James Cummings Appointed Godolphin Head Trainer
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
Godolphin Managing Director in Australia Henry Plumptre has confirmed in an official Media Release that James Cummings has been appointed Head Trainer of the global operation in Australia. Set to commence his new role on Saturday July 8, interim Head Trainer Darren Beadman will continue in this position until that date, before reacquainting himself with his previous role as Assistant Trainer. Cummings is set to take the Godolphin training reins having garnered almost a decade's experience at Leilani Lodge as Foreman and Co-Trainer with his grandfather Bart Cummings. Plumptre explained the appointment, "James is a great fit for Godolphin and his appointment is an exciting new chapter in the Godolphin story in Australia. In a short space of time James has established himself as one of the most talented trainers in Australia and he has all the attributes to take us in the direction we want to go as a racing team both on and off the track. James Cummings added, "It is truly an honor to be asked to join the Godolphin team as the Head Trainer in Australia and I am very grateful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for the opportunity. I am confident in my experience and I definitely have the enthusiasm to build on the incredible success that has already been achieved by Godolphin in Australia. I have been very fortunate in my career so far to have learnt my trade from some of the best in the business and I will be forever grateful to the fantastic and loyal owners that have supported me in my career so far, in particular Eduardo Cojuanco Jnr and Dato Tan Chin Nam."
James Cummings in his Godolphin livery (image: Godolphin)
Omen Tip For Canterbury Park Today
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
With James Cummings, the envy of many other trainers, still 6 weeks away from assuming his new role with Godolphin (see above item), there can be no bigger omen tip today at Canterbury Park than 2YO filly Envy Of All in Race 2. Owned by his father-in-law Eduardo Cojuanco Jnr, and trained by Cummings, Envy Of All is by Widden Stud's Gr1-winning stallion Your Song out of beautifully pedigreed Giant's Causeway mare Elahi, a daughter of dual Gr1 heroine Tempest Morn. Elahi has already produced the high class galloper Good Standing, a dual Group winner whose victories included the Gr2 Skyline Stakes as a juvenile. Envy Of All has faced the starter just twice, both times starting at short odds that resulted in 2nd placings at Canterbury and Rosehill. Ironically for Cummings, the $2.25 favourite's biggest danger could come in the form of Goldolphin's Tiki Bar who is on debut.Rebel Dane Half Set For Debut
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
Meanwhile, despite Envy of All and the Godolphin-prepared Tiki Bar being in control at the top of betting markets, a beautifully bred filly and half-sister to brilliant and recently retired galloper Rebel Dane sits expectantly in the pre-post betting shadows, reports theinformant.co.nz. As Rebel Dane leaves his famous box 14 at the stables of trainer Gary Portelli to commence his freshman sire year at Victoria's Swettenham Stud, his half-sister Dixie moves into the spotlight. "Dixie is a lovely Foxwedge filly, but she is a back-marker like Rebel Dane," noted Portelli. A son of the prodigious Fastnet Rock, who captured the Gr1 William Reid Stakes amongst many sterling sprint performances at the highest level, Foxwedge has already sired 81 winners from his first three crops, including 5 stakeswinners and 2 Group winners. Top of this list are the Chris Waller trained Gr1 Queen of the Turf winner Foxplay and Gr2 Eight Carat Classic winner Volpe Veloce. Dixie is the fifth foal of More Than Ready mare Texarcana.
A half-sister to Rebel Dane makes her debut today (pic: Mark Gatt)
Turrunga Stud Unreserved Dispersal At Inglis
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
Inglis has announced it will be conducting a dispersal sale of one of Australia's leading thoroughbred studs, Turangga Farm, on Sunday July 23. An outstanding line up of broodmares, all of which are in foal, will be offered, as well as a reduction sale of weanlings and race fillies, giving buyers the opportunity to enter into some of Australia's best families. The unreserved sale will be held at White Park, Scone, and will comprise 52 mares, 28 weanlings and 3 race fillies. Champion galloper Able Friend - Hong Kong Horse of the Year (see below) and the highest ever rated horse in that jurisdiction - is a graduate of Turangga, as are Gr1 winners such as Headway, Sky Cuddle and Mr Murphy. The Ramsey family has owned the farm since 2003 and has established itself as one of the leading breeders in Australia. The catalogue will be available online at inglis.com.au from Thursday June 1 and hard copy catalogues from Monday 5 June. For the full report, click here.
