Alligator Blood retirement announced
Multiple Group 1 winner and fan favourite Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) has been retired after heat was found in one of his forelegs on Wednesday. “We will look after him for the rest of his life, just like how he looked after us for our life,” part-owner Jeff Simpson told racing.com.
“He will just have to get used to life in the paddock. He's going to have to put up with being an idle old gentleman now. He has a paddock and box all waiting for him. He's going to have to chill out. We will have a barbecue on the day that he arrives to celebrate his career. There will be some carrots waiting for him too.
Alligator Blood | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I picked him myself, bought him. We've always had something to do with him along the journey. It's been great. I liked his nature. He had a couple of little things with him, but his conformation was really good. His breeding was rather special. In the breeding line was Typhoon Tracy. I used to go to the races and watch her run and I thought she was exceptional. His grandmother Kylikwong ran second in an Oaks. I just thought he was great and liked him from the word go.”
A $55,000 purchase from Baramul Stud’s 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, Alligator Blood won 16 of his 35 starts and over $9 million for his various trainers and owners. His seven Group 1 wins were the Cantala Stakes, Australian Guineas, Stradbroke Handicap, Underwood Stakes-twice, Might and Power Stakes, and Futurity Stakes.
Jeff Simpson
“Despite trialling impressively last week, a slight amount of heat was detected in his leg this morning (Wednesday),” trainer Chris Waller said.
“While he's trotting soundly, we believe it's prudent not to push the boundaries. This issue is in the opposite leg to his original injury and is therefore unrelated, but the horse has nothing more to prove. My team was honoured to take over after his injury with the goal of getting him back to the races, while also assessing him carefully each week and after each trial. We have now reached a point where we believe he deserves a well-earned retirement.”
Mcdonald thrilled with barrier one
Jockey James McDonald was pleased that Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) drew barrier one for Saturday’s G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. “I’m pretty happy with it to be fair, it’s a huge advantage drawing in on the 2000 metre start at Randwick,” McDonald told racingnsw.com.au.
“It’s obviously straight onto a corner. We’re going to be conserving energy pretty quickly. She drew one in the Ranvet and it was no problems so I’m happy with that. We’re expecting a peak performance here, and her peak performance was pretty special in the Cox Plate so we’re expecting her to burst when we want her to burst.”
Atishu looking for fairytale ending
Group 1-winning mare Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) will sign off her stellar career in Saturday’s G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick. “It will be a day of mixed emotions with this being her swansong,” Go Racing General Manager Matt Allnutt told Loveracing.nz.
“It brings the curtain down on what has been a fantastic career. There have been a lot of friendships formed (within her syndicate) and we have all really enjoyed the ride. Nash (Rawiller) rode her in this race two years ago when she won it. She drew barrier one on that day and she has drawn barrier two on Saturday.” Rawiller has the ride for Saturday.
Atishu (NZ) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“She loves the race and she races well at Randwick. Chris (Waller) is more than happy with her, dropping back to the 1600 metres suits, and I think the race maps well for her. Fairytales do happen in racing and let’s hope we see another one on Saturday.”
Our Gold Hope to upset Queen Of The Turf
Trainers Luke and Robert Price thinks Our Gold Hope (Lope De Vega {Ire}) can be their first Group 1 winner in Saturday's G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes. She was third last start in the G3 Neville Sellwood Stakes. “I thought it was a slow run 2000 metres the other day and I just don't see it being a drama,” Luke Price told racenet.com.au.
“She is rock-hard fit and I've wanted to get her to the Randwick mile for ages because I always thought she could come into her own at the Randwick mile so it's certainly worth a go at Group 1 level for fillies and mares.
“You have a couple of great mares there that you still have to beat but we only got beaten by a small margin by Ceolwulf last start and a horse on the way up. I am really looking forward to it because it's the best she has pulled up all prep from that run so I am going into Saturday confident we will see her at her best.”
