In today's Straight Shorts, Queensland’s Canning Downs Stud will shut its doors after more than a century in business, a new general manager has been appointed at Cambridge Stud, the Ciaron Maher-trained I Am Me will run from Sportsbet's slot in the $5 million Quokka and the world's most famous jockey Frankie Dettori has filed for bankruptcy.
Canning Downs to be wound down, stock to be dispersed
Queensland’s Canning Downs Stud will wind down its business after 107 years, with a dispersal of mares, foals and breeding rights in Pierata and Graff to take place through Inglis Digital.
Joy Mackay, who owns Canning Downs at Warwick on the Darling Downs with her partner John Barnes, said the family-run business would not pass through to the next generation.
“Unfortunately John’s sons just don’t have that level of interest in breeding and you need to be emotionally invested, it’s not just something you dabble in,’’ she said.
“It’s a big thing to face up to but at some stage the decision had to be made.
“There is never the perfect time but it is for us and we decided it’s better to just make the call, rather than phase things out slowly.”
Mackay said she and Barnes will retain interest in racing horses.
Among those to be offered is Vibrant Rouge, who is by Written Tycoon and is the dam of Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner Vibrant Sun. She will be offered in foal to Shinzo.
VIBRANT ROUGE’s third foal is a handsome colt by JONKER (born Aug 29). He’s got some big shoes to fill being a half-brother to Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner VIBRANT SUN! pic.twitter.com/0ZyKmJexHQ
— Canning Downs (@CanningDowns) September 26, 2024
There are also mares in foal to Harry Angel, Spirit Of Boom, Better Than Ready, All Too Hard and Microphone as well as a mixture of other stock.
New GM for Cambridge Stud
Cambridge Stud has appointed a new general manager, with New Zealander Ben Tappenden returning home to take up the coveted position.
An experienced thoroughbred industry figure, Tappenden has spent the past eight years in England working at Whitsbury Manor Stud in Hampshire, but the role at Cambridge will allow him to return to New Zealand with his wife Naomi and their three children.
Tappenden, who began his career in the thoroughbred industry at Curraghmore Stud in New Zealand before stints with Coolmore and The Oaks Stud at Cambridge, said: "Cambridge Stud is a New Zealand treasure with an illustrious heritage.
“I am excited and privileged to become a part of this iconic nursery’s family and future under the ownership of Brendan and Jo Lindsay. I would also like to mention my undying gratitude to the team at Whitsbury Manor Stud.
"Ed Harper (at Whitsbury), along with Rick Williams at The Oaks Stud, have allowed me to grow and develop as a manager over the last 18 years.”
Replacing Marc Devcich, who departed Cambridge Stud early last year to return to he and wife Sarah’s Henley Park, Tappenden will relocate to New Zealand in June.
I Am Me secures Quokka slot
Five-time stakes winner I Am Me will head west for the first time after connections secured a slot in next month’s $5 million The Quokka (1200m) in Perth.
Trained by Ciaron Maher for her owners Dynamic Syndications, I Am Me will race in the slot owned by corporate bookmaking giant Sportsbet for the third running of Western Australia’s richest race.
Six-year-old I Am Me ran third in last Saturday’s Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Randwick.
Sportsbet’s chief commercial officer Nathan Arundell said: “Sportsbet is delighted to team up with Dynamic Syndications and Ciaron Maher with gun mare I Am Me to represent Sportsbet in the 2025 Quokka.
“Sportsbet values and supports innovation and entertainment in all sport and racing and after running fourth the first two years, we’re hoping to break through this year.”
I Am Me’s jockey will wear a specially designed set of silks featuring the Dynamic Syndications logo with a Quokka caricature.
Dettori files for bankruptcy
Champion jockey Frankie Dettori will file for bankruptcy after being unable to resolve a dispute with the HMRC, the UK’s tax payments and customs authority.
The Italian rider, a three-time champion Flat jockey in Britain, has been fighting the HMRC since at least 2019 over a dispute surrounding a scheme allegedly used to reduce his payments to the tax office.
Overnight, in a statement, the 54-year-old Dettori revealed that he had made the decision to no longer continue to prosecute his case against the HMRC.
“For the last six months, my advisers have been working with HMRC in an attempt to find a solution to my financial situation. Regretfully, I will be filing for bankruptcy,” Dettori said.
“I am saddened and embarrassed by this outcome and would advise others to take a stronger rein over their financial matters. Bankruptcy is a major decision and its consequences will affect me for many years."
When Dettori’s case was first made public he said he had employed professional tax advisers to manage his and his family’s financial affairs.
The jockey, who has won 219 Group 1 races during his illustrious career, returned from retirement to ride in the United States. He rode a winner at Santa Anita in California on February 23 and he is booked for one ride at Gulfstream Park in Florida on Friday.
