Daily News Wrap

Imperatriz targeting Melbourne in the spring

The Te Akau Racing star Imperatiz (I Am Invincible) will race exclusively in Melbourne through the spring, according to Te Akau principal David Ellis, who confirmed the 4-year-old mare will ultimately target the $3 million Champions Sprint during Cup Week.

“She’s going to run every race in Melbourne this spring, and we’d like to think she’s at her peak for the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival,” he said, while also commenting on the stable’s new Cranbourne satellite. “We’re really excited about it and hope to have it up and running this spring.”

Imperatriz was a four-time Group 1 winner when she arrived in Australia during the autumn. She was second to Artorius in the G1 Canterbury S. but an impressive, 1l winner of the G1 William Reid S. in March.

Lunar Flare with Cup questions

Grahame Begg’s rising 8-year-old Lunar Flare, a daughter of Fiorente (Ire), has questions to answer about a possible berth in the Caulfield Cup. The mare will first contest the G1 Turnbull S., a race her trainer described to Racing.com as a ‘fork in the road’ of heading to the Caulfield Cup or Cox Plate.

“She’ll more than likely start off in the Feehan at Moonee Valley and then she’ll go to the Underwood and then the Turnbull,” Begg said. “That will determine whether we roll the dice in the Caulfield Cup or, hopefully, we might even get a run in the Cox Plate. She’ll only have four runs going into the Melbourne Cup. We’ll just see how she measures up. Obviously, she races well at Flemington, so I think going to the Turnbull will tell us a hell of a lot this year.”

Lunar Flare was scratched from the Melbourne Cup last year after an ideal run into the big race. She is an automatic qualifier this year after winning the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. on May 13.

Racing NSW urging vigilance

Racing NSW on Wednesday urged vigilance from industry participants in the wake of the unexplained deaths of 13 horses in Victoria. The NSW Department of Primary Industries has confirmed that no deaths of this nature have occurred in New South Wales, but trainers, veterinarians and industry participants have been advised to exercise caution in the reporting of sudden death or illness among horses.

Dr Peter Curl, Racing NSW’s chief veterinary officer, advised everyone to be ‘mindful of what is shared online/reported to avoid disseminating any potential misinformation that may cause harm’, while any unusual cases should be reported to Racing NSW via steward@racingnsw.com.au

Agriculture Victoria continues to investigate the cause of multiple sudden deaths in horses on separate properties across the Mornington, Cranbourne, Ballarat and Colac regions. At this stage, no obvious link between the deaths has been announced, but the Herald Sun reported on Wednesday that officials aren’t ruling anything out, including poisoning, food staphs, colitis and environmental factors. To date, tests for Hendra and anthrax had been negative, albeit lack of samples has been a problem.

The Herald Sun article stated that horses had died rapidly after the onset of illness, within six to 24 hours, with that not only labelled highly unusual, but “a significant event”, according to Dr Graeme Cook, Victoria’s chief vet.

“Between all the premises, the only commonality is rapid deterioration” he said. “At this stage in the investigation, and it’s very early days, there are no other commonalities that immediately become apparent.”

Agriculture Victoria is not advising the segregation of horses or the closure of stables and businesses to the public. However, it acknowledged the widespread concerns across the Victorian horse community.

Lead-up races announced for Finals Day at Morphettville

Racing SA on Wednesday announced its lead-up races to the TAB Finals Day at Morphettville on November 25, which will feature nine races and almost $1 million in prizemoney up for grabs. For the first time, all series heats of the Country Sprint Final and Country Mile will be conducted solely in outlying regions of South Australia, giving regional horses a chance to qualify for the Finals in town.

Additionally, Racing SA has altered some of the dates of its stakes races during the rest of calendar, including the Listed City of Marion S. which will move to February 24, along with the Listed Cinderella S. Both races are key autumn lead-ups. The changes mean that South Australia will have have a feature sprint in each of the summer months.

Metro winner for Trapeze Artist

Fresh from her maiden victory at Bendigo last month, Flying Concello (Trapeze Artist) was well-fancied in Race 1 at Sandown-Hillside - a 1300-metre handicap for 2-year-old fillies - and the Lindsay Park-trained filly held on to touch off the fast-finishing Ahuriri (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}).

Flying Concello was bred by Peter Devitt and he races the filly alongside brothers Russell and Craig Gordon. They have enjoyed great success with horses such as Nicconi, Niconero (Danzero) and Fast ‘N’ Rocking (Fastnet Rock), Confectioner (Bubble Gum Fellow {Jpn}) and Hear The Chant (Nicconi).

The 2-year-old is from the winning Lonhro mare Little Gyspy (who was bred by Devitt and the Gordons) and she herself is a half-sister to the stakes performer Roma Giaconda (Magic Albert).

Trapeze Artist, who stands at Widden Stud at a fee of $55,000 (inc GST), has had eight winners and three stakes performers - Facile, Flying Trapeze and Artistica - in his freshman season. The four-time Group 1 hero sits fifth in the Leading First Season Sire standings.

Gibbons edges two clear in title race

The battle to become this season’s Metro Apprentice Jockey Premiership winner in New South Wales continues to go down to the wire. Ahead of Wednesday’s Warwick Farm meeting, Dylan Gibbons held a one-win lead over Zac Lloyd, but that is now two. Gibbons went two clear when he guided French Endeavour (Rubick) to victory in Race 2. Lloyd pegged one back when he won aboard Ruby Flyer (Flying Artie) in Race 6, but Gibbons took the last on Powerful Peg (Rubick).

With three meetings remaining, Gibbons sits on 72 wins and Lloyd 70.

Wagering turnover spikes for BRC

The Brisbane Racing Club has reported a $1.68 billion figure in wagering turnover for the financial year 2022/23. As reported by Racenet, it represents a 6.65 per cent increase on the equivalent figure of last year, and a 45 per cent increase on wagering growth since 2016, that figure being $921 million.

TAB turnover sits at 32 per cent of the $1.68 billion, with other wagering providers supplying the gap, including the likes of Entain, Sportsbet and Bet365. The new boss of Racing Queensland, Jason Scott, is in two minds about the figure.

“While the wagering figures throughout the Queensland carnival have stood up, the broader wagering market appears to be flattening, so we will closely monitor the week-to-week impacts on turnover and revenue,” he told Racenet.

Country Cup Sprint Series announced for Scone

Racing NSW has announced a Vinery Stud-sponsored Country Cup Sprint Series for Scone this year, to run from September to November. The three-race series will commence with an 1100-metre open handicap, the Gundy Cup, on September 5, and will continue with the Moobi Cup on October 27 and, finally, the Middle Brook Cup on November 13. All races will be 1100 metres, with an accumulated points system in place.

There will be a $3000 bonus for the trainer with the most points at the end of the series, and the same amount on offer for connections of the horse with the most points. In the event of a tie, bonuses will be split equally.

Saab Hasan recovering

Popular trainer Saab Hasan is recovering at home from severe concussion, sustained after a trackwork fall last week. He has told Racing.com that the injury is “disorientating and painful”, but that he’s with family at home and showing improvement.

“I can’t do much,” Hasan said. “I’m going to have a meeting with the staff this morning (Wednesday) and about half-an-hour is as much as I can handle. Whether it’s (recovery) six days, two months or two years, I just don’t know. I’m still concussed, my head’s sore, but hopefully there’s not going to be a long-term effect.”

Another juvenile winner for Spirit Of Boom

The hot run for Eureka Stud’s star stallion Spirit Of Boom shows no sign of slowing, with his son Keshi Boom posting an impressive debut win at Belmont in Race 3.

Spirit Of Boom has 23 individual 2-year-old winners this season - more than any sire in Australia.

Bred by Eureka Cambooya Thoroughbreds, Keshi Boom realised $120,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale. He was bought by Williams Racing from the Eureka Stud draft.

From the winning Red Dazzler mare Pearls For Me, the colt is closely related to the stakes winners Prince Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom), Simply Fly (Spirit Of Boom) and Express Air (Piccolo {GB}).

Goldman to tackle Cup at fifth run of campaign

Leading G1 Melbourne Cup fancy Goldman (NZ) (Verdi {NZ}) is likely to have four runs before his date with destiny at Flemington in November.

