Sethito announced for NZB Kiwi
Slot holder Waikato Thoroughbred Racing announced 3-year-old filly Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth) as their contender for the NZ$3.5 million NZB Kiwi slot race. Bred and raced by Waikato Stud, Sethito is trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott. “Waikato Stud are a sponsor of Waikato Thoroughbred Racing,” Waikato Thoroughbred Racing chief executive Andrew Castles told Loveracing.nz.
Sethito (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“They have got a proven history of breeding and racing some great horses, so it is wonderful to be able to do a deal and link with Waikato Stud and Garry Chittick. Wexford have got a wonderful team of 3-year-olds this year. They seem to have the whole team flying. It’s an extremely exciting time for them to have many irons in the fire and we are delighted that we have got a high-class filly racing for our members.”
Sethito has won two of her five starts including the G3 Bonecrusher Stakes two starts ago. Waikato Stud sold the Savabeel yearling half-brother to Sethito, Lot 337, on Monday for NZ$380,000 to Stephen Marsh Racing / Dylan Johnson Bloodstock.
Listed Australia Day Cup won by Tajanis
Chris Waller-trained last start winner 5-year-old gelding Tajanis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) won Monday’s Listed Australia Day Cup over 2400 metres at Warwick Farm by 0.68l from Phillips Stokes-trained Taramansour (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). The winner’s stablemate Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan) was third.
“He's a horse that is racing at the top of his game and is full of confidence,” Waller representative Zane Jones told Sky Racing Central.
“It was a masterful ride by James (McDonald) the other day to get the job done and he's really reacted well from that win. He was given another great ride by Zac (Lloyd) today. He was well-weighted today, but you still have to go out there and do it.
“It's a hot day and he got a little bit warm pre-race, but he's full of confidence and that showed in the finish.”
Go Racing NZ purchased Tajanis at the 2023 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale for 40,000 gns (AU$83,000) and his last two wins have netted him $192,000. All up, he has four wins from 16 starts with earnings over $290,000.
Australia (GB) is the sire of five Group 1 winners, and Tajanis is a half-brother to dual Listed winner Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel) with both out of stakes-placed winner Baheeja (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Baheeja is a daughter of Listed Doncaster Mile winner Hasty Words (Ire) (Polish Patriot {USA}).
Juvenile winner for Zoustar
Grafton’s Monday meeting opened with the Brett Cavanough trained 2-year-old filly Zumbo (Zoustar) winning on debut. Ridden by Ben Looker, she won by 1.03l from 2-year-old filly Destiny’s Pinnacle (Reward For Effort) and 2-year-old colt Exoflow (Exosphere).
Owned by Mrs L Cavanough, Zumbo is the second foal of stakes-placed winner Panna Cotta (Fastnet Rock), who is a half-sister to Group 3 winners Ducasse (Trapeze Artist) and Serene Majesty (Fastnet Rock) and Listed winner Curdled (All Too Hard). Lime Country Thoroughbreds will offer her half-sister by Home Affairs as Lot 507 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale next month.
Cavalry Girl for Millennium
Trainer Tom Dabernig will travel 2-year-old filly Cavalry Girl (Bivouac) to Sydney for her next start in the R. Listed Inglis Millenium on February 8. “She galloped the reverse way on the grass on Saturday and she went well. I was quite pleased with that gallop. She was very natural and did it easily,” Dabernig told racing.com.
Cavalry Girl | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“At this stage she will do it again on Tuesday and then she will head to Randwick on Wednesday. That way she can settle in and then she will have a gallop on the grass at Randwick on the Tuesday before the race.
“With a 2-year-old it’s a bit unknown how she will settle in with the travel. She seems to have a good appetite and is professional in everything she does. It’s not easy for Victorian horses to go to Sydney, but I think she’s the one who could.”
Mornington Glory to stay in Australia
Trainer Gavin Bedggood will aim Group 1 winner Mornington Glory (Shalaa {Ire}) at the G1 Lightning Stakes. “We did receive an invite to Dubai but, logistically, it’s been a bit of a nightmare, so we might go to the Lightning first-up and stay in Australia,” Bedggood told racing.com.
