Month: March 2023

Special Envoi Delivers Third Ryanair for Cheveley Park Stud

CHELTENHAM, UK–It always pays to take note of past Festival form, as exemplified by the winners of Wednesday's two big races, Envoi Allen (Fr) (Muhtathir {Fr}) and Sire Du Berlais (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}). They had respectively made four and five previous appearances at Cheltenham in March, with Envoi Allen having won the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper and G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle prior to his emotional return to the winner's circle after the G1 Ryanair Chase, completing the full set of top-level Festival wins in three different spheres. The 11-year-old Sire Du Berlais had in turn won two Pertemps Finals on this day in 2019 and 2020, and was previously runner-up when Flooring Porter (Ire) (Yeats {Ire}) won the G1 Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle for the first time in 2021. 

Still only eight, the front-running Flooring Porter went out, as usual, with all guns blazing in an attempt to get his hat-trick up in the race, only folding when turning for home as he was reeled in by the chasing pack. Dashel Drasher (GB) (Passing Glance {GB}) took up the running and momentarily looked as though he would deliver a dream first Festival victory for Jeremy Scott. The trainer, whose wife Camilla bred Dashel Drasher, was magnanimous in his post-race comments after his stable star crossed the line still holding onto second place, though that was later taken from him in the stewards' room and handed to Teahupoo (Fr) (Masked Marvel {GB}), giving Gordon Elliott a one-two in the Stayers' Hurdle and his first Grade 1 of the week.

Arguably, though, the day again belonged to Henry de Bromhead, who recorded his 20th Festival victory and his third of the week with Envoi Allen, a former resident of Elliott's stable, and who had disappointed when well beaten into seventh in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day. His owner, Cheveley Park Stud, has only become properly involved with jump racing in the last few years and from the select team racing for Patricia Thompson and her son Richard, there has been incredible success in that time, including being leading owner at the Cheltenham Festival for each of the previous two years. The Ryanair Chase, in particular, has been a lucky race for them, with the currently sidelined Allaho (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}) having won the last two runnings. 

De Bromhead said, “It's great for the Thompsons as they are great supporters of ours and the industry. It's just brilliant.

“I kept saying to Richard that [Envoi Allen] was as good as he was before he went to Kempton. I was so happy with him before the King George, we really fancied him, but like a few of ours who went to England in the first half of the season, he just never showed up.”

De Bromhead, who had to settle for second and third in Mares' Novices' Hurdle named in memory of his son Jack, added, “The amount of people, our friends and family who have travelled over, and Michael O'Leary and Ryanair naming the race in honour of Jack, makes this week very special.”

On Friday, the de Bromhead-trained A Plus Tard (Fr) (Kapgarde {Fr}) will attempt to defend his Gold Cup crown for a team which appears to have hit peak form just at the right time.

The day's racing was, rather strangely, labelled St Patrick's Thursday, despite the real St Patrick's Day being 24 hours later. But it was largely a good day for raiders from across the sea, with five Irish trainers being represented by a winner. For John McConnell in particular it was a memorable occasion as Seddon (Ire) (Stowaway {GB}) romped to glory in the Magners Plate Handicap Chase to give the trainer and his jockey Ben Harvey a first Festival winner. Another young rider, Liam McKenna, also shed his Cheltenham maiden tag aboard Good Time Jonny (Ire) (Shirocco {Ger}) in the Pertemps Final for Tony Martin. The 8-year-old's owners, Aidan Shiels, Donal Gavigan and Niall Reilly, had made the long trip from New York to Prestbury Park and will likely float home across the Atlantic. The trio had also been involved in a decent horse on the Flat in the 2016 Melbourne Cup runner-up Heartbreak City (Fr) (Lando {Ger}).

