Racing Reform Group calls for change to Thoroughbred Review
The newly announced Racing Reform Group, formed by prominent industry participants in NSW, has called for the government review of the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Act to include a review of the funding model of racing and the relationship between Racing NSW and the state government, two aspects which are currently excluded from the Review.
“We really are in a crucial period for racing in NSW and it is important that those who care passionately about our industry have their voices heard,” Racing Reform Group secretary Brian Nutt said in a press release on Thursday.
“The Hazzard review is especially important in shaping what racing will look like in the years ahead, but at the moment it can’t look at two of the most critical areas. We’re calling on the Minister to change the scope of the inquiry so Mr Hazzard can examine all the major issues.
"The feedback I hear again and again is we must have these issues included, so we need those who care about horse racing to get online and support the petition.”
Within The Law shares on Magic Millions Digital
In a coup for the second Magic Millions Digital Sale, two shares in 3-year-old filly Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}) will be for sale from Friday, November 21 with the sale closing on Wednesday November 26.
The two shares are a 6.5% share and a 5% in the filly who won three stakes races at two led by the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes. She was unlucky in the G1 Golden Slipper when pushed through the running rail, but returned to the races a short time afterwards to place in both the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes and G1 Champagne Stakes. At three, this spring, she has placed in the G1 Flight Stakes. “She's done a remarkable job,” trainer Bjorn Baker said.
Within The Law | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“She's got a real will to win and she's remarkably tough. She has competed against the best. Whether that is as a 2-year-old or now the best 3-year-olds - she's always run well. She's twice Group One placed so we are only going to be aiming at Group races (in the Autumn). I'd love to win a Group One with her.”
The sale also includes 17 racehorse shares offered by Bennett Racing, and Gioia River who is a full sister to recent G1 VRC Oaks placegetter After Summer (The Autumn Sun).
Entain Australia job cuts
Entain Australia, owner of wagering brands Ladbrokes and Neds, has cut 120 staff across their Australian and New Zealand operations. “We are getting back to the basics of selling bets and implementing a ‘win, but not at all costs' culture,” a spokesperson told racenet.com.au.
“These changes will deliver over $60 million of annualised savings and ensure we remain competitive, innovative and compliance-led.”
ATC to meet with trainers over rent issue
The Australian Turf Club will meet with trainers to rebuild trust in the relationship after they proposed a rent hike earlier this year. “The ATC's charter and my role demands genuine engagement, so myself and the team are getting out to trackwork, meeting with jockeys, talking directly with trainers, owners, members and opening the doors to honest discussion,” Acting CEO Steve McMahon told racenet.com.au.
Steve McMahon | Image courtesy of Australian Turf Club
“We've already met with the jockeys' association and have NSWTA and city trainers' meetings locked in, but this is just the start of real engagement and a partnership approach. I want people to know that decisions won't be made in isolation, they'll be transparent, they'll be accountable, and even when they're tough, the industry will understand the reasoning. We're committed to growing racing responsibly within the realities of our budget and our long-term priorities.”
Over 800 acceptances for Blue Diamond
There have been 821 horses who paid up the first acceptances for the 2026 G1 Blue Diamond, down from the initial 1465 early nominations. “The strength and diversity of this year's first acceptances underline the enduring appeal of the Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes,” MRC General Manager - Racing, Josh Rodder told racing.com.
“To see more than 800 juveniles nominated, including winners from the country's major early-season races, reflects the confidence trainers and owners continue to place in Victoria's premier 2-year-old contest.”
The two biggest stables in the nation lead the way with Chris Waller has 98 acceptances, and Ciaron Maher having 76. Of the sires, I Am Invincible has 47 juveniles, Snitzel has 45 with first season sires Stay Inside having 40 and Home Affairs with 37.
Emotional runner on Gong Day
Warren Ganderton-trained Sawmill (All Too Hard) will be an emotional runner for her connections on Gong Day at Kembla Grange on Saturday. “My uncle, Norm Thomason, was the clerk of the course at the Kembla Grange racecourse and Nowra for as long as I can remember,” Ganderton told racenet.com.au.
