Roch 'N' Horse retired
Little Avondale Stud’s dual Group 1-winning sprinter Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) - a daughter of their own Per Incanto (USA) - has been retired, and will head to Rich Hill Stud’s Proisir this breeding season.
The 6-year-old mare retires with over $3 million in prizemoney and five victories to her name, twice getting the better of some of Australia’s top sprinters when winning her pair of Group 1s, the Newmarket H. and VRC Classic last year.
Roch 'N' Horse (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She has retired sound and a very happy mare. There was nothing else left for her to prove,” Little Avondale’s Sam Williams said.
“She won the two biggest sprints in Victoria and Catriona and I watch those replays all the time and she has done us proud, she’s done the whole syndicate proud and it’s just been fantastic.”
Yet to return across the Tasman after she finished 11th in last weekend’s G1 Robert Sangster S., Williams added that there was never any question of the mare heading to a sale, though there was some debate over an Australian stallion.
Proisir | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
“For Catriona and I it is the legacy of the stud, we have the stallions but the stud is really proven by the strength of its female lines,” he said.
“There was a lot of temptation in Australia as she’s there, but you definitely want to go to a proven stallion first-up,” he said.
“Proisir has that Danehill sireline, which she doesn’t have, and it’s a great nick with Per Incanto.”
Doomben 10,000 favourites draw perfectly
Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) and Aft Cabin (Astern) will begin alongside each other in Saturday’s G1 Doomben 10,0000.
The Clayton Douglas-trained favourite Giga Kick will break from gate four under Craig Williams, while James Cummings’ Aft Cabin, who will be handled by James McDonald, jumps from stall three.
A field of 11 will contest the $1.5 million sprint.
Last year’s winner Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}), who will be handled by Tim Clark, has drawn barrier seven, while 2021 champion Eduardo (Host {Chi}), who will be ridden by Nash Rawiller, has the outside alley.
Snowdens to gang tackle Spirit Of Boom Classic
Father-son training pair Peter and Paul Snowden will launch a three-pronged attack on Saturday’s G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic at Doomben.
Group 3 winner Empire Of Japan (Snitzel) has drawn barrier seven, R. Listed victor Sovereign Fund (Capitalist) will break from gate five, while Kembla Grange maiden scorer The King (Russian Revolution) will jump from stall three.
Paul and Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Peter Snowden won the race in 2011, when it was called the Bollinger Classic, with Free Wheeling (Ad Valorem {USA}).
The 2-year-old race carries a total prize purse of $300,000.
Maurice 2-year-old breaks the ice
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Azula (Maurice {Jpn}) scored an impressive all-the-way win under Jean Van Overmeire at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday.
After showing ability at the trials, the 2-year-old filly was only fair on debut, finishing fifth, 1.95l behind the winner and stablemate Oz Empress (Exceed And Excel).
“It was a nice, strong effort,” Bott told Sky Racing.
“She showed good improvement (from her first run) and she’s a nice filly for us going forward.”
Azula was consignned by Twin Hills Stud at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. She was bought by Waterhouse/Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $100,000.
The filly is from the winning Redoute’s Choice mare Shutout - a three-quarter sister to the stakes performer Joy’s Choice (NZ) and a half-sister to the Listed victress Za Moulin Rouge (Street Cry {Ire}).
Her grandam is the Group 2 scorer La Sizeranne (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) and she herself is closely related to the stakes winners Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Estelle Collection (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) and Lankan Rupee (Redoute’s Choice).
Adelaide winner for Bolt D’Oro
The Matthew Seyers-trained Bolted In handed Bolt D’Oro (USA) his third Australian 2-year-old winner when the gelding scored on debut at Balaklava on Wednesday.
A dual Grade 1 hero, Bolt D’Oro stood for one season (2019) at the now-defunct Spendthrift Farm, where he covered 104 mares.
Bred by Ralph Satchell, Bolted In was bought for $40,000 by his trainer from the draft of Willow Grove Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
The gelding is the second foal of the Mint Lane (USA) mare Fonteyn Lane and she herself is a half-sister to Listed winner Bacchanal Woman (Encosta De Lago) and the dam of the seven-time scorer and Group 3 winner Sweet Scandal (Sepoy).
Bolted In was partnered by Jessica Eaton.
Promises Kept out to make impression for new stable
David Eustace believes recent stable acquisition Promises Kept (Cluster) will appreciate getting out to 2500 metres in Saturday's G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville.
The gelding - a winner of his past two starts - began his career with Greg Eurell, before joining Eustace and Ciaron Maher.
“He is a very, very straightforward horse. He's just a nice staying galloper. His win at Bendigo suggested that is what he is,” Eustace told Racing.com.
“He had a jump-out last week and he jumped out fine and he’s going to relish going up in trip slightly.”
Mark Zahra will ride Promises Kept, who will jump from barrier eight, should the emergencies fail to start.
Leading SA trainers keen for carnival review
Several of South Australia’s top trainers are keen to investigate whether the timing and structure of Adelaide's Autumn Racing Carnival is right.
It comes after long-time racecaller and Racing.com presenter Terry McAuliffe called on authorities to consider condensing the carnival to two weeks of Group 1 racing and moving it from its late autumn timeslot.
McAuliffe's comments were prompted by the small crowds at Morphettville for both the Australasian Oaks and Sangster S. meetings.
“I’m heavily invested in South Australian racing and I’ve got as much tied up in the industry here as anyone,” Hickmott told Racing.com.
“If there’s anything that can benefit our industry, whether it’s moving a carnival or changing the way we do anything, I’d welcome the chance to be part of any engagement process.”
Reigning Adelaide Premiership-winning trainer David Jolly believes racing has been swallowed up by other major events.
