Entries open for Inglis Breeding Stock Sale Series
Entries opened on Tuesday for the 2023 Inglis Breeding Stock Sale Series, which comprises the Australian Weanling Sale, the Chairman’s Sale and Australian Broodmare Sale at Riverside, Sydney, and the Great Southern Weanling Sale and Great Southern Broodmare Sale at Oaklands, Melbourne.
Inglis has already confirmed that the three-time Group 1-placed sprinter Swats That, a daughter of Shamus Award, will appear in the Chairman’s Sale catalogue alongside mares in foal to the likes of Gun Runner (USA) and Frankel (GB), and home stars Extreme Choice, Home Affairs and Stay Inside, among others. Swats That was an in-form trial winner at Hawkesbury on Tuesday morning.
The Australian Weanling Sale, which will kick off the Series on May 1, will feature a 17-horse dispersal draft from Ashleigh Thoroughbreds, among which will be a brother to the Group 1-winning juvenile Captivant.
“Early indications for 2023 are exceptionally positive,” said Sebastian Hutch, Inglis Bloodstock CEO. “This is a very important sequence of sales which were hugely successful for breeders in 2022 and promise to be better than ever this year.”
The Inglis Australian Weanling Sale will take place at Riverside from May 1-2, followed by the Chairman's Sale on May 4 and the Australian Broodmare Sale on May 5.
The Great Southern Weanling Sale at Oaklands will take place from June 8-9, followed immediately by the Great Southern Broodmare Sale the same closing day.
Australian finale for Anamoe
Godolphin’s 4-year-old star Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}), whose seven-time Group 1 haul include the Cox Plate in the spring, is likely to have his final Australian preparation in the upcoming autumn ahead of a tilt at Royal Ascot. Trainer James Cummings told Racing.com that the horse will reappear in the G2 Apollo S. at Randwick on February 11, followed by the G1 Chipping Norton S. on February 25.
Seven-time Group 1 winner Anamoe | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“His ultimate goal this year would be to get to Royal Ascot, and so his autumn would revolve around that,” Cummings said. “We’re looking at three to four runs in the autumn with him. We want to bring him over to Europe with plenty of residual fitness from his Australian campaign.”
Anamoe’s English targets could include the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot, or the 2000-metre G1 Prince of Wales S., while Cummings hasn’t ruled out a lead-up race in Europe ahead of the Royal meeting. Anamoe will base himself at Charlie Appleby's Moulton Paddocks at Newmarket.
Prelude reappearance for Little Brose
The Lindsay Park 2-year-old Little Brose, a son of Per Incanto (USA), will kick off his autumn ambitions with the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts & Geldings) at Sandown on February 11. Trainer Ben Hayes told Racing.com on Tuesday that the colt will then go second-up into the G1 Blue Diamond S., all being well.
“He’s already got good experience so we don’t need to do too much with him,” Hayes said. “He looks fantastic and he’ll improve a lot with a second jump-out. He hasn’t done much wrong in his career to date, so I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes.”
Little Brose was second on debut to Krakarib (Ribchester {Ire}) in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate in November, and then won the Listed Merson Cooper S. at Caulfield on November 26.
Jacquinot returns in the Manfred
The talented Rubick 3-year-old Jacquinot, a spring winner of the G1 Golden Rose for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, will reappear this Thursday in the G3 Manfred S. at Sandown. The horse was last seen when unplaced behind the Godolphin filly In Secret (I Am Invincible) in the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
Jacquinot | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Jacquinot is the highest rated of Thursday’s Manfred field, which also includes his stablemate Maximillius (Written Tycoon), and he has drawn well for jockey Damian Lane with barrier two. He has a perfect first-up record to date.
Hezashocka unlikely for All-Star Mile
OTI Racing’s Terry Henderson has confirmed that the 5-year-old gelding Hezashocka (NZ), a son of Shocking and a last-start third to Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G1 Champions Mile, is unlikely to contest the $5 million The All-Star Mile, despite being nominated.
“He’s on the list but I’d be very surprised if he goes there,” Henderson told Racing.com on Tuesday. “We’ve got him lined up for the Australian Cup. He’s not a 1600-metre horse.”
