Autumn Glow set to continue unbeaten run
Chris Waller-trained 4-year-old mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) will attempt to take her unbeaten record to six in Saturday’s G2 Theo Marks Stakes. “The 1300m will probably suit her a little bit better than 1100m and I hope to learn she’s on track for an Epsom,” Waller told racingnsw.com.au.
Autumn Glow | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Everything at home indicates she is so I’m very happy with her. It’s good to get a run into them. That first run is pretty important to see they’ve come back well but also for fitness. We know we can handle the wet if we have to, we’ll try to avoid it but if we get a wet Epsom day we know we’re running.”
Blue Diamond winner heads to Run To The Rose
G1 Blue Diamond winner Devil Night (Extreme Choice) will run in Saturday’s G2 The Run To The Rose. “He was in behind them and they just outsprinted him and took that bit of an edge off,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes told racingandsports.com.au about his seasonal debut when fifth in the G3 San Domenico Stakes.
Devil Night | Image courtesy if The Image Is Everything
“Personally, I thought the last fifty (metres) and through the line the next fifty was ridiculous. He could be in a Golden Rose. He could be in a Caulfield Guineas. We're leaving our options open with him because we thought he was more a sprinter but he's relaxing well so you never know.”
Nepotism resumes in Run To The Rose
Team Hawkes-trained Group 1 winning colt Nepotism (Brutal {NZ}) will make his seasonal return in Saturday's G2 The Run To The Rose at Rosehill on Saturday. "He's a baby. He is maturing," Michael Hawkes told racingandsports.com.au.
Nepotism | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He is different and different in a good way because what you saw was just raw ability. To be fair, he should nearly be unbeaten. Wodeton came in on him up the straight (in the Todman Stakes) and he should have at least run second. With a bit more luck and if he'd had momentum, he probably nearly wins the race.
“He was in the best lead-up to the (Golden) Slipper, which is a Todman. You don't get much better than that. His form is ridiculous. He's a really nice colt.”
Joliestar booked for Waller's The Everest slot
Joliestar (Zoustar) will run in trainer Chris Waller’s The Everest slot and resumes in Saturday’s G2 Sheraco Stakes. “She’s a more mature horse now,” Waller told racingnsw.com.au.
“We don’t need to bustle her to be in positions, that was her downfall this time last year. She won first-up really well then we asked too much of her second-up and the rest of them were good runs.
Joliestar | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“What she did in the Newmarket was exceptional, and to back it up in Brisbane shows the quality she possesses. She's matured beautifully and we couldn't be more excited to have her back for The Everest.”
Prebble has surgery for spinal injury
Jockey Tom Prebble sustained a spinal injury in a fall at Warrnambool on Tuesday and has had surgery to assist him. “Thomas Prebble has undergone spinal surgery at The Alfred hospital. He is being supported by medical and nursing staff. His condition will be monitored,” the Victorian Jockeys' Association said in a statement on Wednesday morning.
“The family would like to thank everyone for their messages of support, checking on Thomas and his well-being. It is greatly appreciated. In order for the family to devote their time and energy to provide as much support as they can to Thomas it is kindly requested that their privacy be respected.”
Flood damages Morphettville grandstand
A flood on Monday has damaged the Morphettville grandstand, but Racing SA announced on Wednesday that racing at the venue will continue as planned. “We have been in continuous consultation with engineers, contractors and relevant authorities,” Morphettville CEO, Grant Mayer, told racingsa.com.au.
Grant Mayer | Image courtesy of Morphettville
“Following thorough review, the venue has been deemed safe to operate, and we will only proceed with racing on that basis. The safety of patrons, participants and staff is always our first consideration. At the same time, we are working closely with Racing SA, industry partners and our event clients to minimise disruption to race days and corporate events as much as possible.
“Level 1 has sustained the most damage, while Level 2 has also been impacted in parts. While the damage is significant, we have strong contingency measures in place, and we’ll continue to work with Members, Owners, Trainers, Partners, and Guests to ensure their experience at Morphettville remains of the highest standard.”
