Daily News Wrap

Legolas toughs out Black Opal Preview

Bjorn Baker’s Legolas (Capitalist) was a game winner of the Black Opal Preview (1000 metres) at Canberra on Friday afternoon.

It was a maiden win for the 2-year-old gelding, an early starter who finished last of nine in this season’s G3 Breeders’ Plate. The son of Capitalist led all the way to reverse the form with Allaboutella (Trapeze Artist), having finished third to her at Newcastle on February 11.

Tracking Legolas throughout the race, pre-race favourite Allaboutella could get to within only 1.11l, showing some signs of immaturity in behind. In third, 0.77l away, was Snippety Star (Sooboog), a debutante filly for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou.

Running in the colours of Darby Racing, Legolas was purchased by the syndicator at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $140,000. He is the only foal to race from the Group 3-placed mare Elfee (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), who was a 10-time winner. Capitalist now sits on 96 seasonal winners, which includes eight juveniles.

Performer grabs another one

Aquis Farm’s first-season sire Performer gained his second winner on Friday. Trained by John Wigginton the juvenile gelding, Para Park Chance, was successful at his home track of Rockhampton on debut.

Mishani Maverick marked the sire’s first winner when breaking his maiden back in October for Les Ross, also in Queensland.

Caravaggio’s Friday double

Former Coolmore Stud shuttler Caravaggio (USA), a son of Scat Daddy (USA), recorded a double on Friday.

Beginning at Canberra, the Richard Litt-trained 3-year-old gelding Show No Compassion won the Canberra Guineas Preview (1400 metres) in a photo finish, his second successive victory.

Shortly afterwards at Lismore, Helen Page trainee Goddess Of Peace, a 3-year-old filly, got off the mark under Matthew McGuren.

Waterhouse/Bott juvenile shines at Canterbury

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, 2-year-old filly Tu Qui Santuzza (Pierro) got her career off to a great start when scoring on debut at Canterbury on Friday evening.

Ridden by Regan Bayliss, the daughter of Pierro, who was formerly trained by Waterhouse, led throughout in a professional show and ran out a 1.16l winner.

Out of the Group 2-placed Savabeel mare Santuzza (NZ), Tu Qui Santuzza was a $400,000 buy for her trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

NZB National Online Yearling Sale entries open

Entries opened on Friday for New Zealand Bloodstock’s (NZB) 2023 National Online Yearling Sale, which will be held on the auction house’s online platform, Gavelhouse Plus, for the third year.

Entries will close on Wednesday, March 22 and the catalogue will be open to view online from Wednesday, April 5, with bidding closing on Wednesday, April 19.

All lots offered in the sale will be eligible to be nominated for NZB’s Karaka Million Series, which includes the 2024 NZ$1 million R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO (1200 metres) and the 2025 NZ$1 million R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600 metres).

To enter the sale, click the link below or contact NZB’s Bloodstock Administrator Mary Jane Harvey by calling +64 9 393 9832 or emailing MaryJane.Harvey@nzb.co.nz.

Nature Strip to chase fourth TJ

On Friday morning Chris Waller set out that there is no reason to retire his Champion Sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi), citing that an investigation following his return to Rosehill has brought no issues to light.

Nature Strip finished a below-par sixth in the G1 Lightning S. on February 18, when sent off as an odds-on favourite.

“We can't find anything wrong with him. He's sound, he's trotting up as free as a bird,” Waller said in an update video.

“We've got nothing to hide. So, at this stage we will leave the (G2) Challenge (S.) and probably give him a trial and go straight to the (G1) TJ (Smith S.)

“Any reason to retire him, we will do it straight away, but there's no reason at the moment.”

I Wish I Win ASM absence to cause a stir

On Friday afternoon leading trainer Peter Moody told Racing.com he is “99 per cent certain” that I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) is highly unlikely to start in The All-Star Mile, adding there is a “one per cent” chance that the 4-year-old gelding will line up.

I Wish I Win is anticipated to make his next start in the G1 Newmarket H. on Saturday, March 11, just seven days before The All-Star Mile.

His absence is likely to cause a stir in voting given the popular galloper is at the head of affairs with more than 13,000 votes as of Friday afternoon.

The All-Star Mile leaderboard will go into blackout mode come Saturday night, 24 hours before voting officially closes at 10pm (AEDT) on Sunday.

The winner of Saturday’s G1 Futurity S. at Sandown will gain automatic entry into the feature race, which will be run at Moonee Valley on Saturday, March 18.

Imperatriz move pending

The future for Te Akau’s star mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), a four-time Group 1 winner, will be decided after she works at her home track of Matamata on Saturday.

As she looks to make her first trip across the Tasman, the 4-year-old mare may yet head to either the G1 Canterbury S. (1300 metres) at Randwick on March 4 or the G1 Newmarket H. (1200 metres) at Flemington the following week.

“She will be galloping between races at Matamata and we will be making a decision after that as to what we do,” Te Akau chief David Ellis said. “She has trained on very well and Mark is really happy with her.”

