Gibbons delays holiday for Caloundra
Jockey Dylan Gibbons has postponed his holiday to ride Bjorn Baker-trained last start winner Thebudgiesmugla (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) in Saturday’s Caloundra Cup.
“I pushed my holiday back to ride him in the Caloundra Cup once (Baker’s racing manager) Luke Hilton mentioned it,” Gibbons told racingandsports.com.au.
Dylan Gibbons | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I came in Tuesday morning and galloped him, and I was amazed how he'd come through his last run. After a 2400-metre run, he galloped close enough after that, and just felt amazing. As long as he can hold that into the race he'll run well.
“The staying ranks do thin out a bit in Australia, and I think he's the right horse to continue going through the grades. He has ticked the 2400-metre box a few times and won in Listed grade, so hopefully he can start to step up and take on the better horses.”
New winner for first season sire Profiteer
First season sire Profiteer added his fourth winner when Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained 2-year-old gelding Commit won at Sale on Sunday. He debuted with a fourth in the Listed Debutant Stakes back in October and was resuming here.
Mick Price Racing purchased him for $90,000 from Lime Country Thoroughbreds’ Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft. He is the first foal of Lot’s Wife (I Am Invincible) who is a city-winning half-sister to Group 2 winner Comrade Rosa (Capitalist).
New winner for Jonker
First season sire Jonker added winner number four when Tom Button-trained 2-year-old filly Heart Of Vienna won at Townsville on Sunday. Button purchased her for $60,000 from Berkeley Park Stud’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft.
She is the first winner for G3 Ladies Day Vase victrix Quilate (Bramshaw) who won five races.
Morgan confident in Half Yours
G1 Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) ran fourth in his three Queensland assignments, the G2 Hollindale Stakes, G1 Doomben Cup, and G2 Q22. Jockey Ashley Morgan believes it’s a good stepping board into the spring.
“To me it looks like he's going as well as ever, things just haven't panned out for him,” Morgan told racenet.com.au.
Half Yours | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“I think he's still the horse to beat in Melbourne, for sure. It looks like he's airborne.” Morgan won the Caloundra Cup on Half Yours last year, and this year will ride So You Are (So You Think {NZ}) on Saturday.
“I was keen to go back up because we had such a good time last year but whether my cup ride is as good this year, I don't think so, but I think he's a good chance. I feel like So You Are's in good order and he'll definitely stay.”
Hefel to return to riding
Jockey Carleen Hefel will return to trackwork on Monday after a six-month layoff with a shoulder injury.
“I originally dislocated the shoulder in 2024, then did a quick rehab and it came good. Then, in early December last year, I had another incident with a horse and re-injured it. It just wasn’t stabilising and kept popping out every couple of days when doing random stuff, so I had to have surgery in February,” Hefel told racing.com.
Carleen Hefel | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I’ve seen my surgeon, Rohan Price, a few times, most recently on Tuesday (June 23), and he’s really happy with it. He’s given me the all-clear. And I saw my physio, too, and we made a little plan. I start riding trackwork on Monday. I’ll probably ride a couple for (trainer) Julien Welsh, just to get back into it.
“It’s a relief to be back. I won’t be rushing, but hopefully I’m back riding by the end of July.”
Highlights set for Listed run
Trainer Nick Ryan hopes to win a second Listed Winter Championship Series Final with Highlights (Your Song) on Saturday. He won the race two years ago with Munhamek (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
“His form with me has been a little bit patchy, but he's had excuses every time he's run badly,” Ryan told racingandsports.com.au.
“He looked the winner the other day, and he's come through the run well, so no doubt we'll head to the final on Saturday. He's very structurally good, he's a little bit quirky… he trialled well nude with no gear on at Werribee so we just stripped everything back, left the tongue tie on, but I think it certainly helped.”
Juvenile winner for Lucky Vega
On Saturday night at the Gold Coast, second season sire Lucky Vega (Ire) added a juvenile winner when Kelly Schweida-trained gelding High Authority was a winner for owner Yulong. He is the second foal and second winner for Who Doubted Me (Not A Single Doubt), whose first foal is 3-year-old gelding Lyra Star (Lucky Vega {Ire}) who won his maiden in January this year.
Who Doubted Me is a winning half-sister to Group 2 winner See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet).
Lope De Vega colt tops Goffs Breeze Up Sale
The second running of the Goffs Classic Breeze-Up Sale provided a heavy dollop of déjà vu with Mark McStay, who bought the best horse out of the inaugural running of the sale, matching last year's top-lot figure of €330,000 (AU$545,000) on a Lope De Vega colt consigned by Norman Williamson.
