Godolphin’s English champion and classic winner Blue Bunting, has been retired from racing. The daughter of Dynaformer   is booked to Darley stallion Street Cry.

the Four-year-old Blue Bunting sustained a leg injury when being prepared for the Gr 1 Dubai Sheema Classic on March 31. Veterinary tests have revealed that she would require a lengthy layoff before being returned to training,

Last season Blue Bunting won One Thousand Guineas, Darley Irish Oaks and the Darley Yorkshire Oaks and was England’s champion 3-year-old filly at 11 to 14 furlongs. Blue Bunting won five of eight starts.

“Because Blue Bunting would have needed a long period of recuperation before coming back into training, the decision has been made to retire her to stud for an early covering.” Racing Manager Simon Crisford said on the Godolphin website.

“It is a pity Blue Bunting will not have the chance again to show what a brilliant racehorse she was but we look forward to her becoming a great success at stud.”

There were 258 two-year-olds left in the 2012 Group I Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) after the Australian Turf Club released the list of second acceptors on Thursday. The $3.5 million event is set to be run at Rosehill on April 7.

Darley heads up the list of entries with 33 juveniles remaining, Peter Snowden trains 30 of Darleyís entries while Anthony Freedman has three.

Patinack Farm still has 23 of its two-year-olds still in the race, including the Hawkes Racing-trained All Too Hard, last year’s Inglis Easter Sale topper and a half-brother to Black Caviar by Patinack’s Group 1 winner Casino Prince (Flying Spur).

Reigning Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller accepted with eight two-year-old’s while Gai Waterhouse, most recently winner of the race with Widden Stud stallion Sebring (More Than Ready), still has 13 entries in the race.

The trainer with the third most horses entered is Randwick trainer Anthony Cummings, who has 18 of the 258 second acceptances while Melbourne’s leading trainer Peter Moody, who now has a satellite stable in Sydney, accepted with 11.

The well-bred Annabels (3 f Anabaa - Cianara, by Tailings) broke through for her first win in Thursday’s $16,000 Off The Rails Maiden (1100m) at Gosford.

Trained by Joe Pride, Annabels was making just her second start and proved three-quarters of a length too good for Star Of Helicon (Fusaichi Pegasus) with Love Somebody (Fastnet Rock) the same distance away in third place.

Irish-based bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington paid $90,000 for Annabels from the draft of Widden stud at the 2010 Magic Millions Yearling Sale and she runs in the famous pink and black Canning Downs livery.

By the late Anabaa, Annabels is the first foal from the Flemington juvenile stakes winner Cianara, whose filly by Stratum will be offered by Widden as Lot 458 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale later month.

Luck San returned to Australia in winning style at Sportingbet Park on Wednesday with a strong win in the $30,000 Sportingbet Handicp (78) over 1200m.

Luck San (4 g Encosta de Lago - Enrika’s Gift, by Orpen) began his career as ‘Happy Patrick’ in Australia, finishing second to Sincero in the Gosford Guineas (Listed)  before transferring to Hong Kong.

Yesterday was his first start back in Australia and he proved too good for Smokin Joey (Encosta de Lago) in a quinella for the Coolmore stallion.

“He played up a bit in the barriers and took a while to get running, but he really kicked in the straight and put them away very easily,” said winning jockey Dwayne Dunn.

“We’ve always had a big opinion of him right back to when he won at Moonee Valley, so it’s good to see him come back and win again.”

The Anthony Cummings trained Forewarned (3 g More Than Ready - Danehill Diva, by Danehill) could not have been more impressive in winning the $27,000 Schweppes Maiden (1400m) at the ATC metropolitan meeting at Kembla on Wednesday, revelling in the soft conditions to win by six and a half lengths.

The $90,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling left Hydropower (Rusty Spur) toiling behind with Miss Ready (More Than Ready) a further length and three-quarters away third.

“We’ve always had a good opinion of him, but he’s had some bad barriers and had to go back on tight tracks,” winning rider Peter Robl said. ”With the blinkers on today he did what we always thought he could do.”

Forewarned’s dam is a full sister to GrI Queensland Oaks winner Miss Danehill and half-sister to Gr II winner Pentastic.

