Inglis Digital topped by Dual Pressure at 220k
South Australian trainer Aaron Bain will target next year’s Adelaide carnival with today’s Inglis Digital December Sale-topper Dual Pressure (Denman), which he purchased for $220,000.
“He’ll be transported straight here and go straight to the races where he should appreciate a bit of a class drop, then we’ll tip him out and get him ready for the carnival here in May,” Bain told inglis.com.au.
Dual Pressure | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
The second top lot was the 4-year-old Barber (Exceed And Excel), which sold to Jason Micallef of Monarch Racing Syndications for $215,000. Nine lots sold for $100,000 or more in today’s sale, taking the number of six-figure lots sold on Inglis Digital in 2024 to 124.
In total the December Online Sale grossed $3,461,400, taking the 2024 calendar year gross for Inglis Digital to $82,084,125. The first Inglis Digital sale of 2025 will be the January Online Sale, which will run from January 17-22.
Trainers offer jump-out solution to jockeys
The Australian Trainers Association have made an offer to jockeys on the jump out issue in Victoria. “As trainers operate private enterprises and jockeys are sole traders, the ATA recommends that any arrangements regarding jump-out fees be established directly between individual licensed jockeys and trainers,” wrote ATA chief executive Stephen Bell.
“Jockeys may invoice trainers directly for an agreed fee. Trainers may decide whether to absorb this cost or pass it on to owners. This approach ensures transparency, fairness and flexibility, allowing all parties to make arrangements that suit their individual circumstances.”
Wide draw for Suparazi for The Ingham
Trainer Ben Brisbourne can see the silver lining in Suparazi (Super One)’s task from a wide barrier in Saturday’s G2 The Ingham at Royal Randwick. “Unfortunately, the barrier hasn’t been that kind to us this time around, but Gringotts has plenty of weight again and it looks to me like there’s going to be more pace on in this race,” Brisbourne told racingnsw.com.au.
Suparazi | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“(Gringotts) might not have it as easy toward the front of the field with the 60.5kg. At least he’s not going to end up getting boxed in. A few of the horses drawn around us are horses we want to follow into the race anyway. Inside barriers are always favourable it’s not the end of the world. He’s trained on super and everyone’s very happy with him.”
Wind And The Lion ready for Gold Rush
Trainer Sean Casey hopes an alternative approach will help Wind And The Lion (Written By) in Saturday’s G3 Gold Rush at Ascot. “We thought it might be a bit too much for him,” Casey told racingwa.com.au.
Wind And The Lion | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“The 1200-metre pressure, the experienced horses and the rest of it, we thought we’d cool the temperature down a bit. We thought go for the 1400 metres where he can find his legs and it shouldn’t be as high pressure as the Winterbottom.”
Witz End to change roles
Bold front-runner Witz End (NZ) (Savabeel) is likely to be seen in a different role in Saturday’s G3 J Swap Sprint at Te Rapa. “This is a good opportunity where he doesn’t need to lead, probably his best run came in the Wellington Guineas last season,” trainer Tony Pike told Loveracing.nz.
Witz End (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“We’re looking at some of the bigger miles if he performs well on Saturday, the four-year-old mile ($1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic) on Karaka Millions night is his main target this preparation.”
Romantic Warrior’s Timeform rating is 129
Hong Kong's Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) earned a career high Timeform rating of 129 following his third victory in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup on Sunday, Timeform announced on Tuesday. He is rated second only to Australian multiple Group 1 winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), who carries a mark of 132, among active horses in training.
Stewart actve on Fasig Digital
The first session of Fasig-Tipton's December Digital Sale–with more than 670 horses catalogued–closed Tuesday, topped by 2023 Sovereign Award winner Millie Girl (USA) (Hard Spun {USA}). Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency as Lot 11, Canada's reigning champion older main track female sold for US$450,000 to John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock.
“We are really excited about purchasing Canadian champion Millie Girl,” said Stewart. “She fits right into our breeding program. We will evaluate her future racing career, but we purchased her to eventually breed. It's exciting to have a sale like this on the digital platform this time of year with so many horses over two days.”
Overall, Tuesday's first session yielded 187 horses sold for US$4,423,500, or an average of US$23,655 with a clearance rate of 76 per cent. The session featured horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, broodmare prospects, yearlings, and weanlings.
Keeneland catalogues 1236 for January Horses of All Ages Sale
A total of 1236 horses, including broodmares and broodmare prospects, newly turned yearlings, horses of racing age, stallions and stallion prospects–have been catalogued for the upcoming Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, scheduled to take place in Lexington from January 13-15.
The Jockey Club keeps prizemoney at the same level for 2025
Total prizemoney at The Jockey Club's 15 racecourses next year is expected to remain at the same level as in 2024, subject to trading performance remaining on plan through its key first quarter of the year, The Jockey Club announced on Tuesday.
Overall total prizemoney is anticipated to be £58.1 million (AU$116 million) across the 319 fixtures staged by TJC in 2025, with £30.6 million (AU$61.3 million) coming from executive contribution. As a result, an average prizemoney of more than £182,000 (AU$365,000) per fixture would be offered next year, up from £175,000 (AU$351,000) in 2024. Values for specific races and fixtures will be confirmed in due course.
Arqana Breeding Stock Sale finishes 17 per cent up
The curtain came down on this year's Arqana Breeding Stock Sale on Tuesday where the demand for fillies-in-training, broodmares and foals in particular brought strong trade to Deauville over the course of the four-day sale.
All told, five fillies or mares cleared seven figures at a sale where all of the key metrics were on the rise. Of the 866 that were offered, 782 were sold at a clearance rate of 82 per cent while the average climbed a massive 21 per cent to €85 769 (AU$141,700). Meanwhile, the median climbed to €26,000 (AU$43,000) while the aggregate was up by 17 per cent to €55,149,500 (AU$91 million).
Celestial Dancer trainer Tony Hide dies
The racing community in Newmarket has lost one of its most popular members with the death of former trainer Tony Hide at the age of 85. Having saddled the winners of several big races in Italy including the G1 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) and the G1 Premio Presidente della Republica (twice), Tony Hide won further feature races on the continent from his Newmarket base with the high-class sprinter Celestial Dancer (Ire) (Godswalk {USA}) whom he sent abroad to take both the G2 Goldene Peitsche at Baden Baden and the G3 Prix de Meautry at Deauville in 1984, ridden on each occasion by the trainer's brother Edward.
Tony Hide
Celestial Dancer's wins in England included both the Northumberland Sprint Trophy at Newcastle and the Hamilton Handicap at Newmarket in 1983, while he twice ran very well at Royal Ascot, finishing second in the G3 Cork & Orrery Stakes (now G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S.) and fourth in the G1 King's Stand S.
Celestial Dancer went on to become an outstandingly prolific sire of winners in Australia from his base at Lyndhurst Stud in Queensland, setting a new world record in 1995/96 for the greatest number of individual winners in a season (239) and coming close to matching that total the following term when 234 of his sons and daughters saluted the judge.
