Golden Slipper winner Ha Ha dies
Yvonne Clerke’s Glastonbury Farm announced on Sunday that G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Ha Ha (Danehill {USA}) had died on Monday this week. She was 27 and believed to be the oldest living Golden Slipper winner. Trained by Gai Waterhouse for owner John Singleton, Ha Ha won on debut at two, having a busy juvenile season with nine starts, headlined by the 2001 G1 Golden Slipper. She also won the G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes and placed in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes.
The late Ha Ha | Image courtesy of Sportpix
At three, she added five more wins lead by the G1 Vinery Stakes and retired to Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud with eight wins from 29 starts with earnings over $2.9 million.
At stud, she was unlucky and had only four live foals across 13 seasons with her first foal Standing Ovation (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) being her only winner. When Strawberry Hill Stud was dispersed, she lived out her retirement at Glastonbury Farm.
Splash Back aimed at Tatt’s Tiara
Trainer Grahame Begg believes Splash Back (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) is on song for the final Group 1 of the season on Saturday.
“She hasn’t had the luxury her last two starts where she’s ended up on the track,” Begg told racing.com.
Splash Back (Fr) | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“She’s been closer to the inside and that wasn’t the A-grade ground. It’s been on-speed. It’s been very hard to peg back the leaders, and the inside has been much inferior to out on the crown. But she’s come through the Stradbroke really well and we’re absolutely looking forward to next week.”
WJ McKell Cup winner back for another
The 2024 Listed WJ McKell Cup winner Golden Path (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) will be aimed at the 2026 edition on Saturday by trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
“It was too difficult from barrier 15 of 15 in the Ipswich Cup,” Kent Jnr told racingandsports.com.au of the gelding’s scratching on Saturday.
Golden Path (NZ) | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“His problem is that he's earned himself a fairly high rating without winning anything gangbusters. That Group 1 placing in the Underwood, he's always going to get top weight in these winter handicaps so it does pose some problems because he hasn't been able to take that next step.”
Shinn’s return likely to be six weeks away
Jockey Blake Shinn believes his return to race riding is four to six weeks away. He’s been out injured since a fall on Melbourne Cup day.
“It's been a long process and time on the sidelines but it's great to be back on the horse finally and there's a bit of light at the end of the tunnel now,” Shinn told racenet.com.au.
“If the body isn't right we might be a bit longer but it's where I was hoping it would be. I'm able to get to the jump outs early next month… we'll tick each box at each point. If there's a little setback along the way, we'll cross that bridge, but at the moment everything is coming along nicely.
“The level of support has been overwhelming really. I'm one to keep a bit of a low profile but it's nice to see people getting right behind me and looking forward to me coming back.”
55k Maschino filly tops Magic Millions Perth Winter Yearling Sale
Sunday’s Magic Millions Perth Winter Yearling Sale experienced a drop in average from last year, with the average at the end of the sale sitting at $11,330, down from $16,309 in 2025. The median dropped to $6000, down from $12,500 in 2025.
Sunday saw 47 of the 59 catalogued lots sell, with a clearance rate of 82.5%. The same sale in 2025 had a clearance rate of 73.6% with 34 of the 50 lots sold. A slightly smaller gross was achieved in 2026 at $532,500, down from $554,500 in 2025.
The sale topper was Lot 13, a Maschino filly sold by Gervase Park Stud to Roostand Racing for $55,000. He is the first foal out of Listed Belmont Guineas winner Sheza Chalmer (Vital Equine), who also placed in the Listed Belmont Oaks and the Listed Jungle Mist Classic.
Long walk for charity for Wagga CEO
Murrumbidgee Turf Club’s (Wagga) CEO Jason Ferrario will walk from Sydney to Newcastle on Friday to raise funds for brain cancer research. His brother Rick died from the disease.
“I will be joining dozens of other walkers to complete the ‘Big Three Trek 6.0’ through the Mark Hughes Foundation,” Ferrario told racingnsw.com.au.
