February, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Foal Patrol Presented By National Museum Of Racing And Hall Of Fame: Repeta’s Daily Routine

Foal Patrol, an initiative of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, has partnered with the Paulick Report in Season 5 to bring you closer to featured mares and foals and to ask farm staff questions about their care and management over the course of the season.

In this episode with Repeta at Three Chimneys Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, Paulick Report staff ask Three Chimneys' Chris Baker, “What is Repeta's daily routine?”

For a chance to have one of your questions asked in an upcoming Foal Patrol episode on the Paulick Report, email your question to foalpatrol@racingmuseum.net. Be sure to let us know if your question is for a specific Season 5 mare.

Since its first season in 2018, people all over the world have engaged with Foal Patrol's live webcam series for a behind-the-scenes look at what daily life is like for in-foal mares and foals. Learn more about this season's lineup at www.foalpatrol.com and watch “Recent Updates” for Foal Patrol announcements, posts about featured Season 5 mares and foals, and updates on mares and foals from prior seasons.

The new Season 5 Education Site provides a platform to respond to viewers' questions, share information about horse care and management from breeding through retirement, and spotlight efforts across the industry to provide the best possible care for Thoroughbreds before, during, and after their racing careers. In partnership with industry collaborators, we will add new content to the Foal Patrol Education Site for viewers of all ages from now through June at www.foalpatrol.com/education.

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Saudi Cup To Include Five Americans: Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon, Art Collector, Happy Saver, And Country Grammer

Likely runners for the $35.1 million Saudi Cup meeting on Feb. 25-26 have been announced, with horses from 16 racing nations set to compete over the two days.

King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh will host 16 races on its dirt and turf tracks, and the highlight of the meeting, the $20m Group 1 Saudi Cup, looks set to be contested by the winners of 16 Group 1 races from six countries.

The field is headed by three-time Group 1 winner and last year's Saudi Cup champion, Mishriff (IRE). A historic second win in the race would see the John & Thady Gosden-trained runner surpass Winx and become the highest earning racehorse of all-time.

Last season's Group 1 Champion Stakes winner, Sealiway (FR) will make his debut for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, after leaving the stable of Cedric Rossi.

Japan's chances of winning a first Saudi Cup lie with the Daisuke Takayanagi-trained T O Keynes (JPN), an impressive winner of his last start in the Grade 1 Champions Cup at Chukyo in December, and Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff winner, Marche Lorraine (JPN). Trainer Yoshito Yahagi has indicated that his six-year-old will make her final start in Saudi as she bids to end her career with another win at the highest level.

Once again there is a strong contingent from the USA, headed by Brad Cox's Mandaloun (USA), who narrowly got the better of Steven Assmussen's Midnight Bourbon (USA) in the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes last month. Grade 1 winners, Art Collector (USA), Happy Saver (USA) and Country Grammer (USA) are also set to line up.

Antonio Cintra's Grade 1 Gran Premio Latinamericano winner Aero Trem (BRZ), trained in Uruguay, will be the first South American runner in The Saudi Cup.

The field is completed by locally trained Emblem Road (USA) and Making Miracles (GB), a former Chester Cup winner who qualified by winning the domestic Group 1 Custodian Of The Two Holy Mosques Cup last time out.

Many other top-class horses are set to take their places in Riyadh, across a card which features a further six Group races.

In the $1.5million Group 3 Neom Turf Cup presented by Jahez, Group 1 Hong Kong Vase runner-up Pyledriver (GB) will bid to go one better for trainers William Muir & Chris Grassick. A strong French entry includes Ebaiyra (USA), Eudaimonia (FR) and Magny Cours (USA), while Bahrain-based trainer Fawzi Nass is set to be represented by Port Lions (IRE), winner of the inaugural running of this race in 2020.

Irish hopes of a winner at the meeting could hinge on Sonnyboyliston (IRE) and the Tony Mullins-trained Princess Zoe (GER) in the $2.5m Group 3 Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap, where they will be joined by Nerium (IRE), a Group 2 winner in Germany and Maria Cristina Munoz's Argentine Group 1 winner, Mirinaque (ARG).

In the $1.5million Group 3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint presented by Saudia, Japanese star Copano Kicking (USA) returns to defend his crown from last year and will face stiff opposition from Nakayama G3 Capella Stakes winner, Dancing Prince (JPN), and the Richard Baltas-trained Ginobili (USA).

The Group 3 1351 Turf Sprint presented by stc also features a strong field, including last year's fourth placed Glorious Journey (GB), Japanese-trained Songline (JPN) as well as Royal Ascot Wokingham Stakes winner Rohaan (GB).

The locally-trained Alnaader (KSA) has been making waves on the track in Saudi this season and is unbeaten in four career starts, including when winning the domestic Group 1 King Abdullah Cup last time out. He is set to line up in the $1.5million Group 3 Saudi Derby presented by Al Rajhi Bank.

The Saudi Cup card also features the $2million Obaiya Arabian Classic presented by Lexus, which has been upgraded to Group 2 status after being run as a Listed contest last season.

There has been a strong entry with horses from France, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman joining locally trained runners. Saudi hopes look to lie with Tilal Al Khalediah (KSA), while the Didier Guillemin-trained Deryan (FR) and Fawzi Nass runner RB Rich Lyke Me (USA) are sure to pose a threat.

