RACING Queensland has advised that all TAB and non-TAB meeting across the state will be conducted without patrons from Monday, March 16 until further notice.
Following the federal government's advice that all non-essential, organised gatherings of more than 500 people be cancelled to manage the spread of COVID-19, RQ has confirmed that all future meetings - along with trials and trackwork - will be limited to key race-day personnel.
Access will be permitted to licensed participants who have a horse or greyhound engaged at the meeting, along with essential club, QRIC and RQ staff; broadcast services; approved accredited media; and associated staff required to conduct racing activities including veterinarians and ambulance services. Access will not be permitted to the general public in any code, nor owners or on-course wagering providers.
"We are experiencing a unique and complex situation which requires Racing Queensland to adopt a uniform approach. The health and safety of our 40,000 participants, including those who are employed in the industry, remains our top priority and we will continue to work with our clubs, QRIC and participants to navigate this period," RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said.
"We are mindful of the carnivals we have on the horizon - and the impact that this decision may have on our clubs - but it is important that we restrict on-course access in the short-term to limit the potential spread of COVID-19 and the potential impact to our industry," he said.
Additionally, access will not be permitted to any key race-day personnel in Queensland that:
- Is suffering from COVID-19 symptoms or is otherwise unwell;
- Has been to a country considered at higher risk of COVID-19 in the past 14 days;
- Is subject to self-isolation requirements imposed by the government; or
- Has been in close contact with a person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19.
Seebring filly tops Day 1 March yearling sale
A DAUGHTER of Golden Slipper winner Sebring topped Day One of the 2020 Gold Coast March Yearling Sale on Monday.
The filly was presented by Beaudesert-based Bahrinna and will join the stables alongside star 3YO Alligator Blood after being bought by Sunshine Coast trainer David Vandyke for $150,000.
The filly is the first foal of the former speedy Jet Spur mare Tina Melina - a winner of the listed Nudgee Stakes and earner of more than $350,000. Tina Melina is a half-sister to Belle of the Turf Stakes and Weetwood Handicap winner Sexy Eyes - a mare that sold for $550,000 at last year's National Broodmare Sale.
Nation-wide Corona virus restrictions has seen the two-day sale closed to the public meaning only potential buyers and staff associated with Magic Million and vendors able to attend. Almost $3.6 million was traded on Day 1 for 124 lots at an average price of $29,024, while the clearance rate sat at 68 per cent.
"Under the circumstances and current climate the sale held up reasonably well," Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch said. "Vendors have not only presented their horses in good fashion but they have tried to meet the market as best as possible. The buyers that have done the hard work are shopping very well and with the prize money these horses are eligible to race for value is being found at all levels. We are expecting more of the same tomorrow," Bowditch added.
Leading Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan teamed up with bloodstock agent John Foote to buy the second highest seller on the day - a Spirit of Boom colt from Eureka Moment for $130,000. The colt was presented by Eureka Stud and is the fourth living foal of a General Nediym mare whose two runners to date are both winners.
Having trained The Odyssey to win both the QTIS 2YO Jewel last year and this year's 3YO Jewel, Brisbane trainer Kelly Schweida went to $120,000 to secure a Spirit of Boom/Star Of Kristle colt. A half-brother to black type 3YO filly Gem Of Scotland, the colt was also offered by Eureka Stud.
SALE STATISTICS (Day One 2019 in brackets)
Lots Catalogued: 206 (196)
Lots Sold: 124 (133)
Sale Gross: $3,599,000 ($4,372,000)
Average Price: $29,024 ($32,872)
Lots Passed In: 58 (50)
Lots Withdrawn: 24 (13)
Top Price: $150,000 ($220,000)
Median Price: $20,000 ($22,000)
Clearance: 68 percent (73)
Jewel winner Kisukano has many winning relatives
TOOWOOMBA-based 2YO filly Kisukano - winner of last Saturday's QTIS 2YO Jewel at the Gold Coast - has maintained the winning tradition of her maternal family with more than 30 individual winners stretching back more than 40 years over four generations.
What's more, Kisukano and her first four dams Kiss For Gran, Grouse Lane, Huntington Girl and Gentle Marchesa were all bred and raced by the Stanthorpe-based Reeves family comprising brothers Peter and Michael Reeves and, more recently, Peter's sons Rob and Dave.
