Tributes for Peta Tait from across racing
Tributes for Busuttin Racing’s employee Peta Tait, who died in an accident at Cranbourne on Tuesday morning, have flowed from across racing. “At this time our thoughts are with those nearest and dearest to Peta, her immediate family and many friends,” co-trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young said in a statement.
“Peta was an incredible person who was dedicated to her role and will leave a longstanding legacy. We are heartbroken by her loss.”
Racing Victoria released an official statement, saying, “It is with great sadness that Racing Victoria and Southside Racing acknowledge the passing of registered stable employee Peta Tait as a result of injuries sustained in an accident at the Cranbourne Training Centre yesterday morning. Peta sustained a fatal injury having been injured by a horse while working at the stables of her employer. The 43-year-old was immediately attended to by the on-site paramedic but was tragically unable to be saved. Victoria Police attended the site and will prepare a report for the coroner. WorkSafe also attended and are investigating the circumstances of the accident.
“She forged a career as a picnic jockey, whilst working full-time as a trackwork rider and assistant for a number of trainers at Cranbourne and throughout Gippsland. Peta was licensed as a picnic jockey from 1998 to 2019, riding 48 winners, including the 2013 Hinnomunjie Cup aboard Gaudalcanal, and over 120 placegetters in that time. She enjoyed an incredible end to her amateur race-riding career when she won the annual picnic feature, the Cranbourne Corinthian (1200m), on Unruly Student at her final race ride on 11 October, 2019.
“Peta has been registered as a stable employee with RV since 2006, playing a key role in the training and education of horses in her capacity as a trackwork rider. She was also a regular feature at race meetings strapping horses for numerous stables.”
Tighe’s chance at a second Guineas
Peter Tighe, part-owner of Champion mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), has a chance to win a second G3 Winx Guineas on Saturday with Mister Bianco (Zousain). “He's in Arizona, he's having a month over there,” trainer Paul Shailer told racenet.com.au.
“He's having a good time, although he told me it's about 44C over there. The Winx movie is on over there later this month so he'll be going to the screening of that. He hasn't had a runner (in the Winx Guineas) since Winx so there's a bit of romance to the story.”
Mister Bianco | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“(Mister Bianco) is just a horse that lacks confidence and you've got to go with him and trick him into thinking that he's in control. The more you fight him, he just gets aggressive and resents it, so he always needs a rider with lovely quiet hands. Andrew (Mallyon), Michael (Rodd) and Ryan (Maloney) are those sort of riders and they really suit him.” Maloney will ride as Rodd and Mallyon are unavailable.
Strong book for Wilson-Taylor
Jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor has a strong book of rides on Saturday, pairing with Stuart Kendrick-trained pair of Italian Riviera (Shalaa {Ire}) in the G3 Winx Guineas and Redford (Snitzel) in the Listed Glasshouse, a race Wilson-Taylor won last year. He also rides Annabel and Rob Archibald stayer Hopeful (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in the Listed Caloundra Cup. “I was fortunate enough to win the Glasshouse last year, so I'd like to either win that again or hopefully a Cup,” Wilson-Taylor told racenet.com.au.
Kyle Wilson-Taylor | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“Hopeful … he was really good in stakes company last start in Sydney. Obviously the favourite Bear On The Loose is $4 and we're something like 15-1, so we're good value and you're certainly going to get a good run for your money if you follow that horse, that's for sure.”
And on the Guineas, “Stu is obviously my biggest supporter so it would be good to win a Winx Guineas for him – and I think he's got the right horse to do it. His horses excel here on this track and Italian Riviera, he's been going terrific. On quality, it's probably not the best edition of the Winx Guineas so it certainly puts us right there I think.”
Dunn looks towards biggest payday
Beaudesert trainer Jeff Dunn will have his biggest pay day to date since he began training in 2018/19 if last start Listed Eye Liner Stakes-second 5-year-old gelding Sha Of Gomer (Shalaa {Ire}) wins the $100,000 Rockhampton Newmarket on Friday. “The Eye Liner was my first stakes placing. He looked like he was going to win the Eye Liner halfway down the straight, but he just got caught,” Dunn told racingqueensland.com.au.