Campbell Rawiller retires
Jockey Campbell Rawiller announced his retirement from riding on Wednesday. His last race day will be Kyneton on Thursday. “I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to live my childhood dream of being a jockey,” Rawiller said on his social media.
“Thank you to my family and close friends for always being there through thick and thin times. I can't wait to build new pathways into my life and within the racing industry in the near future, the horses and the racing is my passion and love.”
Luana Miss improved ahead of Karrakatta Plate
Trainer Trevor Andrews thinks 2-year-old filly Luana Miss (Bivouac) can stay unbeaten in Saturday’s G2 Karrakatta Plate. “I’m very happy with her, she had a pleasing gallop yesterday (Tuesday),” Andrews told racingwa.com.au about the last start Listed Supremacy Stakes winner.
Luana Miss | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“She pulled up good from that and is in good order. She did the same piece of work as previously and her improvement was a lot better. That’s what you look for in them and she’s in good order.
“She’s drawn a bit tricky, as is Yes Queen. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. With even luck she should run really well.”
Racing Victoria adjust Cups weights
The G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Caulfield Cup will have new minimum top weights to ensure a greater spread of weights. “The adjustments aim to provide both races with the best chance of attracting the highest quality field of horses and jockeys and ensure owners and trainers have a broad cross section of jockeys to choose from,” said Racing Victoria in a press release.
“The review was announced following the 2024 editions in response to feedback about the spread of weights among acceptors, the challenge for riders to make weights and the difficulties for connections to engage their preferred jockey.” Both races will have a minimum topweight of 57 kilograms at final acceptance.
Cancer survivor wins at Murray Bridge
Emotional scenes played out at Murray Bridge on Wednesday as jockey and cancer survivor Andrew Stead won his first race in 12 years aboard Jarrod Lynch-trained Tosen Storm (Tosen Stardom {Jpn}). “I've been all over the place. I was riding work at Cranbourne and planning on getting my licence back then, but I ended up getting sick,” Stead told racing.com.
“I had a pretty rare kind of cancer, but a bit of surgery and chemo knocked it on the head. The body wasn't coping but the weight eventually fell off, so I thought I might as well have another go. It's been a long time coming and I've got to say thanks to Jarrod and everyone else that has given me a go to get back here.”
Around the nation: Wednesday’s highlights
With five meetings across Australia on Wednesday, it was Capitalist who sired a double at Hawkesbury with 3-year-olds Tequila Baby and Enter The Dragon who took his record to four wins from six starts. At Sandown, 3-year-old gelding Harrumph Harrumph (Written By) stayed unbeaten in winning his second start. At Murray Bridge, 3-year-old He’s A Cool Cat (Lonhro) won on debut.
Furlong juvenile to debut in Listed race
Trainer Anna Furlong will debut 2-year-old gelding Champagne Diblu (Russian Revolution) in Saturday’s Listed Welcome Stakes. “He was our first micro-share horse and we’ve tried to get people involved in the game at a lower cost,” Furlong told Loveracing.nz.
“It’s been pretty successful and there’s a wonderful group behind him who are all pretty excited to get him to the races. It was a lovely trial from him and it was nice to see him do it under his own steam under a hold. He’s pretty professional and loves his job, he’s a perfect racehorse really.
Champagne Diblu as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“Obviously, we like him a lot and there weren’t many other options around, we think he’s fairly smart, but it is an ask to line him up against others that are proven.” A $55,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase by Kilgravin who on-sold him for NZ$100,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, he was originally offered by Alma Vale and Kitchwin Hills.
Twenty Group 1 winners for Champions Day
Twenty Group 1 winners have been entered for the upcoming Champions Day in Hong Kong with Australia’s Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) and Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) lining up in the G1 Champions Mile. “FWD Champions Day is one of the most pre-eminent fixtures on world racing’s calendar. We are delighted to have world-class representation from overseas and Hong Kong at our spring flagship meeting,” Andrew Harding, the Jockey Club’s executive director of racing, told scmp.com.
