Vale John Nicholson
Racing NSW announced the sad news that former Sydney Turf Club General Manager of Racing & Wagering, Mr John Nicholson who passed away on Monday morning following a long illness.
“John Nicholson was widely respected and admired right across the racing industry,” said Racing NSW’s Chief Executive, Mr Peter V’landys AM.
“John had a larrikin nature and was brilliant at his job and for decades John put his heart and soul into the betterment of Sydney racing. Upon retirement in 2017 we were lucky to have secured John as a highly valued member of our Appeal Panel. We pass on our sincere condolences to John’s wife Julie, his family and many friends.”
International Federation announce integrity handbook
Over 150 delegates from 40 different countries heard from key integrity leaders in racing and other major sports at the 58th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
Held in France at Saint-Cloud Racecourse, the 2024 conference was focused on upholding racing integrity, a key strategic point of the IFHA, and the overall programme examined items of key integrity threats and lessons from previous cases to determine how racing can utilise the most current approaches and techniques to protect the sport.
The conference included the official release of the IFHA Racing Integrity Handbook. “Integrity is the foundation on which our sport is built and therefore protecting integrity is essential for the credibility and popularity of our sport,” said IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
Purton scores Caulfield Cup ride
Hong Kong champion jockey Zac Purton will head to Australia to ride Chris Waller trained Land Legend (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Caulfield Cup, ten years after his last ride when he won on Admire Rakti (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}). “I was originally meant to ride him when James Ferguson took him down to Australia, but after taking the ride, we realised closer to the race he wasn’t going to get my weight,” Purton told scmp.com.
Zac Purton | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He goes down to Melbourne on the back of a nice win in the Metro. He does a few things wrong but he’s obviously a talented animal. He’s a little bit wayward so Caulfield might not suit him 100 per cent, but the bigger track at Flemington will. He’s improving with every run and Chris is very good at getting his horses to peak in the big races on the big day. Hopefully he can do that again with this fella.”
Chain Of Lightning retired
Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman have officially retired Group 1-winning mare Chain Of Lightning (Fighting Sun) after she was disappointing in her return this spring. Raced by Stuart Ramsey, she was sold for $2.5 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast in May and is now raced by Yulong. Winner of the G1 TJ Smith last autumn, she won eight of her 25 starts and over $2.1 million.
Waterhouse/Bott pair ready for Guineas
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained pair of Wanaruah (Snitzel) and Mayfair (Fastnet Rock) are on song for this Saturday’s G1 Caulfield Guineas. “We just worked him at Flemington - we thought that was enough for him,” Waterhouse told racing.com about Mayfair.
“He's travelled a lot of miles to come down (from Sydney) and he seems a happy chappy. He's a very good colt Mayfair and very underrated. He could easily take out the Guineas. He's a class individual.”
About Wanaruah, she said, “I think he'll do it (run 1600m) with his eyes shut. I think that's exactly what he's looking for. I think it (Guineas Prelude run) was outstanding. He was a horse that was stepped up in class and he didn't shirk his duty at all. He was very good.”
Broadsiding draws wide for Guineas
Favourite Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has drawn barrier nine in the 11-horse field of the G1 Caulfield Guineas, with James McDonald, already a three-time winner of the race and seeking his 100th career Group 1, retaining the ride.
Broadsiding | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Third declarations for Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup closed Tuesday
There were 33 third acceptors for the October 19 Caulfield Cup and 26 left in contention for the Cox Plate on October 26 at noon's deadline on Tuesday. Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) and Wanaruah (Snitzel) are the only 3-year-olds still in the Cox Plate at this point but late entries are still open until Monday at a fee of $200,000 for older horses and $100,000 for 3-year-olds.
Pride Of Jenni will miss Toorak
On Monday, the Ciaron Maher stable said they were keeping their options open with Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) with regards to the G1 Toorak or the G1 Might And Power, and on Tuesday declared to Racing Victoria stewards that she wouldn’t run in the Toorak. Connections appear more likely to stick to their original plan of running her in the G1 King Charles III S. at Randwick on October 19, before backing up into the G1 Cox Plate on October 26.
Pride Of Jenni | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Treble for Lane at Wangaratta
Jockey Damien Lane rode a treble on Tuesday at Wangaratta aboard Brulante (Epaulette), Pammukale (Impending), and Following Sea (Toronado {Ire}).
Damien Lane | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Kempsey treble for Rolls
Jockey Luke Rolls enjoyed a treble at Kempsey on Tuesday aboard Wicked Games (Snitzel), Hudson’s Lenny (Olympic Glory {Ire}), and Typhoon Neta (Last Typhoon).
Around The Nation: 3-year-old winners
Matt Laurie trained 3-year-old filly Brulante (Epaulette) opened the card at Wangaratta on Tuesday. The same meeting also saw wins by Charcoals (Too Darn Hot {GB}), and Captain Hilfiger (NZ) (Proisir).
Goulburn saw Saint Emilion (Snitzel), Fragrant Cloud (Xtravagant) and Dashing Rupert (Winning Rupert) all win, while the other NSW meeting at Kempsey saw only older horses win.
