Daily News Wrap

Financial boost for SA club funding

On the back of recent positive announcements by Racing SA, on Wednesday it was further announced that an extra $1.3 million in funding would go towards the state’s racing clubs. This includes an increase to the Club Capital Grants program, which now totals $1 million (an increase of $770,000), as well as an increase of over $500,000 to direct Club funding.

“On the back of increased prizemoney across the board in South Australia, the extra club funding will help clubs to enhance their facilities for racing participants and race goers. This is an increase of 21 per cent which will add to the momentum of our industry,” said Rob Rorrison, chair of Racing SA.

“Our 25 racing clubs are spread across the state and are a vital part of the social fabric of many regional and country communities. We are pleased that we’re able to offer an increase in grants funding which can be used by clubs for essential projects including training infrastructure, maintenance equipment and renovations to club buildings and other race-goer facilities.”

Racing Rewards also boosted in SA

Racing SA also announced this week an increase to the Racing Rewards SA scheme for the 2023/24 season. It will be lifted to $2.8 million from its current figure of $2.3 million.

Racing Rewards SA provides financial rewards to breeders, nominators, owners, trainers and jockeys over and above a race’s prizemoney. There is no cost to enter a horse in the scheme if the stallion and mare are based in South Australia, providing a decent incentive for homegrown stock in the state.

“Racing Rewards has been significant in its ability to attract and maintain owners wanting to race horses here in South Australia,” said Murray Bridge trainer Michael Hickmott. “Knowing that it’s increasing again is great news, especially for a stable like mine. I have more than 20 horses paid-up who will be eligible next season.”

Per Incanto may miss entire season

Following the news on Tuesday night that brilliant New Zealand-based sire Per Incanto (USA) sustained a paddock injury last weekend and will only serve a limited book this coming breeding season, if at all, Little Avondale Stud principal Sam Williams on Wednesday reiterated no shortcuts would be taken in his recuperation.

“He’s at the Hamilton vet clinic and will remain there until such time as he’s ready to come home,” Williams said.

“It’s very unfortunate, but he’s in the best possible place. If he’s not up to serving this year he won’t and we will get him back for next year.

“He has been so good to us and his health is first and foremost before anything.

“Calls from right around Australasia have come in and they’ve been devastated for Per Incanto. He’s done it the tough way and put his name in lights and done a lot for so many people in so many ways.”

Per Incanto is sixth in the New Zealand Sires’ Premiership for 2022/23, with 38 individual winners and four individual stakes winners.

The Big Goodbye takes out Listed Ramornie Handicap

Consistent gelding The Big Goodbye (Host {Chi}) fended off late challenge of Far Too Easy (All Too Hard) to land the $200,000 Listed Ramornie H. at Grafton. Last year’s winner Ranges (Shooting To Win) finished third.

Trained by Robert Heathcote, The Big Goodbye was piloted by Martin Harley and scored by 0.22l.

“He is the bravest horse I've ever ridden. He’s just the best,” former jockey and stable representative, Leah Kilner, who often rode The Big Goodbye, said.

“When he hit the front I thought, ‘Geez, they are going to have to be good to get past him’, because when they chase him, they just can’t get past him.

“It has been a long prep but Rob is a fantastic trainer, he knows what he is doing.”

The 5-year-old is from the winning Danasinga mare Penny Opera (NZ) and made $52,500 from the Willow Grove Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. He was bought by Neerim Lodge.

Connections turn down monster offer for Winx Guineas hero

According to Racenet, connections of promising 3-year-old Knight’s Choice (Extreme Choice), who was last seen taking out the G3 Winx Guineas on the Sunshine Coast earlier this month, have knocked back a megabucks offer in excess of $2.3 million.

Co-trainer Sheila Laxon said the gelding could be aimed towards the G1 Cox Plate.

“Me, I would like to see this horse in the Cox Plate,” Laxon, who trained the champion mare Ethereal (Rhythm {USA}), said.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have two Cups and a Plate?

“I think with his turn of foot, he would be really well-suited to Moonee Valley.

“He has won so brilliantly at the mile, one would imagine he could step up to 2040 metres in his next preparation.

