Rebel makes history
Godolphin’s international campaigner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) took out Sunday's G1 Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.
The Charlie Appleby-trained son of Dubawi (Ire), ridden by William Buick, defeated the local runners Five G Patch (Ire) (Camelot {Ire}) and La City Blanche (GB) (Cityscape {GB}).
Rebel's Romance has now won in several countries, including England, UAE, North America and Germany. He becomes the first internationally trained winner of the G1 Champions & Chater Cup.
Price-Kent contemplating NSW base
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are contemplating expanding their Victorian stable into New South Wales. “We're really keen to branch into Sydney - we've had a team there for about eight weeks, headed by young gun Ben Elam and we're keen to make it more permanent,” Kent Jnr told Racing.com.
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr
“The team over the eight weeks has earned over a million dollars in prizemoney - Wee Nessy wins a Group 2, Hezashocka wins a Listed race, Amenable second in a G1 All-Aged, Hedged second in a million-dollar race. We've had really good results, we're keen to make it a more permanent thing, we'll just see what happens.”
Queensland ambitions for young trainer Rae
Young Cranbourne trainer Alex Rae will take last start winner Shock ‘Em Ova (NZ) (Shocking) to Eagle Farm this coming Saturday for the G3 Lord Mayor’s Cup over 1800 metres. “He’ll run in the Lord Mayor’s Cup, and we’d expect him to go quite well in a race like that,” Rae told Racing.com on Sunday.
“If he was to perform to our expectations, we’d run him in the Q22, but if I felt we needed an additional week between runs, I’d run him in the Ipswich Cup the following week. The absolute priority would be the Lord Mayor’s into the Q22.”
Shock ‘Em Ova has won five of his ten starts with a further four placings and earnings over $412,000. Purchased by Northumberland Thoroughbreds from Rich Hill Stud for NZ$26,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, he is yet to run in black type company.
Alabama Express gets ninth winner
Sunday’s meeting at the Sunshine Coast opened with an impressive win by 2-year-old filly Accelar (Alabama Express) who won for trainer Toby Edmonds by 0.5l. She was having her fourth raceday start and is the ninth individual winner for first season sire Alabama Express.
Alabama Express has six stakes horses in his first crop including Listed winner Discretion Rules and stands in 2024 at Yulong Stud for $55,000 (inc GST).
Yulong owned juvenile wins on debut
After their stallion Alabama Express sired the winner of Race 1 at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, Yulong Stud won the second with their 2-year-old colt Peace Centre (Written Tycoon) who was on debut for trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Peace Centre as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Yulong purchased the colt from Segenhoe Stud at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $280,000 and he is the second foal of Listed winner Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt).
Zampano remains unbeaten
Tamworth trainer Melissa Dennett has a good sort with 2-year-old gelding Zampano (Tassort) remaining unbeaten when winning his second start at Gunedah on Sunday. Not offered at auction and raced by a big syndicate, Zampano’s record is now two from two.
He is the fourth winner for winning mare Gelsomina (Strada) and is one of eight individual winners for first season sire Tassort who stands at Newgate Farm for $38,500 (inc GST). He sired G1 Sires’ Produce S. winner Manaal in his first crop.
Funding sought for Darby McCarthy documentary
Film makers David Waddington and Chris O'Reilly are looking to raise $200,000 to produce the film ‘In a Life Time', which interviews those who knew and worked with jockey Darby McCarthy. “We are that close to finishing it, it is a story that no script writer could ever write,” O'Reilly, a long-term friend of McCarthy told Racenet.com.au.
“I am a horse trainer and I have been in the film industry all my life. I took a documentary to Cannes in 2017 about motorbikes thinking everyone was into that, but when I got over there to the film festival, all the market wanted horse stories.
“I got home, and I rang Uncle Darby and asked him what was happening, and he said, ‘I'm upright and I'm breathing'. I asked him what was happening with his story, he said ‘everyone's talking, no one's walking.’ So I said I would see him the next weekend, we kept going out there and filming him, so he was telling his own story. Then we are dramatising it, there is Lyall Appo playing the older Darby and Ronald Simpson the jockey playing him as well.”
Treble for Nick Heywood at Moruya
Jockey Nick Heywood rode a treble at Sunday’s New South Wales meeting at Moruya. He won the first on Matthew Dale trained 3-year-old gelding Adolphus (Rubick) who took his record to two wins from four starts, then book-ended the meeting with wins in race six and seven.
Local trainer Lauren Davis-trained 3-year-old gelding Dolzino (Pariah) won race six and Heywood won the last on the card aboard Greg Backhouse-trained Felix Pereon (Ad Valorem {USA}).
Pariah filly wins on debut at Ballarat
Patience was reward on Sunday when Archie Alexander-trained 3-year-old filly Quiseen (Pariah) won on debut at Ballarat. “She was actually in at the Ararat trials tomorrow and we thought we’d come here instead of trialing her, no float fee and prizemoney,” Alexander told Racing.com.
