Daily News Wrap

Third winner for Brutal

Newgate Farm’s Brutal (NZ) sired his third winner from 10 runners when the Paul Perry-trained Totoka won at Canterbury.

Totoka, ridden by Dylan Gibbons, defeated Cinsault (Brazen Beau) and Excelindeed (Exceed And Excel).

Totoka is the third foal from the Written Tycoon mare Sports Writer. She is a full sister to the three-time Listed winner It Is Written, who won 11 races in total.

Sports Writer was served by Brutal last spring. Totoka was a $46,000 purchase by Paul Perry Horse Training from the draft of Kingstar Farm at the 2023 HTBA Yearling Sale.

Avdulla to ride Kuroyanagi

Brenton Avdulla will return from Hong Kong to ride the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea-trained Kuroyanagi (Written Tycoon) in the G1 Blue Diamond S. next Saturday.

Kuroyanagi was narrowly beaten in last Saturday’s G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) by Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}).

Chimera Magic wins on debut

The Ricky Vale-trained Chimera Magic (Sooboog), ridden by Ashley Butler, was successful on debut at Rockhampton on Friday.

Chimera Magic is the second foal from the Medaglia D’Oro (USA), Futureal, who won six races. Futureal has a colt by Better Than Ready and was served by that sire last spring.

Melham to ride Attrition in Futurity

Ben Melham has secured the ride of Mitch Freedman’s Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) when the G1 Toorak H. winner resumes in next Saturday’s G1 Futurity S.

Freedman confirmed Melham will take the ride, while Beau Mertens continues to recover from a fall at Stoney Creek last Tuesday.

Harry running towards Guineas

Run Harry Run (Written Tycoon) will resume in Saturday’s G3 CS Hayes S. as he builds towards his ultimate aim of the G1 Australian Guineas in March.

“He’s come back well,” his trainer Mike Moroney told Racing.com.

“Run Harry Run looks to have grown, he’s a bit stronger. He’s had two jump-outs, whether that’s enough to have him fit enough for 1400 metres is the question mark and we just haven’t been helped with the barrier draw either (13).”

Run Harry Run will be ridden by New Zealand’s Champion Jockey, Opie Bosson, in a field that includes the Group 1 winners King Colorado (Kingman {GB}) and Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}).

Stokes full force towards Diamond

Pakenham-based trainer Phillip Stokes remains confident Stay Focused (Cosmic Force) can be competitive in the G1 Blue Diamond S. after an eye-catching run in last Saturday’s G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings) where he sat three-wide.

“It was a super run, six weeks between runs and he had a good blow and came through it well. So, there’s improvement to come,” Stokes told Racing.com.

“He will have to improve as the Blue Diamond will be a harder race, it’s going to be a very good field. It’s just my luck, I finally got one in the Diamond and there’s some elite horses there. But anyway, I really like our horse and he’ll give a good account of himself.”

No return for Dubai Honour

Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai), the winner of last year's G1 Ranvet S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in Sydney, will not be returning to Australia for this year's Championships after a setback.

“We are disappointed to announce that Dubai Honour has had a setback and is unable to travel to Australia for the upcoming Carnival in Sydney,” said Haggas on Friday morning. “It is particularly frustrating as we felt he was in the form of his life. We hope to be able to prepare him for another tilt at the QEII in Hong Kong on 28 April.”

Haggas will be represented by two runners in Sydney, with Shadwell's G2 Huxley S. runner-up Mujtaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) set to travel along with the Old Borough Cup winner Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

The trainer added, “We will be represented by Mujtaba who will be aimed at the Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, although he does have the option of the Tancred Stakes.

“He is training well and due to enter quarantine today along with Post Impressionist, a useful stayer who will be aimed at the Manion Cup and the Sydney Cup. Once again Isabella Paul will be in charge.”

Berkeley out for confidence boost

Comeback galloper Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) will resume in Saturday’s Listed Elms H. at Flemington for trainer Dan O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan is keen for Berkeley Square to find confidence again before settling on a program for the autumn.

“If he comes out and wins it, well, you aim a bit higher,” O’Sullivan said.

“I want to get him back winning. There’s a couple of beautiful VOBIS Gold races later on, in about six-or-eight weeks’ time. I would love to say he’d go to an Australian Cup, but I think realistically he’ll probably go to an Easter Cup.

“He’s going terrifically, I think. He’s had a nice comfortable trial and is good to go to the races.”

Strait looking to Ace Expressway

Edward Cummings’ progressive galloper Strait Acer (Headwater) is set to contest Saturday’s G2 Expressway S. after a spring that saw him highly competitive in the Silver Eagle, Golden Eagle and G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S.

“Strait Acer has always been a rambunctious horse, that seems to be a personality trait that follows the breed,” Cummings told RSN927.

