The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of international racing news from the past week.
Apprentice dies after racetrack pile-up
Europe: French racing is mourning the death of 21-year old apprentice jockey Romane Brizard who died in hospital after receiving a blow to the head in a four-horse pile-up at Blain-Bouvron-Le Gave racecourse in the west of France.
Brizard worked for trainer Pierre Fertillet at Nozay near Nantes. She had ridden two winners in 2019 out of a career total of six from 92 rides dating back to 2015.
The incident involved three other jockeys. Tom Lefranc and Alexis Gautron both escaped without major injury, but Corentin Berge suffered a double fracture to the jaw.
Enable’s return is put back
Europe: Dual Arc winner Enable will miss her intended return to action at Royal Ascot in June and will be instead targeted at the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park on July 6.
The 2017 Epsom Oaks heroine has not been to the track since becoming the first Arc winner to follow up at the Breeders’ Cup in Kentucky last November, when she won her seventh G1 in the Longines BC Turf.
“Following a piece of work on the Limekilns [in Newmarket] this morning, both John Gosden and Frankie Dettori feel that Royal Ascot will come too soon for her,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Enable’s owner, Prince Khalid Abdullah. “Her main target remains the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.”
Enable’s 2018 campaign was also much delayed - she did not reappear until September before winning the Arc just over four weeks later.
William Buick sidelined
Europe: World #7 jockey William Buick has revealed he is suffering with ‘post head injury syndrome’ after being unseated going to post for a six-furlong handicap at Ascot on May 10.
The 30-year-old rode a full book of rides the next day, but he felt unwell that evening and on medical advice went himself to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for tests.
“That treatment is now ongoing, and I am undergoing further tests,” said Buick. “I am setting myself no time frame to return and the situation will be monitored on a weekly basis.
“It's extremely disappointing to be missing such an important part of the season but I need to be 100 per cent when I do return.”
Historical racing machines bring Churchill purse boost
North America: Churchill Downs will raise purse offerings 10.7 percent for the second half of its 38-day Spring Meet thanks to business from historical racing machines at Derby City Gaming.
Effective from Thursday (May 30), the Spring Meet's second condition book, which covers 183 races from Thursday through closing day on June 29, has a $1.1 million increase in overnight races above the Spring Meet’s record-breaking first condition book.
The growth has been driven by Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund money generated through handle on historical racing machines in Derby City Gaming's initial year of operation.
Allowance races will range from $97,000 to $104,000. Last year, purses paid during the 372-race Spring Meet totaled $22.2 million, or $585,000 daily.
All sold out: Roaring Lion is all the rage down under
Oceania: New Zealand's Cambridge Stud has closed the 2019 book for its star freshman sire, 2018 Cartier European Horse of the Year Roaring Lion.
“From the moment the horse was released to the market, the response from breeders in both New Zealand and Australia was immediate and we are now closing his book,” Cambridge Stud chief executive Henry Plumptre said.
“Bringing champion racehorses of the calibre of Roaring Lion and Almanzor into New Zealand, to stand alongside our champion international sire Tavistock, at very competitive service fees is a key component of our business model.”
Fastnet Rock mare is Magic Millions sale-topper
Oceania: G1-placed mare Missrock was the sale-topper on day 1 of the 2019 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale. The hammer fell at A$2.3 million for the 5-year-old daughter of Coolmore’s Fastnet Rock, with UK buyers John and Jake Warren - who oversee all Queen Elizabeth II’s racing and breeding interests - the successful bidders.
“I did the bidding on behalf of John and Jake Warren from the United Kingdom, obviously agents for the Queen, although I’m not sure this mare is for the Queen,” said Magic Millions’ Barry Bowditch. “They came out for the weanling sale and stayed around and looked at a few mares Friday and Saturday. Obviously they earmarked her as one of the mares of the sale."
Global Glamour topped the second day when selling to a syndicate headed by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for A$1.55 million. She was the sole seven-figure lot sold on day 2 after five mares reached A$1 million or more during the race fillies and mares session on Tuesday.
Elsewhere in global news …
North America: Retired jockey and trainer Frank Barroby has been named 2019 recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award, presented every year at Woodbine on Woodbine Oaks day (June 8 this year), recognising the recipient’s contributions to Canadian racing. More here
Europe: Shadwell has announced the launch of a new educational scholarship programme, which promotes employment and careers in the Thoroughbred breeding industry and will run in conjunction with Writtle University College (WUC) in Essex. The scholarships offer an entry point into the stud sector, combined with the chance to work with the future and current stars of racing. More here