Hong Kong Update

D Whyte maintains his lead in the Jockey’s Ranking with a 2 win advantage.  D Whyte has recorded 48 wins, 50 seconds, 33 thirds, 37 fourths and 30 fifths from 299 rides. Shane Dye is in third position with 26 wins, 18 seconds, 17 thirds, 16 fourths and 21 fifths from 276 rides. Brett Prebble is in ninth position with 15 wins, 14 seconds, 18 third, 12 fourths and 25 fifths from 209 rides. Craig Williams is in tenth position with 14 wins, 16 seconds, 20 thirds, 18 fourths and 15 fifths from 194 rides.

Tony Cruz has extended his lead in the Trainer’s Ranking and now holds an 16 win advantage.  Tony Cruz has recorded 49 wins, 28 seconds, 26 thirds, 14 fourths and 14 fifths from 220 runners. John Size is in second position with 33 wins, 24 seconds, 20 thirds, 28 fourths and 26 fifths from 246 runners. John Moore is in third position with 24 wins, 19 seconds, 22 thirds, 18 fourths and 15 fifths from 227 runners. David Hayes is in eighth position with 16 wins, 20 seconds, 28 thirds, 15 fourths and 17 fifths from 262 runners.

All statistics current to 26 January 2005 .

  Silent Witness maintains unbeaten record

It was just another day at the office for Silent Witness the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year bred by TBNSW member Mr I K Smith of Edinburgh Park Stud, maintaining his unbeaten record when he saluted in the Group 1 The Bauhinia Sprint Trophy, the first leg of the Champion Sprint Series on 23 January 2005 at Sha Tin.  The race was a great result for Australian, and more particularly NSW bred horses, who provided the trifecta in the event.  Silent Witness (AUS) (El Moxie(USA)-Jade Tiara) who won as he liked scored by 1¾ lengths from Country Music (AUS) (Danzero-Paris Nights(NZ)) with Planet Ruler (AUS) (Danehill (USA) -Sequenza (IRE)) a further 2 lengths away in third place.  Silent Witness, who is continually rewriting the Hong Kong record books, has the impressive record of 14 consecutive wins from as many starts and has accumulated some HK$38,006,900 (approx. AUS$6.33M) in career prizemoney to date.  Next up for Silent Witness is the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup, the second leg of the Sprint series to be run on 27 February 2005 followed by the third leg, the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize on 3 April 2005 .

  Recognition of John Moore

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has presented John Moore with a commemorative silver dish to recognise his achievement of becoming Hong Kong ’s most successful trainer in numerical terms.  Moore has recorded 845 victories.

  Eclipse Awards Announced

The 34^th Eclipse Awards have been announced and the winners were:

  Hong Kong Update

D Whyte continues to lead in the Jockey’s Ranking with a 7 win advantage.  D Whyte has recorded 48 wins, 49 seconds, 31 thirds, 33 fourths and 27 fifths from 282 rides. Shane Dye is in third position with 25 wins, 18 seconds, 16 thirds, 16 fourths and 19 fifths from 261 rides. Craig Williams is in ninth position with 14 wins, 16 seconds, 20 thirds, 18 fourths and 15 fifths from 194 rides. Brett Prebble is in tenth position with 14 wins, 14 seconds, 17 third, 11 fourths and 24 fifths from 196 rides.

Tony Cruz has increased his lead in the Trainer’s Ranking and now holds an 12 win advantage.  Tony Cruz has recorded 44 wins, 27 seconds, 25 thirds, 12 fourths and 14 fifths from 2054 runners. John Size is in second position with 32 wins, 23 seconds, 19 thirds, 27 fourths and 25 fifths from 237 runners. John Moore is in third position with 22 wins, 18 seconds, 21 thirds, 18 fourths and 13 fifths from 216 runners. David Hayes is in ninth position with 14 wins, 19 seconds, 26 thirds, 15 fourths and 16 fifths from 248 runners.

All statistics current to 19 January 2005.

  Hussonet Sires His 2^nd Horse of the Year

Arrowfield stallion HUSSONET has sired back to back winners of Chile’s Horse of the Year title when his Triple Crown hero, Trotamondo, was unanimously elected Chile’s Horse of the Year for 2004 by the Chilean Turf Journalists Association on the weekend. Last year the title fell to Hussonet’s son HOST who went onto compete successfully in North America capturing the G2 Knickerbocker Stakes on turf at his most recent start.  Trotamondo's dominance of his contemporaries was absolute and his string of five consecutive wins in 2004 included three G1 victories culminating in the successful completion of the Chilean Triple Crown. Trotamondo will now continue his career in North America in 2005 under the care of Laura de Seroux following Narvick International's purchase of a 50% share in the colt.  Hussonet was credited with a second champion in 2004 when his daughter Domaine was elected the Champion 2YO Filly on Turf. Domaine won the prestigious G1 Arturo Lyon Peña-Copa Pisco Campanario Stakes and was one of 3 G1 winners and 7 stakeswinners sired by Hussonet from his 2001 foal crop.  

