Key Golden Slipper lead ups on Saturday
Two key pathways to the $5 million G1 Golden Slipper Stakes will be run at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday. “We are just seven weeks out from the world’s richest race for two-year-olds and from Saturday right through will see owners and trainers living their dream of a life-changing moment in racing,” Australian Turf Club Head of Racing and Wagering, Nevesh Ramdhani told racingnsw.com.au.
Nevesh Ramdhani | Image courtesy of Gold Coast Turf Club
“Sydney’s biggest stables are well represented in both the fillies and colts races on Saturday as we watch the TAB Golden Slipper take further shape.” The $250,000 G3 Arrowfield Canonbury Stakes and $250,000 G3 Widden Stakes offer 2-year-olds crucial prizemoney towards the Order Of Entry for the TAB Golden Slipper in March.
New COO for Racing South Australia
Ryan Stanaway has been appointed Racing SA’s new Chief Operating Officer and will start in the role in late February. Stanaway is relocating from Victoria where he’s spent the past four years at Entain Australia – most recently as General Manager of Ownership and Participation, and before that the GM of Commercial Development.
“My number one passion is thoroughbreds so the job at Racing SA was a great opportunity to align myself with the code that I love,” Stanaway told racingsa.com.au.
Ryan Stanaway | Image courtesy of Racing SA
“For the best part of 15 years I’ve had various experience across the industry with wagering operators - at PRA level and at club level - but fundamentally my first passion is thoroughbreds, and I think Racing SA is in terrific shape with what the organisation has been able to achieve in delivering key elements of the strategic plan in recent times.
“Those foundation pillars are falling into place regarding prize money boosts, industry sponsorship and the recent purchase of land at Strathalbyn. The foundations are well established and moving in the right direction and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
NSW to remove gambling ads from public transport
The Minns Government has moved to ban gambling advertising on public transport in NSW. “Gambling advertising has been a common sight on our public transport for a couple of years now, and I’m pleased our Government is taking action to remove it. Parents are rightly worried about the impact it has on their kids, so its not something that we think that needs to be on our transport network,” Minister for Transport Jo Haylen told nsw.gov.au.
“With over 3,500 buses, close to 800 advertising assets at train stations, as well as advertising on light rail and trains, Transport’s advertising contracts are vast. Because of the scale it will take some time to implement this change, but we will be working closely with our contract partners over the next 12 months to get this done.”
Exciting juvenile to debut on Thursday
Trainer Cassandra Stummer is confident 2-year-old filly Lighthouse Lass (Capitalist) can put her best foot forward when she debuts at Scone on Thursday. She was set to debut in the Gimcrack Stakes but missed the field. “John Ramsey owns her and we do a fair bit of work for John, we nearly take all his babies through and educate them,” Stummer told racingnsw.com.au.
“She is quite a big horse; she is very leggy and has improved a lot between preparations. We had her nominated for the Gimcrack and she didn’t get a run she was an emergency. So we tipped her out and it has probably helped her develop.”
Big names target Queensland Winter carnival
Two Melbourne Cup winners, Knight’s Choice (Extreme Choice) and Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), are targeting the Q22, while Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) are also headed north for the Queensland winter carnival. “For a period, Queensland hung its hat on being the carnival that tended to unearth the next wave of racing stars,” Brisbane Racing Club CEO Karl deKroo told racenet.com.au.
“But increasingly many of the best trainers and stables from across the country are recognising that bringing their top line horses to Queensland in winter not only allows them to compete for very handy prize money here, it also sets them up for The Everest, Cox Plate or Melbourne Cup campaigns a few months later.
Gallery: Big name horses that is targeting the Queensland Winter carnival
“The rise of the Doomben 10,000 to 22nd in the recently released 2024 Longines World's Top 100 Group 1 Races rankings is a prime example of how our carnival has benefited. It is now one of the world's elite sprint races and it provides a great opportunity for racing fans in Queensland and interstate to come and experience top class racing and everything our carnival has to offer.”
Robert Sangster for Asfoora
Trainer Henry Dwyer will set globe-travelling mare Asfoora (Flying Artie) for the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes. “She was heading to the Lightning Stakes but we've just had a little bit of a setback with her, nothing major, but just enough to have to pivot a little bit,” Dwyer told racenet.com.au.
Asfoora | Image courtesy of The Image is Everything
“We've backed off her and sent her to the beach for a couple of weeks, we'll bring her back into work in 2-3 weeks time and look to take her to Adelaide all being well. The Sangster is weight-for-age so she'll be on level weights with her own sex, she'll obviously be the highest rated runner in the race but she won't be giving away any weight.
