Daily News Wrap

First winner for Group 1 winner Jonker

First season sire Jonker celebrated his first winner when Georgie Holt-trained 2-year-old filly Gone Country won on debut at Townsville on Friday. She won by 3.5 lengths from stablemate 2-year-old filly Scarlena (Dubious).

Gone Country is also the first winner for her dam, Good Music (Primus), who has had five runners. Good Music has a Stronger yearling filly to come.

Blinkers on for Tornado Valley

Ciaron Maher-trained Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}) will wear blinkers for Saturday’s R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. “I'm very happy with his preparation, it was the plan that we set out and he's definitely still very much on the up and will come on from his run the other day,” Maher told racingqueensland.com.au.

“We've put the blinkers on just help him focus that little bit, he is pretty casual, so I think we'll get a twist there. He trialled super, he came through his trial good and while he hadn't travelled before, that's been no problem at all.”

Inglis Digital opens for 2026

The first Inglis Digital sale for 2026 opens for bidding on Friday with a monster 461 lot catalogue. The headline act is Sliders (Street Boss {USA}), a three-quarter sister to the dam of four-time Group 1 winner Broadsiding. She is offered with an I Am Invincible colt at foot.

Group 1 winner Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn})’s half-sister Distinctly Summer (Invader) is being offered as a breeding prospect and is ready for her first cover later this year. All up, the sale consists of 306 racehorses (147 race fillies), 72 racehorse shares, 58 broodmares, 15 yearlings, 8 2-year-olds and 2 unbroken stock.

Guineas target for Buccleuch

Co-trainer Patrick Payne has issued a warning over complacent Listed winner Buccleuch (Peltzer) ahead of his resumption at Flemington on Saturday. The 3-year-old gelding is being set for the G1 Australian Guineas. “Saturday will be interesting. We kept him pretty busy as a 3-year-old, so we thought we would step around the early 3-year-old season,” Payne told racing.com.

“He’s had a bit of time off, and I don’t know whether he’s got a little bit complacent, but his trials and work has been only fair. It can happen when horses get a bit older, they get a bit complacent and save themselves for race day. We’re hoping that is the case. There’s nothing wrong with him, but it’s a sit-and-see run.”

Same form, different result for Miss Joelene

Winner of The Wave in 2025 and 2026, Kelly Schweida-trained Miss Joelene (Russian Revolution) ran second in last year’s Magic Millions Subzero and hopes to go one better this year. “She's had a really good week. In each prep she gets a bit better and she's got a pretty good backup record,” Schweida told racingqueensland.com.au.

“Drawn barrier 11, which is just standard procedure for us. But, couldn't be happier with the way she's bounced back. I just think we're riding her a bit better where she's comfortable. Sometimes we used to go a little bit early on her or have her a bit close. I think Cejay (Graham) has gelled the right way with her.”

Tengun Tommy set for The Debut

Chris Anderson-trained 2-year-old gelding Tengun Tommy (Flying Artie) won a trial to make the field for Saturday’s The Debut. “He drew a sticky gate and went back in the trial. We had him in a jump-out previous to the trial and he went well, so we thought he was going to be very hard to beat in a trial,” Anderson told racingqueensland.com.au.

“We're not always here to run first in a trial, in fact very rarely are we here to run first in a trial, but going to a debut race – usually it is win and you're almost in. If you're not winning, you're not going there and he had to do that for those reasons. So, he was impressive.”

Unbeaten Maurice colt thrown into city class

Trainer Nathan Doyle will test unbeaten 3-year-old colt Better Late (Maurice {Jpn}) at Rosehill on Saturday. “In his first preparation he wouldn’t relax and you’d struggle to get him to run 900 metres out because he’d want to get up on the chewy,” Doyle told racingnsw.com.au..

“He’s definitely trending the right way and has improved from his first racing prep. He did things a lot better at Port Macquarie, he relaxed and hit the line strongly.” He has won both his starts.

Perth’s Own The Dream returns

Three $10,000 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale vouchers are up for grabs with the annual Own The Dream contest run by Racing WA. Up to 25 teams will compete for points across three events, designed to introduce new people to racehorse ownership. The more events attended, the more points for the prize draw.

The 2026 program will be delivered across three events at Ascot. “Trackwork with the trainers (Saturday, 17 Jan) an early morning introduction to stable routines, open stable morning (Sunday, 8 Feb) guided access to working stables and trainers, and wner-for-a-day race experience (Sunday, 15 Feb) a race day experience including behind-the-scenes access,” said the Racing WA press release.

New Zealand Bloodstock to host Karaka Million draw

New Zealand Bloodstock announced on Friday that they will host the 2026 TAB Karaka Millions Barrier Draw live at Karaka on Wednesday January 21. “We welcome all to join us on the Garden Bar Lawn for the two TAB Karaka Millions races, which will set the scene for the lead up to the most iconic raceday on the calendar at Ellerslie on Saturday 24 January,” said the press release.

New winner for Anders

Second season sire Anders added his 24th winner when Matthew Dunn-trained 3-year-old gelding Shredded thumped his stablemate Grafting (Justify {USA}) by 2.5 lengths at Ballina on Friday.

