Racing NSW injects $6.5 million into ‘Super Maidens’
On Friday, Racing NSW announced they would be introducing a series of Super Maidens that will provide a further $6.5 million per annum in prizemoney to participants.
The Super Maidens will run from Friday, September 1, 2023, and will be held at midweek metropolitan, provincial and country TAB meetings.
The midweek metropolitan maidens will be known as Metropolitan Super Maidens and will be run weekly at a midweek metropolitan program carrying prizemoney of $100,000, while two Provincial Super Maidens will be held weekly with prizemoney of $60,000.
Country TAB meetings will also be benefited with a Country Super Maiden to be run at one meeting each week worth $50,000 to the winner, the 65 Showcase meetings will also hold a $50,000 feature.
The Super Maidens initiative comes on the back of the previous already $27 million per annum of prizemoney increases Racing NSW have implemented that will commence on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
“Racing NSW already pays out $58 million in prizemoney for maiden races per annum and now with Super Maidens this will take it to $64.5 million per annum,” said Racing NSW Chairman Mr Russell Balding AO.
“The Super Maidens will enable owners to recoup a larger share of their outlay with their horse’s first race win,” Mr Balding AO added.
Melbourne Cup celebrates its 21st birthday with Godolphin
Osborne Park, the private training facility for Godolphin Australia at Agnes Banks in Sydney, hosted the Victoria Racing Club’s 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour on Thursday, 27 July.
The prestigious Cup was on show for members of local schools, community partners, charitable organisations and the media who were invited to the Godolphin property.
Godolphin took the opportunity to educate members of the public on the versatility of the thoroughbred breed and facilitate a meet and greet with the outstanding Kementari (Lonhro), who is part of the Godolphin Lifetime Care program and the flagbearer for the program.
Guests were also allowed to learn more about the Melbourne Cup while Godolphin held a tour of the training facilities, barns, bloodstock and the property's private track and gardens.
Kementari | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Godolphin also supplied a Q&A panel which included Champion jockey Darren Beadman, Godolphin Australia Head Trainer James Cummings and Managing Director Vin Cox.
Cox noted that after the Cup left Osborne Park, it took a similar path through local area primary schools for an early lead-up to the horse’s birthday.
“It is the race that stops a nation, and this is an opportunity to talk to those people who don’t normally think about racing. From a Godolphin perspective, we support that at every level.
“Events like this are incredibly important to connect our communities with our greatest team member, the horse.
“Hosting the Melbourne Cup at Osborne Park is a great opportunity to work with the racing community to showcase it in front of school children and present the opportunities that racing offers, whether that’s from a horse welfare perspective, an employment perspective or just general philanthropic work.”
New winner for Encryption
Eureka Stud sires sired the first two winners of the Ipswich card on Friday. Spirit Of Boom was the first to strike with his son Tenby on debut, scoring over 800 metres. It was then first-season sire Encryption’s turn in Race 2, when the Annabel Neasham-trained Ozzie The Rabbit saluted over 1100 metres, becoming the sixth individual winner for the Eureka Stud-based sire.
Ozzie The Rabbit is from the unraced Snitzel mare Sweetheart Lass. Her fourth dam is the Champion Filly All Along (Fr) (Targowice {USA}).
The gelding was passed in after failing to meet his reserve of $30,000 when offered by Eureka Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
Invader sires a double
The Aquis-based Invader sired a double courtesy of Invahir and King Cornelius.
Firstly, it was the Clint Lundholm-trained Invahir who saluted at Dubbo to secure his maiden.
Wendy Peel rode the 3-year-old gelding to a 1.45l victory from Clendenning (All Too Hard). Invahir was a $65,000 weanling purchase by William Bain from the draft of Aquis Farm Operations at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, he was then offered at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by KBL Thoroughbreds but failed to meet his $180,000 reserve.
It was then the Ethan Ensby-trained King Cornelius who scored his maiden at Ipswich by 1l when ridden by Cejay Graham.
The 3-year-old gelding was a $40,000 yearling purchase by Ethan T Ensby Racing from the draft of Fernrigg Farm at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. King Cornelius was reoffered by Ethan T Enbsy Racing at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale but failed to meet his reserve.
Williams hopes for third Travis Harrison Cup
Champion jockey Craig Williams is hoping to secure his third victory in the Travis Harrison Cup at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
It will be the 25th running of the annual race named in honour of the popular hoops’ late cousin, Travis Harrison, 18, who died in a car accident in 1996 was also a jockey.
“We inspired each other to become jockeys,” Williams said.
“We weren’t just family, we were the best of mates.”
Williams will partner the Alexander Rae-trained Chief Altony (Rebel Raider) on Saturday in the Travis Harrison Cup.
Cummings cautious approach to the spring
Godolphin Head Trainer James Cummings is taking an optimistic but cautious approach to the spring, keen to emphasise the stable will not be trying to find ‘the next Anamoe’ and instead focus on maximising the potential of the next generation.
“There’s going to be a huge hole in our arsenal with the retirement of Anamoe, there’s no doubt about that,” Cummings said.
James Cummings | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We are not so much focused on finding another Anamoe, but it’s about giving every horse we have got, into next season, every opportunity to maximise their potential.
“We have a pretty strong group about to turn four. Horses like In Secret, Pericles and Golden Mile. They are certainly going to be capable of taking the step into open company.”
Big Bash for trainers?
