Daily News Wrap

James Ross to move to Hong Kong

Australian Turf Club (ATC) Head Of Racing and Wagering James Ross has announced his resignation after eight years at the ATC to take on a leading role with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. He will finish up after this year’s Autumn carnival.

“James has been instrumental in ATC remaining at the forefront of racing in Australia," CEO Matt Galanos told Racing NSW.

“He has ensured ATC has continued to forge a reputation as an industry leader through the delivery of a world-class racing product and development of both racing and training surfaces. James has led a team which has also greatly improved the ownership experience, industry and wagering initiatives along with significant growth in international participation across Autumn and Spring carnivals. We thank James for his outstanding service and it is measure of not only his talent but also the standing of Sydney racing that the Hong Kong Jockey Club has offered him such a role.”

Legarto odds-on to take out Summer Series Bonus

The New Zealand Summer Series Bonus wraps up in Saturday’s G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand S. and favourite Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) is odds-on to take both the Group 1 win and the series bonus. The series of four races between January and March, is worth $650,000 with $500,000 to the series winner, $100,000 to the runner-up and $50,000 for the third placegetter.

“It is going to be a great day on Saturday because we have got that bonus to go for as well, which is going to be a huge payday,” co-trainer Ken Kelso told Trackside NZ.

“She doesn’t have to win it to get the bonus, it is quite exciting. She had a quiet trial here at Matamata last Thursday over 1100 metres. She was only getting warmed-up at the line. I go down every night at about 7.30pm and check her, and she licks the bowl clean by then and is looking for more. She is really thriving.”

Legarto has won 9 of her 13 starts and over $1.6 million, including the 2022 G1 NZ 1000 Guineas, 2023 G1 Australian Guineas and 2024 G1 Herbie Dyke S.

With 13.5 points to the winner, One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One {NZ}) could take the winner’s bonus if he wins and Legarto finishes outside the top four on Saturday.

Table: Summer Series Table

Ben Thompson breaks through in Hong Kong

Jockey Ben Thompson won his first race in Hong Kong at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, breaking a 47-ride drought.

“It’s taken a couple of weeks, but it’s extremely rewarding to ride a winner here,” Thompson told scmp.com.

“It’s very surreal. I’m sure it’s not going to sink in straight away … but (it’s) a huge thrill and big thanks to Jamie Richards, connections and his entire team. No matter whether you’re starting off in Australia or any expatriate going to an unfamiliar country, all you want to do is ride winners. But no winner comes easy so I didn’t expect anything to be easy here, especially when it’s the most competitive racing jurisdiction in the world amongst some of the best riders in the world.”

Thompson had spent most of his career in Queensland where he has almost 800 wins, and his short-term contract in Hong Kong will end on April 4.

“Albeit tonight caps my first winner, I feel like what I’ve learned over this first three and a half weeks has been invaluable. Just watching other riders, dealing with the trainers and seeing the way they train. It feels like months worth of experience and learning in the matter of three and a half weeks. It’s been amazing. I’m extremely grateful to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the opportunity and hopefully there’s more winners to come.”

Thompson won aboard 40-1 shot Courier Magic (NZ) (Savabeel) in Race 2, and it was the first win for the 4-year-old gelding whose eight starts have all been in Hong Kong.

Two winners for Zoustar in Hong Kong

Widden Stud’s Zoustar had two winners at Hong Kong’s Happy Valley meeting on Wednesday night with Solar Partner taking out Race 6 and Celestial Colours taking out Race 7.

Solar Partner has done all his racing in Hong Kong and has a record of three wins from 19 starts - he was purchased for $150,000 from Fernrigg Farm’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft in 2019.

Celestial Colours, who raced in Australia as Ringmaster, took his career record to four wins from 15 starts. His first 10 starts and three wins were in Australia and he ran third in the Listed Phoenix S. as a 2-year-old, while he has one win from five starts in Hong Kong. A $425,000 purchase from the Newgate Farm draft at Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, he was onsold by China Horse Club for $435,000 at a 2023 Inglis Digital Sale to Hong Kong.

