Dual Group 1 winner Hungry Heart retired
Dual Group 1 winner Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB} x Harlech {GB}) has been retired to the Yulong broodmare and Written Tycoon has been elected as her first cover.
Bred and raised by Yulong and trained throughout her career by Chris Waller, the daughter of Frankel (GB) landed four of her career starts, spearheaded by her victories in the G1 Vinery Stud S. and G1 ATC Oaks, while she also landed the G2 Sweet Embrace S. as a juvenile which has seen her accrue $1,758,575 in career prizemoney.
Hungry Heart heads into retirement | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Our aim at Yulong is to raise elite champion racehorses,” said Yulong’s Racing, Sales and Nominations Manager, Troy Stephens.
“Hungry Heart, having been raised at our Nagambie base, gives our team a great deal of confidence in our systems and the way we are raising our stock.
“We would like to thank Kerrin McEvoy, strapper Steph Laraud, Chris Waller and his entire team for everything they’ve done for Hungry Heart during her racing career.”
Watch Me Dance added to MM Perth Sale
Group 2 winner Watch Me Dance (I’m All The Talk) has been supplemented for the racehorse section of Sunday's Magic Millions Perth Winter Sale in the Swan Valley.
A winner of almost $900,000, Watch Me Dance holds the rare distinction of being crowned Western Australia's Champion 2-Year-Old and Champion 3-Year-Old in her first two racing seasons.
Watch Me Dance (light blue cap) winning the G3 W.A. Champion Fillies S. | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
"Whilst still being a racing proposition, Watch Me Dance would be a standout addition to any broodmare band in the country," Magic Millions WA Manager David Houston noted. "A Champion 2 and 3-year-old with her whole breeding life ahead of her."
Already 13 supplementary lots have been received for the Sale - pushing the number of catalogued lots to 153.
The 2022 Perth Winter Sale will commence at 12 noon AWST (2pm AEST) on Sunday.
Love Aloft joins Inglis Digital
The unraced mare Love Aloft (Spirit Of Boom) has been added to the Inglis Online June (Late) Sale.
Love Aloft is out of God Love It (St Covet), making her a half-sister to Group 3 winners Heavenly Thought (So You Think {NZ}) and Shoko (Sebring), while she also counts Group 2 winner Mimi Lebrock (Show A Heart) - the dam of Group 3 scorer Barbaric (I Am Invincible) and G3 Gimcrack runner-up Diddles (Snitzel) - as one of her half-siblings.
The Inglis Online June (Late) Sale closes on June 19.
Three for Snitzel
Arrowfield Stud’s Snitzel enjoyed a treble at Canterbury on Wednesday, headed by 2-year-old Alberich’s victory in the Grainshaker Vodka Mdn H,, his 16th 2-year-old winner of the season.
Snitzel | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
The stallion brought up his second winner of the day when 3-year-old colt Cotton Fingers got off the mark at the second time of asking in the Ranvet Mdn Plate, while he chalked up the third winner of the afternoon when Narrated added a fourth win to her record in the BM72.
This season, Snitzel has sired 172 winners, headed by 18 stakes winners, including Group 1 scorers In The Congo, Yearning and Wild Ruler and he will stand the 2022 season for a fee of $220,000 (inc GST).
Treble for Turn Me Loose
Windsor Park’s resident stallion Turn Me Loose (NZ) also sired a treble at Pukekohe Park on Wednesday.
The trio was headed by 2-year-old filly Wessex (NZ) who gained a second career win when she landed the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race, while Me Liberez (NZ) got off the mark on his seventh attempt and the fine day for the stallion was completed when Crazy In Love (NZ) broke her maiden on debut.
Turn Me Loose (NZ) | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
Turn Me Loose will stand the upcoming breeding season for a fee of NZ$20,000 plus GST.
Annavisto to tackle Tiara
Co-trainer Mick Price is hoping Annavisto (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) can make her presence felt when she lines up in the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Price said the 1400 metres was the ideal journey for Annavisto who performs well fresh and will have the services of Rachel King.
"I knew she would be a horse that we'd have to make a bit," Price said. "She was a very stressy young horse. She's by Reliable Man but out of a Tavistock mare and she blows off all this nervous energy.
"That breed, if you don't stress them, they eventually come good. She's got that spark in her which a lot of good horses have, and I always thought she was going to improve. I'm a little bit optimistic that she can win a Group 1."
