Daily News Wrap

Godolphin select nine trainers

Godolphin announced on Friday that nine trainers would be given horses to train as they move from the private model under James Cummings to a public model. “We were delighted with the interest shown, the trainers we did meet with, and ultimately the trainers we have engaged,” Godolphin Australia managing director Andy Makiv said in a press release.

“It certainly wasn't an easy decision, and it doesn't preclude opportunities for others in the future.” Trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman who already train for Godolphin with the likes of stakes-winning 2-year-old colt Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) will be sent Group 1 winner Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}).

Ciaron Maher gains Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) and Zardozi (Kingman {GB}), while Chris Waller gets Commemorative (I Am Invincible) and Beiwacht (Bivouac). The full list of trainers also includes Bjorn Baker, Gary Portelli, Joe Pride, Michael Freedman, Tony and Calvin McEvoy, and Lindsay Park’s Ben, JD and Will Hayes. Golden Mile (Astern) moves to Joe Pride and Bjorn Baker gains Pericles (Street Boss {USA}).

26-strong Godolphin draft added to Inglis Digital

A 26-strong Godolphin draft, a Group 1-placed 3-year-old with credentials for the $10m Golden Eagle, and shares in multiple other Group 1 performers headline the Inglis Digital July (Early) Online Sale.

Mayfair (Fastnet Rock) was just 0.4 lengths off the winner when third to Broadsiding and Traffic Warden in last year’s G1 Golden Rose, following Group placings behind Storm Boy and Lady Shenandoah. A $10m Golden Eagle target looms this year, while his Hong Kong rating of 78 makes him a potential contender for the 2026 4YO Series.

Other highlights include a 5% share in last-start G1 Tatt’s Tiara runner-up Abounding, a 5% share in dual Group 1 winner and earner of $10.5m already in Overpass, and a stallion share in All Too Hard.

A total of 608 lots have been catalogued for the sale – 260 racehorses (119 race fillies), 166 broodmares, 77 racehorse shares, 53 weanlings, 48 yearlings, 3 unbroken stock and 1 stallion share - which is now open for bidding.

New York Lustre resumes in Monash

After being kicked by a fractious horse in the barriers before the G3 Proud Miss Stakes and late-scratched, Enver Jusufovic-trained New York Lustre (Manhattan Rain) will get her chance when she resumes in Saturday’s G3 Sir John Monash Stakes. “She might be a little bit underdone, but she might not be either,” Jusufovic told racenet.com.au.

“She's been extremely well placed (winning) benchmark races. She's entitled to try and go to that next step now. Normally I get a good gauge in a jumpout, as to how they're going, this is a little bit different but she's nice and bright, and I'm hoping there's a bit of residual fitness and she's good to go.”

More Joyous son to debut on Saturday

Trainer Stephen Marsh will debut 2-year-old colt Moretothinkabout (So You Think {NZ}) at Ruakaka on Saturday at Ruakaka. Marsh and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock purchased the son of Group 1-winning mare More Joyous (More Than Ready {USA}) for $300,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from Yulong. “He’s a lovely colt,” Marsh told Loveracing.nz.

“He’s trialled up very well. Michael McNab rode him in his trial win and was very keen to stay with him. He’s probably going to be better over a bit further than this, but we want to give him one run as a 2-year-old before putting him aside for next season.

“He’s beautifully bred and we paid a bit of money for him. It would be great if he could kick his career off with a win on Saturday, but either way, I think he could be a serious 3-year-old come the spring and summer.”

More Joyous has produced five winners from as many to race including Group 2-placed Joyous Legend (Snitzel).

Pepper looking towards Kosciuszko for Bengal

Trainer Luke Pepper is planning ahead for 3-year-old gelding Bengal (Zoustar) after he runs on Saturday. “We have obviously got a big opinion of Bengal and we brought him back this time of year to see if he can step up and see if he can get himself a slot in the Kosciuszko so he'll have to keep improving and put his profile out there to hopefully get a spot,” Pepper told racenet.com.au.

