Gai purchases Hayes' stables
The historic Hayes stables at 166 Doncaster Avenue in Randwick, Sydney sold on Tuesday at auction for $7.3 million. Purchased by Gai Waterhouse, with Cambridge Stud’s Brendan Lindsay as underbidder, the offering featured eight onsite boxes, a three-bedroom house and studio.
Real estate agent and respected thoroughbred industry figure Bob Guth of BradfieldCleary oversaw the sale and was delighted with the result. “It was a fantastic auction with spirited bidding from two major industry participants,” said Guth. “I’m particularly delighted that the stables will remain in the racing community.”
Capitalist rein remains
Sniper Legend gifted Newgate Farm freshman sire Capitalist his 19th individual winner at stud this season when breaking his maiden status at Hawkesbury on Tuesday.
The Matthew Vella-trained gelding finished ahead of the Blake Ryan-trained A Land Of (Vancouver) in the 1100 metre maiden.
A $550,000 2020 Inglis Ready2Race Sale purchase by Bon Ho, Sniper Legend is the first foal out of Group 3 placegetter Lady Sniper (Snippetson), who herself hails from the second damline of G1 Coolmore Classic third placegetter Misty Dawn (Mister C {USA}).
Half to Winx wins
Champion mare Winx’s (Street Cry {Ire}) half-sister Covent Garden (Exceed And Excel) broke her maiden status at Pakenham on Tuesday when saluting by 1.5l for new trainer Peter Moody.
The 3-year-old, who had previously been in the care of Chris Waller, was taken straight to the front and dictated proceedings under Mark Zahra in the 1400 metre maiden.
Fourth for Belardo
Tympanist secured Hanaui Farm’s first-season sire Belardo (Ire) his fourth individual winner at stud when breaking his maiden status at start number four on Tuesday.
The David Payne-trained gelding finished ahead of debutant Vyner (Snitzel) in the 1400 metre Hawkesbury maiden.
Hong Kong calling
Co-trainer Richard Jolly has conceded that unraced 2-year-old Winning Lotto (All Too Hard) is likely to be sold to Hong Kong interests following his slick trial romp at Balaklava on Tuesday.
"He's one that the Price Bloodstock team purchased as a weanling and the intention is to get him vetted up now for a potential sale to Hong Kong," Jolly told Racing.com.
A $46,000 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale purchase by Neerim Lodge, Winning Lotto is out of the three-time Listed winner and G2 Caulfield Sprint runner-up Dubleanny (Dubleo).
Spring start for Inferno
Owner Glenn Whittenbury has suggested that dual Singapore Group 1 winner Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) could make his Australian debut in August.
Whittenbury said the rising 5-year-old has settled in well since arriving earlier this year and will be trained by his former trainer Cliff Brown.
“I haven’t sat down with Cliff and had a massive chat with him about it, but hopefully he’ll measure up and be good enough to race in the spring here,” Whittenbury told Racing.com.
“We’re hoping to start him off around about mid to late August, I don’t know what races Cliff has in mind but I do know that he’s sort of targeting the sprints at this stage.”
Staying prospect to back up
Prominent owner Brae Sokolski has confirmed that promising staying prospect Incentivise (Shamus Award) will bypass next month's Listed Caloundra Cup, in preference of a tilt at Saturday’s G3 Tattersall’s Cup at Eagle Farm.
The exciting 4-year-old has won his last five starts in succession, including last Saturday’s BM78 QTIS Provincial Stayers H. at Ipswich by 9.5l.
“After speaking with Steve Tregea this morning, the horse has pulled up enormous and we will accept for the Tatt’s Cup on Saturday and he looks almost certain to run,” Sokolski confirmed.
Hall hangs up saddle
Victorian-based Jockey Chelsea Hall has called time on her career after seven seasons in the saddle.
Hall said persistent wrist pain and a wavering passion for the sport following the death of fellow jockey Mikaela Claridge in 2019 were behind the decision.