“For the quality of horses that were running on Saturday, the crowd was terrible,” he said.
“That’s the trouble with this time of year in Adelaide, there have been so many other things on - you had Gather Round (AFL), you had LIV Golf and the three-day event (Adelaide Equestrian Festival).
“It certainly would be worth throwing it (carnival timing) around and talking about it as an industry - why wouldn’t we try to make the carnival better?”
Thoroughbreds to be recognised in Olympics and FEI Events
At next year’s Paris Olympic Games, thoroughbreds competing in any of the equestrian disciplines – dressage, show jumping and eventing – will, for the first time, be recognised in the starting lists and results. In the past, retired thoroughbred racehorses were listed only as ‘breeding unknown’.
The agreement follows discussions between the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF), the World Breeding Federation for Sports Horses (WBFSH), the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) and the International Stud Book Committee (ISBC) and will extend also to all FEI competitions. The issue arose because, under a Memorandum of Understanding between the FEI and the WBFSH, only member stud books of the WBFSH have historically been credited, and the WBFSH only has members that specifically breed horses for the Olympic disciplines.
The arrangement was welcomed by Dr Paull Khan, Secretary-General of the EMHF and a member of the Steering Group of the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR).
Khan said: “Much effort is made around the world to encourage the owners of retired racehorses to explore second careers for them. This recognition will both further the message that thoroughbreds do go on to compete with distinction in other equestrian disciples and prompt more Thoroughbred owners to consider this retirement option for their racehorses.”
Shoals’ daughter set to go
The first foal from Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Shoals (Fastnet Rock) will make her racecourse debut at Flemington this Saturday. Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Isthmus (I Am Invincible) was bred and retained by Arrowfield and Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing, keeping intact all the same connections responsible for Shoals herself.
A winner of her most recent jump-out at Mornington on April 26, co-trainer Sam Freedman reported that Isthmus has since worked well on the grass against older horses.
Shoals when racing | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We’ve been excited to see what she’s going to do at the track,” Freedman told Racing.com. “This is really the first preparation where we’ve got her to the trials so she’s still quite green and new.
“She looks like she’s a filly with quite a bit of talent.”
Isthmus will line up in Race 1 at Flemington on Saturday, the 1100-metre Parade Lounge Sprint.
HTBA Awards precede Scone Cup
Held in advance of the Scone Carnival, the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association (HTBA) Annual Dinner and Awards Night took place at Scone Racecourse on Wednesday Night.
Amongst the headline recipients was Godolphin’s brilliant Anamoe (Champion Racehorse), G1 All-Aged S. winner and Everest hero Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) (Champion 3YO) and G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Shinzo (Snitzel) (Champion 2YO).
NY Times: Forte Failed Drug Test After Hopeful
The New York Times is reporting that Forte (USA) (Violence {USA}), the Kentucky Derby favourite who was scratched on the morning of the race with a bruised right front hoof, failed a drug test after his win in last September’s G1 Hopeful S. at Saratoga.
In a story published Tuesday early evening (local), the Times writes, “Shortly after leaving the winner’s circle, however, Forte was given a post-race drug test, which he failed but has yet to be adjudicated before New York regulators, according to two people who are familiar with the matter but are not authorised to speak about it. The positive test was for a substance used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation, according to those two people.”
The Times' story does not say what that substance was.
The story, written by Joe Drape, quotes an unnamed spokesperson from the New York Gaming Commission as saying, “This matter likely would have been adjudicated months ago but for the repeated procedural delays sought by the trainer's counsel.”
A spokesman for the New York Gaming Commission confirmed the accuracy of Drape’s story. “We see no inaccuracies in the story as published,” said Brad Maione, Director of Communications of the NYSGC, in response to a request for comment from the TDN.
Texts and phone calls by TDN to owner Mike Repole, trainer Todd Pletcher, and the trainer’s lawyer Karen Murphy were not immediately returned.
Royal Ascot next for Chaldean
Juddmonte's Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has emerged from his win in Newmarket’s G1 2000 Guineas in good order, and a start in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot is his next target, according to the organisation's racing manager Barry Mahon.
“He's taken it well, he's good,” said Mahon. “Andrew (Balding, trainer) was happy with him when I spoke to him yesterday (Tuesday). He said he was quite tired on Sunday, but he said yesterday morning he was in good form again.”
Big Rock lays marker for Prix du Jockey Club
Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) colt Big Rock (Fr) extended his winning streak to four with a 5l romp in Tuesday’s G3 Prix de Guiche at Chantilly.
Big Rock ploughed through the heavy ground under Aurelien Lemaitre for trainer Christopher Head.
“We got him at the beginning of the season, but he showed his class pretty early on,” Head told TDN Europe of Big Rock.
“Because of the ground, I wasn’t expecting such a dominant win. It was a nice result and a proper preparation for the Jockey Club. That’s the main aim.”
The G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) will be run at Chantilly on June 4.
Big Rock is from the unraced Sea The Stars (Ire) mare Hardiyna (Ire) and his grandam is the G3 Silver Flash S. scorer Harasiya (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) who was also second in the G2 Debutante S. and third in the G1 Moyglare Stud S.
France Galop increase Arc field size
Ahead of entries closing on Wednesday (local) for October’s G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the governing body of French horseracing, France Galop, announced an increase in the field size of the historic end-of-season feature.
In a review which may have been prompted by Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) missing out on a run in last year’s edition, the field size has been increased from 20 to 24 ahead of this year’s running.
“This season, a major change in terms of organisation has been implemented for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe,” the France Galop statement read. “The limit of 20 runners in the race last year led to several runners being eliminated at the final declaration.”
