Fee increase for The Bold One
Grangewilliam Stud have announced that their proven sire The Bold One will stand at a slightly increased fee of NZ$6000 (plus GST) in 2024. “Last year he stood at $4000 plus GST) and covered 48 mares but his results this season fully justify the fee increase,” stud master Mark Corcoran said.
“Besides Mary Louise he has been represented this season by the multiple Group performer One Bold Cat and the likes of The Fearless One and The Underbelly. The Bold One has had a steady flow of winners all season and has shown the ability to leave versatile progeny that win at all distances. They are consistent performers and trainers know they can be relied upon for honest performances week in, week out.”
The Bold One | Standing at Grangewilliam Stud
A winning son of Fastnet Rock out of Champion racemare The Jewel (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), The Bold One has sired three stakes winners from only 58 runners, led by this season's G3 Wellington Cup winner Mary Louise, who has won seven of her 17 starts and over NZ$330,000. One Bold Cat won the G3 Counties Cup in the spring and has been multiple times Group 1-placed with seven wins from 16 starts and earnings over NZ$305,000. His other stakes winner is Bold Mac, who won the Listed Hawkesbury Rowley Mile back in August of this season and has won eight of his 37 starts with earnings over $660,000.
Hirst farewells racing with emotional letter
Retiring Racing Victoria chairman Mike Hirst has penned a farewell letter outlining his time in racing. “I am very grateful to have been afforded an opportunity to contribute to an industry that I love. I have been fortunate to meet a lot of similarly committed people and will walk away with admiration for all those who give so much.
“However, if there’s one thing I’ve learned as a director of Racing Victoria (and Acting Chair for two years), it’s that you can put seven participants in a room and get eight different opinions. …
“The Racing Victoria board (RV) has steered the industry through a time of unprecedented challenges. “When most sports shut down during COVID, the industry worked around the clock to keep racing going, with RV injecting $75 million into our clubs and helping save 25,000 jobs.
“Faced with the end of existing funding arrangements through our JV with Tabcorp, we negotiated a landmark 10-year, $2 billion funding agreement with the Victorian Government to secure the industry’s future.
“In my nine years on the Board wagering turnover on Victorian racing has grown from $5.3 billion to $8.8 billion, annual industry prizemoney and bonuses on offer has grown by over $140 million, and club funding has doubled (not including the COVID payments).
“Victoria has Australia’s richest owner and breeder incentive scheme, VOBIS, which is now worth over $30 million a year. The race program we have delivered includes a record 12 of the top 100 Group 1 races in the world.”
Zecora sells for NZ$150,000 via Gavelhouse
The latest Gavelhouse online auction was topped by broodmare Zecora (NZ) (Power {GB}) who sold to “Phoenix3666” for NZ$150,000. A Group 3 winner of four races, she hasn’t been to stud, and her dam is a winning full sister to Group 1 winner Imananabaa (Anabaa {USA}).
“ByerleyBloodstock” purchased Chokito (NZ) (Vespa {}) for NZ$85,000. She is a Listed winner of seven races and is a half-sister to Luvnwar (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) who won Saturday’s Listed Belmont Guineas.
Vale two South Australian legends of racing
The South Australian racing industry is saddened by the passing of two legendary figures over the weekend. Hall Of Fame jockey Des Coleman passed away on Monday morning aged 92 which followed the passing of celebrated print journalist Dennis Markham last Friday.
Coleman won more than 2000 races including three Adelaide Cups and two Goodwood Handicaps.
As the Racing Editor for the Melbourne Age and then The Advertiser, Markham covered more than 30 Melbourne Spring Carnivals.
Debutant winner for Justify
Team Hayes won the first at Pakenham on Monday with debutant 2-year-old colt Ndola (Justify {USA}) who won by an easy 2.5l from Princess Montecito (Toronado {Ire}) and Almighty Jab (Jabali).
Not offered at auction, Ndola is the third foal and third winner for Group 3 winner Hear The Chant (Nicconi).
Four for Llewellyn at Narromine
Apprentice jockey Shannen Llewellyn rode four winners at Narromine’s Monday meeting including the first three races on the card. The first two were for trainer Brett Robb, being 3-year-old filly Causation (Not A Single Doubt) and Castlebar Road (Laguna De Bay {NZ}).
She won the third on Jane Clement trained 3-year-old gelding The Great Armada (Merchant Navy) and then the last on Clement’s Toulon Factor (The Factor {USA}).
Schofield heads to final Singapore meetings
Jockey Chad Schofield has been booked to ride at five upcoming feature meetings in Singapore, as the racing industry there prepares to shut down in October in a deal with Australian expat trainer Tim Fitzsimmons.
Chad Schofield
On Sunday he will ride Fitzsimmons-trained Lightning Strike (Impending) in the G2 Stewards' Cup.
Ex-jockey Benbow now CEO of Stoney Creek Racing Club
Ex-jockey and Gippsland local Jason Benbow is the new CEO of the Stony Creek Racing Club. “To go from one side of the fence to the other, it's going to be a really good challenge,” he told Racing.com on Monday.
Jason Benbow
“But I feel that it's a perfect role for myself, with my events background, my work for the National Jockeys' Trust and staying in the racing community. I had surgery to have all of the hardware taken out of my leg after my latest fall, and Dr Gary Zimmerman suggested it might be time to start planning for the future. It feels really hard to say I'm retiring, so I'm using it as a transition, still staying within racing.”
