In today's Straight Shorts, Waikato Stud has found a new horse for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, Zac Purton has been passed fit to ride, Snitzel colt breaks through and Darley stallions have been to the fore in midweek racing.
I Wish I Win connection continues with Tivaci 3YO
New Zealand three-year-old Sought After is to head down a familiar route for Waikato Stud and continue his career in Australia, the NZ News Desk reports.
The homebred and raced son of Tivaci will cross the Tasman next week to join the Pakenham stable of Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
Sought After will be following in the footsteps of the Matamata farm’s star galloper I Wish I Win, who was recently retired following a glittering career.
More modest expectations will be in place with Sought After, who nevertheless has displayed an abundance of talent in his short career.
He posted two wins and a placing in six appearances for Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and off an interrupted preparation finished a gallant last-start fourth in The NZB Kiwi (1500m).
“He will follow the same pathway and go over to Peter and Katherine for a bit, between Lance and I we looked at things and there’s not many options here in the immediate future,” Waikato’s Mark Chittick said.
“All parties agreed that we would give him the opportunity over there and see whether he measures up.
Sought After is a son of the Savabeel mare Popular, whose dam is a sister to the ill-fated multiple Group One winner and successful sire Sacred Falls and remained in the stud’s ownership due to a pre-sale setback.
Purton receives medical clearance for return to saddle
Champion jockey Zac Purton has been cleared to resume riding but only unforeseen circumstances will see him secure a Hong Kong Derby mount.
Purton has been sidelined since early February because of a fractured toe.
He received a clearance to return to the saddle in trackwork and barrier trials from the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s chief medical officer on Tuesday.
But Purton’s chances of chasing a third Hong Kong Derby win are remote.
“There are a few jockeys flying in and if someone got sick or couldn’t make their flight then I’m available,” he told Giddy Up on SEN Track.
Purton will be reunited with Ka Ying Rising when Hong Kong’s best sprinter runs in the Group 2 Sprint Cup at Sha Tin on March 30.
Group 1 option for Congressman
Connections of promising Snitzel colt Congressman are already looking to the spring, but the two-year-old's first racing campaign may not be over.
The Chris Waller-trained colt won his maiden over 1350m at Wyong on Wednesday, having finished third behind Golden Slipper runner King Of Pop at Warwick Farm on debut, with consideration now being given by his managing owner Coolmore and the stable about what to do next with the $575,000 Inglis Easter sale graduate.
Congressman carries an entry for the Group 1 ATC Sires' Produce Stakes at Randwick in two-and-a-half weeks.
“He took time to wind up and then really hit the line, but I think he did the job well,” Waller's assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth told Sky Racing.
A late lunge from the outside Congressman, sees the 2YO colt break the maiden for @cwallerracing with @mcacajamez on board! 👏 pic.twitter.com/z3j47WqyU5
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 19, 2025
“I don't think this is necessarily the track that would suit him. I think he'd prefer a longer straight and more of a build-up than what you're afforded here, but still good to get the job done.
“He didn't really look entirely comfortable coming around that corner, but he just kept working through his gears and James got the timing spot on.
“Look, he'll be a beautiful miler as a three-year-old, and where we go from here, I guess, is up to Chris and the team, but it’s nice to get the job done, obviously, only on the second time of asking.”
Coolmore has Congressman's stablemate Wodeton in the Golden Slipper, with the Wootton Bassett colt the ruling favourite for Saturday's $5 million race.
Darley double
Too Darn Hot continues to dominate the second-season sire table with The Muffin Man giving the Darley stallion his 36th Australian winner of the season at Sandown.
The Muffin Man, trained by Charlotte Littlefield, led all the way in the 1400 metre maiden, ridden by Ethan Brown.
A homebred for Tony Ottobre, he is the second winner out of stakes-winning High Chaparral mare Jennifer Lynn.
The Muffin Man justifies the favourite tag for his maiden win at start no.4 in the opener at Sandown Hillside 💪@HayfieldsRacing @brown_ethan8 pic.twitter.com/PGRJOLZo4P
— Racing.com (@Racing) March 19, 2025
Darley is yet to confirm if Too Darn Hot, last season’s champion first-season stallion, will resume shuttling to Australia later this year.
Meanwhile, Darley barnmate Microphone also had a first crop three-year-old winner on Wednesday when the filly Amplify won a 1625m maiden at Wyong.
That filly, which raced in Dynamic Syndications colours, is trained by Ciaron Maher and is out of Group 2 winner Se Sauver. Microphone now has 15 winners from 42 runners.
Latest episode of The Debate with Bren O’Brien and Gareth Hall
Catch up 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.
Key topics on Wednesday’s episode included the appointment of a new chief executive for Thoroughbred Breeders’ Australia and an update on the looming Australian Turf Club members’ vote on the future of Rosehill.
Bren and Gareth also debated the three best races on offer during the Sydney autumn carnival and discussed potential innovations for racing.
Click below to listen to Wednesday’s episode.
TAB NZ continues to press casino case after $150 million deal rejected
TAB NZ continues to lobby to be granted one of 15 online casino licenses being offered in New Zealand despite being knocked back by the government
TAB NZ put forward a NZ$150 million offer in 2023 but that was rebuffed by the government. Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden told RNZ this week that there was no chance of the government changing course.
“Not under my watch. I don’t believe that the government should be involved in casino gambling. I look at the government trying to address the core services that people need in their lives and providing an online service for casino games is not what I think the government should be involved in,” she said.
According to RNZ, TAB NZ said it would like to be considered for a license and has asked for legislation to be reviewed.
TAB NZ, which was established under the Racing Act 2003, is a statutory monopoly for New Zealand sports betting, including betting on horse racing and greyhound racing. In 2023, it signed a 25-year agreement with Entain to operate its wagering services, in a deal worth over $1 billion.
