The retirement of Japan’s ‘Great White Wonder’, 15 Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifiers, Steve Cauthen and Jorge Ricardo feature in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
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Japanese ‘idol horse’ Sodashi retired
Japan: Fan favourite Sodashi, the ‘Great White Wonder’ of Japanese racing and the first white Thoroughbred to score in G1 company, has been retired to the paddocks at Northern Farm on Hokkaido.
Now five, the hugely popular ‘idol horse’ retires as a three-time G1-winning mare, having broken the course record at Hanshin as a three-year-old with her Oka Sho (1,000 Guineas) triumph in 2021. She also won the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at two plus last year’s Victoria Mile at Tokyo racecourse.
Mama Cocha, Sodashi’s year-younger full-sister, landed the Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama on Sunday [Oct 1], the first G1 of the JRA’s autumn schedule.
“It’s good timing in a way with her sister Mama Cocha doing well,” said trainer Naosuke Sugai. “She did countless good things for racing and brought a new audience from in and outside of Japan.” More here
Meanwhile, Japan’s Breeders’ Cup Mile contender Songline returns to action in the G2 Mainichi Okan on Sunday [Oct 8]. More here
15 Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifiers on tap
USA: There are no fewer than 15 Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ Challenge qualifiers this weekend spread across four US venues ahead of the two-day championships at Santa Anita on November 3-4.
Keeneland’s ‘Fall Stars Weekend’ takes centre stage with eight WAYI races, headed by the $1m Coolmore Turf Mile on Saturday [Oct 7}, where Godolphin’s Master Of The Seas bids to follow up his recent success in the Woodbine Mile. Surprise Nunthorpe Stakes winner Live In The Dream makes his US debut on the same card in the G2 Woodford Stakes as a prep for the BC Turf Sprint.
Santa Anita and Belmont at the Big A host three more WAYI races (plus the rescheduled Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at the latter venue); thre is also the Princess Rooney at Gulfstream Park.
Steve Cauthen and Pebbles inducted to British Hall of Fame
GB: Steve Cauthen, who rode Affirmed to win the US Triple Crown in 1978, and Breeders’ Cup Turf heroine Pebbles are the latest inductees to the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame.
“I’m grateful to have had so many brilliant opportunities on both sides of the pond and to still be recognised for my achievements is really quite special to me,” said 63-year-old Cauthen, who rode 10 British Classic winners after crossing the Atlantic.
Multiple G1 winner Pebbles became the first British Breeders’ Cup winner at Aqueduct in 1985. “Pebbles was 100% racehorse and she was simply a pleasure to train,” said her trainer Clive Brittain. The pair will be honoured with a special presentation during the British Champions Day card at Ascot on October 21.
• Visit the Hall of Fame website
Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers takes in Toronto
Canada: Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers has been re-routed to Woodbine on Saturday [Oct 7] when the six-year-old gelding will take in the G3 Durham Cup as his prep for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Algiers had been slated to run last weekend in the G2 Woodward at Aqueduct to get a feel for US dirt tracks before heavy rain his the ‘Belmont at the Big A’ card. Instead, he has been supplemented to this $150,000 contest on Tapeta in Toronto, where he breaks from gate one under Robert Havlin in a nine-runner field.
“We didn’t think the track was going to be suitable for our particular horse,” said co-trainer Ed Crisford, explaining the decision to scratch last weekend. “I thought he would have run a big race. He can run at Woodbine and get a race under his belt, and we can take it from there.” More here
The Simon & Ed Crisford training partnership, in G1 form last week with leading juvenile Vandeek at Newmarket, are also in action in Australia on Saturday when dual G3 winner West Wind Blows takes on Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior in the G1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip also features. More here
World record holder Jorge Ricardo immortalised in Rio
Brazil: A statue of legendary jockey Jorge Ricardo, the world record holder in career victories, was unveiled on Sunday [Oct 1] at his home track, Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio.
The 62-year-old rider affectionately known as ‘Ricardinho’ is still going strong after 13,272 winners, putting him well clear of his closest pursuer Russell Baze, who retired in June 2016 with 12,844 to his name.
Ricardo returned to his native Rio de Janeiro in September 2020 after 14 years based in Buenos Aires. He won his first jockeys’ championship in Brazil in 1982 – and retained the title every season until he moved permanently to Argentina in June 2006.
His best season was 1992-93, when posted an incredible 477 winners; he reached the 400-mark on five occasions altogether and is a five-time winner of the Gran Premio Latinoamericano, the South American championship race. More here
Coolmore go to two million guineas for Frankel colt at Tattersalls
GB: A Frankel colt became the highest-priced yearling sold in Europe this year when the hammer went down to Coolmore at two million guineas on the second day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket on Wednesday [Oct 4].
Consigned by Anthony Oppenheimer’s Hascombe & Valiant Stud, the colt (out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Bizzarria) was knocked down to MV Magnier & White Birch Farm after seeing off opposition from Godolphin and Juddmonte.
"He is a lovely horse and from a very successful stud in Hascombe, which has bred very good horses in the past and are very good breeders," said Magnier. "This is a well bred horse, Frankel is flying and everyone liked him – he goes to Ballydoyle." More here
Elsewhere in racing …
Australia: Vin Cox resigns as Godolphin boss to join Yulong team More here
GB: Derby-winning trainer Roger Charlton to hand over licence to son Harry More here
GB: Stars stand ground for QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot More here
GB: Death of Marsha, the six-million guineas mare, aged 10 More here
Japan: Deep Impact ties Sunday Silence with 2,749 JRA wins More here
USA: Eclipse Award-winning apprentice Jessica Pyfer gives up riding More here
USA: Constitution heads WinStar 2024 roster at $110,000 More here
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