Daily News Wrap

NSW Premier Minns says allegations 'disgraceful'

The report by the NSW parliamentary select committee into the Rosehill Racecourse unsolicited proposal is due to be released on Friday. News broke on Wednesday that one of the recommendations will be to refer NSW Premier Chris Minns to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Minns dismissed the idea as disgraceful. “The allegations… are completely unsubstantiated and based on no fact or evidence,” Minns said in a statement.

“It’s disgraceful to politicise ICAC with unsubstantiated rumours. There is absolutely no evidence or even an attempt to quantify what rule, practice or procedure has been breached.”

The committee were informed that Minns had a meeting with ATC Chair Peter McGuaran four days after ATC’s Steve McMahon pitched the sale idea to McGuaran on October 26, 2023.

Coolmore release photos of Winx foal

Coolmore Stud have released the first photo of the 2024 colt by Snitzel from champion mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).

Well-bred Beskar wins at Geelong

Beautifully bred 2-year-old colt Beskar (Snitzel) won on debut at Geelong on Thursday for owners Pinecliff Racing and Mr Dexter. Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, he was ridden by Blake Shinn to win by 2.25l over Grandstraz (Strasbourg) with Night Flash (Harry Angel {Ire}) 0.5l further back in third.

Sold by Widden Stud at the Inglis Australian Yearling Sale for $600,000, he was purchased by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock. He becomes Snitzel’s seventh juvenile winner this season.

His dam, Sword Of Light (New Approach {Ire}), won the G2 Let's Elope S. as well as the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (f), and Beskar is her third foal. Her first foal is a winner and she doesn’t have a yearling this year, but had a colt by Zoustar this spring. She is a half-sister to Listed Tatt's RC Members' Cup winner Sword Of Justice (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), and this is the family of triple Group 1-winning sprinter Flamberge (Exceed And Excel).

Satisfaction for Holt as Mugs goes back-to-back

Juvenile colt Satisfied Mugs (Invader) smashed the competition in the QTIS 2-Year-Old H. at Townsville on Thursday, repeating his devastating performance from mid November to cross the line 3.55l ahead of Nosey Neo (Neorealism {Jpn}). Trained by Georgie Holt, the chestnut colt was third on debut last month and has now partnered with Ashley Butler twice for victory on the Townsville track.

Bred by Aquis Farm’s Director Of Sales Jonathan Davies, Satisfied Mugs was sold in the draft of Waylon J Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, where Holt Racing purchased him for $23,000.

He is the second foal from four-time winner Smug Satisfaction (Sebring), whose dam Elegant Jewel (Mister C {USA}) was a full sister to 19-time winner Super Elegant, victorious in the G1 Doomben 10,000 S. and the G1 Goodwood H., 14-time winner Mister Elegant, and 12-time winner Elegancy. Smug Satisfaction foaled a filly by Dubious last spring, and a colt by Stronger, who stands at Aquis beside Invader, this season.

Brown aboard Light Infantry Man for Northerly

Jockey Ethan Brown will ride Light Infantry Man (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) in the G1 Northerly S. on Saturday, hoping to grab his third Group 1 win of the season. “I was offered the ride on Light Infantry Man a couple of weeks ago,” Brown told racingwa.com.au.

“I had to decide between this horse or Globe in the Ballarat Cup. It was a hard decision, but I thought I’d have a crack at the Group 1. They don’t hand out Group 1 races and I thought this was a good opportunity.”

He won the G1 AJ Moir S. on Mornington Glory (Shalaa {Ire}) and the G1 Thousand Guineas on Another Prophet (Brazen Beau).

Wide gate for Ka Ying Rising

Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) will have to create history to win Sunday’s G1 Hong Kong Sprint after drawing gate 11 on Thursday morning. “I think it’s okay. If you look at his racing, he normally draws wide. Obviously you’d prefer to be closer to the rail, but he’s probably no chance to be boxed in, which at $1.20 is one of the ways you can get beaten,” trainer David Hayes told scmp.com.

