Waterhouse interview pulled as ATC faces cold-calling backlash
As reported in The Sydney Morning Herald, the sudden removal of a highly anticipated interview with Gai Waterhouse has raised questions.
The hour-long special, Gai: An Audience with the First Lady, was set to air on Sky Thoroughbred Central ahead of the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes but was mysteriously pulled and will run 'later in the autumn carnival'. Waterhouse, who has been outspoken against the proposed sale of Rosehill, said, “it would be most unfortunate if you are not free to speak your mind in Australia.”
Meanwhile, the ATC faced backlash after employing a call centre to encourage members to vote on the Rosehill sale, with multiple members reporting being told it was a “once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
Following complaints, the ATC agreed to drop the phrase but defended the calls, insisting they were simply to increase voter turnout. Rosehill’s fate will be decided in a member vote on April 3.
Bott speaks highly of Golden Slipper trio
The Waterhouse and Bott team have three runners in the Golden Slipper, and co-trainer Adrian Bott thinks North England (Farnan) can overcome his last-start fifth in the G2 Todman Stakes for Saturday’s G1 Golden Slipper Stakes. “Going into that Todman, he was well fancied in the Slipper market and drifted off the back of that, but I wouldn’t condemn him on one run. The talent he’d shown was enough to have him well respected going into that race, there have been favourites beaten in that race that have bounced back in the Slipper,” Bott told racingnsw.com.au.
“It wasn’t the end result we wanted out of the race, but in saying that, the race didn’t unfold in the way we anticipated. I thought he was open to taking good improvement, and it was a good, tough run he probably needed to have. If you’re only going to have one run into the Slipper, it gives him the right grounding to bring him on.”
North England | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“(Bellazaine) has been faultless all the way through, she’s been in the right lead-ups we wanted, and we’ve seen everything we needed to see. She’s continued to step up every time we’ve raised the bar. She’s just a no nonsense straightforward, tough style of filly.
“She may not have the natural brilliance of Lady Of Camelot, but she’s very professional, she has a good desire to win. She’s a bigger sized filly compared to Lady Of Camelot, she’s built like the colts, so she has a good constitution to be handling whatever is thrown up at her race day.”
Farcited (Farnan) is being aimed at the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes. “We’ll see the best of him once he gets out to (1400 metres). He’s still improving. Had he won the Black Opal, this would have been the path we’re on, his work hasn’t changed. He’s not there because he made the field, he’s a genuine chance. The other two have had more exposure, and it counts for so much. Farcited is getting here on his first campaign.”
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Maher’s Military Tycoon set for Slipper
Ciaron Maher-trained 2-year-old filly Military Tycoon (Written Tycoon) will run in Saturday’s G1 Golden Slipper Stakes. “She was obviously very impressive (at Flemington),” Maher's NSW-based assistant trainer, Johann Gerard-Dubord told racing.com.
“Two weeks in between runs, it's never easy, but she came through her run very well. She travelled up on Thursday night last week and had a couple of days at Bong Bong, just to get her head down in a paddock.
Military Tycoon | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She went to Warwick Farm on Sunday and had a stretch of the legs this morning (Tuesday) on the course proper at Warwick Farm, just to get her used to this way of going. But she looks very well. She's a big girl with a nice, big action, but I couldn't fault her.”
Goldrush Guru can be a dual Derby winner
G1 Victoria Derby winner Goldrush Guru (American Pharoah {USA}) can win the G1 Australian Derby, claims his trainer, but it’s the G1 Rosehill Guineas that he’ll run in next. “After winning the Derby, we wanted to give him an opportunity in a Group 1 mile, and he raced quite well (in the G1 Australian Guineas) but he was always going to be at his best beyond that,” trainer Andrew Gluyas told racingnsw.com.au.
“He hit the line super, perhaps he didn’t get the greatest luck in running but I thought he was quite gallant. His form is quite good coming through the Australian Guineas, and he’s definitely looking for that 2000 metres plus. This was always going to be a highly competitive race, but Jamie (Melham) is very positive about him.”
Mott picks up William Reid ride
Jockey Jamie Mott will ride 4-year-old colt Schwarz (Zoustar) in Saturday's G1 William Reid Stakes at The Valley on Friday night, with regular riders James McDonald and Blake Shinn in Sydney. “Grateful for the opportunity and really looking forward to it,” Mott told racing.com.
