Month: June 2022

Australian Flavour On The Track and On The Rails

Royal Ascot has burst back to life after the two muted years of Covid, with one of the most welcome aspects of this year's meeting being the return of the Australians. The Antipodean participation is not confined to horses, owners, and trainers, however, as among the throng of the betting ring is an unfamiliar name to British punters but one which is very well known on the tracks of Sydney, Melbourne and beyond.

Robbie Waterhouse, husband of legendary trainer Gai, has set up his bookmaker's pitch in the Queen Anne Enclosure between the track and the grandstand and reported a successful first day of trade in completing a long-held dream to operate at the meeting.

“I've been to many Royal Ascots and enjoyed them all but I must say I would rather be working rather than sipping Champagne, as nice as that is, and as nice as my wife is,” he said. “I tried to buy a pitch four years ago and couldn't, and then we were thwarted by Covid, so it is wonderful to be here.”

The meeting got off to a terrific start for Australia when the Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) blazed to success in the G1 King's Stand S., and there was more to come on Wednesday when Australian-born Jane Chapple-Hyam trained her first Royal Ascot winner, Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. Waterhouse, too, was enjoying a successful run.

“I did manage to win which is the main idea,” he said. “I lost too much to my clients on the Australian horse, which can't be helped.”

Comparing working at Ascot to his homeland, he added, “I hate to say it but I think it's almost better than Australia on the metric of the number of bookmakers at work. We've got 253 at work here and probably only a dozen in Australia. The average age of bookmakers is also much younger here, and I think the fact that we are in front of a crowd is a huge advantage to us.”

He also admitted to pacing himself in order to get the marathon five-day trip.

Waterhouse said, “I've cancelled all my social events this week to be here every day. My very obedient wife had my dinner on the table at the hotel waiting for me last night, but I did set the alarm for 2am and I'm looking forward to the rest of the week.”

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Cilla Named Louisiana’s 2021 Horse Of The Year

On Saturday evening, Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association secretary/treasurer Roger Heitzmann announced the Louisiana 2021 Horse of the Year, Cilla, who was selected from among the Louisiana divisional champions by the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association Board of Directors. 

Cilla, is proof positive that Louisiana-breds can compete among top company anywhere. 

After winning the 2021 Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle at Evangeline Downs in June, Cilla took her show on the road to Monmouth Park where she annexed the Blue Sparkler Stakes getting the five and a half furlongs in 1:03.07 to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Next,  Cilla won the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga, running the six furlongs in 1:10.05, defeating Kentucky-bred Grade 3 winner Souper Sensational. For the year, the filly won four of eight starts and earned $310,600.

Cilla was both the first North American, winner and first black type winner for her sire, two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome.

Brett Brinkman trains Cilla for owner P. Dale Ladner. The same connections bred her and raced her dam, Sittin at the Bar. Sittin at the Bar won 11 of 19 starts including nine Louisiana-bred stakes during her career earning $705,896. and has produced nothing but runners.

Cilla, whose name in Welsh means “venerable,” is certainly fulfilling her namesake. In 2022, she has added stakes wins in the Orleans Stakes and LA Bred Premier Matron,  both run at Delta Downs. Cilla's lifetime earnings sit at $484,000 with more to come.

To view the full list of Louisiana's 2021 divisional champions, click here.

The post Cilla Named Louisiana’s 2021 Horse Of The Year appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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No Nay Never’s Little Big Bear Best In The Windsor Castle

The subject of a momentous gamble in Wednesday's Listed Windsor Castle S., Ballydoyle's Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never–Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) duly delivered to maintain the 100% record of the TDN Rising Stars in Royal Ascot's two-year-old contests. Hammered into 6-5 favouritism to get Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore off the mark for the week, the impressive Naas maiden winner raced near the pace far side before being sent forward with hands and heels passing halfway. In the end, the imposing bay had to fight to fend off the stand's-side winner Rocket Rodney (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}) but was equal to the task to score by a neck, with Eddie's Boy (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths back in third. “It was a good performance from a horse who is still learning,” Moore said. “He was out on the wing and the horses in the middle were ahead–he got a bit lonely, but he has plenty of ability. He is a big horse and I thought he did that comfortably. I know he didn't win by far, but there was more in the locker.”

