley’s Friday meeting before flying to Perth.
Star Patrol to navigate the globe
Talented sprinter Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner) will be chasing riches in the Middle East in lieu of an autumn campaign, according to trainer Clinton McDonald.
The veteran horseman told Racing.com, “I spoke to the owners this morning and they are very keen to get him to Dubai.
“He is below the top sprinters here, we aren't under any illusions there behind I Wish I Win and Private Eye and Think About It.
Star Patrol | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“He is that genuine Group 2, weak Group 1 horse… but the prizemoney over there is so good so it's like winning a Newmarket here.”
The primary target is the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, run at Meydan Racecourse. Australian-bred horses have performed well in this race historically, including the 2023 edition, when The Astrologist (Zoustar) finished a narrow second.
Plane full of stars touches down in Perth
Horses attempting to grab a share in the rich prizemoney on offer over the next six weeks in Perth have arrived on Monday night, with a host of well-credentialled competitors ready to do battle.
Headlined by Group 1 star Zaaki (GB) (Leriodesanimaux {Brz}), who will contest the G1 Northerly S. over 1800 metres on December 9, the plane carried a number of elite-level performers.
Annabel Neasham has also travelled Numerian (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) to target the G2 Ted Van Heemst S. and G2 Perth Cup. Western Australian Lindsey Smith, who now trains out of Warrnambool in Victoria, has brought two horses across, Triple Missile (Smart Missile) and Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}).
Zousain filly in the nominations
First-season sire Zousain may have his first runner on Saturday, with the Chris Munce-trained Fireupzous nominated for the Select Fire 2YO Plate at Doomben over 1100 metres.
She showed some ability at her only public outing, a barrier trial at Beaudesert over 900 metres, running 1l second to Mishani Explorer (Top Echelon).
Fireupzous as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Brisbane has been subject to inclement weather, with the Doomben track rated a Heavy 9 on Tuesday.
Munce has also nominated stakes-placed Aureus Angel (Turffontein) for the Listed Eureka Stud Tatttersall’s Classic, which is restricted to fillies and mares.
Bedggood mulls wielding dual-state attack
Cranbourne-based horseman Gavin Bedggood sees no logic in running two of his best horses in direct competition for his hometown cup, looking north of the Murray River for options to split Just Folk (Magnus) and Keats (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Bedggood told Newscorp, “I won't run them both against each other.
“Just Folk is probably the class horse of the two but we're a stable of 30 horses, so we don't want to be running our banner horses against each other.
“If we can split them up, that would be ideal.”
Inclement weather may allow Just Folk to contest The Gong at Kembla Grange, with $1 million in prizemoney on offer. Should Just Folk stay south, Keats may contest the Kilmore Cup.
Hurdle to join Vic riding ranks
South Australian-based jockey Ryan Hurdle is set to join the Victoria riding ranks at Ballarat. The five-time stakes winner recently rode his 500th career winner and has made the decision to move to Victoria in search of more opportunities in his weight range.
Ryan Hurdle | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I’m not the most natural lightweight rider. In South Australia there’s a lot of 54kg rides plus they’re always pretty quick to claim here, I’m trying to seek out some more heavyweight opportunities,” Hurdle told Racing.com.
“They say change is as good as a holiday, I think a change of scenery will do me good. My partner Jaylah (Kennedy) is over in Victoria, it’s been something on my mind for a while and hopefully over the summer months and being busier in Victoria I can get down to riding 54kg when necessary.”
Multiple Japanese Group 1 winner Cafe Pharoah retired
Cafe Pharoah (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}), a two-time winner of the G1 February S. at Tokyo, has been retired from racing and will stand the 2024 breeding season at Arrow Stud on the island of Hokkaido.
Bred in Kentucky by the late Paul Pompa, Cafe Pharoah was consigned by Eddie Woods to the 2019 OBS March Sale and was hammered down to Emmanuel de Seroux's Narvick International for US$475,000 (AU$724,100). Trained by Noriyuki Hori for owner Koichi Nishikawa, Cafe Pharoah made an immediate impact, winning his maiden by 10l at first asking in a single start at two, the Listed Hyacinth S. on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in February 2020 and the G3 Unicorn S. that June.
Cafe Pharoah (USA) | Standing at Arrow Stud, image courtesy of the Japan Racing Association
The dam of a yearling full brother to Cafe Pharoah, Mary's Follies (USA) foaled a colt by Into Mischief (USA) this past April and was covered by Gun Runner (USA) this season.
Also standing at Arrow Stud are American expats California Chrome (USA), Firenze Fire (USA), fellow February S. winner Mozu Ascot (USA), Shanghai Bobby (USA) and top Japanese dirt sire Sinister Minister (USA).
Strong start for Earthlight and Lucky Vega at Goffs
It was a day for the young guns at the opening session of the Goffs November Foal Sale on Monday with a colt by Earthlight (Ire) sharing top lot status with a filly by the already proven Mehmas (Ire) at €80,000 (AU$140,100).
The progeny of the Irish National Stud-based Lucky Vega (Ire) also played a leading role on the day with Yeomanstown Stud's Supremacy (Ire) going down similarly well with buyers.
A total of seven Earthlights sold for an aggregate of €253,000 (AU$421,850) at an average of €36,143 (AU$63,300).
While Yulong’s shuttler Lucky Vega also went down well with buyers. Of the eight foals offered by the stallion, they commanded a total of €288,000 (AU$504,200), more than any other sire managed on the day. A €36,000 (AU$63,000) average placed him marginally behind Earthlight on €36,143 (AU$63,300).
The Lucky Vega Syndicate headed by Sam Fairgray, chief operating officer at Yulong Investments, secured a colt by the stallion, Lot 43, for €65,000 ($108,173). Zhang Yuesheng was also in attendance with Fairgray.