“1200 metres has always been a bit of a concern with her, she's best suited to 1000-1100 metres, but I just thought if she's ever going to get 1200 metres it would be against her own sex.”
Wrote heads back to Sandown
Trainer Matthew Williams hopes history can repeat when the G3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes is run at Sandown on Saturday. The last time the race was at Sandown Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) won, and she heads there again. “I'm pretty happy with how she has prepped up. We did a couple of things a little bit different,” Williams told racing.com.
Wrote To Arataki (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image is Everything
“She did some pre-training down at Balnarring Beach - had a bit of a working holiday down there with Cheryl Weller - and she came back from that in good order. She has galloped well and in her trial the other day, I thought that was probably better than how she trialled up in the preparation before.” She hasn’t won since October 2023.
Te Akau’s Quintessa resumes
Te Akau Racing’s Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) resumes in the G3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes at Sandown on Saturday. “She normally goes well fresh … then she ran on wet tracks and it derailed the campaign, but she's going well,” co-trainer Mark Walker told racing.com.
“Most mares as a general rule are better in the autumn and I think that will be the case.”
Around the Nation: Wednesday’s highlights
With Ascot abandoned, there were four race meetings on Wednesday in Australia. Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson trained 4-year-old mare Our Queen (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) made it two from two with a win at Sandown.
From France to Singapore to Queensland
Internationally-renowned jockey Ryan Curatolo moved to Queensland when Singapore ended for a three-month test period but is now open to staying for the remainder of 2025. “I really love it here,” Curatolo told racingqueensland.com.au.
Curatolo – who hails from France – has ridden across the globe, gaining experience in the United States, Macau, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Qatar, winning the 2018 Qatar Derby.
Ryan Curatolo | Image courtesy of Ryan Curatolo
“The racing is good, so far so good. We are just trying to get some business going, that is the main thing. It has gone even better than what I thought it would. It is a good jockey colony here, they are sharp, tactical and strong. It is good to ride with good riders as they know what they are doing around them.”
“I was riding everything for Tim Fitzsimmons in Singapore, they kept telling me I should try Australia as my weight is good. They said the racing style would be suitable for me, as well. I ride patient and they thought it would suit me. They thought I ride Australian style so I thought it was a good idea. I received a call from (former Queensland Racing Integrity Commission chief steward) Peter Chadwick who recommended me to go and we spoke and I wanted to give it a try.”
Bunbury Cup dreams for Witten
Trainer Robert Witten will finally have a runner in the Bunbury Cup on March 8, after spending 60 years watching the race. “I think I was about six months when I went to my first Bunbury Cup in a pram,” Witten told racingwa.com.au.
“I’ve been to lots of them, it's been nearly 60 years, so it would be nice to win one. They don’t hand them out on a plate, you have to work pretty hard to win them. It’s a nice race and wouldn’t it be nice to win it.”
He has set homebred Fly With Caution (Galah) for the race and the 4-year-old gelding resumes on Saturday at Ascot.
Orchestral to G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes next
Dual Group 1 winner Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) will have a crack at the G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes next. “It was great to see her back at her best, especially in a big race like that. It was a huge thrill,” co-trainer Robert Wellwood, who trains with Roger James, told Loveracing.nz.
“She seems to have come through the run really well, we’re yet to make a firm decision but more than likely she’ll go to the Herbie Dyke.” She won the Listed Aotearoa Classic last start.
Orchestral (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
The PRA reverses decision to boycott interviews
The Professional Racing Association (PRA), which claims to represent around 170 trainers in Britain, has reversed its call for its members to refuse television interviews during the race meeting at Sandown on Saturday.
A statement released on Tuesday read, “The PRA has decided to call off the withdrawal of trainer interviews this Saturday to avoid further public conflict between two organisations that are fundamentally aligned.”
Two Old Friends euthanised due to old age
Intidab (USA) (Phone Trick {USA}) and Kayrawan (USA) (Mr. Prospector {USA}), both graded-stakes winning stallions previously owned by Shadwell Farm, were euthanized due to the infirmities of old age, Old Friends announced Tuesday. Intidab was euthanized at the age of 32 on January 23 while Kayrawan was euthanized at the age of 33 on January 25.
The stallions came to Old Friends following the death of Shadwell Farm's founder, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in March of 2021.
“Our Old Friends family is saddened to lose these two Shadwell stallions,” said Old Friends CEO and President John Nicholson. “So many of us had grown exceedingly fond of Intidab and Kayrawan, both of whom led accomplished and well-traveled lives. In their final chapter, they were friendly and engaging ambassadors for Old Friends as well as for Shadwell Farm. Their last years were shining examples of responsible Thoroughbred ownership and aftercare.”
