Devil Night will run in Slipper
G1 Blue Diamond winner Devil Night (Extreme Choice) will have a trial this week before heading to Sydney for the G1 Golden Slipper. “The Blue Diamond form looks outstanding,” Yulong’s Vin Cox told racing.com.
Devil Night | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We’re excited we are at the front of that form. The horse will have a trial at the end of the week and if the Hawkes camp are happy with him, he’ll go to the Slipper.” Saturday’s G2 Todman Stakes winner Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) ran second in the G1 Blue Diamond.
Adelaide Cup attempt for jockey Johnstone
When jockey Taylor Johnstone moved from Tassie to South Australia, she never imagined she’d be on a live chance in Monday’s G2 Adelaide Cup, but she’s on Andrew Gluyas trained Gotta Go Guru (Fiorente {Ire}) who has won her last four in succession. “The excitement is unreal, I don't think it has sunk in just yet, but we're trying to keep the nerves down as much as I can,” Johnstone told racenet.com.au.
Taylor Johnstone | Image courtesy of Racing SA
“She's a great chance, her work has been super and I'm really, really happy with her. Backing it up from the Lord Reims, which was the biggest race that I've won, is a great thrill. She's stepped out every time she's needed to go out and step out. Especially last start, stepping up against better company was a really big deal, to see where she is level-wise with her ability.”
Sutton’s other Classic hope
Trainer-Dom Sutton will set G1 Australia Guineas winner Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) for the G1 Australian Cup, and his stablemate 3-year-old gelding Detroit City (Toronado {Ire}) will run in the G2 Alister Clarke Stakes on his way to the G1 Australian Derby. “We are leaning towards the Alister Clark and If he runs in the first couple in the Alister Clark and it stays dry, we'll head to Sydney (ATC Derby), but if we need to wait for Adelaide (SA Derby) we will,” Sutton told racing.com.
“He looks like a staying horse. He lacks a turn of foot against the better-quality horses, so we’ve always wanted to stretch him out.”
Gold Coast hammered by rain
The Gold Coast track has received over 350mm of rain since Wednesday, but officials believe the re-scheduled Jewel meeting will go ahead on Saturday. “It'll obviously be weather-dependent, like everything,” Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Steve Lines told racenet.com.au.
“A bit of rail was down, a couple of fence-lines, but nothing significant. One of the rooms got a fair bit of carpet damage but we'll clean that up. For the amount of wind we've had and the cyclone itself, which was pretty power-packed, I think we'll all come out of the wash smelling pretty good.”
McGaw set for The Showdown
Trainers David and Emma-Lee Browne will set 2-year-old gelding McGaw (I Am Immortal) for the $1 million The Showdown. “He won really well at his debut but he’s very raw still. That’s the only thing which can bring him undone,” jockey Damian Lane told racing.com.
Mcgaw | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“(The Showdown) is a high-pressure 1200 metres, but he’s got the talent and I’m hoping he can take the next step.”
Nostringsattached comes to Sydney
Trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young will bring 3-year-old colt Nostringsattached (Extreme Choice) to Sydney for the G2 Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill next Saturday. He was on the ballot for the G1 Australian Guineas and won on the Thursday prior instead. “I know it’s irrelevant as he didn’t run in it. but the way he performed on Thursday, the way the race was run and the barrier draw he had, he would have ended up being very competitive in the Australian Guineas,” Busuttin told racing.com.
“It’s the logical race for him. He’ll be suited by the 1500 metres and if it’s a wet track it won’t worry him either as he’s trialled up well in the wet.”
Pride Of Jenni set to resume on Saturday
Trainer-Ciaron Maher will likely nominate Horse Of The Year Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) for Saturday’s G2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield. “She is in great order,” Maher told racenet.com.au.
“She's coming up as good as she has. She'll probably hold a (Peter Young) nomination.”
Bred To Win returns for 2025
Caroline Searcy’s Bred To Win program returns to our screens on Monday to cover the autumn carnival including an “extended news segment with the breeding background of Australian and International stakes winners including great behind the scenes vision of stallions, mares, yearlings and foals to form a picture of what lies behind every thoroughbred’s racetrack success.”
Caroline Searcy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Other content in the first few episodes will be a look at the “outstanding training complex that’s been developed by leading trainer Phillip Stokes in Victoria, burgeoning young Hunter Valley stud, Ridgmont Farm, David Kobritz’s Musk Creek Farm, as well as Easter sales coverage.”
