Abounding ready for Tatt’s Tiara
Rob Heathcote-trained Abounding (Rich Enuff) is ready to overcome her last start run in the G1 Stradbroke Handicap and put it all on the line in the G1 Tatt’s Tiara on Saturday.
“She's always been a good type and she's healthy and she's happy,” Heathcote told racingandsports.com.au.
Abounding | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“She's eaten well and she's working well. We'd aimed for this even when I took her down to Sydney in March, we just wanted to put a fitness run into her and to freshen her up for the carnival.
“The Stradbroke was a speed bump on an unsuitable track for her but I think she ran ok. She's done well and we haven't done much with her since that run as that would have topped her off fitness wise. I just hope we get a track that is not too wet. I think it is a mistake that a lot of people make with Eagle Farm track in that when it gets wet it shouldn't be graded soft five or six, or heavy eight or nine.
“It should be the amount of shiftiness because it gets so shifty. Either a horse can handle that or they can't. If we get a Good 4 for or a Soft 5, I think she can go one better than last year.” Abounding ran second in the G1 Tatt’s Tiara last year behind Tashi (Sebring).
Within The Law to boost Baker’s season
Bjorn Baker-trained 3-year-old filly Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}) heads into the G1 Tatt’s Tiara having placed twice at Group level this time in up in Queensland.
“To get a Group 1 is important for her. She has been close twice and a win really adds to her value,” Baker told betsy.com.au.
Within The Law | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It has been a good season and Within The Law is capable of topping it off. She has been a very good filly and to get that Group 1 win for her would a great way to finish the season. She is probably a bit better on top of the ground and just didn’t let down as well last time on the wet track. It is a good time for her to take on the older mares and if it is a hard-run 1400 metres she will be getting home.”
Aeolian joins Maher stable
Trainer Ciaron Maher has doubled the number of horses he is training for King Charles III with the addition of Aeolian (GB) (Fastnet Rock).
“She’s a big, strong girl,” Maher’s communications manager, Leigh Allen told racing.com.
“She’s been working up pretty nicely and the plan with her is to go to Sandown next Wednesday. There’s a mile race for the females there and she’ll kick off there. We’re happy with how she has come up. We’ll just work through the grades with her. She’s got a lovely pedigree – she’s related to Desert Hero, who we have a big opinion of.”
Improved news for Bennett
Jockey Kristy Bennett has shown improved signs after being in a coma for over two weeks after a falls at the trials in Queensland.
“Big news: She's awake. Her eyes have been open most of today for the first time since the accident,” Bennett’s sister Bella wrote on her socials.
“We're observing her reacting to discomfort by pulling at her feeding tube and neck brace. While she hasn't yet followed commands, she appears agitated when we stop her. It's wonderful that she's responding to her body. Additionally, she reaches for her dog Gus's picture.
“The team is confident she'll walk again with lots of physio.” However, the recovery will be long with two neck fractures and a serious brain injury.
Cootamundra calling for historians
Cootamundra Turf Club are calling for historians to help put together the club’s history for the 150th year.
“The committee plans to publish a comprehensive book as part of our 150 year sesquicentenary celebrations in late December, provided we have sufficient material to tell the story properly,” Club President Jeff Bristow told racingnsw.com.au.
“CTC Secretary and Timeline History editor Mark Lee, has already dubbed this project 'Volume One' because we expect even more information to emerge once the first edition is released.
“We know there are countless stories, photographs and pieces of memorabilia sitting in family collections throughout the district. Every item helps us build a clearer picture of our history in time and preserve it for future generations.”
Smith to retire
West Australian trainer Angela Smith has announced her retirement.
“We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved, but at some point you’ve just got to call it,” Smith told racingwa.com.au. She was the 2022 Racing and Wagering Western Australia’s Ladies of Racing Dedication Award winner. Her husband Malcolm has been by her side for her 40-year career.
“We’ve always done everything ourselves here and we’re pretty happy to be both walking away in one piece. We found our niche in racing and had a good success rate with horses who were struggling and it’s all been very rewarding.”
Smith’s best winner was the 1997 G2 Perth Cup with Time Frame (Sovereign Slipper) who won 14 of his 68 starts. “I just gave him a lot of love and I used to talk to him like he was my best friend. I worked him for miles, that horse, it was nothing for him to do 10km in a day… and he’d still throw in a couple of pig roots at the end of it. I’ve never trained another horse like him. He just had a massive heart.”
Another top class horse was Corporate Larrikin (Trade Fair {GB}) who lives with Smith in retirement. He won a staggering 17 of his 111 starts and over $460,000. “Geezus, he was tough. He was always a high-cruise speed horse and that’s what made him really good. But around home, he was real quirky – his breeder told me he was the only foal that got up and over the stable door. A lot of the good ones have that bit of spunk in them.”
Smith and her husband intend to travel in their retirement, beginning with their first ever trip to the G1 Melbourne Cup this spring.
