Racing Victoria announce relief package
On Tuesday, Racing Victoria announced package to support racing participants deal with the rising cost of fuel. “As we have done throughout the past 12 months with the drought and bushfires, we are providing support to racing businesses in a time of need to assist with their operations and their continued participation in Victorian racing,” Racing Victoria Chief Executive Aaron Morrison said in a press release.
“With a large network of country racetracks and training businesses spread across all the regions, our industry is heavily reliant on fuel to compete and thus transportation represents a substantive portion of industry costs.
“The temporary measures we have announced today are designed to work alongside the Federal Government’s reduction of the fuel excise and removal of the heavy vehicle road user charge to provide some relief to those in our industry, particularly around horse transport.
“With our business support subsidies and the Government relief measures both taking effect from April 1, we are encouraging training businesses to limit any additional transport costs imposed upon owners and to provide assistance to their employees.
“The measures we’ve announced today come following extensive consultation with stakeholder groups and those discussions will continue regularly in the weeks ahead on the length of time these temporary measures will remain in place.”
From April 1, the temporary measures will be in place. “For each starter in a Victorian race, a licensed trainer will receive a $100 business support subsidy designed to assist with their operations in the face of escalating fuel costs. It is RV’s expectation that these fees, when coupled with the Government’s relief measures, will be used at a minimum to limit additional transport costs being imposed upon owners and to provide assistance to their employees, including stable staff.”
Aaron Morrison | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
“For each Victorian race meeting attended, a licensed jockey will receive a $50 business support subsidy in recognition of their additional travel costs to participate in the sport. This will be paid in addition to the minimum riding allowance of $100 per meeting for three rides or less and applies irrespective of distance travelled.
“RV’s acknowledged retrainers, rehomers and retirement farms will each receive a business support subsidy of 10 per cent for each horse retrained/rehomed/agisted as part of RV’s Off The Track program. This will see their regular reporting subsidy increased to $165 per horse.”
Nofke not bothered by Doncaster draw
Star filly Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) drew 13 for Saturday’s G1 Doncaster Handicap, but owner Fred Nofke isn’t bothered. “All my life I've said 13 is lucky for some. I don't walk under ladders but (barrier) 13 doesn't faze me at all,” he said at Tuesday's barrier event.
Sheza Alibi | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Jamie Melham takes the ride at 49kg. “This morning I had a report come through and I think (regular rider) Luke Nolen is feeling a bit sad that someone else is going to get the glory, hopefully.”
Away Game’s first foal wins on debut
Juvenile filly Lady Catalina (Written Tycoon) won on debut at Newcastle on Tuesday for trainer Ciaron Maher. Sent out as favourite, she saluted by 1.6 lengths. She’s the first foal of Maher-trained Away Game (Snitzel), who won four stakes races at two including the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes and R.Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. She trained on to add a Group 3 win and was twice Group 1-placed.
Lady Catalina was sold by Yulong at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $1.8 million to Resolute Racing and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock. Away Game was a $4 million purchase by the Written Tycoon Syndicate at the end of her racing career from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Away Game is a full sister to Listed winner Modern Wonder.
Readers of Looking Ahead should have enjoyed the $2.10 on offer.
Form around Headley Grange strong for Doncaster
Trainer Joe Pride thinks the form around Headley Grange (Exosphere) is strong heading into Saturday’s G1 Doncaster Handicap. He ran fourth in Joliestar (Zoustar)’s G1 Canterbury Classic followed by a fifth in the G1 George Ryder Stakes won by Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun). “These are the traditional lead ups, I like seeing these horses through the weight-for-age races,” Pride told racingnsw.com.au.
Headley Grange | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I think that’s the A form, he carries that into the race in great shape and the rest is up to luck and everything else that decides a race. He’s going as good as any older horse in the race I think. The 3-year-olds hold the key to the race in my mind, the three out of the (Randwick) Guineas and Sixties deserves respect as well. Of the older horses I don’t think too many are going better than Headley Grange.”
Overpass likely to miss The Quokka
Trainer Bjorn Baker will run Overpass (Vancouver) in Saturday’s G1 TJ Smith Stakes as a preference to heading back to Perth for a fourth run in The Quokka, a race he’s won twice and was fifth in last year. “He's in really good order. As we know, he's great first-up,” Baker told racingandsports.com.au.
Overpass | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“The track definitely didn't suit him in that trial, but Josh (Parr) says he's going as well as ever. We're just mindful as he gets older, a bit stronger and bigger every preparation, we've got to make sure he's that little bit fitter and we do that touch more. He's had a couple of good trials, a gallop away from home. We'll give him an easy gallop on Tuesday and into the T J.”
