Magic Millions Digital open for bidding
January’s Magic Millions Digital sale opened for bidding on Friday January 2, and features 76 exciting lots. Bidding closes next Wednesday. Leading the charge are 32 racehorses including G2 Skyline Stakes-placed Quietly Arrogant (Capitalist) who was a winner at two last season, and unraced 3-year-old colt Tellurium (Extreme Choice) who trialled recently and is out of Group 2 winner Te Akau Rose (NZ) (Straussbrook {NZ}). Champion 3-year-old mare Sunlight (Zoustar)’s unraced full brother Lyon is an interesting entry, while G3 Carbine Club Stakes winner Kaizad (Capitalist) features.
Tony Gollan-trained John Rambo (Adelaide {Ire}), who is nominated for next week's $1.5 million Racing Queensland Magic Millions QTIS Open at the Gold Coast, features in the sale. The sale also includes 11 broodmares and several unbroken stock.
Grima thrilled to work with legends
Apprentice jockey Siena Grima is on loan to the Chris Waller stable which means working with legendary jockey Darren Beadman. “I put the work in to get to Sydney and when I got the offer for Chris’s stable it was very exciting because I knew Darren had joined the stable,” Grima told racingnsw.com.au.
“I saw what he’d done with Zac (Lloyd). I thought if he could do anything with me like he did with Zac, and with Chris backing me, this could be unreal. Normally Darren will come back in between races and we’ll watch the race on the screen, he’ll point a few things out or ask me how I felt about a few things and I try to implement his advice into the next ride I have.
“When he’s standing in front of you talking to you, giving you his time and advice, you’ve got to pinch yourself sometimes because you don’t think it’s real. I haven’t had someone like Darren who is there every meeting, or if he’s not there he rings me, helping me. I’ve only been there a month but I can see improvement in how I’m riding.” Grima has nine rides on the 10 race card at Randwick on Saturday.
Need Some Luck to relish rain
Trainer Peter Snowden liked the idea that it will rain for Eagle Farm on Saturday with Need Some Luck (Rubick) running in the Buffering in search of a ballot free entry into the Magic Millions Cup on January 17. “He's a very genuine horse and he handles soft ground well so I'm hoping for a wet track,” Snowden told racenet.com.au of the half-brother to Group 1 winner Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago).
“His seven-furlong form is outstanding. He's got a lot going for him but it'll be a tough race and they don't just give them away, he'll have to earn it. If he wins it'll be a double bonus because he'll head to the Magic Millions Cup.”
Big Swinger to lug big weight
Trainer Charlotte Littlefield knows the only thing holding Big Swinger (Trapeze Artist) back on Saturday will be the 62.5kg he’s been given. “I think it is a good race for him,” Littlefield told racing.com.
Charlotte Littlefield | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“We just want to knock off that benchmark race with him. He has just been poorly rated because we’ve lined him up in Listed and stakes races. Every time he’s run a placing he has popped up a few points and that has just ruined it a little bit, for us.” The 4-year-old gelding ran second at Pakenham last start and was third in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes the start prior to that.
Pride hopes to rejuvenate Gatsby’s
Listed Rosebud Stakes winner Gatsby’s (Snitzel), formerly trained by Chris Waller, will have his first start for Joe Pride on Saturday after a change of ownership resulted in a change of trainer. “I haven't put a lot of pressure on him , but what I've seen from him so far I've been happy with,” Pride told racingandsports.com.au.
“His head seems to be in the right place and that's often the key with these older horses. If you get them thinking the right way they'll race well, so I've been pleased.” The now 4-year-old gelding hasn’t won since the Rosebud, although he did place in the G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes last autumn.
Consistent Entrapment to be rewarded
Trainer Joe Ible believes his 3-year-old filly Entrapment (Star Witness) can break through at Kembla Grange on Saturday after placing in each of her last three runs. “It looks like a nice race for her, she has drawn a gate (four) and she is in good form,” Ible told racingnsw.com.au.
“She is rock hard fit, the blinkers will come off after having them on last start when they worked for and against her. She probably just didn’t see the horse coming last time out with the blinkers on so we will take them back off but I think they’ve done the job and got her switched on.”
