Fiorenza tops Inglis Digital May (Late) Sale, headed for date with Lead Artist

Fiorenza (Kingman) – who finished as top lot in the Inglis Digital May (Late) Online Sale that ended on Thursday – will be immediately retired and visit Arrowfield’s new stallion Lead Artist (Dubawi) this season after selling to the famed Hunter Valley nursery for $325,000.

Fiorenza had initially passed in for Mark Towell’s GT Park Spelling Farm but a deal was finalised on Thursday evening that will see the five-year-old spend the next phase of her life in the paddocks of Arrowfield.

“At the end of the day you’ve got to meet the market and they find their value and she’s found hers and we’re really happy,’’ Towell said.

“[Inglis Bloodstock Sales Manager] Harry [Baliey] has done an amazing job right the way through, he’s taken the reins with this not only today in working extremely hard to match her with a buyer but through the whole process to get the deal done.

“Obviously being a high-profile lot you always want the best course of action to get the right result and Harry has done that very well, he’s been there for us the whole week since she was listed on Inglis Digital and we can’t be more grateful.’’

Fiorenza won one and placed in a further two of her six starts and is a half-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner In Italian (Dubawi), a significant factor in Arrowfield’s decision to pursue and ultimately purchase the mare.

“We were very happy to buy her, we liked the family and recognise its international appeal,’’ Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer said.

“I’d seen the half-sister [In Italian] race in America a few times and held her in high regard so we were keen to get her.

“She’s a mare we bought to go to Lead Artist, he’s obviously by Dubawi and she’s a Kingman mare and we think Kingman mares will suit him well.’’

The sale's second-top lot was the Group 2-winning three-year-old colt West Of Swindon (Wootton Bassett), selling to Hong Kong-based Pure Bloodstock for $310,000.

Offered by Ciaron Maher on behalf of the horse’s connections, West Of Swindon was the subject of “significant domestic and international interest’’ but will likely spend the next phase of his career in Hong Kong.

Third-top lot was the broodmare Queen Ouija (Street Cry) in foal to Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice), which sold to Ridgeport’s Santo Guagliardo for $120,000. Queen Ouija was offered by Rikki McDonald.

In total the May (Late) Sale grossed $2,951,500. Entries for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Sale are now open and will remain so until midnight next Wednesday, June 3. Among the confirmed early entries is the Group 3 winner La Mexicana (I Am Invincible), who will be offered in foal to Too Darn Hot (Dubawi). The June (Early) Sale will run from June 5-10. To enter click here.

Wet track no worry for Skyhook

Skyhook (Written Tycoon) will need to overcome a horror draw if he is to secure a ballot-free path into the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) via Saturday’s Fred Best Classic (Gr 3, 1400m) at Eagle Farm, but co-trainer Sterling Alexiou remains confident the in-form colt can measure up. The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained three-year-old has drawn barrier 23 in the capacity field, although several key rivals have also landed awkward gates. “It’s not ideal, the gate, but the horse is going incredibly well,” Alexiou said. “Quite a few of the main chances are drawn out with us, so that fills us with a bit of confidence that if he can follow some of them across, Josh Parr can get him into a nice spot and hopefully he can present like the winner at some stage. He’s going well enough to win a race like that, even from an ordinary barrier.” Skyhook heads to Brisbane off a dominant victory in the Hawkesbury Guineas (Gr 3, 1400m) and has continued to please the stable since, including a subsequent barrier trial win at Gosford under Parr. The colt is also proven in wet conditions, having won the Rosebud (Listed, 1100m) on a Heavy 8 track during the spring, with Eagle Farm rated a Heavy 8 on Thursday. “We went to Queensland with the idea of running in the Stradbroke,” Alexiou said. “The horse is going to have to win Saturday to go there, but he’s going great, and a wet track won’t worry him. He’s very adept on a wet track.”

