Tributes flow on Black Caviar’s birthday
Unbeaten mare Black Caviar's (Bel Esprit) impact on the world has been in evidence over the past two days with an outpouring of grief in the form of tributes from across the globe. Champion racehorses connect with people and like other brilliant athletes, champions often transcend their sport.
Black Caviar | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
She died one day before her eighteenth birthday (18 August).
Two debutant 3-year-old winners at Bendigo
Three-year-old filly Savagery Vibe (Brutal {NZ}) won the first race at Bendigo on Sunday afternoon to cap off a perfect weekend for the Bellamy family following on from the Melbourne Storm’s brilliant win against premiership favourites Penrith Panthers on Thursday night. Trained by Nick Ryan and part-owned by Storm coach Craig Bellamy’s wife Wendy, Savagery Vibe was on debut.
She is the 10th winner from the first crop of Brutal (NZ). “My wife, her dad was a bookmaker, so she's always been interested in the races,” Bellamy told racing.com.
The other 3-year-old to win at Ballarat on Sunday was the Price/Kent-trained colt Captain Barbossa (Shamus Award) who was also on debut.
Another Wil to skip Memsie
Emerging star Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}) is an unlikely G1 Memsie S. runner, but he is expected to race on the same day at Caulfield as connections ready him for some big spring assignments. “He’s going to go to a 1400 (metre) at the end of the month to kick-off and then it’s performance-based from there,” Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull told racing.com.
“If he was to win that (BM100), you’d obviously look at say a Makybe (Diva S.) second-up over a mile. He’s obviously a very talented horse. He’s still got a little bit to go mentally. He’s pretty hot and jazzy at times, so physically he’s there, but mentally he’s still got a touch to go.”
Bold Bastille to take on changed Carlyon S.
Lindsay Park-trained 3-year-old Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) will take advantage of a change in the conditions of the Listed Carlyon S. at The Valley when she kicks off her spring campaign on Saturday. Previously the race was restricted to 4-year-olds and above, but this year for the first time the race is also open to 3-year-olds.
Bold Bastille | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She gets a nice, light weight. She's a winner at the track. We can see how she goes against the older horses and then decide whether she runs in the Group 1 (Moir),” co-trainer Ben Hayes told racing.com. Winner of four of her five starts at two including the Listed Redoute’s Choice S. Bold Bastille will be having her first start at three on Saturday.
Asfoora among fifteen declared for Nunthorpe
Crack sprinters Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Asfoora (Flying Artie) will square off for the third time in York's G1 Nunthorpe S. on Friday, August 23. The duo feature among 15 confirmations for the sprint contest, with the race an ideal setting to determine who holds supremacy between the pair.
“It would be an amazing race to win, all Yorkshire trainers want to win the Nunthorpe. It would be a good achievement, and I know Paul (Teasdale, owner) has been pretty keen to win the Nunthorpe for years. He lives near York, so it would mean a lot for him to win,” said Big Evs trainer Mick Appleby.
Treble for Brown at Bendigo
Jockey Ethan Brown rode a treble of winners at Bendigo on Sunday. He won the first on Nick Ryan trained 3-year-old filly Savagery Vibe (Brutal {NZ}), before winning on Brave Eight (Toronado {Ire}) and Heywood (Super One).
Exit Fee headlines Heywood treble at Moruya
Jockey Nick Heywood added another treble, this time at Moruya on Sunday headlined by 3-year-old gelding Exit Fee (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) who was having his second start for trainer Danny Williams.
Heywood’s other winners were Soho Sushi (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) and Endorsement (Hinchinbrook). Heywood has ridden 14 winners already this season.
One ride, one win for J-Mac at Wyong
James McDonald went to Wyong for one ride aboard Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald trained 3-year-old filly Lilac (Justify {USA}), and she rewarded him with a 0.75l win at her second raceday start.
Previously fourth at her only start at two, Lilac was a NZ$300,000 purchase by Annabel Neasham and Champion Thoroughbreds from Curraghmore at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. She is the second foal and second winner for Group 2-placed winner Paulownia (Fastnet Rock), a full sister to Group 1 winner and sire Foxwedge and Listed winner She’s A Fox.
G1 Del Mar Oaks to unbeaten filly
In her first start since a 33 per cent share of her sold for US$330,000 (AU$494,600) at the Fasig-Tipton Midsummer Flash Sale, Agave Racing’s 3-year-old filly Iscreamuscream (USA) (Twirling Candy {USA}) extended her record to a perfect four-for-four with a confident victory in Saturday's GI Del Mar Oaks.
“Hector (Berrios) didn't push the button early. He stayed patient and circled around that other filly and re-engaged. I thought at the quarter pole when he got head-and-head with the favourite he still looked like he had a lot of horse left. I was just hoping she'd draw off and she did. It's a testament to Hector. He gets along with this filly very well and keeps her energy level up at all times and she's able to finish the way she does. That'll win you a lot of races,” said winning trainer Phil D'Amato.
Four of her sire’s nine Grade I winners have found elite achievement at Del Mar, and she is out of 2012 G3 Eatontown H. winner Silver Screamer (USA) (Cozzene {USA}).
Thrilling G1 Alabama S. goes to the wire
With the connections of the well-reputed 'Grizzley' Thorpedo Anna (USA) (Fast Anna {USA}) opting to wait another week to face the boys in the GI Travers S., Power Squeeze (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) took full advantage of the Kentucky Oaks winner's absence and stormed home a narrow winner in the 10-furlong GI Alabama S. at Saratoga on Saturday.
