1. Irridescence (SAF) (Caesour-Meretricious)

2. Best Gift (NZ) (Bahhare-Shock Attack)

3. Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross-Selection Board)

  South African filly Irridescence shines amid Audemars Piguet QE II glory

Mike de Kock, South Africa's most internationally renowned trainer, gained sweet revenge for the second-placed finish by Grey's Inn in last year's Audemars Piguet QEII Cup when Irridescence and jockey Weichong Marwing held off local hope Best Gift and British mare Ouija Board by two heads to land the HK$14 million showpiece Sha Tin on 23 April 2006. Immediately sent to the lead by Marwing, Irridescence dictated the steady early speed, cutting out the first 800m in splits 26.4 and 24.8 seconds. Jockey Weichong Marwing then wound up the pace with half a mile to race, skipping two lengths clear of the field and setting sail for home, while keeping enough in reserve to hold off the sustained challenge of Best Gift and the late charging Ouija Board, who made up plenty of ground in the straight for Frankie Dettori - but could not quite get to the long time leader. Coming from off the pace, Ouija Board clocked the final 400m in 21.8 seconds compared to the 22.4 for Irridescence and 22.2 for Best Gift. The winner paid nearly 5/1 third favourite, backed in from almost 15/2, as was Ouija Board who started the favourite at 6/4. Afterwards a relieved Marwing said: "That wasn't exactly the plan! I think that she is a better filly when she is held up, but when there was no pace and she broke well I felt that I had to go on. It all worked out OK in the end, and she held on well to the line." "What a ride from Marwing!" ecstatic owner Steve Karlin gushed. "I have just spoken to Barry Irwin [manager of owners Team Valor] and he said to me: 'He's the best jockey I've seen since Willie Shoemaker." Whether Irridescence will further her international travels remains a conundrum with Karlin, suggesting that Europe could be on the cards, though De Kock said her brilliance is compromised by her temperament and that might limit her world aspirations. Irridescence is the second South African winner of this race after the triumph of London News in 1997. Eric Saint-Martin on second placed Best Gift had no excuses to offer, while a disappointed Frankie Dettori said of Ouija Board: "She broke slowly and didn't have the pace to go with them early. I was four lengths behind the winner coming to the straight and we've made up three-and-three-quarters. At a mile and a half she's the winner, no doubt about it. She just ran out of track. I think she's as good as ever, and there's no reason why she shouldn't have another great year." If there was a disappointment in the race it was the sixth-placed finish of the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby winner, Viva Pataca, sent off the second favourite. He was always caught deep on the track from a wide barrier and was never seen with a major chance. His trainer John Moore was philosophical about the outcome, saying: "I'm not put off at all by the result, he's still a Gr.1 horse. He had a bad draw, couldn't get in, caught 3-wide no cover and that was his chance gone."

(Hong Kong Jockey Club)

The Australians continue their dominance in the Trainer’s ranking with John Size having a three win advantage over John Moore. Size has recorded 61 winners, 42 second placings, 35 third placings, 54 fourth placings and 33 fifth placings from 432 runners. John Moore is in second position with 58 winners, 46 second placings, 43 third placings, 30 fourth placings and 39 fifth placings from 398 runners. David Hall is in tenth position with 23 wins, 25 second placings, 33 third placings, 18 fourth placings and 23 fifth placings from his 244 runners.

Douglas Whyte has increased his lead in the Jockey’s ranking and now holds a thirty five win advantage. Whyte has recorded 86 winners, 69 second placings, 53 third placings, 58 fourth placings and 33 fifth placings from his 502 rides. Brett Prebble is in second position with 51 winners, 37 second placings, 35 third placings, 27 fourth placings and 30 fifth placings from 359 rides. Chris Munce is in fifth position with 38 winners, 24 second placings, 27 third placings, 27 fourth placings and 24 fifth placings from 335 rides. Shane Dye is in sixth position with 36 winners, 38 second placings, 43 third placings, 28 fourth placings and 28 fifth placings from 396 rides.

