Finalists unveiled for Horse Of The Year
The Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards will be held at the Wolf Blass Event Centre at Morphettville on Tuesday, October 8. “Racing SA is delighted to be hosting the 2024 Horse of the Year Awards Ceremony in Adelaide,” said Racing SA Chief Executive Vaughn Lynch. “The quality of the nominations across all categories highlights the fantastic performances that were achieved during the 2023/24 season.”
CHAMPION 2YO: Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}), Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), Manaal (Tassort) and Storm Boy (Justify {USA}).
CHAMPION 3YO FILLY: Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun), Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard), Tropical Squall (Prized Icon), Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel), and Zardozi (Kingman {GB}).
CHAMPION 3YO COLT/GELDING: Celestial Legend (Dundeel {NZ}), Cylinder (Exceed And Excel), Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}), Veight (Grunt {NZ}), and Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree {USA}).
CHAMPION SPRINTER: Asfoora (Flying Artie), Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), and Think About It (So You Think {NZ}).
CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE: Alligator Blood (All Too Hard), Fangirl (Sebring), Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).
CHAMPION STAYER: Circle Of Fire (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}), Fawkner Park (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), Riff Rocket, The Map (Alpine Eagle), and Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).
Emirates Park announce death of Al Maher
Emirates Park have announced the death of their stallion Al Maher. “Very few thoroughbred breeding and racing concerns in Australia have realised a better outcome than that which emanated from the decision of the Boss (HE Nassar Lootah) to put Show Dancing to Danehill,” said Bryan Carlson. “Everyone to have been associated with the farm can be eternally grateful for everything Al Maher has achieved. It has been immense.
“It’s a very sad day for our close-knit team at Murrurundi where Al Maher has been a fixture for the best part of 20 years. He very much became a cornerstone of the operation soon after Emirates Park had safely negotiated its formative period, and he has been instrumental in our success ever since.
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“Homebred Group 1 winners that in turn sire Group 1 winners rarely come along in any lifetime. Al Maher really couldn’t have done much more on and off the track.”
Winner of five of his 11 starts, including the G1 Australian Guineas, Al Maher sired 39 stakes winners led by five Group 1 winners; Delicacy, Diamond Drille, Fat Al, Almalad, and Private Eye. As a damsire he has 11 stakes winners led by Group 1 winners Quick Thinker (So You Think {NZ}) and Krone (Eurozone).
Coco Sun to feature in Underwood
Group 1 winner Coco Sun (The Autumn Sun) can feature prominently in the 18000-metre G1 Underwood S. on Saturday at Caulfield. “I was happy with her return, she ran a really solid last sort of furlong and didn't get a lot of room,” Calvin McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his father Tony, told racing.com.
“Blake (Shinn) was really pleased with her … It was a good return run over seven furlongs for a staying mare. Our main aim is the Caulfield Cup, her form needs to warrant a go at that of course.”
Overpass to resume first-up in The Everest
Trainer Bjorn Baker will take the gamble on Overpass (Vancouver) getting a slot for The Everest without giving him a run prior. “I think Overpass is going better than ever,” Baker told racenet.com.au.
“He looks amazing and I think we're in for a really good spring with him. I think he's ready to go to another level. Whether we can get him into The Everest or not we have to wait and see but we have Sydney Stakes there on same day.
Overpass | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Because he goes so well fresh, we won't run him before October 19. He will probably have another barrier trial and maybe exhibition gallop and then he will be ready to go first-up on Everest Day.” Overpass has won eight of his 26 starts including his last two in succession in the G1 Winterbottom S. and The Quokka.
The Magic Man is in Sydney
Jockey Joao Moreira makes a low-key return to Sydney racing on Wednesday, with three rides for the Chris Waller stable at Canterbury. “Joao has agreed to come back for a few days and will ride for us at Canterbury on Wednesday and Caulfield on Saturday,” Waller told racenet.com.au.
“Then we hope Joao will ride on and off through the spring carnival. He is not riding at the Golden Rose meeting (Rosehill, September 28) but is likely to be here every second week.”
Weights for G1 Epsom released and Celestial Legend is tempted
Racing NSW handicappers announced G1 Epsom weights on Monday and have allocated dual Group 1 winner Celestial Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) 56kg, and his trainer Les Bridge is contemplating his options. “Celestial Legend has pulled up terrific, he was jumping out of his skin this morning,” Bridge told racenet.com.au about his unplaced effort in Saturday’s G2 Theo Marks S.
