I Am Me announced for The Everest
The Ciaron Maher trained 6-year-old mare I Am Me (I Am Invincible) will race in the Arrowfield Stud and The Star Entertainment Group slot in this year's The Everest. She was snapped up on the back of two super wins this preparation after winning the G3 Concorde S. when defeating one of her potential Everest rivals in the classy Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) and then backing up that effort with a solid win in the G2 The Shorts H.
I Am Me | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
| Trackside Media | I Wish I Win |
| Newgate & GPI Racing | Stefi Magnetica |
| Chris Waller Racing | Joliestar |
| Australian Turf Club | TBA |
| Coolmore | TBA |
| John Camilleri | TBA |
| James Harron Bloodstock | TBA |
| Max Whitby, Col Madden and Neil Werret | Bustling |
| TAB | Bella Nipotina |
| The Star & Arrowfield | I Am Me |
| Yulong Investments | TBA |
| Godolphin | TBA |
History for Broadsiding in Golden Rose
No horse has won the Golden Rose first-up from a spell but that’s a task James Cummings has deliberately set dual Group 1-winning colt Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}). “He’s been going beautifully, we’re delighted with the way he’s prepared for the Golden Rose first-up,” Cummings said on Sky Sports Radio.
James Cummings | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We’ve kept it all up to him in order to be ready to go at seven furlongs. We got it right knowing he couldn’t beat his stablemate in the Run To The Rose. The right approach with Broadsiding was to have him here first-up seven furlongs and we have him spot on in lung and limb ready to do combat.”
Extension to help Storm Boy in barriers
Co-trainer Adrian Bott will use a barrier extension for Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) to help him overcome his tardy starts for Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose. “He’s a big horse, we’re trying to find a small tweak that allows him to execute that start better,” Bott told racingnsw.com.au.
“We’ve used it before on similar types of horses. It may not necessarily be the answer but it’s important we’re looking at small tweaks to help him. He wasn’t that slow to begin last start it was just where he was placed in the field he suffered some interference coming out of the gates.
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He’s third-up now so he’s ready to be hitting his peak. He looks well in himself and if we can see the rain hold off going into the weekend he’s going to get the right track conditions as well.”
Semana all heart for Golden Pendant
Jockey Dylan Gibbons knows Semana (Winning Rupert) is all heart before Saturday’s G2 Golden Pendant in Sydney. “Semana went super first-up, that’s just been her pattern. She always gives 110 per cent, every time you go out you know she’s going to give you everything,” he told racingnsw.com.au.
“She can go a little bit keen but it’s not a very big field so whether she’s forward or back she’s not going to be too far off them,’’ he said.
Semana | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“She’s got a good turn of foot and with the rain around it should make the track play quite even. This would be a nice little kick on for her then hopefully she can get a well deserved Group 1. You can see how close she’s been and you’d struggle to find a horse that deserves one more than her.” Semana ran fourth last start in the G1 Winx S.
At Witz End hunts Weetwood
Lismore trainer Daniel Bowen is confident At Witz End (Epaulette) can join a select group of interstate raiders to win the Listed Weetwood at Toowoomba on Saturday. “We’re coming to raid and run with At Witz End,” Bowen told racingqueensland.com.au.
“I think At Witz End is going as good now as when he won the Eye Liner but whatever he does in the Weetwood he’ll improve for The Kosciuszko in Sydney.”
Around The Nation: 3-year-old winners
Thursday saw a nice selection of talented 3-year-olds salute the judge across Australia.
At Geelong Sweet Justify (Justify {USA}) and Catoggio (Written Tycoon) were successful and look likely types to go on with the job.
At Goulburn My Last Hooray (Harry Angel {Ire}), Up The Front (Rubick), Duke Of Camden (Trapeze Artist) and the royally-bred grandson of Miss Finland (Redoute's Choice) in Duvana (Dundeel {NZ}) tasted success.
At Ipswich Six More Songs (Encryption) and Joy A Plenty (Heroic Valour) were victorious in their respective races. Joy A Plenty now has recorded two wins from only three starts.
Finally at Northam, Flower Of Gold (Bull Point) and With Discretion (Toronado {Ire}) gained maiden wins.
Bottomuptogether ready for fourth in succession
Trainer Frankie Lor will challenge Bottomuptogether (Shamus Award)’s unbeaten record at Sha Tin on Saturday with bigger targets in mind. “The main goal for Saturday is that I hope he can relax a bit more in the race to see if he can handle a bit further,” Lor told scmp.com.
“I hope he can (go for the Classic Mile), but I’m not sure. He’s trialled two times and the jockeys have come back and said he’s a little bit keen. Hopefully he can run a really good race and then improve more after.” He is unbeaten in three starts.
Fownes and Bowman add treble at Happy Valley
Caspar Fownes and Hugh Bowman combined for a dominant Happy Valley treble on Wednesday night with Sky Song (No Nay Never {USA}), Noble Pursuit (NZ) (Savabeel) and former G1 NZ Derby winner Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock).
“Hugh’s my go-to jockey, so he rides most horses if they’re carrying the right weight,” Fownes told scmp.com. “He’s a great rider and he’s a good man, so it’s nice we’re working well together. I hope it can continue.”
William Barrows wins Listed race in Japan
Favored at 2-5 in defense of his title in Wednesday's Listed Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Race Track outside Tokyo, Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) was produced wide into the stretch and kicked home smartly, but was forced to settle for second behind all-the-way winner William Barows (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}), who scored the upset as the 7-1 third elect.
