First stakes win for apprentice Bourke
Apprentice Molly Bourke won the Listed ATC Cup on Matthew Smith trained 6-year-old gelding Floating (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) on Saturday at Rosehill to record her first stakes victory. The pair won by a massive 3.2l from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained 6-year-old gelding Converge (Frankel {GB}) with Converge’s stablemate 4-year-old gelding Townsend (Dundeel {NZ}) in third.
“It's very exciting. I am so grateful to Matt and all the owners to have the faith to put an apprentice on in a race like this. Just to have the opportunity and then to come out and get the result for them is just amazing,” said Bourke.
Floating will run in the Listed Christmas Cup next. The win was his first at stakes level and he took his record to seven wins from 30 starts with earnings over $650,000. He becomes the fifth stakes winner for his sire and the 37th stakes winner for Snitzel as a damsire.
Floating’s dam Goujon (Snitzel) is from the family of Horse of the Year Saintly (Sky Chase {NZ}) and Group 1 winner and sire God’s Own.
Garza Blanca becomes stakes winner 112 for Vinnie
I Am Invincible sired his 112th stakes winner when Ciaron Maher trained 5-year-old gelding Garza Blanca won the Listed Doveton S. at Caulfield on Saturday. Ridden by Craig Williams, Garza Blanca won by 0.5l from Danny O’Brien trained It’sourtime (Time For War) with Ciaron Maher trained I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) 6l in arrears of the quinella.
A $700,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Vinery Stud by International Thoroughbred Solutions, Garza Blanca has a yearling full sister who is yet to be catalogued for sale.
Garza Blanca is the first foal of winning mare Mousai (Fastnet Rock) who has also produced two winners to Dundeel (NZ) and has an Ole Kirk 2-year-old. Mousai is a half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Starspangledbanner, as well stakes placed Gold Chant (El Moxie {USA}), the dam of Group 1 winner Amicus (Fastnet Rock) who is the dam of Maher trained G2 Moonee Valley Cup winner Okita Soushi (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Eagle Nest soars to victory in Listed Starlight Stakes
Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou trained 5-year-old mare Eagle Nest (Shalaa {Ire}) by 1.25l from Angela Davies trained Our Kobison (Kobayashi) with Anthony Cummings trained Tristate (Headwater) only 0.2l from second in third place.
A $550,000 purchase from Segenhoe Stud by IRON and George Moore Bloodstock, she was onsold as a racing prospect at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale for $300,000 to Newgate Bloodstock. This was her first stakes win, which surely pushes up her value, and she became the 17th stakes winner for Shalaa (Ire) who is having a decent spring with Mornington Glory and Recommendation also winning big races, while Welwal (GB) won the G3 Kevin Heffernan S. at Caulfield.
A half-sister to Group 3 winner Kalashnikov (Capitalist), Eagle Nest is one of three winners out of winning mare Rough Ride (Flying Spur) who is a half-sister to G1 Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way (More Than Ready {USA}) and Listed winners Assertive Eagle (Danewin), Impressive Eagle (Rubiton) and Soaressa (Twining {USA}), dam of Group 3 winner Thermal Current (Exceed And Excel) and Listed winner Forever Free (Exceed And Excel).
Segenhoe Stud are offering Rough Ride’s I Am Invincible filly at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Meaningful Star nabs first stakes win in Northern Challenge
It took him six seasons of racing and three countries, but 8-year-old gelding Meaningful Star (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) now has a black type win after prevailing in Saturday’s G3 Great Northern Challenge S. at Ellerslie. He will now be targeted at the G1 Zabeel S. on Boxing Day.
Meaningful Star (Ire) prevails in a tight finish to the G3 Great Northern Challenge S. | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Meaningful Star, trained by Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley and ridden by Michael McNab, won by 0.2l from Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) with Sumi (NZ) (Atlante) in third. He won twice in Ireland at two and three, then won four in Hong Kong, before travelling to New Zealand where he has won two of his three starts.
