WA mare books Everest berth

Only four spots are left in the 12-runner field for the $14 million TAB Everest after Enticing Star (Testa Rossa) was the latest to nail down a place, claimed by her new trainer Chris Waller and partners.

Western Australian owners Bob Peters sent her and Arcadia Queen (Pierro) to the champion Sydney trainer to bid for places in the Randwick feature and the latter quickly found favour with The Star for the world’s richest sprint.

Enticing Star has won eight of her 10 starts and hasn’t raced since she finished runner-up in the G1 Winterbottom S.

"We sent her over to Sydney with the intention of securing a start in the race because we firmly believe that she will be very competitive in a race of that standing," Peters said.

"We are thrilled to have Enticing Star join Arcadia Queen as our two runners in this year's Everest."

Done deal for Hong Kong

Dual Group 1 winning 2-year-old Yourdeel (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) has been sold to Hong Kong interests.

Prepared by Te Akau Racing’s Jamie Richards, Yourdeel fashioned an impressive record of four wins and two placings from his six juvenile starts for Chris Rutten and fellow owners John Norwood and Rod Preston.

“Racing in New Zealand, it is pretty hard to justify keeping him really,” Rutten said. “We haven’t sold horses in the past, like Vespa and Scott Base, and things can go wrong, so this time we are being a bit realistic.”

New Zealand-breds have had a strong run in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m), winning six of the last ten, and Rutten believes Yourdeel is ideally suited to Hong Kong’s most prized race.

“I think he is going to adapt really well to Hong Kong,” Rutten said. “He is a relaxed horse. He eats well and settles in really well.

Bless It Be is four for Zebedee

On Wednesday at Balaklava Bless It Be took out a maiden to give sire Zebedee (GB) his fourth winner from his first Australian crop. Raquel Clark came with a late run on the Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas-trained filly.

Passed in at $20,000 at the 2017 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale, Bless It Be is raced by her breeder Cornerstone Stud, who also stand her sire, with partners.

The son of Invincible Spirit will return to Cornerstone Stud this year at a fee of $9,900.

Godolphin’s Masar retired

2018 G1 Investec Derby scorer Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) has been retired, Godolphin announced on their website on Tuesday.

“Masar gave us a wonderful day at Epsom last year when he beat Roaring Lion (USA) to become the first Derby winner in the Godolphin blue,” said Charlie Appleby.

“He has come out of his last race in good order, but we feel he owes us nothing and the time is right to retire him from racing. He will be missed by all the team at Moulton Paddocks and I am sure he will be a great addition to the Darley stallion roster.”

Kah in Shergar line-up

Group 1 winning jockey Jamie Kah will be part of Hayley Turner’s title-defending team in the Shergar Cup at Ascot on August 10.

Turner will again captain the women’s team, which will also feature Japanese jockey Nanaki Fujita.

Tadgh O’Shea will captain the Great Britain and Ireland team while German champion Filip Minarik will skipper the European team and current Japanese Jockeys’ Premiership leader Yuga Kawada will lead the Rest of the World team.

Vincent Ho, who finished fourth in the Hong Kong championship, will also ride in the Rest of the World team.

Memorable day

Aquis’ Pre-Training and Racing Manager Kacy Fogden had a day she won’t forget at the Sunshine Coast.

Fogden trained her first winner when Happy Two Thousand (Love Conquers All) was successful on debut in the Access Insulation Maiden over 1000 metres.

A $40,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO in Training Sale graduate, Happy Two Thousand is a son of the unraced La Zap (Elnadim {USA}) who is out of a half-sister to the dual stakes winner Fashion Café (Last Tycoon {Ire}).

Earlier start for 2YOs

Juvenile racing will make an earlier start in Melbourne next season with the introduction of a new race.

The Victoria Racing Club has announced it will host the first 2-year-old race of the season on Wednesday, September 25 over 900 metres.

The VRC said the contest on its midweek Spring Classics Preview Day will give the youngsters experience on Flemington's straight course.

It will serve as a lead-up to the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. in early October and potentially to one of the feature races for two-year-olds during Melbourne Cup week in November.

The Listed Poseidon S. for 3-year-olds on October 5 will now be held over 1100 metres rather than 1400 metres to act as a lead in to the G1 Coolmore Stud S. over 1200 metres.

Belated reappearance

King’s Bay (SAF) (King Of Kings {Ire}) will make just his second start in six years when he steps out Saturday’s ATC Member Tours H. at Randwick.

He won six of his first nine starts in South Africa and was then sold to Hong Kong interests after, but suffered a tendon injury while in quarantine. He has had one start at Moonee Valley in 2017 before he was again side-lined.

He is now with David Pfieffer and has done well enough to earn a racing recall.

"I haven't had an issue with him so far, touch wood. I do know they're there and it's evident they're there, but we're trying to do what we can to hold him together," he said.

"I think he's going to be better suited when he gets to 1100 or 1200 metres, but Saturday will be a good starting point for him.”

Eagle Farm carnival key

The return to racing at Eagle Farm provided a winter carnival record in turnover and crowd figures.

The carnival had struggled in the previous five years with Eagle Farm out of action and concerns about its racing surface.

Racing Queensland chief executive Brendan Parnell said almost $274 million in turnover was generated, a three per cent increase on last year.

Parnell said in the final two months of the carnival, a record-breaking $16.3 million in prize money was allocated, representing an 11 per cent increase on 2018.

Stakes test for Helena Baby

Promising galloper Helena Baby (NZ) (Guillotine {NZ}) has won four of his six career starts and will get his first opportunity at black type level at New Plymouth on Saturday in the Listed Powerworx Opunake Cup.

Trainer John Bell is pleased with his gelding heading and believes the pre-post favourite is well in at the weights.

“He is working very well,” Bell said. “He will have 53kg so it is no surprise he is one of the favoured runners.”

While Helena Baby could add a first stakes win to his record this weekend, he will have at least one more opportunity next month in the G2 US Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa.