Four meetings abandoned on Saturday
As well as the Gold Coast meeting, the meeting at Eagle Farm was abandoned before a race was run. In NSW, both Kembla Grange and Glen Innes were abandoned. “The Kembla Grange meeting scheduled for today has been postponed due to the state of the track following 64mm in the last 7 days, including 20mm in the last 24hrs (14mm overnight),” said Racing NSW stewards in a press release.
“Glen Innes: Stewards have conducted a track inspection following 38mm of rainfall in the previous 24 hours and determined that the surface is not suitable for racing and therefore today’s meeting has been postponed.”
Emotional double at Flemington for Good
Former North Melbourne star Kerry Good’s daughter Ashlee died in a shocking knife attack, which claimed six lives, at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre in April last year. On Saturday, Good enjoyed a winning double as an owner at Flemington with 3-year-old gelding Thedoctoroflove (So You Think {NZ}) and Taramansour (Ire) (Dansili {GB}).
“Last year was very tough, I just couldn't wait for the year to end. I couldn't wait to get rid of it,” Good told racenet.com.au. “I actually wore the same suit as I wore to my daughter's funeral today and it might have helped. It's a very special day.”
Trainer Phillip Stokes will aim Taramansour at the G2 Adelaide Cup. “From here we might go towards a Torney Cup or maybe an Adelaide Cup. He’ll be back at the farm tomorrow and we’ll just keep him ticking over there and just keep him mentally happy and hopefully he can win more races for connections,” Stokes told racing.com.
Bonita Queen potentially aimed at stakes class next
Jockey Adam Hyeronimus rode well-bred 4-year-old mare Bonita Queen (I Am Invincible) to victory at Wyong on Saturday. “Each preparation she has improved which has been very nice, in her mannerisms and what not. I think she will be a lot more relaxed,” Hyeronimus told racenet.com.au.
“She is obviously a sharp filly but having today's run she will be a lot more relaxed but I think she can get to stakes grade. Everything has to keep going the right way and it looks like it's going to.” She has now won four of her 10 starts with earnings over $220,000, and was a $550,000 purchase from Fernrigg Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft by Bjorn Baker, Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA), and Cunningham Thoroughbreds. She is the first foal of Group 2 winner Quilista (Scandal Keeper) who is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Red Can Man (Gingerbread Man).
Around The Nation: Saturday’s other notable moments
Even with four meetings washed out, racing fans still had 11 meetings to enjoy on Saturday. Toronado (Ire) bookended the Flemington meeting with 3-year-old gelding Zorro’s Flight who now has two wins in succession, and 4-year-old mare Shesallshenanigans who was a Listed winner last spring. Jockey Lachlan Neindorf rode a treble at Murray Bridge on unbeaten 2-year-old filly La Roux (Zousain), 3-year-old gelding Noetzie (Harry Angel {Ire}), and The Mansman (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) with all three trained by Phillip Stokes.
Trainer Jim F Taylor enjoyed a treble at King Island with Barrabool (Russian Revolution), Moonglow Miss (Odyssey Moon), and Mayoral Privileges (Love Conquers All). At Darwin, jockey Sonja Logan rode a treble on Queen In The North (Headwater), Crown Waters (Hallowed Crown), and Lord Fenrir (Hellbent).
Hashizume escapes serious injury in fall
New Zealand jockey Masa Hashizume walked to the ambulance after a horror fall in the last race at Trentham on Saturday. Unfortunately, Shirley Temple (NZ) (Vespa {NZ}) was humanely euthanised after the fall. Hashizume is currently second on the Jockey’s Premiership in New Zealand.
Lui’s Classic team to warm up at Sha Tin
With the first leg of the 4-year-old series on January 31, trainer Francis Lui will run most of his contenders at Sha Tin on Sunday. Last start winner Packing Hermod (Rubick) will once again have to defy a wide berth in gate 11 with Lyle Hewitson in the saddle. “He’s good. He’s worked well and he’s kept ticking along. He’s a progressive horse and he keeps improving all the time,” Lui told scmp.com.
