Bevan appointed Head Of Digital at Magic Millions
Bryce Bevan has been appointed as Head of Digital for Magic Millions, underlining the auction house’s commitment to digital sales. “I am very excited to join Magic Millions many years after they gave me my start in the thoroughbred industry,” Bevan said in a press release.
Bryce Bevan | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“I look forward to working closely with the leadership team and its many clients to establish a digital platform designed to enhance the online sales space in the industry. Magic Millions is renowned for creating an unmatched atmosphere with its live sales across the country, and that's the energy and experience we're looking to bring to Magic Millions Digital as well, continuously striving to innovate and evolve, for the benefit of our clients - buyers and vendors alike.”
Skybird out of The Everest
Inglis slot-holder Skybird (Exosphere) will miss the G1 The Everest. The 5-year-old mare pulled up sore after the G1 Manikato Stakes and trainer Mitch Freedman formally withdrew her on Wednesday. “We agreed to give the mare the necessary time they felt they needed to make a definitive assessment of it and Mitch contacted me earlier today to say they couldn't get the horse there,” Inglis CEO Sebastian Hutch said on socials.
“We will look at alternative plans now. It's not a case of starting all over again, we have an idea of the horses we are particularly interested in so we will have a few conversations internally but there are already horses that are legitimate candidates.”
G3 National Day Cup won by Fast Network
Wednesday’s G3 National Day Cup in Hong Kong was won by Fast Network (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}).
The 5-year-old gelding has done all his racing in Hong Kong and this was his first black type victory. He has six wins from 13 starts and earnings over HK$10 million (AU$1.9 million). Fast Network becomes the fifth stakes winner for Wrote (Ire).
Fast Network was sold by Highview for NZ$30,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale to Wexford Stables. He won a trial as a 2-year-old in New Zealand prior to arriving in Hong Kong. One of three winners for Alberta (NZ) (Magic Albert) who is a half-sister to Listed winner Gustavo (NZ) (Savabeel), Fast Network has a Santos yearling half-sister.
My Gladiola wary of Tentyris in Danehill
Trainer John McArdle is wary of 3-year-old colt Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) in Saturday’s G2 Danehill Stakes. His filly My Gladiola (I Am Invincible) comes into the race having won the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes last start. “Tentyris has got the form on the board and been trialling and working really well,” McArdle told racing.com.
Tentyris | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I’ve been keeping an eye on him, here at Mornington, when he has worked here. Obviously Griffo’s horse (Legacy Bound) is unbeaten and Clinton McDonald’s horse (Rosberg) couldn’t have been any more impressive at his first start.
“I think she (My Gladiola) has come on since the Cap D'Antibes, but she’ll have to, facing the field she is facing on Saturday.”
Rosberg to step up again in Danehill
A Listed winner on debut, 3-year-old colt Rosberg (Deep Field) will have his second start in Saturday’s G2 Danehill Stakes as he heads towards the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. “There's an X-factor about him,” trainer Clinton McDonald told racenet.com.au.
“He's a special horse we feel … what he shows us at home and what he can do. We're looking forward to the Danehill, it's a stronger race again but we feel he'll step up. You find those special horses and you don't come across them often.
Rosberg | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We did the job with Angel Capital … we weren't able to take him to the Group 1 level but we knew we were able to, now we've got this horse and our job is to get him the Group 1. I feel this horse is a better horse than Angel Capital, I always said that from day dot … I remember when lost Angel Capital I said ‘it doesn't matter, I've got one better at home'.
“This horse. He does things (Weekend) Hussler used to do … he's pretty special.”
Lotto win catapults stable into juvenile spotlight
Hawkesbury training partnership of Mitch and Desiree Kearney have 13 juveniles nominated for the G1 Golden Slipper and it’s all because a childhood mate, Daniel Springfield and partner Jasmine, won Lotto. “He and his partner were lucky enough to win the Lotto, I’ve known him ever since I was a kid,” Kearney told racingnsw.com.au.
“We played footy together. I played footy with Daniel’s elder brother and he played footy with my brother. The families were always friends. He’d had micro shares in horses before and once he got some money he rang me, I was at Wyong races with the old horse Lady Shenanigans. When I was parading the horse I didn't realise he was at Wyong and he yelled out to me, we spoke more about it and ended up at the Classics.”
They will run Oh Yes She Did (Yes Yes Yes) in Saturday’s G3 Gimcrack Stakes and Iambubb (I Am Invincible) in the G3 Breeders’ Plate.
