Month: October 2023

British Horseracing Authority To Host 170 Premier Racedays With Higher Prize Money In 2024

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has today published the 2024 Fixture List, which includes significant customer-focused innovations designed to deliver a more competitive, engaging and exciting racing product.

This includes the running of 170 Premier Racedays, with higher prize money and more top-quality racing featuring our best horses, together with major investment to help strengthen Sunday racing. In addition, much focus has been placed on increasing competitiveness across the fixture list.

The changes aim to grow British racing by increasing engagement among new and existing customers, improve revenues across all areas of the industry, promote investment in the sport through the recruitment and retention of owners, and encourage the best horses to be trained and raced in Britain.

The innovations introduced through the 2024 Fixture List are the first phase of the sport's new long-term industry strategy and were recommended by its Commercial Committee and approved by the BHA Board.

The changes were agreed as essential to halt the decline in a number of critical areas in the past few years. Crucially, they are part of a data-driven, customer-focused plan for the sport.

The proposals are reliant on funding from the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) and the BHA is extremely grateful to the HBLB for helping to bring the changes to fruition.

Industry modelling projects an estimated £90m improvement to British racing's finances over a five-year period from 2024 to 2028 as a result of the work of the industry strategy, when compared with a 'do nothing' scenario, in which industry revenues would continue to decline.

The innovations included in the Fixture List have been introduced on a two-year trial basis. Benchmark measures to assess the success of the trial will be developed, covering a range of factors including economic, attendance, fan and TV audience engagement, betting, ownership, performance of the racing product, customer feedback and participant wellbeing.

The changes will be tested and analysed during the trial and adjustments made where necessary.

The main features of the 2024 Fixture List include:

  • 170 “Premier Racedays” will be run in 2024, underpinned by criteria around prize money and quality of racing, and acting as the sport's main shop window. They will ensure consistent, high-quality racing which can be differentiated from the rest of the fixture list and better promoted to showcase the sport to new and existing audiences.
    The significant appetite shown by racecourses to stage these fixtures has resulted in an uplift of around 50% in the number of fixtures which would meet the “Premier Raceday” criteria, compared to 2022.
  • Premier Racedays will therefore account for approximately 12 percent of fixtures, and these top-tier days will be supported by significantly enhanced promotion, broadcast innovation and fan engagement, with proposals being developed through the Commercial Committee and more detail to be published in the coming months.
  • Investing more prize money, including an additional £3.8m of Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) funding for Premier Racedays. This will comprise both significant additional investment, alongside some redistribution of funds from other fixtures. Minimum race values at non-Premier (Core) fixtures will, however, remain unaltered.
    All Premier Racedays will include a minimum number of higher-class races, supplemented by other races providing opportunities for a wide range of horses. Higher minimum prize money values will be in place at Premier Racedays with no races run for less than £20,000 (Flat) and £15,000 (Jumps).
    This will aim to keep British racing at the forefront of world racing, attracting and retaining the best horses to be owned, trained and race in Britain.
  • Premier Racedays on Saturdays being given “room to breathe”, to be better promoted to tell the sport's stories, improving betting and media rights revenues by creating a “protected window” during which the number of fixtures which can be run is controlled.
  • Major investment in improving Sunday racing to take better advantage of both days of the sporting weekend, increasing engagement and revenues while also rewarding the sport's workforce who service these fixtures.
  • Creating a more competitive and engaging racing product through improved field sizes, reducing the size of the Fixture List and race program – including the removal of 300 Jump races and 20 Jump fixtures – and a raft of further initiatives designed to improve competitiveness.

In addition some initiatives have been introduced which are designed to support the wellbeing of those working in the sport who deliver the racing action year-round.

More detail on the headline areas of development can be found in the Fixture List Headlines Summary document.

To support the delivery of the 2024 Fixture List, overall fixture funding from the HBLB in 2024 will increase by £3.2m. These proposals were recently approved by the HBLB.

Julie Harrington, Chief Executive of the BHA, said:

“Compiling this year's Fixture List was a truly collaborative process on a scale which I have never before seen in our industry, with the sport pulling in the same direction to achieve a shared objective. I am extremely grateful to my teams at the BHA and everyone across the sport who has engaged so constructively in this process.

“There was agreement across the industry that steps were required to increase racing's appeal to customers at the earliest opportunity, as well as addressing the current headwinds facing the sport.

“We accept and expected that, with significant change, there will always be some who feel that the cards have not fallen their way. However, the objective for these changes is that they grow the sport as a whole, with benefits that reach throughout the entire industry in the medium to long-term.

“This is the first major step in what is a long-term transformational plan. The expectation is that the changes should generate more revenue, which will allow us to invest in other key areas – including attracting new fans and new owners and increasing the reward and recognition of all our existing participants.

“All of these changes are being introduced on a trial basis. They will be closely monitored and measured.”

Joe Saumarez Smith, Chair of the BHA, added:

“There is no doubt that the significant progress made by the industry to deliver these innovations has been made possible by the sport's new governance structure. It has allowed for bold, positive decisions to be made, while ensuring that the views of everyone affected have been properly considered.

“The simple fact of the matter is this – the sport has to take radical steps if it is to retain its pre-eminent place in British culture and at the pinnacle of world racing. The changes we are introducing for 2024 are a significant first step in this process.”

More comments from the BHA can be found in relation to each of the main areas of change in the Fixture List Headline Summary.

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Japan: Liberty Island Bids To Become Seventh Winner Of Fillies’ Triple Crown

There is big racing action again this week, with Kyoto Racecourse hosting the 28th running of the Grade 1 Shuka Sho, the 3-year-old filly pinnacle which wraps up the fillies' Classic races. This year, the Shuka Sho is returning to its usual venue after a two-year sojourn at Hanshin while Kyoto underwent massive renovations.

Like last year, the fillies' triple crown is once again on the line, as super filly Liberty Island, winner of the first two events, aims to claim her third win in the series. If successful, she will not merely bag the JPY110 million winner's prize, but will become only the seventh filly in Japanese racing history to capture all three races comprised of the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and the Shuka Sho, run over distances of 1,600, 2,400 and 2,000 meters, respectively.

Twenty-three fillies have been nominated for the 18 berths of the Shuka Sho and five of those nominees are tied for earnings and will be vying for the final lineup's last two spots.

Here's a look at the likely popular picks.

Liberty Island: On a three-way Grade 1 winning streak that includes the first two tests of the fillies' Classic and the 2-year-old Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Liberty Island (Duramente) is expected to be way out in front as the Shuka Sho favorite. If her six-length winning margin in the Japanese Oaks is any indication of what's to come, she'll be way out in front at the finish line on Sunday too. It will be her first time at Kyoto, but she'll have the home advantage as she is based at Ritto, and she is proven over both clockwise and counterclockwise tracks. With four wins and one second from her five starts thus far (spanning distance from 1,600 to 2,400 meters), Liberty Island's blistering late speed has stood her well, whether traveling from fore of midfield or from the rear. She has, however, never drawn terribly wide, and she's going straight from the Japanese Oaks to the gate, a spell of nearly five months. She spent the summer at Northern Farm and returned to Ritto in mid-September. If she can pocket the Shuka Sho, Liberty Island will become the seventh filly to do so, and the first since Daring Tact accomplished the feat in 2020. Yuga Kawada, currently trailing leading jockey Christophe Lemaire by one win, has ridden all her starts, and is expected up.

