Daily News Wrap

New Inglis Digital site launched for Late July Sale

The Group 1-winning Champion 2-Year-Old Velocious (Written Tycoon) has been joined by a host of outstanding racing and breeding prospects in a tantalising Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale catalogue. The sale will coincide with the official launch of the new and improved Inglis Digital website.

“Clients who are yet to are urged to familiarise themselves with the new site and create their new platform log in ahead of the final countdown of bidding, which begins from 10am Wednesday,” said Inglis in a press release.

In total the July (Late) catalogue consists of 425 lots – 203 racehorses (107 race fillies), 102 broodmares, 74 racehorse shares, 20 yearlings, 20 weanlings, three stallions and three unraced stock.

Semi-retirement for Lee Freedman

Trainer Lee Freedman announced on Friday that he will transition from training under his own name into managing his younger brother Michael's newly announced satellite stable on the Gold Coast. “I'll be looking to set up a satellite stable on the Gold Coast,” trainer Michael Freedman told racenet.com.au.

“It's still in the process of being approved (by Racing Queensland) but hopefully next week it'll be finalised. I'm looking to send quite a few horses from Sydney up there all-year round to race, ideally in those mid-week and Saturday races. It gives me a base for Magic Millions, which is an important carnival now, and helps for the Brisbane winter as well because it's always very difficult to find stabling when you do bring horses up there. I think the timing is right and I'm looking forward to it.

“I think the timing's right and Lee and I had a good meeting about it yesterday (Thursday). I wouldn't probably be even contemplating this if Lee wasn't involved. Given that he's at a point where he's happy to be doing something along those lines, then it works well for me.”

Listed aim for Fieldelo in Lightning

Trainer Toby Lake hopes he’s made the right call in sending Fieldelo (Deep Field) to Adelaide for Saturday’s Listed Lightning Stakes. “We’ve always had this race in the back of our minds this preparation,” Lake told racingsa.com.au.

“She’s hard fit and ready to go. She’s drawn out, a few of the main chances have drawn around her, with the rain, coming down the middle might be the place to be. When she won on debut, that was on a Soft 7 and they downgraded it to a Heavy 8 straight away. She’s favourite and probably deserves to be.”

Roberts announces retirement from BRC

Brisbane Racing Club turf manager Jim Roberts has announced his retirement. “He has navigated some really significant challenges for the club, particularly through the Eagle Farm redevelopment of training and tracks,” BRC’s Executive General Manager of Commercial and Racing Matt Rudolph told racingqueensland.com.au.

“Jim led training over at Doomben while Doomben took up the bulk of the racing in that period when Eagle Farm was out of action. They were busy years for Doomben, having to shoulder the load while Eagle Farm was under construction for the stabling precinct and the tracks. Jim led the teams through that for the club and really in the last 10 years in particular, Jim’s contribution has been enormous.

“It was Jim and his team that really got Eagle Farm up and singing in 2021 after he took it over in his own right. Eagle Farm has become one of the great tracks in Australia and that is a feather in Jim’s cap to take on that challenge late in his career and really excel at it.” His deputy Ross Smith will take on the role of Director of Racecourses.

“I think you can always judge someone’s contribution to a place with the way they leave it,” BRC CEO Karl deKroo said. “Jim’s legacy is the team he has built. I think that is the true part for Jim and while he is leaving our business, he is leaving it in great shape with the team around him. We are going to have a great transition there with the team under him who will take over now and Jim has been a person that has always been willing to share his knowledge and expertise. That is the case within our club but also in the wider industry, I think that’s a real mark of his contribution he has made to racing overall.”

The Black Cloud needs form reversal ahead of spring

Trainer Joe Pride is looking for former boom sprinter The Black Cloud (Shamus Award) to turn around her form on Saturday at Randwick. “It’s a big day for her, we’ve got to make something count before this carnival starts,” Pride told racingnsw.com.au.

“If she doesn’t get a win on Saturday it’s only getting harder from here on in. She has fallen short of the mark that’s for sure. I had an expectation she would have won a stakes race by now, not only she hasn’t won a stakes race she hasn’t won a race since Flemington. There’s been some frustrating placings but hopefully she can turn it around.”

Malua Racing announce retirement of The Astrologist

Trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin have announced the retirement of globetrotting 8-year-old gelding The Astrologist (Zoustar), who won eight races including the G3 Gold Rush, G3 Aurie’s Star Handicap, and placed in the G1 Newmarket Handicap, G1 Goodwood Handicap at home, and was second in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai, second in the G3 John Of Gaunt Stakes in England and fifth at Royal Ascot in the G1 Jubilee Stakes with earnings over $2.9 million.

