Breeders’ Cup latest, Sir Delius ruled out of Spring Carnival, death of global star So You Think – all this and more in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Breeders’ Cup: Jose Ortiz takes over on Journalism
USA: In a surprise move, Umberto Rispoli has lost the ride on Preakness Stakes winner Journalism, who will be ridden by Jose Ortiz in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. More here
Eleven horses have been entered for the $7m highlight at Del Mar on November 1, headed by Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty – the morning line favorite at 8-5 – and last year’s 1-2-3, Sierra Leone, Fierceness and Forever Young.
The Classic is the feature event among 14 G1 events across the Breeders’ Cup weekend, where more than $34m is up for grabs altogether. A total of 191 individual pre-entries have been made – among them 59 international entries featuring runners from five continents.
Eight horses will travel from Japan, while world #1 trainer Aidan O’Brien fields a team of ten led by Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk, a short-priced market leader for the BC Turf ahead of dual winner Rebel’s Romance. Top juveniles Gstaad, Precise and True Love are also likely to start as favorites for Ballydoyle in their respective races.
Bob Baffert leads the way among trainers numerically with 14 intended runners. More here
• USA: Umberto Rispoli says ‘kids cried for two hours’ when he lost Journalism ride More here
Vets rule Sir Delius out of Melbourne Cup
Australia: Ante-post favourite Sir Delius has been ruled out of the Melbourne Cup [Nov 4] by Racing Victoria vets.
The former French-trained four-year-old also misses Saturday’s Cox Plate as a result of veterinary protocols introduced to reduce risk of injury at the Spring Carnival. After a CT scan, RV issued a statement saying that Sir Delius would be stood down from the entire carnival, saying he was “currently at heightened risk of injury”. More here
Connections later announced that Sir Delius will now be given a break ahead of the Sydney Autumn Carnival in the new year, when the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick will be his primary target. More here
In the absence of Sir Delius, Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours is the new favourite for the Melbourne Cup, where Mark Zahra has been booked for leading Irish-trained fancy Al Riffa. More here
• Australia: Ten-time G1 winner Via Sistina defends Cox Plate crown More here
Ten-time G1 winner So You Think dies, aged 19
Australia: Ten-time G1 winner So You Think, who scored at the top level five times in both Australia and Europe before becoming a successful Coolmore sire, has died after a short illness. Coolmore Australia announced the news on Monday morning [Oct 20].
Originally trained by the late Bart Cummings, So You Think was a dual winner of the Cox Plate in Australia, where he was regarded as one of the best horses since the turn of the century. Cummings described the son of High Chaparral as “perfection on four legs,” adding: “You don’t get any better than him, he is the finest, most genuine horse I have ever trained.”
Transferred to Aidan O’Brien after being sold to Coolmore, he went on to win the Eclipse Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and two runnings of the Tattersalls Gold Cup before a famous career swansong at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
As a sire, So You Think was responsible for 66 stakes winners, including 12 G1 victors. More here
Ballydoyle stars Delacroix and Henri Matisse retired to stud
ireland: Delacroix, winner of both the Coral-Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes for trainer Aidan O’Brien, has been retired to Coolmore after finishing fourth behind Calandagan in last weekend’s QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot. “Delacroix is a gorgeous horse, undoubtedly the best-looking son of Dubawi we’ve ever seen,” said Coolmore’s David O’Loughlin. More here
Breeders’ Cup winner Henri Matisse has also been retired. A G1 winner at two and three, he enjoyed Classic success this year when claiming the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas). A stud fee will be announced in due course for the son of the late Wootton Bassett. More here
Curtain comes down on racing career of Economics
GB: Economics, who beat dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes winner in 2024, has been retired after coming eighth in the Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday [Oct 18] his first run for 12 months. The four-year-old reportedly bled in the race.
“I can’t tell you how many times he’s been scoped and when he ran in the Champion Stakes that was the last thing I expected him to do, I hadn’t actually thought it might reappear so I was absolutely distraught,” said trainer William Haggas. “We had a whiff of what he could achieve but we’ve failed in our job to make him a real star as he’s such a good horse.” More here
G1-winning rider banned for 25 years for sexual misconduct
Australia: G1-winning rider James Innes jnr has been handed a 25-year ban after being found guilty of sexual misconduct.
Innes, 30, landed the Doncaster Mile on Nettoyer at Randwick in 2020 for his only G1 success among a career total of more than 300 wins. He has been banned for 25 years after being found guilty by Racing NSW following allegations from five female racing participants. More here
Elsewhere in racing …
USA: Special retirement ceremony for Thorpedo Anna More here
USA: New York-breds in spotlight on Empire Showcase Day More here
USA: Sunland Park sold to casino operator More here
Bahrain: Graffard and Burke set for Bahrain International Trophy More here
Bahrain: Crown Prince’s Cup earns G3 status More here
Brazil: Obataye wins GP Latinoamericano under Joao Moreira More here
India: Death of training legend Sadakshara ‘Paddy’ Padmanabhan, aged 71 More here
New Zealand: 1,000-win landmark for Jonathan Riddell More here
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