Snowdens pick up smart WA filly
Impressive R. Listed Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic winner Sheeza Belter (Gold Standard) has been transferred to the stables of Peter and Paul Snowden and will be aimed at the G1 Champagne S.
Sheeza Belter, winner of the R. Listed Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
It has been reported that plans to send the talented filly to the G2 Karrakatta Plate in April have been shelved with the filly, who has been trained by Luke Ferchie to this point, now headed to Group 1 races in Sydney.
The Races WA reported that she would be sent to the Snowdens with a view to winning the G1 Champagne S. on April 16.
Announcement from Racing NSW
Racing NSW is expected to make a major industry announcement on Wednesday.
Details of the announcement have not been confirmed but it is expected to involve a boost in prizemoney.
The announcement will be broadcast on Sky Thoroughbred Central at 10am AEDT.
Autumn revamp on the cards
Racing Victoria is set to revamp its autumn carnival with the G1 Australian Cup to be moved back later in March from 2023.
The feature weight-for-age race will be run one week after The All-Star Mile (ASM) in 2023 and then two weeks after the $5 million race in 2024.
The G2 Alister Clark S. will move to be run alongside The ASM, with The Valley set to host the race instead of Caulfield, which will be undergoing renovations.
From 2024, the G1 William Reid S. and Alister Clark will get a standalone Saturday in between The ASM and the Australian Cup, which will be the last meeting of the carnival.
Satirical starts out
John Sargent is eyeing the G1 Australian Derby with Satirical Glory (So You Think {NZ}), who resumes in the First Justify Yearlings H. over 1400 metres at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
The gelding ran fourth behind Profondo (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Spring Champion S. and Sargent expects big things of him this campaign.
Satirical Glory as a 2-year-old | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“He ran really well, and with extra time now he should be up with the big guys when he gets to the distance or further,’’ Sargent told Racing NSW. “I didn’t take him to Melbourne because sometimes they don’t go on when you take them down there and I thought a break would do him good.
“The further he gets out in distance the better but he’s a lot stronger than in the spring.”
He meets another Derby aspirant in the well-related Benaud (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), who ran fifth in the Spring Champion.
Thunder's Orr challenge
Mindful of the task I'm Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) has in front of him this autumn, trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr admit the Group 1 winner could be a little vulnerable in the G1 CF Orr S. on Saturday.
The 4-year-old will be having his first start since winning the Golden Eagle in October and Kent Jnr warned he may not be fully wound up.
I'm Thunderstruck (NZ) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“While we would love to win everything, you’ve got to be mindful that he has got a long prep ahead of him and had a long prep last year,” Kent Jnr told Racenet.
“We wanted to give him a full six-week spell and we weren’t going to shortcut that to have him fully tuned up to win first-up.
"I know it (the CF Orr) is a Group 1 but it’s a long road ahead and this will bring him along a lot. We’re not setting him to peak first-up."
ATA board shake-up in Victoria
Daniel Bowman, Michael Kent and Tony Noonan have been elected on to the Victorian branch of the Australian Trainers' Association.
The new members join President Robbie Griffiths and Vice President Pat Carey, who also sit on the national board, as well as Dan O'Sullivan and Troy Corstens.
Warrnambool-based Bowman, 35, is the youngest member of the committee and told Racing.com that he is keen to represent the next generation of trainers.
Daniel Bowman
"It was probably the right time to get some younger people on there," Bowman said. "After all it's our future, the younger people's future, that is what we want to have a direct say on.
"Maybe I can bring some new ideas and a younger trainer that maybe other younger trainers can relate to more and I can be more approachable to them."
All-Star alive for Verry Elleegant
Racing Victoria's Greg Carpenter said trainer Chris Waller wants to keep The All-Star Mile option 'alive' for G1 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), but that will depend on how she runs in Saturday's G2 Apollo S.
"His intention at this stage is to keep her alive as an option into The ASM," Carpenter told Racing.com. "They will make an assessment after she runs first-up.
Verry Elleegant (NZ)
"She just seems to be getting better and better with age. I'm hoping for a really positive performance by Verry Elleegant, the Champion mare, on Saturday and see if that sways them towards an ASM tilt this year."
Do It La shines for Shalaa on debut
The Peter Moody-trained Do It La (Shalaa {Ire}) impressed with a debut win at Ballarat on Tuesday.
Ridden by Blaike McDougall, Do It La, a homebred for Gene Tsoi, fought back after being headed inside the final 200 metres to defeat the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Red Rapid (Merchant Navy) by 0.4l in the Pipe Pro Directional Drilling 2YO Mdn Plate over 1200 metres. Those two defeated the third horse by 9l.