“An absolutely outstanding ride from Javier (Castellano),” said trainer Jorge Delgado. “He measured the race perfectly. He said to me he felt the pace was going (to be) a little fast, but he wanted to keep her near the pace and close enough to make a run because there's enough talent in the race. Going to the stretch, he told me he couldn't see much but he could see number seven (No. 7, Candied) and he thought he was in a good spot. He kept coming and coming and he knows that the filly fights a lot– like in Delaware, but this time on the outside. On the head bob, she knows how to win. She wanted to win. She has so much determination to win.”
Forging Oaks Farm, breeder of Power Squeeze, bought her dam, Callmethesqueeze (USA) (Awesome Again {Can}), in foal to More Than Ready (USA) for US$175,000 (AU$262,000) at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. Forging Oaks bred both Power Squeeze and Listed winner Call On Mischief (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) out of the mare before reselling her for US$50,000 (AU$74,900) to Athens Woods at Keeneland in 2022.
G2 Sapporo Kinen to son of Maurice
Sunday’s G1 Sapporo Kinen was won by North Bridge (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) who took his record to seven wins from 18 starts. Ridden by Yasunari Iwata, he hadn’t raced since running third in April behind Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 HKJC Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
G2 Prix de Pomone won by Aventure
Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's G1 Prix de Diane fourth 3-year-old filly Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who had dazzled with a seven-length triumph in June's G3 Prix de Royaumont, bounced back in style and surged from last to first for a second pattern-race success in Saturday's G2 Prix de Pomone at Deauville.
“She is such a lovely filly and, after she won the Royaumont so nicely, we tried the G1 Prix de Diane where she ran a great race again, but it maybe came a bit too soon,” said trainer Christophe Ferland. “She is better over a longer distance, she is a Group 3 and a Group 2 winner now and we will try to win a Group 1 with her. The obvious target is the Sept. 15 G1 Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp if she comes out of this one in good form.”
Too Darn Hot juvenile adds another Group win
Relishing the step up to seven furlongs on Saturday, Al Shaqab's G3 Princess Margaret S. winning 2-year-old filly Simmering (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) mastered her peers with a degree of comfort in Deauville's G2 Prix du Calvados to suggest she can enter elite territory sooner rather than later.
“It was a much easier watch than the Princess Margaret,” trainer Ollie Sangster said. “She travelled smoothly and put the race to bed really nicely. The step up to seven seemed to bring about improvement and I think the added racing also helped, there was an element of greenness there when she won at Ascot. I also think she will improve for some better ground and she's a scopey filly and I don't think she will just be a two-year-old.”
Simmering's dam Cashla Bay (GB) (Fastnet Rock) is a daughter of Rose Blossom (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}), who captured the G3 Summer S. and the Listed Flying Fillies' S
Grosvenor Square thumps G3 St Leger Trial field and is new Cup favourite
Stamping his authority on Saturday's G3 Irish St Leger Trial S., 3-year-old colt Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) added serious ballast to Ballydoyle's Doncaster Classic team with a scintillating 20l romp. He is now the $10 favourite for the G1 Melbourne Cup.
“It's very hard not to go to Doncaster, we'll see what the lads want to do but it's 3-year-olds there and not at The Curragh,” trainer Aidan O'Brien said. “He's so uncomplicated, you go out there and let him go. He handles soft ground as well. He's going to be a lovely horse for next year as well–he has a big frame and there's no doubt he has to be a better horse next year.”
Grosvenor Square is the fourth foal out of Wadyhatta (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), with her first being the G1 Irish Derby and G2 Queen's Vase hero Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}).
Continuous wins G3 Royal Whip
Getting back on the winning trail in the G3 Royal Whip S. at The Curragh on Saturday, Ballydoyle's G1 St Leger hero 4-year-old colt Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) served notice that he is ready for some serious autumn action with options open.
“Ascot didn't work for him, and he could go to the Irish Champion after this, finish in the first four and then go to the Arc and the English Champion on soft ground,” trainer Aidan O'Brien said. “He could go for the Irish Leger, but we have Kyprios. He can do a Japan Cup. He's a very versatile horse, a great horse to have.”
Listed win for Wootton Bassett juvenile
Joseph O'Brien trainee 2-year-old colt Apples And Bananas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) followed up a June 29 debut sixth at the Curragh with a breakthrough score at Killarney last month and continued on the upgrade with a career high in Saturday's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at Deauville to become the 46th stakes winner for his sire.
“He's a nice colt, he's stepping forward from race to race and this was another step forward from his maiden win last time,” said O'Brien. “It was a strong maiden at Killarney, he's tough and Dylan (Brown McMonagle) said he kept finding all the way to the line. He looks a nice colt for the future and will probably now go for the Goffs Million.”
Japan’s first female trainer visits Arqana sales
In December 2023, Kyoko Maekawa became the first woman to be granted a training licence in Japan. “I was granted my licence last year and have not yet started my own training operation but expect to do so from next March,” she told TDN on Saturday. “I have worked as an assistant trainer for several different trainers and after being granted my licence I have to complete a one-year internship, so I decided to learn from Mr Yahagi.”
Japan has just under 200 licenced trainers on the JRA circuit. “In future I would love to be competitive on all the international stages like Mr Yahagi. When I start training, if I find a suitable race for a horse outside Japan I wouldn't hesitate to go there, and this is why I wanted to learn with Mr Yahagi, as he has so much experience of this.”