“I was going to the track when I was about probably 10 years-old with my uncles, there were three of them – Freddie, Norm and John. John still does my strapping believe it or not and I've just left my other uncle's place, he's retired, he's in a wheelchair now, he has a little trouble with kidneys. The three boys all worked together and I tagged along and later on, I sort of took over.
“He also worked at the local sawmill for 50 years down here, he actually passed away while he was at work. We bought this filly two weeks after he passed away. All of Norm's remaining siblings, brothers and sisters, bought into her, and a lot of his nieces and nephews so she's a real family horse. Her racing name is Sawmill but her stable name is ‘Norma'. She's been a real beauty actually.” Sawmill was a last start maiden winner.
Healy expands at the Sunshine Coast
Young Sunshine Coast trainer James Healy has been granted more boxes at Corbould Park moving from 16 boxes to 32. “It is just a lot of hard work, knowing the horses and getting better cattle,” Healy told racingqueensland.com.au.
“We are very grateful from the club to get more boxes so that means I need to put my head down and work harder again. I need to build up the team and hopefully we can make it successful.”
James Healy | Image courtesy of James Healy Racing
He has had seven wins so far this season including The Irish (Ire) (Harzand {Ire}) who won on Saturday at Doomben. “We have had a lot of success with him so far, already. He has had three starts; he won by four lengths quite impressively over 2200 metres in his second start for us.”
Impressive Boots on debut on Saturday
Stuart Kendrick-trained 2-year-old colt Boots (Capitalist) will debut on Saturday after an impressive seven-length trial win. “The ownership knocked back a fair bit of money, there was a massive offer from Hong Kong after the trial. I have got 12.5 per cent of the ownership of him, but I didn't have to put a vote in because the vote of the rest of the owners was unanimous to keep him,” Kendrick told racenet.com.au.
Boots as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“If he can win on Saturday, we can go towards Magic Millions. I think the first prizemoney for this race on Saturday would go very close to qualifying him for the Magic Millions race. There doesn't seem to be quite as many horses as in the past targeting that 2YO Classic. It seems to me a lot of young horses are now looking at the autumn. The next few weeks is going to shape the Magic Millions a bit, there will be a few that will come out of the woodwork I suppose."
New winner for Farnan
Second season sire Farnan added his 23rd winner when Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained 3-year-old filly Faraway Dream won on debut at Ballarat on Thursday. Sold by Riverstone Lodge at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, she was purchased by Go Racing Ltd for $75,000.
She is the third foal of unraced Unusual Dream (Ire) (Dream Ahead {USA}), who is a half-sister to Group 3 winning pair of US Law (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) and Frankuus (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
Doubles for Spirit Of Boom and Zoustar in Queensland
At Ipswich on Thursday, Champion Sire Zoustar had a double with Mootessa, who took her record to five wins, and Ambassadors who has four wins in his career. Spirit Of Boom had a double at the same meeting with 3-year-old filly Tengun Jessie who was on debut, and Campai who took her record to 10 wins from 42 starts.
Doubles for Ho and Chau in International Jockeys' Challenge race
The local rider’s slot in the upcoming International Jockeys’ Championship will go down to the wire with Vincent Ho narrowly in front of Jerry Chau. Both jockeys enjoyed doubles at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. “We’ve still got two meetings to go and it’s still too early to say but I will try my best because it’s a very good opportunity for me,” Chau told scmp.com.
“I’m trying to get some good results early in the season and to have a chance to fight for a place in the IJC – I will try 200 per cent and hopefully I will get in.” Chau won on Apolar Fighter (Not A Single Doubt) and Podium (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
Ho won on Mr Desira (All Too Hard) and Glorious Journey (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}). “The IJC is very important but after a long injury, it’s hard to get the momentum. I’m glad that the Fownes’ are supporting me and a few other trainers but it’s hard to get rides,” Ho said. “I’m doing my best on every single horse to hopefully get in the IJC. It’s a great privilege to ride in it and I’ll just do my best.”