Harper: Considered Liberty Island's biggest rival is the Oaks runnerup Harper and the two will meet for the third time on Sunday. Harper, a daughter of Heart's Cry, lacks the brilliant turn of foot of Liberty Island, but her fourth place in the Oka Sho demonstrated her ability to reach down deep and give it all she has. Her top win to date, however, is only at the Grade 3 level, a first in the 1,600-meter Queen Cup at Tokyo early this year. The Ritto-based Harper will also be going straight to the gate from the Oaks and taking on Kyoto for the first time. Harper has won over the Hanshin 1,600 meters and debuted with a second there over 2,000 meters. Harper has had a number of riders, Yuichi Fukunaga, David Egan, Yuga Kawada and Christophe Lemaire, under whom she has yet to win. Lemaire, who last won the Shuka Sho in 2018 aboard Almond Eye, rode Harper's last two starts (both Grade 1s) and is expected to have the Shuka Sho ride.

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi, who won the Shuka Sho with Vivlos in 2016, says of Harper: “We've given her solid workouts over the last two weeks and her footwork and movement are good. She's bigger and more relaxed, and I'm hoping she'll show that maturity in the race. I think, with 2,000 meters, she'll have enough ground.”

Masked Diva: The Rulership-sired Masked Diva gained access to the Shuka Sho with her record win of the Rose Stakes on Sept. 17. Clocking 1 minute, 43 seconds over 1,800 meters at Hanshin, Masked Diva shot over the final three furlongs in 33.2 seconds, leaping from the one-win level to the Grade 2 winner's circle. She will have four turns this time and, though she won her debut over 2,000 meters at Chukyo, she lost ground lugging out around the turns in the 2,000-meter Wasurenagusa at Hanshin in April. If Masked Diva can execute the turns well and win the Shuka Sho with only four starts to her name, she'll join the ranks of four other quickly rising stars before her – Fabulous la Fouine in 1996, Fine Motion in 2002, Kawakami Princess in 2006 and Daring Tact in 2020.

Trainer Yasuyuki Tsuji said: “I had thought of her as a filly that would only come into her own as an older horse, but her last race showed me she has matured far faster than I expected. She came out of the race without damage. She was maintaining her balance well, so I aimed her here. As for the turns, I'm hoping her prior experience will stand her well.”

Moryana: Moryana clinched her first graded win with a final three-furlong time of 34.3 seconds in the Grade 2 Shion Stakes at Nakayama in early September. It was her first test over 2,000 meters. Previously raced only over 1,600 and 1,800 meters and proven at both, the victory expanded her options and brought her to the Shuka Sho with confidence. Yoshinori Muto, who trains at Miho and is gunning for his first Grade 1 win, admits he was surprised when he saw his filly (who had been racing from the rear) looming large right before the finish line of the Shion Stakes.

“Honestly, I had thought that with it being the opening week of the meet at Nakayama and with the four turns, she couldn't make it home in first. However, it all happened so quickly there wasn't even time for my heart to leap into my mouth,” he joked. “In her spring starts, she didn't have the right conditions to give it her all and show herself at her best. The Kyoto 2,000-meter is tricky, but if she can break well, I think she can show us something good.”

Dura: Dura, the Oaks third-place finisher, is coming off a win of the Grade 3 Queen Stakes at Sapporo at the end of July. As in the Oaks, it was once again her late speed that moved her quickly up the straight, but this time she made it to the winner's circle and beat older horses as well. With the formidable late speed in the Shuka Sho lineup, Dura's sharp turn of foot will be a much-valued commodity. Arata Saito, who only debuted four years ago and has ridden six of Dura's eight starts (won three of them), is expected to be in the saddle on Sunday.

Other fillies of interest are:

The Ritto-based Kona Coast consistently made the top two in her four starts (including the Oka Sho) leading up to the Japanese Oaks. In the Oaks, where she placed seventh under Damian Lane, the horse next to her rammed her at the break, throwing her off balance and causing her to race from the rear instead of her preferred forward position. This daughter of Kitasan Black is not a talent to be overlooked.