“He can just find another gear and make other horses look ordinary, he has done that every start that he has won and he does it with such disdain and arrogance.”

Another juvenile winner for Spirit Of Boom

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Spirit Of Nurai (Spirit Of Boom) became his sire’s 21st individual 2-year-old winner of the season when the filly touched off the favourite Spellmaster (NZ) (Savabeel) in Race 1 at Sandown-Lakeside.

Spirit Of Boom holds the lead in terms of wins by 2-year-old sires.

Third on debut in a Donald maiden on June 17, Spirit Of Nurai settled at the rear of the field and the widest runner as the field swung for home. The filly, under the urgings of Daniel Stackhouse, gradually wore down Spellmaster, with the official margin being just 0.1l.

“I just rode my filly how she was out of the gates,” Stackhouse told Racing.com.

“I’m very happy to have my nose in front.”

Spirit Of Nurai was consigned by her breeder - Newhaven Park - at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. She was knocked down to MG Price Racing & Breeding for $100,000.

The filly is the fourth foal from the unraced Mossman mare Gentle, whose three runners to race - Sunday (Delago Deluxe), Boorowa Girl (Xtravagant {NZ}) and Flash Prince (Xtravagant {NZ}) - are all winners.

Allow (Rahy {USA}) is Spirit Of Nurai’s second dam and among that mare’s three victories was the 2006 G1 Queensland Oaks.

Other stakes winners on the filly’s page include Spring Oak (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}), Fragrant Hill (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), Fragrant Mix (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}) and Alpine Rose (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}).

Starspangledbanner 2-year-old scores on debut

The Darren McAuliffe-trained Chollima (Starspangledbanner) produced an upset victory on debut at Belmont

The colt upstaged hot favourite Ancient Guidance (God Has Spoken) in Race 1 - a 1400-metre contest for juveniles.

A homebred for Impressive Racing, Chollima is out of the winless Artie Schiller (USA) mare Cuthbert. The family includes the elite-level winner and Group 1-producing sire Elvstroem, as well as his half-brother Haradasun - a top-flight hero and Group 1-producing stallion.

Starspangledbanner, who returns to Coolmore this spring, has had three individual 2-year-old winners this season, including the Group 3 victress Treasurway.

Amelia’s Dream 2-year-old breaks the ice

A son of the super talented juvenile Amelia’s Dream (Redoute’s Choice) scored his first win on Wednesday, with the Chris Waller-trained Give Him Wings (Rubick) narrowly taking out Race 1 at Doomben.

Amelia’s Dream could have been anything. She won on debut at Canterbury in February 2008 by 9.3l, before destroying her rivals in the G2 Silver Slipper S. by 6.3l. She was a dominant favourite for the G1 Golden Slipper S., before sustaining a career-ending injury.

Hutchins Thoroughbreds bred Give Him Wings and he was offered by Element Hill at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. ARJB Racing went to $230,000 for him.

Benaud humming ahead of Grafton Cup

John O’Shea’s 4-year-old gelding Benaud (Reliable Man {GB}) seems to be humming ahead of his Grafton Cup effort on Thursday, according to his rider, Tyler Schiller. The jockey told journalist Ray Hickson this week that the horse’s last-start win at Wyong over 2100 metres could be the key to success this week.

“Hopefully it has given him a bit of that winning spirit and a bit of confidence,” Schiller said. “I think that’s all John was taking him there for (to Wyong), to know he’s still going well. I think John will want him ridden similar to Wyong (at Grafton). He may not be outside the leader, but in the first five or six with cover would be good.”

Benaud was second to Hitotsu (Maurice {Jpn}) in the G1 ATC Derby two years ago and a one-time runner in the Caulfield Cup. He is second-fancy for the Grafton Cup behind Zoumon (Zoustar).

Les Young scholarship applications open

AgriFutures and Thoroughbred Breeders NSW (TBNSW) have announced that the Les Young Scholarship is now open to applications. The scholarship, which will kick off in January 2024, is part of the Agrifutures Thoroughbred Horses Program and it pays tribute to the late Les Young, who devoted much of his life to racing as bloodstock agent, journalist and long-serving committeeman of TBNSW.

