Irad Ortiz, Rachel King and a massive furore over the UK whip rules also feature in our weekly digest of recent international news
City Of Troy set for Coolmore in Ireland after BC Classic
Ireland: World #1 racehorse City Of Troy will be retired to Coolmore’s main Irish base after bringing the curtain down on his career in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on November 2.
The bloodstock behemoth issued a statement on Saturday [Oct 12], ending speculation that the son of US Triple Crown winner Justify might be headed for their US branch at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
The big Breeders’ Cup question: can City Of Troy win the Classic on the dirt?
“He’s definitely the best we’ve ever trained, no doubt about it,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “We still don’t really know how much more there is under the bonnet. I think he’ll make an unbelievable stallion.”
Coolmore’s MV Magnier added: “The team in America were very keen for him to stand alongside his sire Justify at Ashford, but the home team have won the day and we’re delighted to be able to offer such a unique talent to our European clients.” More here
Subsanador to miss Breeders’ Cup through injury
USA: California Crown winner Subsanador has been ruled out of the Breeders’ Cup Classic owing to an ankle injury.
The ex-Argentine five-year-old entered into the reckoning for the $7m Classic when carrying the Wathnan Racing silks to a thrilling victory at Santa Anita last month.
However, trainer Richard Mandella told the Daily Racing Form that he will miss the race. “We found a problem in his ankle and we’ll have to turn him out,” he said. “It’s not a big problem. We’ll have to stop and come back next year.” More here
Preakness Stakes winner Seize The Grey will run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile rather than the Classic at Del Mar. More here
Rachel King set to ride Japanese Breeders’ Cup hope
Japan: Leading Australian-based jockey Rachel King will miss a prestigious day’s racing down under to ride Japanese-trained Satono Carnaval in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
The English expat will bypass Victoria Derby day at Flemington at Melbourne and the Golden Eagle in Sydney to fly to California to partner the Noriyuki Hori-trained juvenile at Del Mar. After the race, she will fly back to Australia to ride Bjorn Baker’s Brisbane Cup winner Alegron in the Melbourne Cup.
An impressive winner of both starts so far, Satono Carnaval is a son of 2016 Japan Cup winner Kitasan Black. The colt is part of a formidable 19-strong Breeders’ Cup raiding party from Japan at the venue where the nation recorded a historic double three years ago with Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine. More here
In other jockey news for Japan’s Breeders’ Cup hopes, Cristian Demuro will resume his association with Shahryar in the Turf, where Christophe Lemaire rides Rousham Park. Kyle Frey partners Alice Verite (Fily & Mare Turf, or Distaff is she doesn’t get in) and Takeshi Yokoyama rides Geoglyph (Mile). More here
Ascot latest: ’It will take something special to beat Calandagan’
GB: Calandagan’s jockey Stephane Pasquier is oozing confidence ahead of Saturday’s eagerly awaited Anglo-French clash with Economics in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot.
The season reaches its climax with the G1-laden QIPCO British Champions Day card – and Pasquier fancies his chances on the Royal Ascot winner, who was close up to City Of Troy last time in the Juddmonte International. “It would need something very special to beat him,” he said. “It would need City Of Troy to beat him!”
Owing to heavy ground and a forecast of rain, the Champion Stakes is one of three races major races on the G1-laden card moved to Ascot’s inner track alongside the Long Distance Cup – featuring star stayer Kyprios – and the Champions Fillies & Mare Stakes.
Economics’ trainer William Haggas is not unduly worried about such testing conditions for the £1.3m ($1.7m) showpiece. “I’m not going to pull him out because of the ground,” he said. “He’s won on fast ground this year and we’ll see whether he copes.
“I think he’ll be okay, because I think he’s very versatile, but it will be top of the list of excuses if it all goes wrong I suppose.”
Top miler Charyn heads the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile, where G2 winner Prague has been supplemented at a cost of £70,000. More here
• Visit the British Champions Day website
4,000th career victory for Irad Ortiz
USA: Just a week after Paco Lopez reached the 4,000-win career milestone, five-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz did the same at Keeneland on Sunday [Oct 13].
Ortiz, who is leading the nation in 2024 by wins and earnings, recahed his landmark winner when he partnered two-year-old Good Temper to a front-running victory in Sunday’s opener. The 32-year-old is the 85th jockey to reach 4,000 victories in North America, his career tally alos including 95 wins in his native Puerto Rico.
“You always work so hard,” said Ortiz, who has ridden 20 Breeders’ Cup winners. “We kept working hard every single day, and we started getting winners. Thank God, we are here and we are healthy to get to this beautiful number 4,000. Since I got here, people have supported me big time. Without the trainers and the owners, this would not be possible. I am here because of them. They give me a great opportunity so I am on good horses.” More here
Cesarewitch whip DQ sparks major controversy
GB: British racing is in uproar after Alphonse Le Grande, 33-1 of the famous Cesarewitch Handicap on Saturday [Oct 12] was disqualified over a whip infringement – three days after the race took place at Newmarket.
In a tight finish with a big field spread across the track, Irish-trained Alphonse Le Grande edged out favourite Manxman by a nose to claim the two-and-a-quarter-mile showpiece. Punters were duly paid out according to this first-past-the-post result – but apprentice Jamie Powell was referred to the central Whip Review Committee by racecourse stewards who found he had used his whip ten times on the ‘winner’.
On Tuesday [Oct 15], Alphonse Le Grande was DQ-ed under rules introduced last year to make overuse of the whip an offence punishable by the loss of a race. Powell banned for 28 days for using his whip four times above the permitted level and Manxman is now the official winner of the Cesarewitch – which doesn’t help anyone who bet on the horse. More here
Elsewhere in racing …
Australia: Pride Of Jenni the star turn on Everest card More here
France: Aga Khan Studs to sponsor Prix Jacques le Marois More here
GB: National Stud for star sprinter Bradsell after Breeders’ Cup More here
USA: 2024 Thoroughbred industry employee awards announced More here
Japan: Shuka Sho heroine Cervinia set for Japan Cup bid More here
Japan: Auguste Rodin heads 21 foreign nominations for Japan Cup More here
GB: Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me to be sold at Tattersalls More here
GB: Jim Allen appointed Epsom MD More here
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