Runner-up by a short head to the subsequent G3 Marble Hill S. runner-up Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and ahead of future winner Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) on debut at The Curragh Apr. 10, Little Big Bear dealt with the drop to this trip without fuss when dominating his maiden from the well-regarded Joseph O'Brien-trained Alexis Zorba (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) at Naas May 7. The extent of the money flow in his direction leading up to the off spoke volumes about the expectation surrounding him and he was carrying that weight looking to provide Aidan O'Brien with the Royal Ascot winner the form of his juveniles seemed to suggest was a formality this Spring.

Rosegreen's two-year-olds are never hard-baked for this meeting and there were a few moments when Little Big Bear needed encouragement from Moore before halfway as several appeared to be travelling sweeter across the track. It was only as he approached the furlong marker that the sizeable colt began to emerge as one of the chief protagonists and by the time he had got to half a furlong out he had the measure of Rocket Rodney who was a few horse-widths out of range. “He was drawn a little away from the pace, but we were delighted with him,” O'Brien said. “He should get further in the future and is in the Phoenix Stakes. He is a big horse. It is obviously a very fast race and horses need to know a lot in it and be very educated. He had only had the two runs, so we were a bit worried about that, but we're delighted really.”

Little Big Bear is bred to stay much further on the dam's side, with the Listed Prix de Liancourt winner, G3 Prix Cleopatre runner-up and GI E P Taylor S. fourth Adventure Seeker being a granddaughter of the legendary All Along (Fr), the French champion and US Horse of the Year in 1983 courtesy of her G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, GI Turf Classic, G1 Rothmans International and GI Washington D. C. International victories. A half to the precocious but ill-fated G3 Princess Margaret S. third Along Again (Ire) (Elusive City), she produced Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway) who was second in the 12-furlong G3 Hobart Cup. Also connected to the G3 Prix du Muguet winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-placed Art Francais (Lyphard's Wish {Fr}), the dam's yearling is a full-brother to Little Big Bear.

Wednesday, Ascot, Britain
WINDSOR CASTLE S.-Listed, £100,000, Ascot, 6-15, 2yo, 5fT, 1:00.33, g/f.
1–LITTLE BIG BEAR (IRE), 131, c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Adventure Seeker (Fr) (SW & GSP-Fr, $155,312), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: American Adventure, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: All Along (Fr), by Targowice
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€320,000 Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Camas Park Stud & Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £59,200. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $84,657. *1/2 to Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway), GSP-Aus, $352,585. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rocket Rodney (GB), 131, g, 2, Dandy Man (Ire)–Alushta (GB), by Royal Applause (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (18,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 18,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Victorious Racing Ltd; B-R W Stapleton (GB); T-George Scott. £22,390.
3–Eddie's Boy (GB), 131, c, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Spontaneity (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (45,000gns Ylg '21 TATSOM). O-Middleham Park Racing XLV & Partner; B-Crossfields Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Archie Watson. £11,190.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.20, 14.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Chateau (Ire), Jumbeau (GB), Bolt Action (Ire), Silencer (Ire), Wodao (Fr), Union Court (GB), Kuwait City (Ire), Ramazan (Ire), Kaasib (Ire), Rocking Ends (GB), Yahtzee (Ire), Mehmar (Ire), Knebworth (GB), Edgar Linton (Fr), Far Shot (Ire), Democracy Dilemma (Ire), Finn Russell (Ire), Guiteau (Ire), Star of Lady M (GB), Seismic Spirit (Ire), Whistle and Flute (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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