Moody returns a winner

Champion trainer Peter Moody has returned from a four-year break with a winner with his first runner.

Moody, who took an extended break from training having received a six month suspension from Racing Victoria over a cobalt positive, saddled up Shepard (GB) (See The Moon {Ger}) at Ballarat on Sunday and the 4-year-old saluted with ease by 2.75l.

Jockey Luke Nolen, who built a famous partnership with Moody highlighted by the unbeaten sprinting queen Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), was on board Shepard, who was purchased by Moody from the December Tattersalls Foal Sale in 2016.

“It was pretty comfortable, it’s nice to see them go at a nice gallop,” Moody said after the race.

“He’s a lightly (raced) staying horse, a nice gallop puts them in the right zone and he did the rest.

“Much thanks to my great mate Dave Brideoake… the Brideoakes have done a tremendous job, they’ve looked after this horse very well his whole career.”

Moody was also rapt to have had Nolen on board.

“It was nice to have Luke there today and do the job for us, he’s been a big part of my career and if he keeps riding them like that he’ll be a bigger part going forward,” he said.

French racing to resume

French President Emmanuel Macron has greenlit the May 11 resumption of racing in France behind closed doors, France Galop and LeTROT jointly announced Saturday morning.

France Galop, LeTROT and the National Federation of horse racing received the government authorities definitive approval for the resumption of racing in France from May 11, in accordance with the program established by the racing authorities.

The news came after France Galop and Le TROT had spent Friday negotiating with the government, releasing a joint press release late Friday evening. There had been rumors of a challenge to the French government’s decision to allow racing to go ahead from an unnamed quarter on Friday.

The decision was welcomed by racing authorities. Thanking President Macron, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Ministers Didier Guillaume and Gerald Darmanin, France Galop President Edouard de Rothschild tweeted on Saturday morning, “This was a race I wanted to win more than any other. The return to racing has been accepted. Now, let us show them that they were right!”

Paris had been declared a “red zone” during the coronavirus lockdown in France. Three tracks are running on Monday–ParisLongchamp, Compiegne and Toulouse, with the first two located in the Paris “red zone”. ParisLongchamp plays host to four Group races, as well.

Group 1 winner for Real Impact

G1 George Ryder S. winner Real Impact (Jpn) has become the first son of Deep impact (Jpn) to sire a Group 1 winner in his own right with the victory of Lauda Sion (Jpn) in the NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo.

Real Impact, who shuttled to Arrowfield Stud for three seasons, and whose oldest Australian progeny are two, got a huge boost to his credentials in the Japanese stallion market with Lauda Sion's victory.

Bred by Shunsuke Yoshida and raced by Silk Racing, Lauda Sion is trained Takashi Saito and was ridden by Mirco Demuro.

Real Impact, a winner of the G1 Yasuda Kinen, won the 2015 George Ryder S., and was then runner-up in the G1 Doncaster Mile.

Spring targets for Dalasan

Co-trainer Leon Macdonald has further Group 1 targets in the spring for his star 3-year-old Dalasan (Dalakhani {Ire}) after his brave second in the G1 South Australian Derby.

Dalasan will be spelled and Macdonald wants to have him ready to go early in the spring.

“Looking ahead to the spring he’ll kick off in Adelaide with a run in either the Spring S. or the Penny Edition, possibly even both," he told Racing.com.

“At this stage the first big race we have penciled in is the G1 Makybe Diva S. at Flemington on September 12. It’s been a good race for us previously winning it with Umrum (1998) and Southern Speed (2012).

“Beyond the Makybe Diva if all is going well certainly the Cox Plate and/or Caulfield Cup would be high on our agenda.”

Fourth winner for Headwater

Vinery's Headwater marked his fourth winner as a stallion thanks to the Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained Maya Bay at Toowoomba.

Having his first start, the colt led throughout to win defeating Dragon Miss (Hidden Dragon) by 0.75l with Count The Coin (Spirit Of Boom) in third.

Maya Bay made $12,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale before Pinhook Bloodstock (FBAA)/Tony Sears Racing paid $55,000 for him at the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale in October.

Headwater becomes the seventh first-season sire to notch four winners this season and is sixth overall in the Champion First Season Sires Table.

Allen suspended for Derby winning ride

Group 1-winning jockey John Allen has been suspended for his ride on winner Russian Camelot (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in Saturday’s G1 South Australian Derby.

Allen was charged with careless riding on the 3-year-old early in the race and while he will be able to compete in next week's G1 Goodwood, will be then suspended until May 27.

Because under coronavirus protocols Allen will have to serve out a two-week quarantine on returning to Victoria after The Goodwood the suspension won't actually cost him any rides.

Hawtin ready for full-time licence

Brendon Hawtin is set to apply for his full-time training licence in Australia having arrived eight months ago.

Hawtin took up the position of assistant trainer to expat New Zealanders Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young at Cranbourne in September last year, while preparing one horse, Simply Optimistic (Encosta De Lago).

“I’m currently still on my visiting trainer’s licence but I’m going to hand in the paperwork to apply for my full licence in the next couple of days,” Hawtin said.

“It has just been terrific over here so far with the horses going so well and with my new licence I will be able to take over a few more in my own right.

“Things have fallen into place really well since I’ve been here so I’m hoping we can keep up that momentum.”

WA apprentice under scrutiny

Western Australian apprentice Chris Graham is at the centre of a stewards inquiry into his ride on Pushin’ Shapes (Viscount) at Ascot on Saturday.

Graham was questioned after Pushin' Shapes settled last and passed just a few rivals in the straight to finish seventh, beaten 3.12l in 1600 metre race.

It was noted in the stewards’ report that Pushin’ Shapes pulled up with an elevated heart rate took evidence from Graham and from co-trainer Daniel Pearce.

The inquiry was adjourned to a time to be determined.

Japan's Victoria Mile joins Breeders Cup Series

Officials at Breeders’ Cup Limited and the Japan Racing Association have announced that the $2.1-million G1 Victoria Mile, to be held next Sunday, May 17, at Tokyo Racecourse, has been added to the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Challenge series and will offer the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland November 7.

A total of 19 horses have been nominated to the 1600-meter event, led by 2018 Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who is scheduled to make her 5-year-old debut and will face female-restricted company for the first time since winning the G1 Shuka Sho in October 2018.

Almond Eye’s planned reappearance in the G1 Dubai Turf was snuffed out when the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Normcore (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who defeated Primo Scene (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in last year’s race, are also set to do battle, as is the once-beaten Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who validated favouritism in last year’s G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks).

The Victoria Mile is the second of four races through which Japanese-based horses can earn Breeders’ Cup berths. Mozu Ascot (USA) (Frankel {GB}) qualified for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic with his victory in the G1 February S., while the June 7 G1 Yasuda Kinen (G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile) and June 28 G1 Takarazuka Kinen (G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf) remain on the schedule. The Victoria Mile replaces the G1 Sprinters’ S. on the Breeders’ Cup Challenge calendar.