The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
France Galop’s new deal with Qatar
Europe: France Galop and Qatar have extended their wide-ranging commercial partnership, which includes the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Prix du Jockey Club and the Arabian World Cup.
The new agreement deal will run until the 2027 running of Europe’s richest race.
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) began its sponsorship of the Arc in 2008 and, at the end of an initial 5-year contract, signed up for a further ten years in 2012, which would have, of course, concluded after this year’s race.
QREC president Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi called the “long-standing, yet ever-developing” partnership a “journey of exemplary success and mutual benefit over the years”, adding that they are “confident more successes are ahead”.
The new agreement also ties in Qatar's sponsorship of the Prix du Jockey Club, which began in 2021, as well as October’s €5 million Arc and the €1m Qatar Arabian World Cup.
The 2021 Arc, the 100th running of the ParisLongchamp showpiece, was won by 72/1 German raider Torquator Tasso. Despite the shock result and the heavy ground, that race was this week named as the Longines World’s Best Race of 2021. It is unlikely to be at the top of the TRC Global Rankings best races of the year when they are revealed next month.
More acclaim for Knicks Go
Europe: Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and TRC world #1 Knicks Go, who was named TRC’s World Dirt Horse of 2021 earlier this month, was also crowned the Longines World’s Best Racehorse of the year in an online presentation this week.
Unlike the computer-generated TRC standings, which are based on a horse’s body of work, the Longines list depends entirely on whichever performance the IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities) handicappers agree is its best, no matter what else it did or didn’t achieve.
TRC’s World Turf Horse of the Year, St Mark’s Basilica, was rated 2lbs below Knicks Go by the IFHA panel, making it joint second along with Adayar and Mishriff, who are both ranked much lower in the TRC Global Rankings.
Lifetime achievement award for Mack
North America: Earle I Mack will be this year’s recipient of Eclipse Award of Merit, which is awarded to an individual displaying outstanding lifetime achievement in the industry.
The 83-year-old real estate mogul and former US ambassador to Finland will receive the award at the 51st annual Eclipse Awards ceremony on February 10 at Santa Anita.
“This is a distinct honour,” said Mack. “Since college I have devoted my life to the equine industry. I love the horse. I love our veterans who have fought hard for the survival of our freedoms and the democracy we embrace as Americans.”
Mack has been breeding and racing Thoroughbreds since 1963, and has bred or raced 25 stakes winners, including 1993 Canadian Triple Crown winner Peteski and 2002 Brazilian Triple Crown winner Roxinho.
As well as sitting on multiple boards and advisories in New York state, he served as senior advisor on racing and breeding there for the Thoroughbred industry to governors Mario Cuomo and George Pataki.
The Earle I. Mack Thoroughbred Champion Award has been presented annually since 2011 to an individual for outstanding efforts and influence on Thoroughbred racehorse welfare, safety and retirement.
Click here for Eclipse Awards tickets and information.
Canterbury Park’s bumper stakes schedule
North America: Canterbury Park's 2022 Thoroughbred schedule will feature 27 stakes, 15 on the main track and 12 on the turf, with $2 million in purses.
As has been the case for the past two seasons, the stakes will be grouped on certain days during the 65-day meet, which runs from May 18 September 19. Those for horses bred in Minnesota will take place primarily on Saturday evenings, while open-company stakes will race on Wednesday nights.
The Mystic Lake Northern Stars Racing Festival is set for June 22 and features the richest race of the season, the Mystic Lake Derby, a one-mile turf race with a $150,000 purse, along with four $100,000 races.
New sponsor for Cheltenham Gold Cup
Europe: The Jockey Club has enhanced its commercial partnership with British jewellery brand Boodles, which is the new sponsor of jump racing’s blue riband, the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Boodles is a committed supporter of the Cheltenham Festival, having previously sponsored the leading jockey award for four years before becoming sponsor of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in 2018.
Magners Irish Cider had sponsored the Festival and the Gold Cup since 2019, but pulled out just 36 days before the 2021 race. It is believed that staging the 2020 meeting against a backdrop of the developing Covid-19 pandemic attracted a perceived negative publicity for the drinks brand.
Rather than seeking an alternative sponsor, the Jockey Club instead chose to strike up a partnership with the Cheltenham-based charity, WellChild. Boodles has agreed to donate a piece of jewellery from its 'Raindance' collection to auction off in support of WellChild.
First foal for Country House
North America: Darby Dan Farm has announced a first foal by Kentucky Derby winner Country House. A colt out of American Values was born on Tuesday at Scarteen Stud in Kentucky.
Bred by Mrs J V Shields – whose late husband, Maury, campaigned the Bill Mott-trained Country House - the colt hails from the family of Graded stakes winner Love’s Exchange and his dam is a half-sister to multiple Graded stakes-placed Wacky For Love and stakes-placed Missgallopinggulch.
Country House is by multiple champion and Classic winner Lookin At Lucky, a son of Smart Strike.
Dettori recovering from Covid
Middle East: “I won't be riding this weekend as I’ve tested positive for Covid,” Frankie Dettori has told his 82.7K Twitter followers via a video from his hotel room in Dubai.
Dettori, who is vaccinated and believes that he “should survive”, confirmed he would be restricted to his hotel room for a “few days” and admitted he “still feel[s] a little under the weather”.
The world #3 was booked for four rides on Friday's card at Meydan, including Godolphin’s 5-year-old miler Real World. The 3-time British champion had been in action at the last two Meydan meetings – the opening fixtures of the Dubai World Cup Carnival.
Elsewhere in racing …
Europe: The British Horseracing Authority has increased the minimum riding weights for both flat and jump jockeys by 2lbs following closure of track saunas. More here
North America: A colt by Destin colt topped the open session of the 2022 OBS Winter Mixed Sale in Florida. More here
North America: Glenn and Becky Brok’s Diamond B Farm in Mohrsville, Pennsylvania, one of the state’s leading stallion operations, will close after two decades in business. More here