Star Perth juvenile heads to Price/Kent stable
Reportedly, clients of trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr have purchased the 2-year-old gelding Bustling (Frosted {USA}) for $2 million, and his new trainers are hoping to nab a slot for The Everest. “It’s been a pleasure to deal with Dan Morton and Neville and Susan Duncan and Carol Morton and Mr McDonald,” Kent Jr said on Tabradio.
Bustling | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“We have acquired the horse with some of our stable clients to come across here. It’s very exciting and he looks a real, real talent. … Most horses like this are not for sale and it was pleasing to know there was an option to do something.
“(Trainer) Dan’s (Morton) staying in for a small piece and that’s a massive positive. … I guess it (The Everest) is the obvious race to think of if you have a nice sprinter on your hands. That race has been good to three-year-olds. And it appears to be a changing of the guard at the moment in Australia with the sprinting ranks. I think there is a spot there for a bright young prospect. It will be nice to have a slot secured early in the piece.”
Pride believes his pair can beat the favourite in Doomben 10,000
Sydney trainer Joe Pride’s gun sprinters Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) and Private Eye (Al Maher) are ready to take on favourite I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G1 Doomben 10,000 on Saturday. “Mazu’s win last time was very good and he should roll forward and get into a good spot and hopefully run a cheeky race,” Pride told Racingqueensland.com.au.
“I thought Private Eye’s run in the All-Aged was terrific as he doesn’t like the heavy. He normally only has short preparations, but he’s had four so far and has stood up.”
I Wish I Win drew barrier one for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman. “Barrier one could work out beautifully for I Wish I Win or it could be a thorn in his side,” said Pride.
Wagering and attendance up in Adelaide
Racing SA CEO Vaughn Lynch confirmed that both crowd numbers and wagering improved across three weeks of premier racing in South Australia. “The last three weeks were great, and it was the culmination of a lot of hard work by many different facets of the industry,” Lynch told Racing.com.
Vaughn Lynch | Image courtesy of Racing SA
“It's the first year of a seven-year deal between Sportsbet, the SAJC, Country Racing SA and Racing SA and, while it was a really good start, I think we've still got a lot of work to do. We don't want to be content because we are still keen to build on this and make things better.
“We haven't got all the wagering numbers, but the early indications are that wagering was considerably up year-on-year, which is amazing given the rest of the nation is showing double-digit decline in wagering.”
Dramatic save by stable staff at Lady Bay
One of Symon Wilde’s horses had a lucky escape at Lady Bay on Tuesday morning with quick thinking employee, Jordyn Billings, saving the horse. “We had a horse at the beach that tripped on a bit of seaweed and the rider slid off the side,” Wilde told Racing.com. “For whatever reason, he just started swimming straight out to sea. They were watching him and hoping that he would turn around but he didn't, he just kept swimming straight out.”
“He just started swimming out and kept going. I ran down the beach hoping that he would turn around, but he never did,” said Billings. “Paddy Bell, who works with Maddie Raymond, sprang into action with me and we were both running along the sand towards the pier, where the boats come in.
“We jumped in a boat with a fisherman named Barry, he was a lovely bloke that was just putting his boat in to go fishing. The horse had reached the end of the breakwater by that point, probably 250 metres offshore and by the time we got out to him, he was another 50 metres or 60 metres past the breakwater where the waves were.
“It was a big-enough swell for the boat to rock and the motor was upsetting the horse a little bit, so we had to do a couple of circles around him. We finally got close enough for me to get a lead onto him, and I ended up taking a few layers off and jumping in with him.
“I didn't really think much of it, I was just thinking that if he was going to make it, we needed to get him back to shore as quick as possible. I sat on his back with the saddle on until we got into calmer waters and then swam beside him while he swam in the last bit to shore.
“The whole time when I was swimming back in with him, I just made sure that he was breathing calmly and to his credit, he didn't seem too stressed at all. He lived to tell the tale, which was the best-possible result.”
Jamie Mott on track for ton of wins this season
Jockey Jamie Mott has ridden 86 winners this season and thinks he’ll make the ton in the next two and half months. “It's a realistic target now,” Mott told Racing.com.
“I've still got a couple of months to go, definitely that will be a target of mine, definitely a Group 1 is as well.” He will ride last start G2 Hollindale S. winner Numerian (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in the G1 Doomben Cup in a fortnight.
Every race at Rockhampton won by female jockeys
Tuesday’s Rockhampton meeting showcased female riders with all six races won by three jockeys. Brooke Johnson won the first on 2-year-old filly I’lltellyougo (Wanted) and the third on Mont Royal (Top Echelon). I’lltellyougo has now won four in succession, after running second on debut, to make it four from five.
Georgina Cartwright won the second on Exeter (Fastnet Rock), and the fifth on Frosty Bear (Frosted {USA}). Tahlia Fenlon won the fourth on Jungle Beat (Drumbeats), and the last on aptly named The Last Saga (Real Saga).
