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#1
07-17-2006, 02:27 AM
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International Round-up
Heart's Cry arrived safely and is in Newmarket for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes...
Takeover Target getting ready to leave, skipping the Nunthorpe Stakes (York) in favor of the Sprinters Stakes October 1st (Japan). Falkirk retired... http://www.thoroughbrednews.co.nz/nz/?id=24786 (Our) Falstaff won the Singapore Derby. From Racing Post... Derby glory for ex-Ballydoyle inmate THE much travelled Our Falstaff,who raced simply as Falstaff prior to his sale to Singapore earlier this year, scored a comprehensive success in this Sing$1 million (£343,000/€498,000) event. Although the four-year-old, who started his career at Ballydoyle, is no longer trained by South Africa’s leading international trainer Mike De Kock, that particular nation certainly played a major role in the success. Our Falstaff, sent off just over a 3-1 chance, was ridden by the Hong Kong-based South African Robbie Fradd, who flew in for the ride, and trained by his countryman Patrick Shaw, who lies third in the Singapore trainers’ table. Falstaff, as he was then, won a race at Nad Al Sheba in February this year before finishing third to King George contender Heart’s Cry in the Dubai Sheema Classic. Gelded six weeks ago, Our Falstaff now has a lucrative victory of his own after running out an emphatic two-and-a-half-length winner from Big Easy. “Look, this horse has been through the hardest preparation ever,” said Shaw. “He came over from Hong Kong and then raced in the Singapore International Airlines Cup in May. We gelded him only six weeks ago and he’s had no lead up runs to this race. All he's had is a little grass work, so to do what he did just goes to show what a good horse he is. "It's a really great thrill to win this race and I am very happy not only for myself and his connections but for Robbie – he gave him a super ride.” 
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#2
07-17-2006, 10:37 AM
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Deep Impact update, from Racing Post.....
Deep Impact heading straight to the Arc by Nicholas Godfrey JAPANESE superstar Deep Impact is likely tohead straight for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe without the benefit of another run, either at home or in Europe. The four-year-old, spectacular winner of Japan’s Triple Crown in 2005, is set to arrive in France in mid-August prior to his tilt at the Longchamp showpiece, for which he is a best-priced 5-1 third-favourite. Although it had been suggested that the son of Sunday Silence would race twice in Europe, probably with a prep run in a race like the Prix Foy, trainer Yasuo Ikee appears to be ruling out that option. “Right now, he will only run one race and that is the Arc,” said the trainer. “At present, I am totally focused on the main target. The Prix Foy is only about a couple of weeks before the Arc; if the gap was a month and a half to two months it would be a different scenario altogether. However, I don’t feel that there is any need to make him run at every opportunity that comes along.” Ikee outlined his plans in an interview for the July edition of the Japan Racing Association’s Yushun (itals) magazine, translated from the original on the JRA’s website. Instead of a prep race, Ikee suggested he was keen to give Deep Impact a racecourse gallop at Longchamp. “Prior to the main event, I want to make Deep Impact to get to know the racecourse ground,” he said. “If we were allowed to run the horse around the Longchamp course, this of course would be a definite plus.” Quarantine restrtictions mean Deep Impact is likely to arrive in Europe in about a month’s time. “If Deep Impact stays in France for over two months, the quarantine period when we return to Japan may take three months,” explained Ikee. ”If that happens, the horse will end up missing the autumn racing season in Japan. Therefore, in order to limit our stay to less than two months, we count back from the day of the Arc, which is October 1, so I reckon that Deep Impact will leave Japan around August 10. “I’ll be in France for the first 10 days after Deep Impact’s arrival. It will be just like being in Ritto , I will get a feel for the place and return home. As this is likely to be a once in a lifetime chance, I’m using all my energy and hurling myself into the Arc experience!" Although the King George was at one time considered a possible target for Deep Impact, the Ascot race was soon ruled out, leaving compatriot Heart’s Cry - the horse who inflicted the sole defeat of his career in last year’s Arima Kinen - to do the honours on Japan’s behalf. Ikee said: “I had discussions with the owner, and eventually we reached the same conclusion that Deep Impact would run in the Arc, rather than Ascot. Our reasoning was that the even surface of the course at Longchamp and the timing of the event best suited the horse. “Yutaka Take also suggested Longchamp, and it certainly wasn’t the case that Ascot was unsuitable, but that Deep Impact would find the Longchamp course more comfortable.” Ikee is certainly looking forward to Deep Impact’s appearance in the Arc, which has garnered huge interest at home. “Horsemen all over the world set their sights on this race, and for me too being from overseas, it is the race that I want to win most,” he said. “Even now when I think about actually taking part, it gives me a huge thrill. I will do my best for Japan.” NEXT year’s Dubai World Cup meeting will take place on Saturday March 24 at Nad Al Sheba. The Emirates Racing Authority on Monday confirmed the 2006-07 UAE fixture list, featuring a total of 47 meetings spread between four tracks: Nad Al Sheba, Sharjah, Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi, where racing will take place on Saturdays rather than Sundays.
