NEWS UPDATES Cox Plate Star El Segundo Returns In Cranbourne Trial Aust 2YO Champ Sebring Returns In Friday Trial Gr3-Winning Filly Stripper Retired South Aust Breeder Jim O'Connor Dies Aged 80 Vic Jockey Ben Smith 6-Months Ban For Facial Attack Vic Jocks Sam Hyland & Dale Smith Also Banned After Clash Racing Vic Extends Deadline For Directions Paper Feedback NZ Gr1 Star Princess Coup Retired NZ Shuttler Elusive City 1st-Season Champ In Europe Darley Sire Librettist Moves To Logis In France (more>>) Take a minute to visit our new Luxury Leisure & Lifestyle portal, the complete guide to all things luxury. INDUSTRY NEWS — DECEMBER 2002 Sheila Laxon Undergoes Surgery After Track Fall Melbourne Cup winning trainer Sheila Laxon has undergone 4 hours in surgery at Melbourne's Alfred Hospital after suffering major pelvic, hip & rib injuries in a track-work fall at Macedon Lodge in Victoria. Laxon was air-lifted by police helicopter after experiencing breathing difficulties, following a heavy dumping from a tear-away 3YO filly which tried to jump a fence reported The Daily Telegraph newspaper. In hospital she had a total hip replacement & was nursing broken ribs & an injured shoulder, & was returned to her ward in a neck brace. Laxon recently re-located her training base from New Zealand & won the Bendigo Cup in November with Forlorna. A decade ago as a jockey in NZ, Laxon suffered serious head injuries in a race fall at Gisborne & switched to training when she recovered. She became the first woman to train a Melbourne Cup winner with Ethereal in 2001, & was recently named NZ's 2002 Racing Personality Of The Year. (Dec 24) TOC Dam Of HK Sprint Winner Visits Zabeel Red Slippers, dam of Hong Kong International Sprint winner All Thrills Too, has been mated with Cambridge Stud’s champion sire Zabeel, reported NZ Thoroughbred Marketing. Red Slippers is owned in Australia by the Hayes family’s Lindsay Park, where in October she foaled a bay colt by the Danehill stallion Commands. (Dec 24) TOC First Aust Winner For Loup Sauvage Vinery Stud’s shuttle stallion Loup Sauvage sired his first Australian winner with his first runner when 2YO colt Loup Rouge won on debut over 1000m at Tamworth reported racenet.com.au. Loup Rouge was purchased for just $6,000 at the 2002 Scone Yearling sale. His dam Heavenly Stroller (by Godswalk) won 3 races in Adelaide. Loup Sauvage was a top-class performer on European tracks, winning 3 Group races including the Gr1 Prix d’Ispahan over 1800m at Longchamp. (Dec 24) TOC Danehill Filly Defeated Before 122,000 Japanese Fans Danehill’s champion Japanese filly Fine Motion suffered her first defeat in 7 starts in the Gr1 Arima Kinen before a massive crowd of 122,000 at Nakayama racetrack, reported aapracingandsports.com.au. Fine Motion started favourite in the 2200m event, but tired to finish 5th behind top stayer Symboli Kris S (ridden by French jockey Olivier Peslier), having his first start since finishing 4th in the Japan Cup. Japan’s top trainer Kazuo Fujisawa said Symboli Kris S may now be set for the Dubai World Cup meeting. (Dec 24) TOC Australian Named New Hong Kong Chief Steward Jamie Stier has been appointed the Hong Kong Jockey Club's new Chief Stipendiary Steward from 1 January 2003. Stier, 38, replaces legendary Australian steward John ‘The Sheriff’ Schreck in the position. Stier began his career as a cadet stipendiary steward with the Australian Jockey Club in 1985 under Schreck (who was then AJC chief steward). Stier rose to deputy chairman of stipendiary stewards for the NSW Principal Racing Club (formerly AJC & now NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board) for almost 3 years, before joining the HKJC in August 1998. At the HKJC he was also responsible for apprentice jockey training until July 2000, & then secretary to the Licensing Committee. HKJC executive director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said: "Jamie is committed to upholding the integrity & standards of racing in Hong Kong. During his period with the Club he has proved himself to be an effective communicator & leader, capable of handling difficult & sensitive situations.” Meanwhile Schreck will now take the role of Senior Consultant, Racing Control, assisting in various projects of importance to the HKJC. "John has been central to guiding the Racing Control of the HKJC to new heights over the last few years," Engelbrecht-Bresges said. (Dec 24) TOC Top US Stallions To Stud In China US prize-money multi-millionaires Golden Pheasant & Tight Spot will take up stallion duty in China reported bloodhorse.com. Japanese breeder Isamu Ishida, owner of Hokkai Farm, is expanding his Chinese operation & will ship Golden Pheasant, Tight Spot & 19 broodmares to Long Tou Farm near Beijing. Golden Pheasant, a 16-year-old son of Caro (out of Round Table mare Perfect Pigeon), won the 1991 Japan Cup & 1990 Arlington Million for Bruce McNall & Wayne Gretzky. Following the Japan Cup, he was bought by Japanese horseman Zenya Yoshida & raced for him before entering stud at his Shadai Farm. Fifteen-year-old Tight Spot (His Majesty-Premium Win) was 1991 US Champion Turf Male, after winning the Arlington Million for the late Verne Winchell. (Dec 24) TOC Jockey Club Confirms: Positive Morphine On 12 UK Winners The UK Jockey Club has revealed 27 British-based horses tested positive for morphine in recent weeks – including 12 winners - & “the figure looks set to rise”. The problem, believed to stem from a batch of contaminated feed, has also produced 8 positive screenings for the banned drug in Ireland. “Positive results are still being found by the Horseracing Forensic Laboratory,” Jockey Club public relations director John Maxse confirmed to racingpost.co.uk. “But until the samples have been subjected to counter analysis by a different laboratory to HFL, which conducted the initial testing, it would be premature to name the horses & races concerned.” (Dec 24) TOC Alanbridge Chases Successive Inglis Classic Wins Andrew Bowcock’s Alanbridge Stud at Aberdeen in the NSW Hunter Valley is chasing its 2nd successive winner of the $610,000 Inglis Classic, following the win by In Top Swing at Randwick. In Top Swing is by Alanbridge’s resident sire Beautiful Crown (from Rory’s Jester mare Holbrook Lass). He cost $50,000 at the 2002 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Last year Danehill Dancer colt Choisir won the Inglis Classic after being prepared for sale by Alanbridge Stud on behalf of breeder Ross Daisley. “It’d be amazing to get the double,” said Bowcock. “We’ve had a lot of success with 2YOs like Choisir, Tom Coureuse & now In Top Swing. They’re a great advertisment for the stud.” Alanbridge has another draft of 11 yearlings for the Classic 2003 Sale, dominated by In Top Swing’s sire Beautiful Crown with 9. (Dec 24) Collingrove On The Boil For Magic Millions Victoria’s Collingrove Stud is eagerly anticipating the Gold Coast Magic Millions events in January reported aapracingandsports.com.au. Brilliant fillies Hasna, Fashion Victim & How Funny - all Collingrove products from the 2002 Magic Millions yearling sale - are currently among the leading qualifiers for the $1 million MM 2YO Classic on January 11. (Fashion Victim & How Funny are both by Collingrove’s dominant 2YO sire Rory’s Jester, while Hasna is a daughter of the late Magic Millions winner Snippets.) Meanwhile in the $1 million Magic Millions 3YO Trophy, Collingrove will be represented by classy filly Private Steer (a daughter of the stud’s successful shuttle sire Danehill Dancer). And the Collingrove draft of 19 lots at the 2003 Magic Millions sale will include a half-sister to Hasna (by Gilded Time). (Dec 24) TOC Sky Channel Home Viewers May Pay Extra Sky Channel’s home viewers may soon have to pay extra to watch live racing in their lounge rooms. The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported “Sky Channel is considering adding the pay-per-view levy – and it has growing support from the racing industry to do so.” Warren Wilson, boss of Sky’s parent company TAB Limited, confirmed the extra levy to watch Sky Racing at home is “part of a number of issues we are looking at.” (Dec 24) TOC Leading UK Agent Slams Keeneland As Out-Of-Date Leading British bloodstock agent Joss Collins - who secured the world record US$13.1 million bid for Seattle Dancer at Keeneland’s 1985 July Sale - has shocked the international industry by describing the possible axing of Keeneland's prestigious July Selected Yearling Sale in 2003 as "sad", but arguing it no longer met the needs of the current bloodstock market. Collins told racingpost.co.uk: "It would be sad to see it go, although I'm not sure it fulfils what people are demanding in the 2000s, but rather what they were demanding in the 1970s & 1980s." Collins was speaking in the wake of discussions between Keeneland officials, buyers & consignors, aimed at resolving the future of the sale, whose gross revenue this year plunged to its lowest level since 1978. "There has been talk of this for a number of years," added Collins. "I think the sale has become a bit rarefied with too few horses. You have the super horses & then there is a fall-off. This year, there were only 80 horses worth buying & that is too small. However, there is also some politics involved, as Keeneland will not want to give up its first-select-sale-of-the-year slot." Other possibilities reportedly discussed at the meeting were moving the time of the sale or cutting it back to a 1-day, 100-yearling auction. (Dec 24) TOC Sunday Racing In Sydney Under Threat Sunday Racing could soon be abolished in Sydney, reported The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper said the Sydney Turf Club has applied to “reduce its quota of Sunday racing from 6 to just 4 meetings in 2003-04”, while the Australian Jockey Club has retained its lone Sunday date at Warwick Farm. The newspaper noted: “The 5 Sunday race dates is a far cry from the 20 Sunday meetings the 2 Sydney clubs shared just a few years ago.” AJC racing manager Colin Tuck summed up: “Sunday racing has not proved popular with industry participants & has only been received on a lukewarm basis by the general public. However we believe by putting 2 feature races on our 1 Sunday meeting that it can be a success on a one-off basis.” (Dec 24) TOC Danehill Covers Southern Hemisphere Mares In Ireland Although Australia’s 5-time leading sire Danehill (who’s regularly shuttled from Coolmore Ireland to Coolmore Australia since 1990) stayed home in Ireland this year to avoid wear & tear on his 16-year-old body, Australians have not been completely shut out from sending mares to the world’s second-leading sire. Since the beginning of the Southern Hemisphere breeding season in August, shareholders in Danehill have sent approximately 40 well-bred Southern Hemisphere mares to Ireland to be serviced by the son of Danzig, 10 of them owned by Robert Sangster, reported The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. In an ordinary year, Danehill would have covered 150 mares in Australia. (Dec 24) TOC Dettori Denies Career Wind-Down Leading international jockey Frankie Dettori dismissed suggestions his career is “winding down” & said he was “looking forward to another successful campaign next year” in Godolphin’s world famous blue silks. "People are very fickle," Dettori told aapracingandsports.com.au. "They look at the statistics & say: `Frankie's not getting it together.' But I have had 13 Gr1 victories this year. Tell me how many other European jockeys can claim that? What people don't know is that I was in Dubai most of the time preparing the Godolphin horses. Don't forget, Godolphin is a huge international operation & we like to pace our horses for the season. And I can tell everyone not to expect anything different this year." Dettori nominated Grandera’s last-ditch victory in the Irish Champion Stakes as the highlight of his year. “And how many other horses can do the last 5 furlongs at Moonee Valley (in his Cox Plate 3rd to Northerly) in the time he did & then have the presence of mind to try & bite Greg Childs' whip out of his hand!" Asked how long he will continue riding, the Italian was quick to reply: “About another 10 years. Unless the boss said he didn't want me any more. Then I would probably quit the game much quicker. How could I drop down from riding these great horses?" (Dec 24) TOC McEvoy Chasing Hayes Record At Lindsay Park With Lindsay Park landing 18 winners in 10 days - bringing the stable’s total for the season to 122 – Tony McEvoy is currently the leading trainer in Australia, 2 wins ahead of John Hawkes. McEvoy is also clearly leading the Metropolitan Trainers’ Premierships in both Victoria & South Australia. And he is right on target to challenge the David Hayes record of 306 