Galactic Force set for Tuesday
Sara Ryan-trained 3-year-old gelding Galactic Force (Cosmic Force) will have the services of jockey Tim Clark for his third run for Ryan’s stable at Hawkesbury on Tuesday.
“I don’t often get the opportunity to book Tim at the provincials, and it’s good to have him on,” Ryan told racingnsw.com.au.
“Galactic Force showed further improvement at his second start for me, and hopefully we can get a break through with him tomorrow.” He had four starts for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman before heading to Ryan.
Double for Astern at Goulburn
On Monday, Astern sired a double with a pair of 3-year-olds. Matthew Dale-trained gelding Tough As Stone took his record to two wins from three starts with a 1.4-length victory. Lizzie Jelfs purchased him on Inglis Digital for $14,000 and he’s now earned over $30,000.
Richard Collett-trained filly Divine Timing won her maiden at her fourth start, having placed in all of her first three runs. Collett Racing Stables paid $60,000 for her from Canning Downs Stud’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale draft.
Juvenile winner for Bivouac
Clint Lundholm-trained 2-year-old filly Blue Biddy (Bivouac) won on debut at Narromine on Monday. She was sold by Alma Vale Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale for $6000 to Temerity Park.
She is one of three winners for Blue Money (Street Cry {Ire}) who is a winning half-sister to Listed winner Debonairly (Snitzel) and Corsaire (Anabaa {USA}) as well as to city winner Our Songbird (Fastnet Rock), the dam of G1 Goodwood Handicap winner Reserve Bank (Capitalist).
Forever Young to defend Breeders’ Cup title
Globetrotting superstar Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) will target a title defence in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland, and will prep for that tilt via the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at the new Belmont Park, the connections announced via the Yahagi Stable X account.
Forever Young (Jpn) | Image courtesy of Dubai racing Club
NYRA will celebrate a new era for the historic track starting September 18 with a program anchored by the Gold Cup on its return from Saratoga, where it has been run since 2021. The 10-furlong contest is a 'Win and You're In' challenge race for the Classic. FOX will presented live coverage of the Gold Cup through its broadcast network.
“Forever Young has captured the hearts of racing fans around the globe, and we are delighted his connections are targeting the Breeders' Cup World Championships as the culmination of his 2026 season,” said Dora Delgado, executive vice president and chief racing officer for Breeders' Cup Limited via a press release.
“We thank them for their commitment to elite international competition and extend our appreciation to the great team at NYRA for their partnership in hosting and supporting his return to the United States via the Jockey Club Gold Cup. We eagerly anticipate welcoming Forever Young to Keeneland this fall to defend his title in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.”
Saxon Warrior sires Italian Oaks winner
For the sixth time since 2012, Stefano Botti celebrated victory in Sunday's G2 Premio Oaks d'Italia Tattersalls as Piccola Piuma (Saxon Warrior) powered clear in the Milan sunshine to run out an impressive winner in the hands of Fabio Branca.
At the line the daughter of Saxon Warrior was fully 3.25 lengths clear of her closest pursuer, with German raider Lady Evi (Masar) leading home a clean sweep of the next four places for overseas runners in second. Lizzana (Saxon Warrior), runner-up in last month's G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas), hit the frame in a second Classic for Marco Botti, finishing half a length further back in third.
She is one of four winners from five runners out of the winning Sepoy mare Shaaqaaf who, in turn, is out of the Listed Conqueror Stakes scorer Burke's Rock (Cape Cross). Burke's Rock is also the dam of the G3 Pinnacle Stakes third Nell Quickly (The Gurkha), while this filly's great granddam, Miss Lacey (Diktat), is a half-sister to the multiple Group-winning sire Halicarnassus.
Bahrain International Trophy upgraded
The 2026 running of the Bahrain International Trophy will be run as a Group 1 following an upgrade of the race's status, making it the first top-level contest to be staged in the country.
Established in 2019, the 10-furlong Bahrain International Trophy will also offer increased prizemoney of US$1.5 million (AU$2.1 million) for the eighth edition, which takes place at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club on Friday, November 13.
Previous winners include the popular globetrotter Lord Glitters (2021), with dual winner Spirit Dancer (2023 and 2024) and Royal Champion (2025) also adding their names to the roll of honour since the race was promoted to Group 2 status in 2023.
His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, chairman of the Bahrain Turf Club said, “This is a proud moment for The Kingdom of Bahrain. When we established the Bahrain International Trophy in 2019, it was always our ambition and belief that the race would grow to become our first Group 1 race. To have achieved that after only seven years is fantastic.
“Bahrain's vision for horse racing is rooted in international collaboration, long-term development and a clear ambition to continue elevating the country's status within the global racing landscape.
“The embodiment of this strategy is the Bahrain International Trophy, now promoted to Group 1 status. I would like to thank all those who have supported the race in the past and we are looking forward to welcoming more visitors and more world-class horses for the 2026 Bahrain International Trophy.”