Noblet hoping for Bel Esprit upset

Rising eight-year-old Taunting (Brazen Beau) will be out to capitalise on rain-affected conditions when the recent stable acquisition contests Saturday’s Bel Esprit Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Caulfield for trainer Andrew Noblet. The gelding made his debut appearance for the Flemington-based horseman when finishing down the track first-up in the John Hawkes Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Morphettville, his first run in 12 months. Formerly prepared in Adelaide by Michael Hickmott and later Robert Hickmott, Taunting transferred to Noblet’s care in search of more suitable opportunities in Victoria for a sprinter with a rating of 95. Noblet believes several key factors will suit the gelding on Saturday, particularly the anticipated wet ground and his strong second-up profile, with the Caulfield track rated a Soft 7 on Thursday. “He’s got a good second-up record, and I hope the rain stays around for another couple of days,” Noblet said. “The 1100 metres will suit him, the damp track will suit him, and he’s in good order.” Taunting was withdrawn from a recent Flemington engagement due to firm ground and Noblet said the gelding had pleased the stable in the lead-up, including a recent jump-out at Flemington conducted in heavy fog. “I was happy with his first-up run,” Noblet said. “It wasn’t a suitable race at all, but we had to go somewhere and when he popped him out half-way up the straight, he died on his run a bit and didn’t lengthen on that firm ground.”

Aberfeldie Boy to have second run for Dabernig

Aberfeldie Boy (So You Think) will be out to rediscover his best form when the rising seven-year-old steps out in Saturday’s JRA Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield for trainer Tom Dabernig. Formerly prepared by Griffiths and Mathew de Kock before Griffiths took sole control of the gelding, Aberfeldie Boy is having his second run for the Warrnambool-based stable after finishing seventh over 1700 metres during the Warrnambool Carnival earlier this month. Dabernig said he was still learning about the gelding, but expected the rise in distance and rain-affected conditions to suit. “He likes a bit of wet ground that we get over winter and getting over a bit of distance,” Dabernig said. “He looks well, healthy and sound, so hopefully he can run well on Saturday.” Aberfeldie Boy was transferred to Dabernig in the hope a change of environment, including beach work at Warrnambool, could help rejuvenate the stayer, who placed in both the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) and South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) earlier in his career. “He’s a horse that lost a bit of his early form and that’s why they sent him down thinking the beach might get him back going,” Dabernig said. The trainer added the gelding had trialled well between runs and was better suited rising to 2000 metres after resuming over an unsuitably short trip. “It was a kick-off race, and John Allen was happy with the run,” Dabernig said. “I would probably prefer him on the bigger track at Flemington, or Sandown, as around Caulfield he may not be as effective, but the rise in trip will help him.”

Lady Jones to have Final build up at Caulfield

Lady Jones (Toronado) will have a build-up towards the Winter Championship Series Final (Listed, 1600m) when she contests Saturday’s Rod Griffiths Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield. Trainer Stephen Brown has targeted the Flemington feature on July 4 since the mare returned to work this preparation, with Saturday’s contest forming another stepping stone in her campaign. The Rod Griffiths Handicap is part of the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series, with the first two placegetters earning exemption from the ballot for the final. Brown said the six-year-old was improving with racing, although he expected further benefit from Saturday’s outing. “She’s had three runs back and it was a good run at Flemington last time,” Brown said. “She got to the front, but I knew she needed it, and she’s probably still going to need this one as well. I think when that final comes around, that’s when she’ll be at her best.” Lady Jones has been a consistent stakes performer throughout her career, highlighted by victories in the Tesio Stakes (Gr 3, 2040m) and Bendigo Gold Bracelet (1400m), while she has also placed in both the Stocks Stakes (Gr 2, 1514m) and Queen Of The South Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m). Brown revealed the mare’s spring campaign was cut short after an interrupted preparation following her run in the Tristarc Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Caulfield in October. “I think we ran her with a virus, and it knocked her around a bit,” Brown said. “We brought her back in and started on her again, but she still wasn’t right, so we had to tip her out and start again. “She’s going good, looks beautiful, but it’s not getting any easier for her.”