Hip Hop Soul will be traveling west for the first time in her six-start career. Sixth in the Oaks, she is taking on a top-level event for only her second time, but has two seconds in graded company, including the Grade 2 Shion Stakes, which is her most recent start.

Shinryokuka followed Liberty Island over the line in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies by 2 1/2 lengths, just missed the board in the Oka Sho, and was fifth (a full 1.3 seconds off the winner) in the Oaks. She was, however, disadvantaged by the outside draw and unable to get cover while traveling on the outside. She rallied in the stretch and could fare better with a more advantageous trip.

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Havana Grey Lights Up Book 2 With 425k Colt Knocked Down To Anthony Stroud

It seems as though Michael Fitzpatrick and Havana Grey (GB) have something in common with the lord himself as turning water into wine comes natural. 

Time and time again, the man behind Kilminfoyle House Stud produces pinhook after pinhook in a similar fashion to how Whitsbury Manor Stud's emerging force seems to transform whatever pedigree he touches. 

The latest transformation played out on Tuesday evening of Book 2 at Tattersalls when a colt by Havana Grey (lot 1020), who Fitzpatrick purchased as a foal under the banner of JC Bloodstock for 82,000gns here in December, sold to Anthony Stroud for 425,000gns. 

Stroud knows a thing or two about high-class sons of Havana Grey, having paid 625,000gns for the unbeaten two-year-old sensation Vandeek (GB) from Glending Stables at the Tattersalls Craven Sale back in April. 

Like Vandeek, Tuesday's sale-topper will be trained by Simon Crisford, but will carry the colours of HH Shaikh Nasser, according to Stroud. 

He said, “Havana Grey has done terrifically-well. This is a very well-balanced horse who moved particularly-well.”

Asked if parallels could be drawn between this colt and Vandeek, Stroud responded, “Well, with Vandeek, we were lucky enough to see him breeze. This horse has the credentials to be a very, very nice horse. He's got a pedigree and is by a stallion who is on the upgrade and doing really well.”

He added, “Havana Grey is a very exciting young stallion and, from what he has had, he's done very well. He's doing a great job. This colt is for HH Shaikh Nasser and is going to Simon Crisford.”

The Havana Grey colt is a full-brother to high-class two-year-old Elite Status (GB), who made 325,000gns at this sale last year. Elite Status may not have been a match for Vandeek when they met in the Morny and the Middle Park, but he has confirmed himself a classy juvenile in his own right when landing a Group 3 in France, and it was on the strength of him showing up on the track this season that Fitzpatrick snapped up his little brother at auction from Whitsbury. 

He explained, “I bought this colt as a foal solely on the full-brother. I sold him [Elite Status] last year and loved him. Whitsbury Manor is a great breeder and this horse is a pleasure to do anything with. My thanks go to Anthony Stroud and I wish the new owners the very best of luck.”

Fitzpatrick added, “I also can't thank my staff enough–Pamela, Hannah and Santos. It is only for them, the work they do, I actually think they are made of iron!”

“When you have a Havana Grey yearling, it gives you a chance,” – Joe Foley

That wasn't the only big-ticket Havana Grey bred by Whitsbury through the ring on the day as a filly (lot 981) consigned by Ballyphilip Stud was knocked down to Joe Foley standing alongside Steve Parkin earlier in the session for 280,000gns. 

That particular filly netted her connections a nice packet as she was sourced as a foal at Goffs last November for just €68,000.

Foley commented, “She's a very good example of what the stallion can throw. As we all know, he's made an outstanding start, he's on the way to superstar stallion status. We have a good two-year-old by him this year called Queen's Guard (GB). When you have a Havana Grey yearling, it gives you a chance.”

He added, “I like the fact she's out of a Showcasing (GB) mare. I like the idea of him as a broodmare sire and the pedigree goes back to Blue Duster. It's a good, fast family and one I like.”

