Benbatl introduced at $22,000
Benbatl will stand for an introductory fee of $22,000 inc GST at Woodside Park this season. The son of Dubawi stands the Northern Hemisphere season at Big Red Farm in Japan.
Shalaa's fee has been reduced to $19,800 (inc GST), while Rich Enuff will command a fee of $13,200 (inc GST). Foxwedge $9,900 (inc GST), Vancouver $9,900 (inc GST) and Delaware (inc GST) $7,700 round out the roster for the 2024 breeding season.
NZ Hall of Fame trainer Dave O’Sullivan dies
New Zealand Racing Hall Of Fame trainer Dave O’Sullivan has died aged 91. He trained the winners of over 1900 races in New Zealand and Australia, as well as the G1 Japan Cup with Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs {GB}) in world record time of 2:22 for 2400 metres, a record she held until 2005.
“I think that was Dad’s greatest moment and for Paul and I too,” Lance O’Sullivan told the NZ Herald. “To go to Japan and overcome all those challenges and beat world-class horses in a world-record time, that is pretty hard to top.”
“He was a very deep thinker, very considered in how he did things and how he trained.”
As a jockey, O’Sullivan won rode 125 winners before embarking on a training career in 1961. He won his first NZ Trainers Premiership in 1978-79 when training solo and a further 10 when in partnership with son Paul and the pair won every Group 1 race in New Zealand, as well as several in Australia.
Racing Victoria CEO resigns
Racing Victoria CEO Andrew Jones has resigned as of Friday and current COO and CFO Aaron Morrison will serve as interim CEO. “Having served under two Chairmen, my resignation makes way for the new Chair and Board to select a new CEO to take Racing Victoria forward into the future,” Jones told Racing.com.
“I came to the role with a clear view on the challenges facing the industry, and I leave knowing I left nothing on the table.
Andrew Jones | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
“I thank my team at RV for their enormous efforts over the past two years which include the delivery of more than $2b in future funding for racing, an improved schedule, a dedicated media business to grow the sport, world class equine welfare policies, increased support for jockeys and trainers, and the first significant club merger in decades.
“Growing the fanbase of this fantastic sport remains the number one challenge to secure its future sustainability, and I wish Racing Victoria every success under its new leadership.”
Element Hill Stud for sale
Queensland's Element Hill Stud, consisting of the 64-hectare main property and the neighbouring Hutchins family owned 186-hectare Allawah farm at Innisplain are being offered through Donovan & Co and Magic Millions.
A written expression of interest process closes at 3pm on Friday, June 7. Element Hill will disperse 14 weanlings and 28 broodmares, race fillies and yearlings, including a Wootton Bassett (Fr) half-sister to Element Hill bred Golden Sixty, unreserved at the Magic Millions National Sale on the Gold Coast late next month.
Oaks favourite has long family history
Twin Hills Stud owner Olly Tait is excited about the chances of G1 Australasian Oaks favourite Wings Of Song (Mendelssohn {USA}). Tait continues the 40-year legacy built by his grandparents, his father Sandy Tait and his aunt Jill Nivison.
“It's hugely exciting. To come from a Benchmark race at Benalla through to being the favourite in the Group 1, it's been a really exciting few months,” Tait told Racing.com.
“Breeding horses is a long road and when they're bred like she is out of that mare, you're always hopeful that they can reach lofty heights. My grandparents raced Whisked and she won the Thousand Guineas for them. She was a phenomenally good filly as a 2-year-old and 3-year-old on the racetrack and then a terrific broodmare at stud. Apart from Tie The Knot, she had a couple of other Stakes winners and Tortoni was actually her last foal and she died giving birth to her.
“Tortoni has got a terribly swayed back - she looks like Tulloch - so she went into training locally with Tim Donnelly and, while she showed some talent, she was only a winner at Wagga. But she's gone on to be a terrific broodmare - Cafe Tortoni, Cherry Tortoni, Jenny Jerome and Wings Of Song are all very handy horses.” Wings Of Song has won her last six races in succession.
Coco Sun improving ahead of Oaks
Co-trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy have 3-year-old filly Coco Sun (The Autumn Sun) in prime condition for Saturday’s G1 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville. “She's going in (to the race) as good as she can be,” Calvin McEvoy told Racenet.com.au.
