Stud staff eligible for JEV vaccine
Thoroughbred Breeders’ Australia (TBA) announced on Wednesday, after persistent lobbying of the Victorian State Government, that all staff working on stud farms in flood-affected areas of the state are eligible to be vaccinated against the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). There are no confirmed cases of the virus in Victoria, but flooding and heavy rain poses greater risks of mosquito-borne infections.
“It has been an extremely challenging time for farms in the state, many of whom are now faced with a huge clean-up as a result of the floods,” said TBA Chief Executive Officer, Tom Reilly. “This announcement provides peace of mind to farm owners and their staff. It’s an important announcement and I’m very grateful for the Victorian government’s support.”
All staff working on stud farms in flood-affected areas of Victoria are eligible to be vaccinated against the Japanese encephalitis virus | Image courtesy of the World Health Organisation
Vaccination against JEV is available for anyone aged two months or older who lives or routinely works in a high-risk area, like stud farms, or is living in temporary or flood-damaged accommodation, or is involved in the prolonged clean-up of stagnant flood waters. The vaccine is free for those that meet this criteria, and it's available from local councils and public health units (including some COVID-19 hubs), and selected GPs and community pharmacies.
“We know mosquitoes don’t breed in initial flood waters, but that risk increases as these waters recede and leave behind pools of stagnant water,” said Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officers, Associate Professor Deborah Friedman. “While getting vaccinated is important, everyone should focus on preventing being bitten by mosquitoes.”
Dubawi's fee set at £350,000 for 2023
Dubawi (Ire), the champion sire-elect in Britain and Ireland, will stand at Darley for the highest fee yet of £350,000 (AU$618,600) next year, making him the most expensive stallion in Europe.
For the past six seasons, a nomination fee for the 20-year-old sire has been priced at £250,000 (AU$441,900). Dubawi is set to be crowned champion this season with more than £1 million in progeny earnings ahead of the reigning champion Frankel (GB), though those places are reversed in the European table.
Darley also introduces two new stallions in Britain and Ireland respectively, with Perfect Power (Ire) joining Dalham Hall Stud at £15,000 (AU$26,500), while the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. winner Naval Crown (GB) becomes the sixth son of Dubawi on the current roster, and will be based at Kildangan Stud at a fee of €15,000 (AU$23,300).
Night Of Thunder (Ire) fills the same position at Kildangan where he will command his first six-figure fee in 2023, his price having risen from €75,000 (AU$116,500) to €100,000 (AU$155,400).
Night Of Thunder's fellow resident and shuttle stallion Blue Point (Ire) has been trimmed to €35,000 (AU$54,400), while the fee for Teofilo (Ire) remains at €30,000 (AU$46,600).
Meanwhile, shutters Too Darn Hot (GB) and Palace Pier (GB) have both had their fees trimmed to £40,000 (AU$70,700) and £50,000 (AU$88,400) respectively. Meanwhile, Pinatubo (Ire) - who also shuttles to Darley Australia - will stand for £35,000 (AU$54,400).
Darley's trio of stallions at Haras du Logis in Normandy are led by French Classic winner Victor Ludorum (Ire), who remains at €15,000 (AU$23,300).
Frankel fee hiked up to £275,000
Juddmonte Farms has increased Frankel’s (GB) fee and he will stand the upcoming breeding season at £275,000 (AU$486,000).
The son of Galileo (Ire) stood the 2022 season for £200,000 (AU$353,500), but after another successful 12 months, which saw him sire 32 stakes winners headed by nine Group 1 winners, the stallion will be offered at a new career-high fee.
A statement released by Juddmonte on Wednesday read, “Following on from an exceptional 2021 season, we have seen Frankel further strengthen his reputation as a world-class sire with nine individual Group 1 winners to date in 2022, more than any other sire in the world. In the past two years he has sired 12 Group 1 winners, of which five were Classic winners, and 29 Group winners in total.
