Hong Kong Update

D Whyte continues to lead in the Jockey’s Ranking with a four win advantage.  D Whyte has recorded 11 wins, 6 seconds, 6 thirds, 12 fourths and 3 fifths from 63 rides. Michael Rodd is in third position with 5 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, 2 fourths and 3 fifths from 41 rides.  Shane Dye is in fourth position with 4 wins, 8 seconds, 3 thirds, 3 fourths and 5 fifths from 45 rides. D Dunn is in seventh position with 4 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, 2 fourths and 5 fifths from 40 rides. Brett Prebble is in ninth position with 3 wins, 4 seconds, 2 third, a fourth and 3 fifths from 36 rides.

C S Shum maintains his lead in the Trainer’s Ranking having recorded 8 wins, 10 seconds, 3 thirds, 2 fourth and a fifth from 53 runners. John Moore is in second position with 6 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, 3 fourths and 3 fifths from 33 runners. John Size is in fourth place with 5 wins, 6 seconds, 4 thirds, 7 fourths and 4 fifths from 47 runners. 

All statistics current to 29 September 2004.

  Hong Kong Update

D Whyte has extended his lead to 5 wins in the Jockey’s Ranking.  D Whyte has recorded 9 wins, a second, 6 thirds, 7 fourths and 2 fifths from 43 rides. Michael Rodd is in third position with 4 wins, a second, 3 thirds, a fourth and 3 fifths from 26 rides. D Dunn is in fifth position with 3 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, a fourth and 4 fifths from 27 rides. Brett Prebble is in sixth position with 3 wins, 2 seconds, a third, a fourth and 2 fifths from 23 rides.  Patrick Payne is in seventh position with 3 wins, a second, 2 thirds, 2 fourths and a fifth placing from 17 rides.  Shane Dye is in ninth position with 2 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, 2 fourths and a fifth from 30 rides.

C S Shum continues to lead in the Trainer’s Ranking having recorded 6 wins, 8 seconds, 2 thirds, a fourth and a fifth from 37 runners. John Size has moved to fourth place with 3 wins, 5 seconds, 3 thirds and 6 fourths from 33 runners.  John Moore is in sixth position with 3 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, 3 fourths and 2 fifths from 21 runners. 

All statistics current to 19 September 2004.

