Daily News Wrap

Smart win for well-related filly

The first foal from star mare Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}), Yearning (Snitzel), broke her maiden at Newcastle on Friday. Withdrawn from the Arrowfield draft of the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, the Hawkes Racing trained filly was having her fifth start.

The brother to Yearning was purchased for $2.5 million by Hawkes Racing from Arrowfield's draft of the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and is now named Magic (Snitzel).

Rising Romance has a yearling colt by Snitzel and is due to foal another sibling to Yearning in the coming days.

Legend lethal fresh runner

Trainer Les Bridge hasn’t dismissed a first-up tilt at The TAB Everest for his defending champion Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt).

The grey sprinter has three wins and a placing from four resuming runs and was a trial winner at Randwick last week.

"He pulled up very big after the trial, that's why I didn't run him in The Shorts on Saturday," Bridge told Racing.com.

"He got held up when he was coming back from Hong Kong, he had to do three weeks quarantine in Auckland in the middle of winter and it just put his preparation back a little bit. I'm sort of playing catch-up with him at the moment."

Classique Legend could trial again at Randwick next Friday ahead of The Everest or Bridge may give him a lead-up run in the G2 Premiere S.

Kah out for five months

Jamie Kah has been banned from riding for a total of five months by the Victorian Racing Tribunal on Friday for her part in last month’s illegal gathering at Mornington.

VRT Chairman Judge John Bowman said the tribunal considered the charges of attending the illegal gathering, for which she received three months, and for providing false and/or misleading evidence as being separate charges that required separate sanctions.

‘’The bottom line is we are of the opinion that a period of two months suspension should be imposed for this charge under (ARR) 232 (i) and be cumulative in its entirety from the period of three months suspension imposed by the stewards in relation to AR 232 (b), thus the total period of suspension for both will be five months,’’ Judge Bowman said.

Kah subsequently posted a tweet to say she will fight the two-month ban for providing false or misleading evidence in the Supreme Court.

Barrier perfect for mare

Co-trainer Natalie Young believes Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) will be ideally suited by gate 10 in Saturday’s G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. at Caulfield.

"The rail is out six metres, which I think will actually suit her because when she draws in she doesn't tend to get a lot of luck," Young told Racing.com.

"She's the sort of horse that needs to build up and get that momentum, so I think the draw will be great."

Promising Jakkalberry filly

Jakkalberry (Ire) is developing a knack for leaving quality 3-year-olds with the ill-fated Novara Park stallion enjoying Classic success last season with three-time Derby hero Explosive Jack (NZ) and he could have a quality filly in the form of Elusive Express (NZ).

She won on debut as a late 2-year-old before running a game second at Bendigo earlier this month for Anthony and Sam Freedman and will have her first tilt at stakes company at Caulfield on Saturday in the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude.

“We have given her plenty of time since she has come over and she just continues to improve as we get further into the preparation,” Freedman Racing Manager Brad Taylor said.

“By Jakkalberry, she is going to get over further, we will just see how far we get.”

Racing a saviour

Auckland's extended lockdown is wearing thin with trainer Nick Bishara, but the anticipation of another big weekend of racing is giving him some respite.

Bishara will have to be content watching the action from home as his star mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) looks to add to her tally of eight Group 1 wins in Saturday's George Main S., while Rising Ransom (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}) tackles the Reliable Man Trophy at Hastings.

"I'm over this lockdown, but at least I've got the racing to look forward to on Saturday," Bishara said.

"Rising Ransom is going super and he'll be a big chance at Hastings, but I am very worried about Verry Elleegant drawing barrier two at Randwick. She's a mare that wants galloping room and doesn't like being cluttered up.

"I would have loved to see her drawing out further in barrier six or seven or eight, but we'll leave that up to JMac (James McDonald). He's the best in business and he knows her so well."

Surprise contender

A week ago, the chances of Frontman (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) contesting the G1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings looked slim, but a host of contributing factors have resulted in a change of heart.

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained 4-year-old ventures to Hawke’s Bay off the back of a strong win in at Te Rapa last weekend, and a forecast rain-affected track should not hinder his prospects.

“It was probably just the likelihood of a dead to slow track,” Forsman said.

“Seeing him race so well at Te Rapa, he was probably a little bit more forward and sharper than we thought he would be. He has bounced through that really well, so we feel there is no reason not to go down and have a crack at a Group 1.

“Two of the ones that were going to be the hardest to beat won’t be there (Catalyst and Tavi Mac) and if it is going to be a slow track, which it is looking likely, that would be perfect for him.”

Shadwell under review

Shadwell, which was the international racing and breeding empire of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum who passed away in March, will undergo a full business review.

The company's operations in the UK, Ireland and the USA will contract, with the key focus being on quality and competition at the highest level of the sport with horses of the calibre of Group/Grade 1 winners Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Malathaat (USA) (Curlin {USA}).

As a result, a number of horses-in-training and homebred yearlings will be sold this autumn, and its broodmare band will be further reduced through dispersals in the next few months.

The family of the late Sheikh wish to stress that they remain extremely passionate about the sport and through the chairmanship of Sheikha Hissa, is committed to ensuring that their father's legacy endures.

Graffard to take reins

Following the retirement of Alain de Royer-Dupre at the end of 2021, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard will take over the training of the horses based at His Highness The Aga Khan's private training centre at Aiglemont.

Situated in Gouvieux, Aiglemont is currently home to 80 to 90 Aga Khan-bred horses. Past champions bearing the green with red epaulettes trained at Aiglemont include Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar {USA}) and sires Dalakhani (Ire) and Siyouni (Fr).

Graffard, a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start, spent four years at the Darley Racing Office before becoming an assistant to Alain de Royer-Dupre. He went out on his own in 2011 and has enjoyed multiple Group 1 success.

Epaulette to Turkey

Former Australian-based reverse-shuttle stallion Epaulette will stand the 2022 breeding season at the Jockey Club of Turkey Stud Farms.

Purchased from Darley Australia, the bay won the G1 Golden Rose S. and G1 Doomben 10,000 and at stud has left 15 black-type winners, among them Group 1 winners Red Lark (Ire) and Soqrat.

Joining Epaulette will be the Group 2 winner Battleground (USA), a winner of the G2 Vintage S., who has been purchased from Coolmore.

Also a winner of the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot, he crowned his juvenile season with a close second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.