TAB and Entain partnership gets the green light
New Zealand’s Minister for Racing, Kieran McAnulty, announced on Tuesday the approval of a 25-year partnership between TAB NZ and the British betting company Entain, which will deliver at least NZ$900 million in guaranteed funding for the New Zealand racing product over the next five years.
McAnulty declared it “one of the most significant days in New Zealand racing history”, claiming the alliance will reverse falling revenues and uncertainty while providing for a solid future through increased financial distributions to national sports organisations.
“The agreement provides an upfront payment of NZ$150 million upon approval,” he said in a statement. “In addition to this there will be a 50 per cent revenue share from day one with guaranteed payments of at least NZ$150 million per year for the first five years. This partnership will also allow TAB NZ to use Entain’s expertise and economies of scale to make necessary upgrades and invest extensively in infrastructure and technology. It will be an improved offering for customers.”
New Zealand Minister for Racing, Kieran McAnulty | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
McAnulty added that the NZ Cabinet has also decided on an in-principle agreement to extend TAB NZ’s monopoly for sports and racing betting to the online environment.
“By prohibiting online gaming outside of the TAB, the government can place greater controls over the betting environment,” he said. “We would expect to also see much more money allocated to (gambling) harm minimisation, a fairer deal for Kiwi punters and sports code, and a greater focus on animal welfare.”
The Chosen One joins The Oaks
The former Andrew Forsman horse The Chosen One (NZ), a son of Savabeel, will join the rejuvenated stallion roster at The Oaks Stud in New Zealand this spring, where he will stand alongside U S Navy Flag (USA) and Roc de Cambes (NZ) after the retirement of long-time stalwart Darci Brahma (NZ).
The Chosen One was a winner on both sides of the Tasman, with close to $2.5 million in prizemoney earnings. He won the G1 Thorndon Mile last year, as well as the G2 Herbert Power S. and Group 3 pair of the Frank Packer Plate and Manawatu Classic. He was also third to Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in the Caulfield Cup. He will stand for NZ$4000 (plus GST), with breeding rights also available at NZ$10,000 (plus GST).
The Chosen One (NZ) | Standing at The Oaks Stud
“He has all the credentials to be a success at stud,” said Rick Williams, general manager of The Oaks Stud. “He’s a Group 1 winner over a mile and a multiple Group winner on both sides of the Tasman, and he’s very well-bred. We’re really excited to be standing The Chosen One this season.”
O’Shea declares Queensland Derby 'all over'
Trainer John O’Shea has declared the G1 Queensland Derby 'all over' should Chris Waller’s smart gelding Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) stay the 2400 metres. Kovalica is a hot favourite for the race this weekend at Eagle Farm with barrier five, despite being on the quick back-up from a third to Huetor (Fr) (Archipenko {USA}) last Saturday in the G1 Doomben Cup.
“Kovalica is the marker and is a very talented 3-year-old,” O’Shea said. “The race is over if he can stay 2400 metres. But, if there’s a chink somewhere, my two will be there when the whips are cracking.”
O’Shea has both Stroke Of Luck (Fastnet Rock) and Andalus (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) in the field. The latter has been with the Randwick trainer just a month after relocating from Stephen Marsh’s yard in New Zealand.
Artorius can run 'a massive race'
Newgate Farm’s Henry Field, co-owner of the smart sprinter Artorius (Flying Artie), is confident that the horse will run his race next month when tackling the G1 Diamond Jubilee, now renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S., on June 24.
Artorius (red cap) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Anthony and Sam Freedman are very, very happy with him,” Field said. “He’s far better weighted than he was last year, and he’s the current favourite. We feel really confident Artorius can run a massive race.”
Artorius will face fellow Australians The Astrologist (Zoustar), who has already made a start on his European campaign, and James Harron's Cannonball (Capitalist) in the field at this stage.
Ryan Elliot for Solidify in BRC Sires’ Produce
Nine-time Group 1-winning Kiwi rider Ryan Elliott will renew his partnership with the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained colt Solidify (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) in the G2 BRC Sires’ Produce S. this Saturday. The 2-year-old colt has won two of his three starts in New Zealand to date and is owned by the same group that campaigns the Derby-winning Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}).