“He's still an entire, so a Group 1 on his CV is what they're looking for, and this is his best chance so far to do so. Definitely, they obviously tried him at the 1400 metres and worked out that he's probably better fresh at the 1200 metres. He's obviously won a Group 2 at Moonee Valley before, so he's good at the track.
Schwarz | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“He's had two really sharp trials in Sydney, and he comes into this race nice and fresh, and it looks to be a race that he should be able to dominate up front.”
Golden Path to take on Via Sistina
Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will run Golden Path (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) against the brilliant mare Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) in Saturday’s G1 Ranvet Stakes. “We're under no illusions, it's going to be a tough task, but someone needs to turn up and take her on. We will take on Via Sistina in the Ranvet. It's looking like there's a few horses running scared, so it could be only a small field,” Kent Jnr told racing.com.
Golden Path (NZ) | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“We weren't that far away from her last start. He's come through the two main prep races for this in really good style, and he's ready to run a big race. Where that gets him, we will see, but it's horse racing, and who knows sometimes?” Golden Path ran sixth in the G1 Verry Elleegant Stakes last start.
Haggas’ latest import
UK trainer William Haggas has won the G1 Ranvet Stakes twice, and this year he runs Al Mubhir (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Saturday’s edition. “His win at Sandown was pretty good over 2000 metres, and mentally he’s very good,” Haggas’ travelling representative Isabella Paul told racingnsw.com.au.
“He’s a Frankel out of a Group 3-winning mare, and we’ve always thought a lot of him at home. He just fits the profile of a horse that would do well out here. He’s a horse that works the house down at home, but sometimes he doesn’t translate that to the afternoon. He’s a horse that has a bit to prove, and I’m excited to see him run.
“If he can finish top three, we’d be delighted with him. He is a Listed winner, and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. Via Sistina is an absolute machine and is going to be very tough to beat, but we are here with horses we think have got a chance. We wouldn’t be running him if we didn’t believe he had the ability. It’ll be interesting to get more of a gauge.”
Maher’s three Galaxy chances
Trainer Ciaron Maher has three runners in Saturday’s G1 Galaxy Handicap being 3-year-old colt Growing Empire (Zoustar), Estriella (I Am Invincible), and I Am Me (I Am Invincible). “Obviously, (Growing Empire) was very unlucky not to win his Group 1 last preparation (in the Manikato Stakes) when he just got beaten on the line,” assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord told racing.com.
Growing Empire | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He's had two runs back, both down the straight, and he's probably better around a bend. He's another one who is arriving very fit. The 1100 metres will be no issues for him. He was always a horse that was going to keep maturing with time. He's a very talented colt and he looks well. He arrived in NSW on Friday, we've kept him at Bong Bong, and he galloped yesterday morning. He's very fit, and hopefully, he can draw a gate.”
G1 Galaxy for injury rebounding Uncommon James
Group 1-winning 6-year-old gelding Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}) ran fourth first-up after a nine-month injury break and goes into Saturday’s G1 Galaxy Handicap in strong condition. “He's derived a fair bit of fitness improvement from that first-up run,” trainer Matthew Hoysted told racenet.com.au.
“Being first time back at the races (since last June), he pulled up pretty big on the back of that run and had a massive blow. He had a gallop on Monday morning on the course proper at Rosehill and worked up nice and sharply there. I'm really happy with how he presents going in (to The Galaxy).
“It's a little bit of a tricky gate (eight), but if he can get the right sort of run and get across cheaply enough, I think he can play a big part in this race. Physically, it's as good as he's looked for some time. He just seems to be in a good headspace. He showed that zest on race day (last start), which I needed to see.”
She’s Bulletproof for local owners in the William Reid
Trainer Charlotte Littlefield runs her exciting mare She’s Bulletproof (Shooting To Win) in Saturday’s G1 William Reid Stakes. “She started the prep as a 67-rater, and she's now a 104-rater. It's been an amazing ride for everyone involved,” Littlefield’s husband Julian Hay, told racing.com.
“Every race is just a bonus for us. It's just a massive thrill to be involved in such prestigious races like the Oakleigh Plate and the William Reid. A lot of us in the ownership, we all grew up around here … I grew up a few hundred metres down the street. Tim, one of the big owners, grew up in Park Street, Moonee Ponds.
She's Bulletproof | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Ben, the other owner, lives across the road here … we grew up around here, so to have a runner here on Saturday in such a big race, it means everything to us. Obviously, Jimmysstar was too good for her the other day, but we're just hoping with a different track and different speed up front, we can maybe turn the tables.”
