Think About It retired
Proven Thoroughbreds and trainer Joseph Pride announced the retirement of 2023 The Everest winner Think About It (So You Think {NZ}) on Sunday morning. “He looks like he normally would after a race,” Pride told racenet.com.au.
Think About It | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It's quite astonishing because of what he has gone through, he went through a massive bleed and basically passed out and rolled. You would have thought he would do a bit more damage but thankfully he is okay. We are definitely going to retire him. Horses bleed and race again but the extent of this bleed was just too much.” Think About It won 11 of his 19 starts and over $12 million.
Juvenile Luva Flutter wins at the Sunshine Coast
Sunday’s Sunshine Coast meeting saw 2-year-old colt Luva Flutta (Spirit Of Boom) win the QTIS 2YO Maiden Plate over 1000 metres for trainer Stuart Kendrick and jockey James Orman by 2l from Donna Stanbridge trained 2-year-old filly Mishani Velocity (Kobayashi) with Belinda Mair trained 2-year-old filly Angel’s Triumph (Power {GB}) a further 4l back in third.
Third on debut on October 5, Luva Flutta was an $80,000 purchase by Kendrick Racing from Eureka Stud’s 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. He is the first winner from his sire’s eighth crop.
A full brother to juvenile Listed Bill Carter S. winner Perudo, Luva Flutta is one of seven winners for his winning dam Goodlookin Gambler (Johannesburg {USA}) who is a half-sister to G1 Emirates S. winner (in track record time) Scenic Peak (Scenic {Ire}).
Kheir keen to see Buckaroo in Melbourne Cup
Part-owner Ozzie Kheir is keen to see Buckaroo (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) run in the G1 Melbourne Cup. “With 54.5kg, he’s a horse running to his best each start and with such a strong foundation behind him, the Melbourne Cup is an ideal set-up and a little hard to resist,” Kheir told racing.com.
“He will have the best turn of foot in the race, and I think he deserves his shot at the ultimate glory. After speaking to Chris Waller and all the owners, including Qatar Bloodstock, the consensus is, we would regret not going.
“So, provided he pulls up well over the next three to four days and Chris is still happy to take that path, then it will be all systems go to the first Tuesday in November. I personally never questioned Buckaroo staying the 2400 metres and based on his run in the Caulfield Cup, it would be hard to say he doesn’t stay 3200 metres.”
Duke may back up at Moonee Valley
G1 Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) might run in Friday night’s G2 Moonee Valley Cup. “I don’t reckon he’ll run two miles,” Maher said of the decision to leave him out of the G1 Melbourne Cup entries.
Duke De Sessa (Ire) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“His target was the Caulfield Cup. He had the four 2000-metre runs leading into it. He got conditions to suit, as he thrives when he gets his toe in. He could go to The Valley on Friday, but we’ll just see how he is.” His other options are the G2 Zipping Classic at weight-for-age at Sandown on November 30 or go to the G1 Hong Kong Vase on international race day on December 8. Both are over the same distance as the Caulfield Cup.
Feroce ready for Derby Day
Trainer Dom Sutton confirmed that Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth), who fell just a half-head short of Private Life (Written Tycoon) in the G1 Caulfield Guineas, will head to the G3 Carbine Club S. on Victoria Derby Day at Flemington. “When he had that really soft first-up run (McNeil S.) it put into consideration he could have four runs for the prep,” Sutton told racing.com.
“He has just taken improvement each time, in the Prelude he had a lot of improvement to come coat-wise and he still had a little bit there on Saturday as well and that's really tightened him up. The way he's presenting now is almost bang on. I think the form has been pretty good out of the Guineas for horses without winning and then going on to the Carbine Club … you can't turn your head away for a $500,000 race.”
Coolmore on cards for Lofty Arch
Trainer Alex Rae won’t make a call, yet, on whether Saturday’s Listed winner Lofty Arch (Snitzel) will head to the G1 Coolmore Stud S. next. “We'll just continue to put the horse first. Obviously, we've got the Coolmore in a fortnight, but we don't want to be making up any numbers in a race like that,” he told racing.com.
“The owners have been very patient with him, but he's always shown a fair bit, so they've been pretty aggressive in the way they've wanted to place him and I’m fully on board with that. He's a top-quality colt and he’s going to be an even better horse in the autumn… we'll monitor him for the next 48 hours and do what's best for him.”
Lofty Arch | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Saturday’s Listed Gothic S. win was Rae’s first black type win as a trainer, and came at Lofty Arch’s third start. “You’re only as good as the people around you, so full credit to my staff, they work their backsides off. Especially my little brother Chuck, he’s my right-hand man, and things are enjoyable when you win a Stakes race on Caulfield Cup Day.
“We're really lucky at the moment. Getting support from (owners) Paul Lofitis and Todd Wilson is overwhelming sometimes.”
Barrier incident means no Cup for Red Aces
An incident in the barriers on Saturday meant 3-year-old colt Red Aces (Dundeel {NZ}) missed a crucial lead up run for the G1 Melbourne Cup, and so this year there will be no horses from the local Classic crop in the Cup. “He’s as good as gold,” trainer Nick Ryan told racing.com.
“I’ve just got him back from the beach and he’s got a little bit of skin off his hock, but it hasn’t swollen up and he’s moving well, so we’ll be going to the Vase next Saturday with the view to back-up the following week into the (Victoria) Derby.
