Tom Reilly is new Melbourne Racing Club CEO
Melbourne Racing Club has appointed Tom Reilly as chief executive officer. Reilly was the CEO of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Aushorse for the last decade. “The board is very excited to have Tom lead the team at the MRC,” MRC chairman John Kanga told racenet.com.au.
“We wanted someone with deep racing knowledge and experience and Tom will bring that to the club. He is well respected throughout the racing industry and with his extensive contacts and knowledge, both in Australia and internationally… has a genuine love and passion for the industry.”
Reilly will officially start in the role at the end of January. “It's a great honour to be given this opportunity. The MRC is one of the great race clubs, not just in Australia, but globally,” Reilly said.
“For anyone passionate about the future of racing, then running the MRC is a wonderful opportunity. The club ran more race meetings than any other in Victoria last season and has three great racecourses, as well as some of the major Group 1 races in the Australian racing calendar. Having met with the board I'm excited by their shared vision to make sure racing is at the heart of the MRC's endeavours and… maximising the potential of our three racecourses and other assets.”
Listed Matamata Cup won by Khafre
The Listed Matamata Cup is usually run in October, but in 2024, it was held at Matamata’s Friday night meeting and won by the Ralph Manning-trained 5-year-old gelding Khafre (American Pharoah {USA}). Ridden by Jasmine Fawcett, Khafre won by 0.5l from Andrew Forsman trained 4-year-old mare Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}), with Mali Ston (NZ) (El Roca) 2l back in third.
Khafre took his record to five wins from 24 starts with earnings over NZ$124,000, and this was his first black type win. He becomes the 54th stakes winner for American Pharoah (USA) and was a NZ$155,000 purchase by his trainer from Phoenix Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft. He is the third foal and second winner for La Dama (High Chapparal {Ire}) who has an unraced 3-year-old named La Prima Dama (Justify {USA}), an unnamed 2-year-old by Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and a yearling by Captivant.
La Dama is a half-sister to G1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner La Bella Diosa (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}), Group 3 winner Solid Billing (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), and Listed winner Thy (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
Uncle Mo dies aged 16
Champion 2-year-old colt and leading sire Uncle Mo (USA) was euthanised at Ashford Stud on Thursday morning after suffering a left foreleg injury, according to a tweet by Mike Repole on X and post on the Coolmore America website. Surgery was performed on Wednesday. He was 16 years old.
“The Repole Stable family, Todd Pletcher family and the entire Coolmore family are heartbroken. Uncle Mo was so much more to me than a champion and iconic stallion–he was and always will be a part of my family. Uncle Mo is the patriarch of Repole Stable. There will never be another horse that makes me feel or will impact my life the way that Uncle Mo has,” said Repole.
“I want to thank Todd Pletcher and his barn, Johnny Velazquez, the Coolmore Family, especially Uncle Mo's personal groom, Rene, and for everyone who loved Uncle Mo, for all the love and support they gave Uncle Mo,” Repole said. “I am so grateful for the time that Uncle Mo and I spent together this May. Thank you Uncle Mo for fulfilling my childhood dreams of owning a special racehorse.
“I love you Uncle Mo. Rest In Peace.”
Coolmore added their own post on their website and paid homage to the top sire.
“We're all still in shock,” said Coolmore America's Dermot Ryan. “He will be greatly missed by everyone here in particular by his personal groom Rene. He was an exceptional sire both on the racetrack and in the sales ring. I would like to thank Mike Repole for giving us the opportunity to stand him in the first instance and for being a truly fantastic partner, Todd Pletcher for training him to perfection, the Coolmore partners for placing such faith in him and our loyal clients for their unwavering support over the years.
Ryan added, “I would also like to thank Dr Barry David, Dr Bob Hunt and Dr Cole Sandow of Hagyards for their efforts to save him along with all the team here at Ashford for the excellent care they afforded him throughout his time here.”
To date, Uncle Mo has accounted for 15 Grade I winners, among them the brilliantly fast Golden Pal (USA), winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2020 and the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint the following season. Overall, Uncle Mo is responsible for 109 stakes winners to date, some 56 at the graded level, and his progeny have earned nearly $125 million.
