Jukebox plays first winning song
Jukebox filly Cabrinella, on debut for Toowoomba trainer Rochelle Pereira, got the music playing early at Ipswich on Thursday as the first winner for Aquis Farm-based son of Snitzel.
Cabrinella posted a 0.5l win over Red Dazzler filly Montana Lady as the rank outsider in the field. She was bred by Colleen Buchanan of VDiamond Thoroughbreds, NSW.
Buchanan said on social media that Cabrinella was a filly with a bright future.
Aquis Farm celebrated also with a tweet to say: “This youngster clearly has a stack of talent the way she exploded! The first of many wins for sire Jukebox’’.
Jukebox, who was trained by Ciaron Maher, was unbeaten as a juvenile, highlighted by a dominant victory in the R. Listed Inglis Premier before going on the following Spring to win the G3 MRC Vain S.
Victorian Breeding Academy launched
Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV) have launched the Victorian Breeding Academy, designed to entice the next generation into the Victorian Thoroughbred industry.
The Academy will offer both formal and informal educational courses for those who would like to be involved in the industry and will commence in March with a nationally recognised Certificate IV in Agriculture.
Subjects will be focused on equine breeding, as well as leadership and pasture management with students enrolled in the Certificate IV of Agriculture as trainees for one year with Victorian farms. TBV are currently looking for expressions of interest from both potential trainees and also from farms who would like to employ a trainee for the duration of the course.
To highlight these pathways, which are on offer in Victoria and wider Australia, TBV, in collaboration with the Australian Chinese Jockey Club and Musk Creek, will be conducting an educational pathway event ahead of the Inglis Melbourne Premier sale on Wednesday, February 23 the complex from 4pm AEDT.
Queen Elizabeth is Anamoe’s grand final
The G1 Longines Queen Elizabeth S. has been nominated by Godolphin head trainer James Cummings as the grand final for Street Boss (USA) colt Anamoe.
Ahead of the G2 Hobartville S. on Saturday as part of his Star Championships quest, Cummings said the autumn’s premier weight-for-age contest over 2000 metres was what he would be set for.
Anamoe | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
He shares the top line of betting with TAB on the carnival's flagship race at $6 alongside Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}). Anamoe made his 2022 debut with a defeat in the G2 Expressway S.
Cummings said Thursday: “He’s come on beautifully, we’ve stuck to our program with him and I’m really pleased with the way he’s trained on.
“It’s been problem-free getting to the Hobartville (S.), pretty important groundwork for what’s going to be ahead of him.”
Pinstriped put to serious test
Enver Jusufovic says his unbeaten Pinstriped (Street Boss {USA}) will be assessed on his form in the G3 CS Hayes S. to see if he is as good as his dominant wins at Moe and Moonee Valley suggests he might be.
Pinstriped winning at Moonee Valley
Jusufovic believes he has an Australian Guineas horse in Pinstriped, but Saturday’s test will tell him for sure if he is up to that standard, the Cranbourne-based trainer acknowledging his debut win, while a strong victory, was in a weak field.
Michael Dee has the ride on Pinstriped for the CS Hayes S., jumping from barrier five, on what will be a Good track at Flemington.
Hustle for Group 1 win
Starspangledbanner mare Brooklyn Hustle has given co-trainer Jason Warren confidence that the seasoned mare he trains in partnership with Dean Krongold will land a Group 1 win. It comes on the back of a pleasing Balnarring jump-out on Wednesday morning.
Warren said she will target the G1 Sangster S. in Adelaide but looked set to start her campaign in the Bob Hoysted H., at Flemington on March 5, if not even earlier in the Oakleigh Plate next week.
The 5-year-old mare has run in 10 Group 1s from her 20 career starts, with close-up runs in the Blue Diamond S. and Coolmore Stud S. with fifth-placings while finishing fourth in the Moir S., Manikato S. and last year's Oakleigh Plate.
Elephant and Rhinoceros in new home
There are a couple of new zoo exhibits at Cranbourne as David and Emma-Lee Browne relocate their Cambridge, New Zealand, husband-and-wife training operations to Victoria, with the first arrivals for the team being The All-Star Mile confirmed starter Elephant (NZ) (Shocking) and Rhinoceros (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) doing well and out for some light work on Thursday.