Boundary, sire of Kentucky Derby winner and Vinery shuttle-sire Big Brown, was euthanised on February 4 due to the infirmities of old age. The 22-year-old son of Danzig had resided at Claiborne Farm as a pensioner since 2005. According to farm spokesman Bernie Sams, Boundary had been in good condition until the weekend.

Boundary (Danzig - Edge) won his first five starts in 1994 including the Gr 3 Roseben Handicap (gr. III). He retired with a record of six wins from eight starts and earnings of $217,777 and entered stud at Claiborne in 1995.

Boundary is represented by 26 stakes winners and the earners of more than $35 million. Big Brown, his sire’s chief earner, won the 2008 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes on his way to being voted champion 3-year-old male.

Boundary’s other leading runners include English and Irish champion 2-year-old Minardi and Saratoga Grade I winner Pomeroy.

The winner of seven of his eight starts and $3.9 million, Big Brown shuttles to Vinery Stud in New South Wales where his fee in 2011 was $27,500.

The death has been announced of Group 1 winner Hotel Grand. The son of Grand Lodge (USA) was euthanised last week following a severe bout of colic.

Unraced at two, Hotel Grand was trained by Anthony Cummings to win the Gr I AJC Spring Champion Stakes and Canterbury Guineas before retiring to stud at Racetree in Queensland in 2007. His fee in 2012 was advertised at $13,200,

With his oldest progeny just three year-olds, Hotel Grand (Grand Lodge - Terrestrial, by Star Watch) is the sire of 11 winners from 33 runners to date, headed by the Peter Moody-trained  Metonymy, a winner at Moonee Valley and second in the Gr 3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Flemington, along with the Brisbane winner Never Despair

The first foals by the multiple Group I winner Paco Boy (Desert Style), who has just completed his first season at Waikato Stud in New Zealand, are arriving in Europe.

The first was a colt out of Key Light (Acclamation), a daughter of the Group I winner Eva Luna. “He was up and moving round the box faster than any foal I’ve seen before, he certainly looks like a proper two-year-old!” Stud owner Richard Tucker said

Another is a well marked bay colt out of the young stakes winning Dansili mare, Don’t Dili Dali, who John Warren reports, “A really strong correct well marked sort looking like a very good start for Paco Boy”.

Paco Boy  has 10 mares overdue to which John Warren commented: “Everyone at Highclere is very excited about the Paco Boy’s arriving, especially as he had such a good first book of mares. He has been very popular again this year with 100 mares booked and it’s such fun having a young stallion with his first crop hitting the ground.”

Paco Boy returned to Highclere Stud last week looking well from a successful first season in the Southern Hemisphere at Waikato Stud in New Zealand.

Australian-bred Dr Sweet (5 g King Cugat - Retro Chic, by Canny Lad) capped off a great weekend for trainer Gary Moore when he produced a superb front running effort under jockey Wil Pao to win the Group 2 Spring Trophy over 1400 metres at Taipa in Macau  on Saturday.

Dr Sweet defied all to hold on and win by a half a length from Lucky Jai (Noverre), with Easy Money (Falkirk) at 90/1 running in third.

The win gave hard working lightweight jockey Wil Pao his first Group victory in his 17 year career and assistant trainer Nick Moore was full of praise for him after the win.

Dr Sweet

“He did a great job off the front. The other horse (Easy Money) wanted to take him on but he handled it well.”

“He’s a hard working little guy and really deserves this, its great to help a battler who works so hard.” Gary Moore added.

Moore on 32 wins stretched his lead to four over Alan Tam on 28 victories after leading in four winners over the weekends racing.

Gr 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m)  winner All American (Red Ransom - Milva, by Strawberry Road) sired his first reported foal from his initial North American crop when a filly was born on January 30 at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky.

Bred by Phillips Racing Partnership, the filly is out of the Kingmambo mare Royal Wonder,  a half sister to Japanese champion Grass Wonder and United States Gr I winner Wonder Again.

All American, Grass Wonder, and Wonder Again all have Roberto, who stood at Darby Dan, as their paternal grandsire.

All American, who shuttled to North America in 2011 to stand at Darby Dan, stands at Arrowfield Stud in the Hunter Valley.

Scarlett Lady (4 m Savabeel - On Call, by Mr Ironclad) bounced back from a potentially career-ending injury to win the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Tauherinikau in New Zealand on Monday.

