Daily News Wrap

Cyclone causes delay to March sale

Magic Millions announced on Wednesday that the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale will be delayed by two weeks for the safety of participants with the new dates to be March 24 and 25.

“The two week delay will be required so the sale can be held safely on the Gold Coast,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said in a press release.

“We want to be able to provide certainty to all of those involved in the auction with Cyclone Alfred approaching the South East Queensland coast. Magic Millions will always place safety for our participants and horses first and while changes will always create issues, this delay is necessary. We thank our breeders, vendors, buyers and all other parties for their understanding at this time and we wish all people in the affected areas the best over the coming days.”

Racing Queensland meeting changes

Due to Cyclone Alfred, Racing Queensland announced several meeting changes for the next week. Today’s Sunshine Coast meeting was cancelled, as was the meeting at the same location on Sunday March 9. Doomben’s Friday meeting will move to Eagle Farm on Tuesday, while the Gold Coast QTIS Jewel meeting will shift from this Saturday until next Saturday, March 15. Several other changes to minor meetings have also been announced.

NSW Government’s response to Rosehill Inquiry recommendations due on Thursday

The NSW government is set to deliver its official response to the Rosehill parliamentary inquiry tomorrow, with one key recommendation already confirmed.

Racing Minister David Harris has announced a review of the Thoroughbred Racing Act 1996, aligning with one of the five recommendations from the Rosehill Select Committee’s final report released in December. This move signals potential legislative changes governing the state’s racing industry.

The inquiry into the proposed sale and redevelopment of Rosehill Racecourse raised concerns over transparency, governance, and potential conflicts of interest. The committee also recommended further scrutiny of Racing NSW. With the government’s formal stance due Thursday, The Thoroughbred Report will cover the findings as they are released.

Chatsworth buys mare for US$2.6 million on Fasig-Tipton Digital

Reigning Eclipse Champion Female Sprinter Soul of an Angel (USA) (Atreides {USA}) set a new record price for the Fasig-Tipton Digital platform Tuesday, selling to Australia's Chatsworth Stud for US$2.6 million (AU$4.16 million) in a one-horse flash sale. Winner of the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in November, Soul of an Angel was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Throughout the sale, Soul of an Angel remained at her current base of Gulfstream Park in Florida.

“Soul of an Angel took us to the pinnacle of horse racing in the Breeders' Cup, so it was a bit bittersweet letting her go,” said co-owner Mark Cornett. “We are thrilled with the result and wish the new owners the best of luck with her.”

“I think it's groundbreaking. A horse has never sold at a digital sale for that much money,” said Steve Castagnola of Taylor Made Sales. “The owners are not breeders and they had a plan to go to the Saudi Cup. Unfortunately, that plan didn't work out. Rather than wait until November, we came up with the idea of putting her in this digital sale, ourselves and Fasig-Tipton, and see what might happen. We really didn't know what would happen because none of us had any sort of experience with this sort of thing. We'd like to thank Vin Cox and Chatsworth Stud for buying her.”

The US$2.6 million (AU$4.16 million) sale is the highest to date on Fasig-Tipton's Digital platform, which launched in March of 2022.

Vale Kaye Hill

On Wednesday, Racing Queensland announced the death of pioneer trainer Kaye Hill, aged 75. In 1964, she became the first female to be licenced as a strapper at the Queensland Turf Club. Women were already able to be licensed as strappers in NSW and Victoria at the time. From there she became a trainer. “She worked as a strapper for my father (Barry) when she moved from Brisbane to Gympie originally,” Trevor Thomas told racingqueensland.com.au.

“Dad knew her as she was growing up as he spent all his life here in Gympie. That was until she was able to gain a trainer's licence herself and then of course she trained from there on in at Gympie for a lot of years. She was the nicest person and very quick-witted. She loved her racing. I saw her at the last Nanango meeting and she was always smiling – she always had a smile on her face.”

Her last winner was Prince Of Diamonds (Moshe) who won at Gatton on Friday. A small trainer, Hill won around 20 races a year. Prince Of Diamonds has seven wins from 28 starts.

Petition rejected by ATC

The petition to call a meeting for Australian Turf Club members to vote on the future of Chair Peter McGauran has failed with several of the required 600 signatures having issues. “They rejected it because we had six duplicate names and said some of the members who signed were not financial,” Save Rosehill spokeswoman and former ATC board member Julia Ritchie told racenet.com.au.

“We reject that and have challenged the finding. Even at the races on Saturday I had 18 members come forward to sign the petition in just half an hour. They are so angry at the sale of the jewel in racing's crown.” The delay means that any meeting can’t be called before members vote on the proposal to sell Rosehill on April 3.

Wodeton needs to finish top two

Trainer Chris Waller needs 2-year-old colt Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to finish in the top two of Saturday’s G2 Todman Stakes to make the Slipper field. “I’m not running him to qualify him I’m running him to prepare him for the Golden Slipper,” Waller told racingnsw.com.au.

