DailyNews Wrap

4 min read

Waller's faith in Wolf

Chris Waller is hopeful Mister Sea Wolf (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}) can make his presence felt in Saturday's G1 Kirin Railway S. at Ascot.

Waller won the Railway S. back in 2015 with Good Project (Not A Single Doubt) and feels Mister Sea Wolf, who hasn’t had the best of luck in two Group 1 miles on the eastern seaboard this campaign, will relish an easy run and the slightly easier class.

"He arrived safely early on Monday morning and has settled in well, he has got good form just behind the place getters in Group 1 races such as the Epsom and the Cantala in Melbourne," Waller said.

"He is a horse that holds his condition well, he has settled in well and will appreciate the slight drop in grade, despite this being a tough race to win."

It will be the imported 7-year-old's 11th run of the campaign.

Rain in Sleeping Beauty's favour

Matamata trainers Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, who prepare the much-improved Sleeping Beauty (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), will be looking to the skies as she bids for her first stakes success on Saturday.

Sleeping Beauty contests the G2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' S, at Pukekohe and with a bit of rain, Scott feels she can be competitive.

“If the rain arrives, which is expected, it brings her into a competitive part of the race,” Scott said. “She’s in really good form and her last two starts have been personal bests for her."

“She would have to be right at the top of her game to be competitive, but if she gets those track conditions to suit, it brings her into the race.”

Group 1 winner Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge) is one of her main rivals in the race.

SAJC chair steps down

The South Australian Jockey Club Chair Bodelle Francis has announced she will stand down.

Francis, who has been in the position for the past two years, still intends to be a contributing board member.

Bodelle Francis (centre)

“I have a great management team, I’m going to really miss working with them. I’ll miss the interaction with trainers and jockeys and everyone else in the mounting yard," she said.

“It’s my favourite place and I love being out there each weekend with key industry people”.

“Since 2015/16 we set out goals and performance trends that we wanted to achieve, the Board and executives should be very proud of their efforts.”

Teenage racecaller gets Ballarat call-up

Teenage racecaller Dayne Barry will call Saturday's Magic Millions 2YO Clockwise Classic at Ballarat.

The nephew of champion trainer Darren Weir will get his chance in a major Saturday race at the age of just 16.

Under the tutelage of Rick McIntosh, he began calling when just 12 at the 2014 Wycheproof Cup

“I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity, and just a little bit nervous as well,” he told RSN.

Summer carnival launched

Racing Queensland has launched the TAB Queensland Summer Racing Carnival.

The carnival, which builds up to the Gold Coast Magic Millions Race Day on January 12, also features the TAB Origin Jockey Series (December 7 and 8), the $1.6 Million TAB Summer Crowns Series, 24 black-type races and the Country Cups Challenge Final.

Among those to launch the carnival were Queensland Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell.

"The racing world will be looking towards Queensland over the next couple of months in the lead up towards the Magic Millions Raceday on January 12," Parnell said.

"Last year the carnival was the launching pad for top performers Pierata and Sunlight. They have had fantastic success over the last 9 months, competing at the highest levels across Australia."

BBA Ireland/Yulong Investments Strike At Goffs

Yuesheng Zhang of Yulong Investments has been a major investor at Goffs in recent years and, though absent this time, purchased the day’s most expensive mare for €350,000 through BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe. The 6-year-old She’s Complete (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) (lot 962), a former stakes winner in California, was sold carrying her second foal by Sea The Stars (Ire) having produced a Golden Horn (GB) colt in 2017.

“Mr Zhang is over in Japan at the moment but we thought that this mare was very nice physically and she was a 2-year-old stakes winner on the turf. Her Golden Horn yearling sold for 200,000gns and has gone to John Gosden. It’s obviously a lovely cover to Sea The Stars, breeding back into the family.”

The Chinese-owned Rifa Mustang Europe was active throughout the session, ending up with two well-credentialed mares to add to a burgeoning broodmare band. These included Lost In Silence (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) (lot 970) for €220,000.