ATC and Racing NSW reach short term financial agreement
Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club released a joint press statement on Tuesday, stating that they had reached a short term agreement with regards to funding. “That Racing NSW will make discretionary payments to the ATC to top up the TAB distribution until such time that the Court of Appeal decision regarding Racing NSW’s powers to appoint an administrator is handed down,” said the statement.
“That the ATC will appoint Morgan Kelly of Ernst and Young to undertake a review and provide advice to the ATC with respect to its hospitality operations. This agreement between the parties assists the ATC’s cash flow and financial position by ensuring that the previous discretionary funding from Racing NSW is continued.”
Tempted freshened for Arrowfield Sprint
Ciaron Maher has freshened 3-year-old filly Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) for Saturday’s G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint. “I was very grateful and appreciative to get the ride on her first-up and maintain the ride in the Surround where we got the job done again,” jockey Chad Schofield told racingnsw.com.au.
“She’s had a lovely little tickover trial recently and she feels like she’s freshened up really well after that win. It’s a perfect race for her, she’s a filly so she gets 54.5kg against her own age group. I think it did stretch her a little bit (in the Surround), she had to dig deep there, but she feels tremendous. I can’t wait to get back on her, she’s a pretty special filly.
Tempted | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“She’s bombproof to ride, she puts herself wherever the jockey wants her, she relaxes there, and through the 400 metres she finds three or four lengths while still building on the bridle. It’s a trait not many horses have. When you do fully send her the race is over. She’s got a tremendous turn of foot.”
Seventh crack at Group 1 for Arctic Glamour
Jockey Tom Sherry thinks Arctic Glamour (Frosted {USA}) can break through for a Group 1 win in Saturday’s G1 Queen Of The Turf. It will be her seventh attempt at the top-level. “She felt great in her trial, she’s going to have to improve again to beat that field but she deserves her chance,” Sherry told racingnsw.com.au.
“Her record probably suggests she does race better at Rosehill rather than Randwick but at the minute she’s looking for a strong run mile and she should get that.”
Artic Glamour | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Pride Of Jenni to avoid Autumn Glow
Owner Tony Ottbre couldn’t decide on Monday, but on Tuesday, he has announced that Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) will avoid unbeaten star Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) and run in the G1 Queen Of The Turf instead. “It was probably the way we were leaning all the time,” Ottobre told racenet.com.au.
“In the end we had to come up with a justifiable reason why we wouldn't go to the Queen Of The Turf and couldn't really find one. Both (trainer) Ciaron (Maher) and I are on the same page, Ciaron was pretty easy about the direction we landed on.
Tony Ottbre | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She's had a third and a second this time in so we'd love for her to have a break as a winner. And the Queen Of The Turf is probably the easier of the two Group 1s – if there is such a thing as an easy Group 1, which there isn't. In the Queen Elizabeth we would have had Dubai Honour and Lindermann there pushing us but the mares' race looks a bit of a different story.”
Inside barrier for Screen Icon
John Thompson-trained 2-year-old filly Screen Icon (Nicconi) gets an inside gate for Saturday’s G2 Percy Sykes Stakes. “Every start she’s had a wide draw and had to have a tough run. It’ll be nice to be able to be in the first three and have a lot less to do,” Thompson told racingnsw.com.au.
“The trial the other day was just to keep her fitness up and I’m very happy. I took the punt of not running her again and seeing if we got the run (in the Slipper). I think three out of the last four years we probably get a run but with it being so open and having three late entries just cruelled us.
Screen Icon | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Phototgraphy
“Hopefully it’s a blessing and has her right for this race. She’s a nice filly, a progressive filly and being a Nicconi you’d think she’s only going to get better as she gets older. She’s run second in two Group races so she’s going all right.”
Buggsy ready for Redoute’s Choice Stakes
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is on fire with their juveniles this season, and on Saturday, they run Buggsy (Harry Angel {Ire}) in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes at Caulfield. “It was a nice win (on debut) – a win of a promising horse still quite green,” Kent Jr told racenet.com.au.