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#3
07-19-2006, 12:55 AM
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From Sky Sports.....
ALEXANDROVA IN NASSAU LIST Ouija Board and Alexandrova feature among a star-studded entry of 29 fillies and mares for the Vodafone Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on August 5. Alexandrova recently completed the same English and Irish Oaks double that Ed Dunlop's popular mare secured in 2004, and she could bid to provide Aidan O'Brien with his first win in the Ł200,000 event. The Ballydoyle maestro is responsible for a further four entries in the 10-furlong test - Race For The Stars, Kushnarenkovo, Queen Cleopatra and Fermion. Last year's heroine Alexander Goldrun would become only the third dual winner of the race if able to match the feat achieved by Roussalka and Ruby Tiger, and she could be joined by stablemates Tropical Lady and Senora Galilei. Sir Michael Stoute has landed the contest no fewer than seven times and enjoyed a hat-trick between 2002 and 2004 with Islington, Russian Rhythm and Favourable Terms. He relies upon Red Bloom and Echelon this time, and the pair could be joined by the fellow Cheveley Park Stud-owned duo of Confidential Lady and Royal Ascot heroine Nannina. Confidential Lady finished fifth in last Sunday's Irish Oaks, and would be attempting to provide handler Sir Mark Prescott - who has also entered Intrigued - with a third win in the race if making the starting line-up. Other possibles include Godolphin's Pictavia, John Dunlop's progressive Time On, and Rajeem, who sprung a 50-1 surprise in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting.
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#4
07-19-2006, 01:35 AM
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Court Masterpiece to the Sussex Stakes.
* * * Yeah, but do they get a movie? From AAP... Grey Swallow Arrives On Thursday Wednesday, 19 July 2006: Cox Plate contender Grey Swallow is among the first annual shipment of northern hemipshere shuttle stallions due to touch down in Sydney on Thursday. The flight is carrying stallions valued at more than $300 million who will be standing at stud around Australia this spring. The flight is bringing US-based stallions from Kentucky, including the recently purchased 2004 Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow. Grey Swallow is to race in Australia this spring before beginning his stud career next year. Wadham Park, the big spending new breeding and racing entity with bases in Queensland and Victoria, purchased Grey Swallow from the Dermot Weld stable in a deal reported to be worth more than $4 million. Wadham Park trainer Dale Sutton will prepare Grey Swallow for the $3 million W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October. Grey Swallow is to be flown through to Melbourne after Thursday's arrival where he will begin his mandatory quarantine confinement of two weeks at the facilities provided at Sandown each spring for international spring carnival runners. Grey Swallow has come out of a US racing campaign and by serving his quarantine at Sandown his fitness level will be maintained with trackwork prior to him joining the Sutton stable. The bulk of the stallions on the flight are coming from Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky. They include Fusaichi Pegasus, Royal Academy, Johannesburg, Tale Of The Cat, Lion Heart, Hold That Tiger and Dehere. Vinery Stud's More Than Ready and Widden Stud pair Southern Image and King Cugat are also on the flight. Greenwood Lake and Monashee Mountain are among the stallions on this flight who will be standing in Queensland. The charter flight costs almost $2 million and carries 16 handlers and two vets. The stallions will serve their 14-day quarantine at Eastern Creek in Sydney's west before they are shipped to their various stud destinations to prepare for the start of the breeding season on September 1. Other charter flights bringing shuttle stallions from Europe and Japan are due in the next two weeks.
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#5
07-19-2006, 09:05 PM
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Wow! What a flight!!
I wonder what the insurance is like on that one.
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#6
07-20-2006, 05:21 PM
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#7
07-21-2006, 01:17 PM
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Upsetting news from Racing Post.....