Andrew Harding | Image courtesy of Japan Racing Association
“With 16 visitors from around the world, including Mr Brightside and Goliath, the might of Hong Kong’s team will be tested across the three Group 1 features. From Hong Kong’s perspective we can’t wait to see Ka Ying Rising step out. David Hayes’ exceptional sprinter has won his last 11 races, and adds an increasing layer of excitement this year, while Voyage Bubble has emerged and officially stamped his claim as our premier miler and middle-distance galloper – especially in Romantic Warrior’s absence in 2025.”
Upset winner in G1 Madison Stakes
Rail-drawn 4-year-old mare Positano Sunset (USA) (Goldencents {USA}) slipped through a gap at the top of the stretch and joined a four-wide calvary charge to the line, out-lasting the race favourite to upset the GI Madison Stakes at odds of 14-1 for trainer Ian Wilkes. “The filly matured this winter. You know, she just turned into a different filly: working better, training better. Even as she trained good last year, she's a different filly this year,” said Wilkes.
The third winner at the top level for Goldencents, joining last year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (USA) and dual GI Rodeo Drive winner Going to Vegas (USA), Positano Sunset is out of winning Consolidator (USA) mare Gigglin’ Gal (USA), who has produced three winners from four to race. The mare is a half-sister to graded winner Island Town (USA) (Hard Spun {USA}).
Burnham Square wins G1 Blue Grass
Trainer Ian Wilkes made it a double when Whitham Thoroughbred's homebred 3-year-old gelding Burnham Square (USA) (Liam's Map {USA}), a disappointing fourth in the G2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park last start, bounced back in a big way with a well-timed, last-to-first, nose victory over East Avenue (USA) (Medaglia d'Oro {USA}) in Tuesday's postponed GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
The entire Blue Grass program was rescheduled from Saturday because of severe weather and significant rainfall in Central Kentucky. “For a 3-year-old to make such a long run like he did today and be able to run down Grade I winners like he did–he's an exciting horse to move forward with,” winning rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. said.
“You know, the horse has taken me everywhere I've wanted to go,” said Wilkes. “He's not a big, robust horse, and I was probably a little kind on him coming into (the Fountain of Youth), wasn't as hard on him as what I wanted to be. Then I trained him a little more for here because I needed (Kentucky Derby) points, so I couldn't mess around. We had to step up and get a little more serious now.”
Burnham Square is the fifth Grade 1 winner for Liam's Map (USA). His dam, Whitham homebred Linda (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}), a daughter of Graded winner Beautiful Noise (USA) (Sunny's Halo {USA}), won the 2016 GII Mrs. Revere Stakes over the Churchill Downs turf.
Five late nominations for Triple Crown
G2 UAE Derby winner Junko Kondo's Admire Daytona (Jpn) (Drefong{USA}) and runner up Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P. {USA}) are amongst five additional 3-year-olds made eligible to compete in the 2025 Triple Crown through a late US$6,000 (AU$10,000) payment that was due Monday.
The other late nominees are Brereton's Baytown (USA) (Upstart {USA}), Colloquial (USA) (Vekoma {USA}) and Just a Fair Shake (USA) (Laoban {USA}). In total, 378 3-year-olds are now eligible for the Triple Crown series.
Attendance record for Dubai World Cup
A record crowd of more than 65,000 attended Saturday's Dubai World Cup night card at Meydan in Dubai. It was the 29th edition of the nine-race spectacle, which featured US$30.5 million (AU$50.8 million) in purses.
The evening's crown jewel, the G1 Dubai World Cup, was captured by Hit Show (USA) (Candy Ride {Arg}) for trainer Brad Cox and owner Wathnan Racing. Next year's edition will mark the 30th edition of the Dubai World Cup and it will be held on Saturday, March 28.