Top-notch prospect Extremely Zain (Hello Youmzain) was sourced by McStay for €185,000 (AU$306,000) at this sale 12 months ago from Katie Walsh, who has sold a handful of classy runners to the leading bloodstock agent down through the years.
“Everybody who buys a top lot says they were the best in the sale but I really did think that. I think he is a lovely colt. Norman Williamson and Katie Walsh recommended this horse very highly and I have had tremendous luck buying from Katie down through the years, including with Extremely Zain at this sale last year,” said McStay.
“This horse is by one of the best sires in the world and it is also one of the best pedigrees given he's out of a sister to Treve. He posted a pretty quick time for a horse who is bred to get beyond a mile and he was presented very well and vetted impeccably. He's been bought for an existing owner and training plans are fluid. He's a horse who hopefully has a pretty big future.”
Goffs chief Henry Beeby revealed that the format to the Classic Breeze-Up Sale will be considered going forward but said any doubts about the concept were put to bed following reasonably solid trade.
Despite a 16% rise in the turnover to €2,985,000 (AU$4.9 million) for a catalogue that featured 11 more horses, the clearance rate fell by 11% to 74%. The average was up by 8% to €71,072 (AU$117,000) and the median rose by 11% to €50,000 (AU$82,600).
Australia’s Gwynne wins award
Australia’s Jackson Gwynne won the Continuous Assessment Award at the graduation ceremony for the 2026 Thoroughbred Breeding Management Course at the Irish National Stud. The three other award winners where Harvey Williams (UK), Best Portfolio of Assignments; Niamh Carr (Ireland), Veterinary Examination Award, and Ophelie Stroumza (France) with the Equine Business Award.
Jo Moore (New Zealand) won the Gold Medal as the top-performing student of the graduating class.
Anne Channon, education manager at the Irish National Stud, praised the graduates for their dedication and achievements. “This year's graduates have embraced every aspect of the programme with enthusiasm and determination. Their commitment to learning and their passion for the thoroughbred industry have been evident throughout the course, and we look forward to following their future successes.”
Sun Goddess adds Group 2
Upstaged in last week's Albany, Ballydoyle's 2-year-old filly Sun Goddess (Sioux Nation) was back in the groove in calmer waters in Saturday's G2 Airlie Stud Stakes at The Curragh.
Representing one of the European Pattern Committee's more bizarre decisions, this perennially weak Group 2 only ever attracts a small field and bears no resemblance to the Queen Mary, which carries the same status, or even the Albany which is only a Group 3.
“We were running her back quick, so we didn't really know. She's a lovely filly and we'll give her a bit of time now,” Aidan O'Brien said. “She just got hung up in the pace a little bit at Ascot. Ryan said he had to fight early and the winner was locked up out the back and just came when the race was over.”
Sun Goddess is currently the last known foal out of the unraced Etoile Bleu (Starspangledbanner), a half to the four-time South African Group winner Gibraltar Blue (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the Phoenix Sprint Stakes winner Scream Blue Murder (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}). The latter's Listed-winning and Group 2-placed daughter Too Soon To Panic (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) is the dam of last week's Jersey Stakes winner Thesecretadversary (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}).
Canadian Group 2 winner for Knicks Go
Undefeated in her first two starts, Luster (Can) (Knicks Go {USA}) was handed her first defeat in last month's Ruling Angel Stakes - her first try on the Tapeta. Rectifying that Saturday, she picked up her first Graded stakes win, taking the G3 Selene Stakes at Woodbine for trainer Josie Carroll.
“She's got quite a turn of foot, maybe a Ferrari,” said winning rider Fraser Aebly when asked about his filly's run in the stretch. “I truly think she really wants to go two turns. We watched it on the grass. She was very impressive at Keeneland.”
Luster is the second Graded stakes winner for Knicks Go (USA) whose oldest foals are still just 3-year-olds. Her unraced dam, Ruby Frost (USA) (The Factor {USA}), has a perfect four-for-four record of winners from runners and is herself a half-sister to stakes-placed Swear By It (USA) (Broken Vow {USA}).
Romeo appointed new Canadian steward
The Jockey Club of Canada has appointed Frank Romeo as new Chief Steward at its annual General Meeting of the Members held at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday. He steps into the role for one year following the passing of Doug Anderson.
A son of Dom Romeo, who was recently recognized with the Mint Julep Cup by Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division), Romeo now oversees the family's Terra Racing Stable alongside his brother Mark.
The legendary Roger Attfield, a dual Hall of Famer who recently announced his retirement as a trainer, will join the Board of Stewards for one year.