All statistics current to 26 April 2006.

The Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale continued in spectacular fashion and concluded with a new record price for a two-year-old at the sale and new records for turnover, average and median. Trade on the second day saw 72 lots sold for 5,080,000 guineas, at an average of 70,556 guineas and a median of 46,000 guineas, taking the two day total to 147 lots sold for 10,736,000 guineas, a rise of 70% on last year's record breaking total. The average and median both rose 43% to 73,034 guineas and 50,000 guineas respectively over last year's record levels. The GREEN DESERT colt out of the Group winning PENNEKAMP mare ALEXANDER THREE D had been the talk of Park Paddocks following his impressive breeze and the imposing individual had no shortage of admirers as he entered the ring. Irish bloodstock agent Peter Doyle and locally based agent Margaret O'Toole both staked claims for the colt along with locally based agent Dick O'Gorman, who was to end up the underbidder, but none could withstand the efforts of Hiroaki Akita, farm manager at Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm who secured the colt for 625,000 guineas. The sale represented a new record at the Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale, eclipsing the previous record of 500,000 guineas set two years ago and continued the spectacular run for his consignor Willie Browne. Browne's Mocklershill Stables also consigned the second and third highest priced lots for the day with the GALILEO colt out of the regally bred ROYAL ACADEMY mare SOMETIME realising 390,000 guineas to the bid of Co Meath trainer Ger Lyons. The half-brother to Listed winner MANYANA is grand-daughter of champion broodmare ALIDIVA, dam of Group 1 winners TAIPAN, ALI-ROYAL and SLEEPYTIME. Lyons secured the colt after seeing off the efforts of Irish agent Peter Doyle, locally based agent Margaret O'Toole and BBA Ireland's Patrick Cooper. The colt out of the RINGSIDE mare FIGHTING COUNTESS represented the final crop of the ill-fated stallion DANEHILL and saw interest from BBA Ireland's Patrick Cooper, Japanese agent Takashi Kodama and Swordlestown Stud's Ger Morrin, but it was Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown who secured the colt for 280,000 guineas on behalf of New Jersey based businessman Ahmed Zayat. The half-brother to the Stakes winner DAWN PRINCESS was another pinhooking triumph for Browne's Mocklershill Stables who purchased him as a yearling for $140,000 and ended the sale as leading consignor, having sold 19 lots for 3,079,000 guineas. At the conclusion of the 2006 Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented; "It is not often that a Sale completely rewrites the record books, but the 2006 Tattersalls Breeze Up has done just that. Only five years ago the aggregate at this sale was just over 2,500,000 guineas, the average was a touch over 23,000 guineas and the top price was 82,000 guineas. The 2006 renewal has produced turnover of 10,736,000 guineas, an average of 73,034 guineas and a top price of 625,000 guineas. Equally importantly the sale has achieved a clearance rate that would be the envy of any similar sale in the Northern hemisphere. "Tribute has to be paid to the vendors who have sent us such a special collection of two year olds. The catalogue was universally acclaimed as the best ever for a European Breeze Up Sale from the moment it appeared and the buyers have responded in spectacular fashion. Based on the catalogue and the number of Group 1 performers that have come from this sale in recent years it would be fair to say that we approached this week with a measure of optimism, but it would also be fair to say that we would not have predicted such massive rises across the board. "The 625,000 guineas record breaking GREEN DESERT colt bought by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm was obviously the individual highlight of what has been a truly memorable sale, but the feature of the trade which has given most cause for optimism has been the depth of the demand. Ten different buyers of the top ten lots and 28 lots making 100,000 guineas or more is a graphic illustration of a market with genuine strength in depth and it has been hugely encouraging to see such diversity among the buyers."