Francis Lui | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Divano (Brave Smash {Jpn}) runs in the same race on Sunday. “We have to try and step him up because we’ve entered him for the Classic Mile. I’m not sure about it, but he’s a 4-year-old so we’ll step him up and see how he does.”
His other key runner for the meeting is Steps Ahead (Written By). “I’m trying to get a few more rating points for him looking at the Classic Mile as well. He’s very consistent and hopefully he can do well again to get him in there.”
81 Group 1 winners nominated for Saudi Cup meeting
The two-day US$38.1 million (AU$62 million) Saudi Cup meeting nominations at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on February 21-22 were released by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia on Friday. A total of 81 Grade/Group 1 winners are among the 1123 entries from 21 countries that have stepped up, with Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) throwing his hat in the ring for the G1 Saudi Cup.
HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled Alfaisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia said, “On behalf of everyone at the JCSA, I would like to extend my thanks to owners and trainers from around the world for their nominations for the 2025 Saudi Cup meeting. We are proud to be top of mind for the trainers of the world's best from more than 20 countries, including so many that have won at the highest level.
Romantic Warrior (Ire) | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“Horse racing thrives on international competition, and we believe that the Saudi Cup is the perfect event to showcase the best of global racing. The Saudi Cup itself is the pinnacle of our racing season and in a few short years has become a truly global race. This year's renewal looks perhaps the strongest yet.”
Half-sister to Bluestocking in Tattersalls Sale
A total of 331 lots have been catalogued for the two-day Tattersalls February Sale which will be held from Thursday, January 30 and Friday, January 31. One of the highlights is Desirous (GB) (Kingman {GB}) (Lot 64), a half-sister to last year's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}); also offered is Divisimo (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a full sister to Bluestocking's dam Emulous (GB) as Lot 63. Propel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a half-sister to a trio of Group 1 performers in foal to Pinatubo (Ire) sells as Lot 29.
The sale will also feature the Tattersalls Stallion Parade at 11.30am (local) on Day 1, as well as the inaugural Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) Showcase, which kicks off the entire two-day stand at 11am (local) on Thursday, with the sale proper beginning immediately after the former. Friday's session will start at 10am (local).
Comprised of 124 fillies and mares in/out-of-training, 23 broodmares, 157 colts and geldings in/out-of-training, 18 yearlings, and nine 2-year-olds, the sale includes drafts from Godolphin and Juddmonte, as well as from trainers Andrew Balding, Karl Burke, John and Thady Gosden, Richard Hannon and William Haggas.
Santa Anita continues to feel fire impacts
The Santa Anita racing community continues to feel the impacts of the nearby Eaton fire reported TDN on Friday. While the track itself and the 1800 horses stabled on grounds have not been threatened, the fire has burned more than 13,900 acres while forcing over 100,000 people from their homes and destroying over 1000 structures in the surrounding area. Agent Mike Ciani confirmed two-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Mario Gutierrez is among those who have lost their home from the fire.
Among those forced to evacuate were trainers Michael McCarthy, Phil D'Amato, Dan Blacker and Tim Yakteen. Blacker said he and his family evacuated their Pasadena home near where the Eaton Fire started Tuesday night. “My family is fine,” said Blacker. “Our house is fine. We still haven't gone back as the power is still out. The whole thing is so sad. I'm just thankful we're all okay and the horses here are all okay. There are a lot of houses near ours that just aren't there anymore.
“Santa Anita has done a great job keeping everyone informed. We've also had the fire marshal here keeping everyone informed. It's not an easy process to navigate. As concerning as all this has been, everything here seems like it's getting back to normal.”
New Kentucky Thoroughbred Association Board
Four newly elected board members of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA) and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders (KTOB) were announced by the organizations Friday. Whit Beckman, Kelsey Danner, Austin Luttrell and Michael Snyder were elected to serve three-year terms while incumbents William Daugherty, Walker Hancock, Dermot Ryan and Kim Smith were also reelected.
“We would like to thank Patrick Costello and James Baker for their service,” the KTA said in a press release Friday. “Pat and Jimmy were instrumental in both shaping policy for marketing investments and our advocacy for racing economics which have made Kentucky racing the strongest in North America.”
