MacGillivray chasing first Group 1 in Derby
Murray Bridge trainer Oopy MacGillivray is chasing her first Group 1 with 3-year-old gelding A Samurai Mind (Shamus Award) who runs in the G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville on Saturday. “He's terrific, we couldn't be happier with how he came through his last run,” MacGillivray, who trains in partnership with Dan Clarken, told Racenet.com.au.
Lachlan Neindorf and Oopy MacGillivray | Image courtesy of Makoto Kaneko
“It's lovely to have Lachlan Neindorf (on board), he's obviously in terrific form, and having conquered his first Group 1-win last Saturday, it can only fill him with more confidence that he's well and truly up to playing with the big boys.” A winner of two of his four starts, A Samurai Mind ran second at his most recent start.
What You Need has Group 1 claims in Goodwood
Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will be looking for the talented sprinter 4-year-old entire What You Need (Supido) to raise the bar even more in the G1 Goodwood H. on Saturday. “His two runs back since he had the tie back surgery have been pass marks, but at the end of the day they are just thirds not wins,” Price told Racing.com.
“My gut feeling is we will need the Gods to be shining on us on Goodwood Day, but he is still a bull and so if we can find that post first it will be an enormous result.” What You Need has won three of his five starts including the 2023 Listed Sunlight Classic.
Bold Bastille to spell after late scratching in Showdown
Co-trainer Ben Hayes reported on Monday morning that 2-year-old filly Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau) will head for a spell after her late scratching in last Saturday’s Showdown and will be aimed at the spring. “I think she’ll now go for a spell, and we’ll reset and kick her off in the spring in those nice 3-year-old races such as the Quezette,” Hayes told Racing.com.
“She’s fine. She whacked her teeth but that won’t be a problem for her.” Racing Victoria stewards reported that Bold Bastille had “dislodged the central incisor upper teeth.” Bold Bastille is one of only three juveniles so far this season to win four races, the others being Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) and unbeaten Listed winner Geegees Mistruth (Wordsmith).
Payne chasing back-to-back wins in South Australian Derby
Trainer Patrick Payne won the 2023 G1 South Australian Derby with Dunkel (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and is back in 2024 with Bold Soul (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}). “He’s pulled up really well on Sunday after his win and I couldn’t be happier with him moving forward to the Derby,” Payne told Racing.com.
Patrick Payne | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I’ve got my horses staying in the Adelaide Hills by Oakbank with my sister Michelle (Payne) looking after them and they are in a good space.” Bold Soul has won four of his last five starts, including a last start win in the G3 Chairman’s S. last Saturday.
Price/Kent have three in the South Australian Derby
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable have three runners in Saturday’s G1 South Australian Derby with Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree {USA}), Tulsa King (Kermadec {NZ}), and Shinjuku (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}). “There was little between our trio across the line in the Chairman’s on Saturday and they will all go on to the Derby next week,” Kent told Racing.com.
“With Warmonger I’m thinking we need to take the blinkers off him. He keeps duffing the start and misbehaving in his races, so we need to try something different to get it right. It was good to see Tulsa King find the line as well as he did, and he seems dour and that he will be suited going to the 2500 metres. Shinjuku wasn’t far from his stablemates in the Chairman’s, but I feel will need all of the favours to turn the tables on the other two.”
Applications open for TBA’s Stud Start Program
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) opened applications for its successful Stud Start program on Monday. “Stud Start will provide successful participants the confidence and skills to enter a career within thoroughbred industry,” said Madison Tims, TBA’s education and projects manager in a press release.
“This year we are excited to offer not only face-to-face learning but a hybrid structure of online study and hands-on practice throughout the six weeks, which is a development from the launch of the program in 2023.”
Entries close May 17. Successful applicants will complete a six-week online learning course from June 17 to July 22, and then students will participate in an intensive course at TAFE in Scone from July 24 to July 31. Students will be provided with accommodation during the week in Scone. Depending on the participant’s travel requirements, financial assistance may also be provided.
In addition to Stud Start, TBA also runs Fast Track, a 12-month traineeship program that places students in full time employment on stud farms around the country while they study for the Certificate III in Horse Breeding – a nationally recognised formal qualification. Now in its seventh year, the 2024 Fast Track intake is set to commence in late May.
Lonhro filly wins on debut
Trainer Jason Warren took 3-year-old filly Marbilla (Lonhro) to Mornington on Monday, and she delivered with a debutant win over 1000 metres. Purchased by Jason Warren Racing and Eales Racing for $40,000 from Yulong at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Marbilla is the third foal and second winner for winning mare Banuelo (Street Cry {Ire}) who is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Generalife (Lonhro).
Marbilla as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Record nominations for Hawkesbury
Hawkesbury Race Club has received a record 245 nominations for their massive 10-race Hawkesbury Cup program this Saturday. “We are thrilled with the response we have had to this Saturday’s stand-alone event, with record prizemoney of over $1.8 million on offer,” Hawkesbury Race Club's CEO, James Heddo, told Racingnsw.com.au.
