Tag: Europe

Irish Thoroughbred Welfare Council 2022 Best-Turned-Out League Winners Announced

The winners of the 2022 Irish Thoroughbred Welfare Council Best-Turned-Out League were announced on Friday. Staff from yards of Jim Bolger, Gordon Elliott, James Fahey, Michael Halford, Eoin McCarthy, Michael O'Callaghan and Robert Tyner's were honoured in different categories.

The categories are based on the number of runners each yard had during their season. Each yard wins €3,000 to be divided among staff. The winning yards are as follows:

  • Flat Category A: Jim Bolger's yard with 72 best-turned-out horses from 279 runners.
  • Flat Category B: Michael Halford's yard with 85 best-turned-out competitions from 216 runners.
  • Flat Category C: Michael O'Callaghan's yard with 37 best-turned-out horses from 119 runners.
  • Jumps Category A: Gordon Elliott's staff with 160 best-turned-out horses from 1,196 runners.
  • Jumps Category B: Eoin McCarthy's yard with 74 best-turned-out horses from 193 runners.
  • Jumps Category C: James Fahey's yard and Robert Tyner's team in a dead heat with 30 best-turned-out winners from just 64 and 82 runners, respectively. They share the €3,000 prize-money.

Bolger, Halford, Elliott, and Fahey's teams were also honoured in 2021.

John Osborne, Equine Welfare & Bloodstock Director at HRI, said, “Once again the best-turned-out (BTO) league has rewarded excellence in horse care while highlighting the high standard across the racing industry. We are delighted to see that over 280 different yards won a BTO prize during the year and the feedback is that it is getting ultra-competitive among yards. We have repeat winners from 2021 in the Elliott, Bolger, Halford and James Fahey yards with new category winners from Michael O'Callaghan's, Eoin McCarthy and Robert Tyner's. It was especially exciting to see the dead heat between James Fahey and Robert Tyner's in the last few days of the competition.”

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Tamarkuz’s Tiger Nation Stays Perfect In UAE 2000 Guineas Trial

3rd-Meydan, Cond, $60,000, 3yo, 7f, 1:24.51, fs.
TIGER NATION (c, 3, Tamarkuz–Silken, by Out Of Place) rocketed straight to the vanguard while under pressure to his outside from Morning (Munnings). Striding out in a good rhythm, the dark bay's lead shrank to a neck as Morning inched closer, but he found another gear at the 350-metre mark and motored home a 1 1/4-length victor. Es-Unico (Brz) (War Secretary) produced an eye-catching turn of foot to take second, 5 1/4 lengths ahead of Sharp Army (Sharp Azteca). Morning faded to fourth. Tiger Nation had previously won his career bow by open lengths at Jebel Ali on New Year's Day. “It wasn't an easy race and I wasn't sure what to expect, but it couldn't have gone better,” said jockey Mickael Barzalona. “He's inexperienced but fast and powerful so he's got everything he needs to get the [UAE 2000 Guineas] trip.” Added trainer Salem bin Ghadayer, “I wasn't sure about running him here but I got some pressure from Mickael who wanted him to experience the lights and the track, rather than go straight to the 2000 Guineas. I don't see it's impossible for him to get the mile.” The third foal and first winner for his dam, Tiger Nation is followed by juvenile filly Social Smile (Uncle Mo). After missing to Moonshine Mullen in 2022, Silken was covered last spring by Echo Town. The winner's first four dams were all bred by Claiborne farm. His third dam, the Majestic Light mare Knot, is the fourth dam of dual Grade III winner Clearly Now (Horse Greeley) and GIII Desert Stormer S. oftlineheroine Bendable (Horse Greeley). Sales history: $110,000 2yo '22 FTIMAY. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $45,803. VIDEO.
O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Richard T. Jackson (KY); T-Salem bin Ghadayer.

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Paul Hensey Named New CEO Of The Association Of Irish Racecourses

Paul Hensey has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR) and begins his role later this month. He will replace Paddy Walsh, who is retiring after over two decades in the position, on Mar. 31.

