Maher buys top lot at Tattersalls
Australian trainer Ciaron Maher made his presence felt, even from 10,000 miles away, when he swooped to buy the day's top lot, Galashiels (GB) (Australia {GB}), through agent Colm Sharkey at the Tattersalls February Sale.
“He has the form and pedigree,” said Sharkey, after bidding 220,000gns (AU$461,000) for the five-time Godolphin winner. “He will be let down first and will probably head out on the next flight.”
It was only last April that Galashiels beat Goliath (Ger) to win the Listed Prix Seymour for Andre Fabre and that form now has a strong look to it with the subsequent G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Goliath ending the year as the co-third-top-rated horse in the world.
On a day when nine of the top ten lots hailed from the Godolphin draft, Italian agent Alessandro Marconi was the busiest buyer, signing for 17 horses for the same unnamed client, led by Godolphin's Scarlet Princess (GB) at 130,000gns (AU$274,000). The 3-year-old daughter of Kingman (GB) and G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Lady Marian (Ger) (Nayef) was placed twice for Charlie Appleby to earn a Timeform rating of 79p.
From 114 horses sold, the average of 22,013gns (AU$46,000) was up by 56 per cent while the median more than doubled at 14,500gns (AU$30,300). The day's aggregate of 2,509,500gns (AU$5.2 million) represented a rise of 74 per cent. The second and final session of the February Sale commences at 10am on Friday (local time).
Well-related Sliders heads Inglis Digital
Group 1 performers, siblings to Group 1 winners, dams of Group 1 winners, and shares in several Group 1 winners highlight the catalogue for the Inglis Digital February (Early) Online Sale.
One of the more eye-catching entries is the broodmare Sliders (Street Boss), a young, well-bred mare that’s a half sister to G1 Thousand Guineas winner Flit and a three-quarter sister to triple Group 1-winning Champion colt Broadsiding. She is being offered in foal to Australia’s leading sire I Am Invincible and with a Blue Point colt foal at foot.
The catalogue also contains shares in top quality racehorses including Group 1 winners Tuvalu (25%) and Communist (15%), Group 2 winner Amazonian Lass (5%), multiple Group winner Recommendation (2 x 5%), stakes placed 3-year-old colt Spywire (5%), dual stakes placed 2-year-old Yes Lulu (5%), the hugely impressive debutant Editing (10%).
In total the February (Early) catalogue consists of 374 lots – 174 racehorses (84 race fillies), 89 broodmares, 67 racehorse shares, 41 yearlings and 3 unraced stock.
NZ Derby runners to be seen on Saturday
G1 New Zealand Derby candidates Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) and Interplanetary (NZ) (Time Test {GB}) will continue their preparation on Saturday for trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy. “(Willydoit) wasn’t nominated for the Karaka Millions unfortunately, otherwise we probably would’ve gone there. His plan now will be Saturday’s race, into the Avondale Guineas and the Derby,” Clotworthy told Loveracing.nz.
Jamie Carruthers suspended for six months
Racing NSW stewards have suspended owner Jamie Carruthers for six months in relation to social media posts that “depicted a Thoroughbred horse within a round yard being educated. In subsequent comments on the Facebook post when engaging with members of the public, Mr Carruthers made improper comments which were prejudicial to the image, interests, integrity and welfare of racing.”
McDonald keen for juvenile pair on Saturday
James McDonald didn’t ride on Friday night at Canterbury due to illness, but will hopefully be well enough to ride two Chris Waller 2-year-olds on Saturday. Tropic (Zoustar) will make his debut G3 Canonbury Stakes and Snitzel Miss (Snitzel) will debut in the G3 Widden Stakes. “(Tropic) is a lovely horse, he’s done everything good and he’s drawn a nice gate so he should be pretty competitive in that race. I think he is pretty adaptable, I haven’t sat on him at the trials ... but he has been on speed in his trials so I expect him to be there,” McDonald told racingnsw.com.au.
James McDonald | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“(Snitzel Miss) is a quality filly and similar to the other one, she has been well educated and she is ready for her debut. She has come up against a pretty handy field but she has shown above average ability. So, we look forward to stepping her out.”
