Turf Talk Newsletter – 28 May, 2025

A positive for a Class 1 substance is the worst offense possible in terms of the administering of substances to horses.

The guidelines state the following for penalties relating to positives:

An inquiry provides the charged person with a chance to defend themselves and the below points under the guidelines should be noted:

2. Warning off

2.1 Inquiry Boards are advised to bear in mind that the schedule of penalties reflected
on the proposed penalty guideline document are nothing more than that (that being
guidelines), and these should not be applied mechanically. Inquiry Boards must
apply their minds to the facts relevant to any particular matter (as well as the
nature of any prior contraventions), so as to ensure that disqualifications are only
imposed in circumstances which properly justify the disqualification or warning off
of a trainer.

2.2 In applying the guidelines, an Inquiry Board should always be mindful that where
the guidelines make reference to a “warning off”, this is not the only option to
adopt. There may well be other factors, such as the nature of the prior offences,
which should be considered in arriving at a suitable penalty. A number of factors
which should be considered are referred to in this document.

Methamphetamine is a potent central nervous system stimulant and would have the effect too of temporarily increasing the heart rate and producing more blood – oxygen.

It is also one of the world’s most commonly abused human drugs.

It is known as crystal meth, a highly addictive and dangerous substance, but it can also be used in a controlled way as an inhaler for legitimate medical reasons.

The following article is worth reading because there have been cases where this drug found its way into a horse’s system due to the horse’s proximity to human use of the drug, whether the latter was for stimulation or medical reasons.

Click here to read the article

The inquiry will attempt to establish the facts and the betting patterns will also aid in the case.

Vitellius was backed in from 7/2 to 9/4 but considering the big drop in class he was taking from his previous race and his reduced merit rating he was not a surprise favourite in a field in which six of the nine runners had not earned in their previous starts.

Sean Veale clinches his 100th win of the season on the Bo Ngcobo-trained Hollywood Racing-owned six-year-old Elusive Fort gelding Eventidor. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Sean Veale passed the 100 win mark in a season for the first time today at the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly meeting as Hollywood Racing scored a treble with Veale riding two of them.

Sean reached the 100 win mark aboard the Bo Ngcobo-trained Eventidor (Elusive Fort) and later made it 101 on the MJ Odendaal-trained Thisiswhatitmeans (What A Winter).

Sean spoke about the “massive opportunity” Hollywood Racing had given him by making him their first call rider and he said having their racing manager, the former jockey great Anthony Delpech, behind him was also helping a lot.

Hollywood’s treble took them to 103 wins for the season.

If they keep up their exact current number of runs per day and keep up their current strike rate, Hollywood Racing will have 22 more wins in the 64 days of the season remaining.

That will see them just surpassing their record for a season of 124 wins and will give them 125 wins for the season.

Sean Veale’s 101 wins have come at a strike rate of 13.70%.

Kabelo Matsunyane also scored a double and is on 85 wins for the season at 9.11%.

Delacroix: has been impressive in both wins at Leopardstown this season
Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Delacroix new Derby favourite after Aidan O’Brien says ‘it would be hard for Ryan Moore not to ride him’

David Jennings (Racing Post)

Delacroix has usurped stablemate The Lion In Winter at the head of the betting for the Betfred Derby after Aidan O’Brien admitted it might be hard for Ryan Moore not to ride him in the Epsom Classic.

The most successful trainer in the history of the famous race is beginning to narrow down this year’s challenge and it looks as though he will launch a three-pronged attack on June 7 with Chester Vase winner Lambourn set to join the big two of Delacroix and The Lion In Winter.

The Lion In Winter is expected to improve markedly from his reappearance in the Dante, but O’Brien suggested Delacroix is in pole position among the Ballydoyle contingent at the moment.

Speaking on Monday evening when asked who Moore might ride at Epsom, O’Brien said: “Ryan will make his mind up as late as he can. Obviously, I’d imagine it’s between Delacroix and The Lion In Winter. At the moment, I would say it would be hard for him not to ride Delacroix, but that’s not to say he won’t. He’ll have to see how The Lion In Winter is, where they are both drawn and stuff like that.”

Delacroix has received strong market support following the comments and Coral cut him to 5-2 favourite (from 7-2) for the Derby, with The Lion In Winter eased to 7-2 (from 11-4).

Coral spokesperson David Stevens said on Tuesday morning: “The Lion In Winter had been backed into clear favouritism for the Derby despite his defeat in the Dante, but Aidan O’Brien’s comments that he thought it would be hard for Ryan Moore not to ride Delacroix – while not a definitive jockey booking – has seen the Leopardstown Derby Trial winner take over again at the head of the betting.”