Jeff Dunn | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“He was previously with Chris Waller and we bought him for around $30,000 and he’s only had four runs for me so far. Dropping back to 1300 metres should really suit him and he’s got a great turn of foot. The big 600 metre straight should suit him, as well. I’ve never had a runner at Rocky so I’m loading the truck and sending six up including Cosmic Beauty in the Cup and we’re hoping to win the $20,000 trainer’s bonus.”
Shinn back from next week
The Melbourne Jockey’s Premiership leader Blake Shinn will return to the track next Wednesday after a long break with bone bruising in his foot. He has an 8-win lead in the title. “Following consultation with Dr Ben Barassi of Racing Victoria, I'm pleased to announce that I've received medical clearance to return to trackwork and trials,” Shinn said on social media.
Blake Shinn | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I then plan to return to race riding on Wednesday July 9th at Sandown. Since sustaining my injury, I've committed fully to the rehabilitation process. This dedication has allowed me to return ahead of schedule, something I'm genuinely excited about. This time away has also allowed me to have an impromptu holiday, which has ultimately given me the mental and physical break my body needed.
“Thank you to everyone who has sent messages of support and well wishes during this time. I'm now looking forward to getting back in the saddle and finishing the season strong.”
Special Artist wins at Eagle Farm
Wednesday’s Eagle Farm meeting opened with the victory by Rob Heathcote-trained 2-year-old gelding Special Artist (Trapeze Artist), who had run second on debut in June. Ridden by Robbie Dolan, he won by 0.15l.
Passed in as a yearling, Special Artist is the fourth foal and first winner for Brown For Sale (Arg) (Big Brown {USA}), a winning half-sister to Group 1 winners Blue Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize {USA}) and Blue Stripe (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}).
Sweet Hesitation wins at Eagle Farm
Dubious 2-year-old filly Sweet Hesitation won the second on the card at Eagle Farm. Trained by Mark Currie, she was having her second start, having run second on debut back in February. Sold twice, first as a weanling by Twin Hills Stud for $5000 at the Inglis Great Southern Sale to R Wise and D Hannel, Sweet Hesitation was taken to the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale by RobynWise, where she sold to her trainer for $50,000.
One of 35 winners for second crop sire Dubious, Sweet Hesitation is a half-sister to Listed winner Je Suis Belle (Bel Esprit), out of Licorice Stick (Lonhro). Lonhro also had a winner at the meeting as a sire with Miss Personality, a half-sister to this season’s Listed juvenile winner To Cap It All (Capitalist).
Busy juvenile filly breaks through in WA
Simon Miller-trained 2-year-old filly Buckled (Hellbent) won her maiden on Wednesday at Northam at her sixth start this season. Placed in one of two starts before Christmas, she returned to the races in May after a long break to record four starts this time in.
Buckled is the third foal and first winner for Queen Bey (Blackfriars) who won five times, including three in Perth.
Silver Cliff makes it two city wins
Trainer Patrick Ryan Jnr’s 4-year-old mare Silver Cliff (Nicconi) made it two in a row when winning at Sandown on Wednesday. “I was surprised to see her lead. I said to Jordyn, 'Maybe just try and slot behind a fast tempo', but she was going to be posted,” Ryan Jnr said.
“So, she used her a little bit to get to the front, but she's in a real rich vein of form and, as we know, when the mares hit that form… When the rain came, I was surprised she didn't shorten because she probably should be unbeaten on the Heavy.” Silver Cliff now has four wins from 15 starts and earnings over $117,000.
Galileo (Ire) sired a double at Sandown with 4-year-old mare Sound It Out (Ire) and 5-year-old gelding Galileus (Ire).
Winter Cup plans for Tyler
Trainer Kelvin Tyler will run his three G3 Winter Cup hopefuls Albatross (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), Master Marko (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) and King Of The Castle (NZ) (Castledale {Ire}) in Thursday’s Winter Cup Trial at Ashburton. “I thought it was a great effort. Albatross really had no excuse as the winner had quite a bit of weight to carry and beat us fair and square,” Tyler told Loveracing.nz.
Kelvin Tyler | Image courtesy of Race Images
“She’s come through that really well, hopefully the track is nice and loose which she would appreciate, and I’d expect another good run really. Master Marko had about three weeks off after his last run, he’s come through the break well and he’ll have a good hit out before going to the Oamaru Cup and on to the Winter Cup. King Of The Castle is in the same boat.”
The G3 Winter Cup is run on August 2 at Riccarton.
