Eagle Farm’s immediate future in doubt
The immediate future of racing at Eagle Farm is in doubt after Saturday’s fall caused by neighbouring construction. “We know it is the building,” Queensland Jockeys Association general manager Glen Prentice told racenet.com.au on Sunday.
“We are lucky that it is a high standard of rider that has been riding here otherwise it could have been a lot worse. At the end of the day, we don't want to stop racing here, this is our premier racetrack, every jockey wants to come to Eagle Farm to ride, but they want to be able to go home to their family that night as well.
“We should be counting our lucky stars that Robbie (Dolan) is here today and walking around with only a broken wrist, it could have been a lot worse.”
Robbie Dolan | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The next scheduled meeting at Eagle Farm is August 3.
“We don't know that what we are going to do will work 100 per cent,” Racing Queensland chief executive Jason Scott said. “But it's quite clear we have to try something, at the end of the day you guys (jockeys) are the ones being followed around by an ambulance. Money and time are secondary here, jockey safety is our number one priority and we need to try something to get racing back at Eagle Farm.”
Eagle Farm lost races moved to Ipswich
Racing Queensland advises that “the final two races at Eagle Farm (Saturday) have been rescheduled to the Ipswich Turf Club meeting on Wednesday, July 24.”
Treble for Tommy Berry at Hawkesbury
Jockey Tommy Berry rode three winners at Hawkesbury on Sunday and coincidentally all three were 2-year-olds, Coast Guard (Microphone), After Match (Zoustar), and Wings of Desire (Pride Of Dubai). Each juvenile is beautifully bred.
Microphone’s third winner
At Hawkesbury, Tommy Berry won on Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Coast Guard who was having his third start. He becomes the third winner for his first-season sire who has also sired Group 3-placed city winner Matisse.
Coast Guard was a $750,000 purchase from Newhaven Park’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft by China Horse Club, Go Bloodstock, Trilogy Racing and Newgate Farm. He is the first foal of Listed winner South Of France (USA) (Quality Road {USA}).
King’s Legacy half-brother wins
Tommy Berry’s second winner on Sunday at Hawkesbury was 2-year-old colt After Match, who is trained by Peter and Paul Snowden. A half-brother to dual Group 1 winner and young sire King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice), After Match was having his second start.
A $410,000 purchase by Yulong Investments from Segenhoe Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, After Match became the fifth winner from as many to race for his stakes-placed city-winning dam Breakfast In Bed (Hussonet {USA}).
Winx half-sister Wings Of Desire wins on debut
The last foal from 2-year-old stakes winner Vegas Showgirl (Al Akbar), 2-year-old filly Wings Of Desire won on debut on Sunday at Hawkesbury to provide Tommy Berry with a treble. The half-sister to Champion racemare Winx (Street Cry {USA}) was sent out as a $3 favourite for trainer Michael Freedman and was ridden by Tommy Berry.
“She definitely has got nice ability and will relish getting over a more suitable trip,” Freedman told racenet.com.au. “The 1400 metres to 1600 metres today was a good option for her. She has more scope than 1100 metres or 1200 metres but whether that's this prep we will wait and see. I just wanted to get through today and see how see pulls up before making too many forward plans.”
Stern Idol destroys Mosstrooper field
Stern Idol (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}) won Mosstrooper Steeplechase at Pakenham in dominant fashion under Steven Pateman, winning by 14l for trainer Ciaron Maher. “It would be great for him to go overseas… if he goes overseas, it doesn’t mean we’ll never see him again,” Pateman told racing.com.
“He can still come back, the racing world is so much smaller now, it’s easy to go around the world.” Stern Idol has won 11 of his 28 starts including the Brierley Steeplechase two starts ago.
Former shuttler Mendelssohn sires Oaks winner
Kin's Concerto (Can) (Mendelssohn {USA}), whose lone previous victory came via disqualification, made it to the line first for the first time with a stylish victory in the Listed Woodbine Oaks on Saturday afternoon.
“She's always shown some talent, she's just had some unfortunate luck,” trainer Josie Carroll said. “Different things that have gone wrong and problems in races. A horse that closes and hooks big fields and has to get through, it's always a challenge.”
Kin’s Concerto has won twice in five starts and it was her first stakes win. Mendelssohn, a son of Scat Daddy (USA), shuttled to Australia in 2019, siring Listed Tasmanian Oaks winner Wings Of Song from his only crop.
Vale Pierre Hoyeau
Pierre Hoyeau, a notable figure in the racing community of Western France, has died at the age of 91. He was the father of former Arqana president and current senior advisor Eric Hoyeau, and the grandfather of bloodstock agent Arthur Hoyeau.
“He was simply a horseman,” son Eric told the JDG. “He was passionate about pedigrees, and his memory in this case was quite phenomenal. He had certainties in this matter, which earned him the nickname professor. He was my first guide in horses.”
A service will be held at 10:30am on Tuesday, July 23 at the Abbey of Saint-Florent-le-Vieil in Mauges-sur-Loire.