William Barows, a Group 2 winner on dirt earlier this year, was kicked straight into the lead from barrier two by Forever Young (Jpn)'s jockey Ryusei Sakai and he was pressed along by Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits {USA}), last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up who was having his first run since a distant sixth in the G1 Dubai World Cup March 30. Ushba Tesoro, a well-beaten second behind Laurel River (Into Mischief) in the World Cup, was outrun and settled in an unhurried seventh and midfield down the back of the left-turning track, a good 10 lengths off the lead.
Inglis Digital USA topped by Bellavinino
Bellavinino (USA) (Get Stormy {USA}), a latest second in the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies S., brought a final bid of US$170,000 from prominent owner/breeder Bill Heiligbrodt to top the Inglis Digital USA September Sale.
“This filly was a win-win for me,” Heiligbrodt said. “She's a stakes-quality racehorse, so I can enjoy running her, but ultimately, she'll be a great fit with my new stallion in waiting Cogburn. I have horses with Saffie, so I was aware she was in the sale through my connections in that barn. The digital sales create convenient opportunities to buy a horse like this.”
Hip 18 - Bellavinino (USA) | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital USA
Cogburn (USA) (Not This Time {USA}) is a leading candidate for this year's G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and set a record of time of 0:59.80 in winning the 5 1/2-furlong G1 Jaipur S. during the Belmont Racing Festival at Saratoga. Meanwhile, A stallion share in Cogburn will be sold at the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale, to be held the evening of Wednesday, October 30 at Del Mar, site of the 2024 Breeders' Cup World Championships on November 1-2, according to a Wednesday release by Keeneland.
Four wildcards added to Arqana Sale
Four wildcards have been added to the catalogue for the Arqana Arc Sale and will go under the hammer at Saint-Cloud Racecourse on Saturday, October 5. They include the Hedi Ghabri-trained Al Jafara (GB) (Lot 21), who shed her maiden tag at the second attempt at Chantilly earlier this month. The 2-year-old daughter of Pinatubo (Ire) is out of a full sister to the Oaks heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and hails from the family of Group 1 winners such as Brian Boru (GB) and Workforce (GB).
Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti's Presage Nocturne (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) will be offered as Lot 22 after his third-place finish in the G3 Prix Gladiateur at Longchamp, while fellow 3-year-old Shootout (Ire) (Areion {Ger}), Lot 35, produced a career best on his most recent outing when filling the runner-up spot in the G3 Kölner Sprint Trophy at Cologne.
Adare Manor to sell at Fasig-Tipton
Adare Manor (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) a three-time Grade I-winning five-year-old mare who has won 10 of 18 starts over a 4-year campaign which included eight graded stakes wins, will skip a date with the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and be retired and sold at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale on Nov. 4, according to her trainer, Bob Baffert. She will be offered by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa as agent.
“She is retiring healthy,” said Baffert. “It's more a matter of timing than anything else.” Adare Manor won three of her four starts in 2024: the GI Apple Blossom Handicap, GII Santa Margarita Stakes, and GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes last out at Del Mar on Aug. 3. She was in training for a start in the Distaff when Baffert made the decision to retire her.
Violence at Argentinian racetrack
Two people were shot and one person stabbed when violence broke out at La Plata Racecourse in Argentina on Tuesday, Racing Post reported. Approximately 30 people were involved in the incident at the coastal track, located around 30 miles from Buenos Aires, and two people were transported to the hospital with gunshot wounds. A third sustained a knife injury.
The incident is said to have stemmed from a dispute between the racetrack and jockeys over the payment of prize money as well as working conditions. There was meant to be a meeting between racecourse officials and the jockeys' union, but some of its members had decided to strike, prompting the cancellation of the race meeting.
British Hall Of Fame inductees announced
QIPCO British Champions Series has named two of Europe's racing stars, Yorkshire-born trainer Jack Berry and the outstanding 14-time Group 1 winner Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa {USA}), to be inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame. Both inductees, together with the Hall of Fame's public vote winner Dubai Millennium (GB), will be recognised with a special presentation on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, October 19.
Jack Berry MBE is just the third person to be recognised within the Special Contributor category, following in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Khalid Abdullah.
Berry has been a pioneer for the Injured Jockeys' Fund (IJF) since it was founded 60 years ago and it was his vision that led to Oaksey House, in Lambourn, Berkshire, and Jack Berry House, in Malton, Yorkshire, being established in 2009 and 2015, respectively. He remains the IJF's vice-president and has raised incalculable amounts of money with his initiatives. In 1996, he was awarded an MBE for charitable services and for services to horseracing.
Jaber Abdullah active at Tattersalls Ireland
Jaber Abdullah marked his trip to this year's September Yearling Sale at Tattersalls Ireland by spending €586,000 (A$949,400) on 10 horses, including €180,000 (A$291,600) and €120,000 (A$194,400) on fillies by Mehmas (Ire) and Starman (GB) respectively.
The Rabbah Bloodstock investment played an important role in the sale achieving turnover of €12,433,500 (A$20,143,000), which was down 1 per cent on last year's trade despite the bigger offering of horses, while the clearance rate stood at 84 per cent–also down 1 per cent on last year. The average fell by 7 per cent to €28,781 (A$46,600) and the median by 14 per cent to €24,000 (A$38,900).
