Updates From Equine Life

From Julie Harrington all set to be the first lady to head a horseracing ruling body to Big-spending Phoenix Thoroughbreds quitting horse racing, all at one place.

1. The First Lady

Julie Harrington will take over as chief executive of racing’s ruling body in the New Year, replacing Nick Rust, who announced his intention to leave in January. With a background in racing combined with experience of senior roles in other sports, Harrington was seen as a strong contender from an early stage and has been the bookmakers’ favourite to take over since April, when it emerged that she was interested in the post.

Harrington becomes the first woman to head racing’s regulator. “Julie’s hands-on knowledge of horseracing, coupled with her governance and business experience, make her the ideal person to carry on with the task of restoring sustainable prosperity after the Covid crisis,” said Annamarie Phelps, the BHA chair.

Julie Harrington to become the first woman to head a horse racing ruling body.
Image credit:© Provided by The Guardian Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters

2. Quitting Horse Racing

Big-spending Phoenix Thoroughbreds has announced it is to quit racing in the UK where it had run 41 horses in 170 races over the past three years.
The Dubai-based company has denied allegations of money laundering, as reported by the Racing Post.
“It is with a heavy heart that Phoenix Thoroughbreds will no longer have racing operations in the UK,” said chief executive Amer Abdulaziz Salman. The firm says it had horses with 11 trainers in the UK. One of its biggest victories came when Advertise landed the Group One Commonwealth Cup under Frankie Dettori at Royal Ascot last year.
Phoenix says its withdrawal from the UK will begin with immediate effect but the organisation will continue to race in other jurisdictions around the world.

Advertise won the Group One Commonwealth Cup for Phoenix Thoroughbreds at Royal Ascot in 2019
Image credit: Ichef BBCI

3. Stars Against Each Other

Space Blues is fast emerging as one of the superstars of Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby’s Moulton Paddocks training centre in Newmarket, England.
On 9th August, the progressive son of top sire Dubawi travelled to Deauville in France to take out the first Group 1 prize of his young career when outshining some very high-quality opposition in the 1,300m Prix Maurice de Gheest.
That’s not all. The manner of Space Blues victory suggests that he is not yet the finished article and that there is more top-level success to come.
The prestigious Prix de la Foret (G1) on the same day as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) at Longchamp in Paris, is his next target, a 1,400m contest which attracts the very best sprinters in Europe.

Godolphin's Space Blues triumphs
Image credit: Godolphin