The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
Romanet steps down after 27 years at the helm
Europe: The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) has announced that its long-standing chairman, Louis Romanet, will stand down from the position he has served since the Paris-based organisation’s inception in 1994.
“After 27 years in the chair, I am proud of the development of our great sport and its growth all over the world. It is time for me to step down in favour of new generations of leaders,” said Frenchman Romanet, who will conclude his tenure in October when he becomes the chairman emeritus of the federation.
He will be replaced as chairman by Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who has been CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club since 2007 and has also served as the IFHA’s vice chairman for Asia.
“There is nobody who can replicate the remarkable and sustained contribution to the IFHA which Louis has achieved,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges. “Louis has dedicated his working life to the advancement of racing. He has been a champion for the internationalization of racing and has worked over many years to set and promote the conditions necessary to support international competition.
“Louis was instrumental in initiating recent enhancements to the governance of the IFHA. In doing so, he has overseen the establishment of a more globally integrated, modern organisation which will draw on the wealth of expertise, talent and experience from our membership.”
In addition, four vice chairs have been elected as part of Engelbrecht-Bresges’ leadership team. Jim Gagliano , CEO of the U.S. Jockey Club, was re-elected as vice chair for the Americas; Brian Kavanagh, outgoing chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland, and incoming CEO of the Curragh Racecourse, was re-elected as vice-chair for Europe.
Masayuki Goto, president of the Japan Racing Association, replaces Engelbrecht-Bresges as the new vice-chair for Asia; Horacio Esposito, Advisor in International Affairs for Organización Sudamericana de Fomento del Pura Sangre de Carrera, was elected as the Federation’s new fourth vice chairman.
Saratoga smashes handle record
North America: The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has announced a record wagering handle for its 40-day Saratoga meet, which concluded on Labor Day (Monday).
The overall handle topped $800 million for first time, a 15.6 per cent increase over the prior record of $705.3 million, set in 2019. Daily average handle was $20.3 million.
Overall attendance for the meet was just over 1 million, with an average daily attendance of 26,162. Fans were, of course, not permitted to the New York track last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, which broke the racetrack’s run of five straight meets with paid attendance exceeding 1 million.
“Thanks to the energy, enthusiasm and support of the best fans in horseracing, the 2021 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course has been a tremendous success,” NYRA president Dave O’Rourke said in a statement Monday. “This has been a summer reunion like never before. The summer meet at Saratoga is as strong as at any point in its storied history.”
On the track, world #9 jockey Luis Saez had 64 wins to earn his first riding title, long-time world #1 handler Chad Brown once again topped the trainers’ classifications with 41 victories. World #5 owner Klaravich Stables retained its title with 21 wins.
Adayar to miss his Arc prep
Europe: World #4 trainer Charlie Appleby has confirmed that Derby and King George winner Adayar will head straight to the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after an infection in a hind leg ruled him out of Sunday’s Prix Niel on Arc trials day at ParisLongchamp.
The Newmarket handler had targeted the G2 as a warm-up to the Arc, but the son of Frankel missed a couple of days of training and “after discussions we felt there was no need to press on to a trial” for the October showpiece.
“He has resumed full training, and as a Derby and King George winner he fully deserves to be running in what’s shaping up to be a vintage Arc,” said Appleby of his colt, who will now have his first start outside Britain in the big race itself.
He has since drifted to 9/2 second-favourite, from 7/2, behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly Snowfall, who is likely to run in the G1 Prix Vermeille on the Arc trials day card on Sunday. She heads Arc betting at a general 9/4.
$4m boost for Dubai World Cup card
Middle East: The Dubai Racing Club has confirmed an increase in prize money for its upcoming 2021-22 season, including an additional $4 million for Dubai World Cup day next March.
The domestic season, which begins at Meydan on November 4, will offer $2.3 million, while the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival is now valued at more than $7.5 million.
The Dubai World Cup meeting on March 26 will boast a total purse of more than $30.5 million, up from the $26.5m of 2021. For the first time, all eight races will offer at least $1m in prize money.
The season will include 22 meetings in all. Consequently, the 2022 Carnival, which begins on January 13, will feature eight race meetings culminating in March 5’s Super Saturday.
Betting booming in Hong Kong
Far East: The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) recording the highest opening day turnover in its history with total betting reaching HK$1.44 billion, which is 4.3 percent higher than the previous record, set 12 months ago.
HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges hailed a “tremendous start to the season”, as well as welcoming an overall attendance of 17,563 to its two tracks - 16,356 at Sha Tin and 1,207 at Happy Valley - a year after just 362 people attended at Sha Tin due to Covid-19 restrictions.
“It was a wonderful atmosphere to have our customers back on track,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges. “I am very optimistic going forward. We could not have hoped for a better start from the sporting point of view and the business point of view.”
The impressive start to the season comes just days after the HKJC reported record turnover for the 2020-21 season, rising 27.9 percent year-on-year to HK$279.7 billion, including a 12.5 percent rise in turnover to HK$136.1 billion.
Elsewhere In racing …
Oceania: Racing Victoria has yet to decide whether to exclude Jamie Kah, the standout jockey in the state this season, from its annual awards night on Sunday. The world’s #1 female rider is one of several jockeys banned for three months for attending an illegal house party last month. More here
Europe: Shock 2020 Epsom Derby winner Serpentine has been sold to leading Australian owner Lloyd Williams and will leave Aidan O’Brien to be trained by his son Joseph. More here
North America: Owner-breeder Dr J David Richardson died on September 7 while visiting Saratoga Springs. He was 76. More here
North America: The OBS October Yearling Sale catalog can be found here
North America: G1 winner Cistron has been retired to stand at Harris Farms in California. More here