"We've drawn a lovely barrier (four), Jamie Kah is on board, I think the step up to 2000m is exactly what she's now looking for. She was always a very mature filly, and physically she'll look outstanding in the yard.”
A Listed winner at two, Coco Sun has won her last two runs in succession and has a record of four wins from nine starts with earnings over $190,000.
Gold Coast track loses G2 Hollindale meeting
Racing Queensland and the Gold Coast Turf Club have advised that the up-coming TAB G2 Hollindale Stakes Raceday on May 11 will be transferred to the Sunshine Coast. “We’re obviously disappointed in losing our second biggest raceday on the calendar,” GCTC CEO Steve Lines told Racingqueensland.com.au.
“However, having successfully worked hand-in-glove with the Sunshine Coast Turf Club last year, we’re confident that another highly successful Hollindale Stakes can be run at Corbould Park.
Sunshine Coast Turf Club | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
“We will reassess the course proper in a fortnight’s time mindful of the first ever Night Racing meeting on May 24 but given the significant investment that has been made on the course proper redevelopment, we will continue to do what is best for it in the long term.”
Toronado filly set for Showdown
Trainer Simon Zahra hopes 2-year-old filly Toroness (Toronado {Ire}) can kick a goal for the ownership group, which includes Sydney AFL player Tom Papley, in Saturday’s $1million Showdown.
“She's a natural-running filly and hopefully she will jump a bit better and be a touch closer,” Zahra told Racing.com. “She hit the line well and she would have learnt a lot. It's been her target throughout her preparation.”
Toroness has had two starts for a fifth in the Listed Furphy S on debut before a third last start behind Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau).
Angel Capital bolts in at Cranbourne
Trainer Clinton McDonald unearthed impressive debutant winner 2-year-old colt Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}) in the first race at Friday’s Cranbourne night meeting. The colt won by 2.25l from 2-year-old filly Dreamwriter (Written Tycoon) and 2-year-old filly Heinous (Brutal {NZ}).
Angel Capital as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“We've been very excited by this horse...we are thinking of taking him up to Queensland for the JJ Atkins,” McDonald said.
Angel Capital is from the second crop of Harry Angel, whose 12 stakes winners are led by Group 1 winner Tom Kitten, and is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Senor Toba (Toronado {Ire}).
Tassort juvenile wins Romantic Dream at Tamworth on debut
Friday’s Tamworth meeting unveiled an exciting 2-year-old with Zampano (Tassort) winning the Romantic Dream 2YO Plate by 1.5l for trainer Melissa Dennett.
Not offered at auction, the gelding is the sixth first crop winner for Tassort whose progeny are led by G1 Sires’ Produce S winner Manaal.
Three wins for jockey Morgan at Tamworth
Jockey Ashley Morgan won the Tamworth Cup on Friday aboard 4-year-old gelding Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) as a highlight on a day where he rode three winners.
His other winners were the 2-year-old gelding Zampano (Tassort) and 3-year-old gelding Rock ‘n’ Reign (Fastnet Rock). Both Zampano and Rock ‘n’ Reign were on debut, while Gringotts took his record to six wins from 12 starts with earnings over $490,000. He was sold by Archer Park at the NZB National Yearling Sale for NZ$100,000 to Kasa Bloodstock, and put through the NZB Ready To Run Sale but passed in.
Seascape chasing second win
Trainer Michael Freedman’s blue blooded 2-year-old filly Seascape (I Am Invincible) will chase her second win from as many starts at Rosehill on Saturday. “She surprised me a little bit. I was happy with her trials going into it, but I didn’t expect her to perform like she did,” Freedman told Racingnsw.com.au of her debut win.
Seascape
“We’ve had to take our time with her because she is a big, rangy type of filly. … then we’d have a look at the fillies’ race at Scone, the Woodlands Stakes, as a possibility. The week after that in Brisbane there is the Carter Stakes for fillies over 1100. We’re just pondering which way to go with her.”
Queensland Oaks winner resumes at Rosehill
Group 1 winner Amokura (Kermadec {NZ}) will likely have a short autumn/winter campaign beginning at Rosehill on Saturday. “She’s had a long slow build up for the preparation and seems to be coming up well,” trainer Kris Lees told Racingnsw.com.au.