Punch returns to winner’s circle
Nathan Punch has ridden his first winner in 22 months at Pakenham on Monday, aboard Brian McGrath trained Ellmaknifico (NZ) (Makfi {GB}). “It's been a long journey to get back here, but I'm just glad to get the first one off the back,” Punch told Racing.com. Punch has battled severe concussion issues and did not ride between August 2022 and March this year.
Blow The Horn wins subsidised trip to Cox Plate
Blow The Horn (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn }) has earned a subsidised invitation to the G1 WS Cox Plate after winning the G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Kyoto on Sunday.
Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) claimed the race before taking out the 2019 Cox Plate, while Champion Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) won it last year.
Nominations for Sydney’s Strapper of the Year open
Nominations are now being called for the 15th annual Sydney ‘Strapper of the Year’ award for the 2023/24 season. Sponsored by Racing NSW and co-ordinated by Australian Racing Christian Chaplaincy, the award is peer-nominated with stablehands at Metropolitan race meetings being invited to nominate who they think is deserving of the award.
Hong Kong or Guineas for Imptee
Trainer Danny Crozier will aim Saturday’s 2-year-old winner Imptee (Impending) at the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas next season, if he isn’t sold to Hong Kong first. “What he is doing at the moment is on pure ability. He has got a brain and is a lovely horse. I think he has got the makings of a lovely 3-year-old and hopefully he can be a Guineas horse later on,” Crozier told Loveracing.nz.
Imptee | Image courtesy of Race Images
“There have been a few nibbles for him from Hong Kong. There is a bit of water to go under the bridge, but the Guineas will be plan b if he doesn’t go (to Hong Kong).”
Queensland Oaks winner Younstar’s first foal wins on debut
2018 G1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire})'s first foal, Eri King (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), won on debut at Kyoto on Sunday. Eri King, who is trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida, was Lot 1 at the JRHA Select Sale last July and was purchased for AUD$2.1 million by Fujita Susumu.
A half-sister to Group 1 winner Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}), Youngstar was purchased by the Yoshida family for $1.4million at the Inglis Chairmans Sale.
Personal goal for Patterson in reach
Trainer Robbie Patterson’s win with Catherinenz (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) at Riccarton Park on Saturday brought him within touching distance of a personal goal. “My goal was to get 50 winners for the season and break the million-dollar mark, and we’ve doubled that number and are a couple away from 50,” Patterson told Loveracing.nz on Monday.
“I’ve got a few nice chances before the season’s end to reach that goal, so hopefully we can tick that box and it’ll be very pleasing.” He is currently on 48 wins for the season with earnings over NZ$2.1million.
Ng takes over Hong Kong Trainers Premiership
Trainer Pierre Ng now has a 65-63 lead over Francis Lui after a treble at Sha Tin on Sunday. He won both feature races; the G3 Premier Plate with Galaxy Patch (Wandjina) and the G3 Premier Cup with Mugen (Deep Field), as well as a win with Greenwich (NZ) (War Decree {USA}).
Pierre Ng | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
G3 Premier Plate won by Galaxy Patch
Galaxy Patch (Wandjina) continued his good run of form with victory in Sunday’s G3 Premier Plate at Sha Tin for trainer Pierre Ng and jockey Vincent Ho. “I thought Vincent (Ho) was going too wide (on the turn). It was probably from an impossible position,” Ng told scmp.com.
Galaxy Patch won the G3 Lion Rock Trophy at his last start and now has a record of seven wins from 13 starts. He was a $50,000 graduate of the Sommerset Park Stud draft at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale purchased by Will Clarken, Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and David Jolly.
G3 Premier Cup won by Mugen
Mugen (Deep Field) became his sire’s 32nd stakes winner when winning Sunday’s G3 Premier Cup at Sha Tin for trainer Pierre Ng and jockey Karis Teetan. “Hopefully he’ll be a very good sprinter next year, either 1200 or 1400 metres,” Ng told scmp.com.
“The owners really wanted to bring a horse to Hong Kong that can travel, and this horse might be the one for them. We might think of Japan - the Sprinters S. Let’s see over summer. If there’s not many options, we’ll have a crack and if there’s options here, we’ll stay here.”
Sold by Two Bays Farm for $160,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Mugen was purchased by Upper Bloodstock and now has five wins from 13 starts.
Group 3 winner for Frankel in Germany
Eckhard Sauren's BBAG September yearling purchase Penalty (Ger) (Frankel {GB}) won Sunday's G3 35th Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft at Dortmund. “He is a top horse, it's exactly the reason why I am back in Germany, and I would like to thank Mr (Eckhard) Sauren (owner) for placing his trust in me,” Thore Hammer-Hansen, Sauren's retained jockey, told GaloppOnline.
Winning trainer Henk Grewe added, “It was important that Penalty switched off along the way and he was totally relaxed. That's exactly what we wanted to see and he has made another leap forward.”
A half-brother to G1 Premio Roma hero Potemkin (Ger) (New Approach {Ire}), Listed winner Paraisa (GB) (Red Ransom) and the stakes-placed Praiano (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}), Penalty became the 98th Group winner for Frankel who has 142 stakes winners.
