Promising three-year-old colt Botanist has topped Wednesday’s Magic Millions Digital Sale, selling for $55,000. The son of Wootton Bassett was secured by NSW Northern Rivers-based Viva Racing in partnership with bloodstock agent Neil Jenkinson from the Coolmore Stud draft. Botanist, out of Group-winning mare Tulip, has shown ability early in… Read More »
Patience is a virtue in racing as Pakenham trainer Bill Papazaharoudakis can vouch. Papazaharoudakis had his impressive debut winner Barbarino ready to race late last year but decided to hold off and give the gelding a little more time before opting for the Sportsbet Blackbook Plate (1200m) at Caulfield Heath on Wednesday. It paid an immediate dividend as… Read More »
After a promising three-year-old season, Firm Agreement didn’t reach the heights expected of him in the spring, but co-trainer Rob Archibald is hoping he can get back on track this campaign. Twice Group 1 placed, including when runner-up to Aeliana in last year’s ATC Australian Derby (2400m), Firm Agreement didn’t… Read More »
Trainer Adrian Bott has his sights on the spring carnival with powerful youngster Our Emperor after the colt demolished some highly touted rivals at Warwick Farm. Bott said the juvenile was likely to head straight to the paddock to prepare for bigger races having shown the stable above average ability… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg is hoping to enhance the chances of gaining a start with Chillies in the Queensland Derby via three-year-old race at Ipswich. A last start third in the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on Anzac Day, Chillies runs in the Seven QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (2180m) on… Read More »
Pat Carey says The Goodwood was a race that got away from his Stakes winner Recon. The Group 1 race at Morphettville over 1200m on May 9 was Recon’s first try at a Group 1 contest and came on top of victory in the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington three weeks early…. Read More »
Racing WA stewards have disqualified trainer Mike Santich for five months after finding he struck a horse multiple times during trackwork at Ascot. An inquiry determined Santich breached the Rules of Racing on two occasions, striking the horse twice in the head and twice in the abdomen during a session… Read More »
A $1 million race … thirty-nine nominations … track currently rated a heavy 10 … field is down to seven runners, three from one trainer … prize-money from eighth to tenth place will be left unclaimed. That’s the story … so far … of the 2026 Doomben Cup and, even… Read More »
Champion jockey Willie Pike says he is willing to push himself to the limit to secure a ride in this year’s Melbourne Cup, even if it means getting down to 50kg. Pike has been offered the ride aboard Zakouma after the Grahame Begg-trained stayer booked his spot in the $8… Read More »
Flemington trainer Steve Richards is facing a lengthy recovery after suffering serious head injuries in a fall last week that has left him in a coma. The Group 1-winning horseman struck his head on the pavement last Thursday and remains in intensive care at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Richards’ family… Read More »
The Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 10 May heralds the start of the NH Classic season, and it’s the Gr1 2000 Guineas winner Bow Echo who enters at 126. Such was his decisive 2¾ length victory that he’s said to be the ‘equal of the 2013 winner Dawn Approach… Read More »
Ben Hayes admits he’s trepidatious about the prospect of Oak Hill running out a strong 1350m but says the gelding will be given his opportunity to do so on Saturday when he contests the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben. Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Will & JD… Read More »
A rare Saturday meeting at Sandown will give the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable the chance to unveil one of their latest European imports. Boniface, a €250,000 purchase from last year’s Summer Sale at Arqana in France, makes his Australian debut in a benchmark 84 contest over 1600m… Read More »
Racing Victoria stewards have launched an investigation into trainer Shawn Mathrick after a prohibited level of total carbon dioxide was detected in a pre-race blood sample. The irregularity relates to a sample taken from Corniche prior to the gelding contesting the Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool on May 6, where he… Read More »
Yulong has finalised its expanded two-state stallion roster for 2026, confirming service fees for a number of high-profile young sprinters set to stand in New South Wales and Victoria. Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Devil Night will stand at Yulong’s new Hunter Valley base, Segenhoe Stud, at an introductory… Read More »
While the Double R Brand … Rothfire and Rawiller … justifiably dominated the racing news cycle with a flood of post-race commentary following their win in the Doomben 10,000, the storming run of the second placed Spicy Martini hardly raised a trickle of news in racing columns. The old adage… Read More »
Lindsay Park has already unleashed one above-average ready-to-run purchase this season and the training team of Ben, Will and JD Hayes will be looking to make that two this Saturday. The brothers have Stars Of Dom set to debut in the $150,000 two-year-old fillies event over 1000 metres at Sandown…. Read More »
Calvin McEvoy was initially not thrilled to see Pride Of Jenni bob up as a surprise rival for Half Yours in the Hollindale Stakes, but he is optimistic that having had a run against her will aid his prospects in features to come. The Melbourne Cup winner finished third in… Read More »
Australian Group 1 winner Lady Of Camelot has been retired following the injuries she sustained in a freak stingray incident earlier this week. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained mare suffered damage to her near foreleg during a beach session, ruling her out of Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and… Read More »
The grey Napoleon Solo claimed the one hundred and fifty first running of Preakness Stakes … the second leg of the Triple Crown … outgunning Iron Honor in the home stretch to score under a hard ride from Paco Lopez. The fourteen-strong field was the largest since the same number… Read More »