2022 G3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup winner Kirwan's Lane (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) will lead the Cup field out having recently been retired and retrained to pursue a new career in polo.
Oscar’s Fortune to head east after Goodwood
Owner-breeder Kevin Fowler wants 3-year-old gelding Oscar’s Fortune (Rich Enuff) to stay in Melbourne after he runs in the G1 Goodwood H. at Morphettville in South Australia, but he won’t be changing trainers. “I was humming and harring (over the Goodwood) and then the handicapper said I’m only going to give you 53.5kg,” Fowler told The Races WA.
“He may come back for the Winterbottom and Quokka and things like that, but at this stage my plan is to leave him in Melbourne. Dion (Luciani) and I have been through thick and thin, and I want the horse to stay with Dion. After his spell there are million dollar races, he can go in over there.”
Oscar’s Fortune ran third in The Quokka to Overpass (Vancouver) and Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) at his last start and is the winner of five of his nine starts. William Pike will ride him in the Goodwood.
Gavelhouse mixed auction highlighted by Proisir mare
The latest Gavelhouse mixed online auction ended on Monday with the top lot being Chikira Lass (NZ) (Proisir) who sold for NZ$30,000 to “Duke123”. The Listed placed winner of five races was sold in racing fitness, having run third on April 27.
Dual Tassie Horse Of The Year off to Queensland carnival
Trainer John Keys will target the G3 BRC Sprint at Doomben on May 25, before the G1 Stradbroke H. at Eagle Farm on June 15 with dual Tasmanian Horse Of The Year The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}). “He heads to Queensland on Tuesday,” Keys told tasracing.com.au.
The Inevitable | Image courtesy of Tas Racing
“They’re expecting a bit of rain in Queensland in the coming months, so we know the ones we’re taking up there will handle it.” The Inevitable hasn’t raced since December 2023 and has a record of 16 wins from 36 starts with earnings over $1.8million.
Mikki Isle filly set to continue trainer’s good run on Tuesday
Trainer Steven Royes has been striking at better than 20 per cent over the last 12 months and he has 3-year-old filly Catalina Dreaming (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) running at Townsville on Tuesday. “I had six boxes in Mount Isa while I was working in the mines there before, I decided to move to Townsville,” Royes told Racingqueensland.com.au.
“I’ve only been training full time now for a couple of months after being a fly-in fly-out mine supervisor at Cloncurry and Mount Isa.” He now has 15 boxes at Toowoomba. Catalina Dreaming was formerly trained by Wendy Kelly in Victoria, where she had one start, before being bought by prominent North Queensland owner Tom Hedley. “She’s had three starts for me and should have won them all,” Royes said.
Royes also has Dollson (Zariz) who has won two of his last three starts, and Dusky Damsel (Delago Deluxe) on the same card.
Rothfire’s injury responds better than expected
Only a few weeks after Group 1 winner Rothfire (Rothesay) was discovered with major swelling in a joint, his trainer Robert Heathcote believes he’ll be back for the summer of 2025. “He will go for a lengthy spell, I'm talking five months and bring him back for the summer,” Heathcote told Racenet.com.au.
“It is to give him a chance at coming back. For him to come back and have a shot at the Magic Millions and the summer, he needs a good break to give his arthritic joints a chance to recover. Time is the greater healer for all of these horses who have ailments.”
CEO praises track staff after rainy Champions Day
Despite rainfall in excess of 250 millimetres, or nearly 10 inches, during the week, Sunday's FWD Champions Day meeting came off without a hitch. “They did an extraordinary job, with these types of weather conditions, the ground was extremely fair and it enabled all the horses to participate,” HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said of the track maintenance team.
Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges
“Nobody could believe that with over 250mm of rain how well our track performed and provided fair going on which to compete.
“To have three Hong Kong winners in the international races is something is that is very satisfying and a great achievement especially when you consider we have a population of 1,200 horses and to be able to compete and succeed on the international stage shows the determination of the Club and our owners and that should make Hong Kong proud.”
Italian jockey aiming for Kentucky Derby win
Jockey Antonio Fresu watched the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby on television and this year he’ll be on GI Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}). “I'm over the moon,” he said.
“I know how prestigious the Santa Anita Derby is and that it gets you to the Kentucky Derby. Winning the Santa Anita Derby was an amazing achievement. I was more than happy. He proved that he belonged in the Kentucky Derby and to ride in that race is a dream come true. Everybody wants to be in the Derby.”
G1 Prix Ganay grabbed by outsider
Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp was won by Odette Fau's 5-year-old entire Haya Zark (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) paying $19. “To win a Group 1 race is just wonderful–unbelievable for a small trainer from the provinces like me,” trainer Adrien Fouasssier said. “We have no plan–the horse and the weather will tell us when to run.”
It was the first Group 1 win for Haya Zark, who had won the G3 Prix Exbury at the start prior. His full record is six wins from 18 starts and he becomes the second Group 1 winner for his sire, Zarak, who stands at the Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval for €60,000 (AU$98,000) in 2024.
