Not that we're short of stakes racing at the moment, but thoroughbred fans will still enjoy a midweek Black Type race double on Wednesday. It's a precursor to a thumping weekend ahead that includes the Golden Eagle, Victoria Derby Day and the Breeders' Cup from california, across two days. And, that's before we get to Melbourne Cup Day, Oaks Day and Champions Day. The first of the two stakes events on Wednesday is the Gr2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial over 1400m at Te Aroha. The race has been squeezed into the card due to twice being postponed as a result of abandoned meetings in New Zealand. Race time on Australia's east coast is 11.21am, with the powerful Te Akau stable seeming to hold the key. Written Tycoon's 3YO daughter Captured by Love is short enough at $1.75, followed in the market by the Pam Gerard-trained Savaglee (Savabeel) at $5.00. Sought After (Tivaci) and So Naive (US Navy Flag) are the only other two at single figure quotes. Meanwhile, one of the best provincial racetracks in Australia, Apiam Bendigo, hosts a lucrative Group race north-west of Melbourne in what has recently been voted one of the most livable small cities in the country. Carrying a $500,000 purse, the Gr3 Apiam Bendigo Cup (2400m) carries the name of the Club's naming rights sponsor Apiam Animal Health which is a leading veterinary services company with a national footprint in Australia. As a major sponsor of blacktyperacing.au's website, we'd like to acknowledge APIAM ANIMAL HEALTH'S valuable support which allows us to maintain the Australian Black Type Premiership for the industry's benefit. At $5.00 each, any one of Berkeley Square (Territories), Sea King (Sea The Stars) and Whiskey On The Hill (Ribchester) can take the major prize in what is a strong field befitting the race's Group 3 status.
Apiam is the primary sponsor of Bendigo Raceclub
Ascoli Piceno a Worthy Golden Eagle Favourite
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
Just how good is Golden Eagle favourite Ascoli Piceno? It is the burning question ahead of Saturday's $10 million feature for 4YO's at Rosehill Gardens and the Japanese visitor's jockey Joao Moreira knows her talent as well as anyone, reports racingnsw.com.au. They often say you do not know how good a horse is until they are beaten and Moreira has that insight having partnered Stellenbosch to a three-quarter length win over Ascoli Piceno (Daiwa Major-Ascolti, by Danehill Dancer) in the 1000 Guineas at Hanshin. "I did beat her in a Group 1 race over there [in Japan] and it took a really good horse to get her beaten. I think I'm on the right horse. I'm extremely confident that she's more than capable,'' Moreira said. Ascoli Piceno, $3.50 with TAB prior to the barrier draw, won her first three starts with her Group 1 win in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies coming at her third run where she beat Stellenbosch with another Golden Eagle runner Corazon Beat in third. Moreira said his first impressions of the horse when legged aboard at Canterbury were quite positive and at the time felt there was still some upside. That was some 11 days before the race. Moreira added, "Spending time in quarantine gives room for improvement. I couldn't be happier with the way she's been going. The distance is just perfect for her, and the pace in Japan is a little more genuine than in Australia so she might find the pace of the race here more comfortable for her."
Juddmonte’s Arc Heroine Bluestocking Retired
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
At the same time it announced its European fees, including Frankel remaining at £350,000, Juddmonte outlined plans for some of its top breeding prospects, reports TDN. Among the highlights is the retirement of Bluestocking, the brilliant supplemented Gr1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Bluestocking. An ultra-consistent performer across her 13-race career, the daughter of Camelot secured three Group 1 victories in 2024, crowning her achievements with the Paris triumph. Meanwhile, Juddmonte's Gr1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes winner at Ascot, Kalpana (Study of Man), will remain in training for the 2025 season. Reflecting on these transitions, Juddmonte's Douglas Erskine Crum noted, "It is not often that Juddmonte has had three outstanding fillies and mares at the same time... important decisions had to be made as the season closes." Another of Juddmonte's elite mares, Idiomatic (Curlin), retired last week due to a minor injury, foregoing a chance to defend her Breeders' Cup Distaff title. She distinguished herself with five Grade 1 wins over two years, making her a dominant force in the United States.Barry Mahon, Juddmonte's European Racing Manager, praised Bluestocking's contributions, acknowledging Ralph Beckett and the Kimpton Down Stables team for their excellent work with her.
