Training At Caulfield To End Within 5 Years
Melbourne Racing Club chairman Peter Young yesterday confirmed plans are "well advanced" to permanently shift daily trackwork from the valuable inner-city site, declaring that "in the medium term, and that is 5 years outwards, training at Caulfield is going to be uneconomical". Young told Radio Sport 927: "There has been & there is a remarkable opportunity for race clubs, particularly those which are strong in their assets, have land & the will & the commitment in the people to develop. We have a master-plan development for Caulfield. We own a lot of surrounding free-hold land, car parks, stables & the like. We have submitted to Council, and now government, plans for development which could be on a scale of $750 million." Young revealed the plan (along lines similar to recently announced proposals to maximise potential returns from valuable inner-city acreage at Royal Randwick in Sydney) encompassed both residential & commercial developments & noted: "Clubs must have independent revenue streams. That will be more & more important to race clubs in the years to come. Training at Caulfield has always been an issue on the table. What it means effectively at the moment is that the Club has given an indication to Council, on the basis of support for all of our development, that in the medium term & when Racing Victoria have their plans formulated & up-and-running, there will likely be, certainly from the medium term on, no training at Caulfield. But I emphasise that is dependent on Racing Victoria & the progress they make in the development of these training centres that we have been promised (in other Victorian locations), that have been spoken about, year after year."
(Jul 25)
Melb Clubs Examine Restructuring Options
Melbourne Racing Club chairman Peter Young also revealed to Radio Sport 927 that he & fellow Victorian metropolitan raceclub chairmen Rod Fitzroy & Bob Scarborough will appoint someone to examine "all of the options of sharing of services, of the effectiveness of clubs" & "even the bigger pictures of club restructuring may be on the table". But he noted: "It has to be the right & viable option & not just a restructure for the sake that it might be popular at one point in time."
(Jul 25)
Lindsay Park Sire Alannan Sold To Vietnam
Lindsay Park Stud's 12-year-old stallion Alannan (a multiple Gr2 winner & Gr1-placed sprinter in the US, who smashed Distorted Humor's 7 furlongs track record at Churchill Downs & was rated 2nd highest-weighted sprinter world-wide for the colts of 1996) "has been sold to continue his stallion career at the newly established M'Drak Stud Farm in Vietnam," reported thoroughbredtimes.com. Kentucky-bred Alannan (Conquistador Cielo-Dame Sybil, by Elocutionist) won both the US 2001 Gr2 Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes & Gr2 Lane's End Churchill Downs Handicap. He stood at Lindsay Park in 2007 for $8,250. Stakes-winning stallion Lions Gate (Danehill-Kensington Gardens, by Grosvenor) "will also relocate from Lindsay Park to M'Drak Stud".
(Jul 25)
Qld Breeders Urged To Join EI Class Action
Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland chairman Bob Frappell has sent a message to his members advising: "I have had many calls asking what to do regarding the class action for Equine Influenza compensation. The Committee of the TBQA resolved to recommend to members that you join the class action being conducted by Attwood Marshall Lawyers. This appears to be our best chance of gaining some financial justice for EI."
(Jul 25)
2 More Hendra Virus "Positives" In Queensland
Meanwhile another 2 horses Queensland horses have tested positive for the Hendra virus: a horse that died at Proserpine earlier this week & a horse currently at a Redlands veterinary clinic in Brisbane. Biosecurity Queensland chief veterinary officer Dr Ron Glanville said the latest "positives" were not unexpected: "We know Hendra virus can spread through the close contact of infected horses, so it is not a surprise that another 2 animals that had close contact with the previous cases have also now contracted the disease. For infection control & animal welfare reasons, Biosecurity Queensland will euthanase the latest horse to become infected at Redlands, taking the number of horses to die from Hendra virus since July to 6." Hendra virus comes from fruit bats.
(Jul 25)
Takeover Target Half-Brother Debut At Canterbury
Multiple Gr1-winning sprinter Takeover Target's half-brother makes his track debut tomorrow when 2YO colt Predatory Pricer (Street Cry-Shady Stream, by Archregent) steps out over 1200m at Canterbury Park in Sydney for trainer Paul Murray.
(Jul 25)
$900k Redoute's Colt Debut At Canterbury
Also making his track debut in the same 1200m race at Canterbury tomorrow is 2YO colt Lighthorseman (Redoute's Choice-Salty Sal, by Salt Lake) trained by Gary Portelli. Lighthorseman was a $900,000 yearling at the 2007 Gold Coast Sale.
