Melbourne Racing Club adds trial dates
The Melbourne Racing Club announced on Monday that they would hold 15 official trial meetings at their tracks this season, with 13 of those at Caulfield Heath and the other two at Sandown. Unlike jumpouts, jockeys would be paid to ride in these, and an official set of juvenile trials will be held at Caulfield Heath on October 2. “We're delighted to provide a solution that meets the needs of trainers, jockeys and owners alike,” the MRC's acting chief executive Tanya Fullarton told racenet.com.au.
“The annual schedule of Official Trials not only provides grass access under race day conditions but also reflects MRC's commitment to giving industry participants the facilities they require for race preparation.”
Share in Ole Kirk in next Inglis Digital sale
Inglis announced on Monday that a share in Champion First Season sire Ole Kirk will be available in their September Early Digital Sale, and bidding opens on September 5 and closes on September 10.
Ole Kirk has sired four stakes winners with his first crop who have recently turned three.
Treasurethe Moment clash with Via Sistina ‘up to trainers’
Yulong are unlikely to deliberately keep their two stars mares apart over spring, meaning a clash between Matt Laurie-trained Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) and Chris Waller-trainer Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) is likely. “I think Mr Zhang would dearly love to keep them apart,” Yulong CEO Sam Fairgray told racing.com.
Sam Fairgray | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I understand why you’d want to do that. At the same point, my advice to him would be let the trainers do their thing with the horses and place them where they think is best, because we know in racing anything can change at the last minute. I think you’ve got to do the right thing by the horse with having a final goal, obviously, as a Cox Plate.”
Fairgray did tease the notion of Treasurethe Moment heading to Europe in the future. “I think she’d be nice one – in another year or so – maybe think of taking her to Ascot for the Queen Anne.”
Quiet jumpout for Pride Of Jenni
Group 1 winning mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) had a quiet jumpout at Cranbourne on Monday, finishing second for jockey Declan Bates. “She’ll take a fair bit of improvement out of today. She had a decent blow and Dec said she felt really good underneath him and he said he felt her expand her chest a bit over 100 (metres) from the line and he just looked after her, so she’s got quite a bit of improvement,” trainer Ciaron Maher told racing.com.
“She seems very similar to most other preps. She’s nice and clean limbed and all her mannerisms seem the same. She’s prepped-up quite well. She had a nice break and put good condition on. She came into the stable in very good order. We had a couple of options for her but I’d say she’ll have another trial on the back of that and probably it (return) will be around near the end of the month, we’ll look to kick her off. There’s a couple of races at the end of the carnival – mile races that are probably attractive for her.”
Messara has high opinion of debutant
Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained 3-year-old colt Autumn King (The Autumn Sun) will make his debut at Scone on Tuesday. “He’s a talented colt that has won both of his trials,” Messara told racingnsw.com.au.
“He’s pleased us at home as well, and it looks like a good race for him to kick off his career in at Scone.”
Saturday’s Prairie Cup holds sentimental value
The 2025 Prairie Cup will host the 1950 trophy won by Master Aubin who was trained by R.T. (Tom) Jordan. His daughter Sue Nott will bring the trophy to the track to celebrate 75 years since her family won the race. “The Cup means a lot to my family,” Nott told racingqueensland.com.au.
The Prairie Cup of 1950 | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“I have great memories from attending the Prairie races and I am proud to have it in my possession, the Cup. I have kept it clean all those years. I will have great pleasure in bringing the Cup back again in 2025. Keeping the Cup clean, it is a bit like the Prairie races, it comes around once a year (laughs). It is a lovely silver Cup.
“This is why race meetings are so important in the bush – there is so much tradition. For people to get together and everything from different regions, it is a big thing. I didn’t go to the races on that day, but I can remember my Dad coming home with the Cup.”
Gooree Stud stallion parade
Gooree Stud welcomes everyone to their stallion parade on Friday September 5 at 10.30am. Breeders will be able to view Prized Icon and Your Song along with Gooree newcomer and Everest winner Yes Yes Yes.
Yes Yes Yes | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Debutant flies at Wellington
The opening race at Wellington on Monday over 900 metres was won by debutant 3-year-old gelding Denman Bandit (Denman). Trained by Brett Thompson, he is a homebred for N & R Atkinson who also raced his dam Dollar Thief (Time Thief) who won twice. She has a yearling full sister to Denman Bandit and is empty this season.
Nicely bred Street Boss filly wins at Ballarat
Ciaron Maher-trained 3-year-old filly Danube (Street Boss {USA}) won at Ballarat on Monday, and she was having her second start having run fourth on debut at two back in December.
