Laurie feels no pressure for Grand Omaha
Trainer Matt Laurie doesn’t feel extra pressure when preparing Grand Omaha (Omaha Beach {USA}) for Saturday’s G1 Queensland Oaks. The filly was bred and is raced by his father-in-law, retired trainer David Brideoake. “You want to do well for them, of course. But she’s already done it because, without winning, she’s obtained black type and she’s a filly of value,” Laurie told betsy.com.au.
“I don’t really have her pigeon holed as just a 3-year-old because she’s got the physical frame to be able to go on with it. David trained the mother – I don’t remember too much about her but a lot of the ownership group have stuck with her. He (David) is retired (from training) and that has firmly taken place since the day it was announced, he’s happy to watch from afar.
Matt Laurie | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I was a little bit flat when the draw came out quite a few of the others in the market, other than Panova, haven’t drawn low either. But you don’t pull out of Group 1 races due to the barrier, do you? I’m happy with her.”
The G2 The Roses-placed filly is a daughter of Group 1 winner Grand Journey (Good Journey {USA}) who has produced four winners from six runners.
Fringes targets Oaks upset
Outside chance Fringes (NZ) (Niagara) comes into the G1 Queensland Oaks with two wins from her last two starts, but one of those was the G3 South Australian Classic. Trainer Michael Hickmott knows it’s a big step up in class. “I think she’s a filly that has continued to improve,” Hickmott told racing.com.
“We were reluctant to go at her too quickly when she first came to SA and realistically her first two runs were building races. We put the blinkers on her in her next two starts and stepped her up in trip, and she couldn’t have done anymore in either of those races. She’s a 3-year-old once, she’s happy, she’s healthy and there’s no reason not to press ahead.”
Eight supplementary entries for Inglis Great Southern Sale
A Tassort half-brother to G1 Toorak Handicap-placed Military Expert (Redoute’s Choice) headlines eight supplementary entries for the upcoming Inglis Great Southern Sale. Their dam, Gresset (Hussonet {USA}) is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Honorine (Redoute’s Choice).
Also among the additional entries is a Royal Meeting (Ire) colt out of Group 1 winner Risque (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) whose first two foals are both winners.
Wide draw for Chains Of Love
Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained 3-year-old filly Chains Of Love (I Am Invincible) steps up to black type for the first time in Saturday’s Listed Queensland Day Stakes at Eagle Farm, but has drawn out wide in 16. “Chains Of Love has a lot of gate speed so we will try to roll forward early with her,” Messara told racingandsports.com.au.
Paul Messara | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“I just feel it's worth a crack at stakes level with Chains Of Love as there are not too many opportunities left for 3-year-olds this season. So, we are going to give her the chance on Saturday to see where she is because there is always the option of coming back in grade.” The daughter of Group 1 winner Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}) has won two of her three starts to date.
Rebel Royal held for Saturday
Co-trainer Adrian Bott scratched 2-year-old colt Rebel Royal (Wild Ruler) from Wednesday in preference of the juvenile event at Randwick on Saturday. “I had him in at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, which he was scratched from,” Bott told racingandsports.com.au.
“He was against the older horses having his first start as a 2-year-old, and we felt he was better placed keeping him against his own age group, even though there are a couple more experienced than him on Saturday. His trials have been really encouraging, and he's shown nice potential in those. He was tested in his latest one and responded well, so there's some nice upside with him.”
Rebel Royal as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Cairns chasing Townsville glory
Beaudesert trainer Olivia Cairns has two runners in Saturday’s $100,000 Townsville Classic for 2-year-olds with I’lltellyouanytime (Wanted) and Maganista (Pierata). “One of my owners bought I’lltellyouanytime and he didn’t pay a lot of money for her,” Cairns told racingqueensland.com.au. She was a $2250 purchase on Inglis Digital in March 2025.
“He rarely pays more than around $2000. He picks them out on breeding and has bought a couple of good ones in the past. They’re two different types of horses as Maganista is rather a dainty type compared to I’lltellyouanytime, who is a real bulldog. Maganista drew wide at her last run, so it’s a forget run as far as I’m concerned.”