“I think Zac (Purton) will be able to appear when he wants. He’s got great gate speed and a lot of those inside him don’t, so he should cruise across into quite a good spot. Hopefully he doesn’t get caught three wide, that’s all.”

Loughnane to ride in Sydney

UK-based jockey Billy Loughnane will ride at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday in the first day of a two month stint here. “It's been a great two years back at home and especially this last season where I've had some great opportunities in bigger races,” Loughnane told racenet.com.au.

“Just being able to travel the world a bit really has been amazing. I was at the Breeders' Cup a few weeks ago and it's great to be able to come out here and try to get some more experience. It's a dream to come to ride on the biggest stages against some of the world's best jockeys on some of the world's best racehorses.”

Tragedy for Moody stable

A truck crash on Monday on Tynong-Bayles Rd in Bayles is being investigated by police. It was reported by Herald Sun that the three racehorses who died in the crash were all trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.

Luke Nolen injured at Geelong on Thursday

The Victorian Jockeys Association reported that Luke Nolen was “transported to Geelong Hospital with nose and teeth injuries, suggested concussion and sore lower back” after being dislodged from 3-year-old filly Draw Attention (The Autumn Sun) at Geelong on Thursday.

Chocolate Box (Deep Field) nearly fell while trying to avoid Nolen and was eased out of the race by jockey Daniel Moor. Draw Attention ran over the line riderless and was vetted after the race.

Around The Nation: Thursday’s highlights

Four meetings on Thursday included a treble for jockey Raymond Spokes at Coffs Harbour on King Cornelius (Invader), Knot Another Kiss (Kiss And Make Up), and Whatever It Takes (Magic Albert).

At Geelong, 3-year-old filly Sea Poem (NZ) (Pierata) won on debut, as did 3-year-old gelding Stormy Grove (Toronado {Ire}). Blake Shinn rode a treble on 2-year-old colt Beskar (Snitzel), Sea Poem, and New Sovereign (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), while Billy Egan rode a treble on Stormy Grove, Cameron Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and Delta Sky (Toronado {Ire}).

At Albany, jockey Tash Faithfull rode a treble on 3-year-old gelding Surf Patrol (Bondi), Exceltrain (Spirit Of Boom) and Flick The Switch (Sessions).

Super Seth 3-year-old set for Group 1

Trainer Tony Pike will set 3-year-old colt Poetic Champion (NZ) (Super Seth) for the G1 Telegraph. “We’ll trial him at Counties on December 17 and then confirm a plan after that. Obviously, the 3-year-old race on Karaka Millions night could be a target but if he trialled brilliantly, we might even consider going into the Telegraph at weight-for-age,” Pike told Loveracing.nz.

“That might be a little bit left field at this stage, but we’ll keep an eye on what the sprinting ranks come up like and with the pull in the weights we might think about it.”

Poetic Champion won the Listed El Roca S. in early spring this season.

Redford looking for Stradbroke slot

Trainer Stuart Kendrick is aiming 4-year-old gelding Redford (Snitzel) at The Gateway with the aim of getting a ballot exemption for the G1 Stradbroke H. “The Gateway is a good race in itself, but it’s an added bonus to win and get into the Stradbroke,” Kendrick told racingqueensland.com.au.

“It’s a very winnable race for Redford if you take out Tony Gollan’s Transatlantic which was very impressive winning last time. He ran well in the wet last time but he’s got a good turn of foot so we’d prefer a good track.” Redford has won four of his six starts and was a $1.05 million purchase by TFI from Arrowfield Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. His dam is a half-sister to Not A Single Doubt.

Unbeaten Private Harry steps up to town

Running in Sydney on Saturday is the next step for trainer Nathan Doyle’s unbeaten Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}). “It’s the right stepping stone for him that’s for sure. We’ll see where he’s at, he hasn’t beaten much to date but I suppose all you can do is win. I don’t think he could be going down in any better order so it’s all up to him now,” Doyle told racingnsw.com.au.