“But the penny dropped when he went to Melbourne. He was definitely at his most professional while he was in Melbourne. I’m hopeful that has helped bring him on and makes him become more professional, so he saves all his energy for when the barriers open.”

Strait Acer is set to take on a field that includes the Group 1-placed Buenos Noches (Supido) and King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible).

Shangri and Switzerland to clash

Two of the leading hopes for the 2024 G1 Golden Slipper in Shangri La Express (Alabama Express) and Switzerland (Snitzel) will face each other in the Pierro Plate on Saturday.

However, Chris Waller - the trainer of Switzerland, only has eyes for his colt, “I have one job and that is to get him to the races,” he said RSN927.

Gallery: Images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

“I can’t change the opposition, I can’t make them run fast, but I can get him there in the best possible shape. I think his first-up win was very good. He has trained well so that is a good sign.”

Meanwhile, Waller confirmed Shinzo (Snitzel) was shaping well in his autumn preparations ahead of a scheduled return early next month, most likely in the G1 Canterbury S. at Randwick.

Hunter’s throw at the stumps

Jerome Hunter is taking a throw at the stumps running Rich Fortune (Rich Enuff) in Saturday’s G1 Lightning S. However, regardless of the end result the 4-year-old mare is guaranteed a minimum of $20,000 for just competing in the 1000-metre feature.

“$20,000 is a guarantee,” Hunter told RSN927.

“It’s such a small field and anything can happen. She’s definitely the rank outsider, but she is going well and hopefully she has a good day, and they have a bad day.

“Realistically, I would be happy to beat a couple home. They’re Australia’s best horses, we haven’t proven it yet, but you have to be in it to win it. You can’t win the raffle if you don’t buy a ticket.”

Increased funding for ‘developmental races’

There is now another reason – or make that 84 reasons – to look forward to the Brocklesby S. in a little over five weeks. The traditional curtain-raiser for the British 2-year-old season is the first of 84 races this year to benefit from increased funding through a programme of high-value developmental races in 2024.

This initiative, which was launched last year with a series of 63 races, is driven by British stallion studs through the European Breeders' Fund (EBF), Juddmonte, Darley and Tattersalls, and will provide more than £3 million (AU$5.8 million) in prizemoney for novice and maiden races. It is also receiving support from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) Development Fund.

For the 2-year-old program, it means that 32 open novice/maiden races will be worth a minimum of £40,000 (AU$77,300) and another 29 restricted novice/maidens will carry a minimum of £30,000 (AU$58,000). There will also be 23 open novice/maiden races for 3-year-olds plus, worth a minimum of £40,000 (AU$77,300).

The series was initially launched in 2023 with the backing of Juddmonte and Darley with the aim of supporting the British breeding industry and encouraging owners to buy and race in Britain.

Caravel to visit Frankel

John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock has purchased 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Caravel (USA) (Mizzen Mast {USA}) in a private sale conducted early in 2024. Resolute's breeding director Chelsey Stone said the 7-year-old mare will visit Juddmonte's champion sire Frankel (GB) in 2024.

Bred and initially campaigned and trained by Elizabeth Merryman, Caravel amassed 15 career victories. In addition to her Breeders' Cup score, she earned a second Group 1 win in the 2023 Jaipur S. In her final career start at the 2023 Breeders' Cup, the mare was campaigned by the ownership group of Qatar Racing, Madaket Stables and Marc Detampel.

“Chelsey and I were surprised to find out that both Puca and Caravel had RNA'd,” Stewart said. “We ended up purchasing Puca that night and the idea of having Caravel too haunted me all year. After the first of the year when we heard Caravel was going to be at Fasig-Tipton in November of 2024, we reached out and were able to purchase her in a private sale. We couldn't be happier to have her joining the other mares on our farm.”

Stone said that Caravel will depart from Resolute Farm in early March to visit Frankel. She will be bred back to a stallion in Europe after she foals there and then return to Kentucky next year.

“John and I visited Frankel just last week at Juddmonte and we are very excited to send her to him,” said Stone. “He's big-boned and the shoulder and hip on him is just so impressive. He's every bit of what he's been hyped up to and we are more than thrilled.”

Saudi Cup runners arrive in Riyadh from Japan, US

The plane carrying the Japanese contingent to Riyadh for next Saturday's Saudi Cup meeting touched down at King Khalid International Airport, and each of the nation's four entrants for the G1 Saudi Cup appear to have taken the flight in good order.

Looking to make it back-to-back successes in the world's richest horse race following the stunning all-the-way victory by Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) last February are Japan's champion dirt horse Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid {USA}); reigning G1 Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}); Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits {USA}), last year's G2 UAE Derby hero and runner-up to White Abarrio (USA) (Race Day {USA}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic and Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro {USA}).