Trainer Desleigh Forster hopes to start a big fortnight with vastly improved mare Assertory at Doomben. A last-start Beaudesert winner Assertory will get her chance to win her second city race in the Happy New Year From the BRC Plate (1100m) on Friday. Forster has always believed Assertory can measure… Read More »
The prize money for the VOBIS Gold Carat at Moonee Valley has prompted trainer Robbie Griffiths to give Charlie Garcon his chance in the lucrative race. Charlie Garcon broke his maiden at Sale on December 24 at his fourth start and is one of 13 three-year-olds paid up for Saturday’s… Read More »
The Snowden camp is confident Capitalist can put a dramatic couple of days behind him when he gallops between races at Randwick ahead of his Magic Millions bid. The unbeaten colt missed a scheduled barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning with a slightly elevated temperature. Despite the scare, Capitalist… Read More »
An impressive finish from lightly raced Zuprising in a maiden at Sandown has provided Ballarat trainer Kylie Vella with her first city win. Four-year-old Zuprising ($3.70 fav) made his winning run from back in the field in Wednesday’s Grand Hotel Frankston Plate (1300m) at his third start and put his… Read More »
South Australian trainer Grant Young has been lured across the border by the prospect of a stakes win for in-form stayer Tunes. Young learned some lessons from his first foray to Flemington a year ago which he has put into practice for Tunes who contests the Listed Bagot Handicap on… Read More »
Sea Red is primed to make a belated open company debut as a five-year-old after frustrating her trainer over the past year. The Robert Heathcote-trained mare runs in Saturday’s Sky Racing Open Hcp (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast after recording two wins in restricted class. Heathcote has always had a… Read More »
William Pike has sprung a surprise by choosing to ride Neverland in the Perth Cup instead of stablemate Delicacy. Last season’s champion filly, Delicacy will now be ridden by Peter Hall in the New Year’s Day Group Two feature over 2400 metres at Ascot. Delicacy is the TAB’s $2.10 favourite… Read More »
Apprentice Tom Sadler makes his return to race riding at Sandown just 12 days after suffering concussion in a fall. Sadler was hospitalised when Lord Esprit crashed in the final event at Moonee Valley on December 18. The apprentice had only six days earlier returned to riding after serving a… Read More »
Bull Point has found a new home with David Vandyke and the trainer has high hopes his stable debut can bring a rich pay day. The five-year-old won a barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday to confirm a trip to the Gold Coast for the $1 million Magic Millions Cup… Read More »
The upcoming long weekend’s racing has presented several options for Danny Williams who has covered the bases with his nominations. The Goulburn trainer has four entries in the Highway Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday with Tiger By The Tale his only certain runner. Williams already has a shared win… Read More »
Danny Curran will be keeping a close watch on the weather as The Big Dance prepares for her return to racing. The three-year-old has been nominated for 1200m races at Flemington on Friday and Moonee Valley on Saturday. But the forecast temperature of 36 degrees and humid conditions has Curran… Read More »
Sir John Hawkwood will stay in Sydney to run in the Tattersalls Cup on New Year’s Day rather than travel to Melbourne for the Bagot Handicap. The stayer was given top weight for both Listed races but trainer David Vandyke and owner Paul Fudge have decided the float trip from… Read More »
After a false start, mature age apprentice Anthony Boyd makes his metropolitan debut at Sandown. The 29-year-old was scheduled to ride at Sandown last week only to have his mount scratched. On Wednesday, Boyd heads to Sandown for two rides on Tom Hughes-trained horses and and can’t wait for the… Read More »
Pat Carey’s decision to tackle a provincial lead-up race with All I Survey is set to pay dividends at Flemington. The four-year-old lines up in Listed company in the Bagot Handicap over 2800m at Flemington on Friday after regaining form with a narrow victory at Geelong over 2233m on December… Read More »
Anthony Cummings has streamlined his Randwick operation but still has plenty of runners to spread around over the holiday period. Cummings has given up one of his stable blocks with Tony McEvoy set to move horses from Hawkesbury in the coming weeks. Horses belonging to Gooree that were in Cummings’… Read More »
While up-and-coming sprinter Durendal looms as one of the leading contenders for the Group Three Standish Handicap on New Year’s Day, his younger sibling will chase his first city win at Sandown. Four-year-old Durendal, winner of his past two starts at Ballarat and Flemington, is headed to Friday’s Standish (1200m)… Read More »
Magic Millions favourite Capitalist has been a no-show in a scheduled Randwick barrier trial because of a slightly elevated temperature. Co-trainer Peter Snowden told stewards that as a precaution he would not run the colt in Tuesday’s trial but the problem was merely an inconvenience. Unbeaten in two starts, Capitalist… Read More »
Gary Portelli will use a maiden at Gosford in an attempt to qualify Zafina for the rich Magic Millions Classic. The trainer entered her for several races this week but chose Tuesday’s 1000m race as the filly’s easiest option. Zafina is owned by Magic Millions proprietor Gerry Harvey and Portelli… Read More »
Group Two-winning sprinter Churchill Dancer and seven-year-old It Is Written head the weights for the Group Three Standish Handicap, one of two stakes races on the New Year’s Day program at Flemington. The Standish (1200m) has attracted 15 nominations with Churchill Dancer and It Is Written given 59kg, two kilos… Read More »
In the absence of any physical explanation, trainer Gary Portelli is putting Sebring Sun’s Canterbury Classic failure down to a shifting Randwick track. The Group One-placed colt finished last in Saturday’s sprint run on soft ground and Portelli admitted he was shattered. The trainer has concentrated Sebring Sun’s preparation squarely… Read More »
