Traffic Warden a key part of Godolphin’s future
Godolphin trainer James Cummings expects a strong showing from 3-year-old colt Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) in Saturday’s G1 Lightning Stakes. “It will be a good test for him to ensure his mentality is on song for this weight-for-age test in the Lightning at Group 1 level. I do like the way the horse has gone about his work in the lead-up to this campaign. He’s behaving like a different horse this preparation, compared to the later stages of his last,” Cummings told Gareth Hall on SEN.
“He’s arguably not a pure 1000-metre horse that you need to win a Lightning, but he’s trialled like a horse who is certainly ready to run a big race. We feel like he’s absolutely flying in his preliminary and it’s a good opportunity for him to have a far better experience up the straight than he had in the Coolmore, three weeks out from the Newmarket.
Traffic Warden | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He can run very well here and we might even learn something about him here. He absolutely flying and he’s entitled to be competitive and finishing off hard, putting in the type of run to suggest this is a colt worth following in three weeks. If he were able to graduate to the breeding barn with a Lightning Stakes next to his name, it would be a pretty big deal for the value of the horse and his future.”
O’ Ole to miss G1 Blue Diamond
Trainer Bjorn Baker announced that his star 2-year-old filly O’ Ole (Ole Kirk) pulled up sore after her trial on Thursday and will be spelled.
“A veterinary examination of O’ Ole following yesterday’s barrier trial at Randwick had revealed an issue with the filly’s left fore fetlock which will require surgery and consequently will be spelled immediately,” the stewards told racingnsw.com.au.
Feroce back for the autumn
Narrowly beaten in the G1 Caulfield Guineas, Dom Sutton-trained 3-year-old gelding Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) will resume in the G3 CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. “That's the plan for him, to win a Group 1 this time in and his main target is the Australian Guineas,” Sutton told racing.com.
“I'm liking what I'm seeing as he's going well and he's bigger and stronger. I'm expecting him to run well on Saturday but it's going to be a good test. He's showing us the talent he's shown before and I've been happy with his two trials. He also seems more relaxed.”
Slipper contender Pallaton to give a reminder
Trainer Michael Freedman thinks 2-year-old colt Pallaton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) will remind everyone of his G1 Golden Slipper credentials at Randwick on Saturday where he runs in the $160,000 Pierro Plate. “You’d want to see him run a good race,” Freedman told racingnsw.com.au.
“He’s drawn to get a nice run just behind the speed, a similar set up to when he won first-up. There’s probably a bit more depth to this race so it’ll be more of a testing race for him. Barring bad luck, if you’re going to be a genuine contender in five weeks time you want him to be making his presence felt in this race.”
Magic Time to lead in G2 Expressway
Trainer Grahame Begg will likely lead with Group 1 winner Magic Time (Hellbent) in Saturday’s G2 Expressway Stakes. “I can’t see any speed in the race. The only horse I thought possibly was the Irish horse (Givemethebeatboys), whether they want to be doing that first run in Australia I don’t know, but I can’t see much tempo in the race,” Begg told racingnsw.com.au.
Magic Time | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“She begins so brilliantly out of the gates and can be there, so it might be the plan to take the race by the scruff of the neck. I just can’t see anything booting up.” Her goal this autumn is the G1 Canterbury Stakes.
Albany Racing Club board quits
A day after Racing WA announced they were suspending racing at Albany Racing Club due to ongoing financial issues, thewest.com.au has reported that the entire Board of the club has resigned. TTR will be monitor the developing situation further over the weekend.
Blitzburg to spell
Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou informed the stewards that 2-year-old colt Blitzburg (Snitzel) will miss the rest of the autumn. “X-rays revealed a small bone chip in Blitzburg’s near fore fetlock and consequently he will be spelled immediately,” the stewards told racingnsw.com.au.
Godolphin’s Comedy to showcase himself on Saturday
Godolphin trainer James Cummings will run 2-year-old colt Comedy (Snitzel) in Saturday’s Pierro Plate at Randwick. “I think he can run well, he’s had the right prep. We’ve taken our time with him and he had a good break since that first win,” Cummings told godolphin.com.
“He’s got natural improvement and I liked the way he went about, it and has gone ahead from one trial to the next. We’ve toyed with some gear changes and we like the way he has trained ahead of this event. Any horse with Slipper aspirations needs to be running well against the field assembled here.
Comedy | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He’s training along like a horse who is capable of mixing it with those horses. Whilst there’s improvement to come, he’s a naturally athletic horse who covers a bit of ground and he’s ready for this ungraded race right around the corner from better races ahead.”
Perfumist aimed at NZB Kiwi
Trainer Bjorn Baker is keen to find a slot in the new NZB Kiwi with 3-year-old filly Perfumist (NZ) (El Roca). She runs at Randwick on Saturday. “We’ve always had time for her so from that point of view it’s not the biggest surprise but she’s kept going the right way,” Baker told racingnsw.com.au.
“She has tactical speed so she will be able to put herself there. She’s very tractable, she’s an exciting filly and continues to look great.”
Group 1 winner Captured By Love makes Aussie debut
Te Akau Racing’s G1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) will make her Australian debut in Saturday’s Listed Desirable Stakes. “She travelled over and settled in well,” co-trainer Mark Walker said.
Captured By Love | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“It has come up a pretty strong field, the One Thousand Guineas winner (Another Prophet) is in it and the number three horse (Too Darn Discreet) is a pretty good horse as well. It is never a walk in the park over there, that’s for sure, and it won’t be on Saturday either. But she is in good form and we are hopeful.”
