Former good juvenile back to form in Listed Takeover Target
Team Hawkes won the Listed Takeover Target H. at Newcastle on Saturday with 4-year-old gelding Semillion (Shalaa {Ire}). He hadn’t won since his 2-year-old season where he won the R. Listed Inglis Banner on debut and also the G3 Kindergarten S. at his fourth start.
Semillion | Image courtesy of Inglis
Since then he had 13 starts without winning although he placed on four occasions, including a second last start in the VOBIS Gold Sprint. All up, he has three wins and five placings from 18 starts with earnings over $740,000. Sold by Blue Gum Farm at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $300,000 to International Thoroughbred Solutions, Semillion is out of a city winning full sister to Listed winner Iconic (Bel Esprit).
The win also was part of a treble for jockey Zac Lloyd, who also won on Pisces (Frosted {USA}), and Scarlet Oak (Kermadec {NZ}).
Hezashocka thrives in wet to win Gold Cup
A trip north to chase the rain paid off for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr when 5-year-old gelding Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking) won the Listed Gosford Gold Cup, run at Newcastle on Saturday.
“He's a horse that, the more rain the better, so when we were sitting in the pub last night having a beer and talking about the races and the Newcastle trots got abandoned, we were pretty confident that we were going to get the track that we wanted,” stable representative Ben Elam said.
Hezashocka took his record to four wins from 30 starts and he was previously a Group 2 winner as a 3-year-old in New Zealand.
Kiwi filly on Oaks pathway
Trainer Chris Waller might consider the G1 Queensland Oaks for strong Saturday winner Scarlet Oak (Kermadec {NZ}) who won the fifth race at Newcastle by 2.8l. “I'd say she has booked a trip up to Queensland,” stable representative Damien Fitton said.
“Leave it to Chris, but she is probably on an Oaks path,” Scarlet Oak won on debut in New Zealand in March and then transferred to Waller where she ran second in the G3 James HB Carr S. before Saturday’s win.
At Witz End becomes Epaulette’s 21st stakes winner
Trainer Daniel Bowen was thrilled with the win of 7-year-old gelding At Witz End (Epaulette) in Saturday’s Listed Australian Turf Club Trophy. “Amazing. I'm shaking. He's just a special old horse,” said Bowen.
“I was going to run him in the Chief De Beers and then there's the Hinkler then maybe the Ramornie. And then someone in The Kosciuszko, give us a go.”
At Witz End now has 13 wins and 17 placings from 62 starts with earnings over $520,000. The win gave Epaulette his 21st stakes winner as a sire.
Silk Stocking won by Thalassophile
Chris Waller and James McDonald combined on the Sunshine Coast to win the Listed Silk Stocking S. with 5-year-old mare Thalassophile (Not A Single Doubt) on Saturday.
Previously a Group 3 winner in March 2023, Thalassophile took her record to six wins and 13 placings from 33 starts with earnings over $815,000.
Proud Miss S. goes to Boognish
Jockey Jamie Kah had a stakes double at Morphettville on Saturday, winning the G1 Goodwood H. as well as the G3 Proud Miss S. on Boognish (Sooboog) for trainers Will Clarken and Nikki O’Shea. “She deserved to get her black type win, obviously it's come on a big day, we really stepped off her for a while after she didn't find the line over 1500 (metres), applied a huge amount of pressure this week and really screwed her down for today and it paid off,” said Clarken.
Boognish took her record to three wins from 12 starts. She was sold as a November yearling by Element Hill at an Inglis Digital Sale for $25,000 to Edinburgh Park who took her to the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale where she sold for $180,000 to Will Clarken/Suman Hedge (FBAA)/David Jolly.
She is the twelfth and last foal for Listed winner Regrowth (Unbridled’s Song {USA}) and became her twelfth winner and second stakes winner after Group 3 winner Colour (More Than Ready {USA}). Additionally, Boognish is the second stakes winner for Sooboog.