Shock Cup Scratching of Coolmore’s Jan Brueghal
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
Following a lengthy hiatus of no Ballydoyle Lexus Melbourne Cup runners, the lone Aidan O’Brien-trained European racing star Jan Brueghel has been officially ruled out of the $8.5 million feature following an assessment by Racing Victoria's veterinarians. According to racing.com, the undefeated galloper, who had been a top contender and was a long-time favourite, completed a light workout at Werribee early Tuesday before the unexpected withdrawal announcement. Sources report that international Cup-bound horses, including Jan Brueghel, underwent routine pre-race scans on Saturday. Racing Victoria later issued a statement, explaining that a panel of expert equine surgeons and imaging specialists identified a heightened injury risk in Brueghel’s CT scan results. Following this analysis, Racing Victoria’s Stewards, acting on veterinary advice, deemed him unsuitable to compete. Renowned jockey Ryan Moore had been scheduled to ride Jan Brueghel in the Cup. Speaking on SEN Track, Tom Magnier expressed disappointment following the decision, noting, “We’ve learned this morning that Jan Brueghel won’t be taking his place in the Melbourne Cup this year.” He acknowledged the extensive preparations the team had undertaken to prepare Jan Brueghel and bring him to Australia, and their own disappointment at the decision. Despite the setback, Magnier reaffirmed the priority placed on the horse’s welfare, concluding, “At Coolmore, the horse comes first. A decision has been made, and that’s that.”
Believing is Seeing for Via Sistina Fans
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
The signs were ominous from day one; that is to say that, when Via Sistina arrived from Europe and promptly knocked off a small field in the 2000m Gr1 Ranvet Stakes first up after five months and a long flight, perhaps we all needed to pay more attention. Two runs later – forget the Queen Elizabeth where Pride of Jenni got away with daylight robbery – she reminded us again in the 1400m Gr1 Winx Stakes that she was the real deal. We simply had to maintain the belief when she out-hussled Buckaroo in the Turnbull Stakes that she truly was the one for the Cox Plate. Bravo and applause to those who kept the faith and took the $5.00 price. Whether it’s more a case of seeing is believing or believing is seeing, the 8-length margin of victory that hacked 2 seconds off the Moonee Valley 2040m course record is enough to know that something profound occurred last Saturday. The question is, just how profound, and can we put a substantive emperical marker against the performance? Any regular reader of this column will know the regard Black Type Racing has for weight-for-age racing. Thanks to, initially, Admiral Henry John Rouse who is believed to have pioneered the WFA blueprint in the nineteenth century, and, currently, to respected WFA analyst Daniel O’Sullivan, we now have a good idea of where Via Sistina sits in the Australasian pecking order. Whether one requires data to corroborate what unfolded or one trusts what the eyes saw, the daughter of Fastnet Rock is not just the real deal, she’s a very, very big deal, so much so that O’Sullivan rated her Cox Plate run at “a globally elite” 116, slightly higher than the 115.5 earned by Winx’s 2016 Cox Plate triumph (see below)...
McDonald Believes Via Sistina Can Get Two Miles
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
Jockey James McDonald, fresh off a century of Group 1 wins last Saturday, believes Gr1 Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) will get the two miles of the Gr1 Melbourne Cup, according to punters.com.au. "I think Via Sistina would get the trip," said McDonald. "I don't want to say she would get it easily but I do think she will run it out. She is aerobically very, very strong. Verry Elleegant won with Cup with 57kg and Via Sistina feels every bit as strong as Verry Elleegant over 2000m." With regards to Via Sistina's impressive Cox Plate win, McDonald said, "Via Sistina was very good but it was funny, I know it was spectacular to look at, but during the race she gave me a normal feel if that makes sense. She is not a mare that can quicken off the toss of a coin, she just keeps building." JMac claimed, "I've ridden more explosive horses like Fangirl in the King Charles last year, she just let rip that day. With Via Sistina I didn't expect to be seven lengths in front turning for home. The pace was brutal and the others felt the pinch a lot earlier than they would normally." On the few frustrating weeks leading in the 100 Gr1 wins, McDonald showed that the pressure had preyed on the usually pragmatic jockey. "As much as you don't think it is playing on your mind, it is even though 100 is just a number. It has not been smooth sailing before the Cox Plate. Autumn Glow went amiss (Flight Stakes eve), Broadsiding didn't win (Caulfield Guineas) and then Fangirl ran unplaced (King Charles III Stakes). They were the three I expected to salute on and it didn't happen but we've got the 100 Group 1 wins now, it doesn't have to be built up anymore."