Thursday's results did not all go Ireland's way, however. In the opening G1 Turners Novices' Chase, the flamboyant 7-year-old Stage Star (Ire) (Fame And Glory {GB}) brought back memories of his talented tearaway of a mother, Sparky May (GB) (Midnight Legend {GB}), a Grade 2-winning hurdler who found only Quevega (Fr) too good when challenging for the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2011. Hers was something of a fairytale, her dam Glassy Appeal (Glassy Dip) having been bought by owner/breeder Bill Muddyman of Huxley Holdings with the idea of breeding a few show jumpers. Well her descendants can jump, that's for sure, and Stage Star, the best of Sparky May's three winning offspring to date, looked very well named as he made all, meeting each fence beautifully under Harry Cobden to give Britain's champion trainer Paul Nicholls a first strike at the meeting.

Sparky May, now 18, is a boarder at David and Tamso Cox's Baroda Stud in Ireland. Though Bill Muddyman, a former chairman of Fulham Football Club, died in 2020, his son Andy has continued his breeding interests.
“She's doing really well and delivered a Walk In The Park colt on 19 February,” reported David Cox, who added that the mare also has a 2-year-old filly by Harzand (Ire) on the way through.

It has been a good week for the boarders of Baroda Stud, which is also home to Game Of Legs (Fr) (Hernando {Fr}), whose son Gaelic Warrior (Ger) was runner-up in Wednesday's G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle. The mare will be returning to his sire Maxios (GB) this season, while Sparky May will again visit Walk In The Park.

The late Muddyman was not the only football club chairman connected to a winner on Thursday. The 83-year-old Sir Chips Keswick, whose colours were carried to victory by You Wear It Well (GB) (Midnight Legend {GB}) in the G2 Jack de Bromhead Mares' Novices' Hurdle, was chairman of Arsenal FC until 2020. His nephew Ben Keswick is the owner of Rockliffe Stud, owner-breeder of Group 1 winner Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and last season's G2 Flying Childers winner Trillium (GB) (No Nay Never).

The Dream Begins Again

With darkness attempting to claim the parade ring ahead of one last day of Festival action, there was a final bit of business to be conducted under the spotlights. The Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale, which has been in existence for seven years, has the catchline 'See you in the winner's enclosure', which is both literal and aspirational.

The auction staged therein comes with the implication that its expensive graduates will return to that hallowed ground one day to collect a Festival trophy. Love Envoi (Ire) (Westerner {GB}) did just that by landing last year's G2 Mares' Novices' Hurdle after being sold for £38,000 in 2021, and she only narrowly failed in her attempt when second to Honeysuckle (GB) in Tuesday's G1 Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle. At the pricier end of the market was Gerri Colombe (Fr) (Saddler Maker {Ire}), bought for £240,000 and beaten just a short-head on Wednesday in the G1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase. Bravemansgame (Fr) (Brave Mansonnien {Fr}), a £370,000 purchase in 2019, could yet give the sale the ultimate cachet if he obliges in Friday's G1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Plenty don't make the grade of course, but that hasn't stopped owners backing this boutique event to the tune of £16.5 million in the first six years, raised through the sale of 114 horses. Another 19 horses (76%) changed hands on Thursday evening, for a total of £3,405,000 and average of £179,211.

Sharing the top spot on the leaderboard were two 4-year-old geldings, Romeo Coolio (GB) (Kayf Tara {GB}) and Jalon d'Oudairies (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}), both consigned by Donnchadh Doyle's Monbeg Stables and bought for £420,000 apiece by Gordon Elliott. Romeo Coolio will race for the Keep The Dream Alive syndicate.

“These are the sort of horses we want, we thought they were the two best horses in the sale,” said the trainer. Of Jalon d'Oudairies he added, “We don't have an owner yet, but we will have by the time the night is out.”
Romeo Coolio will race for the Keep The Dream Alive syndicate.

The post Special Envoi Delivers Third Ryanair for Cheveley Park Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Brendan Walsh Aims To Keep Perfect Dubai Record Intact With Cazadero

No trainer running on March 25th boasts a better Dubai World Cup meeting record than Brendan Walsh.

