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Aidan O'Brien has suggested that he left City Of Troy (Justify) “too fresh” ahead of what turned out to be a bitterly disappointing return in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday but went on to explain that last season's European Champion Two-Year-Old remains on course to run in the Derby.  City Of Troy trailed home in ninth, beaten 17 lengths by the winner Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), despite being sent off at odds of 4-6 for the 2,000 Guineas. He can now be backed at odds as big as 8-1 for the Derby.  Speaking to the Nick Luck daily podcast, O'Brien said, “He's still on the same plan. Obviously we always make a plan and sometimes every part of the plan doesn't go right. Next time, we will know an awful lot more. The plan is that he will go straight to the Derby.” O'Brien added, “Thinking back on it, maybe I had him too fresh and hadn't enough done with him through the whole winter. Our ground has been very bad and very deep here and, listen, that's what's going on in my mind. He just jumped and ran fresh and then just blew out. I think that that's the reason and obviously we'll know more the next time.  “When he went into the stalls, he stood straight up straight away. For me, that meant that he was too fresh. Obviously, when that happens, their heart rate will rise straight away. He landed and the gates opened, so he was racing straight away.  “He was always very natural at home and always done everything very easy. If he was a horse who hadn't as much ability, he'd probably be finding his work harder than he was finding it. That's what I am putting it down to.” It wasn't all doom and gloom for Ballydoyle at Newmarket as stablemate Ylang Ylang (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) enhanced her reputation by finishing fifth in the 1,000 Guineas on Sunday. According to O'Brien, all roads will now lead to the Oaks at Epsom, for which Ylang Ylang heads the market at 7-2. O'Brien said, “She was working like an Oaks filly more than a Guineas filly-working like a filly who could run a very big race in a Guineas and we felt that was what she did. She looked like a filly that would definitely step up to a mile-and-a-quarter and usually, if they have enough class over a mile-and-a-quarter, they have a good chance of getting a mile-and-a-half at Epsom.” The post City Of Troy Remains On Course For The Derby Despite 2,000 Guineas Flop appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Well done to NZTR for investing in this type of education and upskilling to develop a career -path for participants. A major part of the main Action points in their Strategic/ Business plan. Of course another MAIN focus is investing in Tracks and the education of people involved in improving this. Money sure helps but BSharrock explained these types of investments and great he NOT talking BS !

Yep ,most likely ...I lived further north for a while so not exactly sure when the horses left there cos there were still Andertons and Kennedys. But they left in droves !

The Curragh could be next for Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) after the Richard Hannon-trained colts finished second and third respectively behind Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Qipco 2000 Guineas on Saturday.  The Hannon stable last recorded victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas when Canford Cliffs (Ire) ran out a hugely impressive scorer back in 2010. “I'm immensely proud of both horses,” Hannon reflected. “They ran good races and we'll have a lot of sport with them through the year. He added, “The winner is an extremely good horse, I never want to see him again, but we might take him on at Ascot around a bend and it might be a different story. I think on the way, they'll both go to Ireland. That's the plan.” Hannon headed into Saturday's race with supreme confidence behind Rosallion, who has always been held in high regard and ended his two-year-old season by securing Group 1 honours on Arc day in France. He was seen as Britain's best hope of denying the much-vaunted City Of Troy (Justify), while Haatem emerged on the Guineas scene when striking over course and distance in the Craven S. last month, with both living up to their hype in the opening Classic of the season. The post “Immensely Proud” Hannon Eyes Irish Guineas For Rosallion And Haatem appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A day after his daughter Tamfana (Ger) was beaten just a length in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, leading German sire Soldier Hollow (GB) has died at the age of 24. The stallion's death was announced on social media by his owner Helmut von Finck of Gestut Park Wiedingen. He said, “Soldier Hollow the horse of my life…You were my hero, my life and infinitely more. Rest in peace, I'm lost for words today but I'll carry you in my heart forever.” Bred in England by Car Colston Hall Stud, the diminutive son of In The Wings (GB) and the Common Grounds (GB) mare Island Race (GB) was bought by von Finck as a yearling at Tattersalls for 75,000gns. Sent into training with Peter Schiergen, Soldier Hollow became an unbeaten champion two-year-old in Germany but was forced to miss the following year's Deutsches Derby when struck down by a bout of colitis after finishing fourth in the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2,000 Guineas). He came into his own at four and beyond, racing until he was seven, with his 12 victories including four Group 1 wins in Germany and Italy. He also beat subsequent Horse of the Year Manduro (Ger) to win the G2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp.  Retired initially to stand at Gestut Rottgen before moving to Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke's Gestut Auenquelle, Soldier Hollow was the champion first-season sire in Germany in 2011 and has been German champion sire on three occasions. His best offspring include the G1 Deutsches Derby winners Pastorius (Ger) and Weltstar (Ger), as well as Group 1 winners Ivanhowe (Ger) and Dschingis Secret (Ger). Soldier Hollow also features as the broodmare sire of von Finck's homebred 2022 Deutsches Derby winner Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). In an interview with TDN  in 2021, the owner-breeder recalled seeing Soldier Hollow for the first time. Von Finck said, “I was looking for a horse who would get the distance. My favourite horses are middle-distance or long-distance horses, and I found two sons of In The Wings. One was very big and one was quite small. Everybody told me I should buy the big one because he was so beautiful, but I fell in love with the small one because he was well proportioned and looked strong. He was very typical of the Northern Dancer line and I have always liked Northern Dancer. “Soldier Hollow has done everything I could have dreamed about, as a racehorse and as a stallion. Last year he had 20 stakes horses and 11 stakes winners. It's a pleasure for me to follow every horse by Soldier Hollow with all my heart. He is my pride, the horse of my life.”   The post Three-Time German Champion Sire Soldier Hollow Dies at 24 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Italian jockey isn’t missing the non-stop competition and long drives of his old life as he makes his presence felt in his new homeView the full article