winners for Lindsay Park set in the 1991-92 season - to the end of December that season Hayes had trained 128 winners. “We have just had a great start the season,” enthused McEvoy. “And in Metropolitan Adelaide we currently have a 50% place rate - meaning half of our runners have run a place.” (Dec 24) STC Pre-Selling Golden Slipper Tickets Chairman Bruce McHugh announced the Sydney Turf Club will pre-sell tickets for April’s Golden Slipper day – closing the books at 30,000. The Daily Telegraph reported “McHugh feels this is a comfortable number for the Rosehill course.” (Dec 24) TOC Seamer Suspended For Careless Riding High-profile jockey Scott Seamer was suspended by Queensland stewards for 8 meetings for careless riding after winning aboard And Shintaro at Doomben. Seamer’s mount caused interference to Koochie at the 100m, where that gelding struck heels & blundered. Seamer's suspension will commence after he rides at the New Zealand Derby meeting on Boxing Day. (Dec 24) TOC Jockey Blames Drug Failure On ‘Exotic Tea’ For Weight Loss Leading UK lightweight jockey Francis Norton has grabbed headlines across Britain with his claim that a failed drugs test is due to drinking a brand of exotic tea to help control his riding weight. Norton’s agent Ian Wardle told racingpost.co.uk: “Franny has spoken to me about it & he assures me it (the positive drug test result) is all nonsense.” But UK Jockey Club public relations director John Maxse commented: “It looks as if there will be a disciplinary hearing into another positive dope test from a rider.” (Dec 24) TOC Racing Museum & Hall Of Fame Move To Federation Square The Australian Racing Museum & the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame will be relocated from Caulfield racecourse to the new Federation Square complex in the heart of Melbourne, providing $7.5 million is found to finance the project, reported aapracingandsports.com.au. The move is dependent on dollar-for-dollar support from the Victorian Government’s Community Support Fund to help establish the new facility. Plans for the move were announced by Ian MacDonald, chairman of the Australian Racing Museum, & Racing Victoria's chief executive officer Neville Fielke. Fielke noted the move would not simply be a relocation, but the development of a multi-faceted business venture for the thoroughbred industry. "This new facility is an opportunity where racing can reach the whole of the community in a conducive environment that is both engaging & educational, but most importantly, is entertaining,” Fielke said. "This is a golden opportunity to take racing to the people & gives us the chance to alter some of the perceptions about the sport, whilst growing interest with young people.” (Dec 24) TOC Club Feedback Sought On Victorian Race Date Changes Racing Victoria has distributed the first draft of its race-dates calendar for the 2003-2004 season. Clubs now have the opportunity to provide feedback before a further review, with the Board to consider the final proposal at its meeting in late February. Under the proposal, the net allocation of race dates to Clubs remains unchanged, with the exception of the VRC which requested 2 meetings be deleted. Other key proposals include: 4 Friday metropolitan dates in January-February (as Friday has been identified as a key day of the week for wagering growth); AFL Grand Final Eve night meeting at Moonee Valley (with Grand Final Day allocated to Mornington as the key meeting of the day); reduction in Sunday metropolitan meetings giving country racing extra dates to use as Sunday Event Days; Moonee Valley's Spring Carnival night meeting moved to the Thursday after the Cox Plate; & reduction in the number of 2-day Country Cup Carnivals to increase the emphasis on the feature (Cup) day. (Dec 24) TOC Southern Australia Jumps Circuit Confirmed Racing Victoria has reached "in principal" agreement with the Australian Jumping Racing Association for a revised jumping season for 2003-2004. The new jumping racing season will now commence 6 weeks prior to Oakbank's Easter meeting in South Australia & run through until the end of October. The metropolitan jumping racing season will end on 30 September, while the country season will conclude with an additional major feature day on the Sunday after the Cox Plate. Effectively, the co-ordination across Victoria, South Australia & Tasmania creates a Southern Australian Jumping Circuit. (Dec 24) TOC Godolphin Totals 16 Gr1 Victories Godolphin has ended the 2002 racing year with 16 Gr1 winners, 2nd only to the world record 18 wins they achieved in 1999. Stable stars Marienbard, Grandera & Kazzia each notched Gr1 trebles for Godolphin in 2002. The 2001 Melbourne Cup failure Marienbard (a 5YO son of Caerleon) won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, plus Grosser Preis von Baden & Deutschlandpreis in Germany. Globe-trotting 4YO Grandera (who raced in 6 countries & was crowned World Racing Series Champion) won the Singapore International Cup, Prince Of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot & Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. Champion filly Kazzia (named Champion 3YO Filly at the 2002 Cartier Awards) won the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, Vodafone Oaks at Epsom & US Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park. (Dec 24) TOC Ireland Tops 2002 European Breeders’ Fund Ireland has been named top European thoroughbred breeder, after the relative strengths of the breeding industries in the main European countries were assessed by bloodhorse.com via analysis of the level of stallion contributions to the European Breeders' Fund. The EBF consists of Britain, France, Ireland, Germany, Italy & Switzerland. Since 1997, Irish stallions have contributed more to the fund than British stallions, & in 2002 Ireland increased its lead over Britain & the other countries with an estimated record contribution of more than £1.1 million (US$1.76 million), the 9th consecutive annual rise. The British contribution will top £700,000 (a bit less than in 2001), while France generated £300,000 (also down), Germany just under £100,000, Italy £60,000 (its smallest amount ever) & Switzerland £5,000. (Dec 24) TOC Australian Racing Board Appoints IT Manager Brian Masters (previously South Australian racing's IT manager) has been appointed inaugural manager of the Australian Racing Board's new information initiative Racing Information Services Australia. "The development of RISA follows a report the Australian Racing Board commissioned in 2001 looking at the racing industry's information systems," said ARB chief executive Andrew Harding. RISA’s objectives are: to promote a single process for the collection of racing information by all administrators in Australia; to develop a system that efficiently & effectively stores, processes & protects the industry intellectual data & maximises returns to the industry; & to actively pursue new markets for the data, systems & technology. Masters summed up: "The immediate goal of RISA is to develop one process & one system for the Australian Thoroughbred Racing Industry that will allow each state to participate in a national approach to racing administration. Currently there are 4 different systems across Australia with various state bodies, & a lot of work is being duplicated. Whether it's handicapping, registration of horses or colours, a national system will streamline the use of information.” (Dec 24) TOC Toccet Takes Gr1 Hollywood Futurity Big-talking owner Daniel Borislow’s boom 2YO colt Toccet won the US$406,500 Gr1 Hollywood Futurity at Hollywood Park. The son of Awesome Again’s 6th victory in 8 starts follows wins in the Gr1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, Gr2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct & Gr3 Laurel Futurity. Toccet is the first foal to race from 3 foals out of the stakes-placed Cozzene mare Cozzene’s Angel. (Dec 24) TOC Former NZ Star Wins In Hong Kong Last season's leading New Zealand 2YO Grout won a class one 1400m event at Sha Tin in his 2nd appearance for new trainer Tony Cruz. Grout (by Gold Brose) is known in HK as Raider. He won 2 NZ Gr1 events - the Manawatu & Ellerslie Sires' Produce Stakes - & was named Mercedes 2YO-Of-The-Year for the 2001-02 season. (Dec 24) TOC Female NZ Jockey Gains Hero Status In Japan New Zealand jumps jockey Rochelle Lockett has attained hero status in Japan with her win in the Nakayam Invitational Grand Jump reported thoroughbrednews.co.nz. In November Lockett became the first woman ever to win a jumping race in Japan; now she has landed Japan’s most important jumping event aboard Gilded Age (including a winner’s purse of approximately NZ$1.4 million). Lockett's victory completes a stunning Japanese double for NZ jumps jockeys, following Craig Thornton's success on the John Wheeler-trained St Steven in the Nakayama International Grand Jump in April. (Dec 24) TOC Barathea Lands Hong Kong Treble Former Widden Stud-based shuttle sire Barathea produced three individual winners on the same meeting at Hong Kong’s Happy Valley: Stoic (1998 Inglis Easter sale $60,000), Fantastic Win (2001 Inglis Easter sale $100,000) & Barracuda (2000 Inglis Premier sale – passed in at $25,000). Stoic, a 6YO gelding trained Lawrie Fownes, has totaled 5 wins & seven minor placings with prize-money approaching $700,000. (Dec 24) Spinning World Crop At Karaka Sale Exciting young sire Spinning World enhanced his already boom reputation with the commanding victory by John Hawkes-trained 3YO filly La Bellarina in class record time at Rosehill. The US Breeders' Cup Mile winner is already one of the hottest international sire prospects, with a string of top performers in both hemispheres. In Australia they include stakes-winners Coupe & exciting 3YO Thorn Park, as well winners Al Megdam, In My Time & Spin Dancer. Spinning World stood a season at Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand in 2000 & 31 of his resultant yearling crop are catalogued for NZ’s Karaka Premier Sale in January reported thoroughbrednews.co.nz. (Dec 24) TOC Trans-Tasman Treble For NZ’s Leading Sire Last season's champion New Zealand sire Volksraad landed a trans-Tasman treble with the wins of Volkman (ex Twinklebelle) at Doomben in Brisbane, & Judge Brown (ex Kay Row) & Deautche Express (ex Spraypaint) at the Te Rapa meeting in NZ. (Dec 24) TOC Critical Eye Goes Out A Winner Gr1 winner Critical Eye passed the US$1 million in prize-money in her final career race when she won the Gr3 Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct. Trainer Scott Schwartz told thoroughbredtimes.com: "She’s done everything & then some. This is the way to go out." Critical Eye, who won 14 of 38 starts, will retire to Taylor Made Farm. No stallion has been confirmed, but Schwartz named Deputy Minister as a likely candidate for the 5YO daughter of Dynaformer. (Dec 24) TOC Outta Here Hits Jackpot At Delta Downs Outta Here won the US$500,000 Delta Jackpot Stakes at Delta Downs reported thoroughbredtimes.com. The 2YO son of Dehere is the first starter for the unraced Forty Niner mare Just Out. His second dam is the winning Danzig mare Doubles Match, a half-sister to Gr1 winner & sire Joyeux Danseur. Outta Here represents the immediate family of English highweight & sire Ajdal, Gr1 winner Flying Partner, Gr1 winner & sire Formidable, & Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner & sire Arazi. (Dec 24) TOC Karamanos Wins Jockey Title US-based jockey Horatio Karamanos has been named Jockey-Of-The-Year in his native Argentina. Karamanos was a top rider in Argentina before moving to Florida in 2001. He switched to the Maryland circuit in 2002 & won the Laurel Park riding title. Karamanos told thoroughbredtimes.com: “It’s a tremendous honor. I am still adjusting to the riding style in the US.” In 2002, Karamanos has landed 233 wins from 1,174 mounts & prize-money of US$4,987,376. (Dec 24) TOC Brazilian Sire Clackson Dies Brazilian champion & sire Clackson has died from a heart attack during colic surgery in the Veterinarian Hospital of Taruma racecourse reported thoroughbredtimes.com. While racing for Stud Montecatini, Clackson (a 26-year-old son of UK sire I Say) was one of the top horses from Brazil during the 1980s, winning 15 races including back-to-back victories in the Gr1 Grande Premio Sao Paulo & Gr1 Grande Premio Parana. Overall, Clackson has sired 53 stakes winners & 38 group winners in 17 crops of racing age, including1992 Brazilian Horse-Of-The-Year Ramirito, 1996 Mare-Of-The-Year & champion 3YO filly Oriental Flower & 2001 champion stayer Omnium Leader. (Dec 24) TOC Top Virginia Sire Secret Hello Euthanised US Gr1 winner Secret Hello, sire of 15 stakes winners who stood the last 5 seasons at Albemarle Stud in Virginia, was