Black Caviar’s final foal dies
The connections of Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), who was humanely euthanised on Saturday morning after a short battle with laminitis, confirmed the final foal, a Snitzel colt, of the unbeaten mare has also died. “The owners are saddened to advise that Black Caviar's foal, a colt sired by Snitzel, passed away last night,” the statement said on Monday.
Black Caviar | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He received around-the-clock, world-class veterinary care, but unfortunately could not be saved. The ownership group would like to thank the entire veterinary team who dedicated their time and efforts to caring for Black Caviar and her colt. The ownership group would also like to acknowledge and thank the Australian public and the racing public globally for the many tributes to Black Caviar. She was much loved and admired.”
Mark Twain out of the Melbourne Cup
Mark Twain (NZ) (Shocking), New Zealand’s leading hope for this year’s G1 Melbourne Cup, has been ruled out of spring racing with a tendon strain. “He has suffered a setback, he has got a slight tendon strain,” co-trainer Roger James told Loveracing.nz.
Roger James | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“He presumably did it when working on Saturday morning. He will probably be off the scene for some time. To rehabilitate 100 per cent from a tendon strain he probably wouldn’t be seen in public for 12 months. It is gutting for the stable and all of his connections as well.”
Mark Twain was bred by Taikorea Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by an OTI syndicate.
Maskiell hospitalised after Pakenham incident
Jockey Jason Maskiell has been transported to hospital after an incident in the mounting yard prior to Race 1 at Pakenham Synthetic on Monday. The 34-year-old was reported by racing.com to be conscious after the incident but will undergo precautionary scans. Maskiell’s mount Japanese Whisper (Bon Hoffa) was scratched.
Hell Of A Lad wins at Scone
Kris Lees trained 3-year-old gelding Hell Of A Lad (Hellbent) won at Scone on Monday to take his record to a win and a placing from three starts. Ridden by Christian Reith, he won by 1.8l from 3-year-old filly Inevitable Truth (Fastnet Rock) and 3-year-old filly Stratafy (Stratum Star).
Hell Of A Lad | Image courtesy of Scone Race Club
Trio of 3-year-olds win at Pakenham
Lindsay Park have a nice 3-year-old gelding in Si Si Milano (Yes Yes Yes) who took his record to two wins from three starts with a strong 1.75l win at Pakenham on Monday. Fourth on debut at two, both his wins have come this season. He is one of five winners for his second-season sire.
Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained 3-year-old gelding Cosmic Coco (Cosmic Force) won at his second start, having run fourth on debut at the same track previously. He is one of 11 winners for his second season sire.
Anthony and Sam Freedman trained 3-year-old gelding Thiem (Grunt {NZ}) won on debut by a slim 0.06l for jockey Beau Mertens.
Treble for Shinn at Pakenham
Jockey Blake Shinn rode a treble at Pakenham on Monday, aboard Sparkle Link (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), Jack Rabbit (Dundeel {NZ}), and Si Si Milano (Yes Yes Yes).
Big Dance ticket on offer in Goulburn Cup
Wagga trainer Gary Colvin is hoping he can finally snare a ticket to the Big Dance when his million-dollar galloper Another One (Super One) tackles the Goulburn Cup first-up on Sunday. “We’re very happy with him and he’s definitely heading to the Goulburn Cup,” Colvin told racingnsw.com.au.
Another One | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He’s a horse that has always been leggy but has strengthened up this time. Nick Heywood is booked to ride him at Goulburn, but it just depends on what weight the horse gets as Nick struggles to ride under 57kg.” Another One has won nine of his 29 starts and over $1 million.
Broome booms for Cup week
Thousands of racing enthusiasts have flooded to Broome for one of Western Australia's most iconic weeks of racing. Broome business owners are expecting an influx of visitors for Tuesday’s TABtouch Broome Sprint at the Broome Turf Club and Saturday’s $100,000 Broome Cup.
“Racing in the Kimberley makes a significant economic contribution, generating about $22.9 million for the WA economy annually,” Racing and Wagering Western Australia CEO Ian Edwards told racingwa.com.au. “The Broome Cup is the highlight of the Kimberley racing calendar and brings the community together, offering a chance for people to connect and enjoy a day at the races.”
Murrulla welcomes first foal from Ellsberg
Exciting times are ahead for Tim and Celine Nolan’s Murrulla Stud, as the operation welcomed the first foal from its resident stallion, Ellsberg, on Monday. The filly is the fifth foal from the Adam mare, Adamantic.
Ellsberg x Adamantic (filly) | Born at Murulla Stud
Ellsberg, who won the G1 Epsom H., the G3 Festival S., the G3 Liverpool City Cup, and the Listed South Pacific Classic, is standing for the 2024 breeding season at a fee of $9900 inc GST.
Tim Nolan told TTR AusNZ, “We’re thrilled with the first foal from Ellsberg. He is a stunning specimen, and I encourage anybody to contact me and inspect him in the flesh - you won’t be disappointed. Ellsberg is standing this season at $9900 (inc GST), and we’re really looking forward to welcoming more of his foals this spring.