Arrowfield Surges Ahead in Vendor Premiership
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
Even though Arrowfield Stud ultimately claimed last seson's Australian Black Type Vendor Premiership, three months into 2023-24 they had garnered 94 graduate points and were still playing catch up if they were to earn another crown. Contrast that with 2024-25, where the Scone-based vendor's graduates have already earned what might be a season-defining 137 points that see them running at a 45.7 percent increase year on year. What that statistic doesn't reveal is that at the end of September, Arrowfield's points haul was 34 – very respectable but with no hint of what was to come. To put their current position into context, in October, their graduates have combined to earn a century, putting 103 points on the board. As astounding as that achievement is, here is another remarkable fact associated with the feat: of the 13 individual horses either sold or passed-in at a sale by Arrowfield that won or placed at stakes level in Australia during October, every one of them appears just once. In fact, of their 19-strong cohort already on the local Black Type board in 2024-25 thus far, just Lady Shenandoah and Makarena appear twice. Such a large group of representatives this early in the season augurs well for Arrowfield in the coming nine months left of 2024-25.
Lady Shenadoah is a dual October stakes performer for Arrowfield (pic: Steve Hart)
Portelli’s Golden Eagle Confidence Soars
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
Sydney trainer Gary Portelli is brimming with optimism about his talented 4YO Encap as he prepares for the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, reports racenet.com.au. Portelli, entering his first Golden Eagle with both Encap (Capitalist-Enquare, by Stratum) and Kintyre (Hallowed Crowd-Mull Over, by So You Think), acknowledges the magnitude of the challenge his contenders face in Australia’s second-richest race. "The barrier draw is going to be so important on Tuesday night. I hope they can both draw inside 10," said Portelli. With a full field of 20 likely, securing an inside draw could be crucial. In the race's history since 2019, no winner has drawn wider than gate 10. Encap comes into the Golden Eagle after a strong fourth-place finish in the Alan Brown Stakes, where several horses he competed against – Belcare, Iknowastar, and Lindermann – have gone on to win their next races. Encap, considered an outsider at $26, should not be overlooked, and Portelli insists that Encap is "in great order, he is absolutely flying.” Kintyre also earned his shot in the Golden Eagle with a fourth-place finish in last Saturday's Filante Handicap, showing Portelli enough promise to include the gelding in the prestigious race.
Maher Purchase Tops Tattersalls Autumn Day 1
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
It was a strong start to the 2024 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at Park Paddocks in Newmarket overnight with record turnover for an opening session of 9,168,700 guineas and five lots selling for 300,000 guineas or more. The top lot on the opening day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale was the Linkslade Stables consigned Go Daddy (Smooth Daddy) who was knocked down to Australian agent Will Bourne, bidding on behalf of Ciaron Maher Racing, and Billy Jackson-Stops for 350,000 guineas (approx AUD$725,000). "He profiles perfectly for Australia, and I was chatting to Ciaron and he loved him and how consistent he was," said Bourne. "The plan is to keep him in work here with Harry Eustace, then he’ll go down on the horses-in-training flight and we’ll target the Manion Cup, which Haggas has done really well in with Favourite Moon and Post Impressionist. We’ll aim to run him off the plane during the Sydney Carnival. We usually buy in our spring and then bring them out, but Harry has prepared horses like Sir Dragonet for us to win a Cox Plate, so Ciaron has full faith in Harry and they work very well together." A 3YO colt, Go Daddy has an official rating of 105 and is the winner of one race, a 1m2f Nottingham handicap off a BHA mark of 83 last October, but has finished in the places six times including two thirds in Group 3 races; the Deutsches St. Leger at Dortmund in September and the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury in August. Boasting a significant 46 percent year-on-year increase in turnover, Day 1 of the Autumn Sale of Horses in Training included turnover of 9,168,700gns, setting a new record for the opening session. By close of trade, the average price was just a tick under 40,000gns, and the median was up 19 percent. The clearance rate was 80 per cent, with 235 lots selling of the 293 that were offered.
