Matthew Cain set to leave role
Melbourne Racing Club Chairman Matthew Cain has confirmed his retirement after 15 years on the board. He will finish up at the AGM in mid-September. “I will be leaving the Melbourne Racing Club in a strong financial position, with the largest net assets standing of any race club in Australia and having overseen significant progress in our Caulfield masterplan including the creation of a major new event space, a new mounting yard, day stalls and pre-parade ring, and the proposed development of a new grand pavilion at Caulfield,” Cain told racenet.com.au.
Matthew Cain
“Another significant achievement is the unveiling of the Caulfield Heath track which will enable Caulfield Racecourse to host up to 45 race meetings and facilitate the prospect of night racing at our premier venue.”
Prowess sale closes on Thursday
Dual Group 1 winner Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) is being offering through a special virtual auction on Gavelhouse Plus that closes at 5pm AEST on Thursday. At 9.30pm on Wednesday bidding had reached NZ$750,000.
Trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Prowess retired last December due to a degenerative hoof issue. The daughter of Proisir won eight races including the G1 Vinery Stud S. and G1 Bonecrusher.
Inglis Digital August Early Results
The Inglis Digital Early August sale ended on Wednesday with 254 lots sold for an average just over $9000. The top lot was racemare Zoe’s Promise (Swear) who sold to Two Bays Farm for $200,000.
The second-top lot was the young Willow Park Stud-offered broodmare Glimmering (Kingman {GB}), with a Justify (USA) filly foal at foot, which sold for $165,000.
The number of $100,000+ lots sold through Inglis Digital so far in 2024 has now reached 74. They have been bought by 63 individual buyers.
Four for James McDonald at Canterbury
Jockey James McDonald rode four winners at Canterbury on Wednesday aboard Mountain Top (So You Think {NZ}), King Gutho (Better Than Ready), Zeitung (Exceed And Excel), and Gracilistyla (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
James McDonald | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
New award for Victorian trainers
Five of Victoria’s leading trainers are in contention for the inaugural Most Outstanding Training Performance award with the winner to be announced Victoria’s Racing Awards on Saturday night. The nominees are Henry Dwyer, Anthony and Sam Freedman, Ciaron Maher, Clinton McDonald and Mark Walker.
Quezette S. for Arabian Summer
Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has recovered from her last start scratching and will head to the G3 Quezette S. “It was so annoying as she walked in and reared up and got her leg over the top and she was scratched,” co-trainer Tony McEvoy told racing.com.
“It had been a target race for her, but look, she's come out of it fine, and we'll now look at a race like the Quezette with her.”
Racing Victoria sticks with jumps racing
Racing Victoria (RV) remains committed to jumps racing, despite authorities in New Zealand considering the future of the sport. “Jumps racing is a unique feature of the Victorian racing calendar in autumn and winter,” a statement from Racing Victoria on Wednesday said.
“RV's commitment to the sport has been underpinned by appropriate safety standards and industry support being maintained. All within the Victorian jumps racing community are committed to making the sport as safe as it can be and have worked hard to do so across the past 15 years since major safety enhancements were first made in 2010 before being improved again in 2019 with new technology.
“As we do each year, RV will conduct our annual review of jumps racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season in consultation with the AJRA and other key stakeholders. This annual process reviews a range of metrics and operations across the previous season and begins planning for the next.”
Hong Kong apprentice to ride in NZ
Apprentice jockey Britney Wong has arrived in New Zealand for a short stint before she returns to her homeland in Hong Kong in time for the new season which begins on September 8. “Thanks to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and the New Zealand Equine Academy, I have the opportunity to ride here over the next three weeks which I am really excited about,” she told Loveracing.nz.
Britney Wong | Image courtesy of Racing SA
“I haven’t been able to race ride since March, but I have been keeping fit riding in trials at Sha Tin and Conghua. It will be great to get my racing feeling back and try to get as many rides as possible and hopefully pick up a few winners before I go home.”
Move To Strike trials well ahead of spring targets
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are excited for what spring has instore for their premiership-winning team, with several of their stars stepping out at the Te Rapa trials on Tuesday led by last season’s Group 1 winner Move To Strike (I Am Invincible). “He’s a lovely colt that we always thought was going to be better as a three-year-old, and he is developing into a lovely horse,” Bergerson told Loveracing.nz.
