Racehorses Evacuated From La Teste de Buch

As parts of Europe continue to be subjected to record temperatures, the large forest fire raging in the Gironde region of south-west France has forced the evacuation of all 370 horses in training at La Teste de Buch racecourse. Though the fire is several kilometres from the track and training centre, the horses have been moved to racecourses in Bordeaux and Mont de Marsan, while others have been given refuge at Haras de Saubouas, largely to protect them from inhaling toxic fumes from the blaze which has destroyed campsites and woodland across more than 45,000 acres along the Atlantic coast.

Celine Bobacher, communications manager for La Teste de Buch racecourse, told Jour de Galop, “The fire advanced so quickly and is now close to the racecourse. The strong fumes became a concern. The surrounding neighbourhoods have also been evacuated.”

La Teste de Buch had been scheduled to host race meetings on July 24 and 25. The fixture on Sunday, July 24 will be moved to Dieppe, which had been set to race on Monday. That fixture will now move to Tarbes, while Dax will host La Teste's second meeting, which has been postponed until Tuesday, July 26.

The heatwave has also meant an adjustment to race times during Vichy's week-long festival have been moved to avoid racing during the hottest part of the day. In England, five race meetings were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday following the British government's issuing of an extreme heat warning.

Trainers and their teams in parts of Britain where the temperature has been approaching 40 Celsius over the last two days have been exercising horses as early as 3.30am in order to beat the heat.

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Boughey Boost as Hoo Ya Mal Handed Leger Mission Before Shipping to Australia

An exciting career awaits in Australia but, before Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) joins Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott down under, he will be prepared by George Boughey for an ambitious tilt at the St Leger at Doncaster. 

Trained by Andrew Balding to split Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at Epsom, Hoo Ya Mal was subsequently snapped up by his new connections for a whopping £1.2million at the Goffs London Sale. 

While races like the Melbourne Cup are what Hoo Ya Mal was bought to run in, his new owners feel there could be unfinished business in Britain, and have entrusted Boughey with training the colt for the final Classic of the year at Doncaster. 

Boughey told SBK, “It's very exciting to have a horse like Hoo Ya Mal in the yard. His work has been good and we are looking at the Gordon S. next before a possible tilt at the St Leger, before he heads to Australia with Gai Waterhouse for the Carnival out there.”

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James Doyle Confirmed to Ride Mishriff in King George

James Doyle, who has been enjoying a season to remember, has landed another plum ride after it was announced that he will replace David Egan aboard Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) in Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. at Ascot. 

Egan recorded the biggest payday of his career when partnering the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mishriff to Saudi Cup glory in 2021, however, the ride aboard the three-time Group 1 winner became available after last week Prince Faisal revealed that he would be using the best available jockey.

That announcement came shortly after Mishriff finished second in the G1 Coral-Eclipse, an effort Doyle said points to the fact the 5-year-old retains all of his old zest for the game. 

He told Nick Luck's Daily Podcast, “I couldn't be more thankful to the connections for putting their trust in me and choosing me to ride him.

“He's an incredible horse and what he has achieved is just outstanding. I thought his run in the Eclipse showed he is still right at the top of his game.”

Doyle, who has already won the Qipco 2,000 Guineas aboard Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the 1,000 Guineas on Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) this season, added, “I'm going into Mr Gosden's tomorrow morning to pop on him as obviously I've not ridden him before, but I've seen a fair bit of him and it will be nice to jump on board before Saturday.

“He travels into his races really well and I thought he was a shade unlucky in the Eclipse. It was an incredible run really to get stopped the way he did and when he got out he really hit the line hard.”

Mishriff is a general 4-1 chance for Saturday's Group 1. He finished second behind Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the mile-and-a-half contest 12 months ago.

Opposition in this year's race is headed by another Derby winner, the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), last seen storming to glory in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh in June.

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Atzeni To Replace Dettori On Stradivarius at Goodwood

Andrea Atzeni will take over from Frankie Dettori aboard Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in next week's Qatar Goodwood Cup, according to the legendary stayer's owner, Bjorn Nielsen.

Dettori came in for heavy criticism from Nielsen, who revealed to TDN Europe recently that the man who has partnered Stradivarius to three Gold Cup triumphs ignored instructions at Royal Ascot this year and last year by sitting too far off the pace. 

Nielsen said, “What people don't know is what the riding instructions were. With what happened last year, twice where Frankie sat so far back and down on the rail, he was told, 'Whatever you do, don't sit on the rail and get far back on the horse this year.'

“For some reason, he went and did what he did [at Ascot last month]. By the time we had a chance to get out again, it was an impossible task to make up the ground. If you look at how he was travelling when they turned in and how the winner was travelling, the winner was being ridden strongly and so were some others.”

He added, “The Strad was sitting there on the bridle turning in and through no fault of his own he didn't get a run. It was not a case of the others having younger legs than him. It was a case of he got no run and he was put in a position where he had no chance, unfortunately.”

The John and Thady Gosden-trained 8-year-old has already won the Goodwood Cup four times, including under Atzeni in 2017 and 2018, and Neilsen decided to change things up in the saddle.

“Frankie Dettori, who has enjoyed a great relationship with Stradivarius and ridden him to many brilliant stakes victories, more than he has any other horse, will by mutual agreement give up the ride to Andrea Atzeni in the Goodwood Cup,” Nielsen told Racing TV.

“Frankie remains not only 'the Strad's' biggest fan but a very good friend and of course I look forward to seeing him continue his phenomenal career as one of the greatest big-race jockeys of all time.

“Andrea will be no stranger to Stradivarius as they are undefeated together, winning the 2017 and 2018 Goodwood Cups as well as the 2017 Queen's Vase.”

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