Dux of SA Academy is Milnes
Rochelle Milnes has been named the 2024 Dux of the South Australian Academy thanks to 103 winners in 2024, including three metro trebles. “It is a thrill. I'm really proud of myself, it takes a lot of hard work, but it's something you aspire to do,” Milnes, who hails from Port Lincoln, told racenet.com.au.
“I'm really glad that I've been given the opportunities that have allowed me to be here now.” She was also runner-up to Jake Toeroek in the John Letts Medal, alongside winning the Metropolitan Apprentice of the Year title in 2023/24.
Mott and Williams to miss Lightning
Craig Williams and Jamie Mott were suspended at Pakenham on Thursday night and will miss the G1 Lightning Stakes meeting. Both Williams and Mott pleaded guilty to careless riding charges in the 2-year-old event won by McGaw (I Am Immortal), with Williams wearing an eight-meeting ban and Mott 10 meetings.
Racing Victoria charge Donalds Racing directors
Racing Victoria announced on Friday that they have formally charged and penalised Alex Vinar and Todd Hughes, Directors of Donalds Racing Pty Ltd, for breaching horse syndication regulations.
Vinar and Hughes pleaded guilty at an inquiry to nine breaches of Syndicate Rules (SR) 9(3) and 9(1)(a). They were collectively fined $20,000, of which $10,000 has been suspended for a period of two years.
Cherish Me straight into Blue Diamond
Trainer Ciaron Maher will use Cherish Me (Brazen Beau)’s ballot exemption for the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes to go directly there for her next start. “We were just seeing how she was and conscious of her long term,” assistant trainer Jack Turnbull told racing.com.
Cherish Me | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“We've taken it easy with her and she will have a gallop on Tuesday. I had a chat with Ciaron on Thursday and she's been in work but we will just build her back up and trial her on the 10th (of February) and get ready for the Diamond.”
Around the Nation: Friday’s highlights
Friday was busy with four day meetings and three night meetings. Chris Waller’s 2-year-old filly Karinska (Spirit Of Boom) won on debut at Canterbury. She was a $310,000 purchase by Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) from Redbank North’s 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. Redbank North took only four yearlings to that sale in 2024 and Karinska is the second winner after Listed winner Tremonti (Hellbent).
At Werribee, 3-year-old gelding Rocket Boosters (Cable Bay {Ire}) won on debut, as did 3-year-old gelding Colour Blast (Long Leaf) who became the fifth winner for his second-season sire. Apprentice jockey Stephanie Hateley won the last three on the card aboard Somebodytolove (More Than Ready {USA}), Saint Lazare (Under The Louvre), and 3-year-old gelding Exuma (Blue Point {Ire}). In WA, 3-year-old gelding Later Alligator (Playing God) won on debut.
Resolute Racing’s first Group 1 winner retired
Argentine Champion 3-year-old filly and Grade I winner Didia (Arg) (Orpen {USA}) has been retired to Resolute Farm, according to the operation's John Stewart. Campaigned by Merriebelle Stable and Resolute, the 7-year-old will be bred to Darley's Nyquist (USA).
A two-time Group 1 winner in her native Argentina at two, she won her initial four starts after joining Ignacio Correas IV in the USA. She returned in her 5-year-old debut to score in the GI Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational at Gulfstream to become the first Grade 1 winner for Resolute Racing.
Saumarez Smith steps down as BHA Chair
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced on Thursday that its chair, Joe Saumarez Smith, has made the decision to step down from his role with immediate effect, having been advised by his oncologist that he has leptomeningeal metastases.
Senior independent director David Jones, who has previously deputised for Saumarez Smith, has assumed the role as interim chair of the BHA ahead of the formal handover to incoming chair Lord Charles Allen on June 1. Saumarez Smith, who became chair of the BHA in June 2022, having previously been on the Board since 2014, will continue to remain available to assist with the transition of chair process.
“I am very disappointed to step down as chair of the BHA board but, now the cancer has spread to my brain and I have been told that my lifespan is pretty limited, I feel it would be very unfair on horse racing if I did not hand over the reins immediately,” said Saumarez Smith.