New 2-year-old winner for Saxon Warrior

Trainer Barry Campbell’s 2-year-old filly Hoax (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) won Race 1 at Launceston on Wednesday beating hot favourite Gem’s Eagle (Alpine Eagle) by 1.8l.

Hoax is from the second crop of Saxon Warrior (Jpn) who shuttled to Australia from 2019 to 2022. He has sired nine stakes winners to date with only one in Australia, Listed-winning 2-year-old Archaic Smile while he also has Group 1-placed 3-year-old winner Aethelflaed.

Hoax is a homebred for Woodlawn Park Stud and is the second foal for Immortal Charm (Exceed And Excel).

Patient approach sets Aardvark for Sires Produce

Co-trainer Troy Corstens opted to skip the G1 Blue Diamond with valuable 2-year-old colt Aardvark (Capitalist) after he won the Listed Talindert S. the week prior, and aim instead for this Saturday’s G2 Sires’ Produce S.

“I had a really good chat with (part-owner) James Harron about it and just the week in between was probably a little bit too much,” Corstens told Racing.com. He trains in partnership with his father Leon.

“I think he’s a really nice horse in the making, so I would’ve hated to have gone there and just given him an absolute gut buster, ruined the whole preparation, when there's several options that we can go for that he's going to be super competitive in. Let's find out now in the G2 Sires’ Produce, if he runs really well in that, we've got the option then to have a look at the Sires’ Produce in Sydney.

“That was the thinking behind what we're doing, you're not going to know until you race on Saturday, but he is the kind of horse that does settle really well and hopefully, if he settles in his race, we can still have that finishing burst.”

Purchased for $240,000 from Highgrove Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Aardvark ran third on debut in the Listed Debutant S. back in October, and the Talindert win was his second start.

Adelaide Cup favourite The Map gallops well

Trainers Dan Clarken and Oopy McGillivray were rapt with The Map (Alpine Eagle) who galloped at Murray Bridge on Thursday as preparation for Monday’s G2 Adelaide Cup.

“I don’t think we could be any happier with her, we’re really delighted,” McGillivray told Racing.com.

“She was great in her action, very clean in the wind and ran through the line under no pressure so we’re going there with a lot of confidence. I think you’ve always got a question mark (over running 3200 metres for the first time) but she ran the 2800 metres out at Flemington quite easily but we don’t have any reservations with her. It’s a thrill to have a stayer in your hometown cup that is a real contender. She’s a beautiful horse and we absolutely adore her.”

The Map will be ridden by Jamie Kah in the Cup and hopes to add to her career record, which stands at seven wins and five placings from 25 starts. A $35,000 purchase from Armidale Stud’s 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale draft, The Map now has earnings over $390,000.

Inglis Banner moves to Melbourne Cup Week at Flemington

Off the back of the Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne, the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and Inglis announced a four-year partnership extension which will see the $500,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) run at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The Inglis Banner on TAB Champions S. Day will join the $350,000 Inglis Bracelet to be run during Cup Week and the Inglis Sprint.

Inglis Bloodstock Chief Executive Officer Sebastian Hutch said he was excited about the new collaboration. “TAB Champions Stakes Day on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival has seen extraordinary growth in recent years and to have Inglis’ feature Victorian two-year-old race added to that program – worth not only $500,000 in prizemoney but also carrying a $200,000 Inglis Pink Bonus incentive – is of huge significance to us as a company and industry partner.’’

Espiona to run in Sydney

Trainer Chris Waller announced on Wednesday evening that his Group 1-winning 5-year-old mare Espiona (Extreme Choice) will run in Sydney’s G1 Canterbury S. this Saturday and not clash with Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) in the G1 Newmarket H. Espiona was being trained out of Waller’s Flemington base, but will travel to Sydney for the Canterbury S.

