Vale Towkay
Little Avondale Stud has announced the death of Towkay, aged 29.
The Group 3 winner and Group 1-producing sire, who retired from stallion duties at Little Avondale in 2017, was humanely euthanised.
Little Avondale’s studmaster, Sam Williams, said the decision was personally very tough, despite the inevitability.
Towkay
“He is the reason the farm is what it is today, we owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Not only was he a most successful sire, but he was so endearing to everyone whose path he crossed,” said Williams.
Towkay sired 28 black-type performers including three Group 1 winners highlighted by the triple elite-level scorer Viadana (NZ).
Interpretation breaks drought with Bendigo Cup win
Galileo (Ire) gelding Interpretation (Ire) snapped a longstanding winless streak when scoring a thrilling victory in the G3 Bendigo Cup. The imported stayer headed into the $500,000 contest having not saluted since August 2021.
With Michael Dee in the saddle, Interpretation had his head down on the line, touching off Brayden Star (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}), while Taramansour (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) was third.
“He presented super today and the team have done a sensational job,” Interpretation’s co-trainer Ciaron Maher told Racing.com.
“Micky Dee, he had to go back from a wide gate, it was a beautiful ride today and he needed all of his strength to get him over the line.”
When asked if the plan is to head to the Melbourne Cup, Maher was matter of fact, “Bloody oath,” he said.
Interpretation ran in last year’s Melbourne Cup, but failed to finish officially after being pulled up by jockey Craig Newitt. He has since been gelded.
Interpretation’s Bendigo Cup success follows that of stablemate High Emocean (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) in 2022.
Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper David Hegan confirmed Interpretation won’t be penalised for his win and the imported stayer moves to 24th in the order of entry.
Imperatriz for Royal Ascot?
Te Akau boss David Ellis admits connections of champion sprinting mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) will strongly consider a trip to England next year for a tilt at one or more of the Group 1 races at Royal Ascot.
Imperatriz | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It doesn’t have the same payoff for a colt that you could stand in both hemispheres, but it’s still a pretty exciting thing to do for the owners and something we would like to do sometime,” Ellis told Weigh In.
“When you’ve a world-class trainer like Mark Walker, and Sam Bergerson, you want to be on the world stage to promote New Zealand to the rest of the world. It’s something that we will certainly be having a talk about.”
Asfoora to be saved for Champions Sprint
Classy sprinting mare Asfoora (Flying Artie) won’t contest Saturday’s G3 Furphy Sprint at Flemington, with connections opting to bypass the race in favour of tackling the big guns in Saturday week’s G1 Darley Champions Sprint at the same track.
That means that if Asfoora is to break her Group 1 duck, she will need to beat the likes of brilliant mares Imperatriz and In Secret (I Am Invincible).
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” Dwyer told RSN.
“The reality is, as much as we like winning Group 3 and Listed races, she probably doesn’t need to win another one, she needs to win a Group 1 and there’s a chance of doing that, albeit against Imperatriz and In Secret, so we thought we might have a crack and if she runs a nice second, third or fourth, it’s good prizemoney.”
Sweet draw for Derby favourite
Commanding G1 Victoria Derby favourite Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) will break from gate five in Saturday’s 3-year-old Classic at Flemington. The Chris Waller-trained gelding, who had his colours lowered by Sunsets (Dundeel {NZ}) in the G3 Neds Classic (formerly the Norman Robinson S.) at Caulfield on October 21, will be partnered by James McDonald.
“He certainly likes Flemington, we need him to replicate his run here two starts ago to be a threat in the Derby,” Waller said.
“I think conserving energy over the 2500-metre distance is the key, he's certainly got a great turn of foot when called upon and I’m sure we can put the last-start defeat behind us provided we get a genuine-run race.
Riff Rocket | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“He’s by American Pharoah, who was a Derby winner who won the Triple Crown in America and the last of those races was 2400 metres. His dam, I think, was competitive over 2000 metres, so there’s good genetics there to suggest the 2500 metres should be fine.”
Sunsets, meanwhile, has drawn the outside alley (16).
Last Saturday’s G2 Drummond Golf Vase winner, Apulia (Fiorente {Ire}), will jump from barrier three.
Waller with three in Empire Rose
Champion trainer Chris Waller will launch a three-pronged attack on Saturday’s G1 Empire Rose S. at Flemington, with Princess Grace (USA) (Karakontie {Jpn}), Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) and Hinged (Worthy Cause) all to take their place in the $1 million race over the 1600 metres.
Princess Grace has drawn barrier 12, Atishu will jump from gate eight, while Hinged has stall 13.
Waller won the race in 2014 with Red Tracer (Dane Shadow) and then again in 2019 with Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel).
The race has attracted a full field of 16 plus one emergency.
Kovalica primed for Eagle assault
Star jockey Tommy Berry is bullish about the chances of Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) in Saturday’s $19 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill.
“I have always liked him from afar but the more I’ve had to do with him, and I’ve had a lot to do with him this preparation particularly, he is a horse that just oozes quality,” Berry told News Corp.