Ali Al Ali | Image courtesy of Dubai Racing Club
“This year's Dubai World Cup meeting was nothing short of phenomenal,” said Ali Al Ali, CEO and board member of Dubai Racing Club (DRC). “Attendance surged by 18% compared to 2024, a testament to the dedication of our incredible team, sponsors, and partners – and to the growing global excitement surrounding racing in Dubai.”
Epsom Oaks nominations released
The entries for the G1 Oaks were released on Tuesday, with 47 fillies in contention for the Classic which is due to take place at Epsom on Friday, June 6.
Aidan O'Brien is responsible for no fewer than 16 contenders as he bids for an 11th Oaks success, having won the race seven times since 2012 alone. His formidable squad is headed by the unbeaten Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who completed a hat-trick of top-level victories as a two-year-old when winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Charlie Appleby-trained Desert Flower (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who was last seen maintaining her unbeaten record with a fourth straight victory in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October, is the 7/1 market leader as things stand, with Lake Victoria next best at 8/1.
Classic targets for Group 3 winner
One of a minority lining up for Tuesday's G3 Prix Imprudence with no stamina doubts, Juddmonte's 3-year-old filly Better Together (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) duly stayed on best to stake her Classic claim. Sent off the 11-2 second favourite, the well-connected Listed Prix Zeddaan winner raced under cover under Alexis Pouchin in mid-pack early.
“She is a really nice filly who had shown good quality last season in her three starts, has a lovely temperament and hails from a top Juddmonte family,” Juddmonte representative Claude Beniada said. “Mr Fabre was very happy with the way she had trained to the race and he feels she has not yet fully blossomed and will improve. She is in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Mr Fabre will make a decision on her future after discussing it with Barry Mahon.”
Better Together (GB) | Image courtesy of Juddmonte
Better Together is the seventh foal out of the useful middle-distance performer Shared Account (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a daughter of the important Juddmonte producer Imbabala (GB) (Zafonic {USA}), and Shared Account is now responsible for four stakes performers, with one of them being Oasis Dream's G2 May Hill Stakes-placed Sand Share (GB) and the others being the G3 Athenia Stakes and G3 Prix des Reservoirs scorer Pocket Square (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and the strong-staying Yesyes (GB) (Camelot {GB}) who was third in the G2 Park Hill Stakes over the St Leger trip.
Shared Account is one of five black-type performers out of Imbabala, with the chief one being the G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Zambezi Sun (GB) (Dansili {GB}), so this is a family not short on stamina. Two of her other daughters Zero Gravity (GB), again by Dansili, and Key Figure (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) in turn produced the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Kalpana (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) and G2 Doncaster Cup runner-up Cleonte (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}) respectively.
Dry conditions in UK impact classic trials
An unusually dry March, with those conditions carrying on into April, will be causing headaches for trainers and clerks of courses alike, and it is one reason that we will be seeing the return of Juddmonte's Cosmic Year (GB) (Kingman {GB}) at Kempton instead of in Saturday's G3 Greenham Stakes.
“He's in good nick and he's ready,” trainer Harry Charlton told TDN. “We've had the Greenham in mind all winter – that was the target. This novice race wasn't even in the calendar, but when we looked at the weather and then saw that this race had popped up we thought it might suit.
Cosmic Year (GB) | Image courtesy of Racingfotos
“It's not that he can't run on that ground, but I didn't particularly want to run him first time out on that ground. It's a long old year.”
The 15 entries for the Greenham Stakes, one of two Classic trials on Newbury's Saturday card, along with the Fred Darling Stakes, include two other Juddmonte colts: Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who joined Andrew Balding's stable upon the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute, and the G3 Solario Stakes winner Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), trained by John and Thady Gosden.
Ghostzapper leads Canadian Hall of Fame nominees
Top stallion Ghostzapper (USA) leads the nominees for the 2025 Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame finalists which were unveiled Tuesday by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Standardbred and Thoroughbred Nomination Committees.
A 20-person Election Committee for each breed will determine, from the list of finalists, the individuals to be inducted in each of the categories, with the results to be announced on Wednesday, April 23.
