Racing gets green light in Victoria

Racing has received the green light to continue in Victoria by the state government.

Victoria has introduced a range of further restrictions as it battles to contain an outbreak of COVID-19, with much of Melbourne shut down until September 13.

But in a range of announcements on Monday, racing has received approval to continue, with the likelihood of further safety protocols introduced on some race courses.

Premier Daniel Andrews said animal welfare played a key part in his Government's decision to keep racing.

"It continues because obviously it's a very-low risk activity, there are changes though, there will be no owners, there will be no media, there will be only the broadcaster and direct participants involved in that activity," Andrews said.

"There are some significant animal welfare issues if you were to try to turn that industry off, those animals out of training, there are some significant animal welfare issues there.

"It's a compromise, I am sure some in that industry won't be pleased, it has been scaled back further but we think we have struck the right balance there."

With the Spring Carnival on the horizon, a shut down of racing would be disastrous for the industry in the state.

Diamond winner sparkles in jump-out

Co-trainer Trent Busuttin was happy with how G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) got through his first serious hitout of the spring in a Cranbourne jump-out.

Ridden by Michael Walker, the colt finished right in the finish of the jump-out, showing he is forward and ready to go.

“He did what we expected him to do,” Busuttin, who trains with Natalie Young, told Racenet.

“There weren’t any stars in the jump-out but that’s where’s he at right now. He did everything he had to do.

“He is very relaxed. At some stage during the campaign he’ll find himself with a set of blinkers on and he’ll trial over 1000 metres in two weeks with them on and we’ll ask him to have a blowout.”

Yulong bought into Tagaloa in February, securing his stud future. He was last seen when fourth in the G1 Golden Slipper S.

He will target the G1 Golden Rose and the G1 Caulfield Guineas this spring.

Tabcorp profits hit by COVID-19

Wagering giant Tabcorp is expecting a 32 per cent drop in its net profit in the 2019/20 financial year, due to the impacts of COVID-19.

Tabcorp advised the ASX on Monday that it expected its net profit to fall to between $267 million and $273 million, well short of last year’s $396 million, with earnings down from $1.124 billion to around $1 billion.

Tabcorp told the ASX that markdown would not affect the company’s day-to-day trading but the assessment was made on four key factors.

They are:

-the direct impact of the Government and other measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic on business operations

-the possible acceleration of retail contraction and uncertainty regarding any longer term impacts as an indirect result of the pandemic.

-the level of competitive intensity and structural changes in the wagering and media business, particularly in a digitalcentric market

-the potential decline in customer confidence and increased economic uncertainty.

“COVID-19 has materially impacted our wagering and media and gaming services businesses,” outgoing Tabcorp Chief Executive David Attenborough said on Monday.

“We are facing into a challenging and uncertain environment, and the current operating conditions and those expected into the future are relevant factors in assessing the value of the goodwill in those businesses at this time.”

ATC confirms schedule

The Australian Turf Club schedule for the 2020/21 season has been confirmed with an increase in twilight meetings.

There will be a total 110 metropolitan fixtures to be held across Sydney's four city racecourses and supporting provincial venues in the season with an increase of five twilight meetings with Rosehill set to host its first on November 20 this year.

There will be 10 night race meetings at Canterbury, including a New Year's Day meeting.

Sydney's Spring Carnival will go ahead as planned, while the Autumn Carnival will begin on March 13 and finish up on Saturday, April 17.

Snowden pair head south

The Peter and Paul Snowden trained pair, Hightail (Written Tycoon) and Signore Fox (Exceed And Excel), will head to Victoria to campaign despite current restrictions preventing their return to New South Wales.

The duo is nominated for Saturday's G3 Aurie's Star S. at Flemington and Peter Snowden told Racing.com, he is not concerned by the fact that they will be effectively be on a one-way ticket.

"If they don't go down this week, they will go down next week. There's another Listed race next week," Snowden said.

"It (the ban) doesn't worry us as we've got staff down there, it's no drama. There's races there for the next four weeks for them."

Filly wins J-Mac's heart

Sydney's premier jockey James McDonald has a host of big spring rides but has confirmed that he is most excited about the potential of the Frankel (GB) filly Hungry Heart.

Hungry Heart has won one race, the G2 Sweet Embrace S. but the potential of the Chris Waller-trained filly excites her jockey.

"She is pretty special I think. Hopefully, she has furnished as we thought she might between that little break between her two and 3-year-old season," he said.

"She had the big frame and what she was doing at two was just a bonus really."

Ocean Park fully booked

Waikato Stud has confirmed that Ocean Park's (NZ) book for the 2020 season is full.

Ocean Park served 153 mares in 2019 and had been available for a service fee of $20,000 (ex GST) for the upcoming breeding season.

