Month: September 2019

Heavyweight Beauty Generation is ready to rock

Editor BOAY

Beauty Generation faces a weighty task as he prepares to land tomorrow’s (Tuesday, 1 October) G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) for the third year in a row. Hong Kong’s superstar galloper will shoulder 133lb against his nine opponents and eight of those are rooted to the foot of the handicap, each with a feather-weight 113lb. Only Southern Legend, allotted 119lb, will carry more than the minimum.  But, as well as the big weight on his back, Beauty Generation’s declared body weight is the heaviest of his Hong Kong career. The…

Sleeping Beauty retired

Editor BOAY

Dual stakes winner Sleeping Beauty has already been courted by her Prince following her race retirement earlier this month. The Sir Peter Vela-owned mare had her last run in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings and seven days later she was in the breeding barn being served by her selected suitor. “She has been scanned in-foal to Iffraaj,” said Leon Casey, stud master of Vela’s thoroughbred farm, Pencarrow Stud. “We were looking for a proven stallion and he succeeds across a wide range of mares, but he does seem…

Warhorse, Authentic Paddy retired

Editor BOAY

Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta has announced the retirement of Group One winner and perennial stable favourite Authentic Paddy. The 10-year-old gelding by Howbaddouwantit went to the races 101 times for 11 wins and 35 placings for just over $780,000 in stakes earnings. A consistent black-type performer his biggest victory came in the 2017 edition of the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie after five Group One placings, two of which were third in the previous editions of the race. Prior to his Group One victory he was a Group Three…

Positive early signs with Mirage Dancer

AAP

Imported stayer Mirage Dancer has pleased new co-trainer Natalie Young with how he has travelled. Natalie Young is excited about the prospects of new stable acquisition Mirage Dancer after seeing him in quarantine at Werribee following his arrival from Europe. Young and her partner Trent Busuttin are preparing Mirage Dancer for a shot at Melbourne’s major spring races. The horse, formerly trained by Sir Michael Stoute for his sire Frankel’s owner Khalid Abdullah, holds nominations for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and the Cox Plate. Mirage Dancer was one of…

G1 Turnbull Stakes attracts 19 nominations

AAP

Cox Plate favourite Mystic Journey is among 19 entries for the Group One Turnbull Stakes. The absence of retired champion Winx will mean a new winner is added to the honour roll of the Turnbull Stakes for the first time in three years. Winx took on seven opponents when she raced to a 6-1/2 length win in the Group One race over 2000m at Flemington in 2017 before recording a one-length win last year, defeating her Chris Waller-trained stablemate Youngstar. Youngstar is among 19 nominations for Saturday’s race which has…

Bill Vlahos guilty of $18m betting fraud

AAP

Victorian racing identity Bill Vlahos (C) has pleaded guilty to two fraud charges on Monday. Fallen Victorian racing identity Bill Vlahos has admitted to defrauding punters of almost $18 million in a complex betting ring fraud. The former BC3 Thoroughbreds chairman pleaded guilty in the County Count on Monday to two charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception totalling $17,520,225. He is accused of defrauding of investors through his betting syndicate between 2008 and 2013.

Drought causing havoc on turf race tracks

AAP

Horse racing in rural NSW is suffering because fo the effects of the unprecedented drought. Spring racing season is well underway but some country towns in regional Australia have been left high and dry with race meetings cancelled because of continuing drought conditions. So far a meeting in Tamworth has been transferred to Scone and another at Cessnock to Newcastle, while a racing event at Collarenebri Racecourse was cancelled after the track was deemed too dry. A meeting at Armidale was moved to Moree for similar reasons. “We’re about 300…

Acting wins Thousand Guineas Prelude

Editor BOAY

Promising filly Acting will be a late entry for the Group One Thousand Guineas after delivering a star performance to win the Prelude at Caulfield. Acting had won her past two starts at Echuca and Sandown and made the step up to stakes grade in Sunday’s Group Two Thousand Guineas Prelude, leading throughout in the 1400m-race. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained filly, ridden by visiting Sydney jockey Tommy Berry, started at $21 and controlled the race to beat Southbank by 1-1/2-lengths with a short-head to Barbie’s Fox third. The…

Black Heart Bart wins Underwood Stakes

AAP

Veteran Black Heart Bart has caused a major upset in the Group One Underwood Stakes at Caulfield with the nine-year-old winning at 100-1 after being brought out of retirement. Formerly trained by Darren Weir, Black Heart Bart was given to Lindsey Smith to resurrect his career and was reunited with jockey Brad Rawiller in Sunday’s race. Black Heart Bart beat last year’s Underwood winner Homesman with another comeback veteran Gailo Chop third, the same position he ran two years ago.

Destiny’s Kiss looking for new home

AAP

Popular veteran stayer Destiny’s Kiss has been retired aged 11 after an unplaced Rosehill run. Trainer Joe Pride and owner Nick Moraitis will field offers to re-home Destiny’s Kiss after retiring the popular veteran stayer. The 11-year-old beat two runners home at Rosehill in Saturday’s Group Three Colin Stephen Quality and Pride and Moraitis immediately called time on his racing career which lasted 102 starts with the gelding earning more than $1.5 million. Pride said Destiny’s Kiss had shown his heart was no longer in racing. “He has shown me…