Tentyris confirmed for Newmarket
Godolphin CEO Andy Makiv has confirmed that boom 3-year-old colt Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) will run in Saturday’s G1 Newmarket Handicap. “I thought 57kg was at the punchy end, but that’s OK,” Makiv told racing.com.
Tentyris | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“At the end of the day, his international rating has gone up significantly on the back of his last two Group 1 wins in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and the Lightning. Obviously 57 makes it more of a discussion, but we are pretty keen to go that way, so I’m expecting to see him at Flemington on Saturday.”
With the uncertainty over travel, Tentyris will be aimed at the G1 The Everest instead. “I don’t think you can do both, certainly not in 2026. We’ll take it one week at a time, but the immediate target would be the T.J. Smith and then we’ll probably target The Everest and look to travel in 2027. That’s the most likely scenario, but we’ll assess every opportunity that comes along.”
All-Star Mile or Matron for Philia
Trainer David Vandyke will consult with the owners of Philia (All Too Hard) over a decision to run on Saturday in either the G1 All-Star Mile or the G3 Matron Stakes. “I was just on the phone to the owners and they are keen to have another discussion via phone about 20 minutes before the acceptances close,” Vandyke told racenet.com.au.
Philia | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“We will see how many horses have accepted in each race and make a call then. If there were only eight or nine runners in the All-Star Mile, they do pay back $50,000 in prizemoney for eighth. And we could run second in the Matron where she is an $11 chance and you are getting back $36,000 in prizemoney.
“It's an interesting decision to make.”
Magic Millions Digital closes tomorrow
The latest Magic Millions Digital sale closes on Wednesday, bar one lot which closes on Friday. The broodmare Ginger Flyer (Gingerbread Man), who won eight races is offered with a colt foal at foot by Winning Rupert. Due to legal reasons, bidding on Ginger Flyer will close two days later than the rest of the catalogue on Friday March 6. She ran fourth in the Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes and her Winning Rupert foal is her first foal.
The catalogue has 66 lots on offer, including last start Warwick Farm winner Straand Beauty (Exceed And Excel).
Autumn carnival runners impacted by Middle East war
Four horses destined for the Sydney Autumn Carnival have had their transport interrupted by the current conflict in the Middle East. “The latest update from IRT (International Racehorse Transport) this morning at 10am is that they can schedule a Cathay Pacific flight to leave the UK next Sunday,” Australian Turf Club Head of Racing and Wagering Nevesh Ramdhani said in a press release.
“Basically, the horses have been delayed travelling by seven days. The horses will now leave the UK on Sunday, the eighth and arrive in Australia on Tuesday the 10th. It's as good an outcome as we could have hoped for.” The four horses affected are the William Haggas-trained pair of Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) and Caviar Heights (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), while Barnavara (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) and Seo Linn (Ire) (Order Of St George {Ire}) will join the Chris Waller stable on arrival.
Waller pair for All-Star Mile
Trainer Chris Waller hasn’t won the G1 All-Star Mile yet, but has two strong runners for Saturday’s contest with Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock) and last season’s G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn). “It was great to see Buckaroo finishing his races off like we know he does. It’s exciting; he’s good at a mile and he’s got form around the right horses, so he’s back,” Waller told racing.com.
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“(Leica Lucy) finished off really well first up... got back and came up arguably the worst part of the track. She’ll come on nicely for the run. She had a couple of Group 1 placings last spring... it looks like she’s come back a bit better.”
Jimmysstar could be surprise addition to Newmarket
Despite being given 60kg for the G1 Newmarket Handicap, Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) has impressed trainer Ciaron Maher with his work and may yet run. “We just worked (Jimmysstar) and he did work very, very well,” Maher told racenet.com.au on Tuesday morning.
Jimmysstar (NZ) | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“I'll have a chat to the owners and see where we go, it's either this race or the William Reid. I actually think Jimmy is coming up very well … his trial, the way he broke and the way he travelled … was pretty up and about.
“Mark (Zahra) is coming back from his fake broken leg. He sat on him this morning and was pretty keen to get on him, he worked super, and Mark will be the likely choice. He's only planning to have one run here and then he'll go to Sydney, most likely to the TJ and then the All Aged.”