First winner for apprentice Leeshelle Small
Tuesday’s meeting at Hawkesbury opened with the first winner for apprentice Leeshelle Small aboard 4-year-old gelding Dapper Dancer (Testa Rossa), trained by Ron Leemon.
Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Arrogate 3-year-old to make Aussie debut
Previously named Arrofield, 3-year-old colt Sacredarro (USA) (Arrogate {USA}) will make his Australian debut at Sandown on Wednesday for trainers Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock. “He's a beautiful athletic horse, everyone will like him when they see him,” Griffiths told Racing.com.
“We planned to attack the overseas market and secured three Arrogates.” The other two are 5-year-old mare Ariarna Blue (USA) who was a winner at Pakenham and has been retired to stud and 5-year-old mare Stormy Grey (USA) who has won three of her thirteen starts in Australia.
McDonald leads World Jockey Championship by 72 points
The World Jockey Championship is determined via the world’s top 100 rated races with jockeys getting 12 points for every win. James McDonald currently has 98 points, some 72 points above his nearest rival Yuga Kawada.
James McDonald | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
With the championship run on calendar years, there is plenty of time for other jockeys to catch up, however, there are 13 more eligible races in Australia in 2024. Previous winners are 2023 - Ryan Moore, 2022 - James McDonald, 2021 – Ryan Moore, 2020 and 2019 – Frankie Dettori.
Well-bred filly looks ready for big effort on Wednesday
The Haunui Farm-bred and raced Bound To Be (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) ran second on debut earlier this month and trainer Kylie Hoskin believes she can go one better at Cambridge on Wednesday. “It was a really nice run, we were really impressed with how she found the line,” Hoskin told Loveracing.nz.
“The connections at Haunui and Mark Chitty have been really patient. She is a bit of a hot filly and they have allowed me to take my time with her. She seems to be hitting her straps now. She is a happy horse and really content within herself. We are confident that she has got a good prep ahead.”
A daughter of Listed winner Bonaichi (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), Bound To Be is a half-sister to Listed winner Extra Choice (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice). Bonaichi is a half-sister to Listed winner Prima Nova (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and is out of Group 1 winner Bonanova (NZ) (Star Way {GB}).
Purton to ride Copartner Prance in attempt at four in succession
Copartner Prance (Epaulette) has won his last three in succession, all of them for champion jockey Zac Purton, who will stick with him on Wednesday at Happy Valley. “It’s probably a little bit unfair by the handicapper, because when you get those [on-speed] biased tracks, the margins can be a little bit deceiving, so they’ve made it hard for him,” Purton told scmp.com about the additional ten pound penalty for this race.
“But Francis is going good, the stable’s going well, hopefully we can just copy and paste what we’ve been doing.” Sold by Edinglassie Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $150,000 to John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), Copartner Prance is a half-brother to Listed winner Kobayashi (I Am Invincible) who stands at Aquis Farm for $15,000 (inc GST).
The Derby is the measure of the Thoroughbred, declares O’Brien
Trainer Aidan O'Brien has a record nine G1 Epsom Derby wins and in 2024 has 13 of the 40 horses who remain in contention. His Ballydoyle predecessor Vincent O'Brien (no relation) constructed a gallop to emulate the turn, camber and downhill test of Tattenham Corner and the Ballydoyle team use it regularly to condition for the main event.
Aidan O'Brien
“In Dr O'Brien's time everything was about winning the Derby,” O’Brien said. “The whole Thoroughbred generation every year is measured in the Derby and that's just the harsh reality of it.”
Led by favourite City Of Troy (USA) (Justify {USA}), O’Brien’s other leading candidates are Capulet (USA) (Justify {USA}), Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and Sunday's Derby Trial winner Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).
Baffert’s Muth favourite for Preakness
A field of nine will run in the G1 Preakness 149 with six of them having not run in the G1 Kentucky Derby. Bob Baffert will be chasing a ninth win in the race with favourite Muth (USA) (Good Magic {USA}). “Muth was a pretty easy morning-line favorite to come up with for a few different reasons,” Brian Nadeau said.
“First, he comfortably beat Mystik Dan in the Arkansas Derby. Second, with all the success Bob Baffert has had in the Preakness and the name recognition he brings as well, it all adds up to Muth being a pretty solid favourite. And lastly, Mystik Dan was 18-1 in the Derby, and when a longshot wins, sometimes the betting public is a bit slow to come around or believe.”
Inspiral and Big Rock to clash in Lockinge
At Monday's confirmation stage, Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) remain on course for a blockbuster clash in Saturday's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury.
“Inspiral is in good form,” said John Gosden, who trains the five-year-old in partnership with son Thady. “I'm pleased with her going into her first run back and the plan is to run her in the Lockinge. It's a good starting point.”
