In today's Straight Shorts, a Group 1 winner has been retired from stud service, the BRC says cheers to extended sponsor deal, bookie defends non-payment action and Street Boss brings up his 1001st winner.
Golden Rose winner Denman retired from stud duties
Denman will return to his birthplace in the Hunter Valley amid a decision to retire the handsome stallion from stud duties.
Winner of the 2009 Group 1 Golden Rose when racing in Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley silks, Denman has stood at Twin Hills Stud since 2019.
He will spend his days at Woodlands Stud, the Hunter Valley property where he was foaled when it was owned by the Ingham family before it was part of a bloodstock and real estate sale to Sheikh Mohammed in 2008.
“Denman has been a lovely horse to stand at Twin Hills, since he arrived here in 2019,” the stud’s principal Olly Tait posted on social media.
“Godolphin have been great partners in the horse since then and it is fitting that he will return to live in retirement where he was born, at Woodlands at Denman.”
Denman has sired the winners of nearly $60 million in prize money with 18 stakeswinners to his credit.
BRC and XXXX toast long-term sponsorship with another five years
One of racing’s enduring corporate relationships is closing in on a milestone with the Brisbane Racing Club and XXXX agreeing to terms in a new sponsorship deal.
The BRC and Queensland’s best-known brewer have inked a new five-year contract through to June 2030 that will push their major partnership to 47 years.
XXXX is a long-term supporter of sport in Queensland and a BRC partner since 1983, with XXXX Doomben Cup day one of the highlights of the Queensland winter carnival.
To celebrate their strong, longstanding partnership, XXXX and BRC are creating Brisbane's ultimate sporting experience of Footy and Racing by opening the XXXX Sideline Beer Garden at Eagle Farm for one exciting day during The Star Stradbroke Season.
Open exclusively on Sky Racing Guineas day (3 May), the XXXX Sideline Beer Garden will combine the atmosphere of the NRL Magic Round with trackside action.
Luck of the Irish a bone of contention for big bookie
International wagering firm Ladbrokes says it stands by a decision not to settle a winning bet of almost €320,000 ($A567,000) on a stable jumps double in Ireland.
A year since Dylan Phelan placed a €30 each-way double on Rocky's Diamond in a maiden hurdle at Limerick and Diamond Nora in a mares' maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe on April 19, 2024, taking prices of 80-1 and 125-1, Ladbrokes have declined the stable employee on the basis both races remain under investigation.
Rocky’s Diamond returned a starting price of 22-1 while Diamond Nora saluted at 16-1.
Ladbrokes said it took integrity matters "extremely seriously" and that the approach taken is consistent with the bookmaker's terms and conditions.
"The (Irish Horse Racing Board) is conducting an ongoing investigation into these races and we are awaiting the outcome before settling bets related to this investigation," Ladbrokes said in a statement to the Irish Racing Post.
"When a sporting governing body is investigating the integrity of a sports event on which we have taken notable bets, we will await the outcome of those proceedings before settling bets relating to the matter under investigation.
"We take integrity matters in sport extremely seriously and our approach is entirely consistent with our terms and conditions and how we would approach any sports event under investigation."
In a statement, the IHRB confirmed that "winner all right was given on the day following both races" and that the investigation "is now nearing its conclusion and a decision will be taken shortly as to what further action, if any, will be taken".
It also confirmed Phelan, who works for trainer Declan Queally, was not the subject of said investigation.
"There's market movers the whole time and they moved a little bit, but Declan's horses have a big following and plenty could have latched on,” Phelan said.
"At the end of the day I placed a couple of bets and I got lucky, that's the bottom line."
1001st winner for Street Boss
Godolphin colt Green Spaces, a three-quarter brother to multiple Group 1 winner Trekking, broke his maiden in style for trainer James Cummings at Geelong on Wednesday.
The two-year-old, having his second start, resisted a late charge from the favoured Regal Award to prevail by 0.3l in a 1212-metre maiden.
Green Spaces proves too strong with a wire-to-wire maiden victory in the opener at Geelong 💪@godolphin @jyemcneil pic.twitter.com/yye6eFqmoy
— Racing.com (@Racing) April 23, 2025
He is the 1001st global winner for his sire Street Boss, and the fourth from his current Australia two-year-old crop, which also includes stakes winners Tempted and Tentyris.
Green Spaces is the seventh foal from Redoute’s Choice mare Outdoor, whose first foal was Trekking, a son of Street Cry.
Regally bred maiden makes an Impact
The Peter Snowden-trained two-year-old Impact Zone went some way to repaying his $575,000 purchase price, claiming a 900-metre maiden at Newcastle on Wednesday.
Wearing the China Horse Club colours as a member of the Newgate colt’s syndicate, Impact Zone, a graduate from the Rosemont draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, improved off his debut second to lead all the way under jockey Tom Sherry.
“He's got good ability. We've always seen that from what he's done at home and in the trials, but he’s a big gross colt, so it's taken a few runs for him to come to hand, but he's done a good job today and he's on that upward spiral,” stable representative Aaron Lau said.
Impact Zone goes all the way to take out the first at Newcastle! 💪@SnowdenRacing1 pic.twitter.com/6GFhteaWKH
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 23, 2025
The son of Exceed And Excel is the first foal to race from the Group 2 winning mare Gift Of Power, who was an $800,000 purchase for Rosemont Stud back in 2019.
She is a great-granddaughter of Group 1 winner Diamond Lover, the dam of elite-winning pair Don Eduardo and Tristalove and half-sister to Octagonal, Kaapstad and Mouawad.
Latest episode of The Debate with Bren O’Brien and Gareth Hall
Catch up via a podcast on the latest industry news with The Straight founder Bren O’Brien and Giddy Up’s Gareth Hall in their popular SEN Track segment, The Debate.
In this week’s episode, Bren and Gareth discuss the latest in the countdown to the $5 million Quokka at Perth’s Ascot racecourse on Saturday.
They also look ahead to Champions Day in Hong Kong where Mr Brightside and Royal Patronage contest the Mile while all eyes will be on Everest contender Ka Ying Rising.
Australia’s next generation of sires is also put under the microscope.
Click here for the latest episode.
