Daily News Wrap

Perth Racing announces Carol Adams OAM as first female Chair in the Club’s history

Carol Adams OAM has been elected Chair of Perth Racing, creating history as the first female leader of the Club, which has been in existence since 1852. “I am absolutely thrilled to have had the unanimous support of the Board to be elected as the first female Chair in the Club’s long and illustrious history. I would like to acknowledge the hard work and passion for the Club shown by our immediate past Chair, Colin Brown, who stepped down at the Club’s AGM after six years at the helm. I have been fortunate to have worked closely with Colin and Club CEO, James Oldring, in my role as Vice Chair for the past 12 months and it has certainly placed me in good stead going forward,” said Adams in a press release on Thursday.

“I am under no illusions as to the enormous task ahead for Perth Racing, especially in relation to the huge capital infrastructure projects that the Board has been working towards over the past two years, but I am confident we have the depth of skills and corporate experience on the Board, in conjunction with the enthusiastic CEO and Executive team, to take the Club forwards.

“I would like to congratulate newly elected members, Jo Davies and Derrice Dillon, and of course Peter Scott, who was re-elected to serve a second term. I also look forward to working together with highly regarded corporate executive and new Vice Chair, Rob Bransby, who I know will provide enormous support to me in his new role.”

Perth Racing said farewell to three long-serving Directors on Wednesday evening following the AGM in the shape of Mr Colin Brown, Ms Paula Sullivan and Mr Chris Wharton AM.

Racing SA CEO resigns

Racing SA advised on Thursday that Vaughn Lynch has resigned from his position as CEO of Racing SA, having made the decision with his wife Anita to move back to Victoria. “Racing SA has benefited significantly from Vaughn’s commitment and dedication since joining our organisation in 2019 and the impact he has made on South Australian thoroughbred racing in his two years as CEO is evident.

“Vaughn played a key role in helping the Board realise a number of important milestones including achieving an increase in the share of the Point of Consumption Tax returned to the industry to 20 per cent, rolling out significant prizemoney and infrastructure funding increases, securing thoroughbred racing’s landmark seven-year sponsorship agreement with Sportsbet and negotiating a new media rights deal with Racing.com.

“While we are sorry to see him go, he leaves our industry in a very strong position, and we wish him and Anita nothing but the best for their return to Victoria and the next chapter of Vaughn’s career.

“The Racing SA Board will now commence the search for a new CEO to ensure the industry continues to build on its success. Vaughn will remain with Racing SA until the end of February 2025 to facilitate a seamless leadership transition.”

Lynch was announced on Wednesday as the new COO for Racing Victoria.

Weatherbys to recognise The Everest and All-Star Mile as Group 1s

Following the news released last week by The Thoroughbred Report that The Everest and The All-Star Mile had been elevated to Group 1 status by Racing Australia, Weatherbys will recognise these races as Group 1s, Weatherbys head of bloodstock and data James McHale told TDN Europe late on Wednesday evening.

“Weatherbys have had it confirmed that The Everest and All-Star Mile have been approved for Group 1 status by the Asian Pattern Committee (APC) which satisfies the requirements for Part I countries in Australasia. As such these races will be awarded Group 1 status in sales catalogues. At this point we are waiting for the APC/ ICSC to review further proposed race upgrades in Australia,” said McHale.

Bates ready for royal challenge

His rides have been called daring, gutsy, and exciting, and jockey Declan Bates says he will never tire of the journey Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) is taking him on. “I’ll never get sick of talking about her I reckon,” Bates told racingnsw.com.au.

“That last win in Sydney really elevated her profile and put some razzamatazz around her. I’m aware I’m in a lucky position to find a horse like this. A lot of really good jockeys can go their whole career without being involved with a horse of this calibre. I don’t let it overwhelm me; I approach each race like it’s any other but if we’re lucky enough to win I’ll really enjoy it then.”

Pride Of Jenni will run in Saturday’s G1 King Charles III S. at Randwick.

McDonald’s ride on Fangirl is key in King Charles

Champion trainer Chris Waller says there’s no doubt James McDonald will have to tread a fine line on Saturday when Fangirl (Sebring) takes on Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) in the G1 King Charles III S. at Randwick on Saturday. “For me a horse like Pride Of Jenni shows you have to have a very fit horse to beat her,” Waller told racingnsw.com.au.

“The horse is going to have to be in a race they haven’t been used to. Basically running on a red line the whole length of the race. What Pride Of Jenni brings is a different style of racing, I think Fangirl is ready for it. She’s a really fit, athletic horse, and the more pace I think will ensure she finishes off even better.

“We still need to respect you’ve got to ride your horse in its comfort zone. At the same time I’ll be saying to James McDonald, not that I need to, he’ll certainly be locking Pride Of Jenni in his sights.” Fangirl won the G1 King Charles III S. last year and comes into the race off a last start win.

Traffic Warden peaking for The Everest

Trainer James Cummings thinks a 3-year-old will win this year’s The Everest and his colt Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) is ready. “I’ve had a really strong feeling about this crop of horses that they would do well at weight-for-age,” Cummings told racingnsw.com.au.

“We saw it in the Moir, they filled two of the first three placings, in the Manikato a 3-year-old looked all but the winner, and in the Schillaci on the weekend I was pleased to see the only 3-year-old get up and win. He’s exceptionally talented and has great depth to him as a young colt. He’s run in all the good races he could feasibly run in until now, he hasn’t missed a big fight yet. And we’re still to see the best of him which is what I find fascinating about the horse.”

Traffic Warden ran second in the G1 Golden Rose last start behind stablemate Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}).

Perfect barrier for I Wish I Win

The Everest favourite I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) has drawn nine for Saturday’s slot race. “We have worked out that one is not in his favour and of his last five or six runs he has drawn one four times,” Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick, who bred the gelding and races him in partnership with co-trainer Peter Moody, told Loveracing.nz.

“We certainly wanted to be outside of four and it wouldn’t have worried us if it was the outside barrier. It (barrier nine) sets us up perfectly. We are hoping we can sit three back, a couple out, he can do what he wants to do and hopefully finish first. I think there is a bit of speed in the race, which is probably a bit different to last year, which is great.”

Top weight for kiwi-owned stayer in Caulfield Cup

Kalapour (Ire) (War Command {USA}) will run in Saturday’s G1 Caulfield Cup with the top weight for kiwi owner Lib Petagna. “Kris (Lees, trainer) is really happy with where he’s at, obviously he’s got a bit of weight to carry which is never easy, but we’d rather have that weight and have the Tancred in the bin,” Petagna’s racing manager Bruce Perry told Loveracing.nz.

“We were happy with his run last start, we probably would’ve liked to see him finish it off a bit better, but that was probably just the way the race was run, leaving him a bit flat-footed.

“He’ll strip much fitter this Saturday, it’ll probably be a big ask to win a race like this or even finish in the first two or three, but I’m sure he’ll run well and if he can finish in the first half of the field, you never know (where too next).”

Vets clear 16 of 18 Caulfield Cup runners

G1 Caulfield Cup contenders Deny Knowledge (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) and Young Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) will be reinspected on Friday after Racing Victoria veterinarians identified a change in each horse's gait. Vets on Thursday cleared 16 of the 18 starters and three emergencies for the big race on Saturday at Caulfield.

“The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Deny Knowledge and the Danny O'Brien-trained Young Werther will both be re-inspected tomorrow (Friday) due to a change in each horse's gait which was observed by veterinarians when they were examined this afternoon,” Racing Victoria said in a statement.

“The Andrew Forsman-trained Positivity has been passed suitable by veterinarians, however had been replated so the mare will undergo a re-examination tomorrow as a precaution.”

Moor thinks Muramasa is his best Cup chance yet

Jockey Daniel Moor picked a big future for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Muramasa (Deep Impact {Jpn}) twelve months ago, and the G1 Caulfield Cup on Saturday is his chance to prove his prediction. “I think Muramasa probably presents as my best chance to be in the fat end of the prizemoney,” Moor told racing.com.