Scarlett Lady suffered a bone chip in a foreleg when finishing unplaced in the Gr 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield last October. Monday’s race was her first since but co-trainer Debbie Rogerson said beforehand, “She’s had two trials and done well, we couldn’t be happier with her.”

James McDonald positioned Scarlett Lady towards the rear from the start and then angled out to run on strongly in the straight and defeat Outback Girl (O’Reilly) by half a length. She’s Prestigious (Keeninsky) stuck on gamely for third after leading to the home turn.

The third and final session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 National Yearling Sales Series concluded Sunday at Karaka with a hugely successful 2012 Festival Sale.

Last year’s top price of $60,000 was exceeded three times, the first time when the colt by Berkley Stud’s resident sire Coats Choice (Redoute’s Choice) from Illusive Hope (Spectrum) at Lot 1274 was knocked down to Michael Stedman for $70,000 to become the top price of the Sale.

“He was purchased for a client of Lance Noble’s and we are very happy with him,” commented Stedman.”The horse looks to be a good athlete with clean legs and decent x-rays and he looks like he has a good chance of running well. He was also very well prepared and is a credit to Berkley Stud.”

Coat's Choice - Illusive Hope colt

“We have been impressed with the results of Coats Choice recently and this colt was just one of the most athletic looking colts on the grounds today. We are very pleased to be able to get a horse like him, we got him for a little more than we anticipated but it was worth it to secure the horse we were happy with.”

The top price was matched late in the day at Lot 1417 with the colt by Cecconi (Encosta de Lago) secured by Matamata trainer Graham Richardson, the leading buyer of the Festival Sale with five purchases for $143,500 at an average of $28,700.

“The colt was a real nice sort and I had to have him. I purchased him for a syndicate of friends and I paid a little bit more than I intended to but he was too nice a horse to let go. I’m very surprised with how strong the Festival Sale has been, I actually cannot remember a stronger Festival Sale, and there has been a good presence of kiwi buyers too which is good to see.”

In all, 308 catalogued lots provided total takings of $3,197,800 for 209 sold, up 3% on last year’s $3,054,250 where 44 more horses were traded. the final average is this Sale’s second highest on record and, at $15,300, is 26% ahead of last year’s $12,072. This was accompanied by a strong 77% clearance rate, up significantly on last year’s 62% and the final median was $12,000, up a huge 41% on last year’s $8,500 to match the $12,000 record set in 2008.

Veteran sprinter Joy And Fun (8 g Cullen - Gin Player, by Defensive Play) produced a typically game display of high-class sprinting to win Sunday’s HKG1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), the second Leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series and could have booked his ticket to the Dubai World Cup meeting.

Joy And Fun brushed aside an unfavourable wide draw and overturned form with Lucky Nine (Dubawi) as he powered down the Sha Tin home straight for a three quarter-length verdict over his Caspar Fownes-trained rival, while Sunny King (Desert Sun) from the John Moore stable was a further short-head away in third. Joy And Fun stopped the clock at 1m 08.98s.

Joy And Fun

“If anyone deserves to win a Group 1, it’s Joy And Fun,” said Doyle, who was riding for the last time in Hong Kong this season before taking up a 6-week contract in Dubai. “He’s been knocking on the door in all the big races and he couldn’t have done it any better.”

“As long as he had a bit of cover, that’s all I was worried about today. I dropped behind Eagle Regiment and we had Lucky Nine inside of me, so we had them all covered – it all worked out better from the draw, really. There’s always a slight doubt going into a race like this after a couple of tough ones but all credit to the horse, he’s very tough and Derek’s done a great job keeping him in good form.”

Cruz, who was visibly delighted following the race, is now hoping to send the eight-year-old to Dubai for the 1000m G1 Al Quoz Sprint. “We have tried so many times to win a Group 1 with him and on several occasions he has been close - it all worked out to be a great day,” he said. “We have always had Dubai in mind for the horse after this. He has done so well for us that we will take it step by step – he has maintained his condition so we will sit back and wait about future plans.”

Jockey Dwayne Dunn is looking at a fifth Blue Diamond Stakes win following the winning debut of Mama’s Choice (2 f Redoute’s Choice - Red Hot Mama, by General Nediym) in the $100,000 Listed Chairmans Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

“I’ve had six goes [at the Blue Diamond] for four wins and two thirds so it’d be nice to put another one up there.” Dunn said after Mama’s Choice had flown home from last into the straight to defeat Formidable (Strada) with Jimando (Commands), the $2.30 favourite, third.