“If he doesn’t win or run second he wouldn’t be going to the Golden Slipper. The 1200 metres will suit, he just got caught wide (in the Silver Slipper) and posted with no cover yet was still strong over the last 200 metres.

“He’s come through it really well, he’s such a professional horse and a good horse. You wouldn’t know he’s had a run. The whole idea of running (in the Silver Slipper) was to give him three runs going into the Slipper. Just for a little bit of experience and whether he won or not it was an experience. He was exposed three deep, he was out of his comfort zone covering extra ground on a tight turning track and that’s what you can get in the Slipper.”

Non-ideal preparation for North England

Co-trainer Adrian Bott knows 2-year-old colt North England (Farnan) hasn’t had the most idea preparation for the Golden Slipper, and hopes Saturday’s G2 Todman Stakes gets him back on track. “He looks in great shape, he’s a very talented horse so we’re looking forward to seeing him back at the races,” Bott told racingnsw.com.au.

“He’s been qualified so that’s helped, we would have preferred to have the run and not miss the Silver Slipper but it is what it is. It’s not the be all and end all, he’s in the race, and we’d like to see some nice improvement going into the Slipper. Saturday is not the full picture for him.”

Waller’s Atishu set for All-Star Mile

Trainer Chris Waller thinks the upgrade to Group 1 status makes up for the drop in prizemoney for the G1 All-Star Mile. “It's come back in prizemoney but in my opinion it's added more value to racing by being a Group 1,” Waller told racenet.com.au. He will have Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) in the small field.

“Adds to the value of the horse, not just that horse, not just Atishu, her mother, her brothers, sisters and further down. How can you quantify value with Group 1 compared to a big race? Well, I'd say it easily surpasses that (prizemoney), probably puts a value of $20m into the bloodstock pool.

“Atishu's first up run was really good. She drew wide, went back and finished off nicely, she's trained on really well since. She loves Flemington, is a multiple Group 1 winner here, she loves the mile and it's good timing onto the Australian Cup from there.”

Another Wil heads into All-Star Mile fresh

Trainer Ciaron Maher is pleased with Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}) heading into Saturday’s G1 All-Star Mile. “Two weeks and then another two weeks, he is big and stands over a lot of ground and I just thought he might not be quite at his best if he goes two weeks, two weeks,” Maher told racing.com on the choice to miss the G1 Futurity Stakes.

“He is a tough horse (Mr) Brightside and he keeps running to that consistent high level. He was very good second-up last prep, as he was this prep and I am sure he will be mighty hard to beat again, but I am happy with (Another) Wil and where he is at, he is very well. He had a tick-over jumpout last week and I was very happy. Up to the mile and big track, he is on track for sure.”

Public Attention ready for Kiwi

Co-trainer Mick Price was happy to avoid Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and take Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon) to the NZB Kiwi. “I had been focused on the Randwick Guineas for Public Attention, because I thought that it could find him a home at stud,” Price told racenet.com.au.

“And it also didn't have that extra layer of risk which travel brings. But if Broadsiding has come on from his last run, he (Public Attention) wouldn't have beaten him. The other thing is that (Lindsay Park galloper) Evaporate is the favourite in The Kiwi.

“The Evaporate form is OK, but I am happy to take him on. Ellerslie is not a place where you want to be getting too far back, my colt will put himself right up there.”

Kimochi to sprint after setback

Trainer Gary Portelli will run Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}) in Satuday’s G2 Challenge Stakes over 1000 metres after she stood on a loose shoe and had a minor setback in training. “We had a little setback and we couldn’t get at her and get her ready for all these other races,” Portelli told racingnsw.com.au.

“I thought we’d give her one trial and go to 1000 metres and Nash (Rawiller) was pretty confident she’ll be very competitive. We’ve just seen a very sharp, fast, stronger mare come back. She’s very good fresh and she’s got good gate speed. I just think it’s a perfect race for her, she’ll get back a bit and be charging through the line and we can build her up from there.”

Three nominees for Lady Of Racing 2025

In the 30th year of its existence, three finalists have been announced for the 2025 Victorian Wakeful Club's Lady of Racing Award. They are VRC Racing Development Officer Rebecca Cassar, trainer Gwenda Johnstone and TTR’s founder Vicky Leonard who is also the managing director of marketing agency Kick Collective and the vital resource platform Kick Up for Racing.

Around the Nation: Wednesday’s highlights

With the Sunshine Coast cancelled, there were five meetings around Australia including Launceston’s night meeting. Andrew Gluyas trained 3-year-old gelding Tough Talk (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) won on debut at Oakbank.

Apprentice jockey Tom Prebble enjoyed his 100th winner when he won on 5-year-old gelding Cardone (Written Tycoon) who was having his first start for trainer Dan Meagher, having previously been with Chris Meagher.

Retirement lunch for jockey Schofield

Jockey Stephen 'Beaver' Schofield is retiring as a jockey and trainer and will honoured with a lunch at Wyong races on March 19.

