Caloundra two-year-old Thunder Mania confirmed he is a genuine Group One JJ Atkins horse with a last-to-first Sunshine Coast win. Carrying top weight of 59kg, Thunder Mania ($1.90) dawdled out of the barriers but finished too well from to win the QTIS 2YO (1200m). John Symons, who trains in partnership… Read More »
Apprentice Matthew Cartwright has guided Mockery to victory at Sandown in his first race ride on a metropolitan track. Cartwright began his racing career six months ago and rode his first winner at Swan Hill in October at his third race ride. He is apprenticed to his mother and grandmother,… Read More »
Connections of Blue Diamond winner Lyre are hoping the addition of blinkers will help the three-year-old return to the winner’s list for the first time in more than a year in another Group One. Lyre is set for Saturday’s Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville and trainer Anthony Freedman has… Read More »
Connections of Ancestry are sticking with a winning combination despite the in-form three-year-old being lumped with a big weight for his attempt at a fourth consecutive victory. The Phillip Stokes-trained Ancestry has 61.5kg in Saturday’s Salute Frontline Workers Handicap (1200m) for three-year-olds at Sandown having won at Pakenham, The Valley… Read More »
The frustration of self-isolation will be worth it for Zac Spain if he can break through for a maiden Group One win in Adelaide. Coronavirus protocols in South Australia require anyone entering the state to undergo two weeks’ isolation. While fellow Victorian jockeys John Allen, Ethan Brown and Dean Holland… Read More »
Sending a horse on their first interstate assignment without any of its regular handlers can be an unsettling experience. Not just for the horse but also the trainer and strapper. Ballarat-based trainer Dan O’Sullivan has Affair To Remember heading to Morphettville on Saturday to contest the Australasian Oaks, chasing a… Read More »
Three-year-old Gone Bye is likely to remain in Sydney to run on the Kensington track at Randwick in preference to the MTC Guineas at Wagga. Sydney trainer Mark Newnham has accepted for the gelding in Friday’s $72,000 race at Wagga, in which he has 62kg, as well as Saturday’s Kensington… Read More »
Giant gelding Fighting Teo can confirm his claims to being Queensland’s best hope of ending a southern domination of the state’s staying contests when he races at the Gold Coast. Fighting Teo, who stands more than 17 hands, has won seven races but has been a work in progress for… Read More »
The Brisbane Racing Club will support moves to broadcast its meetings on free-to-air television during the winter. Behind-the-scenes negotiations have been underway in recent weeks for a free-to-air deal where Sky Racing’s premier Thoroughbred Central station would be shown. Channel 7, which already shows Sky’s rival Racing.com’s Victorian and South… Read More »
There will be additional chances in coming weeks for horses to gain a start in the Stradbroke Handicap, one of two Group One races in the revamped Brisbane winter carnival. Vega One is already guaranteed a berth via his win in The Gateway in December while the winners of the… Read More »
Top jockey Robbie Fradd returns to riding after two weeks of self-isolation with a strong book of rides on Friday. Fradd has not ridden since scoring a double at the Sunshine Coast two weeks ago. He won will have six rides at the Gold Coast metropolitan meeting including several likely… Read More »
Central Queensland jockey Chris McIver has been disqualified for seven months after admitting he hit his horse on the head in a Mackay race on Tuesday. McIver rode Absolute Bonza in the last race and was seen to strike the horse’s head as the field was pulling up. Watch 📺… Read More »
Racing is still on track to resume in France despite other professional sports remaining on hold for some months. The racing industry comes under the jurisdiction of France’s agriculture department not the sports ministry. French prime minister Edouard Philippe announced on Tuesday that because of the coronavirus pandemic, professional sport… Read More »
New Zealand Bloodstock’s air freight division has successfully undertaken a test flight from Auckland to Sydney with a small group of horses. With new regulations and plans in place for grooms, NZB says it can confidently begin to work on limited flights for the backlog of horses requiring trans Tasman… Read More »
South Australia’s best races have special significance on more than one level for jockey Dean Holland. After starting his riding career in Adelaide, Holland has forged a successful career in Victoria. But it is in his former home town where Holland has landed some of his biggest wins. His solitary… Read More »
A small cut put paid to Bandersnatch’s Hawkesbury Guineas bid but trainer Gerald Ryan says it looked a lot worse than it was. Well supported into favouritism leading up to Saturday’s Group Three race at Rosehill, Bandersnatch was scratched at the barrier when he was found to have a wound… Read More »
Trainer Dan O’Sullivan had some anxious moments before learning his filly Affair To Remember had scraped into the field for the Group One Australasian Oaks. Affair To Remember was among 12 horses on Monday night that had already accepted for the three-year-old fillies Australasian Oaks at Morphettville. By Tuesday morning,… Read More »
Racing Victoria will ask for the hearing into Ben Melham’s alleged betting activity to be held at the earliest possible date. Melham was issued with seven charges by stewards on Monday relating to betting on thoroughbred races between March and September last year and for giving false or misleading evidence… Read More »
John Moore is looking forward to the challenge of setting up a stable with his brother Gary in Sydney after reaching a compulsory retirement age in Hong Kong. Moore, 70, is a seven-time leading trainer in Hong Kong and has applied for boxes at Rosehill and is set to join… Read More »
New Zealand’s Haunui Farm will stand champion European miler Ribchester after calling time on the southern hemisphere career of his sire Iffraaj. Haunui’s Mark Chitty said 19-year-old Iffraaj had served the stud well for 12 years. “After lengthy discussions with the team from Darley, we have made the decision to… Read More »