Newman delivers quartet at Ballina
At Ballina on Friday, apprentice jockey Jett Newman rode a quartet of winners. Three years ago, she won a pony race on Australia Day in the series run by Thoroughbred Industry Careers and Pony Club Australia with her family pony Otis.
At Ballina, Newman won on debutant 3-year-old filly Deep Stealth (Deep Field), 3-year-old gelding High Class Roller (Spirit Of Boom), Hollywood Epic (Shamus Award), and Luv Archie (Sooboog). She has five winners from 11 race day rides.
Around the Nation: Friday’s highlights
Nine meetings made for a busy Friday, with three of those being night meetings. Darryl Johnston trained 2-year-old gelding Krackacan (Wanted) won at Rockhampton on debut. He is the first foal of Lingalong Lass (Mossman). At the same meeting, 3-year-old gelding Scrub Chain (Jungle Cat {Ire}) made it four wins in succession. Over at Canterbury, unbeaten So You Think (NZ) filly Atelier extended her winning streak to three for Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald.
Lilly makes stakes debut in Southland Guineas
Trainer Ross Beckett is pleased with 3-year-old filly Lilly (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) ahead of Saturday’s Listed Southland Guineas. “We’ve always had this race in mind and she’s come through that run really well, I’m more than happy with her. It is a quick turnaround for her, but she’s had a lot of work and she’s ready to go,” Beckett told Loveracing.nz. He owns and bred the filly with his wife Cate.
Ponting to lunch at Morphettville
Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting and his wife Rianna will sponsor a race and host the Ponting Wines Lunch at Morphettville Racecourse on Saturday, February 22. “We love the racing industry and its ability to bring so many people together,” Ponting told racingsa.com.au.
Ricky Ponting
“South Australia is special to us, not only for the many highlights throughout my cricket career but also as a critical part of Ponting Wines. Sponsoring the Ponting Wines Handicap allows Rianna and I to merge our passions for wine and racing, and we’re excited to share this experience with racegoers at Morphettville.”
Group 1 winner invited to Hong Kong for QEII Cup
When trainer Stephen Marsh was sent an invitation to April’s G1 QEII Cup in Hong Kong for recent Group 1 winner El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking), he leapt at the chance. “We received an email from Hong Kong (Jockey Club) who asked if we would potentially be interested and we said ‘if we’re invited we would certainly be interested’, so they said ‘here’s your invite’,” Marsh told Loveracing.nz.
El Vencedor (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“It will be a great trip and he looks like the right sort of horse to do it. He will cop the travel and it will be a great experience. I have never been to Hong Kong, but I am looking forward to it. It will all be pretty straight forward. They (Hong Kong Jockey Club) look after you well and I will do a lot of homework on it before I go.”
Hong Kong steward backs new system
Hong Kong Jockey Club chief steward Marc van Gestel has backed his higher careless riding charges to keep safety high. “Last season, we were exceptionally happy with how that new system worked, but this season the instances have been a little higher than we would have liked,” Van Gestel told scmp.com.
“Jockeys like (Zac) Purton and (Brenton) Avdulla, who haven’t been charged this season, are continuing to ride safely. I think it’s come down to the competitive environment we’re in and some jockeys are probably just overstepping the mark. I don’t think it’s anything to do with the system.
“What our statistics show is that 50 per cent of instances occur in the home straight, which is essentially where the riders are trying to go onto win or run a placing in the race.” This season there have been 55 careless riding bans handed out so far with half the season to run, compared to 74 for the entirety of last season.
Son of Irish Lights nearing return
Just Steel (USA) (Justify {USA}), runner-up in last year's GI Arkansas Derby, continues to train towards his 4-year-old debut at Oaklawn Park, with the Mar. 29 GIII Oaklawn Mile his first major target of the season, according to trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Just Steel has been sidelined since suffering a condylar fracture during a fifth-place effort in the GI Preakness Stakes last May.
A half-brother to Group 2 winner Omei Sword (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Listed winner Lipizzaner (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}), Just Steel is a son of G1 MRC Thousand Guineas winner Irish Lights (Fastnet Rock).
Goffs Online topped by 150k Aga Khan mare
Sulaiyma (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a 4-year-old half-sister to G3 Munster Oaks heroine Sumiha (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), topped Thursday's Goffs Online Sale, which consisted of seven lots from the draft of the Aga Khan Studs. The horses were scratched out of the Goffs February Sale proper as a mark of respect following the recent passing of His Highness The Aga Khan.
The bay went to Tally-Ho Stud on a bid of €150,000 (AU$248,000). Sold as lot 381, the filly is from the extended family of Sinndar (Ire). All seven lots offered sold for a gross of €338,500 (AU$559,000). The average was €48,358 (AU$79,000) and the median was €30,000 (AU$49,600).
Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “Goffs was pleased to accommodate the wishes of the Aga Khan Studs by conducting a special one-off online sale of their February Sale draft and are delighted with the results headed by a top price of €150,000 and a perfect clearance rate of 100 per cent. The bloodlines that His Highness nurtured with such skill and care over the last 65 years are always highly prized and we wish the new owners the best of luck with their purchases.”
Plan to grow racing staff announced by BHA
A new three-year workforce strategy, designed to improve recruitment, development and retention of people working within the racing and breeding industries, has been announced by the independently-chaired Horseracing Industry People Board (HIPB).
Titled Our People, Racing's Future, the strategy encompasses five main themes, starting with the recruitment of more people with suitable skills, the training and development of new and existing members of the workforce, and improving employment practices to help with retention of staff. The final two elements are inclusion and wellbeing, with an emphasis on mental and physical health provision.
The strategy has also been approved by racing's leaders, with Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), describing the launch as “an important moment for the sport.”
