Zoustar’s red-letter day
The Widden Stud-based Zoustar enjoyed a productive Saturday siring five winners across Australia. Zoustar’s 4-year-old daughter Arts Object won the $250,000 The TAB Wave at the Gold Coast, while at Wyong the Anthony Cummings-trained Parmenio saluted in Race 3.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
Celsius Star, from the Phillip Stokes stable won at Geelong in Race 3, and his 3-year-old daughter Mandalong Starz won at Queanbeyan for Gary Nickson. Rounding out Zoustar’s winners was Regal Zeus for John McArdle at Geelong. The G1 Coolmore Stud S. victor has 45 yearlings catalogued in the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
McDonald back in winner’s circle
Champion Jockey James McDonald returned from his Hong Kong sojourn where he left off. Riding the Chris Waller-trained Buillt (I Am Invincible) in Race 6, the pair won by 1.7l from the 4-year-old gelding’s stablemate Matusalem (The Autumn Sun) and Magnatear (Written Tycoon).
Waller told Sky Racing, “James (McDonald) makes it look easy, and it makes a big difference when you’ve got some of the best riders in the world riding in Sydney and we get to utilise them 52 weeks of the year and it is a big asset to us.”
Dead heat in Racing Women Hall of Fame Award
Industry legends Gai Waterhouse and Denise Martin could not be split by vote-casters for who should be given the 2024 Racing Women Hall of Fame Award, which was presented on Saturday night on the Gold Coast as part of the Magic Millions Racing Women event.
Recognising women in racing who have dedicated over 20 years of service to the industry, the five-strong panel could not settle on a winner of the award out of the pair, deciding on a shared title.
Both Waterhouse and Martin will join the judging panel for the 2025 award and beyond, as a result of their award.
2024 National Racing Woman of the Year Award won by Lindy Maurice
One of the driving forces in the racing industry, Lindy Maurice, was recognised for her contributions to the sport in a major way on Saturday night, when she was awarded the National Racing Woman of the Year Award.
Maurice, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Thoroughbred Industry Careers, a driving force in attracting the next generation into the sport, was presented her award on the day one of her most notable recent achievements, a pony race for aspiring riders, was run at the Gold Coast Turf Club.
As part of the award, Maurice has received a $50,000 from TAB for initiatives to benefit the industry.
Blueblood impresses
The Godolphin-owned and James Cummings-trained Shaken, was one of four winners for her Champion Sire, I Am Invincible, on Saturday. Ridden by Tyler Schiller, the blue-blooded filly was a 1.4l victress over Squad (Shalaa {Ire}) and Spring Lee (Zoustar) at Randwick.
Shaken winning at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Shaken is the fifth foal from the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Earthquake (Exceed And Excel).
Yarraman Park Stud's I Am Invincible will have 46 yearlings on offer at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Pride lauds Excelladus
Excelladus (So You Think {NZ}) made his first start for Joe Pride, a winning one with an electric victory at Randwick on Saturday.
“It was a good effort, I think we’ll see the best of this horse in the wintertime but he’s a new addition to the stable and it was nice to see him get a win on the board,” Pride told Sky Racing.
“He’s a typical So You Think, they are a great breed and once he gets his toe into the ground, he might win a nice race.”
Formerly trained by David Pfieffer, Excelladus was a $160,000 purchase by Dermot Farrington Bloodstock from the draft of Amarina Farm at the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Bargain buy wins at Randwick
Terra Mater (Wandjina) a $1750 purchase by her trainer Jarrod Austin from the draft of Widden Stud when offered on the 2020 Inglis Digital May Online Sale provided the Warwick Farm conditioner a highlight on Saturday with an impressive victory at Randwick.
Terra Mater winning at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I have said it a lot, Terra Mater still hasn’t quite fully furnished yet,but she has come back in this time a much bigger and stronger version. We retired Looks Like Elvis at the end of the spring and now we’ve got another one to put our names up in lights and hopefully people give us a horse.”
King of the mark in Japan
Rachel King has made a splash in Japan. The Australian-based King partnered with the Noriyuki Hori-trained Mikki Lucky (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) at Nakayama on Saturday in Race 5 and then doubled the dose on Captaincy (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) for Mikio Matsunaga.
Holymanz heads home in form
Progressive galloper Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) will head back to New Zealand to contest the NZ$1 million Aotearoa Classic in no better form after a sensational victory in the $300,000 Coastal Classic at Geelong on Saturday. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained and Cambridge Stud-owned 4-year-old defeated Bermadez (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Don’t Doubt Dory (Fiorente {Ire}).
Williams flies on the Coast
Victorian-based rider Craig Williams was in flying form on Saturday at the Gold Coast, riding a treble. Williams saluted in the Aquis Gold Nugget aboard Spywire (Trapeze Artist) for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable. Hopping into the saddle of the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained Barassi (I Am Invincible) in the Magic Millions Mdn Plate, Williams rounded out his Saturday winning the Magic Millions Rising Stars Plate on Junqueira (Capitalist) for John O’Shea.