Toowoomba trainer Michael Nolan has an affinity with Kisukano's family having already had black type success with Listed Silk Stocking winner Princess Margaret - half-sister to Kisukano's dam Kiss For Gran - and stakes placed Grouse Lane (nine wins). The QTIS Jewel win comes 21 years after he trained the 1999 Group 1 Doomben 10,000 winner Laurie's Lottery.
Kiskukano is the first foal of the Show A Heart mare Kiss For Gran who was placed once from five starts before being retired in August 2016 and mated to dual Group 1 winner Bel Esprit during his three year stay in Queensland. Kiss For Gran, her half-sister Princess Margaret and their dam Grouse Lane were all trained by Michael Nolan so it was a natural fit that Kisukano was sent to him - especially as Michael boarded at Marist Brothers College, Ashgrove, with Rob and Dave Reeves. Consequently, when Rob and Michael put a syndicate together to race Kisukano, they found several mates from school willing to buy-in.
Their faith has been amply rewarded with the QTIS 2YO Jewel first prize money of $300,000 lifting her total earnings to $428,750 recorded from three wins and a second from just four starts.
Peter Reeves explained Kiss For Gran by Show A Heart got her name because every time grandchildren came to visit, his wife Del was always saying "Kiss for Gran" and a daughter-in-law suggested that would be a good name for a horse. Subsequently when it came to naming Kiss For Gran's foal by Bel Esprit the syndicate submitted Kiss A Bel but got knocked-back by the Registrar of Racehorses. Undeterred, one of the syndicate members then googled foreign translations of Kiss A Bel and found the Japanese translation Kisukano.
Great investment
IT'S $10,000 or no sale - That's the reserve Stanthorpe breeders Peter and Michael Reeves put on their Black Zephyr (NZ)/Gentle Marchesa filly at the 1989 yearling sales at the Gold Coast.
Bidding stopped at $9500 so the filly went home. However, while she was at the sales she caught the eye of two New York financiers Michael and John Wallace who were holidaying at the Gold Coast and were friends of Peter and Michael Reeves. Three weeks later they rang the Reeves and said they'd like to take a share in the filly. It was one of the best financial decisions the New York brothers have made. Racing as Huntington Girl the filly won her first start plus another eight races to earn more than $101,000.
Since that initial purchase, Huntington Girl has established a racing dynasty that has earned many dollars for the Reeves and Wallace families. Retired to stud, Huntington Girl's first foal was Grouse Lane, a filly by Sea Road that won nine races. In fact, she was the first of 14 winners from 15 runners for Huntington Girl. Grouse Lane in turn produced four winners with her first foal being Listed Gold Coast Silk Stocking winner Princess Margaret whose nine wins included seven in succession.
Dual Jewel winner on odyssey to win $1 million
WHILE recent NSW-bred Group 1 Australian Guineas winner Alligator Blood is undoubtedly the best 3YO currently trained in Queensland, there are almost a million reasons why 3YO colt The Odyssey can lay claim to being the current highest earning 3YO bred in Queensland this season.
By Better Than Ready from the Snitzel mare Jessica's Hope, The Odyssey has now won $920,850 with seven wins and four placings from 16 starts. Having won the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes for 2YO colts and geldings on debut at Doomben in December 2018 for Brisbane trainer Kelly Schweida, The Odyssey won the QTIS 2YO Jewel in March last year and then created a unique double by winning this year's QTIS 3YO Jewel last Saturday.
"We're very proud of our horse. He's a $30,000 (yearling) and now earned somewhere around $920,000 so I hope they put a 4YO race on next year! He's pretty high up in the ratings now so we have to try to pick on some set weight races and some of the spring races, in much the same way as his father, Better Than Ready," Schweida said.
Schweida had great faith that The Odyssey would inherit his sire's speed having earlier trained Better Than Ready for eight wins and three placings from just 16 starts. Four of the wins were at Listed level in Sydney and Brisbane while he placed third in the Group 1 BTC Cup at Doomben and fifth in both the VRC Newmarket and Doomben Ten Thousand.
