New Zealand TAB launch fantasy owners club
Friday marked the official launch of the TAB Racing Club (TRC). The club, which is modelled on a similar club operated by Entain through its Ladbrokes brand in Australia, offers TAB customers the chance to opt in to becoming a member of the club, and experience the joys of ownership without spending a cent.
The club’s purpose is to drive awareness and support for getting involved in racing ownership and is available via an NZ TAB account. “There’s no feeling quite like the excitement of having a runner at the races and now many more Kiwis can find this out for themselves,” Cameron Rodger, Managing Director – New Zealand for Entain Australia and New Zealand, told Loveracing.nz.
“The club is a great entry-level, no-cost way for Kiwis to get a taste of what a world-class ownership experience looks like. They’ll hear from some of the industry’s leading lights about the club’s horses and get to soak up the very best of an on-track experience through our prize draws. We envision the club as creating a pathway for TAB customers to head towards joining the ownership ranks in their own rights.” They have purchased 12 thoroughbred yearlings at Karaka 2024 in January, and four pacers at the NZ Bloodstock Standardbred sales in February.
Cup raiders enter quarantine
Melbourne Cup co-favourites Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and 3-year-old colt Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) have entered quarantine ahead of their trip to Australia for the spring. Vauban, trained by Willie Mullins, has stablemate Absurde (Fr) (Fastnet Rock) joining him on the flight while Kinesiology (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), for Chris Waller, will also be on the plane.
Vauban (Fr) | Image courtesy of Naas Racecourse
The presence of Jan Brueghel is a surprise given how outspoken Aidan O’Brien has been about the veterinary protocols. Aidan O’Brien, who trained ill-fated Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Cliffs Of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), has spoken out against the Melbourne Cup vetting criteria. “The Australian people are coming over to check them in the next few days,” O'Brien told racingpost.com seven days ago. “They are all getting scanned over the next while and then they check them, but very few horses pass the criteria, especially young horses. It's very difficult for 3-year-olds to get through because they are still growing and their bones are still maturing so I wouldn't be sure about any of them getting in and being allowed to run. It's ridiculous really.”
Celestial Legend to be ‘major player’ this spring
Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy expects dual Group 1 winner Celestial Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) to place in Saturday’s G2 Shannon S. and go on to be a major player this spring. “I was pleased with him, he proved to be a little ring rusty, but we were expecting nice improvement out of the first-up run which is what he’s previously shown us,” McEvoy told racingnsw.com.au about this first run in the G2 Theo Marks.
“It was a starting point and we’re going to get different conditions on Saturday but out in trip I can see him enjoying it. You’ve got to be contending in this race, you’ve got to be right there. I’m expecting a 1-2-3 finish for sure, it’d be nice to see that before he goes on to the big ones.”
Wet a query for Amelia’s Jewel
Co-trainer Rob Archibald is happy with Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) ahead of Saturday’s G2 Golden Pendant, but is concerned about the wet. “From our point of view she’s pleasing on every aspect leading in, the only query is the ground and hopefully we can answer that on Saturday,” Archibald told racingnsw.com.au.
Amelia's Jewel | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She’s relatively untested on it so it’s an unknown, our gut feeling is she’ll be fine but if it’s Heavy it’s a real unknown. Fillies like her that are sharp and have good speed the feeling is she probably prefers it on top of the ground or in the soft range. In terms of everything we’ve seen from her at home we couldn’t be happier with how she’s going.”
Benalla Cup to Cups specialist
Suizuro (Real Impact {Jpn}) enhanced his reputation as a Country Cups specialist when he defied a betting drift to win Friday’s Benalla Cup, adding it to his haul of the Moe and Yarra Valley Cups in the past year. “He’s been a great horse for the stable winning three Cups now,” co-trainer Natalie Young told racing.com. He will target the $500,000 Victorian Country Cups Final at Caulfield on November 16.
Suizuro took his record to six wins from 24 starts, and he previously placed in the 2023 G1 Australian Derby, with earnings over $660,000. Busuttin Racing purchased him from Arrowfield Stud for $60,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Snazzytavi books trip to Hawkes Bay with good win
Snazzytavi (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) has booked her ticket south to Hastings next month to contest the G1 Livamol Classic with an eye-catching victory at Te Rapa on Friday. “The way she won, she could have been anywhere in the race. She won easing up, she was so impressive. I am absolutely rapt for the horse and the connections,” co-trainer Graham Richardson, who trains with Rogan Norvall, told Loveracing.nz.
Snazzytavi (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright Race Images
“At this stage that (Livamol) is the plan, she obviously deserves a crack. It is not easy this time of year when you go up from 1400m to 1600m and 2000m straight away. It is not easy and it is not ideal, you would like more of a build-up, but the Livamol only comes around once a year.” She took her record to six wins from 12 starts.
Guineas to determine future for Super Seth colt
The performance of Poetic Champion (NZ) (Super Seth) in Saturday’s G2 Hawkes Bay Guineas will determine the future direction of his 3-year-old season. “Obviously, he got all favours first-up and won impressively and he’s taken improvement from that as well,” trainer Tony Pike told Loveracing.nz.