Fallon's Breeders' Cup appearance hangs in balance by Andrew Scutts THE spectre of Kieren Fallon being banned from riding at the Breeders' Cup loomed large on Thursday following confirmation that he will not be allowed to ride in next month's Arlington Million unless an appeal against his UK ban is successful in the High Court next Thursday. Losing Fallon's services at the Breeders' Cup would come as a major blow to Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O'Brien, who last week emphasised Fallon's importance to his operation. O'Brien has saddled Powerscourt to finish first past the post in the last two runnings of the Arlington Million - he was disqualified and placed fourth two years ago under Jamie Spencer - with Fallon on board last year. Ballydoyle's Ace has been mentioned as a possible for the race this year. However, with eight championship races at Churchill Downs on November 4, Fallon's absence from the Breeders' Cup would hit Ballydoyle harder than an Arlington Park ban. Marc Laino, executive director of the Illinois Racing Board, which governs Arlington Park, said on Thursday: "If Kieren Fallon isn't successful in appealing his ban in the UK he will not be allowed to ride in Illinois, including in the Arlington Million on August 12 - unless he successfully petitions the courts in the US. "I have been advised by counsel for the IllinoisRacing Board that there is a possibility he could do that. "We have a clear, unambiguous reciprocity rule and we will honour the ban imposed by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority. They do not need to ask us to do so. "There is a policy in the States to honour other racing authorities' licence revocations, so as things stand Fallon will not be able to ride in Illinois. Had he been charged with a minor offence it might have been a different story, but these are very serious charges, and aside fromthe reciprocity issue we are duty bound to uphold the integrity of racing in Illinois. "I cannot speak for other jurisdictions in the US, but my expectation is that they would follow suit and also ban Fallon. As well as through the courts he would have the option of appealing to the Illinois Racing Board. He wouldn't need to appear in person - he can be represented by counsel." However John Veitch, chief state steward in Kentucky, said on Thursday that no firm decision had been reached by the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, which governs Churchill Downs. He added: "If Illinois deny Fallon a licence to ride, we might - and I emphasise the word 'might' - have to honour their decision and follow suit. The legal position is unclear, though, with Fallon able to continue riding in Ireland and France, even though he is currently banned in the UK. We'll see what happens next week before considering the matter further." A separate issue is whether Fallon would be allowed into the US, even if he successfully appeals his UK ban in the High Court. Fallon has previously been questioned at a US airport for two hours by US Department of Homeland Security officials, following his arrest on suspicion of 'race-fixing'. Having since been charged with 'conspiracy to defraud Betfair customers', he could face further grilling by customs officials, both at Shannon Airport - where the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection retains "the right to interrogate any individual travelling to the US", according to a spokesperson - and upon arrival in the US.
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#8
07-22-2006, 03:16 AM
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Sorry Brockguy... Gentlewave is injured and out for the year.
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#9
07-28-2006, 11:36 AM
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Rajeem to the Prix d'Astarte, Best Alibi to the Skybet York Stakes.....
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#10
07-28-2006, 07:33 PM
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Yeats at Goodwood
YEATS HEADS CUP CONTENDERS
By Nick Robson, PA Sport Needless to say Fallon will not be riding the horse at Goodwood if he runs. It is a G2 race and he would have to carry more weight as he is a G1 winner. Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats heads 21 entries for Thursday's ABN Amro Goodwood Cup at the Sussex venue. Aidan O'Brien's one-time Derby favourite was an impressive winner at the Royal meeting and will clash again with a number of his Ascot rivals. Runner-up Reefscape, High Action (fourth), Sergeant Cecil (fifth) and Guadalajara (sixth) could all reoppose along with eighth-placed Tungsten Strike and ninth Winged D'Argent. Mick Channon's dual Royal Ascot winner Baddam and Hughie Morrison's 11-year-old Alcazar are also entered. Mark Johnston has a fantastic record in the race after the exploits of Double Trigger, Royal Rebel and Darasim in recent years and he has earmarked the contest as a possible return for last year's runner-up Golden Quest. Other interesting contenders include John Gosden's four-year-old Signatory, Sir Michael Stoute's Cover Up and Sir Mark Prescott's Foreign Affairs.
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#11
07-28-2006, 08:09 PM
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Johannesburg! You're here!!!!!