Archaic Smile ready to resume on Wednesday
Archaic Smile (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) held her own among the top juveniles last season and she will kick-off an exciting spring 3-year-old campaign in the Taupō Pak ’N’ Save 3YO Fillies on Wednesday. "She showed early talent and is a very tough, genuine filly. We had no soundness issues with her through her 2-year-old season, she just seemed to hold her condition and enjoy her racing,” trainer Tony Pike told Loveracing.nz
Archaic Smile | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
“This is the lead into the Gold Trail S. so she’s definitely not at peak fitness, but she’s drawn a nice gate (1), and all of these fillies are in a similar boat. Hopefully the track’s not too bad, I think she’ll run nicely and head through the 3-year-old fillies series through the spring and should be competitive.”
Group 1 dreams for Northland Breeders S. winner
The Oaks Stud is hoping Ruakaka’s feature 3-year-old event, the G3 Northland Breeders S. won by the colt So Naive (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) on Saturday, can again provide a springboard to elite-level success, especially for his sire who they stand. “The Breeders’ S. has been a good race for us with Catalyst winning it and he went on to greater things so we’re hoping this horse can keep improving and win a big race,” The Oaks General Manager Rick Williams told Loveracing.nz on Monday.
So Naive (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“Every stallion needs a big horse, but it’s a sticky time and, talking with other studmasters, it is very quiet apart from the obvious horses. The numbers being bred is the biggest problem so we need all the good results we can get, and I will have a good draft of U S Navy Flag’s going to the yearling sales. Thirteen out of the 14 sold earlier this year and they sold very well.”
So Naïve is owned by Able International Ltd and was a NZ$37,500 yearling purchase by Wallace Bloodstock from Kilgravin Lodge at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Whistlejacket gains Group 1 win
Ballydoyle's 2-year-old colt Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) was in front where it mattered to master his peers in Sunday's stallion-making G1 Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville. Last start he was second in the G1 Phoenix S. and has a record of three wins and two seconds from six starts.
“He's a very fast horse and Ryan felt that maybe things didn't go perfectly for him last week,” Aidan O'Brien said of the winner, who gains an automatic berth in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. “Because he is so fast and so precocious, we thought he could do both races in a week but it's a tough thing to do. Speed is his big thing–he'll probably go to the Middle Park now and then to the Breeders' Cup.”
Whistlejacket has now emulated his full brother Little Big Bear (Ire) in winning at the top-level at two, having just missed out in the Phoenix that his high-class sibling dominated two years ago. He is the latest of nine foals produced by the Listed Prix de Liancourt winner and G3 Prix Cleopatre runner-up Adventure Seeker (Fr) (Bering {GB}), a half-sister to the G3 Princess Margaret S. third Along Again (Ire) (Elusive City {USA}) and granddaughter of the legendary All Along (Fr) (Targowice {USA}).
Fifth Group 1 win for Mqse De Sevigne
Undefeated in three prior starts this term, Baron Edouard de Rothschild's star distaffer Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) registered back-to-back wins in last month's G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville and repeated the dose with a battling performance to defend her title in Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet back at the Normandy venue.
“Everything has been said about this mare and, at the age of five, she is still at the top of her game,” Rothschild said. “It is a remarkable feat to win the Rothschild and Romanet two years in a row. We never made it a mystery that the G1 Prix de l' Arc de Triomphe is the target and that was her last run before October.”
Mqse de Sevigne is the ninth of 10 foals, and one of six scorers produced by Listed Prix de Thiberville and Listed Prix Occitanie runner-up Penne (Fr) (Sevres Rose {Ire}), herself a half-sister to the dam of Listed Prix de la Californie and Listed Prix Omnium II victor Gris Tendre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}).
Friendly Soul adds another Group win
Firmly back on track following her blip in the Musidora, George Strawbridge's 3-year-old filly Friendly Soul (GB) (Kingman {GB}) backed up her latest win in Ascot's G3 Valiant S. with another in Sunday's G2 Sumbe Prix Alec Head at Deauville. She has won four of her five starts.
“She's a very good filly with only one blot on her copybook, but we rode her wrong that day and she likes to use her stride and doesn't like being restrained,” John Gosden said. “That tacky ground is not to her liking, but she's done it well. The Opera if the ground is like last year would be an option, but not if it is tres souple.”
Friendly Soul is the latest success story out of the G3 Prix de Flore winner In Clover, who produced a trio of Group 1 winners in Dansili's With You (GB) and We Are (Ire) and Call The Wind (GB) by Frankel (GB). With You captured the Prix Rothschild, We Are the Prix de l'Opera and Call The Wind the Prix du Cadran, while the dam's three other black-type performers are headed by the dual listed scorer and G3 Prix de Lieurey-placed Dream Clover (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Another of her listed winners Incahoots (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in turn produced Frankel's G1 Prix de la Foret and G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Kelina (Ire).
Rich Strike injured again, retirement likely
As first reported by Horse Racing Nation, 80-1 G1 Kentucky Derby shocker Rich Strike (USA) (Keen Ice {USA}) has suffered another setback due to an injury sustained during a training session in New York. “I'll know exactly what I'm going to do in 60 days,” owner Rick Dawson told HRN. “I would say we're 99 per cent - at this point - probably moving to retirement and trying to work out some kind of stallion deal for him.”
