Daily News Wrap

Amusing set for Wyong Cup after Saturday win

Chris Waller’s pair quinellaed race six at Rosehill on Saturday with Godolphin-owned Amusing (Masar {Ire}), ridden by James McDonald, beating Travolta (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) by 0.19l for apprentice Siena Grima. “It was a good determined finish from both riders,” Waller said.

“They got close but kept at it. Siena rode her horse very well and saved all the ground but I just think it showed with fitness with James' horse Amusing. She is a tough horse and you could see she really wanted to win the race so I think she is on the right path to black type.

“After her last win I was thinking about the Aspiration and the Epona in the autumn but after today do you look at a race like the Wyong Cup? While the other horses are still getting fit, she is rock hard fit. The 2100 metres will be no problem, we just have to get her to settle a little bit better.”

Stakes placed Trapeze Artist filly to resume on Sunday

Trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton will take Artistic Venture (Trapeze Artist) to Wyong to kick off her 3-year-old campaign on Sunday. “It does look a nice race for her to return in,” O’Shea told racingnsw.com.au.

“She’s shown us plenty of promise in her career and she is overdue to break her maiden. She’s taken on the top class two-year-olds throughout her career so far. She is yet to run a bad race, and her class should take her a long way in Sunday’s event.” Artistic Venture had four starts at two, all in stakes class, including a third in the R.Listed Inglis Millennium.

Strong win by Fully Lit changes plans

Co-trainer Adrian Bott was going to spell 4-year-old gelding Fully Lit (Hellbent) after Saturday but his 5.2l victory at Rosehill has Bott reconsidering his options. “I came here today thinking that may just be the end of the prep having had a few runs, being deep into the campaign and hitting a few heavy tracks,” Bott said.

“Maybe we've got to look at something if he's only just starting to hit his straps now. We will see how he does. He hadn't quite recaptured that 2-year-old form yet, which does sometimes take them a season or two, but I feel he is ready to go on with it now and I'm sure he'll take a bit of confidence from it.” Fully Lit won the R.Listed Inglis Millennium at his second start in 2024.

First foal for King Colorado arrives

On Friday, Widden Victoria invited guests to view their stallions at their annual parade, and announced the first foal for their Group 1-winning sire King Colorado.

Gallery: Widden Victoria annual stallion parade, standing at Widden Stud

“We are ecstatic to welcome our first foal by Group 1 winning juvenile King Colorado. She’s an exceptional type, with plenty of leg, bone and substance. A correct filly with an attractive aspect. Great result,” said Adam Henry, Sales & Nominations, Widden Victoria.

City winner for Sun City at Doomben

Sun City sired winner lucky number 13 with 3-year-old gelding Cyber City at Doomben on Saturday. From small crops, with the oldest 4-year-olds, Sun City has two stakes placed winners among his 13 winners.

Trained by David Murphy, Cyber City had four starts at two. He is the last foal of Star Council (Langfuhr {Cam}) who produced Listed winner Longshoreman (Longhorn) with her first foal.

Tagaloa adds winner number six

Second season sire Tagaloa added his sixth career winner when Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained 3-year-old filly Meisho won the first at Warracknabeal on Saturday by 2l. Placed in the Listed Without Fear Stakes at two, Meisho is the seventh winner from as many runners for Dream Chaser (Charge Forward), who won twice and has a Tagaloa yearling filly.

My Authoritah makes it two in a row

At Belmont on Saturday, 3-year-old gelding My Authoritah (Playing God) made it two from two this campaign when winning the first for trainer Dan Morton and jockey William Pike. Pike would go on to win the first four races on the card.

Purchased by his trainer for $80,000 from Alwyn Park Stud at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, My Authoritah took his earnings to $71,000. He is the second winner for Cathy Belle (Northern Meteor) who died in 2024.

Double for broodmare Ithinkso

Broodmare Ithinkso (Anabaa {USA}) enjoyed a pair of winners within a week when Jeff Dunn-trained 3-year-old filly Anabia (Tassort) broke through for her first win at her third start at Beaudesert. She was a bargain $8000 weanling purchase by Boon Lim from Hopetoun Farm’s 2023 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale draft. The win took her earnings to more than double her sale price. Meanwhile last Sunday at the Sunshine Coast, Ithinkso’s 5-year-old gelding Streak Of Winning (Speith {NZ}) took his record to three wins. Ithinkso is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Spinning Hill (Dolphin Street {Fr}).

Exostova wins on debut

At Saturday’s Beaudesert meeting, Jimmy Downes-trained 3-year-old gelding Exostova (Exosphere) won on debut. He is the only foal for Zagitova (Bradbury’s Luck) who died last year. This is the family of Listed winner Flame Hero (NZ) (Savabeel).

