ATC announce new director Brookes
Former Myer CEO Bernie Brookes AM has been appointed to the Australian Turf Club Board by the Club’s Directors, the club announced in a press release on Thursday. “Bernie’s appointment to the Board supports continuity of good and proper governance and avoids the need and expense of convening a Member election solely to fill a casual vacancy,” Australian Turf Club Chairman Tim Hale SC said.
“The Board is thrilled to have a person of Bernie’s long and respected experience in business, mixed with a passion for racing, to continue to help guide the ATC’s future. We welcome Bernie to the Board as the ATC hosts and executes world-class racing and entertainment at the start of the six-week Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.”
Brookes fills a casual vacancy left by the resignation of former Club-elected Director Ben Bayot, and was appointed by the Board in accordance with clause 10.14 of the ATC Constitution.
Mal Coupe chases six in succession
Trainer Steve O’Halloran understands the big step up for Mal Coupe (Xtravagant {NZ}) into Saturday’s G3 Maurice McCarten Stakes. The 4-year-old gelding has won his past five runs in succession and this is his first run in group company. “It doesn’t happen to too many people unless you’re Chris Waller,” O’Halloran told racingnsw.com.au.
“He ended up going out to the paddock a happy horse and when he came back he was definitely a lot stronger and picked up where he left off. The question marks this prep were if he was only a wet tracker and if he’d run a strong 1200 metres, he’s answered both of those very easily. We couldn’t be happier with the way he’s going.
“Even James (McDonald) has said you don’t know how good he is, every time you raise the bar he keeps performing for you.”
Autumn Glow exhibition gallop on Saturday
Fans who needed an extra reason to get to Rosehill on Saturday will be blessed with an exhibition gallop from unbeaten Group 1 winner Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) after race two. She will be joined by stablemate Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio).
“We have already watched on track some exhilarating racing and it will only get bigger and more exciting over the next six weeks,” Australian Turf Club's Interim CEO Steve McMahon told racingnsw.com.au.
Autumn Glow | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Enjoying a day trackside with family and friends is a Sydney tradition and it rises further in atmosphere and entertainment during these Carnival periods. We are delighted to again partner this year with the Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation to raise funds and awareness with the ATC Foundation in a sea of pink across the course, and we encourage everyone to wear their own shade of pink on the day.”
Shangri La Boy’s affinity for Rosehill
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 3-year-old colt Shangri La Boy (Pierro) has won two of his three starts at Rosehill, and a return to the track for Saturday’s G2 Phar Lap Stakes might see a return to form. “A performance well below par first-up (in the G2 Hobartville Stakes), hence the reason we pivoted from the Randwick Guineas, which was always the original plan,” Bott told racingandsports.com.au.
Shangri La Boy | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“Hopefully this is a race we can see him bounce back in and gain some confidence through, and then we can adjust the back end of the campaign.”
Sharp Showdown prospect in Knurl
Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy are hunting the big money in Saturday’s $1 million Showdown with Godolphin-owned 2-year-old gelding Knurl (Brazen Beau). “He’s trialled up really nicely. He’s a Godolphin bred 2-year-old gelding who’s obviously a winner,” Calvin McEvoy told racing.com.
“We thought we’d have a go at the big prizemoney, support VOBIS, I think he’s prepped up really nicely. 1200m first up will be the little query, he’s quite a sharp horse, but with the $1 million on offer, we’re certainly keen to have a go.” He hasn’t raced since before Christmas when he was a winner from three starts.
Sargent hoping for one better at Kembla Grange
Trainer John Sargent ran second with Inevitable Truth (Fastnet Rock) in last year’s G3 Kembla Grange Classic, who has since been retired, and hopes to go one better on Friday with Listen Sweetheart (Pierro). “That hurt,” Josh Moyle, John Sargent's racing foreman, told racingnsw.com.au.
John Sargent | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Listen Sweetheart has done everything right this prep. It’s a trial by fire but we wouldn’t be placing her here if we didn’t think she was up to it. She is happy, fit and healthy, and hopefully the race plays out in her favour.”
Unbeaten Banjora one race at a time
Trainer Bryce Heys isn’t getting ahead of himself with unbeaten 4-year-old gelding Banjora (I Am Invincible). He runs at Gosford on Saturday hoping to qualify for the Provincial-Midway Championships Final by finishing in the quinella. “Provided he was competitive the other day we were always going to have a little go around in this race so here we are,” Heys told racingnsw.com.au.
“I was relived that he won but I certainly felt the last furlong being a big horse it wasn’t going to happen for him. That wasn’t a grand final, we’re still teaching him things. One or two things could go wrong the other day, and they sort of did, but he was still able to win and most importantly he came out of it well.”
A half-brother to G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Grinzinger Heart (Toronado {Ire}), Banjora was a $400,000 purchase by Heys from Lustre Lodge.
New winner for North Pacific
Second season sire North Pacific added winner number 22 when Marc Chevalier-trained 3-year-old filly Stand My Ground won at Newcastle on Thursday. She had run fourth on debut. Gooree Park Stud sold her at the Inglis May Yearling Sale for $30,000 to IJ Crosson.
Stand My Ground is the first foal of Only Mine (Smart Missile), who debuted in the G3 Magic Night Stakes, before a fall had her off the scene for a while. She won in Sydney at her third start at three.
Deep Field had two winners at Newcastle with Team Hawkes-trained Girijaala and David Pfieffer-trained Call Me Gorgeous.
Juvenile winner for Cosmic Force
Donna Scott-trained 2-year-old filly Just Force (Cosmic Force) won on debut at Wagga on Thursday. She is the third winner for Kempinsky mare Fair Honour, who is a half-sister to Group 3 winners Fair Trade (Danewin) and Fiscal Fantasy (Skilled). Fair Honour is also a full sister to winning mare Hearts And Arrows, the dam of Group 1 winner and young sire Jonker.