“It’s come about by these owners giving me the opportunity, and I’m really grateful for that,” Elliot told NZ Racing Desk. “I’m definitely a bit nervous the first time riding over there (Australia), but I’m pretty excited. I’m focused on doing the job for them and then going over and doing the job again in two weeks’ time.”
Ryan Elliot and Solidify (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
All going well, Solidify will back up into the G1 JJ Atkins S. on June 10, a race in which Sharp ‘N’ Smart was fourth last year. Elliott has won six Group 1 races at home this season alone, partnering Sharp ‘N’ Smart in the G1 New Zealand Derby and Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.
Holland fundraiser gets to $323,500 at Magic Millions
Day 1 of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale kicked off on Tuesday with the fundraiser for the family of the late Dean Holland and the National Jockeys’ Trust (NJT). No less than 15 stallion nominations were donated by studs around the country to the likes of All Too Hard, Captivant, Rebel Dane, Starspanglebanner, In The Congo and Vancouver.
Bloodstock agent Damon Gabbedy went to $40,000 for a nomination to Hellbent, while Newhaven Park reached out for the service to In The Congo, going to $35,000. The total amount raised is $323,500, which will add to the GoFundMe total of $1,937,740 already raised at the time of writing.
Juvenile winner for Trapeze Artist
The Trapeze Artist colt Flying Trapeze broke his maiden on Tuesday at the sixth time of asking, winning by 0.1l the Mount Pleasant 2YO Maiden H. at Kembla Grange. Trained by Gary Portelli, the colt led home Toronado (Ire) juvenile Sly Boots and Snitzel colt Cap Ferrat.
Flying Trapeze was an $85,000 yearling buy for Portelli at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when offered by Widden Stud. He has been knocking on the maiden door for a while, running third and second in his last two outings before his win on Tuesday.
He proved to be the sixth winner for his freshman sire Trapeze Artist, who sits fourth on the First Season Sire table in Australia.
Kingman juvenile also wins at Kembla Grange
The Juddmonte sire Kingman (GB) posted a 2-year-old winner at Kembla Grange on Tuesday, with King Colorado scoring by 1.5l for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. It was the second time of asking, the colt running fourth on debut at this track last month.
King Colorado is raced by a consortium that includes Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, his breeder. He is the first Australian foal from the imported More Than Ready (USA) mare More Aspen (USA), a direct descendant of the brilliant blue-hen mare Fall Aspen (USA) (Pretense {USA}).
Still hopeful of Stradbroke for Dragon Leap
Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott are still hopeful of a G1 Stradbroke H. berth for their Pierro 6-year-old Dragon Leap, who was second to Surf Dancer (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the G3 BRC Spring last weekend. The gelding is 45th in the order of entry.
Dragon Leap | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“All going well, if he gets in the Stradbroke, that’s where he’ll go,” O’Sullivan told NZ Racing Desk. “I thought it was a terrific run on Saturday. It was a nice ride by Opie (Bosson), but if he drew a gate, he would have won. He peaked on his run the last 100 yards, but he’ll improve with that outing.”
Shadow Vampire offered on Inglis Digital
The 3-year-old Impending gelding Shadow Vampire will be offered on Inglis Digital this week as a fully vetted Hong Kong option. The horse is being offered by trainer Mark Newnham, who had his final runners across Australia this month ahead of his relocation to Hong Kong.
Shadow Vampire has won three of his 10 starts so far, including three on the bounce through last spring. At Hawkesbury in November, he defeated a smart field that included the subsequent R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas winner Fashion Legend (Deep Field).
Clint Lundholm fined $6000
Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm has been fined $6000, reduced from $8000, following an investigation by Racing NSW stewards into a pre-race swab taken on January 9 from his gelding Cherry Blue (Fastnet Rock) which returned a positive to altrenogest. Lundholm was charged under rule AR240(2) relating to a prohibited substance in a sample taken from a horse at a race meeting.