The addition of two new champions to Hussonet’s sire’s record capped off another remarkable year for the son of Mr Prospector as he also claimed both the Champion General Sires and Champion 2YO Sires titles in 2004. Hussonet now boasts five Champion General Sires titles and four Champion 2YO Sires titles and his lifetime tally of champions has risen to 14 from just 282 runners with his seven crops of racing age. He is also the sire of 18 G1 winners and 62 stakeswinners giving him an extraordinary stakeswinners to runners ratio of 22%.  “We could not be more pleased with the results Hussonet has achieved to date,” said Arrowfield Managing Director John Messara. “His job now is to translate his Chilean success in Australia and he could not have got off to a better start as his first Australian foals really look the part,” said Messara.

(Press Release)

  110 Hunter Valley yearlings at New Zealand sales

Two three-quarter brothers by the Storm Bird 2000 European Horse of the year Giant's Causeway are among the160 yearlings got in Australia in the catalogues for the New Zealand National sales commencing on January 31.  Bred on crosses of dual hemisphere sires, the yearlings are from the half-sisters Silk Slipper (by Woodman) and Twyla (by Danehill), daughters of the magnificent Nijinsky producer Dancing Show. She has had seven winners from eight runners including the brilliant Group1 winners and good sires Umatilla and Hurricane Sky.  

A more modest winner out of Dancing Show has added more lustre to the family as the dam of the Danehill champion racehorse and boom young sire Redoute's Choice.  Fresh from a new triumph as the source of this month's million dollar Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Bradbury's Luck, Redoute's Choice is also to be represented at the New Zealand sales. One of his yearlings is from a daughter of the great staying mare Empire Rose, a winner, second and fifth placegetter in attempts at the Melbourne Cup.  Redoute's Choice has only two yearlings in the New Zealand Premier sale catalogue but Giant's Causeway has seven lots lots. All got at Coolmore in the Hunter Valley, they also include one of the star fillies, a half-sister to Bel Esprit, a winner of eight races including the Blue Diamond Stakes and Doomben10,000 and earner of over $2million.  

Bel Esprit is by Royal Academy, a top sire in both hemisphere who also has representation at the New Zealand sales. Also a Coolmore sire, he is one of ten of their Hunter Valley visitors with yearlings available, the others including Fusaichi Pegasus, Galileo, Danehill Dancer and Spinning World.  Another glamour sire used at Coolmore in 2004 represented is Encosta de Lago (6 lots), but he transferred from Victoria last year and his current yearlings were got at the Blue Gum Farm Stud at Euroa.  The two best represented Hunter Valley sires at the sales are to be the Darley Stud visitors Carnegie (14 lots) and Fantastic Light (11), while others from the region providing yearlings include Catbird, Anabaa, Canny Lad, Dehere, Flying Spur, Grand Lodge, Octagonal, Red Ransom, Magic Albert, Quest for Fame, Secret Savings, Langfuhr and Last Tycoon.  In addition there are other yearlings got in Australia by sires such as Testa Rossa, Show a Heart, Marauding, Rory's Jester, Success Express and El Moxie.  However, it is a sire, the deceased Danehill, who made history in the Hunter Valley who is expected to capture much of the big money at the sale.  He is represented by 20 lots including five from daughters of Sadler's Wells and others out of mares by Woodman, Gone West, Secretariat, Storm Cat and Shirley Heights.They were all got to southern hemisphere breeding time at the Coolmore Stud in Ireland.  

Also demanding the attention of the big spenders will be 37 lots by the Cambridge Stud, New Zealand based supersire Zabeel. Among his youngsters are relations to Octagonal.  The two sires with the biggest representation in the Premier sale catalogue are the Sadler's Wells Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Montjeu (62 lots) and the Storm Cat Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Black Minnaloushe.  A visitor to New Zealand's Windsor Park Stud in association with Coolmore' s Kentucky Stud, Ashford, Black Minnasloushe has 53 first crop yearlings in the Premier catalogue and 22 in the Select Sale book.  All told 1477 yearlings covered by three catalogues are to be offered at the New Zealand sales, a series which is to be conducted by New Zealand Bloodstock on January 31, February 1 and 2 (Premier session, February 3 and 4 (Select) and February 6 and 7 (Festival).

(This article courtesy of Brian’s Russell’s Racing & Breeding News)

  Danzero Sires Northern Hemisphere Champion 2YO

Arrowfield stallion DANZERO capped off his outstanding year in 2004 when his northern hemisphere bred daughter SOAR was voted Joint-Champion 2YO Filly in Britain at the British Horseracing Board’s 2004 awards in London on 18 January 2005. Soar made it a dual-hemisphere Champion 2YO double for Danzero as his Australian bred son DANCE HERO was crowned the 2004 Champion 2YO of Australia in August last year.  SOAR was bred and raced by Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket England and earned her Champion title with 3 wins from 5 starts including the G2 Lowther Stakes and G3 Princess Margaret Stakes.  An easy winner on debut, Soar also placed second in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot at only her second race start.  Danzero made 2004 a history making year. Firstly, his Champion 2yo son Dance Hero became the first horse to ever win the Magic Millions/Golden Slipper double.  