Earlier in the week, Waller’s foreman Charlie Duckworth told Racing.com that they planned to take Espiona to Royal Ascot later in the year. “Chris is brave enough to take her on a world tour and to get to Royal Ascot and take a big one out on the world stage.”

Espiona has won seven of her 19 starts and over $3 million. She was sold by Torryburn Stud for $190,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Double for Johnstone at Launceston

Apprentice jockey Taylor Johnstone outrode her claim at Launceston on Wednesday night, with winners 80 and 81 in her career.

“It’s really rewarding, having a bit of time off (injury-enforced), It was hard to catch back up and get back on track, but I’m finally there, and the horse was amazing tonight,” Johnstone told Tasracing.com.au about her first winner of the night, 3-year-old gelding In The Ocean (Foxwedge) whose win was his first from just three starts to date.

“We chucked the winkers on him for the first time tonight just to spice him up. He had been a little bit too cruisy. We got into a nice spot. He was travelling beautifully, and he put them away.”

Johnstone’s second win for the night came two races later on Dantes (NZ) (Echoes of Heaven).

“Its all come at once tonight; the horse is in really good form; he’s still very green and has a lot to learn. The main thing was to get him relaxed, and he did just that tonight, so yeah, really proud of him.”

Consistent 5-year-old gelding Dantes has now won three of his 10 starts with seven placings.

Red Fifty Three hopes for better luck in Saturday’s Bunbury S.

Trainers Grant and Alana Williams are hoping for better luck for Red Fifty Three (Gingerbread Man) in Saturday’s Listed Bunbury S. after the 5-year-old gelding was badly checked last start in the Listed Pinjarra Classic.

“You don’t like seeing your horses get knocked over like that,” Williams said on Tabradio.

“That’s racing, but he did come through that pretty good and is in good nick. His head space is good and it hasn’t affected him there and physically he’s fine. I think if we went left and not right the other day (Pinjarra Classic) we might have been close (to winning). We go into it with a bit of confidence and the horse is in good nick. We have Chris (Parnham) on which is definitely a plus and he knows him pretty well. It’s an even field but he is up to the class.”

Red Fifty Three has won seven of his 16 starts with earnings over $360,000. He was a $42,500 purchase from Yarradale Stud’s 2020 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale draft.

NZTR Chair resigns

Cameron George, chair of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing board announced his resignation on Thursday.

“My decision to step down from my role on the Board hasn’t been an easy one,” George told loveracing.nz.

“My journey at NZTR started with navigating a path forward for the business through COVID-19. Over time, we have managed to rebuild the industry into the strong position it now holds, demonstrating the resilient team environment I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in over the last four years.

“I’ve enjoyed all the challenges this role has presented me with. Going into it I knew I needed to both question and support initiatives brought to the table. I now feel we have moved into a model of braver thinking and strategic planning, with innovation at the forefront of our activities. Globally, sports have undergone a significant shift from traditional approaches to embracing innovation and with that, we must not sit on our hands, and continue to pursue becoming a vibrant sport within the entertainment sector.”

George will remain in the role until the final day of this season, July 31. “I would firstly like to thank previous chairs of NZTR, the likes of Guy Sargent, Matt Goodson, Alan Jackson and their Boards, who worked tirelessly to underpin the industry into the condition it is today,” continued George.

“I thank NZTR’s Board and management team around me, both past and present, for their dedication to the cause of rebuilding this industry since the dark days of COVID, it truly has been a massive effort. To the stakeholders and people of the industry, thank you for your strong support, being receptive to change, as well as being prepared to just give things a go.

“Finally, so many parts of this industry’s administration deserve credit for helping us reshape and rebuild our future. On a personal note, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of TAB NZ, Entain Australia and New Zealand, our racing Clubs, New Zealand Bloodstock and the New Zealand Government for encouraging the movement of change towards a better future.”