Inglis internship applications open
Inglis have opened applications for their 2026 internship. The full time position begins in the spring and covers 12 months.
“We pride ourselves on being a dynamic, enthusiastic and fun team at Inglis and the successful candidate will be immersed in our business with a view to learning from some of the most talented people in the industry,” CEO Sebastian Hutch said in a press release.
Sebastian Hutch | Image courtesy of Inglis
“This program has proved to a fantastic pathway with alumni including our own James Price and Will Gardner as well as the likes of Peter Twomey and James Mitchell, both of whom are successful bloodstock agents in their own right.
“Our team has over around 1000 years of combined experience, so for someone with a real passion for the thoroughbred industry, the internship is something to get really excited about. The opportunities that come with this role for an up-and-coming industry participant are so broad, auction houses engage, in some capacity, with just about every arm of the industry.
“I encourage anybody out there – whether you are already involved in racing or are sitting on the sidelines wishing you could be involved – to send through an application. This really is a fabulous opportunity.”
Applications close on July 3 and applicants must hold an eligible visa for the duration of the internship.
Johnston praises McDonald
James McDonald broke the season record for Group 1 wins in Australia, hitting 17 with a victory on Tron Bolt (Toronado {Ire}) in the G1 JJ Atkins Plate. He also has five international Group 1s this season. The record of 16 was held by “Miracle” Mal Johnston.
“I rode against the best jockeys but, and I've said this before, I have never seen a better jockey than James McDonald,” Johnston told racingandsports.com.au.
James McDonald | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He proves it every year and it's no fluke he breaks all these records – he's the world's best jockey. I had the record for 46 years which is a pretty long time. But it has taken someone of 'JMac's' ilk to break it and I take my hat off to him.
“If anyone was going to break my record, I'm glad it was 'JMac' because of the jockey and the person he is. I watched the race on my own at home and I'm as proud as punch for him.
“He didn't have a Kingston Town to help him this season. I had the black horse and we won six Group 1 races together that season and that is why the record has stood for as long as it has. But records are made to be broken and James is so good I'm sure he will break his own record.”
Baker quartet set for Civic Stakes
Bjorn Baker will likely have four runners in next Saturday’s Listed Civic Stakes with Midnight Dynamite (Pierata), Hollywood Hero (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), Point And Shoot (Blue Point {Ire}) and Amor Victorious (Caravaggio {USA}).
“With all four of these horses you've got the Winter Stakes and the Winter Challenge and just see where they end up,” Baker's assistant trainer Luke Hilton told racenet.com.au.
“Unfortunately they have to probably keep taking each other on but it's a good problem to have. "Hollywood Hero was really good first-up and may need further again and Midnight Dynamite was really good the other day. Amor Victorious is coming off a short let-up, he had a little bit of a setback so has had a little bit of a break but is in good order. Point And Shoot, well it just depends which Point And Shoot turns up.”
Rothfire to spell after Stradbroke failure
Dual Group 1 winner Rothfire (Rothesay) finished second-last in Saturday’s G1 Stradbroke Handicap and will spell while connections think about retirement.
“He'll go to the paddock now,” trainer Rob Heathcote told racenet.com.au.
“This morning (Sunday) he trotted up sound and his joints are good, the horse is 100 per cent. When he wouldn't let down on Saturday he looked after himself – he's a smart old bugger. Whether he has another whip around down in Melbourne during the early spring, we'll wait and see.
Rothfire | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He's a popular horse and we'll do the right thing but we won't take the decision lightly. I mean if he was to retire now, if he's just run his last race then it'll sit comfortably with me but it's a decision we'll make with the owners.
“He's been a superstar and it's not so much what he's achieved, it's the adversity he has achieved it through. That's what amazes me.”
The Western Front to keep on going
Despite being up for seven months, The Western Front (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) keeps on delivering for trainers, the Hayes brothers.
“Ideally we'd like to stay at 3200 metres but it was the next option here in Victoria and he's shown that he's trained on beautifully and we can't fault him,” JD Hayes told racenet.com.au.
“He was quite good in the Andrew Ramsden (2800 metres) too at set weights… so we're very happy with him. He's rock hard fit and he stays, so I think he'll be hard to beat again. We'll go run-by-run, we'll see how we go, but the plan is to not stop. Hopefully he'll be a bit of an ATM, he'll win more money in work than out of work.” The 5-year-old gelding has earned over $240,000 this season, and in total has seven wins for career earnings over $360,000.
