Europe | Horse Racing Free Tips

Fundraising Underway For Popular Consignor Johnny Hassett

A fundraising campaign has been launched by the Breeze-up Consignors Association (BUCA) to help with medical bills for Johnny Hassett, who is currently undergoing intensive cancer treatment in Germany.

Hassett, 49, a hugely popular member of the sales community under his Bloodstock Connection banner, was diagnosed with lung cancer last month and is receiving chemotherapy in a German hospital. The Irishman has developed a large following on Twitter through his regular video blogs throughout the last two breeze-up seasons which show both the training at his home in Co Clare, Ireland, and the sales process.

Hassett's colleague John Cullinan, one of the key figures in BUCA, said, “Johnny is a highly respected member of our community and he's known to everybody. It came as a very big shock to us all when we heard that he was in poor health. Some of his close friends and colleagues thought it would be good to try and help ease some of the concerns he might have at this stage. Mick and Sarah Murphy and Katie Rudd, among others, came up with this idea to try to use the network we have to get the message out there that while John is undergoing his treatment the fact that we can help a little bit financially will maybe help his recovery. We are all thinking of him and it's the least we can do.”

The gofundme page was made public on Wednesday evening and by Thursday morning had already raised more than €50,000 towards a stated target at this stage of €250,000.

Anyone wishing to donate to the campaign can do so via this link.

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Oireachtas Hearings Conclude

The last of a series of Oireachtas Hearings into horse racing in Ireland concluded on Tuesday with representatives of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine the latest to answer questions.

The independence of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) was a topic of discussion among deputies. Representatives of the IHRB were involved in two sessions this month along with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), while the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association (IRTA) were also invited to meet the joint Oireachtas committee. This followed a number of high profile comments made in the media by trainer Jim Bolger.

“We are satisfied with the structure of the organisation and the board which is in statute in Ireland,” said an IHRB spokesperson. “This was reiterated by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine last week in the Dáil. “During our hearings, we welcomed the opportunity to detail the regulatory structure of the IHRB and to clarify matters raised by the parliamentary committee.”

Last week Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Ireland, was asked in The Dáil if he was satisfied with the current structure of the IHRB. “I am satisfied the current structure of the IHRB is sufficiently independent to ensure maximum confidence that any allegations concerning doping, animal welfare abuses or other illegitimate activities are adequately investigated and will be followed up, where necessary,” he stated at the time.

The current IHRB board comprises of H.R.D. McCalmont (Chairman), Martin P. O'Donnell (Vice Chairman), John Byrne, Philip McLernon, J.J. Power and David McCorkell.

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Quadrilateral’s Half-Brother Debuts 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. Thursday's Observations features a half-brother to Group 1 winner Quadrilateral (GB).

1.35 Sandown, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT
THESIS (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is an intriguing newcomer in the Juddmonte silks for the Roger Charlton stable, being a half-brother to their G1 Fillies' Mile-winning Quadrilateral (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Also a full-brother to the useful listed-placed seven-furlong handicapper Boardman (GB), the May-foaled bay from the family of Three Valleys (Diesis {GB}) meets The Queen's course-and-distance runner-up Dukedom (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a John and Thady Gosden-trained son of the G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner and dual Group 1-placed Nathra (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).

6.00 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 8fT
STONE AGE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) makes his debut for Ballydoyle, with Ryan Moore in the saddle in preference to the stable's Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Peter Brant, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor's White Birch Farm-bred bay is out of a half to the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Bright Sky (Ire) (Wolfhound), while Changingoftheguard sports the Westerberg silks and is a son of the GII Honey Fox S. winner Lady Lara (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}).

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BBAG Launches New August HIT Sale

The BBAG August Sale, a new sale comprised mainly of horses-in-training that have entries during German racing's Big Week at Baden-Baden, was announced by the sales company on Wednesday. A single-day sale, action will begin at 2 p.m. local time on Aug. 20, with the Big Week of racing kicking off from Aug. 29-Sept. 5.

Bids will be accepted in person, by phone or online. All horses in the catalogue can be viewed at their respective racing stables. Registration deadline for the auction is Friday, Aug. 13. Buyers can register at www.bbag-sales.de.

“After the success of the spring auction, we want to meet the high demand for starting horses and establish a new auction as part of the Big Week,” says BBAG Managing Director Klaus Eulenberger.

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