Racenet has reported that Racing Victoria is considering hosting a series based on the Twenty20 Big Bash proposed to be run under lights at Moonee Valley and aimed at the 18-35 demographic.
Racenet shared that leading trainers in Victoria have been approached with strict non-disclosure agreements to participate in the concept, consisting of the trainers selecting two horses each per race and picking the jockeys they want to ride for their team on the night.
Reportedly, the races would be worth $150,000 in stake money but will be based on a points system with a $1.5 million prizemoney pool to be disturbed among the top-placed teams with charities and stable staff slated to be rewarded.
Bates looking forward to new season
Irish-born and now Victorian-based jockey Declan Bates is looking forward to the new season, after finding balance personally and professionally since moving from Warrnambool to Ballarat.
“We have settled into Ballarat now,” Bates said.
“I’m loving it, obviously the weather this time of year is not ideal, but it’s actually a great base as a jockey. Ballarat is quite central, there’s a lot of tracks within distance, and a lot of good trainers based at Ballarat.
Declan Bates | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I’m getting a lot of good support from trainers here, so I think it’s been a good move. I have also been able to spend more time with my wife Jennifer and our family.”
It has been frustrating season injury-wise who sustained injuries to his collarbone and ankle.
“It has been an interrupted season. I think going into the new season, my main aim will be firstly staying injury free, and hopefully just build some nice momentum into the spring.”
Minstrel success for Kodiac's Zarinsk
There is toughness in racehorses and then there is Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Juddmonte's irrepressible front-runner played her usual trump card for a career-best success in Leopardstown's G2 Romanised Minstrel S. on Thursday.
“She's been a queen all season and you'd nearly say she's still improving,” trainer Ger Lyons said. “I was against sending her to France last month, but it turned her inside out and she looks like a mare now and is maturing lovely. They won't give her an easy lead now, but it shows that she's maturing and he can ride a waiting race.”
“There's the (G1) Matron now, on Irish Champions Weekend which is huge for us and we have a free shot at it which is fantastic,” Lyons added. “I did say to Barry (Mahon) that we could win our grade I in America if we come up a tad short here, so it's up for discussion. I would say she's made for that, but the only thing is that I like her with juice in the ground and I couldn't see her handling fast American ground.”
Order Of Australia retired and will stand in India
Breeders' Cup winner Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) has been sold privately and will stand at Manjri Stud in India beginning in 2024 according to published reports. A fee will be announced later.
Bred by Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading, the Coolmore partners-owned bay had been entered in the Tattersalls July Sale but had been withdrawn. Trained by O'Brien for five seasons, the son of three-time Group/Grade 1 producer Senta's Dream (GB) (Danehill {USA}) won six of his 25 starts.
Besides his 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Mile score, he also triumphed in two editions of the G2 Minstrel S. and was placed in another five top-level races across England, France, and the US. A half-brother to dual Group 1 winner Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) and the late G1 Belmont Oaks/Beverly D. S. heroine Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), the 6-year-old will stand alongside Group 3 winner Phoenix Tower and the Group 1-placed Fiero (Jpn).
No Nay Never's Henry Adams takes the Tyros
Leopardstown's usually informative G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. looked a touch on the disappointing side even before the loss of two key players in Mountain Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) and Islandsinthestream (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and so what the form of the four-runner affair amounts to will have to be seen in time. What it did provide was a remarkable 16th success in the race for Aidan O'Brien as the stable's understudy to Mountain Bear, Henry Adams (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), showed a game attitude to make all under Ryan Moore.
“It was a very good performance because the two of them went at it from a long way,” O'Brien said. “He's a tough, hardy horse who has plenty of speed and is laid-back. A big mature horse. Ryan said he's still a baby, so I think he'll go on to the (G2) Futurity, he'll probably end up there with Henry Longfellow. He's lovely because he's happy to go forward.”
Desert Crown to miss King George due to leg infection
Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) will miss Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth II Qipco S. at Ascot due to a leg infection.
Sir Michael Stoute's charge had been reported to be working well in the build-up to a clash with that rival at Ascot and was also set to take on this year's Derby one-two Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and King Of Steel (USA) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), along with the high-class filly Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in a mouthwatering renewal of the mile-and-a-half contest.
However, the 4-year-old will now be rerouted to next month's Juddmonte International S. at York.
Bruce Raymond, racing manager to the colt's owner Saeed Suhail, said, “Desert Crown doesn't run, he has got a leg infection. The plan is to go to York, but that is as much as I know.”
TDN Rising Star Ylang Ylang makes all for impressive Silver Flash success
Aidan O'Brien trainee Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who made all for a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette with an impressive 2.75l debut tally tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh in her only prior start, maintained her perfect record with a carbon-copy performance in Thursday's G3 Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown.
“She had a good draw, so obviously Ryan (Moore) used it again, and the next day we'll take our time with her,” the trainer revealed. “She hit the gates the first day she ran and Ryan did the right thing. Today she had the draw and she did the same thing. He said she was probably doing plenty for him in front and he gave her a beautiful ride. We're delighted, Ryan was very happy with her and he said she ran straight through the line. She's a very low mover and he felt that the ground was a little bit deep, but he was very happy with her. Hopefully now it'll be the (G2) Debutante before the (G1) Moyglare and we'll let her sit in and relax. She's very genuine, she tries very hard and wears her heart on her sleeve. Natural is a good way to describe her.”