  $8million yearling's Australian relations

Two sires standing near each other in the Euroa district of Victoria are nearly three-quarter relations to the Storm Cat colt which was knocked down to Japanese trainer Hideyuki Mori for US$8million, a record for the sale and the fourth highest in American marketing history, on the second day, September 14, of the huge yearling sales at Keeneland Kentucky.  The youngster is by America's most valuable sire Storm Cat and is the first foal of Welcome Surprise, a Group 3 winning daughter of Seeking the Gold and wonder Secretariat producer Weekend Surprise.  In comparison, Saithor, a proven source of winners located at the Larneuk Farm on a current fee of $3300, is by Storm Cat's sire Storm Bird and is a half-brother to the dam of the yearling.  Making his first visit this year to the Campbell's Blue Gum Farm Stud, the other very close relation to the yearling is Statue of Liberty, a stakes winning unbeaten English two-year-old of 2000. Available at a cost of $8800, he is by the yearling's sire Storm Cat and from the Seattle Slew mare Charming Lassie, a half-sister to Weekend Surprise.  Two other close relations to the yearling available at Australian studs are Foxhound, a son of Danzig and Welcome Surprise's grandam Lassie Dear located at the Lakewood Stud, Wellington West, SA, and Bite the Bullet, a very competent sire standing at Gerry Harvey's Baramu Stud, Widden Valley.  Bite the Bullet is by Spectacular Bid and from a half-sister to Weekend Surprise and is a three-quarter brother to Spectacular Spy, a sire who died just as he was emerging as a quality source of winners at the Clearvale Stud in the Bylong Valley, NSW.  In the past ten years this family has been one of the world's best with other products including champion American racehorse and sire A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew - Weekend Surprise), Preakness Stakes winner and Kentucky Derby second Summer Squall (Storm Bird - Weekend Surprise) and another champion in Lemon Drop Kid (Kingmambo - Charming Lassie).  A.P. Indy, the king of the family and a mainstay of the Bold Ruler branch of the Nasrullah male line, made another big contribution to this month's Kentucky sale by supplying the equal third top priced lot at $3.1million. It is a colt from the Group 2 winner Sahara Gold, a daughter of Seeking the Gold and the Storm Cat Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Desert Stormer.  The next dam was a half-sister by Damascus to champion Canadian two-year-old and good New Zealand sire Sound Reason Another yearling with blood ties to the record maker to sell well at the second session of the September yearling sale is one which was submitted on behalf of one of Australia's leading breeders, Jim Fleming, the proprietor of the Tyreel Stud in the Hawkesbury Valley. Realising $1.3million, it is a colt by A.P. Indy and out of a mare, Warrior Queen, related to Storm Bird which cost Fleming $2million at American broodmare sales.  All told 26 lots each sold for $1million or more at the sale with the second highest price of $3.4million being for a Storm Cat colt out of Bless, an unraced sister by Mr Prospector to Fusaichi Pegasus, the Kentucky Derby winner now in the glamour line up of sires visiting Coolmore in the Hunter Valley.  In addition a three-quarter brother by the Mr Prospector sire Seeking the Gold to Fusaichi Pegasus went for $1.8million and the second highest filly price, $1,5million, was for a Fusaichi Pegasus out of the Northern Dancer mare Golden Oriole. The latter dam is a sister to Irish Derby and English Two Thousand Guineas winner El Gran Senor and a relation of Xaar, Masterclass, Hurricane Sky, Umatilla, Redoute's Choice, Platinum Scissors and Spinning World.  Both the Fusaichi Pegasus relations were bought by the same buyer as the two highest priced lots, Hideyushi Mori. Significantly, Fusaichi Pegasus was bought for Japanese interests for $4million at 1998 Keeneland sales.  Acting for Japanese businessman Yoshinori Sakae, Mori had bought a Sunday Silence colt for $1.5million at this year's Sydney Easter yearling sale.  Third (equal) and the next highest prices, $3.1million and $2.85million, of the Keeneland September sale were for products of the Mr Prospector sire Kingmambo, and they were followed by a colt by a former visitor to the Arrowfield Stud, Unbridled's Song, on $2.8million. Seventh top price of $2million was for a Danzig colt from the Forty Niner mare Scads, a mare who is nearly a three-quarter sister to Rolls, the American bred dam of Flying Spur and grandam of Encosta de Lago.  There was a strong demand at the sale for progeny of the Storm Cat world champion three-year-old Giant's Causeway, one of the visitors to the Coolmore Stud, including lots selling at $1.15million, $1.05million and $1million, Galileo, another of the glamour team at Coolmore, had a son go for $1.9million and their now deceased giant of Australian breeding Danehill had his only representative make $1.7million. A bay colt, the latter yearling is from Fiji, an England bred mare by Rainbow Quest who was champion grass mare in America.  The American September catalogue gives the deceased Danehill a sire career record of 2228 foals, 1621 starters, 248 stakes winners, 14 champions and 1159 winners all told of 3523 races.

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

  Hong Kong Update

Last season’s Champion Jockey D Whyte has surged to the lead in Jockey’s Ranking for the new season in Hong Kong.  D Whyte has recorded 5 wins, a second, 4 thirds, 6 fourths and a fifth placing from 26 rides.  Patrick Payne is in third position with 3 wins and 2 thirds from 10 rides.  Michael Rodd is in fourth position with 3 wins, a fourth and 3 fifths from 13 rides.  Shane Dye is in sixth position with 2 wins, 2 seconds and 2 fourths from 17 rides.  D Dunn is in eighth position with 2 wins, a second, a third, a fourth and 4 fifths from 17 rides.

