Melbourne Cup news from Aidan O’Brien, UK Hall of Fame honors for Goldikova and Jack Berry and an extraordinary brawl in Argentina also feature in our weekly round-up
Japanese stars still headed to Classic after prep-race defeat
Japan: Top Japanese contenders Ushba Tesoro and Derma Sotogake remain on course for the Breeders’ Cup – despite being beaten in their prep race at Funabashi on Wednesday [Sept 25].
Although only a Listed race on the international scale, the Nippon TV Hai is a G2 event over 1,800 metres (1m1f) on dirt on the NAR (National Association of Racing) circuit.
The ¥68m ($470,000) contest went to all-the-way winner William Barows, who established a clear lead and held on by a length from odds-on favourite Ushba Tesoro, who produced an eyecatching effort to close from a long way behind. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Derma Sotogake faded to fifth after chasing the pace; neither horse had run since the Dubai World Cup, where Ushba Tesoro was second.
“There's room for improvement,” said Derma Sotogake’s jockey Christophe Lemaire. “I pushed him all the way to the end and I think it will help going forward. I'm not worried because he can run better on American dirt.” More here
• There are a number of Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ Challenge contests this weekend, headed by the California Crown at Santa Anita. A major BC Classic prep, the $1m contest feature a star-studded seven-runner field including top three-year-old Muth and his stablemate, the Pegasus winner National Treasure, plus Saudi Cup winner Senor Buscador. More here
Swift return from shoulder injury for Dettori
USA: Frankie Dettori will return to action this weekend after dislocating his shoulder in a recent starting-gate incident at Aqueduct.
Dettori, 53, was injured when he was unseated from his mount before a race on the Sept, 19 card. He is booked for two rides on Saturday’s ‘Belmont at the Big A’ card and three more on Sunday, when he partners unbeaten Breeders’ Cup hope May Day Ready in the G2 Miss Grillo. More here
Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano is slated to return to the saddle on Oct. 3 at Aqueduct following surgery on a fractured hand suffered in a spill at Saratoga at the end of August. More here
Adare Manor retired to be sold at Fasig-Tipton
USA: Top racemare Adare Manor has been retired ahead of a sale at the Fasig-Tipton ‘Night of the Stars’ at the November Sale on Nov. 4 in Kentucky.
Trained by Bob Baffert, the five-year-old is a three-time G1 winner who won 10 of her 18 career starts for owner Michael Lund Petersen, eight of them in graded stakes company.
“She has earned over $2 million – she doesn’t owe us anything,” said Baffert, speaking to Thoroughbred Daily News. “She’s lightened up on me a little bit, and I feel she would need a little more time than we have before the Distaff.” More here
Leger hero Jan Brueghel set for Melbourne Cup
Ireland: Unbeaten St Leger winner Jan Brueghel has been given the green light to contest the Melbourne Cup, where he will be the only runner from six entries for Aidan O’Brien.
The world’s #1 trainer has yet to score in Australia’s most famous race, where he has saddled Johannes Vermeer (2017) and Tiger Moth (2020) to finish second. Jan Brueghel, who beat stablemate Illinois by a neck to claim the Doncaster Classic, is rated a 12-1 chance with European bookmakers for the Flemington showpiece. More here
O’Brien’s Irish compatriot Willie Mullins has booked UK champion jockey William Buick to ride leading fancy Vauban. More here
Goldikova and Jack Berry join UK Hall of Fame
GB: Breeders’ Cup heroine Goldikova has been named as the latest inductee into British racing’s Hall of Fame alongside much-loved former trainer Jack Berry, honoured as racing’s greatest fundraiser.
The 14-time G1 winner, who found US fame with her Breeders’ Cup Mile hat-trick (2008-10), will be honoured in a special presentation ceremony at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day on Oct. 19. Public vote winner Dubai Millennium will be inducted the same day.
Jack Berry, 86, retired from training in 2000 with over 1,500 winners to his name. He has earned even greater renown since then in the realm of racing welfare via his pioneering efforts at the Injured Jockeys Fund. Jack Berry House, Malton’s rehabilitation and fitness centre, bears his name.
“To be presented with this honour at Ascot on Champions Day is as good as it gets,” commented Berry. More here
Gunshots and a stabbing as racetrack dispute turns violent
Argentina: A violent racetrack dispute ended with two people sustaining gunshot wounds and another being stabbed at La Plata racecourse on Tuesday [Sept 24].
Racing was cancelled at the venue, about 50km from the capital Buenos Aires, when a standoff involving members of unions representing jockeys and grooms turned nasty ahead of a scheduled 11-race card.
In extraordinary scenes, around 40 people were involved in a brawl after jockeys announced strike action amid complaints over the late payment of prize-money and standard of conditions. Fighting between rival factions ended when police arrived. More here
Elsewhere in racing …
Hong Kong: Golden Sixty farewell ceremony More here
USA: Chilean superstar Kay Army’s US debut delayed More here
Japan: US champion Blind Luck dies in Japan, aged 17 More here
GB: 24-day whip ban for three-time champion Silvestre de Sousa More here
GB: Three-time Dubai Turf winner Lord North retired More here
Australia: Star sprinter I Am Me gets Everest slot More here
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