Hugh Bowman wins Silver Saddle
At the Shergar Cup meeting overnight, the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle went to Team Rest of the World's team captain Hugh Bowman, who earned 32 points. Bowman rode Vintage Clarets (Ardad) to win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup. Europe's Per-Anders Graberg was second on 26 points, with Asia's Ryusei Sakai and Robbie Dolan both picking up 25 points.
Bowman, who was winning the award for the second time since his Shergar Cup debut in 2007, said, “I am delighted. It is great to be here, the Shergar Cup is a unique event. Riding on this track is something that all jockeys around the world aspire to do. I have had the privilege of doing it previously and to come back and win a race – I thought I might have been in with a squeak of winning a couple, but nevertheless we have come out with a major prize.
“It has been a lovely afternoon and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. My family is here and they have enjoyed it, too. All the teams won a race and I think everyone has had as much fun as I have – the spoils were shared, which is good. Many congratulations to team Asia, they were racking up points in every race, so credit where it is due.”
Australian-bred Invincible Papa wins Japanese Group 3
On Sunday, Invincible Papa (Shalaa {Ire}) won the G3 CBC Sho over 1200 metres and took his record to six wins from 10 starts.
Invincible Papa was sold by Arrowfield Stud at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale to Inc Macys for $200,000 and now has earnings over ¥120 million (AU$1.2 million). His dam juvenile winner Shawaimsa (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) has produced three winners from as many to race, and has an unraced 3-year-old full sister named Bidu, a 2-year-old filly by Trapeze Artist and a weanling filly by Trapeze Artist. She missed in 2024.
Ryan and Alexiou colts set to resume in Rosebud
Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou will begin the 3-year-old campaigns of Blitzburg (Snitzel) and Skyhook (Written Tycoon) in Saturday’s Listed Rosebud. “Those 2-year-olds that raced well in the autumn, those four colts are coming up good,” Ryan told racenet.com.au also referring to King Of Pop (Farnan) and Grand Eagle (Farnan).
Gerald Ryan | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We have a couple of fillies that haven't raced that we have a bit of time for too. Blitzburg for certain will go to the Rosebud and we will decide on Skyhook after Tuesday morning. King Of Pop will wait and go to the San Domenico and Grand Eagle will probably start off in a Benchmark race and go to the Ming Dynasty.”
Evaporate attempting to give Hayes bros a fourth Lawrence
The Hayes brothers of Lindsay Park have won the last three G2 PB Lawrence Stakes with Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) twice and last year with Gentleman Roy (So You Think {NZ}). This year, they will run Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) and Here To Shock (NZ) (Shocking). “(Evaporate) trialled really well at Flemington the other day. He’s ready to go and you will like what you see,” Ben Hayes told racing.com.
The Map out of retirement and back for another Cup attempt
Will Clarken-trained mare The Map (Alpine Eagle) has come out of retirement and will make another attempt at the G1 Melbourne Cup. “She spelled really well and she's probably twice as big as we've ever seen her so it may take a little bit of time to get it off her,” Clarken told racingandsport.com.au.
The Map | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“There's a big whiteboard at home with races mapped out all over the thing but the reality is that there are heaps of options for her. You'd love to be able to get her back to a Melbourne Cup. Whether it happens is a different story but we're certainly going to give her the option to do it but it' a long spring and there are plenty of nice races for her.”
The Group 3 winner passed in at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and recently trialled at Murray Bridge.
Listed winner Zany Girl returns in style
One of Tasmania’s best juveniles last season Zany Girl (Needs Further) resumed at three on Sunday at Hobart with a half-length win against the older horses over 1000 metres. Trained by Stuart Grady, she won the Listed Elwick Stakes last season.
Zany Girl | Image courtesy of Tas Racing
With four wins and two placings from six starts, Zany Girl took her earnings over $188,000. Prime Thoroughbreds purchased her for $65,000 from Armidale Stud’s Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale.
