Debut winner for Blue Point
Darley Shuttler Blue Point (Ire) has created a big early impression in the Southern Hemisphere, with his progeny selling well at the yearling sales, while his first crop of runners are making their mark on the track in the UK. The James Tate-trained Blue Storm (GB) became Blue Point’s third winner from just five runners when he triumphed in the Pat Smullen Memorial British EBF Novice S. at Newmarket on Tuesday night (UK time).
“He is our first 2-year-old winner of the year and to do it at Newmarket is a bit special. We always thought he was an early type,” Tate said.
Blue Storm is the third winner from the Listed-winning mare Riskit Fora Biskit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), making him a half-brother to the stakes-placed Silver Surfer (GB) (Caravaggio {USA}).
A winner of three Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot, Blue Point returns to Darley Northwood Park this spring at a fee of $44,000 (inc GST).
Change of management for Coolmore
Coolmore Australia announced on Wednesday its appointment of John Kennedy to the new role of Racing and Bloodstock Manager. Irish-born Kennedy has been in Australia for four years after a similar role at Coolmore’s Castlehyde Stud in County Cork. He is a graduate of the Irish National Stud course.
Justin Carey | Image courtesy of Coolmore
In his place at Jerrys Plains, Justin Carey will assume the role of Stud Manager, supported by assistant managers Niall Power and Evan Henley.
Trio of juvenile winners at Ipswich
Ipswich hosted a trio of juvenile races on its midweek card on Wednesday, posting winners for Eureka Stud’s Encryption, Newgate’s Russian Revolution and Coolmore’s Pride Of Dubai.
In the first event, 2-year-old Cifrado (Encryption) became the second winner for his sire when leading home the Written By colt Murakami and the Heroic Valour gelding Heroic Eagle. Encryption has had just 13 horses to the track and Cifrado broke his maiden at the fourth time of asking after two runner-up finishes. The colt was a $320,000 yearling at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when sold by Eureka to Cliff Little.
In the second race, Mixed Spice became the 11th individual 2-year-old winner for Russian Revolution this season, breaking her maiden at the fifth time of asking. The filly is trained by Helen Page at the Gold Coast, who paid $200,000 for her as a Magic Millions yearling last year.
Finally, She Mine, a daughter of Pride Of Dubai, presented her sire with his 38th juvenile winner in total, and seasonal winner number 73 in Australia. The filly is trained by Les Kelly on the Gold Coast and was second on debut on Christmas Eve. She was an $8000 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale graduate for her trainer.
Full field for Mornington Cup
Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup, which carries a golden ticket into this year’s G1 Caulfield Cup, has attacted a field of 14 runners (plus one emergency). The topweight is the 2019 Melbourne Cup champion Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) who will carry 60kg, with John Allen to ride.
Victoria’s leading trainers, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, will saddle two runners in the shape of Right You Are (So You Think {NZ}) and Herman Hesse (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Doomben 10,000 for A Case Of You
Highly rated import A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) will be aimed towards the G1 Doomben 10,000 on May 13. A Group 1 winner in both France and the UAE, the gelding had his first start for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr in the G1 William Reid S. at The Valley on March 24. He found the line well to finish fifth, beaten 2.55l.
A Case Of You (Ire) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“Sensational first-up run,” Kent Jnr told Racing.com. “Obviously, he was entitled to do so on a hot tempo and he did no work early, but still, for an entire who’s first-up in Australia off a break, and off a couple of poor last couple of runs, to see him hit the line strong, Mark Zahra said it was the perfect first-up run, so we can really build from that now.”
Forsman with two-pronged attack in Easter Handicap
Group 1-winning trainer Andrew Forsman has two good chances in Saturday’s G3 Easter H. at Pukekohe, with Marroni (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) and White Noise (NZ) (El Roca) to contest the NZ$120,000 feature. Marroni has finished runner-up in both appearances this preparation and will bid to go one better under 60kg, while stablemate White Noise is at the other end of the scale with 54.5kg.
To be ridden by Opie Bosson, Marroni is booked on a flight to Australia next week and is in good touch following his resuming second at Te Rapa and then beat all but Brando (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G2 Japan Trophy at Tauranga.
“He’s poorly weighted and was really well weighted last start. It’s the race we’ve kept him fresh for, but it isn’t ideal going from set weights and penalties to being a clear topweight,” Forsman said. “He is very capable though and in spite of the weight I think he will be competitive on a reasonable surface. White Noise was really good last start too and just came to the end of his run. He is one who is well-weighted and a bit of give in the track certainly helps him.”
Career-best four-timer for Gaudray
Victorian-based apprentice Celine Gaudray enjoyed a day out at Sandown-Hillside on Wednesday, riding half the card.
