Tentyris options are wide open
Co-trainer Sam Freedman has many options for boom 3-year-old colt Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) after his thrilling victory in Saturday’s G1 Lightning Stakes.
“We’d love to (go overseas), and there’s an appetite from Godolphin to see him travelling,” Freedman told racing.com.
“Then there’s an Everest where he can take on Ka Ying Rising. I’d love that sort of challenge, as a racing fan and a purist. I was mulling it over last night, you’d actually love to face him down the straight… at Randwick, he’d probably have a tactical advantage.”
Tentyris | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
His next start is likely to be in the G1 Newmarket Handicap, but that will depend on what weight he is given. “Fifty-nine sounds ridiculous, to be honest, for a 3-year-old in a Newmarket,” he said.
“I’m not sure how many have carried that weight at all, in the race, but it is what it is. You’re a victim of everyone having so many options. You’d love to see some of those better horses have to run in a Newmarket, because there are no other options. In the past… you’d have big fields, horses right down in the weights, horses carrying big weights in a proper handicap.”
Hayes brothers might have four for Blue Diamond
Lindsay Park’s Hayes’ brothers might have four runners in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes on Saturday with Hard Kick (All Too Hard), Torture (NZ) (Sword Of State), Eurocanto (Per Incanto {USA}) and possibly Jacaranda (Home Affairs).
“If (Hard Kick) pulls up great and we are really happy with him through the week; we will do it (pay the $55,000 late entry fee). I think it’s an open race this year. I think there is no real stand-out and I might be biased but that was probably one of the better 2-year-old wins of the year. He’s tough and very sound and he can run well,” Ben Hayes told racing.com.
Hard Kick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I hope (Jacaranda) does (get in). I thought her run was good the other day in the Millenium (when fifth). She was good through the line, but at this stage she looks like she might be an emergency. The other option is to go to Flemington a week later.
“We are very happy with Torture (after returning from New Zealand). She trialled yesterday with the blinkers on and really trialled well and we’re quite confident she will run very well.
“Eurocanto has pulled up fine (from his sixth in Blue Diamond Prelude). We were really disappointed with his racing manners. He was too aggressive and he let himself down. We will work him on Monday and if he works well, we might roll the dice.”
Blinkers off for Autumn Boy
Chris Waller-trained G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) will run in the G2 Hobartville Stakes without blinkers. “We're probably going to leave the blinkers off. James (McDonald) doesn't think he needs them. We just put them on in the Golden Rose and the Guineas. He's a very honest horse,” Waller told racingandsports.com.au.
Autumn Boy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“There are some good races on offer, and he might get a sniff of racing against the older horses as well, so plenty of tests.” He will likely head to the G1 Randwick Guineas after the Hobartville.
Tom Kitten to focus on All-Star Mile
Last start Group 3 winner Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) will likely skip the G1 Futurity Stakes and focus on defending his G1 All-Star Mile title on March 7. “We might go straight in with a trial to keep him really fresh,” co-trainer Sam Freedman told racing.com.
Tom Kitten | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“The more we run him, he looks for a trip further and further, so he might be looking for a mile already next week and I’d rather just keep that freshness.”
Tropicus heads to Oakleigh Plate
Kia Ora Stud-owned 4-year-old entire Tropicus (Too Darn Hot {GB}) will head to the G1 Oakleigh Plate alongside stablemate Point Barrow (Blue Point {Ire}).
“This has been his target,” co-trainer Sam Freedman told racing.com.
Tropicus | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He’s very good fresh and at 1100 at Caulfield. It’s a perfect race for him and he’s obviously a Too Darn Hot entire so if he can win that, he will be very valuable.”
“Point Barrow always showed very good ability from her first time as a 2 year old. Every single start she’s gotten better. I don’t think there has been a horse hitting the line harder in any race. A small field will be better for us as it would allow her to settle closer.”
Double for Spirit Of Boom
Queensland sire Spirit Of Boom enjoyed a double at Toowoomba’s Saturday night meeting led by Kevin Kemp-trained 3-year-old filly Ruthven Rush winning her maiden. She was a $60,000 purchase by Paul Reedy from Kenmore Lodge’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. Ruthven Rush is from the family of $1.5 million earner and four-time Listed winner Outback Barbie (Spirit Of Boom).
In the last on the card, John Thomas-trained Command Approved took his record to six wins and over $190,000.
New winner for King’s Legacy
King’s Legacy continues to churn out winners, adding number 34 on Sunday when 3-year-old filly Busted Buttons won at Dubbo at her second start. He currently sits eighth on the Second Season Sire chart and second equal by number of winners.
Busted Buttons, trained by Cindy Monaghan, did not go to an auction and is the third winner for Lady Moochi (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).
Vale Martin Dennis
Martin Dennis, the youngest member of New Zealand’s Dennis Brothers quartet, has died aged 82.
“He was an integral part of their operation,” Dennis’ nephew, respected Southland trainer Robert Dennis, the son of Martin’s brother Tony who died in September, told Loveracing.nz.
“His strength in the partnership was the breeding and the pedigree side in the later years. Earlier on he was more involved in the training side. He was extremely knowledgeable about pedigrees and crosses, and he analysed all the stallions and mares, and he had his own rating system. For me personally, when buying horses, I would call on him to get his opinion on what he thought of pedigrees.
