Enable To Remain In Training

Prince Khalid Abdullah’s dual G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who finished runner-up in the October 6 Arc when last seen, will remain in training in 2020, Juddmonte announced.

“Prince Khalid has decided to keep Enable in training for 2020,” Juddmonte's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said. “She has come out of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in good form and will not race again this year. Her racing programme will be determined entirely on her well being, so no racing plans will be announced at this stage. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe remains an important target.

“There are no plans at all at the moment regarding which races she’ll run in. She’s come out of the Arc in great shape, which gave the Prince the encouragement to take this decision. Hopefully all goes well and she gets the chance to go for a third Arc next year.”

Trekking ready to summit

James Cummings believes Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}) is ready to bounce off his win in last Saturday's G2 Schillaci S. into Saturday's The Everest at Randwick.

The 5-year-old's trainer has dismissed any concerns over the quick back-up between runs for Trekking and believes the emerging sprinter is at the top of his game, having secured the final spot in the $14 million race.

"He’s here at the culmination of a carefully plotted path," Cummings said. “He barged out of his box last Sunday morning after his win in the Schillaci as though he was ready to go on with it.

“When he arrived back in Sydney on Monday morning he marched off the float, had a pick of grass and a good look around and was back at work.

“It’s already a great achievement for him to come as far as he has.

“He’s won two-from-two over this trip at Randwick. His place as the final entrant in the Everest has been achieved on merit.”

Early action highlights Tatts Book 2

The very first lot of the session, a filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire), ended up being the equal top lot on Day 2 of Book 2 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Charlie Gordon Watson picked up Lot 817, which was consigned by Longview Stud for 425,000 gns (AU$812,000), a price that was only matched one more time in the session when the Hong Kong Jockey Club paid the same amount for a colt by Archipenko (USA).

The median surged by 13 percent on the same session last year from 57,500 gns (AU$110,000) to 65,000 gns (AU$124,000) and the average moved forward 6 per cent, too, from 78,592 gns (AU$150,000) to 83,239 gns (AU$159,000).

Overall, a very similar volume of traffic (240 offered, compared with 247) saw session turnover creep up 3 per cent to 17,230,500 gns (AU$32.9 million) from 16,661,500 gns (AU$31.8 million) - with the clearance rate holding firm at a very healthy 86 per cent.

Super Seth spelled

G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth (Dundeel {NZ}) will not be seen again this spring having been spelled by the Anthony Freedman stable.

The 3-year-old colt was a narrow winner of the Group 1 race last Saturday and the decision has been made to give him time to recover ahead of an autumn campaign.

The Freedman stable also confirmed that Southbank (Fastnet Rock), who was third in the G1 Thousand Guineas, will be spelled as will Group 1 winner Lyre (Lonhro), who was fourth in the Thousand Guineas.

Blueblood colt Groundswell (Fastnet Rock), third in the G1 Caulfield Guineas, will contest the G3 Carbine Club S. on Derby Day.

Shinn back to ride Humidor

Blake Shinn will return from Hong Kong to re-unite with Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}) in Saturday week’s G1 Cox Plate.

Shinn and Humidor were narrowly beaten by Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) in the 2017 Cox Plate, while humidor finished third last year when ridden by Damian Lane.

Shinn told the South China Morning Post he was thrilled to receive the call to ride the 7-year-old.

“To hopefully get the opportunity to come home and ride in the race, especially being based in Hong Kong now, it is a big thrill, I appreciate the chance,” he said.

“If we get the chance, I think we are a worthy contender and a live shot at running well again.”

Century up for Cummings

James Cummings prepared his 100th stakes winner for Godolphin when Haunted (Lonhro) won the Listed Ladbrokes Village S. at Caulfield on Wednesday.

Cummings has had an amazing run of success since taking over the position of Godolphin's Australian head trainer in May 2017 and in the space of 29 months he had now notched the century.

Cummings thinks Haunted, a winner of seven of 19 starts, can follow in the footsteps of his Group 1 winning stablemate Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}).

"He has done a great job for us and continued to thrive with his work. He's running in races that Trekking was running in last year and he went on to bigger things," he said.

Slight change to Karaka sale

New Zealand Bloodstock has confirmed a couple of changes to the format of the National Yearling Sales Series with Book 3 to now take place on the afternoon of Friday 31 January, instead of Sunday 2 February.

The new structure will see around 160 yearlings go under the hammer straight after the completion of the Book 2 Sale, making the whole sale more compact.

“We’re constantly looking for ways in which we can ensure we get the best possible buying bench at Karaka," NZB Bloodstock Sales Manager Danny Rolston said.

“Many of our international customers are telling us they want to view everything they can, but in the shortest possible time. Moving Book 3 selling to the Friday gives them the opportunity to inspect and buy horses that they may have missed in the old format.

“The other advantage is now Book 3 won’t clash with the Matamata Racing Club meeting, which was never ideal.”

As previously announced, the Book 1 Sale will commence at the earlier time of 11am on Sunday 26 January, with completion on Tuesday evening, while the Book 2 Sale will resume the following morning on Wednesday 29 January and run until mid-afternoon Friday 31 January.

The NZB 2020 Karaka Million Twilight Meeting will be held on the eve of the Book 1 Sale, Saturday 25 January.