Buick appointed as New Zealand Bloodstock representative
Andrew Buick has been appointed as a bloodstock representative for New Zealand Bloodstock. Buick is set to take up the role in late July ahead of the new season beginning on Tuesday, August 1. Buick will join Kane Jones and Patrick Cunningham in the Waikato.
Buick brings extensive international expertise to New Zealand Bloodstock, having worked for John and Thady Gosden in Newmarket, the Irish National Stud and Arrowfield Stud. Buick is the brother to jockey William Buick who regularly rides for Godolphin, and Martin Buick, a bloodstock consultant for Hubie de Burgh of de Burgh Equine.
“I feel deeply honoured and thrilled to join the New Zealand Bloodstock team,” Buick said.
“With its rich heritage and world-class product, I am fully committed to building on these strong foundations, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Silverdale Academy Equine Internship
The Silverdale Academy Equine Internship has announced its schedule. The Internship will run from today (Monday, July 24) to Friday, July 28. The interns will experience and learn the various career pathways in the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.
On Monday, the interns were welcomed by Steve Grant, owner of Silverdale, and experienced the Warwick Farm trials, where several star gallopers, were on show.
The interns will experience a tour of Silverdale Farm and the Randwick Equine Centre on Wednesday, while other key speakers including Liam O’Keefee, racecourse manager of Flemington, Jemma Cutting, marketing executive at Inglis and Angus Robertson, auctioneer and bloodstock consultant. The Internship will wrap up on Friday after the interns have experienced a tour of Joe Pride’s Warwick Farm stables and a career chat with Annabel Neasham.
Lindsay Park two to become three
On Monday, Racing.com announced that Will Hayes will join his brothers, Ben and JD Hayes as a licensed trainer of Lindsay Park at the start of the new racing season on Tuesday, August 1.
“To join the partnership with my brothers (Ben and JD) and become a horse trainer is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a child,” Hayes told Racing.com.
Noorilim Park welcomes the Murtaghs
The Victorian-based farm Noorilim Park has welcomed Tom and Shelly Murtagh to their team. The Murtaghs will take up the position of operation manager.
Noorilim Park shared through their social media pages that they were delighted to welcome Tom (Murtagh) and Shelly (Murtagh) and the wealth of knowledge and experience they have.
“I started here a few weeks ago and Shelly a little bit before that, and it’s amazing how green the paddocks have come in just that short space of time,” said Tom Murtagh, who joins Noorilim after a successful stint with Darren and Elizabeth Dance trading as Esker Lodge.
“Esker Lodge is a name that came with us from New Zealand, and we’ve had good success and built many contacts through that involvement.
“Noorilim is a new challenge for us, but an exciting one as Peter (Carrick) and Glen (Carrick) have done a brilliant job looking after this farm and building a quality broodmare band.”
Capulet wins at Ballarat Synthetic
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Capulet (Extreme Choice) is no longer a maiden after breaking through at Ballarat Synthetic. Harry Coffey partnered with the 2-year-old filly to win by 0.50l from Morning Darling (Love Conquers All) and Lip Sip Suk (Needs Further), running into third.
Capulet is from the Sebring mare Involving. She was a winner over 1000 metres.
The filly was initially offered at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale by Erinvale Thoroughbreds, where Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $160,000 for her. Capulet was reoffered at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Yarraman Park Stud and sold to MyRacehorse, McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $280,000.
I Am Unstoppable on the Coolmore path
The Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans-trained I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) geared up his spring preparation with an easy hitout over 800 metres at Caulfield on Monday.
Co-trainer Yeomans indicated that I Am Unstoppable would head to the G3 Vain S. at Caulfield on August 19.
“I Am Unstoppable will head to the Vain S., and we will be guided by how he goes there. Being a colt, the G1 Coolmore Stud S. would be the aim,” Yeomans said.
“There is also the G1 Golden Rose in Sydney, which comes up quite weak some years, but he will guide us and the goal is the Coolmore.”
Thornton to extend ‘working holiday’
Damien Thornton will look to extend his ‘working holiday’ in Queensland after riding 31 winners since moving to the sunshine state in March.
“I might ride through the spring up here (Queensland) and come back (Victoria) for a light ride if I get an opportunity and do the summer carnival in Queensland and reassess again,” Thornton said.
“Spring is the worst time to come back to Victoria, and you probably have to come back before it starts, or don’t bother until after if trying to break in.
“I don’t see this being permanent. At some point, I would like to come back to Melbourne.”
Brereton returns positive swab
Racing Victoria stewards have confirmed that the Peter Moody-trained Brereton (Zoustar) has returned a positive swab taken from the galloper on May 13 at Flemington, where he was unplaced.