Yep, hopefully I remember where they are, the aulsebrook tin didn't lasted longer than the griffins ones,mind you seems like cash on the way out, not king as they used to say, some banks not even excepting it thes days, crazy, remined me of a friend that got s 100$ tattoo on his doodle,  asked why, he said he could play with his money, also keep it in hand,  and didn't mind his wife blowing a hundred dollars everyday.

Dangerous Liaisons winning at Riccarton Park on Saturday. Photo: Race Images South While missing a chance for valuable black-type three weeks prior, promising filly Dangerous Liaisons was able to finish her South Island mission on a high at Riccarton last Saturday. The daughter of No Nay Never initially journeyed from Tony Pike’s Cambridge stable to contest the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) on April 13, but a foot abscess on the morning of the fillies’ feature halted those plans. She bounced back strongly at the following Saturday meeting to finish runner-up to another progressive type in Contemplation Bay, but wasn’t to be denied a fortnight later when stepping up over the mile, pulling away from Blood Diamond to score by a neck in the Rating 65 contest. Pike was pleased the filly was able to gain a consolation prize in the south, after a light season with two victories and two second placings from five starts. “It was a shame as we were hoping to go down there and get some black-type, but a foot abscess on the day stopped that,” he said. “It was great to get a consolation prize, she won well and is still a pretty new and green filly, still lightly raced. She has a nice future going forward. “She’ll probably go back up north now, and we’ll make a plan going forward into next season with her.” Dangerous Liaisons carries the silks of breeder Simms Davison of Mapperley Stud, who has retained the ownership of the well-bred filly, who is a full-sister to Sigh, a Group 3 winner in Australia. “She’s well-bred so I think Simms had a bit of interest in her with that pedigree, and she was also probably a bit immature to put through the sales as a yearling,” Pike said. “She’s continued to develop really nicely now and should make a lovely four-year-old mare. “I think he’s quite keen to get some black-type with her going forward, and keep her as a broodmare.” Pike’s juvenile pair of Ziggy Stardust and Wind Rush gave a strong impression heading into their three-year-old season with second and third-placed performances in the respective two-year-old features at Riccarton and Te Rapa. Ziggy Stardust, a daughter of Turn Me Loose, recorded the fastest closing sectionals of the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m), coming from near-last to within a half-length of winner Discretion Rules. “It was a super effort, she’s a progressive filly that has improved at every start,” Pike said. “The barrier draw (9) forced us to go back a little bit more than we wanted too, and she was probably a bit new and green going down the straight at Riccarton but her last 200 was very good and she went close to getting up. “It’s great to get black-type as a two-year-old, she’ll head to the paddock now and only improve as a three-year-old with a bit more maturity and over a further trip.” With a range of options in the three-year-old filly calendar, Pike said the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November would be the ideal spring target, having had experience on the course as a youngster. “She’s run well at Riccarton, so if we could get her down for the 1000 Guineas that would be ideal going forward, but there is a lot of water to go under the bridge before then,” he said. “There are plenty of nice races for these fillies coming up in the spring, and we will look to get her maiden out of the way early before following that three-year-old fillies’ path.” Closer to home in the Waikato, Pike was pleased with the efforts of Wind Rush in the Listed 2YO Stakes (1400m), who fought well in unsuitable track conditions finishing 1.75 lengths from impressive colt Super Photon. “It was a really good effort for a horse that hated the track, he’s a lovely actioned horse and he was really dipping and diving especially from the 600 to straightening for home,” he said. “He’s done well to pick himself up and finish strongly late. ‘Being by Almanzor, he’s only going to get better at three physically, and he looks a really promising horse for the stable heading into next season.” The well-related gelding is a full-brother to talented galloper Adam I Am, being out of Our Famous Eve, a past winner of the Group 2 Japan Trophy (1600m). Horse racing news View the full article