Uncle Mo is also an emerging sire of sires, and in 2020, Nyquist (USA), Laoban (USA) and Outwork (USA) occupied three of the top four spots on the first-crop sire list. Uncle Mo shuttled to Australia for four seasons from 2012 to 2015, where he sired G2 Hobartville S. winner Man From Uncle, and Listed winner Moqueen.
Order of entry announced for the Karaka Millions
The latest order of entry for the two Karaka Millions races was released by New Zealand Bloodstock on Friday. Sweet Ice (NZ) (Frosted {USA}), Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}), and Hello Romeo (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) are the top three for the R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO. The top three for the R. Listed Karaka Millions 3YO are Bellatrix Star (Star Witness), Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel), and Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon).
Stunningly well-bred Chergui to debut on Saturday
Godolphin’s James Cummings will debut a pair of 2-year-old colts at Randwick on Saturday with Chergui (Frosted {USA}) and Cenotaph (Lonhro). “Chergui is a lovely, solid colt, he looks a fast colt,” Cummings told racenet.com.au of the son of blue hen mare Essaouira (Exceed And Excel).
“Our bloodstock team frequently remark the best of our Frosteds are beautifully bodied, good-looking horses like this colt. They are the type of Frosted that do well for us. He's out of a terrific mare, Essaouira who keeps throwing winners and good horses.” Essaouira is the dam of Group 1 winners Alizee (Sepoy) and Astern.
Pearce brothers hunt Group 2 win
Co-trainers Dan and Ben Pearce will chase down a feature race with Let’s Galahvant (Galah) in the G2 Ted Van Heemst S. at Ascot on Saturday. “Look, it was an enormous run in the Railway and was probably disappointing from the run he got in the Northerly,” Dan Pearce told racingwa.com.au.
“He did come out of with a few little issues that we hope we’ve rectified. If the same horse that runs that race in the Railway turns up, he could be right in it. He’s been good and is great today (Friday) and we’ve just tweaked a couple of things post the Northerly run which we hope can get him back on track.
“That Railway run was enormous and if that same horse turns up, we are going to be happy tomorrow (Saturday).”
Osborne could see bigger payday than at home
UK jockey Saffie Osborne could be set for her biggest payday in the saddle on Saturday at Pakenham, with nine rides, including Chorlton Lane (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in the Supernova, Herman Hesse (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Listed Pakenham Cup, and Running By (Impending) in the VOBIS Gold Bullion. “We don't have too many of those ($1m races) in England,” Osborne told racenet.com.au.
“Really nice to be getting some really nice rides on Saturday and Chorlton Lane looks like one of those, he's drawn a really nice barrier in one and his jump-out was very good. It's hard to know what he was beating (in the jump-out) but he did it all very impressively and very easily and work since has been very good. He's really fresh and well, an English horse and English rider together.”
Gollan pair strong in market for Falvelon S.
Tony Gollan has six runners in the Listed Falvelon S. on Saturday but two are the market standouts. “There is no doubt that Zarastro and Hidden Wealth headline the team, but there are a few there that will improve sharply into this race. The market has the order right, but Zarastro should be a bit closer to Hidden Wealth if anything,” Gollan told racenet.com.au.
Hidden Wealth (Better Than Ready) won the G3 George Moore S. last start, while Zarastro (I Am Invincible) was second in the Listed Bribie S. The other four are Cannonball (Capitalist), All That Pizzazz (Spirit Of Boom), Nettuno (I Am Invincible) and King Kapa (Capitalist). “They are all on different targets for the summer, it is not like I have stacked it to win the race.”
Around The Nation: Friday’s highlights
With night meetings at Canterbury, Cranbourne, and the Gold Coast, Friday also enjoyed six day meetings. Danielle Sieb trained 3-year-old filly Xcessive Force (Brutal {NZ}) won on debut at Goulburn, while the first at Canterbury was won by Team Hawkes trained 3-year-old gelding Stagnum (Exceedance) who became the 20th winner for his second season sire. Stagnum was ridden by Tyler Schiller, who made it a treble in winning three of the first four races on the card. His other winners were Madame Instrife (Russian Revolution), and 3-year-old filly Perfumist (NZ) (El Roca).