Lundholm pleaded guilty to the charge and cooperated with stewards, who took into account the trainer’s personal and professional circumstances. Stewards disqualified Cherry Blue from his sixth placing in the race, charged Lundholm $6000 and concluded that the horse’s exposure to altrenogest was ‘more likely the result of an inadvertent administration or contamination’.
Horse Sense helping WA kids and racehorses
The Western Australian operation Horse Sense, founded and run by licensed racing participant Claire Wright and supported by the new Off The Track WA Community Fund, is making waves in the West with its equine-assisted learning program for school children. Horse Sense hosts small group sessions for kids, encouraging engagement with retired racehorses beyond just riding.
“We value horses living naturally because our sessions are based on participants becoming familiar with natural herd interaction, to learn about awareness and strategies to approach life for more positive experiences,” Wright said. “Many of the children have had nothing to do with horses before, and it’s lovely to see how they connect with the horses, big and small, in the paddock.”
Claire Wright offers an off-track experience for school children in Western Australia | Image courtesy of Racing & Wagering Western Australia (RWWA)
Horse Sense has around 50 retired racehorses on its property, some retired from the track and others who weren’t suited to racing. The program involves a seven-week immersive experience for the children, with a different theme each week, with the effectiveness of the program to be based on parent, children and teacher feedback.
Mendelssohn filly on top at Fasig-Tipton
A Mendelssohn (USA) filly brought the top price on Monday at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, reaching US$800,000 (AU$1.2 million) when selling to Speedway Stables’ Peter Fluor. Hip 245 had previously worked her furlong in 10.5s last Wednesday, and she is out of the stakes-placed mare Lady Hansen (USA) (Hansen {USA}). She was a US$125,000 (AU$190,000) yearling at last year’s Keeneland September Sale.
“We thought she was a great physical,” Fluor said. “We loved her breeze, as everybody else did. She is just a standout. Mendelssohn is on the move, but she just looked like a tremendous athlete to us.”
From 300 catalogued, 215 horses went through the ring on Monday’s opening session. The passed-in rate was 25.1 per cent, down from last year’s 25.5 per cent. A total of 161 horses netted US$16,975,000 (AU$25.6 million), with an average of US$105,435 (AU$160,000). Day 2 on Tuesday concludes the sale.
Injunction to stop Derby disruption
The Jockey Club in England, owner of Epsom Downs Racecourse, has applied to the High Court for an injunction to prohibit acts intended to disrupt the Derby meeting on June 2 and 3. The hearing will take place on Friday, May 26, and comes in the wake of dramatic threats from the Animal Rising protest group, which delayed the start of this year’s Grand National by 15 minutes with an on-course protest.
An announcement from The Jockey Club states that an injunction would not hinder the right of anyone to protest peacefully and that it has offered Animal Rising an area near the racecourse entrance for this purpose on Derby Day.
“We respect everyone’s right to peaceful and lawful protest, and with that in mind have offered Animal Rising a space for this purpose directly outside the racecourse during The Derby Festival,” said Nevin Truesdale, The Jockey Club chief executive. “However, Animal Rising has made it explicitly clear that it intends to breach security and access the track itself in an attempt to stop racing taking place, and it is our duty and obligation to do everything we can to protect everyone’s safety and a prevent a repeat of the illegal and reckless protests we saw at Aintree in April.”
Al Riffa to miss Irish 2000 Guineas
The Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Al Riffa (Fr), a winner of last year’s G1 National S. and ante-post favourite for the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas this Saturday, has been ruled out of the race with ‘a little setback’, according to the Irish Field. Trainer Joseph O’Brien remains confident, nevertheless, that the Jassim Bin Al-Attiyah-owned colt will make the field for the G1 St James’s Palace S. on the opening day of Royal Ascot on June 20.
“He has just had a little setback in training,” O’Brien told the newspaper. “Hopefully it’s nothing serious and he will be back later in the summer. He has options at Ascot and further afield than that as well. These things happen, so it’s a long way from a problem. Timing wise, Royal Ascot will be fine but we will have to decide whether we want to run there or in other races. We’ll not be rushing any decisions.”
