February, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Oliver St Lawrence Urges Breeders To Support Charity Stallion Nomination Auction

Top bloodstock agent Oliver St Lawrence has urged his fellow industry professionals to look kindly on the online sale of stallion nominations in aid of the Giving To Ukraine charity and the Disasters Emergency Committee's Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal that will be hosted by Tattersalls on Monday.

The idea was first mentioned to St Lawrence at the Tattersalls December Sale by Stephen Byrnes, a well-known equine osteopath, who has undertaken a number of humanitarian missions to Ukraine and has witnessed first-hand the devastation caused in the war-torn country.

St Lawrence, who describes stallion nominations as his “bread and butter,” has assembled a stellar cast of more than 75 stallion coverings to choose from, with Showcasing (GB), Sottsass (Fr), Kodiac (GB), Sea The Moon (Ger), Hello Youmzain (Fr) and Nathaniel (Ire) all listed.

The total value of the advertised fees is estimated to be roughly £700,000, although some stud farms have offered more than one service per stallion, in which case the underbidder will be contacted.

St Lawrence explained, “Every nomination will be sold on a no foal free return basis. They will also be paid up front so that the charity can get on and spend the money, which is badly needed. All of the money will be collected by Giving To Ukraine, which is a small charity.

“There will be no VAT on the majority of the nominations so, cash flow-wise, people will not have to pay out VAT and they pay up front. If the mare does not go in foal or unfortunately aborts, they will have a free return next year.”

St Lawrence acknowledges that Monday's charity auction will come relatively late for the majority of breeders who, by the middle of February, will have made some form of plans for their mares. However, he is hoping that, given the nature of the sale, stakeholders will support the cause.

He said, “The amount of stallion donations from studs across Europe has been very generous. I would urge people to get registered to bid. We've managed to get a nice bunch of nominations together and for the breeders, I know it's late in terms that a lot of people will have already made plans but, for those who haven't, if they could look kindly on us, it would be great.”

“There are a few more stallion nominations coming. I just got a Sergei Prokofiev this morning and I expect to be able to add a couple more in the coming days. Quite often, I get repeat nominations and, while we will only offer one on the site, there will be cases where we contact the underbidder on some of the stallion nominations that were double offered. We won't be offering two nominations for a stallion because people may hold back on the first one, and I won't go naming stallions, as there may be a few canny people out there!”

St Lawrence added, “It was Stephen Byrnes who came up with the idea. He mentioned it to me during the December Sale but, for various reasons, we didn't get together until late January. That's when he told me of some of the horrendous things that he witnessed out there which simply aren't repeatable. This is my bread and butter, doing stallion nominations, so it was relatively easy to get on board with a project like this and try and generate some money for a worthy cause.”

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Connolly’s Red Mills Partner With C And J Equine For New Race Day Trials

The new C&J Equine Race Day Trials in association with Connolly's Red Mills will take place at Lingfield and Southwell in March. Set for Lingfield on Mar. 10 and Southwell on Mar. 24, the trials provide a race day scenario without the pressure of a competitive race meeting. Slots in the trials can be booked on the C&J Equine website.

Craig Witheford, of C&J Equine, said, “The Race Day Trials provide a unique experience for unraced and experienced racehorses, with a race day scenario, without the pressure of a competitive race meeting. Statistics alone have proved that our trials produce many debut winners and help horses gain confidence on a racecourse. Our aim is to educate and prevent future problems for our client's horses, whilst providing an enjoyable experience for racehorses embarking on their career.”

“It's all about helping the horse achieve its ultimate goal,” said Adam Johnson, UK Thoroughbred Manager for Connolly's Red Mills. “Whether that's by providing our customers with the best in equine nutrition or by supporting the development of the young racehorse through initiatives such as the Race Day Trials. We are delighted to be able to continue supporting the racing industry.”

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Racing’s Bad Boy Chautauqua Now A ‘Gentle Giant’ In Dressage Ring

Winner of Flemington Racecourse's Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes in 2016, the iconic grey Chautauqua was loved by racing fans for his unique racing style, breathtaking wins and that glorious dappled coat.

Since he infamously 'chose' to retire from racing, 'Sharky' happily found a new life with Casey Bruce in the show arena. The Victoria Racing Club took the opportunity to catch up with Casey and Sharky to learn what is next for the Grey Flash.

For months after his decision to simply not run in a race at Moonee Valley in September 2018, Chautauqua the champion gelding, who had dazzled world racing with six breathtaking Group 1 wins, had confounded the training partnership of John, Wayne, and Michael Hawkes by flatly refusing to jump from the barriers.

At the time, racing enthusiasts (from whisperers to psychologists) were campaigning for the reintroduction of strand starts so that Chautauqua could once again produce his breathtaking 'last-to-first' victories against the very best.

Back in Melbourne, former jockey and accomplished show rider Casey Bruce was driving Chautauqua's principal owner Rupert Legh “mad” with requests to look after the then 10-year-old in retirement from racing. But Bruce's instincts told her the sprinter had much more to offer.

Her persistence paid off and in August 2019 Chautauqua – or Sharky as he is affectionately nicknamed – arrived at a property at Lara outside of Geelong: a place Bruce had designated as the horse's new home and place of rebirth.

“The day he arrived there was untold excitement. He was a big, strong, world-class racehorse about to start a new chapter in his already decorated life. And I was going to play a fairly significant part.”

Although thrilled with the challenge and opportunity, privately Bruce was concerned that the horse's detached and distant temperament was stifling him.

“He was reclusive. He kept to himself. Humans didn't really concern him and this bothered me because I knew I was overlooking something,” she said. “The Hawkes stables in Sydney and Melbourne have done a fabulous job but I suppose in his last year in racing any new human beings that came into his life were going to ask him to do something he didn't want to do.”

