Widden Stud buys into Southport Tycoon
Widden Stud has bought into Bennett Racing's Group 1-winning colt Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon). “There was one owner who said he was willing to sell a bit of the horse, so he reduced his share a bit and we got Widden Stud in, which is a big get,” managing owner Nathan Bennett told racing.com.
“I spoke to Antony Thompson about the horse, and they've been looking at him for a while and they're pretty happy to get on board. They believe in the horse, they've jumped on board as a shareholder and they'll come along for the ride. I thought he ran super on Saturday.
“I had a good chat with Ciaron (Maher) this morning and he thinks he's come back bigger and stronger this campaign. He said he's come out of that race thriving and he's very keen to go to the Manikato.”
Momentum for change continues at Melbourne Racing Club
Two directors of the Melbourne Racing Club threw their support behind the push for change, amid claims of bullying and a toxic culture. MRC board members Caitrin Kelly and Alison Saville sent their fellow committee members a letter on Wednesday stating that there was a “longstanding poor culture and toxic atmosphere’ on the committee, there have been “previous instances of bullying” and that they now supported the spill motion which is being led by fellow committee member John Kanga.
Alison Saville and Caitrin Kelly | Image supplied
The pair had previously put their name to a joint statement, along with the other members of the MRC Committee, which criticised Kanga's demand for a Special General Meeting (SGM) to remove and replace six committee members. But Kelly and Saville have now claimed they were “pressured" into signing that statement at "short notice”.
Kanga has called for the removal of six Committee members, including Chairman Matt Cain, along with Nick Hassett, Jill Monk, Mark Pratt, Brooke Dawson and Scott Davidson. Kanga's campaign has focused on an agenda of three key issues that need to be delivered for the MRC: the need to move back to the original Caulfield mounting yard as soon as practicable, scrapping plans to build a new grandstand at Caulfield Racecourse and retaining racing at Sandown Racecourse.
Racing to return to Gold Coast next week
Racing Queensland advises that a return to racing on the course proper at the Gold Coast Turf Club will occur next week. In conjunction with the GCTC, a provincial meeting has been programmed at Aquis Park on Saturday, September 7, marking the first meeting on the course proper since the Queensland Jewel in March.
“A cautious maintenance programme has been undertaken on the Gold Coast,” RQ CEO Jason Scott said. “With the weather conditions starting to improve, we’re now in a position to resume racing on the course proper, but we don’t want to overwork the track while it is still young. As a result, we will ensure that it is getting sufficient breaks between meetings, utilising the Polytrack as needed, whilst providing opportunity for participants in the lead up to the Magic Millions.”
Sandown abandoned half-way through due to high winds
The final three races of Wednesday's Sandown meeting have been called off due to extreme wind conditions. “As a result of the abandonment, horses affected can nominate as extended entries by 5:30pm tonight (Wednesday) for Warracknabeal (Sat), Geelong or Casterton (Sun). They can also nominate as normal entries for Monday and Tuesday meetings by 10am tomorrow (Thursday),” tweeted Racing Victoria.
Chain Of Lightning to resume on Saturday
Trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s Group 1 winning sprinter Chain of Lightning (Fighting Sun) will resume in the G3 The Heath at Caulfield on Saturday. “She's going super,” Moody told racing.com. “I don't know if I've had her going any better, so I am looking forward to seeing her there on Saturday. I'm not sure if the 1100 metres might be 100 metres too short, but she's going really well, and I can see her running well.”
Chain of Lightning | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Purchased by Yulong for $2.5million at the Magic Millions National Sale, she has won eight of her 23 starts and over $2.7million.
Zarrose to target stakes company
Trainer Peter Snowden will set his sights on a stakes race if Zarrose (Exosphere) can complete a hat-trick at Rosehill on Saturday. “I’m very happy with her, she seems to be reacting to being fresh and keeping her to those 1400-metre and 1500-metre races,” Snowden told racingnsw.com.au.
“It was a very good win last start and she hasn’t taken a backward step so I’m confident she can run well again. She’s always had a great pedigree and you’re waiting for her to hit her straps and be something to look at. I had it in my mind she might get out to 1800 metres or 2000 metres but she doesn’t stay.
“By keeping her back to shorter trips and keeping her fresh she’s reacting off that. Always her first run was her best run in her prep so that's probably telling us she doesn’t want to go too much further.”
