DJ Fisher boosts Champions Day tickets
General admission ticket sales for Champions Day at Flemington are already up 55% on last year thanks to the announcement of DJ Fisher to headline the day’s entertainment. “We're ramping up really well for the carnival, our forward sales look really positive,” Victoria Racing Club CEO Kylie Rogers told racenet.com.au.
“We're ambitious enough to want 100,000 people every day, it's not necessarily realistic and we live and die by the weather sometimes, but we are very confident with our strategy and our racing and entertainment offerings.” Melbourne Cup Day sales are up 16% and Oaks Day up 41%.
Kylie Rogers | Image courtesy of Victoria Racing Club
Fisher headlined the same day last year when 60,000 people braved awful weather. “It felt like minus two all day with sideways rain. It's an unbelievable crescendo and this year we want to use that moment and live stage to celebrate the great jockeys and trainers … as a bit of a closing ceremony. The most important thing is safe and world-class racing, with the best horses and jockeys in our races.”
Paul Humphries is new Chair of NZTR
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) announced that the Board has appointed Paul Humphries as Chair. He will begin on August 1 and remain until the Annual General Meeting in November when the constitution requires the Board to determine the Chair for the next year. Russell Warwick steps down from the role at the end of July.
“Paul has a deep understanding of New Zealand racing, from its participants and clubs through to governance at a national level,” NZTR Chief Executive Matt Ballesty said.
“He also brings considerable commercial and leadership experience. These qualities will be valuable as NZTR continues its programme of reform and investment across the industry. We look forward to working with Paul as we build on the momentum already established and continue strengthening the future of thoroughbred racing in New Zealand.”
Winner number five for Barbaric
First season sire Barbaric celebrated winner number five when Chris and Corey Munce-trained 2-year-old gelding Armand won on debut at Gatton on Thursday. Munce Racing purchased him for $50,000 at the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale from Lyndhurst Stud Farm.
Armand is the third winner for Dupre (Duporth) who is a half-sister to Listed winner Nona In Command (Commands) and Group 2-placed full siblings Egypt (Sebring) and Mount Panorama.
Vale Bill Evans
The Australian Turf Club paid tribute to highly-respected banking executive and former Director of the Club, Bill Evans, who passed away this week. “Bill was a tremendous character and so highly regarded for his business and banking brain alongside his love of horse racing,” Australian Turf Club Chair Tim Hale SC said in a press release.
Bill Evans | Image courtesy of Australian Turf Club
“Before and after his stint as a Director, Bill was a regular attendee at our race meetings and always enjoyed the challenge of picking a winner. We give great thanks for his time as a Member and Director of the Club over several decades and send our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues as we also celebrate his remarkable life.”
Evans was a Board member from February 2014 to February 2021. Outside racing, he was the Chief Economist at Westpac.
Spring marks 25 years since rule change
This spring marks 25 years since the season of birth rule in Australia changed from date of birth to date of covering. It was former Australian Stud Book Keeper John Digby who championed the rule change to ensure that premature foals born in July didn’t turn one when they were only a few weeks old.
The rule came into play for the 2001/2002 season with a foal’s season of birth becoming based on a covering date on or after September 1. New Zealand and South Africa soon followed to change their rules to fit the same system.
Unbeaten Sobek heads to town
Scone trainer Scott Singleton will bring unbeaten Sobek (Headwater) to Rosehill on Saturday. “He is a pretty easygoing sort of horse that makes his own luck and keeps running,” Singleton told racenet.com.au.
“He seems uncomplicated enough, he has been learning as he has been going but I think he has enough smarts about him to head down there now and do a good job.”
Flemington to honour Phar Lap’s centenary
Flemington on Saturday will pay tribute to the 100th year since Phar Lap’s birth. “It is the new name for our opening raceday every season now, Phar Lap is a legend and certainly deserves that,” Victoria Racing Club CEO Kylie Rogers told racenet.com.au.
“I don't think (this memorabilia has) been shown together ever before, racing colours worn by (jockeys) Jim Pike and Billy Elliot, there's a horse float believed to have carried Phar Lap before his 1930 Melbourne Cup win and lots of other items.