Irish-born, USA-based, Walsh is two from two at Meydan Racecourse. The perfect record is thanks to Plus Que Parfait, winner of the G2 UAE Derby in 2019, and Extravagant Kid, successful in the 2021 G1 Al Quoz Sprint. He heads to that race again, with Grade 2 winner Cazadero the latest to take up the challenge. It's a venture which will bring back good memories for Walsh, who worked in Dubai with Godolphin before starting his own training career.

“Everything about the year we won the Derby with Plus Que Parfait was a fond memory,” he says of his breakthrough Dubai win four years ago. “To go out there after spending so much time there previously and to win was magical, the type of stuff you dream about. Unfortunately, due to Covid, I didn't make the trip with Extravagant Kid but that again was brilliant, unbelievable really.”

There are some similarities between Cazadero and Extravagant Kid, says their trainer, although the former has a few less miles on the clock than his erstwhile stablemate, who won the Al Quoz at the age of eight. Owned by Qatar Racing in partnership with Marc Detampel, Fergus Galvin and Barry Clohessy, five-year-old Cazadero has won four of his 11 starts, including the G2 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine, Canada.

“Of course he fits the bill, he loves the extra distance from the normal five or five and a half that we get in the US, similar to Extravagant Kid,” says Walsh. “I think he will like the straight six furlongs [1200metres] too.

“He's an easy enough horse to train; very straightforward.”

Cazadero will be partnered by multiple Grade 1-winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who will make his UAE debut.

“Tyler rides a lot for me in the US even though he hasn't ridden Cazadero before,” adds Walsh, who won't be making the trip to Dubai himself this time.

“It falls on a very busy weekend here,” he explains. “I have Pretty Mischievous the same day at Fair Grounds in the Fair Grounds Oaks as well as [Grade 1 winner] Santin and Reckoning Force in big stakes at Turfway, so between works and races I can't manage to get away.

“Roger Horgan has travelled over. When Kiaran McLaughlin retired we were lucky enough to get him on our team from Kiaran's.”

Watching from afar won't make victory any less sweet if Cazadero keeps the Walsh Dubai record intact.

The post Brendan Walsh Aims To Keep Perfect Dubai Record Intact With Cazadero appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Top 10 Ways HISA Will Change Racing

Edited Press Release

The anticipated implementation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) on Mar. 27 will strengthen equine welfare and enhance confidence in the fairness of the sport. Here are the top 10 ways HISA's ADMC Program will change racing for the better:

1. For the first time, rules will be uniform and standardized across all states.

The ADMC Program will bring all testing and results management under one central authority, ensuring greater transparency, accountability and consistent application across the country.

2. A paperless chain of custody and collection system will be deployed nationwide.

Sample collection personnel, who will all be trained and certified by HIWU on ADMC Program-compliant protocols, will utilize a paperless system via HIWU's new app, greatly reducing the current inefficient and time-consuming paperwork requirements. The app electronically records the entire sample collection process, and horsemen can receive an electronic receipt of their horses' test sessions via email.

3. Laboratories will be accredited, and their processes harmonized, enabling test results to come back faster in many jurisdictions.

All laboratories that will conduct testing under the ADMC Program must be accredited by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) and meet the performance specifications to enter into a contract with HIWU. This ensures all labs will be held to the same performance standards regardless of the state they operate in. The harmonization of laboratory processes will ensure consistency in every aspect – from the list of substances tested to the levels at which they are tested. As a result, horsemen can have greater confidence in testing results and assurance that any local, lab-specific factors are not affecting testing outcomes.

Laboratory result turnaround times will enable test results to be delivered promptly so that any procedural issues can be dealt with swiftly. The standard turnaround time will be no more than 10 business days after receipt of the samples for Post-Race test results and no more than five business days for Vets' List clearance test results – a significant improvement for many jurisdictions.

4. ADMC violations will be clearly divided into two categories with differing degrees of penalties.

HISA's ADMC Program explicitly divides substances on its Prohibited List into two categories: (1) Controlled Medications (therapeutic substances that are permitted outside of race day and other specific periods); and (2) Banned Substances (substances that should never be present in a horse).