Frankel (GB) | Standing at Juddmonte Farms
“He is the sire of the four highest-priced yearlings at Tattersalls Book 1 headlined by the world's highest-priced yearling sold in 2022 at 2.8 million gns (AU$4,948,800). His new fee reflects his standing as one of the world's elite stallions.”
Meanwhile, Kingman (GB), who has covered at £150,000 (AU$265,100) for the past three seasons, has been trimmed to a fee for £125,000 (AU$221,000).
Oasis Dream's (GB) remains at £20,000 (AU$35,300) and Bated Breath (GB) will stand for an unchanged figure of £15,000 (AU$26,500).
The roster is completed by Expert Eye (GB), who has notched 21 individual winners to date from his first crop of runners, and he will stand for a slightly reduced fee of £7500 (AU$13,300).
Gun Runner fee listed as private
Gun Runner (USA) –the leading sire on the general sire list by percentage of Grade 1 winners, Grade 1 horses, graded stakes winners, graded stakes horses, black-type winners and black-type horses from starters–anchors the stallion roster at Three Chimneys Farm, where he will cover mares at a private fee for 2023.
Sharp Azteca (USA) (Freud {USA}), the leading freshman sire of 22 by winners with 30, gets a bump to US$15,000 (AU$23,100) from US$5000 (AU$7719) this past year.
Snitzel's sister produces a Hawkesbury winner
Godolphin’s 3-year-old Exosphere colt Legio Ten, ridden by Sam Clipperton, broke his maiden on Wednesday at Hawkesbury in a narrow finish with the Edward Cummings-trained Strait Acer (Headwater). In four starts, Legio Ten had been knocking on the door for his trainer James Cummings with three placings.
The colt is the eighth foal from the well-bred mare Viennese (Redoute’s Choice), who was a winner of the Listed Quezette S. and G3 SAJC National S., but is more notably a sister to Arrowfield’s Champion Sire Snitzel, and a half-sister to the late Hinchinbrook.
Fifteen for Cranbourne Cup
Saturday's $500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup has attracted a field of 15 runners, with local trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr well-represented with two top chances. The training partnership has Visinari (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who has drawn barrier seven, as well as Our Playboy (Sebring), who will start from stall two.
Ben and JD Hayes also have two runners - Crosshaven (Smart Missile), who will jump from the outside gate, and So Si Bon (So You Think {NZ}), who breaks from gate 11.
Silverdale Intern Program closes Monday
The Silverdale Academy's Summer Intern Program will close for applications on Monday.
In conjunction with TAFE NSW, the Intern Program will provide select enthusiastic interns the opportunity to participate in immersive on-stud learning experiences as part of their Internship Programs.
The program outcomes are designed to introduce interns to the opportunities of working on a horse breeding farm with the potential of a career in breeding, racing or in other sectors of the horse industry.
The online theory commences November 21 with the on-farm week running from January 30 until February 3, 2023.
Waller bases loaded in Spring S.
Champion trainer Chris Waller has almost one third of the field in Saturday’s G2 Spring S. at Newcastle. His four runners are Basquiat (Snitzel), Robusto (Churchill {Ire}), Rediener (Redoute’s Choice) and Kazarklark (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}).
Chris Waller
The Rosehill-based trainer won the 1600-metre race for 3-year-olds in 2020 with The Elanora (Redoute’s Choice) and in 2015 with Devil Hawk (Purrealist).
Godolphin with three-pronged attack in The Hunter
The $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle has attracted a strong field of 16 runners (plus four emergencies), three of which are trained by Godolphin Australia head trainer James Cummings. Vilana (Hallowed Crown), Ingratiating (Frosted {USA}) and Gravina (Sebring) will all represent 'the Blue Army' in the 1300-metre contest.
Cummings also has two Exceed And Excel juvenile colts engaged in the 900-metre Max Lees Classic, they being Cylinder and Ferghana.
Proper Rogue goes for four-straight in Doomben feature
Tony Gollan’s in-form gelding Proper Rogue (Snitzel) will look to extend his winning streak to four when he contests Saturday’s Listed Keith Noud Quality at Doomben.
