New date for Horse Of The Year Awards
TTR hopes you haven’t booked your flights yet. The prestigious 2023/2024 Australian Racehorse of the Year awards will now be celebrated on Tuesday, October 8 at Morphettville Racecourse, two days earlier than originally planned.
“Racing SA is committed to ensuring the Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards are a fantastic night for the industry. Following the announcement that the Socceroos, Australia v China World Cup Qualifying match would be held on the same night, we were concerned that accommodation and flight availability would be impacted. We felt for the benefit of our guests that rescheduling to Tuesday 8 October would assist them in finding the best accommodation and flight offers available,” Chief Executive Officer of Racing South Australia Mr Vaughn Lynch told racingsa.com.au.
V'Landys to front Rosehill inquiry
Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys has confirmed that he has been requested to appear before the Select Committee into the Proposal To Develop Rosehill Racecourse.
Peter V'Landys | Image courtesy of Racing NSW
The Select Committee's next two public hearings are scheduled for August 9 and September 12.
Spring plans for I Wish I Win
I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) will take a different path through the spring to last year, with two Group 1 races at The Valley on his agenda in September. “The dates have changed this year so we're not going to the Memsie and so he'll probably go through the Manikato three weeks before (The Everest),” co-trainer Peter Moody told racing.com.
I Wish I Win (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He could go to the 1000-metre race (Moir) before that but I've still to look at that. He's up in Queensland and doing a bit of pace work and enjoying his workload.”
Bad draw for Aviatress
A terrible barrier draw has dented Richard Jolly's confidence of winning Saturday's Listed Lightning S. at Morphettville with 3-year-old filly Aviatress (Smart Missile) drawing 16. “Really good 'til I saw the barrier draw of 16, it's going to make it really tough for her,” Jolly, who trains in partnership with daughter Chantelle, told racing.com.
“She jumped out yesterday, looked good, she's a quality mare, but I wasn't too pleased when I saw the draws.” Aviatress has won three of her five starts.
Shinn picks Dom for Gold Ingot
Jockey Blake Shinn will ride Dom (Pierro) instead of I Am Velvet (I Am Immortal) in the VOBIS Gold Ingot (1400 metres) at Caulfield on Saturday. Shinn rode both to win at their respective last starts. “They were going to be split up, she was going to run in the 1200-metre race, but it was a late call by the connections to run here at the 1400 metres,” Shinn told racing.com.
Blake Shinn | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“She's going to be one of the testing materials on Saturday, hopefully Dom will have her measure. It wasn't my decision so hopefully I'm on the right one.”
Eleventh winner for Zousain
Peter and Paul Snowden trained 2-year-old colt Zousain Bolt (Zousain) won at Wyong on Thursday to become the 11th first crop winner for Zousain.
A $180,000 purchase by Triple Crown Syndications from Edinglassie Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Zousain Bolt was having his third start. He is the second foal, and first winner, for a winning half-sister to Group 2 winners Ninth Legion (Fastnet Rock) and Tsaritsa (Dane Shadow).
Automated wins on debut
Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou debuted 2-year-old colt Automated (Trapeze Artist) at Wyong on Thursday and he delivered for jockey Tom Sherry by 1.59l.
Automated as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A $130,000 purchase by TFI and his trainers from Widden Stud’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale draft, Automated is the first foal of an unplaced half-sister to Listed winner I Like It Easy (Pierro).
Godolphin’s Polyglot wins at Bendigo
Godolphin added another juvenile winner when 2-year-old colt Polyglot (Lonhro) won at Bendigo on Thursday for jockey Ben Melham. He was having his second start, having run second at Sale on debut at the start of June.
A half-brother to Listed winner Tamerlane (Golden Horn {GB}), Polyglot’s dam was a winner in England and is a daughter of triple Group 1 winner Forensics (Flying Spur) who won the G1 Golden Slipper.
Big name jockeys back after a break
Craig Williams and Mark Zahra return to the saddle on Saturday after taking breaks from riding following the Queensland Winter Carnival. Williams has taken five rides at Caulfield, while Zahra will return at Royal Randwick to ride Vivy Air (Hellbent) in the mare's first run for Ciaron Maher.
Barbie’s Sister gets big test before spring
Trainer Tony Gollan suspects he has a spring carnival-level filly in the shape of Barbie’s Sister (Spirit Of Boom) and will test her in Sydney on Saturday. “Sydney 2-year-old racing is strong every week, I don’t think you ever get a gimme,” Gollan told Racingnsw.com.au.
Barbie's Sister | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“They’re always full of horses with good pedigrees who have trialled-up well, they don’t take horses to the races to educate them. We didn’t have any short 2-year-old races up here so we looked around and there was the race at Randwick. If you can measure up in a race like this it will give us good options to push on further into the spring. We’re testing the waters to see where she sits.”