euthanised after complications from chronic neurological disease reported thoroughbredtimes.com. The 15-year-old son of Private Account (out of stakes winner Ciao) won 6 of 22 career starts (including the 1989 Gr1 Arlington-Washington Futurity & 1990 Gr2 Saint Paul Derby) & ranked as the state’s leading sire in 1999 & 2000. His progeny include Gr2 winner Secret Firm, Gr3 winner Silent Greeting, 1999 Panamanian champion imported juvenile Golden Hello & multiple stakes winner Royal Tramp. (Dec 24) TOC Owner Sued By Tattersalls Ireland Tattersalls Ireland has successfully sued racehorse owner Seamus Ross in the Dublin Circuit Court & the company claims it has established an important legal precedent reported racingpost.co.uk. At the 2000 Derby Sale Ross paid 54,000 Irish guineas for an unbroken Roselier 4YO closely related to Dawn Run. The gelding was sold by Peter Curling, but 6 days later heat appeared in a foreleg. Ross’s vet & Troytown Veterinary Hospital both found problems with a tendon & Ross returned the horse. (The gelding was resubmitted by the sales company at its November Sale, when it was bought for 58,000 Irish guineas. The horse was named Knockroe Lad & made its debut in a maiden hurdle at Naas in November.) Ross refused to pay for the horse & Tattersalls Ireland sued him for commission, keep charges, insurance costs, interest & “luck money” paid to the November Sale purchaser. Don Hannigan, the vet acting for Curling, said he examined the horse 9 days before the sale & gave him a clean certificate. Martin Doyle, a vet employed by Tattersalls Ireland, examined the horse 2 days before the sale & also gave him a clean bill of health. However Sean Gorman, who was to break-in the horse for Ross & took him back from the sale, called in vet Chris Harrington when he found heat in a tendon. Harrington said: “I found heat at the upper end of the flexor tendon. I applied pressure with my thumb and the horse reacted. He showed some pain & I advised Sean to take the horse to Troytown Hospital for x-ray.” Hugh Dillon, senior partner in Troytown, carried out an ultra-sound scan which showed some tearing of the tendon fibres. He also detected some scar tissue. However Judge Kevin Haugh said: “I am not persuaded the scientific evidence is sufficiently strong that this was a horse sold with actual damage. I am satisified that vets Hannigan & Doyle carried out a serious examination of the horse & were entitled to certify that he did not suffer any clinical defect that could affect his use as a racehorse. However this was not a copper-bottomed guarantee against all eventualities.” The judge awarded costs against Ross, but struck out the interest & luck money. Tattersalls Ireland finance director Liam Dunne said: “We are happy about the outcome. It has established that we are entitled to act under the conditions of sale.” (Dec 24) TOC Betting Comp & UK Trainers Meet Jockey Club On Corruption The UK Jockey Club has announced a 3-cornered meeting “early in the New Year” with betting company Betfair & the UK National Trainers' Federation to discuss ”increasing moves to keep corruption out of racing.” Betfair (a one-to-one betting exchange) has already been in talks with the NTF, reported racingpost.co.uk, after calls were made for UK trainers to be banned from using Betfair earlier this month. A recommendation to ban trainers laying their own horses is set to be included in the next report of the Jockey Club’s Integrity Review Committee. Betfair’s director of communications Mark Davies said: “We hope to have some more proposals solidly behind keeping corruption out of the sport. Our operation is based on transparancy & we have a good relationship with the Jockey Club." Suggestions made on the BBC’s Grandstand program that Betfair betting patterns are to be used in on-the-day stewards’ inquiries were described as premature. Jockey Club public relations director John Maxse revealed there is already a member of the security department monitoring moves on the betting exchanges. (Dec 24) TOC UK Stallion Parade To Precede Doncaster Sales Twenty-five of Britain's premier stallions will be on show before the curtain rises on the first UK auction of 2003, the Doncaster January Sales on January 28 & 29. The stallion parade will include 7 freshman sires, among them Darley's Gr1 winners Best Of The Bests & Tobougg, reported racingpost.co.uk. Completing the first-season line-up will be last year's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes victor Summoner, Endless Summer, Warningford, Ishiguru & German Derby winner Robertico. (Dec 24) TOC Racing NSW Produces Controversial Reform Blueprint Racing NSW has produced a 19-page ‘blueprint’ for rebuilding the industry, reported The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. The Issues Paper was prepared by general manager of corporate affairs Stephen Ferguson & calls for sweeping reform after input from key industry players on TAB distribution, race date allocations, track maintenance schemes & racecourse development. It declares: “The two most important issues for race clubs are TAB revenue & race dates. The TRB must ensure that TAB revenue & race dates are distributed in such a manner that will maximise total industry benefit.” It notes that since privatisation of the NSW TAB, the ruling body had “essentially approved all schemes put forward by the sectors & clubs without criticism or review.” But the time has arrived to “review those arrangements & examine whether they are achieving what is best for the industry as a whole.” (Dec 20) TOC Victorian Bid To Set Up Rival TV Racing Channel Speculation intensified that the Victorian clubs are “investigating whether to break-away from Sky & set-up their own independent television service for TAB outlets & home viewers” reported The Daily Telegraph newspaper. However the prohibitive cost led a source, identified as “an influential NSW racing official” to comment: “Once the Victorian clubs complete a feasibility study into the proposal, they will realise it is just pie-in-the-sky stuff. Plus who is going to pay for the distribution network, which includes satellite dishes & deals with say Optus & Foxtel, both of whom already take Sky’s cover. Also will the pubs & clubs want to pay for another racing service?” (Dec 20) TOC AJC Confirms Future For Kensington & Warwick Farm The Australian Jockey Club has confirmed the long-term use of both its Kensington (inside Randwick) & Warwick Farms tracks. Asked by The Daily Telegraph: “Are you saying there is definitely a future for the Kensington track as a racing surface?”, AJC chief executive Tony King replied: “Absolutely. We will NEVER do away with it as a racetrack. The club hasn’t spent $7 million just to use it for trackwork & barrier trails.” And when asked: “Can you be as unequivocal about Warwick Farm’s future? “ King replied: “Yes, the racing future of Warwick Farm is assured as far as the Committee is concerned. Even if the Committee ever decides not to use it for race meetings, it will always remain as a training centre.” (Dec 20) TOC Martin New Hall Of Fame Chairman Race caller Bryan Martin is the new chairman of the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame committee. "To be associated with a body which primarily is responsible for the promotion & celebration of racing's luminary figures is a great privilege," Martin told aapracingandsports.com.au. He succeeds administrator & owner Ian Macdonald, who stepped down after establishing the Hall Of Fame in 2001. The Australian Racing Hall of Fame will next year travel to Adelaide, where 13 more racing icons will be inducted on May 15. Already 40 of the biggest names in racing's history have been inducted. The selection committee is due to sit in late January to review nominations submitted for consideration by the principal clubs of Australia. (Dec 20) TOC 2002 Breeding Milestones End Of Year Acknowledgement: Two of the international thoroughbred industry’s greatest sires achieved remarkable milestones during 2002. Sadler’s Wells, the son of Northern Dancer based in Ireland at Coolmore Stud, sired his 200th career stakes winner in June. And Storm Cat, the son of Storm Bird who commands a US$500,000 stud fee at Overbrook Farm in Kentucky, sired his 100th career stakes winner in July. (Dec 20) TOC Camacho Wins Stakes Race In US New Zealand-bred 5YO stallion Camacho (Maroof-In Margaritaville) opened his North American Stakes account with an all-the-way win in the 1-mile US$50,000 Paradise Mile Handicap at Turf Paradise reported racenet.com.au. Purchased by Col Jillings at the 1999 NZ Premier Sale, Camacho won the 2000 NZ Ryder Stakes at Levin & added 3 successive victories in 2002 culminating in the Awapuni Hotel Stakes. (Dec 20) TOC New Swimming Pool Opens At Awapuni A new swimming pool for horses officially opens today at Awapuni. The NZ$260,000 project was undertaken by NZ’s Awapuni Partnership Clubs to enhance training facilities at Awapuni. Partnership Board chairman Gerald Fell told thoroughbrednews.co.nz that, with up 240 horses in work, Awapuni was the busiest training centre in the lower part of NZ’s North Island. “The availability of a pool is seen as a valuable training & rehabilitation aid for horses, & with hard summer tracks likely in coming months, it is expected to be very popular,” he said. It is modeled on an Australian design: a straight 65.8m in length (including entry & exit ramps at either end), 2.1m wide & 2.3m deep. (Dec 20) TOC Mercedes Super Bonus Series Excites NZ NZ’s exciting Mercedes Super Bonus Series is beginning to climax, with the NZ$150,000 Mercedes Prelude for 2YO colts & geldings over 1100m at Manawatu this weekend. Unbeaten youngsters Maroofity & King’s Chapel (each has already picked up a bonus) clash with Romar Dale (winner of 3 races) & Ubiquitous (2nd to King’s Chapel at his only start). The Mercedes Colts & Geldings Prelude is NZ’s 2nd equal richest race for 2YOs, along with the Fillies equivalent run at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. Highlight of the Series is then the NZ$500,000 Mercedes Classique for 2YOs at Te Rapa on February 1. The Bonus Series puts over NZ$1 million ‘up for grabs’ over the racing season & is open to all enrolled graduates of the NZ Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series. (Dec 20) TOC Platinum Tiara Retired To Breed With A.P.Indy Multiple US stakes winner & 2000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Platinum Tiara has been retired by owner & co-breeder Rob Murphy. In 2003 she will be bred to A.P.Indy at Lane’s End in Kentucky reported thoroughbredtimes.com. The 4YO daughter of Cozzene won 5 of 28 starts. A.P.Indy, among the leading US sires in the last 2 years, has sired 29 group/graded stakes winners from 7 crops of racing age, including 2001 champion juvenile filly Tempera & 2001 United Arab Emirates Horse-Of-The-Year Festival Of Light. (Dec 20) TOC Top US Freshman Sire Stormy Atlantic To Hill 'N' Dale Stormy Atlantic, who ranks 9th on the US leading first-crop sires list by progeny earnings, will stand next season at John Sikura's Hill 'N' Dale Farms in Kentucky at a service fee of US$12,500, reported bloodhorse.com. The 8YO son of Storm Cat formerly stood at Bridlewood Farm in Florida. Stormy Atlantic's include stakes winners Atlantic Ocean, Jimmy O & Hurricane Hebe. Stormy Atlantic's relocation comes on the heels of Hill 'N' Dale buying some of breeding rights in leading 2YO Vindication. (Dec 20) TOC Multiple Stakes Winner Dat You Miz Blue To Stud Dat You Miz Blue, a 7-time US stakes winner who defeated last year’s 3YO champion filly Xtra Heat in the Garland Of Roses Handicap at Aqueduct on December 14, has retired. The 5YO daughter of Cure The Blues will head to Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky, where she will be bred to Chief Seattle (by Seattle Slew) in the 2003 season. Overall Dat You Miz Blue won 14 of 33 career starts. "I made the decision last year that this would be her final year," owner Cynthia Knight told Daily Racing Form. "At the end of her 2YO season, she got hurt with a slab fracture. She has screws in that knee, and I always was worried about that. You have to give her a lot of credit. I wonder what her potential would have been if she didn’t get hurt." (Dec 20) TOC Cardinal Concern To Stud At Delehanty Cardinal Concern, who won his only 2 career starts as a 3YO at Belmont Park in 2000, will retire to stand the 2003 season at Frank Stella’s Delehanty Stock Farm outside New York. The 5YO son of Concern (out of the stakes-winning Fortunate Prospect mare Fortunate Faith) will stand for a private fee reported thoroughbredtimes.com. His sire won the 1994 Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs & 3 other US graded stakes races. (Dec 20) TOC Thoroughbred