Arrowfield makes difficult call to withdraw from Easter Sale

Leading vendor Arrowfield Stud has pulled its draft of 60 yearlings out of the upcoming Inglis Eater Yearling Sale, a decision chairman John Messara described as extremely difficult.

The iconic Easter Sale has been forced to be conducted online because of federal government restrictions around the operation of auction houses, although it will now be offered in two parts, with a live sale scheduled to take place in early July.

However, the uncertainty around the online environment has led Arrowfield to the decision to privately sell the 60 select yearlings it had been preparing for Easter.

"It was a decision taken with lot of regret, because I know how hard Inglis has worked on getting the Sale up. There were matters beyond their control which caused it to convert to an online sale," Messara told TDN AusNZ.

"I have been telling management for a while that if it turned to online, I would have to review my position given the quality of the draft that Arrowfield has.

"It was a very hard decision to make but we felt we had to be in more control of our destiny here, particularly considering the circumstances that are facing us all."

Messara said private sale offered a great more deal of control for Arrowfield as a vendor, particularly when it came to arranging syndicates and partnerships.

"It wouldn't have worked for a draft like ours. We’ve got a lot of prized horses and we felt that it would be easier for us to handle these horses in these times by dealing direct with our customers."

Messara said the sales process would begin immediately for Arrowfield, but it wouldn't be actively pursuing buyers.

"We are not out there ringing around people trying to sell. We are receiving calls from our existing clients. We expect those calls in the next few days, but it doesn't really matter, we can take six months to do it if we like."

Easter Sale to take new format

Inglis contacted vendors on Thursday advising them they had the option of either selling through the Online Auction, named Round 1 and set to be staged from Sunday, April 5 until Wednesday, April 8, or alternatively in Round 2, a live auction to be staged at the Riverside Stables on July 5.

Round 1 will feature no horses at the Riverside Complex.

The bidding portal will be accessible through www.inglis.com.au from Sunday, April 5 at 10am, with each lot to sell sequentially in lot order from 10am Tuesday, April 7 completing on April 8.

"The majority of vendors have committed to providing quality videos and photos for the sale, as well as the standard submissions such as x-rays and video scopes which will be accessible by veterinarians in the online repository. A number of vendors have also committed to disclosing other necessary information and all vendors will be contactable in advance of and during the sale." Inglis said.

Inglis also acknowledged that it can not guarantee a live auction would be able to proceed in July and it would review its position to stage the sale from the end of April.

The choice to split the auction would give greater options for vendors and assist Inglis with arranging credit for buyers.

"It has been an understandable consequence of inspections not taking place at the Inglis Riverside complex that some vendors, particularly those not situated in the Hunter Valley, have had a limited number of pre-sale inspections. Easter Round 2 is available to those vendors who are concerned by their limited number of inspections," the Inglis email to vendors said.

At this stage, some vendors have relocated their drafts to more convenient locations.

Burke Bloodstock – Available for inspection at Dalama, Scone

Edinburgh Park – Available for inspection at Inglis Riverside till PM on Tuesday and then at Whispering Pines, Oakdale

Highgrove – Available for inspection at Newgate Farm

KBL Thoroughbreds – Available for inspection at Inglis Riverside till PM on Tuesday

Macquarie Stud – Available for inspection at Holbrook

Mill Park – Available for inspection at Sledmere

Tartan Fields – Available for inspection at Vinery

New Inglis sales schedule

As well as the changes to Easter Yearling Sale, a number of other changes have been made to Inglis' sales schedule:

Inglis Melbourne Gold Sale

This Sale has been re-scheduled to run as a live auction on Sunday, July 12 and Monday, July 13 at the Oaklands complex. The catalogue for this sale has been finalised, but supplementary entries will be accepted. The status of this sale will be subject to review by Inglis in consideration of any restrictions in place at the time. An initial review will take place on April 30.