Coolmore and Godolphin dominate as Guineas entries released

The entries for the first two British Classics of the season have been released, with 57 horses entered in the G1 2000 Guineas and another 43 in the G1 1000 Guineas.

Aidan O'Brien is responsible for eight possible runners as he seeks a record-extending eleventh success in the 2000 Guineas, which is scheduled to take place at Newmarket on Saturday, May 3. They include the ante-post favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was unbeaten in two starts as a 2-year-old, including the G3 Acomb Stakes at York.

The Lion In Winter could be joined by a trio of Group 1-winning stable-mates in Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere scorer Camille Pissarro (Ire), Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Henri Matisse (Ire) and Criterium International winner Twain (Ire), as well as the G1 Dewhurst Stakes runner-up Expanded (Ire). They are all from the first Irish-bred crop of Wootton Bassett (GB).

The Dewhurst was won by the colt subsequently named European champion 2-year-old in Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who was beaten just once in five starts in 2024, when his other wins included the G1 Middle Park Stakes. Shadow Of Light is trained by Charlie Appleby, who could field up to six runners in the Godolphin blue. His other entries include the Dewhurst third Ancient Truth (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), all-weather sensation Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) and Ruling Court (USA)(Justify), who was a 6l winner on his return to action at Meydan on Saturday.

Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko) is another key member of the home team as the winner of the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes over this course and distance, while the likes of Cosmic Year (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Treble Tee (Ire) (Persian King {Ire}) showed plenty of potential when winning their sole 2-year-old starts at Sandown and Newmarket, respectively.

In Ireland, G1 Futurity Trophy winner Hotazhell (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and G1 National Stakes scorer Scorthy Champ (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) are perhaps the pick of those trained outside of Ballydoyle, which leaves Mi Bago (USA) (Vekoma {USA}) as the sole entry not based in Britain or Ireland. Trained in the US by Mark Casse, he was last seen winning the Listed Colonel Liam Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday.

It's the same story with the G1 1000 Guineas

Lake Victoria (Ire), one of the leading contenders for the 1,000 Guineas on Sunday, May 4, will be a familiar name in the US following her victory in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar in November. That was her third consecutive win at the top level, having also won the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Cheveley Park Stakes.

The daughter of Frankel (GB) is one of eight entries for O'Brien in the 1,000 Guineas, with the others including the G2 Rockfel Stakes heroine Bubbling (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), G3 Albany Stakes winner Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac third Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Appleby and Godolphin could again pose the stiffest opposition to the Ballydoyle team, chiefly with Desert Flower (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who was unbeaten in four starts as a juvenile, culminating with a wide-margin victory in the G1 Fillies' Mile. Emphatic debut winner Verse Of Love (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who created an excellent impression on the Fillies' Mile undercard, could also feature for the same connections.

Elsewhere, Prix Marcel Boussac winner Vertical Blue (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) is one of two entries from France, along with the G3 Prix de Cabourg scorer and Cheveley Park second Daylight (Fr) (Earthlight {Ire}), while US-based trainer Phil D'Amato could be represented by Grade III-placed filly Tigerish (USA) (Tiz The Law {USA}).

Closer to home, Ger Lyons holds a strong hand with the high-class Juddmonte pair Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}), as well as the Listed winner Chantez (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), while Donnacha O'Brien's Falling Snow (Ire) (Justify {USA}) looked potentially smart when making a successful debut at the Curragh in August. She is out of Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the 2017 edition of the 1,000 Guineas.

Goffs UK Breeze Up catalogue released

A 206-strong catalogue for the Goffs Breeze-Up Sale at Doncaster on April 23 and 24 was revealed on Tuesday.

Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent said, “This sale is all about Royal Ascot so it's on everyone's minds, from vendors selecting horses to send, to buyers raising their hand in the ring. The sale's Royal record really is something special, and its ability to continue to produce winners at one of the world's most prestigious race meetings has driven it to new heights.

“This year we made the conscious decision to reduce the number catalogued, coming down from 234 to 206 to allow us to further focus on quality. Given demand for places was as high as it's ever been, it proved a difficult task, but we feel we have achieved a good balance. We have already begun canvassing buyers, having travelled to Bahrain, Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia and had a very good response. We will continue our visits throughout the UK and Europe in the coming weeks and we look forward to welcoming an international audience to Doncaster in April.”

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike moves to New York

G1 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (USA) (Keen Ice {USA}) is being relocated to Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Stillwater, New York, to start the 2025 breeding season. The 6-year-old stallion, who had been expected to begin his stud career this year at Mountain Spring Farm in Pennsylvania, was recently purchased by a group that includes his former trainer, Eric Reed, longtime owner Ken Tyson, and Jamie LaMonica, head of the Kentucky-based The Stallion Company bloodstock agency. Rich Strike will stand his initial season at stud for an introductory fee of US$6,500 (AU$10,400) S&N.