Keeneland January catalogue out

Keeneland has cataloged 1,610 horses for its January Sale. The catalogue includes 605 broodmares, 135 racing or broodmare prospects, 563 yearlings, 282 horses of racing age and 25 stallion prospects. The four-day sale starts on January 12th.

Commonwealth Cup for Ascot

The new Group 1 race at Royal Ascot will be named the Commonwealth Cup. A six-furlong race for three-year-olds, it will be run on the Friday card and worth £375,000. Tiggy Wiggy, Anthem Alexander and Limato are among the horses being aimed at the race. The new race replaces the Buckingham Stakes, a seven-furlong handicap. However, the Wolferton Stakes on the same card is to be switched with Saturday’s Duke of Edinburgh Handicap, to ensure a competitive handicap is run as the fifth race on each day of Royal Ascot.

Former jockey dies in Australia

The death took place in Taree, Failford, Australia last Saturday of Killenaule-born Gerry Ryan who had celebrated his 61st birthday just two months previously.

In Co Tipperary, Gerry worked in the yards of Pat Doyle, Willie Browne and the late Dr Paddy Stokes and, on and off for 15 years, with Eamon Fitzpatrick at his Kilminfoyle House Stud in Co Laois.

He also spent eight years in Co Antrim with former trainer Brian Lusk who remembered Gerry as “a good lad and a great character.”

Ryan’s travels were to take him further afield – England, America and New Zealand – and he made lifelong friends at every stop. While he first worked with horses on his arrival in Australia, he then settled in New South Wales where he established a very successful plant hire business.

Gerry was described by those who knew him throughout the world as a larger than life character with an infectious laugh and a generous spirit. Sympathy on his passing is extended to his wife Shelley, sons Kieran and Michael and to family members in Tipperary. Gerry’s private cremation took place following a funeral service held in Saint Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Tuncurry on Thursday.

ITBA lectures in Johnstown

Expert lectures on atypical myopathy (sycamore poisoning) and preparations for the new breeding season will be given next Tuesday (December 9th) at Palmerstown House Estate, Johnstown, Co Kildare. Starting at 7pm, the session will be chaired by Dr Ursula Fogarty of the Irish Equine Centre. The speakers are Dr Dominque Votion, Dr Ursula Fogarty, Prof Ann Cullinane and Prof Tom Buckley.

Pre-registration is essential on (045) 877543.

Godolphin winner disqualified

Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor was fined £1,000 by the British Horseracing Authority this week after his Doonside Cup winner Sky Hunter tested positive for the gastric ulcer medication Omeprazole. The race was awarded to Sennockian Star.