“He wasn’t the flashiest or the most fashionable, but he had something better: heart, grit, and a will to compete that made him a stable favourite and a fan favourite. He took us from Geelong to Royal Ascot, and gave us a ride none of us will ever forget,” the stable said on social media.

“We owe this horse a lot. He’s given his all, and now it’s our turn to look after him. He retires sound, happy, and with a resume that deserves a place on the wall. More importantly, he retires a legend in our eyes. Thanks, old boy. You’ve done us proud.”

Third winner for North Pacific

First season sire North Pacific added his third winner on Friday when 2-year-old filly Angel Ladder won at Geelong for trainer Ciaron Maher. She was the second-equal top price at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale when purchased by R Unicorn Stable, Rising Sun Syndicate, and Satomi Oka Bloodstock (FBAA) for $420,000.

Angel Ladder is a half-sister to G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes winner The Novelist (Written By) and last season’s R.Listed Inglis Millennium Stakes winner Fully Lit (Hellbent), and impressively is the third foal for her dam Sunlit (Snitzel) who is a city winning half-sister to Group 2 winner Vo Heart (Show A Heart). Sunlit has a weanling colt by Zoustar.

At the same meeting, 2-year-old colt Redders (Star Turn) was a winner for trainer Danny O’Brien, and Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained 2-year-old filly Bingi (Snitzel) won on debut.

Bingi, who was passed in at auction, became juvenile winner number 23 for Snitzel this season, led by G1 Golden Slipper winner Marhoona.

Shamus Award filly wins on debut

At Echuca, Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained 2-year-old filly Off Their Perch (Shamus Award) won on debut by 0.75l over 1100 metres. She was sold by Armidale Stud at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $110,000 to John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), and is a half-sister to Group 2 winner I’ll Have A Bit (Smart Missile).

Written Tycoon juvenile wins in New Zealand

Andrew Forsman trained 2-year-old colt Fat Cat (Written Tycoon) resumed with a win at Waverley on Friday over 1200 metres. Previously, he’d had three starts around Christmas time for a fourth placing. A NZ$220,000 purchase by Forsman Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock from Carlaw Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft, Fat Cat is the first foal of Diamonds Galore (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who won three times and is a half-sister to recent juvenile stakes winner Lucy In The Sky (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) and Group 2 winner Ruud Not To (NZ) (Bernadini {USA}) who is the dam of Listed winner Cottee (Merchant Navy).

Better Than Ready juvenile wins at Sunshine Coast

Kevin Kemp-trained Go Maro (Better Than Ready) won his maiden at the Sunshine Coast on Friday. The 2-year-old gelding is the first foal of Plumaro (Spirit Of Boom).

King Of Light aiming to stay unbeaten

Trainer Neville Parnham has two runners aiming to defeat Dan Morton-trained impressive debut winner King Of Light (Earthlight {Ire}) as he aims for a second win. Parnham’s runners are Radiant Light (Rommel) and Binky’s War (Rommel). “He was pretty impressive on debut that horse (King Of Light) and I’m sure it’s heading for better races than this down the track,” Parnham told racingwa.com.au.

“It’s going to be tough to beat it, but both my horses have nice ability, and I do believe they’ll turn out to be city class horses. Maybe they’ll be running for second and third, hopefully, they’re going alright, but I thought that horse was quite impressive in its trial and also its debut run. He’ll be hard to beat.”

NSW Night of Champions tickets on sale

The NSW Racehorse Owners Association’s annual award event is on August 28 in The Ballroom at Randwick racecourse. Tickets are on sale now. “This black-tie event sees racing personalities, VIPs and industry participants come together to celebrate the best of NSW Racing. Guests enjoy a three-course meal, premium beverages, live entertainment, raffles and auctions, all while rubbing shoulders with leading trainers, jockeys, breeders, and owners.”

Latta’s juvenile pair ready for Ryder Stakes

The final 2-year-old stakes race of the New Zealand season will see Lisa Latta-trained pair of Platinum Diamond (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr} and Brutiful Lass (Brutal {NZ}) given every chance. “(Platinum Diamond) is a late foal, we have just given her a bit of time and she has come to it nicely. She just keeps going forward in the right direction, which is what you like to see,” Latta told Loveracing.nz.

“I was rapt with (Brutiful Lass)’s last run, she keeps improving. She was in a photo for second and her sectionals were really good. She has drawn a bit tricky again (seven), so it is just hard to know where she is going to end up. I can see her finishing it off strongly again.”