Poetic Champion (NZ) | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery
“I’ll have a chat to the owners and the 2000 Guineas is there, but whether he runs a strong mile at Riccarton could be a question mark. We’ll sit down with after Saturday when we should have more of an idea whether we go there, but there are there are other options. He could possibly come back for the Almanzor Trophy and then maybe The Kiwi, if he got a slot.”
Debut Group 1 for Lawson-Carroll
Apprentice jockey Ace Lawson-Carroll gets his debut Group 1 ride in Saturday’s G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate on last year’s runner up Malt Time (Adelaide {Ire}). Malt Time has won her last two in succession. “Her last start was very good against lesser opposition of course, but she’s won very well and seems to like that track at Ruakaka,” Lawson-Carroll told Loveracing.nz.
Teetan gives himself a warmup before Sprinters S.
Karis Teetan has five rides at Nakayama on Saturday that he plans to use as preparation for his Group 1 assault with Mugen (Deep Field) in Sunday’s Sprinters S. “I think it’s going to be a good thing,” Teetan told scmp.com. “Of course, walking on the track, you can really feel the uphill (in the straight) and that will give me a bit of experience tomorrow feeling it and knowing what I have to do on Sunday.
“I think we’ll get a bit of a guide where the winners are coming tomorrow and it was just nice that I could walk the track with Pierre this morning and could talk about it. It’s pretty important because at the 800m, it’s a really long turn into almost the 300m when you’re turning into the home straight, so it’s pretty important for us to see that and know where we need to be.”
Auguste Rodin to retire to Coolmore after Japan Cup
The dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) will make one final appearance in the Japan Cup on November 24 before retiring to stand at Coolmore Stud in Ireland.
“Auguste Rodin is an exceptional racehorse and stallion prospect with the blend of class, speed and pedigree that only the best possess,” said Coolmore's MV Magnier. “He is a very special horse for us, and I truly believe he ranks up there with the best middle-distance racehorses and sires that we have stood here before him like Sadler's Wells, Galileo, Montjeu, Caerleon and Camelot.
"Physically, he fills the eye so well as he has extra quality and movement, so I can't wait to see his first crop in Ballydoyle in 2028. We are going to do all we can to give him the best possible opportunity to follow in his illustrious predecessors' footsteps.”
Fasig-Tipton October Yearling catalogue released
Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 1614 entries for its Kentucky October Yearlings Sale, to be held over four continuous sessions starting at 10am ET each day from October 21-24 in Lexington, Kentucky, the auction company said in a Thursday release.
“We have an outstanding catalogue to offer buyers at this 'grand finale' to yearling sales season,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Every major sire is represented by multiple offerings, and there are quality yearlings at all levels of the market.
“Results for Kentucky October graduates on the track have been off the charts over the past year,” said Browning. “These include Thorpedo Anna, winner of this year's Kentucky Oaks (G1) and now a four-time Grade 1 winner; two Breeders' Cup champions in Nobals and Goodnight Olive, the latter of which won her second consecutive Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) and Eclipse Award; and Nakatomi, winner of the prestigious Vanderbilt H. (G1) at Saratoga.”
Jimmy George takes on new role
Jimmy George will step down from his role as marketing director of Tattersalls at the end of 2024 to join the International Racing Bureau (IRB) as managing director. He will take over from Alastair Donald, who has held that position since 2001.
George, who has been a director of Tattersalls for 23 years, said, “I joined Tattersalls in 1986 and have served on the Board since 2001 so this has not been a decision taken lightly, but I have a long association with the International Racing Bureau which, like Tattersalls, is a great company with a global reputation for excellence and the time is right to take on a new challenge.
Jimmy George | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
“I have enjoyed every moment of my time at Tattersalls and will leave with fond memories and in the knowledge that I will continue to have an association with a firm which has always adhered to the very highest standards and commands respect throughout the world.”
Rouget/Reynier merger ‘not viable’
The recently announced merging of the stables of leading French trainers Jean-Claude Rouget and Jerome Reynier will now not take place. Rouget, the five-time champion trainer in France, has been undergoing treatment for lymphoma and in August announced that he would take out a joint-licence with Reynier from January 2025.
On Thursday Reynier said that the merger “just wasn't viable”. In the days following the announcement, the Aga Khan Studs relocated its horses from Rouget's stable to that of Francis-Henri Graffard.
One of the rising forces of the French training ranks, Reynier, who is based at Calas, near Marseille, added, “It was very hard to organise, financially and structurally, with the staff and everything else. We tried to put everything in place but it was too much of a nightmare to organise. I'm going to expand and increase the number of horses in the south of France where I am currently very happy to train and gallop, and I will be creating a satellite yard near Paris within the next few months.”
Trade weakens at Tattersalls Ireland Yearlings
A substantial drop in the median, average and overall turnover along with a 72 per cent clearance rate spoke to the struggles facing Irish breeders at Part 2 of the September Yearling Sale at Tattersalls Ireland on Thursday.
Trade was highlighted by the Rockview Stables-consigned New Bay (GB) colt (Lot 812), who sold to prominent breeze-up handler Thomond O'Mara for €36,000 (AU$58,200) on a day where all of the key figures were down on last year. Despite 27 more horses going through the ring compared to 12 months ago, turnover dropped by 20 per cent to €1,236,400 (AU$1.9million). The median fell by 33 per cent to €4000 (AU$6470) and the average by 19 per cent to €6647 (AU$10,750).
