Treasurethe Moment to miss Makybe Diva
Group 1-winning mare Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) will not run in Saturday’s G1 Makybe Diva Stakes after a minor bout of colic on Monday morning. “Unfortunately this morning ‘Treasure' had a mild case of colic,” trainer Matt Laurie wrote on socials.
Treasurethe Moment | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“This was identified very quickly and out of precaution she was taken to (equine) hospital. I can report she is in the best of care, she looks bright and her prognosis is very good.”
Via Sistina may head to Melbourne
With Yulong wishing to keep their two star mares Treasurethe Moment and Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) apart until the G1 Cox Plate, the scratching of Treasurethe Moment opens up a Group 1 run for Via Sistina. “Chris (Waller) will have a think about that today and decide what he’s going to do,” Yulong’s Sam Fairgray told racing.com.
Via Sistina (Ire) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“Obviously she was going to have a trial in Sydney tomorrow, but Chris will have a think and see what he thinks the best plan is, going forward.”
Ole Kirk share headlines Inglis Digital
The latest Inglis Digital sale will close on September 10, and includes a rare share in Champion First Season Sire Ole Kirk. “The stallion share will provide rare and guaranteed access to the most exciting young sire in the Southern Hemisphere, at a time when demand for his services far exceeds supply,” said Inglis in a press release.
Ole Kirk | Standing at Vinery Stud
“Starbook (Exceed And Excel) and Cocktail (Smart Missile) are two well-bred mares in the sale both offered in foal to Ole Kirk.”
The September (Early) Sale consists of 294 lots – 155 racehorses (79 race fillies), 65 racehorse shares, 47 broodmares, 13 yearlings, six unraced stock, three stallion shares, three 2-year-olds and two stallion nominations.
Young pleased Newlook made Archer field
With 13 nominations for The Archer, Racing Victoria have extended entries for another day, but the current situation has pleased Newlook (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) co-trainer Natalie Young. “If he gets in by a whisker, then it would be great to see him go around,” Young told racenet.com.au.
Natalie Young | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“We were hoping he would go a little bit better last time but he's never won under 2400. He'll be better third-up.” The Archer carries a ballot exemption for the G1 Melbourne Cup.
Fresh into Balaklava Cup suits Sir Kingsford
Co-trainer Gary Searle has high hopes for Sir Kingsford (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) heading into Wednesday’s Listed Balaklava Cup. The 6-year-old gelding won three in succession last time in including the Listed Port Adelaide Cup. “I thought he had done his job last time in, he won three straight, we always had a plan this prep to get to Melbourne with him over the spring,” Searle, who trains in partnership with wife Nicole, and daughter Brianna, told racenet.com.au.
“We thought the Balaklava Cup was a good kick-off point. First-up doesn't worry me as he comes to hand quick, he's a horse that's never ever blown, he doesn't blow a candle out whatever he does. We gave him a barrier trial at Strath (Strathalbyn) a couple of weeks ago – he went really good. I'm looking forward to Wednesday – I think he'll run a really big race.”
Quartet for Northam at Tamworth
Monday’s race meeting at Tamworth was dominated by trainer Rod Northam who enjoyed a quartet of winners from his only four runners on the day. “I’ve trained four at Scone a couple of times but not four from four, so it’s huge; I’m rapt,” Northam told countrypunter.com.au.
His winners were Sebilla (Divine Prophet), Great Point (Bull Point), Fan Harder (Calyx {GB}) and Speck (Bon Hoffa).
Zoustar adds 3-year-old winner
Ciaron Maher took 3-year-old filly Educated (Zoustar) to Tatura on Monday for a soft debut and she duly saluted by 1.5l in the opening event. Bought by her trainer for $350,000 from Daandine Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, Educated is the first foal of stakes-placed Grand Scholar (Wandjina). Grand Scholar recently foaled a colt by Hellbent.
El Vencedor crowned NZ Horse Of The Year
Stephen Marsh-trained El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) was crowned 2024/25 New Zealand Horse Of The Year at the Awards dinner in Hamilton on Sunday night. He also picked up Champion Middle Distance Horse thanks to a trio of Group 1 wins during the season.
El Vencedor (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Champion 2-Year-Old went to La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth), Champion 3-Year-Old to Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel), Champion Sprinter-Miler to Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj), Champion Stayer to Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) and Champion Jumper to West Coast (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu {NZ}).
