Team Williams stood down over positive test
Western Australian trainers Grant and Alana Williams have had their licence suspended immediately after Starry Heights (Star Turn) tested positive to ADHD drug Ritalin. Starry Heights was euthanised after sustaining a leg injury in October’s Kalgoorlie Cup, and the positive swab came during the autopsy process.
“At no stage have we knowingly administered, or authorised the administration of, any prohibited substance to Starry Heights,” Williams Racing said in a statement.
Alana and Grant Williams | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We have no explanation at this time as to how this substance could have entered the horse’s system. Training operations will continue to be conducted with the same professionalism, diligence and attention to detail that our owners expect and deserve.
“We understand the concern matters of this nature can cause and are committed to keeping our owners appropriately informed as the inquiry progresses. We trust the inquiry process will clarify the circumstances surrounding this matter and allow it to be resolved as quickly as possible.”
Far Too Easy retired
After a bout of heat stress in the $1 million Magic Millions Snippets last Saturday, Far Too Easy (All Too Hard) has been retired. “It was distressing, he was pretty crook afterwards,” trainer David McColm told racenet.com.au.
“For us being a small stable, it's a little bit of an emotional decision and certainly not one that we've taken lightly. But we've known for quite a while that he was closer to the end of his career than the beginning. He's had some feet issues and we've been battling them for the past 12 months.
“To see him under stress like that on Saturday was not nice. We are just so proud of him, he's been tremendous to us.” Far Too Easy won nine races and over $4.2 million.
Ladbrokes to sponsor the Stradbroke
Brisbane Racing Club and Ladbrokes announced on Tuesday that Ladbrokes will become the major sponsor of the next four Stradbroke racedays, while also continuing as a major partner of Brisbane Racing Club’s Stradbroke Season through to 2029. “Ladbrokes’ deep and ongoing commitment to racing in Brisbane and across Queensland makes this a fitting and well-deserved alignment, placing their brand alongside Queensland’s premier thoroughbred race – now in its 133rd renewal, and Winter Carnival,” Brisbane Racing Club CEO Karl deKroo told racingqueensland.com.au.
Karl deKroo | Image courtesy of Brisbane Racing Club
“Since Brisbane Racing Club and Ladbrokes signed a landmark partnership in 2022, we’ve built one of the strongest collaborations in Australian racing. Together, we’ve delivered race day and event experiences at Eagle Farm and Doomben that are engaging, innovative and memorable for racegoers and event attendees. This extension marks a significant step forward in our partnership, and I’m excited about what lies ahead for the Ladbrokes Stradbroke Raceday and the wider Stradbroke Season.”
Veight to resume in Australia Stakes
Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy are thrilled to see stable star Veight (Grunt {NZ}) back on track. He will resume in Friday’s G2 Australia Stakes at Pakenham. “It’s very exciting for the stable just to see him back,” Tony McEvoy told racing.com.
“He’s been a great horse for us and while that’s a long time ago, it’s first and foremost so pleasing to get him back. He gave us a real fright through his spell (when he fractured his neck) but thankfully, he’s back and he’s trialled up OK and his signs have been really nice.
Veight | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He’s a bit behind in fitness and not really screwed right down but he’ll be stimulated by going back to the races a bit. I am not expecting him to get back to that sort of form immediately, but the signs are looking OK. He looks like he’s interesting and he seems like he is normal around his routines in the stable.”
King to ride in Japan for a month
Jockey Rachel King will spend the next month riding in Japan before the autumn carnival. Last summer she became the first female jockey to win a Group 1 in the nation aboard Costa Nova (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the February Stakes. “The summer program is a really important part of my calendar. It gives me consistency and a strong base heading into the autumn carnival,” King told racenet.com.au.
Injured jockey update: Darmanin
Dual Tasmanian Premiership-winning jockey Anthony Darmanin fractured his T12 vertebra in a trackwork fall in Victoria on Tuesday morning, reported tasracing.com.au. He will face an extended period away from the track, but no further information was given.
Anthony Darmanin | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He has been enjoying another fine season, with his 28 winners seeing him sit in third on the premiership table,” said the press release.
“Darmanin’s absence also leaves the state without three of the season’s top 10 riders. Kelvin Sanderson has been out of the saddle for a couple of weeks after having a melanoma removed, but is set to return on 30 January, and Jackson Radley left the state in late November, transferring his apprenticeship to Ben, Will & JD Hayes in Victoria.”
Jigsaw thrives in New Zealand for Railway
Trainer Cindy Alderson is pleased with how last start The Meteorite winner Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) has settled into New Zealand ahead of the G1 Railway Stakes on Saturday. “I was really pleased with him, he appeared to enjoy himself and Logan confirmed that he handled it well going right-handed,” Alderson told Loveracing.nz.
Jigsaw | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He arrived on Sunday and has settled in well at Donna Logan’s stables at Byerley Park, so having a look at the track this morning will have set him up nicely for Saturday. He’s had right-handed experience in Queensland and the StrathAyr surface is familiar given he’s a winner at Moonee Valley.”
Zarak share tops Arqana Online at €505,000
A 1/50th share in Zarak (lot 1) topped Monday's Arqana Online January Sale when bought by Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International for €505,000 (AU$875,000). Of the 13 lots offered, eight sold for a total of €866,500 (AU$1.5 million).
The sire of 11% stakes winners/runners, Zarak is notably the sire of last year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan, along with fellow Group 1 scorers Haya Zark and Zagrey. A son of Dubawi and the unbeaten Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Zarkava (Zamindar), Zarak stands for an unchanged fee of €80,000 (AU$139,000) at Haras de Bonneval in 2026.
Ballis purchased Not This Time colt for Derby
Jake Ballis and a group of partners finalized the purchase of the Dubai-based Six Speed (Not This Time) Monday morning with hopes that the colt can continue to move forward and make it to the GI Kentucky Derby.
Ballis noticed the horse, who sold for 220,000 guineas (AU$462,000) at the 2025 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, when he won a January 2 prep for the 2000 UAE Guineas. Now in the Ballis stable, he will start in Friday's GIII 2000 UAE Guineas at one mile. The race awards 20 Kentucky Derby points to the winner.
Ballis said the colt will remain with trainer Bhupat Seemar, who worked for Bob Baffert for about five years. “If he makes it to the Kentucky Derby, I don't know if I'll switch to an American trainer,” Ballis said. “I would like to. But I guess if he were to win the UAE Derby and qualify for the Derby, it would be hard to switch trainers before the Kentucky Derby.”
No more racing for Ruidoso Downs
New Mexico's Ruidoso Downs, beleaguered by flooding the last two years, will be unable to host a live meet in 2026 at the facility due to the potential for “life threatening” flooding from even moderate rainfall, according to a press release posted on the track's website. The story was first reported by the Paulick Report.
For nearly 80 years, Ruidoso held both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meets, but planned to switch to only Quarter Horses in 2025 after 2024 flooding washed out much of the oval. The track has been home to “Quarter Horse Racing's Most Coveted Prize,” the GI All-American Futurity, which was moved to Albuquerque for both 2024 and 2025.
“This decision is not taken lightly. It is, without question, the most challenging and emotional choice we have ever made as an organization. The racing schedule will be run at the Downs at Albuquerque and the 2026 NM Bred Sale, and the Super Select sale will be held at the Ruidoso Downs Sales pavilion in their normal time frames. We will continue to communicate openly as we assess our next steps.”
