BHA cancels racing for a day to protest tax hike
In an extraordinary move by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), no race meetings will take place in Britain on Wednesday, September 10. The refusal to race is a protest at the British government's proposed tax rise on horserace betting, which, if approved, would bring it in line with betting on online gaming, pushing it up from 15 per cent to 21 per cent. This is the first time an administrator has cancelled a whole day's racing for such a reason.
Brant Dunshea | Image courtesy of British Horseracing Authority
“We have decided to take the unprecedented decision to cancel our planned racing fixtures on 10 September to highlight to government the serious consequences of the Treasury's tax proposals which threaten the very future of our sport,” said BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea.
“British Racing is already in a precarious financial position and research has shown that a tax rise on racing could be catastrophic for the sport and the thousands of jobs that rely on it in towns and communities across the country."
Waller’s other import set for Cox Plate
With the hot favourite for the G1 Cox Plate, Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) in the Chris Waller stable, Waller believes his latest import Trinity College (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is also capable of winning the Group 1 feature. “Obviously, he's good enough to win a Cox Plate,” Waller told racing.com of this season’s G3 Royal Ascot Hampton Court Stakes winner. He was second in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris last start.
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“He's probably good enough to win a Caulfield Cup and it's just a matter of whether it's this year or next, I'd suggest. What I've learned about these imported horses, if they have the ability, wait for them to show it rather than making them show it. So, it's all about how he adapts.”
In form Deepwater Artist defies laziness tag
Canberra trainer Matthew Kelley heads to Albany on Tuesday with Deepwater Artist (Trapeze Artist) has had two starts for a win and a tight second last start. The lightly raced gelding was purchased from Leanach Lodge by Harbour Racing for NZ$120,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.
“He is very unassuming,” Kelley told racenet.com.au. “He showed me a little bit early days but he has probably exceeded my expectations. I didn't think he was as good as what he is.
“He was originally getting prepared for the Ready To Run Sale to be sold when he was over in New Zealand. He actually trialled up pretty good at the Ready To Runs, I went back and watched his video. They paid $120,000 for him and then he went to Brett Cavanough and he was being trained there and they had a pretty low opinion of him from all the reports I got from them. He has just excelled this preparation. Everything he is doing, he is doing it with authority.”
My Authoritah set for Guineas
Dan Morton-trained My Authoritah (Playing God) will be set for the G2 WA Guineas at the end of the year after winning impressively on Saturday. “He’s a real nice Playing God,” stable manager, BJ Ryan, told racingwa.com.au.
“As a 2-year-old he showed those glimpses and attributes of just a nice horse. I was quite impressed with his first up win; nothing went to plan but he was still able to get the job done in a maiden. From the draw on Saturday he was able to be ridden the way he preferred to be ridden, cutting them down late. You saw more of what he’s capable of and hopefully he can continue elevating as he progresses.”
Glam wins at Casino
Proven sire Star Turn added another 3-year-old winner when Matt Dunn-trained filly Glam won at Casino on Monday. She was having her second career start, and was purchased by her trainer, Viva Racing, and Neil Jenkinson (FBAA) from Westbury Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for $75,000.
She is the first foal of Think I’m Flying (So You Think {NZ}) who is a winning half-sister to duel Listed winner Me Me Lagarde (Star Turn), making Glam a three-quarter sister to Me Me Lagarde. Think I’m Flying was covered by Ole Kirk in 2023 and sent to New Zealand where she foaled a colt in 2024, and she is currently in foal to Savabeel.
Bingley rides half the card
Apprentice jockey Lauryn Bingley won four of the eight races at Devonport in Tasmania on Sunday, headlined by the feature race, the Golden Mile on Sushi Express (Real Impact {Jpn}). “He was too good for them; he deserved to win a nice race this horse,” Bingley told tasracing.com.au.
Her other winners were on Barry Campbell-trained trio of Dynamic Deel (Dundeel), Night Invader (Invader) and Tuskagee (Alabama Express). “She’s a great girl, Lauryn, she’s gone to a new level, and she just tries so hard. More importantly, she’s a good person and she does her best, so it’s great to see her getting the reward,” trainer Barry Campbell said. Bingley is apprenticed to Campbell.
Pike’s 3-year-old fillies set for Guineas
Tony Pike-trained pair of 3-year-old fillies Listed winner Lucy In The Sky (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) and Cream Tart (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) will be set for the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas. “Lucy In The Sky will have a quiet trial at Te Awamutu and both her and Cream Tart are likely to head to the Gold Trail Stakes on September 6 at Ellerslie and we’ll definitely be looking at the 1000 Guineas with them,” Pike told Loveracing.nz.
Lucy In The Sky (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
Promising 3-year-old colt Storm Front (NZ) (Snitzel) will head to the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy. “He’s a lovely horse and had a jump-out last week and will probably go to the Te Awamutu trials on August 26 and then we’ll decide if he runs in the Sir Colin Meads Trophy at Ellerslie.”
Group 2 winner Val Di Zoldo set for Group 1 campaign
Trainer Tony Pike will set Group 2-winning mare Val Di Zoldo (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) for the trio of Group 1 races in New Zealand this spring. “She’s coming up really well, but the first one (G1 Proisir Plate, 1400 metres) isn’t ideal for her fresh-up,” Pike told Loveracing.nz.
Val Di Zoldo (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
“She’s more of a mile and 2000-metre horse so we’ll look at alternatives for her first-up run, but at the same time keep it in the back of our minds. Hopefully, she can improve a length or so off last season and probably needs everything to go 100 percent right in weight-for-age company at Group 1 level, but she seems to have come back better than ever.”
Double brings up ton for Farr
On Sunday, jockey Emily Farr rode a double bringing her New Zealand total to 101 wins. “I was super stoked,” Farr told Loveracing.nz. “It is something that I have wanted to do for a while, and to get it yesterday after being at home (Wales) with my Mum for the last couple of days was really good.”
Emily Farr | Image courtesy of Race Images
She won on Keepz Occurring (NZ) (Keeper) and The Bambino (NZ) (Rock ‘n’ Pop). I arrived in Auckland at 4:30am on Saturday morning. I came home to Matamata for an hour and then flew down to Wellington. I hadn’t ridden a horse for two-and-a-half weeks, so I was a bit like a sassy filly who had just had a freshen-up for 10 days.”
Godolphin’s Tornado Alert set for Bahrain
Godolphin's Group 1 scorer Tornado Alert (Too Darn Hot) will be freshened for the rest of the summer with the G2 Bahrain International Trophy in November pencilled in as a long-term target, according to trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
A winner at two, the son of Bint Almatar (Kingmambo) ran fourth in the G1 2000 Guineas in May and was sixth to Lambourn (Australia) in the G1 Derby at Epsom in June. Wheeled back in the G3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot, the bay was second that day. He was most recently seen in action in the G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen, where he ran out a 2.5l winner on July 27.
“He's fine, in good form, but I've given him a break,” said bin Suroor. “It's likely that I'll keep him back for the race in Bahrain. I just want to give him an easy time and miss York as he had been very busy, he ran in the Guineas, then the Derby, then Royal Ascot. I'll get him started on some light exercise, then in September we can start working him before going to Bahrain, he'll be ready for it. He needed a break.”
