Australia | Horse Racing Free Tips

Group Winners Down Under for Frankel, Shalaa

Chris Waller snapped up the golden ticket into next Saturday's G1 Golden Slipper S. with Shaquero (Aus) (Shalaa {Ire}) after his victory at Rosehill. The Waller-trained Shaquero was successful in the G3 Bowermans Commercial Furniture Pago Pago S. Shaquero won the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast in January and in one subsequent appearance since a break had finished sixth in the G2 Skyline S. Improved for that outing, he settled in the trail and once into the clear 200 meters off the post he accelerated quickly and held out the late charge of Tiger Of Malay (Extreme Choice).

“He does well between his runs and he will be fitter again in seven days' time. He ran the week before the Magic Millions as well,” Waller said. “He's a decent horse obviously and on a better track he's a different sort of horse. It was good to see him settle and then push out and held a strong gallop to the post.”

Champion trainer Chris Waller has dominated the G2 Phar Lap S. in recent years and he was again the dominant force at Rosehill, this time taking major honors with Hungry Heart (Aus) (Frankel {GB}). Waller won his first Phar Lap in 2015 with none other than Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) and he missed out in the following edition, but then produced Foxplay (Aus) (Foxwedge), Unforgotten (Aus) (Fastnet Rock), Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) and Funstar (Aus) (Adelaide {Ire}) to land the next five on the bounce.

“It's a good lineup that's for sure. It's been a good race to us and there's no bigger name than Winx,” Waller said.

Hungry Heart had been out of sorts in her two previous runs, but Waller said the filly had genuine excuses and he hadn't been put off her chances.

“The Vinery in two weeks' time looks a good race for her,” he said.

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‘I Can’t Believe It’: 300-1 Shocker Provides ‘Massive Thrill’ In Australian Guineas

There are shock results, and then there are shock results. In a triumph described as “surreal” by his connections, Lunar Fox became one of the longest-priced G1 winners of all time anywhere in the world with a 300-1 victory in the Australian Guineas at Flemington.

“I can't believe it – it hasn't sunk it,” said jockey Michael Dee after landing his fifth G1 success. “To be honest, I didn't give him much hope and no one else really did either! It's obviously a massive thrill and I can't believe it has just happened.”

Australian sources were left racking their brains to find an equivalent – but all were agreed this was certainly the biggest price to succeed at the top level for at least 35 years, going back to 250-1 winner Abaridy in the Caulfield Guineas of 1986.

Blinkers seemed to make a profound difference to Lunar Fox, who had come 12th of 14 on his previous outing in the G3 CS Hayes Stakes at the same venue just two weeks ago.

The son of Foxwedge wore down front-running favorite Tagaloa in the closing stages and the line came just soon enough to deny Cherry Tortoni, who flew home from the rear, by a half-length.

Trainer's representative Holly McKechnie was queried by Racing Victoria stewards about the horse's improvement.

Holly McKechnie (representing trainer Paul Preusker): “It's a bit surreal at this stage. I can't believe it. He's always had a lot of ability, this horse. Obviously last start he ran below par and we couldn't really find any issue. We've done the old trick with the blinkers and it seems to have done the job. Last time was just out of character. He's always trying this horse. Getting to the outside and the additions of blinkers certainly helped him.”

Michael Dee (jockey): “All I could do today was do my job and do it to the best of my ability and hopefully the horse ran well in doing so. Having the blinkers on today and just a massive improvement. They drilled it into me before the race to stay off the fence. From the gate we were able to get the perfect run three-wide and work into it.”

This story originally appeared on Horse Racing Planet and is reprinted here with permission.

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Major Australian Breeder Under Investigation For Embryo Transfer In Mares

Sean Buckley of Australian-based breeding operation Ultra Thoroughbreds, is under investigation for conducting an embryo transfer scheme in Thoroughbred mares, the Racing Post's ANZ Bloodstock reports.

Stewards for Racing Victoria are investigating allegations that the operation has been producing foals through embryo transfer: taking a fertilized egg from a mare in its ranks and placing it into another mare to carry and foal out. One of the mares in question is believed to be Miss Andretti, the 2007 Australian Horse of the Year, who has reportedly had a history of issues conceiving foals.

The allegations list multiple high-profile mares who are accused of using artificial means of conceiving foals during the 2019 Southern Hemisphere breeding season, including Strikeline, the dam of recent Group 1 winner Nature Strip.

The claims allege that Miss Andretti had a filly and Strikeline had a colt during last year's foaling season, both by Buckley-owned stallion Addictive Nature, but mare returns have not been reported for either horse. Both mares were covered by another Buckley-owned stallion, Shamus Award, in December.

The rules of the Australian Stud Book – along with any globally recognized Thoroughbred stud book – state that a registered Thoroughbred can only be conceived through a live cover. Other forms of conception, including embryo transfer, artificial insemination, and cloning, are strictly prohibited within the Thoroughbred breed, through they are more commonplace within the racing spheres of the Standardbred, Quarter Horse, and Arabian breeds.

The investigation was supported on-record by representatives for breed organizations Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria.

Read more at Racing Post ANZ Bloodstock.

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Australia Jockey Handed One-Year Ban For Mistreatment Of Horses

Queensland jockey Chris McIver has been banned for 12 months for “stomping” on a horse at the stalls – the third ban he has received for mistreating horses.

McIver, 33, returned from seven months on the sidelines only in November after he was stood down for whipping a horse on the head.

That sentence included an extra month activated from when he was found guilty of misconduct in 2019 for kicking and punching a horse after a race, resulting in a three-month ban, of which a month was suspended.

In the latest incident McIver faced a Queensland Racing Integrity Commission inquiry for kicking a horse at the barriers before a race last month at Rockhampton, in Central Queensland. He was found guilty of misconduct after he twice forcibly stomped on the hindquarters of his mount Or Else.

Chief Thoroughbred steward Peter Chadwick said any rule breach involving the mistreatment of a racehorse must be met with a significant penalty.

McIver was previously banned for striking Absolute Bonza on the head as he they pulled up at the end of this race in 2020

“The penalty must not only deter Mr McIver but must also illustrate to the racing industry that these actions are not to be tolerated,” said Chadwick. “In this case Mr McIver also had two recent breaches of the misconduct rule in 2019 and 2020.”

McIver's was one of four misconduct cases dealt with by QRIC, which issued a general warning to the sport's participants to keep their behavior in check or suffer the consequences.

Jockey Nigel Seymour was found guilty of misconduct and disqualified for nine months for sending threatening text messages to a licensed trainer.

In another incident, Brisbane-based jockey Nathan Thomas pleaded guilty to misconduct and was suspended for two weeks after he struck his mount in the shoulder with his whip after getting dislodged before a race at Mackay.

While stablehand Nick Trimble pleaded guilty to misconduct and was disqualified for three months for striking a horse in the girth while unsaddling following a race.

Chadwick said all of the incidents had a detrimental effect on the image of racing, and penalties must serve as a general deterrent to illustrate to the racing industry that these activities were unacceptable.

This story was originally published by Horse Racing Planet and is reprinted here with permission.

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