Times Names 2002’s Top 10 US bible the Thoroughbred Times has listed its Top 10 industry news stories for 2002. They are: (1) Breeders Cup Ultra Pick Six scandal; (2) saga of Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem (which began in New Orleans with trainer Frank "Bobby" Springer & will end on the Japanese isle of Hokkaido at the Yoshida family’s legendary Shadai Stallion Station); (3) death of Seattle Slew (leading general sire of 1984, juvenile sire of 1988 & broodmare sire of 1995 & 1996 with over 100 stakes winners including champions A.P.Indy, Slew O’ Gold, Swale, Landaluce, Surfside & Capote, plus prize-money exceeding US$78-million); (4) Frank Stronach’s rapid racetrack expansion across the US via Magna Entertainment Corp; (5) downturn in major bloodstock markets (2 years after historic highs, US premier yearling markets took significant hits in 2002 – for example, Keeneland’s July selected yearling sale gross dipped to its lowest level since 1978); (6) Japan mourns Sunday Silence death (his prize-money currently totals US$339 million); (7) Chris McCarron retires (7,139 career victories placed him 6th on the US all-time jockey list & prize-money of US$264,380,651 placed him atop the all-time earnings list - until Pat Day surpassed him in August); (8) workers’ compensation crisis (more than 300 trainers in California were left scrambling for options when Legion Insurance notified them that coverage would be discontinued on March 1; the issue affected the industry for the remainder of the year); (9) search for answers about MRLS (mare reproductive loss syndrome is expected to have a long-term economic impact of more than US$300 million on the industry); (10) Illinois tracks merge (Chicago racing changed dramatically when officials from Sportsman’s Park announced they planned to terminate thoroughbred racing at their Cicero facility & move the National Jockey Club to nearby Hawthorne Race Course). (Dec 20) TOC Prebble Rides 1,000th Winner Victorian jockey Brett Prebble notched his 1,000th winner when he steered Lock The Key to victory at Sandown – celebrating with an excited flourish of his whip as he passed the winning post. Prebble, 25, rode his first winner at Edenhope back in March 1993, & his first city winner on Sunny Vale at Flemington that August. He was Australia’s leading Gr1 winning jockey in the 2000-1 season & took the Melbourne Jockeys Premiership 2 of the last 3 seasons. (Dec 19) TOC Magic Millions Links With Gold Coast For $3.55 million Race-Day The Gold Coast Turf Club will stage Queensland's richest race day, worth $3.55 million in prizemoney, exclusively for Magic Millions sales graduates in 2006. MM managing director David Chester told aapracingandsports.com.au the Super Saturday in 3 years would also include the world's richest Maiden race worth $100,000. The 2006 meeting will feature: the $1 million Magic Millions Classic for 2YOs; a $1 million 3YO race; $400,000 Magic Millions Cup; a sprint worth $200,000; a $100,000 fillies & mares race; & a $100,000 State-Of-Origin clash. The Super Saturday concept follows the decision by the GCTC to boost next month's carnival with the $100,000 Magic Millions Cup (1200m) for MM graduates, which will increase to $400,000 in 2004 & 2005. MM co-owner John Singleton has been pushing the exclusive MM-graduate race day concept for some time. "It's going to be fantastic for the Gold Coast," Chester said. "There'll be no other meeting like this anywhere in the world & it will be one of the richest single days of racing in Australia." GCTC chairman Bill Millican added his club was “entering a new exciting era. This is fantastic news & gives the Gold Coast something extra special," Millican said. (Dec 19) TOC Northerly’s Bush-Fire Alert Grabs US Headlines Australian weight-for-age champion Northerly grabbed international turf headlines when leading US industry newswire thoroughbredtimes.com reported “Cox Plate winner Northerly was moved to safety as a bush-fire raced across a 100-acre paddock on trainer Fred Kersley’s property near Forrestdale, located outside Perth, Australia. The fire was extinguished within hours. Several other horses, including 40 broodmares, were also moved to safety. None of the horses suffered injury & there was no damage to the farm’s stables or Kersley’s home.” (Dec 19) TOC Boss Loses Appeal & Misses Villiers The NSW Racing Appeals Panel dismissed jockey Glen Boss’s appeal against a careless riding suspension, meaning he will not ride Melbourne 4YO Silver Birch in the $200,000 Gr2 Villiers Stakes at Randwick. Boss will now serve a 5-meeting metropolitan suspension & not resume riding until January 5. (Dec 19) TOC Grandera To Chase Further International Honours In 2003 Irish-bred 4YO Grandera, 2002’s official World Series Champion who finished 3rd in the Cox Plate behind Northerly, will stay in training & chase further international honours next year. Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford told Irish Thoroughbred Marketing: “We are sure he will accomplish himself well next year.” (Dec 19) TOC Smith Slipper Looming As Millions Trial Doomben’s $100,000 Listed Tommy Smith Slipper at set weights on December 28 is looming as a key Magic Millions lead-up. The 38 current 1st acceptors include 15 2YOs eligible for the Magic Millions 2YO prize a fortnight later. The colts/geldings are: Helter Skelter, African Grey, Danbird, Get Carter, Cambooya, Express Ball, L'Espalier, Aracena & Imperialism. The fillies are: Nibbler, Kas Nediym, Regimental Gal, Fashion Victim, Shamekha & Hasna. Previously winners of this race include Mr Innocent, Territorial, Shovoff & Sunday Joy. (Dec 19) TOC Doncaster To Showcase Defier-Lonhro Rivalry The rivalry between local Sydney heroes Defier & Lonhro is set to peak during the AJC’s San Miguel Autumn Carnival, with the pair headed for a showdown in the San Miguel Doncaster Handicap. Both were among 222 nominations for the $2.5 million feature ‘mile’ on April 19 at Royal Randwick (part of Australia’s richest race day). Lonhro won both the Yalumba Stakes & Mackinnon Stakes in Victoria, but failed to beat Defier home in 3 head-to-head battles during the spring. Defier built a giant-killing reputation in winning the George Main Stakes & finishing 2nd behind Northerly in the Cox Plate. Other notable Doncaster nominations included: 2002 Epsom winner Excellerator; 2002 Spring Champion Stakes winner Platinum Scissors; exciting 3YO Thorn Park; & 2001 Spring Champion Stakes winner Viking Ruler, who’s on the comeback trail. (Dec 19) TOC Sydney Cup Nominations Close Nominations for the 2003 Schweppes Sydney Cup have also closed, with 151 nominations accepted. The race is set to feature a much-anticipated rematch between 2002 AJC Derby winner Don Eduardo & runner-up Carnegie Express. Henderson Bay will attempt to win back-to-back Sydney Cups, while other strong nominations include veteran Melbourne Cup runner-up Mr Prudent, 2002 AJC Oaks winner Republic Lass, Sandown Classic winner Hail & 2001 VRC Derby champion Amalfi. (The AJC advises late nominations for both the San Miguel Doncaster Handicap & Schweppes Sydney Cup close on February 28.) (Dec 19) TOC Australians Clean Up In Hong Kong Australian thoroughbreds are winning almost 1 in every 2 races in Hong Kong this season. Australian-breds have won 106 of 224 races –that’s 47.3% of races contested since the season began on September 1 reported aapracingandsports.com.au. New Zealand-bred racehorses have won a further 63 races. (Dec 19) TOC Beechwood Grange Adds Pair Of Gr1 winners Robertico, winner of Germany’s 1998 Gr1 Deutsches Derby, has been retired & will stand the 2003 season at Beechwood Grange Stud near York in England reported racingpost.co.uk. The 7YO son of Robellino won 6 of 37 career starts. He will be joined by Elmaamul (sire of 2 champions & 10 stakes winners from 9 crops of racing age) who had been standing in Italy; the 15-year-old son of Diesis will return to England in 2003 also to stand at Beechwood. Elmaamul’s off-spring include Brazilian champion Bandeira Nativa, Czechoslovakian champion Fantasy Friend & multiple European high-weight & Gr1 winner Muhtathir. (Dec 19) TOC Irish Star Changes Stables Budweiser Irish Derby runner-up Sholokhov will leave Aidan O’Brien to join Gary Tanaka after being sold for an undisclosed sum. The son of Sadler’s Wells won the Gr1 Gran Criterium at San Siro, before chasing home High Chaparral in the Derby at the Curragh in June. Sholokhov also finished runner-up behind Hawk Wing in the Gr1 Eclipse Stakes in July. (Dec 19) TOC 3 New US Gr1 Races For 2003 There will be 3 new Gr1 stakes, 3 new Gr2 events & 10 new Gr3 races under a 2003 list released by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association reported bloodhorse.com. The 3 races up-graded to Gr1 status are: the Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park; the Triple Bend Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park; & the Diana Handicap at Saratoga. In all, there will be 101 US Gr1 stakes in 2003. (Dec 19) TOC Gr1 Winner Miner's Mark To Stud At Pin Oak Lane Gr1 winner Miner's Mark will stand the US 2003 stud season at Dr William Solomon's Pin Oak Lane Farm in Pennsylvania reported bloodhorse.com. Formerly at DunHill Stud in Florida, Miner's Mark has sired 9 stakes winners & this year his runners have topped US$2 million prize-money. A 12-year-old son of Mr Prospector (out of champion Personal Ensign), Miner's Mark won the Gr1 Jockey Club Gold Cup & Gr2 Jim Dandy Stakes. (Dec 19) TOC Kettle Won To Stud At Anstu Farm Kettle Won (a 6YO son of Colonial Affair out of the multiple stakes-placed Double Zeus mare Safe At the Plate) will go to stud in 2003 at Stuart Subotnick’s Anstu Farm outside New York, reported thoroughbredtimes.com. (Dec 19) TOC Promising UK 2YOs To Race In HK The trend is growing: promising UK 2YOs Sir Albert & Zaide have been purchased to race in Hong Kong & will leave for the former British colony immediately reported racingpost.co.uk. Sir Albert (by Royal Applause) won the Listed Roses Stakes at York in August; he will join trainer Ivan Allan in HK. Zaide (by Singspiel) was runner-up to Makhlab in the Gr3 Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury in October & will join John Moore's stable. (Dec 19) TOC Stewards Ban Bleeders NSW stewards have banned several horses for bleeding attacks, reported racenet.com.au. At Warwick Farm early morning trackwork stewards reported that, after galloping 1000m for the purpose of being passed as a bleeder, Cashmere Court was pulled up quickly after the mare made the crossing near the gap office. Cashmere Court was examined in the company of trainer Garry Neale & found to be bleeding profusely from both nostrils. Neale was advised Cashmere Court was now banned from racing in Australia for life. And at recent Sydney race meetings Real Dream, Waugh, Family Of Song & Chalet Amis all suffered first-time bleeding attacks & will incur the mandatory 3-month ban from racing. (Dec 19) TOC Vin Cox Starts Own Bloodstock Agency Prominent breeding industry figure Vin Cox is leaving William Inglis & Son after 14 years to start his own bloodstock agency. He plans to offer services including yearling selection, broodmare management, stallion syndication & private sales. Cox has been involved in the syndication of sires Tierce, Dr Grace & Barathea as well as the private sale of broodmares Moon Dragon, Dream Appeal, Voltage & Rich Haul. (Dec 18) TOC Disqualifications Follow All-In-Brawl At Newcastle Racing NSW stewards disqualified 4 licensed people after an all-in brawl in the Members Bar at Newcastle racetrack. Jockey Paul Falvey was disqualified for 4 months, farrier Jamie Carruthers for 12 months, trackwork rider Paula Beagan for 6 months & stable-hand Kristy Ostle for 3 months. Among the colourful evidence stewards heard: Newcastle Jockey Club chief executive John Curtis was told “you’re dead” as Carruthers held a hand to his head in the shape of a gun at the end of the brawl; & Beagan was found guilty of biting & kicking a security guard in the testicles. Steward Philip Dingwall told The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper: “It was an unfortunate incident & reflects poorly on the racing industry. The penalties issued needed to reflect the actions of the licensed persons involved.” (Dec 18) TOC Rosehill Gardens Opens $7.5 Million Exhibition Centre The Sydney Turf Club’s new $7.5 million exhibition centre at Rosehill Gardens racecourse is officially opened today by STC chairman Bruce McHugh, Parramatta City Lord Mayor Paul Garrard, NSW Minister for Western Sydney Kim Yeadon, NSW TRB chief executive Merv Hill & NSW Tourism chief executive Tony Thirlwell. The 4000-square metre Rosehill Gardens Exhibition Centre will provide a unique facility to supplement