Four icons to be inducted in WA Racing Hall Of Fame
Four new members will be inducted into the WA Racing Hall Of Fame in August, being trailblazers for women in racing, jockey Paula Wagg and administrator Marjorie Charleson, as well as renowned horseman Bert Harrison and legendary stallion Haulpak (Dignitas {USA}).
As the first female jockey licensed in Western Australia, Paula Wagg was also the first woman to ride in Singapore and Malaysia.
Marjorie Charleson served as the first female public relations officer for the Western Australian Turf Club, a role she held with pride for 16 years, including being the force behind the invitation to Kingston Town (Bletchingly) to run in the 1982 Western Mail Classic.
Bert Harrison oversaw many top-line thoroughbreds during his 50-year training career, including 1970 and 1972 G1 Perth Cup winner Fait Accompli (Little Empire {NZ}) and 1979 G1 Railway S. winner Asian Beau (Beau Sovereign {NZ}) and was known for his skill in mentoring apprentices.
Haulpak’s remarkable legacy in racing is a testament to the vision of Robert Holmes à Court. Winner of four of his seven starts but none at black type level, Haulpak sired 33 stakes winners led by six Group 1 winners; 1995 Australian Cup winner Starstruck, 1986 Epsom Handicap and Ampol S. (now Cantala S.) winner Chanteclair, 1986 Oakleigh Plate winner Coal Pak, 1988 and 1989 G1 Karrakatta Plate (now run at Group 2) winners Hold That Smile and Highpak, and 1987 Railway S. winner Miss Muffet. As a damsire, he currently has 44 stakes winners with three at Group 1 level.
“These inductees have demonstrated incredible vision, resilience and skill in their respective fields and I look forward to seeing them celebrated later this year,” Racing and Wagering Western Australia CEO Ian Edwards told rwwa.com.au. The induction will be held The Westin Hotel on Saturday, 17 August 2024.
Betting scandal hearing
Jockey Michael Poy (alleged ‘Leo’), Noah Brash (alleged ‘Blue Bull’), licensed jockey Lewis German and registered owner Alysha Vass faced a Victorian Racing Tribunal directions hearing on Friday.
Barrister Adrian Anderson, for Racing Victoria stewards, shared with the tribunal excerpts of alleged messages from "Leo" to "Blue Bull", obtained from screenshots saved on Brash's phone. “It (Brash’s phone) is central to a number of the charges against Mr Poy and Mr Brash,” Anderson told racenet.com.au.
“It is the stewards' contention that those messages were sent by Mr Poy and that Mr Poy was the ‘Leo’ sending relevant messages.” Stewards laid 19 charges against Poy, four against German, while Brash has been charged for betting with or for Poy and failure to comply with stewards, and Vass has been charged for failure to comply with stewards. No one entered a plea, and the jockeys face a potential two year ban if found guilty.
Munz letter critiques Racing Victoria board
Victorian Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Chairman Jonathan Munz has released a statement saying, “It would be a huge mistake to appoint a new Racing Victoria chairman from amongst Racing Victoria's much criticised incumbent directors. Those incumbents include Tim Eddy, who it is reported has been annointed even before the two new directors, Powercor boss Tim Rourke and industry stalwart Mark Player, have attended their first board meeting."
Jonathan Munz | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“There has been widespread dissatisfaction and lack of confidence from industry participants and race clubs in the Racing Victoria Board, resulting in an effective no confidence vote in the Board in February and the subsequent forced departure of discredited CEO Andrew Jones.
“The board has been strongly criticised for its insufficient racing experience and knowledge and lack of commercial expertise and has been seen to have done a poor job. I have observed that in many ways the board members were in fact more culpable than Andrew Jones and it is not enough to just be rid of Jones without meaningful change at board level.”
Caulfield Cup spot up for grabs in Q22
For the first time, the winner of The Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm will be exempt from any Caulfield Cup ballot. “Obviously, on the back of Without A Fight winning The Q22 and then going on to win the spring Cups double last year, the races already have a strong link and this takes it that step further,” Melbourne Racing Club's executive general manager of racing, Jake Norton told Racing.com.
“Even the year before that, The Q22 (winner) Numerian ran very well for fifth in the Caulfield Cup.”
Bullock makes rare trip to city
Only 110 of jockey Aaron Bullock’s 4800 rides have been in Sydney, and this Saturday he comes into town for 3-year-old gelding Know Thyself (The Autumn Sun) at Rosehill. “Unless I think it’s a good chance there’s no point in me giving up a full book at Newcastle on a Saturday,” Bullock told Racingnsw.com.au.
“What I’m loving about this race is he’s racing one class above what he could be in which is good because he gets 58kg, he’s drawn gate one, he’s at 1400m which I know he with relish. He’s one of the better ones I’ve ridden out of the Messara camp. If he possesses that turn of foot at 1400m it’ll take a good horse to beat him.” If he runs well, he’ll head north for the Winx Guineas.
Mary Shan ready for Aussie debut
Stakes placed winning 3-year-old filly Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) will make her Australian debut in Saturday’s G3 Gunsynd Classic at Eagle Farm. “We got her up to 2000m for that race at Te Rapa and realised that she’s not really suited to those longer distances at this point of her career,” trainer Andrew Forsman told Loveracing.nz.