Maiden can win the Derby
Trainer Matt Cumani believes that Deal Done Fast (Dundeel {NZ}) can win the G1 Australian Derby on Saturday, despite the fact that he’s still a maiden after six starts. “He’s a very up and about colt, very boisterous, very full of himself but sensible and manageable like a lot of Dundeels,” Cumani told racingnsw.com.au of the colt who was third in the G1 Victoria Derby during the spring.
“He’s a typical one of those, he’s got a fair bit of Fastnet Rock and fair bit of the dam’s side in him as well. He’s a nice blend and hopefully that’s the key to him winning a Derby. He used to be a bit of a terror in the tie ups and took a lot of managing.
“He seems to be improving and growing up and at Rosehill the other day he was very sensible. Hopefully that’s a sign that it is all coming together nicely for him.”
Baraqiel retired
Group 1 winner Baraqiel (Snitzel) has been retired after sustaining a sesamoid injury in the G1 William Reid Stakes. “We organised a meeting with Troy and Will yesterday. We thought the best for the horse was to avoid the surgery and give him a good quality of life,” Nathan Bennett of Bennett Racing told racing.com.
“We didn't want anything to happen to him while the surgery happened. So we have decided to retire him. He has been a warhorse for us and he deserves a good life. He didn't race until he was five and he has had problem after problem. He is a warrior and he means so much to us. We love him he will always hold a special place in the Bennett Racing family
“I want to thank the owners for sticking with us as well as Troy, Will and the team at Malua who trained Baraqiel to win a Group 1. We're grateful for all of their efforts.” Baraqiel retires with eight wins from 15 starts and over $1.5 million in earnings.
Vella returns to Sydney on Wednesday
Trainer Gratz Vella is still buzzing from running third in the G1 Golden Slipper with Music Time (All Too Hard) and returns to Sydney on Wednesday with last start winner Vella’s Best (Headwater) who runs at Warwick Farm. “It was a very dominant win and he pulled up good after it, everything is spot on,” Vella told racingnsw.com.au.
Gratz Vella | Image courtesy of Vella Thoroughbred Park
“His benchmark is high in the country now so I had to find a race for him. It’s been a while since he won his last start at Canberra, I’ve been trying to find the right race for him and this might be the one. He likes being nice and fresh, I gave him a jump out last week and he went enormous. I’m going in there with a bit of confidence.”
Hellbent double at Kilmore
On Tuesday, Hellbent sired a double at Kilmore. Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained 3-year-old filly Regal Visions won her maiden by 2.25 lengths. Purchased by Lindsay Park and Bluegrass Bloodstock for $80,000, Regal Visions was sold by Crossley Thoroughbreds at Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. Her dam, Voyant (Artie Schiller {USA}) is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Second Effort (Mossman) and Group 3 winner Diamond Effort (Mossman).
In a replica, two races later, stablemate 3-year-old filly Hell’s Diamond won on debut by 2.25 lengths. Sold by Yarraman Park Stud for $210,000, Hell’s Diamond was purchased by Lindsay Park at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is the first winner for Diamond Pedrille (Al Maher), a full sister to Group 1 winner Diamond Drille and Listed winner M’Lady Pedrille, as well as a half-sister to Listed winner Madame Pedrille (Secret Savings {USA}).
Juvenile winner for Bivouac
Second season sire Bivouac added a juvenile winner on Tuesday when 2-year-old filly Tambo’s Sister won at Townsville for Georgie Holt. She is the third foal for Winter Passage (I Am Invincible) who won seven races, largely on the Sunshine Coast.
Yulong buys star juveniles
Yulong Investments have purchased G1 Blue Diamond winner Streisand (Magnus) and G2 Todman Stakes victor Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) for undisclosed sums from their various connections. “She has come through the run in the Golden Slipper extremely well, she just continues to please us,” Streisand’s trainer Clinton McDonald told racing.com ahead of Saturday’s G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes run.
“Benny (Melham) flew up to Sydney for her work this morning, she worked over 1000 metres in company and we are all very happy.”
Tattersalls Ireland release breeze up catalogue
The catalogue for the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-Up Sale, the source of top stayer Onesmoothoperator and Irish 1,000 Guineas fifth City Of Memphis, has been released. The sale takes place between Thursday 21 and Friday May 22, with a total of 252 2-year-olds catalogued.
