Ayrton on the mend
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) is on the mend after a mystery infection derailed his spring campaign.
While the exact cause of the infection remains unknown, the G3 Gunsynd Classic winner is headed for the spelling paddock for the next six weeks after spending the past month at Balnarring beach to aid his recovery.
Ayrton (NZ) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
"He has nearly fully recovered but there is still a little bit of swelling in the back of the hock,” Roll The Dice Racing's Leigh Saville told Racing.com.
"It was more serious than what people might have thought, that's for sure. If the infection had spread into the hock and the ligaments, the infection starts eating away, so it can be pretty dangerous.”
Avdulla still sidelined
Brenton Avdulla doesn’t expect to return to race riding until next year as he continues to recover from serious neck injuries suffered in a horror fall from the ill-fated Xtremetime (Extreme Choice) in August’s G2 Darley Silver Shadow S.
Avdulla was hoping to return to the saddle this month but confirmed his comeback has been delayed until at least January.
“I’ve got scans in a couple of weeks which will tell me more, but I’d say a return won’t be until the new year,’’ Avdulla told Racenet.
“I’m walking around with no issues but if I have a busy day, then at night my neck hurts a bit. I still can’t train, I can’t do anything at all, I just have to wait for the bone to heal.”
Sokolski and Kheir purchase Spanish Mission
Prominent owners Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir have privately purchased G1 Melbourne Cup third placegetter Spanish Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}).
The 6-year-old entire will join Melbourne Cup runner-up Incentivise (Shamus Award) in the care of Pakenham-based trainer Peter Moody.
“I would like to thank the former owners of Spanish Mission, Gary Barber and Brian Irwin, who specifically approached me and gave me the opportunity to purchase their wonderful horse and keep him on our shores,” Sokolski said in a statement.
“Spanish Mission is truly a world-class stayer, and importantly still on an upward trajectory with so much more to come. We will advise of future plans with him in due course.”
Record Cox Plate Carnival results
The Moonee Valley Racing Club has announced record wagering across its Cox Plate Carnival, with the two-day spectacle seeing a 10 per cent year-on-year increase.
The Manikato S. and Cox Plate Day meetings amassed a total of $183 million in wagering turnover with the former setting a new night racing record of $49.6 million, up 11.2 per cent year-on-year.
“In a year where the Club has taken a significant financial hit with no crowds attending our marquee two-day Ladbrokes Cox Plate Carnival, we are delighted to see a record result for wagering which continues the current trend across the industry,” MVRC CEO Michael Browell said.
“To announce a record wagering result for night racing on Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes Night illustrates that the two-day Carnival is now well entrenched in Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival.”
Scans to determine Harbour Views' future
Harbour Views’ (Fr) (La Havre {Ire}) career is at the crossroads after the OTI-owned gelding was scratched from Saturday’s G3 Cranbourne Cup due to a suspensory injury.
The Matthew Williams-trained 7-year-old was an impressive first-up winner of the Listed The Sofitel at Flemington before finishing third in the G3 Sandown S. and fourth in the Listed Seymour Cup.
Harbour Views (Fr) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“We will have to figure out what we do once we know more. He was probably going as good as ever too,” Williams told Racing.com.
“If the vets say it’s not on the major side it’s probably six months best case. He’d miss the autumn and it might be a late spring (return).”
Don't forget the Gator
Billy Healey has urged racing fans not to forget about G1 Australian Guineas hero Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) ahead of his much-anticipated return to the track in next month’s G3 George Moore S. at Eagle Farm.
Healey believes the 5-year-old is capable of measuring up at the highest level again despite having raced once since suffering a kissing spine injury in last year’s Golden Eagle.
"He's come back in really good order, I'm happy with him. There's no reason why he can't get back to that level, it's just if he wants to or not," Healey told Racing.com.
"He's got a long road to get back to where he was, but all of the signs are good at the moment, he's in good health, good shape, he's nice and sound."
Thurlow pleased with Guineas hope
Bill Thurlow is quietly confident about the chances of And We Danced (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) in Saturday’s G1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas despite the talented filly having an interrupted campaign.
And We Danced will line up in the classic at just her third raceday start after suffering a setback following her debut victory at Hastings in May.
Bill Thurlow | Image courtesy NZ Racing Desk
“I’m very happy with her. All things probably tell you that it is a big ask, and it is, but I am very happy with her,” Thurlow said.
“Her breeding suggests a mile would be fine and she has a very good turn of foot. We are trying her at the mile because it is the pinnacle."
Fifty Stars to stand at Sunnyhill Stud
G1 Australian Cup winner Fifty Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will retire to Sunnyhill Stud in partnership with Jack Cantillon’s Bloodstock Racing as a National Hunt stallion in 2022.
Owned by Gerry Ryan, the 7-year-old entire amassed over $2.7 million in prizemoney during a career spanning 35 starts.
“I look forward to standing Fifty Stars at Sunnyhill. He was a top-class, consistent racehorse and retired sound from his racing career,” Michael Hickey of Sunnyhill Stud said.
“He is a smashing-looking individual with great presence and a wonderful walk. The fact that he had the speed to win from seven furlongs to 10 furlongs should appeal to National Hunt breeders and we look forward to having him available for inspection shortly.”
St Mark’s Basilica crowned
St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), four-time Group 1 winner in 2021, was crowned the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier 3-Year-Old Colt at Wednesday evening's 31st annual Cartier Racing Awards in London.
The star galloper marked the sixth Cartier Horse of the Year award for the Coolmore partners since its inception in 1991.
Raced by Coolmore and trained by Aidan O’Brien, G1 Oaks heroine Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was named the Cartier 3-Year-Old Filly.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) secured the Cartier Older Horse while Godolphin galloper Native Trial (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Cheveley Park homebred Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) earned 2-Year-Old Colt and 2-Year-Old Filly honours respectively.
Dark Angel at €60,000
Veteran stallion Dark Angel (Ire) will stand for an unchanged fee of €60,000 ($94,000) in 2022, and leads the Yeomanstown Stud roster of five stallions. Firmly on top of the European 2-Year-Old Sires' table, the grey sired dual Group 1-winning juvenile Angel Bleu (Fr), as well as older filly Althiqa (GB), who won a brace of Grade 1s Stateside. His third Group 1 winner this term was G1 Maker's Mark Mile S. hero Raging Bull (Fr). Overall, the 16-year-old sired 20 stakes winners in 2021, 12 of them group winners.
New to Yeomanstown is G1 Middle Park S. victor Supremacy (Ire) at €12,500 ($20,000). Also a winner of the G2 Richmond S. last year, he was rated 118 by TimeForm and was the highest-rated 2-year-old in England in 2020.
