Straight up – Retirements, resignations and … Robert

The racing career of a thoroughbred is a precarious thing. One minute a racehorse is at its peak, powering to win after win, and then suddenly, it is consigned to the history books. In the best of those circumstances, it is retired to a life in the breeding barn or in the paddock.

She might be rising six, but Imperatriz was barely here before she was gone. It is only 54 weeks since her first Australian win and in that time she went on a whirlwind, with six Group 1 sprint wins in Melbourne.

Only three horses in Australian racing history have won more Group 1 races than Imperatriz (five) has this season, Winx (three times), Weekend Hussler and Kingston Town.

The next stage of her career is as an extremely valuable broodmare but to get there, she must first go through a public sale, as is Te Akau Racing’s policy. The first question is who will sell her? The second is, for how much?

‘Up for grabs’ – Battle to sell Imperatriz on after star mare’s sudden retirement

David Ellis says it will be up to the three major auction houses in Australia and New Zealand to make a case for selling Te Akau Racing’s retired star Imperatriz.

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Given her profile and pedigree there is a chance that she could eclipse the Australasian record for a broodmare, which stands at $5 million – Milanova in 2008. This after a week when we saw the record price for an Australian yearling smashed at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

On the same day Imperatriz was retired, so too was the horse who ended her six race Australian-winning streak, Cylinder.

The three-year-old Newmarket Handicap winner was always destined for Darley’s stallion barn. However, there was a slight surprise when the international breeding powerhouse confirmed he would stand at Northwood Park in Victoria and not Kelvinside in the Hunter Valley.

Newmarket winner Cylinder retired, set to stand for Darley in Victoria

Newmarket Handicap winner Cylinder has been retired from racing and will stand for Darley in Victoria in 2024.

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While we are on the bloodstock game, the absence of Yulong from the buyers’ sheet at the Easter Yearling Sale this week was notable, with their days of pursuing an aggressive acquisition strategy perhaps coming to an end. It will be interesting to see if they are in the mix for Imperatriz.

But that absence was an opportunity for several other major players, including the Newgate/China Horse Club colts syndicate, which spent up in a way that it never has before at Easter.

Yulong’s notable Easter absence opens up market opportunities for others

While much was made about the new faces bidding at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale this week, what was also notable was the absence of the biggest investors in Australian racing over the past five years.

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Victoria Racing Club CEO Steve Rosich has announced his resignation, with suggestions he is about to return to a club job in the AFL. He will stay on until a replacement is found.

Rosich has overseen a turbulent four years at the VRC, where the pandemic played havoc with the club’s finances, while it recently opted to do a six-year broadcast deal with the Nine Network.

Steve Rosich steps down as Victoria Racing Club chief executive

The Victoria Racing Club is on the hunt for a new CEO after Steve Rosich’s resignation.

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Saturday’s racing is expected to see Orchestral crowned Australasia’s champion three-year-old filly when she contests the ATC Australian Oaks at Randwick.

Co-trainer Roger James is a familiar name to Australian racing fans, but what about his training partner Robert Wellwood? He caught up with The Straight’s Warwick Barr and talked about how he dodged a career in banking to follow his passion for horses.

Success by degrees: Kingsclere stars shine spotlight on Wellwood

Robert Wellwood, an integral part of the team behind New Zealand filly Orchestral, studied for a career in banking before deciding numbers couldn’t match his passion for racing.

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It has been a big week of news in the wagering world, with Bluebet and betr confirming they will merge by July, uniting two behemoths of the Australian wagering scene, Matthew Tripp and Michael Sullivan.

The new company will aim to take ground off powerful troika Sportsbet, Tabcorp and Ladbrokes in terms of market share and become the fourth pillar of the Australian corporate bookmaking scene.

Tripp, Sullivan to join forces as betr and BlueBet merger confirmed

Wagering companies betr and BlueBet will merge in a bid to compete with Australia’s biggest bookmakers.

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On the same, key betr customer Betmakers announced it had acquired Wagering data and technology provider RACELAB.

Betmakers acquires RACELAB, renegotiates betr deal

Wagering data and technology provider RACELAB has been acquired by Betmakers, which also announced a significant change with its deal with bookmaker betr.

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It’s the end of another busy week of reporting and analysis for The Straight and we hope you are enjoying what we are covering. If there is a story you think we are missing or should be across, don’t hesitate to contact editor@thestraight.com.au.

Enjoy your racing weekend!

Regards

Bren O’Brien    

Managing Editor and Founder

The Straight