(Jul 25)
2YO Champ Sebring To Miss Spring Racing
This season's dual Gr1-winning juvenile colt & about-to-be-crowned Champion 2YO Sebring (More Than Ready-Purespeed, by Flying Spur) "will miss the spring carnival," reported racenet.com.au. Sebring has been back in work at trainer Gai Waterhouse's temporary stables at Warwick Farm for 2 weeks "but will be sent to the paddock due to bruising on the cannon bone & concerns over his action". Sebring "underwent a bone scan at the Randwick Equine Centre on Wednesday & an area of stress was identified with bone bruising in the right fore distal cannon bone." Waterhouse commented: "He has grown a hand & put on 80kg & looks amazing. However on the down-side, being such a big strong colt & such a valuable stallion, we are erring on the cautious side. Fundamentally the colt is being given time to mature for his campaign in the autumn as a 3YO." Sebring (a $130,000 yearling consigned by Corumbene Stud at the 2007 January Sale on the Gold Coast) notched 5 successive victories this season (including the Gr1 Golden Slipper over 1200m at Rosehill, Gr1 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes over 1400m at Randwick, Listed Breeders Plate over 1100m at Randwick & Listed Canonbury Stakes over 1000m at Randwick) & a last-start runner-up (beaten by a short-head) in the Gr1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick for $2,537,060 earnings. In May, NSW's Widden Stud announced Sebring will join its stallion roster at the conclusion of his 3YO season.
(Jul 25)
Weld Stayer Likely Melb Cup Entry
Dual Gr1 Melbourne Cup-winning Irish trainer Dermot Weld confirmed he will enter 4YO staying mare Profound Beauty (Danehill-Diamond Trim, by Highest Honor) for this year's race. Profound Beauty scored a 4.5-lengths victory in Ireland's Listed Challenge Stakes (14 furlongs) at Leopardstown on July 16 & Weld is now aiming her at next month's historic UK Totesport Ebor Handicap (14 furlongs) at York on August 20 (won last year by Purple Moon who subsequently finished 2nd in November's Melbourne Cup). Weld told Greg Radley on Radio 2KY "She's got a chance (of coming to Melbourne). All I'm saying at the moment is she'll be entered for the race, we'll see what weight she gets & we'll see how the filly's performing. If she's fairly weighted we'll consider running her & if not we'll concentrate on races over here."
(Jul 25)
Morrison Still In Hospital & Won't Ride Until 2009
Gold Coast jockey Lacey Morrison remains in hospital recovering from last month's dramatic fall at Ipswich. She told the media she still has "bruising to my brain & swelling to my spinal cord" & noted: "I'll make a full recovery, but I won't ride again until next year."
(Jul 25)
Bayne New Mornington Racing Club CEO
Mornington Racing Club announced the appointment of Fraser Bayne as chief executive (to replace Michael Browell, who is moving to Moonee Valley Racing Club). Bayne was previously Mornington's Sales & Marketing Manager.
(Jul 25)
145 Breath Tests "Clear" At Warwick Farm Trackwork
Racing NSW stewards suddenly breath-tested 145 jockeys, apprentices, trackwork riders & stablehands for the presence of alcohol at Warwick Farm yesterday morning & reported "no positive readings were recorded".
(Jul 25)
Two's Company Three Hundred's A Crowd
With almost 300 genuinely commercial stallions standing for $10,000 or under, cutting through the clutter can be challenging. If you're in that position, then the "Sires $10,000 & Under" feature in the August edition of Breeding&Racing Magazine offers a genuine opportunity to stand out from the crowd. And . . . . at an astonishingly affordable rate. To find out more phone Gary Knowles on (02) 9281 7523.
