Proxima Dea's VRC Oaks win kept a perfect record intact and has her trainer talking about next year's Melbourne Cup. Overseas, last week's British budget has claimed its first sponsorship casualty, and Keeneland's Book 2 closed with a steady mare market but a softer weanling trade. There was tragedy at Ipswich, where a three-horse fall cost the mare Maurita her life.
RacingRacing.comAustralia
Proxima Dea remained unbeaten with a dominant win in Thursday's VRC Oaks at Flemington, her first start at 2500m and her first at the track racing anticlockwise. The David Payne-trained daughter of Tarzino overcame barrier 15 and drew clear of $51 chance Shameful Impulse, who ran second for Rob Blacker. She has now won six from six including two Group 1s in her first preparation, and the win delivered Zac Lloyd his first Melbourne Group 1. She is the first Oaks winner from gate 15 or wider since Denise's Joy in 1975, heads to the paddock next, and is a $15 third favourite for next year's Melbourne Cup, a race Payne nominated as a long-term possibility.
Pedigrees: Proxima Dea, Shameful Impulse, Denise's Joy, Tarzino
IndustryRacing PostInternational
Betfred will not proceed with a three-year renewal of its sponsorship of the five British Classics, citing successive tax rises and in particular the increase in machine games duty from 20 to 25 per cent in last week's budget. The firm's modelling claimed 284 of its remaining 1,094 shops would become loss-makers, putting 1,420 jobs at risk. The Jockey Club said it was disappointed but is already in talks with prospective partners for the Derby and the Guineas festival, while Arena Racing Company said the decision was no surprise and it hoped to work with Betfred again. Betfred began sponsoring the Derby and Oaks in 2023, added the St Leger later that year and the two Guineas from 2025, and offered a £2 million Triple Crown bonus.
BreedingThoroughbred Daily NewsInternational
Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sovereignty and stablemate Knightsbridge, who ran third, have arrived at Godolphin's Jonabell Farm and will join the Darley America roster in 2027. Sovereignty will stand for an introductory fee of $150,000, the highest for a new stallion since Flightline's $200,000 in 2023, with Knightsbridge at $75,000. Darley America sales manager Darren Fox said the pair would future-proof the stallion barn and credited trainer Bill Mott and his team. Sovereignty, by Into Mischief and out of a Bernardini mare, is the only horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Travers and Breeders' Cup Classic, and retired with earnings above $10.5 million.
Pedigrees: Sovereignty, Knightsbridge, Flightline
SalesThoroughbred Daily NewsInternational
The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale closed its Book 2 section on Thursday with Royal Slipper the $900,000 topper. Across Book 2, 411 horses sold for a gross of $78,018,000, with the average of $189,825 down 1.5 per cent and the median of $150,000 down 6.25 per cent on last year. Weanlings accounted for 172 lots at $27,149,000, an average of $157,843 and a median of $137,500, all below last year's figures. Of 421 catalogued lots on Thursday only 295 went through the ring and 94 failed to meet reserve, a buy-back rate of 31.86 per cent against 24.37 per cent a year ago, with Keeneland officials describing the mare market as steady and more selectivity among weanlings.
Pedigrees: Royal Slipper
Racingnews.com.auAustralia
Three horses fell in Race 4 at Ipswich on Thursday, with Mark Du Plessis on Maurita, Jace McMurray on Interro and Boris Thornton on Flop Shot all coming down. Interro and Flop Shot escaped injury, but Maurita suffered a broken shoulder and was humanely euthanised. McMurray and Thornton avoided serious injury, while Du Plessis was taken to hospital for X-rays and observation; trainer Ruby Chatterton said he had suffered a badly broken leg. Chatterton confirmed the mare's death on Thursday night, saying Maurita was the last horse to go over the fallen runners in front of her and took the brunt of the impact.
Pedigrees: Maurita, Interro, Flop Shot
Peoplegoogle.comInternational
Chris Waller will take over two Joseph O'Brien-trained internationals that will stay in Australia after the spring carnival. James J Braddock, third in the English Derby, finished seventh in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup behind Point Of Law from barrier 23, beaten 6.06 lengths, and races in an ownership group that includes Ozzie Kheir. Omni Man, owned by New Zealand syndicator Go Racing, contests Saturday's $3 million Group 1 Champions Stakes over 2000m at Flemington still listed under O'Brien, from barrier six with 59kg and Dylan Browne McMonagle riding.
Pedigrees: James J Braddock, Omni Man, Point Of Law