Light Years Charm set for group racing next season
After making it a hat-trick of wins on Tuesday night at Sha Tin when winning the Reunification Cup, Light Years Charm (Rubick) will be set for group assignments next season by trainer David Eustace. “He doesn’t do it the easy way but he just travels so well in his races and he’s able to quicken off it,” Eustace told scmp.com.
“To come from close to last – the second horse has obviously run very well with no weight – and do it carrying a bit more weight today against what I thought was a very strong field was a really good effort. We’ll put him away now. It really does look like 1400 metres is his trip. I know he gets back and runs on but he doesn’t actually really look like he wants a mile. There’s really no need to change it now.
“There is (the G3 Celebration Cup) at the end of September, which looks like the logical kick-off point. We’ll hope that he pulls up well, give him a break and plan for next season.”
Orman achieves first Hong Kong double
Jockey James Orman rode a double at Sha Tin on Tuesday night aboard Wonderstar (Starspangledbanner) and Pakistan Legacy (Epaulette) to record his best night in Hong Kong. “First double – pinching myself really. It’s a good thrill to build a bit of momentum. Hopefully I can keep it rolling,” Orman told scmp.com.
Rare treble for Manfred Man
Trainer Manfred Man enjoyed a rare treble at Sha Tin on Tuesday night, led by Ellis Wong riding We Are Hero (Headwater) to record Wong’s 50th win in Hong Kong. Man’s other two winners were Pearl Of Pang’s (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Yuen Long Elite (Grunt {NZ}).
“Three winners for me is a big day. I think I can break my record,” Man told scmp.com. Man has 43 wins for the season, one short of his personal best.
Night Of Thunder leads Championship
Night Of Thunder (Ire) currently sits at the top of the sire rankings for Britain and Ireland and, in a year in which he has already been represented by a first Classic winner in Desert Flower (Ire), his position could well be strengthened after Saturday with two other star performers lining up at Sandown and Haydock.
Coral's sponsorship of the Eclipse Stakes reaches its 50th anniversary this year and the Group 1 contest, which has a roll of honour including such great names as Mill Reef (GB), Sadler's Wells (USA), Giant's Causeway (USA) and Enable (GB), has a total prize fund of £1 million for the first time. Godolphin's Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Ombudsman (Ire) is currently the short-priced favourite to claim the £567,100 on offer to the winner.
Night Of Thunder (Ire) | Standing at Darley
Up at Haydock, Ombudsman's fellow Night Of Thunder 4-year-old, Estrange (Ire), will line up in the G2 Lancashire Oaks for Cheveley Park Stud as she continues her climb towards the top level. Her most recent victory came at the same track in the G3 Lester Piggott Fillies' Stakes.
OTI purchase top flat horse at Arqana Summer day 1
Juveniles for both codes were the order of the day as the Arqana Summer Sale began its three-day run in Deauville on Tuesday. It was the young jumps horses who held sway over their Flat counterparts with Ironhorse Has selling for €180,000 (AU$323,000).
The breeze-up section which opened the sale was led by Knockanglass Stables' Sea The Stars (Ire) colt out of the Italian Listed winner Bridge Royal Game (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), who sold for €80,000 (AU$143,000) to Royal Ascot-winning owner OTI Racing with Hubie de Burgh.
A much improved clearance rate of 79.4 per cent saw 162 of the 204 lots offered find a buyer from a session in which 51 fewer horses passed through the ring compared to last year. The tightening of numbers clearly helped as the day's aggregate was up by 3.5 per cent at €5.6 million (AU$10 million) and the average rose by 2.8 per cent to €34,099 (AU$61,000).
The Summer Sale continues over the next two days with horses in training followed by broodmare prospects and in-foal mares.
Kevin Philippart de Foy will train for Amo Racing
Kevin Philippart de Foy has been appointed by Amo Racing to be the retained trainer at the operation's Freemason Lodge.
The Belgian-born Philippart de Foy started his career in Newmarket in 2020 and has trained just shy of 200 winners on the Flat in Britain in the interim. He celebrated his best season in 2023 when his stable had 61 winners and won over £860,000 in prize-money. Philippart de Foy's appointment will see Raphael Freire, who has been training the Amo Racing horses at Sir Michael Stoute's former yard since March, return to his previous role.
