The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
Now National heroine Blackmore is closing in on jockeys’ title
Europe: “I don’t feel male or female right now. I don’t even feel human,” Ireland’s Rachael Blackmore said moments after becoming the first female jockey to win the Grand National.
Blackmore’s historic victory aboard Minella Times in the 173rd running of the Aintree showpiece comes 44 years after Charlotte Brew was the first woman to take part in the world's most famous steeplechase.
Blackmore once again teamed up with her compatriot, trainer Henry De Bromhead, who provided the 31-year-old with five of her six winning rides on her way to becoming the leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival just three weeks earlier, including Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle.
De Bromhead also trained the 100/1 runner-up in the National, Balko Des Flos, repeating a sequence he achieved in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Blackmore rode the second-place horse that time).
Blackmore said it has been “such a whirlwind” since winning the National, adding, “I just feel extremely lucky. It’s just such a special race and I’m so honoured to be able to put my name beside it.”
At the time of writing, Blackmore is just nine winners adrift of the currently sidelined Paul Townend in the race for the Irish jump jockey’s title, which would be another first for the relentless Irishwoman. The season ends on May 1.
Blackmore’s run of big-race successes may not be over even after the Irish season ends. The Racing Post has revealed that she has been snapped up by leading French trainer David Cottin to ride Ajas, one of the favourites for the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris on May 23.
What Rachael can do …
Oceania: While one female jockey was breaking new ground by winning the most famous race run in the Northern Hemisphere last Saturday, another was winning the most famous race that day in the Southern Hemisphere.
Of course, the Grand National is the biggest steeplechase in the world on any day, but G1 The Star Doncaster Mile, won by Godolphin’s Cascadian ridden by Jamie Kah at Randwick in Sydney (see video below), is a pretty big deal too. The highlight of the first Saturday of The Championships is the most valuable mile handicap in Australia, and it was the richest race in the world last week, worth more than even the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), won by the all-white Sodashi.
The Doncaster was the biggest win of Kah’s career so far. She is currently #31 in the TRC Global Rankings, the highest-ranked female jockey in the world.
Two horses die in backstretch blaze
North America: The New York Racing Association (NYRA) verified the death of two horses as the result of a fire on Tuesday night on the backstretch at Belmont Park. New York State Fire Marshall and Nassau County officials are investigating the cause of the blaze, which was not immediately clear.
NYRA said it responded to a barn fire at 18:05 and that 58 of the 60 horses under the care of trainers Wayne Potts and Jeffrey Englehart were safely evacuated. It added that, although there were no injuries to employees or barn staff, two of Potts’s horses died in the blaze.
“The tragic loss of both horses will be deeply felt by the hard-working women and men of the New York racing community, who dedicate themselves to the sport and to the care of these equine athletes,” said NYRA president Dave O'Rourke.
NYRA said the fire was confined to one barn and the Elmont Fire Department extinguished it and contained the scene within minutes.
Stud farms battle over Russian Camelot
Oceania: John Wheeler, managing owner of the recently retired Russian Camelot, has confirmed that the dual G1 winner will stay in Australia despite plenty of New Zealand stud farms expressing their interests.
“He will be going to an Australian stud, but I really want to leave it to the stud master to make the announcement, which he will do imminently,” Wheeler said. “We’re very happy. It is sorted through, and [we’re] delighted it has reached a conclusion.”
The Herald Sun reports that the frontrunner to secure the son of Camelot is New South Wales farm Widden Stud, whose roster includes champion sires Zoustar and Nicconi. Wheeler confirmed that the owners and trainer Danny O’Brien have all “retained an interest” in the horse, who has amassed AU$2.39 million for connections, winning four of 11 career starts.
“You always hope in your life that you might find a stallion,” Wheeler said. “He’s yet to be successful [as a stallion], but if he is successful, there’s no reason to think he won’t add something to the Australian Thoroughbred industry.”
Fans returning to NYRA tracks from next week
North America: NYRA says that it “looks forward to welcoming fans back to Belmont Park this spring and to Saratoga Racecourse this summer” after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state’s tracks can reopen at 20 percent capacity, starting on April 23.
Fans had been prohibited from attending New York tracks since the start of the pandemic. NYRA thanked Cuomo for the shift in policy, which put racing in line with all other outdoor sports in New York, and it will “announce ticketing options for fans once we further review the guidelines and protocols set forth”.
“NYRA has dearly missed the passion and excitement that fans bring to the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Today’s announcement by the Governor is one more indication that we are collectively moving toward a return to normalcy,” a statement said.
Star sprinter Bivouac off to stud
Oceania: Three-time G1-winner Bivouac has retired to stud a “happy and sound horse”, according to Godolphin trainer James Cummings. He ends a career that saw him accumulate seven victories, all at Stakes level and being named the IFHA’s world champion sprinter of 2020.
He joins his sire Exceed And Excel at Kelvinside, Darley’s Australian arm, on a 2021 roster that includes new European shuttlers Ghaiyyath, Pinatubo and Earthlight.
“He’s telling us that he’s now ready to head off to stud,” said Cummings. “Everything that he achieved is the hallmark of an absolute superstar and I think he’s capable of following in the footsteps of Exceed And Excel himself.
“He was his best son on the racetrack and hopefully he becomes his best son at stud. I am certainly going to look forward to training his progeny.”
A fee will be announced later.
Elsewhere in racing …
North America: Mighty Heart, winner of the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown in 2020, has been named Canada’s Horse of the Year. More here
Europe: The British Horseracing Authority and Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board have announced a new unified Anglo-Irish jumps weight-for-age scale. More here
Europe: A filly by Practical Joke topped this week’s Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale. More here
North America: Keeneland has catalogued 66 horses for its April Horses of Racing Age Sale. More here
North America: Fasig-Tipton has posted its 570-strong online catalogue for the Midlantic 2-Year-Olds Sale, on May 17-18. More here
North America: Graded Stakes winner Slim Shadey has passed away aged 13. More here