Daily News Wrap

McDonald looking forward to Hong Kong challenge

Champion Jockey James McDonald will ride at Saturday’s Kembla Grange, The Gong meeting and then will head straight to the airport to fly to Hong Kong where he will spend the next five weeks. McDonald feels the timing is right and looks forward to the challenge.

“It will be something different,” he told News Corp.

“It was just really good timing and it’s something I am really looking forward to. The most exciting part of being there will be the International Races and obviously riding Romantic Warrior, who is a superstar.

“It enabled me to pick up a few more rides over that period. And the racing over the next five weeks in Hong Kong is fantastic. To be fair it’s one of our (Australia) quietest periods now, so timing it’s unreal and it’s just good to get the opportunity and for the club to allow me to go for that long.”

Eurell chasing hometown Cup

Cranbourne-based horseman Greg Eurell is hopeful his progressive galloper Euphoric (Sebring) can provide him victory in the Listed Cranbourne Cup on Saturday.

Eurell’s assistant trainer Jim Mason told Punters, “What you see is what you get with Euphoric. He’s an incredibly consistent horse, the perfect racehorse. He eats, he works solid, he takes his work to races and that’s all you can ask.

“If any horse has a day off, you know he pretty much won’t. Euphoric is the right horse and the field has fallen away a bit compared to the nominations. He has a nice weight (54kg) and he’s really good and seems like a specialist miler.”

Dean Yendall has been engaged to partner Euphoric.

Quick Tempo back for The Warra

Quick Tempo (Rubick) found success at The Gong meeting last year in the BM78 race over 1000 metres but this year the Mark Minervini-trained sprinter is chasing the riches in the $300,000 The Warra.

“He won at The Gong meeting this time last year and ran a faster time than The Warra on the day,” Minervini told RSN.

“If Quick Tempo is back to that sort of form, which I think he is, he should be able to be very competitive on Saturday. His first two runs back from a decent spell, I was a bit disappointed in him. I didn’t think his coat looked good, so we tipped him out and gave him a bit of time at the farm.

“I was really happy with him going into Melbourne Cup Day at Randwick. I thought he looked outstanding; he performed that way and he definitely hasn’t gone backwards since.”

Bainbridge eyes early 2024 for merger vote

In the continuation of a media-intensive week for the Cranbourne Turf Club, Chief Executive Officer Neil Bainbridge has confirmed on Friday that the vote to merge with the Pakenham Racing Club will occur in early 2024.

Speaking to Racing.com, Bainbridge is understood to be confident of the merger passing with both membership bases, creating a powerful racing club in the high-growth corridor of south-east Melbourne.

Bainbridge said of the proposed merger, “It's an exciting development for racing in the south-east.

“It's going to be a great outcome for the industry. When you consider that both clubs train about 1500 horses a day, about a third of the state's horse population, this will be pretty important for the industry.

“It's going to be fairly unique but certainly fairly sizable and it will have a great influence on the racing industry in Victoria.

“This is a club that will race 61 times a year, it's a club that will have four gaming venues and also employ roughly 500 people in the south-eastern suburbs.”

High-priced gelding to find his niche?

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Unquestionably (Not A Single Doubt) is chasing his second victory from three starts in Saturday’s Cranbourne 3YO Classic.

The gelding was a $1.7 million yearling purchase by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and TFI from Segenhoe Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Unquestionably is the first foal from the Sebring mare Miss Admiration, who claimed the G3 Colin Stephen Quality over 2400 metres, she also was placed in the G1 Australian Oaks and the G1 Australasian Oaks.

Jack Turnbull, representative for Maher and Eustace, told RSN, “He’s lightly raced, this will be only his third start, but Joe (Johann Gerard-Dubord) and the team up there just said to get him out over a trip, hence why he’s come down here (Melbourne) to run over 2000 metres.

“From what they saw up there and from what we gathered in terms of track data, it suggests he will be better at a trip.

“He’s drawn a good gate in a small field. Hopefully he can raise the bar.”

Goffs November Foal Sale draws to a close

Day 4 of the 2023 Goffs November Foal Sale has drawn to a close, with a colt by Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) colt attracting €90,000 (AU$150,000) to top the results of the day.

Lot 881, who is out of Le Havre (Ire) mare Almarada (Fr), fetched €32,000 (AU$53,200) than the second-highest offering, a colt by Sioux Nation (USA).

Shuttle stallions Ghaiyyath (Ire) and Earthlight (Ire) enjoyed successful days, both featuring in the top 15 most expensive purchases on the final day of trading.

The clearance rate for the corresponding day last year was down from 76 per cent to 71 per cent, however turnover increased almost seven per cent to €2,622,500 (AU$4,358,000).

Average purchase price across Day 4 settled at €15,518 (AU$25,800), a 13 per cent increase on 2022, while the median landed at €11,500 (AU$19,000), 15 per cent higher than last year.

Second stakes winner for Bricks And Mortar

Aigle Noir (Jpn) (Bricks And Mortar {USA}) became the second stakes winner for his young sire with a narrow victory in the Listed Hyogo Junior Grand Prix at Sonoda on Wednesday. Bricks And Mortar (USA) has also been represented by G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup winner Gonbade Qabus (Jpn).

His dam, the Listed Lapis Lazuli S. heroine Ultima Blood (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S {USA}), foaled a full brother to the winner last year, but did not produce a foal this spring when bred back to the American Horse of the Year. His second dam is the two-time Japanese Group winner Ultima Thule (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}), herself a half-sister to a trio of Group winners including the G1 Tenno Sho third Silver Sonic (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest second Air Thule (Jpn) (Tony Bin {Ire}) is out of Group 1 winner and Classic-placed Ski Paradise (USA) (Lyphard {USA}) who was also second in the G1 Breeders' Cup Mile.