He then proceeded to complete the 2YO Triple Crown winning a G1 race on three consecutive Saturdays over 1200m, 1400m and 1600m. As a result, Danzero was 2004 Champion 2YO Sire of Australia with earnings of $3,560,655 which eclipsed the previous record for Australian 2YO sire earnings set by Danehill in the 1998-99 season – notably, that record was set by Danehill’s last conceptions at Arrowfield Stud. Finally, Danzero has become the first Australian bred shuttle stallion to sire 2YO champions in both hemispheres, and in the same season to boot.  

Danzero’s remarkable season has translated into instant sales ring success for breeders with his progeny being in hot demand at the 2005 Magic Millions Sales on the Gold Coast earlier this month. Danzero had 23 yearlings sell at an average of $154,891 with 13 selling for $100,000 or more and a top price of $340,000.  Bred by Arrowfield Stud, Danzero hailed from the very first crop of Danehill and signalled the advent of things to come for his great sire. He won the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes L. at his first start before going on to be the first of five Golden Slipper winners for his sire. Danzero was also Danehill’s first sire son at stud and in 2000 claimed the Champion 2 nd Crop Sires title via the exploits of his G1 winning progeny Fairway (2000 Champion 3YO Colt of Australia) and Danglissa (2000 Champion Middle Distance 3YO Filly of Australia). Incidentally, in the same year, another Arrowfield bred Golden Slipper winning son of Danehill, Flying Spur, claimed the Champion First Season Sires title.  “It is pleasing to see Danzero setting all these milestones”, said Arrowfield Managing Director John Messara. “We are also very pleased that he is rewarding breeders in the sales ring,” added Messara.

(Press Release)

  Hong Kong Update

D Whyte maintains his 7 win advantage in the Jockey’s Ranking.  D Whyte has recorded 46 wins, 45 seconds, 31 thirds, 32 fourths and 23 fifths from 264 rides. Shane Dye is in third position with 25 wins, 17 seconds, 15 thirds, 16 fourths and 18 fifths from 245 rides. Craig Williams is in ninth position with 14 wins, 15 seconds, 17 thirds, 18 fourths and 14 fifths from 181 rides. Brett Prebble is in tenth position with 13 wins, 13 seconds, 17 third, 11 fourths and 21 fifths from 187 rides.

Tony Cruz continues to lead in the Trainer’s Ranking and now holds an 11 win advantage.  Tony Cruz has recorded 41 wins, 27 seconds, 22 thirds, 11 fourths and 14 fifths from 194 runners. John Size is in second position with 30 wins, 21 seconds, 18 thirds, 26 fourths and 22 fifths from 223 runners. John Moore is in third position with 20 wins, 18 seconds, 21 thirds, 15 fourths and 13 fifths from 203 runners. David Hayes is in ninth position with 14 wins, 17 seconds, 25 thirds, 15 fourths and 15 fifths from 235 runners.

All statistics current to 12 January 2005.

  French Deputy Claims First Season Sires Title in Japan

Arrowfield Stud shuttle stallion French Deputy has made an immediate impact with his first crop runners in Japan claiming the Champion First Season Sire title.  From 63 runners, French Deputy was represented with 23 winners who earned 340 million yen which was more than 70 million yen ahead of the second leading sire Meiner Love. Furthermore, French Deputy was Japan’s 2nd leading 2yo sire overall with only perennial champion sire Sunday Silence ahead of him.  Although his 2004 runners were from his first Japanese bred crop, prior to this, French Deputy had enjoyed tremendous success with the handful of USA bred runners in Japan including Kurofune, a multiple G1 winner and the World Champion Miler of 2001 as well as G1 winning sprinter Nobo Jack. As a consequence, French Deputy was imported from America to stand his first season in Japan at Shadai Stallion Station in 2002.  From his first six crops bred in America, French Deputy's boasts exceptional figures. From 247 runners he has sired 186 winners (75.3% winners to runners) with a stakeswinners to runners ratio of 10.5% and he is credited with two champions among his six individual G1 winners – the abovementioned World Champion Miler Kurofune and USA Eclipse Award winner and triple G1 winner Left Bank. Furthermore, his progeny have been effective on both dirt and turf with 2 of his 6 G1 winners being on turf and a total of 8 stakeswinners on turf.  Like Dehere, who has been a leading sire in both hemispheres and was Leading Active Sire of Australia in 2003, French Deputy is by emerging sire of sires Deputy Minister. In addition to the Arrowfield duo, Deputy Minister is the sire of leading US based sires Awesome Again – sire of 2004 Breeders’ Cup winners Ghostzapper and Wilko - as well as Silver Deputy, and Touch Gold.  Overall, 2004 was a stellar year for Arrowfield stallions with four of the seven proven sires capturing Champion Sire titles. In addition to French Deputy, Danzero and Redoute’s Choice were champion sires in Australia with Danzero Champion 2yo Sire and Redoute’s Choice Champion First Season Sire. Making up the quartet was Hussonet who continued his dominance in Chile capturing both the 2004 Champion General Sire and Champion 2yo Sire titles.  “We try to stand stallions that suit local conditions and it’s rewarding that our current roster is proving to be successful,” said Arrowfield Managing Director John Messara.

(Press Release)

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