Rhinoceros (NZ)
The pair will both step out at Flemington on Saturday having travelled over from New Zealand to arrive at their new Cranbourne stables on Wednesday night.
Elephant qualified in eighth spot for The All-Star Mile. He contests the 1400-metre Listed Elms H. on Saturday while Rhinoceros takes on the G3 CS Hayes S.
Kangaroo Island called off after fall
South Australian jockey Claudia Lions, 35, was hospitalised after a fall at Kingscote on Thursday which led to the races being abandoned due the the unsafe condition of the track.
Riding Nicole Irwin-trained Comeon Scruff (Legion) the fall came when the horse seemingly lost his footing rounding the turn.
Initial reports from the track suggest Lions managed to escape serious injury and was conscious. She was moving arms and legs, but was complaining of neck pain. Comeon Scruff was not injured.
Claudia Lions
The races at Kingscote were initially delayed with jockeys, trainers and stewards inspecting the section of the track where Lions fell. They deemed the surface safe to race but only one more race was run before the day’s racing was abandoned. It is unclear if Saturday’s Kangaroo Island Cup meet will proceed.
Osaila tops Arqana February
Arqana has its first auction of the year in the book and the activity across the last two days at the mixed February Sale will likely have pleased Eric Hoyeau and his team after some solid trade, particularly for broodmares.
Turnover was of course up, with 38 more horses sold this time around at the close of trade, bringing an aggregate of €4,154,000 (AU$6.6 million), representing an improvement of 37.7 per cent. The median rose slightly to €6000 (AU$9500) and the average was up by 19.8 per cent at €13,847 (AU$22,000). The clearance rate was unchanged at 80 per cent.
It didn't take long for trade to click into top gear with the arrival in the ring, five lots from the start of the session, of Osaila (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), the dual Group 3 winner in her days in training with Richard Hannon.
Arthur Hoyeau ended up in front as the bidding settled at €200,000 (AU$316,000) for the 10-year-old mare (Lot 224), who is granddaughter of the great Detroit (Fr) (Riverman {Fr}), one of the rare broodmares to have won the Arc herself and to have produced an Arc winner, in this case Carnegie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}). Osaila will head to Coolmore Stud in Ireland for a date with the European Horse of the Year for 2021.
“She is a very beautiful mare, with one of the best profiles in the Sale,” said Hoyeau. “She had a great racing career and her pedigree is exceptional. She is already the dam of a winner and will be covered by St Mark's Basilica this season.”
Todd placed on suspension
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has placed an interim suspension on the licence of trainer Sir Mark Todd following the publication over the weekend of a video showing him striking a horse with a branch for refusing at a water obstacle.
Investigations are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the events depicted in the video made two years ago during a cross-country clinic at which Todd was teaching. Until that process is complete Todd will be unable to enter horses to race in Britain.
Sir Mark Todd | Image courtesy of Wikipedia
A statement released by the BHA on Wednesday morning read, “The chair of British racing's Independent Judicial Panel has today approved an application from the BHA that an interim suspension should be placed on the training licence of Sir Mark Todd following the emergence over the weekend of a video showing him striking a horse with what appears to be a branch.
“This interim suspension means that while investigations continue into the circumstances of this incident, Sir Mark will be unable to race horses in Britain or internationally.”
Murphy faces disciplinary panel
Oisin Murphy, the three-time Champion jockey in Britain, will face the independent disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on Tuesday, February 22 for five alleged rule breaches.
Members of the panel will consider whether Murphy misled the BHA regarding his travel destination in order to circumvent COVID rules and failed to comply with those restrictions. Further charges relate to two separate incidents, on May 5, 2021 and October 8, 2021, when the jockey failed breath tests for alcohol at Chester and Newmarket racecourses respectively. The hearing will also determine whether Murphy has brought racing into disrepute by breaching the rule pertaining to “acting in a manner which is prejudicial to the proper integrity, conduct and good reputation of the sport”.
Murphy was crowned Champion for the third time in October following a closely fought battle with William Buick which was only decided on the final day of the jockeys' championship on QIPCO British Champions Day. He has not been seen in action this year having voluntarily relinquished his licence in December 2021.