Bruce said it was on Christmas Day in 2019 when the penny dropped. During lunchtime festivities with family and friends she shared her theory on how to entice the Grey Flash into an entirely new arena.

“I explained to everyone how I felt, and then I thought I'd try something by getting a pony on one side of the fence and Chautauqua on the other,” she said. “They kicked and squealed and then suddenly the old boy started nibbling at the pony's back. His ears went forward and he was enjoying it. I took the pony away and stayed rubbing his back and scratching his hindquarters as he purred like a cat. The next morning I came out and all he wanted to do was nuzzle me, and just be my friend.”

Through this unexpected bond, Bruce had breathed new life into the horse, who seemed to realize that the talented rider only wanted the best for him.

She added: “Once upon a time he wouldn't have shown any interest, and now all he wants to do is bond with the horses here in the paddocks and the people around him.”

In 2020, Chautauqua's career as a show horse moved into its second stage, and now, after a successful stint in that area, he is heading into 2023 with yet another change of pace.

“Sharky has always struggled to fully relax in classes where there are a large number of horses, so because of this reason I felt he had won enough as a show horse and decided, why not try him at something I believe he would enjoy more? And that is dressage. This involves just he and I competing together, with no one chasing his tail or vice versa,” said Bruce.

Sharky's show career held many highlights for Bruce, one of which was winning the VAS Newcomer Ridden horse of the Year.

“Another was winning the VAS OTT Fashion off the Field for two years in a row. We all know I love my fashion!”

Bruce would also like him to go to pony clubs, and encourage youngsters to become more involved with the racing industry.

“I'd like to help showcase our lovely thoroughbreds.”

She believes that Sharky would be a natural in this role, stating that, “He is such a gentle giant and adores littlies.”

These affectionate qualities might have taken a little while to really surface, says Bruce, but now she believes he is the most loving and affectionate horse she's ever owned.

“He is so cuddly and is forever kissing me or my daughter, who he adores”.

With a 'best mate' in Bruce's daughter's pony, Bucky (himself a show horse who has tasted success at the highest level, having won Royal Show Championships), it looks like Sharky is exactly where he needs to be.

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Mental Health, Equine Welfare Key Topics Thursday At Asian Racing Conference

Mental health was a key focus topic during the 39th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Melbourne on Thursday (Feb. 16) with Andrew Harding, Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Director, Racing calling for greater attention on the issue in the face of the significant demands placed on racing participants.

Chairing a session titled 'The Mind,' Harding said athletes from all disciplines had played a crucial role in building awareness around mental health wellbeing but more needs to be done.

“Athletes bring a unique perspective to the issue (mental health), living with constant pressure to perform at the highest level, regardless of what else might be happening in their lives. They are simply expected to put it all aside and go out there and win. Because that's their job,” Harding said.

“But with depression or anxiety affecting over five percent of the population worldwide at some point in their lives, and suicide being the fourth leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds globally, it is critical that we all bring greater attention to these issues.

“This is highly relevant for racing, a sport that places significant demands on its participants in what are often high-intensity, seven days a week jobs, year-round.

“Jockeys, for one, face not just the unrelenting pressure of winning every time they saddle up a favorite, they do so knowing the potentially life-altering consequences of getting boxed in too tight or shifting out a second too late.”

Harding was joined in the session by former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett; Lisa Hancock, Chief Executive, Injured Jockeys Fund (UK); Matti Clements, Acting Director, Australian Institute of Sport; and three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Glen Boss, who spoke of the mental health challenges he experienced during his career.

“I have a PHD in what not to do as a professional athlete,” Boss said. “I never showed any sign of weakness, or put my hand up looking for help. (But) I was crumbling, I was falling apart, I would keep putting up more walls to make myself look stronger.”

Earlier, Chris Riggs, Hong Kong Jockey Club Equine Welfare Research Foundation Director and Chief Advisor, Mainland Veterinary Engagement told the conference racing has “a moral responsibility to provide for the needs of animals in our care.”

“There is a definition of welfare which simply connects the needs of the animal and whether they are being met and that is totally quantifiable,” Dr. Riggs said during a session titled 'The Horse'.

“We need to highlight the benefits and acknowledge the issues associated with racing and face up to them truthfully, honestly and openly and be very proud of racing but equally say 'It's got its problems, just about everything in life has.'

“We need to face up to our detractors with that insistence that we are doing something.”

Greg Nichols, Director of Racing Australia, chaired the session and said the industry must have “an irrevocable commitment to the welfare of the horses from cradle to grave.”

Champion trainer Chris Waller said transparency and open communication was vital in retaining and increasing racehorse ownership during an interview with moderator David Eades in a session titled 'The Owner,' which focused on horse ownership.

“It's the same as any business, if you are not looking after your investor, they won't reinvest and I am not blessed with having great communication skills or being any outgoing person,” Waller said.

“If you close the door, it's hard to reopen it. Always leave the door open and the customer is always right. It's just the same philosophy that works in any business.”

Leading Australian scientist Professor Tim Flannery delivered a keynote address on 'The Sustainable,' saying racing faced a challenge relating to climate change and sustainability in the eyes of younger generations.

Professor Flannery shared a panel discussion with General Manger, International Department of the Japan Racing Association, Hiroshi Ito and the Managing Director of Accenture, Julie Romanet-Perroux.

Andrew Harding, Secretary General, Asian Racing Federation and Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Director, Racing; Doug Robinson, Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Manager, Due Diligence and Research; and Tom Chignell, Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Manager, Racing Integrity and Betting Analysis, will feature on Friday (Feb. 17) in a session called 'The Defense' which focuses on threats to racing's integrity.

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