Whangaehu wins Listed Wanganui Cup
Promising stayer Whangaehu (NZ) (Proisir) won Saturday’s Listed Wanganui Cup over 2040 metres by 0.4l for jockey Lily Sutherland over Orlov (NZ) (Sweynesse) with Testify Me (NZ) (Atlante) in third.
Whangaehu becomes the 20th stakes winner for Proisir, and is one of three winners for city class winner Pinot Grieve (NZ) (Pins). Owners Humphrey and Fiona O’Leary won the race last year with Kelly Coe (NZ) (Proisir).
The Boss Lady wins the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic
After running second in the Listed Jungle Mist Classic last start, trainer Michael Lane’s 4-year-old mare The Boss Lady (Street Boss {USA}) went one better on Saturday at Ascot to win the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic by 0.4l from Michael Grantham trained Antique Miss (Domesday) with Jason Miller trained Bonjoy (Maschino) in third.
In taking her record to seven wins from 14 starts, The Boss Lady became her sire’s 75th stakes winner. Raced by Canal Enterprises and partners, The Boss Lady is the second foal of Top Of The Class (Star Witness) who placed in both the Listed Jungle Mist and Listed Jungle Dawn Classics. She doesn’t have a 2-year-old or a yearling this year, but did produce a colt by Universal Ruler this season.
Around The Nation: Saturday’s highlights
With several meetings abandoned due to weather, there were 13 meetings in Australia on Saturday and some of those saw a few points of interest outside the stakes races at the city courses. At Rosehill, 3-year-old colt Cambar (Pierata) remained unbeaten in winning his third start.
A pair of 3-year-old geldings won on debut at the Gold Coast with Canavese (Ferrando {NZ}) becoming the third winner for his second season sire, with the other debutant being Backstage (Astern).
Magic Millions to be broadcast in prime time
Magic Millions and the Seven Network confirmed a commitment to broadcast the inaugural Magic Millions Gold twilight race meeting live from the Gold Coast Turf Club in Queensland on Saturday, January 4, 2025.
It will be the first time the network has broadcast thoroughbred racing on Channel 7 in prime time. “Wrapped around the world-famous yearling sale, Magic Millions is the social and sporting destination of the summer, and the excitement builds with two race meetings worth more than $20 million,” Australia’s pre-eminent sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney, who leads the 7Racing team said.
“The twilight running of the Magic Millions Gold meeting will be a brilliant addition to an already spectacular program on and off the track – and a great showcase for Queensland and Australian racing.”
Another winner for Yankee Rose
Group 1-winning mare Yankee Rose (All American)'s latest foal, 2-year-old filly Madison Girl (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) won at Kyoto over 1800 metres on Saturday. Yankee Rose is already responsible for Group 1 winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).
Stayers Stakes won by son of Deep Impact
The influence of Deep Impact (Jpn) continues long after his death with his 6-year-old son Chevalier Rose (Jpn) winning Saturday's G2 Stayers S. over 3000 metres. A last start Group 2 winner over 2400 metres, Chevalier Rose took his record to five wins from 31 starts.
West opens French satellite stable
Trainer Adam West has sent 12 horses to Maisons-Laffitte in France and opened a satellite yard there, according to published reports. The 35-year-old is the trainer of G1 Nunthorpe S. hero Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}), who has remained at Epsom, but is now housed at Gasston Stables, instead of Loretta Lodge Stables.
“I immediately really liked Maisons-Laffitte,” West told Jour de Galop from the track on Friday morning. “This centre has a lot of assets. I chose to come to France because the working conditions and the way of life are appreciable. The breeder of Metropolitan, Stuart McPhee was one of the people who convinced me to take the plunge.
“The economic side are taken into account of course, but I am well aware that I will probably not become filthy rich by becoming a trainer in France. The structure and orientation of the French sector are much better. Here, medium-sized trainers have a chance of making it, unlike in England, where they are in great difficulty…I am very happy to join the Maisons-Laffitte training team.”
