Our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Racing supports John Hunt after horrific attack on family
GB: Britain’s close-knit racing community is united in support of popular BBC racing commentator John Hunt, whose wife and daughter were murdered on Tuesday [July 9] in a horrific incident that has shocked the nation.
Hunt’s wife Carol, 61, and daughters Hannah, 25, and Louise, 21, were discovered with severe injuries following an apparent crossbow attack at the family’s home in Bushey, Hertfordshire. They all died at the scene.
Jockeys riding at race meetings in Britain wore black armbands and racegoers observed a minute’s silence following the tragedy as the sport rallied round with messages of support for Hunt, who was working at Lingfield Park on Tuesday.
A major police manhunt ensued to apprehend the alleged culprit. According to reports, a suspect said to be known to the family is in hospital after being detained by police in the Enfield area of north London.
“We have had an overwhelming number of calls and would like to express our gratitude to the members of the public who have contacted us,” said Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit. More here
• Everyone at Thoroughbred Racing Commentary would like to offer our deepest sympathies to John Hunt, BBC Radio 5 Live’s racing commentator since 2004 and a hugely popular and supportive member of British racing’s media corps.
Saratoga commences 40-day summer meet
USA: Saratoga begins its annual 40-day summer stand on Thursday [July 11] with an 11-race card featuring the Schuylerville Stakes, a $175,000 event for two-year-old fillies and the first of 71 stakes races at the meet worth a total of $20.75 million.
The G1 action to clicks into gear over the weekend with the $500,000 Diana Stakes offering Saturday’s highlight. Chad Brown, who has won seven of the last eight runnings, is set to provide five of the ten runners in this nine-furlong contest for older fillies and mares.
Saturday’s 12-race card also includes a pair of G3 events, namely the Sanford and the Kelso. Closing day at Saratoga for 2024 is September 2. More here
Gainesway acquire stallion rights to Seize The Grey
USA: Preakness Stakes winner Seiza The Grey, who is being targeted at the Travers Stakes on August 24, will stand at Gainesway when he is retired.
According to a press release on Wednesday [July 10], the Kentucky stud farm have acquired stallion rights in the D Wayne Lukas-trained son of Arrogate, who died in 2020.
“Arrogate was cut out to be a top sire and we are excited to have one his best sons stand at Gainesway,” said general manager Brian Graces. “His speed and good looks should prove to be very popular with breeders.” More here
Four-time G1 winner Casa Creed retired with ankle issue
USA: Four-time G1 winner Casa Creed, who won eight stakes altogether during a long career, has been retired.
Trainer Bill Mott told the Daily Racing Form that the eight-year-old had a suspensory issue in a hind ankle. “It was starting to bug him,” Mott said. “He’s sound now, turned out, we don’t want to push him any further.”
Casa Creed won two editions of the G1 Jaipur at Belmont and two editions of the G1 Fourstardave at Saratoga, where he recorded five of his nine career victories. He won nine of 36 overall starts for prize-money just shy of $2.7m. More here
Breeders’ Cup star Unquestionable to join Hannon
GB: Breeders’ Cup winner Unquestionable is set to leave Aidan O’Brien to join the stable of Richard Hannon. Sheikh Joaan’s Al Shaqab team have bought out their Coolmore partners in the three-year-old son of Wootton Bassett, who won the BC Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita in November.
Unquestionable has since finished fourth in both the Irish 2,000 Guineas and G1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. His soon-to-be Hannon-trained stablemate Rosallion won both those races. More here
Oaks winner Ezeliya retired
GB: Ezeliya, such an impressive winner of the Oaks in May, has been retired after a training setback. Trained by Dermot Weld, the homebred daughter of Dubawi gave the Aga Khan his first winner of the Epsom fillies’ Classic when scoring by three lengths under Chris Hayes.
Ezeliya joins the broodmare band at Gilltown Stud. “It’s a pity to have to retire such a talented filly so early in her career but it would have been a challenge to prepare her for another race in the autumn,” commented Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan Studs in Ireland. More here
City Of Troy and Auguste Rodin head 17 acceptors for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes, Britain’s midsummer showpiece at Ascot on July 27. More here
Elsewhere in racing …
USA: Catastrophic injury claims life of Alva Starr More here
USA: $1m California Crown highlights Santa Anita stakes schedule More here
USA: Belmont at the Big A – Manny Franco lands 12th NYRA riding title More here
Australia: Pride Of Jenni comeback date confirmed More here
Australia: Standalone virtual sale for star sprinter Espiona More here
GB: Inisherin tops July Cup field More here
Japan: Arc no-go for Do Deuce More here
Bahrain: Floodlights and expanded Turf Series at Bahrain Turf Club More here
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