Farnan adds exciting debut winner
Second season sire Farnan added an exciting debut winner in New Zealand with 3-year-old filly Passiflora (NZ). “I am really rapt with that,” co-trainer Steven Ramsay, who trains with Julia Ritchie, told Loveracing.nz.
“She drew the outside and we were a wee bit worried, but the other plan was to go to Taranaki on Saturday and that is going to be a Heavy10. She has got a fair bit of speed this filly and it was a very good effort from the outside gate. I think she is going to get better and better. She rails like a greyhound, she is not overly big, but she has got a tonne of speed.”
Bred by Pencarrow Stud and raced by farm principal Sir Peter Vela, Passiflora is the first foal of Group 3 winner Lilikoi (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}).
Fierce Impact adds winner number four
Second season sire Fierce Impact (Jpn) added his fourth winner when Simon Miller-trained 3-year-old filly Fine Star won at Belmont. She was having her fourth start, and ran fourth on debut in the Listed Supremacy Stakes at two.
Purchased by her trainer at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale for $105,000, she was offered by Golden Grove and is the fourth winner for Listed winner Brilliant Bisc (Elvstreom) who is a daughter of Group 1 winner Stella Cadente (Centaine).
Stakes placed Sanctified breaks through for first win
Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained 3-year-old gelding Sanctified (NZ) (Super Seth) broke through for his first win at his seventh start on Wednesday at Canterbury. Placed in the G3 Black Opal Stakes at two, Sanctified was sold to his trainers by Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $260,000.
“I've done his form, which you do for your own horse a lot of the time, but I reckon his two best runs were in the Millennium and the Black Opal, and both times he was ridden quiet,” Ryan said. He is the third foal and third winner for winning mare Sacred Siren (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
Kickuphigh wins at Ipswich
Wednesday’s Ipswich meeting was opened with the victory of Desleigh Forster-trained 3-year-old filly Kickuphigh (Better Than Ready) who was having her fifth start. She was purchased by her trainer for $195,000 from Lyndhurst Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.
Kickuphigh is the first foal of Rockette Rocket (Captain Sonador), a half-sister to Group 1 winner Apache Chase (Better Than Ready) and Group 2 winner Churchill Downs (Danehill {USA}).
Microphone’s Kalmana wins again at Balaklava
Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained 3-year-old gelding Kalmana (Microphone)’s win at Balaklava on Wednesday took his record to two wins from five starts. Purchased by his trainers for $130,000, Kalama was sold by Glenbeigh Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A half-brother to stakes placed pair of Karacasu (Headwater) and Piiink Beauty (Zebedee {GB}), his dam city winner Miss Cooper (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) is in foal to Shinzo.
Mating Call impressive on debut
Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray-trained 3-year-old filly Mating Call (Brazen Beau) won on debut at Balaklava on Wednesday. Raced by Bacchus Bloodstock, she is the third winner from five to race for stakes placed Monopole (High Chaparral {Ire}) who recently foaled a Royal Meeting (Ire) colt.
Graff adds debutant winner
Second season sire Graff added his seventh winner when Barry Lockwood-trained 3-year-old colt Notocar won on debut at Ipswich. Originally sold by A B Breeding Venture for $2250 as a weanling to Hawthorn Stud, he went through the Alma Vale and Kitchwin Hills Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, where Lesleigh Investments purchased him for $18,000.
A half-brother to stakes placed Reflectivity (All Too Hard), he is the last foal of Climatic (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) who has now produced three winners. She is a stakes placed half-sister to Group 3 winner Precious Lorraine (Encosta De Lago) and Listed winner Lucky Raquie (Encosta De Lago), from the Redoute’s Choice family.
Group 1 target for Vinnie colt
Trainer Stephen Marsh will aim 4-year-old entire Tardelli (I Am Invincible) at the G1 Thorndon Mile after he won a trial on Tuesday. “He’s come up super and the plan is to kick off at Ellerslie on September 20 in an open 1400m,” Marsh told Loveracing.nz.