The substances are categorized differently because HISA recognizes that they can have different effects on a horse and should result in different consequences. Violations involving Controlled Medications and Methods are categorized as Controlled Medication Rule Violations (CMRV), while violations involving Banned Substances and Methods are categorized as Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRV). Harsher penalties will be associated with ADRVs because Banned Substances are detrimental to equine welfare, often enhance performance and should never be present in a horse's body.

5. The national results management system will be managed by one central authority rather than a patchwork of local entities.

The results management and adjudication processes under the ADMC Program are organized specifically to avoid potential local biases and ensure swift and consistent outcomes for all racing participants. Under this system, all laboratory test results will be sent directly to HIWU, which will notify individuals of Adverse Analytical Findings (positive tests) and be responsible for the investigation and prosecution process.

Adjudication decisions will be made by the Internal Adjudication Panel (IAP) for CMRVs and the independent Arbitral Body for ADRVs – replacing the previous inconsistent adjudication processes run by state courts, state racing commissions, and stewards. Final decisions by the IAP and Arbitral Body can be appealed to a federal Administrative Law Judge.

6. Anti-Doping Rule Violations involving the presence, use, administration, or attempted administration of a Banned Substances will automatically trigger a Provisional Suspension of the relevant Covered Person, pending full adjudication.

This measure is critical to ensuring integrity in our sport and is a departure from the processes which previously allowed cheaters to evade accountability by exploiting the rule discrepancies in various jurisdictions, continuing to race as they filed appeals and avoided sanctions – including disqualifications – through lengthy litigation.

7. Testing will be intelligence-based so HIWU is able to effectively catch cheaters while using resources efficiently.

The ADMC Program will introduce an intelligence-driven strategic testing plan to be deployed uniformly across the country. Intelligence-based testing has proven effective in catching bad actors when used in other sports and jurisdictions. HIWU's operations team will take an interdisciplinary approach in its allocation of testing across the country with a focus on ensuring the quality and effectiveness of the doping control process.

The operational strategy will also be informed by collaboration with HIWU's investigations unit to incorporate and act on pertinent information received through its anonymous whistleblower platforms. Intelligence from “boots-on-the-ground” industry participants, including stewards and veterinarians, and continued cooperation with state racing commissions and laboratory/scientific partners will inform the test selection process.

8. A discretionary policy for positives resulting from potential environmental contamination is in place.

The ADMC Program's Atypical Findings Policy requires additional investigation in any instance in which a horse tests positive for a substance that has a higher risk of being present as a result of environmental contamination rather than intentional administration. If HIWU determines that the substance was present due to contamination, the test result may be considered negative, and no penalties will be issued.

9. More Out-of-Competition testing than ever before.

Under HISA's ADMC Program, HIWU will oversee the introduction of the first nationwide Out-of-Competition (OOC) testing program for Banned Substances. This extra layer of testing will weed out those who do not operate with integrity, deter others from doing the same and prioritize equine welfare year-round.

OOC testing will only regulate Banned Substances – not Controlled Medications. If a Covered Horse is located on private property, and the Responsible Person does not want sample collection personnel entering the property, they have the option to bring the Covered Horse to a location that is mutually agreed upon with HIWU e.g., racetrack, as long as the Covered Horse is presented at that location within six hours of notification of testing.

10. Investigations will be led by former law enforcement officers and seasoned racing experts.

HIWU's investigations unit, which will help lead the enforcement of the ADMC Program, is led by former law enforcement officials with considerable experience in the racing industry.

Naushaun “Shaun” Richards, who will serve as Director of Intelligence & Strategy, joined HIWU after a 23-year tenure with the FBI, where he initiated and directed the criminal investigation that resulted in the indictments of more than 30 individuals across the racing industry. Shawn Loehr, who will serve as Director of Investigative Operations, previously spent more than 27 years in California law enforcement, most recently spending nearly four years as the chief of enforcement and licensing for the California Horse Racing Board.

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