Joe Saumarez Smith | Image courtesy of British Horse Racing
“I have thoroughly enjoyed both being on the BHA board for over a decade and being chair for nearly three years. It has been an immense privilege to have such a senior role in a sport I have loved since the age of eight.
“I did not want to stay on and make decisions that were potentially open to later challenge if questions were raised about whether the cancer had impaired my abilities. David Jones will do an excellent job in the interim and I think Lord Charles Allen will do a fantastic job with his highly impressive track record and enthusiasm for the sport.”
Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the BHA, added, “It is a great sorrow to all of us that Joe has had to step down so suddenly because of his ill health. He has been an outstanding chair and Board member of the BHA for more than a decade. But more than that, he has been a passionate, dedicated and powerful ambassador for the sport and British racing owes him a huge debt.
“Having worked with Joe for more than a decade his wise counsel, personal support, and pure love of the sport will be deeply missed.”
Irish annual figures look positive
Full-year statistics for 2024, released on Thursday by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), showed increases in the key metrics of attendances, commercial sponsorship and on-course betting.
Attendance figures for the first six months of 2024 were 1.5 per cent behind the corresponding period of 2023, which HRI attributed to a combination of bad weather, adverse ground conditions and an extraordinary number of rescheduled fixtures. However, the end-of-year figure of 1.24 million is up 0.5 per cent, with strong returns from the Irish Champions Festival, Listowel Festival, Navan Racing Festival and Christmas Festivals at Leopardstown and Limerick contributing to the growth.
Meanwhile, commercial sponsorship in 2024 rose by 7.9 per cent to €6.8 million (AU$11.3 million), with EBF sponsorship totalling €2.9 million (AU$4.8 million) (up 7.4 per cent). Total on-course betting, including Tote, rose to €84.1 million (AU$140.4 million), an increase of 4.5 per cent, while bookmaker betting on-course went up by 5.6 per cent to €73.7 million (AU$123 million).
Champion German trainer to retire
Trainer Markus Klug, a four-time German champion trainer, will retire on February 28, according to Galopp Online. He has spent 22 years in the role, 13 of them as a private trainer for Gestut Rottgen, before training from Krefeld beginning in 2024.
“After 22 years as an owner and public trainer, I have decided to end my active career on Feb 28,” Klug said in a statement released on Thursday. The 48-year-old was named the top trainer in Germany in 2014 and 2016-2018. Some of the top horses to have passed through his care including G1 Deutsches Derby heroes Sea The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (2014), Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) (2017), and the latter's half-brother Weltstar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (2018). Diamanta (Ger) (Maxios {GB}) claimed the G1 Preis der Diana for Klug in 2019.
“Of course, training will continue normally until the end of February, so that all owners have over a month to plan with their horses in peace. I would like to thank my team, which has taken care of the welfare of the horses with great commitment and heart and soul. My special thanks go to all those who have accompanied me on my way over the last 22 years, first as owner-trainers and then as public trainers, and who have placed their trust in me. I am grateful for the time and the successes I have been able to experience in horse racing. There will certainly be a few more opportunities to comment on this in more detail in the next few weeks.”
US Virgin Island racing to improve on terrible 2024
Racing in 2024 for the first time since a pair of 2017 hurricanes decimated St. Thomas's Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack in the U.S. Virgin Islands, at least six Thoroughbreds were euthanized over the course of three carded days at the track. Another horse suffered a breakdown during a workout, bringing the total to seven. Those are just some of several major issues plaguing the St. Thomas/St. John Horse Racing Commission (STT/STJ HRC), who is charged with the responsibility of regulating racing on the island for 2025.
“The number of breakdowns in the 2024 season was unacceptable and concerning to the Commission,” said Vice-Chairman Dr. Laura Palminteri. “At this time, the track is being evaluated and stateside experts are being consulted prior to any further racing. The Commission will be requesting the Legislature to reinstate anti-doping laws and no racing is scheduled for now. The search process is ongoing for a permanent racetrack promoter, and we are hopeful for a successful 2025.”