HKJC thrilled with South Korea success
The investment in local jockeys by the Hong Kong Jockey Club was highlighted on Sunday when Jerry Chau won the G3 Korea Sprint on Self Improvement (Deep Field) for trainer Manfred Man, and riding Chancheng Glory (USA) (Mor Spirit {USA}) into second in the G3 Korea Cup for trainer Francis Lui.
“The performances of the Hong Kong horses were outstanding and it was terrific how Jerry Chau rode. We have invested heavily in local talent and it is wonderful to see they can not only hold their own against some of the best jockeys in the world,” HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told hkjc.com.
“We have really developed local talent and how Jerry rode today in a different environment is full credit to him and to the trainers.” Self Improvement become Deep Field’s 41st stakes winner with the victory.
Porta Fortuna to headline Tattersalls December Mare Sale
Four-time Group 1 winner Porta Fortuna is set to headline this year's Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She will be consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency and will head the fourth edition of the Sceptre Sessions, which will be held on Monday, December 1 and Tuesday, December 2.
“Porta Fortuna has given our Medallion partners, along with Steve, Dean and Barry, memories to last a lifetime,” Medallion racing manager Phillip Shelton said. “Full credit must go to Donnacha O'Brien and his team at Bawnmore Racing, who have campaigned her brilliantly. Our plan was always to sell at the end of her 4-year-old year and we felt that Tattersalls was the perfect place to showcase a once-in-a-lifetime filly for our partners.”
Godolphin is USA National Owner and National Breeder for 2024
Godolphin took home both the National Owner of the Year and National Breeder of the Year prizes at the 40th annual TOBA National Awards in Lexington, Kentucky, which were presented across two days of ceremonies, according to a press release from the organization on Saturday.
Lope De Vega colt puts hand up for Arc
Sunday's G2 Qatar Prix Niel looked the least-convincing on paper of all the Arc “trials” on the ParisLongchamp card and, while the times backed up that impression, few would count the improving Andre Fabre colt Cualificar (Lope De Vega) out for next month's feature. Up to a mile and a half for the first time, Godolphin's Prix du Jockey Club runner-up had to do it all late on as he was freed from the pack to master his peers but had the answers for William Buick to enter the fray for the race his trainer has won a record eight times.
Fabre, who will have a strong hand in next month's showcase with Sosie the star turn, had run Cualificar in the 10-furlong G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano last month and explained, “He got quite heavy this summer, so I thought he needed an extra run before this and it was something I did a long time ago with Trempolino. It's an impressive win for sure, but this is just a prep race for the Arc and it was what I was hoping for and expecting, with the step up in trip and the softer ground.”
Cualificar is out of the Oaks heroine Qualify (Fastnet Rock), whose prior best is the G3 Jebel Ali Mile winner Swing Vote by Lope De Vega's sire Shamardal.
Japan’s Arc dreams alive with Byzantine Dream
Arc clues were in abundance at ParisLongchamp on Sunday and the first piece of the puzzle was put in place by Japan as Byzantine Dream (Epiphaneia) upstaged the Euro contingent in the G2 Qatar Prix Foy. Earning the special voyage with a win in Riyadh's G2 Red Sea Turf Handicap and a second in the G1 Tenno Sho Spring, Kazumi Yoshida's 4-year-old was sprung from his cover by Oisin Murphy to overwhelm the 8-5 favourite Sosie (Sea The Stars) in the final yards and record a 0.5l success.
“The horse was in very good condition and the jockey rode a perfect race–it's a beautiful victory,” Tomoyasu Sakaguchi said. “He still has room for improvement and will be at the peak of his condition for the Arc. Today was just a prep race and he still has something in hand. The question will be the ground, but the main goal is to have the horse ready for the Arc and then we'll see how that turns out on the day.”
Jockeys injured at York
Racing at York on Sunday was marred by a nasty incident in the feature Sky Bet Starman Garrowby Stakes, with both Jim Crowley and Trevor Whelan having to be taken to hospital with suspected lower-leg injuries.
Crowley was riding the William Haggas-trained favourite Almeraq when the son of Dark Angel clipped heels and came down entering the final furlong. Whelan's mount Tiger Bay was following close behind and was brought down, having been left with nowhere to go.
Miraculously both horses escaped largely unscathed, but Crowley and Whelan were treated on the track for some time before being taken to Leeds General Infirmary.