“Last week we had a double for the brothers. Martin was at home with a lot of his family and a few friends. Apparently, there was quite a big crowd there and he in particular really enjoyed the day. It was a good sendoff for him.”
Yulong buys New Zealand Oaks contender
Yulong have purchased G2 Waikato Guineas winner Autumn Glory (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) ahead of her run in the G1 New Zealand Oaks on Saturday. She is trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood.
“It's a privilege to have international owners of their magnitude in the stable, and it's great to see them becoming involved in New Zealand in a bigger way,” James told Loveracing.nz.
“I think it's just a reflection on what we can offer them in New Zealand in the way of stakes and high-class horses. Our aim is the New Zealand Oaks and what happens after that will be discussed after the race, but it is a Group 1 and that is what we are focussed on. We’re really happy with the way she's bounced through the Waikato Guineas. She's feeling well and looks great in the coat.”
Bred and raced by the Smithies family under their Monovale Holdings banner, the sale ensures cashflow for their breeding operation. “Yulong has purchased her outright, and she will stay with Roger and Robert for the Oaks, who have done a terrific job,” Joe Smithies said.
“We've got to stick to our core business model, which is breeding horses for the yearling sales. Racing for us is probably a by-product of what we do, but having said that, we really do enjoy racing horses, particularly nice fillies like Autumn Glory.”
France Galop managing director resigns
Elie Hennau has left his role as managing director of France Galop with immediate effect, according to reports published in Jour de Galop and Paris-Turf. France Galop president Guillaume de Saint-Seine confirmed the news to staff on Friday afternoon.
He said, “Elie Hennau is stepping down from his position as managing director. We would like to thank him for his work and commitment to the industry over the past two years. We wish him every success in his future endeavours.”
Hennau, a former amateur rider with a business background in the insurance company AXA, was appointed to the role in January 2024 to succeed outgoing managing director Oliver Delloye, who has returned to the sales company Arqana. Henri Pouret was announced at that time as deputy managing director, and he will now act as interim director of France Galop under what the president described as “a more streamlined” operation.
He added, “Our priority remains unchanged: to restore racing to its rightful place with the public and to ensure the long-term future of the industry in all its dimensions. We will continue this work together for the future and development of France Galop.”
Expensive Paladin wins Grade 2
Paladin (Gun Runner) needed the length of the stretch to get there, but surged late to reel in pacesetter Chip Honcho (Connect) by a half-length in the G2 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes over a speed-favoring course at Fair Grounds Saturday. Golden Tempo (Curlin), a last-to-first winner of the G3 Lecomte Stakes, was third.
The US$1.9 million (AU$2.7 million) Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale purchase is campaigned in partnership by Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook Smith and Summer Wind Equine, who also bred the colt. The Coolmore partners, Brant and Smith also campaigned Gun Runner's brilliant Sierra Leone, who also kicked off his sophomore campaign for trainer Chad Brown with a win in this same race in 2024.
“It was an incredible performance today,” Brook Smith said. “He dug in late to get by (Chip Honcho). He's an incredibly talented horse. Hopefully, we'll have him back in Kentucky in April then onto the Derby a month later.”
Bella Ballerina to follow Good Cheer’s pathway
Godolphin knows a thing or two about prepping a filly for the Kentucky Oaks through the Fair Grounds meet. Just last year, the then-undefeated Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) rolled through the G2 Rachel Alexandra and the Fair Grounds Oaks en-route to the lilies on the first Friday in May. And in 2023, Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) took the same route, capturing the Rachel Alexandra as well and settling for second in the Fair Grounds Oaks on her way to victory in Kentucky.
Flash forward to 2026 and Godolphin seems poised for a three-peat as Bella Ballerina (Street Sense), the 3-year-old half-sister to Pretty Mischievous, stamped her ticket to Kentucky with a win in Saturday's G2 Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes, the first 50-point race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
“Hats off to her – she fought hard when she could've got beat,” said winning trainer Brendan Walsh. “I think she'll improve a lot from her run today. She probably needed today's race I was still able to get the job done.”
When your first dam is a Grade 1-winning half-sister to another Grade 1 winner and your half-sister is a Kentucky Oaks winner, your pedigree needs little introduction. Bella Ballerina, one of 108 stakes winners for Street Sense, is one of four winners of four to race for G1 Spinaway victress Pretty City Dancer (Tapit). Stroud Coleman Bloodstock went to US$3.5 million (AU$4.9 million) at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale in 2018 to acquire the mare who gave Godolphin an Eclipse-winning 3-year-old filly in Pretty Mischievous as her second foal.
Dubai World Cup winner adds Grade 3
Last year's G1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) sat a little closer to the front than usual and just got up to nail the wandering pacesetter Accelerize (Omaha Beach) by a head in Saturday's G3 Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds. Time to Win (Not This Time) was third.
“We knew coming into this race Accelerize was the horse to beat,” said Ricky Giannini, assistant trainer to Brad Cox. “He beat a nice one of ours, Just a Touch, in his last start. It was a dog fight the entire way. Hopefully, we can get lucky to get another Dubai World Cup win. We've had him since he was a 2-year-old when he was with Gary and Mary West. Now with Wathnan Racing, we really appreciate them keeping him in our care.”