The blood sample contained Phenylbutazone and Oxyphenbutazone (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and metabolite); the substances are prohibited on race day per the Australian Rules of Racing.
It has been reported that Moody was informed of the irregularity on Tuesday, June 20, before being informed of the confirmatory findings on Thursday, July 20.
Racing Victoria stewards advised they are continuing their investigation.
McDougall on the return
Victorian-based jockey Blaike McDougall has been given the all-clear from doctors and is expected to return to trackwork this week after a fall at Geelong in late March left him with a C7 vertebrae fracture.
McDougall was leading the Victorian Jockeys’ Premiership before that fall, which has kept him on the sidelines for four months. McDougall was required to wear a hard and soft collar throughout his recovery but has spent some of his time mentoring apprentice riders at Racing Victoria during his time on the sidelines.
McDougall will look to return to race riding in time for the new season.
Debut winner for Russian Revolution
The Paul Murray-trained Cani Cancan scored on debut at Wagga on Monday over 1000 metres. Jean Van Overmeire partnered the 2-year-old filly to win by 0.36l from Patchouli Dream (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) and Kaphands (Kaphero) further away in third.
Cani Cancan is from the Duporth mare Gone To Paris. She was a dual winner and hails from the family of the Group 1 winner, The Verminator (Jeune {GB}).
The filly was a $50,000 yearling purchase by Paul Murray from the draft of Highgrove Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale.
Juvenile winner for Exceed And Excel
The Matthew Dale-trained Dublin (Exceed And Excel) saluted on debut at Wagga on Monday. Billy Owen rode the 2-year-old gelding to win by 1.23l from Norris (Nicconi) and Iz Shaft (Shaft).
The gelding is from the Distorted Humor (USA) mare Radharcnafarraige (Ire). She was a Group 3 winner in Ireland and is the dam of the stakes-placed So Serene (Exceed And Excel).
Dublin was initially a $410,000 yearling purchase by the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership from the draft of Segenhoe Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The gelding was then reoffered by his owners on the 2023 Inglis Digital April (Late) Online Sale, where Matthew Dale Racing paid $35,000.
Nest returns with stylish victory in Shuvee
Nest (USA) (Curlin {USA}), off since finishing fourth in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, was second in the betting to Clairiere (USA) (Curlin {USA})–who already had a pair of Grade I victories to her credit this term–but it was the returning champion who sailed under the wire first in the G2 Shuvee S. at Saratoga Sunday. “More than worth the wait,” winning co-owner Mike Repole said of the victory.
“At the end of the day, you want a horse like this best for the last four races of the year, not the first four. She had a huge 3-year-old campaign. We wanted to get her back in June on Belmont day (in the GI Ogden Phipps), but Todd (Pletcher) just thought she needed a little bit more time. Going a mile and an eighth after eight, nine months off against a horse like Clairiere, that was real impressive. They could have gone around two more times, she wasn't going to be passed. Todd did an amazing job, give him credit. (Jockey) Irad (Ortiz, Jr.) is just Irad. No one is better than him right now.”
Pletcher was more than satisfied with last year's champion 3-year-old filly's return to the races.
'I'm super proud of the filly,” he said. “She's all class and it's nice to see her come back and get back on track. We got a bit of a delayed start, but she showed she's still in top-class form.”
He continued, “I have so much respect for Clairiere, and I know how good she is–she's one of those that the race is never over. You can feel like you have a 2l lead and she just keeps coming at you. I was watching her intently and knowing she was going to make a big run at her. Nest was able to quicken away from her and keep to task. Super effort beating an older mare like that, as accomplished as she is.”
Elysian Field gives Casse fourth Woodbine Oaks
Team Valor International and Gary Barber's Elysian Field (Can) (Hard Spun {USA}) stamped her authority on Sunday's Woodbine Oaks, despite some wayward ways in the final eighth of a mile, to give trainer Mark Casse a fourth victory in the first leg of the Canadian Filly Triple Crown and first since Barber's Lexie Lou (Can) (Sligo Bay {Ire}) scored in 2014. In partnership with Michael Langlois, Barber also won Sunday's Plate Trial S. with Paramount Prince (Can) (Society's Chairman {USA}).
“We bought her a month or two after her first start at Saratoga and we had her here for about two days and she went into the clinic for about a week, almost a little touch and go, colic,” said Casse. “I think it took its toll and we brought her home and she's got bigger and stronger. She's beautiful.”
Next up could be a date with the boys in the August 20 King's Plate, a race won by Lexie Lou en route to Horse of the Year honors eight years ago.
“I want to talk to Barry Irwin from Team Valor, but she's a big, strong filly and I'm extremely happy how we get a month between the Oaks and the King's Plate, so that's important,” said Casse. “Three weeks is tough, so now we get four weeks, and I don't see why she wouldn't.”
