Can Bivouac add another stakes winner?
Bivouac is having a breakout season and on Saturday, his 2-year-old colt Shivouac comes off a debut victory to run in the G3 SAJC Sires’ Produce Stakes for trainers Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle. “We weren't sure which way we would go with him next. The other option was to wait for the Lightning Stakes next week and simply keep him at a sprinting trip,” Richards told racing.com.
“However, in the Sires' – although jumping up to the 1400 metres – being on the Parks track and sticking against his own age group, we have elected to go that way. His final piece of serious work Tuesday morning was great and we could not be any happier with the way he has come on since his debut victory.”
Shivouac as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
First winner for Finance Tycoon
First season sire Finance Tycoon, a Group 3-winning son of Written Tycoon, celebrated his first winner when Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained 2-year-old gelding Morlock won at Murray Bridge on Friday. He was fifth last start behind Shivouac (Bivouac) who heads to the G3 SAJC Sires’ Produce Stakes on Saturday.
Morlock is the first foal of Kore (Magnus) who won three races and he shares a fourth dam with G1 TJ Smith Stakes winner Chain Of Lightning (Fighting Sun).
Brevitas hunts Group 3 in Adelaide
Philip Stokes-trained stakes placed Brevitas (Doubtland) looks on song to win Saturday’s G3 SAJC Sires’ Produce Stakes after an unlucky second in the Listed Oaklands Plate last start. “She's come through it well,” assistant trainer Kerrin Stokes told racenet.com.au.
Brevitas as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“I think the extra week has helped, it took the wind out of her sails a little bit, but that extra week has helped us. She presents in the best order she can. She has had a big prep, but she's going really well.”
Kimberley Rose headlines Magic Millions
The latest Magic Millions Digital sale is open for bidding with Listed Belmont Oaks-placed Kimberley Rose (Hellbent) to headline. Two 10% shares in Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes winner Basilinna (NZ) (Staphanos {Jpn}) look like good opportunities headed towards the spring.
Bidding closes on Wednesday July 22.
Trials postponed till Monday
The highly anticipated trials at Randwick for Friday have been postponed. The trials are set to be the starting point of the spring campaigns of the likes of Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio), and many others.
“Please note that due to 34mm of rainfall overnight and the forecast for further precipitation this morning, today’s barrier trials at Royal Randwick have been POSTPONED to Monday 20 July 2026. Trial times and fields remain unchanged,” a Racing NSW press release said.
Threads hunting victory
Godolphin-owned 2-year-old colt Threads (Snitzel) was placed in the G3 Black Opal last start and trainer Ciaron Maher is hoping to knock off a valuable juvenile win at Rosehill on Saturday. “It's always nice for a well bred colt like that to get a bit of black-type, and it would be nice to get a win as a 2-year-old,” stable representative Johan Gerard-Dubord told racingandsports.com.au.
Johan Gerard-Dubord | Image courtesy of Ciaron Maher Racing
“We have this race, or the option to wait for Wednesday. That was Plan A, next week, but when the 'noms' weren't big we decided to accept for this and have a good look at the race. He's a nice horse going forward. He's got a lovely attitude. He's a very neat horse with a great action and he's had a good base, so it will be good to get him started.” He is the first foal of Group 3 winner Tailleau (Shooting To Win).
Dark Glitter giving life to trainer
Trainer Mike Van Gestel has been battling a bout of sepsis, and the 82-year-old got a huge boost with last start winner Dark Glitter (Speith {NZ}) who runs again on Saturday at Rosehill. “It’s still not 100 per cent, I’m still suffering the side effects of it. I'm taking it easy but still training the horses,” Van Gestel told racingnsw.com.au.
“We enjoy racing her. Everything went our way last time, she deserved it and I was quite pleased. We’ll see how she goes and that will tell us whether to pull her out of racing or give her another 12 months.
“She’s been racing against some of the best mares in the land and nearly got there a few times. This could well be the last benchmark race if she does well then we’ve got to go to black type races again.”