The scholarship will provide funding and support to a successful applicant via a combination of theory coursework and a paid placement with an international horse stud in the UK or the Irish National Stud, at which they will learn foaling and breeding, bloodstock husbandry and stable and equine management. Travel and accommodation expenses will be covered for an applicant aged 18 to 25 with at least two years’ experience in breeding, bloodstock or racing.

Stackhouse secures title

Daniel Stackhouse has clinched his first Victorian Jockeys’ Premiership, following a win at Sandown-Lakeside on Wednesday.

The New Zealander got on the board early on Wednesday, partnering Spirit Of Nurai (Spirit Of Boom) to victory in Race 1.

Stackhouse has 123 wins to his name, one more than John Allen, however, the Irishman will not ride again this season after being suspended last month. Beau Mertens is in third place with 98 wins.

“It definitely is,” Stackhouse said on Racing.com when asked if getting that win was a relief.

“It’s something I wanted to achieve the last few months. It’s nice I can tick it off on my CV.

“It’s unfortunate Johnny has been suspended and I have been able to keep riding.”

Four-timer for Pitmans

Father-and-son training duo Michael and Matthew Pitman enjoyed a day out at Riccarton Park (synthetic) on Wednesday, leading in four winners, which saw them reclaim the lead for the South Island Trainers’ Premiership.

The stable’s winners were Russian Rosette (NZ) (Russian Revolution) in Race 4, Golden Harvest (NZ) (Ghibellines) in Race 5, Da Vinci Girl (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) in Race 7 and Proserve (NZ) (Proisir) in Race 8.

Speaking after Proserve’s victory, Matthew Pitman said: “He is a nice, progressive stayer. When Wiremu Pinn won on him a few starts back he told us that he could go close to winning a New Zealand Cup. He has certainly gone on with it.

“He is a horse that is going places. We will take it one race at a time and let him tell us.

“We will definitely target either a New Zealand or Wellington Cup with him. We have also got a number of other nice staying races over summer that we can target. We will aim big and hopefully he can deliver.”

Dual Group 2 winner changes hands

Talented gelding Just Folk (Magnus) will do his racing under the guidance of Gavin Bedggood, after the Cranbourne-based trainer paid $199,000 for the former Bendigo Horse of the Year at the Inglis Digital July (Early) Online Sale, which closed on Wednesday.

“I didn't have a zap more,” Bedggood, who has enjoyed great success with tried horses, told Racing.com.

“I rang (former trainer) Josh (Julius) straight away when I saw him on there and he said he was giving it away and his grandparents wanted to move him and I spoke to him a few more times throughout the week.

“He was fully vetted and came up clean and Josh was more than accommodating.

“He is right to come in and get cracking.”

Just Folk is a winner of the 2021 G2 MVRC Crystal Mile and the 2022 G2 Ajax S.

Unallocated races to be introduced in Victoria

Racing Victoria (RV) is set to introduce a number of ‘unallocated races’ next season, with conditions of the races to be announced down the track.

Following stakeholder consultation, RV will periodically schedule an ‘unallocated race’ to provide greater programming flexibility for trainers.

At a designated meeting approximately every three weeks, RV will only program seven races on an eight-race card, with the remaining contest initially left blank. The first unallocated race has been programmed for the Bendigo meeting on August 10.

All Victorian licensed trainers will be surveyed, via email, in advance of each unallocated race, with their feedback used to determine the distance, class, age and sex eligibility of that contest. Trainers will be informed of the race criteria two weeks in advance of the meeting.

“Whilst the unallocated races will initially be spaced every three weeks, there is scope to provide further opportunities as the season progresses should there be an increased demand from trainers,” the RV statement read.

The new initiative was part of three changes announced to program and handicapping ahead of the new racing season which also included minimum riding weights for Saturday metropolitan races.

US$475,000 Authentic filly on top at Fasig-Tipton

The Fasig-Tipton July Sale of Selected Yearlings failed to live up to its lofty 2022 levels, but concluded with solid numbers and a filly from the first crop of GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (USA) leading the way when selling for US$475,000 ($704,802) to Alex and Jo Ann Lieblong.