“The Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale continues to go from strength to strength, and the level of vendor support we have received this year reflects the confidence the market has in this sale. Demand for places was unprecedented, and that is clearly reflected in the strength of this year's catalogue,” said Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins.
“The success of our graduates on the racecourse remains a key driver. From classic prospects such as America Queen and Nobody Knows to stakes winners across Europe, the United States and Australia. The 2025 edition of the sale saw 23 different nations on the final purchaser table, and these graduates are competing successfully in racing jurisdictions across the globe.
“Irish Thoroughbred Marketing plays a hugely important role in the continued growth of this sale, and we are very appreciative of the work they do in promoting our sale on the international stage. Alongside our own marketing team, we look forward to building on this momentum and welcoming clients from around the world on the 21st and 22nd May.”
Chung seeking first stakes win
Angus Chung will ride Tony Cruz’s import Stunning Peach (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in Monday’s G2 Chairman’s Trophy at Sha Tin, and hopes to record his first black type victory. “I think in my career it might be the best horse I’ve ridden so far,” Chung told scmp.com.
“He’s from Ireland and then raced in Europe, so I think he just needed to get used to racing in Hong Kong. I think this season he’s been a little bit better. I think last season he was a little bit hesitant to go through the line. I’m not sure why that is, but this season he’s concentrating – even in track work he’s concentrating. That’s why I think this season he’s improved a little bit.”
First Group 1 placing for Kneebone
Young New Zealand trainer Nick Kneebone is thrilled to have picked up his first Group 1 placing with Speed Demon (NZ) (Yes Yes Yes) in last Saturday’s G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, and it’s only his first year as a trainer. “I am absolutely thrilled,” Kneebone told Loveracing.nz on Tuesday.
Speed Demon (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
“I was quite confident, I thought he would run top five and he went a little bit better than that, so I was really happy. It was a massive run because they weren’t really making up much ground. I was worried going into it because he has always gotten back and conserved energy for a big finish, but to finish off like that in a Group 1 was amazing.
“I didn’t even expect to have a runner in a Group 1 let alone place in one, it is massive. We are only a small team, so I must be doing something right.”
She Feels Pretty retired
Lael Stables' She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}), last season's Eclipse champion turf female, has been retired from racing, according to the DRF Monday.
“She had an issue that just was going to take even longer to resolve, and she'd have no time for a campaign,” trainer Cherie DeVaux told DRF. “She kept needing more time.” Winner of the GI Natalma Stakes at Woodbine at two, she concluded the season with a third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
At three, the Payson Stud bred won three of five starts, including Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Cup and GI American Oaks at Santa Anita. Last season, the Kentucky-bred annexed Churchill's GIII Modesty Stakes and GI New York Stakes at the Spa before a narrow defeat in the GI Diana Stakes.
In what would be her final two career starts, the chestnut won the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine before finishing a half-length back in second to Geroza (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar.
From the family of dual Group 1 winner Act One (GB) (In The Wings {GB}), the 5-year-old was a US$240,000 (AU$350,000) Keeneland September yearling purchase and retires with over US$2.5 million (AU$3.6 million) in earnings.
Familiar name wins in Ireland
Australian fans will remember our Shaftesbury Avenue (Salieri {USA}) who won six Group 1 races in 1990 and 1991. Coolmore have given the moniker to an expensive 3-year-old colt, US$1 million (AU$1.46 million) Keeneland September sensation Shaftesbury Avenue (Maxfield) who imposed his considerable presence on his maiden at Navan. Previously he was third on debut.
“In fairness, as you can see from him walking around, he's a massive, big horse and he just took time last year. He'll make up into a lovely horse and we will just go gentle with him and probably give him a bit of time,” said Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong.
“He might even come back here for possibly the [May 16] Royal County (Handicap) over a mile and a-quarter. He will make up into a Stakes horse, but there's no rush. Obviously his two runs, with the way the weather is at the moment, have been with an ease in the ground but Wayne (Lordan) says he will appreciate better ground which is good so it gives you a lot of options.”
He is a half-brother to triple Grade I winner Up To The Mark (Not This Time) out of the unraced Belle's Finale (Ghostzapper). The second dam is the Test Stakes heroine Capote Belle (Capote), whose other visit to Ghostzapper resulted in the Stakes scorer and Graded Stakes-placed Zapper Belle and whose daughter of Storm Cat named Gata Bella produced the GII Eddie Read Stakes and GII Del Mar Mile winner Catapult (Kitten's Joy) who was also runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