My Wish expected to improve on Sunday
Trainer Mark Newnham believes My Wish (Flying Artie) who is unbeaten this campaign will continue to improve in Sunday’s G2 Jockey Club Mile. Since his last barrier trial he’s done everything he should do. It’s been a pretty standard preparation,” Newnham told scmp.com. He currently leads the trainers’ championship with 22 wins.
My Wish | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“Every stable needs a headline horse and he’s most certainly our one. He’s kept improving, which is what we needed him to do. We’ve still got a long way to go [until HKIR], but he’s trending in the right direction. I’d feel more pressure if we didn’t have him – I’d be under a lot more pressure if we didn’t have My Wish. I think on present form, he’s the one to beat and the horse to be with.”
Jockey update: Bailey Rogerson
New Zealand apprentice jockey Bailey Rogerson remains in intensive care but has been taken off life support. “She’s certainly turned the corner and although she has a long way to go, it’s a big relief for all of us that she’s a whole lot better than she was to begin with,” her grandfather and trainer Graeme Rogerson told Loveracing.nz.
“Her injuries include a fractured skull and brain bleed, a vertebrae fracture and facial injuries, but you’d have to say she’s a lucky girl, it could have been a whole lot worse. I can’t believe the racing community, the number of calls, messages, people from all around the world.
“Mark Todd, who Bailey worked for in England during COVID, has been in touch, even the bloke who rode the Kentucky Derby winner. All of Bailey’s mates from the girls’ (jockey) room have been lining up at the door to see her, but we have to be careful. Gary and Michelle (parents) have been at her bedside the whole time, and they have restricted her visitors to one at a time.
“It’s times like these you realise just how caring people are, and that’s something that Gary and Michelle would like to acknowledge and say thanks.”
Palace Pier breeding right tops Tatts Online at 100,000gns
Richard Knight and Salhia Stud paid 100,000gns (AU$202,000) to secure a breeding right in group stallion Palace Pier (Ire) during the Tattersalls Online November Sale on Wednesday.
Already the sire of eight black-type horses, his best progeny so far are G2 Lowther Stakes heroine Royal Fixation and G3 Solario Stakes winner A Bit Of Spirit.
Knight commented following the sale, “We are delighted to secure the breeding right to Palace Pier. He is a stallion that appears to be on the up and we very much had him in mind for a couple of our mares for this coming season. He will also suit a number of our mares going forward so it made a lot of sense for us to invest in the breeding right. We are retiring our first broodmares for this season and so this is the next part of that journey.”
The inaugural Online Yearling Session was a success, with a new record price of 86,000gns (AU$181,000) paid for a filly by Australian Champion Sire Zoustar. James Tate Racing bought the yearling daughter of Group 3 winner Farmah (Speightstown).
David Redvers of Tweenhills Stud where the son of Northern Meteor formerly shuttled, said, “We were very happy with the price of our Zoustar filly selling online for 86,000 guineas today, though not surprised as we had plenty of interest in her from when the sale went live. The whole process was very straightforward and we would have no hesitations about selling a quality horse in an online sale again.”
Griffin Johnson gains another award
The Turf Publicists of America (TPA) will award the 2025 Big Sport of Turfdom award to social media influencer Griffin Johnson, the organization announced on Wednesday. The annual award recognizes a person or group who enhances coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and racing publicists.
Johnson entered horse racing in 2024 through America's Best Racing's “A Stake in Stardom” campaign as a partial owner of Grade I winner Sandman (Tapit) with West Point Thoroughbreds. Johnson is also a part-owner of Grade II winner Ewing (Knicks Go).
As an ambassador of the sport, Johnson has used his social media platforms to promote horse racing and has reached more than 200 million people through videos and content, visiting racetracks and providing backstretch access that has generated more than 35 million views.