“This will be my third trek and my sister Kylee’s second time. The walk is held during the Beanies for Brain Cancer round of the NRL to raise dollars for research, awareness and support for brain cancer. I lost my brother Rick to brain cancer in 2009 after a long and courageous battle and chose to do the trek in his honour.
“Being a part of The Trek Family is such a rewarding and inspiring experience, and getting the message out to the racing industry is important. I am striving to raise as much money as possible including a huge raffle for a cause very close to my heart.
“The trek’s goal last year was $200,000 and reached $367,000 while in 2026 the goal is $350,000 and it’s already sitting at $325,000 – every donation counts, big or small.”
Juvenile winner for I Am Immortal
At Toowoomba’s Saturday night meeting, Paul Duncan-trained 2-year-old filly Dreams Don’t Die (I Am Immortal) bolted home by over four lengths on debut. She becomes the sixth winner from as many to race for Fighting Flyer (Fastnet Rock) who is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Kebede (Redoute’s Choice) and Group 3 winner and sire Panzer Division.
Hanseatic celebrates juvenile winner
At Cranbourne on Sunday, Shane Nichols and Hayden Black-trained 2-year-old filly Fontalicious (Hanseatic) won the juvenile event at her second start. Bought by Intel Bloodstock (FBAA), Z Pasoski and Nichols Racing for $50,000, she was offered by Aristia Park at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
She is the second foal of Bold Aria (I Am Invincible) who won at Flemington and three other times and is a half-sister to Group 2-placed Time To Boogie (Sooboog).
Juvenile winner for Brazen Beau
At the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, Barry Lockwood and Emma-Jane Vincent-trained Zia Maria (Brazen Beau) took her record to two wins from four starts. She is the second foal for Mitta Mary (Show A Heart) who is a Brisbane winner of three and a full sister to Listed winner Feltre.
Manning to take on Grand Racing Tours
Well known racing writer Kristen Manning and her partner Vin Lowe will take over the management of Grand Racing Tours from Geoff Richardson.
“I’ve had the privilege of being the founder/principal since its inception in 2010 so it’s time to hand over to someone younger and much better qualified than myself in Kristen and Vin,” Richardson said in a press release.
“For those who don’t know, Kristen is a journalist, author, breeder, owner, pedigree analyst, and more. If it involves horses, and particularly thoroughbreds, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn she’s involved.
“She has an infectious enthusiasm that makes her a delight to be around. I have never heard a bad word about her so I know GRT will be in good hands. Vin worked at Moonee Valley for 35 years and is also an owner/breeder.”
Maund rewarded with win after incident
A fortnight ago, Jeff Maund was booted by Mansiere (Brave Smash {Jpn}) in a trackwork incident and broke five ribs. The horse rewarded him, and trainer wife Karen Letts-Maund, with a win at Morphettville on Saturday with apprentice jockey Brooke King aboard.
“Only a fortnight ago, I fell off the bugger and he double-barrelled me and broke five ribs – but it might be a good thing,” Maund told racenet.com.au.
“Young Brooke (King) has been doing the work – she's done a wonderful job. She's a really good little sport, Brookey, she's an up and coming rider and has done a great job.” Mansiere has three wins from 26 starts and joined the Letts-Maund stable two starts ago.
Coolmore team pick up Royal Ascot awards
The leading owner, trainer, and jockey awards were presented to Coolmore, Aidan O'Brien, and Ryan Moore, respectively, at the conclusion of the 2026 Royal Ascot meeting following a banner week for connections.
Various Coolmore partnerships that included Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, Westerberg, Peter Brant and Cayton Park Stud saw the group make eight trips to the winner's enclosure–a record total since the leading owner award was introduced in 2017.
The senior O'Brien, collecting his 14th leading trainer title at Royal Ascot, was responsible for seven of Coolmore's winners and finished two ahead of his son, Joseph, in the standings. He recorded his 100th Royal Ascot success in Thursday's Gold Cup when Scandinavia (Justify) denied Trawlerman (Golden Horn) in a showdown for the ages.
When Mission Central (No Nay Never) claimed victory in the G1 King Charles III Stakes, O'Brien recorded another landmark feat of having won every Group 1 run at Royal Ascot, and barring the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, has also collected every Group race currently run at the meeting.