Zarrose is a daughter of Group 1 winner Rewaaya (NZ) (Singspiel {Ire}).
Tabcorp posts $1.4billion loss
Wagering giant Tabcorp has posted a monster $1.4 billion loss for financial year 2024. "It is clear the business will not meet its TAB25 targets. The reality is the company is only part way through a turnaround, and we need to continue to enhance execution to create greater value,” new CEO Gillon McLachlan told racenet.com.au.
Tabcorp revenue for the year dropped by 3.9 per cent to 2.34 billion while the group's EBITDA fell from $407 million in FY23 to $169 million in FY24, a downturn of 58 per cent. Some of the significant after-tax expenses included $1.4 billion in impairments, transformation costs of $45.6m, expenses around the new Victorian racing licence of $53.8m and demerger costs of $12.6m.
First winner for Moroney/Thompson training partnership
Michael Moroney and Glen Thompson's first winner came on Wednesday at Sandown with 4-year-old gelding Fields Of Courage (NZ) (Savabeel) who was on debut.
“He couldn't have been more impressive, (it was) good to finally get him to the races, he's always shown a fair bit at home,” Thompson told racing.com. “He actually made it to races last time in and got hurt, but he's a nice horse, we've taken our time with him and hopefully we reap the rewards for it. We'll see how he comes through today, but there's definitely no reason we don't think he can keep going, we're very happy with him.”
Positivity returns on Saturday
Trainer Andrew Forsman’s 4-year-old mare Positivity (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) will make her spring return in the Heatherlie S. at Caulfield on Saturday. “You’ve got to put the nomination in. If she’s racing well then it would be lovely to end up in a Caulfield Cup,” Forsman told racing.com.
“It’s harder when you're going up against more seasoned older horses. She's coming out of running against her own age, and she ran well enough. She’s a mare who will improve with time, but it’s always hard for these sorts of mares and we’ll find out whether it’s a bridge too far or not; it's really hard to know. Her first couple of runs back will tell us whether she's quite going to be a spring prospect. We’ll be giving her the chance to do it and get one or two runs in, and then we may decide it's better to just give her a bit more time.”
Positivity won the G3 South Australian Fillies Classic at her last start and has three wins from eight starts.
Racing Victoria to be stricter with jockeys over spring
Racing Victoria's integrity department have confirmed the suspensions for offences related to careless, reckless and improper riding, as well as the contentious whip rule, will be longer in Group 1 events and any other races that carry prizemoney of $750,000 or more.
“Our top priority is ensuring that racing is conducted safely, allowing riders to return home to their loved ones without incident,” RV chairman of stewards Rob Montgomery told racing.com on Wednesday. “This is why we have rules in place around careless riding. After reviewing the data, we identified that suspensions were occurring more often in Group 1 races, with riders 3.3 times more likely over the past three seasons to be suspended under AR131 in these feature races compared to others, which is concerning.
Rob Montgomery | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
“In terms of the whip rules, compliance has continued to improve over recent years and is in the best interests of the sport. However, we want to ensure that riders don't ignore their obligations with the whip because there is a bigger prize at stake. We recognise that the stakes are higher in Group 1 races and thus the incentive may be there for some riders to push too far in search of success.
“For the safety of all riders, we want to ensure that a win-at-all-costs attitude does not creep in.”
Havana Grey filly tops Goffs UK
‘A victory for small breeders!” That was the emphatic verdict from an emotional Muriel Knox after her family had topped Tuesday's opening session of the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale with their homebred Havana Grey (GB) filly for £240,000 ($467,862). Mark McStay's Avenue Bloodstock struck the winning bid on behalf of Skara Glen Stables.
Whilst the Havana Grey filly was one of two yearlings to surpass the £200,000 ($467,862) paid for last year's top lot, trade on day one was otherwise down on 12 months ago. Of the 243 yearlings offered–25 more than last year–200 sold at a clearance rate of 82%. The aggregate was down by 11% at £8,209,500 ($16,003,804), while the average dipped by 14% to £41,048 ($79,926) and the median by 11% to £31,000 ($60,432).
Justify’s Awesome Result unbeaten in seven
Insel Racing's 4-year-old mare Awesome Result (USA) (Justify {USA}) made Tuesday's Listed Breeders' Gold Cup at Monbetsu her seventh victory from as many trips to the post, and her second stakes win in succession, and likely earned a trip to Del Mar for the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 2. The same race was used as a springboard to victory in the same event by Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) at the seaside oval in 2021.