At Cranbourne, 3-year-old filly Pick ‘n’ Mix (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) won on debut, while at Gatton 3-year-old filly Becca (Better Than Ready) won on debut.
Half to Riff Rocket steps up in class
Michael Freedman-trained 3-year-old Codetta (Nicconi) is a half-sister to ill-fated dual Derby winner Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) who has won three in succession, and she steps up to Sydney on a Saturday, having won at Canterbury mid-week last start. “She has definitely improved each preparation,” Freedman told racenet.com.au.
“Early on she wasn't really showing us a great deal but she has kept on improving and on Saturday, it's a decent step up in grade but she has earnt that off her first two runs back. From a nice draw, Zac (Wadick) should be able to give her every chance. It's a decent step up in grade there on Saturday and we will get an idea if she can step up to an even better grade after that.”
ATC on look out for OTT contender
Australian Turf Club’s charitable arm the ATC Foundation will start a search for a Sydney Thoroughbred to be rehomed and retrained as a Paralympic athlete. In partnership with Equine Pathways Australia, a group of horses ending their careers on the track will be selected from ATC stables before one is sponsored by the ATC Foundation for retraining as an elite equestrian competitor. The unique program will aim to see a retired racehorse compete in 2028 in Los Angeles and 2032 in Brisbane.
“Horses are the number one stars of our sport and their welfare and care is an unequivocal priority of the ATC,” ATC Foundation Chair, Angela Belle McSweeney told racingnsw.com.au.
“Through the work and funding of the ATC Foundation we are delighted to offer this opportunity to extend the careers of ex-racehorses. We look forward to the search and selection process and ultimately seeing a Sydney Thoroughbred compete for Australia."
Te Akau juveniles hard to split
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are struggling to split their two juvenile runners, Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}) and Marokopa Falls (Hellbent), in Saturday’s G2 Wakefield Challenge S. “It was good seeing Marokopa Falls win like that on debut off only one trial where she actually ran last,” Bergerson told Loveracing.nz.
“It was a bit of a throw at the stumps, but she has got a fantastic constitution and a great racing brain. She hasn’t put a foot wrong since her trial, she was very good for Gryllsy (Craig Grylls) that day (debut win) and we gave him the choice and he has elected to ride Marokopa Falls.
“She has stayed on at Dad’s (Roydon Bergerson, Awapuni) following the run at Trentham. We didn’t want to bring her all the way back north. Dad has been really happy with her. He took her to Foxton on Tuesday for a quiet gallop and she is ticking all the boxes down there in Palmerston North.
“Cool Aza Rene is a gutsy filly who just seems to really thrive on the racing and stable life. She hasn’t put a foot wrong either and we gave her a freshen-up.”
Eulogy for Oaks-bound Leica Lucy
Oaks-bound filly Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) will have her first taste of Group racing at Trentham on Saturday in the G3 Eulogy S. “She’s come through that run very well, she never lifts her head out of the feed bin and was the same after she raced,” trainer Robbie Patterson told Loveracing.nz about her last start second.
“She’s going to love a mile, any easing of the track will be in her favour as well and the further she goes, the better I think she’ll be. She’s a lovely horse, she jumps, puts herself into the race and tries hard. We’re up a grade again on Saturday, but I think she’ll be up to the task.
“We’ll just keep stepping her up in trip, I don’t want to overtax her going into the Oaks because she’s a very straightforward and clean-winded horse.”
Herd selected as Sunline Trust Scholarship recipient
Manawatu’s Josh Herd has been announced as the 2025 recipient of the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship. The son of leading Central Districts trainer Lisa Latta and former top jockey Bruce Herd was inspired to apply for the scholarship after seeing the success of previous recipients, particularly fellow Palmerston North product Sam Bergerson, New Zealand’s leading trainer, alongside Te Akau training partner Mark Walker.
