Dual Derby hero Hitotsu retired
The brilliant Hitotsu (Maurice {Jpn}), a dual Derby winner, has officially been retired in an announcement by his managing owner Ozzie Kheir. The 4-year-old hasn’t been seen since his victory in the G1 Australian Derby last April, after which he was sidelined for the spring with a suspensory injury. It was hoped he would go back into training, but another recent leg injury has scuttled any future on the track.
Three-time Group 1 winner Hitotsu | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“We resisted the temptation of retiring him to stud after his remarkable 3-year-old season, as Ciaron (Maher) and David (Eustace) were adamant that he had so much more upside and we hadn’t seen the best of him,” Kheir stated. “Unfortunately, plans in racing don’t often go to script.”
Connections of Hitotsu, who has proved the highest-profile son of Japanese shuttler Maurice (Jpn), are already considering stud options for their horse.
Yonce also out
Off the back of the news that Hitotsu had been retired, Ozzie Kheir also confirmed the sidelining and possible retirement of his 5-year-old mare Yonce (NZ), a daughter of the in-form Proisir. Yonce was a winner of six of her seven starts for co-trainers Maher and Eustace, and she raced in the same colours as Hitotsu.
In her only stakes appearance last autumn, she was fourth to Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}) in the G1 Queen of the Turf S. She was sidelined by injury after a float accident in the spring, while her latest incident has incurred a tendon injury.
“We are yet to decide whether we retire her as a broodmare or continue racing at this stage,” Kheir told Racing.com. “The injury is only minor but, like all tendons, it’s difficult to return back to your best after a long time off racing.”
Williamsburg shares sell
Two 5 per cent shares in the Group 1 prospect Williamsburg, a 3-year-old son of Snitzel from the High Chaparral (Ire) mare Fenway, were sold via Inglis Digital on Tuesday in a bespoke online auction. The two shares sold for $95,000 apiece and the buyers were Chris Lawlor, a well-known owner and principal of International Animal Health, and Merv Wood.
Williamsburg was a winner last season of the G3 The Schweppervescence, which backed up his victories in the Listed Fernhill H. and Listed Dulcify Quality. He has raced 11 times for four wins and will step out this Saturday at Randwick in the G3 Eskimo Prince S.
Williamsburg | Image courtesy of Inglis Digital
“I just thought he was a great option,” Lawlor said. “He’s out of a Group 1-winning mare, he’s by Snitzel, his second dam is by Zabeel and his third dam, Joie Denise, is by Danehill. How do you say no to that combination?”
Williamsburg races in the colours of Tony Fung’s TFI outfit. He joins the likes of Private Eye (Al Maher), Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) and The Astrologist (Zoustar) as stakes winners with ownership shares offered through the Inglis Digital platform.
Sheeza Belter to debut in Light Fingers
The Western Australian-bred Sheeza Belter, a 3-year-old daughter of Gold Standard, will make her autumn debut for the Snowden partnership in the G2 Light Fingers S. on February 11 at Randwick. Thereafter, she’s likely to head to the G2 Surround S. and the G1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.
Sheeza Belter has won five of her nine races, including the G2 BRC Sires’ Produce S. and G1 JJ Atkins S. during the winter. In the spring, she won the G2 Hot Danish S. at Randwick, pulling her prizemoney to over $1.7 million for a WA-based ownership group that includes former trainer Justin Warwick.
Sheeza Belter winning the R. Listed Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic in February last year | Image courtesy of Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA)
“We’re sort of hoping we’ve only just scratched the surface,” Warwick told The Races WA. “She’s still developing and has just turned three. We’ve looked after her, as much as she’s been in a fair few states already in her life. We’re hoping there is more to come.”
Icebath for the Apollo
The 6-year-old mare Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), a winner of last year's G1 Empire Rose S., will kick off her autumn campaign in the G2 Apollo S. at Randwick on Saturday week. The mare won the Empire Rose at her last start in the spring, and was fourth in a reappearance last Friday at Rosehill trials.
“With the two trials now under her belt, she is ready to kick off at Randwick in the Apollo,” trainer Brad Widdup said. “I was very pleased with how she trialled. She went really nicely.”
Icebath will be ridden in the Apollo S. by Brett Prebble.
Kah not committing to Hong Kong
Jamie Kah last week became the first female rider in the world to land a stakes win in Hong Kong, but Racing.com reported on Tuesday that the star jockey has no plans to relocate to the Asian jurisdiction any time soon.
Jamie Kah after her win aboard Voyage Bubble | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“I had a really great experience riding there on Sunday,” Kah said. “Sha Tin is an amazing track. The temptation is there (to take up a tenure), but I’ve got to think about what is back home at the moment. There are so many big races and good races to win, and I think the timing is probably not really right to base myself there. But I won’t be shy in hopping on a plane every now and then to go back up there.”
Zahra for Charm Stone?
Co-trainer Mick Price has told Racing.com that top Victorian jockey Mark Zahra could be in line for the ride on his star filly Charm Stone (I Am Invincible), one of the stable fancies for the upcoming G1 Blue Diamond S. and a winner of the G3 Ottawa S. in the spring. The stable's regular pilot, Damian Lane, has committed to the Saudi Cup meeting.
