Bastille at a crossroads
A gallop next Tuesday is set to decide the ultimate future of the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau). The filly was unplaced when resuming in the G2 Blue Diamond Fillies (Prelude) where she pulled up lame, putting a spanner in the works as to whether she pushes towards the G1 Blue Diamond S.
“She did feel the run, but we’ve been watching her, and she is nearly 100 per cent,” Ben Hayes told Racing.com.
Bold Bastille | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We will leave it right up until acceptance time if we consider whether we go or not, which we will discuss with the ownership group.
“Bold Bastille probably wasn’t ready to be ridden like she was, and she just knocked up a bit which is just the way the race panned out.”
Ryan and Alexiou’s triple assault on Light Fingers
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable will be triple-handed in Saturday’s G2 Light Fingers S. with Facile (Trapeze Artist), Arctic Glamour (Frosted {USA}) and Ballroom Bella (Russian Revolution).
Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Facile has furnished heaps. She’s bigger, stronger, wider. She’s still not a huge mare but she has done well,” Ryan told RSN927.
“She’s fit and well, if she is good enough, she can win.”
Clark to ride C’Est Magique
Tim Clark has picked up the ride on the Grahame Begg-trained C’Est Magique (Zoustar) in Saturday’s G3 Triscay S. at Randwick.
“There’s a better continuity of races for her here in Sydney. You’ve got the Birthday Card S., the Wenona Girl Quality, Saturday’s race, the Triscay S.,” Begg told RSN927.
Grahame Begg | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“There are so many races for mares and let’s face it, we’re trying to increase their resume and get that stakes win on the board.”
C’Est Magique and Clark will jump from barrier 1 in Saturday's Triscay S.
Bargain buy wins on debut
The Rochelle Pereira-trained Blantons Run (Rothesay) paid back her purchase price of $700 and more when she saluted on debut at Ipswich on Thursday. Blantons Run, ridden by Mark Du Plessis, defeated Just Cliffy (Cliff’s Edge) and Alpine Raider (Alpine Eagle).
The filly is the second foal from the Casino Prince mare Isadiva, who won twice and is the daughter of the Chilean Group 1 winner Diana Cazadora (Chi) (Dushyantor {USA}).
Blantons Run was purchased by Teddington Hills Thoroughbreds from the Washpool Lodge through the 2022 Magic Millions August Online Sale.
Bobbin has confidence in Thailess
Andrew Bobbin is confident his progressive filly Thailess (Needs Further) won’t be disgraced when she tackles Saturday’s G3 Vanity S. after two consecutive victories at Hamilton and Morphettville.
“Winning form is good form, she deserves a chance,” Bobbin told Racing.com.
Andrew Bobbin | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“Thailess is only a 3-year-old filly once and I could just run her around in the bush in benchmark races, but her owner and breeder have put a lot of time and money into her, so she deserves a crack.”
Thailess is raced by her breeder, Billy Gee, who raced her dam Mai Thai (Magnus), who won three races. Mai Thai has a unraced filly by Alpine Eagle and was served by Needs Further last spring.
Trainer shocked by Prowess positive
Roger James shared he has been left ‘gobsmacked’ after Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) returned a positive swab during the 2023 spring carnival. The daughter of Proisir returned a positive pre-race urine sample before contesting the G1 Champions S. at Flemington in November. The positive sample contained Phenylbutazone, Oxyphenbutazone and Gamma-hydroxy phenylbutazone (a non-steroid anti-inflammatory and its metabolites), which is a prohibited substance on raceday.
“We were all absolutely gobsmacked. It’s a drug that I’ve banned from our stable seven years ago because of its length of withholding time and its contaminable ability,” James told Racing.com.
Roger James | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“I straight away told the stewards you can come over to my stables right now, we haven’t got any bute. We opened up our vet accounts for however long they wanted to go back. We have wrecked ourselves trying to work out how it got into her system. But it does you no good at the end of the day. It’s all foreign territory for me. But at the end of day, we have got to cop it on the chin.”
Orchestral to tackle Avondale Guineas
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) is set to step out over 2100 metres in Saturday’s G2 Avondale Guineas after blitzing a strong field in the NZ$1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions at Ellerslie in January.
“I don’t think anybody who went to Ellerslie that day was expecting something quite like that. I was pretty happy to see it and even more than she has progressed since,” James told TAB NZ.
Orchestral (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“The more that we do get to know her, she is a nice breathing mare, which is suitable for distance racing. It is what she was put on this earth to do, she doesn’t appear to take a lot of work to keep her ready, which is wonderful.”
Waller: Fangirl much stronger now
The Chris Waller-trained Fangirl (Sebring) has achieved much in her career, winning three Group 1 races but her trainer believes the Ingham-raced mare has returned bigger and stronger this preparation as she readies for the G2 Apollo S. on Saturday at Randwick.
“She is one of those late-maturing horses. I think it came against her a few times as a 3 and 4-year-old,” Waller told RSN927.
Fangirl | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“As a 5-year-old Fangirl is much stronger.”
