Our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Mo Donegal set for Travers Stakes showdown
USA: After sealing a Belmont Stakes one-two for trainer Todd Pletcher, Mo Donegal is set to head to Saratoga where his main goal will be the $1.5m Travers on August 27, potentially producing a Triple Crown showdown with the winners of the Kentucky Derby (Rich Strike) and Preakness Stakes (Early Voting).
Hall of Famer Pletcher’s previous winners of the race known as the ‘Midsummer derby’ were Flower Alley in 2005 and Stay Thirsty (2011), who also raced for Mo Donegal part-owner Mike Repole, and the Belmont winner could follow the same path by taking in July 31 Jim Dandy on the way.
“I haven’t really talked to the ownership group about it too much, but both of our Travers winners went through the Jim Dandy,” said Pletcher. “So to me, if he has a prep between now and the Travers, that would make the most sense.”
Modern Games to target A$10m Golden Eagle
GB: Days after RacingNSW raised the purse for the Golden Eagle to ($7.19m), establishing it as the second-richest race on turf in the world, Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby namechecked it as a potential target for Breeders' Cup winner Modern Games.
The three-year-old colt is already an established travellers, winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in 2021 and the French 2,000 Guineas [Poule d’Essai des Poulains] in May, to complete a sweep of Europe’s three major colt’s Classics for the trainer.
"With the announcement of the prize-money status for the Golden Eagle – and even before that – it is a race we would like to feel we can find a horse that can be competitive in it,'' Appleby told Racenet. "We feel Modern Games could be a Golden Eagle-type of horse.''
Blake Shinn receives maximum HK$600k fine for Covid breaches
Hong Kong: Jockey Blake Shinn has been hit with the highest possible financial penalty for breaching strict COVID-19 rules by visiting bars and nightclubs and then interacting with other colleagues.
Shinn, 34, who subsequently tested positive for coronavirus, was fined HK$600,000 ($76,000) after pleading guilty to acting in a manner prejudicial to the proper conduct of horse racing.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s chief stipendiary steward Kim Kelly said: “By recklessly contravening the Club-mandated Covid protocols when attending a number of bars during the aforementioned period, he did place at significant risk the measures imposed by the Club to ensure the continuation of horse racing under the control and direction of the Club.”
Shinn, who has ridden three G1 winners this season, plans to leave Hong Kong at the end of the season.
Death of France Galop director of courses Matthieu Vincent
France: Matthieu Vincent, who spent 20 years as director of both Chantilly racecourse and its training centre where he took charge of two Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe during the reconstruction of ParisLongchamp, has died after a long illness. He was 56.
Vincent, who began his career at Lyon racecourse, joined France-Galop in 1998 and was promoted to director of racetracks and training centres by the regulator in 2020.
France's Melbourne Cup winner Americain dies after freak accident
Australia: American, France’s first winner of the Melbourne Cup, has been put down at the age of 17 after breaking down in Victoria where he was spending his retirement.
Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Americain won the 150th edition of the Melbourne Cup 2010 under jockey Gerald Mosse.
Elsewhere in racing …
Australia: Gai Waterhouse reaches 150 G1 win milestone More here
Australia: Racing Victoria executive Greg Carpenter quits to take up role in Hong Kong More here
GB: Watership Down Stud buy 50 per cent of Emily Upjohn More here
Hong Kong: Pierre Ng granted first training licence More here
• View all previous editions of Seven Days In Racing
View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires