The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
Jamie Kah banned for three months
Oceania: Four jockeys, including Jamie Kah, the world’s leading female rider, have been suspended for three months for a Covid breach in Victoria and will miss the entire Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Kah, the reigning Victoria Metropolitan champion jockey and current world #30 in the TRC Global Rankings, along with Ben Melham (world-ranked #45), Ethan Brown and apprentice Celine Gaudray, received the ban and fines from Racing Victoria stewards for attending a house party past the 9pm greater Melbourne curfew on Wednesday night.
In a statement on Friday morning, police said, “Officers were called to the property on Tallis Drive following reports of a noise complaint about 11.50pm. Upon arrival officers located six people inside, all allegedly outside their 5km radius and in breach of curfew.
“All have been issued with a $5,452 infringement notice for breaching Chief Health Officer directions.”
Kah, who would have had high hopes for the carnival after her outstanding 2020-21 season, was due to ride the G1 Memsie Stakes favourite Behemoth at Caulfield on the first day of the carnival on Saturday, while Melham was booked on Beau Rossa.
Kah said on Twitter, “I am deeply embarrassed and disappointed with myself. There is no excuse for what I have done and I have let myself down, my family and friends, the racing industry and all Victorians who are doing the right thing in this lockdown.
“I deserve the penalty handed down by the stewards and will take the time to reflect on my actions and its impact on so many people.”
Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson said, “The alleged behaviour of these four jockeys is a slap in the face to every member of the racing industry that has worked incredibly hard to protect the sport and the community while continuing to race since Covid restrictions were first introduced in March 2020.
“These individuals could have put at risk the very continuance of our sport and also blatantly disregarded the broader community implications through their selfish and thoughtless actions.”
Pierro to be Winx’s next mate
Oceania: The great mare mare Winx, who lost her first foal - by I Am Invincible - last October, is to be mated with Coolmore stallion Pierro for the upcoming breeding season, her owners announced.
The 25-time G1 winner has been given a sustained period of rest to recover after she gave birth to a still-born despite a normal pregnancy. “She has been enjoying life on the farm with some friends while she is preparing to go back to the breeding barn this spring,” the owners said in a statement.
Pierro, who stands for AU$110,000, is the sire of several top performers and has regularly featured in the top 20 in the TRC Global Sires’ Rankings. On the track, he won the Sydney juvenile triple crown in 2012 as well as two more G1s at 3. He was placed in the 2013 Cox Plate - two years before Winx won the first of her four runnings of the most important middle-distance race in the Southern Hemisphere.
TRC readers voted Winx their World Horse of the Decade in 2019. She is currently the all-time highest-earning racehorse in the world.
Spendthrift snaps up Known Agenda
North America: G1 Florida Derby winner Known Agenda has been retired from racing and will enter stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2022, the farm announced.
The 3-year-old homebred for St Elias Stables will stand for an introductory fee of $10,000, with a stands and nurses guarantee, and will be offered through the farm’s Share the Upside program on a limited basis.
“Any time you can add a Florida Derby winner by Curlin with his looks and pedigree, you jump at the opportunity. Known Agenda ticks an awful lot of boxes, and the Florida Derby has produced a lot of very good sires, especially in recent history,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager.
Surge in handle for Queen’s Plate day
North America: Safe Conduct’s triumph in Sunday’s historic Queen’s Place, the first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, produced the second-highest wagering handle in the event’s history.
A total of $16,122,170 was wagered on the 13-race card, including $3,491,564 on The Queen’s Plate. The total handle is second-only to the 2019 total of $18,005,973 and tops the 2020 handle of $14,532,678 by 11 percent.
Prize money boost for Jockey Club racecourses
Europe: Prize money at the Jockey Club’s racecourses in Britain will return to pre-pandemic levels for the fourth quarter of 2021, British Racing’s largest commercial group announced.
Among the major races affected are:
- Darley Dewhurst Stakes – advertised as £450,000, now £500,000
- bet365 Fillies Mile – advertised as £450,000, now £500,000
- Together for Racing International Cesarewitch Handicap advertised as £180,000 now £250,000
- Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes – advertised as £225,000, now £250,000
Elsewhere in racing …
North America: The Jockey Club has announced the election of six new members: Gayle Benson, Dr Jeffrey Berk, Drew Fleming, Kevin Lavin, Anthony Manganaro, and Adam Wachtel. More here
Europe: After the humiliating defeat by Ireland (23 wins to 5) at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, a jump-racing advisory group has recommended that Britain considers launching a valuable race meeting along the lines of Ireland’s Dublin Racing Festival, which takes place a month before Cheltenham. More here
North America: Grey Swallow, winner of the 2004 Irish Derby for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen, has died in Virginia aged 20. He also won a G2 at Hollywood Park and later stood as a stallion in Australia and at Calumet Farm in Kentucky. More here
Europe: The ban on jockeys riding at more than once meeting a day is to continue through 2022, it was announced. More here
Europe: Hamilton Park racecourse in Scotland - next meeting Friday August 27 - has been given official approval to return to normal operating capacity of 12,500 for the remaining fixtures of the 2021 season. More here