Listed Rowley Mile abandoned
Thursday’s Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury has an uncertain future after racing at Hawkesbury was abandoned after 45 mm of rain fell over night and surface water was on the track. Racing NSW have yet to notify if the race will be rescheduled.
Waller not bothered by the wet for Via Sistina
Trainer Chris Waller feels Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) has enough wet form that the sodden Sydney surface for Saturday’s G1 Winx Stakes won’t faze her. “It will come down to luck in running and how the race is run. Fangirl is a better 1400 metre horse but Via Sistina is an outstanding mile/2000 metre horse,” Waller told racingnsw.com.au.
Via Sistina | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“And if there is a chink in anyone’s armour, Via will see them out over 1400 metres as well. Hence the reason why she is Horse Of The Year I guess. She’s had a win in France on a soft track and a win at Newmarket was on a soft track and surely that’d be similar to a heavy here. She’ll be fine. But it takes away (Fangirl’s) brilliance a little bit because she is a speed horse so I’m little bit more concerned with her.”
Via Sistina has had only one start on an Australian Heavy track when fifth in the 2024 G1 Makybe Diva Stakes.
Baker’s trio ready to take on Via Sistina
Bjorn Baker will have three of his stable stars attempting to beat Via Sistina in Saturday’s G1 Winx Stakes, being Arapaho (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Robusto (Churchill {Ire}), and War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) who may go to the Goulburn Cup on Sunday instead. “Robusto is very fit and a happy horse at the moment,” Baker's assistant trainer Luke Hilton told racenet.com.au of the last start Listed Winter Challenge Stakes winner.
“He looks fantastic and he couldn't be any better. The really heavy track wouldn't be of great benefit to him but he has got fitness on his side.”
Bjorn Baker | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Arapaho will definitely benefit from the run but he gets through the wet track and it will probably make it a bit more of a testing 1400 metres. It might make it more like a mile which will suit him. He is well and is just kicking off his campaign but always runs well fresh in these races.”
Savvy Hallie set to grab Princess Series
Trainer Brad Widdup feels Group-placed Savvy Hallie (Hellbent) is better suited to the early races in the Princess Series and expects a strong performance in Saturday’s G2 Silver Shadow Stakes. “Definitely the early races but I think she may be too brilliant for 1400m to a mile,” Widdup told racingnsw.com.au.
“Being realistic I think she is a pretty sharp sort of filly so we’ll have to take it run by run and change tack when we need. It’s only spring, we don’t have to overdo it in the spring but we’d like to see where she gets this time through and obviously some black type would be great.”
Maloney hunting third Carlyon Stakes
Jockey Ryan Maloney has won the Listed Carlyon Stakes twice and is hunting a third on Saturday on Tony Gollan-trained Golden Boom (Spirit Of Boom). “The day I won on Nature Strip there, he came out of the barriers a bit sticky and sat three-deep but he was always going to be too good for them. Looking back now to see what Nature Strip went on to do, that is a terrific memory. But Angelic Light probably gave me my best memory at Moonee Valley when she beat Lankan Rupee,” Maloney told racenet.com.au.
Golden Boom | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“There are a few quick horses in there, it all depends how well Golden Boom leaves the barriers. Sometimes he can take 50 metres to find his momentum. But if he leads them like he did that day on the Gold Coast (when winning the Listed Goldmarket in January), I don't think I will have too much to worry about. He is one-dimensional, he is a quick horse and he's never been any different. This is just a hit-and-run mission for me, I've got a bit going on in Queensland. I grew up in Victoria, but I am entrenched in Queensland now and I love it.”
Dunn to return to the saddle
After a lengthy rehabilitation period, jockey Dylan Dunn is ready to return to race riding. He fractured his fibula and tibia in a serious trackwork fall at Caulfield in 2021, and has been working as a trainer since then with nine winners from a small team. “I just love being a jockey,” Dunn told racing.com.
“I just love being a professional athlete and I am just not ready to give it up. I am really excited to make the transition back into riding from next week. After surgery, I didn't have the flexibility in my ankle to get straight back into it (riding), so I took out a dual licence to go down the training path and got so busy that the riding got pushed to the side a bit.
Dylan Dunn | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“It's (ankle) been great over the last 12 months. I've been able to run a half marathon, go skiing and do some indoor soccer, so the ankle and body are finally back to where they need to be. I feel I've got some unfinished business in my riding career.”
Doubtland adds winner number five
Second season sire Doubtland has had two winners in the last two days, and on Thursday, 3-year-old filly Celibate won on debut for trainer Matthew Williams in a 1.75l victory over 1100 metres at Warrnambool. Raced by her breeder Balius Farm in partnership with Ultra Williams, Celibate is the third winner for winning mare Nitouche (Hussonet {USA}) who missed the two years after Celibate and is in foal to Acrobat.
Course specialist Our Eagle Rock makes it three
Sileas Green-trained 3-year-old gelding Our Eagle Rock (Your Song) has won three of his last four starts, all at Rockhampton, with Thursday’s victory making it two in succession. He also placed at the track twice at two with seven of his eight career starts being at Rockhampton.
Raced by his breeders G & E Sturgiss and friends, Our Eagle Rock is one of two winners for four-time winning mare Talon Lady (Mossman) who is foal to Whittington.