At the same meeting, her stablemate 3-year-old filly Geegees Missile (Wordsmith) won her maiden, and she was placed behind Zany Girl last season in the Listed Elwick Stakes.
Injured jockey update: Ava Catarino
Apprentice jockey Ava Catarino fell during race one at Kalgoorlie on Sunday. “In Kal hospital now having some tests. Complaining of back pain. Possible broken collar bone. She conscious. But a little out of it. She’s a tough cookie,” wrote Catarino’s boss Misty Bazeley on social media.
There was no report on the horse, Justin Robins-trained Token King (Trapeze Artist). Our thoughts are with connections.
Nicely bred Churchill gelding wins Super Maiden at Dubbo
Trainer Tracey Bartley’s 3-year-old gelding Cuban Cigar (Churchill {Ire}) won on debut at Dubbo on Sunday in the Super Maiden over 1100 metres by one length. His trainer purchased him for $35,000 from Balius Farm’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft.
Proven sire Churchill shuttled to Australia for seven seasons and has sired 31 stakes winners globally. Cuban Cigar is the third winner for Dystopia (Redoute’s Choice) who is the Group 3 winning full sister to Group 1 winner and sire Stratum.
Double for Impending at Echuca
Impending sired a double at Echuca on Sunday led by Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained 3-year-old colt Options who won on debut and is a new arrival at the stable being owned by Godolphin. He is the third winner for Alternatively (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) who has a 2-year-old colt by Victor Ludorum (GB).
Ciaron Maher-trained 4-year-old mare Sheez Elegant won the third on the card, and she was sold by Noorilim Park for $38,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale to SCT Syndications and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA).
Fernie’s Contributer filly wins at Kalgoorlie
Peter Fernie-trained 3-year-old filly I’m Genevieve (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) took advantage of apprentice jockey Holly Nottle’s claim and won the first on the card at Kalgoorlie by 3.5 lengths on debut.
Purchased by John Chalmers Bloodstock from Mapperley Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft for NZ$40,000, I’m Genevieve is the second winner for Our Princess (NZ) (Pour Moi {Ire}) who is an unraced half-sister to Group 1 winner Prince Kaapstad (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}).
Team Asia wins Shergar Cup
New to the 2025 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, Team Asia edged out Team Europe by one point at Ascot on Saturday. The point totals stood at 68 (Asia), 67 (Europe), Great Britain & Ireland accrued 62 and the Rest of the World was fourth at 55 points.
Team Asia posted victories with Suraj Narredu guiding Fireblade (Frankel) in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers, and Ryusei Sakai was aboard Prince Of India (Wootton Bassett) in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint. Mirai Iwata was also part of Team Asia.
Narredu, captain of Team Asia, said, “I am absolutely delighted. After my winner, to win the Shergar Cup on my debut is the icing on the cake. The Asian team deserves to get recognition and I am proud to captain the team. It was fabulous for us to get two winners and some place points from the six races. We all enjoyed ourselves and it is a big deal to have come. It will be big back home in India.
“I am staying in Britain for three more weeks to ride out for a few trainers, primarily Marco Botti, before I head home. It is a very short time, but I hope I can pick up a few rides.”
G3 Sweet Solera Stakes to Godophin’s Dance To The Music
Godolphin homebred Dance To The Music (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) notched a one-length debut triumph at Newmarket's Rowley Mile track in May and maintained her unbeaten record with a battling display in Saturday's G3 Newsells Park Stud Sweet Solera Stakes at the town's summer venue.
“She is a filly who is a full-sister to Space Blues and your heart sometimes rules your head when you get involved with these pedigrees, but that was very pleasing,” said Charlie Appleby after claiming a first win in the contest.
“She is so much more forward than Space Blues, who didn't run until November at Nottingham. This filly came out in the spring and Billy (Loughnane) rode her that day on the Rowley Mile. He said she was very weak and raw, which she was really. We have given her all the time to do what she needs to do at this stage of her career and we felt it was the right time to step up to seven [furlongs]. She has that turn of foot as well which Billy used today. When you have got a Charlie Johnston horse on the front end, you have got to respect that and sit close to its girth. Billy said I was never going to outstay one of theirs, so he used that acceleration he had underneath him and I think that was probably the winning of the race.”