Evaporate the underdog in the All-Star Mile
Lindsay Park think their G1 All-Star Mile runner Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) is overlooked by punters. “Nobody has really spoken about him but he ran really well and was only beaten a length (in the Futurity Stakes),” co-trainer Ben Hayes told racenet.com.au.
Evaporate (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He builds into his preparations, he gets better and better and he came through the first-up run really well. He's consistent, reliable and always turns up. People forget that he's won nearly $3 million. We wouldn't trade him for many.”
Messara prefers a mile for Autumn Glow
Unbeaten mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) will likely stick to a mile this campaign. “I’m not certain she’ll get 2000. She’s out of a very fast mare. I think if we’re going to try that (2000 metres), my preference to try it is perhaps later, rather than now,” Arrowfield Stud’s John Messara told racing.com.
Autumn Glow | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“My feeling is there is no need to extend her, at the moment, but I’m going to be guided. I’ll listen to what the trainer says, and what J-Mac says, because they’re very close to her.” She has been given 56.5 kg for the G1 Doncaster Mile.
“At the end of the day, she’s an athlete and she has to compete against the best that is around. The day will come where she might get beaten and we just have to face that.”
Starphistocated aimed at Epona Stakes
Last start winner Starphistocated (Churchill {Ire}) will head to Saturday’s G3 Aspiration Quality over a mile at Randwick. “Her aim is the Epona two weeks after this, it’s to get a mile run into her but she’s going very well. She’ll be a threat,” trainer John Thompson told racingnsw.com.au.
“She’s definitely a horse on the rise, she’s going through the grades and we’re trying to get as many wins as we can along the way. I think she will get black type one day.” The 4-year-old mare has won four of her 14 starts.
First season sire Jonker gets new winner
Nicholas Beck-trained 2-year-old filly Hold My Hand (Jonker) flew home at Dalby to win by nearly three lengths at her second race day appearance. She becomes the second winner for first season sire Jonker, whose first winner Good Country has won two of her three starts.
Beck Racing purchased Hold My Hand for $25,000 from Eureka Stud’s Magic Millions March Yearling Sale. She’s the first foal of three-race winner Sakura Star (Rubick) who is from the family of $1.7 million earner Boomsara (Spirit Of Boom).
New winner for Lucky Vega
Second season sire Lucky Vega (Ire) added a new Southern Hemisphere winner when Matthew Smith-trained 3-year-old gelding Button Up won on debut at Kembla Grange on Tuesday. His trainer, along with John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), purchased him for $25,000 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale from Yulong.
Button Up is the first foal of winning mare Loose Buttons (Zoustar) who had a filly by Alpine Edge in 2025.
'Wicked' Taxation working towards stakes company
Trainer Joe Pride will resume 3-year-old filly Taxation (I Am Invincible) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday as he guides her through the grades towards stakes company. She won her first two starts, but failed in her third back in November. “My battle with her is her temperament at times, she’s quite wicked like a lot of good fillies can be,” Pride told racingnsw.com.au.
“I toyed with the idea of running her first-up in the Fireball. I think we will end up in a nice race this prep but we'll start off in a grade she’s eligible for. There’s so many good races this time of year, there’s no rush, you’ve got stakes races right through to Hawkesbury and Scone. She’s come back big and strong, she’s a lovely filly and she will make the grade.”
Hong Kong International Sale delayed until at least June
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced they will delay their International Sale until at least June as horses remain unable to travel due to the war in the Middle East. “There was just a problem with quarantine. Everything’s back on track – there was an uncertainty about holding to that date and whilst the northern hemisphere horses had arrived, there was some uncertainty around when the southern hemisphere horses would arrive,” Jockey Club executive director of racing Andrew Harding told scmp.com.
“We are also in the busy period with the Derby and then some horses arriving for FWD Champions Day, so there are implications there in terms of quarantine. We thought the better course was to push it back.
“We have done it at that time of the year in the past. We had reasons for wanting to do it in early March, but it’s perfectly viable to do it later in the season.”
Well Written’s other owners excited for Saturday
Unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) might be majority owned by Yulong now, but she still has a large group of her original owners ready to celebrate at Saturday’s The Kiwi slot race. “There is a large ownership group with a lot of friends, and we have made a lot of new friends along the way,” Greg Pope, a member of the 8 Mates Syndicate, told Loveracing.nz. He used to work for transport company IRT until his recent retirement.