New winner for Bivouac
Second season sire Bivouac added winner number 22 when Domeland’s 3-year-old gelding Bellevue won his maiden at his third start on Friday at Taree. Sold by Widden Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Domeland paid $50,000 for Bellevue.
He is the first foal of Seduce (Sebring) who is a winning daughter of Group 3 winner Intimate Moment (NZ) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Double for second season sire Levendi
Recently deceased second season sire Levendi celebrated a double at Hobart on Friday. John Blacker-trained 3-year-old filly Bella Chinkara resumed at three with a victory. She was a tough juvenile, having nine starts for four placings.
Terry Evans-trained The Little Bay cruised home by 1.75 lengths over 1400 metres to record his first victory and became his sire’s third winner. Levendi’s other winner is Tempt The Gods who placed in the Listed Tasmanian Guineas recently.
Incognito returns in good order at Rosehill
Four juvenile heats took place at Rosehill Gardens on Friday morning, where G3 Breeders' Plate victor Incognito (Stay Inside) flaunted his ability with a victory by a neck over the unraced Miss Scandal (NZ) (Home Affairs).
Written Tycoon posted a juvenile double courtesy of the untried Written In Munny and $700,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate Satin Summer, and Russian Revolution produced a handy one in all the way leade Krasina.
Farnan juvenile wins in New Zealand
On Friday at Tauherenikau, Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos-trained 2-year-old colt Magill (Farnan) won at his third start. He was coming off a last placing in the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes only a few days prior.
Sold by Milan Park at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, Magill was purchased by Game Lodge Ltd for NZ$230,000. He is the first foal of Jessica Rabbit (Sooboog), a half-sister to Group 1 winner Oohood (I Am Invincible).
Kizuna is Japan’s Champion Sire for second year
It is three years since Deep Impact's long reign as Japan's champion sire ended, and six years since his death at the age of 17, but his influence on the country's stallion ranks is still profound. As well as being sire of the Champion Sire Kizuna, he is also sire of Champion Freshman Sire Contrail, who, like his father, was a Triple Crown winner. And, it will doubtless come as no surprise that Deep Impact is also the champion broodmare sire for the second time.
Kizuna finished ahead of the perennial bridesmaid Lord Kanaloa, who has now been second in the table for six consecutive years. Impressively, Deep Impact’s dam Wind In Her Hair (Alzao) is still living at age 35.
Vale Dr Boone
Dr. Bryan Boone passed away Wednesday after an 8.5 year battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 63. During an accomplished career, he practiced at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee Equine Medicine and Surgery, where he specialized in reproductive equine medicine.
“Dr. Boone had a wonderful career at Hagyard and had to retire early due to a neurological disorder,” said Hagyard Medical Director Luke Fallon in an email to the TDN. “His family has a great story as he was an original descendant of Daniel Boone and multi-generational horse people. He worked for Stone Farm and several other great farms in the area. His family has chosen the E T Hagyard 1876 Legacy Scholarships as his charity.”
Winstar’s addict rehab program proving successful
On the surface, hiring people who have battled substance abuse issues, some of whom have criminal records, might not seem like a good idea. But Elliott Walden, the president and CEO of racing operations for WinStar Farm, felt otherwise. His family had dealt with these issues for years. His son, Will, now a successful trainer who is sober, had dealt with addiction for years before turning his life around thanks to the Stable Recovery program, which was co-founded by Taylor Made's Frank Taylor and Christian Countzler.
Stable Recovery helps addicts overcome their substance abuse issues and then helps find them jobs in the horse racing industry. The success of the program has been nothing short of remarkable.
Elliott Walden | Image courtesy of Sarah Andrew
“I had seen things firsthand how well this worked through my son, Will, and his working through addiction and into sobriety and seeing his friendship with Christian Countzler, who started Stable Recovery with Frank Taylor,” Walden said. “He was very close to them. We knew they were going about it the right way. If Christian said these guys were solid, that's all I needed to hear.”
WinStar is now one of a group of about 20 farms and racetracks that have signed on with Stable Recovery as Strategic Partners. What that means is that they are willing to hire, train and look after graduates of the program. Walden said WinStar currently employs eight individuals who have graduated from the program.
