A famous Flemington victory for Jame Melham, Japan’s Breeders’ Cup winner set for Saudi defence, Journalism stays in training and bitterness over veterinary scratches – all this and more in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Melbourne Cup: World #1 female Jamie Melham strikes on Half Yours
Australia: Ten years after Michelle Payne’s ground-breaking success, Jamie Melham (née Kah) became only the second woman rider to win the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday [Nov 4] when she partnered Half Yours to a comfortable victory.
The world’s highest-ranked female rider according to Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s Global Rankings, Melham partnered the Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained five-year-old to a 2¾-length success in the A$10m ($6.5m/£4.96m) contest.
“I’ve had an amazing year,” said Melham, 29. “Got married, had some really great days on the track, but nothing ever, ever compares to this feeling right now I’m feeling.”
Half Yours, the only Australian-bred in a 24-runner field, became the 13th horse to complete the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double. More here
• Australia: Blake Shinn suffers broken leg on Melbourne Cup card More here
Breeders’ Cup aftermath: Forever Young targets Saudi Cup
USA: Forever Young, who landed a historic Breeders’ Cup Classic success for Japan on Saturday [Nov 1], is set to stay in training as a five-year-old with the initial target of defending his Saudi Cup crown in Riyadh on February 14.
“He will stay in training in 2026 as long as he stays in sound condition,” said trainer Yoshito Yahagi as he reflected on a famous victory at Del Mar.
“His next race will be the Saudi Cup followed by the Dubai World Cup (G1) as his spring campaign. I would like to give him a rest in the rest of 2025 as we were full on for the Breeders’ Cup this year.
“Keeneland would be challenging for Japanese horses compared to the West Coast for sure but I still would like to send my horses to the Breeders’ Cup.” More here
Journalism set for four-year-old campaign
USA: Preakness Stakes winner Journalism, fourth behind Forever Young in the BC Classic, will race on as a four-year-old next year with the Met Mile as a primary target.
“He will stay in training next year,” said trainer Michael McCarthy, speaking to the Daily Racing Form. Classic fifth Baeza, the Pennsylvania Derby winner, also stays in training. More here
On the other hand, Sierre Leone and Fierceness, second and third at Del Mar, have both been retired to stud to stand at Coolmore’s US arm Ashford at fees of $75,000 and $50,000 respectively. They are joined by last year’s champion juvenile Citizen Bull, standing at an initial fee of $35,000. More here
• USA: Baffert BC winners Nysos and Splendora stay in training More here
Rancour as White Abarrio and Mystik Dan miss out after vet scratches
USA: Controversy ensued after the Breeders’ Cup focusing on the vexed issue of veterinary scratches, which ruled out several high-profile performers.
Connections of White Abarrio, the 2023 BC Classic winner, have contacted lawyers over what they claimed was the “completely unjustified” last-minute scratching of the six-year-old at the gate at the start of the BC Dirt MIle. More here
Meanwhile, leading trainer Ken McPeek also took to social media over the scratchings of last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan – also from the Dirt Mile – and intended BC Juvenile contender Blackout Time. “My team put both these horses on the plane without a single soundness concern,” said McPeek. “Neither horse has had any history of unsoundness.”
Among others scratched by the veterinary team were Sweet Azteca and Tamara, first and second choice on the morning-line for the BC Filly & Mare Sprint. More here
• USA: Tragedy as She’s Quality suffers fatal injury More here
Ted Noffey dam tops sales at $6.2m for Amo Racing
USA: A big week at the sales after the Breeders’ Cup, with Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing to the fore at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in Kentucky on Monday night [Nov 3], when they purchased Streak Of Luck, the dam of BC Juvenile winner Ted Noffey, for a sale-topping $6.2m. In-foal to Not This Time, she was consigned by Taylor Made.
Morplay Racing went to $5.2m to buy out Qatar Racing’s share in BC Turf Sprint winner Shisospicy, who also stays in training next year. Top broodmare Puca was knocked down to the Raging Torrent syndicate for $5m. More here
Lush Lips, who won the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on her most recent start, was top lot at Book 1 of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she was sold for $3.7m to Dixiana Farm. She will stay in training with Brendan Walsh. More here
Flavien Prat sets NYRA record with seven-win day
USA: Fresh from riding three winners on Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup card on the other side of the country at Del Mar, Flavien Prat set a new single-card record in New York with a seven-win day at the ‘Belmont at the Big A’ meet on Sunday [Nov 2].
Prat, who leads the way among all riders in North America for 2025 in prize-money terms, rode six consecutive winners in races 2-6, before scoring again in Race 10 to set a NYRA record. Prat’s three other rides on an 11-race card all finished second; he landed a pair of Graded contests with Bishops Bay and Cugino.
He is only the seventh rider at NYRA to win six consecutive races, coming within one of Ramon Dominguez’s record of seven in a row set over two cards from December 14-15, 2011.
“It was a great day,” said Prat. “When I came here today, I thought I had some good mounts, but it's happened before where you think you're going to win a few and get nothing!” More here
• USA: Chad Brown and Manny Franco secure meet titles More here
Elsewhere in racing …
Chile: Frankie Dettori (right) set to bow out at Chilean Derby More here
USA: Multiple G1 winner Carl Spackler retired to Lane’s End More here
USA: Bryson Butterfly jailed for 20 years for involvement in killing More here
GB: Night Of Thunder raised to €200,000 as Darley announces 2026 roster More here
GB: Clifford Lee out of induced coma More here
GB: Racing mourns as 19-year-old apprentice found dead More here
UAE: Dubai Carnival kicks off at Meydan on Friday [Nov 7] More here
Bahrain: Pride Of Arras added to Bahrain International line-up More here
Hong Kong: Winner for Hollie Doyle on HK debut at Happy Valley More here
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