(Tattersalls)

  Staggering Start to Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale

The Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale opened in sensational fashion with records across the board on the first day of the two day sale. Turnover for the 75 lots sold was 5,656,000 guineas, up 65% on the opening session last year, with the average and median both rising 45% to 75,413 guineas and 55,000 guineas respectively. A total of 18 lots sold for 100,000 guineas or more, up from 10 last year, whilst the clearance rate was a very impressive 84%. The top price for the day and the second highest ever price at a European breeze up was the 400,000 guineas paid for the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR colt out of the CAERLEON mare SABREON, the half-sister to Group 1 and Grade 1 winner LANDSEER. The battle to secure the regally bred colt consigned from Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stables soon settled down to a head-to-head duel between Northern Farm's Shunsuke Yoshida and Irish bloodstock agent Peter Doyle, who was standing alongside Plantation Stud's Dermot O'Rourke. Doyle and O'Rourke finally secured the athletic colt who will join Henry Cecil at his Warren Place Stables in Newmarket. The sale represented a great pinhooking result for Browne who had purchased the colt for 165,000 guineas at Part 1 of the 2005 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The result represented the high point of an incredible day for Mocklershill Stables, whose eleven lots realised a total of 1,324,000 guineas. Another consignor to enjoy a spectacular day was Bansha House Stables' Con Marnane whose ten sold lots realised a total of 1,079,000 guineas and included three of the five highest priced lots for the day. The highest of these was the MONTJEU colt out of the DASHING BLADE mare NOBLE PEARL who was purchased by London based bloodstock agent Charlie Gordon-Watson for 230,000 guineas after he saw off the efforts of fellow agents Antony Stroud, Peter Doyle and Gordion Troeller. The colt represented a massive pinhooking success, having been purchased as a yearling for 90,000. The two other Bansha House Stables consigned lots to make more than 200,000 guineas also represented great pinhooking results. The MONTJEU half-sister to Group 1 Racing Post Trophy third SEPTIMUS, out of the DARSHAAN mare CALADIRA, realised 200,000 guineas to the bid of locally based bloodstock agent Stephen Hillen, having been purchased as a yearling for 43,000 whilst the JOHANNESBURG colt out of GULCH mare NORTHERN GULCH, who was purchased by agent Tony Nerses for 210,000 guineas, was purchased as a yearling for $75,000. On a night of unprecedented results, the fifth lot to breach the 200,000 guineas mark was the DANEHILL DANCER colt out of the MR PROSPECTOR mare STATISTIC. Consigned from Mark Dwyer's Oaks Farm Stables, the colt was purchased by London based agent Jamie McCalmont for 200,000 guineas after he saw of the efforts of Co Meath based trainer Ger Lyons and represented another stunning pinhook success, having been purchased as a yearling for 40,000.

(Tattersalls)

