Daily News Wrap

Vale Miracle Of Love

On Wednesday, the Group 1-placed Miracle Of Love (Dundeel {NZ}) sustained a catastrophic incident during a barrier trial at Scone.

The Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained daughter of the Champion mare Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice) is believed to have sustained a heart attack during the running of a 1000-metre heat.

“Paul (Messara) rang, it was the call I’d been waiting for, and I thought he was going to tell me how well the filly trialled,” owner-breeder John Messara told News Corp.

“But when he told me, I couldn’t believe it. I feel so sorry for Paul, he has put so much work into Miracle Of Love. She was an outstanding filly, we thought she had Group 1 potential. We couldn’t wait to get her back to the races, and then this happened.

“Miracle Of Love was the best daughter out of the best filly, Miss Finland, we had raced. We decided to retire Miss Finland from breeding as we had Miracle Of Love coming through.”

Mixed news for ‘Hippo’

Group 1-winning jockey Adam Hyeronimus will ride last week’s Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) in Saturday week’s G1 Blue Diamond S. at Caulfield.

The filly heads into the Diamond after an impressive win in the G3 Widden S. at Rosehill last Saturday.

Hyeronimus, though, has lost the ride on star colt Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) for next month’s G1 Golden Slipper S. It is expected that either James McDonald or Ryan Moore, who both regularly ride for the colt’s new majority owners, Coolmore, will partner Storm Boy in the Slipper.

Kah booked for King’s Gambit

Premiership-winning jockey Jamie Kah will partner talented colt King’s Gambit (I Am Invincible) in Saturday week’s G1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.

Kah, who is based in Melbourne, has twice travelled to Sydney in the past few weeks to trial the Team Snowden-trained colt.

Co-trainer Paul Snowden is confident King’s Gambit will be competitive in the feature sprint, as the Group 2 winner looks for an all-important victory at the highest level.

“He has always been a top-class performer, so no different now,” Snowden told Racing.com.

“He just has to compete at the level that he always has.”

No Australian Guineas for Crocetti

New Zealand’s star 3-year-old Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) will head for a spell rather than tackling the G1 Australian Guineas after his unbeaten run of seven came to an end in last Saturday’s G1 BCD Sprint at Te Rapa.

Trainers Danny Walker and Arron Tata were contemplating heading to Melbourne in March with eyes on the G1 Australian Guineas and the G1 Newmarket but felt Crocetti would benefit from a freshen-up.

“We did look at the Australian Guineas and then I thought maybe the Newmarket with 53kg on his back was quite appealing as well, but we have decided to send him to the paddock for a spell,” Walker told loveracing.nz.

“Crocetti is 100 per cent and has pulled up really well, but I just felt he peaked on Saturday, and he has had seven runs as a 3-year-old. He can have a spell now and prepare for a 4-year-old (campaign).”

Fangirl and Militarize to resume in Apollo

A field of 10 has been declared for the G2 Apollo S. on Saturday at Randwick. The field is headlined by six Group 1 winners, including the autumn returns of Chris Waller’s star pair Fangirl (Sebring) and Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}), while Waller will also saddle up the Group 1 victor Lindermann (Lonhro) and the imported Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock).

Kerry Parker’s multiple Group 1 winner Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) and Godolphin’s campaigner Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) are also set to contest the time-honoured feature.

Connections confident in filly

Annabel Neasham’s star filly Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}) is set to return to the racetrack for the first time since sustaining an injury in the G1 Golden Slipper.

The daughter of Justify (USA) will tackle the G2 Light Fingers S. at Randwick on Saturday, and her progress has her connections confident she will leave an impression on her rivals.

“I don’t think she’ll be vulnerable first-up. Learning To Fly had an injury and we got her back into work when she was ready, but there was nothing for her,” Neasham told RSN927.

“But it was good to get that base work into her, then we backed off her and reset for these two races coming up. She will likely head to the G1 Surround S. two weeks from Saturday.”

Busuttin and Young unveil Debry hope

Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are set to be represented in Saturday’s G2 Avondale Guineas with Interlinked (NZ) (Savabeel) as the 3-year-old builds towards a potential tilt at the G1 New Zealand Derby.

“Interlinked will fly to New Zealand tonight (Wednesday) and as long as the plane makes it okay, then he’ll be running,” Busuttin told Racing.com.

