Industry welcomes UBET Northern Crowns Series

The UBET Northern Crowns Series will offer rich bonuses for sprinters and stayers that can win any three of the five nominated races between July and September, across meetings at Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns and FNQ Amateurs.

Cairns Jockey Club General Manager John Cameron said the initiative was an ideal way to boost winter racing in the state’s north. “This is a good spend of money and will help our club continue to grow our two-day carnival during August. The bonuses should help attract some quality horses from the South East and I look forward to seeing how the series grows in the years to come,” he said.

Rockhampton trainer Jamie McConachy won the 2017 Townsville and Cairns Cups with Chivadahlii and said he would again set the gelding for a cups campaign in 2018. “I am thrilled to see this series introduced for participants in our region. The added bonuses would certainly entice trainers to consider extending their horse’s campaigns right throughout the North Queensland Carnival,” he said.

Group 1 winning Brisbane trainer Paul Butterworth is a regular visitor to Rockhampton and claimed the 2017 Newmarket with Counter Meal. He said he always felt welcome when heading north. “I love going up there. My horses always seem to thrive whenever we travel to Rockhampton. I think the bonuses will make South East trainers consider an extended Northern campaign with their horses,” he said. 

Racing Queensland will continue to ramp up its promotion of the new series via its multiple media platforms. Sam Hyland will return with Puntersland’s “Cut To The Chase” program, while UBET and Sky Racing will offer enhanced content to increase punter awareness of the North Queensland racing industry.

This will also run in line with Racing Queensland’s ‘We’re Racing Everywhere’ campaign, which aims to encourage track attendance at any of Queensland’s 132 racing clubs.

ROUND one of the Magic Millions Far North Queensland Up and Coming Stayers Series may have unearthed a potential North Queensland star, with Atherton trainer Janel Ryan signalling a possible Cairns Cup tilt with We Just Love It.

Racing Queensland webnews reports that We Just Love It took his career record to five wins from 20 starts, after settling back in the field and storming down the outside to win the 1600m FNQ Up and Coming Benchmark 65 Handicap at Cairns on Thursday, April 26.

One of the North’s most consistent trainers in recent years, with a strike-rate of between 15 to 22 percent over the past six seasons, Janelle Ryan said she was confident We Just Love It would be a better horse over more ground. A 4YO gelding by Love Conquers All from the Hennessy (USA) mare Husniyah – a half-sister to Group 3 winning mare Imana – We Just Love It sold for $17,000 at the Magic Millions 2015 Gold Coast March yearling sale.

The Stayers Series comprises a group of races with above standard prize money, specifically programmed to cater for racehorses below Open class. This year the Series does not culminate in a final, but there is an owner’s bonus of $4000 and trainer’s bonus of $2000 based on points accrued across eight races. The next race in the series is a Benchmark 55 over 1680m at Mount Garnet on May 4. 

DARLING Downs horseman Angus McAlpine, Eureka Stud, Cambooya, is a finalist in the 2018 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards (GSSSA) selected from a record field of 300 nominations.

The judging panel, led by South Australia's chief stipendiary steward Johan, have settled on 14 finalists from whom the seven winners will be chosen. Angus is a finalist in the Dedication to Breeding category.

"Now in its fourth year, the GSSSA is a fantastic initiative supported by Godolphin, Racing Australia and Thoroughbred Breeders Australia. The judging panel continues to be impressed by the outstanding quality of the nominations. There is no doubt the quality of the nominees in 2018 is impressive, which makes the task of determining the winners a difficult one for the panel," Petzer said.

The winners, plus the overall Thoroughbred Excellence Award winner, will be announced at the official Stud and Stable Staff Awards Ceremony at Morphettville Racecourse on Friday,  May 4.

AUSTRALIAN-bred and twice Gold Coast sold Hong Kong star Ivictory has given fresh impetus to the forthcoming Magic Millions National Weanling Sale to be held at the Gold Coast on May 24 and 25.

Having recently released its online catalogue for the 2018 sale, Magic Millions now has to make a major update to its list of Group 1 winning graduates following Ivictory’s win in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Hong Kong on Sunday, April 29. Ivictory (Mossman/Inca Lagoon) was pin-hooked for the $67,500 at the 2014 weanling sale  and subsequently sold for $80,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions yearling sale.

This year’s weanling catalogue comprises 542 lots by a record 107 individual sires. The 22 individual first season sires include an unprecedented line up of domestic and international Group 1winners while all of Australia’s leading active sires are well represented.

Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said the sale had produced countless pinhook success stories who have gone on to star at the Yearling Sales and ultimately the track. "Ivictory, Pierro, Zoustar, Peggy Jean, Redzel, Volpe Veloce and Seasons Bloom are examples of the quality racehorses who have emerged first at the National Weanling Sale," Bowditch said.

The online catalogue can be viewed at www.magicmillions.com.au and is also available for download via the Equineline iPad app. Hard copies will be distributed early May.

The world class catalogue for the National Broodmare Sale will be released soon along with that for the National Yearling Sale. Entries are still open for the National Racehorse Sale.

HONG Kong crowned its newest sprint sensation at Sha Tin on Sunday, April 29 when rising star Ivictory scored a strong win in the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m).

Australian bred and twice Gold Coast sold star Ivictory has been beaten just once in eight starts and beat the best sprinters Hong Kong could arrange. A 4YO gelding by Mossman from the Hussonet mare Inca Lagoon, Ivictory is trained by Queensland expatriate John Size who achieved a trifecta with stablemates with Mr Stunning and Beat The Clock running second and third respectively.

Ivictory was bought by the Aquanita Racing team from Fig Tree Thoroughbreds for $80,000 at the 2015 Gold Coast Yearling Sale having been pin-hooked for $67,500 when offered by The Old Crossing at the 2014 Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. With seven wins from eight starts, Ivictory has already earned his connections more than  HK$14 million – the equivalent of about $A2.3 million.

The sixth Group 1winner for Vinery Stud's resident sire Mossman, Ivictory is one of two named foals and first winner for the Hussonet mare Inca Lagoon. Unraced, Inca Lagoon is a half-sister to the Sydney and Melbourne group placegetter Echo Effect. Inca Lagoon is from the Danehill stakes winner Tyrolean – a half-sister to the very popular multiple Group 1 winner Yippyio.