Ball’s battle in juvenile race
Tony Ball-trained 2-year-old gelding Truly Graphic (Graff) cost $600 and is by far the cheapest horse in the juvenile race at Rosehill on Saturday. Fourth on debut, he ran last in the race won by Omolong (Extreme Choice) at his most recent outing. “Mate his run was good,” Ball told racenet.com.au of the eighth place.
“That horse of Waller's (Omolong) is a pretty good horse and my horse is still green and he only got beat eight (lengths) in town the other day. So we'll go back again on Saturday and have a bit of a play around and see how he goes. At 1200 metres, he'll be fine, and with Molly Bourke to ride, he gets in with 52.5kg. He's only a real little fella, my fella, so that'll help and I am pretty sure he will run the 1200m because he finished off pretty good over 1100 metres.”
Holder wins first premiership in ten years
Jockey Jason ‘Stubby’ Holder has a 12-win advantage in the Adelaide Jockey Premiership with two meetings to go. With his two main rivals unlikely to catch him, he will celebrate his fourth metro jockey’s title in the area, and his first since 2015/16. “What a thrill for Jason in a career which has been full of achievements and highlights,” his manager, Cheree Gask, told racing.com.
“He is such a competitor which, along with his natural riding ability, is part of the reason he continues to churn out results.” He also holds a 7-win lead on the South Australian table but this is still too close to call with 15 days to go.
Juvenile winner for Boulder City
Boulder City, the unraced half-brother to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), sired a juvenile winner on Friday at Tamworth with David Hatch-trained 2-year-old gelding Big Lon. Placed in both his first two starts, this was his third start, and he becomes the 23rd winner for his sire.
Big Lon is the first winner for Fiery Dawn (Dawn Approach {Ire}) who is a daughter of Listed winner Fasline (Fasliyev {USA}).
Three to go for Keitel
David Vandyke-trained Keitel (Hellbent) won the Rockhampton Cup last Saturday, and there’s a $500,000 bonus on the line if he can also win the Mackay, Townsville and Cairns Cups. “There’s a good chance he’ll run in the Mackay Cup next week, but I want to look at the nominations first,” Vandyke told racingqueensland.com.au.
“The pressure is off now, but it’s a bit tricky to say if he’ll chase the big bonus right now as it’ll depend on the weight he gets.” If a horse can win three of the four Cups, there is a $250,000 bonus on offer.
Turnover up 3.2% in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Jockey Club reported that turnover for the season was up 3.2% to HK$143.31 billion (AU$26.1 billion). Comingling turnover was up over 8% to HK$34.4 billion (AU$6.28 billion), and visitors from mainland China and abroad rose to 401,259 for the season.
“It has been a real pleasure to welcome so many tourists from overseas and the Chinese mainland to our racecourses and to see how much they enjoy the unique quality of our racecourse experience, which is truly like no other,” CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told scmp.com.
Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“Racing tourism is already a top driver of sports tourism and an important pillar of Hong Kong’s tourism development, and in collaboration with our partners in Hong Kong, overseas and the Chinese mainland, we look forward to welcoming many more tourists to our racecourses.
“This has been an outstanding season, and we really could not have wished for anything more in terms of equine excellence, especially in the Year of the Horse. Hong Kong’s titans, Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior, have elevated Hong Kong racing to an unprecedented level.”
Conghua to race from October
Regular racing in mainland China at the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Guangzhou-based Conghua racecourse will begin on October 31, 2026, as part of the National Equine Industry Development Plan. “The milestone race meeting in Conghua racecourse on October 31 will make a powerful statement to the world, underlining that Conghua is not only a state-of-the-art training centre but a racecourse capable of staging world-class racing in the Chinese mainland,” HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told scmp.com.
“Through world-class racing, innovative team racing and special events and carnivals, we aim to attract high-end tourism from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and overseas.