Inglis Chairman’s Sale

Subject to further consultation with vendors, the intention is for this sale to proceed as a digital auction on Friday, May 8 using the existing Inglis Digital platform. Supplementary entries will remain open for this sale until Friday, April 24 and the sale will be subject to revised conditions.

Inglis Broodmare & Weanling Sale

This sale will now be split.

The Inglis Broodmare Sale to be run as a digital auction on Sunday, May 10. Supplementary entries will remain open for this sale until Friday, April 24 and the sale will be subject to revised conditions.

The Inglis Weanling Sale has been re-scheduled to run as a live auction on Wednesday, July 8 at the Riverside complex. Entries for this sale will re-open and be subject to revised conditions. Current entrants will be advised of details by email.

Inglis Scone Yearling Sale

This sale has been re-scheduled to run as a live auction on Sunday, July 26 at White Park. The status of this sale will be subject to review by Inglis in consideration of any restrictions in place at the time. An initial review will take place on April 30.

Inglis Great Southern Sale

This sale has been re-scheduled to run as a live auction on Tuesday, July 14 and Wednesday, July 15 at the Oaklands complex. Entry forms will be made available shortly.

Inglis R2R Sale

The intention is for this sale to proceed as scheduled on Tuesday, October 20 at the Riverside complex.

Zahra cleared, racing free to continue

Thoroughbred racing is free to resume across Australia on Friday after jockey Mark Zahra tested negative for COVID-19.

Zahra was identified as a contact for someone who later tested positive for the coronavirus, having shared a commercial flight with the person on March 12.

He was advised on Wednesday and after informing Racing Victoria, Wednesday's Sandown meeting and meetings set down for Kilmore and Pakenham on Thursday were abandoned.

Zahra had contact with several participants in NSW prompting the cancellation of Thursday's Hawkesbury meeting, as well as meetings in Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland.

But he received the news that he had tested negative on Thursday night and Victorian meetings at Warrnambool and Pakenham on Friday are free to proceed as well as other meetings around the nation.

Berry, Bowman in the clear

Leading Sydney jockeys Hugh Bowman and Tommy Berry have been cleared of contracting COVID-19, having shared a flight with Mark Zahra.

Last week, Zahra flew to Sydney on a private jet with Bowman and Berry and they were tested for exposure to the virus as a precaution.

Racing NSW released a statement saying tests had come back negative, clearing the pair.

“Racing NSW confirms that the two NSW industry participants that had travelled on a charter flight on 21 March 2020 with an interstate participant who may have been exposed to COVID-19, have both tested negative to COVID-19,” the release said.

“Racing NSW awaits the result of the tests performed on the interstate participant which are due today, before advising of the status of upcoming race meetings.”

Queensland Winter Carnival off, number of tracks reduced

Queensland has called off its Winter Carnival and will drop its amount of racetracks to 16 in a bid to continue racing through the COVID-19 crisis.

Racing Queensland confirmed its new racing program on Thursday, with feature races scrapped in May and June in order to set up a $9 million warchest to set up a hardship and sustainability fund.

Queensland racing will split into five zones where horses, trainers and jockeys have to stay and race in just one of those regions in order to limit movement.

The six major racetracks in south-east Queensland will make up two of the zones, with Doomben, Eagle Farm and Sunshine Coast forming a Metro North region and the Gold Coast, Ipswich and Toowoomba being categorised as Metro South-West.

There is a Central Queensland region which includes Rockhampton and Mackay, a Darling Downs and south east Coast, including Roma and Charleville, and Northern and North West including Townsville and Cairns.

“By taking this measure, it gives our participants a possible opportunity to race,” Racing Queensland chief executive Brendan Parnell said.

“This is the most responsible way to support the whole industry.

“Subject to how we are travelling and if we are still racing through May – and we hope to be – we will look to extend that until the advice changes. It’s the right call to abandon the carnival. We will redirect the prizemoney towards sustaining the industry.

