Coolmore confirm Storm Boy as The Everest runner
Late on Monday, Coolmore Australia formally announced Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) would be their runner for The Everest. There was some speculation when they waited, especially after their Chris Waller-trained Switzerland (Snitzel) won the G2 Roman Consul S. so impressively on Saturday.
Permission has been granted for Hong Kong Jockey Club Jockey Brenton Avdulla to be absent from Hong Kong in order to partner Storm Boy at Randwick on Saturday. Avdulla will return to Hong Kong immediately following the aforementioned meeting to fulfil his riding engagements at the Sha Tin race meeting on Sunday, October 20.
I Am Me passes stewards test for The Everest
Racing NSW stewards reported that The Everest contender I Am Me (I Am Invincible) passed their gallop test on Monday morning and is fit to compete in The Everest.
| Australian Turf Club | Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) | 5/G | Clayton Douglas |
| Chris Waller Racing | Joliestar (Zoustar) | 4/M | Chris Waller |
| Coolmore | Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) | 3/C | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| Godolphin | Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) | 3/C | James Cummings |
| James Harron Bloodstock | Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) | 3/F | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| John Camilleri | Sunshine In Paris (Invader) | 5/M | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald |
| Max Whitby, Col Madden and Neil Werrett | Private Eye (Al Maher) | 7/G | Joseph Pride |
| Newgate & GPI Racing | Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) | 4/M | Bjorn Baker |
| TAB | Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) | 7/M | Ciaron Maher |
| The Star & Arrowfield | I Am Me (I Am Invincible) | 6/M | Ciaron Maher |
| Trackside Media | I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) | 6/G | Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman |
| Yulong Investments | Growing Empire (Zoustar) | 3/C | Ciaron MA6:D13aher |
Table: The Everest field
McEvoy choses Growing Empire for Everest
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy is the only jockey to have contested every edition of The Everest, winning twice on Redzel (Snitzel) and again on Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt). His ride for 2024 is Growing Empire (Zoustar). “He’s an improving colt and he’s got a good amount of brilliance and class about him,” McEvoy told racingnsw.com.au.
“I had my first sit on him on Friday and I was quite taken by him. He’s travelled up in good shape. It’s a great race, it’s an open race, but one thing he’s shown the racing world already is he’s an exciting colt that’s on the improve.” Growing Empire ran second in the G1 Manikato S. last start.
Emirates Stud announce retirement of Dr Shalabh Sahu
After nearly 40 years at Emirates Park, Dr Shalabh Sahu’s retirement was announced on Monday by the farm. “I’d just like to congratulate Bryan (Carlson) for taking over the Managing Director role at Emirates Park and I wish him all the very best as the farm continues to surge ahead with one of the most commercial broodmare bands in domestic thoroughbred breeding, of which I am proud to have played my part in developing,” said Dr Sahu.
“I have so many fond memories over close on 40 years of service to His Excellency Nasser Lootah, and I am eternally grateful to him for the kindness and inspiration he has constantly shown me. It really means the world to me and I have been blessed.
“I’d also like to show my appreciation to the Australian Thoroughbred Industry as a whole for making my journey in it so rewarding — both on a professional and personal level. I’ll remain a constant visitor to the sales, as well as to many of the major racing carnivals, and I look forward to bumping into everyone whose company I have so enjoyed.
“I would also like to offer a special thank you to my wife Sadhana who has been a constant companion for me and provided unconditional support every step of the way. I remain passionate about the Australian Thoroughbred Industry and my retirement is simply a case of me having more time to enjoy it in a bit more of a leisurely fashion.”
Rachel King to become first Australian to ride at Breeders’ Cup
Jockey Rachel King will become the first Australian resident to ride at the Breeders’ Cup meeting when she rides Noriyuki Hori-trained Satono Carnaval (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on November 1. She will miss the G1 Victoria Derby and Golden Eagle race days.
Rachel King | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Kennedy looking for first stakes win on Wednesday
Apprentice Jaylah Kennedy is hoping for her first stakes win when she rides Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) for Ballarat trainer Dan O'Sullivan in Wednesday’s G3 Coongy Cup. “I know at the start of the campaign that I said to everybody that he needed to get to 2000 (metres) before he started winning but he's won at 17 and 18 at his last two starts,” O'Sullivan told racenet.com.au.
“I'm looking forward to seeing him get out over 2000 metres-plus.” The G3 Coongy Cup is over 2000 metres.
