Melbourne Racing Club board spill
A board spill has been initiated at the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) by Committee member John Kanga, in response to mounting concerns over the club’s direction. The dissatisfaction stems from the costly failures of the new mounting yard and jockey rooms at Caulfield, alongside the Committee’s controversial proposal to build a new grandstand. The Save Our MRC group, led by Kanga, has gained significant support from influential owners Colin McKenna and Rupert Legh.
Legh voiced his opposition, stating, “The new mounting yard doesn’t work. It is not user friendly for owners, members, or the general public. It lacks atmosphere and has no soul, and that defeats the purpose of being at the races.” McKenna added, “What they have done to Caulfield racecourse is a joke, and the people responsible need to be sacked.”
The Club has borrowed $160 million to fund various projects at Caulfield, including the problematic mounting yard and a new office block for MRC staff. With CEO Josh Blanksby set to depart next month and Chairman Matt Cain announcing his resignation, Kanga has called for a Special General Meeting to remove several key Executive Committee Members and replace them with a new board. The new board's priorities include restoring the mounting yard to its original position, halting the grandstand project, and ensuring the continuation of racing at Sandown racecourse.
John Kanga | Image courtesy of Melbourne Racing Club
John Kanga, who joined the MRC board just over a year ago, has taken the lead in this effort to steer the Club back on course. He stated, “The board has been wracked by division and is in disarray. Voting in a new group of committee members with a clear mandate will allow the Club to move forward with a united purpose.”
The proposed new Committee members are prominent figures in the industry, including Lofts Quarries Founder Paul Lofitis, Communications Executive Belinda Meyers, town planner Robyn Gray, transport executive David Gambell, and food service director Frank Pollio. Kanga emphasised these changes are necessary to address the disarray within the board and to bring unity and clear direction to the Club's future.
City Of Troy wins G1 Juddmonte International in course record
Those rather dangerous words issued last October after the Dewhurst don't seem quite so bold now. “He's our Frankel,” said part-owner Michael Tabor about 3-year-old colt City Of Troy (USA) (Justify {USA}) back then. It may still seem like sacrilege, especially on a day when Juddmonte sponsors the big race, to compare any other thoroughbred to Frankel (GB), but at York there has truly been no anticipation so intense, no reception so rapturous, since Henry Cecil's wonder horse took the Knavesmire by storm in the G1 Juddmonte International S. 12 years ago.
The present, though, belongs to City Of Troy, a colt of sheer brilliance whose one fluffed line has been the source of more crabbing and doubting than most top horses ever have to endure. He doesn't know it though, and when Plan A faltered from the off and City Of Troy and Ryan Moore found themselves making the running for the 13-runner field of stars from afar, a back-up plan was swiftly deployed by Moore to boss the race from the front.
City Of Troy (USA) | Image courtesy of Coolmore USA
“It wasn't really the plan and when you see he was getting hassled the whole way round and had to do it the hard way, it makes it a very impressive performance indeed,” said MV Magnier, representing another of City Of Troy's part-owners, his mother Sue. “He beat Sea The Stars's record by more than a second and that speaks volumes really. He's a very special horse and we are very lucky to have him.”
City Of Troy now has six wins from seven starts with four Group 1 victories.
Listed Rowley Mile won by Cepheus
Nash Rawiller has labelled Cepheus (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) a "warhorse" following the 8-year-old's fourth stakes success in the Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury on Thursday. “He's been a great old horse,” Rawiller told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“He has been through a rocky path there a few times in his career, just through injuries and things, but he's a real iron horse, a real warhorse.” The Big Dance is his target again this year, and the win took his record to nine wins from 36 starts and over $2.3 million.
Atishu ready for Saturday’s Winx S.
Go Racing’s multiple Group 1 winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) will kick-off what they are hoping will be a lucrative spring preparation at Randwick on Saturday in the G1 Winx S. “We entered her in the Magic Millions sale,” Go Racing General Manager Matt Allnutt told Loveracing.nz.
“There was a lot of discussion around whether the owners wanted to sell her or not. In the end we put it to a vote and there was a clear majority that wanted to race her on for another season, so that is what we have done. Hopefully it is a decision that pays off.