Barbie’s Sister won the Listed Calaway Gal S. at her last start and is a full sister to Listed winner Outback Barbie.
Bolton Sprint for Saloon Bar
Trainer Dan Morton is fixed on Saloon Bar (Sessions) being a good horse and hopes to prove it on Saturday in the Listed Bolton Sprint. “He’s good, he’s spelled well and back into the swing of things good,” Morton said on Tabradio.
Dan Morton | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“I think he’ll go really well come Saturday. He’s a horse that has taken a fair while to mature, but last prep we saw him really come on. He ran right out of his skin in The Quokka, I thought. He’s the real deal and I expect him to go well.” Saloon Bar has won four of his 22 starts and ran fifth in The Quokka three starts ago.
Unbeaten Joiselle heads to town
The 2020 Kosicuszko-winning trainer Brett Cavanough will bring unbeaten 3-year-old filly Joiselle (Snitzel) to the city on Saturday. “I’m a bit scared to talk Kosciuszko,” Cavanough told racingnsw.com.au.
“I think unless you’re like Matty Dale’s horse (Front Page) who picks himself you’ve just got to train your horses. If you start setting a horse for that race and you don’t get picked you get a bit disappointed. If you have them in winning form they highlight themselves.
“If she wins four straight and wins that race on Saturday someone’s got to look at her.”
Roweiner’s Dance a lightning chance
Trainer Bill Kenning thinks 3-year-old gelding Roweiner’s Dance (Sidestep) can win the Townsville Lightning at Cluden Park on Sunday. “He’s been racing well with big weights, and he should be very competitive and hard to beat again,” Kenning told racingqueensland.com.au.
Roweiner’s Dance is for sale privately. “He’s finished with QTIS racing up this way now and is being weighted out of our races here. If I got the right offer, I’d sell him as I still think he’s up to winning in Brisbane.” Roweiner’s Dance has won 10 of his 17 starts.
Tanya Hanson to retire on Sunday
Tasmanian trainer Tanya Hanson, currently training in partnership with her nephew Kyle Maskiell will take six horses to Hobart on Sunday for her final race meeting before retirement. “I think its about time to retire, I’ve been in the industry a long long time, Kyle is taking up opportunities on the mainland which is good for him and I’ve decided to hang up the boots,” Hanson told tasracing.com.au.
“We haven’t been a huge stable but I think we’ve had some pretty reasonable success, we’ve won listed races with Braequest, Tiesto coming out and winning the Gold Sovereign at 90/1 was an absolute thrill, we had Moonless win the Guineas as a maiden; we’ve done alright.”
Social Climber wins on debut
Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall have plenty to look forward to with 2-year-old filly Social Climber (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) after the promising filly debuted in winning fashion at Arawa Park on Wednesday. “She was very impressive, she can gallop,” Richardson told Loveracing.nz on Thursday.
“There’s some nice 3-year-old races around, such as the Wanganui Guineas and Gold Trail S. so we’ll see what’s around at the time. She’s going to be better with the cut in the ground, so she’s going to be a nice horse next autumn as a 3-year-old.”
Listed win for Miss Lamai
Karl Burke-trained 2-year-old filly Miss Lamai (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) bounced back off a close-up fourth in last month's G2 Queen Mary S. to secure a career high in Wednesday's Listed Marwell S. at Naas. Now winner of two of her four starts, Miss Lamai is out of a winning half-sister to Grand Prix de Vichy victrix One For Bobby (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
“She's a good, tough filly and I thought that, if she ran up to either of her last two runs, she would be hard to beat, although you never know with two-year-old fillies,” said Burke. “She's in the [G2] Lowther and we'll discuss that. This is huge for [owner] Chris [Hirst], who lives in Thailand, as he's building up a broodmare band.”
Tattersalls release Somerville catalogue
A total of 465 yearlings have been catalogued for the fourth edition of the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale, which will be held over two days at Park Paddocks for the first time this year. The opening session starts at 10am local time on Monday, September 2.
“The Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale has quickly established itself as a leading source of top-class racehorses with Group 1 winners Anisette and Bradsell leading the way alongside recent Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes winner Arabian Dusk,” Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said.
“Ultimately the decision to expand the sale to two days was a straightforward one with the unprecedented demand for places reflecting not only the strength of the first three Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sales, but also the outstanding racecourse successes.”
Churchill Downs grandstand plans unveiled
A US$80-$90 million (AU$123-$138 million) renovation to the existing grandstand at Churchill Downs Racetrack that will update ticketed seating is scheduled to begin in August with completion planned in time for the 151st G1 Kentucky Derby in May 2025, the track said in a Wednesday release.
“Like all of our recent enhancements at Churchill Downs, the renovation of the grandstands represents our commitment to providing unique guest seating options while honoring the historic significance of the property in order to achieve a world class sports and entertainment experience for our guests,” said Mike Anderson, President of Churchill Downs.