“I have seen how successful some of the past recipients have been in the industry and thought it would be a pretty good pathway forward,” Herd told Loveracing.nz.
“I have worked with Te Akau Racing’s Sam Bergerson and know what the scholarship has done for him, and so many others. Just to be able to go overseas and learn different ways of doing things and explore the opportunities the scholarship can offer is pretty exciting.”
The Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship, originally established by the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (NZTBA) and now administered by the Sunline Educational Trust, offers the successful candidate an all-expenses paid, bonded trip of 30 weeks, to experience the operational infrastructure, systems and management of the world's best in the thoroughbred industry.
Cutting edge wearable technology announced
Equibase, the industry's official database for racing in America, and Stable Analytics LLC, a technology company developing solutions for horse racing, have formed a strategic partnership aimed at advancing Thoroughbred welfare through cutting-edge wearable technology, the repository for racing stats said in a Thursday press release.
The collaboration will focus on the continued development and large-scale implementation of Stable Analytics's biometric sensor, Equigraph, which features a wireless biometric sensor mounted on the girth of the horse.
As part of this initiative, Equibase and Stable Analytics will participate in the American Association of Equine Practitioners research study that seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of wearable sensors for early detection of musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbreds.
Sutherland returns to saddle
It's been nearly a year-and-a-half since Chantal Sutherland last rode. Her career was sidelined May 6, 2023 after a freak accident at Gulfstream when she pulled her mount up when the horse was frightened by geese crossing the track. Sutherland was thrown from the saddle and suffered a very serious injury. She snapped the humerus bone right off the shoulder, and it was likely she would never ride again.
But she never gave up and she persisted. The reward, after a lot of hard work and soul-searching, is that she is now back. She will have her first mount back Friday evening in Dubai, where she will ride the debuting Pocket Phone (Ire) (Almanzor {Fr}) for trainer Bhupat Semar.
“I feel really good,” she said. “I feel positive about it. It's time to make the move and jump back in. I always feel like I could be more perfect. You don't get super racing fit until you've had a few rides. As far as nerves, I'm good. I feel like I've done this a lot, a million times. I want to give the filly a really good race, get out of the gate and get good position. I want to focus on the small things and hopefully it will work out.”
Lemon Pop joins Darley Japan
Lemon Pop (USA), who recently became the first dual winner of the G1 Champions Cup for over a decade, has been introduced at a fee of ¥5 million (AU$51,000) for 2025, identifying him as the most expensive stallion on the Darley Japan roster.
The 6-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid (USA), who was crowned the JRA Best Dirt Horse in 2023, will embark on his first season in Hokkaido following his Chukyo swansong which saw him retire as the winner of 13 of his 18 career starts. Trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, he also won last year's G1 February Stakes at Tokyo.
Lemon Pop will stand alongside the proven dirt sire Pyro (USA), who will stand for an unchanged fee of ¥4 million (AU$40,900), and Palace Malice (USA), the sire of this year's G1 NHK Mile Cup hero Jantar Mantar (Jpn). Previously based at Three Chimneys Farm, Palace Malice remains at a fee of ¥3.5 million (AU$36,800), having been the busiest stallion in Japan this year after relocating to Hokkaido.
Adayar (Ire) and Hukum (Ire), both top-class performers over middle-distances in Europe, also kicked off their second careers at Darley Japan this season. Derby hero Adayar will command an unchanged fee of ¥1.8 million ($18,428), while Hukum, who gained his biggest success in the 2023 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, remains at ¥1.2 million ($12,285).
Uruguay gains Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In Race
The one mile G3 Asociación Uruguaya de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera S., to be held June 29 at Hipodromo Nacional de Maroñas in Montevideo, has been designated as a 'Win and You're In' automatic qualifier for the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, according to a press release on Thursday from the Breeders' Cup.
Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders' Cup Limited Dora Delgado said, “Breeders' Cup Limited is pleased to bring our international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series to Uruguay with the addition of the Asociación Uruguaya de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera, a qualifying race for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.”