National Tote getting closer
Several news outlets have reported that TABCorp and the three NSW racing codes have reached an agreement that will likely see the launch of a National Tote for the start of the new season. The merger still requires approval from state-based gambling regulators.
Tabcorp CEO Gillon McLachlan has been pushing for the national tote since he gained the CEO role in mid-2024. At this stage, nothing formal has been announced on TABCorp’s ASX listing, a step which is required once the deal is approved.
Wilson-Taylor hunts Ramornie before Kiwi adventure
Jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor hopes to win Wednesday’s Listed Ramornie Handicap on Brett Dodson-prepared My Mum’s Toyboy (Kobayashi) before he jets off to New Zealand for a riding stint there. “He is a really close mate of mine, being my old boss,” Wilson-Taylor told racingqueensland.com.au
Kyle Wilson-Taylor | Image courtesy of Racing QLD
“It would be great to win a big race down there in that area for him, which is the area I started out riding at. I won the Grafton Cup Prelude for him a few years ago with a horse named Full Press, but this would be special.”
Harry’s Bar set for weak Ramornie
Trainer Paul Murray thinks Wednesday’s Listed Ramornie Handicap at Grafton is the perfect chance for Harry’s Bar (Harry Angel {Ire}) to pick up black type. “I thought it would have been stronger, being a Listed race, but we’re just trying to get a bit of black type with her and it looks an ideal race,” Murray told racingnsw.com.au.
“I’d like to have her running third just behind the leaders. If we’re going to get the perfect run like we did at Wagga it’d be ideal. She’s very bright and happy, she’s had a spring in her step for about a week and a half and she’s really trained on.”
Payne’s perfect gate for Lisztomania
Trainer Todd Payne was thrilled when Lisztomania (Dream Ahead {USA}) drew gate six for Wednesday’s Listed Ramornie Handicap. “Every time I go somewhere and I think I'm a good chance, I draw the outside gate so it was bloody good to get a decent gate for once,” Payne told racenet.com.au.
“I only said to the boys at work this morning, geez I hope I draw anywhere from six to nine or something, that would be perfect.”
Midnight Dynamite looking for one more
Winner of the Listed Civic Stakes two starts ago and third last start, Bjorn Baker-trained Midnight Dynamite (Pierata) heads to Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge Final. “Midnight Dynamite has had a terrific season but he has kind of announced himself this preparation,” syndicator Scott Darby told racingandsports.com.au.
Midnight Dynamite | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“He's enjoying the wet tracks at this time of year and hopefully he has another good run in him on Saturday.”
Stinger Glass heads to Melbourne Cup
Japanese stayer Stinger Glass (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) will enter quarantine ahead of this spring’s G1 Melbourne Cup. “We’ll quarantine him at Northern Farm Ten-ei and then go straight into the race,” trainer Yasuo Tomomichi said.
“The distance seems to suit him, and he should be able to handle the turf there.” The 5-year-old has won six of his 12 starts including the G3 Diamond Stakes over 3400 metres two starts ago.
Castillo King to debut on Wednesday
Michael Freedman-trained 2-year-old colt Castillo King (Farnan) will make his long awaited debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. “He was one of the horses we were tyring to get ready for the trials in September last year but he had a bit of a setback so we had to give him a bit of time,” Freedman told racingnsw.com.au.
Michael Freedman | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We haven’t rushed him back and that’s why we’re kicking off this late in the season. It’s a good option for him to kick him off and get him going and see where we end up.”
Divine Offering to reverse form
Trainer Peter Snowden believes 2-year-old colt Divine Offering (Written Tycoon) can bounce back from a last start last placing when he runs at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. “He has always shown us good ability – and his first run indicated that – but his second run was a head scratcher,” Snowden told racenet.com.au.
Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It was pretty heavy almost bordering on a bog track. He travelled too well and then all of a sudden he was gone so I think it was just the heavy track that he didn't appreciate. His work has been great and I would be disappointed if he doesn't turn it around this week.”
Carr retires from the saddle
Trainer/jockey Siggy Carr has retired from the saddle, deciding not to renew her riding licence for the upcoming season. She had a bad fall at the trials at Hobart two years ago, initially told it would be 12 weeks for a broken collarbone, but x-rays also found a spinal fracture and the recovery ended up taking 12 months before she was back at the trials.
“I’ve always been such a confident rider, and then to lose that confidence, I couldn’t deal with it very well. I’d worry about what I would ride when I first started riding track work again, which I guess is normal after a fall, but for me, I was always so confident, and I had always told myself the day that I am scared is the day that I will give up, and I guess that’s when it really sunk in,” Carr told tasracing.com.au.
“It’s taken a lot of time; it’s been two years, but I think it’s only been the past three months that my decision has really settled in. My confidence is back in riding trackwork. I think that’s because I made the decision; I’m not forcing myself or my body, and I feel comfortable where I am now.
“I’m really pleased with what I’ve done; I’ve won every cup in Tassie, five Group 3 winners across three states, ridden a Group 3 winner at Flemington, things I would never have dreamed of doing and I’m really proud of that.” Carr currently has 17 horses in work.
New juvenile winner for Lucky Vega
At Ballarat on Tuesday, second season sire Lucky Vega (Ire) added a new juvenile winner when Clayton Douglas-trained 2-year-old gelding Vegas Missile bounced off two second placings to record his first victory.