Overshare gets juvenile winner
On Sunday at Balaklava, Paul Carey-trained 2-year-old gelding Caduceus (Overshare) won on debut over 1050 metres, ridden by Ashvin Goindasamy. Owned by his trainer, Caduceus is a half-brother to stakes-placed Encountabull (Bull Point) out of Countess Delago (Encosta De Lago). She is a winning full sister to Group 2 winner De Lago Mist.
Juvenile winner for Widden Valley
Trainer Leanne Gaffney quinellaed the juvenile race at Devonport on Sunday with 2-year-old gelding Valley Star (Widden Valley) beating stablemate 2-year-old filly Buzzoffski (Hanseatic) by 0.75 lengths. Buzzoffski was a winner last start, while Valley Star had run second in that race, with the pair reversing the order on Sunday.
Gaffney purchased Valley Star for $7000 from Motree Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale. He is the first winner for Star Terra (Fighting Sun) who is a half-sister to recent Listed winner Cartoon Graveyard (Turffontein) and Group 3-placed Zodiac Queen (King’s Best {USA}).
Winner for Lloyd heading into Ascot
Jockey Zac Lloyd celebrated a winner on Saturday on William Haggas-trained Thunder Call (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}) at York.
“Confidence is a great thing in a jockey and if you can get it rolling into probably the biggest week in the world, it’s not a bad thing,” Lloyd told racing.com.
“It’s very different in the UK but I feel I’m adapting. Obviously, you need the right horses and I’m lucky and hopefully I can find some more fast ones.
“I’m just riding until the end of Ascot. I came over to ride for Charlie Appleby and George Boughey next week and thought I’d get a good understanding of tracks two weeks prior. I’ve got a couple of nice ones next week highlighted by the 2-year-old filly (Fanshell Beach) in the Queen Mary for Wesley Ward.”
O’Brien Guineas winners to meet in Coronation
A total of 10 fillies, including Aidan O'Brien's English and Irish Guineas winners True Love (No Nay Never) and Precise (Starspangledbanner), have been entered in the G1 Coronation Stakes on Friday, June 19.
The duo face G3 Fred Darling Stakes second Touleen (Lope De Vega) from the Owen Burrows yard. The filly finished sixth behind True Love in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
“She's well and seems good and it's all systems go for the Coronation,” said Burrows. “We thought she had a good draw in the Guineas but it didn't end up being that way as Karl Burke's filly (Venetian Sun) didn't stay and Precise didn't run her race. We just got a bit stuck out there and Saffie (Osborne) had to move about and everything was happening away from her.”
Oaks winner for Justify
Baoma Corp's Mizumi (Justify) ran to her looks, and strolled home to a convincing G3 Summertime Oaks victory in just her second career start. As caller Frank Mirahmadi noted, she broke her maiden in May and is a Graded winner in June.
“That was really impressive for a second time out,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “Ricky Gonzalez rode her the first time, filling in for Juan (Hernandez), but he rode her great that day. Today, second out to be stuck behind horses, Juan rode her with a lot of confidence. You could tell that she was just kicking on.”
“We were just happy to get her to the races… It is nice to have a good 3-year-old filly like that. Now she is a stakes winner. I was really impressed with her myself.”
Mizumi is the first black-type horse for her dam, multiple Listed-placed Sweet Opportunity (Distorted Humor), who hails from the immediate female family of Graded winner Strike Power (Speightstown). She is the fourth offspring to get her picture taken from as many to the races and the third to become a multiple winner.
Sale topper wins on debut
Charlie Appleby trainee Inner City Blues (Blue Point), who was Godolphin's sole purchase during this year's breeze-up season, was making his third pass through a sales ring when becoming the €900,000 (AU$1.48 million) top-priced colt at last month's Arqana Breeze-Up sale, having previously sold for €180,000 (AU$295,000) as a Goffs November foal and 375,000gns (AU$748,000) as a Tattersalls Book 1 yearling.
The grandson of G3 Prix Eclipse victrix Souvenir Delondres (Siyouni) was all at sea during the initial stages of Saturday's Tomahawk Restaurants Supporting Macmillan EBF Maiden at York, but delivered a knockout blow under William Buick, once overcoming inexperience, to register a two-length success in the six-furlong contest.
“He's a lovely looking horse and he's got a lovely mind to go with it too,” said Buick. “He's obviously a breeze-up horse, but he's very relaxed and very confident in everything he does. He's got plenty of speed, he'll get seven furlongs in time and I was very pleased with his debut. He'll sharpen up plenty for that.”