Mornington Glory | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I thought he trialled great (on Monday). You wouldn’t expect anything less. He’s normally a pretty fast horse in these jumpouts and he showed his customary speed and trailed accordingly. He’s still got condition on him, so he’ll definitely need another trial. Whether we go to Moe next Thursday or trial here in a fortnight’s time and that should top him off nicely.”
“You’ve got the Challenge Stakes three weeks after (the Lightning) in Sydney and then into the Galaxy. But we’ll just make a couple of plans and obviously there’s a few options for him.”
Massive weekend for Kelly
Jockey Alana Kelly won seven races from 11 rides over the weekend, four of them for trainer Tom Conlan and his partner Nicki McKechnie. “I’ve had a few big weekends in terms of getting city winners, but it’s definitely a feather in the cap to get that many winners in a couple of days,” Kelly told racing.com.
Alana Kelly | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“Obviously, I went into Great Western with a full book, but it turned out a lot better than I thought it would on paper – all four were really tough winners. Stepping into Sunday, Tom took the full team to Hanging Rock, and it really paid off. They’d all been going around in those sorts of grades, but Tom really planned it out for that meeting, and it worked out great.
“It’s terrific – I love Tom, I love Nicki, and they do such a great job with their small team. It’s great to play a part in their success.”
Another Wil to resume in G1 CF Orr
Ciaron Maher-trained Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}) had a jumpout on Monday and will resume in the G1 CF Orr Stakes. “We’re really pleased with where he’s at. He’s done something on the Monday leading into that (Orr Stakes) just on the bridle,” Maher’s assistant Jack Turnbull told racing.com.
“Weight’s good and he looks good and he was a head away from being a Group 1 winner last prep, so hopefully we can hit the ground running. We moved him up to the 1200-metre (jumpout) to get on better ground. He was heat one and Celine (Gaudray) came in and rode him and he put in a nice piece of work.
“He gives us every indication that he is a future Group 1 horse. But sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. Hopefully he remains sound and in the right head space. He’s one that loses weight at times, so we are mindful of that, but at this point of time, first-up, he’s in a reasonable spot and hopefully that holds into his prep.”
Back to reality for Hay
Trainer Rodney Hay went close to celebrating his greatest victory in a four-decade plus career during the recent Magic Millions carnival when the 3-year-old colt he owns, Barry Lockwood-trained Give Me Space (Cosmic Force) ran second to Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}) in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas. “I knew Give Me Space had just missed out and it was a difference of about $1.2 million in prizemoney for me,” Hay told racingqueensland.com.au.
Bosustow (white cap) holds off a charge from Give Me Space (pink cap) in the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“He just ran out of time in the Guineas and I just wished the race was at Eagle Farm as he gets back in his races.” Life is back to reality now with Hay taking two runners to Gatton on Tuesday, Hokkaido (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) and Johnny Utah (Power {GB}).
“Hokkaido probably wants further but he’s been freshened up as I’ve been away at the Magic Millions. (Johnny Utah) is first-up but he’s working good, and he’s only missed a cheque once for me.”
Around the Nation: Monday’s highlights
The public holiday on Monday had five meetings, with Victoria’s Geelong pushed to Tuesday to avoid the heat. Jockey Ben Looker rode a treble at Grafton on 2-year-old filly Zumba (Zoustar), 3-year-old filly Ocean Proud (GB) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), and Rothesay’s Ruby (Rothesay).
Warwick Farm saw an expensive double for I Am Invincible led by the breakthrough win of $2.5 million colt Railway Man (I Am Invincible) who was sold by Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to trainer Ciaron Maher. Peter Snowden-trained 3-year-old filly La Roja (I Am Invincible) won at her second start. Her first start was at two in the Listed Lonhro Plate. She was a $900,000 purchase at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from Newgate Farm by Peter Snowden and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA).
