Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has had an easy gallop at Monmouth Park, his final work-out before the $1.75 million Haskell Invitational. The overwhelming 1-5 favourite for the race on Sunday (Monday AEST) was on the track shortly after 7:30am on Saturday. He slowly jogged from the barn area to… Read More »
Three-time British champion jockey Richard Hughes failed to sign off his stellar riding career with a fairytale victory in his final Group One engagement, the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday. The 42-year-old Irishman, a former alcoholic, finished unplaced on the John Gosden-trained Bright Approach. Hughes, who is also due… Read More »
Stephen Baster returned from an injury lay-off at Moonee Valley on Saturday but the jockey will have another stint on the sidelines after incurring a careless-riding suspension. Baster was riding at his first meeting since mid-June after taking time off during winter because of tendonitis in an adductor muscle. The… Read More »
On the same day he accepted a trophy for his fifth Sydney premiership, trainer Chris Waller found himself embroiled in controversy over the scratching of a horse at Rosehill. Waller was called to a stewards’ inquiry into the decision to accept with Sir Mako in Saturday’s 1900m race at Rosehill… Read More »
After missing out on a European holiday in an unsuccessful bid to win last season’s jockeys’ premiership, James McDonald finds himself on the sidelines after a second suspension in three days. McDonald returned from a six-week riding stint in England in mid-July to try to hold onto his premiership lead… Read More »
Hong Kong-bound Chad Schofield landed his first metropolitan success in Melbourne since April when Jetello scored at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Since his victory aboard Red Bomber at Caulfield on April 18, Schofield spent time riding at the Brisbane winter carnival before an overseas stint in the United Kingdom and… Read More »
Adam Trinder was no stranger to success at Moonee Valley as a jumps jockey and he has landed a milestone win as a trainer at the same Melbourne racetrack with talented sprinter Valiant Warrior. Trinder won the Hiskens Steeplechase at Moonee Valley in 2003 and 2007 during his career in… Read More »
NSW Northern Rivers galloper Dantga put on a rodeo performance and parted company with his jockey on the way to the barriers before maintaining an unbeaten record at Doomben on Saturday. Jockey Matt Bennett dusted himself off and then steered the favourite Dantga ($2) to his fourth win from four… Read More »
A campaign that began a year ago has ended on a high with Keepit To Yourself winning the Listed Winter Challenge at Rosehill. The six-year-old has had 20 starts since August last year with only a couple of short breaks and co-trainer Greg Lee said he had earned a rest…. Read More »
Bagman has completed a Moonee Valley double for racing’s greybeards. Nine-year-old Bagman joined fellow oldtimer Our Nkwazi who was successful earlier on Saturday’s program. Both gallopers ironically shared another feat as they were successful at the corresponding Moonee Valley meeting last year. Bagman completed back-to-back victories in the Jockey Celebration… Read More »
Darren Weir finished just short of 300 wins for the 2014/15 season and the trainer hasn’t taken long to get off the mark for the new campaign with First Bloom winning at Moonee Valley. Six-year-old mare First Bloom broke through for the first time in 18 months as she denied… Read More »
Flying mare Satirical Lass produced one of the fastest 1350m runs at Doomben on Saturday, earning herself an interstate trip in the process. Starting favourite, Satirical Lass ($2) ran 1min17.75secs for the distance with her 3-1/2 length win in the Qantac Pty Ltd Handicap. Only stakes-winning gallopers Natural Destiny, Takeover… Read More »
More than two years after Campania last raced at stakes level, trainer Garry Frazer has ambitions to step her up in class again. The mare won out in a four-way finish to claim Saturday’s benchmark (1900m) to set up a possible Wyong Gold Cup start. As a three-year-old, Campania raced… Read More »
Shawn Mathrick felt a sense of deja vu with the win of Our Nkwazi at Moonee Valley. At the corresponding meeting last year, Our Nkwazi landed his first Moonee Valley success when lowering the colours of dual Group One placegetter Lord Of The Sky. On Saturday, Our Nkwazi landed the… Read More »
The decision by trainer John O’Shea to drop Demonstrate back in distance at Moonee Valley has produced the desired result with the gelding scoring his first city win on the opening day of the new Australian racing season. Demonstrate was well supported, firming from $8 to $5.50, in Saturday’s 1PRINT… Read More »
Chris Waller has started the new season as he left the last with the first winner at Rosehill. But while Japonisme took out the 1100m race for newly turned three-year-olds, Sydney’s premier trainer was forced to defend himself for sending stablemate Sir Mako to Melbourne. Stewards questioned whether Waller had… Read More »
Ciaron Maher will chase black type with the unbeaten filly Petits Filous after her victory at Moonee Valley. The daughter of Street Boss progressed from a midweek Moonee Valley win to take out the United Refrigeration Handicap (1000m) on Saturday. Maher said the filly would now head to Caulfield in… Read More »
Jockey Matt McGuren was afraid he had been outsmarted before Honesta scored an impressive win at Doomben on Saturday. Honesta, the $1.90 favourite, was second last at the 500m while second favourite Halls Creek ($3.60) was 10 lengths ahead in the lead and going strongly. But Honesta charged home in… Read More »
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has galloped in front of an enthusiastic cheer squad ahead of the Haskell Invitational. Around 5000 fans came to the track on Friday (Saturday AEST) to watch the colt in his work-out before Sunday’s $US1.75 million ($A2.40 million) race. The Haskell will be American Pharoah’s… Read More »
Golden Slipper winner Vancouver has signalled his readiness for the spring with a barrier trial win over older horses at Randwick. Vancouver rallied to beat Frank Packer Plate winner Hi World over 840 metres on Friday. As well as Vancouver, the heat featured Group One winners Cosmic Endeavour, First Seal,… Read More »
