G1 action for Kentucky Downs, a big training move, Japan's end-of-season grand prix and a setback for Melbourne Cup hero Without A Fight feature in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Kentucky Downs gets first G1 – but five races lose top-level status
USA: Kentucky Downs is set to host the first G1 event in the track’s history after the Franklin-Simpson Stakes, a 6½-furlong turf sprint, was upgraded to the top level from G2 status this week at the annual meeting of the American Graded Stakes Committee.
On the other hand, five races (including a couple of famous names) have lost their G1 status: the Carter Handicap (Aqueduct), Man o’War (Belmont), Beverly D (Colonial Stakes), United Nations (Monmouth Park) and Hollywood Gold Cup (Santa Anita). More here
Newly promoted to G2 level is the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf on the Pegasus World Cup card at Gulfstream Park on Jan 17. Under a new link with Goodwood in the UK, the race will become an automatic qualifier (with a $25,000 travel stipend) for the G1 Nassau Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Aug 1. More here
Breeders’ Cup Challenge: El Encinal is first qualifier for Del Mar 2024
Argentina: No sooner has the Breeders’ Cup for 2023 been and gone than the ‘Win and You’re In’ Challenge kicked off ahead of the 2024 edition at Del Mar on November 1-2.
Miguel Gomez-trained three-year-old El Encinal earned a fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf with a surprise 13-1 victory after a thrilling finish to Argentina’s greatest race, the GP Carlos Pellegrini, at San Isidro on Saturday [Dec 16]. More here
David Eustace set for Hong Kong move
Australia: David Eustace, one half of the champion training partnership with Ciaron Maher, is to take up a training role with the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the end of January.
British expat Eustace, the son of former Newmarket-based trainer James Eustace, worked for Peter Moody and Peter Snowden before joining forces with Maher in August 2018, since when the partnership has been responsible for more than 1,600 winners including 30-plus G1 victories.
Having won the Victorian trainers’ premiership for the last four seasons, they were also national champions last term, when they saddled Gold Trip to win the Melbourne Cup. More here
Melbourne Cup hero Without A Fight sidelined
Australia: Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight will miss the autumn carnivals in Australia through injury. In a statement, trainers Anthony & Sam Freedman said the six-year-old had sustained a “minor tendon strain which will require a period of rehabilitation”.
Without A Fight was the first horse since Ethereal in 2001 to complete the Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup double. More here
World #1 Equinox arrives at Shadai
Japan: Equinox, the world’s #1 racehorse, has arrived at Shadai Stallion Station on the ‘horse island’ Hokkaido following an official retirement ceremony last Saturday [Dec 16] in front of thousands of fans at Nakayama racecourse.
The Japan Cup hero will stand for a fee of ¥20m ($140,000/£110,000) – a record for a first-season sire in Japan – alongside his own sire Kitasan Black.
Equinox became the highest earner in Japanese racing history after landing hsi sixth G1 success in a row in the Japan Cup. During his retirement ceremony, it was announced that former world #1 Almond Eye will visit him during his first season at stud. More here
Arima Kinen: Ryan Moore rides Tastiera as three Derby winners clash
Japan: Tastiera, Do Deuce and Shahryar – the three most recent winners of the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) – are set to clash in the Arima Kinen, the end-of-season grand prix at Nakayama on Sunday [Dec 24].
Ryan Moore is set to ride Tastiera in a 16-runner field featuring no fewer than nine G1 winners, among them more fellow Classic winners Titleholder, Stars On Earth and Sol Oriens.
Likely favourite Justin Palace and Arc fourth Through Seven Seas, both second to Equinox this term in G1 events, are among the more fancied horses ¥1.085bn ($7.55m/£6m) contest. More here
Amo Racing sign up David Egan
GB: David Egan is the latest jockey to fill the hotseat riding for football agent Kia Joorabchian’s ever-burgeoning Amo Racing operation.
Rossa Ryan and Kevin Stott have both held the role in recent season before losing the position now claimed by Egan with a two-year deal. “Having David on board for the next two years will help us develop long-term stability as a team,” commented Joorabchian.
Former champion apprentice Egan, 24, is best known for his association with Mishriff, with whom he won the Saudi Cup, Dubai Sheema Classic and Juddmonte International in 2021. More here
Elsewhere in racing …
New Zealand: Top jockey Opie Bosson hits 2,000-win milestone More here
Ireland: New doping saga with six-month ban for trainer Tony Martin More here
USA: 100th running of Blue Grass Stakes highlights Keeneland Spring Meet More here
France: Nine-year-old mare Zarica breaks record with 12 wins in 2023 More here
Australia: G1-winning jockey Jock Gollogly dies aged 72 More here
Japan: Palace Malice and Yoshida to stand at Darley Japan More here
Japan: Jantar Mantar maintains unbeaten record in Asahi Hai Futurity More here
UAE: International feast on Dubai’s ‘Festive Friday’ More here
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