Category: Horse Racing News

Hillwood Bloodstock Snaps Up Listed Winner Prima Bacio For 1.1m Gns At Tattersalls

The Castlebridge Consignment's Primo Bacio (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) (lot 1771) became the first seven-figure lot of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale on Tuesday, when bringing 1.1 million gns in foal to Frankel (GB). Hillwood Bloodstock's Charlie Vigors signed the ticket for the listed-winning mare, who was third in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. This is the family of multiple group winner Bocca Baciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}), who was second in the G1 Pretty Polly S. Bred by Kildaragh Stud, she was picked up for just 100,000gns by SackvilleDonald as a Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling.

 

The post Hillwood Bloodstock Snaps Up Listed Winner Prima Bacio For 1.1m Gns At Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Jockeys’ Guild Underscores Support for Keeping Category 2 Interference Standards

The Jockeys' Guild and its Board of Directors released a statement Tuesday underscoring that the organization has taken the position that the United States should remain under the Category 2 approach for adjudicating potential interference during Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.

The press release was issued in advance of a panel discussion at Tuesday's Global Symposium on Racing hosted by the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) in Tucson titled “Embracing Change: Are We Ready to Adopt Category 1 Rules In the US?”

The Guild also noted that it plans to “voice opposition” to proposed modifications to that standard that will be up for discussion during the Association of Racing Commissioners International Model Rules Committee meeting Dec. 7.

“While considering this decision, the Guild considered the safety of both the human and equine athletes, as well as fairness for all parties involved,” the release stated. “The Category 2 method provides Stewards with the authority to disqualify a horse if, in their opinion, it interfered with other horses, regardless of whether the interference was accidental, willful, or the result of careless riding.

“Based on experience, the Guild believes that Category 2 provides for some additional safety protections for the riders,” the release continued. “By giving the Stewards the ability to disqualify the horse which has caused the interference, regardless of where the horse finished, it will serve as a deterrent to unsafe riding.

“We, as an industry, have a responsibility to assure safety for both the horses and the jockeys. It is unreasonable to create a racing environment that is potentially going to lead to more hazardous riding styles,” the release stated.

“Additionally, with regards to the fairness of such rules, while Category 1 often protects 'the best horse,' Category 2 rules enable strong advocacy on behalf of all horses and jockeys who suffered interference,” the release stated.

“This is achieved by ensuring that the interferer is placed behind all of the horses who suffered the interference, both directly and indirectly. Using this method provides a safeguard against horses having their finishing position compromised as a result of the interference, and in turn, provides a fairer playing field to all participants, as opposed to just the 'best horse'…

“It should be noted, with the exception of Oklahoma, no other racing jurisdiction in the United States has adopted Category 1 method,” the Guild's release stated.

A pre-symposium summary of the RTIP panel discussion stated that “The conflict of equity and fairness versus heightened consistency in decisions is the heart of the conundrum that surrounds the disqualification policies between Categories 1 and 2.

“While most international racing jurisdictions have shifted away from Category 2, which requires the demotion of a horse for consequential interference if the sufferer of the interference loses a placing, North America remains reluctant to embrace this global approach which only demotes horses when the sufferer would have beaten the interferer.

“In the age of the growing global wagering market, it is imperative for our racing companies to revisit this issue as our domestic bettors have already embraced such practices at events like Ascot, and our new international customers are already accepting of Category 1 disqualification policies,” the RTIP summarized prior to its panel discussion.

 

The post Jockeys’ Guild Underscores Support for Keeping Category 2 Interference Standards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Jockeys’ Guild: Category 2 Interference Rules Provide For ‘Additional Safety Protections For The Riders’

The Jockeys' Guild and its Board of Directors has taken the position that the United States should remain under Category 2 approach to adjudicating potential interference during Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.

While considering this decision, the Guild considered the safety of both the human and equine athletes, as well as fairness for all parties involved. The Category 2 method provides Stewards with the authority to disqualify a horse if, in their opinion, it interfered with other horses, regardless of whether the interference was accidental, willful, or the result of careless riding. Based on experience, the Guild believes that Category 2 provides for some additional safety protections for the riders. By giving the Stewards the ability to disqualify the horse which has caused the interference, regardless of where the horse finished, it will serve as a deterrent to unsafe riding. We, as an industry, have a responsibility to assure safety for both the horses and the jockeys. It is unreasonable to create a racing environment that is potentially going to lead to more hazardous riding styles.