“We're really trying to create a destination for people to learn about the history of our races and the champions of our sport. We're going to do more and more of that.”
Racing Queensland Country Grants announced
Racing Queensland announced that 33 clubs in regional Queensland will share $3 million in the fourth round of the Country Club Asset Funding program. “This Government is proud to support the state’s country racing clubs with a pipeline of vital infrastructure projects,” Minister Tim Mander told racingqueensland.com.au.
“Country racing is at the heart of so many regional Queensland communities, and this funding will continue to deliver jobs, infrastructure improvements and community benefits across the state.”
Tim Mander | Image courtesy of Tim Mander
Thirteen clubs will get running rail upgrades as part of the funding. “Recent independent data in Racing Queensland’s Size & Scope Report showcases the strength of our industry, generating more than $2.5 billion in value added contribution to the Queensland economy in FY25,” RQ Acting CEO Lachlan Murray said.
“Importantly, 52% of that directly benefits regional economies, which further underlines the importance of programs like the Country Club Asset Funding. The CCAF ensures that almost 14,000 full-time racing jobs across the state remain sustainable going forward, and we are proud to support our regions in delivering another $3 million in country racing infrastructure.”
Super Seth strongest appeal in Dr Tsoi dispersal
Gavelhouse Plus concluded the dispersal sale for Standard 2080, the racing company of Hong Kong’s Dr Gene Tsoi. The top two prices were for broodmares with Win Elegance (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in foal to Super Seth selling for NZ$92,500 and Listed winner Flower Of Wanaka (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) selling for NZ$90,000. She is in foal to Auguste Rodin (Ire).
Two youngsters by Super Seth were keenly sought after with PCB paying NZ$72,500 for the rising yearling colt from Zawahir (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). The Super Seth rising 2-year-old colt from Here We Come (Exceed And Excel) made NZ$50,000.
Juvenile winner for Brazen Beau
Brazen Beau added a juvenile winner when Matt Laurie-trained 2-year-old filly Somers Green won on debut at Bendigo on Thursday. She is the first foal of Jacobe Queen (Redoute’s Choice) who won twice and is a daughter of Group 3 winner Vain Queen (Artie Schiller {USA}).
Doubles for Toronado and Trapeze Artist
At Bunbury in the west on Thursday, both Toronado (Ire) and Trapeze Artist sired doubles. Toronado won with 3-year-old gelding Olaf The Snowman who won his maiden and 3-year-old filly Cinque Stelle who took her record to two wins from four starts.
Trapeze Artist’s 3-year-old gelding Good Show won his maiden while 4-year-old gelding Sisu Spirit made it three wins and took his earnings over $100,000.
Te Akau win seventh NZ Trainer’s Premiership
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson recorded 135 wins in New Zealand to win the seventh consecutive NZ Trainer’s Premiership for Te Akau Racing. “It is fantastic to take out another premiership,” Bergerson told Loveracing.nz. It is his third Premiership.
“Mark is spending a lot more time in Australia this past season (at Te Akau’s Cranbourne stable) so I have had to take up a lot more responsibility, and I can’t thank the team here at home enough, especially Reece (Trumper), he has been a massive help as the assistant (trainer).
“It has been a tough season, it has been a lot of work, but it has been really rewarding, and it’s great to take out the premiership.”
Puca wins 2025 USA Broodmare Of The Year
Puca (Big Brown), who produced three straight Grade I winners, has been named the 2025 American National Broodmare of the Year, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) announced on Wednesday. The 14-year-old mare is the dam of 2023 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic), 2024 GI Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch (Good Magic), and 2025 GI Pennsylvania Derby winner Baeza (McKinzie). She is only the ninth broodmare in history to produce a pair of American Triple Crown race winners.
TOBA selects the Broodmare of the Year annually at the request of the North American International Cataloguing Standards Committee (ICSC) with the designation recognized in all North American sales catalogues.
At the Fasig-Tipton November Sale last fall, she brought the hammer down at US$5 million (AU$7.2 million) to Raging Torrent Syndicate. Now residing at Ace Stud in Newmarket, England, Puca was bred to Spendthrift Farm's multiple leading sire Into Mischief this year.