Go Daddy was sold to Ciaron Maher for 350k guineas (pic: tattersalls.com)
Platinum Form for Gingerbread Man Gelding
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
Ain’t No Other Man appears to be the standout in the upcoming Westspeed Platinum Series Final (1400m) on December 7 after an impressive Heat 1 victory at Ascot. This Gingerbread Man gelding had been in steady work since June without a win, but a return to Ascot brought success, culminating in back-to-back wins, including a recent one behind pacesetter Chad’s Me Dad (Universal Ruler). A Homebred for Wally Daly, Ain’t No Other Man highlights Daly’s strong support of Gingerbread Man, with seven mares booked to this Shamardal (USA) son at Yarradale Stud. Co-trainer Jake Casey shared, “He’s a great little horse for the stable, and it’s always a pleasure to bring him to the races.” Casey added that the shorter Ascot straight is ideal for him, saying, “He loves it here...we will keep him ticking over and hopefully keep him winning in higher-rated races.” The $100,000 Westspeed Platinum Series Final could bring more glory to Yarradale, following last year’s win by Here’s Dreaming, a mare by War Chant (USA). Yarradale’s successes continued last Thursday with Galaxy Affair in the Geraldton Freemasons Hcp (1400m). Galaxy Affair’s pedigree shines as the first foal of Wild Ava (High Chaparral), a half-sister to G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Ima Single Man (Gingerbread Man). In more Yarradale news, Single Spice’s 2YO Toronado filly was a $120,000 purchase at this year’s Perth Magic Millions, and the stud recently welcomed a Playing God colt out of Single Spice. Gingerbread Man is standing for a $5,500 service fee at Yarradale this season.
Arc Hero Sottsass Sold to Japanese Interests
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
Coolmore have sold their first season sire, dual Gr1 winner Sottsass (Siyouni-Starlet's Sister, by Galileo), to Japanese interests. He will stand in 2025 at the Japan Blood Horse Breeders Association's Shizunai Stallion Station, according to racingpost.com. He stood for the last three seasons at €25,000, and has eight winners from his first crop which are current season 2YOs. Winner of the Gr1 Prix du Jockey Club at three, and the Gr1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Gr1 Prix Ganay at four, Sottsass was rated the Champion 3YO in Europe in 2019 (Long). He is a full brother to Japanese Derby and Irish Champion Stakes third Shin Emperor. Their dam, Starlet's Sister sadly died aged 14 last November due to a bout of colic. She has also produced seven-time Group 1 winner Sistercharlie (Myboycharlie) and Group 3 winner My Sister Nat (Acclamation). At this season's yearling sales, ten of Sottsass's progeny have recorded six-figure sales including at Tattersalls Book 1 and 2, Goffs Orby Book 1 and the recent Hokkaido Yearling Sale in Japan. His first crop of 2YOs comprises 98 individuals while he has 81 yearlings and 55 foals registered. He covered 103 mares at Coolmore in 2024.
New Graduate Program Launched by TBAUS
Wednesday, 30th October 2024
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) has launched a new graduate program, creating a unique pathway for young talent to enter the thoroughbred industry. This initiative offers university graduates an immersive experience, featuring guidance from top figures in racing, breeding, and wagering. Participants begin with an intensive two-week course at Flemington racecourse, followed by a paid internship with a leading employer in the industry. Notable supporters of the program include Entain, Godolphin, Waterhouse and Bott Racing, Magic Millions, Melbourne Racing Club, Inglis, Yulong, and the Victorian Racing Club. TBA chief executive Tom Reilly shared his enthusiasm for the initiative, noting the industry’s vast workforce of around 80,000 and the need for structured pathways to attract and develop future leaders. “The learning block is designed to introduce graduates to various career possibilities within the industry,” he said. The curriculum includes lectures and workshops on a broad range of topics, from creating wagering markets and selecting yearlings to marketing racing events and understanding the handicapping system. Inspired by the British Horseracing Authority’s highly successful program, which has produced numerous industry executives, TBA aims to welcome 10-12 graduates for its inaugural session in January 2025. Following the initial course, participants will embark on a six-week paid internship. Entain Deputy CEO and CFO Lachlan Fitt highlighted the program’s importance in offering a comprehensive view of the industry, from breeding and race-day operations to wagering. “This program is a game-changer for those serious about a career in thoroughbred racing,” Fitt remarked. Similarly, legendary trainer Gai Waterhouse expressed her commitment to nurturing young talent through this initiative. TBA’s graduate program builds on existing educational offerings like the Fast Track traineeship and the TBA Learning online platform. Applications are now open at tbaus.com for graduates from 2023 and 2024.