Outsider gets up in G3 Cummings S.
Trainer Jake Stephens’s 6-year-old mare En Francais (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) only made the G3 Cummings S. field after a couple of scratchings, and the punters rated her a $17 chance, but none of that mattered when she won by 1.4l. “That was exciting,” said Stephens.
“We left it up to Lachie (Neindorf) and he's pulled it off, which is great.” En Francais took her record to five wins from 20 starts and it was her first black type success. She becomes the fourth stakes winner for her sire.
New juvenile winner for Time Test in NZ
Connello (NZ) (Time Test {GB}) won race two at New Plymouth on Saturday by a nose for trainer Lisa Latta and jockey Chris Dell. The 2-year-old filly was having her sixth start.
Second was 2-year-old filly Raziah (NZ) (Niagara) who was having her second start for owner The Oaks Stud, while third was 2-year-old gelding Take The Crown (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}).
Feature double for Hashizume at Rotorua
Jockey Masa Hashizume won the G3 Rotorua S. on Karman Line (NZ) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and the Listed Rotorua Cup on Bella Waters (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) to grab a feature race double on Saturday. He now has 53 wins for the current season, more than 20 more than his previous best season in 2021/22.
Karman Line (inside) gets the better of La Crique in Saturday's G3 Rotorua ITM Stakes at Arawa Park | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Apprentice suspended at Caulfield
Champion apprentice jockey Celine Gaudray will miss most of May after copping another careless riding suspension at Caulfield on Saturday. She was suspended for eight meetings on a careless riding charge for her ride aboard Papillon Club (Toronado {Ire}) who finished in 7th. Stewards claimed that near the 700-metre mark, Gaudray's mount caused interference to Farhh Flung (GB) (Farhh {GB}), who bled and will spell for three months.
Gaudray's suspension is to be served after one she received from the Warrnambool Cup nine days earlier.
Group 1 mares get winners in Japan
Dual Group 1 winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain)’s 3-year-old filly Diamond Rain (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}) won a 2000-metre maiden race at Kyoto on Saturday. Her first foal is Group 2 placed winner Danon Tornado (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}). She Will Reign’s half-brother Time To Reign stands at Kingstar Farm.
G1 One Thousand Guineas winner Amphitrite (Sebring) produced her first winner on Saturday when 3-year-old colt Trident Spear (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) won his maiden race over 2000 metres in Tokyo.
G1 Eclipse S added to 2024 World Pool
A World Pool race in 2021, but missing since, the 2024 G1 Eclipse S. is back in the World Pool lineup, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and World Pool announced on Friday evening.
Michael Fitzsimons | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“It was great to kick start World Pool's season in the UK with the first two British Classics of the season, and we're delighted to announce the reintroduction of the historic Eclipse S. from Sandown to our fixture list for this year,” said Michael Fitzsimons, executive director, wagering products, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
G2 Huxley S. won by Passenger
Flaxman Stables' homebred 4-year-old entire Passenger (USA) (Ulysses {Ire}) won Friday’s G2 Huxley S. at Chester for trainer Sir Michael Stoute. “I had a good chat with Ryan Moore yesterday, we wanted to use Israr for as long as possible really and it's nice when a race goes to plan,” said jockey Richard Kingscote.
“Sir Michael doesn't like bigging them up, but he's a very likeable horse. The race was smooth for him, but you could just feel he was learning a bit on the job which is why I just feel Sir Michael loves coming here. He's one to look forward to.”
New stakes winner for No Nay Never
3-year-old filly Cherry Blossom (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) won the Listed Polonia S. at Cork on Friday for trainer Aidan O’Brien. "She had a high rating, had good runs at two and with today's conditions, and the track, everything worked out,” stable representative Chris Armstrong told Irishracing.com.
"She is a very quick filly, wants quick ground and five (furlongs). It is great to get the Listed win and with the sprint programme in Ireland being tricky , she might have to travel for Group 3s for fillies. It's onwards and upwards and that will be a nice confidence booster for her." No Nay Never now has 62 stakes winners.