Portelli’s good record with Rebel Danes to continue
Rebel Shadow will be out to continue trainer Gary Portelli’s good record with progeny of the now Widden Stud-based sire Rebel Dane's record of success when he tackles the Precise Air H. at Randwick on Saturday.
Rebel Shadow heads to Randwick this weekend | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Chasing his first win in Saturday grade, the horse threw away almost certain victory last start when he twice ran off the track after resenting being struck with the whip.
"He basically did two left turns in the straight to be beaten a head and run third," Portelli said.
"He is back to 3-year-old grade on Saturday with Tyler on again, we will give him a chance to redeem himself and hopefully we can get a good result. He is a lovely horse. I think he has got great potential."
Copperfield impresses at Cranbourne
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is confident Copperfield (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) can progress to better company after his success at Cranbourne on Wednesday.
Copperfield took out the O'Brien Real Estate H. (1400 metres) on Wednesday and the performance impressed stable representative Ben Elam with the way he went about it.
"That was quite a classy performance," Elam said. "He had the run where he missed the kick wearing blinkers for the first time and dwelt at the start, but Patty found a great position.
"He found the back of a couple and was able to produce him at the right time. He looked as though he was going to have a think about it when he got up outside those horses, but he was really good today and hit the line hard and that's what the blinkers were for.
"That's four runs now for the prep for two wins and two seconds, so he's putting together a good resume and he's a horse that we're going to go through the grades with... And we think he can get to Saturday grade."
Carif starts his Cup campaign
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Carif (So You Think {NZ}) will begin his G1 Melbourne Cup campaign when he runs in the Listed Civic S. at Randwick on Saturday.
His co-trainers are keen to give the 6-year-old another shot at Australia's most famous race after he had a rough-house experience in his first Melbourne Cup appearance last year.
"He got galloped on pretty badly about 600 (metres) from home. Up until then he was half a chance," Peter Snowden said.
"He might make it (again) this year and if he doesn't, he might make it next year."
Brightside to follow Better Loosen Up blueprint
Lindsay Park’s Ben and JD Hayes will be modelling G1 Doncaster H. winner Mr Brightside’s (NZ) (Bullbars) next preparation on their father’s former stablestar Better Loosen Up (Loosen Up {USA}).
Better Loosen Up was named the 1990/91 Horse of the Year in Australia following a remarkable seven straight wins that spring in races including the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Mackinnon S. before the horse landed his biggest blow in the 1990 G1 Japan Cup.
Better Loosen Up at the 1990 G1 Cox Plate | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He’ll be kicking off in the P.B. Lawrence and then going to the Feehan and then we’ll reassess him from there, but he could following a similar path to Better Loosen Up,’’ co-trainer JD Hayes told Racing.com.
“Then it’s the Underwood or the Turnbull and then it's either Caulfield Cup or Cox Plate.
“He (Better Loosen Up) took that avenue to the Cox Plate but the Caulfield Cup could be on the agenda for Mr Brightside.
“He’s just such a nice horse with so many options so we want to crawl before we can walk so we’ll see how he goes at his first two runs before we really plot the path.
“He’s building up beautifully and we couldn’t be happier with him.’’
Top Ranked on the comeback trail
Having not been seen since his second Australian start in the G1 Chipping Norton S., the Annabel Neasham-trained Top Ranked (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is on the comeback trail.
"After he ran a close-up fifth in the Chipping Norton Stakes, Hugh Bowman got off him and said that he didn't feel right over the final 200 metres," owner Australian Bloodstock's co-director Jamie Lovett told Racing.com.
"He had a little ligament strain, and we gave him six weeks off to recover. Vets rescanned the area after and he was fine," Lovett said.
"It meant that we missed the rest of the autumn but he's in a real good place now. Annabel (Neasham) rang me the other day with an update, he's sound as a bell and moving beautifully."
Moroney welcomes back Tofane
Trainer Michael Moroney has welcomed back his multiple Group 1 winner Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) to his Flemington base ahead of her final preparation.
Having purchased the mare for $3.1 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Yulong Investments elected to put her back in work with Moroney in the hopes of adding another elite-level victory to her tally, with the G1 Memsie S. the early target.
Tofane (NZ) is back with trainer Michael Moroney | Image courtesy of Newgate Farm
“She had a nice break and looks terrific,” Moroney told Racing.com.
“The Memsie (1400 metres) is the Group 1 before the breeding season starts, so that is the one she will be aimed at.
“Tyler Johnson, who rides her, said she is glad to be back. She is full of it and is really good."