“Equine sports will become a key driver in establishing Conghua as a tourist destination, which will stimulate the economy, boost multi-sector consumption across culture, sports and tourism, advance the development of the equine industry value chain, inject new momentum into regional economic growth and contribute significantly to economic growth in the Greater Bay Area.”
Kennedy joins Maher as NSW bloodstock manager
John Kennedy has been appointed as NSW bloodstock manager at Ciaron Maher Racing following seven years with Coolmore Australia.
“John has held senior positions at Coolmore Australia, progressing from stud manager to racing and bloodstock manager,” read a statement from Ciaron Maher Racing posted on X. “During that time, he played an integral role in the management, promotion and racing careers of many of Australia's leading stallions and elite thoroughbreds, while building extensive relationships across the Australian and international bloodstock industry.
“Based in Sydney, John will bring added bloodstock expertise to the stable, greater accessibility to our bloodstock team for NSW owners, and continued momentum behind CMR's growth in the region.”
A graduate of the Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Breeding Management Course, Kennedy began his career with the O'Callaghan family at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland. He also gained experience at Woods Edge Farm in Kentucky, before returning to Ireland as stud manager at Castlehyde Stud, one of Coolmore's flagship farms.
Based in Australia since 2019, Kennedy will officially start in his new role in late-August.
State Of Rest filly aimed at Group 2
Jaber Abdullah's Star Of State (State Of Rest) shaped with a deal of promise when runner-up at Fairyhouse last week and the Joseph O'Brien-trained G2 Debutante nominee was an odds-on chance to break through in Thursday's Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden at Leopardstown.
The €85,000 Tattersalls Ireland September graduate did just that, and then some, when outclassing 10 rivals in hugely impressive fashion to become her Rathbarry Stud-based first-crop sire's second winner and first TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard.
“We liked her going to Fairyhouse, we were very happy with that run, and she was very impressive today,” O'Brien said. “I don't know how strong a race it was, but you don't really see more impressive maiden winners than that. I'm delighted for [sire] State Of Rest and I'm delighted for Mr Jaber. It's our first winner for him and she looks a very exciting filly.
“Dylan [Browne McMonagle] said she's got plenty of pace for six [furlongs] and he thinks she'll probably have no trouble with seven. I think there's lots to look forward to. Mr Jaber mentioned that we might go to the [G2] Lowther [at York] next month, so I suppose we'll see how she pulls up and then we'll make those plans.”
Wildfire smoke causes Woodbine cancellation
Thursday's live program at Woodbine Racetrack outside Toronto has been cancelled on account of poor air quality, officials from Woodbine Entertainment said in a release.
The air quality index for Toronto as reported by Environment Canada is listed as 'high risk' and was expected to remain that way over the course of the entire day. The decision to cancel, 'made in the best interests of the health and safety of our horses and racing participants,' was arrived at in consultation with the local HBPA and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and is consistent with the AGC air quality guidelines.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires was forecast to affect areas of the northeastern United States on Thursday as well, with the National Weather Service office near Mount Holly, New Jersey, indicating that some of that smoke could mix to the surface in Greater Philadelphia.
HISA is partially unconstitutional
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has agreed to stay the mandate on its June 11, 2026, opinion that the Horseracing and Safety Integrity Act (HISA) is partially unconstitutional after attorneys from the HISA Authority told the New Orleans-based court that an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is forthcoming.
A mandate is the formal order that returns jurisdiction to the lower court and makes an appellate ruling effective.
The case dates to a 2021 lawsuit spearheaded by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) and 12 of its affiliates against the HISA Authority and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Last month the Fifth Circuit issued a new opinion that essentially came to the same conclusion that the same three-judge panel had reached two years ago: Even though HISA's rulemaking structure is constitutional, its enforcement provisions are not.
A stay of the mandate has three immediate legal effects: 1) The appellate judgment is temporarily not effective; 2) The lower district court cannot act to implement the Fifth Circuit's judgment; 3) The legal status quo is preserved while the stay request is resolved, preserving the Supreme Court's ability to review the case meaningfully.