(Jul 25)
Encosta Leads Ready & Spur On Aust Sires Table
With just a week remaining to the end of the 2007-08 season, Coolmore stallion Encosta de Lago leads & shuttler More Than Ready & last season's -based champion Flying Spur on the Australian General Sires Table (to July 23) according to arion.co.nz. The current Top 20 (by prize-money) are:
-
Encosta de Lago (Fairy King-Shoal Creek, by Star Way) $10,405,183
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More Than Ready (Southern Halo-Woodman's Girl, by Woodman) $6,435,066
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Flying Spur (Danehill-Rolls, by Mr Prospector) $6,302,020
-
Zabeel (Sir Tristram-Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) $6,113,925
-
Scenic (Sadler's Wells-Idyllic, by Foolish Pleasure) $5,601,946
-
Commands (Danehill-Cotehele House, by My Swanee) $4,860,998
-
Hussonet (Mr Prospector-Sacahuista, by Raja Baba) $4,519,280
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Redoute's Choice (Danehill-Shantha's Choice, by Canny Lad) $4,509,524
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O'Reilly (Last Tycoon-Courtza, by Pompeii Court) $4,477,710
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Danehill Dancer (Danehill-Mira Adonde, by Sharpen Up) $4,426,591
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Lion Hunter (Danehill-Pure Of Heart, by Godswalk) $3,773,650
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Testa Rossa (Perugino-Bo Dapper, by Sir Dapper) $3,589,578
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Pins (Snippets-No Finer, by Kaoru Star) $3,357,514
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Catbird (Danehill-Fitting, by Marscay) $3,156,422
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Carnegie (Sadler's Wells-Detroit, by Riverman) $3,045,640
-
Danetime (Danehill-Allegheny River, by Lear Fan) $3,009,986
-
Danzero (Danehill-Confidentially, by Kaoru Star) $2,938,525
-
General Nediym (Nediym-Military Belle, by Without Fear) $2,920,075
-
Show A Heart (Brave Warrior-Miss Sandman, by Regal Advice) $2,871,270
-
Galileo (Sadler's Wells-Urban Sea, by Miswaki) $2,830,042
(Jul 25)
O'Reilly Leads Volksraad & Cape On NZ Sires Table
Across the Tasman, the last week of the 2007-08 season sees Waikato Stud sire O'Reilly leading Windsor Park's champion of the last 6 seasons Volksraad & shuttler Cape Cross on the New Zealand General Sires Table (to July 23) according to arion.co.nz. The current Top 20 (by prize-money) are:
-
O'Reilly (Last Tycoon-Courtza, by Pompeii Court) NZ$2,063,771
-
Volksraad (Green Desert-Celtic Assembly, by Secretariat) NZ$1,995,705
-
Cape Cross (Green Desert-Park Appeal, by Ahonoora) NZ$1,578,097
-
Pins (Snippets-No Finer, by Kaoru Star) NZ$1,426,741
-
Keeper (Danehill-Nuwirah, by Pleasant Colony) NZ$1,322,140
-
Shinko King (Fairy King-Rose Of Jericho, by Alleged) NZ$1,321,985
-
Encosta de Lago (Fairy King-Shoal Creek, by Star Way) NZ$1,253,402
-
Istidaad (Chief's Crown-Mazzei Mood, by Roberto) NZ$1,097,097
-
Prized (Kris S-My Turbulent Miss, by My Dad George) NZ$1,050,551
-
Towkay (Last Tycoon-Princess Tracy, by Ahonoora) NZ$986,752
-
Howbaddouwantit (Rahy-Fair To The Wind, by Nijinsky) NZ$975,645
-
Stravinsky (Nureyev-Fire The Groom, by Blushing Groom) NZ$966,007
-
Pentire (Be My Guest-Gull Nook, by Mill Reef) NZ$924,263
-
Kaapstad (Sir Tristram-Eight Carat, by Pieces Of Eight) NZ$896,404
-
Danske (Danehill-Our Tristalight, by Sir Tristram) NZ$883,108
-
Postponed (Summer Squall-Bridal Tea, by Gulch) NZ$857,423
-
Sandtrap (Irish River-Timely Reserve, by Nureyev) NZ$829,753
-
No Excuse Needed (Machiavellian-Nawaiet, by Zilzal) NZ$753,613
-
Faltaat (Mr Prospector-Epitome, by Summing) NZ$721,460
-
Danasinga (Danehill-Princess Tracy, by Ahonoora) NZ$700,768
(Jul 25)
Galileo Adds Irish Gr3 Quinella
In Europe overnight, former Coolmore shuttler & Gr1 English Derby winner Galileo (Sadler's Wells-Urban Sea, by Miswaki) added an Irish juvenile group quinella when Ballydoyle's unbeaten colt Rip Van Winkle (Galileo-Looking Back, by Stravinsky) finished strongly from the rear of the field to score a 1.25-lengths victory in the €70,000 (A$119,000) Gr3 Tyros Stakes (7 furlongs) for 2YOs at Leopardstown. Rip Van Winkle (ridden by Johnny Murtagh for trainer Aidan O'Brien) defeated previously unbeaten favoured filly Cius Ghaire (Galileo-Scribonia, by Danehill) & fellow colt Vilasol (Verglas-Pitrizza, by Machiavellian). Rip Van Winkle now has 2 wins from 2 starts & "rocketed to favouritism for the UK Gr1 2000 Guineas in 2009 after serving Royal Ascot heroine Cuis Ghaire with the 1st defeat in 4 starts," reported racingpost.co.uk.