On Delacroix’s wellbeing since his Leopardstown success, O’Brien said: “He’s really well and his two trials went perfectly. Everything is going to plan. He’s big and powerful and is maturing well. We’re all very happy.”

There are far more question marks hanging over The Lion In Winter. He spent all winter at the summit of the ante-post Derby market and remains there, but a rusty reappearance at York, where he was keen and then hampered up the home straight before finishing sixth behind Pride Of Arras, has left him with huge improvement to find in the space of three and a half weeks.

O’Brien, however, feels that improvement will be forthcoming, and said: “Everything has gone well with The Lion In Winter since the Dante. He’s in good form, but we haven’t looked for too much off him yet. We had to give him a chance to recover from York. He’s done one or two bits, but the main bits of work will be later this week and early next week.

“We’re thinking of running Lambourn as well. He’s come out of Chester well and we’re thinking of letting him take his chance.”

Musidora winner Whirl set to join Ballydoyle’s Oaks team

O’Brien might not have the same stranglehold on the Betfred Oaks, a Classic he has won ten times, most recently with Tuesday in 2022, but he is still responsible for the second, third and fourth-favourites in the market behind Desert Flower, and intends to run all three: Giselle, Minnie Hauk and Whirl.

In the aftermath of her emphatic Musidora triumph at York it was expected Whirl might miss Epsom, but she is now looking more likely to run and has been supported from double-digit prices into 7-1 with some firms.

O’Brien said of his Oaks team: “I’d say we might run three. Everything has gone really well with Minnie Hauk since Chester. We always thought she would improve nicely for that run and she seems to have done so. She’s a nice filly.

“Giselle has also gone the right way. She was just about ready to start at Lingfield and seems to be coming forward nicely. We’re delighted with her. We’re thinking of running Whirl now, too. She was very good in the Musidora and everybody has been happy with her since.”

Desert Flower remains 2-1 favourite with the sponsors Betfred, with Minnie Hauk the shortest of the Ballydoyle brigade at 4-1, with Giselle at 6-1 and Whirl 7-1.

Latest Derby and Oaks odds

Betfred Derby (3.30 Epsom, June 7)
Betfred: 5-2 Delacroix, 7-2 The Lion In Winter, 4 Ruling Court, 9-2 Pride Of Arras, 10 Damysus, 16 Lambourn, 20 Stanhope Gardens, 25 Purview, Wimbledon Hawkeye, 33 bar.

Betfred Oaks (4.00 Epsom, June 6)
Betfred: 2 Desert Flower, 4 Minnie Hauk, 6 Giselle, 7 Falakeyah, Whirl, 10 Lake Victoria, Revoir, 12 Elwateen, 16 bar.

This Night Of Thunder colt has the same third dam as Pathfork’s third dam. (Picture: Tattersalls)

A colt from the same female line as Sandown Stud’s successful sire Pathfork made history at last Friday’s session of the 2025 Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale.

Records tumbled at Fairyhouse when Yeomanstown Stud’s Night Of Thunder colt became the most expensive breeze-up horse ever sold in Ireland at €580,000.

Anthony Stroud was pushed all the way by Hubie de Burgh and his client who proved persistent adversaries, with a new bidder joining the fray at €400,000 but Stroud’s doggedness defeated De Burgh and his man, despite auctioneer Alistair Pim’s best efforts to cajole one more bid out of them at the side of the ring when Stroud’s offer of €580,000 proved the final straw.

Stroud said: “That was difficult I have to say, and was far more money than I anticipated. He is a very good individual, of course he is by Night Of Thunder, and in time he will be a nice horse. He comes from a farm that produces lots of good horses, and he has a very good way about him. There is no trainer in mind yet.”

The sales topper is out of the stakes winning Kingmambo mare Mambo Light, whose six winners include dual G3 Chairman’s Handicap winner Le Juge and Listed Prix La Sorellina winner Frankel Light.

Mambo Light’s second dam is G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Aviance, the third dam of Irish champion Pathfork.

The son of Distorted Humor has enjoyed another good season in 2024-2025, with Pathfork’s current flagbearers including champion Royal Victory, recent G2 TAB Hawaii Stakes winner Main Defender and G2 TAB Igugu Stakes/G3 Allied Steelrode Yellowwood Handicap winner Olivia’s Way.

Pathfork has three lots on offer at the KZN Yearling Sale.

What is Silver Spear II’s Durban July claim to fame?

Picture: Silver Spear II is pictured under Cocky Feldman.