Horsing Around: 27/7 - 2/8

Landmark at Goodwood: Stunning Stradivarius Makes It Four

When we talk about 4peats in the world of racing most fans would default to dreaming about the wonder mare Winx and her domination of the Cox Plate in recent years. 

In the UK however another champion horse in Stradivarius that was challenging for history in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Stradivarius under the ride of Frankie Dettori managed to overcome traffic to take out his fourth Goodwood Cup and etch his name in British racing history. 

The run would have had even the most confident punters on the edge of there seats coming into the straight however as Dettori who sat 4 back on the rail was boxed in until the final 100m. 

We’ll pick up the race in the straight where Eagles By Day was treading water on the outside of the champ holding him in behind race leader Nayef Road and Santiago:

A run in like that makes the win all the sweeter for the punters but also a fitting way for a champ to take out a history-making title.

Not Going Cheap: Coolmore drops $4.2m to buy Group 1 Mare

Triple Group 1 winning mare Sunlight has been snapped up at the Magic Millions National Broodmare sales this week for the cool price of $4.2m,

The champion sprinter was bought by breeding powerhouse Coolmore on Monday and topped the sales with the eye catching sale price.

Retired in 2020 after poor performances in the Robert Sangster Stakes and the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap trainer Tony Mcevoy raced one of the best sprinters after launching her career in the Magic Millions Classic as a 2yo.

She also raced in the world's richest turf race, The Everest, and showed she wasn't just a sprinter when finishing runner-up in the $7.5m Golden Eagle (1500m).

Overall the McEvoy-trained mare won three Group Ones, $6.6 million in prizemoney and many fans across Australia for her brave front-running style.

Busy Week: William Pike Breaking Records and Booking Rides

Fresh off the back of breaking his own Australian record for most wins in a season Willie Pike didn’t slow down hitting the landmark 239 wins in the season. 

Pike set the new milestone after breaking his own previous record from the 2018/19 last week for the Bob Peters stable. 

Probably his standout win was aboard Regal Power who took out the $4m All Star Mile at Flemington where he glided up to the leaders coming off the bend and pressed the jets to pull clear in the straight. 

Also this week Pikey has agreed to ride Rob Hickmott trained Schabau in the Melbourne Cup 2020 should the import make the final field. 

Schabau races in the colours of WA owner Geoff Evans of Distinct Racing, with former MRC chairman Mike Symons, Adelaide Crows chairman Rob Chapman, and prominent bloodstock agent Suman Hedge - who sourced the horse from Germany - also among the ownership group.

Schabau is currently around the $34 mark in the all in markets but has plenty of work to do to make the grade and enter the final field in November.

Another 4peat: Blistering Bataash Wins 4th King George

Sheikh Hamdan would have been a very happy man overnight as his 6yo, Bataash won a fourth consecutive King George stakes at Goodwood on Friday afternoon, local time. 

Bataash was a hot favourite leading into the race at 2/7 in the betting and showed every reason why he was that price when blowing away the field in the final furlong. 

The race was a hotly run race with Glass Slippers and Ornate pushing the champ throughout but in the last 2 furlongs jockey Jim Crowley gave Bataash the reign and off he went winning by over a length.

The training and owners group have now touted America as a possible option for the horse but remains likely to pursue more European gold first.

Back In The Saddle: Boss Returns to Randwick

Glen Boss returned to racing in Australia this weekend piloting several rides at Randwick across a 9 race card. 

It was a similar time to last year when Boss returned from racing in Hong Kong to begin the run into a very successful spring where he took out the Everest aboard Waller trained Yes Yes Yes and the $7.5m Golden Eagle aboard Kolding.

He partnered Kolding in a barrier trial on Friday and was looking to make an impact on the Saturday card but unfortunately was only able to get a single placing on the day. 

Boss like many during the pandemic is likely to use Sydney as his main base in the run in towards spring racing. 

"I had a good break and it was nice to have a break because I daresay we will be locked up from now until mid-November," Boss said. "You have to get it out of the way. I enjoyed it and plan to go full tilt now.

"The Sydney spring carnival might really come to the fore this year because basically we don't have to go anywhere if we don't want to.

"If we are forced to stay here it's not the end of the world is it."

"You just put your head down, work hard, get fit and start riding winners. Opportunities will come your way."

Take a look at the Kolding / Boss barrier trial here:

https://mdata.racingnsw.com.au/FreeFields/VideoResult.aspx?MeetDate=2020Feb01&VenueCode=NzMxODg=&RaceNumber=7&MeetingCategory=Professional&VideoFileType=FullReplay

Winx Making the Headlines: Racing Mad Dad Needs Help To Name Newborn

Harry Maher has gained social media exposure this week as he posted a very unusual request to the racing community. 

The racing mad parent to be wants to name his new baby girl Winx as a middle name and his wife has reluctantly agreed should he get 25k likes on his post. 

The champion mare Winx is renowned globally for the longest winning streak in racing history and for claiming four Cox Plates along the way and obviously an icon of the sport. 

Currently at 8.5K likes Harry has someway to go to get over the line however with the new born not due until December it looks like there’ll be Winx in the headlines again before the end of the year. 

https://www.facebook.com/harry.maher.9/posts/10219831240264376

Trouble on the Hill: Wrong Horse Presented For Stable At Sandown

There were a lot of questions being asked Sunday afternoon at Sandown after the John Mcardle stable presented the wrong horse to race in race 6. 

The horse in question, Drone Strike was a $7 chance but subsequently scratched from the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Exotics Handicap (1200m) after stewards established the stable had not brought the horse to the track. 

It’s not unheard of for horses to be presented for the wrong race. 

On Boxing Day last year, the Leon and Troy Corstens stable took racer Titan Blinders on the early float to Caulfield when mare Rapidora was meant to arrive, causing the latter to be scratched. In that instance the stable was fined $1000 by the RV Stewards. 

https://twitter.com/RVStewards/status/1289759892673183745?s=20

A Day Out At The Races: William Buick Rides 130-1 Four Timer

UK based Jockey enjoyed a day out on Saturday at Newmarket as he claimed 4 winners and 3 second places on a 8 race card. 

If you were following Buick on the day his four winners totalled 130-1 in a 4 leg multi. 

His afternoon started with victories for Godolphin aboard 4-6 favourite Danilova, trained by Charlie Appleby, in the 7f fillies’ novice, then the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Ghaly in the mile handicap.

Having gotten off to a flyer Buick quickly registered a third win aboard Mark Johnston trained Basilicata in the 6f fillies’ nursery and subsequently got his final win on the Richard Hughes-trained three-year-old Karibana in the 7f handicap.

In between the opening and closing wins Buick also managed a second and then rounded off the day with two further runners up placings and a fourth place finish. 

During the meet Buick also registered his 50th win for the season aboard Karibana. The win now places him 10 wins behind Oisin Murphy in the Flat jockeys' championship. 

https://www.racingpost.com/news/race-reports/buick-steers-130-1-four-timer-at-newmarket-with-three-rides-remaining/444905

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