Atishu (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Her trials indicate that she has come back really well. She is probably going to need the run on Saturday … She will go to the Makybe Diva next and at this stage she will go to Melbourne Cup Week. She just grows another leg at Flemington, she absolutely loves it there. She has performed well at that venue in the past, so it is a good option and a good way forward.”
Manaal favourite for Silver Shadow
Manaal is the $2.70 favourite for the G2 Silver Shadow S. at Randwick on Saturday. “I’d just like to see how she returns (before deciding on a path),” trainer Michael Freedman told racingnsw.com.au.
Manaal | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“There’s the slight possibility of looking to the Run to the Rose and Golden Rose but the Princess Series does lend itself to a filly like her. She travelled on the bit (in the Champagne) and as soon as Jamie Kah let her head go she lost her action completely. I don’t think that was indicative of whether she can run a mile or not. I didn’t read too much into it.”
The Black Cloud to step up
The Black Cloud (Shamus Award) will face her stiffest test so far in Saturday’s G3 Toy Show Quality at Randwick remains to be seen but jockey Jay Ford says the platform is there for her to make the leap. “Obviously this is her hardest task to date but she’s ready for her chance at this level, she’s destined for this level of racing,” Ford told racingnsw.com.au.
“But she’s only lightly raced, she’s still working her way through the grades and she’s taking on some horses that are pretty well credentialed. She’s going to give away experience but she gets in on the limit and has drawn the one gate.”
Moir target for Coleman
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy has won the G1 Moir S. on Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain) and this year is pinning his hopes of another triumph in the event on a Golden Slipper runner-up with Coleman (Pierata). “He jumped out with Giga Kick at Mornington a couple of weeks ago. He felt great,” McEvoy told racing.com on Thursday.
Kerrin McEvoy | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He'll have a bit more of a hit-out in his next trial then he goes there (to the Moir) with 52kg on his back. It's going to be a good race because you've got the Slipper winner (Lady Of Camelot) going there as well. It might be a nice little event.”
First Victorian Inglis Maiden Bonus leg goes to Blackberry Bomb
Simon Zahra's Blackberry Bomb (Brazen Beau) won $100,000 in bonuses after the first Victorian leg of the $5 million Inglis Maiden Race Series at Sale on Thursday. “I have to thank all the owners who jumped in; she wasn't a cheap filly, but it's exciting, I think she's a real quality filly,” Zahra told racing.com.
“After she just got beaten the other day, we were keen to go to the Quezette and then Kevin rang me and said, 'This is a really good option'. We just left it up to Blake and he summed it up pretty well and got the job done … there was some nice horses in the race, but I really know how much she's improved.”
Blackberry Bomb will head to the Listed Cap D'Antibes S. won by her half-sister Shesallshenanigans (Toronado {Ire}). Another sibling is Listed winner Shelby Cobra (Toronado {Ire}). Blackberry Bomb was a $300,000 purchase by her trainer with Cameron Cook Bloodstock from Segenhoe Stud at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Thursday’s 3-year-old winners
Several 3-year-olds won around the nation on Thursday. At Hawkesbury, Agenda Setter (I Am Invincible) won the first for Team Hawkes, joined by Noises (Microphone), Wave Breaker (Pierata) and Alabama State (Alabama Express) who were all winners on the card there.
Satin Shimmer (I Am Invincible) won at Muswellbrook to be the only 3-year-old winner on the card there, while at Sale, Blackberry Bomb (Brazen Beau) was the only 3-year-old winner there. Over in Western Australia, Great Emotion (Written Tycoon) was a winner at his second race day start.
Broome race to be investigated for betting infringements
Stewards in WA have adjourned an inquiry into a race in Broome this week, as they are poised to ‘conduct a comprehensive review of all betting transactions'. The inquiry is centred around the ride of apprentice Kristo Sardelic in Race 3 over 1600 metres on Yankee Lima (My Admiration).
“Apprentice K Sardelic (Yankee Lima), accompanied by a RWWA Jockey Coach, was interviewed in relation to his riding through the early and middle stages of the race where he continued to ride his mount along, when positioned outside the leader (The Chief Justice) to work forward and establish the lead from passing the 1100 metres with his mount subsequently tiring in the straight. Apprentice Sardelic advised Stewards that he had been given no specific instructions, however his intentions pre-race were to attempt to lead,” said the steward’s report.