C S Shum has taken the lead in the Trainer’s Ranking having recorded 5 wins, 6 seconds, a third and a fifth from 25 runners. John Moore is in fifth position with 2 wins, 2 seconds, a third, 2 fourths and 2 fifths from 11 runners. 

All statistics current to 11 September 2004.

  Vale – Deputy Minister

Former Canadian Horse of the Year and Champion 2YO Deputy Minister has died at the age of 25.  Deputy Minister (CAN) (Vice Regent(CAN)-Mint Copy(CAN)) who has resided at Brookdale Farm in Kentucky since the late 1980’s is the sire of Champions Go For Wand, Dehere and Diva’s Debut as well as numerous Group 1 winners including Awesome Again, Touch Gold and Clear Mandate.

  Hong Kong Update

The Australasian contingent of jockeys are off to a flying start in the Jockey’s Ranking for the new season in Hong Kong.  Patrick Payne leads the Jockey’s Premiership with 3 wins and 2 thirds from 8 rides.  Michael Rodd is in a close second position with 3 wins, a fourth and 2 fifths from 8 rides.  Shane Dye is in seventh position with a win, 2 seconds and a fourth from 11 rides.  D Dunn is in ninth position with a win, a second, a fourth and 4 fifths from 12 rides.

C Fownes is the leader in the Trainer’s Ranking having recorded 5 wins, 4 thirds and 2 fourths from 16 runners.  The best of the Australasian contingent at this stage is John Moore who has recorded 2 wins, a second, 2 fourths and 2 fifths from 8 runners. 

All statistics current to 8 September 2004.

  Two Popular Sires Not on 2004 Southern Hemisphere Shuttle

Vinery Stud’s Twining and Widden Stud’s Agnes World will not be travelling to Australia for the 2004 Southern Hemisphere Season.  Twining (Forty Niner-Courtly Dee) who formerly shuttled from Vinery Kentucky to Vinery Scone was moved to the Shadai Stallion Station in Japan this year.  Agnes World (Danzig-Mysteries) who is currently among the leading group of 1^st crop stallions in Japan this year and will have his 1^st Australian crop debut this season, will spend the northern hemisphere winter in Japan.

  Vale – Lion Cavern

Lion Cavern, the brother to Group 1 winner and leading sire Gone West has died in Greece shortly after his arrival in the country.  Lion Cavern (Mr Prospector-Secrettame) was sold recently to Elia Stud Farm SA near Athens having spent the past 5 seasons at Wimbledon Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.  Lion Cavern is the sire of eighteen stakes winners including Crimplene (the winner of the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas, the G1 Coronation Stakes, the G1 Nassau Stakes and the G2 German 1,000 Guineas), Silent Tribute (the Champion Italian juvenile filly) and Harmonic Way (G2 Cork and Orrery Stakes winner).

  New Zealand First Season Sire Guide

The following is an alphabetical listing of the First Season Sires in New Zealand for the 2004 Southern Hemisphere Season:-

  The Best of British

The first major yearling sale in Britain each year is the St Leger Sale at Doncaster, which starts in two weeks.  So far in 2004, graduates from the sale have included the Group One-winning sprinters Somnus and Fayr Jag and the two-year-old Captain Hurricane (G2). The latter's Dr Fong half-brother is one of the standouts of this year's catalogue along with a Peintre Celebre colt who is out of a half-sister to Cheveley Park's sire sensation Pivotal.  Around this time of year you expect to see much of  the cream of Europe's yearlings on sale at Tattersalls' Houghton Sale. With a change in format, the Houghton Sale doesn't exist this year, but those star youngsters will still be at Newmarket selling in Tattersalls' revamped October Yearling Sale Part I.  The bluebloods on offer include a sister to the Ascot Gold Cup winner Papineau, a Rainbow Quest half-brother to the Irish Oaks winner Petrushka, a Danehill half-brother to Grandera, and a Halling half-sister to the 2002 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Marienbard.   Tattersalls Houghton graduates to have won G1 races in 2004 include Russian Rhythm, Grey Swallow and River Dancer.

(British Horseracing Board)

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