 

 

Pinatubo Continues To Pack A Punch As McElroy Provides More Amo For Kia

Amo Racing's Kia Joorabchian has been showing some love to Ben McElroy this week with the American-based bloodstock agent signing for a 325,000gns Pinatubo (Ire) colt among others on behalf of the owner.

That transaction came just 24 hours after McElroy featured alongside the list of buyers for the Pinatubo filly that was also acquired on behalf of Amo on Monday for 110,000gns. Needless to say, McElroy described himself as a fan of Darley's young stallion. 

McElroy said of lot 939, “He is a very imposing colt, a great mover with great strength. He carried himself well the two or three days of showing and is just a lovely horse. I actually thought he might cost maybe a bit more than he did. Maybe the aggressive bidding helped out on that a little bit.

“He's been bought for Amo Racing and will go back to Robson [Aguiar] who will assess him for Kia. We will decide on a trainer next spring. We bought a beautiful filly by the stallion yesterday and he seems to be getting really nice stock. Pinatubo was a great racehorse and I think this colt has a great chance.”

The Pinatubo colt was sold by Ballyhimikin Stud. Aguiar and Hamish Macauley, who have bought plenty of horses on behalf of Amo before, also featured among the list of buyers. But the relationship between McElroy and Joorabchian is a newer one.

The agent explained, “We'd always meet up with Kia at the races down through the years and maybe we even bid against each other when we were in America last year. Robson bought a horse [Valiant Force (Malibu Moon)] who turned out to be Kia's first Royal Ascot winner at Keeneland last year. Between Saratoga and Keeneland, we bought a few horses for Kia this year and we've bought a few here for him as well.”

He added, “Robson really rated this horse very highly and I suppose it will be Robson who decides how he fits in with all the yearlings heading into next year.”

McElroy, Macauley and Amo went on to snap up another colt by up-and-coming Darley-based stallion Earthlight (Ire) for 325,000gns. But the real story here was how Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud transformed the colt (lot 1013) from a 78,000gns foal here in December to the major payday in the ring on Wednesday. 

“He was a good-looking horse and we took a chance-plenty of others don't work out so well,” a beaming Murphy reported afterwards. “Earthlight is a son of Shamardal and he is from a very good dam line. We were lucky that Selenaia (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) [Grade 3 winner] came up in the first dam and then Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) in the second dam won the Gimcrack.”

Murphy added of the Earthlight colt, who was bred by Derek Iceton of Tara Stud, “He is very much a two-year-old and is a precocious type of horse. Hopefully we will see him at Royal Ascot.”

Fellowes To Train 350k Wootton Bassett Colt

Charlie Fellowes has a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt to look forward to training next year after owner Paul Hickman shelled out 350,000gns on the WH Bloodstock-drafted yearling who is bred on the same cross as Group 1 winner Al Riffa (Fr).

The Wootton Bassett colt (lot 915) was bred by Westerberg and is out of Galileo (Ire) mare Beluga (Ire), a half-sister to Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) and a sister of the Group 3 winner and Irish Derby third Dawn Patrol (Ire).  

He was bought by Will Douglass, agent for Charlie Gordon-Watson, who was standing alongside Fellowes to the right of the rostrum. The winning bidders held off the challenge of Richard Ryan who was on the phone atop of the stairs. 

“It's not been as easy as the market would suggest,” Douglass commented. “This week has been a lot better. He's a very special horse and has been bought for an English owner called Mr Hickman. He's had horses with Charlie for a few years and is involved in Cloudbreaker (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).”

Douglass added, “We bought a few for him last year and got a Frankel [colt for 250,000gns] here last week. We also underbid one at Deauville for a lot of money. It's not easy. When you follow those nice horses through, you're competing against countries, not just people. If you want to get in, it's really tough.”

Beluga has a Wootton Bassett colt foal and is in foal to Camelot (GB). She is also a sister to Listed winner Kissed (Ire).

