Scotia on great horses-update..

Overdose trainer to pursue career abroad

SANDOR RIBARSZKI, trainer of unbeaten Hungarian sprint sensation Overdose, has announced plans to quit his native country atthe end of the year and pursue a training career abroad.

"I have achieved everything there is to achieve here," said Ribarszki.

"In the 14 years I have been training in Hungary I have been champion trainer eight times and won the Hungarian Derby five times but the situation regarding racing here is very uncertain.


"Privatisation is looming - and Kincsem Park, (the country's sole racetrack) is still under threat from development. The economy is in a very bad shape. I prefer to leave while I am at the top - I won the trainers' championship again this summer and at the weekend I won the top two-year-old race."

Ribarszki said he is most likely to train in Germany, but has not ruled moving to France or Britain.

He added: "I am 47 and I feel this is my last chance to make a move. Afterwards, it will be too late to get out. I am keen to build a new life for myself and my family abroad and I am open to all reasonable offers."

Before he returned to Hungary to train in 1995, Ribarszki, a former jumps jockey, had worked as assistant to Kurt Schafflutzel, a leading trainer in Switzerland, and enjoyed success with horses such as the multiple-winner Rambourg.

Ribarszki said he hoped that Overdose, convalescing at Amanda Perrett's stables in Sussex after a foot injury which has kept him off the racetrack since April, would make the move with him.

Could not find anything on the horse, but the owner could be for the chop in meat processing equipment?

Overdose owner Mikoczy arrested in Romania


ZOLTAN MIKOCZY, owner of unbeaten Hungarian sprint star Overdose, was arrested in Romania earlier this week, according to press reports from Budapest.

Mikoczy is said to have been charged with theft in a scheme that involved the stealing of meat processing equipment through the falsification of documents.

Mikoczy was stopped by Romanian police on Wednesday while travelling in convoy through the country with a number of companions.

A number of publications in Hungary have reported that Mikoczy was handcuffed and strip-searched by police officers at the roadside, and that he remains in custody in Romania.

Overdose is a national hero in Hungary where Mikoczy, a Hungararian businessman of Slovak ancestry, now enjoys similar celebrity status.

sidfernando.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/arr...y-of-new-journalism/

sidfernando.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/ove...tions-from-bad-year/

sidfernando.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/ove...arrested-in-romania/

sidfernando.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/vid...lus-hungarian-story/

These four posts will provide updates on Overdose and his owner

Thats funny, I thought they related to sid fernando

welcome Sid

Thanks Scotia.....

Was not on the list, but

Japanese star Vodka chases seventh Grade 1

Preview: Japan, Sunday

Tokyo: Tenno Sho (Autumn) (Grade 1) 1m2f, turf, 3yo+

JAPAN'S superstar racemare Vodka heads a stellar cast on Sunday when she bids for back-to-back victories in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo racecourse.

Although this prestigious 1m2f event is open to three-year-olds, not a single representative of the Classic generation features in an 18-runner field for the 256m yen (£1.7m) contest.

However, the autumn ‘Emperor's Cup' - there's a two-miler in the spring as well - is a regular port of call for Japan's top older horses and Sunday's field features a stack of top-level winners.

As well as Vodka, who beat Daiwa Scarlet in race-record time after a photo-finish in last year's race, the field will include last year's surprise Japan Cup winner Screen Hero.

Vodka (Katsuhiko Sumii/Yutaka Take), seeking herseventh Grade 1 win in Japan, would be only the second horse to win the Tenno Sho in consecutive years after Symboli Kris S.

Seven top-level wins, home or abroad, is a record for a Japanese-trained horse, held jointly by Symboli Rudolf, TM Opera O and the great Deep Impact.

Vodka, a five-time winner at Tokyo, comes here after a narrow defeat by Sunday's rival Company in the Grade 2 Mainichi Okan over 1m1f in early October.

"After the time off, she may have been under some pressure for her last race," said trainer Katsuhiko Sumii.

"It turned out to be a tough race for her because she was marked being out in front. She's much more relaxed now, having gotten one out of the way. Vodka will be at her very best for her second start of the season.

"A horse of her quality, you can only hope you've made no mistakes in the preparation and I like to think we haven't. We're up against another toughfield this year, and we shouldn't take it for granted that we can run well like last year."

