Idaho to Beeches

IDAHO has been retired from racing and will stand under the Coolmore NH banner at the Beeches Stud. Winner of the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York and the Ormonde Stakes at Chester, Idaho was also placed in the Derby, the Irish Derby and behind Enable in the ‘King George’.

Bred on the Galileo/Danehill cross he is a full brother to seven-time Group 1 winning superstar Highland Reel. His fee has not yet been published.

Ice Breeze to Woodlands Stud

TOP French stayer Ice Breeze has arrived at Kenneth Cullinane’s Woodlands Stud in Co Galway. The Juddmonte-bred Group 1 winner is a full-brother to Snow Sky who stands at Ballycurragh Stud. “Ice Breeze is a good looking, correct bay horse standing 16.1hh,” said Cullinane. “He has plenty of bone and substance, and is a real good walking horse with an outstanding temperament.

“He offers an excellent outcross for Sadler’s Wells mares and from day one he has reminded us all a lot of our old warrior, Germany.”

Gregorian joins Rathasker roster

GREGORIAN, whose first crop included six black-type performers, has relocated to his birthplace of Rathasker Stud in Naas. His fee is €6,000. The son of Clodovil has spent the last four seasons at the National Stud, Newmarket. A winner at two years who went on to win the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes, Gregorian’s first crop contained 52 starters, 15 of which are winners.

Changes to medicine rules

TRAINERS can resume treating fillies and mares in training Regumate following research carried out by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.

The product, whose generic name is altrenogest, is used to stop fillies from coming in season but there were international reports in September than some batches of the medicine had tested positive for an anabolic steroid.

This week the IHRB announced that this licensed medication may be used in fillies and mares with the published detection time of 12 days. The withdrawal time may be a few days longer and trainers are advised to consult with their veterinary surgeon. Neither ‘blanket use’ in females nor use in males in training/racing is permitted. The IHRB also says that if the anabolic steroids trendione or trenbolone are detected in a sample the adverse analytical finding will be classified as a ‘prohibited at all times substance’.

Ricci to the rescue

RICH Ricci, former BetBright executive chairman, has been lauded for personally taking action to assist punters who had outstanding ante-post bets with BetBright when the firm ceased trading earlier this month. Yesterday it was announced that, following intervention by Ricci, BetVictor will enable former BetBright customers to have their ante-post bets reinstated.

There was further evidence of the competitive nature of the online betting market this week when 188Bet announced it would cease trading in Britain and Ireland with immediate effect. The company said it was solvent and would meet all its financial obligations. Funds would be returned to customers “in an orderly manner” and ante-post bets for events up to the end of June would be honoured.

Breeder winners

PAT Tobin has won the Connolly’s Red Mills The Irish Field Breeder of the Month competition for February. He bred Sir Erec, the ill-fated winner of the Grade 1 Spring Hurdle at Leopardstown. Tobin goes through to the final this summer, along with January winners Colin and Caroline Berry, breeders of Grade 1 winner Battleoverdoyen.

California votes against whip use

THE California Horse Racing Board has voted to severely limit the use of whips in racing. This could affect the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita later this year. The board voted to approve limiting the use of whips for safety and correction only. Jockeys who breah the rule may face fines or suspension or loss of a race. The issue will go a regulatory agency for a public comment period and will have to go before the board again before it can become a permanent regulation. That process could take up to six months.