“He looks magnificent and is coming up well. Opie (Bosson, jockey) was really taken with his trial, and we plan to trial him again on 21 August at Taupo, ahead of resuming in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy on the September 7 at Hastings.”
Cox Plate for Legarto
Kiwi mare Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) will be aimed at the G1 Cox Plate. “Our money here is very good and there is no rush,” co-trainer Ken Kelso, who trains in partnership with his wife Bev, told the NZ News Desk.
“I have thrown a nomination in for the Cox Plate. We haven't made any firm plans until after the Tarzino and probably the Arrowfield.”
Only a fortnight until jockey fundraiser
With the National Jockeys Trust's annual Race Day Luncheon just a fortnight away, on Saturday August 24, the NJT have announced the list of special guests and headline raffle and auction prizes. The event’s special guest is David Waddington, director of the upcoming “In A Life Time,” a dramatised documentary on the life of legendary jockey, Darby McCarthy.
The annual raffle will be headlined by a $15,000 three-stone oval Ruby and Diamond Ring from Nicholas Haywood Jewellery. Other prizes in the raffle and silent auction include a William Inglis Hotel and Spa experience, MyRacehorse microshares, V8 Driving Experience, Bag Queen handbag, Camino Rose tanning pack, autographed Winx merchandise, etc.
Allpress stood down for day
Jockey Lisa Allpress was hospitalised after her mount Pretending (NZ) (Super Seth) fell after the winning post at Riccarton on Wednesday. Pretending ran third in the maiden race and was humanly euthanised for his injuries.
Lisa Allpress
First winner for Woodsford
New Zealand-based trainer Bridget Woodsford recorded her first win with Blue Bay (NZ) (Preferment {NZ}) on Wednesday on the Riccarton Synthetic. “She had a trial up north on (synthetic) and she had won, so I thought we would give her a go down here and see what she thinks of it,” she told Loveracing.nz.
“My partner (jockey Akshay Balloo's) uncle shares in the ownership as well as Vikash, who is a friend through Akshay. I have got two in work at the moment and I am really enjoying it. I am still working full-time, so I am enjoying working them around that.”
Keeneland September Yearling catalogue released
The 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale released its catalogue on Tuesday with 4,396 horses set to go through the ring over 12 sessions. The sale will be held Monday, Sept. 9 through Saturday, Sept. 21 in Lexington, KY.
"This time of year energizes Keeneland and our entire industry as we prepare to showcase an outstanding collection of quality yearlings and welcome many domestic and international horsemen and horsewomen to Lexington to participate in a vibrant marketplace unlike anything in the world," said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin.
Asfoora gets weight advantage for Nunthorpe
Trainer Henry Dwyer thinks his star mare Asfoora (Flying Artie) can reverse the placings on Big Evs (Blue Point {Ire}) in the G1 Nunthorpe thanks to a weight swing in her favour. “The six pounds is a fair bit to turn around,” Dwyer told racingpost.com referring to the difference between the two last time out when Big Evs won over Asfoora at Goodwood.
The Nunthorpe will be held on August 23.
US$230,000 for Helicity on Inglis Digital USA
New Mexico-based Pierre and Leslie Amestoy closed the one-horse flash sale hosted by Inglis Digital USA on Tuesday with a high bid of US$230,000 ($350,572) for Helicity (USA) (The Factor {USA}), a 2-year-old colt trained by Jack Sisterson. The colt will remain with Sisterson under the new ownership.
"We are delighted with the success achieved by Jack Sisterson and his partners," said Inglis Digital USA CEO Liza Hendriks. "The flash sale concept has proven to be a valuable model, enabling owners to capitalize on opportune moments for selling and offering buyers the ability to purchase horses that had previously been less accessible."
Chromosomal errors cause mares to slip
Chromosomal errors are a common cause of pregnancy loss in mares, researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVG), as part of a team from Cornell University, have discovered in a new study.
In humans, chromosomal errors are a common cause of miscarriage, accounting for up to 82 per cent of pregnancy loss. Due to the similarities between human and horse chromosomal structures and other pregnancy characteristics, this research supports the use of horses as a novel model organism to study miscarriage in women. The findings of this study mean it is possible to now account for potential causes in 60-70 per cent of equine early pregnancy loss–previously this figure was only around 20-30 per cent.