“First, I'd like to welcome Kevin Philippart de Foy as our new trainer at Freemason Lodge,” said Kia Joorabchian, founder of Amo Racing, in a statement posted on social media.
Kevin Philippart de Foy | Image courtesy of Kevin Philippart de Foy
“Kevin is a fantastic horseman who understands our goals and shares our ambition. Having known and worked with him for several years, it makes this transition even smoother. We know his character fits and our ideas align perfectly. We believe he's the right person to take the operation to the next level and we're excited about what's ahead with him leading the team at this historic yard.
“At the same time, I want to say a big thank you to Raphael for stepping up and doing such a brilliant job getting Freemason up and running. His work over the past few months has been crucial and he's laid a solid foundation for the future. Raphael has been a big part of Amo Racing's journey so far and he continues to be an integral part of our team moving forward.”
Green Storm added to Tattersalls July Sale
Derby seventh Green Storm (Ire) is one of nine additions to the catalogue for the Tattersalls July Sale, which takes place from July 8-10.
The son of Circus Maximus (Ire) and multiple Group winner Banimpire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) will be offered by Charlie Johnston's Kingsley Park, on behalf of owner Ahmad Al Shaikh, as lot 583E. Last seen finishing fifth in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, he was also a high-class juvenile when his efforts included a runner-up finish in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud.
Fasig-Tipton moving to untimed breeze ups
The 2026 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale will feature several key changes, the company announced Tuesday. Per their release, these changes, centred around eliminating timed workouts and restricting whip use, are designed to better reflect the natural athleticism of the horses, and attract a wider pool of buyers to the marketplace.
“These changes reflect our commitment to improving our 2-year-old sales process,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We believe buyer focus has skewed too heavily toward stopwatch-based evaluations. This approach is intended to restore balance–emphasizing how a horse moves and presents itself on the track.
Boyd Browning | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
“By focusing less on clock-driven evaluations and removing whip use, we believe we can create a more accessible and horse-first sales environment. Our aim is to better serve traditional buyers while also welcoming new owners, trainers, and end-users who are interested in acquiring horses that are physically ready and mentally sound for the racetrack.”
Fasig-Tipton's decision was based in part on an unplanned but revealing trial during the 2025 Midlantic May Sale when severe weather prompted the company to adjust the final day of the under tack show to untimed gallops and breezes. “It became an unexpected case study,” said Browning.
“Not only did the show present well visually, but the horses came out of their workouts in excellent condition–and the feedback from leading buyers and consignors was extremely supportive. That experience, combined with the tremendous horsemanship of our consignors, gives us the confidence to make these changes.”
Dr Scollay retires from HIWU role
Dr. Mary Scollay has retired from her full-time duties as the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's chief of science, effective immediately, HIWU announced Tuesday. While Scollay will continue to serve as a consultant to HIWU, Dr. Michael Hardy has assumed the position of acting chief of science.
“Dr. Scollay was integral to the creation of HIWU and the launch and enforcement of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program,” said Ben Mosier, executive director of HIWU. “In the three-plus years since our first introduction at Turfway Park's test barn, her contributions have been immeasurable.
Dr. Mary Scollay | Image courtesy of The Jockey Club
“The entire HIWU team is thankful for Dr. Scollay's service on behalf of the Thoroughbred industry, and we are grateful that we will continue to benefit from her expertise as a consultant.”
Scollay was a regulatory veterinarian for more than 30 years, including 11 years serving as the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's equine medical director. She piloted the program that became known as The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database (EID), which was the first North American database to track equine injuries and fatalities. Before joining HIWU, Scollay was a member of HISA's inaugural ADMC Committee.
Florida budget includes racing incentives
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday a budget package that includes a continuation to, and in certain ways a redistribution of, the incentives and promotions that lawmakers have funnelled towards the state racing and breeding industries in recent years.
The incentives include $15 million to Gulfstream Park and $5 million to Tampa Bay Downs for purses “and for the maintenance and operation” of these facilities. This mirrors the amounts listed for such purposes in last year's budget; $6 million to Gulfstream Park and $1.5 million to Tampa Bay Downs to be used as purses and purses supplements specifically for Florida-bred and sired horses; a $2 million direct appropriation to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA); and the budget eliminates the requirement for Thoroughbred permitholders to pay their $2 million annual slot machine licensing fees, provided the permitholder is “in compliance” with certain specifics outlined in the budget.
