Tofane retired
Mike Moroney has confirmed that Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) has been officially retired after finishing 12th in Saturday’s G1 Memsie S. at Caulfield.
“She’s been such a great mare for our stable, but that’ll be it for her,” Moroney told Racing.com.
Tofane (NZ) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“She’s off to stud in the spring and really it was only a run-by-run sort of thing and unfortunately she just couldn’t fire today.
“But that can’t detract from what she’s done, she’s a super mare.”
Tofane, who was purchased by Yulong for $3.1 million at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, will be covered by the farm's resident Champion stallion Written Tycoon this upcoming breeding season.
Illation unlikely for Rupert Clarke
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are likely to map out a new path towards the Golden Eagle with Illation (So You Think {NZ}) after the boom entire finished last in Saturday’s G1 Memsie S.
The G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. had been touted as the 4-year-old’s second-up start, but Kent Jnr conceded it would be unlikely Illation takes his place in the 1400 metre Caulfield feature.
Desert Star dominates
The Peter Moody-trained debutant Desert Storm (Deep Field) made a mockery of his rivals when saluting by 3l at Moe on Sunday.
The 3-year-old gelding went home the better of Split Shot (Highland Reel {Ire}) and Jalpido (Supdio) in the 1117-metre maiden.
Ryan aiming up
Gerald Ryan has his sights set on a G1 Golden Rose run with talented colt Brosnan (Snitzel).
Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou, told Racenet that the flashy grey, who broke his maiden status in fine fashion at Flemington during the autumn, will resume on Saturday week in either the G3 Ming Dynasty S. or the G2 Run To The Rose.
Group 3 winner for Justify
Craig Bernick's twice-raced maiden Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify {USA}) went postward as an unconsidered 66-1 outsider for Saturday's G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF S. at the Curragh and pounced late to secure a first win of any kind.
“She ran well here [on Irish] Guineas weekend and we always knew she wanted further,” said winning trainer Fozzy Stack. “The ground was then lightning fast here on the Friday of [Irish] Derby weekend and she just didn't let herself down on it. We'll see whether we run her again [this year] or not.”
Aspen Grove is the fourth black-type winner for Justify, who will take a break from shuttling to Coolmore Australia this season.
Hoo Ya Mal snags career-high win at Goodwood
Acquired by connections for £1.2 million (AU$1.73 million) at Goffs' London Sale in June, former Andrew Balding-trained G1 Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) celebrated a first victory in six starts since annexing York's Convivial Maiden last term with an impressive tally for trainer George Boughey in Saturday's G3 William Hill March S.
The victory marks Hoo Ya Mal’s final European start before heading to Australia where he will be prepared by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott for a G1 Melbourne Cup tilt.
“The thing we learned was he was stepping up to 14 furlongs, which defies his pedigree,” George Boughey said.
“William (Buick) said he's a horse who doesn't feel like he'll stay, but then he does stay. He has that class edge and on ratings he was expected to win, but he didn't do a huge amount today. I just wanted to see him relax and hit the line.”
Epicenter takes Travers
Epicenter (USA) (Not This Time {USA}) won the prestigious GI Runhappy Travers S. in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 49,672, the largest since American Pharoah finished second in the 2015 renewal. It was the first win in the Saratoga feature for both his trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Joel Rosario.
As for winning his first Travers, Asmussen said, “It's really exciting at Saratoga, coming from a racing family. What Saratoga means to American racing, what the Travers means to Saratoga. I want to help paint the canoe. Saratoga is about tradition. Racing is about tradition. To have your name on that cup is very special.”
Providing his young sire Not This Time with his third Group 1 winner, Epicenter is the first colt to win at the highest level for the Taylor Made stallion and first to achieve the feat around two turns. He is also one of eight graded winners and 19 black-type scorers for his sire.
Malathaat impresses at Saratoga
Shadwell Stable's Malathaat (USA) (Curlin {USA}) had settled for second to re-opposing Clairiere (USA) (Curlin {USA}) in both the G1 Ogden Phipps S. and the G2 Shuvee S. July 24, but she got rolling in the Saratoga stretch on Saturday and post a half-length victory in the G1 Personal Ensign S.
“It was very, very nice to see her come back to prove how good a horse she really is,” said Johnny Velazquez, who on Thursday became the first rider to reach 1,000 Saratoga wins.
Todd Pletcher, who was celebrating his third Personal Ensign victory, said, “It's all about seeing her perform to her capabilities and with all due respect to the rest of the field, we always feel like when she shows up and runs her A-race, that she's the top 4-year-old filly in the country and I think she showed that today.
Jack Christopher dominates
While he lost nothing in defeat when trying two turns for the first time in the G1 Haskell Invitational S. the Jack Christopher (USA) (Munnings {USA}) everyone is accustomed to was back at Saratoga, charging home a decisive winner of the G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S.
“Exiting the Haskell, that was going to be our plan if he didn't win and cut him back to this prestigious race here,” winning trainer Chad Brown said. “I'm just so proud of the horse. He's been a very consistent horse. He's never disappointed us in a workout or a race. Jose [Ortiz] rode another fantastic race on him. He broke sharp and used good judgment to rate him just a touch. Every pole, he was in control of the race."
Jack Christopher is one of five Group 1 winners for Coolmore's Munnings, and he will stand alongside his sire at Ashford Stud when he retires from racing.
Sixth seasonal winner for Hellbent
Young Yarrman Park stallion Hellbent recorded his sixth winner of the season by the way of Quicken Up’s first-up success at Devonport on Sunday.
Vorster awarded John Letts Medal
Barend Vorster capped off an outstanding season by claiming his first John Letts Medal at the Racing SA Industry Awards on Saturday night.
The South African hoop collected the prestigious award with 66 points to narrowly beat out Kayla Crowther who registered 62.
The winner is decided by a scaled voting system that allocates points to jockeys who produce the best performances at each metropolitan, provincial and country meeting in South Australia.
Tarzino unlikely for Sharrock trio
Despite solid performances in the G2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa on Saturday, trainer Allan Sharrock’s trio of Butler (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}), Darci La Bella (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and Tavi Mac (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) are unlikely to head to Hastings next month.
The Taranaki gallopers hold nominations for the G1 Tarzino Trophy on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival, but their trainer believes they are better placed elsewhere.
With the Tarzino Trophy now out of the equation, Darci La Bella is likely to contest the G3 Taranaki Breeders’ S. at Hawera on October 8, while a trip to Rotorua to target the G3 Sweynesse S. at Arawa Park is in the offing for Butler and Tavi Mac.