Tim Eurell takes out trainer’s licence
Tim Eurell, son of trainer Greg Eurell, has gained his trainer’s licence and has five horses in work at Seymour. “All of them are untried horses,” Tim told racing.com.
“In 2023, I bought a few horses at the Premier Sale with the idea of selling them to Singapore, which I had done with success the year before. In that time from buying them, they had pulled the plug on Singapore. Coincidently, I got left with them and they went to the paddock, and had a break, and having those horses there and I had already started applying for my licence, it really gave me a kick along to finish it off.”
Eurell is a qualified plumber who runs a business employing 25 people.
Golden Century chasing maiden win in Tulloch
Last start third in the G1 NZ Derby, Golden Century (NZ) (Pierro) will head to Sydney for the G2 Tulloch Stakes ahead of a tilt at the G1 Australian Derby. “He was very slow away and probably didn’t have all favours when trying to improve into the race, but he closed off the race very strongly late and his sectionals were some of the best of the race,” trainer Tony Pike told Loveracing.nz.
“He’s heading the right way, he’s been very much a work in progress, but we always thought he would be a genuine stayer, and we couldn’t have been happier with the run, albeit not winning. He’s come through the race in great order and obviously he seems to be improving with each run, so we’ll take him over for the Tulloch Stakes on Saturday week, and if he performs well in that, there’s no reason that he won’t back up a week later in the Derby.
Golden Century (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“We gave him four or five days in the paddock post-Derby, and we just kept him ticking over, he’s dropping back in trip to 2000 metres for the Tulloch so we’ve tried to freshen him up a touch. He’ll gallop tomorrow morning (Thursday) before he heads over next Tuesday.”
Sought After heads to Aus
Waikato Stud’s 3-year-old gelding Sought After (NZ) (Tivaci) will move to the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman stable. “He will follow the same pathway (as I Wish I Win) and go over to Peter and Katherine for a bit, between Lance and I, we looked at things and there’s not many options here in the immediate future,” Mark Chittick told Loveracing.nz.
Sought After (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“All parties agreed that we would give him the opportunity over there and see whether he measures up. He’s lightly raced, and it was a shame we weren’t able to get a race into him before The Kiwi because he was competitive, but just a run short.”
Chinny Boom runs in King for Cunningham
Cunningham Thoroughbreds’ will run Chinny Boom (Spirit Of Boom) in their slot for the upcoming King Of The Mountain slot race at Toowoomba next Friday. “This is probably the first year we have got a horse where we feel like we can win the race,” Mitchell Cunningham told racingqueensland.com.au.
“Hopefully, she can improve from that first-up run, and if she does, then she will definitely be in the finish of a race like this. You love seeing horses come down to the big smoke from the north, and that is what she has done. She is certainly up to the top-quality mares in metro grade around the country. She is a quality mare that looks like she has come back well, so it’s all exciting.”
Chatsworth Stud purchases top lot at Fasig-Tipton
Australia's Chatsworth Stud went to US$400,000 (AU$630,000) to purchase R Harper Rose (USA) (Khozan {USA}), the 2024 G3 Forward Gal Stakes winner and the topper of Fasig-Tipton's March Digital Sale, which closed late Tuesday afternoon. A broodmare prospect, R Harper Rose was consigned by Gainesway.
A total of 85 horses sold for US$3,095,000 (AU$4.7 million), an average of US$36,411 (AU$57,300) and a median of US$15,000 (AU$23,600). After outs, the sale netted a clearance rate of 85 per cent, while offering horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, broodmares, 2-year-olds in training, and short yearlings.
R Harper Rose (USA) | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton Digital
“We're very pleased with the results of the March Digital Sale,” said Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales, Leif Aaron. “Gross was up 42 per cent from last year's March sale, and the median nearly doubled. All segments of the market were well-represented, with buyers from around the world. It was a solid sale.”
Ocala 2-year-olds catalogue available
The catalogue for the 2025 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is now available online at www.obssales.com.
The four-day sale will take place from April 15-18. Notable graduates from the 2024 OBS Spring Sale include Grade 1 winners Chancer McPatrick (USA), Tenma (USA), Saudi Derby winner Golden Vekoma (USA), and group winners May Day Ready (USA) and Mo Plex (USA), and recent Grade 3 winner Vixen (USA).