Pepper has had 50 wins this season. “The move back to Canberra was the starting of it all I guess. We obviously trained a few winners before we left Scone but it has been amazing being back home. I've got to sort of pinch myself all the time. There's a lot of hard work going on, I've got a really good team behind me but it is good to see it is all paying off.

“We've got to about 30-31 in work at the moment now and for the majority of the season, we have had less than 20. So to get this amount of winners and the amount of prizemoney we've been able to earn is a credit to all my staff and the support of the owners.”

Progressive Our Paladin Al set to Listed Aquanita Stakes

Trainer Russell Stewart was impressed with how 3-year-old gelding Our Paladin Al (A Lot {USA}) finished off last start and hopes to see the same again in Saturday’s Listed Aquanita Stakes at Bunbury. “That was the run of a horse that’s screaming out for 2000m,” Stewart told racingwa.com.au. He has won two of his five starts, and placed twice.

“He’s done well since and that was an absolute sparkler, it was a cracking run. Not many horses would have made up that sort of ground. He was like a bullet over the last 300 metres. We’re on foreign territory like everyone over 2000 metres, but on that run you would think he’d be looking for it.”

Van Overmeire nears personal best

Jockey Jean Van Overmeire sits on 101 wins for the season, three short of his personal best, but with only one city winner, his ambitions to move into the city haven’t abated. “It’s been driving me mad because as many winners as I’ve had this season I’ve had 42 rides in town,” Van Overmeire told racingnsw.com.au. He rides his sole city winner Misterkipchoge (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) at Randwick on Saturday.

“It’s disappointing that I’ve only had that many, considering the amount of winners I have. But because I’m basing myself at the provincials on a Saturday I’m not getting the rides on a Wednesday either. I’ve been classified as a provincial rider, which is fine, but as every other jockey would I’d like to ride in town more. My ambition is still to be in the limelight and ride in the A grade of racing. I’m not content just riding at the provincials and country and not even close.”

Campbell’s Guineas dream for debutant

Trainer Andrew Campbell would like to see debutant 2-year-old gelding Valvano (NZ) (Shocking) progress through to the G1 2000 Guineas in the spring. He makes his debut at Hawera on Saturday. “We like the horse, he is above average. He would have to win on Saturday to possibly go there (Ryder Stakes), but I am more intending to put him out in the paddock for a little bit, maybe 10 days, and aim him for some big 3-year-old races hopefully in the spring,” Campbell told Loveracing.nz.

“He’s a Shocking out of a Zabeel mare so you wouldn’t think he would be running in a 2-year-old 1200 metre on his pedigree. I think he is going to get ground eventually, but you have got to kick them off somewhere and if he does everything right we will be over the moon. The 2000 Guineas is the dream. The money is so good at the moment in New Zealand racing, you almost don’t have to go to Australia anymore.”

Tagaloa gains winner number four

First season sire Tagaloa added his fourth winner when Danny O’Brien-trained 2-year-old gelding Our Chief won at Geelong at his second start on Friday by an impressive 3.75l. Sold by Yulong at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $70,000 to his trainer, Our Chief is the third winner for Rekindled Choice (Redoute’s Choice) who is a full sister to Group 1 winner and sire Alabama Express.

Brutal juvenile winner at Scone

Brett Cavanough-trained 2-year-old filly Bird Whistle (Brutal {NZ}) won on debut at Scone’s Friday meeting. A homebred, she is from Brutal’s second crop which also features Group 1 winner Nepotism. She is the third foal and second winner for Think Like A Bird (So You Think {NZ}) who is a city winning half-sister to Group 1 winner Southern Speed (Southern Image {USA}).

Satin Diva wins at Moe

Ciaron Maher-trained 2-year-old filly Satin Diva (Better Than Ready) won at Moe on Friday at her second start having run second at the same track on debut. She was purchased by Slade Bloodstock and Ciaron Maher Racing for $100,000 from Yarramalong Park’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.

She is the sixth winner from as many to race for her dam, and all are by Better Than Ready. Her dam, Commanding Epic (Commands), is a half-sister to stakes placed She’s Miss Devine (Show A Heart).

Lonhro sired a double at Moe with Darceandermill and Count Of Toulouse.

