Angland serious but stable

Jockey Tye Angland remains in a serious but stable condition in intensive care in Hong Kong with the full extent of his injuries still to be determined.

Angland was injured when his mount stumbled out of the barriers in a race at Sha Tin last Sunday.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club issued a statement on Friday on behalf of Angland's wife Erin, who is at his bedside.

“Firstly we would like to thank everyone for their concern and messages of support.

“We are issuing this release so that there are no misconceptions on Tye's condition.

“As you are aware Tye had a fall at Sha Tin, Hong Kong on Sunday 25 November following which he remained conscious throughout.

“He remains in the intensive care unit in a serious but stable condition at The Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.

“While the full extent of his injuries are still unknown, we are thankfully able to report there has been no neurological damage.

“We ask for privacy, respect and patience during this time and will be forthcoming with information as we receive it.

"Tye's well-being is paramount and rest is his first priority. We understand that many people will be in Hong Kong next week for HKIR, but we would ask for our privacy during this difficult time.

“We have not told our three young children of Tye's condition and respectfully ask that they be kept unaware of what has happened.

“We have a long and difficult road ahead, but what I do know is that Tye is a very strong and determined person.

“We will fight this together as a family. I do not intend to release anything further at this time."

Toast to thebarman

Time has been called on the outstanding stayer Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) (Yamanin Vital {NZ}).

The 10-year-old won the G1 Sydney Cup and the G1 Auckland Cup and he competed in four G1 Melbourne Cups, finishing third in 2014.

Trained initially by Mark Oulaghan in New Zealand and then by Chris Waller in Sydney, Who Shot Thebarman will likely spend time at Living Legends in Melbourne before returning home to his owner’s property.

“We would like to announce The Barman has been retired from racing,” owners the O’Leary brothers said.

“It is yet to be finalised, but he might spend a year at Living Legends in Melbourne before coming back to New Zealand where he will enjoy his retirement in a five star grass paddock in the Rangitikei.”

“The family would like to thank all his followers for their support for the horse during his years of racing.

“One highlight, of which there were many, was winning the Sydney Cup at his sixth attempt.”

Time called on Group 1 winner

Top-flight winner Close Up (NZ) Shinko King {IRE}) has been retired.

“He’s feeling the wear and tear on his fetlock joints so we’ve decided to retire him,” co-breeder, part-owner and trainer Shelley Hale said.

“He had a trial at Matamata on Tuesday and I was happy enough with his run, but there was a bit of swelling afterward.

“It’s not as bad as we first thought, but we don’t want to risk racing him anymore.”

The 9-year-old won 10 of his 34 starts and was placed on a further 10 occasions and is a son of the prolific broodmare Regelle NZ) (Exploding Prospect {USA}), who has a 100 percent record at stud with her eight foals to race all successful.

Her progeny includes Close Up’s brothers and Group 2 winners Thumbs Up and Seventh Up and the Group 2 placed Sum Up.

Close Up has been a special horse for Hale and not only for his racing exploits.

She was hospitalised with cancer four years ago and during her time being treated for the illness she sent Close Up to Matamata trainer Mark Lupton, who enjoyed success with the talented sprinter-miler.

That success was the driving force behind Hale returning to training after she had recovered from the series of operations.

“He was a big motivating factor in me getting well and back training,” Hale said. “I’ll forever be grateful to him. I owe him so much.

“I never expected him to go to such heights that he did.”

Barn mates on collision course

Stablemates Destiny's Kiss (Power Of Destiny) and Tamarack NZ) (Tavistock) share a same end goal.

Trainer Joe Pride is aiming both horses at next month's Christmas Cup and while veteran Destiny's Kiss has his spot guaranteed, his younger cohort will have to earn his way there.

Destiny's Kiss will line up in Saturday's Listed ATC Cup at Rosehill, having enjoyed a brief freshen-up in the paddock since his placing in last month's City Tattersall's Cup at Randwick.

With 59kg and the prospect of a rain-affected track, Pride expects him to give another genuine account of himself.

“Once he's in below 60kg with a soft track he's always competitive,” he said. “The 2000 metres is probably a touch short, but he'll run well."

Tamarack will step out in the following event, the ATC Tipping Competition H. chasing back-to-back wins over the course and distance.

Pride would prefer a firm surface for the 5-year-old, who he said must all but win to progress to stakes company.

Aquis Active At Tatts

A daughter of Kingman (GB) (lot 704) selling for 370,000gns and eighteen lots topping 100,000gns were the highlights of the second day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

“She’s not for resale,” said Anthony Stroud with a grin, after the top lot was knocked down to the adjacent John Gosden for 370,000gns.

“She does trace back to a very good Wildenstein family,” Stroud said. “And Kingman has had a fantastic year. It was probably more than one wanted to spend but when you want one, sometimes you have to stretch for it.”

Consignor Bill Dwan added: "She is a queen, a beautiful filly. She has been very busy here - she was vetted nine times. We were obviously very hopeful, but that certainly exceeded expectations."

Aquis Farm's Shane McGrath purchased a colt by Acclamation (GB) for 130,000gns.

"He's a beauty by a gun sire with a huge hip and big action. his two-year-old half-brother has gone to Joseph O'Brien. Justin and I both thought he was a smashing colt. We will see where we stand after the spring as to whether we re-offer him or put him into training," said McGrath.

Explaining the decision to come to purchase at Tattersalls, McGrath added: "We have racehorses and stallion farms in differing locations, and it is all about expanding the horizons."

211 lots changed hands out of 263 offered, compared with 216 of 259 last year, for turnover of 9,142,000gns, barely down from 9,258,500gns last year. That brought the average right back to 43,327gns, up marginally on 42,863gns last year, albeit the median shrank to 30,000gns from 33,500gns. The clearance rate also recovered well from the opening day, at 80% just short of 83% in 2017.

2YO dazzles on debut

Whiskey Neat (Denman) produced a champagne performance at the first time of asking at Otaki on Friday.

The handsome Tony Pike-trained youngster is on a Karaka Million path and he banked NZ$14,060, likely enough to see him in his target race, with a ridiculously easy debut win in the Vets on Riverbank 2YO.

“He’s a lovely laid back type and a lovely looking horse,” Pike said.

“He’s showed plenty of ability at home and was pretty professional winning his last trial.”

Whiskey Neat carried that form over to race day when he jumped to the front and travelled oh so easily to the turn.

When rider Leith Innes slipped him a bit more rein in the straight he bolted clear with Innes afforded the luxury of an extended look over his shoulder on the way to a 10 and a-quarter length victory romp.

Whiskey Neat was purchased out of Koru Thoroughbreds’ Book 1 draft at Karaka earlier this year for NZ$220,000.

He is a son of the Viscount mare Ouija, who won four times and she is a half-sister to the G2 Sapphire S. winner Renaissance (Lonhro). It is also the family of the G1 Flight S. winner Unearthly (Quest For Fame {GB}).

Form fuels expectations

Rocket Fuel (Smart Missile) hasn’t missed a beat leading in to Saturday’s Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial at Ellerslie.

She is well-fancied to claim the event following her last-start second to subsequent G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Media Sensation (I Am Invincible) in the G3 Soliloquy S.

“She worked exceptionally on Tuesday morning on the course proper,” co-trainer Gavin Parker said.

“She cruised through it. We couldn't label her or anything, but we'd like to see her carry on the way she's going and we're confident she's in the right condition to be doing that.”

Safely through Saturday, Rocket Fuel could follow a path through the summer's 3-year-old fillies’ features, such as the G3 Eulogy S. at Awapuni and the G2 Eight Carat Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.