Great news for Inglis
Inglis has received a major boost ahead of its Classic Yearling Sale at Riverside Stables from February 7-9.
All of the auction house’s Victorian-based clients will be permitted to travel to the Sale with border restrictions removed.
From 6pm on Friday night, all of New South Wales except the Cumberland LGA was reclassified as a green zone allowing quarantine-free travel across the Victorian border.
Kah has inside running
Trainer Chris Waller has announced Jamie Kah as the likely new jockey for Nature Strip (Nicconi) when he resumes in the G1 Lighting S.
“September Run and Nature Strip will run in the Lightning. Craig Williams will ride September Run and it is likely that Jamie Kah will replace James McDonald, who has opted to stay in Sydney for next weekend’s racing,” Waller said.
“It is our intention that Jamie will ride Nature Strip in a jump-out next Friday where both he and September Run will have a nice blow out.”
Stablemate Imaging (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is also at Flemington and has been set for the G1 CF Orr S. on February 6.
Jamie Kah
Open for bidding
New Zealand Bloodstock’s first dedicated National Online Yearling Sale is now live, with the 49 lot catalogue open for bidding on Gavelhouse Plus.
Bidding on the National Online Yearling Sale launched on Friday and will run for a six-day period, with the first lot closing on Wednesday, February 3 at 7pm (NZT).
All horses will be inspected by NZB Agents who are available to assist buyers with enquiries and buyers can also contact vendors to arrange their own on farm/private viewings.
Standout no certain runner
Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou have warned Standout (Exceed And Excel) isn’t a certain starter in the G2 Iron Jack Expressway S., a race he won last year.
The 4-year-old has a dislike for rain-affected ground with the track currently in the soft range and showers in the forecast.
Ryan said Standout would come out of the Expressway if the going was worse than a Soft 6 with the G3 Southern Cross S. at Randwick in a fortnight’s time a back-up option.
Injury counts Finche out
A tendon injury has put paid to an autumn campaign for Finche (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Trainer Chris Waller confirmed the 7-year-old had suffered a low grade leg issue following a jump-out at Flemington on Thursday.
Finche (GB)
"A full prognosis will be made in a month's time as to whether or not he will be ready to race in the spring," he said.
"It is disappointing for all connections, but fortunately it is only a minor injury with which we are not taking any risks."
Century for Richards
Jamie Richards became the fastest trainer in the history of New Zealand racing to reach 100 wins in a season when Exaltation (NZ) (Not A Single Doubt) scored at Hastings.
Along with racing to the 100-win mark in record time, Richards has also produced 23 stakes winners in New Zealand and Australia, surpassing the 20 he achieved last season, including six Group 1s and NZ$4.58 million in prizemoney.
Jamie Richards
“It was a really nice win and great to get the milestone,” Richards said. “It’s been a great season so far and hopefully we can continue the momentum. Results like this show that all the team are working well together.
“We’ve been able to win quite a few big races, and, with some that don’t possess the same ability as the top horses, we’ve been able to place them where they can win too.”
Marsh busy at Sale
Trainer Stephen Marsh was active at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, signing for six yearlings from the Book 1 session including Lot 339, a Belardo (Ire) colt for American horseman Dennis Foster.
Foster and a group of US-based friends and businessmen, who race under the Bourbon Lane banner, purchased four yearlings in association with Marsh in 2019, including exciting Darci Brahma (NZ) colt Bourbonaire (NZ), who was narrowly beaten in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas before being sold to Hong Kong interests.
Stephen Marsh
“It’s been a busy time at the sales and we’ve stepped out this year and bought six for ourselves,” Marsh said. “We’ve had massive support from Dennis Foster and the Bourbon Lane stable as they have taken shares in every horse that we have bought along with other long-term clients.
“It made our job a lot easier when Dennis called and said he would take 30 per cent in everything and 75 per cent in the Belardo colt. When we sold Bourbonaire they were cashed up and they have come again this year which is great for my stable and New Zealand racing.”
Trainer in high spirits
Allan Sharrock is bullish about the chances at Trentham of Waisake (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in the G3 NZ Campus of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup.
“He did his last bit of work on Thursday morning and he is going super. He’s drawn well so I’d expect him to be in midfield early on, but I will be telling Sam (Collett) to keep him off the fence,” he said.
“In any two-mile race you look for attrition at the 800 metres, so we’ll be looking to navigate around that and then the toughest horse will head them home.”
Waisake (NZ) | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery at Race Images Palmertson North
Sharrock has never won the Trentham feature before and as a shareholder in the 5-year-old, is keen to tick that accomplishment off on his career record.
“I’m rapt to have a share in him as I bought him at the Karaka Festival Sale for NZ$28,000,” he said. “That was a lot of money for that Sale, but he was the nicest Zed I’d ever seen."
Soft Guineas success
Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was anything but subtle when delivering a 7l victory in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas at Meydan.
“She gave me confidence when she won the last time. The filly has been improving all the time and this trip was much better for her, even nine furlongs in the future would be no problem for her,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor said.
“She is a big and strong filly. She is a filly for the future. I have a lot of confidence for her future. We have entered her in the G1 Kentucky Oaks also the European Classic races. She is a top-class filly, but the Classic races are hard to win and we're hoping for the best.”
Black-type success
Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was a model of consistency for trainer Charlie Appleby last season and she continued in that vein on seasonal debut at Meydan while picking up a first pattern-race win in the G2 Cape Verdi.
“She has really quickened nicely there when I asked her,” said jockey James Doyle. “Analysing the race beforehand, there looked to be a few who would go on, so after a slow start, I was happy to settle her in behind.
“She really hit the line well, so will definitely be worth a crack at the extra 200 metres in the G2 Balanchine S.”
Major honours to Authenic
Authentic (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) was named Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old at Thursday's Eclipse Awards.
Gamine (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) won the Eclipse for champion female sprinter while Essential Quality (USA) (Tapit {USA}) did his part clinching the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male. Monomoy Girl (USA) (Tapizar {USA}) was champion older female.
Vequist (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) was named champion 2-year-old filly and Channel Maker (USA) (English Channel {USA}) was acknowledged as champion turf male.
Whitmore (USA) (Pleasantly Perfect {USA}) was the champion male sprinter and –the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and Rushing Fall (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) was the turf female division.
Godolphin tops
For the first time in nine years and for the third time overall, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Godolphin was recognised at the Eclipse Award ceremonies as America's Outstanding Owner.
Horses carrying Godolphin's royal blue colours got their pictures taken 80 times in 2020, good for a remarkable strike rate of 22.2 per cent.
The operation was represented by no fewer than a joint-best eight winners at the graded stakes level, tied with Gary Barber, highlighted by the Brad Cox-trained champion Essential Quality (USA) (Tapit {USA}), who won the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