1. Joyful Winner (AUS) (El Moxie(USA)-Northern Tycoon) bred in NSW

2. Silent Witness (AUS) (El Moxie(USA)-Jade Tiara) bred by TBNSW member Mr I K Smith

3. High Intelligent (AUS) (Anabaa(USA)-Party Dancer)

  Joyful Winner's coronation in Queen Silver Jubilee Cup

Make way for a new champion because Joyful Winner's denying Silent Witness victory in the final strides of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup marked a definitive changing of the guard. It was in this race 12 months ago that Silent Witness registered his 17th straight win - his most recent in Hong Kong - but try as he might, the most successful thoroughbred in HK racing history had no answer to the late charge of Joyful Winner, a most progressive horse who continues on an upward curve. Marking his maiden Gr.1 appearance in this 1400m race worth HK$4.5 million, Joyful Winner started a 4/6 favourite to depose the reigning king in the final leg of the Champion Sprint Series and was settled five lengths in rear behind Silent Witness making the most of a soft lead. For a moment Silent Witness looked like the champ of old as he straightened for a home with a length to spare, ears pricked and with the race at his mercy if he could just produce an extra burst of acceleration. However, once unleashed by Christophe Soumillon - on a flying visit from duties in France - the real quickening came out wide from Joyful Winner who headed Silent Witness four strides from the line and won by a length. High Intelligent ran third. It's testament to the race-closing prowess of Joyful Winner that he was able to redress a four lengths break on a world renowned sprinter with 400m to race, a distance that was covered 22.7 seconds. "He has a very strong finish so I wanted to save him for that kick. The only horse I have ridden here that has given me the same sensation has been Bullish Luck and he was the first one to beat Silent Witness last year so I felt Joyful Winner would be able to do the same today," said Soumillon. Joyful Winner was the fifth win from seven domestic Gr.1 races in Hong Kong to date this term for trainer John Moore in his "best season for 21 years" and rejoining John Size at the top of the trainers' championship. "I'm very pleased because he has proven that he is a genuine Gr.1 horse," said Moore. "The obvious race for him now is the Champions Mile next month [May 7] and if he does well in that race we might then consider the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo in June." American-bred, Australian-based El Moxie sired the first two past the post. At present this stallion has only seven representatives in training in Hong Kong, one of them a world champion sprinter, the other a dashing seven-furlong/mile performer still with considerable upside potential. Silent Witness is likely to face his conqueror again in the Champions Mile. "He's still not at his best. The same horse of last season would have won that race and I think he's still two lengths from his top," owner Archie da Silva commented. "But he was getting there. We have gone from finishing seventh, to third and now to second. Maybe he can get there first next month."

(Hong Kong Jockey Club)

The Australians continue their dominance in the Trainer’s ranking with John Size having a two win advantage over John Moore. Size has recorded 59 winners, 41 second placings, 34 third placings, 53 fourth placings and 32 fifth placings from 420 runners. John Moore is in second position with 57 winners, 44 second placings, 42 third placings, 28 fourth placings and 36 fifth placings from 381 runners. David Hall is in tenth position with 23 wins, 25 second placings, 33 third placings, 18 fourth placings and 22 fifth placings from his 238 runners.

Douglas Whyte continues to lead in the Jockey’s ranking holding thirty two win advantage. Whyte has recorded 83 winners, 68 second placings, 51 third placings, 57 fourth placings and 32 fifth placings from his 487 rides. Brett Prebble is in second position with 51 winners, 37 second placings, 33 third placings, 25 fourth placings and 26 fifth placings from 347 rides. Chris Munce is in fourth position with 38 winners, 23 second placings, 27 third placings, 26 fourth placings and 23 fifth placings from 320 rides. Shane Dye is in sixth position with 35 winners, 37 second placings, 43 third placings, 26 fourth placings and 28 fifth placings from 385 rides.

All statistics current to 19 April 2006.

  Major Race Result – New Zealand

The Group 1 Easter Handicap 1600 metres

1. Rags To Riches (NZ) (Entrepeneur (GB)–Candescent (NZ))

2. Korau Road (NZ) (Cape Cross (IRE)–Just Cruising (AUS))

3. La Sizeranne (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA)–Tricia Ann (NZ))

HURRICANE RUN (IRE) [130T], the winner of the 2005 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere, continues to head the World's Leading Horses, the latest edition of which has just been published, covering the racing period from 1st October 2005 to 31st March 2006. SHIROCCO (GER) [125T], who won the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf, moves into second position, just in front of ELECTROCUTIONIST (USA) [124D], who is undefeated on dirt after his powerful victory in the G1 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup. The Dubai World Cup meeting produced several other impressive victories, notably DAVID JUNIOR (USA) [123T] in the Dubai Duty Free and HEART'S CRY (JPN) [123T] in the Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic. These two now share fourth spot in the Rankings with the Sprinters Stakes victor SILENT WITNESS (AUS) [123T]. Other horses to improve their ranking after running in Dubai were BRASS HAT (USA) [121D] (now ranked 12th), runner up in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup, DISCREET CAT (USA) [118D] (20th), winner of the S&M Al Naboodah Group UAE Derby and UTOPIA (JPN) [116D] (38th), who was an impressive winner of the Jebel Ali International Hotels Godolphin Mile on dirt. Japan's dirt champion KANE HEKILI (JPN) [118D], winner of the February Stakes, enters at number 20, along with the top ranked Australian sprinter TAKEOVER TARGET (AUS) [118T], who won the G1 Seppelt Wines Newmarket Handicap. In total five Australian Group One winners make the list, including Motorola Mackinnon winner LAD OF THE MANOR (NZ) [117T] and recent Ranvet-Rawson Stakes winner EREMEIN (AUS) [116T]. Horses that have been retired from racing, but who ran in the qualifying period, have not been included in this listing, but their previous Rankings can be found in the past editions on the IFHA web site, www.IFHAOnline.org The next listing will be published early in May.

