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Johnson Hopes To Get Sports Crowds Back ‘As Soon As Possible’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told MPs on Wednesday that he hopes to get fans back into sporting venues “as soon as possible” after reports emerged on Tuesday that the government was exploring having spectators return to venues by Christmas in areas with the lowest COVID-19 infection rates.

With the exception of trial events at Doncaster and Warwick in September-with the former having been cut short due to rising infection rates in the area-racing has been staged behind closed doors since its resumption on June 1. Goodwood and Newmarket had also been set to stage pilot events for the return of crowds in August and September, but those events were subsequently cancelled.

A BHA spokesperson said on Wednesday, “We remain in ongoing liaison with [the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport] regarding the return of spectators to sporting events, both through direct routes and racing’s seat on the ‘major sports’ group which supports the work of the Sports Technology and Innovation Group. We are currently awaiting further clarity from DCMS on the situation, though we are of course aware that this will be a cross-Governmental decision.”

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Bahrain International Trophy To Be Shown Worldwide

Friday’s £500,000 Bahrain International Trophy will be shown in 123 countries, with Racecourse Media Group in partnership with the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club having secured widespread global coverage.

Bahrain’s most important race will be shown on Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing in the UK and Ireland, with ITV featuring it as part of its Saturday programme. Fox Sports in the U.S. will carry the race; ESPN in Latin America and the Caribbean (also Sportsmax), SuperSport in Africa (Tellytrack in South Africa) and Green Channel in Japan (via recording). Seventeen Middle Eastern countries will be able to watch via the Dubai Racing Channel and Bahrain TV. Other European channels carrying it will include Sport Deutschland (Germany), SilkNet (Georgia), Equidia (France) and TV12 (Sweden). Racing.com and Sky Thoroughbred Central will show the race in Australia.

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Ballyhane Stud Releases 2021 Fees

Ballyhane Stud, home to five stallions, has released its fees for 2021, with newcomer Sands Of Mali (Fr) set to stand at €6,500.

Established sires Dandy Man (Ire) and Elzaam (Aus) were both represented by Group 1 winners this year, and Dandy Man’s fee will remain at €15,000, while Elzaam’s has been set at €5,000.

Ballyhane Sud owner Joe Foley said of his stalwart Dandy Man, “Our flagship stallion has had another stellar season with another Grade 1-winning colt in River Boyne (Ire) and four stakes-winning 2-year-olds including the explosive Royal Ascot winner Dandall (Ire).

“His stock continue to be highly sought after in the sales ring and, with the quality of his next crops continuing to rise, his future looks very secure.”

He continued, “Elzaam’s breakthrough Group 1 success with Champers Elysees in the Matron Stakes at Irish Champions Weekend was his highlight. His colts continue to be in high demand in the Far East with many more being sold to Hong Kong this year following the path of Playa Del Puente (Ire), who was so close to winning the Hong Kong Derby last spring.”

The G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint winner Sands Of Mali is the stud’s latest recruit, following four seasons in training with Richard Fahey, during which time he landed four group wins, inlcluding the G2 Gimcrack S.

“He was also an unlucky fast-finishing second in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot,” said Foley. “A blistering success in the Gimcrack at two and the Sandy Lane at three were also impressive Group 2 wins for the good-looking son of Panis out of a highly successful mare.”

There have been fee reductions for Ballyhane’s two emerging sires Prince Of Lir (Ire) and Soldier’s Call (GB). The former got his stud career off to a great start when represented by G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) and his fee for 2021 will be €3,500. Meanwhile Soldier’s Call has been trimmed to €7,500.

Foley said, “Soldier’s Call got a warm reception at stud last season with a large book of mares chock-full of quality. The son of Showcasing has let down into a wonderful specimen and his first foals are eagerly awaited. Given his first-season support, he’d look to have a massive chance of starting strongly with his first crop of 2-year-olds in 2023.”

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Average, Median Climb At Autumn Yearling Opener

Goffs staged the first of two sessions of its live online Autumn Yearling Sale on Tuesday. With the first-day catalogue of 296 scratched down to 167, 99 were sold (59%) for an aggregate of €662,400, compared to €1,134,400 last year when 192 were sold on the day from 254 offered. The average of €6,691 was up 13%, while the median climbed 11% to €4,200.

Boherguy Stud’s New Approach (Ire) colt out of Neophilia (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 192) had originally been slated for the Goffs Sportsman’s Sale, but connections opted for this spot when that sale was moved to Doncaster. While this sale was subsequently forced online, the Apr. 30 foal enjoyed a significant update in the interim, with Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) under his third dam having won the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Oct. 24. E Hannon went to €40,000 for the fourth foal out of the mare, who has produced the winning New Vocation (Ire) from two foals to race. The colt is bred on the same cross as this year’s G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy scorer Mac Swiney (Ire), and also shares his breeder, Jim Bolger. The New Approach colt is also from the same family as the Bolger-bred, Boherguy-consigned Teofilo (Ire) colt that topped the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale at £325,000, he being a full-brother to Gear Up.

Earlsfort Bloodstock went to €30,000 for an Oasis Dream (GB) colt out of the listed-placed Maybe Grace (Ire) (Hawk Wing) (lot 290), who has produced two winners from three runners and is a half-sister to Australian Group 1 winner Magic Hurricane (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}).

The first-crop yearlings by Yeomanstown Stud’s Scat Daddy sire El Kabeir have been well received this season, and his name also featured among the top lots at this sale when Noel Meade went to €29,000 for Eyrefield Lodge Stud’s colt out of the listed-placed Bee Eater (Ire) (lot 157). That daughter of Green Desert has produced the G3 Marble Hill S. winner Minaun (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) among her eight runners and five winners. The third dam is the champion 3-year-old filly Marwell (Habitat).

The top-priced filly of the session was Tullogher House Stud’s first crop daughter of Ardad (Ire) (lot 86) who was bought by Con Marnane for €20,000. The dam Dame Shirley (GB) (Haafhd) is a full-sister to G3 Meydan Sprint winner Fityaan (GB).

The first day of the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale saw horses sold online to Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Poland, Serbia, Sweden and the UK, with 1225 online bids placed in addition to telephone bids. The second session of the sale begins at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

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