Frankel’s 150th stakes winner as Herman Hesse wins Listed RM Ansett Classic
Ciaron Maher’s imported full brother to G1 English Oaks winner Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Herman Hesse (GB) won Sunday’s Listed RM Ansett Classic at Mornington. Ridden by Declan Bates, Herman Hesse outstayed Hit The Road Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) over the concluding stages in the 2400-metre feature with Commando Drift (NZ) (Complacent) finishing hard to run third.
“He was very strong, actually even after the line I couldn't pull him up,” Bates told racenet.com.au. “We landed in a good enough spot, he began OK, we took a bit of time to organise ourselves, just with the outside horses coming around.
“I didn't want to be snagging him so I had to go with them and let it unfold a bit, he was nice and relaxed … by the 800-metre he started to build and I knew I was going really well. As the front two started to tire I didn't want to really hang around, I wanted to let him stride, he's ready for this trip now, and wanted to go with him. He maintained that all the way to the line and even through the line, so it was a good strong win.”
He will now head to the G2 Herbert Power S. at Caulfield on October 12. Winner of two races in England in 2020, Herman Hesse had his first start in Australian in August 2021. Now the winner of seven of his 40 starts and earnings over $520,000, this was his first stakes win and he becomes Frankel’s 150th stakes winner.
Additionally, he becomes the third stakes winner for G2 Deauville Prix de la Nonette winner and G1 Woodbine EP Taylor S-placed Dream Peace (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) with the other two being full siblings, aforementioned G1 English Oaks winner Soul Sister as well as G3 Saint-Cloud Prix Thomas Bryon winner Dreamflight (GB). Dream Peace is a daughter of G2 Woodbine EP Taylor S winner Truly A Dream (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}).
Quartet of wins for Maher at Mornington
Ciaron Maher’s stable claimed four wins, including the Listed Ansett Classic, at Mornington. “The party’s going to continue on tonight,” stable representative Adrian Joyce told racing.com.
“Herman was brilliant to get the win... it was great… it was really smooth the whole way, he looked the winner a long way out. He’s one of those horses that would get in light in a Herbert Power, and that’s where we’ll probably go next.”
Herman Hesse (GB) (Frankel {GB}) won the Listed Ansett Classic and Maher’s other winners were Naval Academy (Justify {USA}), Lodbrok (Fr) (Australia {GB}) and Igotcha (Puissance De Lune {Ire}).
The Map heads to Geelong Cup before Melbourne
Having already earned a G1 Melbourne Cup berth after her win in the Andrew Ramsden at Flemington in May, The Map (Alpine Eagle) will take a relaxed path into this year’s race. “We don’t have to panic knowing she’s in and we’ve got that up our sleeve,” co-trainer Oopy MacGillivray told racing.com.
She will run in the G3 Bart Cummings on Saturday October 5, then the Geelong Cup. “That trip away to Caulfield and back has done a lot of work as she had a little bit of a tummy but that’s now tightened up. We expect her to run well as she loves the big open spaces at Flemington, but we don’t have an expectation she’s ready to win but we want to see her running on.”
Around The Nation: 3-year-old winners
On Sunday, several 3-year-olds won across the eight meetings. At Mornington, Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained filly Bridal Waltz (Snitzel) made it two in succession and she is unbeaten at three, having run seventh at her only start at two.
In NSW, Port Macquarie’s meeting saw Get Some Fun (Wandjina) win Race 1 over 1000 metres for trainer Karen Owen, while at Dubbo Bjorn Baker trained filly Broadway Follies (Smart Missile) kept her unbeaten record with a second win from as many starts.
Paul Jenkins-trained filly Family Of League (Adelaide {Ire}) won on debut at the Sunshine Coast, while at Port Lincoln, Brett Campbell trained gelding River Clyde (Universal Ruler) won the first on the card.
Over in WA, jockey Brad Parnham won Races 2 and 3 on the two 3-year-old winners at Bunbury aboard filly London’s Image (Headwater) and filly Ron’s Finalflutter (Written Tycoon).
Positivity seeks light weight rider
Andrew Forsman has suggested MRC Foundation Cup winner Positivity (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) will take her chance in the Caulfield Cup, but is on the hunt for a jockey to ride at 50 kilograms. “We are very tempted,” Forsman told racing.com.
“I suppose when you have 50 kilos in a $5 million-race you have to consider it pretty seriously. We bought her into work without being too serious about things, without any grand plans as a 4-year-old mare. She is going a lot better than I thought she might be to be honest.”
Andrew Forsman | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Positivity has won four of her 10 starts including a last start win in the G3 Naturalism S (Foundation Cup). “It’s not an easy race for a 4-year-old mare, or at least in this day and age, it might have been 20 years ago,” Forsman said of the Melbourne Cup. “And she’s just got better and better, that’s the exciting thing about her. So, if she keeps improving, who is to say, and Melbourne Cup wouldn’t be beyond her?”
Bustling still on song for Everest
Bustling (Frosted {USA}) will start in the G2 Premier S. before heading north for The Everest. The former boom WA juvenile was eighth in the G2 Run To The Rose at his 3-year-old debut last weekend.
Mick Price | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I didn’t think he was right behind. He had an abscess a while ago. He seems to have had a hind foot issue and that’s been getting resolved. We think we’ve got him back on track. He’ll have a good gallop on Saturday morning,” co-trainer Mick Price told racing.com on Sunday.