“He looked like a sitting duck at the top of the straight but I thought he really found and was just about as strong as anything past the line. I think he'll really enjoy the tempo of 1200 metres, he'll be able to travel for a bit longer.”
Charm Stone and Overpass possibles for Royal Ascot
Trainer Bjorn Baker is planning to take his Group 1 winning sprinter Overpass (Vancouver) to Royal Ascot this year. “It's a possibility but the ultimate decision will rest with the ownership group,” Baker told racenet.com.au.
“In terms of timing it would work in well where he could have a freshen up and be ready for the trip over. He's a fantastic traveller as we've seen with him heading over to Perth so successfully and he showed the other day (in the TJ) he's going as well as ever. I'd love to go but it's with the owners for the final call. It's either Royal Ascot or the Doomben 10,000.”
Bjorn Baker | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Similarly, Group 1 winning mare Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) is potentially heading that way. “At this stage, yes (she will be going),” co-trainer Mick Price told racing.com.
“I had a meeting with (owner) Sheamus (Mills) and Nick Smith and Hermione last night. We’ve got the feasibility pretty much down pat. We’ve got time for the vaccinations. We will stay at Charlie Fellowes’ on the flat part of Newmarket... I’m not going to try and reinvent that mare.
“Joliestar’s there, she’s won five Group 1s, we’ve won two Group 1s, but it is a horse race. You never know, do you?”
Sydney Cup runner under veterinary cloud
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Campaldino (NZ) (Ghibellines) presented at the veterinary check for Saturday’s G1 Sydney Cup with cardiac arrhythmia on Tuesday morning. “He will go through all ECG process and things like that, providing everything is alright,” Bott told racenet.com.au.
“Immediately following the race he was checked and everything was all in order so it's a little bit of an unusual case. He has never had any history or anything like that, it's only something that has popped up. He hasn't done any strenuous exercise (since Saturday) but the Stewards did their Sydney Cup inspections and that was when it was detected.”
Campaldino (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“We have got time to go through the processes but if there is an issue there we want to do the right thing by the horse. We have seen these cases before and this scenario before but never with him.” He will be vetted again on Thursday.
Trio of seven figure yearlings go head to head
On Wednesday at Hawkesbury, a trio of seven figure yearlings from the Chris Waller stable will step out in the 2-year-old race over 1100 metres. St Gotthard (Snitzel), who cost $2.7 million, is a full brother to G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner and young sire Switzerland.
Lafite (Zoustar) cost $1.4 million and is a full brother to Group 1 winner and young sire Schwarz, while Rocket Girl (I Am Invincible) sold for $1.2 million. She is the second foal of Group 3 winner Missile Mantra (Smart Missile), who is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Makarena (Snitzel).
At the other end of the scale is Mike Van Gestel-trained Casta Diva (Time To Reign) who cost $10,000 as a yearling.
Farnan colt stays unbeaten
On Tuesday at Grafton, Matt Dunn-trained 3-year-old colt Alleze (Farnan) took his record to two wins from as many starts. The colt was sold by Bell River Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Great Southern Sale for $170,000 to Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and Riverstone Lodge. Riverstone Lodge pinhooked him into the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, after pulling him out of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, where he sold for $30,000 to Dream Thoroughbreds and Bluegrass Bloodstock (FBAA).
Alleze is the first foal of Voila (Choisir) who won five races including three in Sydney and one in Melbourne.
Vale Beth Johnson
Racing NSW announced that Hawkesbury trainer Beth Johnson died aged 99 years and 11 months. “Mum trained at Hawkesbury Racecourse from 1976 until 2013 and only retired from training as Dad needed a hand on their cattle property,” Lynne Ingham told racingnsw.com.au on Tuesday.
“Mum's best galloper was a horse called Magnetic Island who was first past the post on six consecutive races in town, including the Warwick Farm Spring Cup. Today (Tuesday) would have been her 100th birthday and she will be sadly missed.”