Must go and jump up and down.  Thanks again for the Ace info. Like I said, baaaad feeling about tomorrow so very happy he's withdrawn. Whew!
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#12
08-01-2006, 04:37 PM
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Hey Johannesburg.....
Any idea why Peeress is skipping Goodwood? A shame.... Thanks!
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#13
08-02-2006, 01:33 AM
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Sad, sad, sad.
Cup favourite breaks down By Christian Nicolussi August 1, 2006 LEICA Falcon, the early favourite for this year's Melbourne Cup, was yesterday rubbed out of the spring carnival after breaking down. Some of the heartbroken connections of the Corowa-trained gelding were last night drowning their sorrows at a local pub in Albury after being informed by trainer Richard Freyer the horse had bowed a tendon. Freyer was last night unavailable for comment with daughter Kylie pointing out her father was too upset to speak. "He's devastated when any of his horses break down," Kylie said. Vet Jim Vasey, who will operate on Leica Falcon today - using stem cells to replace the damaged tissue in the tendon - said depending on the recovery, the horse could miss the 2007 Cup. The shock news forced Michael Eskander's betting house to reshuffle its Cup market with AJC Australian Derby winner Headturner elevated to an outright $8 favourite. Nominations for the $5.1million race on the first Tuesday in November close today. Eskander's spokesman Damian Ryan said the John Hawkes-trained Headturner was crunched from $11 into $8, followed by fellow Sydney galloper Eremein, in from $13 to $11; AJC Australian Oaks winner Serenade Rose ($15 to $13); and another Hawkes' runner, Railings ($17 into $15). "It's a bummer Leica Falcon is out because we laid the second, third and fourth favourites," Ryan said. "Leica Falcon was definitely the most popular horse with punters, with doubles and as a stand-alone. Headturner now looks the best stayer while Eremein is the best weight-for-age horse." Leica Falcon thundered home to grab fourth in last year's Cup. Jockey Steven King was expected to make the trek to Wodonga next week to ride the horse in a trial with an option to stick with the gelding throughout the carnival. Owner Margaret Eaton, the principal of a behavioural school in Albury, said she was holding back the tears from fellow teachers when receiving the news after lunch. "It was pretty tough trying to hold it together all day," said Eaton, who along with partner Alan bred Leica Falcon. "I told the teachers at the end of the day what had happened and they all understood. "We were really looking forward to the Cup this year. I knew if he could avoid injury and get there on the day, he'd be hard to beat. I even bought a dress and new hat for the Cup a few weeks ago while attending a behavioural schools' conference in Terrigal."
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#14
08-02-2006, 06:41 AM
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#15
08-02-2006, 09:08 AM
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I think the only horse from Smarty's Derby who is no longer here is poor Quintons Gold Rush. He had some kind of tumor and died in surgery last January. Poor baby...
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#16
08-02-2006, 12:07 PM
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Poor QGR, but good news on LH. I have no idea how I got that into my head! Thanks, MMSC.
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#17
08-02-2006, 12:25 PM
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Ground is too firm. She needs a little cut in the ground.
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#18
08-02-2006, 12:39 PM
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No problem, Irishtrekker.
Johannesburg... does this mean she doesn't run till the Matron Stakes or the QE II? Disappointing..... I love that girl.
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#19
08-03-2006, 09:41 AM
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YEATS PROVES POETRY IN MOTION
By Martin Kelly, PA Sport Yeats outclassed the opposition with an emphatic victory in the ABN Amro Goodwood Cup. Once Mick Kinane took the Aidan O'Brien-trained five-year-old to the front two furlongs out, the race was as good as over. The 10-11 shot went on to trot up by five lengths from Frankie Dettori on Geordieland (16-1), with Tungsten Strike (25-1) three and a half lengths away in third. Seb Sanders rousted Foreign Affairs along to set the pace in the Group Two heat over two miles. Although he led into the straight, he soon gave way as Yeats made smooth progress on the outside. He soon stamped his authority on the race and powered away from his rivals to follow up his easy win in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Dettori tried to close the gap on Geordieland but to no avail as Tungsten Strike battled away for minor honours. Sergeant Cecil, who was shuffled back just before the turn for home, stayed on in good style for fourth place Yeats will probably carry top weight now in the Melbourne Cup.
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#20
08-03-2006, 01:23 PM
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Lovely win..... again!
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