“That’s when Queensland started to come on to her radar a little bit. We decided to give her a little freshen up, then bring her back with couple of runs over shorter distances and see where we got to. That last-start win at Pukekohe was a nice confidence-booster for her. She’d been a bit unlucky in the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes and Rotorua Stakes in those first two runs back, so it was good to see her get back into winning form that day. It gave us the confidence to take her over to Brisbane and have a go at some black type.
Mary Shan (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“She handled the travel really well and has thrived since then, which often happens when they come from our cold New Zealand winter into the warmer climate at the Gold Coast. She looks great.” Mary Shan has won two of her 11 starts with four placings including in the G2 Eight Carat Classic behind G1 1000 Guineas winner Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High).
Treble for Martin at Canberra
Canberra’s Friday meeting saw jockey Jack Martin ride three winners on Keith Dryden trained pair Bringbackthebears (Xtravagant {NZ}) and 3-year-old filly Zazel (Rubick), and on Rob Potter-trained Craving Magic (Rubick).
I Am A Star’s first foal wins again
3-year-old gelding Orion The Hunter (Deep Field) won at Ballarat on Friday to take his record to four wins from 13 starts. “I've got a love-hate relationship with this horse, he's a quirky bugger,” jockey Zac Spain said after the win.
Orion The Hunter is the first foal of Group 1 winner I Am A Star (I Am Invincible).
Cap Ten adds another juvenile winner for Capitalist
Anthony and Sam Freedman trained 2-year-old gelding Cap Ten (Capitalist) won at his second raceday outing on Friday at Ballarat. He ran second-last on debut in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (c&g) earlier this season, and was first-up after a spell.
A $160,000 purchase by Anthony Freedman and Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) at Inglis Premier Yearling Sale from Evergreen Stud Farm, Cap Ten is the third winner from three to race for his group placed winning dam.
Capitalist now has 12 individual 2-year-old winners in his current crop, which is only his fourth crop of racing age. He has three stakes winning juveniles this season, and 19 stakes winners overall.
Field first win after injury rehabilitation
Sarah Field has ridden her first winner since an injury break on Dane Smith's Take The Prize (Bon Hoffa) at Ballarat on Friday. She has been away for five months with fractures to her tibia and fibula in a mounting yard incident at Stawell in January.
“It's only my second day back riding, so it's just nice to get the monkey off the back. I really appreciate Dane giving me the ride on this filly,” Field told Racing.com.
“She was super - Dane said she'll lead, we did have to work a bit, but she switched off and got a few cheapies in. I just held her together until she straightened up and she quickened really nicely and got the job done. Great job by Dane and his team, they're lovely people. He looks after us at the barriers, so it's nice to get a result for him here today.”
300 horses evacuated from Gulfstream Park
South Florida has been rocked by storms since June 12, causing flooding in Gulfstream Park's oldest section of the barn area resulting in the evacuation of about 300 horses on Wednesday.
“We had 20 inches of rain which is unheard of,” Gulfstream's executive director of racing Billy Badgett told bloodhorse.com. “The poor people that live in Hollywood and Hallandale, their houses are underwater. It's pretty bad.”
Fourteen for French Oaks
Fourteen 3-year-old fillies will head to post for Sunday's G1 Prix de Diane Longines after final declarations were made Thursday morning. David Menuisier representative and likely favourite Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), who was last seen running fourth in Newmarket's G1 1000 Guineas, has been allocated stall four. His Highness The Aga Khan's G3 Prix de la Grotte winner Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) is towards the outside in 12 while Godolphin's Andre Fabre trainee Rock'n Swing (GB) (Camelot {GB}) was drawn next door in 13.
Unbeaten 3-year-old colt added to online sale
3-year-old colt Lazzat (Fr) (Territories {Ire}), unbeaten in all of his five races including last weekend's G3 Prix Paul De Moussac at Longchamp as well as the G3 Prix Djebel, is among four supplementary entries added to Goffs London Sale which takes place on Monday 17 June.
Lazzat (Fr)
Three other Royal Ascot entrants added to the sale, being Listed placed Asian Daze (Ire) (Frontiersman {GB}) (Lot 22) who will target the Sandringham S., while Raw Ability (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) (Lot 23) heads to the Hampton Court S. and Cruden (GB) (Time Test {GB}) [Lot 24] runs in the King George V S. on Thursday.
Guineas winner on song for Royal Ascot
Trainer Karl Burke says that he is confident Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) will prove a tough nut to crack when she bids to follow up in the Coronation S. at Royal Ascot.
Burke told Sky Sports Racing, “She's in great form, came back from Ireland in good order, she did a nice piece of work on Tuesday and we couldn't be happier with her. I thought it was a fantastic performance (at the Curragh), to be honest. She got into a great rhythm early and watching from the stands from halfway, I was pretty relaxed, I thought we had them all covered and I knew she'd keep galloping right to the line.”
Royal Ascot to feature rematch between Auguste Rodin and White Birch
The big rematch between Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) is on as the pair are set to line out in the Prince Of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
Last season's dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin had the edge in those Classic contests, but it was John Murphy's White Birch who accounted for Aidan O'Brien's colt in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month.
Ocala Juvenile Sale stays steady at 2/3 mark
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training continued its steady course Thursday, with figures through two of the auction's three sessions in line with its 2023 statistics.
During two sessions, 384 juveniles have sold for US$14,402,900 (AU$21.7million), with the average of US$37,508 (AU$56,700) ticking up 3.1% from a year ago and the median remaining steady at US$20,000 (AU$30,200). With 125 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 24.6%.
