Epsom Derby winner set to run this weekend and the sad death of veteran trainer David Hofmans are included in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
City Of Troy longs odds-on as chief rival ruled out of Eclipse
GB: Epsom Derby winner City Of Troy is as short as 1-3 favourite for the Coral-Eclipse Stakes on Saturday [July 6] after likely main rival White Birch was ruled out of the Sandown Park contest.
After a three-length success over City Of Troy’s stablemate Auguste Rodin at the Curragh in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, White Birch was considered a legitimate opponent for the Derby hero in what is traditionally the first meaningful clash of the middle-distance generations.
However, the four-year-old will not run after an unsatisfactory blood test. In his absence, City Of Troy will face seven seemingly overmatched rivals in the mile-and-a-quarter showpiece. More here
Betting (Coral): 1-3 City Of Troy, 13-2 Dancing Gemini, Ghostwriter, 12 Jayarebe, 25 Al Riffa, 40 Stay Alert, See The Fire, 66 Hans Andersen
Death of Touch Gold trainer David Hofmans, aged 81
USA: Breeders’ Cup Classic-winning trainer David Hofmans (right), who saddled a plethora of G1 winners in a long career, died at home in Arcadia, California, on Wednesday aged 81.
A popular veteran of the Southern California scene, Hofmans was best known for the exploits of Touch Gold, who scuppered Silver Charm’s Triple Crown bid by winning the Belmont Stakes in 1997. He also trained Alphabet Soup to win the BC Classic in 1996, later adding two more BC winners to his CV with Adoration (2003 Distaff) and Desert Code (2008 Turf Sprint).
According to Equibase, Hofmans trained 1,085 winners for purse earnings in excess of $53m. His final success came with Seventeen Black in a $25,000 claimer at Santa Anita on May 11.
White Abarrio sick and misses ‘Big A’ target
USA: Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio and will miss his intended outing at the ‘Belmont at the Big A’ meet owing to sickness.
Moved back to original trainer Saffie Joseph after a couple of disappointing outings for Rick Dutrow, the five-year-old was due to run in the G2 John A Nerud Stakes on Saturday [July 6]. “We are not going there,” said Mark Cornett, racing manager for C Two Stable. “He was sick and has to get over that first.” More here
British champion jockey William Buick is in town to partner Legend Of Time and Cinderella’s Dream, leading fancies in the Belmont Derby and Oaks Invitationals for Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby. More here
T O Password sidelined for season
Japan: T O Password, who finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, has had bone chips removed from both front knees and will miss the remainder of the season. More here
On the other hand, his compatriot Forever Young – an unlucky loser in a thrilling three-way finish at Churchill Downs – is on course for the Breeders’ Cup Classic after first contesting the Japan Dirt Classic at Tokyo City Keiba at Ohi racecourse in October. More here
His Yoshito Yahagi-trained stable companion Shin Emperor, third in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) on his most recent start, will travel to France at the end of August. He is set to run in the Irish Champion Stakes en route to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. More here
Pride Of Jenni owner eyes ambitious G1 double
Australia: Two major G1 events in a week will be the ambitious target for spectacular Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Pride Of Jenni when she returns for her spring campaign.
Pride of Australia: the story of how Pride Of Jenni took the racing world by storm
The front-running six-year-old is set to tackle the A$5m King Charles III Stakes (former George Main) at Randwick on October 26 followed seven days later by the Cox Plate, Australia’s premier weight-for-age race at Moonee Valley in Melbourne.
Pride Of Jenni stunned the racing world with her 6½-length romp in the Queen Elizabeth. “We’re going to the King Charles as she’s a proven superstar at 1600m, $5m same as Cox,” said owner Tony Ottobre on X (formerly Twitter). “She’s a proven 1 week dual-G1 back-up so we’re going to the Cox also.”
Trainer Shum favours domestic campaign for world #1 Romantic Warrior
Hong Kong: Romantic Warrior, world #1 according to TRC Global Rankings, looks unlikely to defend his Cox Plate crown in favour of a domestic campaign during the 2024-25 season in Hong Kong.
The nine-time G1 winner is in huge demand all over the world following last month’s victory in Japan’s Yasuda Kinen in June, but trainer Danny Shum said he would prefer to keep him closer to home in future.
“There are a lot of options for us,” he said, speaking to the South China Morning Post. “For me I’d prefer to stay in Hong Kong, but I have to listen to the boss. We can stay here in November, then go to the Hong Kong Cup, Gold Cup and QE II Cup again.” More here
Elsewhere in racing …
USA: Argentina: G1 winner Che Evasora moved to Phil D'Amato for BC Distaff More here
USA: Keeneland Fall Meet stakes schedule hits record $9.6m More here
USA: Ruidoso Downs cancelled amid flooding More here
GB: Riding A Dream Academy joins British Racing School More here
GB: Shergar Cup changes for equal male-female split More here
New Zealand: Death of dual NZ Derby-winning trainer Neville Atkins, aged 83 More here
New Zealand: Death of Tom Lowry, aged 88 More here
Canada: Doug Anderson succeeds Glenn Sikura as chief steward More here
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