Winner of his two starts, he has a slot in the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight over summer. “He’s got a beautiful action, the way he travels up in a race on the corner when they’re accelerating he looks like he’s going three quarter pace. That tells you there is more under the bonnet. He’d want to acquit himself well if not get the job done to go up there with confidence and a spring in his step.”

Town Cryer seeking redemption in G1 Mufasa S.

Last year, Town Cryer (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) jumped in the G1 Mufasa S., but the start was deemed a false start and she came back to the start only to finish seventh. The 7-year-old mare is back in 2024 for redemption. “She seems to enjoy Wellington and Auckland, she probably shouldn’t have been out of the money in this race last year,” trainer Roydon Bergerson told Loveracing.nz.

“She ran seventh, it was a bit unfortunate with the gates not opening on the outside because she went the furtherest of any horse. She didn’t stop until about halfway up the straight then she turned around and had to do it all over again.

“The next time, she didn’t really know what she was doing, but she hung in there and ran an incredible race. I think if the first had gone around, she would’ve been a lot closer than that as she was bang-on that day, but that’s racing.”

Almakeitgood wins juvenile race in NZ

The 2-year-old race at Taranaki on Thursday was won by experienced juvenile colt Almakeitgood (NZ) (Ardrossan) who headlined a quartet of winners for trainer Allan Sharrock. Ridden by Craig Grylls, the favourite won by 1.5l from Daylight Robbery (NZ) (Super Seth) and Brave Rebel (NZ) (Tivaci).

Sharrock’s other winners were Komocean (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), Borninastorm (NZ) (Bullbars), and Librero (NZ) (El Roca).

Allpress returns from injury with double

Jockey Lisa Allpress had her first race day rides on Thursday since sustaining a fractured vertebra in a fall in August, winning both of them aboard 3-year-old debutant Komocean (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and Borninastorm (NZ) (Bullbars).

The double increased Allpress’s career tally of domestic winners to 1950. “I’ve still got that goal of the 2000 winners, so that is my focus. My family have kept me motivated, I’ve received so much support and I have a lot of very good people around me, people in racing and general friends that have been a huge support through the whole process.

“I’m very lucky and I just like to get out there and ride horses, that is the easy part.”

Voorham returns from injury

Teagan Voorham will fly to Tasmania to ride Hype (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in her return to riding after injury. She hasn’t ridden since a trackwork incident on October 21. “It was enough to set me back four weeks. I’ve been back at track work a week and feeling really well,” Voorham told racingsa.com.au.

“He’s been a really nice horse to me. He ran really well first-up in the Newmarket last week and hopefully he can run even better in the Conquering.”

French jockey Barzalona wins IJC

French jockey Mickael Barzalona has won the valuable Longines International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) before a packed house at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday night, book-ending the four-race competition with victories en route to amassing 30 points and easily outdistancing 11 other top riders from all over the world.

He won aboard Sergeant Pepper (I Am Invincible) and Aurora Lady (Star Witness), and was second on Forever Glorious (GB) (Archipenko {USA}).

Darley to auction breeding right in Blue Point

A breeding right in exciting young stallion Blue Point (Ire) is to be auctioned online on Darley winning bid, the bespoke online auction platform. The auction will end on Wednesday, December 11.

Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions, said, “As every aspect of the market continues to polarise, gaining access each season to these popular horses becomes ever more significant to breeders, which is why we are delighted to offer breeders the chance to obtain this breeding right in one of the most successful young stallions on our European roster, securing access to him for many years to come.

“I would encourage all potential bidders to register as soon as possible and as ever, the team are on hand to assist with any queries regarding the bidding process.”

HISA suspends jockey who hit horse on face

Reacting to an incident that took place Tuesday at Parx in which he was caught on video striking the horse National Law (USA) (Constitution {USA}) in the face with his whip following the fifth race, jockey Paco Lopez has received a provisional suspension from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA).

“In response to the incident yesterday involving jockey Paco Lopez, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has provisionally suspended Paco Lopez from all racing activities under HISA's jurisdiction, effective immediately,” said a HISA spokesperson. “The provisional suspension will proceed under an expedited timeline through HISA's adjudication process.”