Listed Belmont Newmarket won by Immortal Bliss
Winner of the Listed Beaufine Stakes two starts ago, Daniel Morton-trained 5-year-old gelding Immortal Bliss (I Am Immortal) made easy work of Saturday’s Listed Belmont Newmarket with a 2.7 length victory under jockey Lucy Fiore. Snowdome (Rommel) was second with Final Siren (I’m All The Talk) in third.
“He’s been a good horse for a long time and he’s in a good vein of form at the moment,” Morton said.
“He’s got all the attributes of a proper horse.” He took his record to eight wins from 21 starts with earnings over $400,000. He is the only winner for unraced Top Of The Charts (Your Song) who is a daughter of Group 3 winner and G1 Australian Oaks-placed Miss Darcey (Hussonet {USA}).
Eliyass set for Premier Cup
A change of trainer and a year away from the track haven’t dented the will to win of Eliyass (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) who returned to the winner’s circle on Saturday in Randwick’s Premier’s Cup Prelude. He’ll head to the G3 Premier’s Cup in two weeks. “We thought he would still be a run away, especially with such a big weight but he is one of those horses, when they like winning and have a bit of class like him, it takes them a long way,” Ciaron Maher's assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“He is well back on track. Naturally it was only his second run in over a year and he will improve again but I think he will be right at the right time of the year. He has screws in both front fetlocks so you just never know after those big issues whether you can get him back or not.”
He won three stakes races in succession in 2024 when trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott including the G3 Premier’s Cup.
Ernaux gets her second win
Resolute Racing paid $3 million for 4-year-old mare Ernaux (I Am Invincible) at the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and on Saturday, she added a strong victory at Randwick to her record. “It was hold your breath stuff at the top of the straight,” trainer Chris Waller said.
“Tyler (Schiller) knew what he was doing and knew what he had under him. She really exploded late.” Placed in the Listed Mode Stakes, Ernaux is a daughter of Group 1 winner Booker (Written Tycoon), making Ernaux a full sister to Pi Legend who has won four races in Sydney and Hong Kong. Booker is a full sister to Waikato Stud’s Listed winning sire Banquo.
Patience pays off for Ready To Rush
Ironically named 5-year-old mare Ready To Rush (Better Than Ready) has needed plenty of time. On Saturday at Randwick, she took her record to three wins and a second from four starts. “She's had three knee surgeries and there was a bit of talk about would we ever get her back but she's a real credit to the ownership group and Kurrinda for being super patient and giving me all the time in the world,” trainer Matt Dale said.
“We train her solely off my farm just outside of Goulburn. We train her on the deep sand, in the pool and on the treadmill to be fit and sound. It's a long way from Cootamundra and Gundagai to these Highways but she's taken a good step and we are rapt with the result.”
Malpass joins Racing SA
Ian Malpass will join Racing South Australia as Racing Operations Manager. He has spent six years with the Hong Kong Jockey Club as the Handicapping and Race Planning Manager, and prior to that worked for Racing and Wagering WA in various positions.
New winner for Portland Sky
Second season sire Portland Sky added his fifth winner when John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained 3-year-old gelding Skystone won his maiden at Kembla Grange. He placed twice prior to that. He is the second foal and first winner for Rockarosa (Pierro), a winning half-sister to Group 2-placed Valanetti (Sebring). His dam is a daughter of G1 Thousand Guineas and G1 Australasian Oaks winner Galetti (Redoute’s Choice).
At the same meeting, 3-year-old filly Yangzi River (Tassort) won on debut for trainer Chris Waller as did Bjorn Baker-trained 3-year-old filly Harry’s Hussey (Harry Angel {Ire}). Harry’s Hussey is a full sister to Group 3 winner Watchme Win.
Double for Bivouac at Caulfield
Recently crowned Champion Second Season Sire Bivouac celebrated a double at Caulfield on Saturday led by Cavalry Girl, who is covered in the main feature story. Danny O’Brien-trained 4-year-old mare Davida won the next race on the card to take her record to five wins from 13 starts and earnings over $290,000.
Fourth winner for Splintex
Second season sire Splintex added his fourth winner when Dan and Ben Pearce-trained 3-year-old filly Spinarella won her maiden at Belmont on Saturday. Her trainers bought her for $8000 from Gervase Park Stud’s Magic Millions Perth Winter Yearling Sale draft.
She took her earnings over $59,000 and is the first winner for Emanuela (Animal Kingdom {USA}) who won four times including once in Sydney.
Record priced Immortal Verse dies aged 18
Multiple Group 1 winner and dual Group 1 producer Immortal Verse (Pivotal) has died at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky, the organisation announced on Friday. She was 18.
Bred and raced by Richard Strauss of Kilfrush Stud, she went into training with Robert Collet. A winner and second in the G3 Prix d'Aumale at two, she improved at three, taking the G2 Prix de Sandringham, the G1 Coronation Stakes, and the G1 Prix du Jacques le Marois in succession. Retired with a mark of 11-4-1-1 and US$1,053,873 (AU$1.49 million) in earnings, she was offered for sale in foal to Dansili by Mount Coote Stud on behalf of new owners Merriebelle Stable during the 2013 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Acting for the Coolmore partners, BBA Ireland paid 4.7 million gns (AU$9.42 million), a new European record price for a broodmare.