Don’t miss Bred To Win, Monday night’s on Sky Thoroughbred Central (Foxtel Ch 528) at 7.30pm AEDST and available through the Thoroughbred Report weekly.
Ryan quinella in Echuca Cup
Trainer-Nick Ryan provided the quinella in Sunday’s Echuca Cup but not in the order hoped for by punters. Outsider Red Phantom (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) beat the favourite 4-year-old gelding Capper Thirtynine (Vancouver) by 0.2l in a thrilling finish. “It upset the party with Warwick (Capper) being here and a lot of the owners, but it’s great for Red Phantom’s connections,” Ryan said.
Nick Ryan | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He’s always been a handy horse, but it’s taken a while since he’s come from overseas to put it together. He’d run some good races, but down in the weights and this was a target race. It looked like Capper had him, but he fought back and got the job done.”
Unbeaten winner of G1 Beholder Stakes
When Speedway Stables LLC spent US$900,000 (AU$1.4 million) at OBS April in 2023 for a daughter of Nyquist (USA), a 4-year-old campaign and perfect record probably weren't the first things on Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's minds. But, nearly two years later, it's likely the partners in Speedway are not upset with a little delayed gratification, as Cavalieri (USA) (Nyquist {USA})'s victory Saturday in the G1 B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes at Santa Anita made her the newest Grade 1 winner in their barn.
“We always knew she would be a superstar,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “I'm proud of both horses. That was racehorse time.” She covered the mile in 1:34.96. Now four-for-four, Cavalieri's unblemished record includes January's G3 La Canada Stakes in January.
Alastar Thoroughbred Co. bought Stiffed (USA) (Stephen Got Even {USA}), dam of Cavalieri, for US$320,000 (AU$508,000) at the 2018 Keeneland November sale. In addition to the Beholder Mile winner, the mare has produced 2023 G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks victress Affirmative Lady (USA) (Arrogate {USA}), as well as a 2-year-old filly by Connect (USA) and a yearling colt by Mandaloun (USA). Bred to Elite Power (USA) for this spring, Stiffed has produced two of the 23 black-type winners for Stephen Got Even (USA) as a broodmare sire.
Horse Of The Year Thorpedo Anna wins first up
It seems only fitting the America's reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (USA) (Fast Anna {USA}) would make her 4-year-old debut in a race named for another racemare to achieve those heights, winning the G2 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday.
“As long as everything's good with her, health-wise, she is going to run in the Apple Blossom. (Fitness level was) probably 85, 90%. The problem with training a filly like this is finding a horse that can keep up with her in the morning. I had Mystik Dan last year. This year, I really didn't have a horse that really … so finding her workmates is the hard part,” said trainer Ken McPeek.
Thorpedo Anna is the sole graded winner from 14 black-type winners for the late Fast Anna (USA), who was second in the 2014 G1 King's Bishop Stakes. The Medaglia d'Oro (USA) stallion passed away from laminitis at Three Chimneys in 2021 just days after Thorpedo Anna was born. Co-owner Judy Hicks bred Thorpedo Anna in Kentucky out of the unraced Sanford Robertson-bred mare Sataves (USA), a daughter of Coolmore's sadly departed Uncle Mo (USA), whose daughters have produced 25 stakes winners. Sataves traces directly to 1974 Broodmare of the Year Cosmah.
Tattersalls Ireland continues OTT sponsorship
Tattersalls Ireland will continue to sponsor the Treo Eile Showing Pathway Series 2025. Returning for 2025 with an increased prize fund of €10,000 (AU$17,000), the series will feature eight qualifiers, beginning at the Northern Ireland Festival on May 2, and culminating at the Iverk Show on Aug. 23. With the diverse range of venues, the series ensures accessibility and opportunities for competitors nationwide.
Simon Kerins | Image courtesy of Tattersals
Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins said, “The Showing Pathway Series has become a real favourite on the show circuit throughout the summer months. The interest in the class has grown significantly, and the series has an ability to produce some wonderful stories. The series demonstrates how versatile and adaptable these thoroughbreds are, who once given the time and training from their skilled riders, forge second careers in the showing arena. We look forward to welcoming back some familiar names, and seeing new faces participating in the qualifiers.”