The World's Leading Horses are compiled by the World Rankings Supervisory Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). The full list and further information are available on the IFHA web site www.IFHAOnline.org

(IFHA Media Release)

The Australians continue their dominance in the Trainer’s ranking with John Size having a two win advantage over John Moore. Size has recorded 57 winners, 41 second placings, 33 third placings, 53 fourth placings and 30 fifth placings from 411 runners. John Moore is in second position with 55 winners, 41 second placings, 40 third placings, 26 fourth placings and 35 fifth placings from 367 runners. David Hall is in ninth position with 23 wins, 25 second placings, 33 third placings, 18 fourth placings and 21 fifth placings from his 231 runners.

Douglas Whyte has increased his lead yet again in the Jockey’s ranking and now holds a thirty eight win advantage. Whyte has recorded 83 winners, 68 second placings, 51 third placings, 57 fourth placings and 32 fifth placings from his 487 rides. Brett Prebble is in second position with 45 winners, 36 second placings, 33 third placings, 24 fourth placings and 24 fifth placings from 331 rides. Chris Munce is in fifth position with 35 winners, 23 second placings, 24 third placings, 24 fourth placings and 21 fifth placings from 303 rides. Shane Dye is in sixth position with 34 winners, 36 second placings, 43 third placings, 24 fourth placings and 28 fifth placings from 374 rides.

All statistics current to 12 April 2006.

1. Arlingtonboulevard (NZ) (Spinning World(USA)-Golden Bridge (NZ))

2. Salsa (NZ) (O'Reilly(NZ) -Ungaro (NZ))

3. Viennetta (NZ) (Pins(AUS)-Bali Sugar (NZ))

  Major Race Results – United States

1. Brother Derek (Benchmark-Miss Soft Sell)

2. Point Determined (Point Given-Merengue)

3. A.P.Warrior (A.P.Indy-Warrior Queen)#

# A.P.Warrior was bred (and subsequently sold for US$1.3M as a yearling) by TBNSW member Tyreel Stud

The Group 1 Wood Memorial Stakes 9 Furlongs

1. Bob and John (Seeking the Gold-Minister’s Melody)

2. Jazil (Seeking the Gold-Better Than Honour)

3. Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory-Ava Knowsthecode)

Douglas Whyte has increased his lead yet again in the Jockey’s ranking and now holds a thirty five win advantage. Whyte has recorded 80 winners, 67 second placings, 50 third placings, 55 fourth placings and 31 fifth placings from his 469 rides. Brett Prebble is in second position with 45 winners, 36 second placings, 33 third placings, 24 fourth placings and 24 fifth placings from 331 rides. Chris Munce is in fifth position with 34 winners, 23 second placings, 21 third placings, 24 fourth placings and 20 fifth placings from 296 rides. Shane Dye is in sixth position with 33 winners, 34 second placings, 42 third placings, 24 fourth placings and 26 fifth placings from 362 rides.

The Australians continue their dominance in the Trainer’s ranking with John Size taking over the lead again. Size has recorded 56 winners, 41 second placings, 31 third placings, 52 fourth placings and 29 fifth placings from 399 runners. John Moore is in second position with 55 winners, 38 second placings, 40 third placings, 24 fourth placings and 33 fifth placings from 357 runners. David Hall is in tenth position with 21 wins, 23 second placings, 32 third placings, 18 fourth placings and 18 fifth placings from his 221 runners.