Rivals include Screen Hero (Yuichi Shikato/Hiroshi Kitamura), who has yet to reproduce his Japan Cup-winningform, the last two Leger winners Asakusa Kings (Ryuji Okubo/Horofumi Shii) and Oken Bruce Lee (Hidetaka Otonashi/Hiroyuki Uchida) plus dual Grade 1 scorer Dream Journey (Yasutoshi Ikee/Kenichi Ikezoe).

>>Christophe Soumillon and Anthony Crastus will be in action in Japan over the weekend after being granted a short-term jockeys' licence until the end of the year.

Soumillon partners Admire Fuji in the Tenno Sho among six rides at Tokyo on Sunday, while both jockeys are also riding at Kyoto on Saturday.

Rachel Alexandra back in light work at Churchill


USA: Superstar filly Rachel Alexandra, engagedin a duel for Horse of the Year with Breeders' Cup Classic heroine Zenyatta, has returned to light work on the racetrack.

According to the Daily Racing Form,the three-year-old has been in action for the first time since arriving back at Churchill Downs from Saratoga on October 7.

Rachel Alexandra jogged an easy mile late in the morning on Monday and Tuesday to avoid the heavier training hours earlier in the day.

"She was ready to get out there and do something, finally," said trainer Steve Asmussen's assistant Scott Blasi.

"She's put on a lot of weight, looks beautiful, is travelling great," he added.

"We just wanted to get her back out there a few days because she's so familiar and comfortable with the track here at Churchill."

Rachel Alexandra will spend the winter at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, though no decision has been taken on when she will be shipped there.

She won all of her eight starts in 2009, defeating males in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park and Woodward Stakes at Saratoga.

She also recorded runaway victories in her own division in the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes.

Horse of the Year honours will be announced at the annual Eclipse Awards dinner, held on January 18 in Beverly Hills, California.

Overdose set to follow trainer to Germany


Hungary: Unbeaten sprint sensation Overdose is set to move to Germany next month to join his trainer Sandor Ribarszki, who is quitting his native Hungary tobuild a new career abroad.

Ambitious plans for Overdose taking in top sprints across Europe were abandoned last season when he suffered an injury after taking his unbeaten record to 12 with an easy victory at Kincsem Park in Budapestin April.

Adding to the uncertainty over the four-year-old's future, his main owner Zoltan Mikoczy is imprisoned in Romania after being charged with theft.


Last month Ribarszki, eight times champion trainer in his home nation, announced his intention to train abroad - and Overdose, a national icon whoruns in the Hungarian flag colours of red,white and green, is set to follow him.

Ribarszki will move to his new base at Hoppegarten, near Berlin, in early December, and says his star horse will follow two weeks later.

"We will be taking about ten horses from Hungary with us in the first instance," Ribarszki said.

"The facilities at Hoppegarten are excellent and although things will be tough in Germany, I am looking forward to the new challenge."

Overdose returned to Ribarszki's stables at Dunakeszi, near Budapest on Friday night, having been stabled in a secret location since his return to Hungary from Britain earlier this month, where he spent time convalescing from injury at Amanda Perrett's yard at Pulborough.

"He's terrifically fresh and in tip-top condition," Ribarszki said. "He seems to have completely recovered and is no longer limping. He's being handled with great care."

Ribarszki also had information regarding Overdose's main owner Zoltan Mikoczy, who is serving a 17- month prison sentence in Romania, having been arrested last month and charged with theft.

"He isallowed to make five telephone calls and one is to me to ask about the condition of Overdose," said the trainer.

"He is under great pressure and we are worried about him having a heart attack. His appeal against his sentence is to be heard in December, he could be released or his sentence could be increased.

"The previous maximum punishment for the crime he is charged with is only five and half months, but he got 17 months. It was a big shock."

Sea The Stars crowned Horse of the Year

To many, he is the horse of all time, so it was no surprise that Sea The Stars was last night crowned Horse of the Year at the annual Racehorse Owners' Association awards.

At a sparkling London function that also celebrated fellow equine icons Kauto Star and Yeats, the mighty Sea The Stars was honoured for his unparalleled season of success with not only the ROA/Sportingbet.com Horse of the Year accolade but also the prize for the year's Outstanding Three-Year-Old Colt.

The journey from Hong Kong to London is not a short one, but owner Christopher Tsui was able to cross continents in little doubt that his exceptional athlete, now retired to the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud, was about to deliver him further additions to an already bulging trophy cabinet.


Like trainer John Oxx, Tsui was present at Park Lane's Hilton Hotel, where Sea The Stars was rightly lauded, as he was at the recent Cartier Awards, for his victories in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Derby, 2,000 Guineas, Eclipse, International and Irish Champion Stakes.