Ocean Park's 2019/20 season featured 171 winners in New Zealand and Australia and he won the Dewar Award for champion New Zealand-based sire by total progeny earnings between New Zealand and Australia.

That was highlighted by Kolding (NZ), who won both the G1 Epsom H. and the Golden Eagle.

Prizemoney boost at Ellerslie

Auckland Racing Club will inject NZ$1 million of its own funds into prizemoney for this season.

ARC Chief Executive Paul Wilcox said the club was rapt to top-up prizemoney for the current racing season, raising minimum stakes money in uncertain times.

"First and foremost, we are a racing club and everything we do is with an eye on maximising our returns to stakeholders," Wilcox said.

"While we have topped-up stakes to around this level for the past three seasons, I am thrilled that we have been able to achieve this again for the 2020/21 season, particularly after the difficulties the last few months have posed for us all.

"I seriously cannot wait to get this new season off and racing at Ellerslie and am delighted that our club has been able to once again make this commitment to industry participants."

Hillis pays tribute to Emma Evans

Tributes have continued to flow for prominent New Zealand owner-breeder Emma Evans, who passed away over the weekend.

Long-time trainer Wayne Hillis were among those to pay tribute to Evans.

“Gary Jenkins was training for Emma at the time and I knew Emma way back from the days when we were living up in Takanini,” Hillis said.

“When Gary retired from training we had shifted to Matamata and started pre-training for Emma. Dezigna was one of the first we had for her and when he was ready to go into a stable Emma asked if we could keep training him and that’s how it all started.

“That was 20 years ago and over the years we must have had more than 50 wins for Emma.”

Dezigna (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) won the 2008 G1 Captain Cook S. at Trentham to become Evans' first Group 1 winner, having bred him from her blue hen Label Basher (NZ) (Conquistarose {USA}).

“Emma kept almost all of them,” Hillis said. “She never sold a filly from the family so nobody else can carry on that line.

“She loved racing her horses, but she didn’t like making speeches. She’d rather keep in the background.”

Vale Antoine Bozo

Antoine Bozo, who formerly managed Haras du Mezeray for almost 30 years, passed away on Saturday night, his son Henri announced via Twitter on Sunday morning. He was 83.

“Our dear father Antoine Bozo passed away last night,” Haras de Mezeray’s Bozo tweeted on Sunday morning. “He had a beautiful life. He loved his family. He loved horses and horseracing and made many friends during his beautiful career.”

Prior to working at Mezeray, Bozo was part of the team at Haras du Bois Roussel for Count Gerald Moulins de Rochefort. Eventually, Bozo moved again, this time to Haras de Mortree.

In 1975, at the behest of Paul de Moussac, Bozo began his stint at Haras du Mezeray. During Bozo’s tenure at the Normandy stud, 1987 G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Trempolino (USA) (Sharpen Up {GB}) was foaled. The future Mezeray sire was followed by Subotica (Fr) (Pampabird {GB}), who landed the 1992 Arc. Other notable horses originating from Mezeray during this time period were 1988 G1 Arlington Million hero Mill Native (USA) (Exclusive Native {USA}) and in the 2000’s, sire and G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile victor Artie Schiller (USA).

Bozo is survived by his wife, Claire, and four children-Henri, Ghislain, Pierre-Antoine, and Anne-France.

Threat heads Tattersalls August Sale

Threat (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) is the highest-rated horse at 112 in the 774-strong inaugural Tattersalls August Sale catalogue, which was released on Sunday.

Consigned by Richard Hannon’s East Everleigh Stables for Cheveley Park Stud as Lot 469, the chestnut is one of 541 colts and geldings in and out of training set to go under the hammer from August 24-26.

There are also 214 fillies in and out of training, as well as 19 broodmares set to sell in Newmarket. A winner of the G2 Gimcrack S. and the G2 Champagne S. as a juvenile, Threat is out of a daughter of European highweight Shiva (Jpn) (Hector Protector {USA}) and is from the same family as European champion Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Originating as a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Sale is very similar in format to the Tattersalls July Sale, and features full drafts from Ballydoyle Stables, Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms, Rabbah Bloodstock, Shadwell Stud, The Castlebridge Consignment and Jamie Railton among many others.

“The COVID related circumstances surrounding the decision to introduce a Tattersalls August Sale are well documented and we have been hugely encouraged by both the quality and quantity of entries,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony.

“Originally pencilled in for two days, we have extended the Sale to three days to accommodate the number of entries and the catalogue has the strength and depth that will appeal to a wide cross-section of buyers, both domestic and further afield. Despite the current challenges, our recent July Sale achieved a phenomenal 96 per cent clearance rate which demonstrates the enduring appeal of sales of this nature at Tattersalls, and we have already received extremely positive feedback from our myriad of overseas markets.”