The 30-year-old rode 147 winners and built a formidable association with the Trevor Rogers-trained Mystyko (Sakhee’s Secret {GB}), and rode the gelding to three of her 10 metropolitan victories.
“I don't plan on coming back to riding. When I took four months off last time, I probably only came back because I needed to do something to earn money," Hall told Racing.com.
Atishu joins Waller
Go Racing syndicator Albert Bosma believes the best time to send New Zealand horses to Australia is when they’re on the way up rather than when there’s nothing left to prove at home.
That philosophy is the main reason that dual Listed winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) has moved across the Tasman to the Chris Waller stable for her 4-year-old racing.
Atishu (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images South
“We’ve got to take advantage of the fact we think she is potentially a superstar, but that she’s also at a rating that she has enormous earning potential through the spring in Australia,” Bosma said.
“In Sydney, she can get to rating 88 races to kick off at a good weight and will be running for $130,000 every week.”
If all goes well, Atishu could be aimed at the G1 Epsom H. and the Golden Eagle, but Bosma said the regular raceday prizemoney makes it worthwhile to go to Sydney regardless.
Season finale
The curtain will come down this weekend on what has been a long but fruitful season for Coventina Bay (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}).
Trainer Robbie Patterson has lined her up nine times this season, for three wins, including victories in the G3 Cuddle S. and G3 J Swap Sprint.
Patterson was pleased with Coventina Bay’s run for seventh in the G2 Dane Ripper S. and said she has taken plenty of improvement from it heading into her main target, the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
“She has come through it really well, she just got stuck on the inside, that was our only concern on the day,” Patterson told SENTrack.
“She was always going to improve with the run, she hadn’t raced for two months.”
Pike happy with 2-year-old
Tony Pike is hoping to break maiden ranks with promising stayer Tutukaka (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and gets a gilt-edged opportunity in Saturday’s Listed Tattersall's Life Member S. at Eagle Farm in Brisbane.
A half-brother to top mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), Tutukaka has been set for Saturday’s contest since finishing runner-up at Hawke’s Bay in April and caught the eye when closing well for third in the Listed The Phoenix at Eagle Farm last start.
Tutukaka (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
“Obviously the club will be a bit disappointed with the nominations, the one extra one (Bayerische) that came in is probably going to be the one to beat actually, given the way he won at Ipswich last week for Stuart Kendrick,” Pike said.
“Tutukaka will have had three runs over there and hopefully he can win on Saturday and that will season him up well for his 3-year-old year.”
Heart’s Cry pensioned
Japanese Champion and successful sire Heart’s Cry (Jpn) has been pensioned from stallion duty, according to multiple reports. The Shadai Farm-bred bay is 20 and stood for a private fee this year.
A multiple Listed winner in his Classic year he was named the Japanese Champion Older Horse as a 4-year-old off the back of his victory in the Arima Kinen (now a Group 1 race) from six starts, where he defeated Deep Impact (Jpn). He was also second in the G1 Japan Cup, G1 Takarazuka Kinen and G2 Sankei Osaka Hai in 2005.
Kept in training at five, he captured the G1 Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai in March of 2006 and he was third in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. at Ascot.
Heart’s Cry (Jpn) | Pensioned at Shadai Stallion Station
Heart’s Cry stood all his seasons at Shadai Stallion Station and among his 35 Group winners was Japanese Horse of the Year, multiple Champion, four-time Group 1 winner and G1 Cox Plate victress Lys Gracieux (Jpn), while Just A Way (Jpn) saluted three times at the highest level in both Japan and Dubai.
Other Group 1 winners by Heart’s Cry include Suave Richard (Jpn), Yoshida (Jpn), Nuovo Record (Jpn), Cheval Grand (Jpn), One And Only (Jpn), Salios (Jpn), Time Flyer (Jpn) and the late G1 Caulfield Cup hero Admire Rakti (Jpn).