“I have spoken to Zahra about Charm Stone, but I have to nail the weight with him and see if he’s happy with that,” Price said. “She’s come up super. She is a big, strong Vinnie filly and she’s got a relaxed brain on her, so I’m really looking forward to her. She trialled super the other day.”
Mark Zahra | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
Charm Stone is raced by a Sheamus Mills-led syndicate. Her only two starts so far have been her Ottawa S. win and a third in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. in October. A possibly tilt at the Golden Slipper is on the cards, all going well with her Blue Diamond start.
Prise De Fer goes south
The Group 1 winner Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel), a 7-year-old gelding, will head to New Zealand's South Island this Saturday, to Wingatui for trainer Mark Walker. He will contest the G3 White Robe Lodge over a mile. Prise De Fer missed out on his berth in last weekend’s G1 Thorndon Mile due to a foot issue, but Walker told NZ Racing Desk on Tuesday that it was a blessing in disguise with the way the Trentham track was and a likely scratching for his horse.
“He is out of handicap racing now so it (this Saturday’s race) should suit him,” the trainer said. “He has had a bit of a freashen-up after he ran on Boxing Day when second in the Zabeeel Classic, so he is good for another three or four more runs.”
Prise De Fer (NZ) winning the G1 Captain Cook S. on December 3 | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Prise De Fer has won five Group races through a stellar career so far. He has logged 11 wins and close to NZ$1 million in prizemoney. The gelding was a NZ$100,000 purchase for the Te Akau Racing outfit at Karaka 2017 when bought from Trelawney Stud.
Another Porter for WA ranks
The 17-year-old Zephen Johnston-Porter has been given the go-ahead from Western Australian stewards to join the local riding ranks after 89 trial rides. He is the son of Clint Porter, a former top jockey in the state, and the younger brother of Clint Johnston-Porter, one of Western Australia’s current top riders.
“I’ve always had the ambition to be a jockey,” Johnston-Porter said. “I guess the whole family thing helped me through that to get the love for it. It’s been that way since I was a little kid and it’s an absolute dream come true.”
Zephen Johnston-Porter | Image courtesy of RWWA
Johnston-Porter will serve his apprenticeship with leading trainer Adam Durrant, as did his brother.
Confidence boost for WA trainer Weinert
Western Australian trainer Indianna Weinert, who is in only her second season of professional training, had a confidence boost recently with her 6-year-old Proisir mare Royal Choisir (NZ). The mare, a veteran of 54 starts, won a 2200-metre event at Ascot last weekend, making it a second career win for Weinert, who trains out of Hopeland.
“It’s such a tough game and I had a lot of trainers tell me to keep going, that it will come, just keep going,” she told The Races WA this week. “It was definitely getting to me mentally. I was questioning everything that I was doing.”
Indianna Weinert | Image courtesy of RWWA
Royal Choisir has been with Weinert only a few months but has already landed a win and a third in three starts for her new stable.
Rockhampton star seeking maiden win for Neasham
Annabel Neasham's Eagle Farm yard has declared the 6-year-old mare Lepreezy, a daughter of Better Than Ready, back to her best. The mare was relocated from Rockhampton trainer Angela Stephens to Neasham in late 2021, following nine wins by the horse at Rockhampton and Mackay racetracks. Since, Lepreezy has raced for Neasham on nine occasions in Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast without a win.
Lepreezy | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“Since she came to us from Rockhampton, we haven’t been able to win a race with her yet,” said Todd Pollard, Neasham’s Brisbane stable manager. “We sent her to Sydney originally, then she came back here for three runs before we decided to tip her out for a long spell. She’s trialled really well and she’s a real speedster with a good record over 1000 metres.”
Lepreezy will aim to break her maiden duck for Neasham in a BM75 at Doomben on Wednesday. She will be ridden by Stephanie Thornton in the 1050-metre event.
Galaxie Gold for the Snowdens
The French-bred 4-year-old Galaxie Gold (Fr), a son of Dariyan (Fr), is on his way to the Flemington stable of Peter and Paul Snowden. Bloodstock agent Will Johnson confirmed on Tuesday that the horse will join fellow French-bred Huetor (Fr) (Archipenko {USA}), who has had eight starts for the Snowdens since his importation in 2021.
Galaxie Gold had six starts in France for a two-length win at La Teste De Buch in April last year. The following month, he was a narrow second at Longchamp in the G2 Prix Hocquart over 2100 metres. He arrives in Australia with a rating of 107.
Zac Lloyd inquiry wraps up
Racing NSW confirmed on Tuesday that its inquiry had concluded into apprentice jockey Zac Lloyd’s use of a mobile phone in the jockeys’ room. Stewards considered a brief of evidence, submitted by Racing NSW investigators and which concluded that the apprentice had placed a minor multi-bet on a race outside of Australia, and they delivered sentences on three charges, to which Lloyd had pleaded guilty.
The sentences were one week’s suspension, two weeks’ suspension and two weeks’ suspension collectively, all reduced on the grounds of pleading guilty.
Lloyd’s father and agent, Jeff Lloyd, was also investigated on evidence taken on Australia Day. He was found guilty of being party to a breach of the Rules of Racing and fined $1000. His exemplary record and cooperation was taken into account.
