Daily News Wrap

Caulfield Cup winner retired

Durston (GB) (Sea The Moon {GB}), the 2022 G1 Caulfield Cup champion, has run his final race, with connections opting to retire the 8-year-old after he injured himself in training.

The Chris Waller-trained stayer missed all of 2023 due to tendon and hoof injuries sustained following his Caulfield Cup heroics.

Connections, including Highclere Racing, were looking forward to seeing Durston compete during the autumn, but in the best interest of the horse, have opted to retire him.

Durston will undergo rehabilitation before being rehomed to a suitable environment.

Dublin Down setback

The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Dublin Down (Exceedance) has had a slight setback but his co-trainer Tony McEvoy is still hopeful the G3 Maribyrnong Plate victor can make it to his intended target, the G1 Blue Diamond S.

“We’re setting him for the Blue Diamond, but he’s had a little setback,” McEvoy told Racing.com.

“He galloped the other day and didn’t pull up as we would have liked. We had him scoped and Dublin Down has an entrapped epiglottis, so we did the surgery straight away, so, he’s just got to have a couple of easy weeks.

“It’s a form of surgery where you can keep them in work, but we may miss the Blue Diamond Preludes, and then if I’m not happy to go straight to the Diamond, we might divert and head to Sydney.

“He’ll be fine, it’s just we can’t have any more setbacks in this preparation.”

Meanwhile, stablemate Blue Stratum (Blue Point {Ire}) will contest Friday’s Listed Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings.

“He’s exciting, he’s a real up-and-about 2-year-old,” said McEvoy.

McDonald bullish with Hayasugi

Clinton McDonald believes 2-year-old Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}) will be extremely competitive in Friday’s G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies).

Hayasugi showed ability at her initial campaign last spring, finishing second in the R. Listed Inglis Banner, before a fifth-placed effort in the G3 Ottawa S.

“I think that filly has improved a hell of a lot and is going really well and I think she’ll run extremely well,” McDonald told Racing.com.

The filly recently won an 800-metre jump-out at Cranbourne.

“I’m really happy with her; she’s come on in leaps and bounds. She’s come through that trial well and she's bright and healthy,” he said.

“She put in a really nice gallop on Monday morning.

“I’m quietly confident.”

Ayrton back to the place he loves

Talented galloper Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) will return to his favoured course Caulfield to contest the Listed John Dillon S. on Friday, and his connections confident he can run a bold race.

“He trialled pretty well the other day and he’s in a good headspace and seems to have held his condition pretty well, I think the race will set up favourable for him,” Steve Travaglia of Roll The Dice Racing told Racing.com.

“He’s in a good place and came back from Perth happy. He’s had some time down at the beach with David Noonan, so it’s all systems go.”

Legarto ready to rock

Ken and Bev Kelso have revealed they couldn’t be happier with their star mare Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) as she prepares to tackle Saturday’s inaugural NZ$1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic at Ellerslie.

Legarto returned to the track in peerless fashion earlier at Ellerslie’s return meeting earlier this month, where she defeated a high-quality field by 2l.

“She has really thrived since Ellerslie, she has thrived the whole preparation really,” co-trainer Ken Kelso told TAB NZ.

“Legarto has done everything right this preparation and I couldn’t be happier with her condition going into the race. All you need is a bit of luck.”

Dolan to relish Karaka opportunity

Queensland-based jockey Robbie Dolan is looking forward to riding at Saturday’s Karaka Millions program at Ellerslie. The Irishman has five rides, including Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan) is the R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO.

“I didn’t go over expecting to have many (rides) but we had plenty of offers and to have five rides on a big day like that is great,” Dolan told News Corp.

“I’ve never been over there as well so it’s my first time and I’ll be here from Thursday through to Sunday so I’ll get a good look at the track.

“I’ve always wanted to go so it’s a good opportunity and it’s completely sold out as well so the atmosphere should be great.”

Naval College to test autumn prospects

The Annabel Neasham-trained Naval College (GB) (Dartmouth {GB}) was peerless at Rosehill last start, breaking Octagonal’s (NZ) 2000-metre track record in the Listed January Cup. The 5-year-old gelding is set to chase a second successive stakes victory in Friday’s Listed Australia Day Cup at Warwick Farm and a similar performance could see Naval College tackle the autumn riches.

“He’s a lovely horse and the future is bright with him,” Annabel Neasham’s racing manager, Rob Archibald, told RSN927.

“Naval College has just come back really this preparation. He has improved each time he’s stepped out and he’s a lovely, natural stayer who is getting out over a nice distance.”

Group 3-winning filly returns positive swab

Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have received two reports from Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) confirming that a prohibited substance was detected in a pre-race blood sample and a post-race urine sample collected from the Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained 2-year-old filly Karavas (Alabama Express).

The reports relate to a pre-race blood sample taken from Karavas prior to the filly starting in the G3 Darley Ottawa S. at Flemington Racecourse in November, and a post-race urine sample from the filly following her winning that race.

RV Stewards initially informed the Jollys of the irregularity on December 21. The Jollys were informed on January 22 of the confirmatory findings and that stewards are continuing their investigation.

