In today's Straight Shorts, a share in Newgate Farm's Extreme Choice has sold for $540,000, Domeland enterprise advertises for a new private trainer, O'Shea-Charlton two-year-old impresses, Group 1-winning jockey Daniel Moor injured.
Extreme Choice share sells for $540,000
A share in Newgate Farm’s Extreme Choice, statistically one of the best stallions in the world when it comes to producing Group 1 winners , has been sold for $540,000 via Inglis Digital.
The stallion share, which was offered by China Horse Club, was bought by Queensland-based Glenlogan Park and Steve Morley Bloodstock.
Extreme Choice is the sire of 14 stakes winners from 85 runners, with six of his progeny winning at Group 1 level including Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside and this season’s Blue Diamond winner Devil Night.
Each shareholder in the sub-fertile stallion, whose book is limited, is entitled to one nomination per season and is restricted to two covers per nomination per season.
It also does not carry any free returns and mares are vetted at Newgate Farm with the best candidate allocated the booking on the day.
Expressions of interest for new Domeland trainer
Domeland, the privately owned NSW Central Coast racing operation, is calling for expressions of interest for a new head trainer.
Owned by China’s YP Cheng, who made his fortune by making the toys for McDonald’s Happy Meals, Domeland’s racing team has been trained by Sara Ryan for the past three years.
Ryan will see out her contract until after the Queensland winter carnival before establishing herself as a public trainer from NSW provincial track Wyong.
Domeland has a 3000-metre grass track on its 260-acre private facility at Kulnura as well as another 35 boxes at Wyong, with the new head trainer to oversee both sites and work closely with a “dedicated team focused on long-term achievement”.
In advertising for a new trainer, Domeland says the ideal candidate will have proven experience in Australia or internationally, strong knowledge of race programming and welfare and bloodstock expertise including yearling selection and breeding.
Well-related Burn The Sky makes winning debut
Co-trainer Tom Charlton admitted to some misplaced caution after Burn The Sky, a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group 1 winner Mizzy, made a successful debut at Randwick.
Burn The Sky, a $250,000 Magic Millions purchase by Zoustar, made easy work of a heavy track in winning first-up over 1400m.
Bred and sold by Widden Stud, Burn The Sky is the first foal of Combat Queen, a two-time winning half-sister by Pierro to Canterbury Stakes winner Mizzy.
Burn The Sky is also closely related to Group 3 winner She’s Got Pizzazz, who is also by Zoustar.
“I wasn't sure personally whether she could win on debut as she is a very big scopey filly as you would have seen,” Charlton said.
“So I think whatever she can achieve this campaign, she's no doubt going to be a much better three-year-old.”
🔥🌅Burn The Sky (Zoustar x Combat Queen) didn’t just win on debut, she burned her rivals and showed them how it’s done late. The sharp 2YO filly jumped cleanly to take up a perfect box seat on the @aus_turf_club Kensington track, before slicing through on the inside to score by… pic.twitter.com/hwAzxkaPud
— O'Shea & Charlton Racing (@JohnOSheaRacing) May 14, 2025
Widden has retained a share in the filly who is also raced by prominent owner Ron Finemore, a long-time stable client of the John O’Shea-Charlton stable.
Meanwhile, Justify filly Just A Journey built on her promising record in an earlier two-year-old division in Sydney.
A $400,000 Magic Millions purchase sold by Kia Ora Stud, Just A Journey made it two wins from three starts for trainer Michael Freedman.
Prize money increases, calendar changes for NZ winter meetings
Prize money will be increased and Ruakaka will take on greater importance later in the season under a newly unveiled winter schedule released by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
The revamped calendar will see the return of Whangārei Racing Club’s 2025 Winter Championships at Ruakaka Racecourse on Saturday, June 28. The meeting will feature five $60,000 finals, providing strong incentives for connections targeting progressive winter horses.
The first round of qualifying races for the Winter Championships begins this Saturday at Ellerslie.
In other changes, Taranaki’s Listed Opunake Cup meeting at New Plymouth Raceway receives a significant lift, with the feature race worth $120,000 and the winner earning a ballot exemption into the $110,000 Group 3 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton Park.
The season ends with a reinvigorated Taumarunui Cup day, hosted by Taumarunui Racing Club at Te Rapa Racecourse on Saturday, July 26. The Taumarunui Cup (2200m) stake doubles to $100,000. The 1300m Open Handicap also increases to $50,000 and the 1400m 3YO SW+P to $55,000, with total stakes for the day hitting $350,000.
“These enhancements are a positive step for winter racing,” NZTR CEO Matt Ballesty said.
“They provide better structure for participants, increase opportunities at key points in the season and support clubs that are looking to grow their raceday offerings.”
The Oaks Stud flying U S Navy Flag
U S Navy Flag will stand for a fee of NZ$12,500 (plus GST), with the son of War Front leading New Zealand’s The Oaks Stud’s 2025 stallion roster.
US Navy Flag is the sire of 58 individual southern hemisphere-bred winners from three crops of racing age, his best offspring being Group 2 winner The Pendragon.
Savabeel’s Group 1-winning son The Chosen One, whose first crop are yearlings, will stand at an unchanged fee of NZ$4000 while Roc De Cambes will stand for NZ$3000.
AUSTRAC ups ante to fight financial crime
The Australian finance sector, including gambling operators, faces further regulatory scrutiny with AUSTRAC expanding its intelligence partnership with Fintel Alliance.
Fintel Alliance, first established in 2017, connects experts from major financial institutions as well as wagering service providers, with law enforcement and security agencies in Australia and overseas.
It is regarded as a world-leading public-private partnership where members and law enforcement work together and share data in real-time to target serious crime.
AUSTRAC chief executive Brendan Thomas said the Intelligence Division’s Fintel Alliance has been so productive that the agency will now make its collaborative data analytics hub a central function.
“Together, we are able to do much more than any of us could do alone. Fintel Alliance members are working in partnership to fight financial crime – pooling data, sharing insights, and targeting major threats to strengthen financial systems and law enforcement action.” Mr Thomas said.
“This has generated real intelligence across a range of serious crimes including money laundering, child sexual exploitation, domestic violence, tax evasion, fraud and illegal phoenixing.
“For example, late last year we worked with our partners using the collaborative data analytics hub.
“We obtained all cash deposit transaction data under $10,000 from the four largest banks and jointly looked for criminal patterns. We had more than 50 million data points.”
Gambling has become a key area for anti-money laundering enforcement from AUSTRAC.
Jockey Daniel Moor in hospital after Bendigo incident
Group 1-winning jockey Daniel Moor has suffered a suspected hip injury after the jockey was dislodged from a horse while on his way to the barriers at Bendigo.
Moor was tossed from Moonraker before the running of the fifth race at the Victorian regional track on Wednesday.
Medical staff treated the 40-year-old four-time Group 1 winner on course before he was taken to hospital.
"After an incident on the way to the gates, Dan Moor is to be transported to hospital for scans. Complaining of hip pain," the Victorian Jockeys' Association said in a statement.