Group 1 targets for Flora Of Bermuda
Wathnan Racing's multiple Group 1-placed Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel) registered a second Group 3 success of the month when outbattling Sayidah Dariyan (Dariyan) in Wednesday's G3 Rolls-Royce Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood.
“We have been thinking about seven furlongs for a bit and it just seemed an obvious race to try it in,” explained Andrew Balding. “She has been very consistent at a high level throughout her career and she is a fantastic filly. She has done very well physically this year and is happier now she is going into the stalls late. That is her flaw, if she has one, and she is just not very patient.
“She will go straight into the stalls, but she will not stand there for more than 30 seconds, and poor old James (Doyle) got a perforation of his eardrums riding her at Ascot. It was a disaster, but apart from that, she is three from three this year when not fluffing her starts. I do not know what is next. We cannot really go abroad with her because of the stalls issue, as we cannot be guaranteed to have the same dispensations. I think we could go to York (for the G1 City Of York) or we could go to Haydock (for the G1 Sprint Cup).”
Tattersalls Ireland September catalogue released
Tattersalls Ireland boss Simon Kerins has referenced an “exponential growth” in quality to the September Yearling Sale upon the release of the catalogue of the Fairyhouse highlight.
Coventry Stakes and July Stakes runner-up Adaay Of Scarlett (Mehmas) has flown the flag for last year's sale while dual Group 1 scorer Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain), who was sold at the 2022 Tattersalls Ireland Sale, has also performed with great distinction of late.
Commenting on the release of the September Yearling Sale catalogue, Kerins said, “The September Yearling Sale has experienced exponential growth in recent years, which has resulted in unprecedented demand for places in this year's catalogue.
“Our sales are underpinned by our vendors who are now choosing the September Yearling Sale as a first option for their yearlings and this is reflected in the catalogue which is the unquestionably the strongest ever produced for this sale.”
Churchill Downs to buy share in Union Tote
Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) will purchase 49% of United Tote Company from NYRA Content Management Solutions, LLC, a subsidiary of the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), restoring 100% ownership of United Tote to CDI. The definitive agreement was announced publicly by CDI Wednesday afternoon.
CDI had originally sold the same 49% interest to NYRA in April, 2024. Per the agreement, NYRA will continue to utilize United Tote for their racetrack- and gaming-related pari-mutuel wagering systems through 2035.
United Tote manufactures and operates pari-mutuel wagering systems, including totalisator services, for racetracks, off-track betting facilities (OTBs), and other wagering operators. The transaction is expected to close by August 5, 2026.
Fly Right By tops Off Track Online Sale
The inaugural Tattersalls Online Treo Eile Summer Sale for Off The Track racehorses featured the sale of Fly Right By (lot 1) on Wednesday.
Brian Flynn paid 5000gns (AU$10,135) for the son of Jet Away. Consigned by Nicki Russell, the 5-year-old gelding has already finished second in the Raheendaw Horse & Pony Show Novice Tattersalls Ireland Treo Eile Showing Class, as well as third at the same show's Novice Thoroughbred Performance Class. Last month the relative of Grade 1-winning chaser Abolitionist (Flemensfirth) was second in the Gorey Agricultural Show Tattersalls Ireland Treo Eile Showing Class.
Wednesday's sale marked an important milestone in the development of the retrained racehorse sector, providing a dedicated online marketplace for thoroughbreds embarking on second careers. Held alongside the Tattersalls Ireland July Show, the carefully selected catalogue attracted interest from Britain, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the Gulf region.
Trainers seeking prizemoney owed by Hawthorne
The Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (ITHA) on Wednesday launched a renewed effort to get paid more than US$1.3 million (AU$1.9 million) in unpaid purse money from Hawthorne Race Course.
The Stickney, Illinois track, owned by Chicago's Carey family for the last 117 years, is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to restructure between US$100 and US$500 million (AU$144 to $720 million) in debt, with the racecourse on a court-ordered schedule to be sold for US$90 million (AU$129 million) to a non-racing entity by the end of August.
