The Straight Daily News – Eagle’s G1 wings clipped | An Australian Triple Crown? | Ka Ying complicates Everest slot process
Asian committee votes against Group 1 upgrade for Golden Eagle
Racing NSW has failed in a bid to have four Sydney races recognised as Group 1s after members of the Asian Pattern Committee (APC) rejected its submission, The Straight can reveal.
It is understood that the APC took a dim view of the submission for the $10 million Golden Eagle and the $3 million Russell Balding to hold Group 1 status by voting against the motion at a meeting on Thursday evening (AEST).
The principal racing authority (PRA) had also made the case for the Premiere Stakes, the last Sydney lead-up to The Everest, and the autumn’s Apollo Stakes to be upgraded from Group 2 to Group 1 status.
Those races were also denied international approval as Group 1 status by APC delegates.
Wings clipped – No G1 for Golden Eagle
The race for Australia’s own Triple Crown
The Triple Crown has been at the centrepiece of American racing for over a century but has been elevated even further in prominence thanks to the recent Netflix series. Could Australia follow suit with its own version, over sprint distances in the Sydney spring?
Triple threat – Sydney spring sprints could steal spotlight
How Ka Ying Rising has turned the Everest countdown into a waiting game
Two global racing superpowers will learn more about the strength of their homegrown Everest challenge when Wodeton and Tempted clash in a potential audition for a slot in the $20 million race.
The three-year-olds will meet for the first time since filling the minor placings in last season’s Golden Slipper when they contest the Group 2 Run To The Rose at Rosehill on Saturday.
Besides likely favouritism for the $1 million Golden Rose going on the line, best-case Everest plans for Coolmore and Godolphin will also be at stake.
The recognised world leaders as breeding and racing conglomerates, Coolmore and Godolphin, have yet to taste success in the race as slot holders.
Hold your horses – Ka Ying’s gives Everest slotholders pause for thought
Three Tasmanian stewards dismissed after betting inquiry
Tasracing has dismissed three stewards and stood down another after an integrity investigation found they had been betting on races.
Tasmanian racing’s regulator confirmed the three dismissals on Friday after the findings from an investigation by Tasmanian racing integrity commissioner, Sean Carroll.
It established that a number of racing stewards, including the acting chief thoroughbred steward, placed more than 200 bets across a two-and-a-half-year period.
According to a statement published by the ABC, Tasracing said two of the dismissals were for betting-related transgressions, while the third was for serious misconduct.
“Based on independent investigations and subsequent report findings provided by the Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner, TasRacing has dismissed three stewards due to inappropriate wagering activity or other misconduct and breaches of policy and/or rules,” a spokesperson said.
“One steward remains stood down while investigations continue.”
Carroll led an audit of betting accounts, which started in March, and discovered the transgressions.
The report revealed that most of the bets were made while the stewards were employed by the former Office of Racing Integrity, which was dissolved last year.
According to the ABC, some of the bets were placed on races that the stewards were officiating. The overall bet totals were $1400 for one steward and $275 for another.
Carroll confirmed there was no finding of any criminal conduct, breaches of law, collusion or race fixing, but said there was “the potential to compromise confidence in the integrity of racing, and that any form of wagering by stewards must be treated seriously”.
Million-dollar madness continues at Keeneland
An extraordinary first week of selling at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale has concluded with US$55 million more spent across the four days on Books 1 and 2 than over the same period last year.
All records have fallen across the four days with 53 $1 million-dollar lots, and US$316,201,500 spent at an average of US$445,355 and a median US$350,000.
Thursday’s action was highlighted by another $1 million yearling by Gun Runner, with Hip 969 selling to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm for US$1.55 million.
Colts by Flightline, Not This Time and Life Is Good sold for between US$1.25 million and US$1.4 million, while the top-priced filly sold for US$1 million to Hunter Rankin of Flying Dutchmen.
Australian Craig Rounsefell of Boomer Bloodstock spent US$75,000 and US$60,000 on a colt and a filly by Munnings and Early Voting together with American trainer Dan Blacker.
Meanwhile, Hip 1017, an Uncle Mo filly out of Australian-bred mare Behold The Queen, fetched US$300,000 to Faris Breeding.
“This market is a little surreal,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “It’s been consistent and just a good, healthy environment. Money was here right to the end and you have a great vibe for Book 3 as well.”
Book 3 begins on Saturday.
“The next wave of buyers are going to arrive for Book 3 and beyond, and people will still have to bid hard for the horses they really want. We’re grateful to everybody for being here and making it such a fun environment,” Lacy said.
Prebble’s prognosis remains unclear after spinal surgery
Tom Prebble’s recovery from a race fall at Warrnambool this week is expected to be slow, with the young jockey undergoing surgery on a spinal injury.
Prebble, the son of Group 1-winning jockey Brett Prebble and former hoop Maree Payne, was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital on Tuesday following the fall and he remains in the Intensive Care Unit.
“The fall has resulted in Tom dealing with extensive injuries. His recovery and rehabilitation will extend over a very long time,” a statement from the family said.
“Tom had major surgery to his spine on Tuesday night after trauma to T5 was identified. The surgery to stabilise his spine was successful and his doctors now advise he is on the road to recovery while the full extent of his injuries remains unclear.
“While we would like to provide more information to everyone at this time, the fact is the expert medical professionals treating Tom are not able to say what his outcome will be.
“We understand and sincerely appreciate the level of concern being expressed for Tom. We are grateful he is such a popular, respected and much-loved member of the Victorian jockey ranks after only entering our sport three years ago.”
The family has asked for Prebble’s privacy to be respected.
Asfoora strongly fancied to claim more Group 1 glory at The Curragh
Australia’s jetsetting sprinter Asfoora holds a clear call as favourite to secure a third northern hemisphere Group 1 when she heads to Ireland.
Asfoora, back to her absolute best in winning the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York at her most recent outing, will contest the Flying Five Stakes at The Curragh on Sunday.
She will have to do without trainer Henry Dwyer trackside but the mare’s travelling assistant Chenelle Ellis says everything is order for Asfoora to run well on Sunday.
“Her work’s been good, she looks amazing and I’m happy with the horse I’m going to take to Ireland on Sunday,” Ellis said from the sprinter’s Newmarket base.
Asfoora will be having her fourth start in a second international campaign after delivering on one of world racing’s biggest stages in winning the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot last year.
With her regular UK jockey Oisin Murphy committed to mounts in France on Sunday, Dwyer has called on Irish rider Dylan Browne McMonagle to partner his stable star.
Straight Talk Podcast – Troy Corstens, a possible Group 1 shake-up, Fastnet Rock and the future of Australian wagering
MIXI takes PointsBet holding beyond 60 per cent
MIXI’s offer for PointsBet has closed with the Japanese company taking its ownership of the Australian bookmaker beyond 60 per cent on the day the offer lapsed.
MIXI will confirm what its final shareholding of PointsBet will sit at after its $420 million-plus offer finishes at 7pm on Friday, but it still in a powerful position, announcing on Thursday that it had increased its shareholding by 8.5 per cent to 61.6 per cent.
Betr retains a 20 per cent shareholding but MIXI has said it won’t give the fellow corporate bookmaker a spot on the board and ruled out any further deals with the orchestrator of the hostile takeover.
MIXI already has a small presence in Australia through betM, but its controlling influence in PointsBet, which has over 5 per cent of the local digital market, makes it a much bigger player.
Australian-owned stayer Al Riffa puts Cup bona fides on line in Irish St Leger
Al Riffa, a recent purchase for syndicator Australian Bloodstock, will be out to enhance his Melbourne Cup claims in the Group 1 Irish St Leger on Sunday.
The Joseph O’Brien stayer shares the top line of St Leger betting with the Aidan O’Brien-trained Illinois. He is also equal favourite for the Melbourne Cup.
Al Riffa became the latest high-profile overseas addition to the Australian Bloodstock stable after winning the Group 2 Curragh Cup in July.
The Irish St Leger has been an invaluable guide to the Melbourne Cup since Vintage Crop completed a famous double in 1993.
More recently, Twilight Payment finished third in the race for Joseph O’Brien en route to giving the young trainer his second Melbourne Cup success in 2020.
Free Melbourne Form Previews, plus Price Assessments and Mounting Yard Mail
Saturday Results since July:
30.1 per cent POT, 158.5u profit
Juddmonte winner Ombudsman takes top global ranking
Ombudsman’s performance in the Group 1 Juddmonte International has powered him to the top of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
That victory was rated one point higher than Group 1 Travers Stakes winner Sovereignty, who is tied for second with Saudi Cup winner Forever Young and Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas/G1 St James’s Palace Stakes scorer Field Of Gold.
Delacroix’s second behind Ombudsman at York earned him a rating of 126, while Fierceness is at 125.
Also new to the rankings is Japanese-trained Byzantine Dream at 121, who defeated the 120-rated Sosie in the Group 2 Prix Foy.
Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois winner Diego Velazquez, Notable Speech and Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden winner Goliath are all rated 120.
Antino remains the highest-rated Australian horse of 2025 at 120.
James McDonald is well clear on the world’s leading jockey ranking on 128, well clear of Ryan Moore on 102.
New Zealand General Sires Table
Source: Arion.co.nz
