Melbourne Cup

'Light Up Racing', an initiative led by a group of industry participants, striving to illuminate the path to transparency, awareness, and accountability in horse racing, has been launched, according to a press release. Light Up is spearheaded by a group of industry participants, including Price Bell, Roderick Wachman, Jason Litt, and Dr. Jeff Berk. Kick Collective, the marketing agency behind the Australian-based initiative Kick Up for Racing, is driving the marketing and communications. "We have been inspired by the impactful work of Kick Up in Australia and believe we have...

On a sunny Tuesday, 84,492 patrons were on hand to witness the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) win the 163rd G1 Melbourne Cup. There were so many layers to the victory of Without A Fight. The 7-year-old gelding has arguably been in career best form, winning the G1 Caulfield Cup S. last start and joined a rare collection of Thoroughbreds to claim both Cup races in the same season--the latest being the great mare Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm). The victory also served as back-to-back victories for...

It is very clear how important the Melbourne Cup is within Australia. Observers at Tattersalls last week were left in no doubt of that. A large proportion of the most expensive lots were bought to head Down Under, with the Melbourne Cup repeatedly mentioned as the ultimate target. It is now, though, a major race both within Australasia and internationally, its global appeal having increased dramatically 30 years ago in the 3 minutes 23.43 seconds which it took Vintage Crop (Ire) to take the prize on the first Tuesday in...

Flemington beckons for Rich Ricci's Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) after the classy stayer made light of the switch to 12 furlongs in Monday's G3 Ballyroan S. at Naas. A winner of the Listed Prix Frederic de Lagrange before turning into a high-class hurdler, the five-year-old had marked his return to the Flat with an authoritative success from the front in Royal Ascot's Copper Horse H. and took the move to Pattern company in his stride here. Always comfortable tracking this faster early tempo in third, the 4-6 favourite was sent...

York's historic Ebor Handicap will become the seventh win-and-you're-in race for the £4.4 million Melbourne Cup in November. The Ebor, which will be run on August 28 for total prize-money of £500,000, is the first race outside Australia to provide automatic entry to the prestigious staying contest, which has been won over the years by European trainers Dermot Weld (twice), Alain de Royer-Dupre, Mikel Delzangles, Andreas Wohler, Joseph O'Brien (twice) (Rekindling 2017 and Twilight Payment 2020) and Charlie Appleby. William Derby, chief executive and clerk of the course at York,...

Frankie Dettori has committed to riding in this year's Melbourne Cup and will bid to win the race for the first time on November 7.  The 52-year-old enjoyed a dream final week at Royal Ascot when riding Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to Gold Cup glory and partnering a further three winners at the meeting. Dettori was set to retire after the Breeders' Cup meeting at Santa Anita but the opportunity to ride a first Melbourne Cup winner at Flemington is understood to have enticed the legendary jockey into...

Typically, the names Sangster, Manton, Tattersalls, and British-bred runner at Windsor don't scream `American connections,' but in the case of Inquisitively (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), peel back the onion a bit and you'll find more than a few stars and stripes among the connections. Inquisitively, a barely-beaten second at Windsor in his May 29 debut, is entered in Wednesday's Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, and will carry his owners' hopes as well as a bit of history on his back. Inquisitively sold for 40,000gns euros at the 2022 Tattersalls October...

Racing Victoria (RV) announced that the core safety standards for horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival will remain in place in 2023 with a focus on further enhancing administrative processes for their connections. Introduced in 2021, the world leading safety standards are part of Victorian racing's effort to minimise the risk of injuries, particularly among international horses travelling to compete in Victoria and for all horses contesting the Melbourne Cup. The safety standards are reviewed regularly and in determining this year's veterinary protocols, RV conducted a review of their...

In a little over a decade, Henry Field has built Newgate into one of the leading stallion operations in Australia and a force to be reckoned with on the international thoroughbred playing field.    Foxwedge got the stallion arm of the operation up and running in 2012 and, since then, the roster has grown exponentially, with Capitalist and Extreme Choice some of the more recent additions to the farm.    In this week's Q&A, Field explained the key principals that helped him build Newgate into what it is today, discussed...

Australia will host a race worth $1 million or more every four days in 2023, according to the latest Aushorse Investor's Guide released on Wednesday. The guide also showed that prize money across the country soared 92% over the past decade. The annual Aushorse Investor's Guide pulls together the latest information on the Australian Thoroughbred racing industry. "Australia is enjoying a golden age when it comes to the Thoroughbred industry," Tom Reilly, chief executive of Aushorse, said. "We have a great funding model that gives owners a real chance to...

The online auction for a 12.5% share in champion mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) came to a close on Monday evening (local time), passing in for NZ$350,000. However, a deal was struck later with the share selling to an existing part owner for an undisclosed amount. Extrapolation puts her projected value at NZ$2.8 million. Offered on Gavelhouse Plus, the share was made available by part-owner Tim Barry.

Eleven-times Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) is likely to visit leading European sire Sea The Stars (Ire) in her first year at stud in 2023, Racing.com reports. Co-owner Brae Sokolski told the website that the decision was not final, but that the ownership was leaning in the direction of breeding to the sire that has been represented by the world's top-rated turf horse Baaeed (GB) and the legendary stayer Stradivarius (Ire). "She'll be served to northern hemisphere time and while no final decision has been made on...