Month: October 2020

Australia: Alligator Blood Vs Funstar In $7.5 Million Golden Eagle

The culmination of Sydney's “The Everest Carnival” coincides with the start of the “Melbourne Cup Carnival” as racing riches abound in Australia's two biggest cities this Friday night. At Sydney's Rosehill Racecourse, the Golden Eagle's massive purse of $7.5 million will not just be distributed among owners, trainers and jockeys – in a noble gesture of community goodwill, 10% of the purse will be awarded to charities designated by the first five finishers.

At seven and a half furlongs for recently turned 4-year-olds (Aug. 1), the Golden Eagle was inaugurated last year as an incentive to keep horses in training beyond their 3-year-old season. This year's 18-horse field is quality-laden, headed by 4-1 favorite Funstar and the extremely popular Alligator Blood (6-1). Neither has won a race this campaign; Funstar comes off a second-place finish in the Epsom, the race that served as Kolding's springboard to victory last year while Alligator Blood finished a close second in the other key prep race – the Silver Eagle (watch replay).

Both horses will have to overcome wide gates, but this could be mitigated on a significantly rain-affected surface. The post position draw for the Golden Eagle was staged aboard a boat on Sydney Harbor, which may hold only slightly more water than Rosehill by the weekend! Funstar relishes all manner of wet tracks, while Alligator Blood won his only start on “soft” going but is untested in the “heavy” conditions that look certain to prevail on Friday night. The biggest beneficiary of this rainy week is Colette (7-1), one of a trio for Godolphin, whose stable representative labels Colette “a real swimmer, very, very fit and an absolute star.”

The Golden Eagle's infancy is contrasted by the history-steeped Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington, whose 1855 inauguration makes it 20 years older than its Kentucky counterpart. At 1 9/16 miles, the Victoria Derby is an arduous test just three months into the new Southern Hemisphere racing season. The 2020 renewal includes several well-fancied horses with little-to-no foundation from their 2-year-old season, the favorite being an extreme example. Young Werther (5-2) is a veteran of just two starts and hasn't raced beyond nine furlongs. He was scratched from a prep race due to a wet track, but is loaded with ability for last year's Melbourne Cup-winning trainer, Danny O'Brien.

Young Werther is one of four runners sired by Tavistock, whose influence will be keenly missed after the 14-year-old New Zealand stallion succumbed to laminitis last December. Tavistock has already sired a Victoria Derby winner but is best known for the exploits of Hong Kong champion, Werther. Young Werther's name might have been inspired by the Hong Kong horse, or by Goethe's 18th Century literary classic “The Sorrows of Young Werther” (which, coincidentally, I read earlier this year with no awareness of the Derby favorite, who debuted less than two months ago).

Flemington's Derby Day card is comprised entirely of Group races, including the “stallion-making” Coolmore Stakes (Race 6) down the famous “straight six” furlongs course. Race 4 is the last prep for Monday night's Melbourne Cup, while Race 2 is the final stepping stone to next Wednesday night's Victoria Oaks. The four-day “Melbourne Cup Carnival” concludes on Friday night of next week. Look for another article previewing Monday night's Melbourne Cup. Australia's leading trainer, Chris Waller, is seeking his first victory in “the race that stops a nation,” and will be represented by the outstanding staying mare Verry Elleegant and a well-performed son of Frankel, named Finche.

Whether Alligator Blood feels at home in swampy conditions, and whether supporters of Young Werther are left feeling sorrow, this Friday night will be rewarding for fans of top-flight global racing and for the charities that will benefit from horse racing's community outreach.

The Pick 7 wager this Friday night is available on the Flemington (AUS-A) card and there is a huge $10,000 guaranteed pool to celebrate. The Flemington and Rosehill cards will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (First Post: 8:40 PM ET / 5:40 PM PT) alongside cards from Doomben and Gold Coast. All races will also be live-streamed in HD with past performances available for free at skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms. Wagering is available via all the major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, AmWager, and BetAmerica.