race day attendances at Rosehill race meetings as it allows for large-scale exhibitions to be held on race days. (Dec 18) TOC Proud Knight Dead At 25 Veteran Hunter Valley sire Proud Knight has died aged 25 reported aapracingandsports.com.au. The son of great sprint sire Vain won 5 races, including the Gr2 San Domenico Stakes at Randwick, & set a course record for 1000m at Moonee Valley. He originally stood at the Harris family’s Holbrook Stud in the Widden Valley, before relocating in the late 1990s when the Harris family purchased Glenhaven near Scone, which now carries the Holbrook name. Proud Knight produced over 220 winners of 740 races (including Justice Prevails & Clay Hero) & $5.7 million prize-money. (Dec 18) TOC HK Horses Told: Chase International Success Following the success of local horses in the International Races at Sha Tin, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has challenged HK owners & trainers to pursue major international races around the globe. HKJC director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told thoroughbredtimes.com: "Horses from this region should travel to compete with confidence & can achieve the appropriate rewards & recognition. Our European colleagues always feel some superiority &, in the past, performances in this part of the world have not received due recognition." But he noted the latest International Races served notice to overseas competition that second-string horses will not be good enough to take the money in HK: "The English are going to have to look at how they approach this. We have heard again that it is the end of a long season for them, but that is not reasonable. Our prize-money is strong enough that horses should be targeted for these races & come here peaking instead of past it. Those who do not take that approach will continue to find it hard." Engelbrecht-Bresges would like to see connections point horses toward runs in both the Japan Cup & Hong Kong Vase at the end of each year, rather than just the Breeders’ Cup Turf. (Dec 18) TOC Conquistador Cielo Euthanised At 23 US 1982 Horse-Of-The-Year & successful sire Conquistador Cielo, who started a run of 5 consecutive Belmont Stakes wins for trainer Woody Stephens, was euthanised at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky. The 23-year-old son of Mr Prospector was suffering from founder in his left front leg reported thoroughbredtimes.com. He covered 50 mares this season at a US$30,000 service fee. Claiborne manager Gus Koch said Conquistador Cielo would be buried in the farm’s cemetery next to 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled (who died last year). Conquistador Cielo won 9 of 13 career starts, including the Gr1 Belmont Stakes (by 14 lengths over Kentucky Derby winner Gato Del Sol & Preakness winner Aloma's Ruler), Gr1 Metropolitan Handicap (by 7 lengths in a track record), Gr2 Dwyer Stakes, Gr2 Jim Dandy Stakes & Gr2 Saratoga Special Stakes. He was subsequently syndicated for a record US$36.4 million & sired 65 stakes winners from 17 crops (including Gr1 winners Marquetry, Wagon Limit, Norquestor & Conquistarose) & has lifetime progeny earnings of US$54,278, 381. (Dec 18) TOC Cassidy Uncertain About Return To Saddle Leading big race jockey Jim ‘The Pumper’ Cassidy rates himself “only a 50-50 chance” to be fit to ride in the Magic Millions races at the Gold Coast on January 11. Cassidy has undergone knee cartilage surgery & will get an indication of his recovery rate after a specialist examination. “It’s too early to say exactly when I could be riding again,” Cassidy told aapracingandsports.com.au. “It all depends on when I can start training again. If I can get back into the pool before Christmas, I could be some chance to be fit to ride at the Magic Millions meeting. However I won’t be taking any risks & will not be pushing myself to get back just for that meeting.” Trainer Gai Waterhouse will be eager to check on Cassidy’s condition when she returns from an overseas holiday on December 24, so she can work out her riders for the big team of 2YOs she intends starting in the $1 million Magic Millions Classic. (Dec 18) TOC Bowman Suspension Sinks NZ Assault Hugh Bowman's plans to ride at the New Zealand summer carnival were thwarted when he was suspended at Warwick Farm. Stewards outed Bowman from Boxing Day until January 8 - meaning he will miss plum rides in the Gr1 features in Auckland for trans-Tasman trainer Graeme Rogerson, reported The Daily Telegraph newspaper. (Dec 18) TOC UK Authorities Powerless In 'You-Go-First' Fiasco The UK Jockey Club announced there is no action within its powers to prevent a recurrence of the farcical ’You-Go-First’ start that blighted Cheltenham’s 4-runner Relkeel Hurdle. With every jockey anxious for a lead, horses stood still at the start for 15 seconds after the official ’off’, before breaking into a walk. The eventual winner of the 2-mile-5-furlong event recorded a time a minute slower than average, reported racingpost.co.uk. Two of the jockeys in the race had been involved in a near indentical slow motion show at Ascot a month earlier, in a race which again featured only 4 runners. “It’s a very difficult issue, because it would be like stepping into a minefield for the Jockey Club to become involved in how a race was run, if no rules are being broken,” said director of public affairs John Maxse. The Jockey Club is in a position similar to other sports where tactics can interfere with the spectacle of a game, but the referee is in no position to do anything about it. There is always the risk of jockeys waiting for others to make the first move in a race with just a handful of runners.” Mike Cattermole, racecourse commentator at Cheltenham, added the farcical start was simply part of race-riding: “You don't reveal your hand or tactics to the opposition in any other sport, so why should you have to do it in racing?" (Dec 18) TOC Villiers Winner Automatic Entry To Doncaster The winner of the Gr2 San Miguel Villiers Stakes over 1600m at Randwick will, for the first time, gain automatic entry to the $2.5 million Gr1 San Miguel Doncaster Handicap on April 19. The Villiers is the highlight of the first day of the Australian Jockey Club’s Summer Carnival. On-course action includes: a ‘Christmas Cocktails & Dreams Party’ with 6 of Sydney’s leading barmen putting on a spectacular display as they compete for cash prizes in the Marie Brizard Flair Tending Competition; chances for race-goers to win prizes in the Grand Marnier Create-A-Cocktail Competition & the San Miguel Beer Opening Competition; plus a visit from Santa & a performance from Sydney’s hottest cover band Superfish. (Dec 18) TOC Rory’s Jester Demand Will Outstrip Supply The track success of Rory’s Jester progeny continues, but his sale ring yearlings will become increasingly rare predicted aapracingandsports.com.au. Rory’s Jester underlined his strength as a 2YO sire when Gai Waterhouse’s filly How Funny began her career with a win at Rosehill, with another Rory’s Jester youngster Merhoob 3rd. Rory’s Jester already boasts 1998 Magic Millions winner Catnipped among his star juveniles & holds a strong hand in the 2003 event with flying Melbourne filly Fashion Victum also poised to run in the Gold Coast race on January 11. In addition, Rory’s Jester 3YO Wyndham Glory (last season’s Perth Magic Millions winner) scored recently at Sandown. Rory’s Jester has now sired 523 individual winners from 699 starters - an extraordinary 74.8% winners-to-starters ratio – and totalled Australian earnings of $25.8 million. (Worldwide earnings are $38 million, due to the success of his breed in Hong Kong, Macau & Singapore.) But public offerings of his progeny are decreasing - his 2001 foal crop numbered only 32, & Stud Book returns for 2002 number just 37. Hence demand for Rory’s Jester stock seems likely to exceed supply, with catalogues for the 2003 yearling sales showing only 13 of his stock listed for sale: 8 at Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale in January; none in either the Inglis Sydney Classic or NZ Karaka sales; just 4 in February’s Inglis Melbourne Premier catalogue; & only 5 so far listed for Sydney’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April. (Dec 18) TOC Hong Kong Success For Anabaa The win of French-bred & HK-trained 4YO Precision in the Hong Kong Cup will prove significant for the Southern Hemisphere breeding industry, predicted thoroughbrednews.co.nz. Precision is a son of Widden Stud-based US shuttle sire Anabaa, who’s been steadily gaining favour with HK trainers & owners over recent seasons – 8 of his 9 HK runners have collected prize-money, including Anabatik, Best For All, Songs Of Praise (all Australian-bred) & Precision. But potential buyers will have to wait until 2004 to get a crack at the next Anabaa yearlings, as his 2000 Australian stud season was curtailed through minor injury after covering just 2 mares. (Hence a lone yearling by Anabaa will be available in Australia in 2003 - a filly from imported Nijinsky mare More Happiness at the Inglis Classic sale in Sydney.) Things have improved since, with 54 live foals on the ground according to the Australian Stud Book, & Widden Stud reporting Anabaa served a full book of 70 mares this spring. (Dec 18) TOC WA Sire Zedrich Running Hot The owners of the 70 mares covered by Zedrich (the son of Zeditave at WA stud Evergreen Lodge) this season will be delighted to see the 4 recent wins by his progeny in Perth & Singapore (including 2 stakes races) reported aapracingandsports.com.au. At Ascot, classy sprinter Secret Remedy took the Listed Channel Nine Stakes (1200m) & Son Of Vasac blitzed his rivals in the Listed December Stakes (1800m). Zedrich's other winners were Saratoga Springs, plus Kronos at Kranji in Singapore. Trained by Anthony Cummings, Zedrich had only 8 starts in a career thwarted by injury; but in his first race he beat subsequent Golden Slipper winner Flying Spur in a listed event at Sandown. (He later finished 6th in the Golden Slipper behind Flying Spur.) Zedrich went to stud as a 4YO & now has 4 crops of racing age. He will be represented by 21 lots at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale in March. (Dec 18) TOC Mare In Foal To Distorted Humor Tops Kentucky Mixed Sale Gaye’s Locket, a 7YO mare in foal to freshman sire Distorted Humor, drew top price of US$55,000 at the 1-session Fasig-Tipton Kentucky December Mixed Sale. The sale’s average soared 54% above last year as 140 horses were sold, reported thoroughbredtimes.com. Gaye’s Locket is a winning Ogygian mare & half-sister to multiple stakes winner Gallant Step. Distorted Humor has produced 4 black-type winners in his first crop, including Gr1 winner Awesome Humor & Gr2 winner Humorous Lady. (Dec 18) TOC Keeneland Considering Future For July Yearling Sale Keeneland had discussions with buyers, consignors & others in the thoroughbred industry about the future of its July select yearling sale reported bloodhorse.com. Keeneland's director of sales Geoffrey Russell described the meetings as “routine reviews that are conducted annually” & declined to reveal their content. But Tom VanMeter of Eaton Sales said a variety of options were discussed, including abandoning the auction for a year. "The July horses physically won't be there because the January & February foals are the ones we lost to MRLS (mare reproductive loss syndrome)," VanMeter said. "So there's another problem in addition to trying to get more buyers to come to the auction. But if they have the sale, we'll be there." Other possibilities mentioned, according to VanMeter, were "moving the sale to a different time, & trying to have a 3-day race meet in conjunction with the auction.” (Dec 18) TOC Date With Destiny For Bayliss Ipswich jockey-turned-trainer Jamie Bayliss – who was almost killed in an horrific race-fall on the Sunshine Coast - trained his first city winner, on exactly the same day 8 years later, when Hot Cymbal nudged the 1000m track record at Eagle Farm. Bayliss, now 33, told aapracingandsports.com.au: "It's amazing to think I had my last ride on December 17 & trained my first winner at Eagle Farm on the same date." Suffering serious head injuries, Bayliss lay unconscious in hospital for 5 days following the fall. He subsequently rekindled his passion for racing after a stint working with Mick Kent in Singapore. "That got me really motivated & once I got back home, after spending a year in Singapore, I was breaking-in horses for people I knew & it went from there," he said. “I've been training full time for the past 12 months and loving it.” (Dec 18) TOC Career Highlight For Female Jockey Young jockey Christine Puls achieved a career highlight when she won the Invitational race, against other female riders from around Australia, at