Purton credits Queensland for riding style
Zac Purton will be back in Queensland for the winter carnival to ride in the G1 Doomben 10,000 on May 16. He began his apprenticeship in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales before progressing to Eagle Farm and Doomben via the Gold Coast. “I think it was all those tight turning tracks where you had to be on speed,” Purton told racingqueensland.com.au
“You had to be good out the gates. It really made me sharp and I think that that has sort of moulded me into the jockey that I am. It's a common comment that I receive, how good I am out of the gates and how quick I am able to get a position.
Zac Purton | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“I certainly do think that that was carved in the early stages of my career there. It's competitive. It was great, it's intense. It’s high speed, high pressure, good firm fast tracks, which I like, they are usually strongly run races, plenty of speed in the races, which is good.
“It certainly set me up well for the latter stages in my career, especially here in Hong Kong, because the racing in Brisbane is run at a very strong speed. I've got very fond memories of my time in Brisbane, living there and on the Gold Coast, as well.
“Queensland's a special place. My sister still lives there. My brother lives in Queensland, as well. I do have family there. So, it is home for me and it's where I cut my teeth. That's where it started and I'm always excited to get back there.”
American betting down by 12.35% in March
According to figures released Monday by Equibase, all-sources pari-mutuel handle fell by 12.35% during the month of March. A total of US$816,171,590 (AU$1.18 billion) was wagered as compared to US$931,156,615 (AU$1.3 billion) in 2025. The month-over-month decline in handle was the worst since December 2024, when handle fell by 14.44%.
In the category of average wagering per race day, the figure dropped by 12.01%, from US$3,540,519 (AU$5.06 million) to US$3,115,159 (AU$4.48 million).
In March 2025, racing was held on five Saturdays. There were only four Saturdays during the month in 2026. With Saturday cards producing the highest handle of the week, that is one factor that no doubt contributed to the poor March numbers.
Sottsass's Segall takes French Group 3
Segall claimed Sunday's G3 Prix La Force to become the first group winner for his sire Sottsass as well as the first Flat group winner for owner David Layani, who said wisely after his success, “This minute and a half of racing allows us to forget all the difficulties of the sport.”
Segall, who led home a one-two in the race for Andre Fabre, is now a likely candidate for the Prix du Jockey Club which was won seven years ago by his sire, who raced in the colours of Peter Brant's White Birch Farm. Brant's influence was evident again here as the co-breeder of Segall with Andreas Putsch of Haras de Saint Pair.
A week earlier Sottsass had been represented by the Listed Prix Right Royal winner Asmarani. The son of Siyouni left Coolmore Stud for the JBBA's Shizunai Stallion Station last year and he followed to Japan Segall's dam Spain Burg, who, in the year her promising colt was foaled, was sold to JS Company for €90,000 (AU$150,000) while once again carrying to Sottsass. She subsequently produced another colt to the stallion followed by a colt by Kitasan Black before being covered last year by Kitasan Black's son Equinox.
Outbreak of dangerous caterpillars in Kentucky
After numerous sightings of the nests of Eastern Tent caterpillar on his farm, Frank Taylor said that he has been vigilant this season about spraying to destroy the nests. As the weather warms up, and the caterpillars are leaving the nests and making their way elsewhere, this is the time of year when they could become dangerous to pregnant mares.
That is what happened from 1999 to 2001, when accidental ingestion of the caterpillars was linked to Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS), when 3,500 foals were lost.
“The year we had all the loss, it was massive amount of caterpillars, like covering the fences up, covering everything up,” he said. “But I've been watching it very closely. I'm very sensitive to it. I have PTSD from caterpillars. But I've watched them through the years and about every 10 years they have what they call a super hatch.”
Taylor suspects this may be one of those years.
“We are spraying heavily at Taylor Made and getting everything done, but we just want to help the whole industry by reminding them what a problem this can be,” said Taylor. “We're spraying with a chemical, and I was looking at (the nests) today and it's certainly working.”
No one was available at the University of Kentucky's Martin Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment on Monday to confirm if this were a larger-than-normal crop , but in a press release, they warn that a warm early spring may have accelerated this year's season.