“She’s done a good job for her second trial. Super ride by Dec (Bates), when I saw him water skiing at about the 600 metres, just trying to get out, he was going very well and she’s a very smart filly.”
A $100,000 purchase at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by her trainer and Rogers Bloodstock from Ashleigh Thoroughbreds, Quiseen is a half-sister to Listed winner Secret Status (King Cugat {USA}).
Three-week suspension for Magorrian
Jockey Lee Magorrian was issued a 22-day suspension for a ‘high degree' of careless riding at Randwick on Saturday. His horse, Starman (Zoustar), trained by Chris Waller finished second to Adam Duggan-trained Diamond Diesel (Mossman).
“Lee Magorrian (Starman) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding under AR131(a) in that passing the 400 metres he shifted his mount out when insufficiently clear of Huesca, resulting in that runner being severely checked when crowded onto Nails Murphy, which also was severely checked. In this incident Huesca became unbalanced, lost ground and then was galloped on by Skywolf. Magorrian's licence to ride in races was suspended for a period to commence on Thursday 30 May 2024 and to expire on Friday 21 June 2024 on which day he may ride,” said the Racing NSW Stewards report on Sunday.
October Revolution to lump big weight at Taree
Trainer Neil Godbolt’s 4-year-old gelding October Revolution (Russian Revolution) will have to carry a mighty 67kg at Taree on Monday. “The last start he had down there, he had 65 kgs less two so he carried 63 and won but it would be a big effort if he can win with that weight on Monday,” Godbolt told Racenet.com.au.
October Revolution has won five races and placed on 11 occasions in 26 starts with earnings over $140,000. He was originally a $95,000 yearling purchase then on-sold at a digital auction in 2023 for $13,000 to his current connections and all his five wins have been for his current connections.
Nobals to defend Breeders’ Cup title
With a long-term eye on a title defense in this fall's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, Patricia's Hope LLC's Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) has begun gearing up for his 2024 campaign. “He's doing good, real good,” trainer Larry Rivelli said.
Nobals | Image courtesy of Colonial Downs Racetrack
“I gave him time just for no reason. I haven't really picked out anything yet (for his return); within his next couple of works, we'll probably start dialling in on something. They got those races (turf sprints) everywhere. It could be at Colonial, Churchill, Ellis, Indiana for his comeback race. The goal is to win the Breeders' Cup (Turf Sprint) again, so we'll just try to get a couple of preps in before that race.”
Flightline half-brother to debut on Monday
There are three Graded stakes races on Monday's card at Santa Anita, but the most anticipated race of the day may be the eighth, a US$54,000 maiden race run at six furlongs. That's because it features the debut of Eagles Flight (USA) (Curlin {USA}) a 3-year-old half-brother to Flightline (USA) (Tapit {USA}). “I am excited,” trainer John Sadler said.
“We've been working closely with him and he's showing good run and he's worked well in company. We've got 48 hours to go and we're anxious to get him out there and see it happen.”
Champion trainer Rouget has cancer
French champion trainer Jean-Claude Rouget is undergoing treatment for lymphoma and is taking a two-month break from training, Paris Turf reported on Saturday. He is 70. “Jean-Claude Rouget will finally be absent from the racecourses for the next two months. Medical examinations led to the diagnosis of lymphoma,” said a statement from his family.
“Perfectly supported medically, he was immediately taken care of with an adapted care protocol. He is optimistic and hopes that this salary will allow him to resume his public duties as soon as possible. His two assistants, Jean-René Dubosc (Pau), Jean-Bernard Roth (Deauville) and the whole team are mobilized to ensure the smooth running of the stables. Jean-Claude Rouget aspires to the strictest respect for this period of rest which will keep him away from his public life. He will not respond to any calls and thanks everyone for the signs of sympathy shown to him.”
Green With Envy wins G1 Daily News 2000
Trainer Dean Kannemeyer will crack on to the G1 Durban July with 3-year-old colt Green With Envy (Saf) (Gimmethegreenlight) after his win in the R2 million G1 Daily News 2000, under jockey Craig Zackey. The exciting colt took his record to six wins from ten starts and has won his last four in succession, all in group races including the G1 Cape Derby two starts ago.
Drakenstein Stud wins third successive G1 Woolavington 2000
Drakenstein Stud demonstrated their dominance once again at Greyville, achieving a remarkable hat-trick of wins in the G1 Woolavington 2000 with 3-year-old filly Silver Sanctuary (Saf) (Silvano {Ger}) winning her first Group 1 on Saturday.
Silver Sanctuary (Saf) | Image courtesy of Mike de Kock Racing
Trained by Mike de Kock and ridden by Richard Fourie, who has won 310 races in South Africa this season, Silver Sanctuary took her record to four wins from ten starts. Drakenstein's previous successes with Oh Susanna (Street Cry {Ire}) in 2018, Silver Darling (Saf) (Silvano {Ger}) in 2022, and Rain In Holland (Saf) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) in 2023.
