A big weekend looms on both sides of the world, with Turnbull Stakes Day under a weather cloud at Flemington and Sunday's Arc shaping as a clash between two sons of Sea The Stars. Elsewhere, Gulfstream Park trainers have aired serious allegations about horses being tampered with, and Victorian racing has been promised an $80 million industry fund.
Arc draw history unkind to Maltese Cross
Racing Post records dating to 1988 show no Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner has come from stall 11, the gate drawn by Maltese Cross for Sunday's race. Using the eight runnings since Longchamp's redevelopment was completed in 2018, the median Betfair SP of stall 11 runners is 27, mid-range among stalls one to 20. That median is well shorter than stalls six (47.5) and 12 (40.5), both of which have produced at least one winner, suggesting the barrier's record is not simply a function of housing outsiders.
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Gulfstream trainers allege horses given Lasix without knowledge
Several Gulfstream Park trainers have told the TDN they believe horses in their care were administered a substance, which they speculate was Lasix, on the night before racing without their knowledge, leading to scratchings or flat performances by short-priced runners. A ten-second nighttime video dated 17 July, circulated on X, purported to show an individual with a backpack entering a stall in Bruno Tessore's barn. Bill Badgett, executive director of Florida operations for The Stronach Group, said HISA took blood from the horse involved and all results returned negative. The TDN confirmed the horse tested was the Tessore-trained Holy Cow, entered for 18 July but scratched; Tessore declined to comment.
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Sea The Stars turns 20 at Gilltown Stud
Emma Berry marks the 20th birthday of Sea The Stars, who was bred at the Irish National Stud, trained on the Curragh and has stood at the Aga Khan Studs' Gilltown Stud for 17 years. He won six consecutive Group 1s in six months in 2009, culminating in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the race his dam Urban Sea also won. Aga Khan Studs Irish stud manager Pat Downes reflects on the horse ahead of Sunday's Arc, in which Daryz bids to become the first colt since Alleged to win back-to-back renewals. Sea The Stars has the top two in the betting, with three-year-old Maltese Cross challenging last year's winner.
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Flemington safe to race but Turnbull Day weather watch continues
Flemington remains safe to race on Turnbull Stakes Day after heavy overnight rain, according to Racenet. With more rain forecast for Saturday, the Victoria Racing Club and Racing Victoria have put a contingency plan in place.
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Apprentices Fitzgerald and Grima line up in Epsom Handicap
Apprentices Mollie Fitzgerald and Siena Grima, who grew up competing against each other in pony club, will both ride at Randwick on Saturday. Racenet reports the pair share a career-high occasion in the Epsom Handicap.
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Victorian Racing Industry Fund pledged $80 million
Victorian Racing Minister Anthony Carbines has committed to lifting the Victorian Racing Industry Fund to up to $80 million over four years if Labor is re-elected, up from $72 million across the past four years. The fund supports racing and training infrastructure, regional events, safety and welfare initiatives, including track upgrades at Benalla, Ballarat and Bendigo and plastic running rail at every Victorian track. Racing Victoria chief executive Aaron Morrison welcomed the commitment and said he hoped the Opposition would match it, citing racing's traditional bipartisan support. The government has pointed to racing's reported $5.5 billion contribution to the state economy and 35,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
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