In today's Straight Shorts, a return home for a Group 1-producing stallion. farewell to a champ of the turf, the big wet claims ANZAC day meetings and Asfoora stretches to 1200m.
Gooree homecoming for Prized Icon
Prized Icon, the sire of dual Group 1-winning filly Tropical Squall, will return to Gooree Park to continue his career as a stallion.
The rising 12-year-old by More Than Ready, who won the 2016 Champagne Stakes and VRC Derby, has been homed at Kooringal Stud in southern New South Wales for the first six years of his stud career.
However, after siring 24 winners from his first two crops including the Gooree-raced Tropical Squall, Gooree has elected to bring Prized Icon back to their Mudgee property.
He will stand at a fee of $5,500 (inc GST).
“To see him return to where it all began, as a Group 1-winning homebred in our iconic silks, is something very special,” Gooree managing director Jeanette Tioseco said.
“He was a favourite of The Boss, the late Mr Eduardo Cojuangco, and remains one of our proudest achievements. His return continues our mission of honouring Gooree’s legacy while looking confidently toward the future.”
Tropical Squall was sold to Yulong at the start of the racing season before she was retired and served by Zoustar in October.
Happy Clapper loses battle with colic
Three-time Group 1 winner Happy Clapper, the best horse now retired Randwick trainer Pat Webster ever put a saddle on, has died after a bout of colic.
Bred and owned by Michael Thomas, Happy Clapper won the 2017 Group 1 Epsom Handicap, a Canterbury Stakes and the 2018 Doncaster, having finished runner-up the preceding two years.
The 14-year-old, who won 12 of his 48 starts and banked $7.3 million in prize money for connections, was retired after the 2020 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick, a race won by Addeybb.
“Happy Clapper was not only a champion racehorse who competed competitively against the likes of Winx, but also helped a lot of people through the drugs and alcohol program we have run through Racing NSW,” Webster said.
It is with great sadness that we farewell fan favourite Happy Clapper. The 3x Group 1 winner has sadly passed away following a bout of colic. His run in the 2018 Doncaster was something else ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GjlO33bnRz
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 24, 2025
Happy Clapper, who died this week, raced against Winx on 11 occasions and, as was the majority of her rivals throughout her remarkable career, was beaten on each occasion.
The gelding has a bar named after him in the Winx Stand at Randwick.
Wet claims two northern NSW meetings
Two ANZAC Day meetings in New South Wales have been postponed due to rain.
Racing NSW confirmed on Thursday that the five-race program at Kempsey meeting set down for Friday had been postponed after 25mm of rain in the space of 24 hours left surface water across the track.
Similarly, the Murwillumbah meeting, which was also set to host five races, was called off following rainfall in the past 24 hours. The track has become waterlogged and is not suitable for racing.
Public holiday meetings at Nyngan, Gosford, Deniliquin, Armidale, Bathurst and Randwick will proceed.
Asfoora stretched but capable in Group 1 test
Star mare Asfoora may have never won over 1200 metres, but trainer Henry Dwyer believes Saturday's Group 1 Robert Sangster could be the day for her to shine beyond her pet distance.
A winner four times over 1000 metres and six times over 1100 metres, the Royal Ascot heroine is seeking her first Group 1 victory on home soil at Morphettville on Saturday,
"It's a tricky situation with her trying to find ideal races and 1200m is not her ideal hitting zone, I suppose," Dwyer told Racing.com.
"She's against her own sex and weight-for-age. If she is ever going to do it, that'll be it.
"1100m is the exact sweet spot for her. She can win over 1000m. 1100m, her record is pretty dynamic. She just takes those fairy steps at the end of 1200m.
"She couldn't be any fitter going into this race on Saturday. If it was 1100m I would be that confident it's not funny. But knowing the end of it, having not drawn a gate and having to do some work early might just take the sting out of her."
"Welcome back to Australia!"
— Racing.com (@Racing) April 12, 2025
Asfoora wins on her return to Australia with a tough win in the R N Irwin Stakes 🔥@henrydwyer @AitkenMitch pic.twitter.com/N3W5ewYCFf
Partington’s Qld trainers’ job advertised
The Australian Trainers’ Association has begun advertising for a new CEO of its Queensland branch
Long-serving Queensland executive Cameron Partington quit earlier this month after clashing with regulator Racing Queensland, opening up an application process to recruit his replacement.
The primary responsibilities of the role is assisting the state’s thoroughbred trainers regarding their racing and training needs, queries and membership matters.
The new executive will also be required to attend meetings with RQ, the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission and race clubs to advocate on behalf of ATA members.
The ATA is a national member-based organisation recognised as the principal representative of horse trainers in Australia except New South Wales which has its own organisation.
Tim Rowe
All clear for El Vencedor
After overcoming an injury scare earlier in the week, fortune has turned in favour of Kiwi gelding El Vencedor, drawing barrier one for Sunday’s HK$28 million Group 1 QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin
The four-time Group 1 winner by Shocking was treated for lameness in the left hind leg after arriving in Hong Kong and was restricted to light work until Tuesday morning, where he was passed suitable to complete trackwork at Sha Tin.
Ridden by Zac Purton, El Vencedor completed his final serious piece of work on Thursday morning, albeit after having a decent look at the vast surroundings at Sha Tin.
“All happy, it was good to have Zac on today to get a feel for him,” trainer Stephen Marsh said.
“He’s got a massive grandstand to look at here and it took him a little while to get going. Once he got going, he’s still not fully concentrating, but having that underway now, it should bring him on beautifully.
“It’s a pretty daunting experience, you’ve got big screens here, bigger than most houses, and the grandstands are nearly over the track. It’s good he’s had a look now and he’ll be all the better for it.”
Tariffs uncertainty stops Churchill Downs development
Churchill Downs, one of the United States’ most famous racetracks, will pause several on-track developments because of uncertainty created by President Donald Trump’s ever-changing policy of tariffs.
Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) said multi-year projects to develop The Skye, Conservatory and Infield areas would stop “due to the increasing uncertainty surrounding construction costs related to the Trump tariffs and trade disputes as well as current macro-economic conditions.”
The CDI said in the coming months it will assess the evolving economic landscape and evaluate any changes to the timing of the projects.
“The decision to pause the Skye Terrace and infield projects was a difficult one for us to make because we do not want to disappoint our fans; however, we have a responsibility to be disciplined given the recent changes in the economic environment,” Chief Executive Officer of CDI Bill Carstanjen said.
Renovations of the Finish Line Suites and The Mansion at Churchill Downs are expected to be complete by April 2026.
Tim Rowe
Straight Talk Podcast - Stallion fees, breeding stock sales, the Quokka and PVL future feat. Darley's Arvin Chadee and Inglis' Harry Bailey
In this week’s episode of Straight Talk, brought to you by Inglis and Darley, join hosts Bren O'Brien and Tim Rowe as they explore the setting of stallion fees ahead of the upcoming 2025 breeding season.
