Daily News Wrap

Pinatubo unable to shuttle

A viral eye infection will prevent Champion 2-Year-Old Pinatubo (Ire) from shuttling to Australia in 2021.

“It’s extremely disappointing for our clients and the team at Darley, however we must first and foremost consider what is best for the horse,” Godolphin Australia’s Managing Director, Vin Cox, said.

“The overwhelming conclusion, and based on vets’ advice, was for Pinatubo to remain at Dalham Hall Stud where they’re able to manage his treatment and get him right for next season.

“We thank our clients for their support of this horse since his announcement. The legacy Shamardal is leaving through the likes of proven sire sons such as Lope De Vega is incredible and we’re fortunate to be able to offer two sons who, like Pinatubo, were Champion racehorses in their own right, on our roster this season in Blue Point and Earthlight.

“Just because Pinatubo is unable to make the journey this season certainly doesn’t rule him out for next season and we look forward to him joining our roster in 2022.”

Quality catalogue

Stakes-performed fillies and mares, talented racehorses and mares in foal on highly sought-after pregnancies headline another quality catalogue for the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Auction.

A total of 328 lots have been finalised for the Sale, which is now open for bidding.

Among the catalogue are 150 racehorses (75 race fillies), 115 broodmares (53 in foal), 28 weanlings, 21 racehorse shares, eight yearlings, two stallions, two breeding rights and a stallion share in Winning Rupert.

“With one week of the racing season to go, Inglis Digital graduates have won 1992 races in Australia for the season and there’s every reason to expect that figure will comfortably surpass 2000 in the next eight days, which would be quite remarkable,’’ Inglis Digital’s Business Manager, Nick Melmeth, said.

Bidding for the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Auction is now open with the final countdown of bidding kicking in from midday, July 28.

Sansom to resume

Sansom (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) will be looking to kick-off his preparation in style when he contests the G3 Bletchingly S. at Caulfield on Saturday.

“He will run well, we haven’t got him wound up for this though, so if he is running top four or five I would be really happy with that heading into the spring,” trainer Phillip Stokes told RSN927.

Sansom hasn’t raced since his unplaced run in the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue H. at Flemington in February, with Stokes electing to give him a decent spell ahead of spring racing.

“He has got to take the next step to go to the elite level, but it would be good to head to something like the G1 Toorak H.,” Stokes said.

Tough test for Tasmanian

Tasmanian visitor And Beyond (Wordsmith) will put his unbeaten record on the line at Caulfield on Saturday.

The winner of six on the bounce, he will step out in the MRC Member Lina Leo H. but unfortunately trainers Ken and Tanya Hanson won’t be in attendance.

"You can't not send him over because we don't know how long this COVID is going to be around and what impact it's going to have, so you've got to take the opportunities when you can," Tanya Hanson told RSN927.

"He just keeps raising the bar every time we put it up there and it's going to be a test for him again and against the big boys at Caulfield, so we'll see on Saturday."

Te Akau out in force

The stellar racing season experienced by the Te Akau Racing team is reflected in the first group of finalists for the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards.

Eight horses prepared at Matamata by Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards are among the 17 individual flat racing finalists, with the stable represented in each of the five categories.

The Te Akau contenders include reigning Horse of the Year Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), who is a finalist in two categories and in contention for a third Horse of the Year title.

Champion 2-Year-Old: Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}), On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau), Sword Of State (Snitzel).

Champion 3-Year-Old: Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel), Need I Say More (No Nay Never {USA}), Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock).

Champion Sprinter-Miler (up to and including 1600 metres): Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante), Melody Belle, Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel).

Champion Middle Distance (1601-2200 metres): Avantage, Beauden (NZ) (Bullbars), Concert Hall (NZ) (Savabeel), Melody Belle, Royal Performer (GB) (Medicean {GB}).

Champion Stayer (2201 metres and further): Ocean Billy (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel), Savy Yong Blonk (NZ) (Savabeel), Waisake (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).