Scott wins first race with problem horse

Trainer Adam Scott recorded his first win as a trainer with Another Won’t Hurt (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) at Waverley on Friday. “It was a big thrill,” Scott told Loveracing.nz.

“It’s really rewarding to have a horse that I have had around for two years to finally get him to the races and do everything right and get that win. I got given him for free because he has always had a reputation and a very good strike-rate about him when it comes to track work and bucking. In his first start he lost the rider after 20 metres (after bucking). It was a character-building sort of day.

“I am a very patient sort of person and once I put money into something, I love to see a result. Until they tell me they don’t want to do it, or they are slow, I will keep on persevering. I got him and thought he had shown enough in his early jumpouts to push on. I put him out for 18 months and here we are. The last jumpout he would have had would have been two-and-a-half years ago, so to see it all come together is very rewarding.”

Wootton Bassett adds another juvenile Group winner

Able to control Thursday's G3 Silver Flash Stakes from an early stage, Ryan Moore turned that luxury into sheer dominance as the hot favourite Composing (Wootton Bassett) duly extended the admirable record of Aidan O'Brien in this year's juvenile Pattern races. Soon in front, the Curragh maiden winner dictated on her own terms and kicked turning for home to put her stamp on Leopardstown's seven-furlong contest.

“We're delighted with her, she's a lovely straightforward filly, honest and uncomplicated,” O'Brien said after greeting his 15th Silver Flash winner. “She won lovely the last day and Ryan loved her. She was very professional. She'll go for the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh next and could be a filly for the Moyglare.”

Breeders’ Cup-bound North Coast dominates G3 Tyros Stakes

All eyes were on Flushing Meadows (Wootton Bassett) in Thursday's G3 Tyros Stakes, but it was John Oxley's North Coast (Starman) who proved clear best in Leopardstown's seven-furlong staging post. Runner-up to another Ballydoyle colt in Daytona in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes earlier this month, the Joseph O'Brien-trained 3-1 favourite led at every step under Dylan Browne McMonagle and readily saw off the 30-100 favourite to win by six lengths.

“We felt we'd make the favourite work for it and he was aggressive and strong at the line–there was a bit left,” Joseph O'Brien said. “The obvious route is to go to The Curragh, but my gut feeling is to go straight to the National Stakes and give him a chance, as he's had four races already. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf could be for him down the line, it will suit him.”

Pair of full-sisters to Group 1 winners added to GoffsGo

Two high-class mares have been published to GoffsGo, including the Listed-placed Hibiscus, a full-sister to both the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line Of Duty and the G1 Prix de l'Opera second Jackie Oh.

The 12-year-old Hibiscus, a daughter of Galileo and the 1,000 Guineas runner-up Jacqueline Quest, will be offered by Baroda Stud with a Too Darn Hot colt foal at foot. Already the dam of the G3 Ballysax Stakes and G3 Derby Trial Stakes runner-up Up And Under (Lope De Vega), she was recently represented by her second winner (from four runners) when her two-year-old filly Queen Of Hawaii (Kingman) opened her account in a Leopardstown maiden.

The six-year-old White Jasmine will also be offered by Baroda Stud. The daughter of Dark Angel is a full-sister to the dual G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes hero Khaadem, as well as the Listed scorer and multiple Group 2-placed Log Out Island.

Gabby Gaudet named Head of Communications at Keeneland

Gabby Gaudet has been named the new Director of Communications at Keeneland, the organisation announced Thursday. A respected voice in Thoroughbred racing with more than a decade of national media experience, Gaudet will oversee Keeneland's strategic communications efforts. In this role, she will serve as a key spokesperson and guide the organisation's messaging and earned media strategy across multiple platforms.

Gaudet joins Keeneland from FanDuel TV, where she has been a lead racing analyst and reporter since 2019, covering premier events such as the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Her international assignments have included racing coverage from Hong Kong, Canada and Royal Ascot in England.

“I'm incredibly proud and excited to begin this next chapter of my career at Keeneland–a place I deeply believe in,” Gaudet said. “This role presents an opportunity to think both creatively and strategically as we continue to share Keeneland's story with intention and impact. I'm so grateful to my FanDuel TV family for the experiences and growth I've had there–they helped shape me as a broadcaster and storyteller, preparing me well for this next chapter. This was not an easy decision, but what ultimately guided me was the chance to be more present with my family while continuing to do work I'm passionate about.”