Tag: Top News Europe

Group 1 Winner Sheeza Belter Hammers At 1.35 Million To Yulong At Magic Millions Virtual Auction

Group 1 winner Sheeza Belter (Aus) (Gold Standard {Aus}–Saxabelle {Aus}, by Saxon {Aus}) sold for A$1.35 million to Victoria's Highway Farm during a Magic Millions virtual auction hosted by auctioneer Clint Donovan on Thursday. Yuesheng Zhang's Yulong was buying as Highway Farm.

“It is a very nerve-wracking experience selling a horse around that level,” her original buyer and part owner Justin Warwick said. “I'm relieved that the process has been a success and I'm very happy to see where she is going and the opportunity she will have.”

Bred by Mt Hallowell Stud, the chestnut was an A$35,000 buy back before being sold to Warwick for A$50,000 out of the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale in 2021. Put into training with trainer Luke Fernie, the filly would take her debut on New Year's Day in 2022. Transferred to Peter and Paul Snowden for all barring her last start, a listed race win followed two starts later and she ran third in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic. Successful in the G2 Sires Produce S. that May, the filly added the G1 J.J. Atkins that June. As a 3-year-old the filly would also add the G2 Hot Danish S. and run third in the G1 Coolmore Classic, and was retired in the care of Annabel Neasham in September with a mark of 14-5-1-2 and $1,279,661 in earnings at four.

“She has taken all of us on such a wonderful ride,” Warwick added. “When you buy a horse you dream of what might be to come.

“This girl delivered on that dream. She gave us so much joy on the racetrack and we are excited about her prospects for the next stage of her journey.

“One chapter of the book has now finished but the best thing is, she will get looked after so well and be given a chance with the best stallions in the world. Breeding is not what us part owners do, but we can now sit back and hope that her offspring go well and we can say we played a part in that.”

Out of the winning mare Saxabelle, Sheeza Belter is also related to group winners Special Reward (Aus) (Demerit {Aus}) and Showy Chloe (Aus) (Alfred Nobel {Ire}).

The virtual auction was the first of its kind for Magic Millions, and the sales company's managing director Barry Bowditch said, “I believe moving forward this is the most genuine and transparent way to sell horses outside of a large auction.

“We are delighted with the way today's auction played out and we look forward, when the right opportunity arises, to doing more of these in the future.

“Thanks to Justin and the ownership group for entrusting us to offer Sheeza Belter. We're proud to have a delivered a great result.”

The post Group 1 Winner Sheeza Belter Hammers At 1.35 Million To Yulong At Magic Millions Virtual Auction appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Westover Retired With Injury Sustained in the Arc

Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the G1 Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, has been retired after sustaining a “career-ending injury” when finishing runner-up in Sunday's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Announcing his retirement on Thursday, the colt's owner-breeder Juddmonte stated that stud plans for the 4-year-old would be announced at a later date.

Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon said, “It's devastating news, unfortunately he suffered a career-ending injury on Sunday and he'll have to be retired. Long-term he'll be fine and he'll be okay for a stallion career, but we had such good days with him this year and last year, we had an exciting end to the season planned and we were all very excited about it. Unfortunately it's come to an end.

“We were looking at the Breeders' Cup and we actually only entered him in the Japan Cup on Tuesday. We were planning on doing a bit of travelling and seeing a bit of the world with him, but unfortunately that's not to be.”

A winner on debut at two, the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover came to greater prominence on his 3-year-old bow when winning the G3 Classic Trial at Sandown. An imposing son of Frankel and the Lear Fan mare Mirabilis, herself a stakes winner in both France and America, he went on to finish third behind Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in last year's Derby before claiming his own Classic victory in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.

Westover's career has also included a number of gallant runs in defeat: he was second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic to Japanese superstar Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and was also runner-up to Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in a memorable running of the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom this June. He claimed his second Group 1 prize in France after that before adding another two admirable second-place finishes to his record when beaten a head by Hukum (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth S. and, finally, on Sunday behind Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in the Arc.