“It was a bit of a speed hump yesterday, but it’s not the end of the world as he can go to the Vase and back-up in the Derby. That (Cup) was one option. We just left him in there as he’s a horse that will stay, but we’ll see him do that in the Derby.
“He’ll more than likely head to The Valley on Tuesday (breakfast with the best) ahead of the Vase.” Red Aces is a winner from four starts and was second in the Listed Super Impose S. prior to Saturday.
Kalgoorlie is the Peter Fernie show
Sunday’s Kalgoorlie’s meeting was dominated by the trainer-jockey combination of Peter Fernie and Lucy Fiore, who won four of the seven-race card, while Fernie also won two more races with jockey Troy Turner.
Fernie and Fiore won with No Whispering (Snippetson), 3-year-old gelding Jet Planes (Universal Ruler), 3-year-old gelding Please Mizter (War Chant {USA}) and Dublin Red (War Chant {USA}).
Troy Turner rode Fernie’s other two winners Zing To Win (Shooting To Win) and Dreamers Never Die (Nicconi). The only race Fernie, who trains at Kalgoorlie, didn’t win was won by Neil Dellar trained Lady Ducati (Ducimus) ridden by apprentice Amy Jo Hayes.
Four for Thurlow including a Cup
Trainer Bill Thurlow enjoyed four winners at Waverley on Sunday, capped off by Battle Secret (NZ) (Battle Paint {USA}) taking home the Waverley Cup. “He’s just one of those horses that needs to be rolling, so when he got out and going he was really good. Even though he got chased late, it was a very good effort and we’re just rapt with him,” Thurlow told Loveracing.nz.
Bill Thurlow | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
“We’ve got an amazing crowd here at Waverley, they’re still here enjoying the day and it’s been a brilliant day for racing.” His other winners were Crunchie Boy (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), The Big Picture (NZ) (Proisir), and Frank The Tank (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}).
Around The Nation: Sunday’s highlights
Nowra saw trainer Danny Williams 3-year-old gelding Chemtrail (Cosmic Force) won on debut to become his second season sire’s 16th winner. Bjorn Baker trained 3-year-old filly Miss Kim Kar (Pierata) won at the same meeting to give her sire his 15th winner.
At Horsham, Linda Meech rode a treble on King’s Valley (Ire) (Territories {Ire}), Cash Converter (Headwater), and Naval Academy (Justify {USA}). The last of the day was a rare dead heat between Valois (Under The Louvre) and Willmott (Pierro).
On the Sunshine Coast, 3-year-old filly Mishani Ego (Kobayashi) won her second start back at three, after being a solid juvenile last season with a win from seven starts including running in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Four for Sebring Sun in four days
Glenthorne Park Thoroughbreds are celebrating four winners in four days with their young sire Sebring Sun, who is a Listed winner and G1 Golden Rose-placed son of Sebring. His four winners have been 3-year-old gelding Acappella Nova who saluted at Doomben on Wednesday to make it two in succession with a career record of two wins from three starts, 4-year-old mare Mosgiel Daisy won her third career race when she won at Taree on Friday.
Sebring Sun | Standing at Glenthorne Park Thoroughbreds
On Saturday, 4-year-old mare One Kind won at Newcastle to take her record to five wins, while Acappella Moon won at Avoca.
Thoroughbreds Are Go returns
Caroline Searcy’s thoroughbred re-homing program Thoroughbreds Are Go returns to Australian TV screens this Monday night at 7.30pm AEDT on Sky Thoroughbred Central, Foxtel Channel 528.
Focussing on educating racing’s owners about the best way to find great homes for their thoroughbreds away from the racing and breeding industry and getting advice from equestrian experts about the best way to care for this incredible breed in their new lives, Thoroughbreds Are Go will run for five episodes through the Sydney and Melbourne Spring Racing Carnivals.
Another Te Akau debutant winner
Te Akau Racing’s winning form in the Central Districts continued at Waverley on Sunday, with promising 3-year-old Class (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}). “It was a lovely positive ride by Lily (Sutherland) and he’ll only get better as we step him up over more distance,” co-trainer Mark Walker told Loveracing.nz.
Class (NZ) | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
“He was bred out at the farm, so he’s had plenty of time to develop and it’s always great to see the horses bred at Te Akau Stud as weanlings, then yearlings, and train on to win the way he did.
“He may become the type once we get him up in trip, and with further maturity, that he could have a nice staying future.”
World Pool jockey prize won by Loughnane
Jockey Billy Loughnane won the inaugural UK & Ireland World Pool Jockeys' Championship and will donate his £50,000 (AU$97,000) cheque to The Christy Lambe Foundation, World Pool announced on Saturday.
Billy Loughnane (right) receives the cheque from Tote's Jordan Hopkins and will donate the £50,000 World Pool Jockeys' Championship prize to The Christy Lambe Foundation | Image courtesy of Ascot Racecourse
On top of the leaderboard with 187.05pts, Loughnane finished ahead of Oisin Murphy (97.25pts) in second, having triumphed on a number of outsiders through the World Pool season. “I'm very grateful to World Pool for this prize. It's a significant amount of money and I'm honoured to be able to donate it to The Christy Lambe Foundation,” he said.