Well Written | Image courtesy of Race Images South
“I have known Sam Fairgray (Yulong chief operating officer) for many years from when he was working here in New Zealand at Ra Ora Stud. Because we knew Sam Fairgray, it was exciting, and it is good for New Zealand racing to have Yulong in there.”
The Kiwi second favourite has a good chance
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained filly and last start Group 3 winner Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel) takes on short favourite and unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) in Saturday’s The Kiwi slot race. Breeder David Archer, who co-owns Belle Cheval with his partner Diane Wright and children Simon and Natalie, is optimistic. “A horse race is a horse race and you never know what might happen,” Archer told Loveracing.nz.
“We were so fortunate to race two wonderful horses in Mufhasa and The Bostonian. We know on Saturday we’ve got to meet a top, if not champion, filly and we’ll need everything in our favour if we’re any chance of beating her. The only time the two of them have met was in the 1000 Guineas when our girl had no luck in the running but still made up lengths on Well Written.
“Mind you Well Written has been very dominant since and that last win of hers was something else. Everything has gone to plan with our filly, her trackwork has been very good and if everything works in our favour we’ve got a stunning filly, she’s in the right form and she’s shown that she’s got gears. The one remaining thing we need is a good gate, and I’ve left that onerous task at the barrier draw function on Tuesday night to Di, it will be up to her.”
Herrnberger appointed deputy managing director of France Galop
Guillaume Herrnberger, currently managing director of AFASEC (France’s equine employee training association), has been appointed to the role of deputy managing director of France Galop, alongside Henri Pouret who has held the same title since February 2024.
France Galop will now be managed in tandem by Pouret and Herrnberger, both of whom will report to the president, Guillaume de Saint-Seine, who chaired a meeting of the Board of Directors on Monday.
Guillaume Herrnberger | Image courtesy of France Gallop
“I am very pleased to join France Galop to lead the transformation alongside Henri Pouret,” said Herrnberger, who has been the CEO of AFASEC since 2021.
“I have been a racing enthusiast since my youth, having been a breeder and owner with a high school friend. My background, involved in corporate transformation as an employee and expert consultant in this field, is an asset for meeting the challenges ahead alongside Henri Pouret.
“I thank Guillaume de Saint-Seine and the members of the Board of Directors for their confidence.”
Kimmel to retire from training ranks
Among the top trainers on the New York circuit for decades, John Kimmel has announced his retirement. Citing the economic difficulties facing many trainers these days, Kimmel, 71, said he would devote his time to building his business as a bloodstock agent. Kimmel has been doing double duty over the last three or four years, continuing his training operation while acting as a bloodstock agent to outside clients.
“It's been a long time for me, working seven days a week as a trainer,” Kimmel said.
“But all during this time, I've always had an affinity for going to the sales. I first started going to the sales with my father when I was in high school. I've developed a very good eye for a horse and what I look for in a horse. Probably the majority of the Grade I and top graded horses I've had are horses that I've purchased for my clientele. I think that's something that I can use. I think people recognize it, but they might be a little reluctant to use me as their bloodstock agent fearing that as a trainer, I might be adversely affecting their clients.
“I've bought horses in the last few years for Linda Rice and Chad Brown. We've had a lot of luck with Chancer McPatrick, who is a multiple Grade I winner. We've also had With the Angels, who just won the Correction, and Hot Currency, two horses we bought for Winning Move Stable. The long and the short of it is, that I think I can bring to the table a wealth of experience that can't be matched by many people that are in the bloodstock industry. I hope I can use that to my advantage and see if I can generate some new business.”
USA Retired Racehorses 2026-2030 strategic plan released
The Retired Racehorse Project has unveiled its 2026-2030 Strategic Plan which is designed to help the 501 (c)3 charitable organization expand support services, strengthen the Thoroughbred Makeover, and deepen collaboration across the racing, equestrian and aftercare sectors.
“Over the first 15 years of its existence, the RRP has had a huge impact on the Thoroughbred industry, primarily through the success of the Thoroughbred Makeover,” said RRP board chair Neil Agate.
“The implementation of our strategic plan will continue this success by extending the support we provide to everyone involved with Thoroughbreds after their racing careers. I am extremely proud of all the hard work that the RRP staff, board and advisory council members have put in over the last year to develop such a focused plan to maintain the RRP's value to the Thoroughbred industry for many years to come.”
