Daily News Wrap

Blue Diamond the dream for Karavas

Promising juvenile Karavas (Alabama Express) is held in high regard by Richard and Chantelle Jolly, with the South Australian trainers aiming their 2-year-old at the upper-echelon of racing for the age group.

“She put on a good deal of weight as she’s a good-doing filly but she only had three weeks out and she’s been back in work for a while. We’re happy with her,” Richard Jolly told Racing.com.

“The Prelude then into the Blue Diamond is the plan at this stage.”

Inglis Digital boasts strong catalogue

Friday marked the reveal of the Inglis Digital January (Late) Online Sale offerings, with the online auction packed with quality across all categories.

Group 1 winner Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) headlines a host of stars available for purchase, with the likes of the G2 Perth Cup winner Casino Seventeen (Casino Prince), the G1 Toorak H. placegetter Military Expert (Redoute’s Choice) and the dual Listed winner Ihts Closing Inn (Sessions) all available.

Those shopping for shares are also spoiled for choice, with percentages in Luncies (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), Massimo (Sessions) and Regal Zeus (Zoustar) also available.

The sale runs until Wednesday.

Dancer For Money shows her Grunt at Geelong

The Danny O’Brien-trained Dancer For Money (Grunt {NZ}) showed her professionalism at Geelong on Friday, with the 2-year-old winning comfortably on debut under a good ride by Liam Riordan.

Positioned prominently in the run, the flashy filly quickly took control from Little Princess (Sooboog) and powered away to hold Queen Amanjena (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) by 2.25l, with Hellberg (Hellbent) back in third.

The result gives Grunt (NZ) his 14th individual winner, from 44 runners.

Baker set to unveil Caballus at Rosehill

Former million-dollar colt Caballus (I Am Invincible) will make his debut for new connections Darby Racing at Rosehill on Saturday, with trainer Bjorn Baker holding hope that the well-bred colt can make an immediate impression.

“He is definitely manageable as a colt and he does have a very good pedigree so you have half got to give him that opportunity,” Baker told Punters regarding whether he will be gelded.

“We will take it race by race with him and we will leave it up to Darby what we do with him going down the track.”

Caballus is rated a warm $2.50 favourite to make a winning debut for Baker, having moved from Chris Waller, with Josh Parr to do the steering.

Tall order on debut for Kuroyanagi

Exciting 2-year-old Kuroyanagi (Written Tycoon) has no time for maiden grade, with co-trainers Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea throwing the highly promising juvenile straight into BM64 H. grade.

The filly caused a stir when top jockey Jamie Kah made the trip to Murray Bridge to ride her in a 1000-metre jump-out, which she won effortlessly.

Despite taking on older horses with no race experience herself, there has been no shortage of support for the daughter of Written Tycoon, who is rated a $1.45 chance to make her debut a winning one.

Brisbourne hoping for hot form to continue in town

Wangaratta-based rising trainer Ben Brisbourne is hoping that stable star Superazi (Super One) can continue the stable’s hot streak in recent weeks, when the 5-year-old gelding lines up in the BM100 H. to open the Flemington program on Saturday.

“He’s actually a horse that we think doesn’t cope with extreme heat very well, so when we had that cool day on Saturday, his recovery was very, very good post-race,” Brisbourne told Racing.com.

“It was never the intention to back-up, but I saw this race had the nominations reopened, I thought it would be worth to give him a nomination and then the way it’s come up, it’s a very small field.

“Apart from Bermadez, it hasn't come up the strongest field - a couple of horses that had jumping campaigns last preparation - it hasn't come up the strongest BM100.”

Ballina Cup off due to state of the track

The Friday meeting at Ballina, one which was due to host the Ballina Cup, was postponed early in the morning due to the state of the track.

It had previously been advised that a gallop held on the track at 6.30am AEDT would help deem the suitability of the circuit to race, with the decision being made that the program could not be held.

On X (formerly Twitter), Racing NSW said, “Ballina today postponed. Track gallop confirmed sections of the track not satisfactory for racing.”

Didham thinks Desert Gold S. could provide a fashionable result

Trainer Peter Didham has looked across the Tasman who will ride Fashion Icon (NZ) in the G3 Desert Gold S. at Trentham on Saturday, booking top rider Daniel Stackhouse.

Didham is optimistic of the chances of the daughter of U S Navy Flag (USA), telling loveracing.nz, “She will stretch out to a mile and it’s her seventh start, which isn’t a worry, it’s exciting to have her in there and she will let me know when she has had enough,” he said.

“She has worked well, she has done well in every start, and has never let us down. She is a really exciting filly, she just tries so hard.

“She deserves her place on Saturday and have a go at some black type. We are lucky to lease a nice filly off Kylie Bax, so it would be good to get them some black type.”

Waisake eyes off Wellington Cup

Trainer Allan Sharrock has a golden opportunity to win the G3 Wellington Cup at Trentham on Saturday, when he prepares race favourite Waisake (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) for the 3200-metre contest.

“It’s been a long and up-and-down road for him in this race over the years,” Sharrock told loveracing.nz.

“But we don’t think we could have him any better this time around, so now we’re just holding our breath with the weather and hoping the track won’t be too bad.

“I’ve tried to time it to have him peaking for the Cup this weekend, and it’s looking like it might work out that way. But we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”

Waisake is rated a $3.80 chance to secure the Cup.

Cracksman breeding rights all the rage in Tattersalls Online January Sale

A breeding right in Group 1 sire Cracksman (GB) (Lot 92) topped the Tattersalls Online January Sale at 50,000gns (AU$101,300) to Dan Astbury post-sale.

The Darley-based sire enjoyed a strong year with his progeny in 2023 anchored by undefeated Classic winner and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Ace Impact (Ire), who now stands at Haras de Beaumont in France.

Overall, 43 lots sold for a gross of 275,300gns (AU$557,500). The average was 6402gns (AU$13,000) and the median settled at 3000gns (AU$6100).

Equinox adds another honour to glittering CV

One of the finest horses of modern time, Equinox (Jpn), has added another distinction to his impeccable record, winning the 2023 Horse of the Year in Japan.

With a crushing victory in the G1 Japan Cup the highlight of his local wins, judges voted him in on a near-unanimous basis, with only Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) securing votes away from him.

Exciting colt Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palice Malice {USA}) took out the 2-Year-Old Colt of the Year, having won the G1 Hai Futurity in December.

First foal for Torquator Tasso hits the ground

The winner of one of the most memorable G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphes in recent history, Torquator Tasso (Ger), has his first foals starting to hit the ground, with his first reportedly arriving on Thursday.

He is not the only stallion to have new foals arrive, with Caturra (Ire) and a sire with an Australian familiarity, Tosen Stardom (Jpn), also reportedly having some of their first Northern Hemisphere progeny arrive.

The latter now stands at a fee of €5000 (AU$8300) at the Zenith Stallion Station in Ireland.

King seeks history in Japan

Popular jockey Rachel King has made a strong start to her short-term stint in Japan, and she is faced with an opportunity to make history in the G2 American Jockey Club Cup, to be run at Nakayama on Sunday.

King will partner Chuck Nate (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) in the 2200-metre feature, with a win making her the first female rider to ever win a Group-level race on the Japan Racing Association (JRA) circuit.

Chuck Nate is a last-start winner of the G2 Argentina Republic Cup, which was run over 2500 metres back in November.