(Jul 25)
Montjeu Adds Irish Gr3
Also in Ireland overnight, dual-Derby winning Coolmore sire & former NZ Windsor Park shuttler Montjeu (Sadler's Wells-Floripedes, by Top Ville) added a group success when Ballydoyle's 3YO colt King Of Rome (Montjeu-Amizette, by Forty Niner) scored a 2-lengths victory against older rivals in the €70,000 (A$119,000) Gr3 Meld Stakes (10 furlongs) at Leopardstown. Favourite King Of Rome (also ridden by Johnny Murtagh for trainer Aidan O'Brien) defeated the US-bred 7YO entires Lord Admiral (El Prado-Lady Ilsley, by Trempolino) & Mustameet (Sahm-Hamasah, by Irish River). Previously this season King Of Rome finished 2nd in May's UK Gr3 Derby Trial Stakes (11.5 furlongs) at Lingfield Park & then 3rd in June's UK Listed Hampton Court Stakes (10 furlongs) at Royal Ascot; overall he now has 2 wins & 2 placings from 9 starts.
(Jul 25)
Elusive Quality Adds UK Black-Type
In the UK overnight, shuttler Elusive Quality (Gone West-Touch Of Greatness, by Hero's Honor) added a juvenile black-type success when US-bred daughter Honest Quality (Elusive Quality-Honest Lady, by Seattle Slew) snatched victory by a head in the Listed £30,000 (A$63,000) Star Stakes (7 furlongs) for 2YOs at Sandown Park. Juddmonte home-bred Honest Quality (ridden by Ted Durcan for trainer Henry Cecil) defeated fellow fillies Beat Seven (Beat Hollow-Twenty Seven, by Efisio) & Irish-bred Touching (Kheleyf-Feminine Touch, by Sadler's Wells). Honest Quality (a half-sister to Gr3-winner First Defence & French Listed winner Phantom Rose) took her record to 2 wins & a placing from 3 starts; her dam Honest Lady "is a Gr1-winning half-sister to Empire Maker & Chester House," noted the-racehorse.com.
(Jul 25)
UK Trackwork Rider Revived 17 Times
Also in the UK, "work-rider David McMinn needed to be resuscitated 17 times following a dramatic fall on the Lambourn gallops," reported Sporting Life. The 19-year-old was riding for trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam "when he was flung from his mount & hit the plastic running rail". Jockey Club Estates operations manager Tom Lovell-Stagg was among the first on the scene & told racingpost.co.uk: "When I got there, David had stopped breathing & I applied chest compressions. He revived & I called ambulance control. He stopped breathing again & I gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. We lost him again 14 times in the 30 minutes before the arrival of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance. The on-board doctor revived him with a defibrillator, making 17 times in all. It was a frightening incident for everyone involved & I'm so relieved that it looks as though everything will be all right." McMinn's condition was subsequently reported to be "stable & comfortable, though it is understood he may have punctured a lung in his fall".
(Jul 25)
California Begins Ban On Steroids
In the US, the California Horse Racing Board confirmed that "effective August 1 (next Friday) it will strictly enforce all regulations concerning anabolic steroids & will no longer issue 'unofficial notices' when the test samples reveal unauthorised levels of anabolic steroids," reported bloodhorse.com. There has been a grace period since testing for anabolic steroids began on July 1 "to allow implementation of new regulations, guidelines & procedures", but beginning with races run on August 1 "complaints will be filed against trainers or other licensees alleged to have violated the regulations". CHRB chairman Richard Shapiro declared: "We have given notice to the owners, trainers, veterinarians & other track personnel. The administration of all anabolic steroids to horses in competition must stop immediately. Complaints will be issued. The hammer is coming down. In this way, we are protecting the public & all of those who are playing by the rules."
