IN Queensland, Princess Bojack is likely to be the first racing representative for her sire, Flying Artie, when the juvenile filly lines-up in Australia's first race for two-year-olds at Toowoomba this Saturday.
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Displaying speed when winning at recent trial at Toowoomba, Princess Bojack (trained at the track by Mick Nolan), was a $50,000 purchase at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from her breeders, Tim and Celie Nolan via the pair's Murrulla Stud at Wingen.
Standing at Newgate Farm, Aberdeen, Flying Artie is by US bred Sadler's Wells' grandson Artie Schiller. Winner of the VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes-G1 (defeating Star Turn and Astern) at as a three-year-old, Flying Artie was also a talented juvenile finishing second in the MRC Blue Diamond Stakes-G1, and third in the ATC Golden Slipper Stakes-G1.
Two other first crop juvenile sires, Extreme Choice and Maurice have also been quick off the mark this season each stallion being represented with early two-year-old trial winners at Randwick. Both the successful youngsters - Avaricious and I Love Lucy, are prepared by Lee Curtis at Rosehill.
Running the quickest of the two trials was the Extreme Choice filly, Avaricious, which fetched $200,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, selling via Sledmere Stud, Scone.
By Not A Single Doubt chestnut stallion, Extreme Choice (at Newgate Farm, Aberdeen), can be recalled winning two Group 1 races - Melbourne's premier juvenile event MRC Blue Diamond Stakes, followed by the MVRC A J Moir Stakes.
I Love Lucy fetched $150,000 at the same yearling sale when sold from Arrowfield Stud. The Scone district property was the southern hemisphere home for I Love Lucy's sire Maurice, when shuttling to NSW for the three previous seasons.
Not included among Arrowfield's list of stallions this season due to Covid-19, Maurice was the 2015 Japanese Horse Of The Year, that country already seeing his first juvenile winners.
Maurice is a son of Japanese bred and champion racing son Screen Hero, which is by chestnut Grass Wonder (by Silver Hawk), a US bred stallion who spent four Australian shuttle seasons from 2003 at Eliza Park (now Sun Stud) in Victoria.
There were nine trials conducted for two-year-olds at Randwick this week.
Life Welfare
RACING NSW (RNSW) has further extended its existing equine welfare programs by establishing an "End Of Life Welfare Program". The program is to ensure that every NSW Thoroughbred has access to a free euthanasia service throughout its life in circumstances where a veterinarian has certified that it is in the horse's best interest on welfare or safety grounds. It is for horses that have predominately been in NSW, and is irrespective of age or when the horse retired from racing.
It captures horses after they have exited the racing industry and who are in the ownership of public members many of them being - for example, equestrian, trail rides, and just a paddock mate. As part of this free service to the owners of the horse, RNSW will also attend to the burial or cremation of the animal.
Bart retires
WESTERN Australian bred, Black Heart Bart who thrilled racegoers around the nation has retired.
Reportedly bleeding from both nostrils at his last start in Perth in June, the nine-year-old gelding won 17 races, had 15 seconds and four thirds from his 62 starts and earned over $4.8m. His wins included six Group 1 events - five in Melbourne, as well as Adelaide's celebrated sprint Goodwood Handicap.
Winning his last Group 1 race (MRC Underwood Stakes) in Melbourne 12 months ago, he is the best galloper by Danehill sire Blackfriars, a VRC Derby-G1 winner who found huge stud success in the west.
Vale Subzero
JUST two months after his long-time handler Graham Salisbury passed-away, Australia's popular retired racehorse Subzero was euthanised at the Bendigo Equine Hospital after battling ill health at age 32. Affectionately known as "Subbie", Subzero was the best horse sired by the GB bred grey stallion Kala Dancer (by Nijinsky's Niniski), which originally stood at the late Brian Agnew's Wakefield Stud, Scone. Also grey in colour, Subzero won three Group 1 races including the 1992 Melbourne Cup.