In today's Straight Shorts, a Harry Angel colt has delivered a breathtaking pinhook result for Temerity Park, MIXI ups its offer for PointsBet, Philia favoured to extend sequence and another winner for Peltzer.
Manfred Man snaps up $525,000 Harry Angel colt
Hong Kong trainers have bought two of the three highest-priced yearlings on the final day of the Magic Millions National Sale on the Gold Coast.
In a stunning pinhook result for Temerity Park, who paid a paltry $1500 for him as a weanling, Manfred Man paid $525,000 for a colt by Darley sire Harry Angel, also the sire of unbeaten Everest contender Private Harry, from the Alma Vale Thoroughbreds draft on Tuesday.
His Sha Tin training peer Michael Chang bought a colt by Churchill for $170,000 during the same session from Taghadoe Stud while Baramul Stud sold a filly by Extreme Choice for $180,000.
In all, 23 yearlings were credited as being bought by Hong Kong buyers, while owners from China (11), Philippines (23), South Korea (11), Malaysia (13) and Thailand (13) were also active.
An incredible result for @AlmaValeTB and their client Temerity Park. Their $1,500 pin-hook by Harry Angel today selling for $525,000 at the National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast. The colt is bound for Hong Kong! #MMNational2025 pic.twitter.com/Ha9AM1p6E4
— Magic Millions (@mmsnippets) June 3, 2025
Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud also sold the National Sale’s highest-priced yearling, a colt by Extreme Choice, for $850,000 to Yulong on Monday.
The National Yearling Sale grossed $10.563 million at an average of $38,593 and a median of $22,000. The clearance rate also improved from day one, to be at 75 per cent.
Magic Millions National Yearling Sale stats
PointsBet in halt as MIXI ups offer to $402 million
PointsBet shares entered a trading halt on Tuesday ahead of an announcement that MIXI had upped its offer for the publicly listed wagering company by $49 million.
MIXI confirmed its offer was now $1.20 a share, a 13 per cent uplift in its original offer of $1.06. Trading in shares in PointsBet were frozen after last trading at $1.08.
Shareholders will vote on the MIXI proposal at a meeting on June 25.
But MIXI has also indicated even if shareholders don’t support the acquisition, it intends to pursue an off-market takeover of PointsBet.
PointsBet also entered due diligence on a counter offer from betr last month, which it conceded could possibly be expected to lead to a superior proposal to that originally offered by MIXI.
Betr increased its bargaining position for an acquisition after securing 19.9 per cent of PointsBet shares in late April.
Philia holds Queensland Oaks favouritism from wide barrier
A capacity field accepted for the Queensland Oaks with the David Vandyke-trained Philia rated the filly beat after an impressive rise through the ranks.
Philia has drawn barrier 16 for the Group 1 race as she bids for her fifth successive victory since leaving maiden grade in February.
The daughter of All Too Hard is a $3.50 chance with most Australian bookmakers and holds favouritism over the Australasian Oaks winner Benagil.
In winning the Group 2 The Roses, Philia finished almost seven lengths ahead of Benagil who will start from barrier five in the Oaks.
The Eagle Farm meeting on Saturday is being billed as 'Super Saturday' with the Group 1 Queensland Derby and Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup added to the card after they were washed out last weekend.
Buccleuch provides Twin Hills’ Peltzer with second winner
Promising juvenile Buccleuch has provided Twin Hills Stud sire Peltzer with a second first-crop winner.
Taking on older horses, Buccleuch made short work of his rivals in breaking through at Echuca to confirm the merit of a city placing against his own age at Flemington last month.
Buccleuch races in the Tait family’s famous red silks and is trained by Patrick and Michelle Payne.
Buccleuch, a first crop 2yo by Peltzer, gives the older horses a lesson and justifies the short price in breaking his maiden at Echuca.
— Twin Hills Stud (@TwinHillsStud) June 3, 2025
An impressive win for a very promising horse.
Peltzers…they’re belters!pic.twitter.com/WJceLsDdUy
Peltzer is a son of So You Think who is one of four resident stallions at Olly Tait’s Twin Hills Stud with the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes winner standing for $11,000 (incl GST) next season.
Buccleuch is the second winner from stakes-placed Fastnet Rock import Golden Fastnet.
Invincible mating for Pride Of Jenni
Reigning Australian Horse of the Year Pride Of Jenni will be retired and served by I Am Invincible in the spring.
Owner Tony Ottobre and the Mitchells of Yarraman Park, home to I Am Invincible, confirmed the prized mating on Tuesday, just hours after consideration was being given to racing her on as an eight-year-old.
“I did look at the top stallions that were already here and I Am Invincible came up as a really good cross with her line of Street Cry, but also the fact that it’s doubling to a superstar broodmare, Eljazzi,” Ottobre said.
“Eljazzi being the mother of Rafha, being the mother of Invincible Spirit. And Eljazzi, who’s the mother of Al Anood, who’s the mother (her sire) Pride Of Dubai.”
Trained by Ciaron Maher, Pride Of Jenni was unplaced in the Doomben Cup on May 24 at her 39th start.
.@ghall27 and Tony Ottobre discuss Pride Of Jenni's future.
— SENTrack (@SEN_track) June 2, 2025
Will she go to the King Charles in the Spring?@bet365_aus | @SENGiddyUp pic.twitter.com/GDOAF18Q6e
Ottobre will have a strong hand in the Queensland Oaks with Jenni’s Meadow sharing the second line of betting after an eye-catching placing in a Group 2 lead-up race.
Deadline looms for Super Seth bookings
Applications from breeders to send mares to Waikato Stud’s Super Seth, the sire of three Group 1 winners from just two crops of racing age, will close on Wednesday.
After a breakout autumn, with Feroce winning the Group 1 Australian Guineas, Linebacker winning the Group 1 Randwick Guineans and La Doradao winning the Manawatu Sires’ in New Zealand, Waikato Stud increased Super Seth’s fee to NZ$75,000 (plus GST).
Studmaster Mark Chittick is taking bookings on an application basis, with mare submissions closing at 5pm NZ time on Wednesday.
To apply, click https://waikatostud.com/super-seth-applications/
Drought aid for retired SA thoroughbreds
Racing SA has announced a drought relief assistance package to provide support for the care of retired thoroughbreds in the current climate of rising feed costs and lack of available pasture due.
The package is available for Racing SA licensed participants, Racing SA acknowledged retrainers and Racing SA affiliated horse sanctuaries that directly care for retired South Australian registered thoroughbreds.
Successful applicants will receive $300 per thoroughbred up to a maximum of $6000 per applicant, and funding is to be used for the provision of feed, hay or silage only.
Retired thoroughbred owners who are not eligible for the drought relief assistance package but are under financial stress may apply to Racing SA’s Thorough Care team for emergency assistance.
Racing SA is implementing the assistance package through its equine welfare department Thorough Care SA.
Other ongoing Thorough Care initiatives include retired racehorse assistance packs, rehoming pathways post-racing, emergency aid, exclusion lists, clinics, education, sponsorship and events.
Apsley Cup meeting moved from Edenhope to Casterton
The Apsley Cup meeting, a traditional King’s Birthday weekend fixture in Victoria staged annually at Edenhope, has been switched to Casterton.
Racing Victoria said Sunday’s meeting had been transferred because the Edenhope track was not suitable for racing.
Stewards and the regulator’s racing operations team made the call to move the Aspley Racing Club’s once-a-year meeting after a Tuesday inspection.
