Emperor impressive at Sandown

The Mike Moroney-trained Japanese Emperor made the perfect start to his career at Sandown on Wednesday, coming with a late charge to score going away in a three-year-old event over 1200m.

A son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Satono Aladdin, Japanese Emperor was sent out a $16 chance and was forced to go back from a wide draw.

After shouldering into the clear 350m from home, the gelding let down impressively to win by two lengths under Jamie Mott.

Japanese Emperor was offered by Rich Hill Stud at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale at Karaka where he was knocked down for $360,000 to Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables, the highest-priced southern hemisphere yearling by the sire.

“The stallion is going very well and I know Mike and Paul loved this horse and had to go over budget to buy him and you can see why,” the stable’s Racing Manager Anthony Feroce said.

Nominated for the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Japanese Emperor made a favourable impression on winning rider Jamie Mott.

“He drew wide and I elected to go back and ride him quietly and put him to sleep,” he said.

“I angled out in the straight and he really exploded, he was super impressive.”

Japanese Emperor is out of the unraced O’Reilly mare Inthespotlight, who is from the immediate family of the Group One winners Metal Bender and Amarelinha and Gr.1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) runner-up North Pacific.

His sister was sold at Karaka this year to Go Racing for $85,000 and Inthespotlight foaled a filly by Ace High in 2021 before returning to Satono Aladdin.

TAB NZ to remove all deductions this spring

TAB NZ have announced they are removing all deductions on fixed odds final field win and place bets right through to the end of New Zealand Cup Week in November.
 
The initiative, which began this week, means racing punters won’t get their dividend reduced if their selected horse wins or places, regardless of whether one or several other runners in the field are scratched. 
 
“What you see is what you’ll get,” TAB NZ chief betting officer Simon Thomas said.
 
“It doesn’t matter if there’s one, two, or even six scratchings from when the market opens right through to the race being run — if you backed a horse to win at $6 and it duly delivers, you will get paid out the full $6.”
 
The “no deductions” initiative applies to both New Zealand and international racing.
 
“Many customers who are new to racing are surprised and frustrated when they get less money back from a winning bet than they thought they would, due to scratchings,” Thomas said.

“There is no easy way for them to work out what the amount will be, and they’re left feeling dissatisfied with the whole process. 
 
“They’ll continue to experience this frustration through the spring if they bet with overseas betting operators, but not with us.”