New interim CEO for Racehorse Owner’s Association announced
Louise Norman, previously the head of ownership with the Racehorse Owner's Association (ROA) is the new interim CEO of the British organisation, it announced on Friday. She replaces Charlie Liverton, who has resigned to pursue other opportunities.
“The ROA Board would like to thank Charlie for his contributions over a number of years to both the ROA itself and the wider racing industry. The Board and I are delighted, and fully supportive of Louise stepping into the role of interim CEO. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the industry with her, not just from her head of ownership role with the ROA, but from her previous roles,” said ROA president Charlie Parker.
Namur ready for Sunday’s G1 Victoria Mile
Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) faces only 14 foes in the G1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo on Sunday, a “Win And You're In” qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in November.
“Finishing second in the Dubai Turf was frustrating, but the race itself reminded me of her high potential and sense of presence. Her performance left no room for complaint whatsoever,” said trainer Tomokazu Takano.
“I could feel from early on that this horse had a lot to offer, and everything has happened as I'd anticipated–the way she gains strength, the good condition when she goes into a race, thinking that if she would run at her own rhythm, she would be highly competitive in a Group 1.
Next International Breeders meeting in Japan
The International Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation (ITBF) biennial Conference will begin next weekend in Tokyo, Japan, the ITBF announced on Friday. Lasting from May 18-23 and hosted by the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association (JBBA), the Conference will welcome roughly 70 delegates from 20 countries, plus organisations EFTBA and OSAF, as well as representatives from the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
American owner Repole purchases at Japan Breeze Up sale
Prominent owner Mike Repole dipped a toe into Japanese public sales for the first time Friday, paying ¥33 million (AU$320,000) for a 2-year-old filly by the outstanding Orfevre (Jpn) at the Chiba Thoroughbred Sale.
“We've been studying the Japanese pedigrees for months now. We recently purchased two Deep Impact (Jpn) mares,” Repole said. “This purchase was just another opportunity with more to come. I raced the mare Unlimited Budget. She was a multiple graded stakes horse.”
Repole paid US$475,000 (AU$717,000) for Unlimited Budget (USA) (Street Sense {USA}) at the 2012 OBS March Sale and she went on to earn over US$$758,000 (AU$1.18million) and was purchased by Shadai for US$1.3 million (AU$1.9million) at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
Gaffalione fined for G1 Kentucky Derby ride
Tyler Gaffalione has been fined US$2500 (AU$3770) for his ride aboard Sierra Leone (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) in last Saturday's Kentucky Derby “for touching a rival with his left hand”, according to a ruling issued by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) on Friday.
Sierra Leone (USA) | Image courtesy of the Kentucky Derby
“After a hearing before the board of stewards, Tyler Gaffalione is hereby fined $2,500 for touching a rival with his left hand nearing the finish line while aboard Sierra Leone in the 12th race at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024,” the stewards report said.
Good crowd for Arqana Breeze Up Sale
With the Arqana Breeze Up Sale taking place on Saturday in France (Saturday overnight AEST), vendors are cautious but excited. “The market is tight but if you get it right it can be very good. They all seem to be landing on the same horses. If you have a horse with a pedigree and he qualifies for the main men, it's very good trade,” said Eddie O'Leary.
UK trainer forced to close yard due to canola crops
Trainer Jane Williams has closed her stable for a month due to poor performances believed to be caused by the effects of rapeseed oil (canola) crops in a neighbouring farm.
“It's a respiratory thing, it's an allergy and it's a huge irritant. It's quite potent and I think it just inflames their lungs,” Williams told racingpost.com. "The stuff has been in flower for four or five weeks now and you can smell it in the yard. … Our horses usually finish their races off but there's been a few strange performances. Jupiter Allen was a real shocker – we thought he was going to win. One minute he was in command and then you're thinking what's happened here.”