Dumped jockey Ryan teams up for Metropolitan
Jockey Brock Ryan got dumped twice by Kerry Parker-trainer Flying Bandit (Trapeze Artist) the first time they met, but they’ve ironed out their differences ahead of Saturday’s G1 Metropolitan Handicap. “He was a big raw fellow then. I always knew he was a nice horse and the stable had a bit of an opinion of him,” Ryan told racingnsw.com.au.
“He dropped me twice before I got out on the track that day but he got back and hit the line nicely. I had five or six rides locked in at Kembla (this Saturday) and probably would have filled the book but it’s hard to knock back a Group 1 opportunity. They don’t come along for jockeys like me every week.”
Free entry to races with NRL final ticket
The Australian Turf Club are offering free entry to G1 Epsom Day for anyone holding an NRL Grand Final ticket. “Saturday is Sydney’s signature sporting long weekend with a spectacular card of Group 1 racing on a historic day for Royal Randwick,” Australian Turf Club's Interim CEO, Steve McMahon told racingnsw.com.au.
“We are delighted to offer ATC Members the cheapest drink in Sydney all weekend – 160 cents for a one-off beer, wine or soft drink after the 160th Epsom is run and won. We also welcome NRL Grand Final ticket holders to the races for free on a day packed with events and atmosphere across all areas of Royal Randwick.”
Four new inductees to Queensland Hall Of Fame
Trainer Tony Gollan is one of four new inductees announced for the Queensland Racing Hall Of Fame. Along with jockey Michael Pelling and Chief De Beers (Hula Chief {NZ}), he will be inducted at the Queensland Thoroughbred Awards gala lunch on October 12. The fourth inductee will be announced at the lunch.
Tony Gollan | Image courtesy of Magic MIllions
“I never expected this, to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at this stage of my career. To be alongside trainers like Jim Atkins, who was my hero growing up, it means an awful lot to me. I don’t feel like I’m anywhere near done yet and still have a fair bit of my story to be written,” Gollan told racingqueensland.com.au.
Vale McCoy
Former Warwick Farm trainer Mr Horrie McCoy has died aged 96. According to Racing NSW, his last winner Chinhoyi (Squill {USA}) was at Warwick Farm in July 2003. He had moved to Caloundra, Queensland for his retirement.
Steel Trap makes it three
Second season sire King’s Legacy’s 3-year-old filly Steel Trap took her record to three wins from seven starts with victory at Sandown on Wednesday. Owned by Yulong, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained filly won the G3 David Coles Stakes at two.
Steel Trap took her earnings over $217,000 and she was a $30,000 purchase by Angas River Contractors at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale from Phoenix Broodmare Farm.
North Pacific adds winner number five
Tony Gollan-trained 3-year-old filly Making News (North Pacific) became her second season sire’s fifth winner when saluting at Eagle Farm on Wednesday. Twice placed at two, she was having her fourth start.
Peachester Lodge bought her for $220,000 from Newgate Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is the third city winner for Janast (Redoute’s Choice) from as many to race.
At the same meeting, Matthew Hoysted-trained 3-year-old filly Seismic Boom (Spirit Of Boom) won on debut.
Moodley returns to the saddle
Only three months after being kicked in the head at the trials and airlifted to hospital where a plate was fitted to his skull, apprentice jockey Triston Moodley will return to the races. “I got out of hospital after a week and it took me a month to get back on my feet,” Moodley told Loveracing.nz.
Triston Moodley | Image courtesy of Race Images
“Since then, it has been onwards and upwards, I am back to normal and I am back riding track work. I am just getting better and better every day.
“I have been keeping fit through my recovery. I spoke with my boss (trainer Danny Walker) this morning and we are planning on sending me to the races next Wednesday. I am looking at taking it easy and having one or two rides a meeting and go from there.”
100 stakes winners for Kingman
The victory on Monday of Royal Chapel in the Listed Criterium de Bordeaux brought up the 100th stakes winner for the filly's sire Kingman. His speed in reaching this landmark century since retiring to stud a decade ago has been beaten only by Kingman's fellow Banstead Manor resident, Frankel.
With a fairly even split of eight colts/geldings to six fillies among the pool of Group 1 winners, Kingman currently has four sons standing at stud in Europe,
In the current sires' championship for Britain and Ireland, Kingman sits in fifth position behind Night Of Thunder, the late Wootton Bassett, Dubawi and Frankel. Elite names all. He is deservedly in the best of company.