“The impact to racing of a shutdown would be disastrous and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Queensland participants will need hardship support.”

Concerns over agistment capacity

Agistment farms are concerned that may not be able to accommodate an influx of thoroughbreds should racing be suspended for any length of time during the COVID-19 crisis.

Ross Hennessy from Monomeith Stud Farm in Victoria told Racing.com that he believed a bulk of horses would need to remain in training stables as there wasn't the room to accommodate all current racehorses in Victoria on spelling and agistment farms.

"The reality is, there wouldn't be enough spelling farms to take all the racehorses currently in work," Hennessy said.

"We're a big farm and we've got the capacity to take on a few extra horses if we double them up in paddocks but that is obviously something that you'd have to speak to the individual trainers about.

"Even if racing shuts down, you'd hope that the industry could continue training horses in some capacity because if it didn't, this could quickly snowball into another big problem.

"You just can't turn a racehorse on and off like a tap."

NZTR implores industry to adhere to strict protocols

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Chief Executive Bernard Saundry has urged all industry participants to adhere to government protocols, as the country enters a four-week lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.

“For just the second time in history New Zealand is in a State of Emergency,” Saundry said.

“This should be a clear indication that the government’s messages regarding the four-week lockdown need to be taken seriously. This is not a time for business as usual.

“Industry participants will be aware that this week, in view of the country moving to Level 4 on its COVID-19 alert system, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing made representation to MPI to allow for the care of our horses to continue during this time. These steps were taken purely for animal welfare purposes.”

Strict protocols are in place allowing horses to be fed, watered, generally cared for and, in the case of those horses confined to boxes or yards, to be exercised.

“Many of our trainers have sent their horses out to spell and sending their staff home to isolate with their own support units,” Saundry said. “I congratulate them on proactively taking this step.

“I will be very clear - training racehorses is not an essential business. The welfare of our animals, however, is and that does mean that in some cases those looking after them will be able to make application to MPI to allow them to continue to do so.”

What that specifically means is that light ridden exercise is only permitted if three requirements are satisfied:

- The trainer is unable to identify an agistment property within an hour’s drive that can take the horse

- The horse is boxed because there are no suitable yards or paddocks on the trainer’s facility and

- The stable lacks a horse walker or treadmill.

Even if those three conditions were met, no galloping or fast work is allowed.

Businesses with over five staff members (including the owner) are required to register with the Ministry for Primary Industries by 5pm NZDT on Friday.

NZB cancels May Sale

New Zealand Bloodstock has cancelled the 2020 Karaka May Sale, which was set to be held on Friday, May 15, due to the coronavirus crisis.

NZB undertook consultation with several vendors and buyers, with the overwhelming feedback being the sale should be cancelled and alternative options should be canvassed.

“Even though the lock-down period may finish in four weeks, it is highly likely that travel and public gathering restrictions will remain in place. We want to give our vendors and buyers some direction and clarity, thus we have made the call now,” Managing Director Andrew Seabrook said.

“Gavelhouse.com provides a great opportunity for those clients that still wish to offer their horses to the market. As recent results demonstrate, the success of the online sale keeps going from strength to strength.

“New Zealand Bloodstock is confident that its subsidiary will handle the overflow well.”

Harness Racing still on hold

Australian harness racing also remains on hold pending a test for COVID-19 undertaken on a New South Wales steward.

Meetings at Bankstown and Junee on Friday have been abandoned.

Latest from UK, Ireland and Europe

Courtesy TDN Europe

Irish Racing committed to fight COVID-19

Horse Racing Ireland Chairman Nicky Hartery admits the sport possibly faces its “greatest challenge” after the decision was taken to suspend racing until the middle of April. Ireland had been racing behind closed doors since March 13 as countries around the world battle to stop the spread of coronavirus.

However, on Tuesday the Irish Government announced it was cancelling all sports events, even those without spectators, until at least April 19–leaving the HRI board to assess the implications at a meeting on Wednesday.

