The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
New Covid vaccine controversy hits Australian racing
Oceania: World #25 jockey William Pike, who has refused to be vaccinated against coronavirus, is relocating from Western Australia to Sydney because New South Wales is the only state in the country that doesn’t insist on active riders being inoculated.
The situation has become another Covid controversy in Australia, where authorities are still under fire for their apparent mishandling of the Novak Djokavic saga, in which the unvaccinated world #1 was prevented from defending his Australian Open tennis title in Melbourne.
Pike, who cannot ride in his home state after February 5, when the vaccine mandate kicks in, has a huge following in Western Australia and has dominated racing in the Perth area for some years. There are fears his departure may lead to a decline in betting revenues there, with some fans watching his progress on the other side of the country.
Sydney has one of the hottest jockey colonies on the planet, led by current world #1 James McDonald and former #1 Hugh Bowman, but many are predicting that Pike wil be more than capable of holding his own. He says he has already received pledges of support from Godolphin, Annabel Neasham and the team of Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, for whom he has already achieved G1 success in sojourns to Melbourne.
Pike’s vaccine hesitancy stems from a bad reaction to a flu shot about 20 years ago. “I’m not an anti-vaxxer,” he sold racenet.com.au. “Obviously straight away I get branded an anti-vaxxer, [but] it’s up to everyone what they do. I’m not saying people shouldn’t have it, I’m not saying people should have it.”
It remains to be seen how long he continues to ride in New South Wales – there is speculation that it too may introduce a vaccine mandate at some stage.
Saudi call for Eclipse nominee Pyfer
Eclipse Award nominee Jessica Pyfer, a rising star of the weighing room in the U.S., has been confirmed to ride in the prestigious stc International Jockeys Challenge on the eve of the $20 million Saudi Cup next month.
Pyfer, 23, who began riding only in September 2020, notched 59 winners from 557 rides in her second full season in 2021, amassing prize money of $2.8 million. Her achievements in such a short time have seen her nominated for the Champion Apprentice Eclipse Award.
Pyfer said: “I am super excited. It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’ve only been race-riding for about a year and a half and have never competed outside of the U.S., so for an opportunity like this to come along is pretty cool.
“I’ve spoken to Mike Smith, who I know has ridden in Saudi a lot, and he just told me that I’ll have the time of my life, so I couldn’t be more excited.”
Argentinian rider Andrea Marinhas, 40, who began her career in the U.S. and is now based between the States and her homeland, has also been confirmed for the challenge. She currently has 94 career wins to her name, with 15 coming this season, 11 in Argentina and four in the U.S.
Marinhas said: “My season has been great. I lead the national and La Plata racecourse female jockeys’ statistics with 18 winners and an 18 percent strike rate, so it’s great to get some international recognition. The opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best in Saudi is massive for me.”
Pyfer and Marinhas are the second and third female jockeys confirmed to ride in the IJC on February 25, after the UK’s Hayley Turner, and will be joined by a further four female riders.
Seven male jockeys – five international and two home-based riders – will make up the 14 strong IJC field, with last year’s winner Shane Foley and Australia’s Glen Boss already confirmed.
The event features four $400,000 handicaps, with a further $100,000 for the challenge itself and riders receiving 15 percent of prize money won.
First foal for Authentic
North America: Spendthrift Farm’s reigning Horse of the Year, Authentic, sired his first reported foal on Sunday when a colt, out of the Old Fashioned mare Streak Of Luck was born at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky.
“This is a really nice foal out of a maiden mare. Correct, nice body, good angles, athletic-looking and healthy. We are very happy,” said Taylor Made’s Frank Taylor.
Streak Of Luck was one of eight mares in foal to Into Mischief’s Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic-winning son that sold for half a million dollars or more.
Now the Charltons join the father-and-son line-up
Europe: Roger and Harry Charlton are the latest father-and-son operation in Britain to take out a joint training licence.