Touristic bidding for Lord Mayors repeat

Rain-affected conditions are expected to again suit last year’s Lord Mayors Cup (Listed, 2000m) winner Touristic (Frankel) when he returns to Rosehill on Saturday in search of back-to-back victories in the staying feature. The seven-year-old scored a dominant victory in the race on a Heavy 8 surface last year and is set to receive similar conditions this weekend after drawing barrier three. Peter Snowden said the son of Frankel (Galileo) had continued to hold his form well throughout the campaign despite a busy preparation. “He’s a good chance on Saturday,” Snowden said. “He has been up for a while and he’s had a few runs, but he still continues to look well, work well and race well. “His Gosford Cup run was excellent.” Touristic heads into the race off a solid third placing in the Gosford Gold Cup (Listed, 2100m) behind Asterix (Tavistock), while earlier this campaign he captured the Canberra Cup (Listed, 2000m). He boasts a strong wet-track record, with five wins and seven placings from 21 starts on soft and heavy ground. “There is depth in the race, but he’s going well and there’s no doubt the wet track will definitely help him,” Snowden said. Stablemate Applaud (Deep Field) is also expected to appreciate the rain-affected conditions when he resumes in the Denham Court Handicap (1200m), with apprentice Mitch Stapleford’s three-kilogram claim reducing his weight to 54 kilograms. “It’s the last race of the day, it will be a bog, so every pound will help,” Snowden said. “He normally does race very well fresh, so fingers crossed.” Snowden said Applaud had been specifically aimed at winter racing after struggling on firmer tracks last campaign.

Schiller looking ahead to Rosehill rides

Progressive import Nobler (Amaron) will chase a hat-trick of victories when he steps out in Saturday’s Greg Millett Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill, with jockey Tyler Schiller hopeful the four-year-old can handle the anticipated heavy conditions. Prepared by Chris Waller, the German-bred gelding has impressed in his two Australian victories at Randwick and Gosford, both under Schiller, after beginning his local campaign with placings in Melbourne. “He has given me a really good feel both times,” Schiller said “The worry is probably the wet track as his best form so far is on good tracks. I don’t think the barrier is an issue because he gets back, and he feels like a really progressive horse.” Nobler has drawn barrier 13 for Saturday’s assignment, although Schiller believes the wide gate is less concerning given the gelding’s get-back racing pattern. The lightly raced son of Amaron (Shamardal) has won two of his four Australian starts since arriving from Europe where he won over 1900 metres at Ballinrobe before being purchased for 120,000gns at the Tattersalls Guineas Horses in Training Sale.

Portelli’s Rosehill duo draw at opposite ends

Stablemates Thames (Lonhro) and Mother Goose (Lonhro) will give trainer Gary Portelli a two-pronged attack in Saturday’s Vale Sandro D’Amore Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill, with both mares expected to appreciate the heavy conditions. The pair have drawn opposite ends of the barrier line-up, with Mother Goose to jump from gate one and Thames from barrier 15, leaving Portelli hopeful one of the draws will prove advantageous depending on how the track plays. “We’ve bookended the good and bad parts of the track anyway,” Portelli said. “Both horses are in good order and both horses don’t mind it wet.” Thames heads into the race off a dominant first-up victory at Randwick-Kensington earlier this month, where she overcame the pattern of the day to charge home from the back of the field over 1250 metres. Portelli revealed the Godolphin-owned mare had battled foot issues earlier in the preparation, although recent gear adjustments and ongoing farrier work had helped turn her form around. “She’s had a few feet problems, and the farrier has been working tirelessly to get her right. She came good and we saw a big result,” Portelli said. “And the blinkers as well. I’m not sure if it was getting her feet right, or the blinkers, or a combination of the two.” The Warwick Farm trainer admitted he had warned connections before the Kensington race that the on-pace pattern would make victory difficult from the mare’s get-back racing style. “She defied the bias,” he said. “She hasn’t gone backwards so I’m looking forward to seeing how she goes.” Meanwhile, Mother Goose resumes on Saturday having won three of her 11 starts, including a heavy-track Midway Handicap victory at Rosehill in January. “She’s in great order. She’s had two nice trials,” Portelli said. “She will improve on whatever she does because she’s still not race fit, but she will give a sight.” Thames was stakes-placed when third in last year’s Denise’s Joy Stakes (Listed, 1100m), with Portelli hoping to secure a black-type victory for the daughter of Lonhro (Octagonal) before her eventual retirement to stud.

Act Natural to resume from spell at Morphettville

Consistent gelding Act Natural (Royal Meeting) will be out to continue his strong form when he resumes in Saturday’s Fleurieu Milk Company Handicap (1100m) at Morphettville for trainer Phillip Stokes. The four-year-old broke through for his maiden victory at his 13th start at Gawler in January after compiling eight second placings and four thirds from his previous 12 appearances. Assistant trainer Kerrin Stokes admitted the gelding had tested the patience of connections despite his consistency. “We were frustrated as he loomed up to win in most of his races,” Stokes said. “He’s very versatile. He handles any track, but he just found it very hard to win. He kept bumping into one better, but they would always gap the field to the third horse.” Act Natural was subsequently sent for a spell after his breakthrough success, with the stable believing the lengthy preparation had taken its toll. “It was great that at his last start he got over the line,” Stokes said. “I think he’s going really well this time in. He’s won a couple of trials – jump-outs, and at the same time I think he’s going better than last prep.” The gelding has drawn barrier 12 for Saturday’s return, although Stokes believes the key will be ensuring he gets cover and is not exposed too early in the race. “He’s going to need to get a good ride, get a bit of cover, but the main thing with him is not hitting the front too soon,” he said. “He needs a nice cart into the race for as long as possible.”

Crouch to lumber big impost in Sandown Cup

Last-start Andrew Ramsden Stakes (Listed, 2800m) runner Crouch (Tarzino) will look to improve second-up when he contests Sunday’s Sandown Cup (Listed, 3200m), although trainer Mike Breslin admits the gelding’s 60-kilogram impost poses a significant challenge. The New Zealand-trained stayer finished eighth at Flemington on his Australian debut earlier this month and Breslin said the six-year-old had taken improvement from both the trip across the Tasman and the run itself. “I think he has improved since his first run, he didn’t travel that great when he came over, he has had that run and has just kept improving,” Breslin said. Breslin was encouraged by wet weather upon arriving in Melbourne on Thursday, with the Sandown track rated a Heavy 9. “It’s not going to get too firm for him, even if the rain goes away,” he said. The Palmerston North trainer said conditions and distance would suit the gelding, with his main concern remaining the topweight assignment over two miles. “He is going to get a track he likes, he runs two miles - it’s just the impost of the 60 kilos,” Breslin said. “He is a strong horse, and he has won carrying weight before, but there are a whole lot of light weights in the race.” Breslin also revealed Crouch’s rating was increased upon arriving in Australia prior to the Andrew Ramsden, before subsequently being dropped again. “The handicapper increased his rating,” he said. “He went from 93 in New Zealand to 97 in Australia before his first run, which I found a bit perplexing. Now they have dropped him back three.”

Back-up Polytrack meeting for Sunshine Coast

Racing Queensland confirms that the race meeting scheduled for the Sunshine Coast Turf Club on the course proper on Friday, May 29, has been abandoned as the track has been deemed not suitable for racing. The back up Polytrack meeting will now be activated.

Casino meeting abandoned

The Casino race meeting scheduled for Friday, May 29, has been abandoned. Racing NSW stewards inspected the course on Thursday morning and deemed it unsuitable for racing following 6mls of overnight rainfall and 25mls the past seven days with the forecast for further rain.

Vale Anne Herbert

The New Zealand Thoroughbred industry is mourning the loss of another member of its community this week with the passing of Group 1-winning trainer Anne Herbert, aged 68. Herbert had a lifelong passion for horses, taking the well-worn path of riding at pony club as a child before progressing to ride track work and ultimately took out her trainer’s license in 1991. She made the perfect start as a trainer, with her first runner, Perfect Return (Plewperfect), winning at her home track of Awapuni, and she would go on to record many more over the next 35 years, including at the highest level. Herbert trained several topline thoroughbreds, including 2002-03 New Zealand Horse of the Year and five-time Group 1 winner Tit For Taat (Faltaat), 2006 Railway (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Baldessarini (Green Perfume), and dual Group 3 winner Salvatore (Howbaddouwantit). Initially training in Manawatu, Herbert subsequently moved to Cambridge where she met fellow trainer Toni Croon, and the pair developed a close relationship, with Herbert eventually training a couple of horses for Croon when she moved back to the Chatham Islands several years ago. “She has had many winners over the years, she has been very boutique but a very astute horsewoman,” Croon said. “She left Cambridge and went to Awapuni, and her health deteriorated and that brought her to Christchurch to be closer to her sister, Julie Walsh. She moved down to the South Island about five years ago and she has just been doing my horses, so I have been very fortunate to have her all to myself. Her health hasn’t been the best in the last five years, so just doing one or two horses has been enough. The move down to Christchurch and Riccarton was the best move in her life. The warm welcome that she got from Riccarton and the people down there was great and she has always appreciated it. She had an undying love for the horse and New Zealand racing. There wasn’t much that she didn’t know and not much she hadn’t seen. She left this world loving the world, and her masterpieces are her children.” A celebration of Anne's life will be held at Riccarton Park Racecourse in Christchurch on Friday, May 29, at midday.

HK: Newnham not ruling out a title win in his third season

The Hong Kong racing season is well into its final quarter, and while there’s plenty on the line between now and the season finale on July 15, it’s the pulsating fight for the trainers’ championship that remains the constant throughout the final months of the campaign. One trainer who has consistently been in the battle is Mark Newnham, with the Australian leading for large chunks of the season while also being knocked off his perch a handful of times. Newnham, who sits on 53 winners through 75 of 88 meetings, led the race heading into the Happy Valley meeting on May 13, but has since slipped to third behind Caspar Fownes and Danny Shum (56 wins apiece). Francis Lui (50), David Hayes (49) and John Size (46) are also in close proximity. While a number of Newnham’s rivals are bullish on their championship hopes, the 58-year-old is a little more circumspect. “I think I’ll probably run out of bullets before the end of the season. I’ve got a lot of new horses that have arrived, so I’ve probably got less horses to race. I’ve also got a lot of other young horses, and I won’t be changing anything to try and win it,” he said. “I’ll just train them exactly the same way I have all season. If that gets me enough to win it, that would be great, but it hasn’t really been my focus of the season. I was only looking to improve on the first two years, and I set myself a goal of 50 winners. Looking at Hong Kong racing, any season that you train more than 50 winners you’ve had a very good year. To win a title has been a goal of mine before I came here, so it’s certainly on the bucket list.”

UK: Oasis Dream retired from stud duties

Oasis Dream (Green Desert) has been pensioned from stud duties, bringing to a close his outstanding service to Juddmonte and the breeding industry after 23 seasons at Banstead Manor Stud. A Juddmonte homebred by Green Desert (Danzig) and out of the Dancing Brave (Lyphard) mare Hope, Oasis Dream was a champion sprinter and a producer of the highest calibre at stud, with the likes of six-time Group 1 winner Midday, champion sprinter Muhaarar, and champion juvenile Native Trail amongst his 18 top-level performers. Of those stallions still active in Britain, only Frankel and Dubawi have sired more Group 1 and Group winners. Oasis Dream currently has 126 stakes winners, 76 Group winners and 17 Group 1 winners. The breadth of his influence spans from Group 1-winning sprinters such as Big Evs, Never So Brave and Sioux Nation, to Classic winner Siskin, and extending to Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Twilight Payment (Teofilo). “Today marks a sad day for the stallion team with the news of Oasis Dream’s retirement from the breeding shed,” said Juddmonte UK general manager Simon Mockridge. “Managing this wonderful stallion over the past 23 years has been both a great pleasure and a privilege. His partnership with Dansili played a monumental part in establishing Juddmonte’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading stallion farms. He finished his breeding career as it began – full of enthusiasm and vigour, genuine to the end. A huge thank you to all breeders that have supported him over this period.” Oasis Dream will now enjoy a well-deserved retirement at Banstead Manor Stud.