Gr1 NZ Oaks Winner Joining Hayes Stable
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
New Zealand Oaks winner Fanatic will target the Melbourne spring carnival for new trainers David Hayes, Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig, Taranaki breeder-owner Sean Kiernan has revealed. According to NZ Racing Desk, Kiernan said the Shocking 4YO mare, who has won three of her 21 starts for Te Awamutu trainers Graeme Sanders and Debbie Sweeney, would fly to Melbourne next week. Regarding her options, Kiernan noted "I don't know what races she'll target... I'll just leave that up to David - you don't tell a Hall of Famer how to suck eggs. We just want her pedigree enhanced if at all possible." Fanatic's owner did however indicate that Fanatic would again be entered for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. Fanatic was ruled out of last year's Caulfield Cup, with just 50kg on her back, after suffering a spider bite.Tracy Son To Stand At Bullarook
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
In what is a coup for Victorian stallion ranks, it has been announced that blueblood entire Last Typhoon will stand his debut season at Avenel's Bullarook Park. A spectacular yearling who was passed in for a massive $2.1 million at the 2014 Easter Yearling Sale, Last Typhoon possessed enough ability to carry him to 2 wins and 3 placings from only 11 starts. Purely on pedigree he looms as an enticing stud option. He is by Gr1 Dubai World Cup winner and Champion Australian Sire of 2015-2016 Street Cry, sire of Hall of Fame Mare Winx, together with Gr1 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking and Gr1 Blue Diamond winner Pride of Dubai, Last Typhoon hails from the illustrious family, as mentioned, of Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy. Capturing 11 wins from only 20 starts, her CV includes Gr1 wins in the Futurity Stakes, Queen of the Turf and Coolmore Classic. Her dam, Tracy's Element, was a freakish conveyance in South Africa earning her 4 Gr1 victories and the titles of Champion 2YO Filly & Older Classic Mare. Broodmare sire Red Ransom is equally as impressive with 108 stakes winners. Bullarook's Malcolm Boyd enthused, "The Street Cry influence is a big tick for me. He is a champion sire, proven in Australian conditions, who has three sons at stud in Victoria and this fellow is from a simply outstanding family." With a boastful 110 stakes winners, Last Typhoon's sire Street Cry also has a lofty 73.6 per cent winners to runners record in the Southern Hemisphere. Last Typhoon will stand his freshman season at an affordable fee of $4,400 inc GST.
Champion racemare Typhoon Tracy (pic: Steve Hart)
VRC Interim CEO Announced
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
Following the recent resignation of CEO, Simon Love, the Victoria Racing Club has announced that current VRC Board Member and Honorary Treasurer, Neil Wilson, has been appointed as interim Chief Executive Officer. Commencing with the VRC Board in 2012, Mr Wilson was subsequently re-elected in 2015 and then elevated to the key role as Honorary Treasurer earlier this year. A delighted VRC Chairman, Amanda Elliott, commented on the appointment of Mr. Wilson, "This interim solution ensures leadership and stability for this year's Melbourne Cup Carnival while a thorough search process is undertaken. She added, "Neil brings enormous private and public company experience as a CEO to the role. This combined with his diverse range of skills, knowledge of the Club and long involvement in the thoroughbred industry is an excellent outcome." In praising Simon Love for his contribution to the Club, Mrs. Elliott also advised that Neil Wilson will be working closely with Simon Love to ensure a smooth transition in this pivotal role, "The Board and I would like to recognise and thank Simon for his extremely valuable contribution to the VRC over the past six years," Mrs Elliott said. "He has accomplished important strategic objectives for the Club over that time in key areas such as The Masterplan, the introduction of new technology and infrastructure, funding and business modernisation. His effective advocacy of the Club with government and industry has been critical to our progress."A Rose By Any Other Name
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
Choosing racehorse names is invariably one of the joys of ownership of a young horse. While the monikers chosen might sometimes be head scratchers, history shows that even the most curious names, at first, end up rolling off the tongue sweetly when a horse makes its way through the grades. Today in Race 1 at Canterbury Park in Sydney, one of the more interestingly named 2YOs by Vinery's Champion 3YO, and emerging sire, All Too Hard will make his debut for Team Hawkes. Called Swaffham Bulbeck, the colt is out of the stakes-placed Encosta de Lago mare Pink Siris, dam already of multiple Group-placed Echo Gal. And the source of the name Swaffham Bulbeck? It's a small English village, located about 8 miles from Cambridge and 6 miles from Newmarket. Swaffham Bulbeck was a $250,000 yearling consigned by Aquis Farm at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale. In an open field of 7 runners, he's been specked at around $5.50.