Keshi Boom no certainty to face Guineas starter

Prominent WA Guineas hope Keshi Boom (Spirit Of Boom) is no certainty to face the starter in the $500,000 event on Saturday, co-trainer Grant Williams told TABradio in Western Australia on Friday.

Concerned about the effects of a sweltering heatwave that has blanketed Perth for the majority of this week, Williams said, “We’re going to have to play it by ear.”

“At this stage I’m 50/50 on sending her around.”

Should Keshi Boom not run on Saturday, progressing to the G1 Northerly S. at weight for age is unlikely. Her withdrawal would leave fellow filly Super Smink (Super One) a clear public fancy in the race.

More changes made to Ascot program

The sweltering heat wave continues to cause headaches for racing administrators in Western Australia, with a revised Saturday forecast causing further changes to the start times of early races.

Should the forecast temperature decrease from the 39 degrees currently predicted, the first race of the program will be run at 2.30pm local time (5.30pm AEDT), the second at 3pm (6pm AEDT) and the third at 3.30pm (6.30pm AEDT).

However, if the predicted temperature doesn’t drop, Race 1 will be abandoned and moved to the December 2 meeting, with race two becoming the first of the meeting.

No public announcements have been made as to changes that may occur should the forecast temperature increase.

Ellessthree shows grunt at start two

Local trainers enjoyed a hot start to the Wodonga Cup meeting on Friday, stamped by an impressive victory for second-season sire Grunt (NZ).

Ridden by Simon Miller, 3-year-old filly Ellessthree stormed down the centre of the track, crossing the line 2.8l clear of her closest rival, Zemgrinda (Impending).

The win gives Grunt his ninth from his first crop, which has so far been headlined by G2 Sires’ Produce S. winner Veight.

Ellessthree is a homebred for the Smeaton family, who race her through trainer Craig Widdison at Wodonga.

Later on Friday evening at Moonee Valley, the Shane Nichlos-trained Our Cracklin Rosie provided a double for the Yulong sire. The 3-year-old filly was winning for the second time after breaking her maiden at Mornington last start.

Another One wins Wodonga Cup

Veteran jockey Danny Beasley executed a perfect ride in the Wodonga Cup on Friday, guiding Another One (Super One) to victory in the feature event on the program.

Setting up to stalk a cracking pace set by local hope Sellente (Redente) and the well-fancied Rhinoceros (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}), Beasley slid forward before the home turn, taking control and accelerating away to secure victory by 2.8l.

The 6-year-old has been a poster boy for country racing throughout his career, consistently competing in some of the richest races on offer for horses trained outside of the metropolitan area.

Bianco Vilano (Foxwedge) claimed second for trainer Ron Stubbs, while Ferlaxing (Ferlax {NZ}) ran into third.

Naracoorte postponed

Friday’s race meeting at Naracoorte has been postponed, owing to the condition of the course. According to the Racing SA website, the postponement has been caused due to, “significant rain after scratching time.”

The twilight meeting had been marketed as an opportunity for local businesses to enjoy their Christmas party festivities. No confirmation of when the meeting will be run has been received.

Wellfield prospects up for grabs

Online auction service gavelhouse.com plays host to the disbursement of quality stock from Wellfield Lodge, who have put up 13 lots for sale as they cease operations.

Having listed their two properties, encompassing 64-hectares, for sale this week, the Manawatu-based operation have commenced selling off their horses, which include a mixture of raced and unraced prospects. Wellfield’s Peter Didham said of this round of offerings, “There’s some beautifully bred mares available in the current auction, along with some capable race-mares who I think are very suitable for racing.

“Pleasure in particular is a very honest mare, and there’s also Eshay who is only lightly raced and has shown above-average ability. I think someone could do very well racing mares like those.”

The auction concludes on November 27.

Vale Starlet’s Sister

Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the dam of Sottsass (Fr) and Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), has died at Ecurie des Monceaux after an attack of colic at the age of 14.

Bred by Prestonwood Farm from the Green Tune (USA) mare Premiere Creation (Fr), Starlet's Sister was winless in four starts when trained by Alain de Royer Dupre but has nevertheless left her mark on racing in Europe and America, as well as in the Arqana sale ring in Deauville.

Her first mating with Myboycharlie (Ire) resulted in Sistercharlie, whose Group 3 win in France was later eclipsed by her seven Grade I triumphs in America for Chad Brown following her purchase by Peter Brant's White Birch Farm.

Starlet’s Sister then produced the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor, Sottsass (Fr), who now stands at Coolmore Stud.

Henri Bozo, who owns Ecurie des Monceaux and bought the mare privately from Hubert Guy in 2013, said, “It's a tough game sometimes, and today has been very sad.

“She has been such a special mare. It was a dream for us to win the Arc and she gave us that. She was so straightforward in everything she did. She went in foal every year until this year and she produced good foals. She never had any problems until this morning when she had colic.”

Monceaux retained Starlet's Sister's current 3-year-old filly Snowpark (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) and also her yearling colt by Siyouni (Fr) after he was injured in the paddock in March. Though only relatively minor, the injury prevented him from going to the sales but he remains a racing prospect.

“Thank God we kept her last filly, Snowpark,” Bozo said. “She won very impressively the first time out in Deauville as a 2-year-old and then she got sick earlier this year, but she will be the link to the family.”