At stud, Immortal Verse left seven foals with seven runners and six winners highlighted by Group 1 winners Tenebrism (Caravaggio) and Henri Matisse (Wootton Bassett), as well as G2 Airlie Stud Stakes heroine Statuette (Justify). Her legacy continues with talented juvenile Aix La Chapelle (Justify), who holds entries in both top-level 2-year-old races on Irish Champions Weekend next month for Aidan O'Brien. Henri Matisse, who landed the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, covered his first book of mares this spring at Coolmore's Castlehyde Stud.
Coolmore said in a statement, “Immortal Verse was one of the finest racemares of her generation and has established herself as one of the outstanding broodmares of the modern era. She will be sadly missed by those who cared for her during her time at Coolmore.”
Goffs announce Chicquita Session
The Chicquita Session, a new select section within the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale that will offer a curated selection of Europe's most desirable fillies and broodmares, was launched by Goffs on Friday.
Named after the Classic-winning filly Chicquita, whose €6 million (AU$9.83 million) sale at Goffs in 2013 was a defining moment in the company's history, the session will be limited to a maximum of 25 lots to be offered on the Friday evening at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale.
The idea of a standalone section of elite bloodstock being offered within a sale in Europe has already been implemented with huge success by Tattersalls, with the Sceptre Sessions of the company's December Breeding Stock Sale now one of the highlights in the sales calendar. Meanwhile, Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars sets pulses racing in America every year.
Kentucky Belle upsets G2 Saratoga Oaks
Making her stakes debut and her first trip to the races in nearly four months, WinStar Farm homebred Kentucky Belle (Justify) was produced in upper stretch by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and finished full of run of all to cause a 10-1 upset in Friday's GII Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks.
“We missed a little time with her, but it was worth the wait,” said winning trainer Brad Cox. “She ran big, obviously. It looked like she was traveling really well going into the far turn, and turning for home, I was like, 'this should work out, we're going to get some graded placing here.'
“She was able to get there, needed pretty much all of the mile and three sixteenths. I've always felt this was going to be her thing. Obviously, she ran this distance last time at Keeneland. We are very proud of the effort, obviously a well-bred filly and a big update for her.”
Crisford delays Dubai move till October
Ed Crisford, who announced a move to train under his own name in Dubai in April, will delay that journey until October, he confirmed on Friday. Crisford will be a private trainer for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Currently, Ed Crisford trains alongside his father Simon, with their partnership on the licence beginning in 2020. The duo have sent out several big-race winners, including multiple Group 1 winner-turned-stallion Vandeek (Havana Grey). The Crisfords, who have a satellite yard in Dubai, have saddled Quddwah (Kingman) to place in the G1 Dubai Turf, while Meydaan (Frankel) was third in the G1 Dubai World Cup, and Title Role (Too Darn Hot) won the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas over the winter. Algiers (Shamardal) was second in the Dubai World Cup in 2023 for the duo.
“It's off-season now so I'm actually going to go full-time in October,” Crisford said. “I will relocate after the sales. It's the off-season out there, with all the yearlings sales coming up and I need to be doing them so I think once that happens, I'll go out properly.”
Shirreffs inducted into USA Hall Of Fame
It's a safe bet that when Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs carried a blue ballcap to the stage for the Hall of Fame induction of her late husband, trainer John Shirreffs, Friday many of the people in the audience could see what was coming.
To punctuate her acceptance speech, Ingordo-Shirreffs flung the cap into the crowd, repeating Shirreffs' spontaneous celebration after his Hall of Fame filly Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) completed a thrilling last-to-first move to win the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.
Shirreffs, who died unexpectedly in his sleep at the age of 80 in February, was part of the 11-member Class of 2026 that was formally welcomed into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion. Shirreffs, the late trainer Christophe Clement and the champion sprinter Kona Gold (Java Gold) were elected by the voters in the Contemporary Category.
The museum's Historic Review Committee selected trainer David A. Whiteley and the horses Gulch (Mr. Prospector) and Mongo (Royal Charger) to be honoured. Five men–veterinarian Dr. Robert W. Copelan; breeder-owners Prince Khalid bin Abdullah, Joseph E. Widener, and G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.; and Seth W. Hancock, also an owner-breeder, who managed his family's Claiborne Farm for more than 40 years–were inducted in the Pillars of the Turf category.
Arqana Golden Ticket celebrates 20 years
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Arqana will introduce a brand-new initiative at the August Sale, which runs from August 15-17. The 20th Anniversary Golden Ticket initiative will take place during Arqana's opening session on Saturday, August 15.
The 80-lot opening session will see 10 lots randomly selected in advance, and those lots will be associated with a €30,000 (AU$49,100) Golden Ticket. The voucher will be awarded to the purchaser of the selected lot, provided it is sold in the ring. It will take the form of a €30,000 credit to be used towards a second purchase made during the August Sale.
To determine the 10 randomly selected lots, the draw will take place under the supervision of a judicial officer at Arqana's offices on Saturday, August 15. All 10 Golden Ticket lots will remain confidential until they enter the ring to sell. Then, an announcement will be made live during each €30,000 Golden Ticket lot.
Arqana president Olivier Delloye said, “Since its inception, Arqana has always sought to innovate in the best interests of its clients. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, the August Sale provides the perfect opportunity to reward the loyalty of our buyers with an original initiative.”