In addition, Tsui, whose mother Ling played a significant role in masterminding the history-making horse's career, was brought to the stage to receive the 2009 Owner of the Year prize.

Yeats, who himself rewrote racing history when securing an unprecedented fourth Gold Cup victory at Royal Ascot in June, was another shoe-in winner when announced champion stayer for the third time, while at the opposite end of the distance spectrum dual Nunthorpe Stakes victor Borderlescott took the sprinters' prize.

Other Flat winners included British Breeders' Cup conquerors Conduit and Midday, but the jumps awards were dominated by Kauto Star, who, but for Sea The Stars, would have been a strong contender for the Horse of the Year silverware.

On this occasion, his owner, Clive Smith, had to settle for the Outstanding Chaser prize, while Champion Hurdle winner Punjabi came out on top at the end of a competitive race for the hurdlers' gong.

Also celebrating were those associated with York racecourse, voted Britain's top track by ROA members, and whose decision ended a five-year unbeaten streak for Newbury.
Full list of ROA/Sportingbet.com awards winners Outstanding Hunter Chaser Cappa Bleu
Outstanding Novice Hurdler Mikael D’Haguenet
Outstanding Hurdler Punjabi
Outstanding Novice Chaser Forpadydeplasterer
Outstanding Chaser Kauto Star
Outstanding Handicapper Darley Sun
Outstanding Two-Year-Old Filly Special Duty
Outstanding Two-Year-Old Colt St Nicholas Abbey
Outstanding Three-Year-Old Filly Midday
Outstanding Three-Year-Old Colt Sea The Stars
Outstanding Older Horse Conduit
Outstanding Sprinter Borderlescott
Outstanding Stayer Yeats
All-Weather Horse of the Year Scintillo
Racecourse of the Year York
Owner of the Year Christopher Tsui
Horse of the Year Sea The Stars

Recovering Overdose set
to remain in Hungary


SPRINT sensation Overdose, who is recovering from a leg injury, will continue to be trained in Hungary according to the horse's owner Zoltan Mikoczy.


Mikoczy's remarks follow a recent statement made by Overdose's trainer, Sandor Ribarszki, who told how he was planning to quit his native Hungary to build a new career in Germany.

Mikoczy was on Thursday released from prison after being arrested in October for misleading creditors in connection with his Romanian farm. The owner was speaking to www.pannoniaoverdose.hu (includes video footage) after visiting the unbeaten four-year-old in Alag, north of Budapest. He said he believed Overdose had a good chance of competing at Royal Ascot next summer.

Mikoczy said: "What's most important to me is that Overdose, who nipped me when we met again, should be registered as a Hungarian horse and continue being trained in Hungary. He will definitely keep racing as a Hungarian horse."

In the interview, reported by the Hungarian News Agency, Mikoczy admitted Overdose's recovery and the Ascot target would depend on a mild winter.

"If preparations can be completed in February and March then he has a good chance for racing at Royal Ascot in June. But for this, he will have to run at least one preparatory race in May," he said.

In 2008, Overdose was first passed the post in the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp, but the race was void after Fleeting Spirit's stall failed to open. He did not compete in the rearranged race which was won by Marchand D'Or.

Vodka set for Dubai World Cup swansong


Japan: Superstar racemare Vodka, seven times a Group 1 winner at home in Japan, will be retired after competing in the Dubai World Cup on March 27.

The five-year-old will miss Japan's end-of-season championship, the Arima Kinen on December 27, after bleeding from the nose following her thrilling victory last month in the Japan Cup.

According to Japanese rulesof racing, she was suspended for a month but the nation's most popular horse is said to have fully recovered, and her connections are now eyeing a glorious swansong in Dubai.

"To the extent of our knowledge her health is absolutely fine," Vodka's trainer Katsuhiko Sumii told Wednesday's Japanese media. "Dubai will be her last race - we want to put her out to pasture and prepare for the next spring.

"She is in fine condition. There is no more worry about nosebleeding which is not something unusual among racehorses."

In 2007, Vodka shot to fame when she became the first filly in 64 years to win the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and is tied with Symboli Rudolf, T.M. Opera Oand Deep Impact at the top of the tree for Grade 1 wins among Japanese-trained horses.

She has visited Dubai twice before, finishing fourth and seventh in the Dubai Duty Free for the last two seasons.

According to the daily Chinicho Sports, she is likely to be sent to the paddocks in Ireland rather than staying in Japan.