Fownes extends lead on Trainer’s Premiership
A double by Caspar Fownes on Wednesday night at Happy Valley has extended his lead on the Trainer’s Premiership. He now sits on 60 wins, three ahead of Danny Shum. “For me it’s a personal best to get 41 wins here (Happy Valley), that means a lot to me at my home track, so I’m going to try and shatter that record this season – hoping for the best,” Fownes told scmp.com.
Caspar Fownes | Image courtesy of Inglis
He won with Family Fortune (NZ) (Derryn) and The Heir (Impending). “A very exciting night and for me, I’m mostly proud that (The Heir) has come out and done the job again. Normally he doesn’t perform that well on the inside, compared to the outside, but he gained a lot of confidence from his win last start and it was a great ride by Joao (Moreira),” Fownes said.
Coffey wants a Cup
Jockey Harry Coffey is still chasing a win in the Swan Hill Cup and he rides Symon Wilde-trained Precious Charm (Per Incanto {USA}) on Sunday. “Honestly, every year people are just talking about me winning the Cup, and I always run second or third. It can get a bit annoying,” Coffey told racing.com.
“But hopefully we can change that this year… I’m on Precious Charm for Team Wilde. I’ve probably had better Cup chances before, but he’s a very consistent and honest horse, he should run well. The main carnival memories and good times have always just been riding winners for the old man, especially when I was younger. That’s always good fun.” The three-day Swan Hill carnival kicks off on Friday.
Lamont Classic won by Andres Girl
Kym Davison-trained 2-year-old filly Andres Girl (Graff) won Thursday’s Lamont Classic at Wagga Wagga by 1.5 lengths. The race is named in honour of the Lamont family, who own Kooringal Stud, and have long been on the board at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club.
Andres Girl was having her second start, having been fourth on debut. Alma Vale Thoroughbreds sold her for $7000 at the Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale to Davison Racing Stables. She is the fourth winner for Silent Rage (Nicconi), a winning full sister to Group 3 winner Hear The Chant.
D’Argento gets debutant juvenile winner
At Hawkesbury on Thursday, D’Argento sired 2-year-old filly Scuro Star who won on debut for trainer Peter Snowden. She is the first foal of Star Progeny (Star Turn) who is an unraced half-sister to Group 1-placed Mr Sneaky (High Chaparral {Ire}) and stakes placed Mr So And So (So You Think {NZ}).
Richard and Will Freedman-trained 2-year-old gelding Heard Of Him (NZ) (Derryn) beat the older horses in a maiden on the card. He was having his second start. MUSTR Racing and Freedman Racing purchased him for NZ$100,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale. He is the second winner for Mifflin (Street Cry {Ire}) who is a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Gamay (Pierro) and Listed winner Meidung (Bernardini {USA}).
Zoustar had a double at the meeting with Hammoon Heroine (GB) and Lady Shenanigans.
Juvenile winner for Brazen Beau
At Ipswich on Thursday, Brazen Beau added a new juvenile winner when Barry Lockwood and Emma-Jane Vincent-trained filly Zia Maria was a winner at her third start. She is the second foal and only runner for Mitta Mary (Show A Heart). A three-time winner, Mitta Mary is a full sister to Listed winner Feltre.
Double for Snitzel at Pinjarra
Snitzel sired a double at Pinjarra’s Thursday meeting with debutant 3-year-old filly Market Snitz winning the opening race, and Offenbach winning the third. Offenbach was a $650,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate, and recently sold to K Sutherland for $110,000 at an Inglis Digital Sale.
The late sire I’m All The Talk also had a double at the meeting with Lady Money Talk and Catch Carter.
Half to Lion’s Roar added to NZB Weanlings
New Zealand Bloodstock announced three supplementary entries for the upcoming 2026 National Weanling Sale, led by a half-brother to G1 Randwick Guineas winner Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) who earned over $2.3 million. The colt, by first season sire Paddington (Ire) is out of Minnaleo (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe {USA}), a city winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Vanquero (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}).