Hensey was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of Al Shaqab Racing, and he also worked with the Turf Club for six years. Previously, he also spent almost 15 years managing the Curragh Racecourse and training grounds and was also a member of AIR. He served two terms on the board of AIR during this time.

Conor O'Neill, Chairman of AIR, said, “Over the last few months, AIR has embarked on a competitive public recruitment process to find our incoming CEO. This extensive search was expertly handled on our behalf by Principal Connections–executive search who are part of Agilium Worldwide, LLC, one of the world's top global executive search groups. Following a meeting of the board of AIR this afternoon, I am delighted to announce that Paul Hensey's appointment was formally approved.

“Paul will take over the reins from Paddy Walsh when he retires from office at the end of March. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Paul on his appointment and welcome him on behalf of the board and our members. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing CEO Paddy Walsh who has played an integral role in the association and indeed the wider industry for decades. It has been my pleasure to work alongside him during my time as Chairman of the association and although we still have plenty of work to do between now and then I wish him the very best and every good wish for his retirement.”

Hensey added, “I am delighted with the appointment and feel this role really plays to my strengths. I am extremely proud of and passionate about the Irish horse racing product and I'm very much looking forward to getting involved in the racecourse side of the industry once again. Having been a member of the Association of Irish Racecourses for many years, I am keenly aware of the importance of this association, and the role it plays for our members and I am very much looking forward to getting started.”

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2023 Flat Pattern Updated By BHA

Changes have been made to the Flat Pattern and Listed Programme for 2023, the British Horseracing Authority's (BHA) Flat Pattern Committee confirmed on Friday.

Focusing primarily on reducing the number of Group 3 and listed races, these are the first changes announced to help improve the performance of Britain's black-type races. Additional changes will be announced next month. These short-term measures are aimed at boosting field sizes and increasing this year's black-type race competitiveness. Other means of strengthening the race programme in 2024 and beyond are being developed through the sport's industry strategy. The following Group 3 and listed races will no longer form part of the Pattern and Listed Programme for 2023:

  • Listed Leisure S., Windsor Racecourse (6f, 3yo+, May)
  • Listed Royal Windsor S., Windsor racecourse (8f, 3yo+, May)
  • Listed Fairway S., Newmarket Racecourse (10f, 3yo, May)
  • Listed Buckhounds S., Ascot Racecourse (12f, 4yo+, May)
  • Listed Midsummer S., Windsor Racecourse (8f, 3yo+, July)
  • Listed Denford S., Newbury Racecourse (7f, 2yo, August)
  • G3 Supreme S., Goodwood Racecourse (7f, 3yo+, August)
  • G3 March S., Goodwood Racecourse (14f, 3yo, August)
  • G3 Legacy Cup S., Newbury Racecourse (11f, 3yo+, September)

In addition, the Listed European Free Handicap S., Newmarket Racecourse (7f, 3yo, April) and the Listed King Richard III S., Leicester Racecourse (7f, 4yo+, April) will also not be staged in 2023. An adjustment to the winter All-Weather programme will see the Listed Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield Park (10f, 4yo+, February) shortened to a mile and renamed the Listed Tandridge S. (8f, 4yo+, Feb. 4).

BHA Director of International Racing and Racing Development, Ruth Quinn, said, “The quality and competitiveness of our Flat Pattern and Listed Programme is fundamental, not just to long-term reputation and sustainability of British racing, but also to the strength of the thoroughbred breed.

“Work is already underway, as part of the industry's long-term strategy, to deliver substantive improvements to the way our racing is structured, presented and promoted.

“This includes continually enhancing the performance of our black-type programme under both codes, and ensuring that the best horses continue to be bred, owned, trained, and raced in Britain.

“The changes to the programme for 2023 are the first of a series of measures, which aim to help address some of the immediate challenges in our black-type contests, particularly around field sizes and race competitiveness, ahead of further, more fundamental, improvements–with racecourses involved in the process from the outset–for 2024 and beyond.

“Work also continues through the Jump Pattern Committee to deliver a package of measures in time for the 2023/24 season, with changes to the Jump Pattern and Listed Programme to be announced prior to the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.”

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