Improving 2-year-old

Matamata trainers Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott are in no hurry with promising Trust In A Gust 2-year-old Treasure State, but that's not to say the youngster won't be making haste at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Treasure State will tackle Saturday's New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series Race at Te Rapa following a last-start third on the track a fortnight ago.

"He keeps on improving. He's well familiar with the Te Rapa ground and he's got the raceday fitness so we're hoping he can go well again," Scott said.

"Michael (McNab, jockey) got off him the other day and said he's a horse who would benefit from having blinkers on and he's taken to them well. He's had a good fortnight since that race and he should run well again."

Princess’ swansong

Cambridge trainer Fred Cornege is refusing to get involved in the sentiment surrounding stable star Pop Star Princess' (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) likely final start for the stable in Saturday's Listed Powerworx Opunake Cup at New Plymouth.

Cornege and his wife Lindsay train and share the racing ownership of Pop Star Princess with Pat and Sue Calnan, but their lease expires at the end of the month, so Saturday's feature is set to be the 6-year-old mare's swansong for the stable.

"Lindsay and the grandkids love her. I don't get emotionally involved in the horses. I look after them, but there will be an empty space for a day or two when she leaves," Cornege said.

"If she could win on Saturday, then it's more money in the bank, but it would be the icing on the cake. She's been fantastic to me and Lindsay. She's been a horse of a lifetime."

Mill Reef honoured

Mill Reef (USA), who won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. 50 years ago, has been honoured with the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls Award.

Second in the G1 2000 Guineas, the diminutive Paul Mellon homebred with the big heart would go on to win the G1 English Derby and break the course record at Epsom Downs. In the 1971 G1 King George S., the Ian Balding trainee drew off to win by 6l.

Retired as a 4-year-old after a career-ending injury, Mill Reef stood at The National Stud and sired 63 black-type winners throughout his successful stud career.

“Obviously it's a huge honour to be remembering Mill Reef; he's a horse who meant a huge amount to myself and my family,” Balding’s son Andrew said. “He truly is one of the greats of the turf and is very fondly remembered by all at Kingsclere.”

Van Gogh to stud

Van Gogh (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}), last year’s Cartier Champion 2-Year-Old in the aftermath of victory in the G1 Criterium International, has been retired from racing and sold to stand at East Stud on the island of Hokkaido, Japan in 2022.

During a busy seven-race juvenile campaign last year for the Coolmore partners and breeder Diane Nagle of Barronstown Stud, Van Gogh placed in the G3 Tyros S. and G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. before breaking his maiden at The Curragh.

He finished second in the G3 Autumn S. before winning the Criterium International over the Heavy ground at Saint-Cloud by 4l. From four starts, all in Classics, this season, Van Gogh’s best performance has been a third in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas.

Point Lonsdale bolts in

It looked straightforward on paper for Ballydoyle's Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) ahead of Thursday's G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. and that was the case as the brother to Broome (Ire) justified his favouritism.

Racing in second early after a slightly tardy start, the Listed Chesham S. winner took control 400 metres from home and stayed on strongly to register a 3l verdict over Maritime Wings (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}).

“He was around a bend for the first time, he loved that ground, put his head down and quickened well. It will be the G2 Futurity S. and, all being well, then the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S.,” trainer Aidan O’Brien said.

Caravaggio filly upsets

Agartha (Ire), a daughter of Coolmore shuttle stallion Caravaggio (USA), was an upset winner of the G3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown.

“We've always had a very high opinion of her, she's done nothing but improve with each run and she's been running very well,” said winning trainer Joseph O'Brien. “We said we'd let her bowl along and she loved it.

“Maybe we were restricting her a bit much before and letting her bowl along allowed her to get into a great rhythm. She's a good filly and I'd say she'll go further too. We'll probably head for the G2 Debutante S. with her now.”