Owned by Godolphin, Danube is a half-sister to stakes placed Legio Ten (Exosphere) and Grunderzeit (Street Cry {Ire}), and she is out of Group 3 winner Viennese (Redoute’s Choice) who is a full sister to Group 1 winner and Champion Sire Snitzel, and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Hinchinbrook, and stakes placed Weiner (More Than Ready {USA}), who is the dam of Group 1 winner Rediener (Redoute’s Choice).
Vienesse was purchased by Darley Australia at the 2007 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Yarraman Park Stud for $1.4 million.
Vale Robert Priscott
New Zealand Group 1 winning trainer Robert Priscott died last week. “It is a terrific loss,” The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams told Loveracing.nz on Monday.
“He had been ill for some time unfortunately with a very acute form of Parkinson’s. His last year has been very tough on the family. He was a champion bloke and a champion trainer. We travelled the world together and had a lot of fun together.
“Robert never had more than 30 horses, but he had some good ones. … He won so many Group races for us with a small team. We had so many good horses together in the Terry Jarvis (former The Oaks Stud owner) days. He bought Buzz Lightyear and I had just started at The Oaks with Terry Jarvis. Buzz Lightyear won at Te Rapa in his first start. I talked Terry into buying him off Robert, who was always a seller. … Terry Jarvis, who was my boss at the time, raced Buzz Lightyear and he was the best horse by a mile. He went on and won the 2000 Guineas, Levin Classic and went to Australia and ran second or third behind Pins in the Caulfield Guineas. He was a great horse.”
Castelvecchio’s debutant winner Quantum Legend sent to Hong Kong
Quantum Legend (Castelvecchio), a 3-year-old gelding who won on debut in New Zealand, will ship to Hong Kong. “It looks like (owner Kenneth Lau) is going to take him up there. The PP bonuses (for previously raced horses) are so attractive for the owners if they win in Class 3,” trainer Tony Pike told Loveracing.nz.
Quantum Legend | Image courtesy of Race Image
“We made a good case and the owner thought about it long and hard but, no, he’s heading up there. It’s a real shame and if he was a colt, it may have been a different story, but with the amount of prizemoney up there it’s pretty hard to try and convince him otherwise, so we’ll move on.”
Ho to return at season opener
Jockey Vincent Ho will return to the saddle for Sha Tin’s opening meeting on September 7, after spending seven months in rehabilitation after a big fall. “The last seven months there hasn’t been much change, but the sport doctor in Geneva let me start riding since the start of June. From July onwards, I was riding here a little bit until the end of the season,” Ho told scmp.com.
Vincent Ho | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“I’m feeling ready and good, which is the most important thing. The doctors here would pass me after one or two trials if I feel fine, but I said to them not to because I’ve been out for a while and want to do a bit more before I tell them I’m ready. It’s better for it to be my own decision. Medical wise, since the start of June, everything has been fine – my sports doctor and neurosurgeon have passed me already, now it’s my call.
“Hopefully I can ride something nice and start off the season well. Obviously you get to learn to be patient and look after yourself – it’s one of the most important things I’ve learned in this period. You have to be resilient as a sportsman and learn as much as possible. Even in a time like this, something positive can come out of it, and we take that.”
South African trainer set for Hong Kong opening day
Trainer Brett Crawford believes his charge Speedy Smartie (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) can give him the perfect beginning to his Hong Kong career at Sunday’s season opener at Sha Tin. “He trialled pretty well and he’s come out of it well, so it looks like he’s ready to go,” Crawford told scmp.com.
Winner of 38 Group 1 races in South Africa, Crawford comes to Hong Kong with strong training credentials. “It hasn’t been easy, putting yourself out there in strange territory and unknown to everybody. But I must say the owners here are more than willing to speak to you and make a decision after they’ve met with you, so that’s encouraging to get an opportunity.
“We’ve got 25 horses at the moment. There are a couple that I think are in their right classes. A lot of them were racing until the end of last season, so we’ve just freshened them up and got them going again. There are a few that have dropped in rating and look like they can bounce back. If we can turn them around, I’m sure there are a few we can have a bit of fun with.”
Citizen Bull back in the winner’s circle
After a fruitless last three appearances against elite company, juvenile champion Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) returned to his winning ways after major class relief in the Shared Belief Stakes.
Off the board in the GI Woody Stephens, GI Kentucky Derby, and GI Santa Anita Derby in his last three starts, it had been a tough spring for the Bob Baffert trainee after a sensational juvenile season which saw him win two Grade I races, including the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and take home top prize as the best 2-year-old colt of 2024.
“He was back to a distance he really loves,” said Baffert from the winner's enclosure. “The Breeders' Cup Mile is probably where we will be pointing. We were trying to get him back to form after what he went through. I told Juan [Hernandez] 'Come back with bugs on your teeth.' It was good to see him put on a show today. You saw the champion Citizen Bull today.”