Imperatriz is unbeaten in three races since she returned this year, kicking off with a win in the G1 Railway on New Year’s Day and latterly taking the G1 BCD Group Sprint.

Paddock for Pier

A winner of this season’s G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Pier (NZ) (Proisir) will head to the paddock on his return to New Zealand, after finishing eighth in the G2 Hobartville S. last Saturday.

With that race won by Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro), Pier pulled up sore and will miss his intended G1 Randwick Guineas aim.

“Whether it happened in the gates or not, I’m not sure but he tweaked a muscle in his hamstring area. It’s the off-hind side,” co-trainer Darryn Weatherley said.

“He was very uncomfortable straight after the race. Sunday and Monday he was noticeably dragging that back leg and couldn’t trot up. He is a lot better now, but he is still a touch sore.

“Our vet from Sydney, who is Chris Waller’s vet, said if he was his he would take him home and put him in the paddock. He could come right in seven days, but you could bugger him and they start hurting and stop trying.

“He’ll go in the paddock and look at having a nice spell and coming back in the spring. Maybe we look at Melbourne in the spring if he comes up.”

Farewell to Lester

The funeral service of the much-loved racing personality Deane Lester was held at Cranbourne on Friday, with tributes led by Lester’s close friend Hamish McLachlan of Channel Seven.

Another close friend of Lester’s, Jye McNeil was given the winning ride in the G1 Melbourne Cup aboard Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) after Lester advised owner Lloyd Williams that he would suit the horse. Poignantly, the retired Twilight Payment was also present at the service.

A special course to Lester, the service ended with the hearse taking a lap of the Cranbourne track.

Trainer fined for suggesting act of cruelty on Facebook

Stewards have fined country Queensland trainer Benjamin Bowen $4000 for his Facebook comment which allegedly “suggested an act of cruelty should be enacted against a horse.”

Bowen is understood to have made the comment under a Facebook post about how to stop horses rubbing their tails and getting sore during transportation, and allegedly commented that he used barbed wire around a section of the float to prevent this.

Bowen was charged under the provisions of AR228(a), which centres around: “Conduct prejudicial to the image, interest, integrity, or welfare of racing…”

The stewards’ report read: “The particulars of the charge being that Mr Bowen did engage in conduct prejudicial to the image and interest of racing by posting a comment on Facebook which suggested an act of cruelty should be enacted against a horse.”

Bowen pleaded guilty, and $1500 of his fine will be suspended for two years “under the proviso that Mr Bowen does not reoffend…”

Tweenhills stallion Havana Gold sustains fatal pelvis injury

Group 1 winner and top-level sire Havana Gold (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire), passed away at the age of 13 after sustaining a fatal pelvis injury, Tweenhills announced on Thursday afternoon (local).

Bred by Sir Eric Parker in Ireland, the bay was a 50,000gns (AU$78,000) buy back at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale turned 80,000gns (AU$124,000) Tattersalls October yearling. Bearing the colours of Qatar Racing Limited and CSH on the racecourse, Havana Gold was a stakes-winning juvenile and a winner of the G1 Prix Jean Prat in his Classic year.

Retired to stud in 2014 where he stood initially for £8500 (AU$8500) and commanded as high a fee as £15,000 (AU$23,322) in 2018 and 2019, Havana Gold became both the leading UK-based first-season sire in 2017 and the leading UK-based sire of 2-year-olds in 2021.

His first son to stud, Havana Grey (GB), a Group 1-winning 3-year-old, was crowned leading UK-based first-season sire last year. Havana Gold was also the sire of 14 other stakes winners including Group 2 winner El Caballo (GB) and Group 3 winners Tabdeed (GB) and Treasuring (GB).

Breeders' Cup returning to Del Mar in 2024

The 41st renewal of the Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on November 1 and 2, 2024, officials at the organisation announced on Thursday. It will be the third time the seaside oval has played host to the event.

“We are delighted to announce that the World Championships will be returning to Del Mar next year for what is sure to be an unforgettable two-year-run on the West Coast,” said Drew Fleming, Breeders' Cup President and CEO.

In 2017 and again in 2021, Del Mar drew fans from around the world and set wagering records on both occasions.

This year's Breeders' Cup races take place at Santa Anita on November 3 and 4.

Japanese superstar Fukunaga to hang up the saddle at Saudi Cup

Yuichi Fukunaga, one of the most decorated jockeys in Japanese racing history, paid an emotional tribute to his fans ahead of his retirement rides at the Saudi Cup.

The 46-year-old had his final rides on the Japan Racing Association (JRA) circuit at Tokyo Racecourse earlier this month but will close the chapter on his storied career when he partners Remake (Jpn) (Lani {USA}) in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint presented by Sports Boulevard and Ecoro Ares (USA) (Unified {USA}) in the G3 Saudi Derby presented by Boutique Group on Saturday.

The veteran rider will concentrate fully on his training career upon his retirement from the saddle and told fans of how that new ambition outweighed his desire to continue riding.