Additionally, with regards to the fairness of such rules, while Category 1 often protects “the best horse,” Category 2 rules enable strong advocacy on behalf of all horses and jockeys who suffered interference. This is achieved by ensuring that the interferer is placed behind all of the horses who suffered the interference, both directly and indirectly. Using this method provides a safeguard against horses having their finishing position compromised as a result of the interference, and in turn, provides a fairer playing field to all participants, as opposed to just the “best horse.”

With regards to Quarter Horses races, Category 2 is the best method for several reasons including the fact that races are shorter and any interference at all can have an impact on the outcome of the race. To only apply Category 1 could have serious impact on Quarter Horse racing as it pertains to trails. As such, the Guild believes the Oklahoma Racing Commission is in the process of reverting back to Category 2 for Quarter Horse racing.

It should be noted, with the exception of Oklahoma, no other racing jurisdiction in the United States has adopted Category 1 method. Although, this item has been discussed on multiple occasions during the Association of Racing Commissioners International (“ARCI”) Model Rule's Committee meeting, there has not been movement to have the current rules changes in the United States. On Thursday, December 7, 2023 during the ARCI Model Rules Meeting, there are proposed modifications being presented with regards to “interference and placing to conform with IFHA rule.” Representatives of the Guild will appear virtually to voice opposition and to express its concerns on behalf of the jockeys.

The post Jockeys’ Guild: Category 2 Interference Rules Provide For ‘Additional Safety Protections For The Riders’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Hollie Doyle, Rachel King Vying To Become First Female Winners Of International Jockeys’ Championship

Had life worked out differently, Rachel King and Hollie Doyle might have been familiar contemporaries in the jockeys' rooms around Britain.

Instead, the pair – who are among the dozen invitees to Wednesday's LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) – have established their positions among the Group 1 elite but have done so on opposite sides of the planet.

Back in 2014, just as Doyle was beginning her extraordinary journey in the saddle, King made what proved to have been the inspired decision of moving to Australia.

Her career had failed to ignite and even included a few rides over jumps for English-based trainer Alan King, who ironically is responsible for the horse that has had the most profound effect in Doyle's story, the top-class stayer Trueshan.

King has not looked back since finding her feet on the Sydney scene with the legendary Gai Waterhouse, taking the champion apprentice title and becoming one of the leading names on the city's competitive circuit. This will be her first time in the LONGINES IJC.

“Last time I was here I went and watched some races at Happy Valley, I'd just ridden in an amateur ladies' flat race in Macau,” King said with a laugh. “So, it's been a bit of a journey to where I am now.

“I'm really looking forward to it, hopefully I'll have a few decent rides in there as well. Zac (Purton) was giving me a few little pointers, there are plenty of good people to learn from. I'll just try to get as much information as I can.”

Although King's accent certainly carries an Aussie twang after nearly a decade Down Under, she recognizes that it is still quite surreal to be competing under that flag.

“It's funny because obviously (Australian-based) James McDonald is representing New Zealand, I'm representing Australia – but I'm English – so it's a little bit mixed up but it's nice to get the privilege to do that. There's plenty of good jockeys in Australia so it's nice to be able to come and represent.”

Doyle, six years King's junior, has gone close in this competition already, her best being dead-heating for second in 2021.

King, meanwhile, was even more unlucky in a similar event in the World All-Star Jockeys Series in Japan in late August, losing out by a point to Mirai Iwata.

“This is a different group of jockeys, a different style of racetrack, but Japan was amazing, the first big competition I'd done,” she said. “I've only got to go one better and I can win. I led the whole way until the last race and then my horse broke down, so I'll try and do better!”

There are certainly similarities between the pair, who each stand at little over 1.5m tall but are deceptively strong, disciplined and tactically astute.

The likes of Hayley Turner and Michelle Payne have paved the way to Doyle and King's respective success in Britain and Australia and the conversation shifted to both being regarded simply as top-class jockeys a long time ago.

A victory for either as the first female rider in the history of the IJC would be a novelty for one year only; it will surely be followed by many more.

The post Hollie Doyle, Rachel King Vying To Become First Female Winners Of International Jockeys’ Championship appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights