Stage set for Artorius
A step up in trip to 1400 metres and the big Flemington track will be ideal for Artorius (Flying Artie) in the Listed Exford Plate on Saturday.
Artorius
Last season’s G1 Blue Diamond S. winner will be making the second start of his 3-year-old campaign, which revolves around the G1 Caulfield Guineas, after he powered home late for second in the G3 McNeil S.
"It is exciting to see him out to this distance. It was a good return first-up,” co-trainer Sam freedman told Racing.com. "He was a little bit out of his ground and the 100-1 shot half helped him veer off the track, so he didn't get the best of luck.
"We've given him a fair bit of work since then, he's going to strip a lot fitter and he will love 1400 metres at Flemington."
Underwood for Zaaki
The G1 Cox Plate favourite Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) will make his next appearance in the G1 Underwood S.
Trainer Annabel Neasham confirmed plans for her star galloper, who will be ridden by Craig Williams, on Friday morning.
Zaaki was an effortless winner of the G2 Tramway S. when he opened his spring campaign at Randwick and is currently a $2.80 favourite for the Cox Plate.
Flemington homecoming
Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) will make a welcome return to her home track of Flemington on Saturday when she contests the G1 Makybe Diva S.
She ran third first-up in the G1 Memsie S. at Caulfield last month, and trainer Michael Moroney believes she will appreciate the roomier track at Flemington.
“I thought she struggled a bit around that last corner (at Caulfield),” Moroney told SENTrack. “Just when I look back on her form, all of her Group 1 wins have been on big tracks, so I think Flemington should suit her.”
Tofane’s half-brother Benaud (Reliable Man {GB}) also showed he had inherited a good measure of the family ability when the John O’Shea-trained colt was a debut winner at Nowra on Friday. He was bought by O’Shea and Laurel Oak Bloodstock for NZ$280,000 out of breeder Valachi Downs’ draft at Karaka.
Tofane (NZ)
2020/21 Awards
The nominees for the prestigious 2020/21 Australian Racehorse of the Year awards have been announced by Racing NSW. With COVID restrictions remaining in place, the ceremony will be broadcast live via Sky Thoroughbred Central on Monday, October 11.
Racing NSW’s prestigious Awards for Excellence will also be announced during the night and include the Bart Cummings Medal, TJ Smith Award, George Moore Award, Theo Green Award, Sydney Strapper of the Year, BOBS Horse of the Year and the Caryl Williamson Racing Writer’s Media Personality of the Year.
In the Australian awards, the headline age group acts includes Stay Inside (Extreme Choice), Ole Kirk, and Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}). Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) will be pressing for the Champion Sprinter tag and the Champion Stayer and Middle Distance Champion contenders include Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).
Premier trainer Chris Waller has clinched the Champion Group 1 Trainer Award with ace rider James McDonald claiming the Champion Group 1 Jockey title. Written Tycoon is Australia’s Champion Stallion.
O’Brien inducted
The late Vincent O'Brien, a master trainer on the flat and over jumps, is the first of his profession to be inducted to the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame. His name was announced along with three equine stars of the 1970s and subsequent sires Mill Reef (USA), Nijinsky (Can) and Brigadier Gerard (GB).
During an illustrious career, O'Brien notched 141 Group 1 wins, including six Derby winners. Prior to that, his extraordinary success in the National Hunt field included training three consecutive winners of the Grand National.
The late Vincent O'Brien
Moreover, he played a hugely significant role in the development of Coolmore Stud in partnership with his son-in-law John Magnier and Robert Sangster.
“No racing decade ever had a start like the 1970s. Nijinsky, Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard – three horses of the century only a year apart. No Derby winner more majestic than Nijinsky, no Arc winner more of a mould-breaker than Mill Reef, no miler more complete than Brigadier Gerard,” said Hall of Fame panellist and broadcaster Brough Scott.
“Irish genius Vincent O'Brien added to the magic of that era, setting a standard most could only dream of matching. He changed the racing and training landscape and his legacy lives on at Ballydoyle and Coolmore, which remain two of the world's greatest racing operations to this day.
Watch QPICO British Champions Series Hall of Fame induction: Vincent O’Brien
NZB recognised
New Zealand Bloodstock has been announced as a finalist in the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) New Zealand International Business Awards for 2021.
NZB secured its place for exporting businesses, as a contender in the Innovation in Response to COVID-19 category.
“As with many businesses around the globe, the adversity and challenges we faced while trading horses in the midst of a global pandemic tested not only NZB, but our industry in its entirety,” Bloodstock Sales Manager Danny Rolston said.
“Traditionally, our auction sales process has relied heavily on having international buyers onsite. COVID presented a huge challenge to us in that we had to change the way we’ve been selling horses successfully for the last 90 years.”
Mishriff moves up
With his 6l victory in last month's G1 Juddmonte International, Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) has joined St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Adayar (GB) (Frankel {GB}) atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings with a rating of 127.
Mishriff (Ire)
St Mark's Basilica won the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club before besting Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and Mishriff in the G1 Eclipse S., while Adayar became the first horse in 20 years to sweep the G1 Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., defeating Mishriff in the latter contest.
Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has defended his title in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois since the last rankings release, sits fourth worldwide with a rating of 125. The GI Whitney S. winner Knicks Go (USA) (Paynter {USA}) and multiple Group 1-winning Australian sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi) are a joint fifth at 124.
Innes anxious for return
Auckland's extended lockdown has proved especially frustrating for leading jockey Leith Innes, who can look but can't touch with nearly everything he wants to participate in.
Innes is one of several jockeys in the Auckland region robbed of riding while the province is in Alert Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
"You'd like to be racing, but it's not looking good any time soon," Innes said. "I've been working at the farm, doing trackwork. I've tried to get an exemption to ride at the races but I've just been bounced back on that so at the moment we're just waiting."
Honour to Spendthrift founder
Spendthrift Farm has broken ground on what is to be an 8000 square-foot tourism facility that will be named the B. Wayne Hughes Visitors' Centre in honour of the farm's late founder.
“We take it on as our responsibility now to continue to build on the vision Wayne had for Spendthrift and the sport of horse racing,” said Eric Gustavson, owner of Spendthrift and son-and-law to the late B. Wayne Hughes.
The new facility is scheduled to be open the spring or summer of 2022 and is expected to house a trophy room, gift shop, and entertainment/office space, and will include such features as a life-size statue of the late Malibu Moon (USA) at the entrance, trophies, Into Mischief (USA) artifacts, a famous horses' memorial and interactive history elements throughout.
Artist's rendition of the Hughes Visitors' Center at Spendthrift | Image courtesy of Spendthrift
Foal crop to drop
The North American registered thoroughbred foal crop is projected to be 18,700 in 2022, The Jockey Club has reported.
This represents 500 fewer foals than the 2021 foal crop estimate of 19,200, and, at a decline of 2.6 per cent, represents the sixth straight year of decline and is the lowest figure since 1965, when the foal crop was 18,846.
The high-water mark of 51,296 was reached in 1986. The crop has declined every year since then with the exception of 2015.
Godolphin filly scores
Fresh from the familiar routine of a record-setting exercise in the G3 Prix des Chenes, master trainer Andre Fabre worked to rule and equalled the lauded Francois Boutin's haul of six with Godolphin's 2-year-old filly Fleur d'Iris (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) in Thursday's G3 Prix d'Aumale at ParisLongchamp.
Out front and in control for most of the 1600-metre contest, she was nudged along when threatened passing in the straight and went clear before easing down to allow stablemate and Marcel Boussac entry Zellie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) reduce arrears to a flattering 1.5l at the line. The Christophe Ferland-trained Bahasa (Ire) (Siyouni {Ire}) finished 1.25l back in third.
Easy for Free Wind
Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was the stylish winner of Deauville's G3 Prix Minerve last month and simply outclassed overmatched rivals with a 7l rout in Thursday's G2 Hippo Pro3 Park Hill Fillies' S. over the full G1 St Leger trip of 2800 metres.
“She settles well off any pace really and also has a turn of foot that most of those others wouldn't necessarily have. The obvious options are the (G1 British Champions) Fillies & Mares on Champions’ Day and there's also the G1 Prix de Royallieu on Arc day as well,” co-trainer Thady Gosden said.