Ascot in Perth. She then flew back to Victoria to ride at Werribee, where she won her 18th metropolitan race & 99th career race on Gazania. (Dec 18) TOC Country Racing Victoria Announces Special Holiday Meetings Country Racing Victoria will stage special school holiday entertainment at Samboy Kid's Summer Of Racing meetings this summer, with 12 selected venues hosting special Kids’ Days Out. CRV’s Brian Moyle noted a feature of the day will be the Great Aussie Bush Show. Venues & dates are: Geelong Thursday December 26; Bairnsdale Thursday December 26; Mildura Monday December 30; Echuca Tuesday December 31; Yarra Glen Thursday January 2; Mornington Saturday January 4; Kyneton Sunday January 5; Werribee Saturday January 11; Ballarat Sunday January 12; Stony Creek Monday January 13; Warrnambool Sunday January 19; Cranbourne Wednesday January 22. (Dec18) TOC Phone The King To Stud At Superstition in Kentucky Phone the King will enter stud at Jerry Straw's Superstition Farm in Kentucky reported bloodhorse.com. The 7YO son of Phone Trick won 5 of 45 starts, including placings in stakes races at 3 different tracks. (Dec 18) TOC Ugachaka Retired To Breed With Zabeel Former high class Australian racemare Ugachaka has been retired following her disappointing New Zealand debut performance at Te Rapa. "Obviously she’s not right, so it’s not a hard decision to make," the 4YO mare’s owner-breeder Garry Chittick told NZ Thoroughbred Marketing. Ugachaka won 5 races, including the Gr2 Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington & Gr2 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Rosehill, when trained by Lee Freedman. She returned to NZ for her final campaign with Matamata trainer Paul O’Sullivan, after being successfully covered by Zabeel. (Dec 17) TOC Mistegic Lame & Banned For Bleeding Trainer Lee Curtis suffered a double-blow in the aftermath to Mistegic’s game 6th in the Hong Kong Sprint. Jockey Dan Nikolic explained: “He went from bolting to gone in a few strides. If anything he travelled too well. When I let him down inside the 200m, he faulted very badly. He pulled up sore in the off-fore leg and didn’t feel good. It could be a tendon." HK stewards duly confirmed Mistegic pulled up lame. In addition, he also bled. As a result, reported racenet.com.au, Mistegic will incur an automatic 3-month ban for the bleeding attack - but will serve this while in the paddock recovering from his damaged leg. (Dec 17) TOC Media Puzzle May Return For BMW Clash With Northerly Irish trainer Dermot Weld has announced the Sydney Turf Club’s $2 million BMW on April 12 may be the next target for Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle – setting up a possible clash with Aussie champ Northerly. Weld said Media Puzzle had come through his Melbourne Cup campaign in good order &, with opportunities restricted in Europe, the 2400m weight-for-age contest at Rosehill would be an ideal option reported The Daily Telegraph newspaper. "I think it might be a nice race for him," Weld said. Northerly’s trainer Fred Kersley announced last week The BMW was Northerly’s primary autumn goal. However the canny Weld noted connections of Northerly (winner of the last 2 Cox Plates) should also consider the Dubai World Cup (run at a similar time to The BMW). "Why wouldn't Northerly go to Dubai," Weld said. "I'd have thought he would have a good chance over there." Meanwhile STC chief executive Michael Kenny confirmed: “Our racing manager John Nicholson made contact with Dermot Weld in Hong Kong & we are continuing to liaise with the International Racing Bureau about the possibility of attracting other northern hemisphere interest. Certainly we would love Media Puzzle to come to Sydney. The quarantine centre at Canterbury is being built right now & will be ready for autumn.” (Dec 17) TOC Special Presentation To Weld For Melbourne Cup Win Special presentations were made to Mark Weld (representing his father Dermot who was in Hong Kong), Dermot Cantillon (representing Michael Smurfit) & Moyglare manager Stan Cosgrove at the annual Moyglare dinner in Ireland for their achievement in winning the 2002 Melbourne Cup with Media Puzzle reported racingpost.co.uk. UK Turf Club senior steward Ray Rooney said: “The greatest tribute I can pay to Dermot is that many European trainers with vast resources at their disposal have tried to win the race, but have never been successful. Yet he has done it twice. I would also like to pay tribute to Dr Michael Smurfit, owner of both Vintage Crop & Media Puzzle. It is a brave decision to sanction such a venture & his achievement in being the successful owner of a European-trained winner on 2 occasions will be difficult to surpass. Moyglare has bred many great horses that have won races all over the world, but I am sure Media Puzzle’s success in Australia gave them as much, if not more, pleasure than any victory.” (Dec 17) TOC NSW TRB To Appeal Waterhouse Decision The legal battle between the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board & bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse continues. The TRB has announced that “after careful consideration of the judgment decision”, it has resolved to “appeal to the Court of Appeal the decision handed down by Justice Young on 29 November 2002, in regard to the Waterhouse v Racing Appeals Tribunal case.” (Dec 17) TOC Darley Plans Foray Into Japanese Racing Sheikh Mohammed's involvement in Japanese racing is to be stepped up in 2003, with 6 2YOs set to race for Darley Japan, probably based at Funabashi Racecourse reported bloodhorse.com. Darley has been represented in Japan for the past 5 years by a number of mares - originally sent to be covered by Sunday Silence - with some of their offspring offered at Japanese sales. There are currently about 20 Darley mares in Japan. A company called Darley Japan has just been created, under the auspices of Riki Takahashi. The training base & trainer will be decided in the next few months. (Dec 17) TOC Gilded Time Continues To Set Records Vinery’s young sire Gilded Time continues to set records. In his latest US Gr1 triumph, Gilded Time’s daughter Elloluv led all the way, in only her 3rd start, to record a sensational win in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes for 2YO fillies over 1700m at Hollywood Park - defeating Breeders Cup Juvenile runner-up Composure by 4 lengths. As the American racing year comes to a close, Gilded Time has sired 20 stakes performers & notched prize-money in excess of US$4.6 million this season alone, noted Vinery Australia’s bloodstock manager Colm Santry. Gilded Time was undisputed US Champion 2YO of his generation & undefeated in 4 juvenile starts, including: the Gr2 Sapling Stakes (in which he ran the 6 furlongs in a track record 1:07.4); the 1-mile Gr2 Arlington-Washington Futurity by 5 lengths; & the Gr1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He was similarly an immediate success at stud, ending 1997 as US Champion Freshman Sire. Now with 6 crops of racing age, Gilded Time is responsible for 264 winners of 704 races, worth over US$20 million, including 32 stakes winners & 58 individual stakes performers. He has sired over 90 2YO winners, including 24 from a single crop in 2000. Gilded Time shuttled to Vinery Australia for the first time in 1999 & has his first Australian-bred foals running this season; they already include Moonee Valley stakes-winner Pinchbeck. (Dec 17) TOC Falbrav Named Italian Horse-Of-The-Year The Italian Racehorse Owners’ Association crowned multiple Gr1 winner Falbrav as Italian Horse-Of-The-Year at an awards dinner in Milan reported thoroughbredtimes.com. Falbrav won 4 of 6 races in 2002, including Italy’s Gr1 Premio Presidente Della Repubblica & Gr1 Gran Premio di Milano, plus the Gr1 Japan Cup & earned US$2,468,697. Bred in Ireland by Azienda Agricola Francesca & owned by Scuderia Rencati, Falbrav is a 4YO colt by Fairy King out of the stakes-placed Slewpy mare Gift Of The Night. (Dec 17) TOC Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome: Breeders' Cup Nominations Fall The number of 2002 US foals nominated to the Breeders' Cup program fell 8% from last year, largely due to Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome reported bloodhorse.com. MRLS resulted in the loss of nearly 20% of pregnancies of Kentucky-based mares when it swept through the region in 2001. Dora Hughes, vice president of nominations for the US National Thoroughbred Racing Associations/Breeders' Cup, announced 13,800 foals of 2002 have been nominated to the program. The total is 1,220 fewer than the 15,020 reported by the Breeders' Cup last year. Kentucky had 1,423 fewer foals nominated in 2002 than in 2001, a result of the early-term abortions caused by MRLS. The 2002 total is 21% lower than the 8,294 Kentucky-breds nominated in 2000, prior to MRLS. (Dec 17) TOC HKJC Advises European Trainers To Ship Horses Earlier The Hong Kong Jockey Club will encourage European trainers to ship horses earlier for the International Races meeting, following the spate of late withdrawals which decimated this year’s British challenge. Malhub, Nayyir & Ulundi were all forced to miss their races at Sha Tin after becoming sick following long flights to HK - developing an array of problems including temperatures, nasal discharges & blood irregularities. Having arrived only a week before raceday, the treatment available was limited, prompting the HKJC to call for trainers to follow the lead of Germany’s Peter Schiergen, whose runner Guadalupe also became ill on arrival in HK but, having arrived sooner, had more time to recover & subsequently ran a creditable 6th in the HK Vase. HKJC director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told racingpost.co.uk: “Guadalupe is a good example. She came here 12 days before the race, took 2 or 3 days to acclimatise, was treated for her problem & ran a very good race. We will discuss the subject with European trainers & urge them to come to HK earlier. It depends on the horse but, in general, we will expect horses to be here 10 days in advance of race-day if the horse is flying for more than 8 hours.” (Dec 17) TOC Xmas Party Series Across Country NSW The NSW Country Racing Council is supporting 9 special “Christmas party” race meetings across the State. CRC chief executive Brian Judd told racenet.com.au: “The Christmas Party theme is showing that racing is a real community affair. We’re encouraging people to bring their families & have a great day out.” For example, Lismore Christmas Cup Race Day is on Friday 20 December. Lismore Turf Club secretary-manager Michael Timbrell said: “A lot of social groups are coming out – and the club has made special arrangements with Santa, who will arrive at the course at 3pm with special treats for the kids.” (Dec 17) TOC Magic Millions 2YO Latest Order-Of-Entry The latest 2YO action at Rosehill has had a significant impact on the order-of-entry for the $1 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast on January 11. Rory’s Jester filly How Funny (purchased by Gai Waterhouse at the 2002 MM Yearling Sale for $90,000) beat stablemate Snippy (also purchased by Waterhouse at the 2002 MM for $150,000) with 3rd place going to the John O'Shea trained Merhoob (purchased by Tim Boland at the 2002 MM for $130,000). And in Brisbane the General Nediym filly Regimental Gal also secured her place in the MM Classic with victory over dual Sydney winner Dorky. Latest order-of-entry: Hasna $76,500 prize-money (trained by G.Waterhouse); Get Carter $57,200 (J.Wallace); Fashion Victim $48,750 (D.Hall); Imperialism $40,050 (G.Waterhouse); Shamekha $38,250 (G.Waterhouse); Regimental Gal $33,400 (S.Dwyer); Aracena $29,250 (G.Waterhouse); Danbird $29,250 (G.Ryan); Express Ball $27,450 (R.Maund); Spinning Boy $19,050 (A.Stapleford); Helter Skelter $17,500 (L.Birchley); Kas Nediym $15,300 (G.Osborne); Markane $15,000 (D.Hall); Nibbler $14,063 (B.Laming); L'espalier $13,050 (G.Waterhouse); Dress Code $9,950 (R.Laing); Champagne Gold $8,460 (D.Balfour); Cambooya $8,000 (M.Nolan); African Grey $6,550 (T.Gollan); Mister Success $6,500 (K.Kemp); I'm a Leader $5,850 (B.Joseph); Con's Amy $5,200 (K.Moore); Head For Cover $4,875 (T.Hall); Annie La Vie $4,800 (B.Laming); La Reata $4,050 (R.Quinton); Western Springs $4,000 (P.Moody); Polka Queen $3,700 (G.Heinrich); Rosarino $3,200 (D.Hall); Seconds to Spare $3,200 (R.Cameron); High Occupancy $3,200 (J.Symons); Merhoob $3,000 (J.O'Shea); Danzadash $3,000 (T.McEvoy); Spymaster $2,800 (A.Scorse); Shore $2,500 (R.Macrae); Maduro $2,000 (L.Macdonald); Northwood $1,800 (G.Rogerson); Risingdane $1,800 (L.Olson); Barrenjoey Byways (F.Cleary); Charmview $1,500 (T.Wildman). (Dec 17) TOC Magic Millions 3YO Latest Order-Of-Entry Dual Gr1-winning filly Lovely Jubly began