All statistics current to 1 April 2006.

  Major Race Result – New Zealand

The Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes 1400 metres

1. Jokers Wild (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe (USA) – Miss Rory (AUS))

2. The One (NZ) (O’Reilly (NZ) – The Grin (NZ))

3. Habana(NZ) (Danasinga (AUS) – Kohinoor (NZ))

  Timely Boost for Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale

The Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale, which takes place from April 18-20, received a timely boost when the 17,000 guineas graduate ADORABILE FONG won the Listed Premio Gardone at San Siro in Milan yesterday. The son of DR FONG out of the HERNANDO mare DIVINE SECRET, was winning his sixth race from only nine starts for his trainer Maurizio Guarnieri and now heads to the Italian 2000 Guineas on April 23 as one of the leading contenders. ADORABILE FONG was consigned to the 2005 Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale by Malcolm Bastard, where he was purchased by Italian agent Federico Barberini on behalf of owner Luigi Zocchi. Bastard has a consignment of sixteen two-year-olds catalogued at the 2006 Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale, including a filly by DR FONG out of the ZAFONIC mare CATATONIC, a half-sister to COMIC, dam of last week's Group 1 Hong Kong Derby winner VIVA PATACA. Bastard's consignment also includes colts by GREEN DESERT, PIVOTAL and MONTJEU whilst DR FONG is represented by three lots, including a half-brother to Group 3 winner ANTIOQUIA from Knockanglass Stables and a colt out of JUSTBETWEENFRIENDS, a half-sister to Group 3 winners WITH REASON and JURAL. Catalogues for the 2006 Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale are out now and available from Tattersalls or Tattersalls representatives and can be viewed online at www.tattersalls.com
(Tattersalls Media Release)

Keeneland's September Sale has firmly established itself as the world's preeminent yearling auction. Increasingly, a strong American presence, top foreign investors, and an influx of new buyers from emerging racing markets have combined to make Keeneland September truly the global marketplace. Keeneland's 2005 September Yearling Sale Set the Standard - "The middle market is alive and well at Keeneland in September. Buyers at all levels of the market are able to choose from many outstanding yearlings. This was in evidence during Keeneland’s 2005 September Sale when the strong momentum of the select days extended well into the sale. Books 3, 4 and 5 -- comprising days 5 through 10 of the sale -- which previously had their largest increase in 2004 were up another 23.3% in 2005" said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland's director of sales. The 2005 Keeneland September Yearling Sale set new auction standards, breaking numerous sales and industry records on its way to becoming the highest grossing Thoroughbred auction in the world:-

• Industry and World Record gross of US$384,349,900;

• Number of horses sold -- 3,545-- set an industry record;

• Average price of $108,420 was a sale record;

• Median price of $40,000 was a sale record;

• 40 yearlings sold for $1 million or more, set an industry record;

• Highest price, $9.7 million paid by John Ferguson on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum for a colt by Storm Cat our of Tranquility Lake, set a sale record;

• Sire average - $1,766,731 for 26 horses by Storm Cat - set a sale record

Mark Your Calendar - Sale Dates--Monday, September 11 thru September 24. For more details visit the website http://www.keeneland.com/livesales/.

(Keeneland Media Release)

1. Elusive Fort (Fort Wood-Ever Seeking)

2. Bennie Blue (Rich Man’s Gold-Biloxi Blue)

3. Sun Screen (Rich Man’s Gold-Tanover)

The Group 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes 1600 metres

1. Iilha Da Vitoria (Candy Stripes-De Memoria)

2. Overarching (Arch-Lonely Fact)

3. National Spring (National Emblem-Meretrix)

  Major Race Result – United States

The Group 1 Florida Derby 9 Furlongs

1. Barbaro (Dynaformer-La Ville Rouge)

2. Sharp Humor (Distorted Humor-Bellona)

3. Sunriver (Saint Ballado-Goulash)

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