“It has been a brilliant week. A lot of people have put in a lot of hard work,” said O'Brien. “I'm always mentioning everybody but some people I don't mention, I'm sorry to them, but I'm so grateful to the whole team for a lot of hard work. Without John and Sue (Magnier), Michael and Doreen (Tabor), Gay and Derrick (Smith), Georg and Emily (von Opel), and Peter (Brant) and Stephanie (Seymour), this wouldn't be happening.”
An integral part of that record week for the Coolmore brigade was jockey Ryan Moore, who claimed a 13th leading rider title, and having partnered with all of O'Brien's winners except for Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never). Moore easily took the top spot with seven winners and seven runner-up efforts while Billy Loughnane, Tom Marquand, and James McDonald all tied with three. James Doyle rounded out the top five with two victories.
Increase in attendance for Royal Ascot
The crowd tally for day five of Royal Ascot came in at 71,610 patrons, bringing the overall meeting total to 294,541 people across the week of racing. It was a 2.8 per cent increase from the 286,541 who came for the races last year. The 634 runners across the week also bettered the previous record of 602 in 2024.
“It has been a fantastic week, a real feast for everybody that has been with us, whether you were here for racing, fashion, food or music,” said Felicity Barnard, CEO of Ascot Racecourse. “We knew we had momentum coming into the meeting because the racing promised to be fantastic and we expected crowds to be up.”
“The main thing for us is delivering the best experience possible for those that come, whether that is participants or guests, because we want them to feel special and the team have done an incredible job to do that. We already have ideas about improvements that we can make and planning begins now for 2027, with tickets already on sale and over 1,000 sold by lunchtime on Saturday. We can't wait to do it all again next year.”
Equine Influenza requires extra vigilance
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) emphasized continued vigilance and cooperation among the wider training community as tracing efforts continue after a confirmed case of equine influenza was reported earlier this week.
According to the BHA, contact tracing had been employed in recent days to identify the horses that were transported to Britain from the Goffs Arkle sale as part of the same shipment as the positive case. Other horses purchased and received from the auction by British trainers, pre-trainers, and bloodstock agents have also been included in that search. Yards at potential risk have been identified while those at low or no risk have been removed as a concern for exposure to the virus. Locations at increased risk are being managed on a case-by-case basis.
Trainers with racing entries have either seen their runners withdrawn as a precaution or be PCR tested before being permitted to race. The targeted approach employed by the BHA is endorsed by leading infectious disease control experts and backed by the BHA's veterinary group. Considering the vaccination regime and the high standard of biosecurity measures that trainers have in place, the BHA has said the target approach is the right one.
Ohio Derby for Preakness third Chip Honcho
Third in last month's G1 Preakness Stakes, Chip Honcho (Connect) put in a gusty stretch-length drive to deny longtime maiden Ocelli (Connect) in Saturday's G3 Ohio Derby and top the exacta for their sire.
A player on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the 5-2 second choice spent his late winter and spring in New Orleans for trainer Steve Asmussen, running in all four points races at Fair Grounds.
Connect, who was announced as a new addition to the roster at Seyda Ercan Stable in Turkey just three weeks ago, now sits at eight individual graded stakes winner with Chip Honcho his second colt to achieve the mark (joining Grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll).
Stronach guilty of sexual assault
Frank Stronach, the former owner of Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, and Adena Springs Farms, was convicted Friday of sexual assault and indecent assault in Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto, according to the New York Times.
The verdict was rendered in two cases whose allegations came from 1977 and in the 1980s. Justice Anne Molloy called his conduct, which consisted of repeated groping and the lifting of one victim's skirt, “quite simply gross and disgusting,” the Times reported.
Charges on five other counts were withdrawn. The founder of Magna Auto Parts who became one of Canada's richest men, he is facing more than a dozen charges in total, and is scheduled to face additional sexual assault charges next year in York after prosecutors split the trials into two parts. He has pled not guilty to all of the charges.
Stronach is a multiple Eclipse Award-winning owner, breeder, and earned the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2018.