Friday, Feb. 25 sees 14 of the world's top international riders – seven female and seven male – compete in the stc International Jockeys Challenge, with jockeys including last year's winner Shane Foley as well as Glen Boss, Hayley Turner and Jessica Pyfer already announced.

The $500k Saudi International Handicap presented by Al Rajhi Bank, has once again has attracted a strong group of runners, with horses from Norway, Bahrain, Uruguay, Qatar, Greece and Spain joining locally-trained Saudi runners.

Tom Ryan, Director of Strategy and International Racing for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, said:

“We are thrilled with the list of likely runners for this year's Saudi Cup meeting. It really highlights the international appeal of the event and shows that the biggest owners, trainers and jockeys in the world are increasingly looking towards Saudi Arabia.

“If Mishriff can retain his crown in The Saudi Cup, it would be a fantastic story for horse racing, but he will have to be at his best with some brilliant horses entered from Japan, Europe, the US and elsewhere.

“After such a difficult year in 2021, we are delighted to be able to welcome racing fans from around the globe back to King Abdulaziz Racecourse. Everyone has worked incredibly hard to ensure the success of the event this year and that The Saudi Cup continues to showcase the best in world horse racing.”

Download the list of likely runners here: https://issuu.com/equestrian-jcsa/docs/likely_fields

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British Horseracing Authority Decides No Need For Immediate Action In Response To Freddy Tylicki Ruling

The BHA has today set out its response to the ruling in December of the High Court in favor of Freddy Tylicki, which was brought following catastrophic injuries he suffered in a fall at Kempton Park in October 2016.

Following the judge's ruling, the BHA obtained transcripts of the proceedings, which have been reviewed in detail, and held discussions with industry stakeholders in order to consider what implications there may be for the sport as a result of the judgment.

Stewarding

Due to the significant reforms of British racing's stewarding model and processes which have taken place since 2016, the BHA is satisfied that the High Court has not identified any further actions that must be taken as a result of this ruling beyond those which have already taken place or are already committed to. The reforms since 2016 have included:

A transition from a majority amateur panel quorum model to a majority professional panel quorum model of stewarding in Britain;
Mandatory competency-based training, developed externally in collaboration with legal training experts, has been introduced for all stewards;
State-of-the-art technology introduced on course that allows for more enhanced analysis of races;
Updated guidance provided to stewards as part of the competency-based training on enquiry procedure, and specifically regarding the adjournment of enquiries where material witnesses are unable to be present.

Work is already underway, following the adoption of the new Rules of Racing in 2019, to review British racing's sanctions framework and guidance. This work will address the full range of sanctions, including those for interference, and discussions with stakeholders have already begun on this process.

During the hearing, it was suggested that there exists an informal code of conduct, whereby jockeys do not “get too involved or [say] too much… try to stay as neutral as possible” when giving evidence to stewards following a race. Evidence given by Jockeys during enquiries is just one piece of the evidence stewards are required to carefully consider and weigh against all other evidential material. Experienced and trained Stewards objectively undertake this task and make decisions based on the required standard at every fixture every day. The BHA is committed to furthering the professional development of all stewards in line with international best practice, enabling them to develop the skills required to hear, test, interrogate where appropriate, and balance all evidence given in enquiries.

Further implications

Away from stewarding, it is considered that there could be implications for jockeys' insurance arising from this ruling, something the BHA and PJA have met to discuss.

The BHA has committed to supporting the PJA in whatever way necessary in their discussions with their insurer, in particular by providing whatever material they may need to demonstrate the level of risk mitigation that is now in place in British racing. It is essential for all sectors of our sport that jockeys are provided with adequate cover to allow them to compete.

Such risk mitigation includes the introduction of saliva testing in 2021, whereby oral swabs are used to provide on-the-day screening for cocaine and a range of other banned substances at racecourses. Over 900 saliva samples were taken in 2021.

Saliva testing is designed to be used in addition to breath and urine testing, which is capable of detecting a broad range of substances. Raceday saliva and breath tests act as a preliminary screen, and any jockey who does not test negative on raceday is stood down from riding that day, as well as being subject to further investigation.

Funding has also been made available by the Levy Board for hair sampling to become a mandatory element of any jockey's licensing process in the future, as part of a widening of the matrices used to test for prohibited substances.

The BHA would like to thank all of those who have contributed to discussions on the topic of this ruling in the last month and would also like to place on record once again its very best wishes for the future for Freddy Tylicki and his family.

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Grade 3 Winner Gershwin, Half To Mystic Guide, Retired To Haras Vikeda In Argentina

Gershwin, the winner of last year's Grade 3 Penn Mile Stakes, has been retired from racing and will begin his stud career at Haras Vikeda in Argentina, the South American publication Turf Diario reports.

The 4-year-old son of Distorted Humor recently arrived at Haras Vikeda, closing a career that featured two wins in seven starts as a homebred for Godolphin, for earnings of $265,600.

Trained by Michael Stidham, Gershwin's racing career started during his 3-year-old season, graduating in his second start: a rained-off-the-turf Fair Grounds maiden special weight. He made his graded stakes debut last May in the Grade 3 Penn Mile Stakes at Penn National, where he was once again rained off the turf, but drew off over sloppy goings to win by two lengths.

Gershwin is out of the multiple Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Music Note, making him a half-brother to Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide.

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