JAMES Doyle will ride for Godolphin in Australia while retained jockey James McDonald continues to be investigated over an alleged betting offence.
Henry Plumptre, Godolphin’s managing director in Australia, said: “While we continue to support James McDonald over the period of the investigation, we also have a racing stable to run and James Doyle is one of the best jockeys in the world. With the winter recess in the UK, he is available and we are delighted to have him.”
Doyle added: “I have really enjoyed my visits to Melbourne and Sydney to ride for Godolphin in feature races like the Golden Slipper and Cox Plate over the past two seasons.”
The inquiry involves the racetrack debut of star three-year-old Astern. Jockeys are banned from betting in Australia and McDonald faces a possible two-year ban if found guilty.
Vadamos to stand in New Zealand
VADAMOS, the latest stallion to retire to Tally-Ho Stud in Mullingar, will shuttle to Rich Hill Stud following the New Zealand Stud’s formation of a syndicate to buy 50% of the Prix du Moulin winner.
Instant appeal of Vadamos will be courtesy of his sire Monsun, who has sired three of the last four Emirate Melbourne Cup winners: Almandin, Fiorente and Protectionist.
“Vadamos is a magnificent individual with a race record to match. He’s arguably the fastest and best-bred son of Monsun to go to stud and we’re delighted to have secured him for Australasian breeders,” said Rich Hill’s John Thompson.
Trained by Andre Fabre, Vadamos will stand at a fee of €10,000 at Tally-Ho.
Strong figures at NZ Ready to Run
NEW Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run sale of two-year-olds continues to set new benchmarks grossing $28.4 million for 294 horses sold over two days.
The average climbed to $96,575 and the median to $70,000, though the clearance rate fell to 60%, down from last years 81%. Significantly, 552 horses were catalogued this year compared to 397 last year.
The top lot for the sale was a Sebring colt, a three-quarter brother to Criterion, who went for $650,000 to Toby Koenig on behalf of Ultra Thoroughbreds.
A total of 42 horses sold for $200,000 or more with Australians buyers spending $10 million for 77 two-year-olds. Hong Kong stepped in for 51 horses at cost of $7.2 million, while New Zealanders signed for 94 at a cost of $6.5 million.
Ugo Foscolo changes hands
THE Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Ugo Foscolo (by the Dansili horse Zacinto) has had a change of ownership and will be transferred from Stephen Marsh to the stables of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. The winner of five of his first six starts is now in majority ownership with Kevin Hickman, from Valachi Downs, and Todd Bawden.
“The Australian Guineas is a likely target and longer term we’re hoping to get through to the Cox Plate,” said Valachi Downs manager Jonathan Scully.
Karaka online
NEW Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales Series catalogues are now available online. The two-day Premier Yearling sale will be held on Monday and Tuesday, January 30th and 31st, followed by the three-day Select Yearling Sale from February 1st. Some 465 yearlings are entered for the Karaka 2017 Premier Sale. The catalogue features siblings to 133 stakes winners and the progeny of 91 stakes-winning mares. There are 127 sires represented, including 14 first season sires.
Miles calls time
GREG Miles, 57, Melbourne’s premier metropolitan racecaller, has called time on his career and will retire in June to take up a media role with racing.com.
Miles has called a record 36 Melbourne Cups, two more than the revered Bill Collins, and will sit on the panel to appoint the next metropolitan race caller.
Racing Victoria have announced they plan to “develop a scholarship for aspiring racecallers that will be named in his honour.”