Mahon added, “I'd say he'll be a top-class stallion. He's one of Frankel's best sons and, as we saw with Ace Impact, Frankel's sons are off to a flying start.

“He's been beautifully trained by Ralph, Rob Hornby has obviously built up a good association with him last year and this year, and Colin Keane was exquisite on him the day he won the Irish Derby. It's been a great story for a lot of people, none more so than Juddmonte. We're very lucky to have had him.”

A fourth-generation Juddmonte homebred, Westover is a full-brother to the Group 3 winner Monarchs Glen (GB), who was one of Frankel's earliest Royal Ascot winners in the Listed Wolferton S. Their dam is a half-sister to the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix du Moulin winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat) and to the G2 Prix Eugene Adam winner Burning Sun (Danzig).

Westover's trainer Ralph Beckett said, “I am very proud of the horse and what he has achieved, he gave his all every day at home and on the racecourse and we will all miss him.”

 

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Wootton Bassett Colt Another Millionaire For Magnier At 1.25m As Tattersalls Session Ends

Just a handful of lots remained to sell on Wednesday evening, and lot 352, a son of Coolmore sire Wootton Bassett (GB) and a half-brother to G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}), attracted a final bid of 1.25 million from MV Magnier to become the fourth millionaire on the day. The Clara Stud-consigned son of Entreat (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is also a half-brother to listed winner Line Of Departure (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), and under the second dam is Turkish Group 2 winner Producer (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). American Hall of Famer and blue hen producer Serena's Song (Rahy) is under the third dam.

 

The post Wootton Bassett Colt Another Millionaire For Magnier At 1.25m As Tattersalls Session Ends appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Steve Cauthen, BC Winner Pebbles To Be Inducted Into British Hall of Fame

American jockey Steve Cauthen and the outstanding turf mare Pebbles (GB) (Sharpen Up {GB}) will be inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame, the official Hall of Fame for Flat racing in Britain. The newest inductees will be recognized on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Oct. 21, with Cauthen making a rare trip over from the US.

Cauthen becomes just the fifth rider to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, while Pebbles becomes the first of her gender to be inducted alongside the likes of Frankel (GB) and his legendary late sire Galileo (Ire). Cauthen and Pebbles teamed to win the 1985 Eclipse S. at Sandown.

Now 63, Cauthen is the only jockey in history to have ridden the winners of both the Derby and Kentucky Derby and is the youngest to have ever won the US Triple Crown aboard Affirmed in 1978. He is the only jockey to appear on the cover of TIME magazine, which he did alongside the late boxer Muhammad Ali. Cauthen was Britain's champion jockey on three occasions and rode the winners of 10 English Classics, all but one for trainer Sir Henry Cecil, including Derby winners Slip Anchor and Reference Point.

“I'm grateful to have had so many brilliant opportunities on both sides of the pond and to still be recognised for my achievements is really quite special to me.

“Having been inducted into America's Hall of Fame some years back, it's an honour to now celebrate my induction into Great Britain's Hall of Fame, and I'm looking forward to marking this moment with family and friends on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot later this month.”

 

 

Trained by Clive Brittain, Pebbles overcame quirkiness and a variety of setbacks and became the first British-conditioned winner of a Breeders' Cup race when successful in the 1985 Turf at Aqueduct. She had previous won the G1 1000 Guineas and the G1 Champion S. at Newmarket prior to her American conquest.

Said Brittain, “I still think about her today and can see her fresh in my mind, particularly with her boyfriend, Come On The Blues. Theirs was a great love story and he accompanied her wherever she went–even travelling out to America with her for the Breeders' Cup Turf. That day was the only time that I've been racing and felt nervous, but I just did the same as we'd have done at home and it all worked out.”

Speaking on behalf of Godolphin, the racing operation owned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, Pebbles's owner, managing director Hugh Anderson added, “Pebbles was a uniquely talented and very tough racehorse with an outstanding race record. She truly was one of the best racehorses of the 1980s and a flagbearer for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's racing operation at the time. She is a very deserving inductee to the Hall of Fame and His Highness is delighted to see her achievements recognised in this way.”

 

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