Cooper’s juvenile quinella
Trainer Scott Cooper quinellaed the juvenile race at Cairns on Thursday with 2-year-old gelding Carlando (Dubious), who was on debut, and 2-year-old gelding Dee Three (Dracarys).
Carlando, named after the nickname for F1 drivers Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris’ driver pairing at Mclaren in 2019, was bought by T Schmidt via Inglis Digital as a November yearling for $1000. Taken to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale a few months later, Waylon J Stud sold him for $12,000 to Scott and Fiona Green.
Savaglee to stand for NZ$17,500
Windsor Park Stud announced on Thursday that Savaglee (NZ) will stand for NZ$17,500 plus GST in his first season. The G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner is out of Glee (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), a full sister to the dam of dual Group 1 winner and Champion 3YO Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel).
Fownes extends lead with Happy Valley treble
Four-time Hong Kong Trainer’s Premiership victor Caspar Fownes is looking for his fifth, and took his lead to five victories with a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. “I’m happy, all I can do is present my horse well and you need a lot of luck in this game. I know how to win a championship, that’s one thing I can tell you; I’ve got my game face on and I’ll be doing my best. I know my target and I’m just trying to have fun along the way,” Fownes told scmp.com.
Caspar Fownes | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
His winners were Elegant Life (Smart Missile), Golden Brilliant (NZ) (Sweynesse) and Somelovefromabove (Lonhro). “There will be a lot of guys with a lot of winners coming up. Everyone has got a chance – everyone has a full stable and you just have to keep knocking them in. If you get a quiet patch, it’s very easy for someone to catch up.
“You can never write off John (Size) – he’s always capable of a spate of winners in a short period as he’s done so many times in his career. You’ve got David [Hayes], Francis (Lui Kin-wai), Danny (Shum Chap-shing) and Mark (Newnham); there’s so many in with a chance but they have to chase me, so I’ll say good luck!”
Danon Decile to skip Dubai
Japanese Derby hero Danon Decile is the latest to skip the Dubai World Cup night at the end of the month in favour of a target closer to home, Keiba Lab reported on X. Connections have indicated the G1 Osaka Hai on April 5 is his aim.
He joins Masquerade Ball (Duramente) and Jantar Mantar (Palace Malice) in defecting from the March 28 meeting due to the ongoing conflict in Iran and surrounding countries.
“Danon Decile, the 2024 Derby winner who dominated in last year's Dubai Sheema Classic, will skip this year's Dubai expedition and is being prepared with the Osaka Cup in mind, as announced by his trainer, Yasuda Shogo,” Keiba Lab reported on X late on Tuesday evening.
Not only the winner of the 2024 edition of the Tokyo Yushun, Danon Decile, who races for Danox Company, claimed the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic over Calandagan (Gleneagles) last year.
Two-time G1 February Stakes hero Costa Nova (Lord Kanaloa) was due to compete in the G2 Godolphin Mile. He has also been withdrawn and will instead aim for the Kashiwa Kinen by Shadai Group. Owners DMM Banusy have also withdrawn Bidaaya (Real Steel) from the Godolphin Mile, citing the conflict in the Middle East.
Also on Monday, Diktaean (King Kamehameha) was withdrawn from the G1 Dubai World Cup and will be rerouted for the Kawasaki Kinen on April 8. The 2025 G1 Tokyo Daishoten winner is owned by the G1 Thoroughbred Club, who announced his defection from the event on March 6.
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised the travel risk level to Level 3 (reconsidering all travel) in response to the worsening situation in the Middle East on March 5.
Four-time Lion City Cup winner Rocket Man dies
Rocket Man (Vicount), the only Singapore-based horse to win a Group 1 contest abroad, has died. Bred in New South Wales by Dean Fleming, Rocket Man raced in the colours of Fred Crabbia and was trained by Patrick Shaw.
His big day in the sun came when he beat the Bob Baffert-trained Euroears in the Golden Shaheen at Meydan in 2011. Rocket Man was reported to have died as a result of colic. He was 20.
“It's a very sad day,” his former trainer told The Strait Times. “He was the best horse I ever trained. When I think back how he fractured (condylar fracture of the offside cannon bone) his leg at his fifth win when he jumped the shadow that night and came back to go on and win 15 races including three internationals and a record four Lion City Cups (2009 to 2012), what a legend.”
He added, “Last Friday, Emma, his caregiver at the riding school where he stayed, called and said Rocket Man was a bit colicky, which is common for old horses. He was treated and seemed to have come round, but yesterday, he had the runs. It was the complications from salmonella, and the vets didn't want him to suffer and decided to euthanise him.”
Nitrogen still aimed at Grade 1 next
Champion Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) still has her sights set on her major spring objective, the GI Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, despite a hiccup last weekend in Hot Springs, the track said via a press release on Wednesday. Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said Nitrogen will make her next start in the April 11 Apple Blossom following a third-place finish in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes.
“Jose (Ortiz) said he thought she was much more tired this race than the last one, which, really, from a fitness standpoint, it doesn't make sense, right?” Casse said Tuesday afternoon. “We always thought she would need the first one. She's a big filly and the track was a little funny. Maybe she was just tired.”
The Apple Blossom is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff. Nitrogen, in her final start at three, finished runner-up in the race at Del Mar back in November. Nitrogen was North America's champion 3-year-old filly of 2025 and opened her 4-year-old campaign with a victory in the GIII Bayakoa Stakes on February 7.