A winner of five of seven starts, the former Kiwi created a huge impression earlier this year when winning three on the bounce, all by big margins.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained gelding has already qualified for the Melbourne Cup, courtesy of his victory in the Listed Roy Higgins Quality in March.

“It’s pretty exciting and will be interesting to see how he comes back but all reports are that he is going well,” part-owner Scott Darby of Darby Racing told News Corp.

“He will only be up here (Sydney) for a couple of runs or the whole preparation will be down in Melbourne.

“He will definitely trial up here and then he will either kick off here or Melbourne.

“He has actually been in work for quite some time. They want to have a real, strong, slow build up to the carnival with him and get all that groundwork in.

“They are looking at getting him fifth-up in the Melbourne Cup.”

Elemental scores on debut

The Tony Pike-trained Elemental (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) produced the perfect start to his career, winning on debut at Avondale.

With New Zealand’s leading jockey Michael McNab in the saddle, Elemental took out Race 4 - a 2YO&3YO maiden (1400 metres) - by 0.5l.

“He won extremely well, we didn’t really want to run him on a heavy track today, but we wanted to get a run into him at the tail end of his 3-year-old season,” Pike told LoveracingNZ.

“We’ll probably give him a very short break now. He looks like a nice progressive staying horse for the spring,” Pike said.

The 3-year-old is from the winning High Chaparral (Ire) mare Kazemi (NZ) and she herself is a half-sister to the Group 1 heroine I Do (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}) and the Listed scorer Iggi Pop (NZ) (Savabeel). Offered by Waikato Stud at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), he was purchased by Riversley Park for NZ$100,000 and is owned by Sam Beatson, Guy Mulcaster and Pike.

Vicki Wilson runner to showcase Mongolian Falcon

Hawke's Bay trainer Vicki Wilson is hoping that her Thursday runner at Hastings, Falcons Diamond (NZ), will showcase her home stallion Mongolian Falcon, who will cover his third book this spring at Wilson’s farm. The Australian-bred Mongolian Falcon, a son of Fastnet Rock, won the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas in 2016 and is awaiting his first winner, albeit he’s had a number of placed horses.

“He’s got some lovely ones coming up and he is a fantastic stallion to work with,” Wilson told LoveracingNZ. “I just love the blood. The Fastnet Rock blood and the Galileo cross, I think, is very important. Falcons Diamond is a beautiful example of the horse… very strong, very correct and has a lovely, big gallop.”

Falcons Diamond will contest a 2-year-old maiden on Hastings’ card on Thursday.

Midnight Lion tops Tattersalls Summer Sale

The relocated one-day Tattersalls Summer Sale was held at Newmarket’s Park Paddocks in England on Tuesday, with 77 lots selling of the 96 catalogued for a clearance rate of 80 per cent and a gross of 778,200gns (AU$1.56 million). The average was 10,160gns (AU$20,200).

Top lot was the recent Goodwood winner Midnight Lion (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who brought 85,000gns (AU$171,000) when selling to Nick Naylor, assistant to Tom Malone Bloodstock. The horse was offered by Kingsley Park is likely to head towards a jumps career.

Rounding out the top three were the 3-year-old Laafi (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}) at 72,000gns (AU$145,000), this filly a winner at Nottingham last year, and the 4-year-old filly Timeless Melody (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who sold for 42,000gns (AU$85,000).

Kentucky Derby winner into the Haskell

This year’s Kentucky Derby winner Mage (USA) (Good Magic {USA}) will line up in this Saturday’s G1 Haskell S. at Monmouth Park as a prep race for the G1 Travers S. at Saratoga later in the American summer. The decision was revealed on Tuesday by trainer Gustavo Delgado Snr. Mage hasn’t raced since finishing third in the G1 Preakness S., and co-owner Ramiro Restrepo said that the Travers via the Haskell is the most logical route to the horse’s seasonal target at Saratoga.

“Since the day after the Preakness, we’ve been targeting the Travers as our summer jewel,” he said. “We’ve identified the Haskell as the best route to get him ready for it. We look forward to competing in our fourth consecutive Grade 1 and putting forth a quality effort.”