 

 

Talking Points

  • What a day for Whitsbury Manor Stud. Not only did Havana Grey earn the plaudits of major buyers Anthony Stroud and Joe Foley but the stud also bred the respective lots that both men signed for. That's what you call a good day at the office. 
  • As good as Havana Grey performed on Tuesday, it must be said that Pinatubo continues to impress. Of the 10 yearlings through the ring by Darley's hot prospect, they averaged 128,600gns. What's more impressive is the fact that Pinatubo has posted a bigger average–150,250gns—than any other stallion on day one and two of Book 2. 
  • Edgar Byrne played a major role at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale when signing for a €115,000 Kameko colt to join Scandinavian-based trainer Niels Petersen. The same connections were active at Book 2 on Tuesday when landing a Dark Angel (Ire) colt from Yeomanstown Stud for 145,000gns. The colt (lot 816) is a brother to Fantasy Lady (Ire), winner of the Listed Staffordstown S. and not beaten far in an Irish 1,000 Guineas for Paddy Twomey.
  • The clearance rate remained strong on Tuesday at 86%. However, compared to this corresponding day's trade 12 months ago, the average fell 18% to 88,171gns while the median dropped 6% to 66,000gns.
The Golden Touch 

By Georgia Cox 

Lot: 976
Filly by Havana Grey (GB) – Chloris (GB) (Dansili {GB})
Bred by Hascombe and Valiant Stud
Consigned by Hazelwood Bloodstock
Purchased by Ross O'Sullivan 

Chloris admittedly did little to write about on the track herself, but she has shown promise as a broodmare with her first foal Royal Elysian (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) placing in three of her four starts to date. Of course Dansili is well known for his success as a broodmare sire. 

Chloris is a third-generation representative of a family nurtured by esteemed owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer, and further back the family also includes the Wildenstein-bred Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Peintre Celebre. Her half-sister Bartzella (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) was a convincing listed winner for William Haggas. 

The exploits of the progeny of young stallion Havana Grey speak for themselves, and that no doubt had a hand to play in this filly realising 140,000gns. The hammer fell at five times the price of 28,000gns, which was originally paid when she last walked through the ring just ten months ago at the December Foal Sale. Katie Walsh was the final bidder and signed for the filly in the name of her husband, trainer Ross O'Sullivan.

Buy of the Day

Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock doesn't miss very often and in lot 987, a Lope De Vega (Ire) colt bought from Cheveley Park Stud for 210,000gns, he looks to have sourced another nice prospect. 

For a start, the sire doesn't need any explaining and the mare, who was black-type herself, is a sister to Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 

Whether this colt runs in the Wathnan Racing silks, the major owner that Brown has been buying on behalf of recently, or any number of the major clients that the top agent represents, he could be one to keep an eye on for next year.

Thought for the Day 

Is it any wonder why we're all running around with little pot bellies on us in the height of sales season? Whether it's the toasted sandwiches and the carrot cake at Newsells or the breakfast down at Castlebridge, it's hard to resist some of the [free!] grub on offer at Park Paddocks. Just wait until the Tweenhills van arrives in December! We'll be rolling out of Newmarket for Christmas.

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Tattersalls Ireland November NH Sale Catalogue Online Now

The catalogue for the Tattersalls November NH Sale is now available online and in print format in the coming days. The 1,106 lots will follow the new alphabetical format starting daily with the letter O.

A total of 969 foals, 75 yearlings and 56 mares will sell over the five-day auction from Nov. 12 through Nov. 16 with foals selling the first four days and yearlings and mares during the final session.

The Springhill Stud dispersal will take place on Nov. 11 and offers 36 lots, including 17 yearlings, 18 2-year-olds and a store.

Considered as the leading sale for National Hunt foals, the 2023 crop kicks off the sale featuring 88 foals out of black-type dams, siblings to 62 black-type horses and 21 to Grade 1 performers. The yearling session offers a number of siblings to black-type horses and also group-winning mares and group-winning producers.

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