This week’s TBWA Thoroughbred Forum at the Sebel Mandurah Hotel addressed several challenges confronting the local industry set against consistent commercial growth in the last decade at Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sales.
The final live Magic Millions auction for the season will be held at the Swan Valley Sales Complex on Sunday week, June 21.
Playing God sired his 28th black-type winner at Belmont on Saturday but there was only a nose between his promising 3yo Vatican Storm and unbeaten filly Hot And High (Too Darn Hot) in the LR Raconteur Stakes (1400m).
Busy Fingers was competitive in six starts without winning last year but he returned an altogether different proposition winning first-up in the Lawn Pride Australia Maiden (1000m) at Belmont last Wednesday.
Universal Ruler clocked a second double in a fortnight when his mares Military Jane and Empress Of India were both successful at Belmont on Saturday.
Gingerbread Man was represented by the winners of six races in the first half of May and it could have mounted to a lot more this month but for the Bunbury meeting being abandoned on Sunday.
Russian To The Bar had been in the doldrums since being rated one of Perth’s most promising prospects as an autumn 3yo after winning the LR Challenge Stakes (1500m) and LR Lex Piper Stakes (1600m).
Western Empire (NZ) has gone back to back in the G3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) and for good measure he also figured in feature doubles for Peters Investments and Williams Racing.
Jimmysstar (Per Incanto) won’t have it all his own way as favourite for this afternoon’s $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) when he lines up against a top-class field led by proven Group 1 sprinter Rothfire (Rothesay) and rising star Napoleonic (Wootton Bassett)
Amelia Park bred filly Farmelia was a class above older maidens on debut for trainer Mitch Freedman in the Sportsbet Plate (1000m) at Caulfield on Wednesday.
Darling View Thoroughbreds stallion Splintex (Snitzel) sired his third first-crop winner at Belmont on Wednesday when Chixfromthestix led all the way in the Reliable Asset Maintenance Maiden (1000m).