Moor won both the G3 Coongy Cup and G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on him last year. “It might have been a bold statement, but at that point, when he hadn't had any issues, I said, 'This is your Melbourne Cup horse for next year'. I really had high expectations of him, we always had a bit of an opinion of him, even before he won his first start at Sale.

“He laboured a bit in that win but as he got out in trip, he really showed his class. He's a terrific stayer that really switches off well and has a really nice turn of foot when he gets conditions to suit. I'm glad to be going into the race on a horse that I know really well.”

Muramasa comes into the Cup off a last start third in city company.

Around The Nation: Thursday’s highlights

Hawkesbury’s meeting saw 3-year-old filly Lady Zodiac (Yes Yes Yes) resume at three with a win. Unplaced in the G2 Percy Sykes at two, she becomes the 14th winner for her sire. 3-year-old filly Luxe Eternal (I Am Invincible) won on debut for trainer Chris Waller.

In Victoria at Ballarat, jockey Craig Williams enjoyed a treble aboard 3-year-old filly Lady Sadler (Omaha Beach {USA}), 3-year-old filly Damehood (NZ) (Proisir) and 3-year-old gelding Big Swinger (Trapeze Artist). Archie Alexander trained 3-year-old colt Didn’t Miss Many (D’Argento) made it two wins in succession from his three starts, having run second on debut.

At Ipswich, 3-year-old gelding Obligated (Lord Of The Sky) became his sire’s nineth winner, and in WA, 3-year-old colt Magna’s Choice (Magna Grecia {Ire}) won on debut at Northam to become his sire’s sixth Southern Hemisphere winner.

Dunn hopes to win Kosciuszko in honour of grandmother

Trainer Matt Dunn hopes to win Saturday’s Kosciuszko to honour his late grandmother who died recently aged 99. “It certainly would be nice to win a race like this, the timing is perfect,” Dunn told racenet.com.au. His two runners are Boom Torque (Spirit Of Boom) and Tribeca Star (Star Turn).

“Both the horses are in good shape and hopefully both will stand up to be counted on race day. Absolutely, there is a chance of a blowout with Tribeca Star. His runs have been great, his last start going in was better than it looks as the track was quite firm that day with hot and windy weather.

“As the day went on, the track dried out and he doesn't appreciate that sort of ground. He is going to get a more favourable surface in Sydney you would assume. At his best, absolutely he can win that race.”

Seymour trainer hospitalised after snake bite

Trainer Don Dwyer stepped on an eastern brown snake while inspecting the track at Yea on Wednesday. “I walked around to close the gate and it wrapped straight around my leg,” Dwyer told racing.com from the Northern Hospital.

“I gave it one flick to get off me and he bit me, just below my ankle. I gave him another flick and he bit me again and then took off. It felt like somebody jammed a fork into my foot twice, it hurt, don't worry about that!

“I must've walked over it at first but stepped on him going back to close the gate and he was asleep in the sun. The parade ring had been mowed and the grass had burnt in the sun and the snake was brown, so I couldn't see the bloody thing.”

Dwyer is on the Yea committee and was inspecting the track prior to Saturday’s meeting. An ambulance took 40 minutes to arrive. “If you don't get help you die, there's no second chances, it's a snake bite from one of the deadliest in the world. Snakes can give you a dry bite but this one offloaded on me and they took a blood to see how much and got the anti-venom ready and the doctor said I had bucketsful in me. I've felt buggered ever since and it zaps you of energy.

“I said to the doctor, 'I've got to get home I've got horses to feed' and he said to me 'No problem Don, we can't keep you here leave anytime, but you'll die'.”

Rogerson to sell Hamilton property

After over 50 years of training and more than 5000 winners, Graeme Rogerson is selling his training facility in Hamilton New Zealand. “I have been here 54 years, it is a long time and the city has outgrown us, it is in the city now,” Rogerson told Loveracing.nz.

“It is just time for a change. It’s a beautiful place but time catches up with everyone. We will buy another place somewhere. It is still all up in the air and Bailey (Rogerson, granddaughter) might take over the training, we will just see. I might scale down a bit. I have been training for something like 54 years, and we have had over 5000 winners.”

