Age can’t defeat Vow And Declare
Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) won Saturday’s G3 Tattersall’s Cup at the grand age of eight for trainer Danny O’Brien and jockey Billy Egan, defeating Young Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who gave his trainer the quinella, and Knight’s Choice (Extreme Choice).
“I'm absolutely rapt to ride a winner on a Melbourne Cup winner,” said Egan.
Vow And Declare won this race in 2019 before going on to win the G1 Melbourne Cup in the same calendar year. All up, the tough campaigner has six wins and 12 placings from 44 starts with earnings over $7.6million.
Waller passes $50million in prizemoney
Trainer Chris Waller became the first trainer to pass $50 million in prizemoney in a single season with wins from Speycaster (GB) (Highland Reel {Ire}) and Cigar Flick (Churchill {Ire}) on Saturday. The previous national record was $49,813,478, set by Waller in 2021/22.
Golden Path caps big day for Belardo
Golden Path (NZ) (Belardo {Ire})’s win in the Listed WJ McKell Cup at Rosehill on Saturday capped a big day for his sire, after he also sired debutant 2-year-old winner Dupont (NZ) in New Zealand. “Since the blinkers have gone on, he is just a real racehorse now,” jockey Chad Schofield said.
“He's jumping, he's putting himself on the pace, he is travelling perfectly and then he's quickening. Obviously if you have a turn of foot at the end of a staying race, you're always going to be hard to beat. I hit the front far too early, but when I pushed the button, he really put them away and he was too good with the light weight.” The win was his fourth career victory and his first at stakes level, and he became his sire’s 12th stakes winner.
Schofield rode a double at Rosehill, with his other win on Emmadella (All Too Hard).
Baraqiel makes it four
Baraqiel (Snitzel), the older half-brother to the Group 1 winner Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun), took his unbeaten record to four with a strong win at Caulfield on Saturday. “It’s very hard to win four races in a row. It’s difficult. He’s taking natural progression. We’ve always thought he was a serious horse and it’s just a matter of continuing to develop him,” co-trainer Troy Corstens told Racing.com.
The 5-year-old gelding’s career has been plagued by injury issues. “He’s still doing a lot wrong. He’s racing like a 2-year-old. You’ve got to remember even though he’s five he hasn’t had many starts.”
Double for Lane moves him closer to Premiership
Jockey Damian Lane rode a double at Caulfield on Saturday extended his lead in the Victorian Metro Jockeys Premiership with 79 winners for the season, leading Blake Shinn by 15 winners. He won aboard Kin (Impending) who repaid Godolphin for delaying her retirement, and on Bossy Nic (Nicconi).
Ford gets 96th winner for Pride stable
Jockey Jay Ford is closing in on a century of winners for the Joe Pride stable after winning successive races for the trainer on Anagain (Hinchinbrook) and In Flight (Flying Artie) at Rosehill on Saturday. "I've ridden for Joe for a long time," Ford said.
"We have had good runs and bad runs, but he always has a ride for me. I do a lot of barrier trials for him, so I play a small part in his team.” The only jockey to ride more winners for the trainer is retired Champion Jockey Corey Brown with 115 wins.
One away from a Melbourne ton for Maher
Ciaron Maher’s double at Caulfield puts him on 99 in the Melbourne trainers’ premiership with wins by Desperado (NZ) (Ghibellines) and Wyclif (GB) (Archipenko {USA}). He is also closing in on the $50million season prizemoney target, passed by Chris Waller on Saturday.
Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Playing God juvenile winner
The first race at Belmont on Saturday was won by 2-year-old filly Noahquintilly (Playing God) for trainer David Harrison and jockey Joseph Azzopardi. She was having her fourth raceday start and is the fifth juvenile winner for her sire from his current crop of 2-year-olds.
Battle Of The Bush won by Tiger Legend
Trainer John Manzelmann only took over the training of Tiger Legend (Better Than Ready) in October 2023, and now he’s won the Battle Of The Bush. “It's really good to come down and win a race like this,” Manzelmann said post race.
“We've been trying for a while, we've been in every final so far, finally we've got one.” Tiger Legend has won nine of his 27 starts and over $550,000.
First win for amateur in Duke of Gloucester Cup
Caitlin McKee celebrated her first success in the saddle on Saturday in the most prestigious race of the Flair Amateur Rider Series, the New Zealand Hunts’ Association Duke of Gloucester Cup aboard Meandeel (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}).
Caitlin McKee after winning the New Zealand Hunts’ Association Duke Of Gloucester Cup at Hastings | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
“I’m stoked with that, I had so much horse coming into the turn, and he just did exactly what I asked,” McKee told Loveracing.nz.
Dan Vegas remains unbeaten with tidy win
Close relative to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), 3-year-old gelding Dan Vegas (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) dominated with an easy front-running win at his second start at Ruakaka on Saturday to remain unbeaten. “His full-brother Gringotts has been going pretty well over in Australia, and people might have heard of another of his relatives called Winx,” co-trainer Kenny Rae told Loveracing.nz.
“This is a good horse in his own right. He won his first start here really well, and I didn’t think that was a fluke, but coming into today I thought he’d need to be pretty smart to go back-to-back. He’s done it.”
Tiffany dominates G3 Hopping S.
Elite Racing Club's 4-year-old mare Tiffany (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) stepped on to a bigger stage on Friday only to announce herself a new star actor in Newcastle's G3 Hoppings Fillies' Stakes. A dual Listed winner in Germany at her last two starts, Tiffany now has six wins from nine starts.
Movement to Ireland made easier
The Department of Agriculture and the Revenue Commissioners have removed the need for a guarantee for the temporary admission of horses in particular circumstances, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association (ITBA) announced via presser on Friday.
“I want to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the equine breeding industry and the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) in pursuing this issue,” said Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon T.D.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon T.D.
“Since I first raised the need for a change around the treatment of horses imported for breeding and training purposes, it has been a long road to arrive at this breakthrough, but this important change is finally over the line. I am confident that it will be a significant boost to the sector and that the removal of the need for a security bond will help attract more British mares to Ireland for covering by stallions here.”
Arqana Yearling Sale catalogue released
The catalogue for the Arqana August Yearling Sale, which takes place from August 16 to 18, was released on Friday.
The sale has an impressive roll of honour given last year's G1 Prix de l'Arc winner Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) and this year's French Derby hero Look De Vega (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) are both graduates. Underlining the strength of the catalogue, 40 per cent of the colts and fillies offered are out of black-type mares, with 20 lots out of, or siblings to Group 1 winners.
Shareholder dam sells for US$430,000
The Cloudy Dancer (GB) Flash Sale on Fasig-Tipton's Digital platform ended Friday afternoon with a bang as a bidding war stopped the clock at 2:04 pm with the mare sold for US$430,000 (AU$643,000) to David Hutson.
Cloudy Dancer's (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) second foal, Shareholder (USA) (Not This Time {USA}), captured the G2 Norfolk S. for 2-year-olds at prestigious Royal Ascot to remain undefeated.
