Frankie Dettori, andTorquator Tasso, Chad Brown and Verry Elleegant feature in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Frankie Dettori to ride Arc winner Torquator Tasso
Germany: Arc winner Torquator Tasso will have a new rider when he bids for back-to-back wins in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden on September 4 after Frankie Dettori was booked for the mount.
The Italian was called up by trainer Marcel Weiss because regular jockey Rene Piechulek has to fulfil his contract to Stall Salzburg which is running Mendocino, who is trained by his partner Sarah Steinburg. Torquator Tasso won the race last year on his way to claiming a shock victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Paris-Longchamp.
Prix Vermeille will be ‘D-day’ for Verry Elleegant after Deauville flop
France: Connections of Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant will press on to the G1 Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp on September 11 after Australia’s Horse of the Year trailed in last under Frankie Dettori on her European debut in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville on Sunday [Aug 21].
“I think we have to put a line through the run and give her another opportunity,” part-owner Brae Sokolski told Racenet after the race won by the Richard Hannon-trained Aristia.
“It is D-Day for Verry Elleegant next start in the Vermeille,. She can use her endurance over 2400m and hopefully the race is run at a more genuine tempo.”
Chad Brown denies domestic violence charge
USA: Top trainer Chad Brown is set to appear in court on September 2 after being charged with obstruction of breathing of a woman during an incident at his home in Saratoga Springs.
Brown, 43, spent a night in custody after police were called to his home on August 17. appearing in court the next day when it was alleged he pushed the woman down the stairs and attempted to choke her.
The four-time Eclipse-winning trainer, who pleaded not guilty, was released on bail after his attorney told the judge the woman had broken into the trainer’s house and Brown was defending himself.
Filly Moira completes record-breaking romp in Queen's Plate
Canada: The Kevin Attard-trained filly Moira became the eighth filly to complete the Canadian Oaks-Queen’s Plate double when she completed a record-breaking victory in the nation’s oldest thoroughbred race.
In the 163rd running of the $1 million race, she defeated her ten rivals by a margin of seven lengths under jockey Rafael Hernandez, breaking the 1m2f race and track record on Woodbine’s Tapeta surface.
Prolific trainer Jamie Ness hit with six-month suspension
USA: Jamie Ness, the third-ranked trainer in North America by wins with 201 successes in 2022, has been suspended for six months by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission after one of his horses tested positive for the banned substance bufotenine after a race at Parx.
The Mid-Atlantic based trainer has lodged an appeal claiming the substance, described as a weak hallucinogenic agent and a constituent of toad poison, was the result of contamination as it can be ingested by horses eating reed canary grass. He is also seeking a stay of sentence which is set to run from September 5 until March 3 next year.
Death of Winning Ticket trainer Yujo Ito
Japan: Yujo Ito, a four-time champion trainer in Japan over a 41-year career, has died at the age of 85. He was best known as the trainer of 1993 Japanese Derby winner Winning Ticket, one of the trainer's 1,155 career victories.
Elsewhere in racing …
Hong Kong: RacingNSW's Van Gestel to replace Kelly as chief steward in January More here
France: Ryan Moore rides 100th G1 winner for Ballydoyle More here
USA: Hollendorfer and Stronach Group reach private settlement More here
USA: Churchill Downs suspends turf racing during September meet More here
GB: Grandson of Robert Sangster to start training More here
Australia: Ban lifted on G1 winner Alligator Blood after ownership change More here
• View all previous editions of Seven Days In Racing
View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires