CHC/WinStar Active At Fasig

WinStar Farm and the China Horse Club partnered to take home the day’s top-priced lot at Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearlings Sale, paying US$440,000 for a son of Flatter (USA). Michael Wallace signed the ticket for Lot 22 surrounded by WinStar’s Kenny Troutt, Elliott Walden and David Hanley.

“We thought he was the best horse here from a proven sire and he ticked what we liked for our racing program,” said Walden. “He has great balance. I think he will look good in the stud barn if he can win a Grade 1.”

Foals from the first crop of three-time Grade 1 winner Frosted (USA) were very popular at the weanling sales last year and the demand for his offspring continued during 2019’s first yearling auction. His top-priced yearling on Tuesday was a US$330,000 filly (Lot 246), signed for by Danielle Bricker.

“I really loved the Frosteds as weanlings,” said Bricker, who works for trainer Todd Pletcher and his clients. “I think he is going to be a good sire for racing. She just looked very athletic, had a huge walk to her, good angles."

Four of the five Frosted yearlings in the catalogue sold. The group average was US$228,750 with a median of US$217,500. Frosted’s first crop was bred on a US$50,000 stud fee, which has remained steady in his two subsequent seasons.

“There is no doubt that from the get-go he was producing very strong physicals,” said Darley’s Darren Fox. “Frequently, mare owners said, his were the mare’s best foal. We saw early on that they tended to hit you in the face with their physique and they stayed that way. He has some very nice ones for Saratoga and for the rest of the year. We are very pleased with how they have developed and he certainly looks primed to make his mark, so we are very excited.”

Stakes goal for Rubick's 15th winner

Rubick secured the 15th winner of his first crop, with the victory of promising colt Excess Funds at Sandown.

Trained by Levi Kavanagh and having his second start, Excess Funds finished strongly to score his maiden victory by 2.25l from Listed winner Mockery (Verrazano {USA}), with McCullum (Deep Field) in third.

Kavanagh will likely head the colt towards the Listed Lightning S. at Morphettville on July 27.

He was a $85,000 purchase for Kavanagh Racing at the 2018 Classic Sale and was fourth at his previous start in the Listed Talindert S. at Flemington in February.

Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra's filly Parmie took out the other 2-year-old race on the Sandown card, giving Snitzel his 20th individual 2-year-old winner of the season.

Sidestep got his sixth winner from his first crop when In A Step won at Grafton.

Pike sets new record

William Pike has bettered his own mark for most winners in a Perth metro season, moving to 137 winners with a double at Belmont on Wednesday.

Pike was equal with his 2015-16 record coming into the meeting and had a full book of nine rides.

Having finished second in two of the first three races, he broke his old record in Race 4 with victory on Black Russian (Blackfriars).

He then made it a race-to-race double for he and trainer Adam Durrant when successful on Kelly's Secret (Scandal Keeper {USA}) in Race 5.

Pike is the leading rider in Australia this year with 217 wins, over 50 clear of his nearest rival. His next milestone is to better the 221 winners he rode in 2015-16.

Hong Kong gets prizemoney boost

Hong Kong’s prizemoney for the 2019/20 season will rise to $HK1.3 billion after the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced a 6.5 per cent boost to prizemoney across the 88 meetings.

While the rise will be spread across all racing, the Champions’ Day meeting has received a considerable boost.

The G1 Queen Elizabeth Cup will be worth $HK25 million ($A4.6 million), while the G1 Champions Mile (1600m) lifted to $HK20 million ($A3.7 million). The Chairman’s Sprint Prize will carry $HK18 million ($A3.3 million).

“It is important that we maintain our prize money at levels commensurate with our positioning in the top echelon of racing worldwide,” the HKJC’s executive director of racing Andrew Harding said in a statement.

“Hong Kong now has the world’s two most lucrative turf sprint G1 races and the two races with the biggest purses at a mile, as well as the richest and the third most lucrative 2000-metre turf contests."

“This emphasises the Jockey Club’s unwavering commitment to top class international racing."

“Our owners invest heavily to bring high-quality horses to Hong Kong, which underpins our world-class racing."

“It is important that they are rewarded for their investments.”

Epsom main focus for Dreamforce

A trio of Group 1 races are on the agenda of John Thompson's stable star Dreamforce (Fastnet Rock).

Speaking to Racenet, Thompson laid out the early spring plans for the 7-year-old, who was last seen when second in the G1 Doncaster Mile.

“He looks great and has just started fast work,” the trainer said. “He is in good order."

"Each preparation he has probably taken that little step up in grade and hopefully this time he can do it again."

The G1 Epsom Hcp remains his major goal.

“This time in he will have a couple of cracks at the top level and we will see how good he is," he said.

“Epsom is the target and the George Main in the lead-up, and possibly even the Winx Stakes first-up.”

Pike plotting Grafton upset

In-form mare Igraine (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}) looks to be the testing material in the Listed McMullan Contracting Grafton Cup on Thursday, but hopes are high for another New Zealand raider to knock her off.

Trainer Tony Pike knows the Robert Priscott-trained Igraine well and has overseen her Australian preparation in her trainer's absence but believes Sacred Day (Azamour {Ire}) can cause an upset in the right circumstances.

“He is way out of the handicap, but on his best New Zealand form he would be a chance,” Pike said. “He has improved since his last run and he should get a good trip from gate one. He is a genuine each-way chance, but I think Igraine looks near-enough past the post.”

“I couldn't be happier with him, but Igraine looks the one to beat. We have been looking after her as well when Rob (trainer Robert Priscott) has not been here."

“Her work through the week has been fantastic and I would be surprised if she gets beaten. The track looks like it is going to have a bit of cut out of it too, which should suit her as well."

“I think they should both run good races and shouldn't be far away.”

Toby wants Lloyd to go out a winner

Toby Edmonds is determined to send veteran jockey Jeff Lloyd out a winner and has booked the 57-year-old for two key rides at Doomben on Saturday.

Lloyd, who will win his fourth Brisbane jockeys' title this season, will retire after Saturday,

Edmonds, who has combined for 169 winners with Lloyd over the years, has booked him on Sunday Session (More Than Ready {USA}) in the Benchmark 70 Handicap and Granny Red Shoes (Not A Single Doubt) in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap, which will be the final race on the card.

"It would be great to train a winner for Jeff on his final day and I think it would be vice versa for him wanting to ride a winner for me," Edmonds said.

"He's had a great career and we've had a lot of success together over the years."

"He deserves a good retirement and a safe final day."

Time shift for Caulfield

Saturday's Caulfield meeting has been brought forward to avoid any issues with visibility as were experienced at the track's last meeting a fortnight ago.

Racing Victoria, in conjunction with the Melbourne Racing Club, has moved the last race to 4:10pm (AEST) with the first of nine races to be held at 11:15am.

The forecast for Saturday is for 1-3mm of rain and a maximum temperature of 12 degrees.

The Listed Sir John Monash S. is the feature race on the program.

Express to stand at Brisbane Meadows

Fastnet Express has joined Pendragon (NZ) and Knight Exemplar on the roster of Brisbane Meadows Stud in the NSW Southern Highlands.

The son of Fastnet Rock was unraced, but boasts a strong pedigree being a half brother to the dam on recent G1 Queensland Derby winner Mr Quickie (Shamus Award), from the triple Group 2 winning mare My Tusker (NZ) (Volksraaad {GB}).

His third dam is the G1 Japan Cup winner Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs {GB}), who produced the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Brew (Sir Tristram {Ire}).

He stands at $1500 inc GST.