“He might go to the Matamata Cup and then maybe look at something like the Thorndon Mile.”
McNab to miss spring with fracture
New Zealand Champion Jockey Michael McNab will miss the spring with a leg fracture sustained at Tuesday’s Ellerslie trials when kicked by a horse below his knee. “I have spoken to Michael, and he is really gutted,” his agent Aidan Rodley told Loveracing.nz.
Michael McNab | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“He had made such a strong start to the season and was obviously hoping to capitalise on that through the spring and beyond. It looks like he will be out for between six and eight weeks.”
No racing in the UK on Wednesday
There will be no horseracing across the UK on Wednesday as part of an industry-wide attempt to persuade the British government of the potentially ruinous consequences of a proposed rise in betting tax. A hike from 15 per cent to 21 per cent has been suggested to bring betting on racing and other sports into line with the tax rate for online gaming and slots, but the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), along with the sport's other representative bodies, has warned of the devastating impact on racing's finances if this is imposed in the Autumn Budget, which is set for November 26.
“British racing has taken the unprecedented step of stopping racing for a day because the threat posed by this proposed racing tax hike is nothing short of an existential threat for our sport,” said the BHA's new chair Lord Allen, who took up his position on September 1.
“I fully support this bold initiative which has only been made possible by an extraordinary collective effort across the industry, led by the BHA, and I applaud the efforts of all involved. It shows the great strength of feeling and unity within the sport and demonstrates that racing will not sit quietly by while our future is placed in jeopardy.”
Ka Ying Rising leads Timeform ratings
Hong Kong star sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) holds a world-leading Timeform rating of 135 and he returned to win a Sha Tin affair by 2.25 lengths on Sunday. A winner of 14 of his 16 starts and unbeaten since January of 2024, the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year is rated just under the historic mark of 136 awarded to Aussie mare Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and Europe's own Battaash (Dark Angel). He is three pounds ahead of current middle-distance mare Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock), whose best mark is 132.
The current best of Europe are Field Of Gold (Kingman) (130p) and Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder (130), while Lazzat (Territories) is rated 124 after beating Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Timeform's Flat editor David Johnson said, “Hong Kong has been home to some world-class sprinters down the years, with the likes of Silent Witness and Sacred Kingdom both rated top-class by Timeform at their peak, but in Ka Ying Rising it looks to have produced one even better than that pair.”
Shin Emperor set for G1 Irish Champion Stakes
Ryusei Sakai is savouring a second tilt at the G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, with last year's third Shin Emperor (Siyouni) featuring among 12 horses standing their ground after Tuesday's confirmation stage.
Japanese raider Shin Emperor, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, delighted connections in an early workout on Tuesday, with Sakai saying afterwards, “He worked this morning on the Curragh Racecourse with his partner horse and he felt very well, very comfortable. I was very happy with the gallop. He is a more mature and stronger horse now than last year, more experienced too. He looks great, very healthy and seems to have settled well into his new environment on the Curragh.”
He added, “I learned a lot from the race at Leopardstown last year and I hope that experience can help us in the big race. He's a straightforward horse. He led and won [the G2 Neom Turf Cup] in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, or you can wait with him like we did here a year ago, so I think we will have options.”
Another first for Asfoora
Asfoora (Flying Artie) will become the first Australian-trained runner on the Flat in Ireland when she lines up in the G1 Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes. Successful in last month's G1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, she arrives into Ireland on Friday and will again be ridden by Oisin Murphy. A total of 20 horses remain in contention for the Flying Five, with Adrian Murray set to saddle two of the biggest dangers to Asfoora in Bucanero Fuerte (Wootton Bassett) and Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev).
Asfoora | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Much-loved Haru Urara dies aged 29
A fan favourite in Japan, having been unable to win in 113 starts, Haru Urara (Jpn) (Nippo Teio {Jpn}) died on Tuesday aged 29. Over 5000 fans attended Kochi racecourse to see her 100th defeat, and this rose to 8000 for her 101st, giving the near-bankrupt course a much needed boost in 2003. She raced from 1998 to 2004.