The other two supplementary weanlings are by Sword Of State and Ace High and all three are from vendor Seaton Park. “Cash-flow counts in this industry and sometimes with the right stallions you can profit well in this Sale. We’ve managed to achieve some good results in the past thanks to our clients supporting us with nice weanlings,” said Seaton Park’s Scott Eagleton.
Precise out of the Oaks
Declarations for Epsom's G1 Betfred Derby and G1 Betfred Oaks were confirmed Wednesday morning with 14 standing their ground for Saturday's Blue Riband and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Precise (Starspangledbanner) the only notable absentee from Friday's Oaks.
The Derby draw took place in London on Wednesday, with the “lucky” 10 stall which has been successful a dozen times handed to Amo Racing's Ancient Egypt. Of the big favourites, Benvenuto Cellini is in 12, with Item in three. Maltese Cross is in one, with Pierre Bonnard in eight.
“We'd have to be happy with 12 for Benvenuto Cellini, I think that's the stall from which Australia and Serpentine came out of, while Christmas Day has stall five which is the one his sire Camelot came out of,” Coolmore's Kevin Buckley said.
Melbourne Cup dream for Balzac
He's run placed in the Blue Riband Trial and the Lingfield Derby Trial as well as partaking of the Derby gallops morning, meaning that no horse in the field for Saturday will have greater experience of the oddities of Epsom than Balzac.
His owner and trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam will be flying the flag not just for Newmarket but also for Australia, and her participation in the Betfred Derby represents long-term planning by the Melbourne native.
“You always say it when you buy a horse, don't you? 'This is my Derby horse.' But with him that was always the plan: the Derby and the Melbourne Cup. This has been the goal all year,” she said of saddling her first Derby runner, “and I only have myself to answer to.”
Jane Chapple-Hyan | Image courtesy of Laili Bloodstock
Balzac will also become the first runner in the Derby for his sire Japan (Galileo), who was bred at Newsells Park Stud and now stands in Germany at Gestut Etzean. The full-brother to Oaks runner-up Secret Gesture was third in the Derby himself in 2019 before going on to win, in quick succession, the King Edward VII Stakes, Grand Prix de Paris and Juddmonte International.
“It's a sort of romantic thing, really. You either like the Derby, or you like the Guineas, and you aim for that. I think buying milers is really out of my league because it's too expensive. But the staying type gives you an easier chance at that lower level (of the market) when they're young stock. The milers with the great pedigrees get snapped up for a lot more. But if you hit on a good middle-distance horse, not even necessarily a Group 1 horse, there are so many more opportunities as they progress, and you've got the market. If you do have a Listed or Group 3 horse, they get snapped up by the Australians for racing out there.”
Jockey Club announce data hub
The Jockey Club and Equibase have launched the Thoroughbred Data Hub, a new platform designed to expand access to Thoroughbred racing and pedigree data and accelerate innovation across the sport, according to a press release issued Wednesday.
The announcement came as part of The Jockey Club's inaugural industry newsletter, the first in what the organization said will be a regular series of updates from its Board of Stewards aimed at communicating openly and consistently with industry stakeholders.
“This letter is the first in a new, regular series of updates from The Jockey Club, a commitment from the Board of Stewards to speak openly, consistently, and with specificity,” said chairman Everett Dobson. “Each issue will share the progress we have made, the work that is underway, and candid assessments of what is working and what is not.”
In tandem with the Data Hub, The Jockey Club is debuting an Innovation Incubator aimed at fostering new technology solutions for the industry. The incubator will provide real-time API access to racing and pedigree data, giving developers and startups the live data infrastructure needed to build transformative products. It will also establish a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) process, inviting entrepreneurs and technology companies to pitch solutions to some of the sport's most pressing challenges. Selected participants will receive industry connections, consulting support and access to data resources to help accelerate development.
Supporting the effort is The Jockey Club Steward Vinnie Viola, who emphasized the potential impact of expanded data access.
“We're aggressively tapping into the enormous potential that horse racing data can unlock for the sport,” Viola said. “By opening our data and partnering with innovators, we can accelerate new ideas, attract new fans and help position the sport for the future.”