The 21-year-old was on the board when Gunna Gunna (Toronado {Ire}) won Race 2. She made it a double aboard Mothereens (Squamosa), who dead-heated in Race 3, before adding a third victory on Skinny Dip (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}). Gaudray chalked up her fourth win on Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) in the last event on the card.
Celine Gaudray | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Asked by Racing.com if she could believe what had happened, Gaudray said: “No, not really. It’s definitely a goal of mine to win the apprentices’ premiership, so hopefully I can keep going.”
Gaudray is indentured to veteran trainer Pat Carey.
Brisbane Group 2 the aim for Russian Revolution colt
General Salute - a homebred colt by Russian Revolution - may head to Queensland for a shot at the $1 million G2 Sires’ Produce S. (1400 metres) at Eagle Farm on May 27, following his impressive maiden victory at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained colt, who was third behind the subsequent Group 3 winner Red Resistance (Russian Revolution) on debut in January, was bred by Ross McMmillan and he races General Salute in partnership with others.
“We have always held him in high regard, so it was good to get the maiden out of the way,” Alexiou told TDN AusNZ.
“He’s very green and raw and has a long way to go, but he has a very bright future.
“He’ll need to bank some prizemoney to get into the Sires’, so hopefully he can.”
General Salute is the fifth foal of the stakes performer Star Salute (General Nediym), making him a three-quarter brother to G2 Villiers S. hero Brutality (Shamus Award).
Scone Cup target for Banju
Scone trainer Lyle Chandler has a Scone Cup target for his 6-year-old Benfica gelding Banju, who was a last-start second in the Listed Parramatta Cup to King Frankel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Before that, Banju had won three Sydney starts on the trot.
The gelding will line up in this Friday’s Tamworth Cup, with Chandler saying that both this race and the Scone Cup carry eligibility for the $2 million Big Dance at Randwick on November 7.
Banju winning at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“The Big Dance (over 1600 metres) is an option, but I think he’ll be a really nice horse over 2000 metres,” the trainer told Ray Hickson. “Scone is the grand final (this preparation), but I thought the Tamworth Cup would be a nice stepping stone.”
Inflamed heads to Warstep S.
The 3-year-old filly Inflamed (NZ), a daughter of Ghibellines, will contest this Saturday’s Listed Warstep S. at Riccarton after a promising last-start win at Riverton on April 8. Initial plans were to spell the filly after the race, but her victory was convincing enough for trainers Brian and Shane Anderton to chase black type.
“She went well and won well, so we are very pleased with her,” Brian Anderton told NZ Racing Desk. “The draw (15) is a bit against her, but you can’t have it all your own way.”
Inflamed (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images South
Inflamed has started seven times for three wins in New Zealand. Her victories came on debut and third-up, and she has twice raced in stakes company unsuccessfully.
Hurricane Lane has Arc ambitions
English trainer Charlie Appleby has revealed that the sole reason behind Hurricane Lane (Ire), the Irish Derby- and St Leger-winning son of Frankel (GB), remaining in training as a 5-year-old is to have a crack at the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October. Hurricane Lane, who will make his seasonal debut on Saturday at Newbury, was third in the Arc as a 3-year-old.
“The only reason this horse is staying in training is to work back from an Arc,” Appleby said this week. “And if we are to do so, I just want to make sure we tick all the right boxes for him to get there, and give him the best opportunity to get there. I don’t want to make a mistake with him because, genuinely, I think he’s an Arc horse.”
Canadian tracks at war
The two racecourses Woodbine and Fort Erie are sparring, with the latter filing a grievance with the Canadian Trade Commission over an alleged ‘impasse in their attempts to resolve ongoing issues’. The Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium (FELRC) has filed the grievance against Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG).
Among the issues are Woodbine’s alleged refusal to return its leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the King’s Plate, to its pre-COVID slot of earlier in the summer, thereby preventing Fort Erie from maximising a summer crowd for its leg, the Prince Of Wales S., which is now in September. Fort Erie is also claiming that Woodbine has implemented a horse shipping policy that restricts the movement of horses between the two tracks, thereby hampering Fort Erie’s ability to ‘run a business and fulsome race calendar’.
Fort Erie racecourse in Canada | Image couresy of Fort Erie
The WEG is denying all accusations and says it will vigorously defend itself at the Canadian Trade Commission. Jim Thibert, CEO of the FELRC, said otherwise.
“Woodbine holds a near monopoly in our industry,” he said. “Woodbine’s business practices towards Fort Erie are unfair and clearly predatorial. While this situation is particularly harmful for (us), it is genuinely harmful for the owners, trainers, jockeys and others employed directly in racing and indirectly in services to the thoroughbred racing industry in Ontario.”