Celestial Legend | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I thought the run was OK, it was about what I expected from him. I knew he couldn't win after they had gone a furlong as he never travelled, they were going so quick. It seems he is looking for further now. I will study the weights and make up my mind whether I run him in the Epsom or the King Charles (III Stakes, 1600m, Randwick, October 19). But the main aim is the Golden Eagle ($10 million, 1500m, Rosehill, November 2) as he only gets one chance to run in that race.”
Oscar’s Fortune has Melbourne spring plans
Perth sprinter Oscar’s Fortune (Rich Enuff) will have a planned jump out at Flemington on Friday, his first official appearance ahead of an ambitious Melbourne Spring campaign. Trained by Dion Luciani, Oscar’s Fortune has won five of his ten starts and was third in The Quokka two starts ago.
“All is going well at this stage and fingers crossed,” owner Loloma Farm’s Kevin Fowler told racingwa.com.au. “The Schillaci on the 12th and there’s another race on Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley. Then the Champion Sprint on the last day of the carnival is the grand final. That’s the plan and fingers crossed.
“Everyone is rapped with the way he is going. He’s come into Flemington and seems to have grown up a little bit.”
Pair of winners for Blue Point
At Corowa on Monday, Ben Brisbourne trained 3-year-old filly Reasonable Point (Blue Point {Ire}) was impressive in winning by 3.8l at her fifth start. She was second on debut last season in the Listed Talindert S.
Blue Point (Ire) | Standing at Darley
In Victoria, at Hamilton, trainer Matt Cumani’s 3-year-old colt La Mer Bleue (Blue Point {Ire}) deadheated with Maddie Raymond trained 4-year-old mare Designs of Eight (Fiorente {Ire}). The pair of winners gives Blue Point 13 Southern Hemisphere winners.
Southern Crescent wins on debut at Hamilton
Aaron Purcell trained 3-year-old filly Southern Crescent (Alabama Express) won on debut at Hamilton on Monday to become the 14th winner for her sire. She was purchased by Rising Sun and Aaron Purcell from Yulong for $30,000 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Purton adds another four-timer
Champion Zac Purton won four races on Sunday at Sha Tin aboard Super Infinity (Star Witness), Charmander (Shooting To Win), Devas Twelve (Headwater) and Super Win Dragon (Better Than Ready) to give him his second four-timer in three meetings. “It’s a good way to start the season,” Purton told scmp.com.
Zac Purton | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I’m pushing for a little bit more support out there if I can get it. So, hopefully the other trainers want to train a few winners as well and we can work together.”
Capitalist has an exciting Hong Kong winner
There are high hopes for Sunlight Power (Capitalist) and Magic Control (Sioux Nation {USA}) after each won impressively at Sha Tin on Sunday. “I wish I could tell you how good he can be, but I’m aiming high,” trainer Ricky Yiu told scmp.com of Sunlight Power. “I think he can get to over 100 (in the ratings), but I can’t tell you how high he can go because he keeps on improving.” He has now won four of his 15 starts in Hong Kong.
Magic Control, a Group 3 winner in Australia when named Archo Nacho, was having his first start for trainer Cody Mo. “It’s nice to achieve the first winner of the season and this is a great horse to get it with,” Mo said. “You could see from his win overseas that he’s a very good horse.”
Betting increases at Monmouth meeting
Spurred in part by a record handle on NYRA Bets Haskell S. Day, Monmouth Park continued its upward trend with increases in both total and on-track handle for the fourth straight year, while jockey Paco Lopez and trainer Claudio Gonzalez were repeat winners of their respective titles as the 50-day meet came to an end on Sunday.
Total average handle was US$4,251,965 (AU$6.2million), a 5.4 per cent increase over last year's average of US$4,032,648 (AU$5.9million) during a 51-day meet. On-track handle averaged US$352,939 (AU$523,000), a 3.7 per cent increase over last year's average of US$340,257 (AU$505,000).
Norton to retire from saddle after long career
Jockey Franny Norton will retire on September 21, the contemporary of Frankie Dettori announced on Instagram. The Liverpool native will end his career riding at Chester Racecourse.
Norton, who turned 54 this year, began riding in 1988. A Chester specialist, he was a close ally of Mark Johnston, and now rides for his son Charlie, among others. Throughout his career, Norton has been associated with several Pattern winners including Permian (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), and G1 St Leger second Sir Ron Priestley (GB) (Australia {GB}), to name a few. A notable boxer, his latest victory, of which he has at least 1859, was aboard Aviemore (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) for the younger Johnston at Chester on Sept. 13.
Norton said in a statement, “After an incredible journey spanning over 35 years, the time has come for me to hang up my boots and call it a day in horse racing.”