Proper Rogue | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Proper Rogue is one of four runners for Gollan, who also has Garibaldi (I Am Invincible), Vinco (I Am Invincible) and Salateen (I Am Invincible) in the $150,000 event.
Perfect draw for Proisir filly in 1000 Guineas
The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) has drawn ideally in barrier four for Saturday’s G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton. The unbeaten Legarto, who has a Group 3 triumph to her credit, will be partnered by Ryan Elliot.
Three of the filly’s rivals will come from the Shane Kennedy and Alana Furlong stable, with the local training duo represented by Perfectly Suited (NZ) (Savile Row {NZ}, Blue Solitaire (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) and Kikimora (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}).
Pariah's debut seasonal winner
The Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Cherokee Miss handed Arrowfield resident Pariah his first 2-year-old winner of the season when she scored on debut at Murray Bridge on Wednesday.
Bred by Sandown Lodge, Cherokee Miss was consigned to the Riversdale draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, where she was knocked down to the Jollys for $90,000.
The filly is out of Tennessee Diamond (All American), a half-sister to the Listed winner Instalment (Elvstroem), and Cherokee Miss’ grandam, Brightcut (Octagonal {NZ}), is a half-sister to the Listed winner Mirror Mirror (Dehere {USA}). She herself is the dam of Listed winner No Looking Back (Redoute’s Choice).
Benbow injured in Murray Bridge fall
Victorian jockey Jason Benbow, who has relocated to South Australia, has a suspected broken right femur after falling from 3-year old filly Cararada (Caravaggio {USA}) in the second race at Murray Bridge.
The 36-year-old has suffered a series of serious injuries in recent years. In 2018, he broke a vertebrae at Caulfield track work, while in 2019 he smashed a foot and ankle, which sidelined him until August 2020.
Star filly draws wide in Placid Ark Stakes
The Colin Webster-trained Baby Paris, who has won four of her five starts, will jump from the outside gate in Saturday’s Listed Placid Ark S. for 3-year-olds at Ascot. A daughter of Playing God, the filly’s lone defeat was at the hands of Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G2 Karrakatta Plate in April.
Baby Paris was the subject of a big-money offer recently, with owner-breeder Gary Bowen saying; “I’m not selling, I’ve waited too long to get a horse like this.”
Veteran jockey Peter Knuckey will ride Baby Paris and Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}), meanwhile, will next line up in the G2 WA Guineas on November 19. The Simon Miller-trained filly blotted her copybook when beaten by Laced Up Heels (Toronado {Ire}) in the Listed Burgess Queen S. last time out.
Cup Carnival siblings for Karaka
A half-sister to last month’s G1 VRC Derby winner Manzoice (Almanzor {Fr}) will be offered at next week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. The filly, Lot 57 by Shooting To Win, is the second foal from the Mastercraftsman (Ire) mare Choice (NZ) and will be offered by KB Bloodstock.
Manzoice was a smart winner of the VRC Derby for trainer Chris Waller, leading home a Kiwi-bred quinella with Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}). His half-sister is one of three juveniles in next week’s catalogue whose siblings were Cup Carnival winners.
Lot 57 - Shooting To Win x Choice (NZ) (filly), the half-sister to Manzoice | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Also among them is a half-brother (Lot 102) to the Listed Ladies’ Day Cup winner Kirwan’s Lane (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) and a full sister (Lot 152) to the Listed Desirable S. winner Razeta (Deep Field).
Racing wagering on the slide
A detailed study by professors at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, funded by the Gambling Commission and GambleAware, has discovered that betting on horse racing is on the slide in the UK compared to other sports.
A total of 140,000 betting customers were studied for ‘Patterns of Play’, finding that 68 per cent of sports betting accounts betted on racing, as against 77 per cent on football (soccer). Racing’s share of the betting market was 31 per cent of all sports-betting turnover, compared to football’s 50 per cent.
Demographically, the study also found that punters in the 65 to over 75 age bracket spend 75 to 87 per cent of their betting activity on horse racing, while that percentage drops dramatically to 23.8 per cent in the under-35 age bracket.