AUSTRAC still focused on wagering enforcement
AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas has said the gambling and wagering industry still remains firmly in the financial regulators’ sights, and it will continue to take action against companies which fail to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws.
AUSTRAC has undertaken a number of actions against major wagering companies in the past few years, most recently an enforcement action against Entain which could cost the owner of Ladbrokes and Neds hundreds of millions in fines.
Thomas addressed a gambling regulation conference in Sydney this week and said while AUSTRAC wants to work more closely with the industries it regulates, it won’t hesitate to take action after the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Bill 2024 was passed last year.
Bren O’Brien
“While I’ve been working with the industry and our reporting entities to reduce that harm, AUSTRAC is not in the business of continuing to educate without action,” Thomas told the conference, according to Inside Asian Gaming.
“It is important that businesses understand their legal obligations because I’m prepared to take strong and swift action where it is warranted.”
Thomas said AUSTRAC was making changes to make itself less bureaucratic, but its overall mission remained as it always was.
“There is no question on where (illegal) funds come from and how those funds are impacting Australians. There is the crime that leads to profits in the first place and then the reinvestment of those profits into more crime,” he said.
“At the worst end of the scale, we are talking about illicit drugs running, scams, child sexual exploitation and a significant amount of human trafficking, so if you are in the gambling industry you have a pretty big obligation to help us combat these problems.”
RV provides drought-relief packages
Racing Victoria (RV) has announced a drought relief support package for eligible licensed trainers and acknowledged post-racing program providers who are directly caring for Victorian registered thoroughbreds in one of the 12 Victorian government-defined drought areas of the state.
Successful drought relief support package applicants will receive a one-time payment of $500 per Stud Book registered thoroughbred (up to a maximum of $10,000 per individual recipient) for the provision of feed for pasture-fed thoroughbreds.
The drought relief support package is only available once per successful applicant in the application window up to June 30.
“I know some trainers and acknowledged post-racing program providers with thoroughbreds in their care are finding it tough with the dry conditions and rising feed costs,” RV general manager - equine welfare Melissa Ware said.
“I’ve seen it firsthand with my own family’s farm in the southwest of Victoria and the need to plan to mitigate the impacts on managing horses and livestock.
“I hope the drought relief support package can go some way to assist those with pasture-fed thoroughbreds who are facing challenges as a result of the dry conditions, and allow them some additional time to plan and consider their options, such as rehoming.”
Retainers and program providers located in 12 Local Government Areas are currently eligible for the financial support.
‘Cordina destined for better things’ - Shinn
The sister to Golden Slipper winner and emerging sire Farnan has made the perfect start to her racing career after winning on debut at Kilmore.
Three-year-old filly Cordina, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, won two barrier trials in Sydney prior to being sent south for her first start in a maiden where she proved 2.5 lengths superior to her rivals under jockey Blake Shinn as a $1.20 favourite.
“She’s a nice filly, just very fool-proof, as you’d expect from the team, and she won as she liked. She has a nice future,” Shinn told Racing.com.
Cordina, the half-sister of Golden Slipper-winning stallion Farnan, sheds her maiden tag with plenty in hand 👑
— Racing.com (@Racing) March 14, 2025
The regally bred @GaiWaterhouse1 filly was @blake_shinn's sole ride of the day ✅ pic.twitter.com/Q6yLI5vSKM
“She pricked her ears even throughout the run, which was nice, because I was going at a reasonable gallop.
"I think she’s a speedy filly and I just tried to rate her nicely. She enjoyed that, it was like a track gallop for her, and she’s destined for better things, so it was nice to kick off her maiden in fine style.”
As well as being a sibling to Kia Ora Stud’s Farnan, Cordina is also a half-sister to first season sire Sandbar, who has Dusty Bay in Saturday’s Group 3 Pago Pago at Rosehill, while her two-year-old half-sister by Zoustar was sold for $250,000 to Ridgmont Farm and agent Jim Clarke at last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Named Beside The Ocean, she is in training with Chris Waller. Their dam Tallow, who is now owned by Bahrain outfit Brookdale Racing, has a weanling filly by Zoustar and was served by Coolmore’s Golden Slipper winner Shinzo last September.
Submission deadline closes soon for Qld racing review
A deadline for submissions attached to a review of Queensland racing is looming.
The Queensland government has ordered a review of all three codes of racing under new Racing Minister Tim Mander.
Former Australian Turf Club chairman Matthew McGrath has been enlisted to oversee the process.
Queensland’s integrity system as well as infrastructure, the role of regional and rural racing and animal welfare are expected to be among the key areas of the review.
Industry participants in thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing are encouraged to have their say with submissions closing on March 30.