Take The Rap ready for Monday
Talented 3-year-old gelding Take The Rap (Star Turn) has another strong challenge ahead at Wagga on Monday. Winner of two of his three starts for trainer Norm Gardner, who part-owns him, Take The Rap might not enjoy the wet track conditions. “That is the unknown with him, but if he gets through it I think he is a strong chance,” Gardner told racingnsw.com.au.
“He has actually improved a bit more from his first run and I expect him to be a nice horse for us in the autumn. We bred him and he comes from a good family – his half relations are Lethal Lady and Devine Miss – who were both good for us.”
He was subject to an offer from Hong Kong after his last start win, but this fell through.
G1 Sprinters S. to Lugal, Hong Kong horses struggle
The G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama was won by Lugal (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in a strong front running ride with the first 600 metres covered in 32 seconds with the 1200 metres covered in 1:07.00. The first four home were only small margins apart with the official margins being a neck, a neck, and a neck from first through fourth. Toshin Macau (Jpn) (Big Arthur {Jpn}) was second with Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) in third.
The two Hong Kong trained horses struggled with the pace, with Victor The Winner (Toronado {Ire}) finishing in sixth, almost 2l from the winner, and Mugen (Deep Field) in 13th.
Rubylot heads to Classic series after win
Trainer David Hayes will set Rubylot (Rubick) for the Classic series after a strong win on Sunday night. “I thought the horse was good and it’s so nice to see it happen,” Hayes told scmp.com. “He’s definitely my most improved horse. I was a little bit scared it could be too short and it nearly was, but he’s run down a very good horse. There’s no race for him now so we’ll have to wait, but he’s in the Classic Series. He’s my number one miler, I reckon.”
Back in the winner’s circle, Rubylot spooked when lightning struck nearby and slipped over. “The horse slipped over when the lightning went and I just hope he didn’t hurt himself The jockey got off and the horse ran back so fast he slipped.”
Kirramosa juvenile wins in Japan
G1 Victoria Oaks winner Kirramosa (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) produced a juvenile winner in Japan on Sunday when 2-year-old colt Worth (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) won the Chukyo Newcomers over 1400 metres. Kirramosa is the dam of four foals to race in Japan, all winners.
Dornoch retired to Spendthrift Farm
Dornoch (USA) (Good Magic {USA}), a leading 3-year-old colt with impressive wins in the 2024 G1 Belmont S. and G1 Haskell S., has been diagnosed with bone bruising, which will force him to miss his planned final start in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic. Dornoch, fourth in the G1 Travers S. last out, has been retired from racing and will begin his stud career at Spendthrift Farm in 2025.
“Dornoch's performance in the Travers really wasn't what we expected, and we just have not been happy with the way he's trained since,” trainer Danny Gargan said. “We decided to have the vets go over him thoroughly before we started to really ramp up his works for the Breeders' Cup. That's when some bone bruising was discovered. The Breeders' Cup (Classic) was going to be his last race anyway, so, given the timing, the right thing to do is to retire him.”
Gargan continued, “Dornoch owes us nothing. He's the best horse I've ever trained, and our team is going to miss having him around the barn. But we are also excited about his future. He's going to a great place in Spendthrift, and I think Dornoch has a big chance to be a good sire.”
Dornoch, winner of last year's G2 Remsen S. and this year's G2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth S., retires with career earnings of US$2,427,275 (AU$3.5 million) for his owners West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables. The US$325,000 (AU$470,000) Keeneland September yearling graduate is out of the Big Brown (USA) mare Puca (USA) and is a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage (USA). He was bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine.
“We are very excited to have Dornoch join our stallion roster,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift's general manager. “He's just a tremendous individual, with a pedigree and race record to match. Dornoch won a couple of major Grade 1 races from 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/4 miles this year. We believe he's the best 3-year-old we've seen from the Curlin line, and he really has all the makings of a special stallion prospect. We look forward to showing him off to our breeders in the near future.”
Details on Dornoch's 2025 stud fee and availability for inspection at Spendthrift will be announced at a later date.
Women’s Summit held
The third annual Horse Racing Women's Summit (HRWS) presented by 1/ST and FanDuel TV returned to the West Coast where 125 gathered in Arcadia, California to attend panel discussions and engage in a variety of networking activities, the conference said in a press release on Saturday.
“None of us gets to where we are alone,” said Karen Crouse. “You have to find the people who are going to support you. And it's really important to get that support from outside of your primary realm.”
The third annual Horse Racing Women's Summit | Image courtesy of Racing Women Summit
The second panel centreed around a discussion about “Women at the Helm,” and participants included Tracy Attfield, Vicky Leonard, Robyn Theodorakis and Dr. Alina Vale DVM, MS.
The afternoon was highlighted by the Jane Goldstein Exemplary Leadership Award presentation. Jillian Tullock accepted the award on behalf of this year's recipient, Georganne Hale, Maryland Jockey Club's Vice President of Racing Development.
Ireland’s Oaklawn Stud for sale
John and Clodagh McStay of Oaklawn Stud near the Curragh, have placed that 68-acre property up for auction on October 25, The Irish Field reported. The stud, which has two yards, Oaklawn Stud and Carhue Stud, will go under the hammer from 3pm at the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge, unless sold prior to the auction date.
Originally the property of the O'Mahony family with a history dating back over 100 years, the property was developed by John's father, the late Michael McStay, and has been owned and managed since the late 1980s by John and Clodagh. A notable winner off of the property is G1 Irish Oaks heroine Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}).