“He wasn’t racing in the spring and was running at Christmas time and he looked like a 2000/2400-metre horse. It’s still a while away until the Derby in Sydney, so it worked nicely and it’s no different from bringing a horse from New Zealand to Australia to race.”

Interlinked is from Daisy Chain (NZ) (Pins), a daughter of New Zealand’s Champion 3-Year-Old Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}) and from the family of the multiple Group 1 victress Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel).

The gelding was a NZ$100,000 purchase by Busuttin Racing from the draft of Ohukia Lodge at the 2022 New Zealand Ready to Run Sale.

Barrier 2 for Kiwi queen in Lightning bid

Te Akau Racing’s superstar sprinter Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) has drawn barrier 2, in her quest to add the G1 Black Caviar Lightning S. on Saturday at Flemington.

Imperatriz will tackle seven rivals, among them is Joe Pride’s multiple Group 1 winner Private Eye (Al Maher), who has drawn barrier 8. While Chris Waller’s Espiona (Extreme Choice) has come up with barrier 4 and Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) from the Ciaron Maher camp will jump from barrier 6.

Godolphin’s star 3-year-old Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) has barrier 5, and the Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans-trained I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) barrier 3.

I Wish I Win building towards return

Pakenham-based trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman are in no rush with their star sprinter, I Wish I Win (NZ) as the son of Savabeel builds towards the autumn.

“He’s in good order, he’s probably ready to have his first gallop of the preparation next week. I Wish I Win has been building well, he has been doing a lot of work on the back track here at Pakenham over the last month or so,” Moody told Racing.com.

“We gave him a nice break because he hadn’t had one since he’d been over here in Australia and he really enjoyed that time away.

“When and where we kick him off, I’m not sure. We haven’t mapped anything out, the William Reid is towards the end of March, the TJ Smith is early April, plenty of races for him so we’ll just let him guide a path.”

State Of Rest welcomes first Northern Hemisphere foal

The 2021 G1 WS Cox Plate victor, State Of Rest (Ire), has welcomed his first Northern Hemisphere foal, a colt. The son of Starspangledbanner spends his time shuttling between Rathbarry Stud in Ireland and Australia’s Newgate Farm.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien, State Of Rest also secured victories in the G1 Prix Ganay in France and the G1 Prince Of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot. State Of Rest served 148 mares in his Southern Hemisphere debut at a fee of $44,000 (inc GST).

Among his debut book were the G2 Doomben Roses winner Vanna Girl (Husson {Arg}), Prophet Jewel (Encosta De Lago), who is the dam of the sire sensation Proisir, and the G1 Caulfield Guineas victor Divine Prophet and the dam of the Group 3 winner Lady Laguna, Catalina De Lago (NZ) (Encosta De Lago).

Reynolds remains in serious condition

South Australia-based apprentice Chelsey Reynolds remains in an induced coma at Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide after she was involved in a serious trackwork incident on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Racing SA provided a short update on Reynolds’ condition, 24 hours after she was airlifted to hospital in critical condition following the accident at the Finnis property managed by trainers Wayne Francis and Glen Kent.

“Racing SA is providing support to the Reynolds family and our wider racing group, particularly members of our apprentice academy where Chelsey is much-loved,” the statement read.

“Chelsey’s family have asked us to thank everyone for the messages received but they have also requested privacy at this time.”

The statement confirmed that the horse Reynolds was aboard has been cleared of any injury by a veterinarian.

Group 1 winner’s half-sister scores on debut

The Lee Freedman-trained Appellant (Snitzel), who is a 2-year-old half-sister to the top-flight scorer Southern Legend (Not A Single Doubt), began her career in perfect fashion, saluting at Doomben.

Appellant won the 1200-metre maiden by 2.15l under Damien Thornton.

The filly is a homebred for Corumbene Stud and is from the three-time winner Donna’s Appeal (Carnegie {Ire}).

Southern Legend commenced his career in Australia and won the 2016 Listed Darby Munro S., before being exported to Hong Kong. The gelding was victorious in the G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin in 2020.