A possible tilt at the two-mile Sydney Cup had been suggested by the gelding’s co-trainer, Mick Price, with Henderson confirming that is a possibility, along with a Queensland winter campaign.
La Crique tackles Thorndon Mile
The Kiwi mare La Crique (NZ), a 4-year-old daughter of Vadamos (Fr), will reappear in this Saturday’s G1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham after a last-start fourth to Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) in the G1 Empire Rose S. during the spring carnival. Her trainers, Matamata-based Katrina and Simon Alexander, are following a path tread this time last year by The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel), the 2022 winner of the Thorndon Mile.
La Crique is a Group 1 winner of the Arrowfield Stud Plate, along with three other Group races in New Zealand, and she will likely head back to Australia after a handful of starts at home.
La Crique (NZ), winner of the G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“We haven’t pinpointed any races yet, with Brisbane an option or possibly Sydney,” Katrina Alexander told NZ Racing Desk. “Nothing has been finalised at all, and we want to get Saturday out of the way first.”
Beriman in jump-out fall
Jockey Nikita Beriman, who rejoined the riding ranks in November after a near three-year hiatus, was hospitalised on Tuesday after a fall at the Sunshine Coast jump-outs. She was dislodged after a suspected head impact when her mount jumped awkwardly out of the gates, causing her to lose consciousness. Beriman was later cleared of any fractures.
The Group 1-winning rider scored a raceday double as recently as Saturday at Doomben, among which was the promising 2-year-old filly Party For Two (Sidestep), to whom Beriman is committed for the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) on February 11.
Away Game sibling breaks maiden
The 3-year-old Merchant Navy filly The Seven Seas, a half-sister to the stakes winners Away Game (Snitzel) and Modern Wonder (Snitzel), finally broke her maiden at Bathurst on Tuesday at the seventh time of asking. The John Sargent-trained filly had knocked on the door plenty of times, with three placings in her previous six starts.
The Seven Seas is raced in partnership by Seymour Bloodstock, and the blue-blooded filly is the eighth foal from the significant producer Elusive Wonder (Elusive Quality {USA}). She was bought at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Mark Pilkington Management (FBAA) for $280,000, consigned by Segenhoe Stud.
Pony race back for Australia Day
This Thursday’s Australia Day meeting will see a return of the popular pony race to Warwick Farm. In 2022, a series of pony races was fostered by prominent race clubs across Australia, all of which kicked off with the inaugural event on Australia Day at Warwick Farm.
Thursday’s pony race will feature 10 competitors and will launch the 10-race, public holiday card. The race will be called by Darren Flindell and is once again being driven by Lindy Maurice of Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC).
“Pony racing is a wonderful way to showcase the next generation of horse lovers to a wider audience,” Maurice said. “We are thankful to our partners, Pony Club Australia, for facilitating the riders, and the Australian Turf Club for hosting us.”
New distributor for Victorian racing overseas
Sports Information Services Ltd (SIS) was announced on Tuesday as the new international distributor of Victorian horse racing following a lengthy tender process, reports Racing.com. The multi-year deal will see SIS gain international rights to all race meetings conducted in the state by Racing Victoria.
“SIS has over 400 customers in 50 countries, and this premium content will be a valuable addition to our portfolio of over 30,000 international thoroughbred races,” said SIS CEO Richard Ames. “In addition to taking some of Australia’s best-quality racing to the world, this deal will bring superior returns to the Victorian racing industry for continued reinvestment.”
Troy O’Neile disqualified for seven months
Tamworth trainer Troy O’Neile received a seven-month disqualification on Tuesday, a penalty decided by Racing NSW stewards relative to charges issued against him following a complaint of sexual harassment made on Christmas Eve. The charges against O’Neile were issued on January 9 following an investigation conducted by Racing NSW’s Investigation and Surveillance Unit.
Troy O’Neile | Image courtesy of Troy O’Neile Racing
O’Neile pleaded guilty to each of the charges on January 17, which included sexual harassment and improper conduct towards a person employed in the racing industry. The trainer was represented legally by Michael Callanan.