Fasig-Tipton July Yearlings catalogue released
Fasig-Tipton's catalogue for The July Sale of selected yearlings, to be held on Tuesday, July 14, at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky, is available online, the company said in a press release on Wednesday.
“We look forward to kicking off yearling sales season with a strong catalogue of selected yearlings in July,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “The quality of individuals on offer in this year's sale is perhaps the strongest we have had in recent years, and the sire power has improved as well.
“July continues to produce incredible results year after year, including two Breeders' Cup champions last fall in Splendora (Audible) and Shisospicy (Mitole)–with Shisospicy going on to be named Eclipse Champion Female Sprinter,” continued Browning.
“Argos (Nyquist), winner of last year's GI Summer Stakes, became the sale's latest top level winning 2-year-old, and a bevy of other household names–including recent GII Hollywood Gold Cup victor Forged Steel (Vekoma)–demonstrate the type of quality one can find in July.”
Massive catalogue for Tattersalls July
Over 800 horses have been catalogued for the Tattersalls July Sale from July 7-9. Consisting of 803 lots, the sale is divided between 758 horses and fillies in/out-of-training, 41 mares in foal and four mares with foals at foot.
Prominent owner-breeders Godolphin, Shadwell Estates and Juddmonte have 87 lots catalogued between them. Representing Godolphin is Wild Angel (Too Darn Hot) (lot 198), a half-sister to Space Blues in foal to Pinatubo; while Juddmonte's Guardian Of Realm (Kingman) (lot 495) out of the Group 1-placed Principal Role (Empire Maker) won her most recent start by six lengths for Ger Lyons.
Tattersalls managing director Matthew Prior said, “Ethical Diamond's outstanding victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf was the latest example of the Tattersalls July Sale's impressive record of producing performers at the very top level on the international stage.
"Alongside the top-level National Hunt victories of Wodhooh and Golden Ace, purchased for 50,000 guineas and 12,000 guineas respectively, they illustrate the variety and quality on offer. Europe's premier midsummer sale has also been a wonderful source of fillies and mares who go on to produce top-class racehorses, with last year's Prix du Jockey Club winner Camille Pissarro the perfect illustration, with his dam Entreat having been purchased at the sale for a mere 14,000 guineas.
“This year's edition of the sale once again features an enticing combination of well-bred fillies and in foal mares, high class horses in training and significant consignments from some of the industry's most prominent owner-breeders, which should attract the usual large cross-section of domestic and international buyers to Park Paddocks.”
Blue Point colt tops inaugural Aktem sale
A colt by Blue Point topped the first edition of the Aktem Breeze-Up Sale at Maisons-Laffitte, selling to Marco Bozzi for €50,000 (AU$81,500) on Wednesday.
Sold as lot 17B from Knockanglass Stables, the son of French Listed heroine Firebird Song (Invincible Spirit) is a half-brother to Mehmas filly Burguesinha, a Listed winner in France. G3 Sirenia Stakes victor Symbol Of Strength (Kodiac) is under the second dam, while Group 1 winner and sire Territories is under the third dam.
A total of 49 lots sold from 78 lots offered (63%) for a gross of €751,000 (AU$1.2 million). The average was €15,286 (AU$24,900) and the median was €12,000 (AU$19,600).
Aktem's bloodstock director Guy Petit said, “We are pleased with the results of this first edition, which we organised without any previous benchmark or sales history. We received an enormous number of compliments regarding the quality of the track, which several riders described as one of the best in Europe. The hospitality was also widely praised, and these are very encouraging signs for the future.
“The European breeze-up market has been particularly challenging this year, yet we achieved a clearance rate of over 60%, which is a very respectable result. We welcomed buyers from France, England, Ireland, Australia, Spain, Serbia, Italy and Romania, demonstrating the international appeal of the sale.
“Consignors were delighted with the experience and many have already committed to returning with larger drafts next year. We would like to thank all industry participants for the confidence they placed in us for this inaugural edition, and we look forward to welcoming them back next year.”
