A different venue and more accomplished set of rivals posed no problem for Imperatriz, who completed an unbeaten Victorian spring campaign in Saturday’s Champions Sprint at Flemington. The flying Kiwi mare took her career Group 1 tally to eight when she held off The Everest runners Buenos Noches and In Secret to… Read More »
The addition of blinkers on the Chris Waller-trained Roots in the Hot Danish Stakes has proven to be a winning move. After finishing second last in the $2 million The Invitation at Randwick last start, a decision was later made to apply blinkers to the well-performed five-year-old mare for Saturday’s fillies… Read More »
Michael Rodd rubber-stamped a remarkable comeback to race riding when he piloted the Shuan Dwyer trainer Anemacore to victory in a Maiden Handicap at the Sunshine Coast on Friday night. Rodd had endured and overcome a nightmare, massive twenty-nine month spell on the sidelines fighting what has been termed post-concussion… Read More »
Jockey Steven Parnham believes he has top claims to win the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) for the second time in four years after Bustler came up with a perfect draw. Bustler is certain to gain an economical run from barrier three in the Lee Steere Stakes, as opposed to… Read More »
New Zealand trainer Roger James says Prowess will rise to another level is she is to win the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. Already a two-time winner at the highest level, Prowess is the ‘new kid’ on the block on Saturday. Forced to miss the early part of the spring… Read More »
Sydney trainer Matthew Smith has been around the mark with his runners at the Melbourne Cup Carnival and will have one final chance on the final day at Flemington. Three-year-old filly Aethelflaed finished fourth in the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) last Saturday before chasing home Zardozi in the VRC Oaks (2500m) on Thursday while… Read More »
After plundering the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway with Sweet Mercy, David Payne is hoping he gets the chance to chase twice as much prizemoney this weekend. Payne has first emergency Trafalgar Square in Saturday’s $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill but needs a scratching for the debutante to take her… Read More »
The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes would like a little luck to go their way in what has been a frustrating week at Flemington. After Mr Brightside was touched out in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, the Hayes boys have suffered narrow losses with Apulia and… Read More »
Montefilia will not be the only recent addition to the Yulong team racing in green and white colours in Saturday’s Champions Stakes with Duais to have her first start since joining the ever-growing racing and breeding giant in the $3 million Group 1. A deal was completed this week to see… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse has achieved more than most in racing, but it will be some training performance if she can produce Hoo Ya Mal to win the $2 million Five Diamonds at Rosehill. After some handy lead-up form over middle-distances in Sydney, Hoo Ya Mal travelled to Melbourne for the Caulfield Cup but… Read More »
Following his stunning Cox Plate victory, Romantic Warrior has returned home and is poised to defend his title in the Hong Kong Cup on December 10. Trainer Danny Shum wasted no time in bringing the superstar back to Hong Kong, with the horse flying in just two days after the… Read More »
Star jockeys Blake Shinn and Billy Egan faced disciplinary actions from Racing Victoria stewards for whip breaches on Oaks day. Shinn rode the winning horse Little Mix but was found guilty of overusing the whip, with 10 strikes before the final 100 meters and a total of 15 strikes. He… Read More »
New Mandate has overcome the deteriorating track conditions at Hawkesbury to give the trainer-jockey combination of Chris Waller and Josh Parr their third win in the Listed Ladies Day Cup. The race changed shape during the course of the afternoon when an electrical storm hit, resulting in the surface being downgraded to heavy… Read More »
Champion jockey James Mcdonald has taken out a Classic double during Melbourne Cup week guiding Godolphin filly Zardozi to an easy win at Flemington. McDonald won the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) aboard Riff Rocket on the opening day of the four-day Carnival and returned on Thursday to score aboard Zardozi for James Cummings in… Read More »
Picaroon scored an unlikely win for Warrnambool in the rich Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final at Flemington on Thursday. The six-year-old daughter of Fiorente is only in work after failing to get in-foal and she lasted in a driving go to score a narrow win in the $500,000 event. It was… Read More »
Richard and Chantelle Jolly reiterated their ability to identify the right horses to bring to the Melbourne Cup Carnival when Karavas scored a valuable win in Thursday’s $200,000 Ottawa Stakes. The daughter of Alabama Express provided the South Australian father/daughter training combination with a second win in the 1000-metre Group 3 event… Read More »
With their long-term sights on the Golden Slipper, connections of promising youngster Shangri La Express are hoping he can take home first prize in the $1 million Golden Gift to secure a spot in the world’s richest juvenile race. While no Golden Gift winner has yet gone on to Golden Slipper… Read More »
While good fortune has largely been evading Antino in Melbourne this spring, new jockey Sam Clipperton has been busy making his own luck in Sydney and he hopes it might rub off. Clipperton celebrated the biggest moment of his career with an Everest victory aboard Think About It last month. On Saturday at… Read More »
Melbourne Cup week revives fond memories for Lee and Cherie Curtis and they hope to make new ones this year when Dalchini contests the Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill. Seven years ago, Lee Curtis celebrated one of his biggest wins when Lasqueti Spirit sprang a major upset in the VRC Oaks at… Read More »
It’s been near two decades since trainer Trevor Andrews took out the Fairetha Stakes (1400m), but he believes A Lot Of Good Men presents a golden opportunity of returning to the races honour roll on Saturday. Trevor Andrews is backing A Lot Of Good Men to pass his biggest test in the… Read More »
