Debut juvenile winner for Spieth
The filly is the first foal from the Street Cry (Ire) mare Leather'N'Lace who was placed in Group 2 company.
The late Spieth (NZ), who stood at Aquis Farm in Canungra prior to his untimely death, was the sire of a juvenile winner on The Archer program at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park Racecourse.
The Nick Walsh-trained 2-year-old gelding Fine Shot (Spieth {NZ}), on debut, sped away to win the opening race by 2.04l from Sweet Confessions (Spill The Beans).
Fine Shot is the second and final foal from the Your Song mare You’re So Fine. She hails from the family of Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock), who was a triple Group 1 winner.
The gelding was a $30,000 yearling purchase by Nick Walsh Racing from the draft of Raheen Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
Transferred Jukebox heads Platinum Thoroughbreds' 2023 roster
Platinum Thoroughbreds are pleased to announce three exciting additions to its 2023 roster. Headed by the former Aquis Farm-based Jukebox, who will serve the 2023 season at $5500 (inc GST), Platinum Thoroughbreds will also stand Bellevue Hill, who also transfers from Aquis Farm, Bellevue Hill will be available for $3300 (inc GST),
The dual Group 1 winner Palentino, who stood the 2022 season at Glen Eden Stud, will join Platinum Thoroughbreds for the 2023 breeding season for $3300 (inc GST).
Rounding out its roster is Scorpz (NZ) at $4400 (inc GST).
Gallery: Stallions standing at Platinum Thoroughbreds in 2023
"We are delighted to welcome such a nice group of stallions," said Platinum Thoroughbreds' Rene Hoefchen.
"We feel that the timing is right to provide a variety of horses to local breeders - stallions who will be priced to give broodmare owners every opportunity to breed themselves a nice runner."
No Nay Never juvenile double for Hesket Bloodstock
Flemington-based trainer Mathew Ellerton achieved a 2-year-old double courtesy of two daughters by the former Coolmore Stud shuttler No Nay Never (USA) bred by Hesket Bloodstock.
She is the second foal from the Exceed And Excel mare Kaiken. She hails from the family of the Group 2-winning mare Sword Of Light (New Approach {Ire}).
Nodachi, a daughter of No Nay Never, was having her third career start in the opening event at Bendigo on Sunday - she was placed in her first two starts, but the filly put it all together to claim her maiden victory.
No Nay Never (USA) | Standing at Coolmore Stud Ireland
On debut in Race 1 at Werribee was No Nay Never’s daughter Fragile Love, who was rated the outsider in the small field, but won in good fashion by 0.4l.
No Nay Never has not returned to Australia and stands at Coolmore Stud Ireland for a 2023 season fee of €175,000 (AU$190,850).
Vorster return indefinite
One of South Australia’s finest riders, Barend Vorster, shared that he’s no closer to a return to riding as he continues to battle concussion symptoms after an incident in the mounting yard at Morphettville on February 18.
It appeared to be an innocuous head knock aboard Chicago Storm (Trust In A Gust) that left the reigning John Letts Medal winner suffering severe headaches, dizziness and a constant ringing in his ears.
In the weeks since the concussion, Vorster has undergone several scans which have failed to identify the cause of the issues.
Barend Vorster aboard Sunlight, winner of the G1 Newmarket H. | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I am still taking it day by day as one is good and the next is pretty average,” Vorster told Racing.com.
“We’re sitting here 10 weeks later, and there isn’t much improvement.”
The South African-born Vorster is continuing regular physiotherapy appointments to try and get his life back to normal before even contemplating a return to race riding.
“I’m having a lot of neuro physiotherapy and dry needling treatments on my neck to try and release some tension in the nerves, but there is no time frame which is frustrating.”
Valley hopes to lure internationals
The Moonee Valley Racing Club is set to scout the world to lure internationals to the G1 WS Cox Plate.
As the flat racing season starts to heat up in the Northern Hemisphere, attention has turned to which internationals the club can target for involvement in the $5 million weight-for-age championship.
MVRC CEO Michael Browell said the club wants to tempt the Japanese to Melbourne while feet are on the ground at Royal Ascot.
Michael Browell
“We will have a club representative in Japan next month. There’s a couple of us heading to Royal Ascot.
“We need to make sure we get these international jurisdictions, make sure the trainers are aware of what's required and try to convince them to come and challenge through the spring,” Browell told Racing.com.
“We will start over the next six or eight weeks to engage with trainers of international horses. With COVID-19 restrictions now lifted, that's one challenge we don’t have to deal with.”
Browell said a key-point over the next period would be to discuss Victoria’s veterinary protocols with the Japanese connections now that flights between the two countries have become more frequent.
Cox Plate path for Mr Brightside plotted
The popular gelding Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), trained by Ben and JD Hayes, will follow the traditional path of Group 1 weight-for-age races towards another tilt at the G1 WS Cox Plate after finishing unplaced in 2022 behind the recently retired superstar Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}).
“Mr Brightside is currently spelling and will return to work in three weeks at Lindsay Park,” co-trainer JD Hayes told Racing.com.
“He’ll kick off in the Memsie S. at Caulfield, and then we’ll follow the path of the good races towards the Cox Plate, with the plan for him to be fifth-up in that race.”
Mr Brightside (NZ) winning the G1 Doncaster Mile | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Mr Brightside will return in the G1 Memsie S. over 1400 metres, which will be run at Caulfield on August 26; Mr Brightside would then run in the G1 Makybe Diva S. at Flemington, followed by the G1 Underwood S. at Sandown and the G1 Caulfield S. before ultimately tackling the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
“We’re hoping Mr Brightside can establish himself as Australia’s best horse next spring.”
Deep Impact sires the 59th Group 1 winner
Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) provided his late Champion Sire Deep Impact (Jpn) with his 59th Group 1 winner in the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) at newly refurbished Kyoto Racecourse.
Trained by Haruki Sugiyama the 4-year-old stallion claimed his first Group 1 victory, he had previously won the G2 Hanshin Daishoten and the G2 Chukyo Kobe Shimbun Hai.
Justin Palace is a half-brother to the G1 Belmont S. winner Palace Malice.
“Crying shame” - Tally-Ho pays tribute to record-breaker after freak accident
Tally-Ho Stud’s Roger O’Callaghan has paid tribute to the record-breaking Harry Angel (Ire) colt who sold for £500,000 (AU$950,200) at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale on Tuesday but died less than two days later in a transport accident.
The Harry Angel colt was sold to Michael O’Callaghan, who held off the persistent challenge of Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian as underbidder.
Roger O’Callaghan told TDN Europe on Saturday (local) morning, “It’s a crying shame but accidents happen. We’ll never know how good he really was.”
Lot 191 - Harry Angel (Ire) x Go Angellica (Ire) (colt) | Image courtesy of Goffs UK
The colt was pinhooked by Tally-Ho Stud for £38,000 (AU$70,300) at the 2021 Goffs November Foal Sale before breaking the record for the most expensive breeze-up horse ever purchased at Goffs UK.
The colt’s dam won the Listed Stonehenge S., and her half-sister is responsible for dual Group winner Twilight Jet (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}), Michael O’Callaghan also signed for Twilight Jet from Tally-Ho Stud two years prior.