Swaffham Bulbeck: named after an English village
Aga Khan Blueblood Lives Up To Pedigree On Debut
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
Never short of an astonishing array of choicely bred stock, The Aga Khan had a beautifully bred unraced 3YO filly on debut at Chantilly on Monday in France. Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Baiyouna (Sea The Stars-Balankiya, by Darshaan) was sent out over 2200m as $3.30 second favourite. Allowed to drop out and amble along, the bay filly quickly put paid to her rivals once given her head down the straight. Baiyouna is a half-sister to Gr1 Secretariat winner Bayrir, from the prolific black-type family of Gr1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Bering. Unsurprisingly, Baiyouna holds an entry for France's equivalent of the Oaks, the Gr1 Prix de Diane.Goldikova Daughter Ticks Another Box
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
Any doubts that the 3.5-lengths debut win over 1800m last November by Terrakova (Galileo-Goldikova, by Anabaa) was a flash in the pan were swept aside overnight at Saint Cloud in France. The second foal of her illustrious dam Goldikova (Champion Older Horse in Europe), Terrakova made her long awaited return in style with a no-nonsense three-quarter length win in the Gr3 Cleopatre Stakes (2100m) to put herself very much in contention for the Gr1 Prix de Diane, a race in which Goldikova finished third. Trained by Freddie Head, two-from-two Terrakova races in the colossal shadow of her dam, whose three Gr1 Breeders' Cup Mile wins are just tip of the iceberg in a career that netted an incredible 14 Gr1 victories.Injury Forces Solow Retirement
Wednesday, 24th May 2017
Despite a concerted rehabilitation program since March 2016 when he was injured in his comeback performance at Chantilly, leading French trainer Freddy Head has been forced to call time on the career of Champion miler Solow, reports theinformant.co.nz. In a 2015 season where the impressive grey appeared bulletproof in claiming five consecutive Gr1 races including the Queen Anne and Queen Elizabeth II at Royal Ascot, the Sussex Stakes at Newmarket and the Gr1 Dubai Turf (see below), the news of his retirement comes as sad news for both the racing industry and Head. "We just couldn't get him back to where he was and didn't want to risk injuring him again. He was too good to risk, so we've called it a day," Head told the Press Association. "He won five Group Ones, picking one out is hard, maybe the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood or the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot. He was most impressive in Dubai, but that form probably wasn't as strong." In an ultimate accolade Head added, "To do what he did in those six months, he was a real champion and he retires having won his last 10 races. He was one of the best, if not the best, I've trained, and I've had the likes of Goldikova, Moonlight Cloud and Charm Spirit. During those six months I think he was unbeatable. I think he was just by himself. It's sad but maybe for the best, he's retired in one piece." By Gr1 Japan Cup-winning sire Singspiel, Solow becomes another luminary in a fabulous French family that includes six-time stakes-winning grand dam Fabulous Hostess.