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Arrowfield online weanling sale ends
A colt by Dundeel (High Chaparral) out of Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare Redoute’s Fever has topped the Online Arrowfield Weanling Sale on bloodstockauction.com. Catalogued as Lot 49, the colt is a half-brother to four-time winner Almighty Charge (Charge Forward) and sold for $45,650. To view the full results of the sale, click here.
Yarradale announces 2020 fees
Former Singapore champion Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) has joined the small group of stallions to have their fees raised in 2020, with Western Australian operation Yarradale Stud announcing yesterday that he would stand at his original fee of $5,500 (inc GST) for the first time since 2016. Gingerbread Man has sired three stakes winners this season; Ima Single Man who won the Karrakatta Plate (Gr 2, 1200m) as well as Neurological and Red Can Man who have taken out Listed races. The Gidgegannup farm also announced that War Chant (Danzig) would stand again at $11,000 (inc GST), while Bradbury’s Luck (Redoute’s Choice) had his fee reduced to $3,300 (inc GST).
Queensland expands winter feature race calendar
Racing Queensland has announced ten additional feature races from late June into July at reduced prize–money levels. The Queensland Sapphire Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) will be run at Doomben on June 27 with the Bright Shadow Handicap (Listed, 1200m) at Eagle Farm on July 4. The following week the Sunshine Coast Turf Club will run the Winx Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m) for the first time under its new name, as well as the Glasshouse Handicap (Listed, 1300m). Feature racing will return to Ipswich with the Gai Waterhouse Classic (Listed, 1350m) and Eye Liner Handicap (Listed, 1350m) on July 18. “With the Magic Millions National Sale on the horizon, we wanted to provide some further feature racing, in particular for our fillies and mares,” RQ’s chief operations officer Adam Wallish said. “The limited program ensures we are able to host feature racing at Ipswich for the first time this year.”
Peltzer spelled ahead of spring campaign
Gerald Ryan yesterday confirmed that unbeaten colt Peltzer (So You Think) will miss next week’s J J Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and be kept for the spring. “He is already in the spelling paddock,” Ryan said. “There are plenty of races in the spring – I think anything up to 1600 metres with races like the Golden Rose and the Caulfield Guineas.” Unbeaten in three starts, Peltzer won with ease in the Darley 2YO Handicap (1300m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Rodd on the board after Victorian return
Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m)-winning jockey Michael Rodd registered his first winner since returning to Victorian racing yesterday, guiding the Lindsey Smith-trained Capital Zous (Zoustar) to victory at Hamilton. Rodd had been based in Singapore since 2015 but, with racing shut down in the Lion City because of the coronavirus pandemic, he is one of three jockeys who returned to Victoria to continue riding. He made the trip to Hamilton in country Victoria for one ride and steered the three-year-old gelding, the $1.85 favourite, to a one and a quarter length win on debut in a 1200-metre maiden.
Fituese on target for next Rosehill test
Spring plans for stakes winner Fituese (Deep Field) will become clearer once the filly faces what is expected to be her final test this season at Rosehill. A winner of the Denise’s Joy Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Rosehill on her latest start, Fituese will be tried over 1200 metres for the second time on Saturday in a benchmark 88 handicap. Although the filly was beaten in her only previous attempt at 1200 metres in the Gosford Guineas (Listed), John Thompson is convinced the distance isn’t an issue. “We were thinking of taking her to Brisbane but just with the scenario at the moment we thought we’d just give her one more run here in Sydney, tick the 1200-metre box on Saturday and then give her a freshen up for the spring,” Thompson said. “I’ve got no doubt whatsoever she will run the 1200 but that was just one run too many for that prep in the Gosford Guineas.”
McEvoy colt to debut at Caulfield
Two-year-old Kahaylaan (Pride Of Dubai) has shown co-trainer Calvin McEvoy enough to take him to town for his debut. Kahaylaan is one of 36 nominations for Saturday’s 1100-metre handicap for juveniles at Caulfield where there will be a field limit of 14 plus emergencies – acceptances are due this morning. Kahaylaan has had two jump-outs at Flemington, settling back and finishing out of the placings in his first before sitting on the pace and winning his most recent last Friday. “He’s a really nice horse by Pride Of Dubai,” McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his father Tony, said. “He has trialled up really well with two solid trials. He’s ready to go to the races now. We’re going to be throwing him into the deep end a little bit in an open two-year-old handicap but we’ve got a lot of time for him and I think he can measure up there.”
Stackhouse in contention for Victorian premiership
After surpassing his goal of riding 100 winners in a season, Daniel Stackhouse is now hoping to challenge for the Victorian jockeys’ premiership. A city double at Sandown on Sunday and a winner at Echuca on Monday has increased the jockey’s tally to 109, just three behind Jye McNeil who has ridden the most winners in the state during the 2019/20 season. “It felt like a great achievement that I was able to do that with still two-and-a-half months of the season to go,” Stackhouse said. “My manager and I had targeted at the start of the season to ride over 100 winners.” Stackhouse said he did not want to get ahead of himself but admits it would be a great achievement if he could win the Victoria statewide title. “It’s something I haven’t set out to do but it’s near and it’s close enough to be able to do it, so I’ve just got to keep working hard and keep focused for the next two months because a lot can happen in two months as well,” he said.
Waddell ready for Australian test
Rider Jason Waddell said he is at a stage in his career where he would like to test his talents in Australia. “I wanted to be a part of the ship that resurrected New Zealand racing, I really did, but sometimes you have got to do what is best for yourself and your family and go where the money is,” Waddell told NZ Racing Desk. The 34-year-old enquired about a track rider position with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott last year, however, with his services not being pursued, Waddell’s hunger to prove himself grew. “That fueled a fire in me to get back out there on the track to prove to myself that I was good enough to go there. I set myself a pretty hefty target of five Group 1s and ten stakes wins this season, which I don’t think many jockeys achieve, and I ended up with four and 11.”
Vale Johnnie Roberts
Wyong trainer Johnnie Roberts has died after a long battle with cancer, Racing NSW announced yesterday. The 72-year-old had his last winner in October when Soul Revival (Moshe) won at Hawkesbury. Roberts was an active member of the Central Coast racing community and provided support to the family of Michael ‘Jock’ Maloney, a trackwork rider who passed away in 2014. Roberts is survived by his two sons, Shane and Brady, as well as his daughter Stacey. A private funeral will be held tomorrow at midday, with the service to be streamed online.