her build up to the Magic Millions Trophy for 3YOs when she finished 3rd at Rosehill. Last year's juvenile Magic Millions winner will have one more run in Sydney before she heads back to the Gold Coast to contest the $1 million MM Trophy (1400m) on January 11. Latest order-of-entry: Lovely Jubly $1,232,350 prize-money (trained by K.Robinson); Able Choice $555,019 (J.Moore); Snowland $464,700 (G.Waterhouse); Bulla Borghese $464,000 (R.Quinton); Hydrometer $437,760 (L.Macdonald); Brief Embrace $378,100 (P.Moody); Chuckle $292,000 (G.Waterhouse); CoolTrent $235,750 (D.Lawson); Milkshake $232,400 (C.Little); Ain't Here $227,550 (P.Moody); Blur $209,040 $30,000 (C.Little); Wyndam Glory $201,350 (T.McEvoy); Red Labelle $156,000 (M.Minervini); Star of Florida $142,200 (P.Duff); Damade Noche $138,450 (L.Freedman); Bardego $131,500 (L.Corstens); Sunday Joy $117,070 (G.Waterhouse); True Glo $111,900 (L.Freedman); Rachael's Pride $108,540 (J.Hall); Toast of the Coast $100,200 (T.Vasil); Warrior Trader $89,250 (M.Thexton); Lawson'sStorm $85,660 (D.Balfour); Grandway Shogun $81,000 (B.Guy); It's Who Deanie $79,250 (J.Salanitri); Superior Star $77,707 (N.Parnham); Ms Bowie $75,340 (A.Denham); Anacarde $74,440 (T.McEvoy); Highest $74,150 (J.Denham); Private Steer $69,720 (L.Curtis); Live Theatre $68,720 (M.Ellerton); Mardi Gras $62,600 (G.Ryan); Lion Dancer $60,370 (B.Thomsen); Gleam $60,300 (J.Denham); Sun Kisses $60,100 (G.Ryan); Bullala $59,900 (J.Morish); Robert Royale $54,600 (A.Denham); Cyberiad $54,000 (L.Freedman); Russell On $53,250 (G.Rogerson); Koochie $52,050 (J.Wallace). (Dec 17) TOC Inglis Classic Latest Order-Of-Entry Latest order-of-entry for the $610,000 2003 Inglis Classic (1200m) at Randwick on January 18: Miss Terrain (trained by M.Price) $48,750 prize-money; Secret Land (G.Waterhouse) $45,500; Danish Magic (R.Simpson) $15,300; Regrade (G.Portelli) $11,000; Mimzical (G.Portelli) $10,000; In Top Swing (N.Mayfield-Smith) $9,000; Happy Strike (R.Hore-Lacy) $8,000; Don's Success (G.Portelli) $5,200; Hinting (F.Mitchell) $3,600; Garrett (B.Joseph) $3,400; Filante's Rose (J.Cantrell) $1,800; General Intent (F.Mitchell) $1,600; Perfect Movement (G.Waterhouse) $1,600; Sir Dex (G.Hickman) $1,400; Turon (R.Pearse) $900; Dakota Kel (G.Portelli) $900; Impala Bullet (R.Milligan) $700. (Dec 17) TOC Inglis Premier Latest Order-Of-Entry Latest order-of-entry for the $500,000 2003 Inglis Premier Race (1200m) at Flemington on February 9: Ra Sun (trained by R.Griffiths) $115,000 prize-money; Pinchbeck (R.Hore-Lacy) $97,500; Arena Star (R.Griffiths) $26,250; Son of Spartacus (T.McEvoy) $23,740; Roedean (M.Price) $18,200; Pietiner (C.Alderson) $16,000; Paint The Stage (L.Freedman) $7,150; Tatanka (M.Minervini) $4,400; Lady Arnica (C.Conron) $3,000; Hot Spa (S.Richards) $750; Neo (M.Price) $625. (Dec 17) TOC NZ Bloodstock Filly-Of-The-Year Hots Up NZ Bloodstock’s Filly-Of-The-Year contest hotted up when the Mike Moroney & Andrew Scott trained Gypsy Babe (Blues Traveller-Console) defeated stablemate Bailey’s On Ice (O’Reilly-Crème Anglaise) with the Noel Eales trained Charmaine (Centaine-Charmante) 3rd in Gr3 Robertson Holden Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Manawatu. Gypsy Babe & Bailey’s On Ice are scheduled to race each other again twice in the near future in Filly-Of-The-Year races: the Gr2 Eight Carat Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day & Armstrong Jones New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on January 18. The Eulogy marked the midway point in the 2002-03 NZ Bloodstock Filly-Of-The-Year Series, with 5 races remaining. The current points table is: The Jewel (12 points); Volksini (10.5); Chestpeak (7); Danceinthesun (6); Gypsy Babe (6); Molly Dot Com (6); Bailey’s On Ice (3); Country Class (3); Original Sin (2); Charmaine (1.5); Midnight Call (1.5); Savuka (1.5); Florida (1). (Dec 17) TOC UK Senior Steward Issues Morphine Warning UK Turf Club senior steward Ray Rooney has issued a warning that calls for threshold levels for morphine to be introduced will be ignored, if it is established that the banned drug can contribute to the improvement of a horse, reported racingpost.co.uk. Rooney referred to the spate of 9 morphine-positive samples in Ireland in recent weeks, which will spark a string of automatic disqualifications. The Association of Irish Racehorse Owners has called for the winners to be allowed to keep their races & this was backed by a statement from feed suppliers saying a threshold level should be introduced. However Rooney declared: “Morphine is a prohibited substance & the rules both in Ireland & England provide for automatic disqualification. The European Horse Racing Scientific Liaison Committee is examining 10-12 drugs, of which morphine is one, to examine whether thresholds can or should be introduced. I understand that, in the event of the Committee finding any of the drugs contribute to the improvement of a horse - no matter how small the quantity found - then thresholds will not be introduced. The matter is not one taken lightly by all concerned with racing, but the objective is to ensure the continuance of the high level of integrity in racing.” (Dec 17) TOC Holy Bull Filly Tops Fasig-Tipton Texas Mixed Sale A yearling filly by Holy Bull brought US$30,000 to lead the single-session Fasig-Tipton Texas mixed sale at Lone Star Park. Doyce Ellenburg purchased Holy Class from B.L.Littleton as part of a complete dispersal reported thoroughbredtimes.com. The chestnut filly is out of the stakes-winning Bold Ego mare Sonsearay, who has produced 2 winners from 3 foals to race. (Dec 17) TOC Indiana Stallion Indy Mood Moved To Swifty Farms Indy Mood, a half-brother to 2-time US Gr1 winner Saratoga Dew, has been moved to stand the 2003 stud season at Swifty Farms in Indiana reported thoroughbredtimes.com. The 8YO son of A.P.Indy (out of In Reality mare Super Luna) previously stood at Hancock Farm & Dry Creek Farm in Indiana. (Dec 17) TOC Hong Kong Locals Grab 3 of 4 International Races Locally-trained horses won 3 of the 4 Gr1 Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin. Outsider Precision (an Anabaa 4YO trained by David Oughton & ridden by Mick Kinane) cause a boil-over to win the HK Cup at 66-1 by a short-head from Germany’s Paolini & Denmark’s Dano-Mast. A slow pace created numerous hard luck stories, including favourite Grandera who finished 7th after being shuffled back to last & failing to get a clear run in the straight. "I had a smooth run on the outside, while everyone else was having a rough time on the rail," Kinane said. "When I asked Precision to quicken he did it very well. I have to admit it is a bit of a surprise, but it's great to finish the season like this." Ecstatic trainer Oughton (an Englishman who’s been training in HK for 15 years) declared: "This is my first international victory, and it means an awful lot." Another local outsider Olympic Express (trained by Ivan Allan & ridden by Weichong Marwing) won the HK Mile at 48-1 from fellow local Electronic Unicorn (runner-up in the Mile for the second time). In the 1000m HK Sprint another local quinella saw 3-1 favourite All Thrills Too (trained by David Hayes & ridden by Gerald Mosse) defeat Firebolt, with Australia's Falvelon (ridden by Damien Oliver & winner in 2000 & 2001) 3rd. Hayes commented: “I was confident, but that is a trait of mine. I knew All Thrills Too had improved from last year, just with maturity. He is a big, strong horse, but he has gotten more solid. This is my biggest thrill in Hong Kong." In the 2400m HK Vase, France's Ange Gabriel (ridden by Thierry Jarnet & trained by Eric Libaud) defeated compatriot Aquarelliste. Ange Gabriel will now chase the Sheema Classic in Dubai in March & then UK King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot in July. HK Jockey Club chief executive Lawrence Wong summed up: “What a day. It's a strong endorsement of the drive to improve the quality of horses here.” HKJC executive director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges added: “We want to stage the Turf World Championships and, after today's action, you would have to say that we are absolutely on target.” HKJC Senior Handicapper Ciaran Kennelly noted the Vase was the highest-ever rated 2400m event staged in HK, & the winner will now be rated just behind Breeders' Cup Turf winner High Chaparral. (Dec 16) TOC Desert King Colt Sets HK Sales Record Australian-bred Danehill progeny dominated the 2002 Hong Kong International Sale, led by a record HK$4.8 million (A$1,088,682) for a colt by Desert King - emerging as the boom son of Danehill. Trainer John Moore made the HK Sale record bid on behalf of HK shipping magnate George Chang & prominent HK neurosurgeon Dr Andrew Wong. The Desert King colt (from Crown Jester mare Very Droll) was originally purchased by the HK Jockey Club at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in April for A$600,000. Offered by Coolmore Australia, he is a half-brother to Golden Slipper winner Ha Ha. Australian-bred Danehill sons attracted the next 3 highest prices. A grey colt from Gr3 winner Swiftsynd (bought at the Inglis Easter sale for A$500,000) was purchased by HK real estate developer Rusty Shroff for HK$4.7 million (also beating the previous record of HK$4.5 million set last year); he’ll go to Australian trainer Geoff Lane. Then followed HK$2.6 million for a Danehill colt from Subterfuge (Inglis Easter A$500,000) & HK$2.4 million for a Danehill-Great Vintage colt (Magic Millions A$575,000). A total 35 lots were sold for a gross HK$49.9 million at an average HK$1,425,714 (down 3.86% from the 2001 figure). HKJC executive director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Breges summed up: "All in all, we have to be happy with the results this year. Our buyers are discerning about conformation & open-minded about pedigrees. We saw some very wise bidding tonight." (Dec 16) TOC Glenlogan Park Celebrates HK Sprint Result Queensland’s Glenlogan Park Stud had a double reason to celebrate, & at the same time lament, the placings in the International Sprint at Sha Tin reported aapracingandsports.com.au. The stud was responsible for producing both the winner All Thrills Too & 3rd placegetter Falvelon by sires that unfortunately passed away early in their breeding careers. All Thrills Too is by St Covet & Falvelon by Alannon, stallions who stood at Glenlogan Park before their untimely deaths. St Covet produced only 3 crops in Australia, with All Thrills Too coming from his 2nd season at Glenlogan Park. Prepared by St Covet’s trainer David Hayes, All Thrills Too is the first foal of unraced Citidancer mare Red Slippers. Alannon produced only 1 crop of foals including Falveleon before he died. And HK Sprint runner-up Firebolt is a northern hemisphere-bred son of Golden Slipper Stakes winner Flying Spur. (Dec 16) TOC Australian Punter Wins Godolphin Tipping Contest Tasmanian punter Rod Fulton has beaten 92,000 entrants from 161 countries to win the 2002 Godolphin Seven Stars tipping competition, landing a US$150,000 cash prize & a trip for 2 to the Dubai World Cup reported aapracingandsports.com.au. Fulton, 36, has never travelled overseas. He won the internet contest with 459 points, just 1 ahead of a Yugoslavian entrant, with a Japanese entrant 3rd, & Irish entrants 4th & 5th. Fulton nominated the 7 Godolphin-owned horses that amassed the most points from their performances during 2002. Incredibly, it is the 3rd time in 3 years an entry from Tasmania has figured in the first 3 placings. (Tasmanian Leighton Hodge finished 2nd in the inaugural Seven Stars in 2000 & last year Paul Flanagan finished 3rd.) Fulton explained he & some friends picked out a dozen Godolphin horses with the best Timeform ratings, before choosing his 7 selections to run for him this year: Noverre, Grandera, Essence Of Dubai, Firebreak, Imperial Gesture, Habayeb & Danuta. "There was no great science involved, just a lot of luck,” he added. Godolphin website manager Lesley Lornie commented: "In view of Godolphin's growing association with Australian racing, it is fitting that Rod Fulton from Tasmania is the winner of this year's competition. For those who follow racing & sport worldwide, it should not come as a surprise that Australia is the pre-eminent country in the Seven Stars competition.” (Dec 16) TOC Tendon Strain Ends Zonda's Career A tendon strain has ended the career of class galloper Zonda on the eve of beginning his 8YO season. Trainer Roger James told thoroughbrednews.co.nz: "We noticed a bit of heat in his near fore. A scan confirmed our fears. That's it, he will now be retired." The Zabeel gelding's career was dogged by a string of mostly minor injuries since his 3YO days, when he won the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie & Alister Clark Stakes in Melbourne. Overall Zonda had just 16 starts for 7 wins. (Dec 16) TOC 12-Month Bond For Jockey Robinson Controversy-plagued jockey Allan Robinson, who once set an Australasian record for most winners in a season, has been paced on a 12-month bond after pleading guilty to assault. Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy told The Sydney Morning Herald he was “monitoring the situation” & noted “the conduct of a licensed person is always a concern for us.” The charge against Robinson was proven but dismissed, with Magistrate Steve Jackson taking into account the jockey’s charitable work & community involvement as a “bank” from which Robinson should be able to make a withdrawal. Newcastle court heard Robinson had kicked a man in the head & spat twice in his face outside a Newcastle hotel after a birthday celebration. Robinson’s lawyer argued self-defence & claimed Robinson was bitten on the ankle by the victim. (Dec 16) TOC Baerami Boasts Draft Of Champion 2YOs Baerami Thoroughbreds boasts “each of the stallions represented” in its draft of 8 yearling colts for the Inglis 2003 Classic Sale at Newmarket in Sydney was “either Champion 2YO or has sired Champion 2YOs all over the world.” Orpen, unbeaten Champion 2YO of Ireland & joint 3rd top-rated 2YO in Europe, is represented by four colts; his first Australasian yearlings sell in 2003. Flying Spur, himself a Champion 2YO & Golden Slipper winner, was Champion Australian First Crop Sire & Champion NZ 2YO Sire of his year & has sired 166 winners (including 19 stakes winners) & has progeny earnings of $13.4 million. Lion Hunter, Champion Australian First Crop sire of 2001-2002, has produced 30 progeny to race, with 17 winners including Lovely Jubly (winner of GCTC Magic Millions 2YO, Gr1 QTC Sires Produce & Gr1 TJ Smith Classic). Way Of Light (from the family of Halo, Northern Dancer & Danehill) was French Champion 2YO of 1998; his first yearlings also sell in 2003. King Of Kings won 4 races from 5 starts in Ireland as a 2YO (including the Gr1 National Stakes); he has also proved successful as a 2YO sire with 15 winners in his first Australian crop & 11 individual winners in Ireland, USA, England & Japan from his first Northern Hemisphere crop. In recent years Baerami, located in the NSW Hunter Valley between Denman & the Widden Valley, has produced Bel Esprit, Private Steer, Dancing Hill & Careel Boy. (Dec 16) TOC Stewards Consider Penalties For Over-Weight Jockeys Scaling penalties for over-weight jockeys was considered when NSW Racing chief steward Ray Murrihy convened the annual stewards’ conference in Sydney for 25 fellow stipes from across the state. “We will be taking advice from handicappers,’ Murrihy told The Sydney Morning Herald. Another topic of concern involved jockeys endeavouring to win races at all costs. Murrihy noted: “The metropolitan policy, where riders can be suspended as well as fined for throwing caution to the wind in feature races, may well be expanded to country areas.’ (Dec 16) TOC Veteran Steward Larry Morrison Retires Long-serving Racing NSW steward Larry Morrison will retire from the post on January 31. The former trainer spent more than 30 years on various NSW stipendiary steward panels. (Dec 16) TOC Freddy Takes Carlos Pellegrini & Sold To US Brazilian-owned Freddy scored his 3rd straight win with a 3-length triumph in South America’s most prestigious race, Argentina’s Gr1 Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini, at San Isidro in Buenos Aires. Ridden by Pedro Robles, the 3YO son of Roy carried the colours of Brazil’s Antonio Gilberto Depieri Stud La Providencia for the last time - having been sold before the race to US owner Earle Mack, who plans to campaign him in North America reported thoroughbredtimes.com. Depieri said after the race: “This is one of the happiest moments of my life. I always dreamt of winning a Carlos Pellegrini & now I have made that dream a reality.” Freddy’s Brazilian trainer Jose Alves added: “Winning the Pellegrini has been a goal of mine since I decided to relocate in Argentina over a year & a half ago.” In 2 seasons Freddy has won 4 of 5 career starts including the Gr1 Argentine Derby at Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo, Gr1 Estrellas Juvenile & Gr2 Eduardo Casey. (Dec 16) TOC Elloluv Thrashes Rivals In US Gr1 Romp At only her 3rd start, Elloluv (a daughter of Gilded Time) led all the way to record an emphatic a 4-length win in the Gr1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes for 2YO fillies at Hollywood Park reported thoroughbredtimes.com. Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, Elloluv trounced the odds-on favourite Composure (who’d finished 2nd behind Storm Flag Flying in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at her previous start). "When I legged Pat up, I said ‘Don’t look at the odds’, " winning trainer Craig Dollase said. "Pat rode her with confidence. Horses just respond to him. It’s that positive energy.” (Dec 16) TOC Blue Sea Thwarts Triple Crown In Chilean St Leger Blue Sea scored a sensational 4-length victory in the Gr1 Chilean St Leger to deny hot favorite Wild Spirit a US$400,000 bonus in her effort to sweep the Hipodromo del Chile Triple Crown - after previously capturing the Gr1 Polla de Potrancos (Chilean One Thousand Guineas) & Gr1 Gran Criterium earlier this season, reported thoroughbredtimes.com. (Dec 16) TOC Clasico Del Caribe Won By Venezuela Highlight of the Caribbean racing season is the 1800m Puerto Rican Clasico Del Caribe for 3YOs - contested by horses bred in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuadaor, Guatemala, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Venezuela has won for the 2nd time in 3 years with Gran Abuelo (by Le Voyageur out of a Fappiano mare) beating Panamanian representative Figo reported aapracingandsports.com.au. (Dec 16) TOC Drugs Czar Banned From Racing For 20 Years Brian Wright, the alleged drugs baron on the run from UK police, & 4 associates have been warned-off British racetracks until at least January 2023. In a headling-hogging announcement, Wright (who has headed the UK Jockey Club's “most wanted” list for more than a decade), son Brian Wright junior, Paul Shannon, Ian Kiernan & former jockey Barrie Wright (no relation) were all warned off together - & the Disciplinary Committee ruled no application to have the order lifted would be considered before January 1 2023. Spokesman John Maxse told racingpost.co.uk: “It is a very significant day for the Jockey Club." (Dec 16) Ireland Announces Prize-Money Increases Horse Racing Ireland has announced a 7.5% prize-money increase for next year, from 45.6 million euros to 49 million euros. Director of racing Jason Morris told racingpost.co.uk: "Horse Racing Ireland has reaffirmed its commitment to offering prize-money which bears the most favourable international comparison. (Dec 16) TOC First Aust-Bred Winner For Red Ransom Vinery’s international stud success Red Ransom was credited with his first Australian-bred winner when the Mick Price-trained Halibery scored in a Maiden Plate at Mornington reported racenet.com.au. Purchased by Vinery Stud for $70,000 at this year’s Magic Millions sale, Halibery was bred by Rob & Jenny Ferguson at their recently dispersed Torryburn Stud. Red Ransom (Roberto-Arabia) became an instant sensation at stud in the US when he won the 1994 Champion Freshman Sires title. Red Ransom almost made a sensational debut in Australia when his 2YO colt Markane was runner-up in the Listed Debutant Stks at Caulfield. (Dec 13) TOC NZ Filly Wins On Debut In US Former leading New Zealand filly Final Destination led all the way to score easily in her US debut over 1700m at Hollywood Park in California. The O’Reilly 4YO is racing under leading US trainer Bobby Frankel, who guided fellow NZ-bred Happyanunoit through her American career. Levin bloodstock agent Mick Preston, who negotiated Final Destination’s sale to Californian tuna fishing magnate Edmund Gann, told thoroughbrednews.co.nz: “I’ve just spoken to Frankel’s agent Brian McCaughey and they’re rapt. She led from the start, something that had won its 4 previous starts took her on, but she shook it off & lengthened stride to win easily.” Final Destination was NZ’s leading spring 3YO in 2001, after scoring a Gr1 double in the NZ One Thousand Guineas & Bayer Classic. She had just one more start for an autumn Ellerslie win, before her sale at a reported NZ$1 million. (Dec 13) TOC Trainer Fined After Positive Swab Trainer Gerald Ryan was fined $4,000 by Racing NSW stewards after his galloper Gullcatcher returned a positive swab following a Newcastle win in September. Gullcatcher was found to have traces of the prohibited substance valerinic acid in a urine sample. It was the first time the herbal treatment had been found in a horse racing in Australia & chief steward Ray Murrihy commented the offence was ”at the lower end of the scale.” (Dec 13) TOC Quays Misses Motherhood & Returns To Track Paul Fleming, new owner of last year's Gr2 VRC Wakeful Stakes winner Quays, has advised that the Marauding mare is not in foal. Purchased for an undisclosed sum, Quays was sent to Coolmore's new boom stallion Giant's Causeway - but unfortunately missed to the son of Storm Cat. Fleming has decided to put the daughter of Gr1 AJC Flight Stakes winner Pontal Lass back into work, and Quays will be sent to the stables of Guy Walter who trains Republic Lass for Fleming's brother Dean. Quays is a grand-daughter of broodmare Pier, owned by the Fleming family's patriarch Jim, former chairman of the Sydney Turf Club. Paul Fleming said Quays is likely to be targeted at an autumn feature campaign before having a second attempt at motherhood in September 2003. (Dec 13) TOC HK International Races Barrier Draw Australian representative & 2-time winner Falvelon drew barrier 1 for the HK Sprint. HK’s top local sprinter All Thrills Too drew adjacent barrier 2, while Japanese speedster Believe drew the extreme outside of the straight course in barrier 14, with American ace Texas Glitter next door in 13. Falvelon's trainer Dan Bougoure was not unhappy to draw 1, even though he said he’d hoped for a middle gate: "The race is early in the day, so you’d think there'd be nothing wrong with the ground inside & we've got the right jockey in Damien Oliver. The horses do tend to fan across the track at the finish of this race, so a run should come for him.” Falvelon won from barriers 4 & 5 in 2000 & 2001. Mistegic, the other Aussie in the Sprint, drew barrier 4. In the HK Mile, Australian Scenic Peak drew barrier 13, while local champion Electronic Unicorn landed barrier 1. Scenic Peak can be ridden forward or back & owner Daryl Steinback said he wasn’t perturbed by the outside gate: “He does like galloping room in his races. I'd prefer him to be out there rather than getting cluttered up on the fence.” (Dec 13) TOC Carmody Lands First Winner After more than 2 years in Singapore, former prominent jockey Craig Carmody landed his first winner back in Sydney aboard Island Storm at Canterbury’s mid-week night meeting. (Dec 13) TOC Waterhouse Leads Magic Millions List With 5 Of Top 15 Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse has 5 of the current top 15 on the prize-money qualifying list for the $1 million Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic. The latest Top 20 are: Hasna ($76,500) trained by Gai Waterhouse; Get Carter ($57,200) John Wallace; Fashion Victim ($48,750) David Hall; Imperialism ($40,050) Gai Waterhouse; Shamekha ($38,250) Gai Waterhouse; Regimental Gal ($33,400) Shaun Dwyer; Aracena ($29,250) Gai Waterhouse; Danbird ($29,250) Gerald Ryan; Express Ball ($27,450) Ron Maund; Spinning Boy ($19,050) Albert Stapleford; Helter Skelter ($17,500) Liam Birchley; Kas Nediym ($15,300) George Osborne; Markane ($15,000) David Hall; Nibbler ($14,063) Bevan Laming; L'espalier ($13,050) Gai Waterhouse; Dress Code ($9,950) Robbie Laing; Champagne Gold ($8,460) David Balfour; Cambooya ($8,000) Michael Nolan; African Grey ($6,550) Tony Gollan; Mister Success ($6,500) Kevin Kemp. (Dec 13) TOC Horse Taxation Seminar During Gold Coast Sales To coincide with its January Gold Coast sales week, Magic Millions has included a special pre-sales seminar covering key Horse Taxation topics, including: GST; business-v-hobby; capital gains tax; new losses rules; mare & stallion write-downs; & horse deductions. The seminar, presented by bloodstock taxation consultant Paul Carrazzo CPA, is on Tuesday 7 January from 6-7.30pm at the Magic Millions Sales Complex. (Dec 13) TOC Earmuffs Approved In NZ The New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Board has approved trainer Donna Logan’s application to race horses wearing earmuffs – a first for NZ. Approval was