Bobby’s Kitten to Lanwades Stud
The Grade 1 winning sprinter Bobby’s Kitten will stand at Lanwades Stud in Newmarket next year. He will be the first son champion US turf horse Kitten’s Joy to stand in Europe. Bobby’s Kitten was trained by Chad Brown when he won the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Moved to Dermot Weld this year, the five-year-old won a Cork listed race in March by a wide margin on what was his only start here. At Lanwades he will stand alongside Sea The Moon, Sir Percy and Archipenko.
Plus 10 bonanza
Naas Racecourse is preparing for a Plus 10 bonus bonanza at its student raceday this Wednesday where almost €90,000 in additional prize money will be up for grabs thanks to the Plus 10 bonus scheme.
Each of the seven races on the card – all two-years-old only and a mixture of restricted, nursery, maiden and claiming races – will feature a €12,500 Plus 10 bonus on top of prize money. Only those horses which have been registered for the Plus 10 bonus scheme are qualified to win the bonus prize money. So far in 2016, almost €4.2 million in Plus 10 bonus prize money has been won by owners and breeders.
Also next week, the Tattersalls Ireland Yearling Sale features more than 300 Plus 10 registered yearlings.
Chapman gets ITV betting ring job
ITV has appointed Matt Chapman as the channel’s betting reporter and presenter for its racing coverage, which starts on January 1st. Chapman will continue to work for At The Races.
The channel announced earlier this year that former Sky Sports presenter Ed Chamberlin will be the new host, while Francesca Cumani will co-present during the flat season. Mick Fitzgerald is also set to feature, while Hayley Turner, Oli Bell, Sally Ann Grassick and Rishi Persad are also believed to be part of the ITV team.
Extra race for
the Curragh
The Curragh has received an additional race next Thursday when it hosts a replacement meeting for the Sligo flat card lost on September 7th. The extra race is a six-furlong maiden for two-year-old colts and geldings. The entries are on page B15/16.
Extra Orby lot
An additional entry to the Goffs Orby Sale is Lot 106A, an Arcano colt from Lynn Lodge Stud. The half-brother to the stakes-placed Wittgenstein (sold for 270,000gns last December) is also a half-brother to the dam of Group 2 Qatar Lennox Stakes winner Dutch Connection. Missing from the sale will be The Castlebridge Consignment’s Fast Company half-sister to this year’s Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas winner Jet Setting. The Orby and Sportsman’s Sales previews are on pages A53-55.
Australians agree on stud visits
The racing authorities in Australia have reached an agreement with breeders which will allow stewards access to studs and farms to test for anabolic androgenic steroids in young horses.
The agreement could become a template for other racing jurisdictions, including Ireland. Here, the Turf Club only has permission to inspect the premises of licensed trainers. Stud farms can only be inspected by Department of Agriculture officials.