Hartery said, “What is most important is that as a country we do all we can individually and collectively to fight the transmission of COVID-19 and focus on our health, ensuring that resources such as medical facilities and personnel are allocated where the need is most.

“We have consistently said that racing’s facilities are at the disposal of the Government. Yesterday [Tuesday], the HSE began preparations to use Cork Racecourse in Mallow as a much-needed testing centre for the virus–and the centre will be operational from tomorrow.

“Horse Racing Ireland will be working with the HSE and the Government to identify other elements of racing’s personnel and infrastructure that could be used in the co-ordinated reaction to the crisis.”

Doncaster stages virtual raceday

On what would have been its flat season opening Lincoln Day on Saturday, Doncaster will instead offer a virtual raceday, showing two past editions each of the Brocklesby, Doncaster Mile, Spring Mile and the Lincoln on its social media channels. The racecards for the event dubbed ‘The Flat Is Back – Virtually’ will be revealed 10 minutes before each race is shown. The event will also include a Best Dressed competition with a chance to win County Enclosure tickets.

Doncaster’s Head of Marketing Emma Rouse said, “I had a bit of an epiphany on Monday night. The Flat was supposed to be back on Saturday and we’d put so much work into it as a team and we’d had good advanced sales. We didn’t want to lose that totally, so we thought we’d celebrate racedays gone by.

“We’ve launched it with a post today, but an event will go out on Facebook with an animation explaining to people how they can get involved. [On Thursday] we will launch the Best Dressed competition with the hashtag horsebound–rather than housebound. Hopefully people will dress up and there is the opportunity to win tickets to a future raceday before the end of December 2021."

Fine money set to help French trainers

France Galop will redirect funds collected from fines to trainers as a means to help cushion the financial blow of lockdowns imposed by COVID-19, Jour de Galop reports.

The fund contains of €540,000 (AU $1 million), and if split evenly among all 381 eligible trainers each would receive €1,417 (AU $2627). France Galop, however, is giving trainers the opportunity to forego the aid to further assist those in need. Any trainer who foregoes the aid will have their share evenly divided among all others.

Latest from the USA

Courtesy TDN America

NYRA extends suspension to April 5

The New York Racing Association has officially suspended live racing at Aqueduct Racetrack through at least April 5 due to the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic in New York.

As a result, the G2 Wood Memorial S., previously slated for April 4 at Aqueduct, has been postponed to a date yet to be determined. A decision regarding the other April 4 stakes, including the G1 Carter H., will also be made at a later date.

“While this decision is necessary, NYRA is working hard to determine when we can return to racing while prioritizing the health and welfare of everyone involved in our operations,” said NYRA CEO and President Dave O’Rourke. “I would like to thank the trainers and backstretch community who are caring for the horses stabled at Belmont Park during this period of great uncertainty.”

On March 19, NYRA announced live racing at Aqueduct was suspended following the confirmation that a backstretch worker who lived and worked at Belmont Park tested positive for the coronavirus.

Turfway Park closed

Churchill Downs announced the closure of Turfway Park Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, citing the “Healthy at Home” Executive Order 2020-257 issued by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

With the Turfway racing season scheduled to run through Saturday, March 28, the remainder of the meet has been cancelled.

Turfway Park’s backside will remain open for training because it falls under the “life-sustaining business” category as it provides “food, shelter, and other necessities of life for animals.”

Breeding guidelines from Jockey Club

The challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic have led to new protocols for Thoroughbred breeding to minimize risk of infection among farm staff and related personnel charged with transporting and handling horses.

The Jockey Club recommends that all North American, Central American, and Caribbean Thoroughbred stud farm operations at a minimum follow guidelines from the Kentucky Department of Ag Guidelines for COVID-19: Breeding Shed Activity issued by E.S. “Rusty” Ford from the Office of the State Veterinarian, Kentucky Department of Agriculture.