Vegas Missile was a great pinhooking result for clients of Mill Park Stud. He was purchased as a weanling from Blue Gum Farm’s Inglis Great Southern Sale draft for $5000 and Mill Park Stud sold him for $52,500 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale to Anthony Freedman and Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA).
He is the first winner for Miss Isla (Smart Missile) who is an unraced half-sister to stakes placed Zousonic (Zoustar).
Nomination to Night Of Thunder sells for €450,000
Champion sire Night Of Thunder made yet more headlines on Monday when a nomination to the son of Dubawi sold for €450,000 (AU$739,000) to an unnamed buyer. The nomination was offered via Darley Winning Bid, the bespoke online auction platform.
Having been crowned Britain and Ireland's leading stallion for the first time in 2025, Night Of Thunder is already the sire of five individual Group 1 winners in 2026, including the unbeaten 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes hero Bow Echo.
The nomination entitled the successful bidder to breed one thoroughbred mare to Night Of Thunder during the 2027 breeding season in the Northern Hemisphere. In 2026, he commanded a fee of €200,000 (AU$328,000) at Darley's Kildangan Stud in Ireland.
Night Of Thunder | Image courtesy of Darley
The auction also offered a breeding right to Night Of Thunder's best son in Ombudsman who was last seen winning the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot for the second consecutive year. Godolphin's Ombudsman remains in training with John and Thady Gosden and is being targeted at a defence of his Juddmonte International crown at York next month.
He is yet to have his stud location for 2027 confirmed, but his standing as an exciting stallion prospect was underlined by the sale of the breeding right for £250,000 (AU$480,000) to an unnamed buyer.
A breeding right in Blue Point was purchased by an unnamed buyer for €470,000 (AU$772,000), again entitling the successful bidder to present one mare for covering by the stallion, during each season, for as long as the stallion is owned or managed by Godolphin.
Lastly, a nomination to Ghaiyyath for the 2027 breeding season in the Northern Hemisphere sold to an unnamed buyer for €31,000 (AU$50,900).
Newnham thrilled with breakout season
In his third season in Hong Kong, trainer Mark Newnham sits in third on the Trainer’s Premiership with 60 wins heading into the final meeting of the season on Wednesday. He won 31 races in his first season and 44 last season. “It’s been fantastic. It exceeded my expectations,” Newnham told scmp.com. He won the Hong Kong Derby with Invincible Ibis (Hellbent).
“The Derby’s always special here. We went agonisingly close the year before, so we’ve had two Derby runners from the stable for a winner and a very close second. It was good to get it done this year.
Mark Newnham | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“My Wish had sort of promised to win a Group 1 and he got it done at his final start of the season. He was very solid again all season – he’s won a Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3, so he’s cemented his place as a genuine, top-class horse here. We won nice races with a lot of horses, so I’m more than happy with the way the season’s gone.”
Equus Veterinary Services provide package to retired horses
Thorough Care SA has announced that Equus Veterinary Services will provide a 20% discount to eligible retired South Australian Thoroughbreds. “The first year after retirement is such an important period for any thoroughbred,” Racing SA Industry Operations Manager and head of Thorough Care SA, John Cornell said.
“It is when owners are getting to know their horse outside of a racing environment, understanding what support they need and setting them up for a long, healthy and successful life after racing.
John Cornell | Image courtesy of Racing SA
“To have Equus Veterinary Services come on board as a Thorough Care SA partner means eligible owners can access high-quality veterinary care at a reduced cost, which is a fantastic addition to the support already available through the program.”
Turnover and wagering up for UK The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club has announced its full-year financial results for 2025 (January to December). The results include turnover of £250 million (AU$481 million), up £3.6 million (AU$6.9 million) (1.5 per cent) on 2024 (£246.4 million (AU$473 million)), with growth seen in attendances, media rights income, sponsorship and non-racing income streams.
Aggregate attendance across The Jockey Club's racecourses increased from 1,449,000 in 2024 to 1,474,000 in 2025, with paid attendance rising by 1.3% despite 10 fewer fixtures being staged during the year.
Jim Mullen, The Jockey Club's Group Chief Executive, said, “Last year was an important 12 months for The Jockey Club. We continued to drive growth in attendances and across all our key revenue streams which allowed us to continue to invest in the future of British racing.
“We welcomed more racegoers across our racecourses and performance at our major events remained encouraging, with strong attendance growth at the Randox Grand National Festival, which was up 4 per cent, the July Festival up 6 per cent, the Betfred Guineas Festival up 13 per cent, and the Ladbrokes Christmas Festival up 18 per cent. Even the small decline in attendance at the Cheltenham Festival offered signs of encouragement with decisions taken to improve the customer experience, such as limiting crowds, generating positive customer feedback and laying foundations for future growth.”
Grace Hamilton joins Four Star Sales
Grace Hamilton has joined Four Star Sales as Bloodstock and Sales Coordinator, the company announced on Monday. Hamilton joins Four Star following graduation from the Godolphin Flying Start program.
“Having completed my incredible time with Godolphin Flying Start, I could not be more excited to begin the next chapter of my career with Four Star Sales,” Hamilton said.
“Throughout my prior work and time at Flying Start, I've always been drawn to the sales side of the Thoroughbred industry. After gaining experience across breeding, sales and racing in several countries, I'm truly excited to bring those experiences back to Kentucky and contribute to a team that has earned such a strong reputation for horsemanship, integrity and client service. I look forward to continuing to learn while helping Four Star's clients achieve their goals.”