Awesome Result is one of 17 Japanese winners for her sire and one of two black-type winners, joining Listed Oasis S. hero Yuttitham (Jpn). The unraced dam Blossomed (USA) (Deputy Minister {Can}) has accounted for eight other winners and was purchased by Springhouse Farm for US$425,000 (AU$625,000) in foal to Honor Code about two months after her daughter Sippican Harbor (USA) (Orb {USA}) caused a 16-1 upset in the 2018 GI Spinaway S..
Satomi Oka announced as Inglis USA Digital Japan rep
Inglis Digital USA announced on Tuesday that they have hired Satomi Oka to be the company's Japanese representative as part of the sales company's continued efforts to expand its reach.
Satomi Oka | Image courtesy of Inglis
“U.S. racing has a significant influence in Japan and American pedigrees are highly respected," Oka told bloodhorse.com. “I am thrilled to be part of Inglis Digital USA and to help building its brand in Japan. I look forward to assisting Japanese buyers in securing horses through this exciting new opportunity with Inglis Digital USA.”
181 horses traded on Fasig-Tipton Digital
The Fasig-Tipton August Digital Sale, which attracted 830 registered bidders–a record for the platform–concluded Tuesday with 181 horses sold for US$3,659,700 ($5,403,206). The clearance rate was 79 per cent and the average was US$25,592 ($36,910).
The online auction was topped by Something Wicked (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}), who sold for US$260,000 (AU$382,000) to HX3 Incorporated from the consignment of Northview Stallion Station, agent. The 3-year-old filly, who sold as a racing or broodmare prospect, broke her maiden at Delaware Park July 18.
Gross sales on Fasig-Tipton Digital have now exceeded US$30,000,000 ($44,292,210) in 2024.
“We are North America's oldest Thoroughbred auction house and we approach these digital sales with the same professionalism and standards that we do our traditional live auctions, and the platform is growing as a result,” said Fasig's Leif Aaron.
Dunlop given suspended disqualification
Trainer Ed Dunlop has been handed a one-year disqualification-suspended for a year-after his Lucidity (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine at Brighton last year.
The source of the positive test remains unknown, and the BHA attaches no blame to the trainer. Given the disqualification period has been suspended, Dunlop, who has held a training licence in Britain for 30 years, can continue to send out runners.
Dubai Millennium wins public Hall Fame vote
Dubai Millennium (GB) (Seeking the Gold), arguably the greatest horse to ever carry the Godolphin silks, has won a hotly contested three-week public vote for which 'Turn of the Century' horse should be inducted to the QIPCO Hall of Fame. In so doing, he was chosen over Daylami (Ire), Giant's Causeway (USA) and Montjeu (Ire).
“Amongst many other outstanding contenders, Dubai Millennium occupies the unique position of being said to be His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's favourite racehorse,” said Hugh Anderson, Managing Director (UK & Dubai) of Godolphin. “His career and his legacy shaped Godolphin and epitomised the spirit of Dubai. To win the Dubai World Cup, the race he was named for, in such a dominant manner was exceptional, as were his other victories at the very highest level including the Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot. Twenty-three years later, his presence lives on through his world-leading stallion son Dubawi (Ire) and his many grandsons that have become such a powerful influence on the breed of the future.”
UK and USA racetrack owners join forces
Arena Racing Company (ARC), the largest racing group in Britain, and 1/ST, who maintains a large portfolio of tracks in North America, will team to offer new opportunities for some of their feature races, the organizations announced in a joint release Tuesday.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership with 1/ST to offer the winners of two of the most high-profile races during the Betfred St Leger Festival the opportunity to take up some exciting opportunities in the USA,” said Brendan Parnell, director of media and international at ARC. “Likewise, in extending the qualification criteria for the All-Weather Championships, and the link with Gulfstream Park, we hope that we might look to add some further international interest in the £1-million Good Friday fixture, alongside the long standing Irish and French participation.”
Added Aidan Butler, president of 1/ST: “We're thrilled to expand our existing partnership with ARC. Working with Doncaster and its revered St Leger Festival is truly a privilege. By coupling timeless tradition to forward-thinking innovation, via newly conceived concepts like the California Crown at Santa Anita Park on 28 September (California's richest day of racing outside the Breeders' Cup), we will only build.”