Different path for Vauban for this year’s Cup
Last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup favourite Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) will take a different path in 2024. “With Vauban, we went a bit of a different route,” trainer Willie Mullins' travelling foreman David Casey told racenet.com.au.
Vauban (Fr) | Image courtesy of Naas Racecourse
“He had to qualify last year so he did that after Ascot at Naas and once we got him qualified, we just wanted to make sure we'd get him here. It ended up being a long time between runs. So we decided to run him more often this year and, hopefully, send him down here a lot fitter than last year with those runs under his belt. It obviously didn't work last year so we thought we'd try something different this year.” He ran second last start in the G1 Irish St. Leger.
Around The Nation: Monday’s racing
Tamworth’s meeting was abandoned after only four races and the second was won by Kris Lees trained 3-year-old gelding Calga Power (Better Than Ready) who was having his second start.
Victoria held Monday’s only other meeting, at Bairnsdale, which saw Danny O’Brien trained 3-year-old filly Litzdeel (Dundeel {NZ}) win the first on the card. John McArdle trained 3-year-old filly Continental Kiss (Royal Meeting {Ire} won the second.
Five for Azzopardi at Geraldton
Sunday’s Geraldton meeting was a massive one for jockey Joseph Azzopardi who rode five winners on the seven-race card. “I thought if things went right, I could ride four of five,” Azzopardi told TABradio.
Joseph Azzopardi
“When they look good on paper sometimes you don’t ride a winner at all. Things worked out well.” He won on 3-year-old filly Just Gifted (Justify {USA}), New Music (Mendelssohn {USA}), Snippy Which (Snippetson), King Akeed (Akeed Mofeed {GB}), and First Beach (Nicconi). Notably, the other two races were won by jockey Tash Faithfull.
English jockey arrives in New Zealand
Englishman George Rooke is the newest addition to the ever-growing group of international riders in New Zealand. “I lived in a small town called Hook just off the M3, and I got into pony club and eventing side of things first,” Rooke told Loveracing.nz.
“We heard about the Newmarket Racing School and I applied for that, and after getting a position there, I did a four-week course before getting a placement with Richard Hughes. I kept my apprenticeship for four years and it took me that period of time to ride 95 winners, which is the full claim over there.”
Yiu aims stars at International meeting
Trainer Ricky Yiu was happy with the performances of his two stars, Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) and Straight Arron (Fastnet Rock), in Sunday’s G2 Sha Tin Trophy and will aim both at December’s International meeting. Voyage Bubble was second and Straight Arron fourth. “They both put in very good runs and I think they’re both improving, especially Straight Arron, he definitely has something more in the tank,” Yiu told scmp.com of the 6-year-old who was making his stable debut after transferring from Caspar Fownes’ yard.
Ricky Yiu | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Voyage Bubble will go to the Jockey Club Mile next and then the Hong Kong Mile. Straight Arron will step up [to the Jockey Club Cup] and we’ll see how he runs. We’re pretty optimistic now.”
4000 career wins for jockey Ortiz
Irad Ortiz, Jr., a five-time Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey, captured his 4,000th career win aboard Good Temper (USA) (Collected {USA}) in Sunday's first race at Keeneland. “I just have to thank God first. I started in New York in 2011, and they opened their home for me, supported me big time every day,” said Ortiz, Jr. to Keeneland publicity. “I feel like they respect me as one of them, so I have to thank all the trainers and owners who gave me the opportunities. Without them nobody would probably know me right now.”
Future Is Now breaks track record
Sunday's G2 Franklin S. was won by Larry Johnson's 4-year-old mare Future Is Now (USA) (Great Notion {USA}) who benefitted from a rail-hugging trip that blossomed into a well-timed opening that propelled her to the front in early stretch and on to victory. The filly completed the 1100 metre trip in 1:01.47, surpassing the stakes record mark of 1:01 3/5 established by Chris's Thunder (USA) (Rubiano {USA}) in 2000.
“The filly was so great today,” said winning rider Paco Lopez. “She was very comfortable during the race. She was perfect. After a little breather, I asked her and she passed between the horses, no problem at all, and she gave me a big kick.”
Future Is Now's Franklin victory makes her the eighth graded stakes score for Northview Stallion Station's Maryland-based sire Great Notion (USA). Her dam Past as Prelude (USA) (Bernardini {USA}) is also responsible for Listed winner Call Another Play (USA) (Audible {USA}) and stakes placed Continentalcongress (USA) (Constitution {USA}).