Saturday sire doubles

With 19 meetings in Australia and two in New Zealand, several sires enjoyed doubles at various meeting. In New Zealand, Super Seth had a double at Ruakaka with 4-year-olds Miss Seth and Super Rosa (NZ).

Tassort sired a city double at Morphettville with Lottie Jane and Nextonixs. Sidestep sired a double at Beaudesert with Sapana’s Pearl and Onatare, and Rich Enuff sired a double at Quorn in South Australia with Riched and Wandering Eye.

Vale Michael Motion

Renowned international bloodstock agent Michael G. Motion, who was an innovator in his field, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at his home in Middleburg, Virginia Aug. 14, 2025. He was 95.

Although he grew up involved in pony club and foxhunting in England, Motion's interests initially were in cattle and farming. He attended the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester before migrating to Canada where took a job working with pedigreed livestock. The position led him to a two-year stint in South America running a receiving centre for imported cattle.

Returning to England in 1956, Motion reconnected with Josephine Wells and the pair became engaged. 'Jo' was the first female to groom a winner of The Grand National at Aintree–Nickel Coin in 1951. The couple married in October 1956 before heading to America. Motion's knowledge of South America and his Spanish language skills landed him a job with an import-export company. Bored with that desk job, he decided to pursue other employment.

In New York City in 1957, Motion asked a woman in a small bookshop where he might find an auction house. She directed him to Fasig-Tipton which was around the corner. There he interviewed with Humphrey Finney who hired him as a bookkeeper. He became the office's sixth employee. Motion left Fasig-Tipton after a year, but that brief tenure afforded him valuable experience when it came to the financial side of the Thoroughbred breeding industry.

At 27, he secured a job at Mrs. John Burgwin's Barberry Farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It was Mrs. Burgwin's keen interest in horses that pushed Motion to create a proposal re-branding Barberry Farm as a viable Thoroughbred entity.

He made his first purchase–two weanling fillies–at the 1958 Keeneland Fall Sale. In what was perhaps one of the first pinhooking ventures, he sold both as yearlings at Saratoga in 1959.

Motion returned to Keeneland a few months later and purchased four in-foal mares, which officially brought Barberry into the Thoroughbred breeding business. Five years later, they were among Saratoga's top three consignors by average.

In 1962, the Motions and their first two children–American-born daughters Claire and Philippa (“Pippa”)–returned to England. The Thoroughbred bloodstock industry was not yet international, so the reputation Motion developed in North America was unknown in England. That all changed when American clients started to come calling.

Motion's understanding of the American buyers and the markets became an asset. The husband and wife team then moved to Herringswell near Newmarket in 1964, developing their own operation as Herringswell Manor Stud. Those same American clients sent horses to them, contributing to its prominence as a boarding facility in England for 15 years. During the 1970s, Motion expanded his business and solidified his status as a pathbreaker; he was one of the first bloodstock agents with clients in both on both sides of the Atlantic.

His roster included Nelson Bunker Hunt's Blue Grass Farm; Taylor Hardin's Newstead Farm; William Hackman's Orange Hill Farm and Thomas Mellon Evans's Buckland Farm. In Europe, Daniel Wildenstein's Allez France Stable, Robert Sangster and Jean Ternynck.

By the late 70s, Motion extended his base to include Japanese and Australian interests. He became Tattersalls's North American representative in 1976.

Motion's friend Bill Oppenheim said, “Michael Motion was a Transatlantic pioneer as a farm manager and bloodstock agent who early on was active on both sides of The Pond. Among his smaller accomplishments was offering me, a young journalist, a no-obligation opportunity to attend the Tattersalls Yearling Sale in Newmarket in 1980 when he was the Tattersalls representative in America.

“It was truly a life-changing experience for me, and we remained friends and occasional colleagues for decades until his retirement,” he said. “I regard him as one of my most influential mentors. He was a great man.”

Motion is the father of leading trainer Graham Motion as well as Andrew Motion, who owns Old Chapel Farm in Virginia and develops horses for sales. Eldest daughter Claire is an educator in Middleburg, while his other daughter Pippa is involved in gourmet food and the catering business in Washington D.C.

Shes Perfect to spell

Shes Perfect, demoted to second in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches earlier this season, has not completely healed from her July setback and will be rested the remainder of the year, according to Basher Watts who heads her ownership syndicate.

The daughter of Sioux Nation, a debut winner at Haydock in two starts last term, was second in April's G3 Prix de la Grotte to Zarigana (Siyouni), who benefitted from Shes Perfect's disqualification in the Pouliches. The Charlie Fellowes trainee, who is nicknamed Sue, was most recently ninth in the G1 Prix de Diane.

Watts released a statement on X on Friday that said, “Unfortunately we won't see Sue again on a racecourse in 2025, the area of concern did show further signs of worry, so we've taken the decision to have the rest of the year off. She's absolutely fine and this will not affect her career moving forward. As always, the horse comes first, and this was the right move for her.”