Europe | Horse Racing Free Tips

Video Series Launched By TBA on Breeders’ Day

A five-episode educational video series on essential care for thoroughbreds has been launched on Breeders' Day at Sandown Park by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. The goal is to raise awareness of the high standards of welfare in the sector, while also providing guidelines on good practice. Topics covered include an overview of equine health parameters, paddock checks for horses on stud farms, transportation of mares and foals, care of the older horse and body condition scoring. The series is free to view for those who register on the TBA's online learning platform TB-Ed. The video series will be supported by the publication of comprehensive equine welfare guidelines later this month.

TBA Chief Executive Claire Sheppard said, “As our members will be aware, equine welfare runs through the heart of the TBA's objectives and workstreams, with support of veterinary research projects, distribution of guidance materials and provision of educational courses for industry participants.

“We are delighted to be launching them on Breeders' Day at Sandown Park racecourse which celebrates the thoroughbred breeding industry as part of National Racehorse Week.

“Raising awareness of the high standard of equine care and continuing to promote best practice within the industry is very much a key priority for us. These overview videos will support the TBA's Equine Welfare Guidelines for the Thoroughbred Breeding Sector, which will be published soon. I would like to express my thanks to all of the contributors who helped deliver this important project.”

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Former Senior Steward Christopher Spence Passes Away at 84

Christopher Spence, a former senior steward of The Jockey Club, died on Monday after a brief illness. An owner-breeder from his Chieveley Manor Stud near Newbury, he was 84.

Born in 1937, Spence became a Jockey Club member in 1986 and served as Chairman of The National Stud from 2008 to 2011. Also Chairman of the Racecourse Holdings Trust, Spence was a merchant banker by trade and one of the founding directors of the British Horseracing Board, among other important roles in the UK racing industry.

A former chairman of the Racecourse Holdings Trust that later became Jockey Club Racecourses, Spence also spent several years as the Chairman of Newbury Racecourse.

Spence's best runner was the homebred Celeric (GB) (Mtoto {GB}), a winner of the Gold Cup in 1997, who also claimed two editions of the Lonsdale S. He was also placed in the G1 Prix du Cadran and was campaigned by Spence over eight seasons, accumulating numerous staying prizes prior to his retirement in 2000.

Sandy Dudgeon, The Jockey Club's Senior Steward, said, “All of us at The Jockey Club were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Christopher Spence, whose contribution to horseracing simply cannot be overstated.

“As Senior Steward between 1998 and 2003 he oversaw a challenging period of transition at The Jockey Club, having recently given up governance of the sport and shortly before passing regulatory powers to an independent body to concentrate on ensuring the commercial success of the organisation we know today.

“A Jockey Club member since 1986, Christopher's passion for and dedication to the sport knew no bounds and over the years he held a number of other senior positions within racing, including Chairman of Racecourse Holdings Trust and Chairman of the National Stud.

“He was also a successful owner-breeder and took great joy from watching horses he had bred go on to run in some of the biggest races. One such horse was Celeric, who Christopher bred at home, raced over seven successive seasons and won the 1997 Ascot Gold Cup and two Lonsdale Cups at York, before then welcoming him back to his Chieveley Manor Stud near Newbury in his retirement.

“Those fortunate enough to have met Christopher on or off the racecourse will remember him as someone who not only took great pride in everything he did but who also lived life with a smile on his face.

“Christopher will be greatly missed by us all and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

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Autumn Group 1 Targets For Ebro River

Al Shaqab Racing's Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), who won the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh in August, is likely to step out in the G1 Middle Park S. over six furlongs at Newmarket on Sept. 25. Third in Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. behind Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) on Sunday, the colt is also possible for the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 3 or the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in November.

“I think it's fair to say Ebro River is not as good over seven furlongs as he is over six, and we're certainly not looking to step him up to a mile next year–we don't see him as a Guineas horse,” said trainer Hugo Palmer. “There is a well-documented and straightforward path to the Commonwealth Cup, which has been designed for horses like him.

“He doesn't need soft ground by any means, but what he doesn't want is firm ground. The Middle Park is the most obvious option for him. The alternative is the Jean-Luc Lagardere [at ParisLongchamp], and we're very keen on taking him to the Breeders' Cup to run in the Juvenile Turf over a mile.

“I think a very sharp mile round Del Mar, round two turns, will suit a horse who is already Group 1-placed over the stiffest seven furlongs in Europe.”

Kept plenty busy since a sixth-place debut at Newmarket in April, the colt was making his eighth start of the year in the National S. He'd also claimed a Sandown listed at the end of May.

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Son of Pomology on Deck at Sandown

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a son of G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Pomology (Arch).

14.25 Sandown, Nov, £10,000, 2yo, 8fT
Godolphin's GOLDSPUR (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a hombred son of MGSW G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Pomology (Arch) and debuts for Saeed bin Suroor in this 12-runner affair. Opposition includes Qatar Racing's Wolsey (Kitten's Joy), a $275,000 Keeneland September half-brother to last year's G1 American Oaks heroine Duopoly (Animal Kingdom), and his Andrew Balding-trained stablemate Haynes (GB) (Postponed {Ire}), who is a half-brother to G1 Epsom Derby, G1 St Leger and G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. placegetter Romsdal (GB) (Halling).

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