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael's vast U.S. experience includes; race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders' Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

The post Australia: Alligator Blood Vs Funstar In $7.5 Million Golden Eagle appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Given Appointed To BHA Welfare Role

James Given will cease training at the end of the year to take up the role of Director of Equine Health and Welfare with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) from January.

Given qualified as a vet in 1990 and was assistant trainer to fellow vet Mark Johnston before starting training in his own right in 1998. Since then his stable has been represented by the G2 Flying Childers S. victrix Wunders Dream (Ire) and fellow group winners Dandino (GB), Trick Or Treat (GB), Summitville (GB), Jessica’s Dream (Ire), Lady Gloria (GB) and Indian Days (GB) as well as the classy stayer Hugs Dancer (GB).

Currently chair of the BHA’s Ethics Committee, he is also a member of the racing industry’s Horse Welfare Board and a trustee of the British Racing School.

Given, who will replace David Sykes in the role, said, “I am delighted to be joining the BHA and welcome the opportunity to strive for ever-improving welfare standards for racehorses. The current standards are world leading, but there is no time to rest on our laurels in a world demanding greater accountability. I look forward to working with colleagues across the industry, to show that racing is a compassionate sport that puts the welfare of horses at the centre of all we do. I know I am joining a team that shares and represents these ideals.”

He added, “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a trainer and am eternally grateful to all the people who have helped me along this journey—to the owners, many who have become friends, and the outstanding people who have been part of my team, over many years of hard work. I am also grateful to all the horses, fast and slow, willing and less so, that it has been a privilege and a pleasure to look after.”

The BHA’s chief regulatory office Brant Dunshea commented, “We are extremely excited to welcome James to this role. He brings with him not only extensive clinical experience as a veterinarian, but also first-hand experience of training racehorses at the highest level.  He has already been integral to the development of the industry’s welfare strategy through his involvement on the Horse Welfare Board, this will complement the equally important regulatory requirements of the role.

“We are delighted that James will be able to continue the excellent work of David Sykes who has made significant progress in his time at the BHA in modernising the equine health and welfare department and improving the quality of life of our horses. We are grateful to David for everything he has done on behalf of the sport.”

 

 

The post Given Appointed To BHA Welfare Role appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Seven Horses Die In Lorry Fire

There was a tragic postscript to the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale when a lorry carrying horses from Newmarket to Spain caught fire. Seven of the 10 horses on board lost their lives but no people were injured in the accident.

Dominick Mahony, the Spanish representative for Tattersalls, said on Friday morning, “It is very sad. The horses were on their way to Madrid racecourse and I believe one of the front tyres burst and the lorry caught fire. It was very windy and the wind fanned the flames which spread very quickly. They managed to get four of the horses off the lorry and three of them have survived but one has sadly had to be put down.”

He added, “I have spoken to all of the new owners of the horses involved and they are devastated. It is a dreadful ending to what had been a very good sale and there were 28 to 30 horses on their way to Spain and Portugal from Tattersalls.”

The accident is reported to have taken place in France and two of the horses on board were on their way to join the stable of Spanish champion trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta.

He said, “We bought two horses at the sale. Mexico City survived and sadly Wise Counsel did not. He was a lovely colt and it is just terribly sad.”

The Group 3-placed juvenile Mexico City (Fr) (No Nay Never) was bought from Ballydoyle, while 4-year-old Wise Counsel, a 96-rated treble winner for Clipper Logistics and Clive Cox was a horse with a strong connection to Spain as a half-brother to Noozhoh Canarias (Spa) (Caradak {Ire}). The latter was runner-up to Karakontie in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and was sixth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket when trained in Madrid by Enrique Leon. He now stands on the stallion roster at Yeguada Torreduero.

Among the Spanish buyers at the sale were trainer Oscar Anaya, who purchased seven horses, and agent Alex Mahony of EAM Bloodstock, who signed for six.

 

The post Seven Horses Die In Lorry Fire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights