Double for McDonald extends lead
Jockey James McDonald enjoyed a double at Rosehill on Saturday to extend his lead in the Sydney Jockey’s Premiership to five. He won on Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Mayfair (Fastnet Rock) and Chris Waller trained Kapakiri (Kermadec {NZ}).
James McDonald | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Incident at Eagle Farm causes last two races to be postponed
In Race 7 at Eagle Farm on Saturday, jockey Robbie Dolan fell from Victory Command (NZ) (Pierro) at the 600-metre mark when Power Pack (Power {GB}) shifted suddenly. Sky Racing reported that Dolan was complaining of a sore arm, while there was no immediate report on the horses or Power Pack’s jockey Tahlia Fenton.
Jockeys and stewards inspected that track as there was some concern Power Pack may have shied at a construction site outside the track and this led to the postponement of the last two races due to safety concerns.
It was later reported on social media, by someone at the track, that both horses were okay.
Another social media report mentioned that there would be an ‘industry meeting’ on Monday to discuss the problem further.
Four for Michael Dee at Flemington
Jockey Michael Dee rode four winners at Flemington on Saturday. He partnered Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained 2-year-old colt First Settler (Written Tycoon) as he remained unbeaten, then won on Liberami (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}), Hit The Road Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) and Horrifying (NZ) (Shocking).
Treble for Waller at Rosehill
Trainer Chris Waller enjoyed a treble at Rosehill on Saturday with Llanddwyn (Deep Field), Kapakiri (Kermadec {NZ}) and Robusto (Churchill {Ire}).
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Treble for Adkins at Wyong
Jockey Andrew Adkins rode a treble at Wyong on Saturday aboard 2-year-old gelding He’s In Like Flynn (Showtime), 3-year-old gelding Misty Legend (I Am Invincible) and Bluff ‘n’ Bluster (The Brothers War {USA}).
Both Saturday meetings in NZ abandoned
New Zealand’s thoroughbred industry has dealt with four race meeting abandonments in as many days.
Pukekohe’s Wednesday meeting was abandoned and transferred to Sunday following issues with transporting the starting gates to the South Auckland meeting, while Hawke’s Bay’s meeting on Thursday and New Plymouth and Rotorua’s meetings on Saturday were abandoned due to deteriorating track conditions as a result of adverse weather.
“The disruption on Wednesday was due to an unforeseen issue with a fuel pressure valve on our towing truck en-route to Pukekohe Park,” Northern Raceday Services told Loveracing.nz in a statement.
“At Hawke’s Bay on Thursday, more rain than forecast fell the night before and there was surface water on the track, so the decision was made nice and early so people didn’t leave home,” said New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s chief operating officer Darin Balcombe.
“Rotorua (on Saturday) was fairly straight forward. There was surface water on the track, so an early decision was made to call that one.
“At New Plymouth, we had a horse gallop around there this (Saturday) morning. The Stewards rang me just after 6am and were very concerned that the track was water-logged, and the horses were getting in really deep into the track and it was forecast to rain through to lunchtime.
“The prudent call was to call the meeting off at that stage for horse and rider welfare, and the high possibility of visibility issues through the day.”
Dubai Carnival extended to 16 days
Dubai World Cup night will be held on Saturday, April 5, the finale of an expanded 16-week Dubai Racing Carnival, the Dubai Racing Club (DRC) announced on Friday. The DWC will be held a week later than previously as a culmination of a week of Eid Al Fitr celebrations.
Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Racing Club, said, “The Dubai World Cup is one of the best-established sporting and social events of the year in Dubai. This incredible race meeting has grown year on year, since its 1996 inception, and we look forward to welcoming the best horses, jockeys, trainers and owners from around the world to Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, 5 April 2025.
“We are also delighted to offer two additional days of racing this season, providing more opportunities for horses based locally and those joining us from overseas.”
Key figures down for Ireland in 2024
Horse Racing Ireland has blamed the bad weather and adverse ground conditions for the reduction in attendances, entries, runners and field sizes in the first six months of the year.
Key statistics for the first half of 2024, released today by HRI, also show an increase in total prizemoney, race sponsorship, and the number of new owners, along with a slight decrease in the number of horses-in-training.
Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said, “While the overall reduction in the number of meetings is minimal, the disruption to the fixture list, in April in particular, had a negative impact in a great number of areas. In the face of the adverse conditions, it is to the industry's credit that the vast majority of the races lost were run off at a later date.
“But it is clear that losing 12 of the 33 fixtures originally scheduled for April left its mark. That disruption, coming as it did as the National Hunt season was drawing to its conclusion and as the new Flat term was kicking off, affected many of our figures, including entries, runners and field sizes.”
Baffert suspension in California lifted
The suspension of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert from racetracks owned and operated by Churchill Downs Incorporated has been rescinded, effective immediately, CDI announced Friday evening.
Bob Baffert | Image courtesy of Fasig Tipton
The decision was detailed in a statement from CDI CEO Bill Carstanjen: “We are satisfied that Mr. Baffert has taken responsibility for his actions, completed a substantial penalty and is committed to running in full compliance with the rules and regulations going forward. All parties agree that it is time to bring this chapter to a close and focus on the future. Mr. Baffert is welcome to return to any of CDI's racetracks, including our flagship Churchill Downs Racetrack, and we wish him and his connections good luck in their future competitive endeavors.”
Catalogue for Goffs Doncaster Premier Yearlings released
The catalogue for the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale, featuring 30 more 'Donny Rockets' this year, was released on Friday. A total of 479 lots will pass through the Doncaster ring over the two-day stand on August 27-28.
The £500,000 Harry's Half Million sales race will also be held during York's Ebor Festivial on August 22. All yearlings offered this year will be eligible for the 2025 edition of the race.
Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent said, “The Premier Sale is all about the individual, it's about what you see in front of you, the racehorse, and it's that approach on which the sale has built its reputation. We remain fiercely loyal to that mantra so when buyers arrive at Doncaster in August, they know what they are going to see before they set foot on the complex, yard after yard full of precocious, good walking, smart athletes.
“Importantly, Premier is also delivering on the racecourse, as it consistently produces the highest percentage of 2-year-old winners, and it has also sent out its share of stars. Premier has a proud history of elite horses coming from its ranks, think Acclamation, Dark Angel, Wootton Bassett, Tasleet (GB), all winners of our sales race at York, and more recently Harry's Angel (Ire), Advertise (GB), A'Ali and Supremacy, the latter two seeing their first yearlings sell at Premier this year. And let's not forget fillies like Laurens (Fr), Fev Rover (Ire) and Sacred Angel (Ire) to graphically illustrate the quality on offer.”
Listed Rose Bowl gives Mohaather first stakes winner
One of two maidens in the line-up for Friday's Listed Rose Bowl S. at Newbury, Phil Cunningham's 2-year-old colt Yah Mo Be There (GB) (Mohaather {GB}) producing a telling turn of foot to provide his first-crop sire with a breakthrough black-type winner. Yah Mo Be There has a win from three starts.
The £95,000 (AU$187,500) Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale graduate is the only foal out of his unraced dam, Shurakaa (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), a daughter of the G3 Oak Tree Stakes-placed Namhroodah (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and full-sister to the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes third Ornellaia (GB).