“She’s got a good pedigree and I picked her out of the paddock about eight months ago so let’s hope it’s a Blue Diamond winner.”

“We’ll be right in it [the Blue Diamond] I’d say, we’ve hit form at the right time, often in this era, it never happened in the old era, Diamond winners step out around now.” Hayes said.

“I hadn’t been winning many two-year-old races this year. In a normal year I would’ve gone into the race roaring confident but having run so many placings I just thought maybe my team of horses are a little bit off the mark.”

“I’m happy and relieved that one’s stepped up at the right time.”

Mosheen (3 f Fastnet Rock - Sumehra, by Stravinsky) gave new Japanese owner Katsumi Yoshida a quick return on his investment with a brilliant win in Saturday’s $100,000 Listed Shadwell Stud Australasia Stakes (1200m).

Ridden as usual by Danny Nikolic, Mosheen came with a easy challenge into the straight to win eased down. That’s The One (Snippetson) ran on in the straight to take second place ahead of Highly Recommended (Fastnet Rock).

Yoshida recently purchased a 50 percent of the VRC Oaks winner. “The big boss (Yoshida) from over in Japan was just on the phone and he is ecstatic,” Sly, who struck up a relationship with Yoshida when he met him in Japan last year, said. ”We just got on together and he likes to drink a bit of red wine from Australia and party a bit.”

Jockey Danny Nikolic said Mosheen was going to win before the home turn when she tracked into the race with ease. ”I had the race won a long way out, from about the 600 metres,” Nikolic said. ”She had relaxed well and I just let her cruise up to them on the turn and when I asked her to sprint she showed a good turn of foot.”

“There is so much scope to this filly. She can win over six furlongs and she can win over a mile and a half. It is all thumbs up for her.”

“You just question if they can come back in the autumn after a short break but she did it well and actually popped her ears up to the line,” Smerdon said.

Anthony Freedman has a smart two-year-old in Armed For Action (2 f Exceed And Excel - Brave And Bold, by Timber Country) who led all the way to land Saturday’s Camms Queen Adelaide Stakes (1050m).

The $90,000 Easter Yearling purchase started the $1.35 favourite in the $80,000 Listed race and her supporters had no problem after jockey Daniel Moor sent Armed For Action straight to the front.

Armed For Action is unbeaten in two starts and yesterday was never threatened. First into the straight, Armed For Action went further clear in the straight and went on to defeat Marble Rye (Al Maher) by three lengths with Flying Skipper (Danerich) third.

Armed For Action is a new stakes winner for Exceed And Excel, who has now sired 44 stakes winners. Her dam is a three-quarter sister to  the Gr 2 Wakeful Stakes winner Timbourina with the Queensland Derby and Oaks winner Bravery as her grand dam.

Godolphin-owned Gamilati (3 f Bernardini - Illustrious Miss, by Kingmambo) produced an ultra-impressive performance to win the Listed UAE 1,000 Guineas (1600m) on the all-weather surface at Meydan on Friday night.

Last year’s Gr 2 Cherry Hinton winner was given a super-cool ride from a confident Dettori, sweeping from last to first in smooth style. She was chased home by free-going stablemate Pimpernel (Invincible Spirit) and Alsindi (Acclamation), who won the Oh So Sharp Stakes for former trainer Clive Brittain last term.

“After that win all options are now open with Gamilati,” said Sheikh Mohammed. ”The Newmarket Guineas was mentioned, but we will have to think about the UAE Oaks now and perhaps then Royal Ascot.”

Winning jockey Frankie Dettori said, “I was obviously very hopeful but I did not expect that - I was swinging off her turning for home and she picked up very well indeed off a steady pace. I was pleasantly surprised and that was impressive.”

The 2012 Select Sale traded strongly across the past three days, the results have held up strongly to end up just ahead of last year’s Sale. A total of 415 horses have sold for $19,114,500 (up from $19,107,000 for 418 sold in 2011) at an average of $46,059 (up from $45,711 in 2011) and a clearance of 74% (up from 73% in 2011).

