Fifth winner just Divine
Aquis Farm freshman sire Divine Prophet notched up his fifth individual winner on Friday with the Kacy Fogden-trained Selling Sunset breaking her maiden at start number three over 1200 metres at Casino.
The juvenile filly led all the way en route to a 2l victory over Bean Foggy (Spill The Beans).
Another Star for young sire
My Snow Queen became the 13th winner for Star Turn when she blitzed her opposition at Goulburn on Friday, winning by a widening 31 to 4l.
A $15,000 yearling purchase, My Snow Queen debuted fourth behind the smart Billiondollarbaby at Warwick Farm last month before a narrow defeat at Hawkesbury.
Trained by John Sargent, the filly looks to have an abundance of ability. Bowness Stud will offer an Impending half-brother to My Snow Queen at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
Another for Artie
Newgate Farm stallion Flying Artie added an eighth individual first season victory to resume on Friday.
Flying Tyrol a homebred for Wilf Mula’s Aston Bloodstock, who co-owned and raced her sire Flying Artie broke her maiden status at start number two at Goulburn.
The John Thompson-trained filly settled towards the rear of the field before angling out and flashing home to a narrow victory in the 1000 metre dash.
Expensive yearling salutes
Peter and Paul Snowden 3-year-old Medaglia D’Oro (USA) gelding California Sky, from quality racemare Peggy Jean (Myboycharlie) won at his sixth try in the 1500m event at Goulburn.
A $1 million Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for Asian Bloodstock Services, California Sky was bred by Widden stud and partners.
Peggy Jean herself was a $1 million purchase when bought by Widden at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in foal to I Am Invincible.
BetMakers launch bid
Matt Tripp and ASX-listed company BetMakers have made a bold $4 billion bid to acquire Tabcorp.
In a statement to the ASX, BetMakers said it has submitted a non-binding, indicative proposal to acquire Tabcorp “for an enterprise value of $4 billion."
Unlike previous offers from both Entain and Appollo of $3.5 billion in cash, the bid comprises $1 billion in cash and $3 billion in BetMakers shares which will be priced at a 15 per cent premium prior to signing before being distributed to Tabcorp shareholders on a pro rate basis.
The deal sees Tabcorp shareholders with an approximate 65 per cent interest in the combined BetMakers and Tabcorp Wagering and Media business.
Price is right
Leading trainer Mick Price has declared that boom gelding Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) will be too good for his rivals in Saturday’s G3 Fred Best Classic at Eagle Farm.
Ayrton (NZ)
Price who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr believes the lightly raced prospect has the measure of his rivals in the 1400 metre feature.
“He’s quite perky, he looks great and has bounced through those two 10-hour float trips that weren’t ideal. So, on Saturday I would hope that puts himself just outside the speed and that Apache Chase can take us into the race a long way,” Price told RSN927.
Revamped spring carnival
Racing Victoria announced on Friday a revamped conclusion to the Spring Racing Carnival following an extensive review into the 2021/22 racing season calendar.
It was determined that the G2 Zipping Classic meeting previously held at Ladbrokes Park Sandown will be relocated to Caulfield and hosted on Saturday, November 27, a fortnight later than its traditional timeslot.
In addition to the changes, the 2400 metre feature will benefit from a significant major prizemoney uplift with connections now competing for a purse of $750,000, up from $250,000.
The new feature meeting at Caulfield will retain the G2 Sandown Guineas and Listed Sandown Cup as part of the program, and will now mark the end of the 2021 Spring Racing Carnival.
As part of the changes, the Underwood S. meeting, to be held on Sunday, September 26, 2021, has been relocated from Caulfield to Sandown and will provide the venue with its first Group 1 raceday since 1996.
Ollie outed
Jockey Damien Oliver has been outed for eight meetings after pleading guilty to the low-range charge for his ride on the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Falls (NZ) (Niagara) in race six at Sale on Thursday.
Oliver was charged and ultimately found guilty after he allowed the 5-year-old gelding to shift in when not sufficiently clear of Brilliant Venture (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) near the 1200 metre mark.
Damien Oliver
COVID stalls Carr’s return
Leading Tasmanian-based hoop Sigrid Carr will forego her ride aboard the Scott Brunton-trained The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}) at Caulfield on Saturday in light of Victoria’s recent COVID-19 outbreak.
“I just didn’t want to risk it as I’ve got 30 horses in work at home and I didn’t want to risk getting stuck in quarantine,” Carr told Racing.com.
“It’s such a shame as I thought he was going to run a super race and I am sure he still will.”
Expectations tempered
Leading trainer Robert Heathcote is tempering expectations surrounding leading G2 BRC Sires’ Produce S. contender Prince Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom).
The Queensland-based horseman believes the impressive last-start Champagne Classic winner could be vulnerable in this Saturday’s 1400 metre feature, saying that barrier 13 presents plenty of challenges for rider Ben Thompson.
“I’m confident he will race well but if I wanted to be a pessimist, I could say that he’s third-up, first time at Eagle Farm and stepping up to 1400 metres,” Heathcote said.
Robert Heathcote
Horrifying to peak
Trainer Mark Kavanagh expects his talented stayer Horrifying (NZ) (Shocking) to peak in Saturday’s G1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm.
“He’s been nurtured along and cuddled and is peaking at the right time,” Kavanagh told Racenet.
“My horse was trained for this race from last November, this race is where he was been trained to peak at, whereas the others have been there and everywhere.”
Right on track
Leading Queensland-based trainer Robert Heathcote has confirmed that Group 2-winning sprinter Rothfire (Rothesay) is progressing well from a fractured sesamoid bone suffered in last year’s G1 Golden Rose.
He said the highly talented 4-year-old’s spring campaign is already “in concrete” and that he will resume in The Shorts at Randwick on September 21.
Rothfire
From there, the stable is likely to push onto the Premiere S. a fortnight later in hope of securing a slot in The Everest on October 16.
“It’s been a long, steady road and we’ve taken our time with him. The leg is holding up well although it’s going to be heart in mouth stuff right up until he races,” Heathcote told RSN927.
Nugent eyes return
Talented Victorian-based apprentice Teo Nugent is confident that he can successfully return from a fractured fibula suffered at Cranbourne last Friday night within the next six weeks.
The 22-year-old said he remains motivated to pick up where he left off prior to the injury by hitting the ground running on return.
“I’m able to walk around on it in no pain in all of the spots to break it it’s probably the best spot,” Nugent told Racing.com.
“I meet with Doctor Gary Zimmerman tomorrow and will do some scans so will know more then.”
Battaash blossoming
High-class British sprinter Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is well within himself ahead of a title defence in next month’s G1 King’s Stand S. at Royal Ascot.
The Shadwell-owned gelding has recovered fully from an injury sustained over the winter according to Shadwell Racing Manager Angus Gold.
“Charlie Hills (trainer) will tell you he is definitely on course for Royal Ascot,” Gold told TDN Europe.