(Jul 25)
Keyed Entry Retired To Stud At Bridlewood Farm
US Gr2-winner & track-record holder Keyed Entry (Honour And Glory-Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance) "has been retired from racing & will stand the 2009 breeding season at Bridlewood Farm" in Florida, reported bloodhorse.com. Overall Kentucky-bred Keyed Entry (a half-brother to stakes-winner Alex's Allure) recorded 4 wins from 12 starts for US$322,852 earnings; his victories include the Gr2 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park as a 3YO (establishing a 7.5 furlongs track record at 1min 27.12sec which still stands & earning a 110 Beyer Speed Figure) & Gr3 Deputy Minister Handicap over 6.5 furlongs at Gulfstream as a 4YO (plus 3YO placings in both the Gr1 Wood memorial Stakes & Gr3 Gotham Stakes).
(Jul 25)
US Multiple Stakes-Winner Buy The Barrel To Stud
This year's triple stakes-winning 4YO mare Buy The Barrel (E Dubai-Affordable price, by Drouilly) has been retired from racing to the breeding barn, reported bloodhorse.com. Kentucky-based Hinkle Farms home-bred Buy The Barrel (a half-sister to stakes-winners Lady Skywalker, Moore's Flat & Surf N Sand) retires with 7 wins from 17 starts (including May's Gr2 Allaire du Pont Distaff Stakes at Pimlico, as well as April's Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park & the Sam Houston Distaff Stakes to start her 2008 campaign) & US$339,740 earnings.
(Jul 25)
US Sire Ballindaggin Euthanased Age 23
US multiple stakes-winning stallion Ballindaggin (who swept the 1987 New York Stallion Series) was euthanased at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute "because of severe back problems caused by degenerative arthritis" aged 23, reported thoroughbredtimes.com. Ballindaggin (by Noble Nashua) won 4 of 14 starts & earned US$946,894. As a stallion, Ballindaggin produced 22 winners.
(Jul 25)
Minor To Buy & Reopen Hialeah Park In Miami
Technology entrepreneur & thoroughbred owner Halsey Minor "has set his sights on the purchase & renovation of the revered Hialeah Park Race Track in Miami," reported thoroughbredtimes.com. Virginia multimillionaire Minor, 43 (who campaigns multiple Gr1-winner Dream Rush & stakes-winner Fierce Wind) confirmed he will meet Hialeah Park owner John Brunetti "in the coming weeks" & declared: "My principle goal is to kick-start thoroughbred racing. What could be better than the resurrection of one of the industry's decaying icons?" Minor (a "horse fanatic & history buf who shelled out US$15.3 million last year to buy Carter's Grove Plantation in Williamsburg in Virginia to preserve the historic property & use it as part of a thoroughbred breeding operation") estimated it would cost US$20-40 million to "restore the property to the way it looked a half-century ago at the apex of its and racing's popularity". Minor added: "Assuming I can work something out with Mr Brunetti, I think we could get it back up & running in pristine form in 3 years." Hialeah Park opened in 1921 & is "one of the oldest existing recreational facilities in South Florida. It played host to some of the country's best horses, served as a playground for the rich & famous through its heyday & for decades was hailed as one of the world's most beautiful racetracks". The track (which held its final race in May 2001) "is officially designated a sanctuary for the American flamingo by the Audubon Society & in 1979 was listed on the US National Register Of Historic Places".
(Jul 25)
Woodlands Track In Kansas To Close In August
Meanwhile in Kansas City, The Woodlands "plans to close, at least temporarily, on August 24 after failing to reach a satisfactory agreement on the division of slot machine revenue," reported thoroughbredtimes.com. Last year voters "overwhelmingly approved a measure" that gave The Woodlands (which has struggled for years with competition from casinos in nearby Missouri) the right to add 800 slot machines; the law allocated 25% of gross revenue to The Woodlands, which was scheduled to operate a 32-day meeting from September 20-November 2. But the track & the state have been negotiating "how an additional 15% of the gross from slot machines would be divided" & Kansas Lottery director Ed Van Petten confirmed: "They told us last week they just couldn't make the numbers work. The distribution of funds is such that they just didn't feel they could make any money at it."
(Jul 25)
B&R's Galloping Horse Never Sleeps
Meanwhile Breeding&Racing's Instant Archive continues to provide the only search engine you'll need to stay abreast of all the latest breeding news. Just click your mouse inside the Archive Search Box (immediately below the Galloping Horse on the right-hand side of this page) & type in either one or several key words. It's the most extensive at-your-fingertips database in the breeding & racing industry; it's free; & it's there for you to search to your heart's content.
(Jul 25)
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July 25th, 2008