New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela is pleased with how figures have held up against last year. ”After a particularly strong session yesterday (Thursday) we were prepared for today to be a quieter day but to have exceeded last year’s aggregate and average while maintaining a stronger clearance rate is a great result. Selling felt solid right throughout the three days with a good number of international buyers staying on to compete with the locals.

“Overall I think we can be very satisfied with how the week has gone given the current climate. I hope we can carry some of that momentum into our final day on Sunday.”

The leading buyer for the Select Sale is John Chalmers Bloodstock from Western Australia with eight purchases for $570,500, including his sole purchase today of Lot 1034, the Falkirk colt bought for $35,000. Chalmers also purchased 13 yearlings from the Premier Sale earlier in the week to bring his tally to 21 yearlings for $2,930,500 at an average of $139,584 including a top price of $400,000 paid for the High Chaparral colt at Lot 69.

Just behind him on the buyers list was New Zealand trainer Trent Busuttin who is enjoying a surge in support following his successful season with Group 1 VRC Derby winner Sangster. He purchased a total of 11 yearlings at this session for $550,000 at an average of $50,000, including a top price of $115,000 paid for the colt by Thorn Park at Lot 543.

Rich Hill Stud’s freshman sire, Sir Percy (Mark of Esteem), is the leading first season sire of the Select Sale with eight entries sold for an average of $49,625. At $120,000 today’s Lot 963 was the top price of the Sale for the Group 1 English Derby winner. Queensland agent John Foote paid the top price of the week for Sir Percy’s progeny when Lot 458 of the Premier Sale was knocked down to him for $150,000.

Heading the vendor tables by average for the Select Sale has been Mark & Shelley Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm who sold yesterday’s $200,000 Dubawi colt at Lot 912. In total the stud has sold nine entries for an average of $79,056.

With 25 horses sold, including the top lot, Haunui Farm is the leading vendor by aggregate at this session with turnover of $1,477,000 at an average of $59,080.

A colt by the proven Gr 1 sire Pentire (GB) topped New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012 Select Sale when selling for $230,000 on Friday afternoon. Out of the Zabeel mare Sunshine Gold, the colt from Haunui Farm was secured by Hawkes Racing, adding to the stable’s total haul of seven yearlings bought from Karaka this week for $1.4 million.

Commenting on their sale-topper, Wayne Hawkes says they were initially attracted to the pedigree by a close relative that they had previously purchased at Karaka. ”We bought Luck of Smiling - the half-brother by Elusive City - for $40,000 as a yearling and he went up to Macau and he’s about the fourth best horse up there.”

Pentire - Sunshine Gold colt

“Dad took one look at this colt and said we had to have him. He’s a better sort than Luck of Smiling and he’s by a proven sire in Pentire so we were sold. We like the Pentires - we bought the highest priced Pentire in New Zealand last year for $520,000, out of Platinum Blonde, and we really like the way he is coming along.

“We always love coming to New Zealand and buying those kiwi staying horses and are really happy with what was there this year.”

Hawkes Racing, represented at Karaka by John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes, paid a top price of $420,000 for the Zabeel colt at Lot 152 of the Premier Sale. This contributed to the team ending up in the top five leading buyers for the week.

Pentire has provided three of the top five prices of the Select Sale. The other two were the $170,000 filly purchased by John White Bloodstock for his Australian client at Lot 724, and the $170,000 colt bought by Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing at Lot 1120.

With the average price $44,690 after two days of the three-day Select session, at a clearance rate of 77%, the figures are stacking up well against last year which saw a final Select Sale average of $45,711 and a clearance rate of 73%.

The aggregate is currently $13,049,500 with 206 lots remaining to be offered tomorrow.

$200,000 Dubawi - Mlada colt

The leading buyer on Thursday was Paul Moroney with seven purchases, including a top price of $80,000 paid for the Don Eduardo colt at Lot 813. Moroney has made eight purchases in total at the Select Sale so far in addition to four purchases at the Premier Sale earlier in the week.

The leading buyer over the past two days is John Chalmers Bloodstock of Western Australia, with seven purchases for $535,500 including yesterday’s $160,000 Any Suggestion colt at Lot 576. Chalmers also bought 12 yearlings at the Premier Sale.

With one of the top prices of the Sale, Dubawi heads the sires table by average with his three entries all sold for an average of $88,333.