Endresz has heart attack

The former owner of Group 1 winner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) Allan Endresz has cheated death after being flown to a top Melbourne hospital while having a massive heart attack. “I was at my office in Albury and next thing the sharp pain ripped through the top of my chest, right down my shoulder and down the side of my arm,” Endresz told racenet.com.au.

“I thought for a minute that I could shake it off. I thought about going home and having a cup of tea and having a rest. The doctor later told me that if I had have done that, I would be dead. I drove myself to Albury Hospital, they rushed me straight in and started treating me and they called the helicopter in.

“I got on the helicopter and when I came into Melbourne, I had this weird sense that I was James Bond flying around with bright lights everywhere. The paramedic in the helicopter didn't think I was going to survive. They landed on the roof of the hospital in Melbourne and I was in the main surgery area and they cleared things up and put one long stent in me.” Endresz has no history of heart disease.

Clash of new and old in Sunday’s G2 Premier Bowl

Trainer David Hayes is keen to test rising star Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) against Champion Sprinter California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) in Sunday’s G2 Premier Bowl at Sha Tin. “It is a good test, but I am pretty confident we’ll give him a good race,” Hayes told scmp.com.

“The weights are more in his favour than first up and the next start (in the Jockey Club Sprint), they’re even better. He’s sort of virtually first up again – he hasn’t run for a long time. His trial (at Conghua) was a maintenance trial, but it was good and his track work’s been solid. He’s held his condition, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Ka Ying Rising has won his last five in succession.

Treble for Ho at Happy Valley

Jockey Vincent Ho had only two wins from the first ten meetings in Hong Kong but made up for the slow start with Sunday’s win on Galaxy Patch (Wandjina) and a treble on Wednesday at Happy Valley. “It has been a slow start but hopefully the winners can keep coming now,” Ho told scmp.com.

He won on Woodfire Champ (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}), Brave Star (Myboycharlie {USA}) and Jumbo Legend (Hinchinbrook).

Strong Book 2 at Tattersalls October ends with seven-figure sale

A memorable Book 2 session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale that instilled some much-needed confidence in the bloodstock business culminated with Anthony Stroud going to 1 million gns (AU$2.04 million) to secure a colt by Tweenhills stallion Kameko (USA) on behalf of Godolphin.

The 2000 Guineas winner Kameko has enjoyed a hugely respectable start at stud with nine individual winners and 12 wins all told in Britain and Ireland. The top lot of the entire Book 2 session hails from a family Godolphin knows well, being a half-brother to the 111-rated Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) as well as being a full-brother to Qatar Racing's own Grade I-winning juvenile New Century (GB).

The momentum from the record-breaking Book 1 session carried over into Park Paddocks this week, where turnover climbed 27 per cent to 68,517,000gns (AU$139.7 million), the median rose 13 per cent to 70,000gns (AU$142,000) and the average increased by 26 per cent to 108,413gns (AU$219,000).

Commenting on trade, Tattersalls chief Edmond Mahony said, “The results from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last week were pretty remarkable and certainly instilled some confidence leading into Book 2, but yet again the level of trade has outstripped the most optimistic of pre-sale expectations.

“The extraordinary success of Book 1 has been well and truly replicated in Book 2 and again it is the outstanding quality of the yearlings and the sale's reputation for consistently producing racehorses of the very highest calibre which have brought the buyers to Tattersalls in overwhelming numbers. Every year British and Irish breeders and consignors place enormous faith in the two weeks of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and the unrelenting demand throughout Book 2 shows that their confidence has been fully justified.”

Asfoora conqueror Bradsell to stud

Top-class sprinter Bradsell (GB) will retire to the National Stud following his tilt at the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Saturday, November 2.

Trained by Archie Watson for Shaikh Nasser's Victorious Racing, Bradsell heads to the Breeders' Cup as the winner of six of his 12 career starts, with three of his victories coming at the top level. In 2024, he added wins in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes (Asfoora (Flying Artie) was fourth) and Flying Five Stakes to his King's Stand Stakes success as a 3-year-old. That was the second year in a row that he'd struck at Royal Ascot, having also won the Coventry Stakes at two.