A date hasn’t been set yet for the final inquiry.
Taylor keen to win Idyllic Prince
The Idyllic Prince S. at Belmont on Saturday is race that trainer Jim Taylor would dearly love to win and he has Searchin’ Roc’s (Awesome Rock) resuming there. The $125,000 Listed event was rebranded in celebration of one of Taylor’s best and favourite horses, Idyllic Prince (Scenic {Ire}) who won the race four times from 2008 to 2011.
“I’ve won it a few times as the Goodwood, but never as the Idyllic Prince S.,” Taylor said to Racing WA. “He was such a courageous horse and a family favourite for sure.”
“She’s been set for this since her last start,” Taylor said of Searchin’ Roc’s. “She had three weeks off and has had plenty of gallops. She loves the rain and goes well fresh. I think weight-for-age is her go now. Apart from the Railway she’ll go to weight-for-age races. We used to do the same with Idyllic Prince all the time. You don’t race that much, but if you just have them ready for weight-for-age races, it’s the only way to beat the handicapper.”
Brilliant return awaits Beau Rain in Magic Millions Daintree Guineas
Trainer Bill Kenning is hopeful 4-year-old gelding Beau Rain's (Sidestep) incredible resurgence will continue in the Magic Millions Daintree Guineas in Cairns on Saturday. “He did a somersault when he and another horse came down just past the post,” Kenning told racingqueensland.com.au of the bad fall in February 2023. Beau Rain had won his first three starts and was second in the race where he fell.
“At first, I thought he broke his neck, and he was in a bad way. When I took him home, he couldn’t get up and it took him two or three months to get over it before we found he had another problem with his teeth. He had four teeth knocked out from the fall and we didn’t know until later on that they were dead so we took him to a dentist at Bowen who fixed him. He had no confidence and was scared of other horses in his races, and we’ve only just got him back where he’s been able to win two of his past four runs.”
He has won two of his last three starts and has a career record of six wins from 16 starts.
Stephen Gray back from Singapore and in partnership with father Kevin
Kevin and Stephen Gray will have their first runners together in a quarter of a decade with two representatives, Clickety Click (NZ) (Rock ‘N’ Pop) and Oscar (NZ) (Mulazeem), at Friday’s Feilding meeting on the synthetic track at Awapuni. “There’s been a lot of change as you would expect and it’s good, we’re getting there slowly,” Stephen Gray told Loveracing.nz.
Kevin and Stephan Gray | Image courtesy of Race Images Palmerston North
“I’ve brought my treadmills back and put some new paddocks in and we’re employing a few more staff. … Hard Too Think won the Derby and the Queen Elizabeth over there and (seven-time winner) Silent Is Gold is a pretty sharp sprinter, he’s more than capable,” Gray said about two of the horses he brought with him from Singapore.
G2 Great Voltigeur S. won by ‘lazy’ Los Angeles
With only five runners, Wednesday's G2 Great Voltigeur S. could have been short on entertainment, but the opposite was the case as three runners created a stirring finish which saw Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) prevail. Handed a five-pound penalty due to his G1 Irish Derby exploits, Ballydoyle's Derby third was looking to do something out of the ordinary here and he had to work to get it over the line but luckily he is a grafter as well as a class act and proved well up to the task.
“He was very tough and we were delighted with him,” Aidan O'Brien said. “He's just a lazy horse that gets a mile and a half well.”
The Lion In Winter made it three for Coolmore
Aidan O'Brien, who won all three Group races on Wednesday’s York card, trained 2-year-old colt The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a €375,000 (AU$620,100) Goffs Orby yearling, delivered a track-record performance over the same trip in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at York to take his record to two wins from as many starts.
“We came here as we wanted to give him experience ahead of the Goffs Million as we felt it looked a lovely race for him. We thought it could be sharp enough for him, but he hit the gates well and Ryan (Moore) had him in a lovely position. He didn't even touch him with the stick and he broke the track record, so obviously he's a very smart colt. He's the only Sea The Stars we have. He's very good looking, which is why the lads bought him, and you'd have to like everything he's doing at the moment,” said O’Brien.