The daughter of Sebring will be among four stables runners for Waller, who has also accepted with Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock), Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and Lindermann (Lonhro).
Pride’s Private on a mission
Joe Pride shared it has been part of his plan to have Private Eye (Al Maher) up and running a little earlier than previous autumn preparations to dodge any potential rain. The G1 Epsom H. victor will tackle the G1 Black Caviar Lightning S. at Flemington on Saturday.
“Autumn hasn’t been Private Eye’s best time of the year for a few different reasons,” Pride told RSN927.
Joe Pride | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He’s hit a lot of wet tracks in his last couple of autumn preparations and they haven’t helped him at all as he’s clearly not very good on heavy tracks. I thought to avoid that, I would get him up early and have him ready to go in the Lightning knowing Flemington is rarely, touch wood, wet and if it does get wet it doesn’t get too heavy very often. I thought it was a nice assignment for him knowing how well he can sprint fresh.”
First reported foals for Platinum Jubilee winner
The first reported foals for G1 Platinum Jubilee S. hero Naval Crown (GB) have arrived, Darley Europe announced.
A chestnut colt out of A Touch Of Luck (Ger) (Frankel {GB}) arrived this week. He was bred by Robert Draper. His second dam is G1 Preis der Diana third Aigrette Garzette (Ire) (Peintre Celebre {USA}).
Another new arrival was a colt out of Thaleia (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) from the extended family of multiple Group winner Endless Drama (Ire). David Ryan of Kilfrush Stud said the colt had “size, scope and bone, a really good foal.”
Naval Crown (GB) | Standing at Darley, UK
A bay filly was born on February 2, and bred by Gerrardstown House Stud. She is out of Fleur de Lui (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and was described by Donie Fahy as having “good size and scope. Very correct filly with a lovely head.” She is a relative of the Group 1 winner The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Two other fillies have also been reported so far–a daughter of Golden Angel (Ire) (War Command {USA}) who arrived in late January at Hawes Stud and a filly out of Iffa Red (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) bred by Kilweelran, Ltd. Michael Gaffney described the former as “a fine, big foal with good bone. She has loads of quality and great action.”
Spirit Dancer latest runner confirmed
Bahraini Group winner Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been confirmed for the 2100 metre G2 Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard on Saturday, February 24.
Owned by the partnership of Done/Ferguson/Mason, the gelding won the G3 Strensall S. last August before taking the G2 Bahrain International Trophy two starts later in November. Given some time off, he made his 7-year-old bow in the G1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan in January, running on to be fourth behind Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
“I was delighted to get that run in Dubai into him,” said trainer Richard Fahey.
“We were pleased with the run and we were probably just drawn a little bit wide–hopefully the run will put him 100 per cent right for Saudi.
“We're going to run in the Neom. I was keen to go for the big one there (Saudi Cup), but I just felt nine furlongs on the dirt would be sharp enough for him. He's a horse I would probably want to go a mile and a half in Saudi rather than a sharp nine, if that makes sense.
“Barring problems I'm sure his owners are very keen,” continued Fahey. “Peter Done and Ged Mason are both very keen and Sir Alex is keen as well, so it looks like they are booking and barring problems I would say they will probably be there.
“We certainly enjoyed Bahrain and anything now is a bonus, but we're expecting him to run a big race in Saudi.”
Vale Maureen Mullins
Maureen Mullins, Irish racing's great matriarch and the mother of the champion trainer Willie Mullins, has died at the age of 94 following a short illness.
Wife of the late Paddy Mullins, a multiple champion handler who managed the career of the great Dawn Run (GB) (Deep Run {Ire}) before passing away aged 91 in 2010, Maureen leaves an incredible legacy behind her.
She had four sons and a daughter – trainers Tom, Willie and Tony along with George and daughter Sandra – who have gone on to make the Mullins name a dominant force in Irish racing and beyond.
At the Horse Racing Ireland Awards in 2016, Mullins was presented with the Contribution to the Industry Award. She was also a winning rider herself, steering Razzo Forte (GB) (Roan Rocket {Ire}) to glory in a female riders' event at Gowran Park in 1982, a race which her daughter also rode in. She was involved as an owner and breeder down the years, with Kilcruit a recent feather in her cap having won the G1 Punchestown bumper following his sale having initially raced in her colours.
Laffon-Parias to retire at end of 2024
Carlos Laffon-Parias, the first Spanish trainer to win the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, announced on Wednesday that he will retire from training at the end of the year.
Based in Chantilly, Laffon-Parias is best known as the trainer of Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}), who caused an upset when beating leading Japanese hope Orfevre (Jpn) in the 2012 running of Europe's premier middle-distance race. He also won the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on the same card with Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), while the likes of Laverock (Ire) (Octagonal {NZ}), Falco (Pivotal {GB}) and Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper {USA}) were other top-level winners for their trainer during a career in France spanning more than three decades.
In 2023, Laffon-Parias saddled two new Group 1 winners, including Prix de la Foret heroine Kelina (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) who, the trainer confirmed, will race on as a 4-year-old as he prepares to embark on his final season.