Ownership dispute over first season sire Sands Of Mali

First-season sire Sands Of Mali (Fr) is at the centre of allegations brought by Steve Parkin against Joe Foley's Ballyhane Stud, the Irish Independent reported on Wednesday.

Parkin and his company Clipper BCS, LLP say he acquired the horse for £270,000 (AU$524,000) in August of 2020, but that Foley is now claiming a 50 per cent share of the son of Panis (USA). In his affidavit, Parkin said that the defendants did not purchase any share in the stallion. Parkin also said the defendant claims that he indicated acknowledgment of shared ownership in a WhatsApp message in November 2023. Parkin said, “I sent no such WhatsApp message and deny the contents and indication of such an allegation.”

Clipper BCS and Parkin are seeking injunctions and orders requiring the defendants to relinquish possession of the 9-year-old stallion, who has sired 15 winners to date, including the stakes winner Ain't Nobody (Ire).

Goffs Foal Sale catalogue released

The catalogue for the Goffs November Foal Sale, which features 1,021 lots, was released on Wednesday. Set to run from Monday, Nov. 18 through Thursday, Nov. 21, the sale will have lots catalogued alphabetically by dam each day from Monday to Thursday inclusive. Monday and Thursday are billed as equal, Tuesday raising the bar to an extent, and Wednesday traditionally attracting the most black-type pedigrees.

Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “Goffs November Foal Sale has enjoyed another season of success on the track followed by many lucrative pinhooks, and we are proud to feature the overwhelming majority share of the best Irish foals once again. We are grateful to our vendors who continue to choose Goffs November as their first choice for their quality foals as they recognise its market leading status.

“Foal buyers will find the customary strength, depth and diversity at every level of the market at Goffs this November, whether seeking to race or to resell. For the latter category the sale has so many attributes, not least our unique Customer Loyalty Scheme that rewards pinhookers who buy and resell with Goffs whilst being the first foal sale of the season means that order books are fresh.”

Another case against HISA

A legal filing made Tuesday by horsemen who lost a decision last month in a federal appeals court means there are now three separate cases involving the constitutionality of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) vying for the attention of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Gun Pilot to retire to Three Chimneys

Three Chimneys's Gun Pilot (USA) will take up stud duty alongside his sire, Gun Runner (USA), for the 2025 breeding season, the farm said in Wednesday press release. A five-time stakes entrant, Gun Pilot's highest achievement came this year on the Derby undercard where he took home the GI Churchill Downs Stakes.

The homebred will be making his final start in the GI Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar, which comes off a runner-up performance in the GI Forego at Saratoga. A stud fee will be announced following the Breeders Cup.

Angel Of Empire joins Taylor Made

Angel of Empire (USA) (Classic Empire {USA}), who took home the GI Arkansas Derby, has been retired and will join the roster at Taylor Made Stallions for the upcoming breeding season, according to a press release from the farm on Wednesday.

“We're very excited to stand Angel of Empire alongside our other stallion at Taylor Made, Not This Time,” said Jason Loutsch of Albaugh Family Stables. “Similar to him and Thousand Words, another promising young sire we campaigned, Angel of Empire is a tremendous physical who excelled over the Classic distances while still being a precocious 2-year-old. We will support him in the launch of his stallion career and are excited to get started.”

First Grade 1 winning daughter of Frankel to go to public auction

McKulick (Frankel {GB}), doubly special for her incredible, durable career and named in memory of Chad Brown’s bookkeeper Mary McKulick, will be offered as Hip 289 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale by Elite Sales on November 4, the first Grade I-winning daughter of Frankel (GB) to ever be offered at public auction.

“When I went out on my own, the first person I hired was Mary, and she was instrumental in helping me build a company, all the way up to her retirement,” said Brown. “And, sadly, just soon after her retirement, she developed cancer and passed. Bobby Frankel was my mentor, and when I had this opportunity to name a horse by Frankel, I thought it was fitting to name this beautiful Frankel filly after Mary, and the Klarmans were so nice to let me do it.”