Craig Williams | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Capitalist sires five
Newgate Farm’s G1 Golden Slipper victor Capitalist was firing on all cylinders on Saturday, siring five winners. At Wyong, the son of Written Tycoon was represented by three winners, starting with the Damien Lane-trained Oakfield Mahogany in Race 4 and followed by Kadall from the Peter and Paul Snowden stable and the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Cape Byron in the last.
While at Geelong, the Danny O’Brien-trained Lafargue got the job done in Race 7, rounding out Capitalist’s winners was the Mark Goodwin-trained Capital Reign. Capitalist has 55 entries catalogued in the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Field update
Victorian apprentice jockey Sarah Field underwent surgery on Saturday morning for multiple fractures on her leg following a mounting yard incident at Stawell on Friday.
The Victorian Jockeys’ Association confirmed Field had sustained fractures to her tibia and fibula following scans on Friday night of her injured leg.
Son of Pharoah leaves an impression on Kah
Jamie Kah has been left impressed with the feeling the Clinton McDonald-trained Acid Wash (American Pharoah {USA}) left upon her when they combined to win by just under 6l at Cranbourne on Friday night.
“He’s (Acid Wash) a very fast horse,” Kah told Racing.com. “He felt terrific underneath me. He’s such a big baby still, he’s learning, when the penny drops, he’s going to be a very classy horse. Acid Wash is a beautiful horse with a big future.”
The son of American Pharoah (USA) is from the Listed-placed Silverbeat (Distant Music {USA}). She is the dam of the Group 2 winners Upbeat (Strategic) and Bella Martini (Stratum).
Sea The Stars colt overcomes wide draw in Jumeirah Guineas Trial
Legend Of Time (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) built on the promise of his winning Haydock debut to claim the Jumeirah Guineas Trial by a length over Shamrock Glitter (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}) at Meydan on Friday, despite drawing very wide in the 1400-metre turf affair. The way the son of Kissable (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) went about his business despite covering extra ground every step of the way and still gave the appearance of more to come, could have European Classic implications down the road.
Best known for finishing third in the G1 Moyglare Stud S., the stakes-winning Kissable has already thrown stakes winner and GI American Oaks third Amandine (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) and Loving Dream (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who has both the G1 Prix de Royallieu and G2 Ribblesdale S. to her name. Since foaling Legend Of Time, Kissable has a 2-year-old colt by first-season sire Pinatubo (Ire) and a yearling filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire).
Flameaway colt impressive
Ma Yetal (USA) (Flameaway {USA}), a 13.25l winner on debut at Jebel Ali on December 16, continued to progress with an easier-than-it-looked 3.25l victory at Meydan on Friday.
Ma Yetal (USA) | Image courteys of Adiyat Racing
Ma Yetal’s dam is the placed Tapit (USA) mare Delightful Melody (USA). She was a US$500,000 (AU$744,600) purchase by Mark Casse from the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Delightful Melody has produced the G2 Woodford S. victor Arzak (USA) (Not This Time {USA}).
Godolphin top breeders in America
Godolphin topped the individual breeders list in North America in 2023 with US$20,911,250 in earnings, according to statistics from The Jockey Club Information Systems, the organization said in a release early Friday morning.
After topping the list in 2021 and 2022, this past year Godolphin bred 201 starters with 175 wins, 176 seconds, and 131 thirds out of 1,007 starts. Calumet Farm was second for the third consecutive year with earnings of US$16,660,472 with 510 wins out of 3,435 starts.
New associate directors at Tatts
Harvey Bell, Matthew Prior and Jason Singh have been appointed as associate directors at Tattersalls, the sales company announced on Friday.
Commenting on the new appointments, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Appointing Harvey Bell, Matthew Prior and Jason Singh as associate directors reflects not only their respective contributions to Tattersalls over many years, but also the esteem in which they are held both within the company and by our many vendors and purchasers. Between them they have amassed a wealth of experience showing a commitment to Tattersalls and the wider thoroughbred industry and we look forward to seeing them continue to expand their roles within the company.”
Blackbeard's first foal is a filly
The first reported foal for dual Group 1-winning 2-year-old Blackbeard (Ire) arrived on Tuesday, Coolmore Stud announced.
A bay, she is out of the Frank Hutchinson-owned Arabic Charm (Ire) (Exceed And Excel), who won two races.
“She's a very good first foal with plenty of strength and lots of quality,” said Coolmore's Eddie Fitzpatrick. “A great start for both the mare and the sire.”
The winner of the G1 Prix Morny, G1 Middle Park S., G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Marble Hill S., Blackbeard was also named Cartier Champion 2-Year-Old.