“She hasn’t always had the best feet but we were always going to give her a light spring then decide where we went so we just gave her a bit longer. She’ll probably have a couple of runs in Brisbane then back off for the spring.”
Amokura won the 2023 G1 Queensland Oaks and has a record of three wins from eight starts and earnings over $490,000.
Zac Lloyd’s brother arrives home from Singapore
Jaden Lloyd will join the Sydney jockey ranks after returning from Singapore. “I’ve just got back from Singapore and I thought I’d try and give Sydney a crack,” Lloyd, who is the older brother of Champion apprentice Zac Lloyd, told Racingnsw.com.au.
“I enjoyed my time there and it’s all shutting down so it was a good time to come back. It’s obviously going to be very hard but I’m looking forward to the challenge and trying to get going as best I can and hopefully get a bit of luck.”
On Saturday at Rosehill, Lloyd rides Wolves (Wolf Cry) for Benjamin Smith, Olympic Gaze (Olympic Glory {Ire}) for Paul Perry and Eastern Glow (Your Song) for Keith Dryden.
Local jockey aims for second G1 Sangster
Todd Pannell will try and win his second G1 Robert Sangster S at Morphettville on Saturday aboard Snapped (Not A Single Doubt). “The race has been good to me and nice to get another ride in the race,” Pannell told Racingsa.com.au.
Todd Pannell | Image courtesy of Racing SA
“It’s all going to be down to who gets the right run and the right amount of luck. With the rail back in the true the track should race fair, I think it will all be pace related.” Snapped has won five of her 14 starts including a Listed win two starts ago.
Unbeaten juvenile aimed at second Listed race
Trainer Graeme Rogerson has set his unbeaten 2-year-old gelding Domain Ace (NZ) (Swiss Ace) at his second black-type win in a row in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO S. next weekend at Te Rapa. “I’m looking forward to running Domain Ace in the stakes race there next weekend,” Rogerson told Loveracing.nz.
“He’s quite an exciting horse, I really like him.” Rogerson will run another 2-year-old at this Saturday’s meeting on the same track; Zorro’s Revenge (NZ) (Ferrando {NZ}) is from the first crop of Rogerson trained Ferrando who was a Listed winner and Group 1-placed.
Massive Sovereign will only get better, says trainer
Trainer Dennis Yip has sent out a warning to the rivals of Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) in Sunday’s G1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin. “My horse is just at the start and l’m excited with this race. I think he will show you something. I think soft ground will be no problem for him,” Yip told racingnews.hkjc.com.
Winner of two of his five starts in Ireland, Massive Sovereign is unbeaten in two starts in Hong Kong including a last start win in the Listed Hong Kong Derby.
Lizzie Jelfs to ride in Magnolia Cup
The lineup of a dozen women riders for the 2024 Markel Magnolia Cup was revealed by Goodwood Racecourse on Thursday, including Australia’s Lizzie Jelfs.
Lizzie Jelfs | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Set for the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Thursday, Aug. 1, the 13th edition of the race is over 5 and a half furlongs up the Goodwood straight. Over £2.4 million (AU$4.5million) has been raised for charitable causes by the initiative since it began.
Major French owner moves horses to new stable
Group 1 winner Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and 12 other Yeguada Centurion horses have transferred to the stable of Maurizio Guarnieri as of Thursday evening, Jour de Galop reported.
“I was notified Thursday morning of the departure of the horses for Maurizio Guarnieri's stable, with transport planned for the evening,” said former trainer Christopher Head. “I savored every minute spent with the Yeguada Centurion horses. I [will] only have good memories of this valuable experience for the rest of my training career.”
O'Brien's Porta Fortuna on Classic pathway
Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio), a top juvenile in 2023 whose victories include the G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S., will return to the spotlight for the G1 Qipco 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday, May 5 for trainer Donnacha O'Brien. O’Brien is a former Champion Jockey who is in his fifth year of training and already has four Group 1 wins.
“Porta Fortuna has strengthened up very well over the winter. She was always quite a long filly, not very tall, so we think she has grown a little bit. She has filled into her frame and strengthened up behind the saddle. I think she's more mature mentally as well, so we're very happy with her.”