"She stepped okay but didn't muster (speed), that was okay, I was able to utilise Plan B and she was able to get into a really nice rhythm off an even tempo I thought," McDougall said.
"I didn't expect the field to stop as quickly as they did in front, I ended up nearly producing her too early. To her credit she was headed down the straight but she always felt the winner."
Tiptronic thriving ahead of Herbie Dyke
Trainer Graham Richardson says Tiptronic (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) is as good as ever heading into one of his favourite races, the G1 Herbie Dyke S. at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Tiptronic will be having his fourth go at the weight-for-age showcase on Saturday, having won the race in 2020 and finished second in 2019 before finishing sixth last year.
Tiptronic (NZ) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“I’m very, very happy with the way he worked with Paisley Park this morning,” said Richardson, who trains Tiptronic in partnership with Rogan Norvall.
Added to the appeal for Richardson is the fact he’s managed to get leading big-race rider Opie Bosson aboard.
“When you get Opie you hopefully get another length or two out of them,” Richardson said.
Te Akau filles to clash
Te Akau fillies Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) and Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking) will clash for the first time on their way to the G1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks in the G2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic on Saturday.
“They both had a bit of a freshen-up after their last runs, they were due a bit of a break,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “It is great to have a couple of live chances in the boss’ race.
Belle En Rouge (NZ) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“Belle En Rouge had been quite busy in the South Island and then came back up and won the Eulogy and then the Eight Carat.
“We felt it was a good time to give them a freshen. They go into this race in good shape, but they do have improvement to come for their next start and then the Oaks.
“They will either run in the Lowland or the Sunline Vase, we will just get through Saturday and make a decision from there.”
Medina Spirit hearing postponed
A long-awaited Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) stewards' hearing regarding Medina Spirit's (USA) (Protonico {USA}) positive test result for betamethasone in the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby reportedly got postponed from Monday to the following week.
After a wait of 283 days since the alleged infraction, Monday's hearing involving trainer Bob Baffert has apparently been rescheduled for February 14.
Bob Baffert | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
WLKY-TV in Kentucky first broke the news of the non-hearing and its new date.
TDN attempted to confirm the report by sending emails to KHRC chief state steward Barbara Borden, KHRC executive director Marc Guilfoil, and Baffert's attorney, W. Craig Robertson III, asking each to explain the reason for the postponement.
312 Triple crown nominations
A total of 312 sophomores were nominated for this year's Triple Crown series at the early nomination deadline of January 29. The number of early nominations slipped 4.3 per cent, or 14 horses, from last year's total of 326.
The nominated group is led by Grade 1 winners Corniche (USA) (Quality Road {USA}), Jack Christopher (USA) (Munnings {USA}), Pinehurst (USA) (Twirling Candy {USA}) and Rattle N Roll (USA) (Connect {USA}).
Echo Zulu (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}), winner of last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and likely 2-year-old Champion Female, is one of six fillies made eligible for the Triple Crown. Nominees also include a record 21 horses based in Japan, along with two based in Europe and one from Dubai.
European Pattern changes
All Pattern and Listed races staged in Europe in 2021 were reviewed by the European Pattern Committee (EPC) at their annual meeting, which was held virtually in January.
The EPC sanctioned 851 black-type races (854 in 2021) to be held in Europe in 2022, of which, 425 were Group races (427 in 2021) and 426 Listed races (427 in 2021), a reduction of three on 2021.
The following changes were made to the Irish Pattern and Listed races:
- Listed Silken Glider S. upgraded to Group 3 status
- Listed Savel Beg upgraded to Group 3 status
- G3 Vintage Crop S. downgraded to Listed status
- G3 Diamond S. downgraded to Listed status
- New six-furlong Listed race for filles (3yo/up)
Across Europe, other countries' races were downgraded as follows:
Germany:
- G2 Diana Trial downgraded to Group 3
- G3 Silberne Pietsche downgraded to Listed
Italy:
- Listed Citta di Napoli loses Listed status
- Listed Archidamia loses Listed status
- Listed Chiusura loses Listed status
Norway:
- G3 Oslo Cup downgraded to Listed
Sweden:
- Listed Stockholm Fillies' S. loses Listed status
Turkey:
G2 Topkapi Trophy downgraded to Group 3
There are also a total of 41 Pattern and Listed races that are at risk of potential downgrades in 2023 depending on their performance in 2022. These races are broken down by country as follows: Great Britain (one), France (10), Germany (12), Ireland (three), Italy (14), and Turkey (one).
Besides upgrading and downgraded races, the EPC also appointed Jason Morris, the Director of Racing at Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) to replace outgoing EPC Chairman Brian Kavanagh, whose term ended on January 31, 2022. Morris will serve for a five-year term.
