Verry Elleegant, Keeneland and King Charles III feature in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Verry Elleegant misses Arc over contentious elimination process
France: Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant was forced to miss out on a long planned crack at the €5 million ($4.8m) Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday [Oct 2] after it emerged she was unlikely to make the cut.
To the fury of trainer Francis Graffard and the mare’s owners, many of whom were already on flights to Paris from Australia and New Zealand, plans to supplement the 11-time G1-winning mare had to be abandoned when it became clear she was not among the highest-rated 20 horses in an oversubscribed field, following a reassessment by the France Galop handicapper.
Very Elleegant was declared to run instead in the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp on Saturday [Oct 1] with Australian jockey Mark Zahra taking the ride.
Prix de Diane runner-up La Parisienne also missed out as the Arc drew a maximum field of 20 for only the second time this century, the field headed by Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg.and defending champion Torquator Tasso,
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe betting (Ladbrokes): 7-2 Luxembourg, 5 Alpinista, Torquator Tasso, 9 Tittleholder, 10 Vadeni, Westover, 14 Onesto, 20 bar
Jockey Sam Weatherley banned for reckless ride after fellow rider’s death
New Zealand: Leading rider Sam Weatherley, 24, has been suspended for nine weeks for his role in the race fall that resulted in the death of Japanese jockey Taiki Yanagida in August.
A committee of the Racing Integrity Board declared: “The reckless riding by Mr Weatherley initiated a series of events that ultimately led to the fall, and subsequent death, of Mr Yanagida.”
Yanagida, who was 28 and been riding in New Zealand for five years, died in hospital in Waikato, six days after suffering serious head and spinal injuries in a race fall at Cambridge.
Keeneland’s September Sale highest-grossing auction in its history
USA: Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale ended a record run with gross sales of $405,495,700, the highest in Keeneland auction history, and September Sale records for average ($142,429) and median ($70,000) prices. A total of 2,847 yearlings were sold during the 12-day auction [Sept 12-24].
Top lot was a $2.5m yearling colt by Quality Road, a figure eclipsed in Ireland this week when a yearling sister to Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes winner Blackbeard was knocked down to agents Jacob West and Richard Knight for €2.6m ($2.52m) on the opening day of the Goffs Orby Sale, the highest price paid for a yearling in the world this year.
First runners for King Charles following Queen Elizabeth’s death
Australia: Chalk Stream will attempt to provide King Charles III with his first top-level victory since becoming monarch when contesting the G1 Metropolitan at Royal Randwick on Saturday [Oct 1]. The Chris Waller-trained horse, who will be ridden by Kathy O’Hara, runs two days after Educator was due to become the first horse to run in the king’s name, since the death of Queen Elizabeth, in a handicap at Salisbury [Sept 29].
‘Magic Man’ Moreira facing three months out
Hong Kong: Joao Moreira will miss a significant period of the season after he disclosed he faced three months out of the saddle while he deals with a painful hip injury, the result of a labral tear. He will undergo platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) treatment which requires an extended period of rest, rehabilitation, and physiotherapy.
NHA move to quell rumours around Paul Peter’s exit
South Africa: The National Horseracing Authority has taken the unusual step of releasing a statement to try to clear up rumours there was more behind champion trainer Paul Peter’s sudden decision to hand in his licence.
In the wake of Peter’s announcement, the regulator revealed it had been inundated with claims that many of Peter’s horses had tested positive for banned substances. The NHA said the allegations were “unfounded and entirely baseless” with all tests taken from his runners between July and September 10 having returned negative results.
Elsewhere in racing …
France: France: Mishriff to stand at stud in France in 2023 More here
USA: Life Is Good faces four in Woodward More here
USA: Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer tackles Awesome Again More here
Australia: Top weight Spanish Mission out of Melbourne Cup More here
GB: BHA pauses jockeys saliva testing after Levey case More here
GB: James Doyle facing longer absence due to Bennett's fracture More here
GB: Jockey John Egan banned 10 days for abusing Hayley Turner More here
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