Lam in stable condition
Hong Kong Jockey Club trainee apprentice Ivy Lam is in a stable condition after being airlifted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital after a nasty fall at South Australia’s Gawler racecourse on Monday afternoon. “Lam has been sent to hospital where she is receiving immediate medical care,” the HKJC said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The club’s head of racing talent training and headmistress of the Apprentice Jockeys’ School, Amy Chan (Lim-chee), is travelling to Australia to offer all necessary support to Lam and her family.” Her ride Jacobs Gate (War) suffered a heart attack mid-race. Apprenticed to Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle, Lam has ridden 16 winners since beginning her career in Australia in January.
Kiwi stayer on target for Cup
Proven two-miler Mahrajaan (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}), trained by Shaun Ritchie and Colm Murray, will run in Saturday’s G2 Herbert Power S. at Caulfield. “He’s going to run in the Herbert Power (Group 2, 2400 metres) at Caulfield on Saturday and he’s probably not well weighted with 58kg, he’s got a bit more pudding than we would have liked,” Ritchie told Loveracing.nz.
“If he can perform well, then having a first Melbourne Cup runner would be fantastic and a great experience for myself and the owners. He’s an athletic sort of horse, clean-winded and he’s certainly in great spirits. I think his first two runs back in this time have been far superior to his earlier runs over shorter distances.” Mahrajaan has won both the two mile G2 Auckland Cup and G3 New Zealand Cup.
Riordan to ride for Te Akau
Liam Riordan heads to Ashburton on Saturday after being invited by trainer Mark Walker to ride for Te Akau in New Zealand this weekend. “I have ridden for Te Akau a few times in Melbourne, and I am good friends with Ben Gleeson (Cranbourne assistant trainer),” Riordan told Loveracing.nz.
Liam Riordan | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I pondered with the idea that if the opportunity arose, I would go over there (New Zealand) and ride a meeting. I just happened to run into Mark at the beach and I was talking with him and he asked me to ride five for him this week (at Ashburton). I have never ridden overseas and I am looking forward to it. I am flying in on Friday and I fly out on Sunday.”
Middle Park winner supplemented for Saturday’s Dewhurst
Middle Park winner Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is set to step up to seven furlongs for Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, having been supplemented by owners Godolphin at a cost of £35,000 (AU$68,000).
Trainer Charlie Appleby said of Shadow Of Light on X, “The current plan is for him to join Ancient Truth and run on Saturday. We are very pleased with what we have seen so far from him and feel that he has the potential to stretch out to seven furlongs.”
Arc fourth Sosie to return next year
Trainer Andre Fabre has confirmed that 3-year-old colt Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is set to continue his racing career in 2025 following his fourth-place finish in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, with the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot being identified as a likely destination next summer.
“All three are fine after the race,” the trainer summed up. “It was probably the ground which stopped Sosie. He lost his action at the end but he ran okay. We knew he might not like the ground. He will stay in training as a four-year-old and we'll concentrate on the big summer races such as the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the King George.
“Sevenna's Knight ran a good race, but I wasn't surprised because he likes soft ground. He was out the back but ran really well to get where he did. It was what I was expecting–he's a good horse. He is in the Prix Royal-Oak and if he's okay he will run. He'll be happier over that trip–we know he stays it well.”
He added, “Mqse De Sevigne's race was over at the start. She was drawn widest of all and lost too much ground. The race was over even before she was hampered. Both her and Continuous were at the back and as the pace was slow they had no chance.”
Ocala Yearlings Day 1
Yaupon (USA) continued a strong run for his first crop of yearlings in the sales ring Monday when Hip 78 cost US$75,000 (AU$111,000) to top the schedule-adjusted Day 1 of the Ocala Breeders' Sale October Yearling Sale.
On day one, 96 yearlings sold for US$1,658,700 (AU$2.3million) Monday with an average of US$17,278 (AU$25,000) and a median price of US$10,000 (AU$14,800). The session's top consigner was Kaizen Sales (Richard Kent) with 14 sold for US$274,200 (AU$407,000) while the top buyer was K.O.I.D. Co., Ltd. who purchased 6 yearlings for a total of US$124,000 (AU$184,000). 64 yearlings went unsold. The second and final session of the October Yearling Sale is on Tuesday.
HISA responds to latest court challenge
Horseracing and Safety Integrity Authority chief executive Lisa Lazarus on Monday sent a letter to Alan Foreman, the chairman of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA), warning THA members of “potentially significant disruptions” to the industry based on the HISA Authority's interpretation of legal strategies being pursued by the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA).
Lazarus wrote that the Authority “has been defending itself against claims of unconstitutionality in multiple courts, as the HBPA and others have filed suit after suit in an effort to find a court sympathetic to their arguments. That litigation has forced [the Authority] to spend millions of industry dollars to defend the programs Congress mandated.
“Every court has uniformly upheld the constitutionality of HISA's Federal Trade Commission (FTC)-approved rules, but the HBPA's strategy has led to a split among Circuit courts across the country on the enforcement of those rules. The Sixth and Eighth Circuit courts have ruled in HISA's favor while the Fifth Circuit (covering only the racing states of Texas and Louisiana) has ruled in favor of the HBPA.”