Shredded was a $60,000 purchase by Dream Thoroughbreds from Figtree Thoroughbreds’ Magic Millions National Yearling Sale draft. His dam, Lucky Legacy (Lookin At Lucky {USA}) has produced four winners from as many to race.

Sledmere Stud will present Shredded’s half-sister by Hellbent at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale as Lot 153.

Anders’ half-sister topped Day 3 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Seventeen looks likely after trial

Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) looks set to claim his 17th straight win at Sha Tin on January 25 in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup after a resounding trial on Thursday. “I think that was the fastest I’ve ever seen him jump; if he had a weakness, he would sometimes step a bit slow, but he seems to have got quieter in the gates with maturity,” trainer David Hayes told scmp.com.

“He’s become an incredibly fast beginner which obviously really helps in Hong Kong – this season he has done brilliantly and not missed it once. I think it’s now a thing of the past. He trialled as expected and had a healthy blow, which was expected, but he had a pretty easy time. I think he’s going to be a very, very short price next week isn’t he? Not a thing has gone wrong in his whole preparation. He’s exactly where I want him and everything has gone as planned.”

Rugby and racing boosts Hong Kong

Hong Kong China Rugby, Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Hong Kong Football Club have teamed up to create more cohesion between events as the 50th annual Hong Kong rugby sevens tournament comes to town in April. “We are delighted to be able to expand our long-running and successful collaboration with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and HKFC,” Chris Brooke, the HKCR chairman, told scmp.com.

“Our organisations share a similar vision for the role that sport can play in our community. With the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, we have been able to share the experience and values of rugby with literally thousands of people from all over Hong Kong and within the Greater Bay Area.”

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Jockey Club’s CEO, said, “The rugby sevens and horse racing are two of Hong Kong’s most iconic sporting attractions, each drawing thousands of visitors to the city every year. It’s fantastic that we have been able to bring these traditions together through the Racing with Rugby Week.

“The Jockey Club has long been a committed supporter of the city’s sports development and the rugby sevens community outreach programme. This partnership not only strengthens that commitment to community support but also reinforces Hong Kong’s status as a world-class sports tourism destination, creating a truly unique experience for local fans and visitors alike.”

Tattersalls’ February catalogue released

Shamardal's Soft Cover, in foal to Champion First-Season Sire Starman, is one of 307 lots in the Tattersalls February Sale catalogue. The sale, slated for Thursday, February 5 through Friday, February 6, consists of 106 fillies and mares in/out of training, 16 broodmares, 161 colts and geldings in/out of training, 15 yearlings and nine 2-year-olds, the two-day sale will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday and 10 a.m. on Friday.

Besides Soft Cover (lot 24), who is a granddaughter of champion Superstar Leo (College Chapel), the catalogue features Brazilian Group 1 winner Namasse (T. H. Approval) (lot 18) in foal to Cracksman on Southern Hemisphere time.

Tattersalls managing director Matthew Prior said, “The Tattersalls February Sale has an outstanding record of international success as a source of horses in training and broodmares, consistently producing Group and Listed winning graduates across Europe, the Gulf, the USA and in Australia.

“Los Angeles's brilliant win in the Tattersalls Gold Cup was the latest domestic success at the highest level for the sale, following two European Classic victories in 2024. His dam Frequential was purchased from Godolphin and illustrates the enduring appeal of the consignments from many of the world's leading owner-breeders, which continue to make the Tattersalls February Sale such a consistently popular fixture.

“The hallmark of Europe's premier midwinter sale is its quality, and diversity and as ever the catalogue features a combination of horses in training, breeding stock and young stock, which look certain to appeal to a broad range of domestic and international buyers.”

Canadian Champion headlines Fasig-Tipton Digital

Canadian champion Dresden Row (Lord Nelson) is among the 248 entries for Fasig-Tipton's January Digital Sale with bidding now running through Tuesday, January 20, beginning at 2 p.m. ET., the auction company said via a press release on Thursday.

Named the top 3-year-old colt at the Sovereign Awards in 2024, Dresden Row has never been out of the money across 15 races and claims three graded stakes at Woodbine amid six wins. Last out, the chestnut captured the GIII Autumn Cup Stakes at Woodbine.

“I think the Covid-19 dilemma essentially forced businesses to revisit how they can conduct business,” said Bloom Racing Stable Jeffrey Bloom. “But, I also think that there is such a huge appetite for active racehorses. These digital sales can take place more frequently and the ability to 'on the fly' provide an avenue for the seller to quickly capitalize on the selling of a horse is very attractive.”

Fernando Laffon Lomba joins Haras d’Etreham

Fernando Laffon Lomba has been appointed the commercial and bloodstock director for Haras d'Etreham. His mission will be to strengthen relationships with owners, breeders, and partners, support the commercial activity of the stallions, and actively contribute to the stud farm's development.

Previously, he worked in the bloodstock and nominations department at Lane's End Farm in America, and is currently in Australia at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“We are delighted to welcome Fernando to the Etreham team. His expertise, network, and dynamism perfectly align with our values and ambitions,” said Nicolas de Chambure. “His arrival marks a new stage in the development of our organization, allowing us to embark on new projects. Franck Champion remains head of the National Hunt division.”