Boman lands Princess Child

The first day of Arqana’s February Sale was highlighted by the unraced 3-year-old colt Le Kerry (Fr) (Gemix {Fr}), who was offered as Lot 60 by Karwin Farm and knocked down to Ecurie de Launay for €200,000 (AU$331,800). Le Kerry is from the family of the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup victor Dunaden (Fr). However, the colt is expected to stay in France.

Overvall, a total of 111 horses changed hands in Deauville on Tuesday from 148 to pass through the ring. The clearance rate dropped by three per cent from last year to 75 per cent, but across the board figures were close to achieved in 2023 from a similar sized offering. At €1,685,000 (AU$2,790,400) the turnover receded by five per cent, while the average of €15,149 (AU$25,100) was down by just one per cent.

Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock also struck, paying €80,000 (AU$132,700) for Lot 6, the 3-year-old Princess Child (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}). The filly was runner-up in the Listed Prix Herod last year for Laura Lemiere but it was not confirmed yet if the filly will eventually find her way to Australia.

Dubai option for Creed

Casa Creed (USA) (Jimmy Creed {USA}), who had been scheduled to run in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racecourse February 24, didn't make Tuesday's flight overseas after a fever last week forced him to miss a workout, reports the DRF. Owned by Lee Einsidler and Mike Francesa, the multiple Group 1 winner finished runner-up in the race in 2022/23.

“He's been under tack for some light exercise, but his blood work wasn't completely normal yet,” Mott told DRF Tuesday. “It was just a week ago that he developed a fever. It hasn't been enough time. He could get sick from the flight and we don't want one halfway across the world and have him sick.”

According to Mott, the 8-year-old may be shipped to Dubai for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on March 30. He finished fifth on Dubai World Cup Day in 2022.

Luxembourg re-routed to Neom Turf

Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) will not contest the G1 Saudi Cup later this month and will instead target the G2 Neom Turf Cup over an extended mile and a quarter earlier on the card, according to the latest list of probables released by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia.

Luxembourg is a victor of the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, the G1 Irish Champion S. and the G1 Futurity Trophy for trainer Aidan O’Brien, also placed in the G1 2023 Irish Champion S. and was beaten a nose in the G1 Hong Kong Cup by Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).

France’s Prix Saint-Alary downgraded

Twelve fewer black-type races will be run in Europe in 2024 following the approval of the program by the European Pattern Committee (EPC) which sounded a note of caution regarding “the reported increasing exports of quality horses overseas”.

France's Prix Saint-Alary has been downgraded from Group 1 to Group 2 status and is one of five Group races to have been demoted, while Britain's G3 Sovereign S., traditionally run at Salisbury, will not be staged.

In Ireland, the Salsabil S. has been upgraded from a Listed race to a Group 3, and a new Listed contest has been introduced at Gowran Park in late July, which is to be run over 12 furlongs and is for 3-year-olds only.

EPC chair Jason Morris said, “This year will see another contraction in the number of Pattern and Listed races to be staged throughout Europe, with the total number having declined from 852 races in 2022 to 826 in 2024. The European Pattern Committee continues to enforce the most stringent international quality control measures so that the racing and breeding industries can have the utmost confidence in the quality of European black type.

“However, this also reflects a worrying overall decline in the ratings of European black-type races, with an increasing number of races coming under review and many 3-year-old races in particular struggling to achieve their required parameters. The reported increasing exports of quality horses overseas is of concern to the EPC, and the major European racing nations are committed to working together to ensure the continued production and retention of sufficient high-class horses to sustain our domestic and international programs, with a particular focus on the middle distance and staying race areas.”

Emperor to tackle Qatar

The multiple Group winner Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}) will attempt to conquer another frontier with his first run in Qatar at the weekend.

Having won races in Britain, France, Germany and Italy, as well as picking up prizemoney and black type in Sweden, the Middleham Park Racing representative will make his 4-year-old debut in Doha in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup at the Amir Sword meeting on Saturday.

Trained by Archie Watson, Brave Emperor has now won nine of his 15 starts, including the G2 Premio Vittoria di Capua as well as two Group 3 races in Germany and the G3 Prix Daphnis in Deauville.

Middleham Park Racing's Tim Palin said, “He's the second top-rated for the race, he definitely deserves his chance and its fantastic prizemoney.

“It's going to be the experience of a lifetime for the half a dozen owners going over. They've tasted success in Milan and Sweden, twice in Germany and in France as well.”