White Birch headlines Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale
White Birch, who holds an entry in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, headlines the newly-published catalogue for the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, which takes place at Park Paddocks from Monday, October 27 to Friday, October 31.
Of the 1,627 lots, the Castlebridge Consignment will offer the largest draft of 234 horses in training, including the G3 Renaissance Stakes winner My Mate Alfie (Dark Angel) (lot 715), while the select consignments from Coolmore and Juddmonte also promise to attract plenty of interest. The Coolmore offering includes the dual Group 2 winner Tower Of London (Galileo) (lot 667), the recent G1 St Leger third Stay True (Galileo) (lot 673) and this year's G3 Classic Trial scorer Swagman (Wootton Bassett) (lot 674).
Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said, “The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale has a remarkable record of producing winners at the highest level, with purchases winning no less than 168 Group/Listed races since 2022.
“Leading the way is last year's record-breaking 1,300,000 guineas sale-topper Sir Delius, who won the Group 1 Underwood Stakes, and Poniros, who won the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.”
3,075 horses set for Keeneland November
Keeneland has catalogued 3,075 horses for its upcoming November Breeding Stock Sale, the company announced Tuesday. The sale will run for eight days beginning Tuesday, Nov. 4 and running through Wednesday, Nov. 11, with the stand-alone November Horses of Racing Age Sale held the following day.
“With the November Breeding Stock Sale, we carry forward the tremendous momentum of our record September Yearling Sale,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “The September Sale underscored the power of this community when we stand together, and the quality of the offerings in November give us reason to be optimistic about the road ahead.”
Grade 1 winner Vahva (Gun Runner–Holiday Soiree, by Harlan's Holiday) has been entered in Book 1. She will become the first Grade 1-winning daughter of Gun Runner to be offered at public auction.
Estrange to run in the Arc
Cheveley Park Stud's Estrange will take her place in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe lineup, according to trainer David O'Meara. The grey daughter of Night Of Thunder thrives under soft conditions and the chance of rain has increased leading up to Arc Weekend.
“She's going to take her chance in the Arc,” said O'Meara. “The weather forecast looks favourable and in the last couple of days quite a bit of rain has appeared in the forecast. We're very much looking forward to it.
“To win an Arc would mean everything. It's an iconic race and to have a runner in it, and one who hopefully has a competitive chance, is great for us.”
O’Brien aiming for third Arc
Nine years since Aidan O'Brien gained the most recent of his two victories in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the Ballydoyle trainer has emphasised the importance of Europe's richest race and its standing in the sport as he prepares a two-pronged assault on the 2025 edition at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
“It's one of those races that really captures the imagination of breeders, owners, jockeys and fans all over the world,” O'Brien said. “It's one of those unique races that everybody wants to win. It's at a perfect time of the year in Paris and that weekend is where everybody wants to be. It's a unique race, in a unique country and a unique city.” The team has Los Angeles and Minnie Hauk running.
370k Nyquist colt tops Fasig-Tipton
The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale produced strong returns at the Maryland State Fairgrounds Tuesday, with numbers up across the board from its 2024 renewal. David Scanlon made the day's highest bid when going to US$370,000 (AU$559,000) to acquire a colt by Nyquist from Becky Davis's consignment. The sale topper was one of seven to bring six figures at the auction, up from six in 2024.
In all, 161 yearlings grossed US$4,978,100 (AU$7.4 million), while the average of US$30,920 (AU$46,700) rose 30.4% from a year ago and the median increased 33.3% to US$20,000 (AU$30,000). A year ago, 180 horses sold for US$4,267,700 (AU$6.5 million). The average was US$23,709 (AU$35,800) and the median was US$15,000 (AU$22,700).
“The results were very strong today,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “I think it demonstrates that there is a viable and legitimate market here in the Midlantic region for people to bring a quality horse to. I thought we had more buyers here than we had horses. There was more money here than we had horses that could fill those orders. A lot of people went home without buying a horse.”
Four wildcards added to Arc Sale
The catalogue for the Arqana Arc Sale on Saturday evening has grown by four after several more wildcards were added.
Leading the way is G3 Kolner Sprint Trophy hero Shootout (Areion) (lot 25) from the yard of Henk Grewe. A half-brother to multiple Group 1-winning Deutsches Derby hero Sammarco (Camelot), he is joined by the juvenile winner Seneque (Zarak) (lot 45) from the family of Group 1 winners Temida (Oratorio) and Midships (Mizzen Mast).