Second stakes win for Ghaiyyath colt

The Godolphin-Appleby-Buick triumvirate was in celebratory mood for a third time on the opening day of Newmarket's July Festival after Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) doubled his stakes tally with a decisive success in the Listed Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes.

“It's easy to say after the event, but I'd have been disappointed if he'd got beat,” Appleby said. “He's a very exciting horse we thought a lot of in the spring and even in the winter to be fair. He shows signs of his father as he's a strong-minded horse, but he's a great galloper and has got a big engine.

“I think he's going to end up being a 10-furlong horse and we'll keep taking baby steps with him,” the trainer added. “He's got to learn to do it the right way and I think he'll have learnt a lot today. We might take him to Deauville for a Group 3. I'm very much working back from next year with him and I want to nurse him along so next year we have a horse that we can go to war with. This horse can gallop, there's no doubt about that, but he's got to learn to do it the right way on the racetrack.

Win number 2000 for Buick

With chief rival Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) scratched during the preliminaries, jockey William Buick seized the opportunity of registering a 2,000th British winner aboard Godolphin's ultra-consistent El Cordobes (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in Thursday's Kingdom Of Bahrain-sponsored G2 Princess Of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket.

“To do it on my home track for Godolphin and Charlie (Appleby), makes it particularly special,” said Buick after his landmark achievement in a contest which comes with a free ticket to the G1 Caulfield Cup. “The favourite (Ghostwriter) came out, but this horse really deserved it,” the rider added. “He is an exciting horse, he has a bit of a kick and I am delighted with him.”

Originally knocked down to Richard Knight, on behalf of Saleh Al Homaizi, for 2 million gns (AU$4.3 million) at the 2022 Tattersalls October Book 1 sale, El Cordobes was acquired privately by Godolphin in the aftermath of that failed transaction.

“We paid a few quid for him and he's got a pedigree that you can like, but he loves quick ground and could become one of our stable's international travellers,” said Charlie Appleby. “I stepped him up to the mile-and-six at York for one reason only. I thought maybe he is a G1 Melbourne Cup horse, but I think he told us there that he wasn't. Needless to say, coming back to the mile-and-a-half, we were confident again. It wasn't a tactical race, but they didn't go an end-to-end gallop. If he hadn't got the horse underneath him to pick up then it could have been a bit tricky, but he had the right horse. What we're seeing with him as he gets a little bit older is that he's maturing well and takes his races well. I'd imagine we'll go travelling with him.”

Reflecting on Buick's achievement, the trainer continued, “I'm delighted for William and what better place to do it. What he's achieved for Godolphin, for myself and the team, it's great to be able to give William his 2,000th winner. First and foremost he's a friend, our families are friends, and I'm delighted for them. We are very lucky to have him as part of our team, it's a huge achievement and long may it continue.”

Zavateri wins G2 July Stakes

Making light work of an honestly-run renewal of Newmarket's G2 Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes on Thursday, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's unheralded 18-1 shot 2-year-old colt Zavateri (Ire) (Without Parole {GB}) enhanced Eve Johnson Houghton's vibrant campaign.

“I love this horse–he is one of the nicest I've had and has a huge amount of ability,” declared the Blewbury-based handler. “He's got a great attitude and just wants to please–every time he puts his head through a bridle he is ears pricked and saying 'what am I doing?' He's a dream to train and I liked him so much as a yearling I sent a mare to Without Parole.”

France Gallop promote Horses In The City

A free, new event, “Horses in the City”, will be held at the Place de la Concorde in Paris on September 5-6, France Galop announced on Thursday. Sister events will soon be available in other cities like Deauville and Chantilly.

Racehorses will take over a transformed Place de la Concorde, which will be turned into a parade ring, hosting horse parades and jockeys, centred in an ephemeral village. The public will be able to enjoy many free activities ranging from equestrian demonstrations, activities for children, as well as racehorses retrained by Au-Dela des Pistes put through their paces. There will also be an opportunity to meet many racing professionals and see the training provided in the AFASEC schools, dedicated to breeding and racing.

