First for Freedman
Safeeya (Fastnet Rock) gifted legendary trainer Lee Freedman his first victory on Australian soil since July 2011 at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.
The Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum-owned filly was Freedman’s second runner since returning from an extended stint in Singapore.
Safeeya is out of the unraced Star On High (USA) (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), who herself is a half-sister to five stakes winners. She also hails from a second damline littered in stakes success.
Maldivian passes
Mark Kavanagh’s three-time Group 1-winning gelding Maldivian (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) died on Monday, aged 18.
The 2008 G1 Cox Plate hero lived out his latter years as a paddock nanny to yearlings and weanlings at Victoria’s Cityview Farm.
Arqana August catalogue revealed
The Arqana August Yearling Sale will feature a catalogue of 355 blue-blooded colts and fillies as it returns to its standard slot in the calendar from August 14 to 16 in Deauville.
This year's catalogue boasts 19 siblings or half-siblings to Group 1 winners and in Part I of the Sale, over half of the yearlings selected are out of black-type mares and a quarter of the yearlings are siblings or half-siblings to Group winners.
Some of the best European and international sires will be represented, including Galileo (Ire), Frankel (GB), Dubawi (Ire), Camelot (GB), Wootton Bassett (GB), American Pharoah (USA), Fastnet Rock and Zoustar.
One of the Sale's headline acts is Lot 120, a filly by Galileo who herself is a half-sister to G1 Epsom Derby winner Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}).
Hoops in the clear
Queensland Police and Racing NSW have cleared Champion jockeys Hugh Bowman and James McDonald of any wrongdoing after the pair were alleged to be in breach of local COVID-19 orders.
A police investigation was set in motion last week when A Current Affair aired footage of both riders racing cane toads in Port Douglas.
"Both jockeys were interviewed by Queensland Police and they were found not to be in breach of any Queensland COVID-19 orders and therefore, no action was taken against them," a Racing NSW statement read.
Class of 2021 graduate
The Godolphin Flying Start Class of 2021 graduated last Friday via a Zoom Webinar and were joined online by over 100 family, friends, and mentors from across the globe.
The 2021 graduates comprised of four men and eight women from America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Argentina, Japan and Australia.
The final two diplomas were presented to Lowri Allen and Emma Coleman, who achieved the joint highest grades among the 2021 graduating group, both attaining Distinction awards.
“On behalf of the global Godolphin team I congratulate this graduating class and wish them success and encouragement for their futures in the thoroughbred industry,” said Joe Osborne, managing director of Godolphin Ireland and trustee of Godolphin Flying Start, said.
The next opportunity to apply for the Godolphin Flying Start two-year program is January 2022, and for more information about the course please visit the below link.
Lindsay and Little to join forces
Multiple Group 1-winning trainer Colin Little is set to join fellow Caulfield-based horseman Matthew Lindsay in partnership from the beginning of next season.
Lindsay said the application will be reviewed by Racing Victoria in the coming days.
“I had my first part-time job with Colin in my high school years just chipping away here on the weekends,” Lindsay told Racing.com.
“I didn’t know much about horses but he showed me the ropes early doors, so I’m looking forward to hopefully getting a few winners together.”
Avalon nears return
Trainer Shane Nichols has confirmed that dual Group 1-winning gelding Streets Of Avalon (Magnus) has pulled up well following a soft trial victory at Traralgon over 950 metres on Wednesday.
Nichols said the 6-year-old gelding will resume in the G3 Bletchingly S. at Caulfield later this month.
"He has been able to have a nice eight weeks off and then a nice long build-up. So, he is really sound and well,” Nichols told Racing.com.
Streets Of Avalon
Axe stays put
Queensland-based trainer Michael Costa has opted to keep talented sprinter Axe (Written Tycoon) at home after bypassing Wednesday’s Listed Grafton District Services Club Ramorine H. at Grafton.
The 4-year-old gelding was withdrawn from the feature event after drawing barrier 20. He also held nominations for a 1300 metre contest at Rockhampton on Friday and a benchmark affair at Randwick on Saturday.
“He’s probably got one more run left in him this preparation and I’ve been mulling over whether to start once more or send him to the paddock,” Costa told Racing.com.
“However, Jag (Guthmann-Chester) rode him in the gallop on Tuesday and he came back with a lot of confidence about him being able to start one more time.”
Baffert suit in motion
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) on Tuesday gave notice to a federal judge that it intends to file a formal motion to dismiss trainer Bob Baffert's civil complaint, which seeks to overturn NYRA's ban against him.
On May 17, NYRA informed the Hall of Fame trainer with the highly publicised string of recent equine drug positives that he was temporarily not welcome to stable or race at the association's three tracks, Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack.
That ban, NYRA said at the time, would be re-evaluated once the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission adjudicates Medina Spirit's (USA) (Protonico {USA}) positive Betamethasone tests that came back after the colt won the G1 Kentucky Derby.