Based at Beckhampton in Wiltshire in Southern England since 1990, when taking over from Jeremy Tree, Roger Charlton has trained close to 1,500 winners, including a Derby winner with Quest For Fame in his first year with a licence, which also saw him win the French Derby with Sanglamore.
The Charltons follow father-son operations John and Thady Gosden, Ed and Simon Crisford, Mark and Charlie Johnston and Paul and Oliver Cole in joining forces for the purpose of maintaining a high level of business and day-to-day personal involvement.
“I felt it was time to appreciate the hard work that Harry puts into the operation, having been working in the yard since 2014,” said Charlton Snr. “He is an integral member of the team and, at the age of 36, he deserves to be recognised in an industry that values youth. Beckhampton shall carry on as usual. It is a family business and Harry has been a great help to Clare and I.”
Large supplementary list for F-T sale
North America: Fasig-Tipton has catalogued an additional 49 supplemental entries to its 2022 Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, to be held on February 7 and 8 at its Lexington auction house.
The highlights of these latest entries, which are catalogued as hips 500-548, include Vacay, a 4-year-old daughter of Not This Time and a stakes winner at 2; Wink Texas, a stakes-placed 4-year-old filly from the family of G1 winners Seventh Street, American Gal, and Authentic; Eloquent Speaker, a New York-bred daughter of Flatter from the immediate family of multiple G1 winner Behrens; and Brilliant Cut, a 4-year-old daughter of Speightstown.
Fasig-Tipton will continue to accept approved supplemental entries through the end of the month. These entries may now be viewed online and will also be available in the Equineline sales catalogue app.
Breeders’ Cup winner Structor off to Japan
Asia: A deal to purchase 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Structor for an unidentified Japanese farm has been confirmed by Ramiro Restrepo’s Marquee Bloodstock Agency via Twitter.
“What a ride, from pinhooking him with Joe [Pickerrell] to the Breeders’ Cup experience, and now to stud duty,” Marquee Bloodstock posted on Twitter. It went on to thank the 5-year-old’s owners, Jeff Drown and Don Rachel, as well as world #2 trainer Chad Brown.
Bred by Three Chimneys Farm, the son Palace Malice was bought by Restrepo’s operation for $160,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Gainesway’s consignment and pinhooked at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Agent Mike Ryan bought Structor at OBS for $850,000 from Pick View’s consignment.
Hugo Palmer plays down Michael Owen stable rumours
Europe: Classic-winning trainer Hugo Palmer has stated that “no decisions have yet been made” about the possibility of him taking over from Tom Dascombe at Manor House Stables in Cheshire in North West England.
Addressing reports seemingly confirming his move to the stables, owned by ex-soccer star Michael Owen, Palmer, told his 6,338 Twitter followers, “This is not the case. Discussions continue and are at an advanced stage but no decisions have yet been made.”
Palmer – the eldest son of hereditary peer Adrian Palmer, the 4th Baron Palmer - currently trains from Kremlin Cottage Stables in Newmarket, where he sent out Galileo Gold to win the 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2016.
Dascombe and Owen enjoyed a 12-year association at the Cheshire yard until a surprise parting of ways was announced in December. Palmer saddled 54 winners in Britain last term, highlighted by Ebro River’s victory in the G1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.
New Head of Sales at Goffs UK
Europe: Bernard Condren will be joining the Goffs UK as Head of Sales on February 7. A well-known figure in the racing and breeding industry, Condren comes to Goffs UK following an 11-year career with Racing TV.
He has worked as part of the Goffs team for over 20 years, bid-spotting in 2000 and making his debut as an auctioneer in 2006.
Elsewhere in racing …
Europe: The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s flat stallion parade will return to Tattersalls in Newmarket on February 3 after a 2-year hiatus. More here
North America: Special Reserve has been named as the HBPA Claiming Horse of the Year. More here
North America: Keeneland will hold its April Horses of Racing Age Sale following the final race on April 29, closing day of the spring meet. More here