Spirit Of Boom sired a double at the Rockhampton meeting on Thursday with Devil Devil and Boom Boom Bella.
Tassort adds 3-year-old winner
On Bunbury’s fibre sand track on Thursday, 3-year-old gelding Tassort We Want (Tassort) won the second on the card for trainer Tiarnna Noske. He was having his second start, having placed on debut.
Tassort We Want winning the Maiden at Bunbury | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Tassort We Want was sold by Emirates Park at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale for $18,000 to TB Racing and is the second winner for Buroog (Artie Schiller {USA}) who is an unraced half-sister to Group 3 winner Coleman (Pierata) and Listed winner Liwa (Mulaazem) while Buroog’s dam Sboog (Redoute’s Choice) is a half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1-sire Rothesay, and Listed winner and sire Sensei whose first small crop of 37 foals have just turned three and include the winner Bolla Bolla Babe.
Pier’s half-sister to debut on Saturday
Group 1 winner Pier (NZ) (Proisir)’s 3-year-old half-sister Rumours (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) will debut on Saturday for trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley. “She’s a sister to Maria Farina and a half-sister to Pier and we think quite a bit of her,” Darryn Weatherley told Loveracing.nz.
“She’s trialled well, her work has been really good, and she’s drawn barrier one with Matt Cameron in the saddle, so she’s got a few favours.”
Darryn and Briar Weatherley | Image courtesy of Race Images
Pier, who won a Listed race in Brisbane in June, is being aimed at the G1 Epsom. “He’s in work with Barry Lockwood and I’m going over on Monday, he’ll float to Sydney in the middle of next week and trial on September 4 at Warwick Farm. He’ll have his first run at Rosehill in the Theo Marks on September 13 and, all going well, will go through to the Epsom on October 4.”
Twain set to emulate his dam
If Twain (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) can win Saturday’s G2 Foxbridge Plate, he’ll be following in the footsteps of his Group 1 winning dam Fleur De Lune (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) who won the race in 2012. He ran second last start. “After his last start he was a little bit tired,” trainer John Bell told Loveracing.nz.
Twain (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“He had to go early, which was unfortunate. He was challenged on the outside and he is a very aggressive horse. Vinnie (Colgan) had to pick him up and carry him over that last stride. He felt it, but he has kicked back nicely.”
Emotional return for Mali Ston
Trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley have seen Mali Ston (NZ) (El Roca) through adversity and back to the races, and he will make his season debut in Saturday’s G2 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa. “If there’s any horse that deserves something it’s Mali Ston, he’s been through the wars after he broke his pedal bone and had 18 months off, and we were going to retire if not have to put him down,” Darryn Weatherley told Loveracing.nz.
Mali Ston (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“He’s come back and hasn’t won a race since, but he’s run third in a Thorndon Mile and Group 2 seconds. The connections are just the greatest owners, and we’d love to see him win a nice race.”
Emotional win for Hill on Tuesday
Tuesday was the birthday of the late Kaye Hill, the first female to be licenced as a strapper with the Queensland Turf Club back in 1964, and her husband Paul enjoyed an emotional winner at Dalby with Master Ned (Wanted) who Kaye used to train before she died earlier this year. “It makes it easy when the horse is prepared well and the jockey can just ride,” jockey Chris Taylor told racingqueensland.com.au.
“I couldn’t fault the horse in how he looked and how he felt at all. It is just getting his temperament sorted and they are working well with him on it.”
Average/median fall at Arqana V2
Less than a fortnight after Power Blue provided Space Blues with a breakthrough Group 1 success by producing a gritty performance from the front to land the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, the Darley stallion supplied the top lot of the Arqana August V2 Yearling Sale on Wednesday when Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International went to €110,000 (AU$199,000) to secure a colt by the first-season sire from Haras de l'Hotellerie.
Records were broken during the August Yearling Sale here in Deauville and the 86% clearance rate for the V2 session – which was the highest posted since 2014 at 91% – illustrated the hunger for horses at every level here in France.
However, while the clearance rate was up by 6% on last year, the €28,048 (AU$50,800) average was down by 16% on last year and the €3,817,500 (AU$6.88 million) aggregate was down by 16%. The median dropped by €2,000 to €25,000 (AU$45,000).
Godolphin Flying Start recruits begin
The 2025-2027 Godolphin Flying Start trainees arrived at Kildangan Stud on Monday, Aug. 18 to commence their two-year scholarship within the thoroughbred industry. The class comprises trainees from six different nationalities, including Spain, Morocco, India, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK.
“We welcomed our 23rd Godolphin Flying Start class to Kildangan Stud this week,” said Godolphin Flying Start Executive Director, Clodagh Kavanagh. “They will follow in the footsteps of the 248 alumni of the programme through Ireland, England, USA, Australia and Dubai experiencing the thoroughbred industry and learning as much as they can. As scholarship recipients, they are expected to be advocates for the programme and the industry, having a positive impact on those around them.”
The 2025 – 2027 trainees are Luke O'Neill, Ireland, Saad Saidi, Morocco, Kitty Ashby, UK, Tara Carroll, Ireland, Adrian Redondo, Spain, Jamie O'Connor, Ireland, Mageswar Periasamy Vishakan, India, Harry Winnard, UK, Emma Dillon, Ireland, Callum Jeffries, New Zealand, Raphael McCall, UK, and Emma Hunter, Ireland.