Dance To The Music is the 11th of 12 foals and one of seven scorers out of G2 Challenge Stakes victrix Miss Lucifer (Noverre), herself the leading performer out of a half-sister to G2 King Edward VII Stakes-winning sire Amfortas (Caerleon). The April-foaled homebred chestnut is a full-sister to multiple Group 1-winning sire Space Blues and a yearling filly. She is also kin to multiple Group-winning distaffer Shuruq (Elusive Quality) and to the dam of G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup winner Taj Dragon (Mehmas). Shuruq, in turn, is the dam of GIII The Very One Stakes victrix and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational runner-up Antoinette (Hard Spun) and the dual Graded-placed Javanica (Medaglia D'Oro).
Sword Dancer to be named in honour of Clement
The GI Sword Dancer Stakes, won by El Cordobes (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on Saturday at Saratoga, will be run next year under a new name in honour of late trainer Christophe Clement, who passed away in May. The Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' event will be contested in 2026 as the GI Christophe Clement Turf, as announced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) Saturday just prior to the 2025 running.
Clement won the race a record five times, including in 2024 with Far Bridge (English Channel). “On behalf of our entire Clement family, we would like to thank NYRA for this honor. It's a race that meant a lot to Christophe and we know his spirit lives on through all of us,” said Valerie Clement, wife of the late trainer.
“His love for the horses, his friendship with fellow trainers and owners, and his dedication for mentoring others are just a few things we miss daily in the sport without Christophe. We look forward to cheering on some of the most talented horses annually and participating in this race. And, as Christophe reminded us regularly, we must live life to the fullest every single day.”
Saratoga race run at wrong distance
Saratoga's 12th and final race on the Aug. 9 card, an allowance for New York-breds originally carded for 1 1/8 miles on the turf, was accidentally contested at 1 1/16 miles. The race was declared official, with the error first pointed out by DRF's Dave Grening.
The official Equibase chart made note of the error, stating: “Please note that the race was originally scheduled to be run at a mile and one-eighth on the Mellon Turf course. However, the gate was positioned for a mile and one-sixteenth start on the Mellon Turf course and therefore the split times and final time have been omitted pending video review and the points of call have been corrected to reflect a mile and one-sixteenth race.”
New York Racing Association (NYRA) officials will review the situation, with no official comments made by press time. R.T. Racing Stables and Hablan Los Caballos, LLC's Fidelightcayut (Leofric) won the race.
Baffert’s 12th G3 Best Pal Stakes
On Saturday afternoon under the usual beautiful skies of a Southern Californian summer, 2-year-old colt Desert Gate (USA) (Omaha Beach {USA}) gave Hall of Famer Bob Baffert his 12th career win in the GIII Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar, in addition to the fourth consecutive victory in the race for the Baffert team. To make it even sweeter, Desert Gate also marked the third winner in the Best Pal for the ownership trio of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, as well as the third for rider Juan Hernandez.
“It's nice to see these horses develop like this,” said Baffert. “He's been kind of quiet down here, but he broke well and that's the most important part of these 2-year-old races is that they come out clean. This horse is very professional since day one. It's nice to have these horses. That's what we're in the business for. We just got to keep him healthy and sound.”
The runaway leader among third-crop sires of 2025 to date, former shuttler Omaha Beach is also one of just three current North American stallions with two 2-year-old black-type winners thus far for the year. Desert Gate joins Schuylerville Stakes winner Kingsolver as 2-year-old stakes winners from Omaha Beach's third crop, making Omaha Beach the only 2025 sire with one juvenile stakes winner to date at each of the two big summer tracks: Del Mar and Saratoga. Desert Gate is among the six graded winners and 24 black-type winners for the son of War Front, who stands at Spendthrift.
