Last chance for Humidor

Three-time Group 1 winner Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}) has been put on notice by trainer Lindsey Smith heading into Saturday’s G3 Strickland S. at Belmont.

The 7-year-old gelding hasn’t been living up to expectations for the dual-state conditioner, and if he fails to place this weekend a Victorian spring campaign is off the table.

“I have been riding him since I have been home and he has dropped a lot of weight,” Smith told RSN Radio. “A chap who looks at the horses for me thought he should have been at the Royal Show. I have trimmed him up, so hopefully he goes better that way.”

Humidor will jump from barrier six with Brad Parnham aboard and Smith said they will likely take a more reserved approach with his race tactics.

“He was up on the pace the other day and was very keen going to the gates and very keen in the race, so we have taken the blinkers off and will ride him a bit colder and see if we get a response.”

Potent partnership

Trainer David Vandyke and jockey Ryan Maloney have formed a formidable partnership and will combine for the first time with Baccarat Baby (Casino Prince) at Doomben on Saturday.

Vandyke has turned to Maloney in an attempt to get the mare back in winning form in the G3 TAB Sapphire S. after Michael Hellyer has ridden her in all but three of her 22 starts.

Maloney strikes at 40 per cent for Vandyke with Alligator Blood's G1 Australian Guineas victory a highlight of association.

Funding confirmed

The Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) has advised New Zealand racing codes of forecasted funding in 2020/21 of NZ$139.6 million, which is the same level as was budgeted for the 2019/20 season before the impacts of COVID-19. This is despite fewer thoroughbred and harness races planned for the upcoming season.

RITA Executive Chair Dean McKenzie said the business and the codes had responded swiftly to the impact of COVID-19 by taking decisive action to stabilise the industry and retain funding for next season at proposed 2019/20 levels.

"The changes made to the TAB's business, as well as the levers now passed into law through the passing of the Racing Industry Bill yesterday, will ensure the industry can start preparing for a new year of racing confident of positive stakes levels."

The funding estimate remains subject to confirmation of the 2020/21 Dates Calendar.

Day of Thunder

Darley’s up-and-coming sire Night Of Thunder (Ire) was represented by the leading juvenile at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale when his son sold for 575,000 gns (AU$1,098,250). With Jane Chapple-Hyam one of the early determined bidders, the bragging rights eventually went to Tom Biggs of Blandford Bloodstock, who played the winning shot in a game of ping-pong in the seats between himself and underbidder Mark McStay.

Johnny Collins, of Brown Island Stables, had made a splash with a colt by the same sire at the Craven Sale of 2019 when selling the subsequent dual winner Path Of Thunder (Ire) to Godolphin for 375,000 gns (AU$716,250). “After that I wanted to buy another Night Of Thunder, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to buy them in the future,” he said.

Last year’s Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale purchase proved to be well bought at £72,000 (AU$130,000), and the profit he turned on Thursday will doubtless go some way to shoring up an uncertain year of trade for the pinhooker.

Princely impact

There may have been one significant Prince Of Lir (Ire) colt missing from those originally consigned for the Tattersalls Ascot Breeze-up, but the Ballyhane Stud resident still made his presence felt as the sire of three of the top eight lots of the sale.

The G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) was withdrawn by Robson Aguiar and sold privately ahead of the delayed auction but that hold up has worked in other people’s favour. Heading the list of those who found themselves in the ring on Thursday was a colt from Knockanglass Stables out of the Listed-placed juvenile winner Harvest Joy (Ire) (Daggers Drawn), who sold for 92,000gns ($AU175,720) to Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock.

“He’s a lovely horse and we are delighted to have bought him,” said McStay, who was acting on behalf of a group of owners with Joe Parr, who is in his first season training in Newmarket.

Fans to attend Derby Day

The GI Kentucky Derby on September 5 will be held with a limited amount of spectators in the stands, it has been announced by Churchill Downs.

“We are happy to announce that we will conduct Derby week with fans,” Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery said. “It’s going to be a different experience. This is a different year.”

Churchill’s plans to conduct the day with fans were approved by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and state health officials. The Derby was moved from its traditional spot, the first Saturday in May, to September because of the coronavirus pandemic. Churchill is currently holding its spring-summer meeting with no fans allowed at the races.

What remains to be seen is exactly how many fans will be allowed into a facility that routinely attracts at least 150,000 for America’s favourite horse race. Flanery said there will be a reduced capacity, but added that it is too early to speculate just how many people will be allowed to attend.

Out in force

Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman have a host of horses ready to race and the stable will be well represented when racing returns in the South Island on Saturday on their home track.

The leading conditioners accepted with 27 horses, with four likely to be balloted and Michael Pitman is keen to see a number of the younger members of his team strut their stuff on race day.

“I think we should have been racing a couple of weeks ago,” Michael Pitman said. “We haven’t used the Rangiora trials and I’m not a huge fan of trialling horses. My preference is to go to the races and race for prizemoney.

“We can get them ready at home and there are jump-outs on the first Wednesday of every month that we use for education and we get barrier certificates off them.”