“Horses in the City” is made possible thanks to the permission of the Paris City Hall, but also to the support of all the players in the sector: GTHP (Groupement Technique des Hippodromes Parisiens), AFASEC which trains in racing professions, FNCH (National Federation of Horse Racing) or the association “Au-delà des pistes” which promotes the retraining of racehorses.

The event is part of France Galop president Guillaume de Saint-Seine's vision to bring racing back to the people of France. Encouragingly, the five major racecourses managed by France Galop (Auteuil, Chantilly, Deauville, ParisLongchamp and Saint-Cloud) posted an 11 per cent increase in attendance at mid-season with more than 200,000 visitors this year.

“Since the beginning of my mandate, I have had a clear ambition: to put racing back in the hearts of the French,” said de Saint-Seine. “With Les Chevaux dans la Ville, France Galop is taking a new step by leaving the racecourse to meet the public, in an emblematic place, the Place de la Concorde, to share the passion and know-how of our industry, in all its diversity.”

Strict conditions placed on Murphy

Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), has revealed that the BHA is working to produce a set of “incredibly strict conditions” with Oisin Murphy following his conviction for drink-driving.

Murphy, 29, was last week fined £70,000 (AU$144,000) and banned from driving for 20 months having pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol. Until the criminal proceedings were finalised, the BHA did not have the full details surrounding the case, according to Dunshea, who confirmed that conversations with Murphy regarding the conditions of his licence are already underway.

“Matters around licensing are personal in nature and every individual has different challenges,” Dunshea told ITV Racing on Thursday. “When it comes to licensing we maintain a private relationship with individuals.

“There will be times when we have to deal with certain issues in a different way, not only to address issues that have emerged like in Oisin's situation, but also to support individuals who might be dealing with a whole range of challenges.

“What has occurred, which has been reported and Oisin has spoken about that, is below the standard we would expect in terms of British racing. But, importantly, we make every effort to protect and enhance the safety of our jockeys and our horses.

“As a consequence between heavy engagement between Oisin and our team, we're going through a process at the moment of agreeing a set of incredibly strict conditions and this will include enhanced testing both on the racecourse and away from the racecourse.

“To be very clear, the BHA weren't given access to the information in relation to the criminal proceedings up until the full details were given in court. These matters are not in our jurisdiction so the information we were dealing with was limited.

“We've had face-to-face sessions with Oisin and we are working to come up with a set of conditions that not only ensures we're protecting the integrity of British racing and the safety of our people, but also in a way that ensures Oisin gets the support and help he might need to deal with his issues.”

Kornacki to provide keynote to Annual Round Table

NBC News's Steve Kornacki, a national political correspondent who covers horse racing, including this year's Triple Crown, will provide the keynote address for the first half of the two-part Annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, which will be held at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs, New York, on Thursday, July 31.

Everett Dobson, chair-elect of The Jockey Club, will be the second-half keynote speaker, and will discuss his plans for the organization and The Jockey Club's ongoing plans to help grow the sport.

Lucrative Fall Meet marks 40th anniversary

With 22 stakes awarding a record $10.85 million scheduled for the most lucrative stakes schedule for a racing season in Keeneland track history for the 17-day Fall Meet from Oct. 3-25. The Fall Meet also marks the 40th anniversary of the turf course at Keeneland, which in October 1985 became the first track in Kentucky to offer turf racing.

Additionally, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund is contributing $2.55 million to Keeneland's Fall Meet stakes purses, pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.

“Competition from Thoroughbred racing's leading horses and top jockeys, trainers and owners will put the focus of fans, handicappers and the industry on Keeneland's Fall Meet,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “We are excited to be able to add $100,000 to the purse of the GII Sycamore, which was upgraded for 2025, and to increase the value of another 18 stakes by $50,000 each. Our Grade I races now are worth $650,000 to $1.25 million, while the purses of all Grade II races are $400,000, all Grade III races are worth $350,000 and the listed race is valued at $300,000.”

Eight stakes are part of the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In,” which will award the winners automatic starting positions and free entry into the 42nd Breeders' Cup at Del Mar Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.