Bjorn Baker’s 3-year-old gelding Puntin (NZ) (Super Seth) took his unbeaten record to three at Warwick Farm. At Doomben, 3-year-old gelding Akermanis (Capitalist) won on debut, and over at Pinjarra, Peters Investment-owned 3-year-old filly Twilight Tale (Savabeel) achieved the same.
Bonny Lass retired
Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall’s Group 1-winning mare Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}) has been retired from racing. “She was a natural from day one. She won her first trial, she only had one, then she won her first start, and went straight into the Breeders’ Stakes and won that too,” Richardson told Loveracing.nz.
“The only two horses to have won Group races at two, three, four, five and six are her and Melody Belle. I couldn’t be prouder.
Bonny Lass (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“The BCD Sprint was absolutely the highlight, but her entire career was a highlight, she was just an unbelievable horse. She wasn’t always easy to ride, not nasty, but just very competitive and tried very hard.”
She retires with eight wins from 26 starts with earnings over NZ$770,000. She is one of seven stakes winners for Super Easy (NZ), and his only Group 1 winner to date. A sister to Listed-placed Clark Kent (NZ), Bonny Lass is out of stakes-placed winner Posh Bec (NZ) (Le Bec Fin {NZ}).
White Abarrio potentially to Saudi Cup next
White Abarrio (USA) (Race Day {USA}) remains under consideration for the February 22 G1 Saudi Cup, trainer Saffie Joseph confirmed Sunday, a day after the 6-year-old's runaway victory in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park.
“The ownership group is going to speak to each other and decide on what happens with (White) Abarrio,” Joseph said. “The Saudi Cup is possible.”
“In general, you win with Mystic Lake and you win with Be Your Best, that would be a great day in its own right. To have the story unfold with White Abarrio. It comes full circle and to end like that, it's almost like a movie. A dream, basically.”
Japan Derby hero returns with Group 2 win
Last year's Japanese Derby hero Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) kicked off his redemption tour with a 0.75l tally in the 2200-metre G2 American Jockey Club Cup at Nakayama on Sunday. He out-footed the stalking-turned-stretch leader Matenro Leo (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), with the closing Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}) only a nose back in third.
Shadai Stallion Station's Epiphaneia has sired 19 stakes winners, 16 at Group level. In addition to today's winner, he has six additional Group 1 scorers, among them the top-notch Efforia (Jpn) and Japanese Fillies Triple Crown winner Daring Tact (Jpn).
The colt, bought for ¥135,000,000 (AU$1.37 million) at the JRHA Select Sale as a yearling by Danox Company out of the Shadai Farm draft, is the fourth foal for G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and G1 Alcibiades Stakes runner-up Top Decile (USA) (Congrats {USA}). One of three winners for his dam, his latest half-siblings include the 3-year-old colt Brain True (Jpn) (Isla Bonita {Jpn}), a 2-year-old colt by Maurice (Jpn), and a yearling colt by Hot Rod Charlie (USA). She was covered by Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) last spring. Top Decile was purchased by Shadai Farm for US$950,000 (AU$1.5 million) carrying eventual winner Top The Bill (Jpn) (American Pharoah {USA}) out of the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
South African jockey hits rival with whip
South African jockey Gavin Lerena will face the stewards after appearing to hit jockey Jason Gates with the whip in the last 150 metres of a race. “I feel it is imperative to offer a formal statement to the racing community,” Lerena's statement read.
“What took place is entirely inconsistent with my character, and I deeply regret the incident. I extend my sincerest apologies to the owners and trainer of the horse, my sponsors, the racing fans, and the relevant race day authorities affected. I do want to clarify that my reaction followed encounters and actions from Mr. Gates.
“In any competitive sport, the instinctual response to a perceived threat, provocation, or aggression can lead to a reaction that, under normal circumstances, we would not exhibit. I acknowledge that my response has raised views and opinions. This sport of racing has a special place in my heart; I hold it in the highest regard and remain dedicated to contributing positively to its reputation.
“I aim to uphold the values that make racing truly exceptional. Regrettably, today's incident detracted from that commitment, and I am deeply remorseful for any disappointment caused to the punters, owners, trainer, fans, and officials.” A date for a hearing is yet to be set.