Sentimental sale for Hawkins brothers

It will be a sentimental sale for Wentwood Grange at Karaka this year, with brothers Sean, Leigh, and Dean Hawkins offering the final foal out of the mare that kicked everything off for the trio.

Leigh Valley (NZ) (Bianconi {USA}) was the first horse the brothers raced together, and she gave them a great introduction to the sport, winning five of her 18 starts, including the G3 Cuddle S.

They retained Leigh Valley and bred some nice horses out of the mare, including the Group 1 scorer Valley Girl (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).

The brothers hold fond memories of the mare and are feeling nostalgic as they offer her Proisir colt through their New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale Book 1 draft as Lot 187.

“Leigh Valley was the first horse Dean, Leigh and I got involved in 20-odd years ago,” Sean Hawkins told loveracing.nz.

“She went on to win a Group 3 and she left a Group 1 winner in Valley Girl.

“This is her very last foal. We went to Proisir to get the Danehill Dancer, the same as Valley Girl. We were hoping for a filly that we could retain and breed from, but she gave us a colt. He is a really good-looking colt, and it is very special for us to offer her very last one at Karaka.”

Blue Rose Cen switched from Head to Guarnieri

Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the joint-top-rated 3-year-old filly in Europe last year and a Group 1 winner in both of her seasons to race, has been moved from the stable of Christopher Head to that of his fellow Chantilly trainer Maurizio Guarnieri. The news was first reported by Jour de Galop.

Blue Rose Cen races in the colours of her breeder Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals of Yeguada Centurion, who, along with Head, also had the second-top-rated horse in Europe last year in Big Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}). The G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. winner was given a mark of 127, just a pound below Ace Impact (Ire) and Mostahdaf (Ire), in the official Longines and IFHA World rankings, which were announced on Tuesday in London. Furthermore, Yeguada Centurion also bred France's top-rated juvenile, Ramatuelle (USA) (Justify {USA}), who is trained by Head for Tony Parker's Infinity Nine Horses.

“Yeguada Centurion has expressed the desire to entrust some horses to a new trainer,” Head told Jour de Galop. “This is why Blue Rose Cen joined Maurizio Guarnieri's stable. It was a real pleasure to train Blue Rose Cen for two years. She gave my team and me incredible emotions, and I hope she will do the same for her new trainer.”

Land Force on the move to Hedgeholme Stud

Land Force (Ire), who won the G2 Richmond S. and was fourth in the G1 Prix Morny, will stand at Hedgeholme Stud for £2500 (AU$4800), Jake Warren confirmed to the TDN. The former Highclere Stud-based stallion's eldest foals are now 3-year-olds.

Among his best runners to date is the stakes-placed Velox (Tur). A total of 130 mares were covered by the son of No Nay Never (USA) in 2023, and he had been due to stand at Highclere for £2500 (AU$4800) this term.

HISA and Oaklawn Park designate area for intra-articular injection treatments

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and Oaklawn Park have launched a new pilot program under which a designated area will be available for veterinarians to administer any intra-articular corticosteroid injections at the racetrack during the track's 2023/24 race season beginning Friday, December 8, HISA said in a press release Wednesday.

As HISA laid out in its Strategic Response to recent equine fatalities, many stakeholders, including a significant number of individuals calling into HIWU's confidential tip line, have questioned whether Covered Persons are properly and accurately reporting intra-articular corticosteroid injections.

In order to address this issue and ensure injections are administered in compliance with HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control regulations, HISA proposed two possible solutions: (1) a designated area at the racetrack for all intra-articular injections to be administered; or (2) the requirement of a short video of the veterinarian performing the intra-articular injection to be uploaded with the injection report.

Elie Hennau is new head of France Galop

Elie Hennau has been appointed Director General of France Galop, with Henri Pouret promoted to deputy managing director of the organisation.

Pouret, who has been with France Galop for 20 years and was previously the deputy general manager, will remain in charge of racing operations and the management of racecourses and training centres. He will also represent France Galop in international matters.

Hennau, a former amateur rider, has previously been president of the Fegentri organisation for amateurs. With a business background in insurance, he is currently director of the individual protection market at AXA France and managing director of its subsidiary ADIS.

A statement released by France Galop on Wednesday evening read, “The Board of Directors of France Galop met in an extraordinary session this Wednesday, January 24, 2024, and validated the proposal of Guillaume de Saint-Seine, (who was) elected President of France Galop on December 12, 2023, to appoint Elie Hennau director general of France Galop. The same board also approved Guillaume de Saint-Seine's proposal to promote Henri Pouret to the position of deputy managing director.”

Coolmore America launches 'The Justify 4'

Coolmore's Ashford Stud will enter breeders who have booked mares to Corniche (USA), Epicenter (USA), Jack Christopher (USA), or Tiz the Law (USA) into drawings to award four no-guarantee nominations to Justify in a promotion called “THE JUSTIFY 4.” There will be a separate drawing for each of the four stallions, with one no-guarantee nomination awarded among each pool, for a total of four.

The drawing will be held on Apr. 26. The farm said that the event was being held “to celebrate Justify's phenomenal year in 2023.”

Justify's 2024 stud fee was initially listed at US$200,000 (AU$302,986), but was later switched to private.