White Birch purchases group winner Gezora
Group winner Gezora (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) has been acquired privately by Peter Brant's White Birch Farm, Jour de Galop reported on Friday. The G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner holds Classic aspirations and she will now be trained by Francis-Henri Graffard.
Leparoux reaches 3000 career wins
Julien Leparoux, a two-time Eclipse Award-winning rider, collected his 3000th career win aboard Pike Place (USA) (Street Boss {USA}) in the third race at Churchill Downs on Thursday, the track said in a press release that same day.
Leparoux, 41, launched his career in 2005. Raised in Chantilly, France, Leparoux's passion for horses led him to Southern California in 2003, where he began as an exercise rider for trainer Patrick Biancone. He transitioned to race riding and earned the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 2006. Three years later he became one of only four riders to also receive the Eclipse as Outstanding Jockey.
Hanlon announces replacement
John 'Shark' Hanlon, who will begin his six-month ban on December 1, has appointed Tara Lee Cogan as his temporary replacement, he announced on Friday. “Tara Cogan is going to take over training,” said Hanlon, who was originally supposed to serve a 10-month ban, but had that reduced on appeal. “She's a friend not too far from me and she's moving into my yard. She takes over on Monday.”
John 'Shark' Hanlon | Image courtesy of Shark Hanlon Racing
The Referrals Committee of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) ruled Hanlon had acted in a manner that “caused significant prejudice to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of the sport of racing” in the manner he removed a deceased horse from his yard earlier this year, which resulted in his ban.
West Saratoga headlines Inglis USA Digital Sale
West Saratoga (USA) (Exaggerator {USA}), a Grade III winner at two in 2023 and placed in a pair of graded stakes this season, is the marquee name among 49 horses catalogued for the Inglis Digital USA December Sale on Wednesday December 4.
McPeek adds another group win
In a season highlighted by victories in the GI Kentucky Derby, GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, the training job Ken McPeek has done with the overachieving Rattle N Roll (USA) (Connect {USA}) is equally deserving of plaudits. Making his second start off a 363-day absence and having shipped to the West Coast and back when failing to draw into the GI Breeders' Cup Classic on November 2, Rattle N Roll returned to something approaching his best under the Friday night lights at Churchill, rallying wide into the stretch before out finishing Most Wanted (Candy Ride {Arg}) for his sixth career victory in graded competition in the GII Clark S.
Second graded win for owner, trainer, jockey combo
If you're feeling a little deja vu about the result of Friday's GII Hollywood Turf Cup S. at Del Mar, there's a good reason. Hot on the heels of Mrs. Astor (USA) (Lookin At Lucky {USA})'s win Sunday in the GIII Red Carpet Stakes over a route on Del Mar's turf course, trainer Jonathan Thomas gave another leg up to rider Vincent Cheminaud on another homebred for George Strawbridge, Jr.'s Augustin Stables, again over a route of ground on the grass. This time it was 4-year-old gelding Truly Quality (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) who brought the connections to the winner's circle and made it the second Del Mar graded winner of the week for the team.
More troubles at Woodbine
With a horse having to be euthanized Thursday at Woodbine and another one on Friday, the Toronto-area track has now had six fatalities since the November 9 card in which two horses died and the remainder of the day's program was cancelled, as was the next scheduled day of racing.
Woodbine's Tapeta surface has long been considered to be one of the safest tracks in North America, which makes the rash of breakdowns particularly unusual.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and remain in continuous communication with our regulator, veterinarians, the HBPA, and the Jockeys' Guild,” said Bill Ford, executive vice-president of racing at Woodbine Entertainment. “Following the catastrophic injuries sustained (Thursday) and (Friday), we are conducting a thorough review to gather more information. Feedback regarding track conditions over the past two weeks, following the initial concerns, has been positive, indicating that the track is in good condition. However, we are actively discussing and evaluating additional immediate measures to enhance horse safety and welfare. This is a deeply challenging and unfortunate situation. Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to everyone connected to the horses affected.”