“You like everything about him. He’s got a great attitude that does what he has to at home and in his work.
Kovalica (NZ) | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
“He is right at the top of his game and is peaking at the moment.
“Chris is very good at getting the horse to peak for a grand final and after riding him in a piece of work on Tuesday morning, he couldn’t have him in any better shape.”
The G1 Queensland Derby hero will begin out of barrier 16.
Parr keen to make the most of Golden opportunity
Joshua Parr believes Japanese visitor Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat {USA}) is a live chance in Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill.
Parr picked up the ride this week after Yutake Take was ruled out due to injury.
“I’m actually very disappointed he (Take) isn’t coming, I was looking forward to sharing the jockeys’ room with him,’’ Parr told Racing NSW.
“I’m excited though to be picking up the ride.
“He’s a classic athlete, a combination of strength, stamina and speed all in the one package. I’m quite taken by what I felt, his work was very impressive.”
New winner for The Autumn Sun
The Team McEvoy-trained Alectrona became The Autumn Sun’s 14th first-crop winner and 10th of the 2023/24 season when she broke her maiden status at Bendigo.
Alectrona, who was fifth behind Legacies (Justify {USA}) in the Listed ANZAC Day S. in April, was well-handled by Harry Coffey, leading throughout to score by 3.25l in the 1400-metre event.
The 3-year-old filly is from the Listed-winning Real Saga mare Sagaronne and she herself is a daughter of the Group 3 victress Lasoron (Oarsman).
McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) paid $240,000 for Alectrona at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The filly was consigned by her breeder - Rothwell Park.
Fellow second-season sires Santos and Lean Mean Machine also had a winner on Wednesday.
Lunar Flare due a date with So You Think
Group 2-winning mare Lunar Flare (Fiorente {Ire}), who was retired after sustaining a career-ending injury during Friday’s G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup, will be covered by Coolmore’s brilliant stallion So You Think (NZ).
Lunar Flare won nine races and more than $2 million in prizemoney.
Neasham pair out of Cup
Annabel Neasham has withdrawn King Frankel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) from Tuesday’s G1 Melbourne Cup, meaning just 30 stayers remain entered for the great two-mile race.
King Frankel was 15th in the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup, while Fancy Man was outside the top 24 in 28th.
Hasta La War (Declaration Of War {USA}) has also been ruled out.
Meanwhile, Kerrin McEvoy has been booked to ride Ashrun (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}) in the Cup, Zac Lloyd will partner Athabascan (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) should he get a start, while while Billy Egan has been booked for the 2019 Cup hero Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}).
The final field of 24 runners will be declared on Saturday.
Racing set to return to Te Aroha
The long-awaited return of racing to Te Aroha following track renovations will take place on Friday, having been postponed from its initial Wednesday time slot due to adverse weather.
Te Aroha received 85mm of rain on Monday night and the decision was made to postpone the Wednesday meeting following a track inspection on Tuesday.
Arcangelo scratched from Classic; retired to Lane's End
After missing the last three days of training with a foot issue, leading 3-year-old Arcangelo (USA) (Arrogate {USA}) was withdrawn from Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita and will be retired to begin his career at stud at Lane's End Farm in 2024. A powerful winner of this year's GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S., the gray had a warm hind foot and had a shoe pulled on Saturday.
“We're just running out of time,” trainer Jena Antonucci said late Tuesday morning. “Horse first. Unfortunate to miss the opportunity, but to have a healthy horse is our priority, so we'll work through diagnostics the next couple of days and assess what is truly going on and make the right decisions for the horse.”
Practical Move dies from cardiac event
Practical Move (Practical Joke {USA}), winner of this spring's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and second choice for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, died after suffering an apparent cardiac event following a routine gallop early Tuesday morning at Santa Anita. His rider was uninjured.
Practical Move collapsed suddenly while jogging back along the outer rail in the stretch and was immediately tended to by the onsite veterinary team as well as his trainer Tim Yakteen.
A statement from Breeders' Cup read, “Breeders' Cup is saddened to report the loss of Practical Move after what is suspected to be a cardiac event while returning from his gallop this morning at Santa Anita Park. His rider was uninjured, and the horse was immediately tended to by veterinarians from the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), 1/ST Racing, and Breeders' Cup.”
Kadeen tops Goffs Autumn HIT Sale
New Approach (Ire) colt Kadeen (Ire) made a sale-best €100,000 (AU$166,800) at Tuesday’s Goffs Autumn Horses In Training Sale.
Consigned as Lot 85 by the Aga Khan Studs, the colt, who is from the Listed Cooley S. winner Kadra (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), was purchased by Gordon Elliott and Bective Stud.
He boasts one win and three placings from four starts.
Of the 121 horses offered, 92 sold, with the aggregate finishing up at €1,275,700 (AU$2,128,000). The average was €13,867 (AU$23,100), while the median €7500 (AU$12,500).