“We had a very solid start to the 2023 yearling sales marketplace,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “I think we all recognized that we were coming off a euphoric 2022 yearling marketplace that saw pretty significant increases across the board from July all the way to October. I think we got a little bit of a reality adjustment here and I think we saw that coming in the 2-year-old marketplace this year. But it's still a very healthy marketplace.”

A total of 207 yearlings sold on Tuesday for a gross of US$20,507,000 ($30,428,184). The average of US$99,068 ($146,895) declined 14% from last year's figure of US$115,151 ($170 636), which was the second highest in sale's history; and the median fell 14.4% to $US77,000 ($114,252).

Pretty Polly result stands

A pair of appeals regarding the finish of the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh in early July have been dismissed by the Irish Horse Racing Board (IHRB). The first appeal was raised by the owners of the runner-up, Stay Alert (GB) (Fastnet Rock), who it was alleged was impeded by the winner, Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock).

The second appeal was made by the winning rider, Jamie Spencer, against his six-day ban for waywardness. That ban remains in place for July 15, July 17-20 and July 22, meaning Spencer will miss out on the Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) ride in the G1 July Cup.

Vale Indian Haven

It was announced on Tuesday by Chapel Stud in England that 23-year-old sire Indian Haven (GB), a son of Indian Ridge (Ire), had died peacefully. The chestnut horse won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas in 2003 and was a son of the dual Group winner Madame Dubois (GB) (Legend Of France {USA}).

Indian Haven retired to the Irish National Stud in 2005, then relocated to Withyslade Stud in 2012. Two years ago, he was leased by author and researcher Suzi Prichard-Jones and moved to Chapel Stud in an effort to preserve one of the last branches of the Byerley Turk sireline.

“It’s been an honour to stand Indian Haven on behalf of Suzi Prichard-Jones,” said Roisin Close, owner and manager of Chapel Stud. “He was a pleasure to deal with and got every mare in-foal during the three seasons he stood with us. Mostly it is a huge loss to the thoroughbred racehorse, with another thread in an already diminishing line now gone.”

Porta Fortuna to challenge the boys in the Phoenix

Royal Ascot heroine Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio {USA}) is likely to line up against the boys in the G1 Phoenix S. at the Curragh next month, according to her trainer Donnacha O’Brien. The filly is undefeated and won the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot last month, as well as the G3 Fillies Sprint S. at Naas in May.

“We’re thinking of going for the Phoenix at the minute,” O’Brien said. “We’ll have to take on colts, but we’d like to give her another run at six (furlongs). We’ll put her in the G2 Lowther S. at York on August as a back-up, which is about a week or two afterwards. I suppose later on in the year, the targets will be races like the Cheveley Park at Newmarket and the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita.”

155th season of racing kicks off at Saratoga

The first day of the Saratoga summer season gets underway on Thursday with a 10-race program, launching 40 days of racing in Upstate New York and a carnival that it is in its 155th year. The meeting will conclude on September 4, across which there will be 71 stakes races worth US$20.8 million (AU$31 million), including the opening-day feature for juvenile fillies, the G3 Schuylerville S.

Saratoga is this summer expecting such stars as Forte (USA) (Violence {USA}), who will likely contest the G1 Travers S. on July 29, and Tapit Trice (USA) (Tapit {USA}), who could line up in the G1 Haskell Invitational on July 23. Other events will occur across the 40 days, including the National Racing Museum’s Hall of Fame ceremony and The Jockey Club’s annual Round Table on August 3.

New backstretch clinic at Saratoga

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) officially opened the Saratoga Backstretch Clinic at Saratoga Racecourse on Tuesday in a ribbon-cutting event. The new clinic will allow the current healthcare providers in the area to expand healthcare services on offer to NYRA’s backstretch community, including valuable track staff.

Philanthropist John Hendrickson funded the construction of the clinic as a tribute to his late wife, Marylou Whitney. He said on Tuesday it was a great occasion for Saratoga. “They say health care is the foundation of every community. This fantastic new facility will improve lives and save lives. The backstretch now has a state-of-the-art medical facility that it truly deserves.”